Claudia Peppenhorst
Reporter
Huntsville, AL
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Claudia Peppenhorst is an Alabama native and joined the WAFF News team as an MMJ/Reporter in January 2023. She attended Troy University where she was the student news director at TROY TrojanVision News. She is excited to serve the Tennesee Valley, bringing you the latest stories.
Education
Updated: 18 hours ago
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
A new wheelchair-accessible playground will be ready for students this fall at Russellville Elementary School, thanks to a large, anonymous donation.
Updated: Jun. 1, 2023 at 7:11 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
New data from the CDC shows 47% of 800 foodborne illnesses from 2017 to 2019 were linked to norovirus.
Updated: Jun. 1, 2023 at 3:37 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
The elderly now have another tool to protect them from the deadly respiratory syncytial virus. May 31, the Food and Drug Administration approved a second vaccine that protects adults ages 60 and older from RSV.
Updated: May. 31, 2023 at 6:12 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
Andrew Gilliam’s family is now offering a $26,000 reward for information about what happened the night of his murder.
Updated: May. 30, 2023 at 5:28 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
The 53,000-square foot facility will house 16 pickleball courts, four full size gymnasiums, plus a fitness center.
Updated: May. 29, 2023 at 5:31 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
Canine parvovirus cases are on the rise this spring, but a new medication is on it’s way and it could save your pet’s life.
Updated: May. 26, 2023 at 6:40 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
The Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) will soon offer reimbursements to victims of SNAP scams and fraud.
Updated: May. 25, 2023 at 6:44 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
House Bill 473 could soon bring Safe Haven Baby boxes to Alabama and give parents another choice to surrender their babies.
Updated: May. 25, 2023 at 4:16 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
50 years ago America’s first space station, Skylab, lifted off into space. To celebrate the anniversary, the U.S. Space and Rocket Center is hosting a series of free events this summer for the public to learn more about why Skylab was monumental in learning to live off of earth.
Updated: May. 24, 2023 at 5:31 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
Lawyers across the state are helping fight food insecurity by providing more than 350,000 meals to families through its Food Frenzy fundraiser.
Updated: May. 23, 2023 at 6:26 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
Students may be gearing up for summer break but for the Huntsville City Schools Board of Education, the work is just beginning.
Updated: May. 22, 2023 at 6:37 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
While students have summer break on their minds, school districts are worried about filling open positions for next year.
Updated: May. 19, 2023 at 5:29 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
The U.S. Space and Rocket Center, home to Space Camp, unveiled it’s new Space Camp Operations Center.
Updated: May. 18, 2023 at 6:45 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
Under current Alabama law, those charged with a DUI, and in a pretrial diversion program, are mandated to have an ignition interlock device installed in their car.
Updated: May. 17, 2023 at 7:15 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
A new asphalt plant in a recently de-annexed portion of Athens is stirring up a lot of controversy with the people forced to live right by it.
Updated: May. 16, 2023 at 7:15 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
The Saturn 1B, an icon of North Alabama, may still have some hope to stay right where it is on I-65 in Ardmore.
Updated: May. 15, 2023 at 6:09 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
A recent report from the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama shows ACT scores for the class of 2022 were the lowest since 2016 at 17.7.
Updated: May. 11, 2023 at 7:23 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
Former US Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama Jay Town provided some perspective on van der Sloot being extradited to the U.S.
Updated: May. 10, 2023 at 3:54 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
Thursday will mark the end of the Federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Declaration.
Updated: May. 9, 2023 at 4:05 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
The building will serve Huntsville’s homeless community with necessities, critical services and support to get them back on their feet.
Updated: May. 8, 2023 at 6:02 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
Five years ago it was announced that a Margaritaville hotel and restaurant would be making its way to North Alabama in the newly developed Town Madison. Now it seems like the project may be lost.
Updated: May. 5, 2023 at 6:00 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
A bill that would replace or replicate the Saturn 1B rocket on I-65 in Ardmore has been tabled due to language included about Alabama monuments.
Updated: May. 4, 2023 at 3:38 PM CDT
|By Javon Williams and Claudia Peppenhorst
With Vicky White’s assistance, Casey White escaped from the Lauderdale County Jail on April 29, 2022.
Updated: May. 3, 2023 at 6:40 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
With spring in the air and summer just around the corner, you may be wanting to get outside and enjoy the natural beauty of Huntsville. If so, you’re in luck as the Land Trust of North Alabama just accepted a recent donation of 144 acres of the great outdoors for people to enjoy.
Updated: May. 2, 2023 at 6:20 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
There are 32 new teachers heading into Alabama classrooms as a result of some temporary changes to the Praxis exam scoring system.
Updated: May. 1, 2023 at 5:42 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
Alabama lawmakers passed House Bill 3, which will prohibit smoking and vaping in a car with a child that is 14 years old or younger.
Updated: Apr. 28, 2023 at 9:06 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
The Saturn 1B rocket is an icon that welcomes you into North Alabama and has stood tall for decades, but now faces an uncertain future.
Updated: Apr. 27, 2023 at 8:56 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
In these scams, experts say Artificial Intelligence replicates the voice of your loved ones with the intention to steal your money
Updated: Apr. 26, 2023 at 7:48 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
An Alabama corporation is playing a big role in Governor Kay Ivey’s 3rd play in the ‘The Game Plan’.
Updated: Apr. 26, 2023 at 10:20 AM CDT
|By Javon Williams, Claudia Peppenhorst and Wade Smith
Martin Evenes was convicted on two charges in connection to the death of three-year-old Livia Robinson.
Updated: Apr. 25, 2023 at 6:04 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
Huntsville Hospital’s Fever and Flu Clinic on Governor’s Drive is closing this week as hospitalizations are down dramatically and the national public health emergency expires next month.
Updated: Apr. 24, 2023 at 6:22 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
Two Alabama lawmakers want to make summer vacation a little bit shorter for students.
Updated: Apr. 19, 2023 at 8:17 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
A new Alabama law will require health care facilities across the state to allow in-person visitations, even during a pandemic.
Updated: Apr. 18, 2023 at 11:04 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
Select businesses in Alabama are now one step closer to potentially receiving a medical cannabis business license.
Updated: Apr. 17, 2023 at 5:49 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
Some Alabama lawmakers want to make sure that your catch of the day is safe to eat before you prepare your meals.
Updated: Apr. 14, 2023 at 7:48 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
Stacy Black lives next door to the home in New Market where two people were shot and killed Thursday afternoon.
Updated: Apr. 14, 2023 at 1:41 PM CDT
|By Charles Montgomery, Matthew King, Claudia Peppenhorst, Romario Gardner, Wade Smith and Megan Plotka
The sheriff’s office confirmed the suspect was related to all victims in the shooting.
Updated: Apr. 12, 2023 at 5:28 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
Livestock farmers soon will not be able to make a trip to their local feed store to get antibiotics for their animals.
Updated: Apr. 11, 2023 at 5:28 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
Summer travel plans outside of the county are coming up for many but for those who are needing a passport and have not applied for one yet, those plans may not happen.
Updated: Apr. 7, 2023 at 5:54 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
President Biden is expressing his concerns over Artificial Intelligence, and how it may pose a threat to individual and national security.
Updated: Apr. 6, 2023 at 7:20 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
The program is a partnership where students at either Wallace State or Athens State Community College can work in early education programs in a 15 county service area and get paid.
Updated: Apr. 5, 2023 at 6:43 AM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
The businesses selected all have a focus on breakthrough technology that could help solve global issues
Updated: Apr. 3, 2023 at 12:13 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
With several North Alabama families dealing with damage to their homes amid the recent storms, the Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board is warning those looking to hire construction workers of potential scams.
Updated: Mar. 31, 2023 at 6:03 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
Huntsville is home to a few Tik Tok creators who have gained thousands of followers posting on the app and are now speaking out on the potential ban.
Updated: Mar. 30, 2023 at 7:51 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
The father of an 8-year-old boy who police say, was stabbed to death by his mother is speaking out.
Updated: Mar. 29, 2023 at 7:37 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
Juan Laws was arrested and charged with two counts of second degree assault in 2022 after he shot two people near the Goodyear in downtown Huntsville. The case has been bound to a grand jury.
Updated: Mar. 29, 2023 at 5:48 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
A proposed Alabama bill promises to give parents of special needs children an extra sense of security when they’re at school. If passed, the bill would require public schools to install security cameras in special needs classrooms.
Updated: Mar. 27, 2023 at 6:13 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
The Alabama Department of Public Health is now screening newborns for two additional genetic disorders: X-ALD and ADA-SCID.
Updated: Mar. 24, 2023 at 12:14 PM CDT
|By Charles Montgomery, Claudia Peppenhorst and D'Quan Lee
William Darby was found guilty in May 2021 and sentenced to 25 years in prison in August 2021.
Updated: Mar. 23, 2023 at 6:24 PM CDT
|By Claudia Peppenhorst
Alabama lawmakers received Governor Ivey’s state spending plans this week, which included a 2% raise for state educators.