West Alabama Monday Briefing
It is Monday January 29, 2024.
There is good news for this week's weather after severe storms, heavy rain and severe cold have plagued West Alabama and the state the last couple of weeks. Seasonable temperatures and dry conditions return today. Now seasonable means cold because, after all, it is winter, but there are no sub-freezing outbreaks headed this way for the foreseeable future.
According to NOAA's Climate Prediction Center the 8-14 Day Temperature Outlook shows temperatures at or just above normal. Meanwhile, the 8-14 Day Precipitation Outlook reveals rainfall at near normal levels.
The Forecast:
Today: Decreasing clouds leading to partly sunny skies, with a high near 54. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 32. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 63. Light south wind becoming southwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 39. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming northwest after midnight.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 55. North wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 32.
Remainder of the Work Week: Mostly sunny days and partly cloudy nights with highs in the upper 50s to lower 60s. Lows will be in the uppers 30s to lower 40s.
Small rain chances will return by the weekend.
Topping the News:
Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit investigators have been at the scene of a fatal shooting all night. One man died in the incident just before midnight at Landmark Apartments on Old Montgomery Highway. We expect more information from authorities later this morning.
Water has now been restored in Walker, Fayette and extreme Northern Tuscaloosa counties. Those are communities served by the Oakman Water Authority which went without water for days as a result of the recent sub-freezing weather. Residents are asking what is being done to keeping it from happening again. A meeting with the water authority is set for next month. Meanwhile, a “Boil Water Notice” remains in effect until water safety is assured.
The 2024 session of the Alabama Legislature is just days away and 120 businesses and organizations are advocating for Gov. Ivey and lawmakers to expand Medicaid. Lack of expansion is one major reason for the closure of the Pickens County Medical Center in 2020 and the Alabama Hospitals Association says more than half of the hospitals in the state are operating with negative revenue margins which will lead to more closures and poorer healthcare.
ALDOT is proposing a new type of interchange over I20/59 in Tuscaloosa County. It would add lanes from Youngblood Parkway to the I-20/59 East Ramp of Exit 100 and replace a bridge on AL-216 over I-20/59 in McCalla. ALDOT Spokesman John McWilliams says it is called a Divergent Diamond Interchange and the project would take two years to complete.
Robbing Dollar General Stores is coming a national trend that has now extended to Tuscaloosa County. The DG store on University Blvd. was hot around 10:00pm Saturday, shortly after the store closed. yesterday morning about 7:00am the DG at 13870 Highway 69 South was robbed.
It is not clear if the two robberies are connected but the investigation continues.
41-year-old Marco Lashaun Mitchell has been arrested after a chase by Lauderdale County (MS) Sheriff's Deputies. The vehicle he was driving, a 2015 Chevrolet Trax LT, had been reported stolen in Tuscaloosa.
Deputies first attempted a traffic stop on Highway 19 in Meridian, but the driver fled toward Alabama, reaching speeds of 100mph. The chase was eventually ended when deputies deployed spike strips.
Mitchell has been charged with DUI, Possession of Marijuana in a motor vehicle, receiving stolen property and felony fleeing and eluding.
He was out of jail on multiple felony bonds from a December 4 arrest.
TPD and Lauderdale County Deputies are working together on the case.
In Sports:
ESPN has named the Georgia at Alabama game at Bryant-Denny on September 28th as a “Can’t Miss” game for the coming football season. It will be Kalen DeBoer’s 1st SEC game as Bama’s Coach and Bulldog Coach Kirby Smart’s 2nd time to coach in his old stomping grounds. It will also be a highly anticipated battle between the Tide’s Jalen Milroe and UGA’s Carson Beck.
Jalen Milroe conducted a youth football camp over the weekend and ABC3340 he never considered leaving Bama. He said Tide players are excited about the hiring of Kalen DeBoer as head coach and he believes Bama will be alright this coming season.
The Bama women blasted Kentucky 91-74 in SEC Sunday Basketball Action. The Tide is now 17-6. They play at Arkansas Thursday at 8:00pm.
Former Crimson Tide linebacker and Bessemer native DeMeco Ryans has been named NFL Coach of the Year Award. Ryans picked up the award after his first season as an NFL Head Coach with the Houston Texans. He guided them to the playoffs with a first round win.
Make the Best of each day this week, they are irreplaceable hours!
More From 95.3 The Bear
