Newsletter
Mayor Andy Betterton
June 30, 2022
In honor of Independence Day, Florence Municipal Offices will be closed on Monday, July 4, 2022.
Garbage & Recycle Routes Will Remain On Schedule With No Changes.
Independence Weekend Celebrations
Thursday, June 30, 5–8 pm: Kids Fest, Lewis Field, 1050 Pruitt Street
Friday, July 1, 5:30–8 pm: First Fridays, Downtown Florence
Friday, July 1, 3–9 pm: Spirit of Freedom Festival
Saturday, July 2, 9:30 am: Freedom 5K & 1 Mile Run/Walk, McFarland Park, Florence
Professional Firefighters Local 270 Hosted An Autism Awareness Event At McFarland Park
Times Daily: Shoals residents purchase headstone for former slave's grave
FLORENCE — Bill Simpson never knew Ike Coffee, but he heard numerous stories about him from his mother and aunts when they were growing up on Chestnut Street.
Simpson said Coffee lived in a small apartment attached to the James Stewart family home on 431 N. Chestnut St. He looked after their children and often other children in the neighborhood. Continue Reading From The Times Daily...
Public Officials Across The Shoals Supported The Singing River Trails Public Meeting!
Public Officials Across The Shoals Supported The Singing River Trails Public Meeting!
Singing River Trails public meeting at Singin’ River Brewery was a great success! Thank you to all that are working hard for our communities.
Pictured: (left to right) Derick Silcox (Courtland Mayor), Mike Lockhart (Muscle Shoals Mayor), Dr. John Kvach (Executive Director Singing River Trails), Andy Betterton (Florence Mayor), Steve Stanley (Sheffield Mayor) & Proncey Robertson (Lawrence Co State Representative)
THE G.I. BILL: FLORENCE WAS FIRST IN ALABAMA
“Loan #1-H” was the designation given to the very first house in Alabama to be funded through the G.I. Bill. The date was January 30, 1945, when military personnel were returning home following the end of World War II and were in dire need of housing for them and their families. The signees were Henry and Bertha Webb. And the location of the house? 936 Cumberland Street in Florence! (See the attached photograph of the house and the congratulatory letter from the legendary Alabama Congressman, John Sparkman.) The house still stands today, and Mrs. Webb, at age 99, still lives locally, though not in that house. The Florence Historic Preservation Commission, under the leadership of Chairman Brian Murphy, recently honored Mrs. Webb with a handsome certificate denoting the role that she and her late husband played in launching the great work of the G.I. Bill in Alabama. Of course, the G.I. Bill subsequently became the funding source for thousands and thousands of houses throughout America – but, for Alabama at least, the beginning point was the great City of Florence!
--Billy Warren, City Historian
Mark The Calendar! W.C Handy Festival, July 22 - July 31
Sax In The City Concert
Florence Camerata Presents: America Sings!
Florence Camerata will help kick off W.C. Handy Week in the 16th Season! This free concert will be held at the First Presbyterian Church (Mobile Street, Florence) on Tuesday, July 19, 2022, at 7:00 pm.
Conductor - Rebecca Rockhill
Collaborative Pianist - Karen Cantrell
Please join us as we perform an excellent variety of music by American composers. Admission is free, and donations are appreciated.
Happening At The Florence-Lauderdale Public Library
Rosenbaum Frank Lloyd Wright Home
The Florence-Lauderdale Public Library and local architect Don Lambert will take us through the fascinating work that brought the Rosenbaum Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house from disrepair to a nationally preserved gem. Don' t miss Lambert's presentation this evening at the library!
Dive into the Geography of Muscle Shoals with assistant librarian Jordan Collier
Florence-Lauderdale Public Library Local History Assistant Jordan Collier will lead two presentations that will focus on the geography and history of Muscle Shoals.
The first session for children ages 6-12 will be at 1 p.m. Friday, July 8, in the Youth Services area of the library. The second presentation will be at 11 a.m. Friday, July 15, in the library's collaboratory on the second floor. Both presentations are free.
The presentation is a complement to the library's backpack program featuring the Tennessee River. It is provided by the Florence library through a partnership with the Alabama Public Library Services and The Institute of Museum and Library Services, and was made possible through a grant from the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).
UPCOMING EVENTS (click images for more information)
North Alabama Rheumatology relocates to Muscle Shoals
Support Staff Animal Control Part Time
Laborer Recycling Part Time New
Laborer Solid Waste Part Time New
Part Time - $13.03 Hourly
Laborer Street Part Time New
Part Time - $11.08 Hourly
NEXT COUNCIL MEETING
The Mayor and Council members will hold the next council meeting on
Tuesday, July 5, 2022
4:00 p.m. Work Session
5:00 p.m. Council Meeting
City Auditorium
103 South Pine Street
A little funny...
How to Submit Your Event, News, or Announcement:
- Public and community events or announcements can be submitted by attaching an email, Word document, PDF, or JPG file suitable for viewing on the web. Include graphics in JPG or PNG if possible.
- Along with your information, include your name, phone number, event name, location, date and time, and a brief description.
- IMPORTANT: Please submit your information no later than Tuesday of each week (preferably sooner). Submissions after the deadline will be added to the next week's publication. The newsletter is posted on Thursday afternoon.
- Send your information to rmansell@florenceal.org or call Rachel Koonce with questions at 256-760-6494.
Connect with Us!
Email: abetterton@florenceal.org
Website: florenceal.org
Location: 110 West College Street, Florence, AL, USA
Phone: (256)760-6400