State Senator Cam Ward (R-Alabaster) has introduced a bill that would, for a period of two years, redirect all the money gathered by the Rebuild Alabama Act into a small business stimulus fund. Since the bill amends Alabama’s constitution, the public would get to vote on the proposal during the July runoff if it is […]

Left out of the mix last week when Gov. Kay Ivey announced she was rolling back some of the restrictions put in place to slow the spread of coronavirus pandemic were church services and other religious gatherings. Not only has it forced parishioners to seek out other methods by which they participate in a weekly […]

The window for Alabama small businesses to access federal relief dollars reopened on April 27, and tens of thousands took advantage of the opportunity, according to the Small Business Administration (SBA). Under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), eligible small businesses may receive relief funds through government-backed loans from banks and credit unions. PPP is administered […]

The citizens of Madison County still have more work to do if they want to get to the head of the class when it comes to COVID-19 safety measures. At Monday’s daily briefing, Madison County Commission Chairman Dale Strong and Dr. Pam Hudson, CEO of Crestwood Medical Center, both said they believed the public in […]

While the country continues to struggle with the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, there continue to be questions raised about China and its role in the spread of the virus. Some have speculated China did not do enough to limit the damage of COVID-19, and that inaction was due to a desire to preserve its […]

The University of Alabama at Birmingham and UAB Medicine are implementing additional expense-reduction strategies due to significant financial losses resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The university and UAB Medicine will implement different responses to address budget shortfalls for their separate lines of business. The university is announcing limited furloughs of staff who are unable to […]

The Alabama Department of Labor (ADOL) paid out $503 million in unemployment benefits between March 16 and May 1, per numbers released Monday. The $503 million was disbursed among 206,694 claimants. According to a release from the department, those claimants make up 84% “of those filing COVID-19 related active claims since March 16, 2020.” According […]

MONTGOMERY — While still collecting their taxpayer-funded salaries, the Alabama House Democratic Caucus — with only one defector — on Monday refused to show up to work as the 2020 regular session of the legislature resumed. State Rep. Rod Scott (D-Fairfield) was the sole Democratic member to answer roll call. At least 65 Republicans were […]

The University of North Alabama (UNA) will welcome students back to its 130-acre Florence campus for in-person classes this Fall, according to a statement from the school. Employees at UNA will begin a gradual return to campus in May. UNA President Ken Kitts expressed confidence in the work done by the university to ensure the […]

JASPER, Alabama – Warrior Met Coal Inc. plans to invest $50 million to construct a barge load-out facility in Walker County to support its expanding metallurgical coal mining operation near Tuscaloosa, a project that will add 12 new high-paying jobs. Warrior Met Coal is the state’s largest producer of met coal, used as a key component […]

Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04) has hired Alex Vanderford to be the manager of his 2020 reelection campaign. Vanderford is a native of the district Aderholt represents, raised in Muscle Shoals. He is a graduate of Martin Methodist College in Pulaski, Tennessee. After working on now-U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn’s (R-TN) victorious campaign in 2018, Vanderford was […]

The Poarch Band of Creek Indians (PCI) on Monday announced the donation of $150,000 to the American Red Cross, enabling the purchase of a new Bloodmobile. In a statement, PCI Tribal Chair and CEO Stephanie A. Bryan said, “The American Red Cross is an incredible community partner and the Poarch Band of Creek Indians is proud […]

Around lunchtime on Tuesday, military planes will perform flyovers of the hospitals in several of Alabama’s larger cities. The Alabama National Guard, which announced the news on Twitter, is coordinating the flyovers. The initiative is part of a nationwide effort to show support for medical workers during the coronavirus pandemic. Jets will appear in Birmingham, […]

Congressman Mo Brooks (AL-05) announced Monday that he has promoted Alabama native Marshall Yates to serve as his new chief of staff. Yates has been working for Brooks since early 2017, most recently as his legislative director. He has previously held numerous roles on Republican campaigns and other conservative institutions. In a statement, Brooks described […]

Protective Life Foundation has made a $1 million commitment to support both immediate and longer-term coronavirus (COVID-19) relief efforts. The contribution, announced in a release last month by Protective Life Corporation, will be directed to community partners across its company footprint, providing relief, support and recovery solutions for those who need it most. Protective Life […]

Blount County Sheriff Mark Moon made waves early Sunday with a report he was instructing his deputies not to enforce certain provisions of Gov. Kay Ivey’s so-called “Safer at Home” order that continued to restrict some businesses and church worship activities. Moon’s announcement, first reported by the Cullman Daily News was greeted with accolades statewide, […]

The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) achieved a record $109.7 million in research and development expenditures in fiscal year 2019 (FY19), according to the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) survey. The university’s federal research expenditures have increased by 24 percent over two years. UAH had active contracts and research […]

Lamar County Sheriff Hal Allred on Sunday said his department will not enforce the State of Alabama’s current health order. Governor Kay Ivey last week announced her “Safer-At-Home”order, which went into effect on Thursday, April 30, at 5:00 p.m. CT. That order continues to shutter in-person church services, as well as onsite dining and several other […]

State Senate Majority Leader Greg Reed (R-Jasper) does not mince words when describing the importance of expanding access to broadband in Alabama. “It is a significant statewide issue,” he told Yellowhammer News during a recent conversation. “I consider it a top five issue for Alabama’s future.” Calling broadband a “fundamental infrastructure component,” Reed can easily […]

While bookstores in Alabama were considered nonessential and mandated closed to the public for nearly a month, many owners turned to online sales and curbside deliveries to keep revenues streaming amid what had been more than a decade of steady book business nationwide. Publishers Weekly said Americans paid more than $5 billion to buy nearly […]

State Rep. Wes Allen (R-Troy) on Sunday called on the Ivey administration to allow in-person church services and close contact businesses to reopen. In a video, Allen called on State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris to immediately rescind aspects of the current “Safer-At-Home” order, which went into effect on Thursday, April 30, at 5:00 p.m. […]

Although many in Alabama are not satisfied with the rate at which the state is resuming its return to normalcy in the wake of the breakout of the coronavirus pandemic, State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris indicated he remains certain he is making the proper determinations in plotting that course. Harris took to national TV […]

Orchestra Partners and REV Birmingham have partnered to launch The Parkside Trail, a temporary conversion of First Avenue South into a car-free, multi-use trail modeled after The Open Streets Project. Beginning Saturday, May 2, the First Avenue South corridor between 12th Street and 20th Street will be closed to vehicles and become a multi-use trail […]

The coronavirus may be keeping people at home, but it has not stopped nurses from providing prenatal and postnatal care to first-time mothers in need. The program, which has been in the Birmingham area for almost three years, connects nurses who support pregnant women having their first baby. The nurses provide weekly or biweekly home […]