Wednesday Morning News Outlook

60 more days have been granted to the potential new owners of the blighted former convenience store property on the Southwest corner of the McFarland and Veteran’s Parkway intersection.

During that time, Richard Harwood, who is representing the prospective new property owner, told the Tuscaloosa City Council last night, the plan is to prepare the lot for a new, smaller scale development. The property has deteriorated since it was heavily damaged in the 2011 EF4 tornado and also caught fire at one point. If development of the property has not started by the 60 day deadline, the city will demolish the structure at owner expense.

A 63-year-old Tuscaloosa man, Timothy Alan Walters, has been charged with possession and distribution of child pornography.

According to court documents obtained by the Thread, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received a tip in late November that a user had uploaded a file that likely contained illegal material involving children.

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In the wake of that tragic mass shooting last weekend in Dadeville, Democrats in the Alabama legislature are proposing a Red Flag Law.

Senate Bill 126 would permit a state court to order the temporary removal of firearms from a person believed to present a danger to others or themselves. 17 states, including Florida, have Red Flag Laws.

For the second day, balloons were released into West Alabama skies to mourn the loss of two teens killed early Saturday morning in a traffic crash on Skyland Boulevard East. Students at Perry County’s R. C. Hatch High School lifted the memory of 18-year-old Samael Brown late yesterday afternoon at the school’s football stadium. One day before, the Bryant High student body did the same for 17-year-old Madison Sims who also perished in that collision with an 18-wheeler not long after they attended the Bryant High Prom.

Two other teens were injured. Their conditions remain unknown.

At the State Capitol:

Gov. Kay Ivey has signed a new law that requires hospitals and nursing homes in Alabama to allow in-person visitations, even during a pandemic.

A bill now waiting for Ivey’s signature improves retirement benefits for State Troopers while the house has passed a ban on college level transgender athletes.

29 Tuscaloosa Restaurants and Retailers Opened or Announced This Year

2022 has been exciting for residents of and visitors to the Tuscaloosa area as dozens of new restaurants and retailers either opened new spaces here or announced plans to do so soon. As the year winds down, here's a look back at all the new spaces the Druid City can enjoy in 2023!