Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Curbside collection of recyclable materials resumes next month in one Alabama city. 

The Tuscaloosa News reports Turscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox said the city’s Environmental Services Department is on track to restore its recycling program on Nov. 2.

Tuscaloosa is closing bars for the next two weeks after University of Alabama officials said there has been an unacceptable rise in COVID-19 cases on campus. 

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Officials are looking for ways to improve safety during the pandemic and hopefully save college football after crowds gathered in an entertainment district near the University of Alabama over the weekend. 

Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox says he's frustrated by what happened. And Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne tweeted a photo of a crowded area that said: “Who wants college sports this fall?? Obviously not these people!!"

Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox today released an executive order detailing new rules for some businesses in the wake of the city’s State of Emergency order.

These new rules, effective today at 5 p.m., include:

Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox has enacted a 24-hour curfew within the city of Tuscaloosa starting Sunday.

Maddox made the announcement in a news conference Thursday at 8 p.m., saying that the COVID-19 situation is rapidly worsening and the only way to help reduce the numbers of people catching the virus is enacting stricter rules.

The curfew, which begins 10 p.m. Sunday and runs through April 11, will close nonessential businesses such as night clubs, gyms, spas, hair salons and retail stores not offering essential services.

Tuscaloosa mayor Walt Maddox announced Wednesday that the city will be under a curfew beginning Friday and lasting through April 3.

The curfew will last from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., and there will be exemptions for those traveling to and from work or other essential tasks.

“Within a one-hour drive of city hall, one-third of the state’s coronavirus cases can be found in Jefferson County,” Maddox said. “Within Lee County, which closely mirrors Tuscaloosa County, we see some of the fastest-growing rates of COVID-19 cases in our state.”

Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox is running for governor.

Maddox made the announcement this morning morning with the release of a video on social media.

State lawmakers and education officials gathered in Tuscaloosa yesterday to celebrate the expansion of public preschool in Alabama.

The dignitaries cut the ribbon on two new preschool classrooms at Verner Elementary School in Tuscaloosa. Those are two of 155 new preschool classrooms opening this year throughout the state, serving 2800 more of Alabama’s four-year-olds than last year. That’s thanks to a $16 million increase in funding from the Alabama Legislature.

Tuscaloosa city officials say the economic benefit of the University of Alabama's home football games far outweigh the cost the city spends on staff overtime during game weekends.

Mayor Walt Maddox said Thursday that more than 400 city employees work overtime Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays on home game weekends. Maddox says the city spends roughly $750,000 each season to cover the cost.

Maddox says each of the school's home games has a roughly $17 million to $18 million impact on the city's economy.

Local officials in Tuscaloosa are considering changes to local ordinances that govern rebuilding of commercial areas after the devastating tornadoes of April 2011.

The Tuscaloosa News reports Mayor Walt Maddox planned to present amendments to the city code Monday night to the Planning and Zoning Commission. One of the changes being pushed by the mayor would require businesses to hide larger trash bins from public view. Others proposals deal with design details for commercial buildings in the tornado recovery zone.

A housing study projects that at current growth rates, the private student housing market in Tuscaloosa will outpace University of Alabama student demand by 2015.

The Tuscaloosa News reports that results of the study were shared with a city council committee Tuesday.

Consultant Joe Zanola told the committee that the current list of student housing bedrooms that are either planned or under construction "greatly exceeds" forecasts for enrollment growth at the University of Alabama.

Tuscaloosa city officials say the Federal Emergency Management Agency has so far paid $5.89 million to help the city recover from the April 2011 tornado.

While officials say they wish the FEMA storm expense reimbursements, which totals $10.5 million, were being paid more quickly, Mayor Walt Maddox told the Tuscaloosa News city leaders understand federal budget cuts and the government shutdown likely had an impact on the payment timeline.

The city council in Tuscaloosa is expected to vote Tuesday on a contract that would secure a $10 million line of credit to help fund storm recovery efforts.

The Tuscaloosa News reports (http://bit.ly/URA3B4) that if approved, it would mark the first money the city would borrow to pay for the millions of dollars in costs associated with rebuilding and cleaning up Tuscaloosa following the tornado of April 27, 2011.

The mayors of Auburn and Tuscaloosa have something riding on the outcome of this year's Iron Bowl.

Auburn Mayor Bill Ham and Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox made a friendly wager on Saturday's game between Auburn University and the University of Alabama.

Ham will make a contribution to the city of Tuscaloosa's tornado recovery fund if the No. 2 Crimson Tide beats unranked Auburn.

Maddox will make a donation to the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Lee County if the Tigers pull off an upset and defeat Alabama.

The city of Tuscaloosa is considering a temporary ban on some kind of businesses as it rebuilds from last year's tornado.

The City Council on Tuesday will continue a discussion of a proposed moratorium that could affect businesses including pawn shops, check-cashing stores, tattoo shops and tobacco stores.

Councilman Kip Tyner is supporting the ban. He says he wants to rebuild tornado-ravaged parts of the city with better businesses than existed before the twister in 2011.