Articles by Audrey Johnson
Impact of breast biopsy markers on magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound
Abstract Background The placement of a biopsy marker at the time of breast biopsy is standard of care to mark the biopsy site and facilitate surgical excision. However, their impact on incisionless treatments like magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound remains underexplored. These factors are important considerations for the design and execution of translational research in this field. Methods Five commercially available markers were evaluated.
Weeding out insights from the LACs latest judgment
Click here to watch the Video Explore the LAC's groundbreaking ruling on workplace drug testing. Our experts dissect its impact on testing protocols and employment law in South Africa.
Weeding out insights from the LACs latest judgment
SUBSCRIBE | UNSUBSCRIBE Explore the LAC's groundbreaking ruling on workplace drug testing. Our experts dissect its impact on testing protocols and employment law in South Africa.
Severe weather possible for North Alabama, but a beautiful weekend expected
Spring in Alabama is supposed to be somewhat wet and stormy, but this week we may see some storms that reach severe levels. Heavy rain and high winds are expected over the next few days in North Alabama. However, when the storms clear out before the weekend, Mother’s Day weekend is going to be pleasant: Rain and possible severe storms are expected here in North Alabama Wednesday and Thursday.
Best places we ate this month in Huntsville [April 2024]
Another month of 2024 has flown by, so it’s time for our monthly guide to the best places we ate in Huntsville. This month, we tried some internationally-inspired food as well as a traditional American burger from a popular local restaurant.
NEW: UAH wins first place in college division in NASA's 30th Human Exploration Rover Challenge
NASA has announced the winners of the 30th Human Exploration Rover Challenge (HERC) winners. The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) is one of the many winners selected across the country and around the globe. More than 600 students spanning across 72 teams participated this year. HERC, the annual engineering competition, took place April 19 and 20 at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. Read on to learn more about what the challenge entailed and what it means for UAH to win.
A wet, steamy summer is on the way, says the Farmers' Almanac
Around here, we know that summer is going to be hot and humid — that’s part of living in Alabama — but not all Alabama summers are the same, so we checked the Farmers’ Almanac to see what we should expect this summer. According to the Farmers’ Almanac, summer is coming earlier than it has in more than 120 years here in the U.S., and we can expect a good bit of rain this summer, with some pretty steamy days. The Farmers’ Almanac says the entire country should brace for a super-hot summer.
NEW: Oakwood University wins national academic championship and $100,000
A team of four students from Oakwood University led the school to victory in the Honda Campus All-Star Challenge. This competition is the premier Historically Black College and Universities (HBCU) academic competition, and is a major achievement for the school and the students who competed. The team of four from Oakwood achieved a major feat, beating out 31 other teams to claim victory against Howard University in the final round of the 35th Honda Campus All-Star Challenge held in California.
5 reasons you need to launch your athletic career now at Alabama State Games—eSports, powerlifting + more
Sponsored Get ready to strike up some fun this summer—the Alabama State Games are back in Birmingham for their 41st year, June 7-9. From the thunderous roll of bowling balls to the awe-inspiring powerlifting and fast-paced pickleball tournaments, the Alabama State Games promise an extensive lineup of events you don’t want to miss. Check out all the sports you can compete in. The countdown is on. Register today for the Alabama State Games in Birmingham + Jefferson County, June 7-9. Sponsored by:
A new Korean fried chicken restaurant is opening in Huntsville
A new Korean fried chicken restaurant has opened on Whitesburg Drive. If you’ve only ever had American-style fried chicken, you don’t know what you’re missing. The new Korean fried chicken restaurant is called Bonchon. We last mentioned them in an opening guide back in March when they were announced. Bonchon means ‘my hometown’ or ‘my roots’ and started in South Korea before making its way to New York City in the early 2000s.
Check out these exciting events this weekend in the Rocket City
The weekend is approaching and it looks like all the rain we are experiencing will subside, so there’s no excuse not to get out and about in the Rocket City and get in to some fun. Do you know of an event you think our readers might enjoy? Add your event for free to our events calendar.
5 novels by Huntsville-area authors you should read now
The Huntsville area has an abundance of talent — whether it is visual arts, music, theater or other media — and that includes writing. We have a good number of writers in the area who have published novels that you should definitely pick up and read. Check out these novels from Huntsville-area writers: Huntsville resident and native Bill Fowler published his first novel, Free and Clear, in 2020.
THEN AND NOW: Lowe Mill in the 90s
Huntsville is full of history and has seen a lot of change over the years. Some changes are easier to see than others (like Midcity) but most change is more gradual. To make the differences from then and now easier to see, we’ve recreated some photos of Lowe Mill from the 90s to highlight how this historic location in Huntsville has changed over the years.
Your ultimate, Huntsville spring bucket list
Spring is a busy season often full of graduations, weddings and impending vacation plans. If you’re looking for some easy activities to try in between the hustle and bustle, try these five suggestions for how to enjoy spring this year in the Huntsville/Madison area: Even if you’re not a huge baseball fan, you have to watch the Trash Pandas play at least once. Tickets start for as little as $8, and their ballpark food is delicious.
6 spots in Huntsville that host exciting weekly trivia nights + 1 unique event to look forward to this April
Are you a trivia buff looking for something fun to do this week in the Rocket City? There are plenty of restaurants and pubs in Huntsville that host weekly trivia nights where you can win exciting prizes while testing the limits of your knowledge and eating delicious foods. Check out our guide to weekly trivia nights in Huntsville including one uniquely themed event this month: Stop by Urban Cookhouse at Bridge Street Town Centre between 6:30-7:30PM every Tuesday for trivia cohosted by BrainBlast.
A new pho restaurant just opened in Madison
A new restaurant opened in Madison last month, and its menu looks out-of-this-world. Pho Galaxy Noodle + Grill serves authentic Vietnamese cuisine. Their menu includes popular Vietnamese staples like pho (obviously), fresh spring rolls, banh mi and savory rice plate platters. This restaurant opened in March inside the Shoppes Village of Madison. For their first month, all menu items are 10% to celebrate their grand opening.
AAMU hires new women's basketball coach
Alabama A&M University has a new women’s basketball coach. Coming to A&M from a rival SWAC team, Dawn Thornton has been selected to lead the Bulldogs women’s hoops team. Here’s more on the new women’s basketball coach: Dawn Thornton was introduced over the weekend as the fifth head women’s basketball coach since becoming a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference and joining NCAA Division I.
NEW: Expect thunderstorms this week, Huntsville
Showers and thunderstorms are expected to impact North Alabama this week. Chances of rain will start tonight and continue through Thursday night. The threat for severe weather remains low but make sure to stay weather aware. The National Weather Service predicts showers will move across Madison County Tuesday morning at 4AM. Wind gusts are anticipated to hit up to 25mph on Tuesday. You can expect between a quarter and half an inch of rainfall.
Celebrate Earth Month in Huntsville with 2 exciting community events
Although Monday, April 22 is Earth Day, the whole month of April is considered Earth Month. Huntsville’s Green Team has put together some exciting events including a giveaway at John Hunt Park and a community celebration and Hays Nature Preserve. Come out and celebrate Earth Day and Earth Month with your local community and learn about what you can do to help protect our planet.
5 new businesses coming to Huntsville + 1 closing
New businesses continue to open across Madison County. Here are 5 new business openings to keep on your radar, plus one closing. Bloom Winery opened in Rogersville in September 2021. Their Hampton Cove location opened last week, and a Cullman location is planned next according to their website. Where: 5729 Cove Commons Dr SE, Brownsboro, AL 35741 When: Now open We’ve been waiting for this bakery to open for weeks, and the opening is finally around the corner.
2 local teachers finalists for Alabama Teacher of the Year
The Alabama Department of Education released its finalists for Alabama Teacher of the Year, and two local educators have made the list. Blossomwood Elementary School’s Shannon Williamson and Liberty Middle School teacher Kristen Brown are two of only 16 teachers statewide named as finalists for the award. The 2024-25 finalists for Alabama Teacher of the Year were chosen among 155 nominees across all of the state’s schools.
New Bank Independent branch opens in Madison
Sheffield-based Bank Independent is expanding its footprint in the Huntsville metro, as the bank opened a new branch this week in Madison. The new branch in West Madison is the bank’s sixth branch in Madison County. The new office is at 11254 County Line Road, Madison, AL 35756. Ground was broken for the office in June of 2022. “We are proud and excited to be expanding our full line of financial services further into Madison.
Here's everything you need to know about the eclipse
Eyes up Rocket City! A major astronomical event occurs on Monday, April 8th: The Solar Eclipse. This will be the last total solar eclipse in North America for over 20 years, so you won’t want to miss this. We’ve got all the information you’ll need to safely view the eclipse including what the eclipse is, where to view it, where to get eclipse glasses and eclipse events that are happening in Huntsville.
It's kitten and puppy season, here's where you can adopt now
If you’re on the lookout for a cat or dog to add to the family there are tons of non-profits and animal shelters in Huntsville to visit. The Spring and Summer of each year see the highest rates of new animal births, so this is often the time of year when shelters see the highest increase in their numbers and the biggest need for people to foster or adopt. Here are some of the shelters we recommend, but keep your eyes open because furry friends will often find you.
New Asian restaurant opening in MidCity District
A new Asian restaurant is opening soon in Huntsville’s MidCity District. Dragon Alley is the latest venture from local culinary innovators HX Brands. The owners of this new restaurant have also opened Chop N Fresh, Kamado Ramen, Tous les Jours, Oh Crepe, Kung Fu Tea and I Love Sushi in the Huntsville area. The new restaurant is set to open at 1030 Mid City Dr, Huntsville, AL 35806, replacing the national gourmet burger chain, Wahlburgers.
Check out these cool and exciting weekend events in the Rocket City
The first weekend of April is upon us, and we have a pretty cool list of weekend events for you to check out here in the Huntsville area. Do you know of an event you think our readers might enjoy? Add your event for free to our events calendar. There’s a little something for everyone happening here in town over the next few days, so check out these cool events: American Made surveys two centuries of American creativity.
Record Store Day in Huntsville + 1 shop with exclusive sales
Record Store Day is coming up on Saturday, April 20th! This exciting holiday celebrates the staff, customers and artists at independent record stores across the country and internationally. The first Record Store Day was held on April 19, 2008. To celebrate, participating stores will be stocked with products like exclusively colored discs and never-pressed-before releases.
Chamber now taking 2024 Small Business Awards nominees
The Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce is now accepting nominees for its 2024 Small Business Awards. The Chamber has some new categories this year, so get your nominations in soon! Here’s what to know about this year’s Small Business Awards: Nominations are open now through May 3. Winners will be announced at the 39th Annual Small Business Awards Gala Sept. 12. There are 12 different categories for businesses and three for individuals.
NEW: Local robotics team headed to world championship
A local Huntsville robotics team will head to Houston, Texas, for the “FIRST World Championship.” RAD Robotics Team #7111 qualified for the championship at the FIRST Robotics Competition Tallahassee Regional earlier in March. Plus, you have a chance to catch the team in action this weekend. RAD Robotics teaches high school students design, building, electrical, entrepreneurship and programming skills.
Love Connections? Play our Rocket City version.
The New York Times mini game “Connections” is captivating social media users. We’ve made a Rocket City-inspired version for fans of the game to try. If you’re familiar with the game, take a stab at it! But if you need info on how to play, keep reading. The New York Times first published Connections in June of last year. It’s a mini-game released daily that’s almost as popular as Wordle. The puzzle game offers 16 items. You try to separate them into four categories of four.
Huntsville represented on new $1 coin from U.S. Mint
The United States Mint will open sales for rolls and bags containing the second American Innovation $1 Coin of 2024 on April 8, and Huntsville is represented on the Alabama-themed coin. The reverse design of the coins in these products recognizes innovation from Alabama with an image of the Saturn V rocket, built at the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville.
5 restaurants for the best chicken wings in Huntsville
Calling all wing lovers and basketball fans. If you’re ready to watch Alabama in the Final Four this weekend, you need to try these delicious restaurants. Bonus: Mark your calendar for Huntsville’s annual chicken wing festival, Battle of the Buffalo. All proceeds benefit the Russell Hill Cancer Foundation and HudsonAlpha Foundation. This staple restaurant in Madison serves wings, burgers and chicken sandwhiches. Check out their full menu.
NOW OPEN: Bloom Winery in Hampton Cove
Bloom Winery has officially opened in Hampton Cove according to a post from its owner, Eric Cornelius. Here’s everything you need to know about this new-to-Huntsville spot. The winery started in Rogersville, Alabama, in September of 2021. Known for their delicious wood fired pizzas and wine slushies, the restaurant announced a Huntsville location was coming soon in November. In Rogersville, they also host events like paint and sip, cheese board making and cupcake decorating.
7 Nerdy stores in Huntsville you need to visit
It’s no secret that Huntsville is full of nerds. We recently highlighted nerdy restaurants in Huntsville, but there are plenty of other nerdy businesses here, so here are 7 of our favorite nerdy stores in Huntsville. If you’re a lover of Pokemon you’ve got to check out Poke-Collect. You’ll find cards from every generation, plushies, a wall of pop figures and tables set up for games. Poke-Collect also hosts tournaments and community events, so be sure to check their socials for more info.
Enjoy these amazing guided hikes in North Alabama this month
Spring is a fabulous time to be outdoors in North Alabama. And with all of the breathtaking scenery here in the area, hiking at one of the multiple nature preserves here is a perfect way to enjoy nature in the springtime.
North Alabama residents need to be weather aware Tuesday
A rite of spring in Alabama is to be prepared for severe weather, and this week is no exception. In the Huntsville area, the National Weather Service forecasts some possible severe stormed Tuesday afternoon and evening. Make sure you are prepared and have access to information in case of a power outage.
8 concerts to see this month in Huntsville [April 2024]
There are plenty of exciting concerts lined up around the Rocket City this month. If you’re looking for a live music event to attend, whether you like Conway Twitty, rock, hip-hop/rap or classical music, we’ve got you covered. Check out who’s performing where in Huntsville: Come see David Lee as Conway Twitty sing songs originally performed by the famous American singer-songwriter. Lee is a tribute artist who has also performed as Elvis at tribute shows across the country.
7 new businesses opening in Huntsville
New businesses continue to open all around Huntsville. Here are seven openings you’ll want to check out. This new music venue seeks to bring the joy of music to Huntsville. It’s located inside Campus 805, and you can check out their upcoming shows on their website. When: Now open Where: 2620 Clinton Ave W, Huntsville, AL 35805 Big Bad Breakfast will officially open on Tuesday. This Southern staple serves deliciousness like country skillets, biscuits and delicious breakfast cocktails.
Enjoy some live theater here in the Rocket City
There’s nothing better than taking in some live theater — whether it’s on Broadway or in your own community theater group — and we are lucky here in the Rocket City to have multiple organizations that provide stage talent for Huntsville audiences. Here’s what our local theater groups have coming up: Broadway Theatre League recently announced their upcoming season, and it is full of stellar performances coming to Huntsville.
You need to know the best places for wine tastings around Huntsville
Huntsville winos rejoice! There are tons of spots around the Rocket City where you can enjoy delicious wine tastings. With lovely outdoor seating, Le Petite Bijou, offers wine tastings you won’t want to miss. Upcoming, they’ll feature a French wine tasting for you to learn all about these iconic blends. Where: 103 North Side Square, Huntsville, AL 35801 Wind Down Wednesday tastings start at 6PM. Charcuterie is available and no reservations are required.
5 awesome local arcades you need to check out now
Huntsville is home to a lot of arcades, some big some small. We’ve compiled a list of our favorite local arcades around town that you might be unfamiliar with. This arcade is a great affordable arcade that’s full of some of the most unique machines out there. This arcade is all you can play, just one upfront fee and you’re good to go (that fee is only 5 dollars on Fridays).
Cybersecurity, Brasfield + Gorrie's new office + more business news
Sponsored One of the most prominent general contractors in Alabama made business news in North Alabama this month, as Brasfield & Gorrie moved into a new office in Huntsville to facilitate its growing number of projects in the area. Also, experts say companies will be spending more on cybersecurity in 2024, an issue we discuss with an expert in the field, thanks to our friends at the University of North Alabama’s Sanders College of Business & Technology.
Here's what's happening this weekend in the Rocket City
This is the last weekend of March coming up, and includes Good Friday and Easter (here’s what’s open and closed this weekend, by the way) and while there are certainly some great Easter events Sunday, we have plenty of other events happening over the next few days. Do you know of an event you think our readers might enjoy? Add your event for free to our events calendar.
Huntsville's biggest wings festival is back + better than ever on April 13th
Sponsored Wing fans unite—Battle of the Buffalo is back for 2024 with some awesome perks, like Grammy-nominated artists and new drink specials. Read on for all the details on this can’t-miss event. Battle of the Buffalo was inspired by the life of Paul “Fish” Salmon who was diagnosed with leukemia in 2006 and received treatment from Clearview Cancer Institute. When he passed away in 2007, Paul was a brother of the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity and a senior at The University of Alabama in Huntsville.
This Huntsville accounting firm has found the secret to great hires
Sponsored With 400 people moving to Huntsville each month, there’s a lot of talent coming to the Rocket City. But that doesn’t always mean it’s always easy to find the right candidates, especially with the unemployment rate only being 2.7%. We got to sit down with Ashley Wentz, a local Director of Recruiting, to find out the secret to how her accounting firm is finding top talent. Read on for all the details. Ashley Wentz has mastered the hiring game.
NEW: Huntsville PD earns another advanced accreditation
The Huntsville Police Department received a major accreditation recently, earning its Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies accreditation for the ninth time. This accreditation is only awarded every four years. To achieve advanced accreditation, an agency must demonstrate continued compliance with 460 law enforcement standards. The CALEA Board of Commissioners routinely re-evaluates these standards to help strengthen accountability within the agency and the community.
NEW: Madison pizza chef wins international competition for 3rd year in a row
Heads up Huntsville-area residents—we have one of the top pizza chefs in the world right here. Madison resident, pizza chef and owner of Valentina’s Pizzeria, just brought home some serious hardware from an internal competition in Las Vegas. Read on for all the details. Just last week, Carlucci set a new world record. For the 3rd year, Carlucci traveled to Las Vegas to compete in the International Pizza Expo, and he won big.
NOW OPEN: The Blessing Bins in Brownsboro
If you’re into thrifting, you have to check out The Blessing Bins in Brownsboro. This store, formerly known as the Bargain Bins, recently relocated to a new location: Where: 5549 US-431, Brownsboro, AL 35741 When: Sun.-Wed., 11AM-6PM, Thurs., 11AM-3PM, Sat., 10AM-7PM This store buys overstock and returns from stores like Target, Home Depot and Amazon. Shipments are delivered on Friday, when the store is closed, so there’s always a new rotation of items in stock.
Here's who made our Health Score Honor Roll for March
This month, more than 200 eating establishments were inspected by the Madison County Health Department. As a public service, Hville Blast reports monthly Madison County Health Department restaurant scores, featuring those eateries with health scores of 95 or better on their inspection (we excluded private eateries like school or business cafeterias and private clubs and limited food service establishments).
NEW: Dutch Bros Coffee in Madison opening this Friday
The Dutch Bros Coffee in Madison will open its doors to customers this Friday, March 29 at 5AM. Where: 2280 Zierdt Rd, Huntsville, AL 35824 When: Sun.-Thurs., 5AM-10PM; Sat.-Fri., 5AM-11PM This will be the third Dutch Bros location in North Alabama. A Decatur location opened on Beltline Road last summer and a location opened in Owens Cross Roads earlier this year. The Decatur location was the coffee chain’s first store in Alabama, but one more location will come to Huntsville soon.
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