Verdict In CRU Lounge Murder Trial + Best BBQ Joint In Alabama

TGIF, T-Town! Let's breeze through this Friday morning and get you on to the weekend.

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

• Verdict in murder trial.
• Best BBQ Joint in Alabama.
• Tuscaloosa's credit ratings.

First, a look at today's weather: Sunny and cool. High: 69 | Low: 39. 🌞

🗣Patch Shout Out 🗣

Our Shout Out for this Friday morning goes to University of Alabama Police Department K9 Boomer, who is retiring after 10 years of service as an explosives detection dog. (More)

👏 Thanks to our sponsors 👏

Our mission to bring quality, independent journalism to Tuscaloosa would not be possible without the support of our friends at DCH Health System, United Way of West Alabama, Strange Brew Coffeehouse, Right Space Commercial and BankFirst. Interested in becoming a local Tuscaloosa Patch sponsor? Please email me at ryan.phillips@patch.com.

🗞 Here are the top 5 stories today in Tuscaloosa

1. Jury Returns Guilty Verdict In CRU Lounge Murder Trial: A Tuscaloosa County jury on Thursday found former bar security guard Aaron Dewayne Hill guilty of murder in the fatal 2024 shooting of a man outside a Tuscaloosa hookah lounge. (Tuscaloosa Patch)
2. Southern Living Readers Name Dreamland Bar-B-Que Alabama's Best BBQ Joint For 2026: Tuscaloosa' Dreamland Bar-B-Que has once again been named the top BBQ joint in the state of Alabama by Southern Living magazine. (Tuscaloosa Patch)
3. City Of Tuscaloosa’s Credit Ratings Reaffirmed by National Rating Agencies: The City of Tuscaloosa has once again earned top-tier marks from national credit rating agencies, receiving a reaffirmed AAA credit rating from Fitch Ratings and an Aa1 rating from Moody’s Investors Service following reviews conducted in March 2026. (Tuscaloosa Patch)
4. Sleep in Heavenly Peace opens a chapter in Tuscaloosa: A nationwide nonprofit dedicated to building and delivering beds for children who don't have one has opened a chapter in Tuscaloosa. (Camryn Townsend, WVUA 23 News)
5. Kalen DeBoer, Ryan Grubb know Alabama’s run game is broken. Here’s how they’re fixing it: Crimson Tide coaches are working to retool a struggling run game as spring practices begins in Tuscaloosa. (Matt Stahl, Al.com)

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