A non-profit law firm is offering free legal advice and assistance to victims of the April 27 tornadoes. Legal Services Alabama will help people applying for FEMA grants and Small Business Administration loans up until the FEMA deadline of June 27. After the deadline passes, LSA will continue to help tornado victims who have been denied FEMA or SBA assistance with the appeals process.

“It is imperative that tornado survivors understand the necessity of filing for FEMA and SBA disaster assistance by the June 27, 2011 initial filing deadline,” Charles Yow, an attorney with LSA, said.  “Regardless of the inevitability of a denial due to lack of documentation or a decision from your insurance company, it is an absolute necessity for people to file for FEMA assistance prior to the June 27th filing deadline,” Yow added.

The unemployment rate in Alabama as of May 2011 increased to a statewide average of 9.6 percent, up three-tenths of a percent from April's rate of 9.3 percent. According to May's report, a total of 206,809 people in Alabama are unemployed. More than 6,400 people lost their jobs as a direct result of the April 27 tornadoes.

 “We knew that the devastating storms we suffered in April were going to have an impact on unemployment. This is something that we could not have foreseen. I’m not going to go so far as to say that the entire increase can be attributed to the storms, but they’re certainly a major factor," Tom Surtees, Alabama Department of Industrial Relations Director, said in a release.

Bedding companies Bedzzz Express and Mattress Warehouse delivered their second load of new beds for tornado survivors to the Jefferson County Emergency Management Agency Wednesday, June 15.

The businesses donated 30 king or queen size beds to the Jefferson County EMA as well as 30 twin size beds to the Lovelady Center in Birmingham. They have previously given away 70 beds to assist members of the community in need.

"These beds are being used to provide a comfortable place to sleep for individuals being housed in local shelters," the companies said in a release.

The delivery was scheduled to arrive at the EMA office at 1 p.m.