Newsletter
Mayor Andy Betterton
2022 City of Florence SERVICE AWARDS
UTILITIES
5 years
Savannah Albright Cindy Ingram,
Pam Butler (2020), Britney Harlow (2020), Jimi Stevenson (2021)
10 years
Patricia Formby, Laura Grigsby (2021), Melody Peck (2020)
20 years
Gail Cassel, Janice Cole
35 years
Pam Gist, Sabrina Johnson
ELECTRICITY
5 years
Melvin Stevenson, Dillion Richardson, Brian Dixon, Matthew Cox, Austin Barkley, Wesley Phillips (not pictured), LaCanas Fitzgerald (not pictured)
10 years
Dale Givens, Wesley Austin, Jerrod Hyde
15 years
Wesley Gifford, Ben Morgan, Alicia Kelsey (not pictured)
20 years
Jon Danley, David Marks
25 years
Joel Cole, Jimmy Thompson, Keith Jackson, Wade Wood (not pictured)
30 years
Steve Ford
Shoals Chamber Of Commerce Features The Spirit of the Shoals Finalist!
With over 7,000 nominations, it is clear how much love our community has for our small business community! Spirit of the Shoals Awards will be held Friday, March 10 at 5pm in Norton Auditorium. Tickets are $30 per person or $50 per couple.
EMERGING Business
SMASHED
Lullaby Lane
Shoals Hair Co. Academy
Salt Restaurant
One Ride Cycle
BEST SMALL BUSINESS (1-10 Employees)
One Ride Cycle
Lullaby Lane
Me Spa
SMASHED
Purple Pear
BEST SMALL BUSINESS (11-50 Employees)
North Alabama Animal Hospital
Shoals Hair Co.
Grit Fitness Florence
Nellie Mae
Complete Aesthetics Care
BEST SMALL BUSINESS (51+ Employees)
Medical Associates of The Shoals PC
Shoals Primary Care, LLC
306 BBQ Florence
Avalon Medical Center
Visiting Angels - Florence, Alabama
RETAILER OF THE YEAR
Nellie Mae
Lullaby Lane
Sadie’s Boutique
James & Alma
Purple Pear
RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
The Pie Factory
North Wood Social
SALT Restaurant
La Hacienda Mexican Restaurant - Florence
Ichiban Japanese Restaurant
Help Us Keep Florence Clean and Beautiful!
Garbage & Recycle Carts Must Be Removed From the Street Within 24 hours Of Collection.
NEW BUSINESS: Milla's Place is now open in downtown Florence.
CAROLINE HENTZ BIDS FAREWELL
Caroline and Nicholas Hentz and their children came to Florence in 1831 and left for Tuscaloosa in 1843. Upon arrival in Florence, they immediately set about to establish a school for girls (both boarding and day students) which was located in a large house where Willingham Hall on the campus of the University of North Alabama sits today. They named the school “Locust Dell Academy” in honor of the grove of locust trees that surrounded the house. Caroline was a nationally-recognized author of novels, poetry and at least one stage play; Nicholas had been chairman of the Foreign Language Department at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and was a noted entomologist as evidenced by his writings on the subject which were noted internationally. From all indications, they seemed to have really enjoyed their twelve years in Florence, making many friends – especially among those families who could afford the tuition charge for their daughters to attend school at “Locust Dell.” When the Hentz family was preparing to move, Caroline wrote a touching “goodbye” in a poem entitled “Farewell to Florence.” Here are the first and last stanzas of her memorable tribute:
Farewell to thee, Florence, with lingering heart
And tear-moistened eye, from thy bosom I part,
As the fibers are breaking that bind me to thee,
They draw like the roots of the storm-loosened tree.
One wish let me breathe – let the friends whom I love
Still cherish the name of the classical grove;
Though never again in thy shades I may dwell,
Thou art dear to my bosom, my own Locust Dell.
--Billy Warren, City Historian
Tired Of Waiting On The Leaf Truck?
NEXT COUNCIL MEETING
The Mayor and Council members will hold the next council meeting on
February 7, 2023
4:00 p.m. Work Session
5:00 p.m. Council Meeting
City Auditorium
103 South Pine Street
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