Coronavirus

Rate of Increase in Alabama COVID-19 Cases, Deaths Taking a Turn for the Worse

The rate of increase in COVID-19 cases and deaths is trending upward in Alabama, which is not good news as the state enters a period of relaxing restrictions imposed to stem the spread of the pandemic. Gov. Kay Ivey and state health officials took the first step toward opening up Alabama Thursday evening and now are considering whether to further relax restrictions before the current COVID-19 order expires May 15. As of late Wednesday night, the figures posted by the Alabama Department of Public Health on its COVID-19 web page show that 8,691 people have tested positive, and 343 deaths have been attributed to the virus. Read more.

by Robert Carter

Budgets on the Move; Speaker Says No Other Bills Will Be Considered

A House committee Wednesday approved the Senate-passed $2.38 billion General Fund budget, putting it and the $7.3 billion education budget in line for final passage by Saturday. House leadership on Wednesday afternoon said it will not be taking up bills that aren't directly tied to the budgets or local to members' districts, effectively killing some senators' proposed legislation. Read more. Also in the Legislature on Tuesday: Senate Passes General Fund Budget, Stakes Domain Over Coronavirus Funds Push for No-Excuse Absentee Voting Likely Going Nowhere

by Caroline Beck, Alabama Daily News

Some Sheriffs Say They Won’t Enforce Alabama’s Coronavirus Order

Alabama has allowed many retailers to reopen at limited capacity, but businesses such as gyms, nail salons and barbershops remain closed to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Some sheriffs said they won’t enforce the statewide order. Read more.

by Andrew Yeager, WBHM

Push for No-Excuse Absentee Voting Likely Going Nowhere

The Alabama Senate approved Tuesday a resolution that says it’s “imperative to the democratic process to propose and adopt” no-excuse absentee voting, but the passage of actual legislation to loosen restrictions on the ballots seems unlikely in the Republican-controlled body. Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, filed a bill Monday that would authorize no-excuse absentee voting. Smitherman’s Senate Bill 335 strikes out the list of excuses that qualify a voter for an absentee ballot and deletes a section of state law that says a voter must have one of those excuses to apply for an absentee ballot. Some cities have been pushing for no-excuse absentee voting in recent weeks. Read more.

by Sara MacNei, for Alabama Daily News

COVID-19 Cases Rise by 325 Tuesday, Hit 8,437

The number of COVID-19 deaths in Alabama climbed to 315 Tuesday, the Alabama Department of Public Health reported. The number of those testing positive for the virus rose to 8,437 by the end of the day, up 325 cases in the past 24 hours. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Jeffco Commission to Get Information on County’s Stimulus Money

The Jefferson County Commission is likely to go into executive session at its meeting Thursday to get information about the $115 million in stimulus money it received to help the county deal with the effects of the novel coronavirus. The subject came up during today’s commission committee meeting. “There has been lots of information that has come out regarding the use and expenditure of these funds,” said County Attorney Theo Lawson, “and the way that it will be looked at in terms of illegal spending and potential exposure that we have or may not have depending on how we use those funds.” Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

City Council Places May 15 Deadline on Birmingham’s Mask, Public Safety Ordinances

Birmingham has placed a May 15 deadline on its mask and public safety ordinances, bringing them in line with Gov. Kay Ivey’s safer-at-home order. The face mask order — which requires Birmingham residents to cover their faces in public to slow the spread of COVID-19 — was originally passed by the City Council on April 28, but with no expiration date; that omission led District 2 Councilor Hunter Williams to vote against the bill. The council extended the deadline to May 15 a meeting today. Read more.

by Sam Prickett

Number of COVID-19 Deaths in Alabama Climbs Above 300 Mark

The number of COVID-19 deaths in Alabama climbed above the 300 mark today, the Alabama Department of Public Health reported. The department said 310 people who tested positive for the coronavirus have died in the state, including 38 since the beginning of March last Friday. The number of those testing positive stood at 8,206. The latest report said 106,003 people have been tested in Alabama. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Bill Would Change Rules for States of Emergency, Public Health Orders

Some state senators want more say in extended emergency orders like the ones put in place in response to the coronavirus. Current law says the Alabama governor can issue a state of emergency for up to 60 days. A bill filed Monday in the State House would limit that to 14 days and then require legislative approval for an extension. Senate Bill 334 also says that no public health order issued by the state health officer will take effect until it is signed by the governor and delivered to the secretary of state. Current orders, like the late March order that closed many Alabama businesses and limited public gatherings, are signed by Public Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris alone. Read more.

by Mary Sell and Caroline Beck, Alabama Daily News

Alabama Surpasses 8,000 COVID-19 Cases, Up More Than 1,000 in 4 Days

Alabama ended the day Monday with 8,112 cases of COVID-19, up more than a thousand from when the month began Friday. Deaths stood at 298, with 26 people dying from the disease in the past four days, according to Alabama Department of Public Health data. The state has documented 103,302 tests conducted to determine whether people had the novel coronavirus, but that number is incomplete because some commercial testing labs have not reported negative test results to the state, according to the Health Department data. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch