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Friday, March 29, 2024

3/29/20 10 pm A block

Credit: WAAY ABC Huntsville, AL
Duration: 0 shares 2 views

3/29/20 10 pm A block
3/29/20 10 pm A block
First show with double toss.

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus outbreak in alabama.

Tonight there are 531 confirmed cases!

That's almost 150 more than wednesday's latest update!

More than 4,000 people have been tested.

Alabama's lone death so far was a woman in jackson county.

The state department of health says the median age for alabamians with coronavirus is 47 years old.

Huntsville utilities is providing relief to customers.

Its suspending late fees for payments on bills that are due on or after march 16th.

That's until further notice.

This is in addition to huntsville utilities suspension of service interruptions for non- payment.

Tonight - parents are preparing to help their children finish the school year at home!

This is a live look from the madison county schools central office -- where administrators and teachers are putting together take- home curriculum for students.

Thanks for joining us.

I'm dan shaffer.

And i'm najahe sherman.

The madison city schools interim-superintendent says it is making sure students and parents are ready for months of non-traditional learning..

Eric terrell, interim superintendent, madison city schools with a snap of your finger, we go from a traditional style of learning to a different style of learning.

So we're going to be supportive and work with our parents and students the best way that we can.

He said they have been planning for this for weeks.

They anticipated that governor kay ivey would close the schools due to the coronavirus.

Waay 31's will robinson-smith is live at asbury church in madison where students and parents came tonight to pick up laptops and hot spots so they can do their school work from home.

This event was scheduled for about two hours and for just about the entire time, folks were wrapped around the church waiting to get their gear.

They say they're appreciative the district took this initiative.

Arlena adams, parent definitely try to keep them on a schedule: getting up at a certain time, breakfast, lunch, dinner, just because it will be crazy if i don't.

Arlena adams story is similar to parents around the state.

She's now juggling working at home and trying to further her daughters' education at the same time.

Arlena adams, parent good thing i have an older daughter to help shepherd the younger daughter and just keep peace and make it fun.

The trio came down to asbury church on thursday to pick up chrome books from madison city schools workers as they prepare to spend the rest of the school year learning from home.

Melody adams, 7th grader, discovery middle school pretty surprised.

I mean, everything's changing so fast and it's kind of...a lot.

Some parents say they didn't expect the schools would re-open this year.

Lorenzo putnam, parent i wasn't surprised.

The way this is snowballing, i figured they would probably do that.

It's for the students' safety more than anything else.

Thursday was the fourth time the school system handed out hot spots and laptops.

Technology infrastructure coordinator tommy paone says they started planning for remote learning before the state closed schools for coronavirus.

Tommy paone, coordinator of technology infrastructure, madison city schools we called verizon and went ahead and had that phone call with them and how quickly could they get us devices.

They said 'right now we're ok.

Right now, we have devices, plus we have some in reserve.'

But if we'd called a week later, we wouldn't have been able to get any.

They went quickly.

Interim-superintendent eric terrell says he's thankful madison city schools has the ability to help students eric terrell, interim superintendent, madison city schools we're here to try and make that transition as less of a curve as we can during this time because i know it can be very difficult.

School officials tell me over these distribution sessions, they've distributed about 200 hot spots and have another 300 coming in.

Tommy paone says they're also working with verizon and t-mobile to route the wireless connection through the school's network, so students continue to be safe while they're online.

Reporting live in madison, will robinson-smith, waay 31 news.

Here's what else we learned from the governor's news conference... tomorrow, there will be a discussion for all superintendents across the state... then next week, state education leaders will have individual conversations with each superintendent.

They will talk about specific needs and the challenges they face.

All school sports and band will be cancelled for the rest of the year.

They are hoping to have additional group events, like prom and graduation ceremonies later on in the summer, but that will be determined at a later date.

New details... like it or not - local parents are preparing to take bigger roles in their child's education now that schools are closed the rest of the school year.

Waay31's steven dilsizian joins us live outside the madison county schools "board of education" after talking to parents about this dramatic change.

Parents across many school districts shared a similar message.... tonight they are worried about the impact this will have on learning but also ready to be more hands on.

Take sot: latrez wike - parent "it's going to be very important for the parents to actually teach what the teachers can't anymore, as far as being online, if you don't have that resource to do that, it could be real hard, and real tough" latrez wike has a 2nd grader at harvest elementary.... he says schools now turning to online instruction might be difficult for students who don't have internet access at home.

Governor ivey said schools are working on that problem, but no possible solutions other than distributing take-home materials has been announced.

Wike is prepared to help make sure his son's learning isn't impacted negatively.

Take sot: latrez wike - parent "i guess as long as work not letting us go back to work, i can actually do that other parents are also ready to step up, but say it can be difficult while juggling other things.

Take sot: sharahyah charles - parent "you look for the teacher to teach them everything they need to know, and now that that's been cut off it's like the parents have to fill in" parents also tell me their kids will miss out on socializing with other students at school... something home can't truly replicate.

Take sot: latrez wike - parent "they all need that interaction with other kids you know to see what it's like to be different and stuff like that so it could be a problem for our kids" the end of the school year is officially june 5th, but schools are allowed to end the year earlier if they finish instruction before then.

Live in madison co -- sd -- waay31 news.

New information -- northeast alabama health services is having a coronavirus drive thru test site this weekend.

It's from 10 in the morning to 2 in the afternoon at scottsboro high school in jackson county.

You can get tested even if you don't have a doctor's order.

The marshall county commission is calling an emergency meeting.

The meeting is scheduled for monday at 9 a-m.

There are 2 items on the agenda.

One of them is possibly extending the closure of county buildings.

Right now -- those are supposed to be closed until april 3rd.

Many are worried the caronavirus pandemic could impact elections later this year.

Alabama already delayed the run-off to mid-july.

What happens if we're still dealing with this in november?

The two-trillion dollar stimulus package includes money for states to begin making adjustments to hold a fair election - that's safe for everyone.

Earlier today i spoke with auburn university assistant professor bridgett king.

She says states like alabama need to work quickly to reduce the number of people who have to physically show up at the polls.

That means expanding online voter registration - early voting - and mail-in ballots.

Creating multiple points of registration for voters - online, in person, etc.

Creating multiple points of ballot- casting over multiple periods of time - so - early voting.

Reducing the qualifications for an absentee ballot and the hurdles the voter has to go through to cast an absentee ballot.

King says these changes would require significant investments in technology and security.

She also recommends larger polling sites - like gymnasiums or convention centers - that could combine precincts while allowing plenty of social distancing.

New tonight.

Local companies are making sure doctors are stocked up with the personal protective equipment they need to fight coronavirus.

18 companies have donated reusable protective eyewear to huntsville hospital.

Over the past week -- they've given them more than 4,000 pairs!

Among the charitable groups are mazda toyota, huntsville utilities, facebook, and the university of alabama in huntsville's college of nursing.

New information... the north alabama food bank is teaming up with the huntsville housing authority to make sure people who need food - can get it safely.

Today was the first day of a drive-thru food bank for people in need.

Waay-31s alexis scott spoke with the executive director about the project.

The process for this is easy... all you have to do is drive up to the white tent, say where you live and how many boxes you're supposed to have and you will get full meals for breakfast... lunch..

And dinner... all free of charge.

Shirley schofield, food bank of north alabama "we've been working with the city and the housing authority to find a good location to be able to distribute food to the people who need it most in our area," shirley schofield is the executive director of the food bank of north alabama.

Thursday morning was the first day of a drive through food line.

She told me during the corona virus outbreak - her organization wanted to make sure those who live in affordable housing have access to meals for themselves and their families.

So... the food bank gave out boxes of non-perishable food that can last up to 10 days.

Schofield told me they're prepared to do this for as long as needed, but will need your help in monetary donations.

Shirley schofield, food bank of north alabama "every dollar that's donated, we can turn that into 7 meals and then get it back out in the community very quickly," schofield told me they will have the next drive through thursday... april 2nd in north huntsville.

Reporting in huntsville... alexis scott, waay-31 news.

They start out with 300 boxes a day.

Today - they distributed all of them!

The group also accepts people who are walk-ups if they don't have transportation.

The location for next week is at the "cavalry hill center" in the northwoods neighborhood.

It'll be open from 11 a.m.

To 2 p.m.

An industry you might not think of when it comes to the coronavirus's impact... how the moving industry is taking extra precautions.

And a potential treament in the works!

What scientists at an alabama university are working on.

Your full forecast, coming

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