West Alabama Tuesday Briefing

Good morning West Alabama!! It is Tuesday, March 25, 2025. This is the 84th day of the year with 281 days remaining.

Tuesday Morning Observations:

With Caitlin Clark bringing countless new fans to women's college basketball recently, leaders in the sports like to say they are gaining on men's round ball. They are making inroads to be sure, but they will not be comparative in the post season to men until they move the first two round of games from home courts to neutral sites.

The Bama women had a 17-point lead in the 3rd quarter of yesterday's tournament game against Maryland. And while it wasn't the only reason, the 5,700-plus person Terrapin crowd rose to the moment and gave their team the home court advantage they needed to rally and eliminate Alabama 111-108 in 2 overtimes.

I fully understand the rationale behind playing on the homecourt of one of the participating teams during week one games, its economics. Women's basketball is still building its brand and needs early postseason games at non-neutral sites to pay the bills. But shouldn't fairness play a major role?

The Crimson Tide is not the only team that has been forced to face the home team and their fans in post season. But this needs to change. The fairest way to determine a college tournament champion is to play on a neutral court. I don’t think rational people would argue against that. Sometimes you have to just bite the bullet and do what is right.

I'm a fan of women's college basketball, have been for decades. I'm not a Caitlin Clark Johnny-come-lately. I was the second play-by-play voice for the Bama women in the team's early years. So, I write this as a fan who wants to see the sport continue to grow and prosper. But to do that they need all things to be relatively equal, including playing sites.

Granted college baseball and softball playoffs are at home team sites leading up to the College World Series games in Omaha (baseball) and Oklahoma City (softball) but those are not one and done regionals like basketball.

As it stands, the powers-that-be have determined women’s basketball isn’t there yet to economically justify neutral sites. Yet for the sport to take its next steps forward it needs to find a way, then they can talk about relative parity to the men's post-season games.

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

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Weather:

We have a beautiful week going weather-wise but at the same time everyone is casting a wary eye toward the late weekend. There is a Slight (2 in 5) Risk for severe weather Sunday night across West Alabama. All modes of severe weather are possible according to the Storm Prediction Center.

However, we are still too far out from the potential event to be precise on timing, intensity or exact locations for severe weather.

The Forecast:

Today

Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 80. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.

Tonight

Mostly clear, with a low around 52. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Wednesday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 76. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon.

Wednesday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 49. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Remainder of the Week

Mostly clear skies Wednesday and Thursday with clouds returning Thursday night. Highs upper 70s to near 80. Lows

Topping the News:

A Heavily Armed Police Raid Nets Wrong Person

A case of mistaken identity led to heavily armed and masked police and U.S. Marshalls taking Tuscaloosa resident and UA grad Ty Bright into custody on a murder warrant at his residence on February 15^th. The incident was witnessed by Bright's 3-year son.

Bright, who is a UA School of Social Work grad, a lifelong Tuscaloosa resident and an employee for the court magistrate's office in Northport was handcuffed and taken to the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit for questioning. That is when the mistake in identity was discovered.

According to Bright, he was released without apology. News partner ABC3340 established that another suspect, whose name is not similar nor resembles Bright, was arrested on murder charges later that day.

Defense Attorney Leroy Maxwell is not associated with the case but told ABC3340, what happened to Bright can happen to anyone.

Bright is currently considering potential legal recourses.

Grant to Boost Economic and Job Growth at Tuscaloosa National Received

The Tuscaloosa County Economic Development Authority has been awarded nearly $300,000 to enhance industrial sites around the Tuscaloosa National Airport, aiming to boost job creation and economic growth in the region.

County leaders also highlighted plans to extend the airport runway, which could align with the airport's long-term strategy and make nearby properties more viable for development.

Alabama Job Growth Worth Billions to the State

Alabama received more than $7 billion in new capital investments last year through 224 projects, creating 85-hundred new jobs according to Gov. Ivey.

Secretary Ellen McNair, head of the Alabama Department of Commerce told reporters the investment came from large scale manufacturing, aerospace, high tech and logistics companies. The numbers are a result of Alabama’s “Catalyst” economic growth plan driving innovation and attracting successful companies.

ALDOT Warns of Continued Toll Scam

The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) has issued a warning about a scam involving text messages falsely claiming to be from the department. ALDOT said the messages allege that recipients owe toll fees and may face legal action if they do not pay. The messages are not from ALDOT and are part of a scam to steal personal or credit card information.

There is only one toll in West Alabama. That is at the Black Warrior Parkway toll bridge in West Tuscaloosa.

Tuscaloosa City Council Expected to Approve Funds for Pickleball Courts Tonight

The Tuscaloosa City Council will consider a resolution tonight to accept a $1.4-plus million dollar bid from Price Construction Company for the Northridge Pickleball Courts project. Construction will include 8 new courts, a new parking lot and a sidewalk extension next to Northridge High School.

2025 United Way Campaign Chair Announced

United Way of West Alabama (UWWA) has announced Josh Hayes, a local attorney and advocate for the West Alabama community, will serve as the 2025 Campaign Chair.

Hayes is a Boaz native and very active in the Tuscaloosa community. Under his leadership, UWWA’s 2025 campaign will focus on engaging local businesses, individual donors, and community partners to address key needs across education, health, financial stability, and disaster recovery.

Parents Could Soon Know if Child Receives a Ticket

The Alabama House of Representatives passed a bill requiring law enforcement agencies to make a reasonable effort to notify a minor's available emergency contact if they are cited for a traffic infraction.

House Bill 285 applies to people under 19 years old. Law enforcement would be able to call, text, or send a letter to the minor's emergency contact.

It is Snake Season in Alabama

It is snake season in Alabama. From early spring through the beginning of summer, snakes are most active, which means that they are searching for food and mates. They are still active from late summer to early fall. Late summer and early fall are also baby snake seasons when some snakes give birth to live young and eggs deposited earlier in the year begin to hatch.

Snakes are both diurnal and nocturnal, which means they are active at all times of the day. The season has an impact on when they are most active. They avoid the heat by hiding. Therefore, they are most active in the early morning hours of the day in the spring and summer while the sun is still warming the earth. Snakes go to sleep around sundown and don’t usually come out until the next morning.

Snakes prefer to avoid open areas. Store outdoor equipment, tools, and toys properly, and inspect them before use. Snakes hide well. A snake may hide in idle play equipment, lawnmowers, or even stacked wood.

Snakes follow the food so keep pet food indoors. Clean under bird feeders and keep your property free of rodents.

Topping Sports News:

Alabama Women Blow 17-Point Lead, Get Eliminated from NCAAs

Fifth-seeded Alabama fell in double overtime at No. 4 seed Maryland, 111-108, in the second round of the 2025 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament.

Tide star Sarah Ashlee Barker's school and NCAA Tournament record 45 points were not enough as Bama squandered a 17-point third quarter lead.

There were 12 ties and six lead changes in a game that saw the Crimson Tide have multiple opportunities to put the game away but couldn't. Fouls, poor rebounding and missed open shots doomed the Tide.

Alabama concludes the season with a 24-9 overall record, its fourth consecutive 20-win season and fourth time in the last five years the Crimson Tide has reached the NCAA Tournament.

Tide Baseball Remains #12, Hits Road Tonight

After losing 2 of 3 to top ranked Tennessee over the weekend, the Bama Baseball Team continues to be ranked 12^th in the country.

They are in Huntsville at 6:00pm tonight for a game with North Alabama Lions at Toyota Field, the home of the Rocket City Trash Pandas.

Tide Gymnastics Hosting NCAA Regionals Next Month

Alabama Gymnastics will host a schedule of star-studded gymnastics team for next month's NCAA Regionals at Coleman Coliseum. The April 3-6 meet will be the Tide's 17 time to host regionals.

Florida, California, Oregon State, Clemson, Iowa, North Carolina, NC State and Rutgers will join the Crimson Tide at the regional.

The Crimson Tide holds 32 NCAA regional titles

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Have a terrific Tuesday and ROLL TIDE!