Entries by Kait Thursday

Small Businesses Take Center Stage as Chamber Marks 40th Gala

The Huntsville/Madison County Chamber marked a milestone last week with its 40th Annual Small Business Awards Gala at the Von Braun Center. While the evening began with a brief technical issue during the opening video, the program soon found its rhythm, celebrating the companies and individuals who keep Huntsville’s economy dynamic and resilient. Recognizing the […]

Space Command Headquarters Move Sparks Local Optimism — and Questions

Huntsville leaders gathered on September 3 for a press conference to outline what the permanent relocation of U.S. Space Command (SPACECOM) headquarters will mean for North Alabama. The event followed federal confirmation earlier this week that Redstone Arsenal is the official choice after years of evaluation and political debate. Preparing for Relocation Lucia Cape, Senior […]

Huntsville Marks 15 Years of Cyber Leadership, CMMC Rules Reshape Defense Contracting

The Auburn University Research and Innovation Campus recently hosted a gathering of cybersecurity professionals, educators, and defense leaders to celebrate Cyber Huntsville’s 15th anniversary. Mayor Tommy Battle delivered the opening address, framing the milestone not just as a moment of pride, but as a pivotal juncture for Huntsville to reinforce its cyber readiness in the […]

Huntsville’s Golden Dome: What We Know Now and What’s Coming Next

Huntsville, Alabama, is positioned to play a central role in one of the nation’s most ambitious defense initiatives. The Golden Dome missile defense program—a proposed multi-layer system combining space-based sensors, interceptors, and ground assets—aims to counter emerging missile threats, including maneuverable hypersonics and advanced cruise missiles. Announced by President Trump in early 2025, the program […]

Flint River at Risk? New Market Residents Push Back on Integra Water Project

The recent announcement that Integra Water plans to build a wastewater treatment facility near the Flint River in New Market has sparked significant concern among local residents, environmental advocates, and river-dependent businesses. Questions have arisen about how the new plant might impact water quality, local ecosystems, and public health, especially given Alabama’s history of industrial […]

Tearful Rep. Strong is “100 percent sure” Space Command is Coming to HSV

On July 30, 2025, at the Von Braun Center, Rep. Dale Strong tearfully declared he is “100 percent sure” that U.S. Space Command will relocate to Redstone Arsenal. He also hailed the recently passed “One Big Beautiful Bill” (BBB) as a safeguard for 90,000 Alabama jobs, particularly in defense and aerospace sectors critical to Huntsville. But […]

Huntsville’s Greenway Vision Expands with Community at the Center

On July 17, Huntsville residents gathered at City Hall to help shape the future of the city’s greenways. The open house—hosted by the City of Huntsville’s Planning and Landscape Management teams—invited the public to explore maps, learn about upcoming trail expansions, and contribute ideas that will directly influence the evolving Greenway Master Plan. Huntsville currently […]

A New Model for Local Commerce: Food & Farm Hub Grows Huntsville’s Green Economy

Despite scattered thunderstorms that briefly sent guests scrambling for shelter, the Huntsville Food & Farm Hub officially launched on June 24 at the historic Lumberyard, introducing a bold new chapter in local agriculture, sustainability, and community-driven enterprise. The event marked the opening of a year-round online marketplace connecting residents and restaurants to farms and producers […]

Federal Windfall or Fiscal Fog? Breaking Down the NASA Budget Shift

Huntsville is no stranger to federal twists and turns. From Saturn V to today’s Artemis missions, the city has long weathered Washington’s ups and downs while steadily expanding its aerospace, defense, and tech footprint. Now, as the Senate weighs amendments to the “Big Beautiful Bill” (H.R. 1), local business owners are rightly asking how Sen. Ted Cruz’s proposed spending […]

Mental Health Is a Bottom‑Line Issue: Lessons from Former Kaiser Executive Adam Nemer

Huntsville’s employers are feeling the same headwinds as companies nationwide: higher turnover, stubborn productivity gaps, and ballooning health‑care costs [1]. An overlooked culprit is mental illness, which affects one in five U.S. adults each year — nearly 58 million people [2]. A new macro‑economic study by economists at Yale and Columbia puts a sharper edge on that headline […]