Will coronavirus impact Huntsville’s amphitheater plans?
There’s a better than decent chance the pandemic will shut down concerts in the U.S. until 2021. Possibly longer. The concert industry’s very future and the U.S. economy itself are in peril. This is the lens Huntsville officials now look through, when considering the city’s plans to build a world-class amphitheater here. – AL.com
In a pinch, company helped state switch to online learning
The statewide closure of schools has prompted educators to find ways to add to their teaching capabilities. Faced with an unprecedented challenge of quickly connecting the state’s online learning platform, last month Publishers’ Warehouse in partnership with EBSCO Information Services, created EBSCOed, a digital PreK-12 resource portal for educators, parents and students. EBSCO Information Services, a division of EBSCO Industries, Inc. based in Birmingham, provides optimized e-journals, e-books and research databases. – AL Daily News
Roll throwers at Lambert’s Café begin warming up their arms
Coronavirus isn’t going to put a stop to Lambert Café’s tradition of tossing freshly-cooked hot rolls to hungry patrons, its general manager said Wednesday. Craig Jackson, who has overseen operations at the popular Foley eatery since it opened in 1996, said he’s hopeful the tradition will continue once the pandemic subsides. – AL.com
Alabama Grocer’s Association: Don’t panic about meat plant shutdowns
As meat processing plants across the nation announce shutdowns due to Covid-19 outbreaks among workers, questions mount about the meat supply. Alabama Grocer’s Association says not to panic. AGA President Ellie Taylor says those closures represent just ten percent of the nation’s meat supply. – ABC3340
Battered automakers lure buyers with steep incentives
U.S. car sales in 2020 were expected to be slightly below the near-record levels seen in recent years. Then the coronavirus struck the United States. Auto sales forecasts have fallen by millions of units from where they were in early 2020, sparking automakers to roll out unprecedented deals and adopt new tech-heavy methods of selling vehicles to shoppers stuck at home. – CNBC
USDA increases monthly SNAP benefits by 40%
On Wednesday, the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced emergency benefit increases have reached $2.0 billion per month for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program households across all 50 states and 3 territories to increase food security during the coronavirus national emergency. These emergency benefits represent a 40% increase in overall monthly SNAP benefits, significantly increasing food purchasing power for families. – AL NewsNet
