West Alabama Wednesday Briefing
Good morning, West Alabama! It is Wednesday August 21, 2024.
It is another comfortable start to the day with early morning lows in the lower 60s.We can only cross our fingers and hope the coming increasing heat won't last long.
As drought resumes its spread across West Alabama there is some good news for those of us whose yard watering is ringing up the water bill. Moisture will increase from east to west tomorrow, with showers and storms possible during the afternoon. They will be widespread so no one place is guaranteed precipitation.
The Forecast:
Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox made a $300,000,00 FY25 budget request to the City Council Finance Committee yesterday. Maddox cautions the city will need to watch the slowdown in sales taxes and inflationary concerns closely.
The mayor's budget has a strong investment in public safety, education (especially pre-k, summer learning and dual enrollment), infrastructure and employee investment. He also is recommending funding for a program to consolidate all city drone programs under TPD.
City departments and agencies have been making FY25 budget proposals to the finance committee over the last several weeks.
Read More: Tuscaloosa Mayor Proposes Creating Alabama’s First-Ever Drone Response Program
Five Tuscaloosa residents have been sentenced on federal charges for possession of “Glock switches” and other gun crimes.
23-year-old Donterio Nickson was sentenced to 57 months in prison after pleading guilty to possession of a machine gun conversion device. 20-year-ol Jahleo Pugh of Tuscaloosa, was sentenced to 20 months in prison. 19-year-olds Kemontay Smith and Markeias Thompson were sentenced to 24 months in prison. Pugh, Smith and Thompson all pleaded guilty to possession of a machine gun in April.
21-year-old Keyonte Howard got 36 months’ probation following his conviction for providing false information in connection with the purchase of a firearm.
An immunity hearing is scheduled for today in Tuscaloosa County Court for former Alabama Basketball player Darius Miles on capital murder. His attorneys claim in a court filing that Miles should not be prosecuted for the shooting death of 23-year-old Jamea Harris in January because he was acting in self-defense.
Miles admittedly supplied the gun used by a friend to return fire after shots were allegedly first fired by Harris' boyfriend near the UA Strip.
Miles is in jail without bond.
49-year-old McCalla resident William Jason McConnell has died five days after being involved in a car crash in Jefferson County.
According to the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office, was driving on Springdale Drive near Old Tuscaloosa Hwy on Aug. 9 when he was injured in a single-vehicle crash.
The crash is still under investigation.
A more than 100-acre science farm is now open in Northern Tuscaloosa County. The aim is to introduce young people to the idea of farming for a career as current farmers are aging. The farm is funded by grants and private donations.
To the strains of “Sweet Home Alabama” the Alabama Delegation was first up to cast their votes from the Democratic Convention floor last night, but they passed. Alabama notably missed its main moment due to confusion but later cast their ballots for Vice President Kamala Harris as the party nominee.
There has been considerable infighting among the delegation as to who should be allowed to vote.
COVID19 cases and deaths are on the rise again across Alabama according to a new report from the Alabama Department of Public Health. While the strain has mutated many times since the pandemic began, ADPH says the symptoms are similar: sore throat, fatigue, and a cough.
TPD is asking for help getting information on the June 20th shooting death of 34-year-old Christopher Labryant Shobe. He was shot around 10:00pm at 817 33rd Avenue in Tuscaloosa.
Investigators believe Shobe had been having problems with several people on the night of his death, and it is possible his shooting was witnessed by several people.
A day of games and entertainment this Saturday will serve to inform youth about the scourge of drugs, especially deadly Fentanyl use. Annette Shelby Park on 15th Street will host the "Project Freedom" 10 until 2. It is free.
Topping Sports News:
5-Star Quitman, MS Running Back, Akylin Dear, committed to the University of Alabama on Tuesday afternoon. The 6’0 210-star player is considered one of the nation’s top running backs and decommitted earlier from Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss.
Read More: Alabama Lands 5-Star RB From Mississippi
Finally, the 2024 College Football Season is here. Week zero games are set Saturday and Sunday with four games on the schedule.
Florida State and Georgia Tech faceoff in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. The game will kick off at 11:00am CDT.
Montana State travels to New Mexico for a 3:00pm kick, SMU is at Nevada at 7:00pm and Delaware State is at Hawaii for an 11:00pm game.
Delaware State missed their 10 1/2 flight to Oahu due to buss problems and is having to make other arraignments.
Click on TuscaloosaThread.com throughout the day for the latest West Alabama news, sports and weather coverage. Better yet download the app.
Have a wonderful Wednesday.
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