🌱 HSV Braid-A-Thon Serves Over 400 + Madison Chamber Talks AI In Biz

Good morning, hello. It's me, Joyce Nash, your host of the Huntsville Patch newsletter — back in your inbox with all the most important things happening in town these days.

But first, today's weather:

Partly sunny. High: 90 Low: 65.

Here are the top three stories in Huntsville today:

1. CNI Solutions offered free hairstyles to over 400 students in need during its annual Braid-a-Thon at the Bob Harrison Center on Sunday. Students picked a hairstyle they liked, which included locs, line-ups, and braids, and volunteer stylists from in and around the state made it happen. The stylists were able to help students look and feel their best when they go back to school this week. (WHNT News 19)
2. The Catalyst Center for Business and Entrepreneurship, along with the Madison Chamber of Commerce, explored Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its relation to small businesses in their recent event. A panel of experts taught business owners how to understand and utilize new technology, such as ChatGPT. The sessions attempted to demystify AI and show various ways it can be used to benefit business owners, such as creating newsletters, conducting customer service, engaging in marketing efforts, and analyzing trends. (themadisonrecord.com)
3. The Salvation Army lost air conditioning on Sunday, which prompted the acquisition of four temporary portable units. They accepted a $70,000 bid to replace the broken AC units while attempting to keep everyone at the shelter cool. People have been showing up to the shelter with heat-related illnesses and need hospital treatment, creating an urgency in trying to replace the AC. (WAFF)

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Today in Huntsville:

Tuesday, August 1

• Stroller Tuesdays In The Garden At Huntsville Botanical Garden (9:00 AM)
• Mixx Madness - DJ Showcase At The Greenroom Coffee Shop At The Camp (6:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• A new exhibition, titled "SHE," by award-winning photographer Rania Matar is coming to the Huntsville Museum of Art on Aug. 17! Come celebrate with Matar and get her book signed at the Lecture and Preview Party; tickets are available for members and non-members. (Huntsville Museum of Art via Facebook)
• Come "Light Up the Night" with Huntsville Parks and Recreation on Aug. 4 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Big Spring Park East with lots of music and dancing, glow-in-the-dark activities, games, and more! All the details can be found here. (City of Huntsville, Alabama - Government via Facebook)
• Support your local photographers by visiting the Huntsville Museum of Art before Aug. 6 to catch "Beyond the Lens: The Art of the Mysterious." One of the images featured in the exhibit is "Stairway to Oblivion" by Huntsville local Alice Searcy. (Huntsville Museum of Art via Facebook)

You're officially in the loop for today! I'll see you around.

— Joyce Nash

About me: Joyce is a freelance writer and poet whose work has appeared in the Hello Gloria newsletter and Nine Cloud Journal. Her background ranges from journalism to fitness instruction and spans the east coast to the West. In her free time, she enjoys reading, cooking, and spending time with her husband and two cats.