The fight to stop the quarry under construction in the Limestone County community of Belle Mina may soon find its way to federal court. AL.com reports The Southern Environmental Law Center sent a 60-day notice of its intent to sue to outgoing U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and quarry developers on Nov. 22. The Southern Environmental Law Center represents New Beginnings Covenant Ministries, Belle Mina Methodist Church and the Alabama Rivers Alliance. The churches were recently denied a temporary injunction to halt construction already underway on Mooresville Road less than a mile from the heart of the Belle Mina community. A hearing is set in that case in February.
The federal government and the state of Alabama will cover the cost for a $1.5 million study on the need for Interstate 565 improvements at Memorial Parkway in Huntsville. According to Madison County Commission Chairman Mac McCutcheon, who chairs the Huntsville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization the cost of the actual project could be much higher. McCutcheon told the Huntsville Times the cost for interchange improvements could reach as high as $300 million. He said the Alabama Department of Transportation will be doing an assessment study of the project. The state’s share of the study is $300,000, with the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration paying for the rest.
Huntsville is the site of one of the largest construction projects in the Southeast as work began on the $220 million first phase of the Front Row development. AL.com reports the more than 11-acre project will include 545 high-end residential units, 36,000 square feet of office space, and 47,000 square feet of retail space. The project is taking shape at the site of the former Coca Cola plant across from the Von Braun Center.
The U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate both passed the defense bill this month. Huntsville could get $57 million. In a statement earlier this month, Rep. Dale Strong, R-Huntsville, announced the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act approves $40 million for a military testing facility at Redstone Arsenal and $17 million for a base for the Alabama National Guard in Huntsville. AL.com reports that in the bill, congress additionally asked for a report on modernizing the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site that the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command oversees at Redstone Arsenal.
Officials are encouraging high school seniors to fill out the FAFSA form while they are home for the holidays. Your child could receive thousands in free Pell grant money that they don’t have to pay back. Alabama Possible says this year’s form takes roughly 30 minutes to fill out. WBRC TV in Birmingham reports only about 35,000 Alabama students take the time to fill out the form each year. Alabama Possible has more free resources available for parents and students including links to scholarships at alabamapossible.org.
It's not too late to visit the Tinsel Trail. Tinsel Trail will be open every day, rain or shine through Dec. 31, and will feature several activities throughout the holiday season. Located directly behind the Huntsville Museum of Art in Big Spring Park, Skating in the Park will be open seven days a week, including holidays. Rink hours change at different points of the season and can be found at hsvmuseum.org.
Christmas Card Lane is still open along the Tennessee River Greenway at Ditto Landing. It features festive 4'x8' Christmas Cards designed by Huntsville's most creative companies, non-profits, and families. Christmas Card Lane will be open at sunrise and stay open to visitors until 10pm every night until December 31.