1 Good Thing, 1 Bad Thing, 1 Weird Thing To Know For The Holidays

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The holidays are upon us, but all of its trappings have had little impact on major headlines and stories for Tuscaloosa as 2020 comes to a close. Here's a look at the good, the bad and the weird during the holiday season.

Click here to subscribe to our daily email newsletters and breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox and mobile devices for free. You can also support local journalism by donating as little as $5 a month to become a supporting member or by downloading our free Patch mobile app.

THE GOOD - Crimson Tide Remains On Top

In a little more than a week, the No. 1-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide football team (11-0) will take on the No. 4 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (10-1) in an unorthodox afternoon Rose Bowl Game at AT&T Stadium in Dallas. The Crimson Tide is coming off a 52-46 victory over the Florida Gators in last Saturday's SEC Championship game, which saw running back Najee Harris score five total touchdowns and resulted in Alabama's seventh conference title during the Nick Saban era. Kickoff for the Rose Bowl is set for 3 p.m. on New Year's Day and will be broadcast on ESPN. The Tide is could also have as many as three finalists for the Heisman Trophy — receiver DeVonta Smith, quarterback Mac Jones and Harris — with the finalists being announced later in the day on Christmas Eve. The winner of the 2020 Heisman Trophy will be announced on Jan. 5, 2021 at 6 p.m. local time during a virtual ceremony.

THE BAD - Virus Situation Dire In Tuscaloosa

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic is showing no signs of taking a holiday break, as new cases, hospitalizations and deaths continue to rise for Tuscaloosa. DCH Health System reported a staggering 171 total inpatients on Wednesday, adding 21 new hospitalizations the day before Christmas Eve. This week also saw Tuscaloosa County break its previous records for new cases identified in a week (1,502) and new deaths reported (12). While a vaccine is now available locally to medical workers and first responders, there is apprehension among city of Tuscaloosa first responders in being vaccinated. After officials surveyed the city's police and fire employees on their willingness to receive the vaccine, Patch reported this week that roughly 45% said they wanted to be vaccinated.

THE WEIRD - Feds Probe UA's Connections To Wuhan Lab

Patch broke the news on Wednesday that the U.S. Department of Education is investigating the University of Alabama for allegedly not disclosing ties to the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China. Federal officials, who cited a partnership reference to UA on the institute's website as its primary piece of evidence, says the maximum biocontainment laboratory "may be closely linked to the origin and/or spread of the Chinese COVID-19 virus." University officials told Patch on Wednesday that it was made aware of the reference earlier in the year and worked to remedy the situation, before then providing the information to the federal government. A spokesperson for the Department of Education told Patch Wednesday night that the investigation remains open. The university has 30 days to respond to the records request from federal officials, with a deadline of Jan. 21 — the day after the presidential inauguration.

Follow Patch here for updates or on Facebook and Twitter.