BirminghamWatch
Pamela Rush Fought For Environmental Justice Before Being Felled By The Coronavirus
A well-known activist who fought against injustice in poverty-stricken areas died last month from COVID-19.
Brocato Claims Second Term As Hoover Mayor As Jeffco Cities Elect Leaders
Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato easily defeated his challenger in Tuesday's election, City Council President Gene Smith.
Budget Blows To Birmingham Schools and Transit Cushioned, Other Groups Not As Lucky
The Birmingham Public Library is among several organizations slated to take a significant financial hit next fiscal year under Mayor Randall Woodfin's proposed budget.
Restaurants Are Hardest Hit As Businesses Try To Rebound From Pandemic
Some restaurants in Birmingham are working to regain a loss in revenue after forced closures during the pandemic. Meanwhile, other restaurants like Babalu and Lucy's Coffee & Tea weren't so lucky - closing their doors indefinitely.
Voters In Several Jefferson County Municipalities Choose Mayors, Council Members On Aug. 25
Voters will head to the polls Tuesday, Aug. 25, to determine the outcome of multiple municipal elections.
Accounting Contract Leads To Squabble On The Jefferson County Commission
Tensions were high at the county commission meeting this week after Commission President Jimmie Stephens said he felt he was being disrespected by President Pro Tem Lashunda Scales.
COVID-19 Totals Increase By 699 Cases And 29 Deaths In Thursday Report
Recent coronavirus numbers reflect a downward trend in the rate of infections over the past month.
Albert Trousdale’s Son Points COVID-19 Skeptics To A Tombstone
“I said ‘I love you. That was the last time I saw him alive," said Matt Trousdale, whose father died from COVID-19.
Woodfin’s Budget Features Pay Cuts, Furloughs And Funding Reductions
The city of Birmingham faces a $63 million shortfall in business tax revenue because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
College Entry Testing Shows Less Than 1% Of Students Have COVID-19
Preliminary numbers from a program to test college students returning to campus indicate a low positivity rate. The program has tested about 30,000 students so far.
Birmingham Council OKs Al Fresco Dining as ‘Hail Mary’ for Restaurants
Birmingham officials approved outdoor seating for restaurants in hopes of giving them an economic boost during the pandemic.
As Nursing Homes’ Stocks Of PPE Get Too Low For Comfort, Ivey Grants Them $50 Million In COVID Aid
Federal aid for nursing homes comes as older adults comprise the largest share of COVID deaths in Alabama amid dwindling supplies.
Birmingham Gives Tax Breaks For UAB-Area Student Apartment Project, Commission Expected To Follow Suit
The company building a seven-story student housing development near UAB received permission from the city this week to forgo some property and sale taxes for the project. The county is now set to hear a similar request later this week.
Jefferson County Schools To Go Virtual-Only For First Nine Weeks; Start Sept. 1
The Jefferson County Board of Education voted Tuesday to begin the 2020-2021 school year with nine weeks of online education only and no option for traditional classroom learning.
Business Capital, Knowledge Remains Out Of Reach For Many Minority Entrepreneurs
None of the Black-owned businesses in 4th Avenue and Civil Rights commercial districts have gone out of business because of the pandemic.
BCRI Gets Emergency Funding From City Of Birmingham
The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute has been closed since March because of the pandemic causing a lack of revenue. Now it's receiving $250,000 in emergency funding from the city of Birmingham.
Health Care Disparities: Being The Target Of Racism Can Make You Physically Sick, Research Shows
The American Academy of Pediatrics has found that racial discrimination against Black children and youth can affect their health.
Birmingham Council OKs Partial Transit Funding Under Protest From Hoyt
The Birmingham City Council voted Tuesday to fund the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority through the end of 2020.
Birmingham Schools Discuss Plans To Reopen Aug. 24
The Birmingham Board of Education is considering four possibilities to begin the academic school year: remote learning, a hybrid model, traditional school and a virtual school option for the first nine weeks. A final decision will be made July 31.
Jones Starts Last Leg Of Campaign With Almost 16 Times As Much Money As Tuberville
Democrat U.S. Sen. Doug Jones is heading into the November election with more cash on hand than competitor Tommy Tuberville, according to reports the candidates filed Wednesday with the Federal Elections Commission.
Health Inspectors Are Enforcing Coronavirus Rules, Can Close Jefferson County Restaurants And Bars That Do Not Comply
The Jefferson County Health Department is using food inspectors to monitor restaurant and bars’ adherence to COVID-19 orders, and they can immediately close establishments that do not comply.
Williamson: People’s Actions In The Next Two Weeks Critical To Controlling The Future Of COVID Infections
The former head of the Alabama Hospital Association says the state can slow the spread of COVID-19 if people wear masks and socially distance.
First Police Review Finds BPD Is “Doing Pretty Good,” Woodfin Says, Ends With Explicit Ban On Chokeholds
Mayor Randall Woodfin says there is still room for improvement in the Birmingham Police Department. This comes after a 30 day internal review.
Fauci Says Alabama Still Could Rein In COVID-19, Even As Cases Spread Among Young People
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, says states that are seeing an outbreak of the virus should mandate masks and close bars.
‘Black At Samford’ Pushes For Changes In The University’s Culture, Treatment Of Black Students
Samford University is predominantly white. Now Black students are pushing for changes to procedures and culture to treat them more fairly and make the campus more multicultural.
Supreme Court Blocks Curbside Voting, Loosening Of ID Requirements For Absentee Ballots
The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday halted plans to provide curbside voting in the July 14 primary runoff and to ease ID requirements to vote by absentee ballot.
Generation After Generation, The Need For Black Parents And Children To Have ‘The Talk’ Continues
“Many people who look like me suffer through some of the same situations and are humiliated just because of the color of their skin," said Alabama Democratic Party Chair Chris England.
Alabama Schools To Open In August, But Parents Have Home Education Option
Alabama public schools will reopen in August despite the COVID-19 pandemic, but parents will be given the option of continuing distance learning.
COVID-19 Cases Hit Record High Average For The Past Two Weeks
The 14-day moving average of COVID-19 cases has now surpassed the 700 mark.
The ‘Old Normal’ Is Making Us Sick Again, UAB Doc Says; NY-Area Bans Alabama Travelers Without A Quarantine
The number of COVID-19 cases in the state rose Wednesday by 954, one of the state’s largest daily increases since the pandemic began, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health.
Avondale Added As The City’s Newest Entertainment District On July 1
The Birmingham City Council voted Tuesday to approve the creation of the “Avondale Entertainment District."
Alabama’s COVID-19 Case Averages Reach New Highs
Moving averages of new COVID-19 cases have reached their highest levels since the start of the pandemic.
