Daily: A Big Day For Basketball; Toxic Waste In Black Warrior?

Good Morning Tuscaloosa!

In today's Daily, we have coverage of a historic day in college basketball for Tuscaloosa programs, along with a push to improve student access to counseling at the University of Alabama and all of the other stories we're reading and covering!

First, today's weather:

Tuscaloosa can expect partly sunny weather, with a high near 81 and a low around 62 in the evening hours.

Here are the top 5 stories today in Tuscaloosa

1. While the Alabama men's basketball team advanced to the SEC Tournament Championship with a win over Tennessee on Saturday, the UA women's wheelchair basketball team claimed its seventh national title on Saturday, defeating UT-Arlington 67-53. The UA men's wheelchair basketball team also played in the national title game Saturday, but dropped a loss to UT-Arlington 66-51.

*Alabama men's basketball will take on LSU in the SEC Tournament championship Sunday at noon on ESPN.

2. Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox spoke with Jason Morton of the Tuscaloosa News to discuss his goals and vision for the city as he prepares to enter his fifth term in office.

3. Student Government Association President Demarcus Joiner proposed a resolution on Thursday to expand student access to the UA Counseling Center and increase its funding, Kayla Solino reports. (Crimson White)

4. Stillman College will be the No. 8 seed at the NAIA Men's Basketball National Championship Final Site and will do so as the last remaining HBCU competing in the NAIA postseason. The Tigers will take on St. Francis (Indiana) in the Round of 16 on Thursday, March 18 at 2 p.m.

5. The Alabama Department of Environmental Management has reportedly ordered Arkansas-based Denali Water Solutions to stop spreading poultry waste as a fertilizer after complaints about the odor, Caroline Vincent reports, while environmental groups are worried the waste could be reaching a fork of the Black Warrior River. (Alabama Public Radio)

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Tuscaloosa Patch Notebook

- Winners were announced this week for the 2021 Sakura Art Contest, which featured more than 50 entries from Tuscaloosa City Schools, Narashino, Japan, and Sunyani, Ghana. The theme of the contest is “Resilience/United in Hope." Click here to see the winners.

- DCH Health System reported 26 coronavirus-positive inpatients across the three-hospital system on Saturday, with five or fewer inpatients being treated in the system's intensive care units.

- The Junior League of Tuscaloosa closed out its Little Black Dress Initiative to raise funds for its Adopt-a-School partner Holt Elementary, who will now be on the receiving end of more than $5,000.

- The weather was perfect Saturday for The Second Saturday Outdoor Music Series at the Buddy Powell Pavilion.

- Tuscaloosa County EMA will hold a pop-up registration Monday and Tuesday for those eligible to receive the coronavirus vaccine. This week's location will be at the Samantha Fire Department at 12995 Northside Road, Northport, AL 35405

- The Northport City Council will have its regular meeting on Monday at 5:30 p.m. Click here to view the full agenda.

- The University of West Alabama Tigers closed out its truncated, unconventional spring football season with a 36-28 win over Savannah State at Ladd-Peebles Stadium Saturday night in Mobile.

- Shelton State Community College's baseball and softball teams both defeated Southern Union by a score of 2-1 on Saturday.

- Alabama baseball won a 4-3 walk-off victory against Stetson Saturday when Drew Williamson put down a sacrifice bunt that resulted in an errant throw to first base, allowing the winning run to cross the plate.

- Alabama softball clinched a weekend series against rival Auburn on Saturday with a 4-1 win.

Now you're all caught up to start your weekend. Don't miss out during the rest of the day, though! Be sure to follow me on Tuscaloosa Patch and its social media platforms for more.

I'll see you around!

- Ryan

About me: I grew up in Tuscaloosa. I'm graduate of the University of Alabama and the founder of Tuscaloosa Patch. You can find me at public meetings, events in the local arts community and wherever live music is played!