WEST ALABAMA WEDNESDAY BRIEFING
It is June 21, 2023, the first day of summer. Today will be the longest day of the year with 14 hours, 22 minutes and 41 seconds of daylight. After today the days will begin to shorten until December 21st, the shortest day of the year.
Today's daylight is already becoming cloudy this morning. As the day progresses it will become mostly cloudy with increased chances for showers and a few thunderstorms area wide. Chance of precipitation is 70%. Daytime high temperature will be in the mid to upper 80s. A 20% chance of nighttime precipitation will bring a low in the mid 60s.
By the way, surprise, Friday and Saturday are expected to be mostly sunny but rain will return to the forecast Sunday thru Tuesday of next week.
------
Topping the News:
According to U-S Census figures, Tuscaloosa has added 10,000 citizens, bringing the city's population to 110,000. That makes T-Town the 5th largest city in the state. The increase is a result of an adjustment in the count of UA students because the federal census was taken during the height of the COVID19 pandemic that shutdown in-person classes.
------
West Alabama will have several representatives on the legislative committee that will, at U-S Supreme Court order; re-draw the congressional district map to give the state two majority minority districts. State Senators Clay Scott of the 4th District, Dan Roberts of the 6th District, and Bobby Singleton of the 7th will be joined by house members Cynthia Almond and Chris England of Tuscaloosa. The state has until July 21st to pass a remedial plan.
------
It shouldn’t be much of a surprise, but Alabama is one of the poorest states in the nation. Our state is one of 11, mostly southern states, with between 14 and 20 percent of the population living in poverty. Equal Justice Initiative Founder Bryan Stevenson told Alabama News Network that what makes things worse is Alabamians don’t expect anything better. According to federal figures Alabama’s poverty rate in 16.7%, eighth worst in the U-S. The poorest region in the state are counties of the Black Belt.
------
The University of West Alabama has joined the University of Alabama in freezing tuition for the coming school year. UA’s freeze applies only to in-state students while UWA’s is for all 13-hundred-plus students on the Livingston campus.
------
West Alabama Works is conducting a job fair in Marengo County from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Demopolis Civic Center, located at 501 North Commissioners Avenue, Demopolis, AL 36732. A number of companies will be on-hand to conduct job interviews.
West AlabamaWorks urges job seekers to come prepared with updated resumes and dressed professionally, ready to engage with potential employers. Attendees will have the opportunity to network, learn about available job openings, and participate in on-site interviews.
For more information about the West AlabamaWorks hiring event and to pre-register, please visit westalabamajobs.com/bbjob or contact the Workforce Center Office at (334) 310-9511.
------
Shelton State Community College has begun its search for a new president. Current president Chris Cox is resigning to take a position with the State Community College System. Cox will remain in his position until September. This is the school’s 4th presidential search in three years. Shelton has some 7,000 students.
------
The Tuscaloosa County Emergency Management Agency is still requesting residents in the Ralph Community of southwestern Tuscaloosa County to report any damage suffered during last Friday’s high winds that downed hundreds of trees. EMA Director Nick Lolley says the mission will last as long as it takes. Several church groups in be in Ralph beginning Friday to assist with debris remove from private property over the weekend.
------
The Fosters/Ralph Water Authority is asking for the conservation of water due to power outages that have affected both communities. The storm Friday night destroyed over an estimated 100 power poles.
In Sports:
LSU eliminated Tennessee 5-0 at the College World Series leaving the Tigers and Florida Gator as the only remain Southeastern Conference teams in the championship tournament in Omaha, Neb.
------
Former LSU softball pitcher Alea Johnson is transferring to Alabama. As a freshman in 2023, Johnson posted a 1.41 ERA, 7 wins, 31 strikeouts in 44.2 innings.
------
Left-handed pitcher Alton Davis II announced that he will be returning to the Capstone for the 2024 season via an Instagram post on Tuesday night.
Also, Alabama baseball is set to hire Maryland assistant coach Anthony Papio as a full-time assistant coach, according to D1Baseball's Kendall Rogers. Papio has spent his entire career, both as a player and coach with the Terps. He was an outfielder for the team from 2012-16 and has been on the coaching staff since 2017 as a student assistant, volunteer assistant, and full-time assistance coach.
------
Have a great "Hump Day"!
More From 95.3 The Bear
