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.

Confirmed COVID-19 cases among Alabama prison workers reaches 51

The number of prison workers in Alabama who’ve tested positive for coronavirus ticked up to 51 on Tuesday. The Alabama Department of Corrections said just a single inmate has an active case of the virus. The Alabama Department of Corrections in a press release Tuesday said three more workers at the Julia Tutwiler Prison for … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

May 26, 2020

Birmingham’s mask ordinance to expire Friday

Birmingham’s ordinance requiring citizens to wear masks while in public is set to expire Friday. Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin in a statement Tuesday cautioned the public against letting their guard down, however, and said despite the expiration of the ordinance, the public should continue to wear masks while out to help prevent the spread of … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

May 26, 2020

Alabama nonprofit hopes federal food aid for children continues through summer

Almost half of Alabamians experienced a loss in income since the COVID-19 crisis began, and more than 13 percent said they hadn’t had enough to eat during the prior week, according to a recent survey, but there is help for families with children struggling with food insecurity. Two federal programs combined can help keep Alabamians … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

May 24, 2020

Alabama AG warns against nursing homes taking stimulus checks

Alabama’s top law enforcement officer on Friday warned against nursing homes intercepting federal stimulus payments to long-term care residents who are Medicaid recipients, but the state’s Nursing Home Association says it’s not aware that is happening, and it hasn’t been contacted by the Alabama Attorney General’s Office over the matter. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

May 22, 2020

Alabama prisons releasing some inmates early amid COVID-19 outbreak

Updated at 12 p.m. to include responses from the Alabama Department of Corrections. The Alabama Department of Corrections has automated the process of releasing early some inmates convicted of nonviolent offenses and who are nearing the end of their sentences, according to a department document obtained by APR. ADOC’s decision to automate the process by … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

May 22, 2020

Alabama partners with Google, Apple in coronavirus exposure tech

Gov. Kay Ivey on Thursday announced that the state is one of four to have signed a deal with Google and Apple to use the companies’ software to build an app that would notify a person if they’ve come into contact with someone with coronavirus. “Hopefully this will become an important tool in the tool … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

May 21, 2020

More than 800,000 Alabamians lived in poverty before the COVID-19 crisis, report finds

More than 800,000 Alabamians, 256,000 of them children, were living below the federal poverty level before the COVID-19 crisis and more than 400,000 lost their jobs statewide, according to a report released Thursday. Poverty statewide has decreased by 2.4 percentage points since a peak of 19.2 percent in 2014, but Alabama’s poverty rate of 16.8 … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

May 21, 2020

COVID-19 cases among prison workers reach 36

Two more prison workers have tested positive for coronavirus, bringing the total of confirmed cases among staff to 36 across 16 state facilities, the Alabama Department of Corrections announced Wednesday. A worker at the Camden Community Based Facility and Community Work Center in Camden and an employee at the Birmingham Community Based Facility and Community … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

May 20, 2020

Deaths among Alabama’s long-term care residents more than double over two weeks

Long-term care residents make up almost half of the deaths in Alabama due to COVID-19, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health. As of Tuesday, 224 of the state’s 504 deaths, or 44 percent, were residents in the state’s long-term care facilities, the department told APR. On Wednesday, the total number of deaths statewide … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

May 20, 2020

Ivey announces $11.9 million for fisheries impacted by COVID-19, flooding

Gov. Kay Ivey on Wednesday announced the $3.3 million in federal coronavirus aid money will be available in the coming months to Alabama’s seafood industry, impacted by the outbreak. In addition to the $3.3 million from the CARES Act, the state is to also receive $8.6 million in federal fisheries disaster relief funds due to … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

May 20, 2020