WEST ALABAMA TUESDAY BRIEFING
There is a slight chance for showers in eastern Tuscaloosa, northern Bibb and all of Walker County for Tuesday, July 25, 2023.
Today's forecast calls for a 15% to 25% chance of mainly afternoon and early evening showers and thunderstorms. Optimistically, that leaves us with a 75% possibility of getting no precipitation. Highs today will be in the mid-90s.
Tonight, the skies will become fair with lows in the upper 60s and lower 70s.
However, lurking just ahead is a rising heat index close to 105 degrees during the peak heating of the afternoon Thursday through Sunday. That is the heat from out west moving into the southeast.
Topping the News:
Hoover Police will meet with Carlee Russell at 10 this morning in the wake of her admission yesterday that she faked her kidnapping. A message from her attorney was read by Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis in which she admitted to not being kidnapped and being the only person responsible for the ruse. There is no indication if charges will be filed for a false police report.
Plaintiffs in the Alabama congressional districting case are expected to file a challenge of the map passed Friday by the legislature. It ignores a U-S Supreme Court order to create a 2nd Majority-Minority congressional District. They have until Friday to submit their challenge.
The City of Northport will provide more time for citizens to request to make a comment at a city council meeting. The change comes after extensive criticism that the public did not have enough notice that the city planned to sell the Northport Community Center at the council’s June 5th meeting.
For the 4th year, those with $18 Tuscaloosa overtime parking tickets are able to make a donation of school supplies valued at $10 in lieu of paying the fine. School supplies valued at $20 or more are accepted in place of two $18 parking tickets. All collected supplies will be donated to the Tuscaloosa City Board of Education and distributed to local students in need.
Alabama Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth has taken to social media to attack Gov. Ivey’s West Alabama Corridor project that will 4-lane U-S43 and AL69 between Mobile and Tuscaloosa. Ainsworth claims the $800 million for the West Alabama Corridor should be used to add lanes to Interstate 65 rather than a roadway with less than 1/20th the traffic count. Ainsworth wants new leadership at ALDOT.
Many political observers believe Ainsworth is setting up to run for governor at the end of Ivey's term.
As President Biden filled in the open leadership positions in the U-S Navy, he again attacked Alabama Senior U-S Senator Tommy Tuberville for placing a hold on flag rank promotions over the Pentagon’s abortion policy. Biden asked the GOP leadership to stand up to Tuberville because his actions are undermining U-S military readiness.
With pressure from a group opposed to the sale of the Northport Community Center being applied, Northport Mayor John Hinton will reportedly veto the plan. On a conditional vote on June 5th, the council unanimously approved the sale of the property just off Lurleen Wallace Blvd. to a property a developer for a multi-use facility.
A planned bridge inspection on I-20/59 is causing delays and could continue to do so through Thursday.
The westbound lanes between mile marker 69 and 60 on I-20/59 are expected to be impacted through today. The eastbound lanes will be worked on between Wednesday and Thursday.
A suit filed this month in U.S. District Court in Florida’s middle district, names as defendants Church of the Highlands' lead pastor Chris Hodges and associate pastor Dino Rizzo, and the Association of Related Churches (ARC), a global cooperative of thousands of evangelical churches co-founded by Hodges.
The suit alleges the defendants conspired to take over Celebration Church of Jacksonville by framing founders Stovall Weems and his wife Kerri Weems for financial improprieties out of "greed and a desire to advance their own interests".
Church of the Highlands has a large campus in Tuscaloosa.
In Sports:
The clock is ticking down towards the college football season. It is 32 days until kickoff!
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