Prior to Aug. 2019, Alabama law required the issuance of a marriage license for two consenting parties uniting in matrimony. Upon issuance of the marriage license, the parties were also required to solemnize the wedding, whether by a minister, preacher, probate judge or other official duly authorized to perform wedding ceremonies. On Aug. 29, 2019, the law drastically changed the way individuals are united in marriage in Alabama.
The Alabama Cooperative Extension System is proud to announce the launch of “Move Alabama,” a collaboration between SNAP-Ed and EFNEP at Auburn University. Beginning on March 1, from 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., participant logs can be picked up from the Fayette County Extension office, located at 650 McConnell Loop. Logs must be returned to the extension office by April 30. Those who have completed at least 15 of the 20 challenges will be entered into a drawing for a variety of prizes.
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey has extended her mask ordinance for the state until Friday, April 9.
In extending the order, Ivey promised that this would be the last time that she would extend the order. “After April 9, I will not keep the mask order in place,” she said during a Wednesday March 3 news conference.
Senator Greg Reed, who was recently elected President Pro Tem of the Senate, said that the legislative session has already passed three key pieces of legislation that will help individuals and businesses within the state. The legislation passed included eliminating the paying of state sales tax on any type of COVID benefits received from the federal government. This includes stimulus checks for individuals and the Payroll Protection Plan benefits for businesses. Also, the legislature passed legislation that will protect businesses from frivolous lawsuits in relation to COVID liability.
The Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) has cleared the way for high schools in Alabama to participate in sports beginning this fall. Officials met in Montgomery last week, establishing the groundwork for fall football practices to begin this week and games to be played beginning on Aug. 20-21. The AHSAA released a pamphlet called “AHSAA Best Practices” that details certain guidelines and rules that will need to be followed if the return of high school sports is successful.
Alabama’s new cases of the COVID-19 virus continued at an alarming pace last week, with an increase of more than 11,000 new cases and 189 new deaths. The number of cases hit an all-time daily high increase of 2,283 new cases from July 22 – 23. The news was slightly better for Fayette County, which registered an increase of 23 new cases and no additional deaths for the seven-day period from July 20-27. Last week, Fayette had a seven-day increase of 31 new cases and four additional deaths reported by the Alabama Department of Public Health.
The Alabama Department of Revenue (ALDOR) would like to remind taxpayers that an important deadline is right around the corner. July 15 is the deadline for any Alabama taxpayer whose payment and filing deadline for state Individual Income Tax, Corporate Income Tax, Financial Institution Excise Tax (FIET), and Business Privilege Tax (BPT) was extended from its original due date by executive order on April 10.
Governor Kay Ivey has awarded more than $17 million to provide relief for Alabamians who faced unemployment and economic difficulties as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic. The Community Services Block Grants will be distributed to 20 community action agencies to provide services to qualified persons in Alabama. Community Service Programs of West Alabama Inc. (Bibb, Choctaw, Dallas, Fayette, Greene, Lamar, Perry, Sumter and Tuscaloosa counties) will receive $1.65 million in grant money.
Since Governor Kay Ivey relaxed some of the restrictions on businesses under the “Safer-at-Home” order issued due to the COVID-19 virus, cases in Alabama have continued to steadily climb. However, state officials attribute some of the increase in numbers to more aggressive testing of people potentially affected. At press time, cases of the coronavirus within the state climbed from just over 10,000 cases last week to almost 12,500 this week. The number of deaths within the state has also risen from 400 to approximately 500 during the same time frame.
