Glenn Stephens

COVID-19 Cases, Hospitalizations and Tests Continue Decline in Friday Report

Alabama's COVID-19 figures for new cases, hospitalizations and percentage of positive tests continued to fall in Friday's daily update by the state Department of Public Health. The agency reported 1,097 new cases of the disease, leaving the daily average for the past week at 1,335 cases. That is down from an  average of 1,962 a week ago and 4,036 one month ago. It is the lowest seven-day aveage since an identical number of 1,335 on Nov. 7. There were 1,281 people being treated for the coronavirus in Alabama hospitals on Thursday. The state reached a peak of 3,084 inpatients on Jan. 11 and the number has dropped steadily since then. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Legislative Briefs: Alcohol Delivery, License Plate Data Among Bills Gaining Approval

The Senate on Thursday approved a bill to allow home delivery of beer, wine and alcohol. Sen. Jabo Waggoner’s Senate Bill 126 sets up a delivery license process, fees and rules This legislation is the same as Rep. Gil Isbell’s House Bill 229, which has received committee approval. Isbell, R-Gadsden, last month said the legislation would allow companies such as Birmingham-based Shipt that bring people their groceries to also bring alcohol. “It’s about the convenience; we’re in a busy world,” Isbell said. The bills are separate from legislation to allow direct shipment of wine from wineries and retailers to Alabamians’ homes. Read more.

by Glenn Stephens

House Approves Improved Benefits for Newer Teachers

The Alabama House on Thursday approved a bill to modify retirement benefits for newer teachers in the state. Advocates say more attractive benefits, including the ability to roll over sick leave and collect retirement after 30 years, will help with the state’s teacher shortage. The bill is a scaled-back version of legislation that has previously passed the House and died in the Senate. Rep. Alan Baker, R-Brewton, told Alabama Daily News that House Bill 93 will reduce disparity between the older Tier I and newer Tier II retirement tracks and help keep young teachers in the state. Read more.

by Mary Sell and Caroline Beck, Alabama Daily News

Broadband Expansion Bill Passes First Vote in Legislature

Legislation to organize and fund greater broadband internet expansion across the state passed its first committee vote on Wednesday with no opposition. Senate Bill 215 is sponsored by Sen. Del Marsh, R-Anniston, who is also sponsoring a large gambling bill that if passed would be able to partially fund broadband efforts. “It was very clear that there was a strong emphasis that if we were able to get a gaming package, we need to address broadband,” Marsh told Senate Tourism Committee members. He chairs that committee. Read more. School Funding Change on the Move in the Legislature Legislative Briefs Read more on the legislative session.

by Caroline Beck and Mary Sell, Alabama Daily News

COVID-19 Average for Alabama Continues to Drop

There were 1,318 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Alabama on Tuesday, and the daily average number of cases dropped for the 10th consecutive day. The daily update by the Alabama Department of Public Health showed a total of 474,666 cases of the coronavirus since the pademic began last March. The state is now averaging 1,675 cases a day for the past week, the lowest since an average of 1,640 on Nov. 12. It was the lowest average so far in February. ADPH reported 56 deaths, for a total of 8,579 through the course of the pandemic. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

‘For everything there is a season’: Richard Shelby Declines Senate Reelection Run in 2022

Sen. Richard Shelby, who has represented Alabama in the United States Congress since 1979 and in the Senate since 1987, has decided that his sixth and current term will be his last. Shelby made the announcement on the Senate floor Monday, and also released it through his official Senate website. It was a call that many political observers in Alabama had expected when the Democrats took the majority after winning Georgia's two Senate seats in runoff elections early in January. “For everything there is a season,” Shelby said to begin his speech. Read more.

by Robert Carter

New COVID-19 Cases in Alabama Fall to Lowest Daily Number Since November

The incidence of COVID-19 in Alabama continued to drop on Monday as the state Department of Public Health reported 925 new cases in its daily update -- harking back to numbers last seen in November. The daily totals reported on weekends and Mondays normally are lower than for other days because of delays in reporting, but the latest figures were substantially below those of previous weekends. ADPH last reported a daily increase of below 1,000 cases on Nov. 27, with a total of 917.  The report dropped Alabama's average number of new cases to 1,748 a day over the past week. That is substantially lower than the average of 2,550 for the week ended Feb. 1 and the high of 4,280 on Jan. 10. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Remembering Sheila Washington, Who Brought Honor To The Scottsboro Boys

Alabamians are mourning the death of Sheila Washington, the founder of the Scottsboro Boys Museum and Cultural Center. Washington fought to bring honor and dignity to the nine young Black males falsely accused of rape during the Jim Crow era. As a child, Washington was fascinated with the story of the Scottsboro boys who ranged in age from 12-19. They were traveling by train through Jackson County when they were accused of raping two women. The 1931 trial drew national attention. An all-white jury in Scottsboro sentenced eight of the nine to death.  Later, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in the case leading to two landmark civil rights precedents regarding the right to counsel and non-discrimination in jury selection.  Read more.

by Janae PIerre, WBHM

Alabama Delegation Experiences Life in the Minority, with Some New Committee Assignments

Alabama’s freshman lawmakers in Washington are stepping into committee roles — and, in one case, into a brand new committee — as most of the state’s veteran lawmakers continue life in the minority party or experience it for the first time in years. On the Senate side, Republican Sen. Richard C. Shelby has moved from chairman of the powerful Appropriations Committee to vice chairman, with Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont assuming the chair. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, Alabama’s new senator, who has moved into office with a high and controversial profile, has secured spots on the Armed Services; Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry; Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; and Veteran’s Affairs committees. Among Alabama's seven House members and two senators, only Rep. Terri Sewell of Birmingham is in the majority party, Read more.

by Brett Davis

COVID-19 Averages, Hospitalizations Continue to Drop in Friday Report

The number of new cases of COVID-19 in Alabama continued to fall in Friday's report by the state Department of Public Health, as did the number of people hospitalized for the disease. The agency's daily update showed 1,496 new cases for the latest 24-hour period, bringing the overall total for the pandemic to 469,319.  The state averaged 1,962 new cases a day over the past week, the lowest since an average of 1,909 on Nov. 14 and less than half the highest average of 4,280 on Jan. 10. There were 1,666 people in Alabama hospitals on Thursday for treatment of COVID-19. That is the lowest count since Nov. 29. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch