Gov. Kay Ivey has awarded an $80,000 grant to assist in the development of a program that assists startup entrepreneurs. The Auburn Training Connection is using grant funds to help with business guidance as well as aiding in developing prototypes for Alabama entrepreneurs. The ATC will review applications from Alabama entrepreneurs for the program and select those who meet the…
The coronavirus pandemic has led to Americans buying more booze. Market research company Nielsen said U.S. alcohol sales were up 22% during the last week of March compared to the same time in 2019. What are people buying? Within the spirits category, Nielsen says premixed, ready-to-drink cocktails and Tequila are seeing the largest sales growth compared to this time last…
The Alabama Shakespeare Festival has created a unique way to connect with audiences during the coronavirus pandemic. While its theatre in Montgomery may be closed, it will be launching a virtual monologue series. Starting Friday, actors who have appeared on stage at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival will share their favorite Shakespeare monologues online. The project is part of ASF’s extensive “Play On!” initiative…
The Alabama Department of Labor has released its official count for initial unemployment claims filed during the week of March 29 – April 4. The labor department says 106,739 initial claims were filed either online or by telephone during the period. It says 94,047 of those claims are COVID-19 related. Click County Breakdown for a breakdown by county. Click Industry…
To show appreciation for the critical work Montgomery’s front line health providers are doing to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in our home community, Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama, LLC (HMMA) is donating 450 box lunches to three Montgomery-area health providers over the next two weeks. HMMA will donate box lunches to nurses, emergency room teams, and intensive care unit teams. 150…
Photo Courtesy of leadacademyal.org LEAD Academy, Montgomery’s first public charter school, has opened enrollment for the 2020-21 school year for students entering kindergarten through sixth grade. At full capacity, anticipated enrollment is 456 students. Parents interested in registering can visit LEAD’s website at www.leadacademyal.org. The LEAD Academy Board released the following statement upon opening enrollment for the 2020-21 school year: “Over…
A Camden Nursing Facility employee tested positive for COVID-19. Upon learning of the test results on March 31, the facility implemented additional precautions for its residents and staff. On April 2, the facility was notified that three additional employees tested positive for COVID-19. They are receiving appropriate medical care and have not worked since exhibiting symptoms. At this time, no…
Governor Kay Ivey on Thursday announced the launch of a COVID-19 search engine tool that enhances the state’s official resource site, altogetheralabama.org. Through a public-private partnership between Yext and the state of Alabama, this innovative platform will provide real-time answers to questions about everything from the virus itself, through a symptom checker that was developed at UAB, to upcoming COVID-19 testing…
With 6.6 million people seeking unemployment benefits last week, more than one in 10 U.S. workers have lost their jobs in just the past three weeks due to the coronavirus outbreak. The numbers show that this is the largest and fastest string of job losses in records dating to 1948. By contrast, during the Great Recession it took about 10…
The State of Alabama has now started giving people receiving unemployment benefits an extra $600 a week. That money was approved in the passage of the federal CARES Act late last month. The extra money is officially called the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) benefit. The Alabama Department of Labor began paying the benefits on April 8. People whose claims…
