Less than a day after President Donald Trump announced the move to Redstone Arsenal, a team from U.S. Space Command headquarters in Colorado Springs arrived in Huntsville. Major Chris Boyer-Meeder, current operations chief for U.S. Space Command Public Affairs, told AL.com the team was conducting initial steps for the move. Traylor said during a roundtable at the Huntsville-Madison County Chamber that Space Command could become fully operational in Huntsville within three years in temporary facilities while waiting for permanent facilities to be built. That process that could take between five to seven years.
The legal authority in Colorado is taking steps to stop the move of Space Command Headquarters from Colorado to Alabama. Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser released a statement saying that he will take legal action to prevent the move. He says his office has been preparing in the event the president made such an unlawful decision to move Space Command HQ. If the Trump administration takes this step, they are prepared to challenge it in court. AL.com reports Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said the state is ready for the fight.
Two tax breaks passed by the Alabama Legislature and signed by Gov. Kay Ivey this year took effect this week. Now, Alabama’s state sales tax on food has dropped by one percentage point -- from 3% to 2%. Also, diapers, baby formula, baby wipes, baby bottles, breast feeding supplies, maternity clothing, and menstrual hygiene products will no longer carry a state sales tax starting today. AL.com reports the reduction is expected to save consumers about $122 million a year.
Alabama lawmakers have pre-filed a bill that would keep any discussion of gender identity out of the classroom. The bill would also prohibit teachers and other staff members from calling students by pronouns inconsistent with that student’s biological sex. It would also keep employees from displaying LGBTQ flags in the classroom. State Representative Mack Butler, who filed the bill, tells WAFF TV these topics have no place in the classroom. However, he said that students would still be able to talk to a teacher or counselor privately about gender identity under his bill.
With September designated as “National Preparedness Month,” Governor Kay Ivey is calling on Alabamians to take proactive steps now to safeguard their families before disaster strikes. This year’s theme is “Preparedness Starts at Home.” According to The Alabama Political Reporter that serves as a reminder to learn about the risks in your area, create a family emergency plan, assemble a go-kit with essential supplies and get involved in your community by taking actions to prepare. The Alabama Emergency Management Agency recommends that every home have a basic emergency Go-Kit including water and non-perishable food, a cell phone with weather/news apps, as well as portable battery chargers, battery-powered or hand-crank radio capable of receiving NOAA Weather Radio alerts as well as local news broadcasts, flashlights, first aid kits and more.
The City of Huntsville has officially opened the Stoner Park Skating Rink. The $2.3 million project, broke ground in July 2024. The rink sits under a 19,000-square-foot open-air pavilion on the site of the park’s former tennis courts. WHNT TV reports the facility also features new restrooms and easy access to other park amenities, including a playground, multi-purpose fields, and football, baseball, and softball facilities. Stoner Park Skating Rink is located at 3723 Bragg Street NW. That’s off of Stringfield Road in North Huntsville.