Virginia Martin

Alabama’s COVID Case Numbers Still on Downtrend, but Deaths Increase Slightly

New COVID-19 cases in Alabama continue the slow decline that has prevailed over two months’ time, though deaths attributed to the virus have ramped upward slightly in the past week. In BirminghamWatch’s periodic analysis of COVID data, the 7-day moving average of new cases reported by the Alabama Department of Public Health is now at 277.14 per day, the lowest level for that average since May 19 of last year. The COVID death toll rate has slipped upward, however, as 93 fatalities were reported in the past seven days, resulting in a 7-day moving average of 13.29. Read more.

by Robert Carter

‘Earmarks’ Are Back, but Not All Alabama Lawmakers Are Participating

It has a new name and many new requirements, but the process known as earmarking, or designating federal funds for distribution at the request of members of Congress, is now officially back on Capitol Hill. This spring, the House Appropriations Committee invited all House members to submit proposals for “Community Project Funding,” a new term for the age-old practice of earmarking that has been banned by rule for the past ten years. In a new effort at ensuring transparency, those proposed projects have been published member by member. Alabama’s House delegation was split on the prospect of placing community projects in the budget. Reps. Robert Aderholt, R-Haleyville, Mike Rogers, R-Saks, Jerry Carl, R-Mobile and Terri Sewell, D-Selma each submitted multiple projects for consideration, while Reps. Mo Brooks, R-Huntsville, Gary Palmer, R-Birmingham, and Barry Moore, R-Enterprise, did not. Read more.

by Todd Stacy and Mary Sell, Alabama Daily News

Birmingham Promise Gets $8 Million Boost From Private Companies

The Birmingham Promise educational initiative has received $8 million in donations from local corporations, Mayor Randall Woodfin announced Tuesday. That number includes $5 million from Birmingham-based investment firm Vulcan Value Partners — the program’s largest private donation to date. It also includes $1 million each from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama and Protective Life, as well as from Alabama Power, which donated for the second consecutive year. Birmingham Promise offers juniors and seniors in city schools paid internships, dual enrollment opportunities and scholarships to two- or four-year public colleges. Read more.

by Sam Prickett

As the Last Mask Mandate in Alabama Expires, COVID-19 Case Average Continues Decline

Alabama’s rate of new COVID-19 infections continues on a downward slide as the city of Birmingham ends its requirement that people wear face masks indoors. On Monday, Birmingham’s mask ordinance was allowed to expire without another extension. The statewide ordinance expired last month, leaving no governmental mask requirements left in the state. Businesses still may require masks and social distancing at their discretion. Read more.

by Robert Carter

Birmingham Seeks Dollars for Its Entertainment Venues

Birmingham will apply for federal relief for five city-owned concert spaces and museums that lost revenue during the pandemic. The Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program, established last year by the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits and Venues Act, offers funding for COVID-impacted entities, public or private, including live venues, movie theaters, museums and live performing arts organizations. The city will seek SVOG funding for Boutwell Auditorium, Sloss Historic Landmark Furnace, the Southern Museum of Flight, Birmingham Botanical Gardens and Arlington Historic House. Read more.

by Sam Prickett

State Lawmakers Expect Multiple Special Sessions

MONTGOMERY — Alabama lawmakers could be called back to the State House this year for multiple special sessions on various issues, but the likely first topic will be the distribution of billions of dollars in federal COVID-19 relief funds. That American Rescue Plan Act money will start flowing to the state as soon as this month, but the state’s share can’t be distributed to agencies or dedicated to specific causes until it goes through an allocation process similar to the annual General Fund budgets. Alabama Daily News previously reported the state, including local governments, will receive more than $4 billion in this round of relief approved in March. Read more.

by Caroline Beck and Mary Sell, Alabama Daily News

JeffCo Commissioners Look Forward to Dropping Social Distance at Meetings, Pledge $5 Million for UAB Genomics Building

As today’s Jefferson County Commission meeting reached its end, Joe Knight rose from his seat in front of the dais and put his name plate in front of the one for Lashunda Scales. “When we return, I reclaim my seat,” Knight declared. Steve Ammons, who like Knight has been seated at a table below their fellow commissioners, chimed in. “I’m tired of being a second-hand commissioner,” he joked. The lighthearted banter came as commissioners announced that today’s meeting will be the last one held during the state of emergency Gov. Kay Ivey declared last year to help slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. Social distancing requirements and then recommendations have been part of public safety orders the governor has issued during the state of emergency. Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Domestic Immigration Spur’s Alabama’s Population Growth

Alabama’s population has grown to more than 5 million people not because of residents expanding their families, but because of people moving into the state from other places in the country. In fact, Alabama’s birth rate fell in the 2010’s and its death rate rose, which follows a national trend, according to a Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama analysis of U.S. Census Bureau estimates released earlier this month. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

COVID Hospitalizations Among Elderly Now Fewer Than Young Adults

For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, more patients hospitalized in April were aged 16 to 34 than were 75 and older. That’s not because the number of infected young adults has risen, according to Dr. Suzanne Judd, a professor with the School of Public Health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Instead, infections among the elderly have plummeted as a result of vaccinations, while infections among young adults have stayed level. “That’s an indication that the vaccine is working and doing what it’s supposed to do,” Judd said in a media conference Wednesday. “Since January, when we really started ramping up vaccinations, there have been just huge decreases (in infections) in those populations that are getting vaccinated at high levels.” Read more.

by Robert Carter

New Challengers Enter Birmingham City Elections

New challengers have emerged in Birmingham’s upcoming municipal elections, which will take place Aug. 24. Since late February, 10 additional candidates have announced runs for council seats, with some races growing rather crowded; one new candidate, meanwhile, has thrown his hat into the ring for mayor. Read more.

by Sam Prickett