Good morning West Alabama! Hope your day is going well so far! It is Wednesday, May 14, 2025. This is the 134th day of the year with 231 days remaining.

In the Wednesday Briefing:

Weather: Finally, a couple of days without rain and the lull comes with a preview of summer.
News: It is the last day of the 2025 Legislative Session and there is still a lot of work to do at the Statehouse.
Sports: Local prep baseball teams are playing for a championship this week.
Wednesday Morning Observations (Commentary): "Charlie Hustle" and "Shoeless" Joe now eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Weather:

With day-after-day of rain most of us are waterlogged. But we are finally getting a reprieve for a couple of days as the rain chances disappear, and the heat gets applied. Those record highs out west are moving our way as daytime highs through mid-next week will hover near 90 degrees each day.

There are no rain chances in the forecast today and tomorrow but don't get used to it. Small chances for rain return in the early hours of Saturday morning and stick around all weekend. They could play havoc with the Tuscaloosa Softball Regional schedule this weekend.

The Forecast:

Today

Partly sunny, with a high near 86. South wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon.

Tonight

Partly cloudy, with a low around 64. South wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Thursday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. South wind 5 to 15 mph.

Thursday Night

Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. South wind 5 to 10 mph.

Friday

Mostly cloudy, with a high near 89. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Friday Night

A 20 percent chance of showers after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71.

The Weekend

Rain and thunderstorm chances 50 percent of less each day. Highs in the upper 80s. Lows near 70.

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News:

Last Day of 2025 Legislative Session Sparks a Number of Party Line Battles

State lawmakers are in the midst of what is expected to be a long day as they work through the final day of the 2025 Regular Session. They are faced with a significant amount of unfinished legislative debate, including some of the governor’s top priorities, and a lot of local bills.

Legislative progress has been slowed in recent days because Republican House leaders have been unwilling to place Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton's (D-Greensboro) pari-mutuel gambling bill on the house agenda. In response, Singleton has slowed down upper chamber consideration of bills that have passed the house.

One controversial bill that has stalled legislative action would give more legal immunity to law enforcement officers. House Bill 202 would impose higher legal thresholds to prosecute or sue members of law enforcement.

Democrats in the House and Senate have argued against the bill at every opportunity and now it needs a Senate vote and then a House concurrence vote to agree with a change made in a Senate committee.

Singleton said Democrats will try to amend the bill further on Wednesday. He said he expects Republicans to cloture Democrats, meaning debate is stopped to keep Democrats from delaying votes.

Also raising a red flag with Democrats are a number of bills targeting illegal immigration that the GOP hopes to pass through the Legislature by the end of the day today.

Judge Denies "Stand Your Ground" Claim in Fatal Shooting of TPD Officer

Luther Bernard Watkins, Jr will stand trial in September for the shooting death of TPD Investigator Dornell Cousette in September 2019. The way was cleared for prosecution when Tuscaloosa County Circuit Court Judge Brad Almon ruled Watkins does not qualify for Alabama’s “Stand Your Ground” self-defense plea.

Read More: Judge Rejects Self-Defense Claim from Tuscaloosa Police Officer’s Killer

Tuscaloosa Council Sets June Public Meeting and Vote of SI Resort

A public meeting will be held on June 3rd and the final proposal will be presented to the Tuscaloosa City Council to either accept or deny development plans for the proposed Sports Illustrated Resort.

The planned facility has been scaled back by developers in an attempt to quell criticism of the project by some in nearby wealthy neighborhoods. Proposed now is a $150 million project that is expected to create around 130 permanent jobs and 1,000 jobs during the construction phase.

The original plan multi-building facility planned at 105 Rice Mine Rd. North had been planned to include timeshares, condos, a hotel, entertainment facility and retail spaces aimed at attracting sports fans.

Expensive Sewer Line Leak Gets Rapid Council Response

In a Tuesday afternoon meeting of the Tuscaloosa City Council's Projects Committee, Michael Gardiner made an urgent request for an estimated $430,000 to repair a major sewer line leak. Gardiner said the issue is near High County Apartments and Regal Point Apartments on Cypress Creek Avenue off Skyland Boulevard.

Lamar County Shooting Leaves Two Wounded

Lamar County Sheriff Marty Gottwald says a shooting Monday night in the 11000 block of County Road 49, in the Kingsville Community near Millport, has left two people with non-life-threatening wounds.

The sheriff's Facebook post stated the two wounded were initially treated at the Fayette Emergency Room and then transported to UAB Medical Center in Birmingham.

The posted added that a suspect has been developed in the case but an arrest is yet to be made.

Vernon Police, ALEA, and Alabama Game Wardens are investigating.

Sexual Solicitation of a Minor Online Lands West Alabama man in Jail

50-year-old Eric Prater has been jailed in Tuscaloosa County after he allegedly tried to sexually solicit a minor child on Facebook earlier this year. The youth had been communicating with Prater on Facebook, which she turned over to authorities.

On three separate occasions from January through April, Prater reportedly gave explicit directions and instructions as he sexually solicited unknowingly to an undercover officer he thought was the minor.

Prater has been charged with three counts of electronic solicitation of a minor.

Read More: West Alabama Man Accused of Sexually Soliciting Minor in Tuscaloosa County

Security Camera Catches Rape Suspect

28-year-old Wynton Q. Rice has been charged with a pair of sex crimes and felony assault after he allegedly raped a woman at knifepoint at the downtown Intermodal Facility Parking Deck. Rice reportedly first told police he was never in the area, but security camera footage shows him entering the women’s room after the victim entered.

Read More: Police Charge Man With Rape & Assault in Tuscaloosa Parking Deck Bathroom

Another Product Recall Impacts Alabama

Several eye care products used to treat dry and irritated eyes are being voluntarily recalled in Alabama and several other states.

According to AvKARE, a pharmaceutical manufacturer, the recall has expanded following an audit by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The company says it will issue full credit, including shipping cost, for any returns.

Students Participate in I.G.N.I.T.E.

More than 300 high school students from the Tuscaloosa area participated in the third annual I.G.N.I.T.E Summer Job Fair sponsored by West Alabama Works.

10th, 11th and 12th grade students interested in part-time, apprenticeship or summer jobs were able to meet with companies offering contingent on the spot job offers at Tuesday's event at Tuscaloosa Career and Technology Academy.

Local Winners of ABC Board Contest Announced

The Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board has announced the winners of the high school and middle school student Essay, Poster and Video Contest.

The essays, posters, and videos are intended to discourage young people from underage and binge drinking.

The contest is part of the ABC Board’s school-based "Underage, Under Arrest" public education and awareness campaign that seeks to inform students about the dangers and consequences of underage drinking.

“It is vital that Alabama’s youth understand the dangers and consequences of consuming alcohol,” Curtis Stewart, Alabama ABC Board administrator, said. “We were pleased with the effort and talent put forth by the students who participated.”

Winning entries were selected for first-, second- and third-place prizes in both the middle and high school categories. First-place winners were awarded $300, second-place winners received $200, and third-place winners received $100.

Students submitted a combined 121 entries, an increase of 47 entries from last school year, in this year’s contest. Winning entries will appear on the ABC Board’s website and social media accounts.

Local Winners are:

ESSAY CONTEST
Middle School
Second Place – Kierstand Rose
Eastwood Middle School

High School
First – Jamarcus Lowe
Hillcrest High School

Ivey Signs "Speedy Trial" Law

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed legislation late Tuesday to allow visiting judges to be brought in to handle violent criminal cases to get them to trial more quickly.

The law known as the "Speedy Trial Act" allows the chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court to appoint a sitting or retired judge to preside over a specific case or cases involving a violent offense. Under the act, the attorney general or a district attorney must request the appointments.

Sports:

Bama Women's Rowing Looking for New Head Coach

After leading the team to a recent 3rd place finish in the SEC Women's Rowing Championship and numerous accolades in previous years, University of Alabama Coach Glenn Putyrae the for the last seven seasons, is stepping down.

Putyrae first arrived at Alabama by way of Gonzaga, where he coached in two stints. He was named the 2019 Big 12 Coach of the Year. He led the Crimson Tide to the NCAAs in 2021 and coached the program's first All-American, Jorja MacRae in 2019.

A national search is underway for his replacement.

Area Prep baseball Teams Playing for a Title

Tuscaloosa County High and American Christian Academy are still alive in the hunt for a state baseball championship.

30-win ACA (30-12-1) plays for the 5A - AHSAA State Championship series against St. Paul's Episcopal (17-7) at 11:00am tomorrow in Oxford.

TCHS (32-13) faces Enterprise (26-1-1) at 2:00pm in Oxford.

Bama Baseball Star Shortstop Gets National Recognition

Alabama's Justin Lebron has been recognized by the College Baseball Foundation (CBF) as the Brooks Wallace Award Player of the Week. The weekly honor, highlighting the nation's top-performing shortstop, is the first such distinction of Lebron's collegiate career.

Lebron batted 7-for-13 (.538) in four games, including two doubles, two home runs, four RBI, 15 total bases, one walk, one hit-by-pitch and one stolen base.

The Tide wraps up the regular season this coming weekend with three games at Florida.

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Wednesday Morning Observations (Commentary):

Major League Baseball has announced that Pete Rose, Joe Jackson and more than a dozen other former players are no longer permanently banned from selection to the MLB Baseball Hall of Fame.

The announcement yesterday by MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred was unexpected. He ruled that the league’s punishment of banned individuals ends after their deaths.

After years of denial, Rose admitted he bet on baseball games, however, he always maintained her never bet against his team. Joe Jackson, better known as "Shoeless Joe ", was banned after he got tangled up with the "Black Sox Scandal".

Jackson and seven other members of the Chicago White Sox were banned from the league in 1921 for their role in throwing the 1919 World Series. Rose was banned in 1989 after an investigation determined that he bet on games while managing the Cincinnati Reds.

Rose claimed until his death last year that he never bet on the Reds games while he was a player. Jackson, who couldn't read and write, claimed he didn't understand what his teammates were doing.

Rose is MLB's all-time leader in hits (4256), games played, at-bats, singles and outs. He won the World Series three times in his career, twice with the Reds and once with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Jackson held a career batting average of .356, which is the fourth highest in MLB history. Although he admittedly accepted money from gamblers in the 1919 World Series, his actions were not one of a man throwing a game. Shoeless Joe batted .375 in the series, didn't make a single error and hit the only White Sox home run. He was considered for Hall of Fame entry for decades by voters but did not make it in. Rose, because of the "Pete Rose rule," was never on the ballot.

Both Charlie Hustle and Shoeless Joe had spectacular careers and based on their on the field accomplishments only, should be considered for the MLB HOF. That could happen as soon as 2028 but it is not a guarantee. Manfred's announcement has already sparked considerable controversy among baseball purist, many of whom, ironically, bet on baseball.

Professional sports and gambling intertwine in today's game. Sports betting is a legal activity, further integrating it into brand and culture. ESPN and other TV networks are investing in it.

Former Bama star Calvin Ridley bet on NFL games, to include his Falcons team, and still returned to play football.

Note on their plaque the reason they were not selected until after death. That is fair. But it would be a shame to hold Rose and Jackson to a standard that no longer exists.

(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.)

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Have a wonderful Wednesday without rain!