July 11, 2025
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Business & Economic Development
Ranking: Huntsville has been ranked the 4th-best mid-sized metro in the U.S. (population 500,000–999,999) according to a recent CoworkingCafe report. The ranking reflects strong metrics in job availability, wage growth, affordability, and educational infrastructure, reinforcing the city’s status as a top national destination for STEM professionals.
Read More:HBJ July 9, 2025
Government
Annexation: Huntsville is considering an annexation petition from Wiz Kidz LLC and Hollingshead Materials LLC (operator of Smyrna Ready Mix), which would bring approximately 1,014 acres south of the Tennessee River, mostly in Morgan County, with a portion in Marshall County, into the city limits. The proposal, which doesn’t seek city services, aims to expand the city’s industrial footprint, allow regulation of an existing quarry, protect river frontage, oversee nearby residential areas, and potentially improve local infrastructure with materials from SRM.
Read More: City of HSV July 10, 2025
NASA: NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville is poised to lose 279 senior staff members, part of a broader plan affecting 2,145 GS‑13 to GS‑15 personnel agency‑wide, through early retirements, buyouts, or deferred resignations. The reductions come amid proposed budget cuts of up to 25% for fiscal year 2026 and have sparked concerns over the loss of technical expertise critical to core missions like science and human spaceflight.
Read More: AL.com July 10, 2025
TVA: The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has activated ten new aeroderivative gas turbines at its Johnsonville Combustion Turbine Plant, adding 500 MW of fast-start generating capacity, enough to power nearly 300,000 homes, to its regional grid. These flexible units, capable of ramping from cold to full power in about five minutes, help TVA meet peak demand during heat waves and enhance grid reliability across its multi-state service area.
Read More: AL.com July 10, 2025