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Ikea Huntsville grand opening set for Feb. 25

Ikea US announced it will open the store, its first in Alabama, on Feb. 25 with a grand-opening celebration.

Business

It&#x27;s official: Huntsville&#x27;s Ikea store will be open within a week. Why it matters: Ikea has long been among the city&#x27;s most-desired retailers, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="announcing last summer" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/huntsville/2025/08/12/ikea-huntsville-alabama-store-midcity-opening" data-vars-content-id="1ba8a082-7758-4d5e-92c8-3538a16c77ff" data-vars-headline="Ikea Huntsville grand opening set for Feb. 25" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/huntsville/2025/08/12/ikea-huntsville-alabama-store-midcity-opening" target="_self">announcing last summer</a> its plan to bring a new, smaller-format store to University Drive near GigaParts.

Inside Huntsville's new smaller-format Ikea

The grand opening of Ikea's first Alabama location is on Wednesday, Feb. 25.

Development

After <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="months of" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/huntsville/2025/08/12/ikea-huntsville-alabama-store-midcity-opening" data-vars-content-id="3580d4e1-04ed-4988-814f-056567a76daf" data-vars-headline="Inside Huntsville&#x27;s new smaller-format Ikea" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/huntsville/2025/08/12/ikea-huntsville-alabama-store-midcity-opening" target="_self">months of</a> anticipation, Ikea opens Wednesday on University Drive. Why it matters: Ranking high among Huntsville&#x27;s most-wanted retailers, Ikea is bringing its new <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="smaller-format store" data-vars-click-url="https://www.ikea.com/us/en/newsroom/corporate-news/ikea-u-s-to-celebrate-grand-opening-of-first-location-in-alabama-on-february-25-pubf3895110/" data-vars-content-id="3580d4e1-04ed-4988-814f-056567a76daf" data-vars-headline="Inside Huntsville&#x27;s new smaller-format Ikea" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.ikea.com/us/en/newsroom/corporate-news/ikea-u-s-to-celebrate-grand-opening-of-first-location-in-alabama-on-february-25-pubf3895110/" target="_blank">smaller-format store</a> to the Rocket City, targeting the rapidly growing area for its first store in Alabama.

"A living museum:" Joy McKee Arboretum takes root

Huntsville plans to open the arboretum in May, weather permitting.

News

Construction is underway at John Hunt Park on the Joy McKee Arboretum, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="newly named to honor" data-vars-click-url="https://www.huntsvilleal.gov/huntsville-approves-naming-of-arboretum-for-longtime-landscape-director-joy-mckee/" data-vars-content-id="c488d2bc-bbf6-4051-bc2c-0a0715a7063c" data-vars-headline="&quot;A living museum:&quot; Joy McKee Arboretum takes root" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.huntsvilleal.gov/huntsville-approves-naming-of-arboretum-for-longtime-landscape-director-joy-mckee/" target="_blank">newly named to honor</a> a longtime steward of Huntsville&#x27;s green spaces.Why it matters: City landscapers saw an opportunity to preserve history, support native trees and urban canopy, give visitors a nature break and educate the public in an unused corner of the park.

Senate bill targets police staffing in Huntsville, Montgomery

Senate Bill 298 would require police departments in Alabama's Class 3 municipalities to have two sworn officers for every 1,000 residents by Oct. 1.

A bill introduced in the state Legislature aims to set minimum staffing levels for Huntsville and Montgomery police departments.Why it matters: If passed, the bill could lead to a state takeover of local law enforcement, though Huntsville leaders say the city already meets the bill&#x27;s requirements.

Get ready for the winter storm hitting North Alabama this weekend

"It is going to be impactful," NWS meteorologist Katie Magee said.

Climate

North Alabama — and a huge swath of the Southeast — is bracing for a significant winter storm expected to blow in Friday and last through the weekend.Why it matters: Get ready to hunker down for a few days.

Huntsville researchers challenge hottest temperature record

Researchers say the hottest temp may have been closer to 120, instead of 134 degrees in 1913.

Researchers at the University of Alabama in Huntsville are calling for the invalidation of the hottest near-surface temperature ever recorded: 134 degrees in Death Valley, Calif., in 1913.Why it matters: Climate monitoring depends on accurate long-term historical data, according to a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new UAH research paper" data-vars-click-url="https://journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/bams/aop/BAMS-D-24-0313.1/BAMS-D-24-0313.1.pdf" data-vars-content-id="bec8d3b6-232a-473f-a955-47b4315e688e" data-vars-headline="Huntsville researchers challenge hottest temperature record" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/bams/aop/BAMS-D-24-0313.1/BAMS-D-24-0313.1.pdf" target="_blank">new UAH research paper</a>.

AI camera proposal raises native lawn worries

Some advocates for native lawns say they fear the proposed AI-enabled cameras will wrongly flag lawns that are in compliance.

Huntsville&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="proposal to monitor" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/huntsville/2025/07/24/huntsville-ai-garbage-truck-cameras-code-enforcement-city-detect" data-vars-content-id="228d142c-9bd2-4085-97ff-51b56039e8e7" data-vars-headline="AI camera proposal raises native lawn worries" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/huntsville/2025/07/24/huntsville-ai-garbage-truck-cameras-code-enforcement-city-detect" target="_self">proposal to monitor</a> overgrown grass and other code issues using garbage-truck-mounted, AI-enabled cameras has sparked debate over what the city allows and how enforcement may change.Why it matters: Some homeowners want to ditch traditional turf lawns in favor of native plants that support threatened local ecosystems — but they could face code violations for doing so.

Catching up with NASA engineer John Blevins

"The most exciting thing today is the Artemis II mission," Blevins told Axios Huntsville. "For the first time in over 50 years, four people are going beyond the moon."

John Blevins, chief engineer for NASA&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Space Launch System" data-vars-click-url="https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/space-launch-system/" data-vars-content-id="1e3620c5-406c-4c49-b5fb-6aba992eb6e9" data-vars-headline="Catching up with NASA engineer John Blevins" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/space-launch-system/" target="_blank">Space Launch System</a>, was recently <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="awarded" data-vars-click-url="https://www.themadisonrecord.com/2025/07/24/dr-john-blevins-receives-samuel-j-heyman-service-america-medal-premier-award-career-federal-employees/" data-vars-content-id="1e3620c5-406c-4c49-b5fb-6aba992eb6e9" data-vars-headline="Catching up with NASA engineer John Blevins" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.themadisonrecord.com/2025/07/24/dr-john-blevins-receives-samuel-j-heyman-service-america-medal-premier-award-career-federal-employees/" target="_blank">awarded</a> the Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medal, the highest honor a civilian federal employee can earn. Why it matters: NASA is an integral part of Huntsville&#x27;s character, and people like Blevins and his team are a big part of what makes NASA the premier space program on the planet.

Huntsville-led research aims to transform manufacturing with grass

By mixing grass fiber with other products, and by using chemicals derived from the grass, manufacturers can create plastic replacements.

Environment

Grass sprouting across Alabama and Tennessee may soon be used to make everything from car parts to asphalt, thanks to research underway in Huntsville. Why it matters: Using under-productive farmland to grow grass as a sustainable raw material for manufacturers could bring billions in future-ready economic development to rural areas.

Climate 🌿

Get ready for the winter storm hitting North Alabama this weekend

Huntsville researchers challenge hottest temperature record

AI camera proposal raises native lawn worries

Catching up with NASA engineer John Blevins

Huntsville-led research aims to transform manufacturing with grass