Gov. Kay Ivey has declare a state of emergency as the potential for severe weather across Alabama grows. The declaration went into effect at 6 p.m. Tuesday. The threat for potentially dangerous weather is rising for much of Alabama, she said. Out of an abundance of caution, I have issued a state of emergency for all 67 counties to ensure we are ready to act in any way needed from the state level. Projections are showing that this will likely be a widespread event, with some of the most severe weather anticipated late Wednesday night into early Thursday morning. Please make preparations now in the event your area is impacted in some way. I will continue keeping a close eye on the system and encourage every Alabamian to do the same.”
Alabama s spring severe weather season is expected to ramp up Wednesday, with forecasts calling for a significant risk of severe weather across the central part of the state.
The forecast covers all of the state from Wednesday morning through Wednesday night, with storms expected earlier in the western portions and later in the east. The National Weather Service predicts an enhanced risk for tornadoes, winds of 60 miles-per-hour or better and golf ball-sized hail. The enhanced category is a 3 out of five designation, with 5 being the strongest risk.
There is a slight chance of severe weather today and Tuesday, but Wednesday will be the big event, said Jason Holmes, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Birmingham.
While there was a lot of talk and no action this week from Gadsden city leaders regarding the proposed Pilgrim s Pride rendering plant on Steele Station Road, there are now two pending legal actions regarding the plant.
In addition to the lawsuit filed by the firm of Knowles & Sullivan challenging the zoning of the proposed site on Gadsden Airport Authority property, an action filed last week challenges the City of Gadsden, Gadsden Water Works and Sewer Board and Gadsden-Etowah Industrial Development Authority, saying the organizations have failed to provide public records requested by Christie Knowles, who is representing Choice Fabricators Inc. and the nonprofit Advance Etowah.
When will Alabama teachers receive COVID vaccine?
Updated Jan 06, 2021;
Posted Jan 06, 2021
FILE - In this Jan. 5, 2021, file photo, healthcare worker receives a second Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine shot.AP
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Alabama teachers will likely receive the COVID-19 vaccinations in the coming months, officials said.
Teachers, both public and private, education staff and childcare workers are in the 1B group, putting them just behind frontline healthcare workers and residents and staff of nursing homes and long-term care facilities. Teachers fall into the category with people 75 and older; people who live in group settings, including homeless shelters, group homes, prison or jails; and first responders, including firefighters and law enforcement.
The Gadsden/Etowah County Emergency Management Agency website provides real-time information about the COVID-19 situation in the county, Director Deborah Gaither said and based on that information, the situation is really serious.
Gaither said Etowah County s overall COVID-19 risk level is severe; the daily number of new cases is ranked as extreme. While statistics peg the infection rate as medium, the positivity rate among those tested is a critical 28.2%.
When she updated the Gadsden City Council this week, Gaither said Etowah County s ICU capacity had not been updated for Tuesday; the day before, it was 100%.
According to the Alabama Department of Public Health, Etowah County s cumulative number of cases Tuesday was 9,206 7,383 confirmed and 1,823 probable cases since March. The county added 152 confirmed new cases and 71 probable cases Tuesday 1,759 cases in the last 14 days.