West Alabama Friday Briefing

It is Friday May 3, 2024. The graduation season is now underway!!

Some 6-thousand students in nearly 200-degree programs at the University of Alabama will move their tassel from one-side to the other to mark the ending of another phase in their life and beginning of yet another.

Beginning today, separate schools at UA will conduct ceremonies at Coleman Coliseum. Below is the schedule for each school's graduation ceremonies:

Today, May 3

 Congratulations to all graduates for achieving such an important milestone in your lives. Also, congrats to parents whose wallets can now recover from the college experience!

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Today is the last of two days of commencement at the University of West Alabama in Livingston.

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There are chances for scattered showers today through early next week. But nothing severe is expected. So, it wouldn't hurt to take an umbrella or raincoat to graduation exercises.

The Forecast: 

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The Tuscaloosa Fraternal Order of Police has honored officers who have lost their lives. During ceremonies at the Tuscaloosa County Courthouse, they remembered two Tuscaloosans. Kennis Croom and Garrett Crumby who were killed in the line of duty. Both were former TPD officers. Each died while responding to a call; Croom in Meridian, MS and Crumby in Huntsville.

Legendary Tuscaloosa attorney Robert Prince has lost his battle with cancer. He was a founding partner at Prince Glover Hays law firm.

Prince was a high-stakes trial attorney of national renown who was well respected for always doing the right thing.

"Bob cared deeply for his family, his friends, his clients, and total strangers who later would become beneficiaries of his generosity," the firm said on social media. "He was a consummate professional, a lawyer’s lawyer, and the kind of fighter that clients wanted in their corner."

Bob Prince was 75-year-old.

27-year-old Marcus C. Boteler was struck and killed by a pick-up about six miles southeast of Nauvoo in Walker County on Thursday. Boteler was airlifted to UAB Hospital in Birmingham, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

The Alabama Senate has just three meeting days remaining in the regular legislative session to pass a bill that would give voters statewide the chance to decide on gaming. State Senator Merika Coleman pointed out during floor debate that money from a lottery could make a difference in the lives of our children because 100% of the money generated would go to education.

Coleman told senators; the public has a right to decide on gaming for themselves.

The Alabama House has passed a $3.4 billion General Fund Budget bill. The largest line-items are a $92 million increase for the Alabama Medicaid Agency, a $75 million increase for corrections, and a $23 million hike for Mental Health, largely to help fund new crisis case centers in Tuscaloosa and five other cities.

The budget now goes back to the Senate due to amendments added during house debate.  3 days remain in the session.

The last month of the spring primary severe weather season ends May 30th. The very next day the 2024 hurricane season begins. Townsquare Media Meteorologist  MaryK, takes a look ahead to the tropical season.

The City of Tuscaloosa’s annual free downtown concert series held every Friday in May and June from 6 to 9 p.m. returns tonight.

The scheduled acts for this week are Reed Brake from 6-7:15 p.m. and Wax Monkey from 7:30-9 p.m.

Live at the Plaza 2024 is sponsored by Coca-Cola and Avenue Pub, and features regional bands in the family-friendly atmosphere of Government Plaza. Free parking is available in the adjacent parking deck located at 2230 7^th Street.

Admission to each show is free and open to the public. Learn more at tuscaloosa.com/latp.

On a 667-54 vote the United Methodist Church (UMC) delegates to the denomination's General Conference have repealed their church’s longstanding ban on LGBTQ+ clergy with no debate, removing a rule forbidding “self-avowed practicing homosexuals” from being ordained or appointed as ministers.

UMC delegates also voted to delete mandatory penalties for conducting same-sex marriages and to fund gay-friendly ministries.

About one-quarter of the church's congregations have left the denomination since 2019. That includes some 200 congregations in the North Alabama Conference, which includes Tuscaloosa, Pickens, Lamar, Walker and Sumter counties, alone.

United Methodists are the nation's third largest Protestant denomination.

Topping Sports News:

A furious Alabama rally fell just short last night in Auburn as the #17 Tide softball team dropped a 5-4 decision to the Tigers.

Trailing 4-0, Bama scored three runs in the top of the seventh: two on a home run by Kali Heivilin and another on an error.

Auburn ace Maddie Penta earned her 14th win of the season on Thursday after striking out nine batters while walking three in a complete game effort.

Game two of the series begins today and can be seen on SEC Network, as can Saturdays finally.

The SEC Softball Tournament begins next week in Auburn.

No. 17 Alabama Baseball Team takes on 16^th-ranked Mississippi State in Starkville MS this weekend. The series at Dudy Noble Field begins on tonight at 6 p.m. followed by a 2 p.m. start on Saturday and a 1 p.m. first pitch in the finale. All three games of the series will air on SEC Network+ and Crimson Tide Sports Network.

As graduation gets underway at The University of Alabama today, a total of 79 Crimson Tide student-athletes will celebrate earning their degrees in the spring semester.

The 79 University of Alabama student-athletes are slated to earn 83 undergraduate and graduate degrees this weekend. The Tide's tally includes two NCAA champions, five All-Americans and eight CSC Academic All-District honorees.

Have a great weekend and congratulations graduates!! Welcome to the real world .