The Montgomery County Commission unanimously voted to increase hourly wages for certain essential county employees. Sheriff Derrick Cunningham asked the commission in April for an extra $2.50 per hour to be added to the pay for those that qualify for hazardous duty pay. Sheriff Cunningham said the pay was needed to address the effects of COVID-19, such as compensating the…
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WBMA) — A new executive order will go into effect at 6:01 p.m. on Tuesday, September 8 permitting Tuscaloosa bars and restaurants to begin reopening with limited capacity. Mayor Walt Maddox issued an executive order to shut such establishments down after a rise in COVID-19 cases in the city. Mayor Maddox along with the City of Tuscaloosa said the…
NEW YORK (AP) – Research is increasingly pointing to a retreat of working mothers from the U.S. labor force, as the pandemic leaves parents with few child care options and the added burden of navigating distance learning. The trend threatens the financial stability of families in the near-term. In the long-term, the crisis could stall, if not reverse, decades of…
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – State securities officials say cybercrime including email attacks are on the rise during the pandemic. A statement from the Alabama Securities Commission said social engineering attacks have been increasing with more people working at home and children using virtual learning because of the Coronavirus outbreak. Commission Director Joe Borg said information is more accessible than ever,…
Labor Day weekend is upon us, and the Alabama Department of Public Health is concerned about another spike in COVID cases. Dr. Karen Landers with the Alabama Department of Public Health said this concern comes from the spike in virus cases associated with holidays… Memorial Day weekend, and most recently July 4th celebrations. That is the main factor Governor Ivey…
From the West Alabama Newsroom– The Fourth Judicial Circuit is installing safety shields in courtrooms throughout the five county circuit. Judge Collins Pettaway says the project is an effort to protect against the spread of COVID-19 — during in-person court proceedings. Sneeze guards will be put up around the judge’s bench — the jury box — the court reporter —…
City of Tuscaloosa are considering $400,000 in aid to help bars that were forced to shut down because of the pandemic. Bar owners in Tuscaloosa say they’re being hurt by a city order that forced them to close for two weeks after students returned to town and hundreds of new coronavirus infections were confirmed, so officials are considering a package…
As Montgomery Public Schools reaches the halfway point of the first nine weeks, system leaders are looking into the next nine weeks. Superintendent Dr. Ann Roy Moore and her leadership team say they are evaluating the current state of COVID-19 and preparing to add a face-to-face option for MPS students beginning the second nine-week grading period. “Our number one priority…
On Monday August 31, Governor Ivey announced $10 million in Coronavirus relief money would be allocated for Alabama timberland owners affected by the pandemic. “We are grateful to Governor Ivey for recognizing how important the forest products industry is to the state’s economy and the critical role forest landowners play in the supply chain,” said Chris Isaacson, Executive Vice President…
The University of Alabama reported Friday that an additional 481 students have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total to more than 1,000 infections since students returned to campus. The University of Alabama System released the new numbers on its dashboard that reports case numbers for all three campuses. The university system said no students are hospitalized. The quick rise…
