7. Baldwin County gives all teachers $1,000 bonus
- All full-time employees of Baldwin County Schools will receive an additional $1,000 from taxpayer funds on December 18. However, Superintendent Eddie Tyler will not receive the bonus payment.
- In a letter announcing the payment, Tyler said, “I have said over and over how much I appreciate each and every one of you. What you do for this system and the more than 30,000 children we care for, is a monumental task each year. This last year has been well beyond anything anyone could ask of you. While I would like to celebrate the closing of 2020, I fully expect the next year is going to be much of the same.”
6. Byrne optimistic for the future
- U.S. Representative Bradley Byrne (R-Fairhope) has delivered his farewell speech to the U.S. House of Representatives, and he spoke of how optimistic he is about the future of the country. The speech also mentioned the current “division” in the country.
- Byrne stated, “Division in our country is the greatest internal threat we’ve got … because there is nothing that this great nation can’t accomplish when we are united.”
5. Visitors being limited in North Alabama
- Huntsville Hospital has announced that they’ll now be limiting who can visit those staying at the hospital to “only essential designated caregivers” for those who aren’t coronavirus patients. This is being done due to the increase in coronavirus cases in the area and state.
- There are still no visitors allowed for those who are hospitalized with the coronavirus, “except in special circumstances such as end-of-life care.” This change in policy is for Huntsville Hospital, Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children and Madison Hospital.
4. Hunter Biden under investigation
- The son of former Vice President Joe Biden, Hunter Biden, is being investigated by the FBI for his business dealings and his financial records, as it’s been reported that the FBI is now working with the IRS Criminal Investigation agency. Joe Biden’s transition team released a statement that the elder Biden is “is deeply proud of his son, who has fought through difficult challenges, including the vicious personal attacks of recent months, only to emerge stronger.”
- Hunter Biden has said that he’s aware of the investigation, but he’s “confident that a professional and objective review of these matters will demonstrate that I handled my affairs legally and appropriately, including with the benefit of professional tax advisors.”
3. Marshall supporting the Texas lawsuit
- After Texas filed a lawsuit against Pennsylvania, Georgia, Wisconsin and Michigan, 17 state attorney generals, including Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, have joined an amicus brief supporting the lawsuit.
- President Donald Trump has expressed his intention to get involved in the lawsuit, calling this “the big one.” The goal of the lawsuit is to move the election in these states to their legislatures.
2. Vaccine should be here early next week
- Alabama State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris is expecting to be able to start distributing some of the coronavirus vaccines next week, adding that they “do have some cause for optimism with the rollout of the vaccine.”
- Harris said that the vaccine should be arriving in the state “early next week.” Alabama will receive 40,950 doses of the vaccine, which will first be sent to “about 15” hospitals across the state.
1. Mask mandate extended
- Governor Kay Ivey has announced that the “Safer-At-Home” emergency health order for the state has been extended until at least January 22, 2021, which will also extend the statewide mask mandate. There were no other changes made to the order.
- According to recent polling by ALDailyNews, 63.3% of people approve of the mask mandate. Ivey has indicated that she won’t keep the mandate in place for much longer, but it’s also somewhat expected that it could remain close to when a vaccine is widely available.
