Good morning!

Here’s your Daily News for Thursday, July 9.

1. Alabama COVID-19 hospitalizations rise by 400 in two weeks

The coronavirus outbreak in Alabama is headed in a “bad direction,” the head of the Alabama Hospital Association said Wednesday, as the state reached a new high for people hospitalized with COVID-19 and a new low for available intensive care beds.
“I’m worried,” said. Dr. Don Williamson, the former state health officer who now heads the state hospital group. “I just think things are trending in a very, very bad direction.”
On Wednesday, 1,110 people were hospitalized because of the coronavirus across the state, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health. That is the highest number since the pandemic began. Doctors have expressed concern about the sharp rise in hospitalizations. The state had 683 hospitalized patients two weeks ago, on June 24.
The state also hit a new low for available intensive care beds. Williamson said 88% of ICU beds are full, leaving 202 beds available statewide.
Full story from Kim Chandler HERE.

2. Absentee voting up for GOP runoffs

Turnout in next week’s primary runoff election is expected to be lower than the March 3 primary, but more Alabamians have already submitted absentee ballots for the Tuesday contests than did in March.
As of Wednesday, 19,386 Alabamians had returned absentee ballots and a total of 38,285 people have applied for the ballots, according to Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill’s office.
In the March 3 primary, a total of 18,729 absentee ballots were cast. By comparison, in the 2017 special GOP primary runoff for U.S. Senate, 5,601 people voted absentee, according to Merrill’s office.
Originally scheduled for March 31, Gov. Kay Ivey delayed the runoff election until July 14 as a safety precaution as the state was beginning to deal with the coronavirus outbreak.
Four months later, Alabama continues to see a rise in infections and hospitalizations, and Merrill has encouraged those with concerns about going to the polls amid the virus outbreak to vote absentee.
Full story from ADN’s Mary Sell HERE.

4. Community Colleges ask for $95 million in virus relief funds to tech improvements

The Alabama Community College System is asking Gov. Kay Ivey for over $95 million in coronavirus relief funds to improve its distance learning and technology capabilities in light of growing challenges created by the pandemic.
The ACCS is requesting around $95.8 million to improve remote instruction and learning, including developing the ACCSOnline Innovation Center with virtual and augmented reality studios for colleges to use for instructional purposes.
Chancellor Jimmy Baker told board members on Wednesday that the system’s remote learning capabilities have been growing in the past few months but more needs to be done.
“We’ve made good effort but we’re not where we need to be,” Baker said during the monthly board meeting. “This is a game changer, it affects every school and it would create a system that would probably be far more advanced, in my judgment, than any other system that’s in this surrounding area.”
Full story from ADN’s Caroline Beck HERE.

5. Trump to US schools: Reopen or you may lose federal funds

News Briefs

Montgomery schools to require masks for fall classes

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — A public school district in Alabama will require students to wear masks for in-person classes when the school year kicks off in August.
Montgomery Public Schools students will initially receive masks from the school district but families are expected to provide their own once the school’s supply runs out, the school district said in their plan for the academic year. Montgomery is among the many cities in Alabama that already has a local mask requirement.
The district is providing an option for each student to receive online or in-person classes. Students who need devices for virtual courses will be provided one from the school district, according to the plan released last week.
Since the pandemic began, more than 46,000 people in Alabama have tested positive for COVID-19 and about 1,000 have died as of Wednesday.

Torrential rains swamp Tuscaloosa, trap motel guests

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Heavy overnight rains quickly swamped the west Alabama city of Tuscaloosa, covering roads with water and leaving guests stranded in a motel.
As much as 5 inches (12.7 centimeters) of rain fell in a brief period late Tuesday, and the resulting flash flood filled cars with water and inundated a motel near Interstate 20/59.
“I get a phone call … saying the guests were coming in saying that the rooms were flooded,” Angie Cook, general manager of Best Western University Inn, told The Tuscaloosa News. “Well, we didn’t know what that meant at that time.”
Cook said she and another manager arrived to find all the ground floor rooms were flooded, disrupting the night for roughly 40 guests. No injuries were reported.
More storms and heavy rains were possible across Alabama on Wednesday, but no severe weather is expected, the National Weather Service said.

Alabama judge charged with theft, ethics violation resigns

ATHENS, Ala. (AP) — A north Alabama judge accused of misusing court funds and stealing money from clients has resigned from his post.
Former Limestone County District Judge Doug Patterson announced he would be stepping down effective July 3, according to a letter to the Alabama Supreme Court filed Tuesday.
“The unescapable reality is that I cannot financially, mentally, or emotionally continue to fight the full weight, power and resources of the State of Alabama in two different theaters,” Patterson wrote in the letter, saying the move should not be viewed as an admission of guilt.
The former judge was suspended after being indicted on felony charges of use of official position for personal gain, financial exploitation of the elderly and theft of property in December 2019. He has pleaded not guilty to the counts, news outlets reported.
The Alabama attorney general’s office accused Patterson of using $47,000 intended for juvenile court programs on personal expenses. The former judge also was accused of improperly withdrawing about $47,800 from the account of a nursing home resident for whom he had served as a conservator, as well as between $499 and $1,500 from the estate of another client.
The case was scheduled for trial in June but was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic, news outlets reported. Jury trials in Alabama remained paused until September. Patterson was set to face a separate trial at the Alabama Court of the Judiciary on the ethics charge this week, but that trial was also postponed.
Story link.

Headlines

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – Alabama COVID-19 hospitalizations rise by 400 over 2 weeks

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – Absentee voting up for GOP runoffs

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – ‘Revive Alabama’ grants available to small businesses

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – Community Colleges ask for $95 million in COVID-19 relief funds for tech improvements

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – Trump to US schools: Reopen or you may lose federal funds

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – Fauci: Alabama has window to get COVID-19 under control

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – Marsh sends internet spending request to Ivey

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – 3 charged in killing of boy inside Alabama shopping mall

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – McConnell eyes virus aid as evictions, benefits cuts loom

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – Daily News Digest – Tuesday, July 8

AL.COM – State launches ‘Revive Alabama’ program granting $100M to small biz suffering amid pandemic

AL.COM – These are the Alabama businesses that got PPP loans of at least $150,000

AL.COM – New AHSAA program could allow more HS teams to stream games, limit revenue losses

AL.COM – Auburn supports new program to create safer alternative for COVID-19 testing

AL.COM – Bubba Wallace asked how he feels to have Donald Trump ‘come after you’

AL.COM – Alabama adds 1,161 coronavirus cases, 201 from Jefferson County; 1,032 deaths

AL.COM – 2.5 million face masks ordered for Alabama schools but no statewide mandate for classrooms

AL.COM – Alabama monuments committee review meeting canceled; move of Madison County statue on hold

AL.COM – Black Alabamians hit disproportionately as coronavirus deaths pass 1,000

Montgomery Advertiser – Caravan carries slain Montgomery police detective Tanisha Pughsley to funeral home

Montgomery Advertiser – Jeff Davis band to make TV debut on ‘America’s Got Talent’

Montgomery Advertiser – Available Alabama ICU beds at all-time low as COVID-19 hospitalizations spike

WBRC Fox 6 Birmingham – AL Sec. of State says increase in absentee votes will not delay election results

WBRC Fox 6 Birmingham – ADPH: More than 1K Alabamians have died from COVID-19 as 22K are presumed recovered

WBRC Fox 6 Birmingham – ‘This is a baby we will never see again’: Royta’s grandmother talks about the loss of her angel

Tuscaloosa News – Alabama COVID-19 hospitalizations rise by 400 over 2 weeks

Tuscaloosa News – Popsicles with Police: Building community relations

Tuscaloosa News – 3 charged in killing of boy inside Alabama shopping mall

Decatur Daily – Decatur mask ordinance passes, but mayor to delay signing or vetoing it

Decatur Daily – Cost to Decatur of Alabama 20 overpass land may jump by $1.9M

Decatur Daily – Athens mayor calls council meeting to address COVID-19 spike

Times Daily – Arrests made in Muscle Shoals burglaries

Times Daily – Masks required in Florence-owned buildings

Times Daily – Waterline break leaves hundreds without water

Anniston Star – COVID tests draw 220 in Weaver; Wellborn tests Friday

Anniston Star – Pandemic plan: Calhoun County Schools announces return strategy for students

Anniston Star – Oxford woman, Anniston man charged with drug offenses

YellowHammer News – Innovation Fund joins Auburn to support development of OraSecure saliva collection device for COVID testing

YellowHammer News – World Games 2022 Birmingham names Charles Barkley as honorary co-chair — ‘Chance to show the world what this community and its people are all about’

YellowHammer News – Rep. Brooks: Redstone Arsenal U.S. Army officials ‘illegally distributed propaganda’ claiming ‘Make America Great Again’ constitutes ‘white supremacy’

Gadsden Times – COVID-19 numbers jump in Etowah County

Gadsden Times – City sales taxes rebound in June

Gadsden Times – NAACP, county officials meet

Dothan Eagle – Dothan considers amending noise order to regulate loud music downtown

Dothan Eagle – Southeast Health hopes PPE stockpile provides buffer if national shortage worsens

Dothan Eagle – Alabama COVID-19 hospitalizations rise by 400 over 2 weeks

Opelika-Auburn News – COVID-19 test product to be developed in Auburn

Opelika-Auburn News – Chase, search warrants lead to arrests on multiple charges, including drug-trafficking

Opelika-Auburn News – Opelika mayor emphasizes importance of masks

WSFA Montgomery – Tuskegee police investigating death of 60-year-old resident

WSFA Montgomery – Covington County sheriff tests positive for coronavirus

WSFA Montgomery – Lee Co. woman sentenced to 18 years for causing baby’s death from meth use

WAFF Huntsville – Marshall County couple raise money for Project Lifesaver Program

WAFF Huntsville – AL Sec. of State says increase in absentee votes will not delay election results

WAFF Huntsville – Marshall County Courthouse sees delays in court system

WKRG Mobile – Florida State Troopers respond to fatal crash in Brent

WKRG Mobile – Woman dies trying to cross the street in Pensacola

WKRG Mobile – Pensacola city council to vote next week on removal of Confederate monument

WTVY Dothan – Dothan City Schools prepares for any shutdown or outbreak with reopening plan

WTVY Dothan – Coleman, Moore square off in only debate before runoff election

WTVY Dothan – Officers raid Dothan pharmacy suspected of illegally selling drugs

WASHINGTON POST – Liberals want more from Biden than an anti-Trump message

WASHINGTON POST – America is running short on masks, gowns and gloves. Again.

WASHINGTON POST – With pressure and threats, Trump pushes to fully reopen schools. Schools say: Not so fast.

NEW YORK TIMES – Coronavirus Live Updates: U.S. Daily Cases Surpass 59,000

NEW YORK TIMES – Trump Threatens to Cut Funding if Schools Do Not Fully Reopen

NEW YORK TIMES – U.S. Weighs Early Vaccine Access for Minorities and Others at Risk

WALL STREET JOURNAL – Unemployment Claims Level Off as New Job Losses Offset by Hiring

WALL STREET JOURNAL – Oil Went Below $0. Some Think It Will Rebound to $150 One Day.