Funding for NASA would be reduced by over 6 billion dollars, or almost 25 percent under the Trump administration’s budget proposal for the 2026 fiscal year. A 2019 analysis of the Marshall Space Flight Center’s economic impact found that the Space Launch System Program supports approximately 15,000 jobs across Alabama. According to the Alabama Political Reporter, if the budget request is approved as is, those 15,000 jobs would likely dry up. The budget request prepared for the 2025 fiscal year by the Biden administration called to spend over $2 billion a year on the SLS through at least 2029. The Trump administration’s request would ramp down funding to just $600 million by 2028 before ending the program entirely.
Alabama’s math teachers could be some of the country’s best prepared according to new research. In a recent report from the National Council on Teacher Quality, Alabama was the only state to earn a “Strong” rating for improving elementary math instruction in several key areas. Much of the success is attributed to recent reforms, including the 2022 Numeracy Act, which has helped to increase the rigor of math instruction. The law aims to improve curriculum and get math coaches in local schools. It requires schools to provide at least an hour of math instruction each day and screen students for any deficiencies. AL.com notes Alabama’s math scores jumped by 7 points during the pandemic, while all but one other state’s regressed.
The number of North Alabama families facing food insecurity is on the rise. According to Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap study, based on the latest available data from 2023, the number of people who experience food insecurity has risen to more than 187,000 in the Food Bank of North Alabama’s coverage area. AL.com reports The Food Bank of North Alabama is the primary source of food for over 230 local organizations, including church food pantries, domestic violence shelters and homeless shelters. In 2024, the Food Bank distributed over 15.1 million pounds of food, equivalent to over 12.5 million meals.
Huntsville’s apartment boom has led to an oversupply of units. More than 6,500 units were completed in the metro area (not including Athens) last year, according to a recent report. Crunkleton Commercial Real Estate land specialist David Wilson tells AL.com that although there are still a lot of units still in the pipeline, new construction is slowing almost to a halt because of the oversupply. Realtor Matt Curtis adds Huntsville is currently overbuilt with apartments, and until that excess supply is absorbed, there will be a slowdown in new multifamily construction. According to the Alabama Center for Real Estate at the University of Alabama, the average rent in Huntsville as of March was $1,427 per month. That is down from $1,595 in December 2023.
Construction is beginning on the $13.2 million Ditto Landing event center. A building permit was issued on May 29. Madison County Engineer Phil Riddick told residents at a south Huntsville town hall that the project was expected to break ground this month. AL.com reports The event center will also include a greenway. And Riddick said there are future plans for boat lifts so river traffic can stop in for events, park their boats and come in.
Nighttime resurfacing of SR-67/Beltline Road in Decatur will begin the evening of Sunday, June 8th, weather permitting. The contractor will resurface nearly five miles of SR-67 from US-31/Sixth Avenue Southeast to SR-24/Gordon Terry Parkway. You can expect lane closures from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. nightly, Sunday nights through Thursday nights. A minimum of one lane in each direction will remain open.
The City of Madison held a ribbon-cutting ceremony this week for new bike repair stations in Town Madison. The repair stations were funded by the Singing River Trail/Innovate Alabama Phase Zero Grant and the City of Madison. WAFF TV reports the repair stations are at the Town Madison Recreation Center and along Town Madison Blvd. near Toyota Field. Each repair station includes nine bike tools securely attached with retractable cables and a wheel check for tire support. Future plans call for a public bike pump at both sites. The repair stations are part of a larger effort to better outdoor recreation and mobility infrastructure in north Alabama.