Glenn Stephens

Gambling Bill: What Happened and What’s Next

MONTGOMERY – When a wide-ranging gambling bill failed to pass the state Senate earlier this month, it was a stunning defeat for the most high-profile legislation of the Alabama Legislature’s 2021 session so far. But supporters of the plan say there is still hope to pass it or something like it in the two months that remain in the session, and the impending involvement of the governor as a vocal proponent could change the game completely. Read more. More from the Legislature: Bills Would Limit Cities’ Gas Tax Spending

by Todd Stacy, Alabama Daily News

Health Officials Hope End of Mask Mandate Won’t Lead to Spread of Influenza

The number of influenza cases has been extremely low this year, medical and public health officials say, in part thanks to protective measures that are being taken against Covid. And officials say they hope there will not be an increase in the number of flu cases when one of those measures -- the state’s mask mandate -- is lifted on April 9. "The flu season typically peaks in January and February, when the number of cases is through the roof," said UAB Family Medicine Dr. Stephen Russell. He said he can count on one hand the number of adult patients he has seen with flu this season. Read more.

by Virginia MacDonald

Mo Brooks Sets Up U.S. Senate Campaign Committee, Announces Run

U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks of Huntsville filed notice with the Federal Election Commission on Sunday that he will be a candidate for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate seat of retiring Sen. Richard Shelby. He announced his candidacy Monday at a rally at the Bullet and Barrel indoor shooting range in Huntsville, where he was joined by Stephen Miller, controversial former senior adviser and speechwriter for former President Donald Trump. In a filing with the FEC dated Sunday, the north Alabama congressman set up the Mo Brooks for Senate committee. Read more.

by Glenn Stephens

Alabama Plans To Open Vaccine Eligibility By May 1, But Hesitancy Remains A Problem

Health officials in Alabama expect to expand COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to all adults by May 1, according to Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris. But he said that may be a challenge because many are reluctant to be vaccinated. In a Friday press conference, Harris said about one-third of adults in Alabama are hesitant to get the vaccine. “At this point, we’ve had enough demand out there that it’s hard to know if a county is not getting vaccinated … because they can’t find [the] vaccine, or is it because they don’t want to take the vaccine? I think we’re going to soon have enough product available that we’ll be able to make some determinations about that,” Harris said. The state plans to educate hesitant populations about the vaccine, but Harris said ultimately, friends and family will have the ability to “normalize” the vaccine. Read more.

by Miranda Fulmore, WBHM

More than 2 Million Doses of Vaccine Sent to Alabama, Half a Million People Fully Vaccinated

More than 2 million doses of vaccine for the coronavirus have been delivered to the state, and more than half a million Alabamians have completed their shots, the state Department of Public Health reported Friday. The agency said 2,021,465 doses have been shipped to the state, and 1,364,631 have been administered. A total of 523,264 people have finished their shots of the two-dose Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or the single-shot Johnson & Johnson product. Friday's daily update by ADPH listed 531 new cases of COVID-19 over the past 24  hours, bringing the state's total to 510,579 and the daily average for the past week to 523. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Hospitalization Rate for COVID-19 Falls to Lowest Level in 11 Months

The number of people being treated for COVID-19 in Alabama hospitals has fallen to the lowest point in 11 months, according to Thursday's update by the state Department of Public Health. There were 364 people being treated for the coronavirus as inpatients at 106 hospitals across the state on Wednesday. That is the lowest number since a count of 360 last April 19. The state reached a peak of 3,084 on Jan. 11. ADPH reported 572 new cases of COVID-19 over the most recent 24-hour period. That left an average of 511 new cases a day over the past week, the lowest since an average of 448 for the week ended last June 10. The highest average was 4,280 a day on Jan. 11. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

What Labor Wins And Losses In The South Can Tell Us About the Amazon Union Vote

The vote on whether or not to unionize the Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Ala. may seem like a once-in-a-lifetime chance for a big union win in the South. Yet union organizers had an almost identical opportunity just four years ago in Canton, Miss. Back then, Nissan assembly plant workers attracted global pro-labor support. But similar to Amazon, Nissan pushed back hard, determined to keep a union off its floor.  What happened in Canton, in other southern union elections and in the four years since can give us clues about what to expect from the Amazon vote.  Read more.

by Stephan Bisaha

UAB Medicine Opens New Vaccination Site in Center Point

A new location for Jefferson County residents to receive COVID-19 vaccine will open Friday in Center Point. UAB Medicine announced Tuesday that AOH Cathedral of the Cross, located at 1480 Center Point Parkway, would be the latest vaccination site to be operated by UAB. The announcment comes on the heels of Gov. Kay Ivey’s expansion of the list of people who are eligible to receive the vaccine. Starting next Monday, March 22, anyone aged 55 or older is eligible, in addition to those with intellectual or developmental disabilities. The move by UAB expands a growing list of places where vaccinations are available, including Sam’s Club stores; CVS, Walgreen’s and some independent pharmacies; the Alabama Department of Public Health; and some health care clinics. UAB Medicine now operates four vaccination sites: AOH Cathedral of the Cross, Hoover Metropolitan Stadium, Parker High School and UAB Hospital-Highlands. Read more.

by Robert Carter

488 New Cases, Eight Deaths from COVID-19

There were 488 new cases of COVID-19 and eight deaths from the disease in Tuesday's daily update by the state Department of Public Health. The report raised the number of cases in Alabama to 508,717 over the course of the pandemic. The state has averaged 585 new cases a day over the past week. There have been 10,337 deaths in the state from the coronavirus since the pandemic began a year ago. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Take a Breath and Start Planning: Alabama Cities, Counties Getting Millions in Federal Aid

Alabama’s counties and municipalities will soon receive millions of dollars — some tens of millions of dollars — under the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act approved last week.  While exact guidance and rules for spending haven’t yet been issued from the U.S. Department of Treasury, the act makes clear the money can be used beyond costs specific to the coronavirus pandemic. “We’re telling them to take a breath and to begin thinking about how to best use this opportunity for legacy-type programs,” Greg Cochran, executive director of the Alabama League of Municipalities, told Alabama Daily News about the group’s guidance to cities and towns. Read more.

by Mary Sell, Alabama Daily News