— WEATHER

Yep, still hot: Mostly sunny today with a high near 104. Heat index values as high as 107. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph. Tonight, partly cloudy with a low around 72. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

AROUND THE COUNTY

• The city of Athens will host its annual fireworks show at dusk this evening at the Athens High School football stadium.

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE DAY

Yet another cute animal video for your viewing pleasure.

FIVE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW TODAY:

In Limestone County:

County authority issues guidelines for water conservation

Days after asking residents to voluntarily conserve water, the Limestone County Water & Sewer Authority has issued guidelines for water use after system demands reached an all-time high.

A drought and temperatures soaring into triple digits led to the high demand and Authority officials said voluntary conservation is the only way to avoid mandatory water restriction.

http://enewscourier.com/local/x1483812474/BREAKING-County-authority-issues-guidelines-for-water-conservation

In Athens:

Road tests slow traffic on U.S. 72

Ongoing work near the intersection of U.S. 72 and Jefferson Street in Athens have caused significant delays for drivers this week.

Crews from the Alabama Department of Transportation have been drilling to the subsurface of the road and conducting tests ahead of a project to widen the road and add a turn lane. The work has forced reducing traffic to one lane on U.S. 72 west.

http://http://enewscourier.com/x546487979/Road-tests-slow-traffic-on-U-S-72

Limestone residents donate AC units, fans, cash to cool elderly, homebound

Some Limestone County residents have done more than sweat during the heat wave.

They have donated 18 new air-conditioning units and 25 to 30 fans to the elderly and homebound county residents in the past two days.

http://enewscourier.com/local/x546488614/BREAKING-Limestone-residents-donate-AC-units-fans-cash-to-cool-elderly-homebound

In Huntsville:

State Supreme Court refuses payment bid by Bishop

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The Alabama Supreme Court is refusing to make the state pay for mental screenings to help the defense of a former Alabama university professor charged in the gunshot slayings of three colleagues during a faculty meeting.

http://enewscourier.com/local/x1483812410/State-Supreme-Court-refuses-payment-bid-by-Bishop

Around the country:

World markets surge after Europe finds rescue plan

Financial markets around the world stormed higher Friday after European leaders came up with a breakthrough plan to rescue banks, relieve debt-burdened governments and restore investor confidence.

The Dow Jones industrial average climbed 277 points, its second-biggest gain this year, and stocks advanced even further in Europe, in strong and weak countries alike.

http://enewscourier.com/statenews/x2004651630/World-markets-surge-after-Europe-finds-rescue-plan

WATER COOLER

Flight attendant loses cool aboard NYC plane

NEW YORK (AP) — A flight attendant on a weather-delayed plane at LaGuardia Airport in New York City yelled at passengers and challenged them to leave the plane if they dared.

The incident involving American Eagle flight attendant Jose Serrano was caught on video. Flight 4607 to Raleigh-Durham, N.C., was delayed for five hours on Monday.

Port Authority police were called to the plane.

American Airlines apologized for the incident. It said in a statement it did "not believe that the passengers' frustrations were always met with the level of service that we expect from our people."

Serrano was removed from the plane. There were no arrests.

The incident recalled a similar episode involving a JetBlue attendant last year who swore at passengers and pulled the emergency chute on a flight after it landed at Kennedy Airport.