West Alabama Friday Briefing
Good morning! It is Friday June 7, 2024, National Doughnut Day.
Some celebrate national Doughnut Day on June 3rd, but the official event is today. Many doughnut chains are offering free doughnuts (with some restrictions).
Personally, I don't need a special day to scarf down any type of doughnut. But it turns out there is a true story to how the day originated. It was during WWI when a doctor bought dozens of doughnuts to give to soldiers he treated.
After Lieutenant General Samuel Geary was given one, decided to start a fundraiser, letting the young doctor, Morgan Pett, to continue to provide doughnuts to his patients.
This fundraiser began working together with the Salvation Army who, after a fact-finding mission, determined that many needs of the soldiers could be met by creating social centers that would provide all sorts of amenities, including the doughnuts.
The Salvation Army sent 250 volunteers to France to help put these huts together, which soon became a mainstay of military life. One record of a day in the huts recorded up to 300 doughnuts and 700 cups of coffee being served as part of their service. Due to the majority of the workers being female, the Salvation Army workers started to be known as “Doughnut Dollies.”
All of this led to the eventual designation of today as "National Doughnut Day". As radio commentator Paul Harvey used to say, "Now you know the rest of the story".
It is a perfect day for National Doughnut Day". There are no showers or thunderstorms in the forecast.
The Forecast:
Sounding more like Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, Alabama Republican Senior U-S Senator Tommy Tuberville called Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “dictator” and defended Putin, “He doesn’t want Ukraine. He doesn’t want Europe. He’s got enough land of his own,” Tuberville stated. “He just wants to make sure that he does not have United States weapons in Ukraine pointing at Moscow.”
Tuberville's comments from conservatives and liberals. They contradict the widely reported aggression of Russian forces in an ongoing invasion of Ukraine that began in early 2022.
Tuberville also claimed there have been no battles in the last 7 months in Ukraine, despite video of damaged and destroyed cities. His comments were made on Steve Bannon’s “War Room”.
The plan for new construction replacing the Woolsey Finnell Bridge that takes McFarland Blvd. across the Black Warrior River has some flaws that are drawing concern from city officials. City Council President Kip Tyner says chief among them is the plan eliminates an exit that leads to businesses like Baumhower's Restaurant, PopStroke Golf, apartment complexes and University Church of Christ. Tyner says the plan, as it exists, would create a traffic nightmare and harm businesses. Construction is expected to begin in 2025.
West Alabama Democrat Congresswoman Terri Sewell will keynote a commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the “Bloody Tuesday” attack by law enforcement and Klan members on protestors at 1st African Baptist Church downtown.
The marchers were peacefully protesting segregation at the then new county courthouse on June 9, 1964, when they were beaten and arrested. Almost 100 were booked in jail, some 30 others received injuries, some serious.
Sewell will speak at 3:00 at 1st African Baptist Sunday followed by a march to the Courthouse at 4:15 p.m. SCLC President Charles Steele, Tuscaloosa County Sheriff Ron Abernathy and Tuscaloosa Rep. Chris England will also participate.
Read More: https://tuscaloosathread.com/ixp/532/p/60th-anniversary-event-to-commemorate-tuscaloosas-bloody-tuesday/
The fiancée of former World Heavyweight Champion Boxer Deontay Wilder, has filed for a temporary restraining order against the Tuscaloosa native. Telli Swift alleges Wilder spat on her several times, choked her multiple times, and on one occasion nearly suffocated her by forcing her face into a pillow during a fit of rage.
TPD has identified the woman struck and killed while attempting to cross the I-359 connector on foot Wednesday. She is 23-year-old Brianna Shaunta Nelson of Tuscaloosa.
Nelson died at the scene after being hit by a truck that was attempting to avoid another vehicle that has swerved in front in the southbound lanes just before Cousette Street.
Read More: https://tuscaloosathread.com/tpd-identifies-pedestrian-killed-359/
As formally reported on May 19th, Red Lobster announced, "...the Company has voluntarily filed for relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida. The Company intends to use the proceedings to drive operational improvements, simplify the business through a reduction in locations, and pursue a sale of substantially all of its assets as a going concern."
Now comes word that 100 more Red Lobster sites will be closed if the company cannot successfully renegotiate a lease. It is still not known if the Tuscaloosa location, which is one of the company's most profitable, will be closed.
Topping Sports News:
College football continues to look more like NFL light. The NCAA will now allow corporate logos on stadium playing fields beginning this fall. They have to do something to raise money to pay all those new 18-year-old freshman millionaires. Next, expect corporate logos on uniforms. Players will then begin to look like a NASCAR driver.
Oklahoma won a historic fourth straight NCAA Women's College Softball National Championship. They came from behind to beat Texas 8-4 in Oklahoma City.
Some critics are beginning to suggest the tournament should not be permanently located in Oklahoma City because it gives the Sooners a tremendous and intimidating home crowd advantage.
Both the Sooners and Longhorns will move to the Southeastern Conference this coming season.
The NBA Finals are underway, the time of the year most people begin to pay attention to pro basketball. Boston took game one last night 107-89 over Dallas.
Historically, 70% of the teams that win game one goes on to win the title. The series continues with Game 2 on Sunday, June 9.
Have a wonderful weekend.