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WEATHER BLOG: Update on chance of rain Friday and Saturday

WEATHER BLOG: Update on chance of rain Friday and Saturday

By Brad Travis

They sky will clear overnight and lows will be around 60 degrees.

Here is a forecast image showing the forecast change in Barometric Pressure as we track the next storm system.  Pressure will be falling Thursday into Saturday with a rapid rise in pressure Sunday into Monday behind the weekend cold front as the cooler air mass moves in.

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BBB warns of text message phishing scam

HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF)- A text messaging scam is working its way through the Tennessee Valley.

Lately, customers with Verizon Wireless have been receiving a text from local Cadence or BBVA banks asking the recipient to contact them regarding their account number. Officials with the Better Business Bureau say: Do not hand your information over.  

"Right when I saw the text message, I thought my bank account had been frozen based on my recent activity," said Lauren Downey.  She received two text messages Tuesday and one on Wednesday. 

Downey figured the text was bogus, but she called the number the text asks you to call just to be sure.

"I knew right then that my bank would call me and they would not make me put anything into an automated system," she said.   

Michele Mason with the Better Business Bureau said they've been getting notified about the text messages for weeks.   

Huntsville officially in race for drone testing site

If Huntsville is selected as a testing site, it will give a major boost to the economy.

HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF)- Huntsville is officially in the race to become one of six drone testing sites in the country. The final application for the competition has been submitted.

The Rocket City is up against dozens of groups in 35 other states for the chance to become one of six testing sites.

The Federal Aviation Administration will use those sites to determine how drones can be used commercially and how they can co-exist with airliners already in the sky.

Proponents of the effort say Huntsville is a natural fit for the job.

Redstone Arsenal is already the hub for developing and managing unmanned aerial vehicles for the Army.

If Huntsville is selected as a testing site, it will give a major boost to the economy.

Tens of thousands of new jobs would be brought to the area in both North Alabama and Tennessee.

The Rocket City is partnering up with Tennessee as a way to improve the city's chances.

Proposed site for new Johnson High raises concerns

A rock quarry owned by Alabama Construction is just a few miles behind the proposed site for the new high school.

HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF)- Huntsville school leaders have big plans for building new schools.

The proposed site for the new J.O. Johnson High and Junior High school is off Pulaski Pike near Winchester Road.

Residents in northwest Huntsville have wanted a new school for years, but some see a potential problem with the proposed site.

A rock quarry owned by Alabama Construction is just a few miles behind the proposed site for the new high school. Folks who live near it say explosions at the quarry blasting rock can be felt miles away and is causing cracks in their home foundations.

The issue has come up in the past for school leaders to consider. School leaders are awaiting results of an environmental study where air quality and traffic safety concerns are reviewed, among a list of other things.

Johnson was built in 1972 to house more than 2,000 students. It currently only houses 580.

Senior Fun Fest kicks off at Madison Square Mall

Seniors from across the Tennessee Valley gathered for games, dancing, and fun to celebrate Older Americans Month.

MADISON COUNTY, AL (WAFF)- Zumba-dancing ladies kicked off Wednesday's "Senior Fun Fest" at the Madison Square Mall.

Seniors from across the Tennessee Valley gathered for games, dancing, and fun to celebrate Older Americans Month.

The party is usually held at Sharon Johnston Park, but this year it moved indoors, just in case the weather turned bad.

Betty Frasier has attended Senior Fun Fest for the past decade.

"If they were unable to attend this today, they would be sitting at home alone without any interaction with anything or anybody so this is wonderful for them," said Frasier.

The TARCOG Area Agency on Aging hosts the event, along with the Madison County Commission.

Copyright 2013 WAFF. All rights reserved.

Car seat safety parents' first concern while traveling

Car seat safety should be one of the first things parents get checked.

HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF)- Now is the time many of us grab the kids and our stuff and travel.  Whether it's for a week or the day, car seat safety should be one of the first things parents get checked.

Little Kelsey is only 8 months old, but he is the center of his parent's world. His dad, Pranteek Patnaik, is in the medical field and knows how important safety is for traveling with children.

That's why he came to Huntsville Hospital to allow the pros to install Kelsey's car seat. 

"I think, as a parent, safety, obviously, we always hear the term "precious cargo" and safety with that, and your little one brings it to a whole new level when you're a parent," said Patnaik.

The technician will go over some specific points with dad, give him a quick safety lesson, and make sure the seat is installed correctly.  

Cheers for Craft Beer: Old Black Bear has a home

Cheers for Craft Beer: Old Black Bear has a home

 

Moving on up!  That’s what the craft beer scene is doing in the state of Alabama.  From the passage of the homebrew bill yesterday to the craft breweries coming to fruition, Alabama is on the rise.

As a Madison resident, I am excited to see our downtown grow by leaps and bounds in just the past year!  New shops are popping up like Sady’s Bistro, Whistle Stop Sweet Shop alongside old favorites like Bandito Burrito and Madison City Cafe.  Downtown is booming with life and art.  The SPACES Trail and Gazebo Concerts from the Madison Arts Council help to draw people downtown.