Impact Report 2023: How local news helps our communities
The national spotlight focused tightly on Tuscaloosa after a Jan. 15, 2023, homicide on the Strip near the University of Alabama campus.
Former UA basketball player Darius Miles and Michael Davis were charged with capital murder in the shooting death of Jamea Harris, a 23-year-old woman from Birmingham.
The Tuscaloosa News generated extensive coverage, from the arrests to the court proceedings. And, like dozens of other stories we covered in 2023, our reporters provided exceptional depth and context while also explaining the effect of these events on our readers' daily lives.
Nick Kelly spent dozens of hours examining video from 12 surveillance cameras, giving readers a vivid account of what transpired that night.
Jasmine Hollie and Gary Cosby Jr. detailed how Tuscaloosa police responded to make the Strip safer in the aftermath of the shooting, from beefed-up patrols and a new police substation in the area to the installation of temporary speed bumps.
And Mark Hughes Cobb reported on another measure designed to enhance late-night public safety, the city's moratorium on the opening of new bars.
In today's edition of the Tuscaloosa News, you'll find the Impact Report, a premium edition that highlights some of the stories that made a difference in our USA TODAY Network communities in 2023.
In 2023, The News also covered these stories of national interest with a focus on the impact to our readers:
UA played host to the state's first-ever Republican presidential debate. We told readers how the GOP debate would lead to road closures around the UA campus in the first week in December. We also shared how city leaders believed the debate provided a unique opportunity to showcase Tuscaloosa to a nationwide television audience.
The Netflix documentary "Victim/Suspect," which debuted in May, examined the phenomenon of rape accusers being arrested and highlighted Tuscaloosa cases involving Emma Mannion and Megan Rondini. We interviewed Mannion about her efforts to clear her name after Tuscaloosa police accused her of falsely reporting her rape in 2016. We talked to Rachel de Leon, the documentary's investigative reporter, and Mannion about what police organizations need to do to improve their procedures when people allege rape, not just in Tuscaloosa but nationwide.
When the Max documentary "Bama Rush: Acceptance Is Everything" premiered, also in May, we had one of the first reviews posted online. Mark Hughes Cobb explained how UA's sorority recruitment process, which shot to fame through TikTok videos, was depicted in the film, which he said centered "on attempts to reconcile conflicting drives and impulses, between acceptance and individuality, ideals and expression, tradition and diversity."
Tuscaloosa's growth and development
With UA's record-breaking enrollment, growth and change have become perhaps the top issues facing Tuscaloosa residents. We reported on these stories in 2023 and helped readers navigate the changes:
The organizers of the Kentuck Festival of the Arts decided to move the event from Northport, its home of 52 years, to Tuscaloosa. We detailed how the relationship between the city of Northport and Kentuck deteriorated and what this move will mean to both cities.
Sports Illustrated announced plans to build a resort on Rice Mine Loop, featuring a full-service hotel, residential condominiums, a wellness center, dining, entertainment and more. The resort is expected to open in 2025.
PopStroke, golf, dining and entertainment venue spearheaded by legendary golfer Tiger Woods and the TaylorMade Golf Co., is coming to Tuscaloosa in early 2024. The venue is under construction in the space off Helen Keller Bouelvard, east of McFarland Boulevard on previously-undeveloped land, adjacent to Baumhower's Victory Grille, and a Hampton Inn.
The city debuted a new, 172-foot pedestrian bridge near the newly renamed Mercedes-Benz Amphitheater. The bridge will give people traversing from the Saban Center and parking areas on the south side of Jack Warner Parkway safe passage to the Amphitheater and the Parker-Haun Park. The Saban Center is a state-of-the-art interactive learning center, which is expected to open in 2026 on the former site of The Tuscaloosa News.
We appreciate all of our readers for making us their trusted news source. Now we look forward to 2024 and continuing to report on the everyday triumphs and tragedies that bind the Tuscaloosa community together.
Ken Roberts is editor of The Tuscaloosa News. He can be reached at ken.roberts@tuscaloosanews.com.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Impact Report 2023: How local news helps our communities
