🌱 Decatur Students Cars Towed + Drake State Receives $200,000

Good morning, neighbors! It's me again, Amy Young, your host of the Huntsville Daily. Today's edition features what's happening with:

• Several Decatur High School students had their cars towed from the school
• Drake State received an anonymous $200,000 donation
• The Piper and Leaf and Downtown Rescue Mission clothing swap is back

First, today's weather:

Mostly sunny and mild. High: 68 Low: 42.

Shoutout to our premier local sponsors:

• Martinson & Beason, P.C. have been been providing trusted legal advice in Huntsville since 1937. Give your loved ones peace of mind with a comprehensive estate plan. Click here for more info.
• Women4Women OBGYN is Huntsville's most unique women's health center. They offer comprehensive medical care for women, by women. Visit them here to learn more.

Want to see your business featured in this spot? Click here to get started.

Here are the top stories in Huntsville today:

1. Over a dozen Decatur High School students had their cars towed by the school yesterday. The school said the cars were towed due to parking in the wrong spot, not having a license plate, and not having parking passes and that students have had multiple warnings. Parents, however, were angry that they were not told there was an issue before drastic measures were taken on young drivers. (WAFF)
2. Drake State received an anonymous $200,000 donation for scholarships. The donor cited seeing the school’s growth, response to the workforce shortages during COVID, and how the school works with veterans and military families. (WZDX)
3. Huntsville City Council voted to give two local organizations funds to provide Huntsville citizens with rental assistance. The applications for this round of assistance from organizations will be focused on those that were not helped in the first round. Applications are on the City of Huntsville website. (WAAY)
4. Piper and Leaf has teamed up with Downtown Rescue Mission to bring back the clothing swap! Donors bring in clothes and are able to simply donate or shop around from the other donations. Anything left is going to Downtown Rescue Mission. These swaps will be monthly over the next four months. (WHNT)
5. The South Huntsville Whataburger was finally able to hold their official ribbon cutting! They have been open since November 2021. (South Huntsville Main Business Association)

From our sponsor:

Tackling a big to-do list around the house to start the new year? Our partners at Thumbtack, the home services app, have made hiring trusted local pros for pretty much any job extremely easy and intuitive. In minutes, you can find a painter, plumber, roofer or someone to help with small jobs such as trash hauling or appliance repair. And Thumbtack's rating system can give you confidence that you're hiring a quality pro you can count on. Click here to get started.

Today in Huntsville:

• Wrestling Super Section Tournament - Several high schools in our area will head down to Birmingham to compete! (All Day)
• Dog Days at the Garden - Huntsville Botanical Garden (9:00 AM)
• Ribbon Cutting: AMIIC - Advanced Manufacturing Innovation & Integration Center (10:00 AM)

From my notebook:

• Independent Musical Productions Huntsville will present "Rent" Feb. 17-20, 2022. Make sure to get your tickets! (Details)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• Comedian Killer Beaz Valentine's Extravaganza (February 12)
• Add your event

Loving the Huntsville Daily? Here are all the ways you can get more involved:

• Send a friend or neighbor this link so they can subscribe
• Become a supporter (there are perks!)
• Get your local business featured in front of readers
• Send me a news tip or suggestion at huntsville@patch.com

Thanks for following along and staying informed. I'll see you around!

— Amy Young