Community Corner
🌱 Holiday Plans During Rising COVID Cases + New Annexation Plan
The quickest way to get caught up on the most important things happening today in Mobile.
Good morning, people of Mobile! Sammi Caramela here with a fresh Mobile Daily.
First, today's weather:
Sunny and warmer. High: 61 Low: 37.
Here are the top 3 stories in Mobile today:
- In the past week, Mobile County has more than doubled its COVID-19 cases, and with over 50,000 people expected to fill the streets of downtown Mobile on New Year's Eve, health officials are concerned about the risk of infections spreading at large gatherings. Dr. Rendi Murphree with the Mobile County Health Department reminds residents to get their vaccination and booster shots, to be smart, and to stay vigilant. (NBC 15 WPMI)
- After his first annexation attempt failed in 2019, Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson says he plans to "go bigger" on his second run at expanding the city limits. Annexation is one of the items on the mayor's agenda for the first 100 days of his new term, and Stimpson has his sights set on boosting the current population from 187,000 to over 200,000. Surpassing this threshold would make the city eligible for tens of millions of dollars of federal funds awarded based on census data, said Mayor Stimpson. (FOX10 News)
- Mobile Police Department's 1st Precinct, currently located on Virginia Street, will soon be moved to Dauphin Island Parkway. The new location is expected to include meeting rooms for community members to meet with members of MPD to discuss growth and how to keep people in the area safe. MPD officials said the precinct's more centralized location "will help improve response times and visibility in the area." (FOX10 News)
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Today in Mobile:
- Christmas Cooking Camp At The Cookery Project (10 AM)
From my notebook:
- Family Health, the primary care division of Mobile County Health Department, is currently reporting issues with its telephones at the Citronelle Health Center and the North Mobile Health Center in Mount Vernon. In the meantime, individuals needing to reach those two facilities should call the Central Appointment staff at (251) 690-8889. (Facebook)
- The Mobile Police Department will be conducting Safety Checkpoints tonight (Dec. 22) from 5 p.m. to midnight. Be prepared to show your driver's license, registration, and proof of insurance at the following checkpoint locations: Halls Mill Road and McVay Drive; Highway 90 at Old Pascagoula Road; St. Stephens Road at Pleasant Avenue; Cody Road at Airport Boulevard.(Facebook)
- The season of giving is upon us. Is there a local nonprofit organization in Mobile you go out of your way to support during the holiday season? Tell us about it at patch.com/compose.(Patch)
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You're officially in the loop for today. I'll see you around!
— Sammi Caramela
About me: Assistant Managing Editor at Lightning Media Partners and author of "Some Place Like Home."