🌱 13th Annual Mobile Chocolate Festival + No Rain On This Parade

Welcome back, Mobile. I'm here in your inbox per usual to tell you everything you need to know about what's going on around town.

Also, FYI: I wanted to let you know that Patch is looking for a local writer and entrepreneur to take the helm of the Mobile Patch newsletter and make it their own. We want to pass the torch to someone truly local and in-the-know to write about Mobile 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:

Mostly sunny and cool. High: 57 Low: 34.

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Here are the top 3 stories today in Mobile:

1. Chocolate lovers gathered in Mobile this weekend for the 13th Annual Mobile Chocolate Festival. Each year, this festival raises money for Penelope House, a domestic violence shelter that serves multiple counties in southwest Alabama. On Saturday, nearly 50 vendors came together and provided chocolate samples for attendees. If you missed this year's festival and still want to help support Penelope House, visit its website here. (Fox 10 News)
2. Threats of bad weather didn't deter many Mobile residents from celebrating St. Patrick's Day this weekend. Hours before the parade on Friday, Mar. 17, The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Mobile canceled due to impending bad weather. However, many die-hard parade-goers still came out and conducted their own 10-minute parade. (Fox 10 News)
3. According to a Baldwin County Sheriff's Office media release, two people are dead and their son is in custody following a fatal shooting on Saturday. Deputies responded to a report of gunfire on McFarland Road in Spanish Fort on Saturday night and found two victims inside with gunshot wounds. Authorities have reason to believe that Trinell Brown, 25, killed his parents and fled. He has been taken into custody. (AL.com)

Today in Mobile:

• Chess Club At West Regional-Mobile Library (4:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Students in grades K-12 are invited to enter the Mobile County Earth Day art competition! This year's theme is "invest in our planet." submissions must be exclusively comprised of recycled/reused materials. The deadline is Apr. 3. For more details, visit the link here. (Mobile County, Alabama via Facebook)
• A freeze warning is in effect for the entire area through this morning; temperatures are expected to plummet to freezing and below across practically the entire area, including portions of the coastal counties. Otherwise, expect the mid-30s at the immediate beachfront communities. Stay warm and keep those jackets handy, and be sure to take any necessary precautions! (US National Weather Service Mobile Alabama via Facebook)
• Alabama is home to many things — Mardi Gras, Alabama football, and so much more. It’s also home to some unusual laws. Did you know that in Mobile, it’s illegal to spray silly string as well as to spit orange peels onto the sidewalk? Check out this list for more oddly specific Alabama laws. (WKRG)

Alrighty, you're all caught up for today. See you all soon for another update!

— Miranda Fraraccio

About me: Miranda Fraraccio is a staff writer for content creation agency Lightning Media Partners. She is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island, where she earned degrees in Writing & Rhetoric and Communication Studies. In her free time, you can find her traveling, drinking tea, or practicing film photography.