West Alabama Wednesday Briefing
It is Wednesday, October 18, 2023. October is typically the driest month of the year, and the weather is living up to expectations so far. West Alabama average about 3.9" of rainfall annually in October. So far this October we have seen just less than an inch.
Tomorrow, the national Drought Center will issue its weekly Drought Monitor for Alabama. It is expected to continue to show most of West Alabama continuing in Moderate Drought with portions of Bibb and Perry County in Severe Drought.
Some relief could come late today into Friday in the form of scattered showers, but it is not expected to be beneficial enough to the dry soil.
The Forecast:
Today: Sunny, with a high near 73. South wind around 5 mph.
Tonight: Mostly clear, but there could be a sprinkle or two late. The low should be around 50. South wind around 5 mph.
Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly after 4pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 74. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 7pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 7pm and 1am, then a chance of showers after 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 55. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 74. Northwest wind 5 to 15 mph.
High School Football Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 49.
Crimson Tide Football Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 76.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 51.
Remainder of the Weekend: Sunny and 76 Sunday, partly cloudy and 55 Sunday night.
Topping the News:
Joran Van der Sloot is scheduled to plead guilty to extortion and wire fraud charges at 9:30 this morning in Birmingham federal court. As the prime suspect in the disappearance of Mountain Brook teenager Natalie Holloway in Aruba in 2005, he is expected to reveal what happened to her as part of the extortion plea deal.
Holloway was last seen alive getting into a car with van der Sloot and two brothers and leaving a popular club the night before she was scheduled to fly home.
Mississippi Highway Patrol has identified the three Cottondale men killed in a one vehicle crash on I20 just east of Vicksburg MS earlier this week. They are 25-year-old Serigo Romon Martinez, 44-year-old Mariano Perez Mejia and 43-year-old Eligio Aguilar Emiliano. Five others riding in the van were injured when it left the road and overturned. They were all from Cottondale.
Gov. Ivey has promised to bring internet service to rural, underserved, impoverished communities, many of which are in West Alabama. But Greensboro State Senator Bobby Singleton tells APT it is tough getting internet providers to wire sparsely populated areas like the Black Belt. But Singleton does believe progress is being made.
The Tuscaloosa County Civic Hall of Fame Ceremony is set for 2:00 this afternoon at Tuscaloosa River Market on Warner Parkway. 2023 honorees are: Christine S. Coleman; Beverly M. “Bev” Leigh, III; Dr. Pamela H. Parker; and Ellen W. Potts.
You can drive thru the parking lot at the Tuscaloosa County Health Department at 2350 Hargrove Road East and get a flu shot today. The drive thru flu clinic will operate between 7:30 this morning and 1:30 this afternoon or until the vaccine supply is exhausted. The shots are $10.00 unless you have Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance, Medicare or Medicaid.
If you were driving down Skyland Blvd. East late yesterday afternoon, you may have seen more than you wanted. That was Tony Felton, in a post on his Facebook account, took video of a tattooed naked man, wearing only a backwards baseball cap wandering through heavy traffic. The man was making obscene gestures to motorists, even a passing school bus. Police were called to the scene.
Friday is the last day students will be exempt from paying college admission fees during Alabama College Application Week 2023.
Thousands of Alabama high school seniors are applying to colleges and universities across the state. “Last year, more than 250 Alabama schools participated and nearly 28,000 students applied to colleges nationwide.
The University of Alabama and Shelton State Community College are among the schools participating in the program.
In Sports:
Seven-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro selection Julio Jones from Alabama has signed with the Super Bowl runner-up Philadelphia Eagles.
The Eagles will play the Miami Dolphins Sunday night at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
Pickens Academy is one of four more Alabama Independent School Association schools moving to the Alabama High School Athletic Association. Beginning next school year. Pickens County will join Tuscaloosa Academy and Pike Liberal Arts as the most recent AISA schools to make the jump to the AHSAA.
In Thursday night college football, the University of South Alabama (4-3) blasted Southern Mississippi (1-6) 55-3 in Mobile.
Jacksonville State (6-2) pulled off another second half comeback to beat Western Kentucky (4-4) in Jacksonville 20-17.
(UT Sports) - After a strong defensive showing against Texas A&M that featured 11 quarterback hurries and a pair of picks late in the contest, the Tennessee Vols and Alabama Crimson Tide collide at Bryant-Denny Saturday afternoon.
Tennessee secondary coach Willie Martinez understands that Bama QB Jalen Milroe can hurt opposing teams with his arm, but he is concerned just as much about Milroe's feet. "We're going to have to be really good around the entire defense. If the pocket collapses, we have to do a good job of being disciplined and staying in our rushing lanes and being in the position to flush him east and west as opposed to him getting out north and south. We also have to stay in coverage as well."
Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe ranks second in the Southeastern Conference in passing efficiency (174.7).
Have a wonderful Wednesday and get ready to welcome Tennessee to Bryant-Denny with the loudest home field advantage ever!!
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