West Alabama Tuesday Briefing

Good morning West Alabama. It is Tuesday, May 20, 2025. This is the 140th day of the year with 225 days remaining.

In Tuesday's Briefing:

Weather: The cleanup from Sunday's severe storms is continuing as more severe weather is forecast to move in later today.
News: The Northport City Council voted 3-2 to approve the rezoning for the planned University Beach Resort.
Sports: Bama and Missouri have begun the 2025 Southeastern Conference Baseball Tournament.
Tuesday Morning Observations (Commentary):

Weather:

Debris from the early Sunday morning severe thunderstorms that rolled across West Alabama is still on the ground in many places, now there are more storms with high winds on the way.

Strong to severe thunderstorms will bring damaging winds, large hail and potential tornadoes to West Alabama during the early evening hours, especially north of a Geiger in Sumter County, Eutaw in Greene County to Centreville in Bibb County line. That is where an Elevated (3 in 5) Risk is in effect. There is a Slight (2 in 5) Risk south of that line.

Don't forget, due to ongoing upgrades of the system, NOAA Weather Radio will not be available during today's severe weather outbreak. Have an alternative way to receive weather alerts such a TuscaloosaThread.org app and WEA Alerts on your smart phone.

The Forecast:

Today

A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph.

Tonight

Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.

Wednesday

Sunny, with a high near 84. Northwest wind around 5 mph.

Wednesday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 61. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Thursday

Sunny, with a high near 85. Light west wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph in the morning.

Thursday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 57.

Friday

Sunny, with a high near 79.

Friday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 58.

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News:

Another Step Forward Taken for University Beach Resort

On a 3-2 vote last night, the Northport City Council voted to approve the rezoning and special district plan for the University Beach development. With a group of citizens who have opposed the controversial development voicing vehement opinions watching, Councilors Woodrow Washington, Karl Wiggins and Christy Bobo voted in favor of the rezoning, while Jamie Dykes and Anwar Aiken voted against it.

If constructed, the 76.2-acre development will include a beach resort, which will feature a water park, hotel, retail spaces, restaurants, and housing.

During citizen input, Bobby Johnson claimed the council is not listening to the community, "And I don't ever remember a council to the extent this council has not listen to the citizens."

Developers optimistically predict 660,000 visitors and estimates a $61 million tax impact on Northport in the first ten years

Read More: Northport Rezones Property for University Beach Resort, Ignoring Committee & Constituents

Northport Cuts Ribbon on New Public Works Building

The City of Northport has cut the ribbon on its new Public Works Building.

Amason was the general contractor for the facility that includes offices for the program director and superintendent, as well as crew locker rooms, training rooms, and break rooms. Upon completion of the new facility, we will renovate an adjacent office building to include upgraded finishes and fixtures.

Brooke Starnes is the city's Public Works Director.

Federal Cutbacks Impacting Veterans

A virtual congressional briefing is being conducted today where registered nurses from various Veterans Health Administration (VA) facilities will discuss the current state of veterans' health care in the wake of concerning federal cutbacks.

Jennifer Giles, a Registered Nurse at the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center will join six other RNs from across the country this afternoon to discuss the impact of staffing cuts and this administration’s attempts to silence nurses’ advocacy for veteran's services.

VA Secretary Doug Collins is seeking a reduction in force in the range of 70,000 to 80,000 workers. Nurses claim the massive staffing cuts will be catastrophic for patient care as according to an August 2024 Inspector General’s report, 82 percent of VA facilities already have severe shortages in nursing staff. In addition, these cuts would come at a time when the VA is seeing historic enrollment.

Nurses say the cutbacks are an attempt by the Trump Administration to eventually privatize veteran's healthcare.

Read More: VA nurses to detail impact of cuts and anti-worker policies

Walker County Hopes New Technology Will Help Identify Cold Case Body

In 1984 the body of an unidentified female was discovered alongside Alabama Highway 5 in Walker County. The technology available at that period in time was unable to assist with her identification.

The Jaen Doe's body has now been exhumed in hopes that new DNA technology now available will be able to provide a clue to the woman's identity.

Alumni Gather to Celebrate School that No Longer Exists in Lamar County

Lamar County Training School and Todd High School alumni gathered for a 50th class reunion over the weekend. The two schools no longer exist anywhere but in their memories.

The all-African American Todd High School, formerly known as Lamar County Training School, was closed in 1969.

In 1975, the L.C.T.S. Social Welfare Club was created to keep the history alive and give back to the community. One way they have given back is through providing scholarships in the community.

Tuscaloosa Man Sentenced in Drug Case

33-year-old Hanston Clark, has been sentenced to 24 years in prison. He was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl and use of a communication facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in November.

Sports:

Alabama Baseball Leads Missouri in 5th Inning

The 9th seeded Crimson Tide (40-15) holds a narrow 2-1 lead over 16th seeded Missouri (16-38) in the top of the 7th inning of game one of the 2025 Southeastern Conference Tournament at the Hoover Met.

The Crimson Tide swept all three regular season games from the Tigers at Sewell-Thomas Stadium during the regular season.

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Tuesday Observations (Commentary):

Registered nurses who work at Veterans Health Administration (VA) facilities like the one in Tuscaloosa and across the country will this afternoon share their stories about the state of veteran's health care as a result of harmful cutbacks by the current administration.

Tuscaloosa VA RN Jennifer Giles will join nurses across the country to inform members of congress about what is happening and how it could happen to veteran's care. Good for them!

Like so many other aspects of the U.S. Government since he took office, President Trump has made it plain that programs which have a director impact on citizens health and welfare are not immune to arbitrary cuts in funding and personnel. That include veterans who the U.S. Government contracted to take care of in the wake of sacrifices made for this country.

Over the years, the VA agency has become a political hot button over complaints of long wait times, inadequate mental health care services and staffing shortages. Indeed, Republicans have had ample fodder to warrant overhauling the VA’s $300 billion budget. It needs it. But cutbacks are not the solution.

Veterans are increasingly getting care from private medical providers, who are then paid by the VA. It's an effort to create a parallel privatized care system, known by the phrase "community care," that is set to expand further as Congress looks to make it easier for veterans to skip VA facilities.

Allowing vets to seek healthcare through private physicians should be an addition to services available at the VA not instead of as the president has suggested in the past.

Nurses contend efforts to cut resources at the VA are part of an effort to privatize the system and push more veterans into the private sector, where care is not scrutinized and publicly overseen as in the VA. They claim this in the long run will not only end up costing more but could also cost lives.

It will be interesting to hear what they have to tell congress today.

(Opinions expressed in Morning Observations are the opinion of the author and are not necessarily those of the ownership, management, staff or sponsors of Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa.)

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Have a terrific Tuesday and ROILL TIDE!!