Coronavirus

Lawmakers: Coronavirus Could ‘Doom’ Much of Legislative Session

UPDATED — Alabama lawmakers are expected to be back in Montgomery March 31, but how long they’ll be able to work and what they’ll be able to do in the middle of a public health emergency is in question. “I can’t say in the present situation we can pass budgets,” Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh, R-Anniston, told Alabama Daily News on Monday. “The big question is, how long will this last? It’s one thing for a couple of weeks; It’s another if it lasts for months.” As local and state governments try to stop the spread of the coronavirus and businesses slow or shutter temporarily, the impact on state revenue is expected to be significant. How bad that will be will depend on how long people are asked to stay home, state leaders said this week. Read more.

by Mary Sell, Alabama Daily News

Number of Alabama COVID-19 Cases Climbs to 215

The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Alabama reached 215 today, with Jefferson and Shelby counties accouting for more than half. The Alabama Department of Public Health's morning update today showed cases of COVID-19 confirmed in 25 of the state's 67 counties , with 90 cases in Jefferson County and 24 in Shelby County. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Phone Numbers and Email Set Up to Answer COVID-19 questions.

The Alabama Department of Public Health has established a phone number and email for residents to ask general questions about COVID-19. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Tax Filing Deadline Extended to July 15

Gov. Kay Ivey has extended the deadline for filing income tax forms to July 15, following the feds’ lead. Tax payments also will be due July 15, rather than April 15, so there’s no penalty for filing later. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Tips to Cope With COVID-19-Related Anxiety

In a growing pandemic that threatens global health, the worry about the unknown, upended routines and economic concerns can significantly impact the mental health of Americans. There are ways to help manage the impact. Read more.

by Abby Driggers, Alabama Daily News

Sunday Church Drive-in Style in the Coronavirus Age

Large gatherings are banned due to coronavirus, so churches can't meet as usual. One Alabama church tried a drive-in service. Read more.

by Andrew Yeager. WBHM

Alabama COVID-19 Count: 196 Confirmed Cases, 86 in Jefferson County

The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Alabama rose today to 167, with Jefferson County accounting for 79 of those. The Alabama Department of Public Health's morning update showed Shelby, Lee and Madison counties at 17 cases each. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

‘This Is a Matter of Life and Death,’ Jeffco Medical Officer Says in Ordering New Closures

UPDATED — Calling it a matter of life and death, the chief medical officer of Jefferson County called for the closure of most retail stores beginning at 5 p.m. today. Those include furniture and home furnishing stores; clothing and shoe stores; jewelry; luggage and leather goods stores; department stores; sporting goods; hobby book and music stores; and florists. Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Slam-Packed Stores and Ghost Towns Both Signs of Life Under COVID-19

Life under COVID-19 is a cognitive dissonance-inspiring trip on the merry-go-round Scenes flashing by run the gamut from grocery stores that are swamped with people to isolated city streets where a lone person or two are walking. “There are two parallel but different worlds happening,” a Facebook commenter said. “You have a lot of folks staying home and then there is another group still going to work and living life not that much differently.” Read more.

by Tom Gordon and Virginia MacDonald

Crisis Highlights Digital Divide in Alabama

As the state grapples with education, government and industry closures in response to the coronavirus, the digital divide across the state is probably the most apparent it’s ever been. Much of rural Alabama doesn't have the infrastructure to take broadband Internet into homes. “You have one-fifth of the state population that doesn’t have access,” Sen. Clay Scofield, R-Guntersville, said. The chasm is perhaps most evident in schools, where administrators are faced with decisions when some of the students can partake in online learning and some cannot. Read more.

by Mary Sell and Caroline Beck, Alabama Daily News