We hope you bundled up! (I couldn’t feel my toes…)
After that Chilly Christmas, we can start looking forward to temperatures in the 35°F to 45°F range beginning today.
As the week progresses, the temperature rises, and by Wednesday, it will be in the 60s.
It may rain a little on Friday, and there’s a good chance of storms on Friday night and Saturday.
Indicators point to a drencher, with a widespread two to three inches of precipitation likely.
There is also the possibility of a few intense storms. Sunday, the first day of the new year, we should expect drier conditions.
The first week of 2023 is predicted to have temperatures that are above normal.
Recycle Your Trees!
Mobile will once again offer a service to recycle Christmas trees.
James Seals Park, located off Texas Street, and Langan Municipal Park, located off Zeigler Boulevard, are two locations where Mobilians can dispose of their unwanted Christmas trees at no cost.
Before they can be dropped off, all trees must be bare, meaning that they have no lights, stands, or ornaments of any kind.
From January 17 through the 22nd, the city will collect these trees and recycle them into mulch.
Rather than letting them end up in a landfill, Christmas trees should be recycled to lessen their impact on the planet. Although trees break down naturally over time, leaving them in a landfill does little to help.
By giving trees a second chance at life after they’ve been harvested, recycling helps mitigate some of the adverse effects of cutting them down in the first place.
The collected mulch can be used to fertilize public parks and playgrounds, as well as soil erosion barriers.
Bama is Growing
A large portion of Alabama’s rapid expansion can be attributed to an influx of new residents.
In a time when Alabama continues to see more deaths than births, the new wave of incoming residents is providing a welcome boost to the state’s population.
According to updated projections from the United States Census Bureau, Alabama’s population grew by about 25,000 between July 1, 2021, and July 1, 2022.
The population of the state may have decreased by 3% in 2014, but new arrivals of almost 33,000 made up for the loss.
Among the states, Alabama saw the biggest net migration growth in the recent decade, ranking ninth overall. A whopping 86% of that was attributable to in-state migration.
Since 2014, the annual net gain for the state as a result of new arrivals has increased by a factor of 950!
Mobile To Replace The Cruise Terminal Gangway
Mobile plans to spend $4.9 million on a gangway to link its two-story cruise port to arriving and departing Carnival Cruise Line ships.
The last cruise from Mobile left on October 10, but Carnival promised to bring back the “Spirit” on October 22, 2023.
The gangway wouldn’t be in place by then, but the current one can be utilized in the interim while the new one is being put together.
The original gangway at the terminal was constructed more than a decade ago for around $2.6 million.
The Mobile City Council is set to vote on a contract with the Spanish company Adelete Ports.
Because it was a prototype, replacement parts for the original gangway are hard to come by. Plus, it isn’t designed to accommodate larger ships that could visit (crossing fingers).
