Good morning, Tuscaloosa.

Chick-fil-A is launching its new Chicken and Waffles sandwich (with original, spicy or grilled options) along with S'mores Milkshake and Frosted Coffee on Aug.

24 at participating restaurants; breakfast items are served until 10:30 a.m. and lunch-dinner offerings are available all day.

Matthew McConaughey’s film The Rivals of Amziah King opened yesterday in theaters after filming wrapped in summer 2023 in Birmingham and nearby areas.

Local beekeeping expert Adam Hickman of Foxhound Bee Company (based in Irondale) advised the production to use real bees safely throughout the film.

At the annual State of the Community Luncheon (hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama), local leaders said no data centers have contacted their cities yet and set clear rules for future projects while preparing for the BF Goodrich Tire plant to close by the end of 2028.

The Alabama Department of Public Health warns Tuscaloosa residents to watch for heat cramps, exhaustion, and heat stroke as extreme heat continues this week.

They advise the community to follow safety tips and stay alert to prevent heat-related illnesses.

Alabama’s fall scrimmage showed a rebuilt inside linebacker room as coach Kalen DeBoer praised Luke Metz for his sideline-to-sideline play and noted Caleb Woodson and others will energize the unit, which will debut against East Carolina on Saturday at 11 a.m. CT.

Alabama football held its first camp scrimmage Thursday at Bryant Denny Stadium (in Tuscaloosa) where quarterbacks Keelon Russell and Austin Mack competed to show command.

UA coaches said the starting battle may continue until the next scrimmage as the season opener is set for Sept. 5 against East Carolina.

Alabama wide receiver Lotzeir Brooks missed a couple fall camp practices but is expected to play in games, according to coach Kalen DeBoer — the team will hold a scrimmage on Aug.

20 before hosting East Carolina on Sept. 5.

Yesterday, Alabama linebacker Caleb Woodson (a Virginia Tech transfer now starting for the Crimson Tide) was named to the 51-player Butkus Award Watchlist.

He will compete for the top linebacker honor.

Former Alabama star Tua Tagovailoa is set to start as the Falcons’ quarterback in their preseason opener against the Broncos tonight as Michael Penix remains sidelined; coach Kevin Stefanski expects him to appear in about 10 plays plus veteran Cooper Rush and rookie Jack Strand back him up.

A list of top Alabama 6A Public offensive linemen was released by AL.com to help set the stage for the upcoming football season, including local talent like Baylor Booth from Tuscaloosa County.

Coaches submitted surveys and fan voting will follow to decide the best among these young stars.