Newsletter
Mayor Andy Betterton
May 18, 2023
PUBLIC NOTICE
To prepare for the construction of the new Tombigbee Public Parking Deck, Pine Street from Mobile Street to Tombigbee Street will be condensed down to a two-lane road with fencing until further notice. Thank you for your patience. For traffic questions, call 256-760-6500.
Proclamations
FLORENCE ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS MONTH
MAKE MUSIC DAY FLORENCE
RACE AMITY DAY
Mayor Betterton declared the week of June 11, 2023, as
RACE AMITY DAY. All citizens of Florence are encouraged to take cognizance of this event and participate fittingly in its observance. The greatest asset of Florence, Alabama, is its people, comprised of multicultural, multiethnic, and multiracial citizens.
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES WEEK
Mayor Betterton proclaims the week of May 21-27, 2023, as EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES WEEK. "I invite all citizens to observe this week in honor of the men and women whose diligence and professionalism keep our City and citizens safe."
THIS WEEKEND!!
ARTS ALIVE
Can you believe this will be the 36th Arts Alive?! Where has the time gone? This year is sure to be the best yet!
Saturday, May 20, from 9 am - 4 pm
Sunday, May 21, from 11 am - 4 pm
Take advantage of the 150 Art vendors in Wilson Park and the Kennedy-Douglas Arts Center.
HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE DAY
WHEN: Saturday, May 20, from 8:00 am until noon or until all available funds are utilized, first come-first serve
WHERE: Florence Lauderdale Coliseum,702 Veterans Drive, Florence, AL 35630
What do you do if you have a can of old paint or a few bottles of unwanted chemicals? How do you handle the many old chemicals found when cleaning a garage? On May 20, residents can drive-thru the Florence-Lauderdale Coliseum for easy, safe disposal of unwanted items. The event will be handled by a contracted company MXI Environmental Services. Cars will be directed into the Florence-Lauderdale Coliseum from Veterans Drive and exit onto Sam Phillips Street. Volunteers and MXI staff will unload and process the materials received from the drive-thru lane.
Household hazardous waste days are costly. This event is only possible due to the collaboration of several stakeholders including, the Florence Gas & Water Department, Florence Planning & Community Development, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area, Tennessee Valley Authority, and the Florence Solid Waste, Street & Recycle Department.
MEMORIAL DAY – MAY 29, 2023
Memorial Day is a federal holiday, commemorated each year on the last Monday in May. It is a day for remembering the American service members who gave their lives in defense of our country.
The 2023 Florence-Lauderdale County Memorial Day Ceremony will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, May 29, in Veterans Memorial Park at 301 Veterans Park Drive. The theme is “Freedom is Not Free, Some Paid All.”(The number of attendees is not restricted; however, seating is limited. Standing room is available. Attendees are encouraged to bring chairs.) In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be held at the Florence-Lauderdale Coliseum, located at 702 Veterans Drive in Florence. The ceremony may also be viewed online on the City of Florence Facebook page.
America owes its Fallen Heroes a debt of gratitude. Attending the ceremony is an excellent way of showing gratitude. Family members of Fallen Heroes and members of Gold Star families are especially encouraged to attend the ceremony in memory of their loved ones. Veterans are also encouraged to attend in honor of their fellow service members. Veterans and Gold Star family members in attendance will be recognized collectively and thanked for their service.
The Ceremony will feature several events, including a wreath-laying ceremony, the playing of Taps, and other special remembrances. The program will also include honors to our nation, including the Pledge of Allegiance and the singing of both the National Anthem and “For Freedom.”
There will be special tributes to the 225 Fallen Heroes of Florence and Lauderdale County who are recognized, by name and war, on five memorial markers in the Fallen Heroes Memorial at the rear of the Veterans Memorial. The Fallen Heroes Memorial will be open for everyone to visit.
A limited number of copies of a special booklet, with pictures of the memorial markers, will be available at the ceremony. Also, copies of a colorful and informative Program Brochure will be distributed.
MICAH SWIMMER
Micah Swimmer, Cherokee language instructor for the Cherokee Central Schools in Cherokee, North Carolina, will conduct a program at the Florence Indian Mound Museum on Sunday, May 25, at 2:00 pm.
Swimmer graduated with honors from the Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in American Indian studies in 2008. He also holds an associate degree with honors in physical education from the same institution and a Master of Arts degree in indigenous nations studies from the University of Kansas. He is a member of the highly respected Warriors of Anikituwah, which consists of modern warriors appointed by the tribal council to travel and educate people about the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians with the goal of preserving the traditional Cherokee language, songs, and dances.
Thank you, Florence Middle School Career Tech!
Thank you, Florence Middle School Career Tech, for inviting Mayor Betterton, and Council Members Kaytrina P. Simmons and Bill Griffin to share their career experiences! It was a wonderful opportunity for elected officials to spend time with your students! Thank you, Dr. Jason Morgan!
EVIDENCE OF A BILL PAID IN FULL
Look closely at the innocent-appearing image that accompanies this week’s column, “Florence, Then and Now.” For all its simplicity, it carried an important message: a customer’s subscription to the Florence Times (now the Times-Daily) was paid in full through June 6, 1953. Here’s how it worked: A local newspaper carrier – usually a teenage boy – had a route filled with customers/subscribers all his own. And he was constantly trying to gain new customers on his route who, for any number of reasons, were not already among his regulars. The Florence Times was an afternoon paper in those days, so the young chap didn’t have to rise before dawn to deliver his route before heading off to school (as was the plight of the carriers who had a local route of the Birmingham Post-Herald). Each Friday was collection day, so it required almost twice as much time to deliver his route that was true the other days. As each customer paid him for the week’s delivery, he would take the sheet of receipts provided for him by the newspaper office and give the customer one with the correct “paid thru” date on it. Then, Mr. Wallace Owen, treasurer of the Florence Times would appear at the carrier’s home and carefully count the money handed to him by the carrier. Whatever amount remained after Mr. Owen was paid constituted the small profit earned by the carrier. Following this weekly ritual, a new week would begin and the process would start over.
--Billy Warren, City Historian (brwarren@florenceal.org)
The London Shop
The London Shop is honoring the late owner, Johnny McClanahan, and his wife, Nancy, this May, which would have been their 50th wedding anniversary. Johnny purchased his wedding suit from The London Shop back in 1973.
Pictured is Nancy McClanahan's wedding dress from May 27, 1973, and a new suit styled to match the wedding photo.
Laborer Recycling Part Time New
ecycle 1200 Terrace Street Florence
Part Time - $13.00 Hourly
Laborer Water Wastewater Part Time New
Water Department 201 Seven Mile Island Road Florence
Part Time - $13.00 Hourly
NEXT COUNCIL MEETING
The Mayor and Council members will hold the next council meeting on
June 6, 2023
4:00 pm Work Session
5:00 pm Council Meeting
A little funny..
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Connect with Us!
Email: abetterton@florenceal.org
Website: florenceal.org
Location: 110 West College Street, Florence, AL, USA
Phone: (256)760-6400