Author

Eddie Burkhalter

Eddie Burkhalter is a reporter at the Alabama Political Reporter. You can email him at [email protected] or reach him via Twitter.

News / Health / State

Alabama COVID-19 hospitalizations at all-time high, new daily cases remain high

The number of new COVID-19 cases in Alabama jumped by 964 on Friday, a sign that days of record-breaking new daily cases may not be coming to an end, and community spread of the virus continues. Alabama’s 964 new cases on Friday was the third-highest daily count since the pandemic began, and came the day … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

June 26, 2020

Federal appeals court rules against Alabama in COVID-19 voting case

Judges on the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals turned down the state of Alabama’s appeal to the court over a federal judge’s ruling lifting a statewide ban on curbside voting and waiving certain absentee ballot requirements for voters in at least Jefferson, Mobile, and Lee Counties for the July 14 runoff. U.S. Circuit judges Jill … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

June 25, 2020

State health officer worried COVID-19 is too widespread for contact tracing to work

Alabama saw yet another record-high daily increase in COVID-19 cases on Thursday, and although a commercial contract tracing firm is to soon start working in the state, with cases so widespread and many not tied to specific events or places, the state health officer worries it’s too late for tracing to be effective. Alabama recorded … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

June 25, 2020

More than 18,000 file jobless claims last week

More than 18,000 Alabamians filed initial jobless claims last week, slightly more than had filed claims the week prior and a signal that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact the state’s workforce. During the week of June 14 through June 20 18,671 people filed initial claims, and 11,311 of them were COVID-19 related, according to … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

June 25, 2020

Fifth Alabama inmate dies after testing positive for COVID-19

The fifth inmate in an Alabama prison has died after testing positive for COVID-19, the Alabama Department of Corrections announced Wednesday. Allen Barton, 59, a terminally-ill man who was serving at Staton Correctional Facility tested positive for COVID-19 in the prison’s infirmary after exhibition symptoms of the virus, ADOC said in a statement. He was … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

June 24, 2020

Court asked to intervene to address understaffing in Alabama prisons

Attorneys for the plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the Alabama Department of Corrections in a Wednesday court filing argued that the state is woefully behind on court-ordered hiring of correctional officers for the state’s overcrowded, understaffed prisons, and they asked for more court intervention. It has been more than two years since U.S. District Judge … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

June 24, 2020

Alabama records second-highest daily increase in COVID-19 cases

Alabama on Wednesday recorded the second-highest daily increase in COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began, signaling that the virus continues to spread throughout communities across the state, experts said. The state saw 954 new confirmed cases Wednesday, the highest daily new case count since the previous high of 1,014 on June 14. The state’s 14-day … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

June 24, 2020

Alabama inmate’s likely suicide at least the fifth this year

A man serving at the Holman Correctional Facility died May 15 of an apparent suicide, the Alabama Department of Corrections confirmed on Wednesday. Jamal O’Neal Jackson, 29, was found unresponsive in his cell by prison officials on May 15, the department said in a message to APR. An investigation into his death is ongoing and … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

June 24, 2020

FBI: Noose found in Black NASCAR driver’s stall was there for months

Federal agencies investigating a noose found in the garage stall of Black NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace said Tuesday that the noose had been in the stall since late 2019 and that no federal crimes were committed. “On Monday, fifteen FBI special agents conducted numerous interviews regarding the situation at Talladega Superspeedway. After a thorough review … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

June 23, 2020

Sen. Doug Jones calls out TVA for layoffs, outsourcing during pandemic

U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, D-Alabama, on Tuesday expressed concern over the outsourcing of jobs to overseas workers for employees at the Tennessee Valley Authority. The TVA announced in January plans to outsource about 120 information technology jobs, according to the Chattanooga Times Free Press. “I stand with the Engineering Association today — and every day … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

June 23, 2020