West Alabama Tuesday Briefing

United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain ran for the union’s top post on a pledge to rid the scandal plagued union of corruption, now he is being investigated. Fain is under investigation for allegedly obstructing and interfering in a federal court appointed watchdog’s investigation of charges that Fain retaliated against the UAW Secretary-Treasurer Margaret Mock. She had been reportedly reluctant to authorize spending money for Fain’s office and retaliated. The charges are in a 32-page status report filed on Monday.

Fain continues to push the organized labor friendly National labor Relations Board to overturn the recent anti-union vote at Mercedes Benz due to claims of union busting activities by the company at the Vance and Woodstock plants.

It is Celebrate Local Day in Tuscaloosa at the River Market on Warner Parkway today. The best of West Alabama will be on display for the event which brings community members and local merchants together for a shopping and tasting event which will feature vendors from all over west Alabama.  Attendees can shop for a variety of items, including local clothing, accessories, home decor, art, gifts and more.  Several restaurants will also be on hand to offer samples of their most popular entrees.

The event opens at 11:00am and closes at 7:00pm.

Effective this fall students in grades 6-12 in Alabama will now be required to take drug education classes on fentanyl prevention and drug poisoning.  DCH Dr. Elwin Crawford told news partner ABC 3340 that although the drug problem in West Alabama doesn't reach the levels of larger cities, there is a problem.

The Price Hornsby Act mandates public school districts develop curriculums that teaches students about the dangers of fentanyl use.

Despite a weekend shark attack that cost a Mountain Brook teen girl a hand and leg, the beaches are packed along the Alabama and Florida panhandle this morning.  Dr. Sean Powers, the director of the University of South Alabama’s Stokes School of Marine and Environmental Sciences in Mobile, tells WKRG TV June is the peak of shark presence and while attacks are rare, vacationers should not wander into deep water.

The teen, Lulu Gibbons faces numerous surgeries, but her mother tells reporters her daughter is maintaining an amazing positive attitude. Two other people were also attacked by sharks in a 90-minute period over the weekend.

There is a lot of construction on Lake Tuscaloosa these days. As we recently reported, the Southern Ale House is expanding to a site just off Highway 43. The dockside restaurant is expected to open in August.

The Captain’s Club and Marina Market is already open at the Northriver Yacht Club and a restaurant will open there next summer. 18 upscale condos are also being constructed nearby.

The University of Alabama's Equitable Neighborhoods Initiative is working to prepare communities across the state to prepare for a recover from sustained impact from long-term crises such as the COVID19 Pandemic.