7. Another abortion clinic for Alabama
- The new Planned Parenthood clinic has opened in downtown Birmingham. The clinic plans to offer abortions at the facility, but there isn’t an exact date on when those services will be offered.
- The previous Birmingham facility has been in an area that regularly attracts protesting, and vice president of external affairs Barbara Ann Luttrell has said safety and security of patients and staff is their “number one concern” with the new facility, which has a fenced-in parking lot, security cameras and a gate while also being bordered by Interstate 65 west.
6. Parts of RNC canceled
- Some of the Republican National Convention events were set to take place in Jacksonville, Florida, next month, but President Donald Trump at a White House press briefing announced that these events will be canceled due to coronavirus concerns.
- Trump said, “The timing for this event is not right, it’s just not right,” adding that there’s “nothing more important in our country than keeping our people safe.” This is a changed position when previously Trump pushed for the convention to be moved from North Carolina after Governor Roy Cooper said he wasn’t confident a full convention could be held due to the virus.
5. Treatment in Alabama prisons deemed unconstitutional
- It’s been determined by the United States Department of Justice that the treatment of inmates in the men’s prisons in Alabama is unconstitutional, violating the Eighth Amendment and, specifically, the use of “excessive force at the hands of prison staff.”
- The report from the DOJ details “the use of batons, chemical spray, physical altercations such as kicking — often result in serious injuries and, sometimes, death” as the use of excessive force. Currently, Governor Kay Ivey has been creating a plan for building three new prisons that are meant to improve the overall conditions within Alabama’s prisons.
4. President Trump wants dollars to follow students
- President Donald Trump has been encouraging schools to reopen this fall with social distancing and proper sanitation processes, and now he’s requesting that $105 billion be added to the next coronavirus stimulus package for schools.
- Trump announced that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is preparing guidelines for schools so they can reopen safely, and Trump has also introduced the idea that if a school district closes, parents should be given the funds that their child being enrolled provides so they can send their child to another district or private school that will reopen.
3. Tuberville prepares to take on Senator Jones’ record
- The race between former Auburn football head coach Tommy Tuberville and U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) has yet to heat up leading up to their November showdown, but during a radio interview, Tuberville highlighted areas of disagreement he will talk about moving forward.
- Tuberville looks to inform voters of Jones’ decision making on abortion, gun rights, judicial appointments and the impeachment of President Donald Trump that are more in line with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) than the citizens of the state of Alabama, saying, “Doug Jones votes with people that give him money from the Northwest and the Northeast.”
2. UAB will be involved in vaccine trials
- As some coronavirus vaccines move further along in the development process, UAB Hospital has announced that they’re looking for 500 people to participate in vaccine trials.
- The vaccine has shown some promise, and nationally, there will be 30,000-33,000 people who receive the trial. the vaccine will be administered in two doses given one month apart, and UAB researcher Dr. Paul Goepfert said they’ll mostly be interested in trying the vaccine on people who are more likely to come into contact with the virus.
1. Record high day for coronavirus cases
- The Alabama Department of Public Health has added 2,283 coronavirus cases in one day, breaking the previous record of daily cases at 2,164, and now the overall case count is 72,696. While there was an issue with some negative tests in Mobile being counted as positive, it’s still believed that after that issue is resolved, it will still be a record day for cases.
- There were 32 deaths added, making the total 1,357. it’s estimated that 32,510 people have recovered from the virus, and there are currently 1,547 people hospitalized, but the current number of positive tests is about 14%.
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