Hope you’re having a great Friday…

Weather: We’ll start off with some patchy fog this morning, then the sun will come out by lunchtime, followed by widely scattered showers in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 90s, lows in the mid 70s with increasing showers overnight as a cold front approaches. That front will bring cooler temps on Saturday and a good chance of thunderstorms; highs will stay just under 80, with a nighttime low all the way down in the upper 50s. Skies will clear Sunday with a high around 80.

“Our path is harder.” President Obama’s acceptance speech before the Democratic National Convention on Thursday was missing some of the soaring rhetoric of his convention speech four years earlier. Instead, Obama opted to take on Republican Mitt Romney by name and rejecting his opponent’s policies. Among the post-speech pundits, more than a few thought that Obama may have been upstaged by Vice President Joe Biden. The veep, who’s often given to headline-making gaffes, instead stayed away from attacks. “I say to you tonight, with absolute confidence, America’s best days are ahead of us, and, yes, we are on our way,” he said. Democratic operative Joe Trippi said on Fox News that Biden’s speech was “the best of both conventions.”

More money for tornado victims. There’s a new federal grant for Alabama families still struggling to replace homes lost in the April 2011 tornadoes. Jim Byard, director of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs, said that owners of single-family homes affected by the storms may qualify for aid of up to $25,000. To apply for aid, call the Alabama Rural Coalition for the Homeless at 1-888-421-1266.

Sports: Art Modell dies. The owner of the Baltimore Ravens passed away Thursday at Johns Hopkins Hospital of coronary disease. Still reviled in Cleveland after moving the original Browns to Maryland, he was beloved in Baltimore for returning the NFL to the city after the Colts fled for Indianapolis, leaving nothing but short-lived Canadian Football League team (though one which won the Grey Cup, the league’s championship). Modell was also instrumental in starting the experiment which became Monday Night Football…. Prep Football: It’s Week 2 of high school games tonight. Gardendale travels to Lawson Field near Irondale to play Woodlawn in a game that was originally scheduled for last night — don’t feel bad, we didn’t find out until 5 p.m. Our NJN Big Game this week features Springville at Hayden, while No. 1 Fultondale heads to Ohatchee, Mortimer Jordan hosts No. 6 Pinson Valley and Corner goes to West Blocton. Tabernacle Christian has the night off…. Baseball: For the second straight game, the Braves beat the Rockies 1-0, with the lone run being unearned. This time, Juan Francisco scored from third when Colorado pitcher Johuly Chacin booted a routine throw back from his catcher. Tim Hudson went seven scoreless innings for the win as Atlanta pads its NL wild card lead by another game.