West Alabama Monday Briefing

Good morning West Alabama! It is Monday, January 6, 2025.

Monday Morning Observations:

New Orleans has a history of being a dysfunctional city.  That dysfunction has cost many lives over the years, including the life of U.A. freshman Hakeen Badawi and 13 others who died in last Wednesday’s terror attack on the French Quarter.

According to an October report by online media NOLA, “City records show half-century-old government buildings are plagued by rodents, shoddy air conditioning and leaking ceilings. Rainwater has poured into some fire stations through torn roofs." Toxic mold in homeless shelters, broken hand-washing stations at public health clinics, and non-functioning air conditioning at a dozen libraries and police precincts temporarily forced their closing the past two summers are all examples of the dysfunction.

So why should we have expected the Crescent City to be prepared to handle security for the giant New Year’s Eve celebration?

The attack came in the aftermath of U.S. Homeland Security and F.B.I. officials warning of an escalating threat of terrorism within the U.S. Yet the city that hosts large-scale public activities throughout the year was not prepared.

In a press conference New Orleans political and law enforcement officials repeatedly mentioned the Super Bowl they are hosting later this year. Apparently, they were more concerned about security, which will largely be federally funded, for that event than New Year’s Eve, the Sugar Bowl or even Mardi Gras that is just weeks away.

Could Better Security have stopped the New Year’s morning terror attack? Probably. In the initial press conference N.O. officials spent much time bragging about lowering the city’s crime rate but didn’t adequately address their inadequate security preparations for last week.

City officials were warned in 2019 that the bollards designed to block vehicles did “not appear to work.” They were just being replaced when 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, an ISIS sympathizer, drove his truck around NOPD police cruisers blocking the road but not the sidewalks.

Amazingly, days later city leaders found barriers already in city inventory that they claimed they didn’t know they had. What a poor excuse.

Then when those barriers were installed, they were installed improperly according to the barrier’s manufacturer. Continued dysfunction.

Another report from a security contractor in 2020 advised that placing police cars across the streets would not provide enough security for crowds densely packed on Bourbon Street.

The city continued to dysfunction.

This is not the first time New Orleans has failed its citizens and visitors when they had prior knowledge about a potential threat – Hurricane Katrina.

A Katrina-like catastrophe was predicted as recently as one year before the storm. In 2004, FEMA and the state office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness conducted the “Hurricane Pam Exercise.” It modeled a Category 3 hurricane hitting New Orleans, overtopping the levee system and flooding the city with up to 20 feet of water.

Little was done to prepare the city for the real thing so 1,392 in the city died.

Apparently, lessons learned are ignored by a dysfunctional city like New Orleans, a point that will no doubt be made by attorneys for the families that lost loved ones like 18-year-old Kareen Badawi.

(Opinions expressed in Morning Briefing are those of the author and not necessarily that of the ownership, management, staff of sponsors o Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa).

Weather:

The next week or so will be interesting weather-wise. A Wind Advisory in effect until 6:00 tonight advises of west winds 15 to 20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph. That will drop the feels like temperature some ten degrees below the actual temperature during the day.

Cold and dry conditions will take us to the end of the week when we flirt with what ABC3340 Chief Meteorologist James Spann calls "wintry mischief".

A mix of snow, freezing rain, and possibly some sleet will begin during the pre-dawn hours Friday. This will create driving hazards on bridges and over passes from the Tennessee Valley into northern Tuscaloosa County.

Remember, forecasting winter weather in the deep south is difficult because so many factors must happen simultaneously for significant winter weather to develop. The forecast between now and Friday could change several times.

Read More: Possible Winter Storm in Alabama: Snow, Freezing Rain, and Sleet

Read More: West Alabama ‘Feels Like’ Guide: Prolonged Cold & Wind Chill

The Forecast:

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The first position is the blood donor ambassador. These workers greet and register blood donors, as well as assist them through the recovery process at the refreshments table.

The other volunteer urgently needed is the blood transportation specialist. These life-saving workers pick up blood donations and deliver them to area hospitals.

Click HERE if you are willing to volunteer.

Alabama Flu Cases Among Highest in the Nation

According to the latest figures released by the centers for Disease Control in Atlanta today, Alabama has the third highest rate of influenza in the entire country.

According to Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) figures, the state has seen a 17% surge of emergency department visits related to respiratory illnesses within the past week.

ADPH believes the flu outbreak will peak sometime in February.

Topping Sports News:

Alabama Truly a Basketball School - Men and Women's Teams

The Alabama men blew out previously undefeated Oklahoma 107-79 in front of a sold-out Coleman Coliseum crowd Saturday afternoon. But they were not about to outdo the women's team. The Bama ladies are now 2-0 in SEC play after a 68-49 victory over the Missouri Tigers on Sunday.

The 19th ranked Tide (15-1) visits national powerhouse #5 Texas (15-1) at 7:00 Thursday night.

Read More: Alabama Women’s Basketball Keeps on Rolling