Conditions were right for north Alabama to get a light dusting of snow and more could be on the way for tonight. Parts of the Tennessee Valley received traces of snow that left grassy areas white today. The National Weather Service says bridge and overpasses could turn icy since temperatures are around freezing. But authorities aren't expecting major travel problems. Temperatures are predicted to fall into the lower twenties into tonight and early Tuesday, so any freezing precipitation could linger. Forecasters are warning drivers along the Tennessee Valley and the Shoals to watch for icy roads.
Students, teachers, and parents in Huntsville will get the chance to speak their minds on a school desegregation plan tonight. Huntsville City Schools and the U.S. Department of Justice are working on a consent order meant to end a fifty year old court case on fairness in the school system. Dr. Casey Wardysnki is the Superintendent for the Huntsville City Schools. In a prepared statement, he said he feels like he accomplished one of his main goals he wanted to achieve as Superintendent…
“Over the last 50 years, while our school system has implemented many important changes, it did not make the systematic and comprehensive changes necessary to achieve unitary status. When I became superintendent, the board and I made it a top priority to achieve unitary status.”
Tonight’s meeting is at Columbia High School at 6 p.m. There will be a final forum tomorrow night at Huntsville High.
The U.S. Senate has passed a bill to build the northern leg of Keystone X-L Pipeline. The House is deciding on whether to vote on the Senate version or to write their own. However, the President has promised to veto any action passed by congress to build the pipeline. Cindy Schild is the Downstream Oil Sands Manager for the American Petroleum Institute. She says the President has already gotten part of the pipeline up and running.
“Southern half of this pipeline is already constructed and been operating for over a year, he asked his agencies to get all the permits and hurry up and that had 5000 direct jobs.”
Schild says the reason the southern half didn’t need approval from the President is because it does not cross any international borders. The Northern portion of the pipeline would cross the Canadian border. Today is the deadline for reviews, aimed at determining whether the project is in the national interest.
An unheralded rookie from West Alabama is pretty popular in New England. Patriots strong safety Malcolm Butler made an interception at the goal line as the Seahawks were one yard away from the go-ahead touchdown. That was all that Tom Brady and New England needed to beat Seattle twenty eight to twenty four Sunday night. That helped the Pats win a nip-and-tuck Super Bowl forty nine. A lot of television viewers saw Butler’s big catch. The Nielsen company says the preliminary overnight ratings were the highest-ever for the game -- up four percent from last year in the nation's largest media markets.
EDITOR'S NOTE-- The University of West Alabama plays in the Gulf South Conference. Pat D
