West Alabama Wednesday Briefing
Good morning West Alabama! It is Wednesday, February 26, 2025. This is the 57th day of the year with 308 days remaining.
Wednesday Morning Observations:
Tuscaloosa is hosting a big deal event this week. The Men's and Women's Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) Hope Credit Union Basketball Tournament tipped off Tuesday at Stillman College. It involves some exceptional talent from 13 HBCUs in games played at Birthright Auditorium.
The HBCU Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) is the only HBCU conference in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and Stillman College is a new member that is already making noise with top notch men's and women's teams. Both teams are in the tournament.
Click HERE for the Men's Bracket.
Click HERE for the Women's Bracket
The tournament is expected to have a one-million economic impact on the Tuscaloosa area at a time when hotel and motel stays are down. The tournament deserves the community's support because it will provide some excellent basketball entertainment this week.
The HBCUAC 2025 Hope Credit Union Basketball Championship is being live streamed on HBCUACTV via Urban Edge Network.
Welcome to Tuscaloosa all participants and fans. We are more than happy to have you here.
GO TIGERS!
(Opinions expressed in Morning Observations are those of the author and are not necessarily those of the ownership, management, staff or sponsors of Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa.)
Weather:
West Alabama will bump up to highs in the upper 70s today making it feel more like late spring. A cold front moving through tomorrow will push the highs back down into the upper 60s but right now, any rain associated with the front is expected to remain well to the southeast of West Alabama.
A reminder that forecasters are watching a weather system forming that could bring strong to severe storms to the area by mid-next week. It is still too early to know if it will happen but bears watching.
Read More: Is There a Looming Severe Weather Threat in Alabama Next Week?
The Forecast:
Rep. Sewell Voted "Hell NO" on Republican House Back Federal Budget
On a contentious party line 217-215 vote last night, Republicans pushed through a budget that contains many of the federal budget cuts promised by President Trump in last year's election.
As she left the U.S. Capitol, West Alabama Democrat Congresswoman Terri Sewell posted on Facebook, her disgusted reaction to the cuts in Medicaid and government insurance for low-income and disabled Americans.
“To rip health care away from millions of Americans in order to give tax cuts to the very wealthy is unconscionable,” said Rep. Sewell. “The people we represent sent us to Congress to improve their lives, not pad the pockets of Trump, Musk, and their billionaire friends. This budget is a betrayal of Alabama families, and I voted hell no!”
Alabama Advocates Asked for Expanded Medicaid
Advocates gathered at the Alabama Statehouse Tuesday urging lawmakers to reconsider their long-held reluctance to expand Medicaid. They say the decision is hurting both working families and health care providers. It is one of the main reasons so many rural hospitals in Alabama have been forced to close. However, the plea may fall on deaf ears as the Trump Administration wants to cut Medicaid funding.
Another Apartment Added to Forester Gardens Uninhabitable List
A week after the City of Tuscaloosa declared multiple buildings and units at Forester Gardens Apartments on the city's southside uninhabitable due to severe sewage backups and mold contamination, another building has been added to the list.
The city is attempting to work with property owners to resolve the issue.
Cause of West End Residential Fire Still Under Investigation
Tuscaloosa Firefighters are investigating the cause of a house fire on 35th Avenue in west end during the noon hour yesterday. There were no injuries, but the structure received considerable damage.
Independent Pharmacists Ask for Legislature's Help
Independent pharmacists in Alabama are telling state lawmakers they are in a dire financial situation and are urging reform to the pharmacy benefit managers program (PBM).
Pharmacists to legislators that the current situation favors big chains. Actions by the PBMs allow retail chains to receive $46 for a certain drug while independent pharmacies get less than $2.
Glock Switch Ban Moves Forward
The Alabama Senate voted 28-0 to pass a bi-partisan bill that bans Glock switches that allow a semi-automatic gun to fire at faster speeds. They are against federal law but not state law. Alabama.
Glock switches have been used in numerous mass slayings across Alabama and Gov. Ivey included their ban in her State of the Union agenda.
The Glock Switch Ban bill now goes to the house.
Topping Sports News:
The Alabama Men's Basketball Team got off to one of its best starts in weeks and it paid off with a 111-73 blasting of Mississippi State at Coleman Coliseum.
#6 Alabama ((23-5 overall, 12-3 SEC) used 22 3-point shots to bury #24 Mississippi State (19-9 overall, 7-8 SEC). That is the second most 3-pointers made by a team in the NCAA this season, 23 is the most.
Bama hits the road Saturday for a key afternoon game with #7 Tennessee.
Read More: Alabama Destroys No.24 Mississippi State 111-73 at Home Tuesday
Read More: Nate Oats Following Alabama’s 38-Point Win Over Mississippi State Tuesday
Tide Baseball Unleashes Bats in 2nd Inning
Alabama Baseball used 13 runs on 10 hits in the second inning to power its way past Jacksonville State Tuesday 20-11 at "The Joe". The team hit a program record-tying five home runs in that outburst.
Bama is now 9-0 on the young season. Jax State is 7-2.
The homestand continues for the Tide this weekend when they host a three-game set against North Dakota State. The first game is at 4;00 Friday afternoon.
Big Honor for Tide Track and Field Star
Alabama track and field's Doris Lemngole was named the Southeastern Conference 2024 Women's Indoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year, the league office announced Tuesday.
Click TuscaloosaThread.com for the latest West Alabama news, sports and weather. Better yet, download the app.
Have a wonder "Hump Day" and Go Stillman!!
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