🌱 Don Staley Retirement + Former Hillcrest Star On Big Stage

TGIF, T-Town! Grab the coffee, prop up your feet and let's get you all caught up on your headlines from around town.

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

• Capital punishment protest.
• Former Hillcrest star on the big stage.
• School supply drive at Stillman

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First, today's weather: Some sun, then clouds; humid. High: 92 | Low: 74 🌥

🗣 Patch Shout Out 🗣

Our Shout Out for this Friday morning goes to our friend Don Staley, who is retiring as president and CEO of Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports. A retirement party was held for Staley Thursday night at Druid City Social that saw a big turnout of those showing their love.

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🗞 Here are the top 5 stories today in Tuscaloosa 🗞

1. Firefighters are still investigating the cause of a Wednesday morning house fire on Wellington Circle in the North Hampton Neighborhood off Rice Valley Road. (Gracie Johnson, WVUA 23)
2. Stillman College is set to host a "Tools for Schools" school supply drive on Sunday, Aug. 7 from 12 p.m. until 3 p.m. (Tuscaloosa Patch)
3. The death warrant for Joe Nathan James, Jr. was read at 9:03 p.m. and he became the second person this year executed by the state of Alabama Thursday night after he was found guilty of murdering his ex-girlfriend in 1994. This came despite calls to Gov. Kay Ivey from the victim's family to commute his sentence to life. (Ivana Hrynkiw, AL.com)
4. The Dollar Tree that remains Tuscaloosa's Skyland Boulevard following the demolition of the McFarland Mall will stay open, according to the landlord. (Stephen Dethrage, Tuscaloosa Thread)
5. Former Hillcrest High School football standout Jay Bramblett has yet to take the field for the LSU Tigers after transferring from Notre Dame. Still, the Tuscaloosa native is already making waves after being named a preseason finalist for a prestigious national honor. (Tuscaloosa Patch)

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🗓 Today In Tuscaloosa 🗓

• Ribbon Cutting for the House Plant Collective (More)
• Painting to Music @ The Arts Council (More)
• Live at the Plaza in downtown Tuscaloosa (More)
• Kung Fu Gripp @ Big Al's (More)
• Lemonade Day @ Boys & Girls Clubs of West Alabama (More)

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📸 Around T-Town 📸

Activists with Tuscaloosa Action and Grace Presbyterian Church lined Hargrove Road outside of the church on Thursday to protest the execution of Joe Nathan James, Jr. on Thursday. (Tuscaloosa Patch)

5️⃣ Other Stories I'm Reading Today

1. Tuscaloosa church at the center of lawsuit (Chelsea Barton, WVUA 23 News)
2. Two Alabama players named to Wuerffel, Hornung preseason watch lists (Charlie Potter, BamaOnline)
3. How ZZ Top made history during last year's Tuscaloosa Amphitheater show (Ken Roberts, Tuscaloosa News)
4. UA announces new scholarship program (Bryan Henry, WBRC Fox 6 News)
5. Index: Alabama business leaders' confidence in economy declines (Mary Sell, Alabama Daily News)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Friday off right! I'll be back in your inbox tomorrow with another update.

— RP

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Tuscaloosa Daily? Contact me at ryan.phillips@patch.com