Production and testing on NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) may be suspended, but progress continues virtually on the most powerful rocket ever built. While NASA suspended operations at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi and Michoud Assembly Facility in Louisiana in response to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, remote work is still underway on the Boeing-built SLS […]

Headed into the coronavirus pandemic, local governments in Morgan and Limestone Counties had a leg up on other governments in having some of what they needed to take on that challenge. Across the banks of the Tennessee River from the city of Decatur is the Brown’s Ferry Nuclear Plant, owned and operated by the Tennessee […]

While the inpatient hospital at UAB was down to only 38 coronavirus cases on Monday, the toll the crisis has taken on small businesses in the Magic City continues to deepen. That is why Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin established the #BhamStrong program. The program is a public-private partnership seeking to bolster the sectors of Birmingham’s […]

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama (BCBS) is waiving all deductibles, copays and coinsurance for patients needing treatment for COVID-19 that are admitted to an in-network hospital, according to a release from the company on Monday. BCBS had previously announced that none of their customers would have to pay for a coronavirus test or “covered […]

A tornado reportedly touched down in an area of Tuscaloosa during Sunday’s severe weather, and drone footage was posted on Monday showing serious property damage. The footage, posted on Facebook by Mark Murrow, lasts almost 15 minutes and surveys the NorthRiver Yacht Club neighborhood and golf course. Watch:

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has caused the under-construction Mazda-Toyota plant in Huntsville to delay its planned start of production in 2021, according to Monday reports. Hiring began on a rolling basis in January, with the original plan being to begin manufacturing vehicles at the facility near the beginning of 2021, with full production to begin […]

The U.S. Army has selected Alabama’s Anniston Army Depot as the de-processing site for the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) program. U.S. Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL), the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, made the announcement on Monday in a release. De-processing for Army combat vehicles is a step that occurs prior to fielding vehicles for […]

The inpatient hospital at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is down to 38 coronavirus patients from a peak of 62, according to a release from the facility on Monday. While the number demonstrates progress in the state’s fight against COVID-19, officials at the facility are warning that Alabama “cannot afford to slip up […]

The Medical Association of the State of Alabama is hosting personal protective equipment (PPE) donation day on Monday. The public is asked to give what they can to help keep medical workers safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drop off locations have been set up around the state. The association is assuring the public that all […]

Alabama industries large and small are coming together to support health care workers fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Boeing in Huntsville and Mercedes-Benz in Tuscaloosa County are among the state’s biggest employers that are deploying resources to produce face masks and face shields for hospitals and first responders. Beyond that, clothing designers, textile manufacturers, breweries and a host of […]

Former State Senator Bill Hightower (R-Mobile) released a new ad for his congressional campaign on Monday that features footage of him campaigning for then-candidate Donald Trump in 2016. “I was proud to stand in support of President Trump in 2016 and I’m proud to stand with him today. Four years ago I said ‘we need […]

On this week’s broadcast of APTV’s “Capitol Journal,” Alabama State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris indicated he anticipates the state’s peak coronavirus outbreak to come sometime between a week to 10 days. The severity of that peak, he said, depends on how well the so-called social distancing guidelines are adhered to. When asked by host […]

During Friday’s episode of Alabama Public Television’s “Capitol Journal,” State Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton (D-Greensboro) argued now is the time for Medicaid expansion, given Alabama is in the throes of a struggle with the coronavirus pandemic. Singleton pointed to workers filling jobs currently deemed essential amid the pandemic shutdown, and noted how many of […]

The University of Alabama ACCESS Support Center, in collaboration with the Alabama State Department of Education, is offering free online courses through its Franchise Model to all students in grades 7-12 in the state of Alabama. “The ACCESS Franchise Model is an agreement between school districts and the Alabama State Department of Education to use the content […]

Alabama’s U.S. Senate race, now into extended overtime for a delay due to the coronavirus pandemic, has garnered a lot of national attention, including from President Donald Trump, who endorsed former Auburn head football coach Tommy Tuberville. On July 14, Republican voters in Alabama will head to the polls to choose between Tuberville and former […]

While those that have contracted coronavirus remain a small percentage of the American population overall, the economic impact on society is much more significant and more profound. The stock market is down. Unemployment is at a decade-high. Many businesses are shuttered for the time being. All of it has been done in the name of […]

Alabama on Easter Sunday entered its 31st day under Governor Kay Ivey’s emergency order in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Today’s coronavirus update looks at where the state’s measures stack up to others from around the country — and the results those have achieved. First, the latest numbers:

Four environmental conservation projects in coastal Alabama will benefit from grants awarded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF). Gov. Kay Ivey announced the $24 million in grants from NFWF’s Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund. “The funding of these projects continues reinvestment in the Alabama Gulf Coast communities that were impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill nearly 10 years ago,” […]

Students at the University of Alabama are continuing outreach efforts to state schools during the COVID-19 pandemic through online lessons. The group of students called UASpace has created lessons using Alabama math and science standards that teach about space, satellites and space exploration. The lessons are available on an open Google Drive, and are an extension […]

A Saturday morning at the Market at Pepper Place is supposed to be crowded. That’s part of the charm and the allure. From finding a parking place to finding the right ears of corn, the experience is all about finding your way through crowds, hugging and shaking hands with those you haven’t seen in a while and […]

State Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) has called for a roll-back on some of the restrictions placed on businesses during the coronavirus crisis. In a series of tweets on Saturday morning, the powerful senate education budget committee chairman offered his thoughts on allowing some businesses to open. Orr also questioned the reliability of models used to […]

Boeing earlier this week announced that it planned to fly a second Orbital Flight Test. The uncrewed mission will be Boeing’s second try at delivering its Starliner vehicle to the International Space Station (ISS) in preparation for shuttling commercial crew to and from ISS. The first Starliner mission ended prematurely as a result of a […]

It’s been nearly two weeks since the state of Alabama ordered so-called non-essential businesses closed, which has had a profound impact on the state’s economy, particularly small businesses. Some small business owners have since cried fouled, noting the one-stop-shop big-box stores that sell groceries and other so-called essential items are allowed to stay open while […]

The employees of On Duty USA have ceased making CDB oil and are instead turning out hand sanitizer by the pallet to meet demand created by the requirements of life in a pandemic. With an office in Birmingham and a manufacturing facility in Kentucky, On Duty USA was founded by Alabamian and U.S. Navy veteran […]