WEST ALABAMA THURSDAY BRIEFING
It is Thursday, June 22, 2022, and this is National Chocolate Eclair Day. The delicious oblong pastry made with choux dough filled with vanilla cream is one of the country's top selling pastries. (OK, I love eclairs). What makes this French originated delicacy even more delicious is that it is glazed with sweet and shiny chocolate icing. But don't confuse the eclair with a Long John. They are similar but not the same. Hungry yet?
Today, there is a slight chance of showers between 10am and 1pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. otherwise it will be partly sunny, with a high near 84. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Tonight's forecast calls for partly cloudy skies with a low around 66.
------
Topping the News:
The Fosters-Ralph Water Authority is advising customers that their request for water conservation should be ending soon as Black Warrior EMC completes restoring power from last Friday's 70 to 80 mph winds.
------
The West Alabama Food Bank is coming to the rescue of hundreds of residents in Ralph. Last Friday’s hurricane force winds in southwest Tuscaloosa County knocked out power to the Ralph Community and many Black Warrior EMC customers are just now getting their electricity restored. The food bank will help storm victims in Ralph as well as residents in Greene, Hale and Pickens Counties replace spoiled food from their freezers. You will need proof of residency to apply for help.
------
The Tuscaloosa County Emergency Management Agency will continue to staff a tent located at Roberston's BBQ on Ralph Loop Road. Residents of the area that received damage last Friday night are urged to come by and report it so the information can be relayed to church volunteer teams that will fan out across the area to remove debris from private property tomorrow and Saturday.
------
Have you received a text or email message from the U-S Postal Service claiming they need more information from you in order to be able to deliver a package? Postal Inspector Mike Carroll tells us messages like that are flooding West Alabama and they are NOT from the post office. He says they are from hackers attempting to get you to click on a false link so they can steal your personal information.
Carroll reminds us to stop and think, if the post office doesn’t have your address, how do they have your email address or cell phone number?
------
The nursing shortage continues to apply pressure on the medical community but a $3.5 million grant from the U-S Department of Labor to UA could help. The grant to the UA School of Nursing will increase the number of nursing instructors and educators.
------
Alabama U.S. Senators Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt along with the state’s congressional delegation have hosted an Alabama Prayer Breakfast in our nation’s capital. Tuberville told reporters prayer is needed desperately in this country. Faith leaders from Alabama were joined by University of Alabama President Dr. Stuart Bell who read scripture.
------
Dates and locations for some public hearings and other key dates related to the congressional redistricting process ordered by the U-S Supreme Court have been announced. There are two public hearings set to take place in Montgomery, but both will also be available for people to watch online. Those meetings will be streamed here.
The hearings released:
- June 27 at 1:30 P.M., State House Room 200: Committee meeting and public hearing
- July 7 at 5 P.M.: Deadline for all plans to be submitted to the Reapportionment Committee. Email to: district@alsenate.gov
- July 13 at 1:30 P.M., State House Room 200; Committee meeting and public hearing
- August 14: Hearing at Hugo L. Black United States Courthouse. Located at 1729 5th Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35203
------
The Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama’s sixth annual "Benchmarking Trip", presented by The University of Alabama, will take place in Raleigh, North Carolina, tomorrow thru Sunday. Since 2017, West Alabama’s business leaders, elected officials and community members have visited other communities with similar demographics to learn about its successes and bring those ideas back to West Alabama.
------
In Sports:
The NBA Draft is tonight, and former Alabama Basketball stars Brandon Miller and Noah Clowney are expected to hear their names called early. The CBS Mock Draft placed Miller as the 3rd overall pick by San Antonio. Clowney is projected as the 15th overall pick of the Atlanta Hawks.
------
Five-star recruit Jarin Stevenson has committed to Alabama and plans to reclassify into the 2023 class, he told ESPN on Wednesday. Stevenson will arrive in Tuscaloosa in early July and will suit up for the Crimson Tide next season. The 6-foot-10 power forward chose Alabama over North Carolina and Virginia.
------
Congratulations to Alabama Baseball's Jim Jarvis who was named an ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove recipient at shortstop.
Jarvis is just the third player in Crimson Tide history to be recognized with Gold Glove honors, joining Taylor Dugas (2011) and Kyle Overstreet (2013).
------
Fairhope, AL native Alea Johnson is transferring from LSU to the Alabama Softball program.
The pitcher made 12 appearances in her 2023 freshman season at LSU, including seven starts, posting a 7-1 record and 1.41 ERA. She threw the final 2.0 innings in the Tigers' matchup against national champion Oklahoma, retiring each of the six Sooners she faced.
------
Have a great Thursday! Just keep thinking, tomorrow is Friday!
More From 95.3 The Bear
