New Planned Parenthood Clinic in Birmingham to offer abortions
The new Planned Parenthood clinic in Birmingham will start offering abortions at their new location, 1019 First Ave. North. The clinic opened on July 14. According to AL.com, Barbara Ann Luttrell, vice president of external affairs for Planned Parenthood Southeast, said, “It’s 11,000 square feet, a state-of-the-art facility,” she said. “We will offer a full spectrum of reproductive health services.” Abortions had not been offered at the old Planned Parenthood location since 2017. The office was located in Birmingham off Highland Ave was frequently a staging area for anti-abortion protests. Pro-life groups picket abortion clinics with volunteer “sidewalk counselors,” who try to dissuade women from having an abortion. The new clinic has a fenced-in parking area with a gate and security cameras. Construction began in January 2019. Soon after, the Alabama Legislature passed the Human Life Protection Act to make abortion illegal in Alabama except when the mother’s life is in danger. Gov. Kay Ivey signed the nearly complete ban on abortion into law in May 2019. “To the bill’s many supporters, this legislation stands as a powerful testament to Alabamians’ deeply held belief that every life is precious and that every life is a sacred gift from God,” Republican Gov. Kay Ivey said in a statement. Soon after the ban, the ACLU and Planned Parenthood sued to stop the law. U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson blocked the ban with a preliminary injunction in October 2019, staying it was unconstitutional. Currently, there are three abortion clinics in Alabama. They are in Huntsville, Montgomery, and Tuscaloosa. The Birmingham office will be the fourth. Planned Parenthood provides a full array of reproductive services, including birth control, STD testing, and reproductive education. According to their website, “The majority of Planned Parenthood’s services are preventive: care that helps prevent unintended pregnancies with birth control and sex education, reduce the spread of STDs through testing and treatment, and screen for cervical, breast, and other cancers.”
Alabama reports daily case record; more schools to go online
Alabama reported more than 2,200 new coronavirus cases Thursday— the highest single-day increase in cases — as health officials cautioned it will take a few weeks to see the effect of a statewide mask order. The spike came after several days of declining case numbers and as a number of school systems announced students will not immediately return to classrooms this fall. The state topped more than 2,000 daily cases for the third time and is now averaging about 1,700 new cases reported each day. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey last week announced an order requiring face masks in public places. State health officials have cautioned it will take a few weeks to see any effect on case numbers. “For the effects of masking, at least two weeks would be necessary, but three would be best,” State Health Officer Scott Harris wrote in a reply to The Associated Press. Since the pandemic began, more than 72,000 people in the state have tested positive for the coronavirus with nearly one-third of cases being reported in the last two weeks. More than 1,300 people have died, according to numbers from the state health department. Alabama on Wednesday reported more than 50 additional deaths from COVID-19 patients. However, Harris said that spike is partly related to the state being able to work through a backlog. “That said, we have more inpatients than ever in hospitals and so deaths will be increasing,” Harris said. More than 1,500 people with COVID-19 were in state hospitals Wednesday. School systems are making their own decisions about whether to hold in-person classes, distance-learning, or a combination approach when the school year begins. Several Alabama school systems announced this week that students will not immediately return to classrooms. Birmingham City, Montgomery County, Huntsville City, Madison City, and Madison County are among the school districts that have announced students will do remote learning for the beginning of the year. Mobile County, the state’s largest school system, had already announced it would have virtual classes for the first part of the year. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Key Ivey supports local farmers with “Sweet Grown Alabama” day
Kay Ivey has issued a proclamation that declared July 22, 2020, as Sweet Grown Alabama Day. According to Alabama News Center, Ivey announced it at a special farmers market to commemorate the launch of Sweet Grown Alabama’s online searchable database. This database will support local farmers and help consumers easily find locally grown produce. Ivey commented, “Alabama’s farmers have a significant impact on our great state with over 580,000 Alabamians working in agriculture and related industries. Connecting with local farmers through Sweet Grown Alabama is a great opportunity to show your support for our neighbors and enjoy the wonderful products grown right here at home!” Sweet Grown Alabama’s database has grown to over 150 Alabama farmers and businesses since its launch in September 2019. Today’s celebration, held in Montgomery, had over 30 local vendors selling produce, meat, honey, and other locally produced items.
Alabama could lose House seat based on Census response
Alabama is in danger of losing at least one congressional seat based on its current response rate to the U.S. Census, officials said Tuesday. Kay Ivey, during a progress report on the state’s standing with the national head count, said the state’s current participation rate is 59.8%, or 2 percentage points behind the national average. While the state’s performance is better than that of some Southern neighbors, state Census leader Kenneth Boswell said Alabama would lose one of its seven U.S. House seats and possibly two if the counting ended now. Some $13 billion in annual federal funding for programs including school nutrition, health care, infrastructure, and housing also is at stake with the Census, which occurs every 10 years. With the push to promote the Census being affected by the coronavirus pandemic, the state has hired a publicity firm to help spread the word, Boswell said. Events are being planned including a “statewide day of action,” when employers will be asked to let workers complete the Census while on the job. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Mask mandate off to uneven start as pandemic rages
A new health rule mandating face masks in public in Alabama was off to an uneven start Friday, with many people covering up to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, others refusing and authorities taking a generally hands-off approach to enforcement. The virus that causes COVID-19 is raging through the state, with more than 1,500 cases reported each day over the last week and hospital intensive care units more than 85% full. Officials described the mask requirement as an attempt to avoid another shutdown of the economy. At a strip mall in heavily Republican Shelby County south of Birmingham, most people coming and going from shops wore cloth face masks. A customer at a UPS store in Pelham apologized out loud for forgetting hers; everyone else inside wore a mask or a plastic face shield. A few miles away at a Home Depot store, most customers and employees wore masks, yet a few refused offers of a free mask as they entered the retailer, a worker said. “It’s better than it was but it’s not 100%,” said the employee, who wasn’t authorized to speak publicly. “We’re getting some resistance.” The rule requires a mask for anyone older than 6 who’s in public and within 6 feet (2 meters) of someone who’s not a relative. Businesses are not required to prohibit people from entering if they lack masks, but they are allowed to refuse admittance. Gov. Kay Ivey announced the mask rule, which took effect Thursday afternoon, as cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, increased dramatically this week. She said violators could face fines of $500 and jail time, but added that enforcement would be difficult and penalties weren’t the goal. “We’re certainly not asking our sheriffs and police officers to go out looking for people who are not wearing a mask and arrest them. But we are asking everyone to do a better job of practicing social distancing, personal hygiene and wearing face masks,” Ivey said in announcing the rule. Some police agencies said they would provide face masks to people not wearing them in public, but others indicated officers wouldn’t get involved. “We as law enforcement are NOT the social distancing police OR the face mask police. Just be responsible, that’s all, and be safe,” the Bay Minette Police Department announced in a post on Facebook. In Decatur, which has a municipal ordinance requiring face masks, police spokeswoman Emily Long said the department had masks available for citizens at headquarters. “If we get a call from a citizen or business owner, we educate, warn, cite, and, as a last resort, we can arrest,” Long said in an email. Near Decatur in Huntsville, a restaurant said it was banning Ivey, area political leaders and health department officials for imposing the rule. “These orders create unnecessary stress, liability, and physical, mental and financial burdens on the restaurant and its employees,” said a social media message by Mike Heffelfinger, who identified himself as the owner of Johnny’s Johnny Gryll’s II. A Piggly Wiggly grocery in Walker County announced on social media that it would welcome anyone without a mask under the assumption they had a medical condition that prevents usage. The disease has infected more than 62,000 people statewide and killed more than 1,230, state statistics show. While most people suffer only mild to moderate symptoms and recovery, it can be deadly for the elderly and people with other conditions. A statement by the Medical Association of the State of Alabama said it supported making people wear masks in public. “We want the economy open. We want businesses open. We want schools open. The best way to do this is to wash your hands, socially distance, and wear a mask/face covering over the mouth and nose to lower the spread of droplets that contain the virus,” Dr. Aruna Arora, the incoming president of the organization. State Sen. Randy Price, R-Opelika, also encouraged people to wear masks and take other steps to protect against disease in a statement that said both he and his wife Oline had been diagnosed with COVID-19. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Tommy Tuberville says maybe to debate; Doug Jones: Voters deserve one
Republicans are seeking to reclaim the Senate seat from Jones, who won a 2017 special election.
Mask order takes effect as hospitalizations rise
The order went into effect the same day that the state’s largest public school system announced students will not return to classroom this fall because of the rise in cases.
State steers money for preservation of last slave ship
Legislators included the money in the state budget that takes effect Oct. 1.
Longest serving Alabama state representative dies of cancer
Johnson had served in the House since 1978.
Kay Ivey issues statewide mask mandate, begins Thursday
Starting Thursday, Alabamians statewide will have to wear masks in public spaces. Gov. Kay Ivey made the announcement during a press conference Wednesday morning as part of her efforts to help slow the spread of COVID-19 across the Yellowhammer State. The restrictions go into effect at 5:00 p.m. Thursday. She also indicated she might take further action to limit the spread of the coronavirus, including additional business closures and limits in the future. The governor’s mask mandate comes after a dramatic increase in the number of coronavirus cases in Alabama. Healthcare leaders across the state were urging the governor to implement a statewide mask requirement. Details When do you have to wear a mask? You have to wear a mask when you are in public and in close contact with other people. Specifically, the order says to wear a mask when you are within six feet of a person from another household in any of the following places: (a) an indoor space open to the public; (b) a vehicle operated by a transportation service; and (c) an outdoor public space where ten or more people are gathered. Do young children have to wear a mask? What about people who are exercising? In other words, are there any exceptions to the mask-wearing requirement? There are five categories of exceptions. The largest category, exceptions for “practical necessity,” covers people or situations where mask use is incompatible with the realities of life—for example, children six or younger, people with certain medical conditions or disabilities, eating and drinking, medical and dental procedures, and so on. There are also categories of exceptions for exercise, for communicating with an audience, and for certain essential job functions. An additional category carves out narrow exceptions for protected activities like voting and religious worship— but even then, wearing a mask is strongly encouraged. What kind of face mask is required? The requirement allows all kinds of masks to be used—whether store-bought, homemade, or improvised from household items like scarves, bandanas, or t-shirts. The key is for the mask to cover your nostrils and mouth. For instructions on how to make your own mask, see the CDC’s “How to Make Cloth Face Coverings.” I live in a city or county that already has a local mask order. Am I supposed to follow my local order or this new statewide order? Follow this new statewide order. While this order is in effect, it will replace all local mask rules to provide a uniform, statewide rule. I am a business owner. What does this order mean for my business? The order requires businesses to take reasonable steps, where practicable, to encourage mask use by employees and customers. One example of a reasonable step might be to post signs encouraging customers and patrons to wear a mask. Although a business is not required to deny entry to people who are mask-less, they always retain the right to do so—and doing so would certainly be a reasonable step to encourage mask use. How long will the new mask requirement be in effect? The new mask requirement goes into effect Thursday, July 16, 2020, at 5:00 p.m. It is currently set to expire on July 31, 2020.
Alabama sees over 1,600 new virus cases, 7 additional deaths
At least 1,093 people in Alabama who contracted the virus have died.
Kay Ivey announces $100 million Revive Alabama COVID-19 small business grant program
Alabama received about $1.9 billion of CARES Act funding to respond to and mitigate the coronavirus pandemic.
