Birmingham Will Allow Mask Rule To Expire Friday
By Sam Prickett, BirminghamWatch
Birmingham will allow its face covering ordinance to expire Friday, Mayor Randall Woodfin confirmed Tuesday. The order, which had been in place since May 1, was intended to slow the spread of COVID-19 by requiring residents to wear face coverings — such as masks, bandanas or other fabrics — while in public.
“The City of Birmingham implemented the mandatory face covering ordinance as an additional level of protection as the state began the phased reopening process,” Woodfin said in a press release. “I want to thank the people of Birmingham for following the law. The ordinance raised the level of awareness to the importance of wearing a face covering when in public and within six feet of other people.”
Woodfin added that, while the ordinance will expire Friday, Birmingham residents “must not let our guard down.”
“Public health leaders say that covering your nose and mouth is a critical tool to help reduce the spread of coronavirus. I urge everyone to keep social distancing, wear face coverings in public, and do what you can to limit the spread.”
Representatives for Woodfin did not specifically explain why his administration was choosing to allow the order to expire Friday, but communications director Rick Journey reemphasized that the ordinance “raised the level of awareness” of face coverings’ importance. The Birmingham City Council had, at Woodfin’s urging, twice extended the order’s deadline.
City facilities will continue to require employees and guests to wear face coverings.
Jefferson County Health Officer Dr. Mark Wilson urged people to continue wearing a face covering regardless of whether it’s required by law, saying, “It’s about caring for others, not just yourself.”
“The City of Birmingham did a good job of getting everyone’s attention about the importance of wearing a face covering when among other people in public,” Wilson said in a statement. “Hopefully, people will continue to understand that this pandemic is far from over and that we all need to protect each other by wearing face coverings, regardless of whether there is an ordinance.”
The DOJ charged a former Indian intelligence official in a foiled assassination plot
The indictment against Vikash Yadav points to a direct link between the Indian government and what prosecutors say was a murder-for-hire scheme on American soil.
Phoenix police allegedly beat, repeatedly tased deaf Black man who has cerebral palsy
The August incident is under investigation by the police department's internal affairs division and is being reviewed by the Maricopa County Attorney's Office.
Prada and Axiom Space reveal modernized NASA spacesuits for the 2026 moon landing
The suits will be used for NASA’s Artemis III mission, marking humankind’s first return to the moon since 1972. It will see the first woman and the first person of color walk on the moon.
Fentanyl deaths in the U.S. have dropped faster than expected, CDC says
If the downward trend holds, this year is expected to be the first since 2020 to see overdose deaths fall below the 100,000 mark. However, Black and Native American communities remain vulnerable.
Judge unseals Ruben Gallego divorce filing that has hovered over Arizona senate race
An Arizona judge unsealed Gallego divorce filings Wednesday, rejecting efforts to keep the records hidden. Yet the filings did not offer the October surprise the Democratic Senate candidate's rival, Kari Lake, was hoping it would.
A father and son are indicted on murder charges in Georgia high school shooting
The grand jury indicted 14-year-old Colt Gray on 55 counts, including murder, aggravated assault and cruelty to children. His father, Colin Gray, faces 29 counts including second-degree murder.
