West Alabama Wednesday Briefing
It is Wednesday, October 4, 2023, and time to be alert. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Federal Communication Commission (FCC) will conduct a test of the nationwide Emergency Alert System (EAS) at 1:20pm Tuscaloosa time today.
Cellphones, radios and televisions will be activated with an alert tone to test the Federal government's ability to issue a nationwide alert should it be required. This is the seventh such test alert for radio and television and the sixth time the WEA smart phone system will be tested on cellphones.
This is only a test of the nationwide system and there are no ulterior motives associated with it, although there are some "tin hat" theories floating around on social media. The tests have been conducted since 2012 and each year there are fringe theory motives attached to it.
One fake theory is the alert tone will activate nanoparticles such as graphene oxide that been introduced into people's bodies. These theories are eerily similar to ones which made similar claims about COVID19 vaccines.
These are the same alerts that have been activated for severe weather, Amber Alerts and hazardous materials releases. As a matter of fact, there have been 84,000 alerts issued since the 1960s.
The tests will take place on another beautiful fall day with sunny skies, highs in the 80s and lows in the 60s.
The Forecast:
Today: Sunny, with a high near 88. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 63. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 87. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. East wind around 5 mph.
Friday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 83. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph in the morning.
High School Football Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 55.
College Station Football Kickoff: Partly sunny, with a high near 74.
Remainder of the Weekend: Sunny mild days with highs in the mid 70s, clear comfortable nights with lows in the mid 40s.
Columbus Day: Sunny, with a high near 77.
Topping the News:
Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox and City Council President Kip Tyner have blasted media. Their complaint is with the coverage of lawsuits by the state and environmental groups against the city for raw sewage spills into the Warrior River and tributaries.
The pair told a pre-council meeting that 99.9% of the wastewater is successfully treated and that the city self-reported the issue. Maddox pointed out that staff has been working on the problem for years and the city is investing hundreds of millions to correct it.
West Alabama Democrat Congresswoman Terri Sewell joined 208 other Democrats to vote to remove California Republican Congressman Kevin McCarthy from the house speaker's chair.
The remaining six GOP members of the Alabama delegation voted against right-wing Florida Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz's historic vote to replace McCarthy.
A decision on which of three potential Alabama congressional district maps the next state election will operate under could come at any moment. The special master selected to design the map to add a second majority-minority congressional district told reporters the three-judge federal panel realizes they are under extreme time constraints to make the selection before the spring 2024 primaries.
No matter which map is selected, it will have little impact on West Alabama congressional representation. There will be slight changes to the configuration of the two current districts represented by Republican Robert Aderholdt and Democrat Terri Sewell.
According to the Alabama Department of Transportation reports that 59,000 vehicles use the intersection of U.S. 43 and U.S. 82 each day. There have been numerous traffic crashes at the heavily used intersection. The project would add turn lanes and a through lane northbound on 43. ALDOT told an initial public hearing the reconstruction will improve traffic flow and add to safety.
The attempt by one of the two suspects in the death of toddler "Cupcake" McKinney to avoid the death penalty has been shot down by a Jefferson County Circuit Judge. Patrick Stallworth had filed a motion to declare the death penalty unconstitutional in his case.
Alabama Football Coach Nick Saban signed a new contract that keeps him at The Capstone through 2029. A recent CBS Sports study found that Saban is still the highest paid coach in the country. His contract calls for an $11.4 million salary. That puts him ahead of #2 Dabo Swinney's $10.8 million, Georgia Kirby Smart's $10.2 million and the $10 million still being paid former Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker.
The string that binds them all together is each have ties to the University of Alabama.
All five Alabama Golf Team starters finished inside the top-20 to lead the No. 13 Crimson Tide men's golf team to the Hamptons Intercollegiate championship Tuesday afternoon at the Maidstone Golf Club. The Tide claimed the title with a 24-under par 840 (285-272-283), three strokes better than No. 26 Ohio State (-21).
Nick Dunlap led the way for the Tide throughout the tournament, as he carded a career-best 16-under par 200 (69-60-71) to finish as the individual runner-up in the event. Canon Claycomb also closed play inside the top-10 individuals as he tied for seventh overall with a score of 4-under par 212 (70-71-71).
Have a wonderful Wednesday. Its downhill to the weekend from here.
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