Mars Music Hall is about to rock Huntsville music scene
Next year, there will be significantly more concerts coming to Huntsville. The ways music fans can enjoy their night before and after concerts here will change too. The Von Braun Center’s new venue, named Mars Music Hall, is set to debut Jan. 3 with a performance by Grammy winning Americana artist Jason Isbell. The 25 or so initial bookings also include folk-rock legend Graham Nash (March 25), bluegrass hotshot Billy Strings (Jan. 23), virtuoso bassist Victor Wooten (April 14), metal guitarist John 5 (Feb. 25), and rising country singer Chris Janson (Feb. 28). – AL.com
Federal judge blocks Alabama’s latest anti-abortion bill
A U.S. District Court judge on Tuesday blocked Alabama’s controversial near-total abortion ban — which does not allow exceptions for victims of rape and incest and would make it a felony for doctors to perform the procedure unless a woman’s life was at risk — from going into effect. – Washington Post
Auburn tree poisoner back in front of a judge
The University of Alabama fan who admitted poisoning Auburn University’s famed oak trees is due in court for a hearing on whether he should be jailed for not paying restitution. A Lee County judge scheduled a hearing for Wednesday afternoon for 71-year-old Harvey Updyke, who pleaded guilty to poisoning the trees in 2013. – AP
Shoe Station preps for holidays with job fair on Saturday
Shoe Station will hold a company-wide job fair on Saturday to fill as many as 200 positions for the upcoming holiday season. The hiring event will take place from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 2, at the chain’s 21 locations across five states. The company said it anticipates “robust sales this holiday season, both online and in our brick-and-mortar locations” and is staffing up to prepare. – AL.com
OSHA cites company, orders $32K fine for lack of protection
The U.S. Department of Labor says it’s fined a construction company approximately $32,000 for not properly protecting against falls at an Alabama work site. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Montgomery-based contractor Diaz Professional Construction LLC for allowing employees to perform framing activities without fall protection in place. The company was also cited for allowing employees to operate nail guns without eye protection. – AP
Proprietor of Melvin’s Place of BBQ dies at 72
Melvin’s Place of BBQ serves transcendent barbecue and is housed in a funky unmarked former garage across from Huntsville’s Glenwood Cemetery. The restaurant was run by a namesake proprietor, Melvin Rogers Jr., who cooked on an ancient trailer grill parked in the driveway, and his kind thoughtful manner turned longtime customers into friends. Sadly, Rogers died Oct. 28. He was 72 and resided in Harvest. – AL.com
Report: Trump White House wants to control where cars are made
The White House is seeking the power to unilaterally control where cars and auto parts are made as part of the new trade deal between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, according to Bloomberg. The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, designed to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement, or Nafta, still requires Congressional approval. Companies, some lawmakers, and the U.S. International Trade Commission have all said that the production rules for automakers are so restrictive they could raise prices and reduce sales. – Barron’s
