Good Thursday morning, and get ready for some changes…

Weather: Blazing. A heat warning has been issued for much of Alabama, as temperatures are expected to reach the upper 90s today, possibly hitting 100. Coupled with high humidity, that will push the heat index as high as 105 degrees today, so caution is advised. Lows tonight will drop to the middle 70s. Friday’s outlook is the same as today.

Strickland hearing scheduled. Jay Strickland, the Morris man who’s charged with sexual abuse and sodomy, faces a preliminary hearing this morning in Jefferson County District Court. Strickland, a former assistant pastor at a Brookside church, is charged with abusing two victims, one male and one female.

Flipping the switch. Sometime around 9 a.m., a programmer in Montgomery will type some commands into a computer, and The North Jefferson News website will get a whole new look. Because of that, the website may be unavailable for a short time this morning. The new site will mean a better experience for mobile users, as they will see a version designed specifically for smart phones and tablet devices.

Sports: Kicking off. Three local high school football teams get their seasons started tonight with jamboree exhibition games. Gardendale travels to Mortimer Jordan for a clash of rivals, while Hayden heads over to Susan Moore. Both start at 7 p.m. All other teams start play Friday night, including several who will forego the traditional jamboree and go straight into regular-season play, including Tarrant at Fultondale.