July 5, 2026

What free family event is happening at John Hunt Park on Saturday, July 11 from 9 to 11 a.m.?

A) Color Jam Family Fun Run & Walk
B) Rocket Run 5K
C) Summer Splash Dash
D) Kids Sports Day

This Weeks Newsletter Presented By...

New Alabama School Threat Law Took Effect July 1

A new Alabama law with stronger penalties for terrorist threats in schools and public spaces became effective July 1. Parents should know that students charged with making a terrorist threat can be suspended from class pending due process, and a guilty finding can lead to expulsion. This is worth discussing with middle and high school students before the new school year starts. [Read More]

Alabama Overtime Tax Relief Applies for 2026–2028

Alabama’s overtime income tax reduction applies for tax years 2026 through 2028. Workers who earn overtime should keep good payroll records now rather than waiting until tax season, and small businesses should make sure payroll systems are tracking overtime correctly. The temporary grocery tax suspension ended June 30, so households may notice that state grocery tax relief is no longer in place. [Read More]

Alabama’s Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday Is July 17–19

Alabama’s annual back-to-school sales tax holiday starts Friday, July 17 at 12:01 a.m. and ends Sunday, July 19 at midnight. Families in Madison should plan ahead for qualifying school supplies, clothing and computers, but check local tax rules because local sales tax may still apply. [Read More]

Here’s a look at the 7-day weather forecast for Madison, AL:

It is so hot outside, I opened the front door and the outside said, "You sure?"

Hot Summer Afternoons And Thunderstorms

Q: Why do afternoon thunderstorms happen when it gets hot?
Thunderstorms need three basic ingredients: moisture, unstable air and a way to lift that air upward.

On hot summer days, the ground heats up. That warms the air near the surface. Warm air is less dense, so it wants to rise. If the air is humid and unstable, that rising air can keep climbing and build a tall storm cloud.

That is why the sky can look fine at lunch and ominous by late afternoon.

Q: Why does humidity matter so much?
Humidity is storm fuel.

Warm air can hold a lot of water vapor. When that warm, humid air rises, it cools. As it cools, the water vapor condenses into cloud droplets. That process helps clouds grow taller and tall storm clouds can produce rain, thunder and lightning.

Q: Why do storms often wait until the afternoon?
The sun needs time to heat the ground.

Morning storms can happen, but the classic summer pop-up storm often waits until the day has cooked for a while. By early or midafternoon, pavement, rooftops, fields and yards have all added heat to the air near the ground.

The National Weather Service even uses the phrase "popcorn convection" for scattered showers and thunderstorms that form during the afternoon from daytime heating. Those storms are usually scattered, short-lived and often fade near sunset.

Q: Why does it rain at my house but stay sunny two miles away?
Pop-up storms can be small.

A summer thunderstorm may dump rain on one neighborhood while the next one over stays dry. These storms do not always move like a long wall of weather. Some build over one hot, humid spot, rain hard for a little while, then collapse.

That is why the radar can look like random blobs instead of a clean line.

[Learn More]

Ding How II

Ding How is coming back and the community have been waiting for this one. Someone even publicly manifested this with a sticker they created.

The longtime Chinese restaurant on Whitesburg Drive closed after a 2024 fire, leaving a very specific hole for regulars who missed the dim sum, hot and sour soup and familiar comfort orders. The news and Ding How's own Facebook Page report that the restaurant is set to reopen at its original Whitesburg Plaza location, though an official opening date has not been announced yet.

This is not a random new concept trying to introduce itself. Ding How already has history here. People remember their order. They remember who they went with. They remember the dish they have been craving since the doors closed. When a restaurant has been gone for two years and people still ask when it is coming back, that says a lot.

No official opening date has been announced yet but when they reopen, expect locals to show up fast. If dim sum returns, that alone will bring people through the door. For families who grew up making Ding How a regular stop, this reopening is a wish come true.

🌐 Website

4800 Whitesburg Drive, Suite 8

Huntsville, AL 35802

📍Google Maps

(256) 880-8883

Buying a house comes with a few surprises. One of the small annoying ones is opening the mailbox and finding bills, catalogs, medical notices, bank letters or ...

Still On The Topic Of Showers....

Not everyone has those fancy thick glass showers. Many of us still have those tubs with the curtain rod. But did you know that they make rods that give you extra shoulder room? Yes they do. And you don't even have to screw them into the wall.

Check Availability

If you missed last weeks suggestion for better showers...

Here you go...

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Be careful of them pop up thunderstorms!

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In time we will have rotating sections for recipes, job opportunities, events and much much more. So stay tuned!

If you have read this far, you may wonder why there isn't any news about tragic events, hate and terrible crimes and it's because there is just too much of that everywhere else. We want this newsletter to bring you kind awareness and also to help spread joy and information on your Sunday!

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- Robert

A) Color Jam Family Fun Run & Walk

https://www.huntsvilleal.gov/experience-a-colorful-adventure-at-the-2026-color-jam-family-run-walk/