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Doug Jones talks data centers, Medicaid in Huntsville

Former Sen. Jones is facing current Sen. Tommy Tuberville in the race to succeed Gov. Kay Ivey.

Election

Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Doug Jones made a pitch for change in Huntsville on Wednesday night.Why it matters: Former Sen. Jones is facing off against current Sen. Tommy Tuberville to succeed Republican Gov. Kay Ivey in a high-profile race set to have major repercussions for the state.

Tennessee River Greenway completes key pedestrian loop

The short connection, just three miles or so, completes a much larger loop providing a pedestrian connection encircling most of South Huntsville.

Development

It&#x27;s official, the Tennessee River Greenway is complete and open. Why it matters: The short connection, just a mile and a half or so, completes a much larger loop that&#x27;s providing a pedestrian connection encircling most of South Huntsville.

Huntsville's music investment pays off

Eight years after launching a targeted investment in its music scene, the city has seen returns in the form of  hundreds of millions in economic output.

Business

Eight years after kickstarting an effort to develop its musical identity, Huntsville is seeing a big return on its investment.Why it matters: That return is coming in the form of hundreds of millions in economic output and a major increase in creative jobs, all while bringing in big acts and a steady lineup of events for locals.

HudsonAlpha's grass-based manufacturing effort lands $15M

The initiative is poised to fuel sustainable growth in agriculture and manufacturing in the region.

Grass grown on underutilized farmland in Alabama and Tennessee will soon be used to make everything from food packaging to car parts.Why it matters: The initiative is poised to fuel sustainable growth in agriculture and manufacturing in the region, forecast to result in billions in investment over the next decade.

Catching up with TVA Board member Randy Jones

TVA Board of Directors member Randy Jones sat down with Axios to discuss the issues he believes will define the Valley's next phase of growth.

Randy Jones took his seat on the Tennessee Valley Authority&#x27;s Board of Directors earlier this year after a nomination from President Trump and a Senate confirmation.Why it matters: As the Tennessee Valley grows and major industrial projects, including potential data centers, come online, TVA faces mounting pressure to meet demand while keeping electricity affordable.

TVA says reservoirs are ready for summer despite drought

Drought or not, reservoirs are at full summer pool levels.

News

The Tennessee Valley Authority says reservoirs are at full summer pool levels despite an <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="ongoing drought" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/huntsville/2026/05/01/drought-persists" data-vars-content-id="8e55122c-06b4-494e-a548-8421fb7a8fda" data-vars-headline="TVA says reservoirs are ready for summer despite drought" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/huntsville/2026/05/01/drought-persists" target="_self">ongoing drought</a>.Why it matters: Memorial Day weekend kicks off the summer season, and in North Alabama that means getting out on the Tennessee River.<ul><li>Recreation across the watershed generates nearly <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="$12 billion annually" data-vars-click-url="https://www.tva.com/the-powerhouse/stories/Valley-Lakes-Worth-Billions" data-vars-content-id="8e55122c-06b4-494e-a548-8421fb7a8fda" data-vars-headline="TVA says reservoirs are ready for summer despite drought" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.tva.com/the-powerhouse/stories/Valley-Lakes-Worth-Billions" target="_blank">$12 billion annually</a> — about $1 million per shoreline mile.</li></ul>

Huntsville biotech boom draws national security focus

The National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology and other agencies took a close look at HudsonAlpha on the 20th stop of NSCEB's national roadshow.

Environment

Huntsville is big on defense in more ways than aerospace.Why it matters: The workforce and research engine created by <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology" data-vars-click-url="https://www.hudsonalpha.org/" data-vars-content-id="bb8dd234-fd0e-4260-bc13-4734ba48f275" data-vars-headline="Huntsville biotech boom draws national security focus" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.hudsonalpha.org/" target="_blank">HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology</a> doesn&#x27;t only drive economic development such as <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Eli Lilly&#x27;s new plant" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/huntsville/2025/12/10/eli-lilly-alabama-6-billion-huntsville-plant-drug-manufacturing" data-vars-content-id="bb8dd234-fd0e-4260-bc13-4734ba48f275" data-vars-headline="Huntsville biotech boom draws national security focus" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/huntsville/2025/12/10/eli-lilly-alabama-6-billion-huntsville-plant-drug-manufacturing" target="_self">Eli Lilly&#x27;s new plant</a>, it&#x27;s key to national security.

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.

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 🌿

HudsonAlpha's grass-based manufacturing effort lands $15M

Catching up with TVA Board member Randy Jones

Tropical Storm Arthur forms in Gulf, threatens flooding across Southeast

TVA says reservoirs are ready for summer despite drought

Huntsville biotech boom draws national security focus