Good morning, Tuscaloosa.

The Kristen Amerson Youth Foundation will host a Fall Festival and Movie Night at University Place Elementary School on Friday, Oct.

30 from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. DJ DreDay will entertain families with games, contests, and an outdoor screening of Coco.

The Kentuck Festival of the Arts starts this weekend at Snow Hinton Park, drawing thousands of attendees and hundreds of artists.

Local leaders expect the 55th festival to boost tourism (and celebrate its milestone) in Tuscaloosa.

University of Alabama student Josh Boyden creates weekly comic book covers that turn Alabama football into a superhero story using bright colors and bold lines.

He gains local commissions + growing attention as he captures the spirit of each game with his handcrafted art.

Five UA candidates launched their homecoming campaigns on Oct.

11 with platforms on health, literacy, tech education, and inclusion. Voting is online from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 20—winner named at the pep rally on Oct. 23 with halftime honors at Bryant-Denny Stadium Oct. 24.

Thousands of high school students visited Shelton State Community College this week for Worlds of Work—a two-day event by West Alabama Works that showcased career pathways in fields like medical, manufacturing and hospitality; more than 4,400 students from 53 schools attended, and day two continued Thursday morning.

Tuscaloosa County school officials are training 19 new bus drivers this fall with a focus on safety as drivers transport 13,000 students daily; they report fewer than 15 accidents a year (half due to factors beyond the bus).

The University of Alabama College of Community Health Sciences is launching an EMS Treat-in-Place program in 13 rural counties that will use telemedicine + training to provide on-scene care and reduce hospital visits.

Funded by a $1.76 million grant, it aims to lower costs and improve access for underserved communities.

The Crimson Tide played its second preseason exhibition at Boutwell Auditorium last night against Ole Miss.

The game featured shifts in momentum following a win over Furman, and the Tide will face Auburn on Thursday, Oct. 22.

Alabama tight end Josh Ford broke his arm last week but played against Georgia, echoing Bear Bryant’s toughness when he broke his leg in 1935.

Ford will take the field Saturday against Tennessee in Knoxville.

High school football teams in Tuscaloosa are competing in Week 8 of the AHSAA season while live scores are updated on the NFHS Network.

The postseason begins Nov. 6 with playoffs leading to the state championships Dec. 2 — 5 in Mobile.