UA studies Covid-19 impact on home sales
Usually this time of year many realtors would be offering Parade of Homes events for those looking to buy a house, but that has changed a bit since the pandemic. More and more people are choosing virtual options to look for a house and the numbers show a decline in Home sales compared to last year. Closed home sales data from April shows a 9% decline in Alabama compared to last year, according to the Alabama Center for Real Estate in the Culverhouse College of Business. – WBRC
Purple Onion expanding into four former fast food locations
A popular Mediterranean-themed restaurant and deli is looking to expand beyond the Birmingham area. The Purple Onion recently closed a deal to expand into four vacant restaurants in and around Birmingham. The deli and grill will be moving into former locations of Bojangles’ Famous Chicken ‘n Biscuits. The franchise also plans on locations eventually in neighboring states. – AL.com
Canceled cycling competition to impact businesses, charities in Anniston
COVID-19 is forcing another event to be canceled. The Sunny King Criterium, a cycling competition is usually a big money-making event for downtown businesses in Anniston. “Not having that many people that close in proximity, it’s probably best to err on the side of caution,” Marcus Pettus, owner of Fun Wheels Inc. – ABC3340
Alabama’s contact tracing app won’t collect location data
The Alabama Department of Public Health has admitted it doesn’t have enough workers to efficiently trace all of the people who have come in contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19. So, the state is turning to tech giants Google and Apple for help with a contact tracing app. But how does it work, and what does this mean for our privacy? – WHNT
