Good morning West Alabama!! It is Wednesday, April 2, 2025. This is the 92nd day of the year with 273 days remaining.

Wednesday Morning Observations:

This is President Trump's "Liberation Day". This is the day he announces his "reciprocal tariff's" to punish other nations that have placed tariffs on U.S. goods. It has markets around the world shaky, fearful of a worldwide trade war that could, at minimum result in resurgent inflation and at worst topple economies and lead to a full-blown economic crisis.

Trump claims it will trigger a, "renaissance in U.S. manufacturing", a new "Golden Age for the U.S.". Economist in the U.S. and around the world fear that view is wildly overly optimistic.

Tariff's historically have not been good for anybody, the country initiating the tariffs generally are countered by higher tariffs from the other nation(s). For example, The Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930 is blamed for deepening the Great Depression, leading to even high prices, more unemployment and worldwide economic decline.

A tariff is the same as a tax being applied to goods being imported. It drives the cost up and reduces demand for the foreign product. Tariffs protect a country's domestic industries from foreign competition and raises revenue to fund their governments.

In principle Trump's reasoning sounds fair, if the other countries are placing tariffs on U.S. goods why not match that with a reciprocal tariff? "They took advantage of us," Trump told reporters Monday.

But his aggressive rhetoric, and in some cases, name calling, have damaged U.S. relations with some of our strongest allies, especially Canada. He has treated those allies like enemies, and his threats are damaging our relationships with countries around the world. Even worse, all this comes at a time when international partnerships are critical due to threats from China, Russia, Iran, North Korea and a few other countries.

The Rose Garden announcement today should reveal how much the tariffs will be and how many countries and products will be affected. Trump has lowered his rhetoric a bit recently but still claims the higher costs from tariffs are worth it for the increase in manufacturing jobs that would be created over the long-term. The problem is any positive long-term results could be years away. What happens to the U.S. and worldwide economies in the short-term could be the disaster waiting to happen.

(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:

There will be a lot going on in weather activity this week into next. A Wind Advisory will be in effect between 1:00pm today until 1:00am tomorrow. 15 to 20mph sustained winds could gust to 40mph during the advisory period.

Unseasonably high, even record high, temperatures will continue into the weekend but that will come to a screeching halt with a storm system Sunday. There will be a Slight (2 in 5) Risk for strong to severe thunderstorms Sunday afternoon.

High temperatures in the upper 70s to near 80 over the weekend will tumble into the 60s next week. Overnight lows will be in the 40s beginning Sunday night with 30s possible later next week.

Today

Partly sunny, with a high near 88. Breezy, with a south wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph.

Tonight

Mostly cloudy, with a low around 69. Breezy, with a south wind 10 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

Thursday

Partly sunny, with a high near 88. South wind 10 to 15 mph.

Thursday Night

Mostly cloudy, with a low around 69. South wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Friday

Partly sunny, with a high near 88. South wind 5 to 15 mph.

Friday Night

Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68.

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News:

Incumbent Defeated in District 1 Tuscaloosa Council Runoff

Shelton State Administrator Joe Eatmon unseated incumbent District 1 Tuscaloosa City Councilman Matthew Wilson in yesterday’s runoff election. Unofficial vote totals show Eatmon defeating Wilson by 175 votes. Less than a thousand votes were cast. Eatmon tallied 582 votes compared to Wilson's 407.

Wilson is the only incumbent to lose his re-election bid during this year's Tuscaloosa Municipal Elections.

The returns will be finalized by the council next week with Inauguration Day set for May 19th at Tuscaloosa City Hall.

Tuscaloosa City School Board Approves Incentives for Interns

The Tuscaloosa City School Board has approved $48,000 for 10 paid interns with the agreement they become teachers in the city system after graduation.

Deron Cameron, the Assistant Superintendent of Operations, told news partner ABC3340 there is a shortage of teachers, and the board hopes this will incentivize interns to remain with the city system after they graduate. He noted the program has previously helped the district retain six to eight teachers after their internship was completed.

15-year-old Arrest for Shooting at TPD Officers in Alberta

Two TPD officers on patrol in the 600 block of 23rd Avenue East in Alberta Monday were allegedly shot at by a 15-year-old. During the incident a nearby, occupied residence was also struck by a bullet.

Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit Commander Captain Jack Kennedy reported that the suspect fired at least 8 rounds in rapid succession at the officers

The suspect was arrested and has been charged with attempted murder and firing into an occupied residence.