West Alabama Thursday Briefing
Thursday, August 10, 2023, began with rain and traffic crashes everywhere. Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa's "Traffick Guy" Capt'n Ray is reminding everyone to slow down when the streets are wet, especially with school busses back on the roads.
More high heat and humidity are in the forecast too. That has prompted the National Weather Service in Birmingham to post a Heat Advisory for Tuscaloosa, Pickens and Bibb counties and southward until
There is also a Marginal (1 in 5) Risk for strong to severe thunderstorms beginning around 4:00 this afternoon until 1:00 Friday morning.
The Forecast:
Today: Showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1pm. High near 93. Heat index values as high as 106. West wind around 10 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Sumter County Schools will open late due to a shortage of teachers and school bus drivers caused by the board refusing to hire any new personnel. Parents are calling the decision political. Recently, state officials announced plans to take over the system that has struggled for years with financial issues, declining enrollment and low-test scores.
Tonight, Tuscaloosa Mayor Walk Maddox will have another in his series of town hall meetings. Maddox says the 6pm meeting will be for council districts 1 & 2 at Tuscaloosa Center for Technology. It will last an hour. The next town hall will be a week from tonight at Skyland Elementary and then on September 7th at Catch-A-Taste.
You have no doubt noticed gas prices have jumped up 29¢ over the last month. The culprits being OPEC oil production cuts and lower refining due to the extreme heat in the U-S. The national average is $3.82 a gallon. In Alabama it is 3-43 a gallon. Tuscaloosa County is reporting a 3-41 a gallon average.
A 47-year-old man, involved in a two-vehicle crash on Warner Parkway and 25th Avenue yesterday, was taken to DCH Regional Medical Center where he soon died from his injuries. Circumstances of the crash are still being investigated.
With the start of the new school year yesterday, the Tuscaloosa City Schools is providing lunch and breakfast for all students for the 2023-24 school year, at no charge. That’s because 40% of the system's student qualify for the federal program. 17 of the county system’s 36 schools qualify for free meals for all students.
On November 2021 Prosecutors said former Bama and Raiders player Henry Ruggs III’s blood alcohol level was twice the legal limit when he hit and killed a woman and her dogs as he drove at speeds up to 150mph on a Las Vegas city street. Yesterday he received a 3-to-10-year sentence. The 23-year-old will have to serve a minimum of three years in prison.
You may have noticed all the rental truck and trailers the last few days. UA students are moving in for the fall semester in droves. To assist, the city has placed dumpsters at key locations. The dumpsters are marked with signage.
Dumpsters are located at:
- 893 Parkview Drive
- Cloverdale Drive at Meador Drive
- 300 Thomas Street (behind apartment Building)
- 7th Avenue and 12th Street
- 8th Avenue and 11th Street (in front of Capstone Condominiums)
- 11th Avenue and 12th Street (In front of Heathrow Apartments)
- 12th Street behind Tutwiler
- 12th Street and 14th Avenue
- 8th Avenue and 13th Street
- 6th Avenue behind Jack's
Dumpsters will be available through tomorrow.
In Sports:
It is just 16 days and counting until the 2023 college football season kicks off. Bama doesn't begin until September 2nd against Middle Tennessee.
The Atlanta Braves have now won two in a row after holding on last night to be Pittsburgh 6-to-5. The Braves are in the midst of one of their longest road trips of the season. They head to New York tomorrow to begin a four-game series with the Mets.
Have a thrilling Thursday!!
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