🌱 Huntsville Space Camper Announced For Mission + Housing Deficit

Hello, everybody! I'm back in your inbox this morning with your new edition of the Huntsville Patch newsletter. Here's everything you need to know about what's happening in town today.

Also, FYI: I’m filling in temporarily to write your morning newsletters after Amy’s departure last week. But I wanted to let you know that Patch is looking for a local writer and entrepreneur to take the helm of the Huntsville Patch newsletter and make it their own. We want to pass the torch to someone truly local and in-the-know to write about Huntsville long term. So if you’re interested in earning extra income while making this newsletter a more valuable resource for your neighbors, learn more and apply here.

But first, today's weather:

Clouds giving way to some sun. High: 83 Low: 68.

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Here are the top three stories today in Huntsville:

1. On Monday, NASA and the Canadian Space Agency announced that Christina Kotch, a five-time space camper in Huntsville, will serve as part of the crew for the Artemis II moon flyby mission. Christina was part of the all-women spacewalk crew in 2019 and was listed on the 100 most influential people list in 2020. These successes followed her time in Huntsville where she spent five summers of training between 1992-1996. Koch will be joined in the November flyby mission by fellow crewmembers Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman, and Jeremy Hansen. (WZDX)
2. Huntsville's housing supply continues to increase, but experts say that it may not be able to keep up with the demand for housing. According to the Huntsville Area Association of Realtors, the inventory of single-family units increased 92 percent to 2,508 homes, while townhouses and condo units saw a 66 percent increase of 115 units. Despite the increase, available new listings have decreased for both single-family and condo units by 16.2 percent and 50 percent respectively, which means that sales have either picked up slightly, such as in the case of single-family units, or they have remained flat. This deficit in Huntsville is on par with the U.S. data from Realtor.com that states the country is short 6.5 million single-family households. (Huntsville Business Journal)
3. Football star Cam Newton will be visiting Huntsville for the 2023 Boys and Girls Club “Leaders & Legends Banquet” where he will be a keynote speaker. This event, scheduled for Thursday, Jul. 13, is the biggest fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Club of Northern Alabama, and proceeds will go to the organization's programming, experiences, and mentorship efforts. Sponsorship opportunities are still available, and tables for the event can be reserved by calling Beth Morring at 256-520-6500. More info about the event can be found here. (WZDX)

From our sponsor:

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Today in Huntsville:

• Stroller Tuesdays At Huntsville Botanical Garden (9:00 AM)
• Veggies Everywhere! At Huntsville Botanical Garden (10:00 AM)
• Earth Month Community Cleanup At Oakwood University (5:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• The Huntsville Police Department posted a video of the funeral service for fallen officer Garrett Crumby on Mar. 28, 2023. Click on the link to watch the service. (Huntsville Police Department via Facebook)
• Are you looking for a part-time or full-time job? Here is a list of some of this week’s newest job openings. Jobs vary from the service industry and warehouse jobs to administration, business, and sales representatives. (Huntsville Patch)
• The PANOPLY 2023 event created and organized by Arts Huntsville and presented by Mazda Toyota Manufacturing is scheduled for Apr. 28-30. The event will feature over 30 performances on two stages and an art market with more than 100 visual artists. Save the dates and make sure to attend this great event! (Arts Huntsville via Instagram)
• The Huntsville Museum of Art has opened a new exhibition called "Mystery and Benevolence: Masonic and Odd Fellows Folk Art from the American Folk Art Museum.” Explore the fascinating visuals of fraternal culture by visiting the museum today and viewing the new exhibition. (Huntsville Museum of Art via Facebook)

That's it for today. I'll see you soon!

— Sean Peek

About me: Sean Peek is a writer and entrepreneur with a degree in English Literature from Weber State University. Over the years, he has worked as a copywriter, editor, SEO specialist, and marketing director for various digital media companies. He currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.