Jobless Claims Fall As States End Aid Abby
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THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF THE TENNESSEE VALLEY SINCE 1912 RACK PRICE: 75¢ Friday, May 21, 2021 decaturdaily.com decaturdaily @decaturdaily FORECAST PUBLIC SWIMMING TODAY SAT SUN Pools face lifeguard shortage 86°/63° 88°/62° 91°/63° By Bayne Hughes He said “there’s a lot of energy” Complete forecast, A2 Staff Writer among the employees because they’re excited to return after Hours will likely be trimmed at missing last summer. RELIGION Point Mallard Aquatic Center and “We’ve got a lot of new 16- and the Hartselle pool due to a short- 17-year-olds coming in and it’s age of lifeguards, and another going to be really cool to show Decatur pool may not open at all, them how we work,” said Van- officials said. dine, a 2020 Austin High grad. With opening day eight days Nicole Belcher, Decatur Parks from now, it’s a problem that is and Recreation marketing and complicating plans as Point Mal- events coordinator, said Thurs- lard prepares to celebrate a belated day that season ticket sales started 50th birthday after the Aquatic slowly in the early spring but, as Center was closed last year due the pandemic waned, they’ve Hip-hop and soul to the coronavirus pandemic really taken off. Season tickets and anticipates many customers purchased last year could be rolled used for ministry returning to the pool. over to this summer or the pur- Twenty-one years after Ricky Parker Vandine, a 19-year-old chaser could get a refund. Miller stood in front of the congre- University of Alabama in Hunts- “We’ve had huge feedback,” gation while his pastor told him ville student, is starting his fourth Point Mallard lifeguards Brooke Hobbs, foreground, Madison Cartee, left, and Riley he’d be a music director one day, summer as a Decatur lifeguard. SEE SWIMMING, A3 Hobbs clean the lazy river attraction on Thursday. [JERONIMO NISA/DECATUR DAILY] the Decatur man leads a 22-person group and plans on releasing his debut album this fall. The sounds of Miller’s ministry range from SPIRIT OF AMERICA hip-hop to soul to high praise music. D1 RIVERFRONT A spring f lush Festival New ALDI location back for to open in 2 weeks The new Aldi grocery store on the west side of Beltline Road 54th year Southwest is scheduled to open By Tim Nail June 3, a company official said this Staff Writer week. B1 Decatur’s Spirit of America SPORTS Festival will return July 3-4 after being canceled a year ago for the pandemic, and it’ll have a robust lineup of vendors and children’s activities for the first time in five years. “Everybody’s ready for a Fourth of July celebration,” said Shannon Wright, who is manag- ing vendors and some activities for the weekend event. “This year will be monumental.” Athens softball Wright said she hopes to have by the numbers as many as 100 Numbers tell the story of the vendors register, Athens softball program’s quest to and she’s prepar- win its first state championship in ing to handle up Decatur Utilities’ Kevin Turner flushes a hydrant Thursday on Eighth Avenue Southeast. Maintenance of fire 12 years. The team begins play in to 24,000 guests hydrants requires flushing them at least once a year, most often in the spring, to verify proper operation of the Wright the state tournament today. C1 during the two hydrant and ensure adequate water flow. [JERONIMO NISA/DECATUR DAILY] days of the event at Point Mal- lard Park. BUSINESS The 54th Spirit of America Fes- SOCIAL MEDIA tival’s awards program is planned China space missions: for July 3. Activities on July 4 will include entertainment culminat- one delay, one plaudit ing with the fireworks show at China postponed a supply mis- US to ramp up online tracking 8:30 p.m. Arts, business and food sion to its new space station on vendors will be set up both days. Thursday for unspecified technical By Nomaan Merchant to weaknesses exposed by intelligence gathering. Closely Visitors with children can reasons, while photos sent back The Associated Press the U.S. Capitol insurrection, watching are advocates for anticipate a petting zoo, inflata- from Mars by its newly arrived rover it’s raising concerns about communities of color and bles and pony rides among other earned plaudits from NASA despite WASHINGTON — The undermining Americans’ civil groups that have previously attractions, according to Wright. only sporadic contacts between Department of Homeland liberties. been the focus of intensi- The Spirit of America Festi- the Chinese and American space Security plans to ramp up President Joe Biden’s top fied surveillance, sometimes val has been typically managed programs. D4 social media tracking as part appointees have called white unlawfully. by festival chairperson Donna of an enhanced focus on supremacists the greatest DHS in recent weeks has Whitten. This year, however, domestic violent extremism. security threat to the country AREA DEATHS While the move is a response and are pushing for bolstered SEE MEDIA, A3 SEE FESTIVAL, A3 Branton Bryan, Decatur Dan Dennis Jr., Decatur Dannielle Harris, Decatur UNEMPLOYMENT James Hawkins Jr., Moulton Dannie Helms, Decatur Randy Hyche, Falkville Death notices, obits, A5 Jobless claims fall as states end aid Abby ..................B3 Lotteries ............C1 Business ............D4 Obituaries ..........A5 By Christopher Rugaber moves by nearly all the nation’s are also withdrawing from pro- governors and state legislatures. Classified ...........C4 Religion ..............D1 AP Economics Writer Republican governors to cut off grams that provide jobless aid to About 3.5 million people will Comics ...............B2 Riverfront ..........B1 Crossword..........B3 Sports ................C1 a $300-a-week federal unem- self-employed or gig workers and have their benefits reduced in Editorials ...........A4 Weather .............A2 WASHINGTON — The number ployment benefit that they and to people who have been unem- the coming months, according to Horoscope .........B3 of Americans seeking unemploy- many business executives blame ployed for more than six months. Oxford Economics. ment aid fell last week to 444,000, for discouraging the unemployed Twenty-two states, from Texas In Oklahoma, Republican Gov. Decatur, Alabama a new pandemic low and a sign that from seeking jobs. Those cutoffs and Georgia to Ohio and Iowa, will Kevin Stitt said this week that the 110th year, No. 61 the job market keeps strengthen- will begin in June. Jobless people end the $300 federal payment, state will end the federal benefit 20 pages, 4 sections ing as consumers spend freely have been able to receive the $300 starting in June, according to an on June 26. That was unhappy again, viral infections drop and weekly benefit on top of their reg- Associated Press analysis. Two news for Gilbert Cruz and his business restrictions ease. ular state unemployment aid. more states, Florida and Kansas, wife, Marrissa Enloe-Cruz, whose Thursday’s report from the In addition to ending the federal are considering doing so. Those Labor Department coincides with benefit, most of the same states 24 states all have Republican SEE JOBLESS, A3 -Classifieds on thecover- -Classifieds on thecover- -Classifieds on thecover- -Classifieds on thecover- -Classifieds on thecover- BIGBOB GIBSON BLK Blue Canine SeeMore BAR-B-Q BrooksLock&Key Cricket Stillserving youour Ribbon Design by the in Today’s DELICIOUSSMOKED 24-HOURUNLOCK Shoes MEATS!!!! SERVICE! Monday -Saturday PetSpa Creek Classified 10AM -6PM 830McGlatheryLaneSE 1517 Sixth Avenue SE 256-350-6969 256-353-2596 256-353-1416 Decatur 256-306-4777 256-350-9963 412888-1 Section A2 Friday, May 21, 2021 | The Decatur Daily THOUGHT FOR TODAY “Our present addiction to pollsters and forecasters is a symptom of our chronic uncer- tainty about the future. ... We watch our experts read the entrails of statistical tables and graphs the way the ancients watched their soothsayers read the entrails of a chicken.” YOUR NEWS — Eric Hoffer, American philosopher (1902-1983). CELEBRITY NEWS PHOTO OF THE DAY This image released by The Smithsonian Channel shows Cher feeding elephant Kaavan in a scene from “Cher & The Loneliest Elephant.” [ZOOBS ANSARI/SMITHSONIAN CHANNEL VIA AP] she said, the government made it Cher’s star power a condition of Kaavan’s transfer helps rescue the to a sanctuary in Cambodia after ‘loneliest elephant’ the zoo’s court-ordered closure. LOS ANGELES — Cher’s ‘I am proud.’ Demi rescue of an elephant long Lovato comes out held in dismal conditions is a one-of-a-kind story, as would be as nonbinary expected from the singular star. Singer Demi Lovato revealed Even she was surprised by on Wednesday they identify as what her efforts — in concert nonbinary and are changing with a team of animal aid their pronouns, telling fans the groups, wildlife veterinarians decision came after “self-reflec- and Pakistan’s legal system — tive work.” Lt. Will Waters, top, swims towards Lt. Elliott Hadavi, who plays the victim, during Decatur Fire and Rescue’s water rescue training at achieved for Kaavan, she said “Today is a day I’m so happy Point Mallard on Thursday. [JERONIMO NISA/DECATUR DAILY] during a panel discussion taping. to share more of my life with “‘I don’t know anything about you all — I am proud to let you this. I’m just an entertainer. I know that I identify as non- can’t save this elephant,’” Cher binary,” Lovato announced on recalled thinking when the ani- Twitter and in an accompanying mal’s plight was brought to her video, adding they will “offi- attention by what she calls “the cially be changing my pronouns Founded February 26, 1912 kids” on her Twitter feed. to they/them moving forward.” They demanded Kaavan’s Lovato said they picked GENERAL INFORMATION: release from a ramshackle, gender-neutral pronouns as TODAY SATURDAY SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY 256-353-4612 now-closed zoo in Islamabad, “this best represents the fluidity To report news: 256-340-2433, [email protected] Pakistan, which launched the I feel in my gender expression.” To place an ad: quest detailed in “Cher & the They added, “I’m doing this for Classified: 256-353-6000 Loneliest Elephant,” which those out there that haven’t Display: 256-340-2382 premiered Wednesday on the been able to share who they Smithsonian Channel.