Happy hump day, and if we can get over the hump, so can you…

Weather: Drying out. The slow-moving rain system finally clears out of Alabama around mid-day. Temperatures will be a little on the cool side, with highs around 74 and nighttime lows in the mid 50s. Thursday will be clear and slightly warmer, but rain returns Friday afternoon.

Traffic: More blasting is scheduled for this afternoon the I-65 construction zone at the new I-22 interchange. This will result in another rolling roadblock for the northbound lanes starting at about 1:30. This will also affect U.S. 31 in the same general area.

Progress toward the new Public Safety Center. The Gardendale City Council awarded a contract to Murray Building Company to construct the new home for the police department, among other city services. The new Public Safety Center will be located in the former Food World on Decatur Highway. Murray submitted a bid of $2,696,500, which was accepted in the council’s meeting Monday night.

“Soft” opening? Tell the crowds. The opening of Gardendale’s new Kairos Kafe yesterday may have been considered a “soft” opening by owners, but not by the crowds who lined up to sample the long-awaited branch of the popular Birmingham restaurant. Large crowds visited the new eatery on Main Street, across from City Hall, from the lunch hour onward. An official grand opening is planned within the next couple of weeks, but no date has been announced.

Sports: Not much. Rain washed out all local spring sports contests Tuesday. The first round of high school baseball playoffs begin Friday with doubleheaders in the best-of-three series. In Class 6A, Gardendale hosts Vestavia Hills, while in Class 2A, Fultondale travels to Ranburne…. Basketball: Well, Kentucky fans, there goes your starting lineup. To the surprise of pretty much no one, the entire starting lineup of the NCAA mens’ champion Kentucky Wildcats – three freshmen and two sophomores – all declared that they will be eligible for the NBA Draft. Not to worry, though, as it’s standard procedure for Coach John Valipari, who has restocked with another batch of five-start recruits for next season.