Alabama to Follow Feds on April 15 Tax Deadline Change
The Alabama Department of Revenue expects to delay the April 15 tax payment deadline for state tax filers but is waiting for direction from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. Read more.
Science
ABC Temporarily Closing 78 Stores
The Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board is temporarily closing 78 stores and reducing hours at others today in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus. “Because of staffing requirements and health concerns, we believe that closing some of our stores will provide the greatest amount of employee/customer protection, while ensuring maximum productivity and efficiency,” ABC’s government relations manager, Dean Argo, said in an email. Stores remaining open will operate from noon to 7 p.m. Read more.
Jefferson County and Birmingham Under Emergency Declarations for Coronavirus
The Jefferson County Commission and Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin declared states of emergency for the county and city Monday in an attempt to stem the spread of the coronavirus. The County Commission approved an emergency declaration and voted to close county facilities, effective at the end of business on Monday, until April 6. The commission will reevaluate the situation then. Woodfin, in declaring the state of emergency for the city, suggested that events be limited to attendance of 25 people or less. Read more.
Alabama Sees More Closings to Prevent the Spread of the Coronavirus
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending cancelation of any planned gatherings of 50 or more people in the next two months, an extraordinary measure but just the latest of the dominos to fall in the effort to dampen the spread of the novel coronavirus. The federal and state governments already have declared states of emergency, and the Jefferson County Commission voted this morning to declare a state of emergency and close county facilities at the end of business today. As part of the state’s preventative measures, Gov. Kay Ivey said in a memo to department heads on Sunday that, other than departments that provide essential services, they should instruct any workers who can to work from home until April 6. If employees can’t work from home, they are to be placed on paid emergency leave and stay away from their workplace until April 6. UAB and Samford University followed similar patterns, saying only essential personnel should enter the campuses. Workers who can work from home will be doing so, and those who can’t will be on leave for the next two weeks. The number of COVID-19 cases in Alabama rose to 28 on Monday — 17 in Jefferson County; three in Tuscaloosa County; three in Shelby County; and one each in Baldwin, Elmore, Lee, Limestone and Montgomery counties. Nationally more than 3,400 cases of the coronavirus and 68 deaths have been reported. Read more about developments on the coronavirus front.
Schools, Food Banks Prepare to Feed Children During Coronavirus-Forced Closure
Alabama Daily News MONTGOMERY — The Alabama State Department of Education as well as food banks throughout the state are working to feed children when schools close next week in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Gov. Kay Ivey announced Friday that all public K-12 schools will be closed after Wednesday with the goal of reopening on Monday, April 6. Ivey also announced a state of emergency Friday. State Superintendent Eric Mackey said students on free and reduced-price lunch will still be given meals during closures and food banks around the state said they are prepared to help with the need. Several school systems have announced they would close as of Monday, earlier than the state-mandated closing, and that they would continue serving meals to children at the schools. Read more.
Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 Rise to 22, 12 in Jefferson County; Residents Continue Scavenging Supplies
Confirmed cases of COVID-19 have risen to 22, 12 of them in Jefferson County. Also Sunday, the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control recommended canceling any gathering of 50 or more people for the next eight weeks. Otherwise, Alabamians through the weekend flocked to stores, clearing out entire sections as they stocked up on supplies. Read more.
Nursing Homes, Assisted Living Centers on Lockdown
Alabama nursing homes and assisted living facilities went into lockdown Saturday in the wake of the president declaring a national state of emergency from the COVID-19 virus. The facilities are implementing a no-visitors regulation from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Read more.
Alabama Has Its First Cases of COVID-19; Public K-12 Schools to Close for 2½ Weeks
Latest Updates: Alabama now has two confirmed cases of COVID-19, one in Jefferson County and one in Montgomery County, and public schools will close after Wednesday for 2½ weeks. Read more.
State Puts $5M Toward Coronavirus Prep, Testing
Alabama Daily News The Alabama Legislature and Gov. Kay Ivey on Thursday issued $5 million to help the Alabama Department of Public Health prepare for and test more Alabamians for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. As of Thursday evening, State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris said there have been no positive cases found in the limited number of Alabamians tested for COVID-19. But he believes the virus is in the state. “I don’t think there is any doubt we have disease circulating to some degree," Harris said. Read more.
Cancel Gatherings of 500 People or More, Jefferson County Health Officer Advises
Jefferson County’s health officer, Dr. Mark Wilson, in a press conference Thursday recommended canceling all public gatherings of 500 people or more in a bid to protect people from the new coronavirus. No one in Alabama has been diagnosed with COVID-19, but there’s a good chance there are undiagnosed cases in the state, Wilson said. Read more.