MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - There’s relief in sight for those who are weathering the COVID-19 pandemic without a job.It’s called the Lost Wages Assistance Program, or LWA, made possible by a FEMA grant.“It’s a brand new program, it’s not a normal Labor Department program,” stated Tara Hutchison, Communications Director for the Alabama Department of Labor. “This was implemented through an executive memorandum by President Trump and our funding sources are coming from FEMA rather than the U.S. Department of Labor.”Those who receive at least $100 a week in state unemployment assistance...…MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - There’s relief in sight for those who are weathering the COVID-19 pandemic without a job.It’s called the Lost Wages Assistance Program, or LWA, made possible by a FEMA grant.“It’s a brand new program, it’s not a normal Labor Department program,” stated Tara Hutchison, Communications Director for the Alabama Department of Labor. “This was implemented through an executive memorandum by President Trump and our funding sources are coming from FEMA rather than the U.S. Department of Labor.”Those who receive at least $100 a week in state unemployment assistance...WW…

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - Soaring COVID-19 numbers are no longer a daily reality for Alabama.There were 633 new cases reported Monday, which is less than half the daily total one month ago.The current seven-day average is half that of the week of July 15 when Gov. Kay Ivey and Alabama public health officer Dr. Scott Harris announced the state’s mask mandate. They credit the public health order for the downward trend in new cases over the last eight weeks.Locally, Montgomery hasn’t reported daily triple-digit case numbers since early August. Only 10 new cases were reported Monday....…MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - Soaring COVID-19 numbers are no longer a daily reality for Alabama.There were 633 new cases reported Monday, which is less than half the daily total one month ago.The current seven-day average is half that of the week of July 15 when Gov. Kay Ivey and Alabama public health officer Dr. Scott Harris announced the state’s mask mandate. They credit the public health order for the downward trend in new cases over the last eight weeks.Locally, Montgomery hasn’t reported daily triple-digit case numbers since early August. Only 10 new cases were reported Monday....WW…

Alabama hospitals prepare for COVID-19 surge possibilty in new school year By MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - As Alabama’s schools prepare for the unknown, the state’s hospitals are doing the same. “I’m bracing myself for an August and September of rising case rates again,” explained Dr. Don Williamson, M.D., Executive Director of the Alabama Hospital Association. “I just don’t know what that’s going to look like, but I think we have to be prepared.” The start of school coincides with flu season. Hospitals are ramping up recruitment efforts to hire additional providers and procure personal...…Alabama hospitals prepare for COVID-19 surge possibilty in new school year By MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - As Alabama’s schools prepare for the unknown, the state’s hospitals are doing the same. “I’m bracing myself for an August and September of rising case rates again,” explained Dr. Don Williamson, M.D., Executive Director of the Alabama Hospital Association. “I just don’t know what that’s going to look like, but I think we have to be prepared.” The start of school coincides with flu season. Hospitals are ramping up recruitment efforts to hire additional providers and procure personal...WW…

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - State Rep. Will Dismukes, a Republican from Prattville, said Tuesday he has no plans to resign as a growing chorus of officials calls for him to step down after he attended a celebration for Nathan Bedford Forrest.Forrest was a leader in the Confederate Army and the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan.Dismukes declined to comment further on the calls for his resignation.Sunday, Dismukes posted on social media, "Had a great time at Fort Dixie speaking and giving the invocation for Nathan Bedford Forrest annual birthday celebration. Always a great time and some...…MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - State Rep. Will Dismukes, a Republican from Prattville, said Tuesday he has no plans to resign as a growing chorus of officials calls for him to step down after he attended a celebration for Nathan Bedford Forrest.Forrest was a leader in the Confederate Army and the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan.Dismukes declined to comment further on the calls for his resignation.Sunday, Dismukes posted on social media, "Had a great time at Fort Dixie speaking and giving the invocation for Nathan Bedford Forrest annual birthday celebration. Always a great time and some...WW…

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - Alabama Rep. Will Dismukes, a Republican from Prattville, says he’s surprised by the response to his recent Facebook post that showed him giving the invocation at an annual birthday celebration for Nathan Bedford Forrest.Forrest was a leader in the Confederate Army and the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan.The event was held Saturday at Fort Dixie in Selma, the same day the late U.S. Rep. John Lewis was remembered for his vast civil rights contributions during a service at Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church.“To be 100 percent honest with you, when I made the post I...…MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - Alabama Rep. Will Dismukes, a Republican from Prattville, says he’s surprised by the response to his recent Facebook post that showed him giving the invocation at an annual birthday celebration for Nathan Bedford Forrest.Forrest was a leader in the Confederate Army and the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan.The event was held Saturday at Fort Dixie in Selma, the same day the late U.S. Rep. John Lewis was remembered for his vast civil rights contributions during a service at Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church.“To be 100 percent honest with you, when I made the post I...WW…

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - The current public health crisis will be one of the greatest tests for Alabama’s health care infrastructure. As a result, a growing chorus of advocates are urging state leaders to take the long-delayed action of expanding Medicaid.“Medicaid expansion to us, both personally as a physician and on behalf of my hospitals, is critically important,” stated Dr. Don Williamson, M.D., Executive Director of the Alabama Hospital Association.Prior the pandemic, Medicaid expansion would have provided health insurance for more than 300,000 residents, according to a host of...…MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - The current public health crisis will be one of the greatest tests for Alabama’s health care infrastructure. As a result, a growing chorus of advocates are urging state leaders to take the long-delayed action of expanding Medicaid.“Medicaid expansion to us, both personally as a physician and on behalf of my hospitals, is critically important,” stated Dr. Don Williamson, M.D., Executive Director of the Alabama Hospital Association.Prior the pandemic, Medicaid expansion would have provided health insurance for more than 300,000 residents, according to a host of...WW…

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - More than a half million people visit for tables, charts, and droves of COVID-19 data. Despite the volume of clicks and scrolls, few know David Marconnet, the man who coded it all.“I’ve just always been sort of a charts and stats kind of guy,” Marconnet explained. “It was interesting information and I felt like I could probably try to present it differently to make it easier for people to understand.”Marconnet has no healthcare background; he’s a software and website developer who wanted more data than the state was compiling and personally took on the...…MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - More than a half million people visit for tables, charts, and droves of COVID-19 data. Despite the volume of clicks and scrolls, few know David Marconnet, the man who coded it all.“I’ve just always been sort of a charts and stats kind of guy,” Marconnet explained. “It was interesting information and I felt like I could probably try to present it differently to make it easier for people to understand.”Marconnet has no healthcare background; he’s a software and website developer who wanted more data than the state was compiling and personally took on the...WW…

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - The Montgomery County Cold Case Unit has handed down a new murder charge for Ibraheem Yazeed in a 2018 homicide. He’s charged with shooting Stephen Hamby to death in a wooded area off Maxwell Boulevard near the Salvation Army.District Attorney Daryl Bailey says on Dec. 1, 2018, Stephen Hamby and Geraldine Talley, who were both homeless at the time of the shooting, were shot multiple times. Hamby was pronounced dead on the scene. Talley was shot in the face and recovered, later dying of natural causes.Investigators cite newly-discovered witnesses and the...…MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - The Montgomery County Cold Case Unit has handed down a new murder charge for Ibraheem Yazeed in a 2018 homicide. He’s charged with shooting Stephen Hamby to death in a wooded area off Maxwell Boulevard near the Salvation Army.District Attorney Daryl Bailey says on Dec. 1, 2018, Stephen Hamby and Geraldine Talley, who were both homeless at the time of the shooting, were shot multiple times. Hamby was pronounced dead on the scene. Talley was shot in the face and recovered, later dying of natural causes.Investigators cite newly-discovered witnesses and the...WW…