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Hi Huntsville, hope you’re having a great weekend!

In today’s in-case-you-missed-it edition: Ikea’s new small-format store, $426 million U.S. Space Command bonuses, and Race to Space Marathon + the top stories from this week & a sneak peek at next week.

From today’s sponsor, FinanceBuzz: Many Alabama drivers end up paying higher auto insurance premiums because they don’t shop around enough. The same driver with the same car can get wildly different quotes from different insurers, so it truly pays to compare. Their free tool makes it easy.*

📰 Most-clicked stories this week

A local hit emerges: Franklin Spice Works has opened in Huntsville’s MidCity District, where shoppers can taste spices and scoop what they need, plus teas, sauces, and specialty goods drawing visitors from North Alabama — read the full story.

Projected $426 million savings: U.S. Space Command is offering significant relocation and retention bonuses to help civilians move from Colorado Springs to Redstone Arsenal, a multi-year transition bringing 1,400 jobs to Huntsville — see details on bonuses and timeline.

Big brand’s latest step: Ikea Huntsville has opened its smaller-format store, drawing about 600 shoppers on February 26. It’s open daily 11am to 7pm, giving locals new options for furniture and home goods — get the hours and highlights.

Nothing prepares you for a pet emergency: I learned that the hard way after charging $10k to a credit card for life-saving surgery on my cat, Miss Stache. As soon as we got home, I signed up for Spot. It’s super affordable – and reimburses up to 90% of the bill.*

Gold & silver are hot: Last year was gold’s best year since 1979. Silver did even better, climbing nearly 150%… and analysts expect the momentum to continue. Curious about precious metal investing? GoldCo has a helpful guide that covers everything you need to know. It’s free — and definitely worth a read.*

All the crowd favorites:

• Enjoy springtime strings in the garden
• Find treasures at Good Shepherd’s rummage sale
• Create vintage patina wooden signs

💎 This week’s top finds

Craving home-cooked comfort: When the week needs a reset, slide into Blue Plate Cafe for classic Southern plates and daily specials: chicken & dressing, pot roast, and all the cozy staples, served with an unhurried hometown vibe that lets you exhale and settle in.

Your midweek mountain fix: When screens blur together, ridge-top views at Monte Sano State Park clear the head; piney trails stay quiet and climbs make your smartwatch beam. Hike, bike, or picnic with a thermos…the simplest reset in Huntsville.

Fresh blooms, zero stress: Albert’s Flowers, a family-owned Huntsville classic, hand-arranges bouquets, plants, and thoughtful sympathy designs, with same-day local delivery. When your week needs color or you spaced a birthday, their designers make it easy to brighten a room, a desk, or a mood.

These aren’t ads or sponsored placements — they’re the local spots your fellow readers clicked on most this week.

🫶 We got your back

Your data is for sale right now: There are over 400 websites selling your info to marketers, political campaigns, and scammers. They’ve got your phone number, home address, relatives’ names… you name it. That’s how robocallers seem to know everything about you before you pick up. You can remove your info one site at a time, or pay a service to do it for you. Here’s what we recommend →

Why your last diet didn’t work: Sustained weight loss is nearly impossible with diet alone. Your body literally fights back by making you hungrier the moment you start restricting calories. That’s why more doctors are recommending GLP-1s. The best part? Getting them has never been easier. We compared three programs to help you find the right fit. See which ones stood out →

Paying full price is officially optional: Blu Dot just marked down dozens of their best sofas, beds, dining tables, outdoor pieces, and lighting by as much as 60%. Not because something’s wrong with them, but because every great design eventually has to make room for the next one. The deals change daily, so it’s always a new adventure. *See what’s on sale today →

Most people have no idea what’s happening inside their body: Not because the data doesn’t exist, but because no one’s collecting it. Routine annual checkups miss things like body composition, biological age, and the biomarkers that can help predict long-term patterns. The good news? HumeHealth offers tools to help you track all of that at home for less than the cost of a specialist visit. *Use code NEW20 to save 20% →

Something in your house is about to break: It might be your AC, your water heater, your fridge… doesn’t matter. Every major appliance has an expiration date, and when it goes, you’ll be staring down a repair bill that can climb into the thousands fast. An AHS home warranty covers these types of surprises + *select plans are $150 off right now →

📆 Sneak peek at next week

Have an event to share? BaseLocal Verified Businesses can submit them for free! Learn more about how to submit an event here →

All events are subject to change without notice. Always check official event pages for the most up to date information.

🎭 16th Annual Black & White Charity Ball @ Von Braun Center North Hall | Friday (3/20) at 7:00 PM – If you’ve been waiting to air out the black and white you wear to the VBC, here’s your cue. Morning Star Lodge’s masquerade ball brings dinner, Unique Live Band, and DJ Dre Smoove, with $65 advance tickets backing The Schools Foundation. Masks optional, fun inevitable.

🌷 Vernal Equinox Concert @ Grisham Pavilion at Huntsville Botanical Garden | Friday (3/20) at 7:00 PM – Celebrate the equinox at the Garden amphitheatre, where day and night call a truce and Southern Strings, a string quartet, pour out classics and modern favorites. Bring a blanket, a friend, or your solo self, and let renewal, harmony, and fresh air do their thing.

🛍 Good Shepherd Annual Rummage Sale @ Good Shepherd Catholic Church | Saturday (3/21) at 7:00 AM – This annual rummage sale turns Good Shepherd into a neighborhood treasure hunt, no map required. Expect vintage Pyrex, mystery cords, and that one perfect side table, all priced to move. Clean out your closets first, donations welcomed beforehand, then swoop in with the early birds.

🏃 Race to Space Marathon & Half Marathon @ Bridge Street Town Centre | Saturday (3/21) at 7:00 AM – Rocket City is lacing up for a marathon and half through Cummings Research Park, complete with chip timing, pacers, and a post-race party that earns the name. Not feeling 26.2, or 13.1? Jog the Saturn V 5K, snag the medal, and call it mission accomplished.

📚 Friends of the Library 25¢ Sale @ Huntsville Madison County Public Library (Downtown Huntsville) | Saturday (3/21) at 9:00 AM – Make room on the shelves, Downtown Huntsville Friends of the Library are giving away your next stack at 25 cents a book. Fiction, cookbooks, kids’ reads, and guilty-pleasure paperbacks, all fair game. Become a Friends member for early access, bragging rights, and better picks.

📚 Rocket City Reading Festival @ The Orion Amphitheater | Saturday (3/21) at 12:00 PM – Give your screen time the afternoon off and hit The Orion for Rocket City’s bookish block party. Free, family-friendly, and bursting with book swaps for adults and kids, story hours, the HMCPL bookmobile, and signings from 40-plus local authors, plus Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library enrollment.

🥖 Sourdough 201 @ Lemon & Lavender (Madison) | Sunday (3/22) at 4:00 PM – Time to level up your loaf game? This advanced workshop covers fermentation timing, shaping, inclusions, and tools, so read your dough, not the clock, troubleshoot, and bake consistent loaves. Private, ticketed, 18+, no tagalongs or refunds, and you leave with a shaped loaf, plus guides.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

📻 Huntsville report

Weather forecast

Today – High: 75°F – Low: 36°F – Precip: 11%

Mostly cloudy, with a high near 75. South southeast wind 5 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph. Later: Rain showers between 7pm and 10pm, then showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36. Southwest wind 15 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 45 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

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Tomorrow – High: 44°F – Low: 23°F – Precip: 98%

Rain showers before 7am, then a chance of snow showers between 7am and 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 44. West northwest wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Later: Partly cloudy, with a low around 23.

Most popular house this week

This proposed Coventry by GB Homes delivers timeless luxury. Five bedrooms and 5.5 baths mean every room is a private suite, including a primary with soaking tub, separate shower, and a walk-in closet with island. A kitchen with wet bar links to dining, a family room, and a 20×12 covered veranda overlooking private rear yard. A bonus loft sits upstairs.

Take a peek inside →