Alabama’s tax-free weekend will run from Friday, July 18 to midnight on Sunday, July 20. Shoppers in Alabama can buy school supplies, clothes and other select items without paying sales tax in eligible cities across the state. According to the Alabama Department of Revenue, some of the eligible items include clothing items less than $100 each, single purchases of computers, computer supplies or computer software for $750 or less, school supplies, school art supplies or school instructional material at $50 or less per item and books at $30 or less each. You can find a complete list here.
The fight to stop a quarry in Belle Mina heads to court Tuesday in Limestone County. AL.com reports a group of churches and residents have filed suit to block the quarry less than a half mile from the heart of the small farming community in Limestone County. The quarry site is north of Interstate 565 and is near an almost 400-acre site recently annexed by Huntsville where up to 3,000 homes and retail development is proposed.
Huntsville Hospital Health System officials announced this week that they would be seeking approval from the State to build two free-standing emergency departments. Officials say, upon approval, they will build them in Hampton Cove and north Huntsville. WAFF TV reports that at Madison Hospital, the existing emergency department will grow by six beds, increasing capacity by 25 percent.
Alabamians receiving federal food assistance would not be able to use it to buy candy or soda under legislation planned for the 2026 session. The proposal from Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, would prohibit the purchases under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, sometimes referred to as food stamps. Alabama Daily News reports the draft bill requires the Alabama Department of Human Resources to request a waiver from the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Services to ban candy and soda. Several other states have gotten similar waivers in recent months.
The Salvation Army of Huntsville and its emergency services are back in operation. WHNT TV reports the shelter was closed because of low staffing due to illness and a lack of qualified applicants. Major Joseph May, the Salvation Army Corps Officer, says the Salvation Army is looking to fill several positions to keep the shelter open.
June was Huntsville International Airport’s busiest passenger month in history. June saw over 160,000 passengers at the airport, an increase of 9.1% over June 2024. The airport has seen a 4.7% increase overall so far in 2025. Business Alabama reports the main reason for the increase in passenger numbers is the availability of more seats. In June, Breeze Airways increased nonstop service from Huntsville to Orlando to seven days a week. Delta has launched non-stop flights from Huntsville to New York. American Airlines added flights to existing routes to Charlotte and Dallas.
Leaders at Huntsville Animal Services say they have seen a drop in the number of dogs they’re caring for, but they could still use some help from the community. The shelter has hosted several adoption events this year trying to connect the animals to loving homes. WAFF TV reports the shelter has also restarted its Trap-Neuter-Release program for area cats, so they don’t add to the population. More information about fostering or adopting is at www.huntsvilleal.gov/animal.