Falling tree limbs in Birmingham kills one person, another injured NORTHPORT, Ala. — The Northport City Council is set to review a rezoning request and Special District Plan for a proposed development by University Beach, LLC. The project, located on approximately 76.2 acres north of McFarland Boulevard and east of Harper Road, aims to transform the area into a mixed-use entertainment district. The site analysis indicates suitability for the proposed development, with good regional access and a flat, open landscape conducive to higher-density, mixed-use projects. The plan also emphasizes open spaces, with trails and activities around the lagoon, and both private and public beaches. The University Beach Special District is divided into two sub-districts: the Residential Sub-District and the Entertainment Sub-District. The Residential Sub-District will offer a range of housing types, while the Entertainment Sub-District will focus on commercial and entertainment uses, with building heights up to seven stories. The development proposal aligns with Northport's Comprehensive Plan, which supports economic growth through diversified job and business opportunities, and aims to create a community attractive to people at all life stages. The City Council's decision on the rezoning request will determine the future of this project. Just one of the many views along the Knolls Park walking trails in East Northport We rely on your support to share good news! Become a supporting member today. It was the first time I’ve spoken to a deer a female holding firm in the middle of the trail and not breaking for a second her eye contact with me was chewing on some leaves as I neared the end of my nature walk in Knolls Park in East Northport I’ve been “popping” into Knolls Park for years: during my daughter’s soccer practice or on a solo jaunt while listening to my favorite podcast Every time I am left grateful for this little slice of nature right here in my backyard Every time I see or smell or encounter something new – a snake a small mammal’s skull I have yet to identity Part of the Veterans Park complex on Bellerose Avenue Knolls Park was acquired by both Suffolk County and the Town of Huntington in December 2000 County Land Preservation Partnership and Drinking Water Protection programs Formerly a part of the Northport Veterans Administration property the land was proposed for a 61-lot housing development before the town and county acquired it In the southernmost portion of the park are the neighborhood’s popular turf fields used both competitively and recreationally by community residents local sports teams and numerous sports leagues The rest of the site has trails that wind through the property and connect with neighboring Meadowlark Park There’s over nine miles of hiking trails on the property Shorter trails are available in Knolls Park for those interested in leisurely walks If you enter the park from the back parking lot (behind the turf fields) this area of the park was named after a beloved Bellerose Avenue Elementary School counselor killed by a drunk driver while on her way home from watching the Northport girls basketball team compete in the county playoffs I often go this way when in search of a shorter hike – there is a choice of two mostly forested loops that trace part of the school’s perimeter and Heading north will bring you more options of trails and terrains I tend to overly romanticize my trips into nature; I’m desperate like that If you’re imaginative and in need of an escape you’ll easily be able to envision yourself away from it all here on a wide sandy trail with open grassland or a narrow dirt trail surrounded by trees The trails are marked and fairly easy to navigate (though I know some people who started at Vets and ended up in Meadowlark Park by Middleville Road) you only need to follow the voices of children playing sports or coaches blowing whistles to find your way back The few times I’ve confused north and south On the days I prefer to take a longer hike I’ll walk north and then west – the biggest loop abuts backyards and residential streets before winding back past the turf fields (where I had my friendly run-in with the deer) and up a quick but challenging hill that opens up to the grass playing field behind Vet Park’s pickleball courts ready to pick up your kid from practice or tackle your day of work or the laundry or food shopping Length: 3.6 miles Acreage: 83Terrain: Mostly flat a challenging hill if you choose itNoise levels: Minimal to medium (local kids playing trucks passing)Parking: Super easy and plentiful in the back lot of Veterans Park (on Bellerose Avenue in East Northport) Ticks tips or feedback about your favorite walks in the woods to joanne@northportjournal.com A map of Knolls Park and the Barbara Frost Trail, provided by the Town of Huntington in its trails guide Get the latest news delivered to your inbox Commack defeated Northport in a Suffolk softball matchup on Tuesday Madison Johnston of Commack singles during a Suffolk softball game against Northport on Tuesday Lily McCabe of Northport makes contact for a single during a Suffolk softball game against Northport on Tuesday Avery Braconi of Commack slides into home during a Suffolk softball game against Northport on Tuesday Lily McCabe of Northport makes the play in left field during a Suffolk softball game against Commack on Tuesday Kate Schweitzer of Commack singles driving in a run during a Suffolk softball game against Northport on Tuesday Lily Suarez of Northport slides safely into home past Sophia Caroddo of Commack during a Suffolk softball game on Tuesday Kiera Murphy of Northport throws to Lily Suarez of Northport at first during a Suffolk softball game against Commack on Tuesday Kylie Balvin of Commack singles during a Suffolk softball game against Northport on Tuesday Sierra Albano of Northport catches the pop up during a Suffolk softball game against Commack on Tuesday Jaime Gould of Northport winds up her throw during a Suffolk softball game against Commack on Tuesday Kate Schweitzer of Commack throws to the plate during a Suffolk softball game against Northport on Tuesday Kate Schweitzer of Commack closes out the game with strike three during a Suffolk softball game against Northport on Tuesday Maggie Schumacher of Commack doubles driving in a run during a Suffolk softball game against Northport on Tuesday Commack head coach Harold Cooley III sends his pitcher Kate Schweitzer of Commack out for the final inning during a Suffolk softball game against Northport on Tuesday The Newsday app makes it easier to access content without having to log in Unlimited Digital AccessOnly 25¢for 6 months Restaurant Brings Approximately 90 Jobs to Community Donates $25,000 to Address Food Insecurity The Chick-fil-A PlayTM  App is your home for free games and activities designed to create more time with your favorite people A voter walks out after casting a ballot while dozens of people await their turn at the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections office in North Port in October The city of North Port has a special election set for May 13 with early voting taking place May 5-10 from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m NORTH PORT — Early voting in the North Port Special Election starts Monday North Port residents can opt to vote in-person early between today and Friday at the North Port Elections Office Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Three teams have entered three different regions in the latest USA Lacrosse High School Boys' Regional Top 10 rankings Northport (N.Y.) has won all but one of its first 10 games to make a mark in the Northeast Seton Hall Prep (N.J.) has been sitting just outside the top 10 in the Mid-Atlantic but three  quality wins helped the Tigers break through Colorado Academy (Colo.) has reeled off seven straight wins to make its case for a top-10 spot in the West Region Scroll below for this week's regional rankings updates for high school boys' lacrosse in the Northeast complete with recaps of the teams' recent and upcoming action Compiled by USA Lacrosse writers with input from coaches around the country rankings and records reflect results as of previous Sunday.  USA Lacrosse is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt charitable organization (EIN 52-1765246) One of Northport's newest businesses may also be among its most beautiful as the Texas transplant who owns it reimagines what a garden shop can be and said he inherited a love of the garden from his grandmother there "Saturday was the best day of the week growing up My Grandmother and I would set out early and hit as many garden centers as we could I soaked up every lesson and loved creating my own garden," Bittinger said I formally studied Horticulture and became a Master Gardner but the magical part of gardening - that certain something that touches your soul - that came from my grandmother." Life and romance brought Bittinger to the Tuscaloosa area more than 10 years ago and he said he fell in love with the area and spent much of the last decade working as a personal gardener for clients across west Alabama planting and growing their dream garden was such a privilege," Bittinger said. "I’ve worked with growers as well as managing nurseries over the years Now it’s time for this next step." That next step is sharing his special love for the garden at Bittinger & Co. his new shop on Hidden Dove Road off Highway 43 in Northport The sprawling store moves seamlessly in and outside of a recently converted home there The interior also features a wide variety of bespoke gifts - custom candles and herbal tea blends art and other decorations for the home and garden and much more Although Bittinger is still in the process of planning a grand opening celebration for next Saturday the shop is already open Monday through Saturday from 9 to 5 p.m Jeffrey and his loyal canine companion Vinny can be found there and ready to help with a wide variety of items that are refreshed and restocked often "This garden shop has always been in me," Bittinger said "A place to offer the highest quality products and services.  A place designed to be fun and inspiring where you can learn and create your own vision you’ll find a little bit of magic along the way." Bittinger & Co. is open now at 4000 Hidden Dove Road in Northport off Highway 43. You can also keep up with Bittinger, Vinny and the shop on their Instagram here. For more coverage of restaurant and retail development in west Alabama Gallery Credit: (Stephen Dethrage | Tuscaloosa Thread) One of Northport's newest businesses may also be among its most beautiful, as the Texas transplant who owns it reimagines what a garden shop can be.\nRead More Bittinger & Co. is open now at 4000 Hidden Dove Road in Northport off Highway 43. You can also keep up with Bittinger, Vinny and the shop on their Instagram here. View this post on Instagram A post shared by BITTINGER & CO (@bittingerandco) NORTH PORT – McDowell Housing Partners completed construction of the first phase of Ekos at Arbor Park, a 136-unit affordable apartment community for residents age 55 and older. The $40 million complex at 1320 Citizens Parkway includes 76 one-bedroom and 60-two bedroom apartments available to people making 20% to 70% of the Area Median Income Rents are anticipated to be between $330 and $1,235 a month for one-bedroom units and $385 and $1,471 for two-bedroom units “We are incredibly proud to celebrate the completion of the first phase of Ekos at Arbor Park It’s an incredibly well appointed and managed community with rent levels that are far lower than anywhere else in North Port and Sarasota County,” Chris Shear Ekos at Arbor Park Phase I is accepting applications at https://www.ekosarborpark.com The Miami-based company first proposed the 55-and-older community in 2020 and received funding in 2021 The complex is just west of The Shoppes at Price Crossing the Publix-anchored shopping center at the intersection of Price and Toledo Blade boulevards Amenities include a clubhouse with a multipurpose social/community room media center and outdoor grills on the lanai overlooking the resort-style pool Forum Architecture and Interior Design served as the architect and MHP-Hennessy Construction a joint venture between MHP Builders and Hennesy Construction Services was the general contractor The apartments range in size from 700 square feet to 946 square feet Each apartment offers kitchens incorporating energy efficient appliances granite countertops with tile back-splashes Residents can also participate in numerous service programs including quarterly financial planning courses Last winter, North Port city leaders cleared the way for construction of 66 affordable apartments and approved changes to the development master plan for Ekos at Arbor Park II on the southeast corner of Price Boulevard and Citizens Parkway The change allows for construction of three three-story buildings and 7,779 square feet of commercial space on about 4.4 acres Shear noted that McDowell Housing Partners is close to securing the property for those homes “We remain dedicated to addressing the housing crisis in Sarasota County as we advance toward the closing of the land adjacent to Phase 1 where Ekos Arbor Park Phase II will be built providing an additional 66 high-quality affordable apartments to families and individuals of all ages,” he  added The community was funded through 4% tax credits purchased by Wells Fargo Freddie Mac permanent senior debt and subordinate loans from Florida Housing Finance Corporation who along with his son Jackson Boone represented McDowell Housing Partners stressed that the new units will benefit residents who earn less than the area median “What we're proposing here is real affordable housing,” Boone said The current proposal calls for 12 units to be available to households that earn up to 30% AMI which would mean $21,150 for an individual and $31,200 for a family of four; 18 units to rent to households that earn up to 60% of AMI; and 36 units would be rented to those earning up to 70% AMI former commander of the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit and a lifelong resident of Northport announced April 23 that he's planning to run for mayor of his home city Northport municipal elections will be held Aug More: Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox looks to the future as he begins sixth term Phillips retired from the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office after three decades of service in law enforcement He currently works part-time in youth sport with the Tuscaloosa County Park and Recreation Authority are strengthening Northport's relationships bolstering the city's reputation and providing fiscally responsible common-sense leadership to the City of Northport — leadership that is transparent and accountable,” he said “I want to be your voice as we lead Northport into the future.” “I’m running for mayor because I believe in what this city and its people are capable of I think we can make Northport an even better place to live.” Phillips previously ran for mayor of Northport in 2020 with support of his fellow city councilors He had been in his first full term as Northport District 3 council representative Hinton has not yet announced whether he's running for re-election in August Phillips has served as chair of the Northport Planning & Zoning Commission an advisory board to the Northport City Council that meets monthly Phillips graduated from Northside High School in 1984 and began his law-enforcement career with the University of Alabama Police Department Those interested in learning more about his campaign can email DalePhillipsForMayor@gmail.com Reach Mark Hughes Cobb at mark.cobb@tuscaloosanews.com Ryan Chung of Half Hollow Hills goes airborne for a shot during a Suffolk boys lacrosse game against Northport on Wednesday Half Hollow Hills senior Ryan Chung limped off Robert A Collotta Field holding his helmet in his right hand with his eyeblack smeared and a bag of ice taped to his left knee That’s what happens when two of Long Island’s best programs meet on the lacrosse field and neither team disappointed in a 30-goal thriller Senior Zach Marco led Hills with three goals and two assists for a team-high five points “We’ve almost never beat them in the regular season It just shows how we battle through adversity.” Hills took a massive lead early at 9-2 with 6:23 to go in the second quarter led by four first-half goals by sophomore Nick Haugen Coach Connor Hagans described Chung before the season as a “Swiss army knife,” and it’s easy to see why The senior scored two goals and assisted another in the win high-effort defense and won seven faceoffs “This isn’t a game that’s just won in a day,” Ryan Chung said “This goes all the way back to last year with early sessions and late nights … it’s a culmination of months of work and answered with seven unanswered goals in less than 10 minutes across the second and third quarters to bring the Tigers within one who finished with three goals and two assists sparked the run with a feed to sophomore Jack Trizzino Despite terrific defense by Northport’s Asher Levine throughout the afternoon sophomore Daniel Chung helped Hills respond by scoring 1:03 later noted how special it is to have his younger brother along with him for the ride on this 11-0 Hills team that entered the week ranked 19th in the country by USA Lacrosse “This is pretty much it for us [being on the same team] so we’re looking forward to spending it as best we can.” Northport (9-2) again rallied with three consecutive goals with senior Logan Cash scoring one and assisting another to open the fourth quarter and tie the game at 12-12 Sophomore Gavin O’Brien led the Tigers with a game-high seven points as the score would be tied again 14-14 late Then Marco scored his most important goal of the day slipping through the final go-ahead score for Hills before Ryan Chung assisted James Bruno’s insurance goal with 1:49 left in the game for the final result forcing three turnovers as an attackman after a Hills mistake led to a turnover Senior Luke Bradley boasted a goal and two assists “We haven’t had much competition but when we do Michael Sicoli covers high school sports for Newsday He graduated from Quinnipiac in 2022 and left with a master’s degree in sports journalism in 2023 The Northport community and fascinated onlookers around the region got their longest look to date at updated plans for University Beach - the notorious $350 million lagoon resort the city council rushed to approve last year - during a Tuesday night meeting The matter was before the city's Planning & Zoning Commission who heard a pitch from developer Kent Donahue to rezone the 76+ acres on McFarland Boulevard where the unprecedented project is planned Donahue and his development partners want to see the land rezoned from Highway Commercial or C-6, into what is known as a Special District - where the resort's developers would have near free reign to develop as many as 90 residential and commercial buildings on the property without having to seek new approvals from the city each time Donahue's first presentation to the Commission was less about walking through the changes from the regular requirements of the subdivision regulations and zoning ordinance he was hoping to have allowed and more about introducing them to a new Backed by 3D video you can check out at universitybeach.com Donahue outlined some of the features planned for the resort - the 10-acre lagoon with white sand beaches, a 10,000-square foot Beach Club a full water park featuring a lazy river and slide tower and much Donahue teased a concert venue to hold up to 2,000 people and a 150-key hotel with 30,000 square feet of convention space He also said for the first time that the project has been split into two Phases while the developers contend with concerns about impacts on protected wetlands from the Army Corps of Engineers Donahue said Phase 1 will allow developers to build out a regional attraction and prove the concept can work everything that creates the amenity is going to be outside those wetlands," Donahue said amateurishly highlighted by the Thread below would add a lot more housing to the resort although Donahue said developers do not know if they want to build three-story single-family homes there or a major multi-family housing development with hundreds of rooms "The applicant has expressed the intent of deciding which option to pursue at a later date depending on market conditions," Northport city staff wrote. "[The developer] proposes a maximum of 470 residential units with a minimum of 50 being single-family detached houses This would allow the applicant to build up to 420 multifamily residential units the development closest in size and scale to this would be the 300+ unit development in Tuscaloosa known as The Lofts." He also talked about the potential of a second hotel in Phase 2 The Planning & Zoning Commission does not make decisions for the city they pass on recommendations to the five-member Northport City Council for a later vote "The Commission can make a recommendation for approval table its recommendation to allow time for further review or for the applicant to make requested changes," city staff explained Many Northport political figures spoke during the public hearing urging the Commission to punt on this decision - former councilmen Bart Harper and Lee Boozer former homicide investigator and political candidate Dale Phillips Tuffy Holland and many others took to the podium and said the Commission should table their Tuesday vote and take more time to dig into concerns about the project is that tabling a zoning request requires the consent of the applicant Commissioner David Kemp asked if Donahue would allow the matter to be tabled and picked up again later and said the developer said he wasn't interested in that "I'm happy to answer any question you have tonight and would be willing to accept [a favorable recommendation] with some compromises but the unfortunate part about that is we're in tune with all the social media and all the stuff going on," Donahue said "Tabling is just not going to get us to a point unfortunately - folks who just don't want it and I think at the end of the day they're going to be really proud of what we do but we need to move forward with the project." The Commission voted 3-3 to recommend the rezoning when the council votes on the matter in May it will go to the five council members without a favorable recommendation Clay Randolph and Northport City Councilman Karl Wiggins Kevin Turner and David Kemp voted against it Julie Ramm, Northport's Director of Planning and Inspections said she expected a first-reading of the rezoning on May 5th and a second reading The Northport community and fascinated onlookers around the region got their longest look to date at updated plans for University Beach - the notorious $350 million lagoon resort the city council rushed to approve last year.\nRead More The Northport community and fascinated onlookers around the region got their longest look to date at updated plans for University Beach - the notorious $350 million lagoon resort the city council rushed to approve last year - during a Tuesday night meeting Backed by 3D video you can check out at universitybeach.com Falling tree limbs in Birmingham kills one person — A proposed almost 80-acre mixed-use development faced significant opposition during a presentation to the Northport Planning and Zoning Commission The revised plan was presented Tuesday night which was said to have incorporated over a year of community feedback "We did have to pivot and we had to eat some design costs but at the end of the day I do think it was meant to be and it'll be even better," said Kent Donahue of University Beach LLC urging the commission not to recommend the project to the city council "This is not a good fit for Northport this is not a good fit for this area we don't have the infrastructure don't have the people to support this and we don't have the climate for a Caribbean style resort that will only be open at best four months out of the year." SEE ALSO: Fear and frustration linger a year after deadly explosion; some blame methane from mining Concerns were raised about the feasibility particularly regarding a proposed 2,000-seat concert venue There's only 1500 public parking spots so where are those people going to go and how are they going to get out?" the commission asked the developer if he wanted to table the request a move that can only be initiated by the applicant "I don't think there's anything we can do to get a thumbs up." The commission's split vote resulted in no favorable recommendation The rezoning request is scheduled for a first reading by the city council on May 5 with a second reading anticipated on May 19 and creative takes on opera cake at Charlie's Bakery in Northport But Charlie’s Bakery in Northport seems to have sprung it instantly vaults into the top tier of Long Island bakeries wedged between a no-name deli and a music school in a strip mall whose anchor is the Fort Salonga IGA But walk into Charlie’s and you’re transported to a chic cafe that would be at home in Paris — or The walls and coffered ceiling are a soft sage green brightened with accents of brass contributed botanical paintings in three media — oil The tasteful dining room looks into the kitchen at Charlie's Bakery in Northport The star attractions here are the pastries: plump cinnamon buns with brown-butter-cream-cheese glaze that skew crispy rather than gooey; Danish ($6.50) stuffed with mixed berries .. egg and cheese; Linzer cookies ($6) whose wafers are made with Sandler’s own hand-ground hazelnuts and whose jam he makes with four fruits The carrot cake ($22 for a 4-inch slab) has both pecan meal and toasted chopped pecans in the batter and the cream cheese frosting gets a toasty assist from browned butter He and bakers Jill Sog and Erica Varley have a thing for opera cake ($11) an Old World confection whose layers consist of coffee-soaked almond sponge Their classic version also inspired one with matcha cake and strawberry mousse another with Earl Gray-scented cake sandwiching tiers of blueberry and lemon mousse Citrus is a theme that runs right through Key lime tarts ($6) and meringue-squiggled lemon bars ($7) whose curd hides a thin layer of raspberry jam By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy Cinnamon rolls at Charlie's Bakery in Northport There are cookies and muffins and cupcakes and quiches and all of which rely on a sourdough starter Sandler first began tending about a decade ago When he graduated from Manhattan’s French Culinary Institute (now the International Culinary Center) in 2007 In the intervening years he worked in restaurants and as a private chef as well selling real estate "I’m really a self-taught baker," he said crediting the cookbooks "Dessert Person" by Claire Saffitz (Clarkson Potter 2020) and "The Perfect Loaf" by Maurizio Leo (Clarkson Potter whose family’s Belgian recipes will come more to the fore as he introduces more savory items to the cafe menu Baker Casey Sandler is the owner of Charlie's Bakery in Northport It was his mother who brought him to this corner of Long Island During the pandemic he left the city to stay with her and wound up buying a house in Northport That’s when a new career path presented itself "I always wanted to open a cafe," he said "and this neighborhood demanded a coffee shop with desserts Right here we only have a 7-Eleven — with Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts about 10 minutes away." Sandler tries to make everything in house (one notable failure: sprinkles for the homemade ice cream), but roasting coffee beans was beyond him. After tasting around the Island, he settled on Mongo of Syosset foaming and dripping of coffee are the purview of Shayna Smith who also runs the "front of the house" counter service and 14 seats Charlie’s Bakery, 10 Fort Salonga Road, Northport, 631-684-2141, charliethebaker.com has officially announced his candidacy for mayor in the upcoming municipal election scheduled for August 26 who previously served as the commander of the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit retired from the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office after a distinguished 30-year career in law enforcement He currently works part-time in youth sports with the Tuscaloosa County Park & Recreation Authority Phillips said he is running a grassroots campaign focused on strengthening the city's relationships fiscally responsible governance that reflects the will of the people common sense leadership to the City of Northport — leadership that is transparent and accountable," Phillips said "I want to be your voice as we lead Northport into the future." In addition to his professional background Phillips emphasized has experience in city planning having served as chair of the Northport Planning & Zoning Commission which advises the City Council on various measures "I'm running for mayor because I believe in what this city and its people are capable of," Phillips said "And with the right approach to leadership I think we can make Northport an even better place to live." Phillips graduated from the Tuscaloosa County School System in 1984 He began his law enforcement career with the University of Alabama Police Department before moving to the sheriff’s office Kate Schweitzer typically gets better as she gets deeper into a game And as her first season as Commack’s starting pitcher has progressed The junior struck out 11 and allowed no earned runs in a one-hitter to lead visiting Commack to a 10-2 win over Northport in Suffolk League III softball Tuesday Schweitzer had three strikeouts entering the fifth inning She reached back for something extra on her fastball and worked the outside corner to perfection to strike out the side She struck out eight of the final 10 batters she faced “The whole year she’s gotten better as the game goes on,” coach Harold Cooley III said “I think that’s a credit to her being able to mix up pitches and keep batters on their heels and make them chase out of the zone.” Schweitzer is taking over in the circle for Kayla O’Boyle who spent the last three years racking up strikeouts She was a Newsday All-Long Island first-team selection in 2023 when she broke her own school record for strikeouts in a season I played with her for three years and I’ve known her since I was so young so having to fill those shoes has been so much fun,” Schweitzer said “I text her all the time and she’s always supporting me.” Kylie Balvin drove in Madison Johnston on a single to rightfield for the first run of the game in the second inning Maggie Schumacher hit a two-run double later in the inning Penelope Suarez scored from third as Commack attempted to catch Lily McCabe stealing second to cut Northport’s deficit to 4-1 in the third inning Commack answered with four runs in the fourth as Amanda Sackstein hit a two-run single Schweitzer had an RBI single and Sophia Emanuel had an RBI groundout sending Schweitzer back onto the field with an 8-1 lead “She could be throwing strikes right down the middle and no one is hitting it we can all field the ball and make the plays for her.” Seniors Balvin and Emily Kraus each went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run The win gives Commack (11-0) a two-game cushion atop Suffolk III with Northport (9-2) in second place they’ve really executed on every game plan we’ve had to start the year,” Cooley said The new Chick-fil-A restaurant in Northport will open this week along U.S "The Gill family is thrilled to unveil some groundbreaking news — literally We’re bringing a second Chick-fil-A location to Northport in 2025 Our leadership team has officially broken ground and prayed for our brand-new restaurant and we can’t wait for you to join us in the fun and enjoy delicious meals with us at our new location next year!" More: Northport's second Aldi opens in former home of Winn-Dixie The new Chick-fil-A will bring about 90 new jobs to the Northport community will donate $25,000 to West Alabama Food Bank (via the Heart of Alabama Food Bank) to support hunger relief efforts in the greater Northport area This will mark the second Chick-fil-A location in Northport, with the original one at 1620 McFarland Blvd. Northport's first Chick-fil-A restaurant opened in 2009 In addition to the Northport expansion, a new Chick-fil-A recently opened next to Bowlero bowling alley at 2015 McFarland Blvd This location replaces the former Chick-fil-A drive-thru-only restaurant which was across the same road near Midtown Village The drive-thru-only restaurant is now closed The new full-service restaurant includes an indoor dining area Customers can also expect a new design that's different from other Chick-fil-A restaurants in the Tuscaloosa area Chick-fil-A has these other restaurants in the Tuscaloosa area: 4900 Old Greensboro Road and two restaurants on the UA campus Reach Jasmine Hollie at JHollie@gannett.com 2025 at 9:22 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}A man and woman were arrested when Tranquil Spa in East Northport was raided NY — A man and woman were arrested during a massage parlor raid in East Northport on Wednesday with the Town of Huntington Fire Marshal and Building Department was charged with two counts of unauthorized practice of a profession and two counts of prostitution was charged with fourth-degree promoting prostitution and second-degree criminal nuisance Both Li and Zhang were issued desk appearance tickets and are scheduled to appear at First District Court in Central Islip on a later date The Town of Huntington issued several summonses and violations to the business Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. The Chick-fil-A restaurant in Northport is expanding its business and opening a second location along U.S Chick-fil-A Northport West, 6375 McFarland Blvd., is set to open soon. Construction on the building is nearly finished and the site is accepting applications for open positions at www.chick-fil-a.com/locations/al/northport-west/ This will mark the second Chick-fil-A location in Northport, with the original one at 1620 McFarland Blvd. Northport's first Chick-fil-A restaurant opened in 2009 the original Northport Chick-fil-A made modified its drive-thru lanes to serve what Gill at the time called an “absolutely insane” number of customers during its lunch rush And in 2022, the original Northport Chick-fil-A closed for a few weeks for remodeling efforts that included expanding the kitchen area and the drive-thru lanes In addition to the Northport expansion, a new Chick-fil-A recently opened next to Bowlero bowling alley at 2015 McFarland Blvd E A Tuscaloosa entrepreneur is weeks away from opening a new venture on the other side of the Black Warrior - a juke joint made for the working people of Northport Jake French has worked in the food industry for more than 20 years and has owned the legendary Harry's Bar on Hargrove Road since 2008. He also owned the Filling Station, the Temerson Square fixture that closed last year.  he's working full-steam ahead on opening Jake's Juke Joint The Juke Joint will be both a restaurant and bar and French appeared before the Northport City Council on Monday to get approval for his liquor license there "I want to thank the city and the folks who work there for really working with me - I was not anticipating it was going to be this big but I think we're really going to bring something cool and fun to Northport," French said. "I'm super excited and it seems the community around us is very excited." The council unanimously approved the liquor license after French outlined his vision for the new space "I tried to make this place for everybody but I'm really trying to pay special attention to my local blue-collar workers and my local white-collar workers," French said And I'm paying special attention to the good people of Northport." French said the bar and grill will host entertainment for locals and emphasized that the food there will be no mere afterthought to supplement bar operations - they've got a special menu underway we're making in-house and when I'm saying in-house - like our barbecue sauce we start out with apple butter and we don't add any other products, we make it from scratch-scratch," French said. "We've got a smoked poblano ranch that starts with buttermilk and we're cutting up the different herbs and spices, this is not something we're using a pack for French teased Southern Eggrolls stuffed with that same mac and cheese French said he and his wife are long-term business partners and are trying up due diligence so small problems with wiring or plumbing don't become massive issues that could disrupt the Juke Joint after it opens The new concept for Northport is under development at 5675 US Highway 43 about two miles north of City Hall For more news on Jake's Juke Joint as they wrap up their preparations and get ready to open in Northport and for more exclusive coverage of restaurant and retail development in west Alabama, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread A Tuscaloosa entrepreneur is weeks away from opening a new venture on the other side of the Black Warrior - a juke joint made for the working people of Northport.\nRead More Jake French has worked in the food industry for more than 20 years and has owned the legendary Harry's Bar on Hargrove Road since 2008. He also owned the Filling Station, the Temerson Square fixture that closed last year.  y'all have been aggravating me enough that I'm gonna show you one of our appetizers..\n\nEggroll.....But.. Northport will get its second Aldi grocery store, in a converted former Winn-Dixie just across the city limits at 10 McFarland Blvd The first Northport Aldi is also on McFarland/U.S near the entrance to the industrial park and airport Tuscaloosa's Aldi is at 1349 McFarland Blvd., in what was Wood Square Shopping Center before the April 27, 2011, tornado devastated that area An opening for the new Aldi will be held beginning at 9 a.m The first 100 customers will receive a gift bag containing Aldi exclusive products and a gift card as part of the Aldi Golden Ticket giveaway customers can enter a sweepstakes for a $500 Aldi gift card The Aldi discount grocery-store business model focuses on fast with fresh organic produce delivered daily Stores attempt to accommodate various palates and choices including gluten-free and plant-based alternatives Aldi also offers curbside pickup and delivery options said: "As shoppers look for ways to stretch their dollars further our new Aldi store will deliver the Northport community affordable shelves stocked with only the best products and on-trend Aldi Finds." The Aldi chain was founded by brothers Karl and Theo Albrecht in 1946 The name is a syllabic contraction of the family name with "discount." The chain went international beginning in 1967 Aldi Nord (north) operates about 2,200 stores in Germany More: Super Bowl of chili: Winners named in Great Tuscaloosa Chili Cookoff Aldi Süd (South) has about 2,000 stores in its home country, and operates in Australia, Austria, China, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Slovenia, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. Aldi Nord has owned the Trader Joe's chain in the U.S. since 1979 though that operates separately from the group In August 2023, Aldi Süd bought out Harvey's and Winn-Dixie stores in the U.S., about 400 of them across the South, including here in Alabama, as well as Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi. In March 2024, Aldi announced plans to open 800 new U.S. stores by 2028 some of them being converted Winn-Dixie or Harvey's stores There are currently more than 13,000 Aldi stores worldwide has the largest concentration outside Germany and 369 and 25 Winn-Dixie and Harvey's stores In addition to priding itself on pricing and efficiency which make up about 90% of the shelf items Aldi offers a "Twice as Nice Guarantee" on all items For employment opportunities, go online at careers.aldi.us. Online ordering is available at shop.aldi.us The East Islip High School’s Mock Trial team is on fire after beating rival Northport High School to take the crown in Region VIII The statewide Mock Trial program and tournament is sponsored by the New York State Bar Association and funded in part by a grant from The New York Bar Foundation It brings thousands of high school students together each year to learn about the law practice public speaking and develop life skills The state tournament with eight regional teams takes place in Albany each May East Islip team members say besting their cross-county rival Northport High School was especially sweet after that team beat them in the  playoff round three years ago “We were all very motivated,” said co-captain Olivia Stepanenko.“When they announced our team as the winner Over the course of a long season of late nights and loads of coffee cake the team came up with the nickname of the “Eager Beavers.” Co-captain Delaney Demasi gives a lot of credit for the team’s success to the hard work of the newest team members kept memorizing things and being motivated to win,” she said “We deserve it because we’ve just worked so hard and put in so much effort And we’ve gotten so many new members that has made the season even better.” Club officer Michael Collina credits the team’s faculty adviser for creating a close-knit family atmosphere “This wouldn’t be a family if it wasn’t for Mrs who teaches social studies and debate at East Islip says her work with the Mock Trial program brings her such joy “This has been the most important part of my career teaching them that they can be more than they thought they could be,” she said “Learning these incredible skills and gaining self-confidence is what I love to see in the students © 2025 New York State Bar Association (WBMA) — The Northport Police Department is seeking the public's assistance in locating Nathaniel Short The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) issued a Missing and Endangered Person Alert for the 88-year-old Tuesday afternoon Authorities said Short may be living with a condition that could impair his judgment in the area of Charlie Shirley Road near Highway 69 in Northport 5'9" in height and weighs around 140 pounds The police urge anyone with information regarding Nathaniel Short's whereabouts to contact the Northport Police Department at (205) 339-6600 or call 911 Short is hosting a community search on April 5th beginning at 12 p.m The family asks that community volunteers meet at 8715 Tom Taylor Road The family says there are wooded areas that still need to be searched you can contact (205) 454-1516 for questions or concerns We will continue to provide coverage on this story Investigators arrested a Northport woman this week on a seldom-seen charge for allegedly accepting payments while impersonating a lawyer and said others in the area may have also been tricked by her a spokesperson for the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office said back in September they were contacted by a person who had hired 50-year-old NeKenja Boyd to file a civil lawsuit against a local business and an investigation soon found that Boyd was not an attorney and does not have a license to practice law Hastings said multiple witnesses and digital evidence suggest Boyd has had similar interactions with others and charged them money for legal services she could not provide TCSO investigators recently presented the originally reported case to a grand jury who found cause to indict Boyd for the Class A misdemeanor of criminally impersonating a lawyer Hastings said their investigation is still ongoing and additional charges could be filed against Boyd He also said anyone who believes they may have fallen for the same trick can call him directly at 205-464-8627 Investigators arrested a Northport woman this week on a seldom-seen charge for allegedly accepting payments while impersonating a lawyer, and said others in the area may have also been tricked by her.\nRead More Aldi grocery store officially opened its second Northport location Thursday on McFarland Boulevard with hundreds of eager shoppers braving frigid temperatures The new grocery store is at 10 McFarland Blvd., in the former home of Winn-Dixie which announced plans to convert to the Aldi format in July 2024 said the new Northport location will provide the store an opportunity to serve more customers "We're just excited to bring one more location to Northport and service more of the community in a more convenient location for those who live close by," said Gibson during a Thursday morning ribbon cutting ceremony for the store Hundreds of customers gathered for the store's grand opening despite snow flurries temperatures in the low 20s and a wind-chill factor in the single digits early Thursday morning The first 100 customers received a gift bag containing Aldi exclusive products and a gift card as part of the Aldi Golden Ticket giveaway More: Northport's second Aldi store offering gifts, sweepstakes during its opening this week Donna Sexton of Northport was one of the first customers in line to experience the new Aldi said she was a big fan of the grocery store said she was delighted about the grand opening and liked the convenient location of the new Aldi store "It's wonderful to have an Aldi in this area," Jones said Daphne Martin of Northport also said she was thrilled about the new Aldi and is happy for Northport's growth The conversion of the former Winn-Dixie into Aldi received mixed reactions from some Northport residents but Martin said she was a fan of both stores Martin said she enjoys the store's unique and affordable selection of fresh fruit Other Aldi locations in Tuscaloosa County include: one along U.S Development of a new sit-down steakhouse in Northport may begin as soon as this week Mayor John Hinton told the city council on Monday Donna's steakhouse on Highway 28 in Livingston is beloved across Alabama and elected leaders have long been vying to draw them to Northport the city council unanimously approved a $500,000 tax incentive to draw the steakhouse to the city which will see the steakhouse built on vacant land near the new Los Tarascos on Highway 43 north of City Hall Little has been said about the project since then Mayor John Hinton gave an update and said the work should begin soon on the incentivized restaurant my wife and I went to Diamond Jim's in Livingston - it was her birthday so we had a good steak dinner," Mayor Hinton said. "While there Jim about the interest of Northport residents in the Diamond Jim's steakhouse planned here in the city and he said he'd talked with his son just recently about this and they plan to begin the development this week or very soon." Hinton said elected officials often hear from constituents who want more locally-owned high-end places to eat in Northport and that Diamond Jim's will be a major asset for the city "This will be a great addition in Northport for the many residents who have requested a good sit-down restaurant in the city," Hinton said "Hopefully this will be coming very soon now." For more coverage of the development as it gets underway Development of a new sit-down steakhouse in Northport may begin as soon as this week, Mayor John Hinton told the city council on Monday.\nRead More Development of a new sit-down steakhouse in Northport may begin as soon as this week, Mayor John Hinton told the city council on Monday. Diamond Jim's & Mrs. Donna's steakhouse on Highway 28 in Livingston is beloved across Alabama, and elected leaders have long been vying to draw them to Northport. In October 2023, the city council unanimously approved a $500,000 tax incentive to draw the steakhouse to the city which will see the steakhouse built on vacant land near the new Los Tarascos on Highway 43 north of City Hall. Little has been said about the project since then. On Monday night, Mayor John Hinton gave an update and said the work should begin soon on the incentivized restaurant. "Last Saturday, my wife and I went to Diamond Jim's in Livingston - it was her birthday, so we had a good steak dinner," Mayor Hinton said. "While there, I talked to Mr. Jim about the interest of Northport residents in the Diamond Jim's steakhouse planned here in the city and he said he'd talked with his son just recently about this and they plan to begin the development this week or very soon." Hinton said elected officials often hear from constituents who want more locally-owned, high-end places to eat in Northport and that Diamond Jim's will be a major asset for the city. "This will be a great addition in Northport for the many residents who have requested a good sit-down restaurant in the city," Hinton said. "Hopefully this will be coming very soon now." For more coverage of the development as it gets underway, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread. President Donald Trump delivers the commencement address at the University of Alabama on Thursday evening. WATCHMan charged with multiple sexual offenses in Cottondale and Northport areasby ABC 33/40 — The Violent Crimes Unit has arrested Kendarius Lewis on multiple charges related to sexual offenses that allegedly occurred between 2020 and 2025 The charges against Lewis include three counts of first-degree rape and two counts of first-degree sexual abuse conducted by the Sexual Assault Section of the Violent Crimes Unit initially began with a report of sexual abuse of a child Authorities have stated that the incidents took place in the Cottondale and Northport areas The Violent Crimes Unit has urged anyone who may have been a victim or who has information about possible abuse by Lewis to contact them at (205) 464-8690 Police in Tuscaloosa County have arrested a Northport man and charged him with first-degree rape and other crimes after he allegedly assaulted a woman at a local residence on Tuesday According to court documents filed Thursday and obtained by the Thread the suspect is 29-year-old Hunter Garrett Shirley Police say Shirley was at a Northport residence with a woman and became angry with her Investigators accuse Shirley of attacking the victim punching her and forcing her to drink water laced with GHB blocking the exit to the room they were in and demanding sex from her The case was investigated by the multi-agency Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit which handles most sex crimes and assaults committed in the county Investigators arrested Shirley on Wednesday and charged him with first-degree rape second-degree domestic violence assault and felony domestic violence strangulation The Northport man was booked in the Tuscaloosa County Jail and remained there Thursday afternoon where he is being held without bond until a judge sets one Police in Tuscaloosa County have arrested a Northport man and charged him with first-degree rape and other crimes after he allegedly assaulted a woman at a local residence on Tuesday.\nRead More Police in Tuscaloosa County have arrested a Northport man and charged him with first-degree rape and other crimes after he allegedly assaulted a woman at a local residence on Tuesday. According to court documents filed Thursday and obtained by the Thread, the suspect is 29-year-old Hunter Garrett Shirley, a Northport man. Police say Shirley was at a Northport residence with a woman and became angry with her. Investigators accuse Shirley of attacking the victim, punching her and forcing her to drink water laced with GHB, blocking the exit to the room they were in and demanding sex from her. The deposition claims when she refused, he forcibly raped her. The case was investigated by the multi-agency Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit, which handles most sex crimes and assaults committed in the county. Investigators arrested Shirley on Wednesday and charged him with first-degree rape, two counts of first-degree sodomy, second-degree domestic violence assault and felony domestic violence strangulation. The Northport man was booked in the Tuscaloosa County Jail and remained there Thursday afternoon, where he is being held without bond until a judge sets one. For more coverage of news in West Alabama, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread. Approximately 75 people gathered for a rally against possible cuts to the workforce at the Northport VA Medical Center last Friday, March 14. Image via Facebook an East Northport resident and president of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 1843 has been working at the Northport VA Medical Center for 17 years most recently as an equipment engineering operator on the grounds and operations crew Last week he was one of nearly 75 participants at a rally to protest possible cuts at the Northport VA one of a series of similar protests across the nation in support of veterans health care workers since the Trump administration has proposed – and executed –  widespread cuts on the federal workforce and degraded by Elon Musk and the Trump Administration lawmakers and community supporters across the country are raising awareness about the disastrous attacks and how they are impacting federal employees and the services they provide,” read a media advisory from the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) sent out in the days leading up to the rally The AFGE is the largest federal worker union Affiliated with the AFL-CIO (American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations) since its founding AFGE collectively bargains for federal employees and lobbies against any privatization efforts AFGE Local 1843 represents 1,700 Northport VA workers with some stationed at the five Community-Based Outreach Clinics (CBOC) across Long Island United Autoworkers and the National Federation of Teachers Unions Honk if you want your VA back.This ain’t governing Emotions at medical centers across the country have been high since the Trump administration’s move to end hundreds of VA contracts earlier in the month cuts that were put on pause following concerns about the impact they would have on critical health services amidst ongoing layoffs The cuts are part of a government-wide Trump Administration effort to make agencies more efficient, effective and responsive to the American people, read a February article on the government’s VA.gov webpage after the dismissal of more than 1,000 employees nationwide; more cuts have been made since but ultimately it’s the right call to better support the Veterans and survivors the department exists to serve,” said United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins in the article “To be perfectly clear: these moves will not negatively impact VA health care VA will be announcing plans to put these resources to work helping Veterans with an objective to return to 2019 staffing levels of just under 400,000 nationally It also calls for agency officials to work with the White House’s Department of Government Efficiency in an agency-wide reorganization championed by Musk who the White House has called a senior adviser to the president While major cuts have yet to hit the Northport VA workforce Dennis said employees there are in a constant state of trepidation uncertain if they will have a job tomorrow he said he was going to help out the veterans I can’t see how you’re helping the veterans by taking away services,” Dennis added noting that any reductions in staff will start to affect the care of the patients at the VA “They’re talking about reduction in forces and right now we’re already struggling for care,” he said Nursing units are especially short-staffed with many employees working double shifts just to maintain an adequate level of care; according to Dennis some are putting in 75 hours overtime in one pay period in addition to their regular 80 hours of work He’s worried being understaffed will lead to employee burnout: in the nursing staff medical support assistance and even the mailroom “The force is already too low,” Dennis said When contacted by the Journal regarding the rally and asked how he plans on protecting his constituents who both work at and receive assistance from the Northport VA District 1 said: “More money and more staff don’t always mean better results but as a Navy veteran and someone who passed 8th grade math I know that slashing the VA’s workforce by 20% would seriously harm my fellow veterans the Trump Administration assured me that no such plan exists the Republican-led continuing resolution that Congress just passed – and President Trump signed – fully funds the VA ensuring our veterans get the care and support they deserve.” “We do have enough money to keep the place running but staffing, we still feel that staffing is an issue,” Dennis told the Journal, referencing a reduction in force and is scheduled to continue through mid-August A hiring freeze had already been implemented in February “We feel that [staffing] is still going to be reduced,” he said He used as an example a Northport VA probationary worker who was terminated from her position – she found out when she showed up for work but couldn’t log into her computer – and has not been brought back, despite a federal judge ordering White House officials to reinstate dismissed probationary workers.  “They said it was because of work performance,” Dennis said. But the employee had just received a “fully successful” rating on her midterm review, he noted, the highest rating an employee can get.  Also causing confusion for Northport VA employees is the “What did you do last week?” email from OPM (the United States Office of Personnel Management), a directive asking two million federal employees to provide five bullet points explaining their accomplishments in their job over the prior week, first sent to employees on February 22. A second email with the same request was sent six days later.  Dennis emphasized that while Local AFGE 1843 is here to protect the employees, they’re still focused on providing the best care for their patients. But he knows that both employees and veterans are suffering.  The ultimate goal, and what he’ll continue to fight for, Dennis said, is for Local 1843 to remain on the grounds and keep meeting with management to provide the best care for the VA’s patients, “and help out our employees at the same time, relieve them of this stress, knowing they’ll still go above and beyond for our veterans.” Get the latest news delivered to your inbox. Copyright ©2025 Northport Journal. All Rights Reserved President Donald Trump holds a cabinet meeting at the White House. WATCH LIVEALDI opens second Northport location with giveaways and sweepstakesby ABC 33/40 — ALDI is set to open its second location in Northport on Thursday inviting customers to celebrate with special promotions and giveaways The new store will operate daily from 9 a.m and food options catering to various dietary needs including gluten-free and plant-based products the store will provide convenient curbside pickup and grocery delivery services the first 100 customers will receive a gift bag containing a selection of ALDI Exclusive products and a gift card as part of the ALDI Golden Ticket giveaway program Shoppers will also have the chance to enter a sweepstakes for a $500 ALDI gift card throughout the opening weekend The city of Northport is just months away from opening its highly anticipated River Run Park will feature nine baseball and softball fields for use by local leagues and tournament play with teams from outside the area There will be two championship fields that will support play up to the collegiate softball level “This isn’t just about building fields and courts it is about creating a place where our community comes together where our kids can grow and where everyone in Northport can be proud to call their own,” Christy Bobo More: Northport breaks ground on 36-acre River Run Park sports complex, a $27 million project River Run Park is part of the city's 300-acre Northport Shore development Northport city leaders say they expect River Run Park to make a huge economic impact The space is projected to welcome 530,000 visitors per year and generate an estimated $68 million in annual revenue In building River Run Park, Northport used 140,000 cubic yards of stockpiled dirt purchased at a reduced rate from Tuscaloosa's McWright's Ferry Road extension project To learn more, go to vimeo.com/1046916400 2025 at 1:19 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}This week's Northport police report NY — Check out some recent police incidents for the Northport Village area from March 31 through April 6 The Northport Police Department posted the following information All charges are accusations and do not signify guilt Friends, family and volunteers will gather for another search party for Nate Short, an 88-year-old man with dementia who has been missing since Tuesday morning Short was last seen near his residence on Tom Taylor Road in Northport and is believed to have wandered off in the area of Charlie Shirley Road the assistant chief of the Northport Police Department told the Thread that law enforcement has searched the area where Short was last seen with dogs but so far there has been no sign of the missing man Short's family said Friday morning that they will not stop searching until he is found A search party will gather at 8715 Tom Taylor Road at noon Friday and search through 5 p.m Short was last seen wearing the red and blue jacket in the featured image above over gray pants. If anyone has any information about Short's whereabouts they are urged to immediately call 205-614-2293 or 205-210-3849 and update Short's family Reports can also be made to the Northport Police Department at 205-339-6600 Law enforcement has searched the area where Short was last seen with dogs, drones, horseback searchers, ATV riders and foot patrols, but so far there has been no sign of the missing man.\nRead More Friends, family and volunteers will gather for another search party for Nate Short, an 88-year-old man with dementia who has been missing since Tuesday morning \nIF YOU ARE AVAILABLE PLEASE COME OUT AND HELP Short was last seen wearing the red and blue jacket in the featured image above over gray pants. A public park in Northport where upgrades are already underway will now be the home of a new playground thanks to a donation from Nick & Terry Saban The Northport City Council approved a resolution Monday night to spend a little under $70,000 on playground equipment for Civitan Park on Main Avenue shaded by trees and just up the road from historic downtown Northport is in an exceptional location but lacks many amenities aside from the walking track there city administrator Glenda Webb said the park will soon be upgraded with an inclusive playground for all children funded by a donation from the Sabans and the charitable foundation they run "We want to thank the Nick's Kids Foundation and Nick and Terry Saban for their donation because they did donate toward the purchase of this playground equipment for Civitan Park," Webb said Webb also credited Council President Christy Bobo for securing the donation - Bobo told the Thread that she helped launch Nick Kid's long before she was elected to represent District 1 in Northport back when she was working for the University of Alabama Athletics Department full time She said she helped connected the Sabans with the city of Tuscaloosa to facilitate the addition of the first playground they funded on the Riverwalk here Their Nick's Kids Foundation has since helped fund a playground at the Alberta School of the Performing Arts and Mason's Place, the all-inclusive playground at Sokol Park even after Nick Saban's 2024 retirement as the head coach at Alabama their foundation will fund this playground at Civitan Park in Northport which Bobo said should be finished and open to the public this Spring "This couldn't have been possible without the generosity of Ms Terry Saban and Coach Nick Saban and their partnership which is so special to me because I helped them start the Foundation here in Tuscaloosa," Bobo said "Being a part of this and using this connection to serve our community in Northport is a really good heartstrings moment for me." The council approved a purchase requisition of $69,830.13 to get the playground equipment from Struthers Recreation on Monday night's consent agenda Terry Saban told the Thread their donation comes after many requests from residents in Northport "Several families had contacted us regarding their children using the playground and how important it was to their community.  We were happy to help in a small way," Terry Saban said.  With all of today's technology it's important to help children have access to outdoor playing."   because of everything they do in our community throughout Tuscaloosa County They do so much for children that we wouldn't have a pulse on wouldn't be able to do without their support," Bobo said. "To see them give back to Northport is really special - they still care about our community." A public park in Northport where upgrades are already underway will now be the home of a new playground, thanks to a donation from Nick & Terry Saban.\nRead More Their Nick's Kids Foundation has since helped fund a playground at the Alberta School of the Performing Arts and Mason's Place, the all-inclusive playground at Sokol Park This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page The Downtown Northport Bunny Trail will return this spring under the Junior League of Tuscaloosa “Last year’s Northport Bunny Tail was a great success and offered some special events that were a hit with the community like a children’s egg hunt and a pet night,” Emmy Pradat the Junior League's vice president of fund development we will bring back favorite events from last year while also introducing some new In 2023, the Junior League of Tuscaloosa was announced as the new hosting organization for the Northport Bunny Trail the event was hosted by Tuscaloosa's One Place More: Festivals, concerts fill Tuscaloosa's calendar in 2025 The trail is set to open to the public March 22 and will conclude on Easter Sunday The Bunny Trail will feature four free events: a grand opening celebration a pet "eggstravaganza," an egg hunt and a date night The Bunny Trail was modeled after the Tinsel Trail which is sponsored by Tuscaloosa's One Place While the Tinsel Trail features a display of Christmas tree the Bunny Trail features about 120 wooden eggs Each egg is sponsored and decorated by Tuscaloosa area businesses The Bunny Trail was also designed to bring community interest to downtown Northport More information can be found at https://www.northportbunnytrail.com/ And PieZano's of Northport has the best on the island voters decided in the 2025 FourLeaf Best of Long Island Awards John Vigliotti said winning the award for Best Pizza on Long Island is a "big deal" for him and his business partner We're very proud of it," Vigliotti told Patch "We've both been in the pizza business for a long time PieZano's won five other awards in the FourLeaf Best of Long Island Awards The pizzeria was recognized for having the best calzones Vigliotti and Caruso are particularly proud of having won Best Specialty Pizza on Long Island "That's what we're really known for: our specialty pies," Vigliotti said we've been doing them in this store and at our other stores before this It's always been something that has been really popular." Any specialty pizzas on the PieZano's menu can be ordered as an 18-inch regular pie or in a 16-inch deep dish style Options include chicken a la vodka; BBQ chicken; chicken bacon ranch; a white pie; penne a la vodka; fried calamari; and more The pizzeria also serves specialty square pies and personal thin crust pies winning the best specialty pizza was a really big deal for us The key to PieZano's' success is the "old fashioned" approach and recipes He and Caruso have been in the pizza business for "many The owners changed the name to PieZano's during the coronavirus pandemic Grandpa Tony's of East Rockaway had won Best Pizza on Long Island for five years straight in the FourLeaf Best of Long Island Awards before PieZano's pulled off the upset Vigliotti credited his pizzeria's "really good fanbase" and "great customers." "We had things all over the store saying that we were nominated," he said Everybody was proud of their favorite pizza store and everybody voted We were really shocked when we found out that we won The restaurant relied on in-store advertisements as PieZano's does not have much of a social media presence "We want to thank everybody who voted for us," he said We were nominated for eight things; we won six out of the eight I'm sure that took a lot of time for a lot of people to vote." While PieZano's could not reclaim Best Soup on Long Island Vigliotti said he is proud of the old-fashioned soup recipes offered at his pizzeria "I definitely want to thank everybody again," Vigliotti said when asked for a final message to his customers "I think it was really great that everybody came through and voted for us We look forward to keep doing what we do here: serving great product PieZano's is located at 395 Fort Salonga Road A historic home near Northport Medical Center was relocated Tuesday to make way for future expansion and development at the hospital The Mattie Rose home which previously sat on a piece of land on Hospital Drive was moved to a location off Tierce Patton Road The property and house belong to the family of Mattie Rose a longtime nurse at DCH Regional Medical Center in Tuscaloosa almost two decades before Northport Medical Center first opened its doors in 1976 often for people visiting loved ones at Northport Medical Center More: New $30 million parking deck opens at DCH Regional Medical Center said he spent a lot of time at the house growing up and has fond memories of watching Rose work in the yard and family gatherings "There were eight cousins all together and we spent a good bit of time here," Nicholson said Nicholson spoke highly of his grandmother and said she was the one who truly made that house feel like home Although the property on hospital drive holds special memories for the family Nicholson said he is happy the site will be used for future expansion of the hospital this is a good day for Northport (and) for this home," Nicholson said administrator of Northport Medical Center and DCH Regional Medical Center said the DCH Health System purchased the property a few years ago and an agreement was made that allowed the Rose family to relocate the home and preserve it for years to come "We're very happy for the Rose family," said Standeffer "There's a lot of history and sentimental value involved with this home and this site," he said Standeffer said there are no finalized plans in place for the property but it will be used for growth opportunities for the hospital Northport Medical Center has been part of the DCH Health System since 1992 and offers several specialty programs in addition to a range of inpatient and outpatient services: Bojangles, a fast-food restaurant specializing in chicken and homemade biscuits, has reopened its Northport location after closing briefly in 2024. closed in late 2024 but officially reopened for business Feb Bojangles announced plans to open the Northport location in 2009, right about the time Chick-fil-A also announced plans for a Northport restaurant The Bojangles chain was founded in 1977 in Charlotte Bojangles has more than 800 restaurants in 17 states and employs more than 9,000 people Tuscaloosa has a Bojangles restaurant at 4309 Veterans Memorial Parkway Bojangles operates 20 restaurants in Alabama The restaurants typically serve a breakfast menu all day In addition to its seasoned chicken and made-from-scratch biscuits Bojangles is known for its Cajun-inspired side dishes and its iced tea Investigators dedicated to reducing human trafficking in our area made six arrests last week during an undercover operation at a Northport hotel The West Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force is made up of investigators from the Tuscaloosa Police Department Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office and the University of Alabama Police Department Their investigators conduct periodic stings to target and arrest 'johns,' the customers who seek out and pay for prostitutes who are often the victims of sex trafficking Court documents show and a police spokesperson confirmed that WAHTTF agents worked an undercover operation at a hotel in Northport last weekend to draw out men allegedly responding to an ad for commercial sex The operation yielded six arrests for soliciting prostitution A spokesperson for the WAHTFF said the operation was the result of collaboration between Tuscaloosa Fire Rescue the nonprofit organization Trafficking Hope the Tuscaloosa Police Department's Cybercrimes Division For more coverage of crime in west Alabama Investigators dedicated to reducing human trafficking in our area made six arrests last week during an undercover operation at a Northport hotel.\nRead More a fast-food restaurant specializing in chicken and homemade biscuits will re-open its Northport location after closing briefly in 2024 closed in late 2024 but will officially re-open for business Feb A ribbon cutting and grand opening ceremony will be held at 3 p.m Bojangles will present a $2,500 check donation to the Northridge High School athletic department kicking off an ongoing partnership with the school’s sports programs More: Northport's second Aldi store offering gifts, sweepstakes during its opening 2025 at 6:37 pm CT.css-79elbk{position:relative;}(Tuscaloosa Patch)*This is an opinion column* at least so far as it relates to covering the upcoming campaign season over the summer leading to the Northport municipal election this fall Click here to subscribe to our free daily newsletter and breaking news alerts. Those who've followed my work over the years undoubtedly know I'm a stickler for my professional ethics and my ideological chickens have finally come home to roost after retired Tuscaloosa County Homicide Unit Commander Dale Phillips announced on Wednesday that he is running for mayor of Northport I knew it was time to practice what I so often preach and I do hope you'll understand my predicament Dale Phillips is my Dad and I'm incredibly proud of him taught me how to drive and once went out into the cold on Christmas Eve night to fetch a CD repair kit from Northport's Blockbuster Video to fix a brand new video game I'd scratched as soon as it was out of the package he's my hero — even if we disagree on everything But as great of a father as he's been these last 35 years in the way of reciprocating such devotion when he's been on the campaign trail I kick myself to this day that I stood idly by over the two previous election cycles and did nothing to help him in his last two bids for City Council and mayor I was more worried about my professional ethics and protecting my fledgling reputation in the Tuscaloosa area But this town simply isn't big enough for the two of us — ethically speaking anyways — so it's high-time I take my figurative leave until the election season concludes As I've explained to my family and those closest to me I'm also proud and quite protective of the trust I've built up in the area over nearly five hard-fought years of producing independent journalism every single day and want to preserve that reputation by avoiding any perceived conflicts of interest for the purposes of this very real scenario my only option is to completely avoid covering anything within a pretty wide blast radius of the upcoming municipal election on Aug This doesn't mean I'm ceasing my dedicated investigative coverage of the University Beach controversy or other important goings-on in City Hall unrelated to the election I'll just have to be more surgical in my approach and even more mindful that the slightest ethical misstep could cost me the reputation I've worked so hard to build up ALSO READ: Northport P&Z Split On Latest University Beach Zoning Request while I'm temporarily relegated to the sidelines this means the onus is now on you to keep up the fight for accountability in City Hall your tenacious spirit has been on display at every turn — and that scares the powers that be more than anything else you could do right now And don't let the prospect of taking on City Hall intimidate you one can fight City Hall and one can most certainly come out the victor if you keep the pressure on — I've done it myself with little more than a laptop Need help understanding how to navigate campaign finance records I'm a phone call away and have an expert knowledge of the Alabama Secretary of State's filing system Concerned that you don't have a good enough grasp on the issues before you cast your ballot My email is ryan.phillips@patch.com and I will be as objective as possible when answering your questions I happen to know the best places to reach them What I can't stress enough here is that while I might be removed from the scrum of this election cycle I'm as dedicated to my hometown today as I've ever been and am absolutely elated at the energy I've seen in the run-up to the municipal election this fall It's a place I believe is worth fighting for and a city I deliberately chose to live in when I moved back to Tuscaloosa County in the summer of 2020 my hometown is plagued by a plethora of nagging issues with big-picture implications — namely the concerns looming over the University Beach resort development that have a clear majority of the city's residents incensed at the prospect of having such a massive project shoved down their throats without a shred of consent or public input I've said ad nauseam in my opinion columns over the last two years that the leadership in City Hall has shown a reckless lack of respect for the will of the public on issues like the proposed sale of the Northport Community Center the Kentuck Festival leaving for Tuscaloosa and now University Beach This brings me to my final point that will most certainly not be lost on the Northport electorate when they cast their ballots in a few months I've covered politics at all levels for well over a decade and have to say this will very likely be the first single-issue municipal election I've ever witnessed — a notion that boldly underscores how fed-up so many in Northport have become with the irresponsible way City Hall does business University Beach was just the final straw and I sincerely believe the voters are going to get the change in City Hall they have been demanding I challenge you to hold officials and candidates alike accountable for their positions on the issues that will impact your daily lives If you truly want change in Northport City Hall it's time to get involved and have your voice heard ask your elected leaders the tough questions and ask them to back up what they say We live in a time where faith in our public institutions is more eroded than ever but you as an individual still have the power to be the change you want to see in the world Ryan Phillips is an award-winning journalist He is also the founder and field editor of Tuscaloosa Patch The views expressed in this column are his own and in no way a reflection of our parent company or sponsors Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. 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