Data Center Debate in Hale County: A free public forum on data center development is set for today in Demopolis, with speakers expected to cover environmental best practices, planning and policy, water, and rural infrastructure impacts—no company or site has been publicly named yet. Road Funding Watch: Hale County’s transportation advisory committee reviewed a slate of state and county projects moving toward contract letting, including resurfacing and road-diet work on SR 14 near Greensboro and ongoing West Alabama Highway construction. Defense Drone Industrial Push: Performance Drone Works received a conditional up-to-$820 million loan commitment to expand U.S. drone component manufacturing and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains, with operations tied to Huntsville. Local Politics—Aug. 11 Do-Over: Hale County voters head back to the polls Aug. 11 for a special GOP primary in Alabama’s 7th District after May results were voided due to congressional map changes. University Dress Code Sparks Debate: Tuskegee University is requiring business suits and proper shoes for campus business settings and banning items like bonnets and du-rags in classrooms and cafeterias. Recycling Expansion: Baldwin County opened a third hard-to-recycle drop-off center (CHaRM) and plans three more, aiming to keep items like batteries, glass, and bulbs out of trash. Power Grid Investment: HD Hyundai Electric marked its 1,000th ultrahigh-voltage transformer produced in Alabama, shipping the milestone unit to Georgia Transmission for Florida’s Walton County grid.