Top Headlines: Stimulus check scams, Apple donates masks to medical workers

Alabama Department of Revenue warns of “stimulus check scams”
The Alabama Department of Revenue is warning people of possible scams that could take advantage of the upcoming stimulus checks. ADOR says people may use phishing emails or other methods to trick you into giving up your personal and financial information. The IRS, ADOR, and other legitimate government agencies will not ask for your financial or personal information through an email, text message, or phone call, ADOR says. – NBC

How do you apply for small business funds from stimulus package?
Small businesses around the country got a $370 billion lifeline in the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid bill approved Friday by the U.S. House of Representatives. The largest stimulus in U.S. history, the bill includes relief for taxpayers and large corporations as well as small businesses. But those businesses want to know – what kind of relief will it provide? Dave Ketchen is the Harbert Eminent Scholar and Professor of Management at Auburn University, and he has been looking over the legislation. He said time is perhaps the biggest factor in question. – AL.com

Apple donates 200,000 medical masks to state’s medical workers
Alabama native and Apple CEO Tim Cook donated 200,000 medical masks to Alabama’s health care workers on the front lines fighting COVID-19. On Sunday the Alabama Department of Public Health thanked Cook in a tweet, “The Alabama Department of Public Health would like to thank Apple and Tim Cook for the donation of 100,000 surgical masks and 100,000 N95 masks for Alabama’s front line. Our heroes are those on the front line. Thanks to Tim for helping us protect them.” – ABC3340

Propst Development secures $279M construction loan for mixed-use project
Huntsville-based Propst Development received $278.9 million in construction financing for the $540-million Broadwest mixed-use project in Nashville. The loan was provided by Bank OZK. Midtown’s Broadwest mixed-use development is on a 3.9-acre city block at 1600 West End Ave. and includes a 21-story office tower and 42,000 square feet of retail space. A second 34-story tower containing a high-end Hilton Conrad hotel and 196 luxury condos is being developed in partnership with Franklin-based Chartwell Hospitality. – Connect Atlanta

UAH researchers using supercomputer in hunt for anti-virus compounds
More of Alabama’s brainpower is being redirected into fighting the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Dr. Jerome Baudry is a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Alabama at Huntsville. Baudry and his lab are involved in a project that is using the Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Summit supercomputer to examine compounds to fight the virus that has already killed 34,807 people as of Monday morning. – AL Political Reporter

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Port of Mobile: ‘Everything except containers is going up’
The cargo ship bound for the Port of Mobile gave advance notice that it had a crew member in quarantine, so authorities in Mobile were ready. After the ship docked, the ill man was medically evacuated and given a battery of tests. It turned out his flu-like illness wasn’t COVID-19, said Jimmy Lyons, CEO of the Alabama State Port Authority. It was the flu. – AL.com 

Facebook pauses construction on data centers, including Huntsville
Facebook has essentially paused construction on its Huntsville data center over health and safety concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic. The move comes after work ceased on its Clonee, Ireland, facility after contractors displayed flu-like symptoms. “To help protect the health and safety of construction crews during the COVID-19 outbreak, we are significantly reducing construction activities at our site,” Facebook said in a post on its website. – DCD

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