🌱 COVID-19 Uptick In Tuscaloosa + UA Mask Requirements

Good morning, Tuscaloosa! Ryan Phillips here with the Tuesday edition of the Tuscaloosa Daily.

In today's Daily, we have these stories and more ...

• Northport road closure.
• COVID-19 surge.
• UA mask mandate

---

First, today's weather: Cold in the a.m., then warmer. High: 53 | Low: 36.

---

🗞 Here are the top 5 stories today in Tuscaloosa 🗞

1. DCH Health System reported 11 new COVID-19 hospitalizations from Sunday to Monday, bringing the Tuscaloosa-based health care provider's overall number to its highest point since Oct. 19, 2021. (Tuscaloosa Patch)
2. The University of Alabama provided its updated public health guidelines with on-campus operations set to resume on Jan. 4, followed by the first day of the spring semester beginning Jan. 12. (Tuscaloosa Patch)
3. The Tuscaloosa Police Department has identified a mother and son from Ralph who were killed in a two-vehicle crash last Thursday on 15th Street near Cloverdale Road. (Tuscaloosa Patch)
4. The City of Northport has announced a road closure that began Monday night as crews repaired a gas line at 20th Avenue and 28th Street. (Tuscaloosa Patch)
5. The Food and Drug Administration on Monday authorized the Pfizer COVID-19 booster for children as young as 12 in our area, broadening access to the third dose of the vaccine as COVID-19 daily infection rates remain in record territory. (Michael Seale, Birmingham Patch)

---

Today's Tuscaloosa Daily is brought to you in part by our friends at Ring, the home security company. Ring does a lot more than doorbells: check out their full suite of smart home products at Ring.com. And thank you Ring for helping to make local news happen in Tuscaloosa!

---

👨‍💻 Other stories I'm reading today 👨‍💻

- Sports Editor's Mailbag: Women's basketball conference play predictions, team's identity and recruiting (Ashlee Woods, Crimson White)

- Alabama Cornerbacks Coach Could Be Headed To Oklahoma After Season (Joe Gaither, Tuscaloosa Thread)

- New Standard Alabama License Plate Design For 2022 (Michael Seale, Birmingham Patch)

- Winfield Mayor talks recovery following tornado (Annie Mapp, ABC 33/40)

- Alabama starts new year with COVID surge as schools prepare to reopen (Eddie Burkhalter, Alabama Political Reporter)

- BHM dodges worst of recent flight cancellations (A.J. O'Leary, Birmingham Business Journal)

- Forecasters confirm 2 New Year's twisters in Alabama (Associated Press)

- Blanchard begins ad blitz in bid to unseat Ivey (Todd Stacey, Alabama Daily News)

---

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• The Better Skin Co. — (Visit website)
• KimEssence Earth Essentials, LLC — (Visit Website)
• Add your business here

---

Loving the Tuscaloosa Daily? Here are all the ways you can get more involved:

• Send a friend or neighbor this link so they can subscribe
• Get your local business listed in front of readers
• Send me a news tip or suggestion at ryan.phillips@patch.com

---

Alrighty, you're all good for today. See you all tomorrow morning for another update!

— RP