The community came out Saturday for the first-ever Goatoberfest at Goat Island Brewery, kicking off Oktoberfest with music, German food, brews and, yes, goats.

Governor Kay Ivey on Thursday announced a $50 million grant program to support nonprofit and faith-based organizations who have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic

As public health officials roll out COVID-19 contact tracing programs to help slow the spread of the disease, scammers are finding nefarious ways to use these efforts for their personal gain.

Alabama Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington announced that Alabama’s preliminary, seasonally adjusted May unemployment rate is 9.9%, down from April’s revised rate of 13.8%, and above May 2019’s rate of 3%

A federal judge said Alabama cannot prohibit local officials from offering curbside voting during the COVID-19 pandemic and loosened restrictions on absentee ballots in three Alabama counties because of the health risk to voters.

For a limited time, the American Red Cross is testing all blood, platelet and plasma donations for COVID-19 antibodies, providing donors insight into whether they have been exposed to this coronavirus. At the same time, there continues to be an urgent need for blood donations as hospitals re…

Take the stairs, not the elevator, down from your hotel room. Encourage people to bring their own food and drinks to your cookout. Use hand sanitizer after banking at an ATM. 

The U.S. unemployment rate fell to 13.3% in May from 14.7%, and 2.5 million jobs were added — a surprisingly positive reading in the midst of a recession that has paralyzed the economy in the wake of the viral pandemic.

The Alabama Department of Labor is warning unemployment compensation recipients to beware of scammers who may be seeking to fraudulently obtain unemployment benefits. 

When students return to school after a lengthy pandemic-induced absence, the consensus is they will have lost significant academic ground. Still unresolved for governments and educators are the questions of how — or even whether — teachers should try to make up for lost learning.

The Alabama Department of Environmental Management and the Alabama Department of Public Health are urging businesses that are reopening after the easing of coronavirus restrictions to thoroughly flush and inspect their water and air conditioning systems to avoid creating other potentially deadly health hazards – Legionnaires’ disease and other bacterial infections.

Alabamians have until Monday, June 29 to register to vote in the July 14 primary runoff election. On July 14, voters will choose between Jeff Sessions and Tommy Tuberville in the U.S. Republican Senate race, and, locally, between Kenneth Walker and Jeff “Clem” Clemons for the chair of the Cullman County Commission.

ATLANTA — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is allowing some shuttered businesses to reopen Friday, drawing criticism from lawmakers, health care leaders and even the president.

A group of protesters gathered outside the Alabama Capitol on Tuesday as Gov. Kay Ivey said she intends to keep a stay-home order in place through April, striking a measured approach as some Southern states have pushed to quickly reopen.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) is cautioning boaters to practice social distancing and boating safety while out on Alabama’s waterways.

Dollar General announced Monday it plans to hire 50,000 new employees by the end of April due to increased customer demand amid the new coronavirus outbreak, bringing to 300,000 the number of new retail jobs announced by retailers in the past few days.

Governor Kay Ivey and the Alabama Department of Revenue announced today that the state income tax filing due date is extended from April 15, 2020, to July 15, 2020. In addition, Ivey announced last week that small businesses impacted by the coronavirus pandemic are eligible for assistance.

Wallace State Community College is now offering free counseling services to students, and in the current crisis, these services are being offered in a virtual environment. 

Confirmed cases of the new coronavirus in Alabama surpassed 120 on Saturday, while state health officials backed off a prior order that would have closed child daycare facilities statewide.

Runoff elections for all primary races at the local, state, and national levels all have been postponed from March 31 until July 14, following an emergency declaration from Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Wednesday.

The Alabama Department of Public Health on Monday urged people to avoid gatherings of more than 50 people, unless they can maintain a 6-foot distance between others, to limit spread of the coronavirus outbreak.

Alabama’s cable providers are providing no-cost and low-cost options for high-speed internet access to the state’s students and low-income populations hit hardest by closures and other impacts from COVID-19 pandemic precautions.

The Alabama Supreme Court has suspended most court proceedings in the state for the next 30 days, beginning Monday, March 16, in an effort to slow the transmission of COVID-19. This includes municipal, juvenile, probate, district, circuit and appellate courts.

The Cullman Monday Night Duplicate Bridge Club winners for April 23, 2018, were: Algene Kuchinka and Jean Kessinger, first and Kathy Dubberly and Margaret Phillips, second.

Family and friends of upcoming graduates of the Class of 2018 at Wallace State Community College can show their support for them and the college at the same time by purchasing bouquets of flowers and/or a Class of 2018 T-shirt to present to the new graduates at the May 11 commencement exercises.

It was all about employment during job fairs held last week at Wallace State Community College, with dozens of area employers on hand to meet hundreds of potential employees.

The newest members of Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in Cullman were baptized, confirmed and received the Holy Eucharist during Easter Vigil services.

Here is a look at people who applied for marriage licenses in the Cullman County Probate Office from March 15-27:

Clinton George Morgan of Cullman and Sara Alyse Teichmiller of Vinemont.

James Darron Adams and Telisha Dean Butler Wyatt, both of Cullman.

John Connor Adams of Cullman and Anna Victoria Joyner of Hanceville.

Jeremy Wayne Hays and Kelly Lynne Briscoe Ziannis, both of Cullman.

Corey Allen Smith of Falkville and Erica Rena Crabtree Smith of Cullman.

Daniel Titus Ballew and Kimberly Kaye Stanley Turner, both of Hanceville.

Anthony Dewayne Swindle and Christina Ann Baez King, both of Cullman.

Joseph Lehman Brown II of Pinson and Ellery He is Freeman of Warrior.

Joseph Earle Sasser II and Kayecea Rannelle Chandler, both of Hartselle.

Terry Andrew Wendel and Laura Ann Prouhet, both of Acworth, Ga.

Kyle Houston Spears and Britney Megan Schultz, both of Hanceville.

Andrew Joseph Stevenson and Madison Baylee Ayers, both of Cullman.

Brayden Delmer Bailey and Haili Michelle Needham, both of Cullman.

Kyle Blake Williams of Logan and Sharon Jane Breedlove of Cullman.

William Kenton Reese Parker and Nirvana Mercedez Lynn Durham Greg, both of Cullman.

Jonathan Eric Myers and Tonea Kay Parker, both of Cullman.

Aaron Ashley Goodman of Cullman and Madison Ashley White of Albertville.

Samuel Harrison Crumbley of Cullman and Ashleigh Noelle Fowler of Crane Hill.

Will Jeremy Ducan of Logan and Kayla Nicole Graham of Cullman.

Kenneth Kyle Sullins and Kendra Michele Shaw, both of Vinemont.

Chris Dwight Sears of Holly Pond and Jennifer Susan Brindley Brown of Eva.

Jake Joseph George Jones and Elizabeth Ramirez, both of Cullman.

James Matthew Hill and Bridget Michelle Rushing Williams, both of Crane Hill.

Hunter Daniel Lee Gant and Morgan Leigh McCarty, both of Arab.

Anthony Levi Cordova and Victoria Lynn Metcalfe, both of Cullman.

Here is a look at people who applied for marriage licenses in the Cullman County Probate Office from March 9-15:

The Cullman Monday Night Duplicate Bridge Club winners for March 12 were Sharon McClanahan and Susie Wilke, first place; Algene Kuchinka and Roy Schmale, second; and Kathy Dubberly and Margaret Phillips, third.

Here is a look at people who applied for marriage licenses in the Cullman County Probate Office from Feb. 22-March 8:

Nineteen students in grades 7–9 met the requirements for membership outlined by St. Bernard Middle School’s National Junior Honor Society Chapter and were inducted during a ceremony held in the Abbey Church on Wednesday, February 21, 2018.

The Wallace State Community College Quiz Bowl team earned a trip to the National Academic Quiz Tournaments’ Community College Championship in Chicago, Ill., after qualifying for the event in competition held last month at Bevill State. This will be the team's third trip to nationals, finishing 11th in the nation in 2012 and 9th last year in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They will enter the 2018 national tournament with their best regular-season record.

Here is a look at local businesses schedules for Monday, Feb.19, Presidents Day: