Glenn Stephens

School Protocols Have Key Changes for Masked vs Unmasked

Schools that require students to wear masks and follow certain COVID-19 protocols won’t have to send home children exposed to the coronavirus, according to recent guidance from the Alabama Department of Public Health. “That will make a huge change for us,” state Superintendent Eric Mackey said this week about the number of students who could potentially be sent home from school because another student was diagnosed with the virus. For schools that don’t require masks, protocol is to send home students who are exposed to a COVID-19 positive classmate. There are exceptions for those who have been vaccinated or contracted the virus within the past three months. Read more.

by Mary Sell, Alabama Daily News

Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama Founder Looks Back At Two Decades Of Leadership

Alabama can be daunting for newcomers, especially when there are cultural and language barriers. More than 20 years ago, Isabel Rubio founded the Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama to assist Latinos who migrate to the state and to push for economic equality, civic engagement and social justice. Last month, Rubio announced she would step down as CEO of the organization at the end of the year. WBHM’s Janae Pierre spoke with Rubio about her time leading HICA, who discussed how Alabama's Latino community has changed over the years, the effect of the state's immigration law, and her proudest moments with HICA. Read more. .

by Janae Pierre, WBHM

New Law Eases Restrictions on Cottage Food Makers

Melissa Humble and her husband moved back to Alabama in March 2020, just before much of the state shut down. Looking for a way to earn income and stay home to protect her immunocompromised spouse from COVID-19, Humble began baking and selling French macarons and other treats. HumbleBee Bakes is now a regular at farmers markets around Headland in Henry County, and Humble locally sources the fruit, jellies and eggs that go into her products. But the state’s laws regulating the cottage food industry were limiting. It capped gross sales at $20,000 a year and didn’t allow for Internet sales. Starting Monday, those restrictions will be eased under Senate Bill 160, approved in the spring. Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, sponsored the law change. “It takes the ridiculous shackles off of people who want to start home businesses,” Orr said. “This could be the first step, the incubation of new small businesses in the home." Read more.

by Mary Sell, Alabama Daily News

What a Difference a Month Makes: Average of New COVID Cases Increases 15-Fold Since July 6

When the month of July began, the COVID pandemic looked like it was well on its way to shrinking to controllable numbers. People across Alabama and the nation celebrated the Fourth of July holiday much as they had before the virus, crowding beaches and other vacation hotspots without wearing face masks. And the Alabama Department of Public Health cut back its daily reporting of pandemic data to three times a week — despite the threat of the Delta variant looming on the horizon. As July draws to a close, the picture of the pandemic has changed completely. The Delta variant has spread in full force, and the numbers of new cases and hospitalizations have skyrocketed. In the Birmingham Watch periodic analysis of current COVID data trends, the 7-day moving average of new cases stands at 1,931.43 per day, including an ADPH report of an additional 2,726 cases on Wednesday. Read more.

by Robert Carter

Alabama’s New COVID Cases, Hospitalizations See Big Jump; CDC Updates Masking Recommendation

Alabama saw its highest number of new daily cases of COVID-19 since in almost six months on Tuesday, and hospital beds occupied by virus patients topped the 1,000 mark as the Delta variant continued to spread throughout the state and the nation. The Alabama Department of Public Health reported that the total number of cases since the pandemic began had reached 574,737, with an increase of 2,667 cases for the day. That’s the biggest daily hike since Feb. 4, when 2,767 new cases were reported as new cases were then on a downward trend after dangerously high numbers around the start of the new year. The hospitalization numbers from the Alabama Incident Management System showed a one-day increase of 167 inpatients, or 18.2%, infected by COVID. There are now 1,083 beds with virus patients, the largest number since Feb. 17. The hospitalization total has seen a sixfold increase since a low of 166 patients on June 20. Read more.

by Robert Carter

Alabama’s New COVID Case Total Sees Biggest Daily Jump Since Early February

Alabama saw its highest number of new daily cases of COVID-19 in almost six months on Tuesday, as the Delta variant continues to spread throughout the state and the nation. The Alabama Department of Public Health reported that the total number of cases since the pandemic began had reached 574,737, with an increase of 2,667 cases for the day. That’s the biggest daily hike since Feb. 4, when 2,767 new cases were reported as new cases were then on a downward trend after dangerously high numbers around the start of the new year. The 7-day average of new daily cases now stands at 1,775.14, which is more than 14½ times the average’s low point three weeks ago on July 6 and the highest level that average has seen since Feb. 8. Read more.

by Robert Carter

ADPH Reports An Increase of 1,888 New Cases of COVID-19

The spread of COVID-19 in Alabama continued to accelerate Saturday, with the state Department of Public Health reporting 1,888 new cases in its daily update. The state has averaged 1,642 new cases a day since Monday, and health officials have blamed the rapid rise on the state's low vaccination rate and and the spread of the more contageous delta variance of the coronavirus. With about a third of the state's population fully vaccinated, the daily average number of new cases has grown from 121 on July 6. Read more.

by Birmingham Watch

Alabama’s COVID-19 Rate Grows, Hospitalizations Increase

Alabama's COVID-19 case count continued to rise Friday as the state Department of Public Health reported 1,733 new cases. There have been 567,243 cases in the state over the course of the pandemic, with an average of 1,238 new cases a day over the past week. The seven-day moving figure had dropped to 121 on July 6 but has steadily risen since then. ADPH said the number of people hospitalized for the coronavirus reached 727 Friday, more than triple the total of 204 at the beginning of the month. Read more.

by Birmingham Watch

Sen. Priscilla Dunn Won’t Seek Reelection, Candidates Line Up to Run

MONTGOMERY -- Democratic State Sen. Priscilla Dunn won’t be running for reelection in 2022, and at least two current state representatives plan to run for the vacant seat. Dunn’s husband, Grover Dunn, told Alabama Daily News on Monday that his wife would be retiring after finishing her last year in office. State Reps. Louise Alexander, D-Bessemer, and Merika Coleman said they plan to run for the seat. Rep. Rod Scott, D-Fairfield, said he has been considering running for the Senate seat but has not officially decided. Read more.

by Caroline Beck, Alabama Daily News

Rusty Glover Enters State Auditor Race

MONTGOMERY -- Former State Sen. Rusty Glover announced his campaign for the Republican nomination for state auditor on Tuesday, making him the third candidate to enter the race. Glover, a Mobile native, previously served one term in the Alabama House of Representatives and was a member of the Alabama Senate from 2006 to 2018. “I pledge to diligently serve all Alabamians in this role by transparently and accurately keeping full account of our taxpayer-funded state property, as well as in my role as a member of the Board of Adjustments,” Glover said in a statement. Read more.

by Caroline Beck, Alabama Daily News