Park Board Approves Making Legion Field A 24/7 Vaccination Site
The Football Capital of the South could soon be the COVID Vaccination Capital after the Birmingham Park Board voted unanimously today to approve measures to allow Legion Field to be used as a 24/7 COVID-19 vaccine distribution center.
City Council President William Parker said in a release that, as the country enters the next phase of the public health crisis, the priority for city leaders must be providing equitable access to vaccine distribution clinics.
In addition to Legion Field, Parker said he will continue working with the Park Board to open community centers and the Botanical Gardens as vaccine clinics as well.
Last week, State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, began efforts to provide vaccinations at all hours of the day, beginning with first responders. Officials estimate that the site will be able to handle 250 to 500 people an hour, or potentially 6,000 to 12,000 vaccinations a day.
The goal is to have the Legion Field site open 24/7 for vaccine distribution, as the Biden Administration begins its efforts to distribute 100 million vaccines in the first 100 days he is in office.
“We want to make sure Legion Field remains on the front line of this fight. The trend around the country is to utilize large stadiums for vaccine distribution,” Parker said. “In addition to that, we want to make sure all of Birmingham’s 99 neighborhoods have access to vaccine clinics as we continue working with our federal partners to secure as many doses as possible.”
Legion Field has been operating as a testing site for COVID-19, in a partnership of Jefferson County Department of Health, the city of Birmingham and Clergy Concern for the Community. Testing is continuing at the site; vaccinations would expand that operation.
Auburn fires coach Hugh Freeze following 12th loss in his last 15 SEC games
The 56-year-old Freeze failed to fix Auburn’s offensive issues in three years on the Plains, scoring 24 or fewer points in 17 of his 22 league games. He also ended up on the wrong end of too many close matchups, including twice this season thanks partly to questionable calls.
In a ‘disheartening’ era, the nation’s former top mining regulator speaks out
Joe Pizarchik, who led the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement from 2009 to 2017, says Alabama’s move in the wake of a fatal 2024 home explosion increases risks to residents living atop “gassy” coal mines.
‘It’s like feeling the arms of your creator just wrapped around you’: a visit to a special healing Shabbat
Members of Temple Emanu-El in Birmingham gathered recently for their traditional Friday Shabbat service. But this particular service was different, as could be seen by all the people dressed in their finest pink.
Space Command is coming to Huntsville. What might that mean for first-time homebuyers
While Huntsville has been a more affordable market than other growing cities, what’s it been like for those looking for their first home?
Colorado says relocation of Space Command to Alabama is ‘punishment’ for mail-in voting
The litigation announced by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser asks a federal judge to block the move as unconstitutional.
Breaking down Alabama’s CHOOSE Act
It’s been a year since Alabama legislators passed the CHOOSE Act allowing families to apply for state funds to use towards homeschool expenses and tuition for participating private schools. The Alabama Daily News’ education reporter Trisha Powell Crain has been diving into how the funds are being used. WBHM’s Andrew Gelderman sat down with her to talk about what we’re seeing so far.
