Virginia Martin, Author at BirminghamWatch - Page 202 of 480
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Virginia Martin

Seeking a Return to Pre-Pandemic Normal

Alabama could have a “return to normality” this fall if people continue to get vaccinations as they are now, a UAB expert said Thursday. UAB School of Public Health professor Suzanne Judd said vaccinated people could feel confident returning to their pre-pandemic lifestyles when the rate of cases drops to 5 per 100,000. That is likely to happen when 70% of the population of the state, or about 3.5 million people, has immunity to the novel coronavirus. Read more.

by Virginia Martin

Broadband Expansion Bill Close to Final Vote

MONTGOMERY — Legislation to create a new state agency to oversee the expansion and availability of high-speed broadband internet services throughout the state is close to final passage in the State House. Various broadband and technology entities in the state voiced their support for Senate Bill 215 from Sen. Del Marsh, R-Anniston, on Thursday during a public hearing. The House Urban and Rural Development Committee did not vote on the bill but plans to next week. Read more. More from the Legislature this week: Bill Would Create Scholarships for Rural Teachers Teacher Retirement Bill Advances ADOC Reporting, Sexual Assault Victim Bills Advance, Grand Jury Bill Delayed Bill Would Change State’s Grand Jury Secrecy Laws, Free Witnesses to Talk About Testimony Governor Signs Alcohol Delivery Bill Read complete legislative coverage.

by Caroline Beck, Alabama Daily News

Teacher Retirement Bill Advances

MONTGOMERY — A “slimmed down” teacher retirement modification bill cleared a Senate committee Wednesday. House Bill 93 as amended would let newer teachers in the state rollover each year their sick leave and get paid for unused days when they retire. Current Tier II teachers lose unused days each year. Read more.

by Caroline Beck and Mary Sell, Alabama Daily News

Bill Would Create Scholarships for Rural Teachers

MONTGOMERY — Legislation in the Alabama Senate would give scholarships to students seeking to be STEM or special education teachers in Alabama if they agree to teach in rural areas. Read more. More from the Legislature this week: Teacher Retirement Bill Advances ADOC Reporting, Sexual Assault Victim Bills Advance, Grand Jury Bill Delayed Bill Would Change State’s Grand Jury Secrecy Laws, Free Witnesses to Talk About Testimony Governor Signs Alcohol Delivery Bill Read complete legislative coverage.

by Caroline Beck and Mary Sell, Alabama Daily News

COVID Numbers in Alabama Leveling Off After Long Downtrend

After a steady decline over the past three months, the trend of new COVID-19 cases, deaths and hospitalizations is flattening out, or in some cases pointing slightly upward. In BirminghamWatch’s periodic analysis of COVID data, the 7-day average of new cases reported by the Alabama Department of Public Health is 311.14 per day, up from 294.86 a week beforehand. Read more.

by Robert Carter

Philandering Politicians Can’t Hope That Reporters Won’t Care

Came across an academic article saying public officials no longer have private lives off limits from prying media and opposing political campaigns — to the detriment of public service. It was published in 1998. Imagine how things are now with heightened divisive politics, partisan news media, uncontrolled social media and a never-ending list of politicians whose horrifying activities in their private lives demand public scrutiny. The question of when the private lives of politicians deserve public exposure is a perpetual one for the press. It has arisen lately with the cases of U.S. Congressman Matt Gaetz (OK, actually zero question here) and Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill, who admitted last week to marital infidelity. Read more.

by Tom Arenberg
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