West Alabama Thursday Briefing
It is Thursday May 16, 2024.
After a beautiful day today, Friday is expected to bring a wet and stormy end to the workweek. Click HERE for the details.
The Forecast:
The Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit continues to investigate a fatal shooting around 3:00am this morning at Brookhaven Apartments on James Harrison Parkway on the city’s Southside. One male became the areas 13th homicide of the year. A second male is being treated for wounds.
More information is expected later today.
District 1 Tuscaloosa City Councilman Rev. Matthew Wilson is taking heat from pro-union workers at Mercedes for his support of the company in the ongoing union vote…The councilman made a video for the anti-union online alabamabenz website in which Wilson appeared with the MBUSI CEO and anti-union employees.
A pro-union employee claims Wilson, who is a black pastor, made disparaging comments about civil rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. That is an allegation vehemently denied by Rev. Wilson.
The Alabama Special Olympics State Games, scheduled for this upcoming weekend at Troy University, have been canceled due to a threat of inclement weather, including tornadoes. Officials may reschedule some events.
Several West Alabama area Special Olympic athletes were scheduled to participate.
The 2023 U.S. Census estimate was released today, and it reveals Auburn is winning the population growth battle with Tuscaloosa. The “Loveliest Village on the Plains “added 1,600 new residents in 2022-23 to their 82,000 population. Alabama’s 7th largest city.
The state’s fifth largest city, Tuscaloosa, the home to UA, added 760 new residents to the 111,000 population during the same time period.
The Tuscaloosa County District Attorney's office, like many across the state is seeing a backlog of cases due to a shortage of attorneys in the prosecutor’s office. Some 4,000 felony trials are awaiting adjudication.
Topping Sports News:
The American Christian Patriots Baseball Team broke out the bats yesterday, getting a 7-2 win over Corner in the best of three AHSAA Class 4A Baseball Championship finals at Oxford.
The opening win in the finals puts the Pats one win away from the state title. Another win in this afternoon's 4:00pm game with Corner and the Tuscaloosa lads will raise the trophy. A third, if needed, game will be played after today's game two. Both games will be at Jacksonville State.
Tuscaloosa's other Patriot team, Hillcrest, will open play in the 6A baseball finals this afternoon at 2:00 against Hartselle. That game will be in Oxford.
From UA Athletics: The No. 9 Alabama men's golf team carded the second-lowest team score in Wednesday's final round of the NCAA Chapel Hill Regional but ultimately fell one shot short of qualifying for the 2024 NCAA Men's Golf Championships. The Crimson Tide closed the three-day event in sixth place overall with a 14-under par 826 (276-277-273), just one stroke behind Baylor for the fifth and final qualifying spot.
From UA Athletics: Alabama catcher Mac Guscette was selected to the 2024 Southeastern Conference Baseball Community Service Team, the league office announced on Wednesday morning.
Each year, the SEC names a Community Service Team for each of its 21 league-sponsored sports, looking to highlight an athlete from each school who gives back to his community through superior service efforts.
Guscette's Community Service:
- Formed a non-profit organization named 'frameworks9' which provides eye exams and glasses for families in need
- The organization's mission is to 'Frame It Forward' for special and underserved athletes by providing for proper sporting eyewear like prescription sports glasses or goggles and sunglasses
- Guscette's non-profit also supports organizations such as Special Olympics, The Boys and Girls Clubs and others
- In addition to his non-profit, Guscette has been a consistent contributor to the Crimson Tide's community service efforts each of the last two seasons
- The Nokomis, Fla., native has volunteered numerous hours at The Miracle League of Tuscaloosa while also participating in all team-affiliated service efforts such as the University's Halloween Extravaganza and Thank-a-Thon.
Got to tip your cap to a young man like Mac Guscette for setting an example. ROLL TIDE!