Happy New Year!
Mayor Andy Betterton
December 28, 2022
There will be No changes in garbage and recycling collection!
Accepting Nominations! 🏆
Help The Shoals Chamber celebrate the best of our businesses in The Shoals by nominating them for a Spirit of the Shoals award! Any business in The Shoals region can be nominated, so don't wait! Help us recognize the BEST businesses! More information on the awards ceremony will be released soon!
Categories are:
-- Emerging Business (Operating in The Shoals less than 5 Years)
-- Best Small Business (1-10 Employees)
-- Best Small Business (11-50 Employees)
-- Best Small Business (51-100 Employees)
-- Retailer of the Year
-- Restaurant of the Year
FLORENCE’S CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION, Part I
From March 12, 2018, to December, 2018, the City of Florence enjoyed a series of events to celebrate its Bicentennial. Exactly one hundred years earlier, the City marked its Centennial. Instead of the ten-month celebration of 2018, the Centennial commemoration occurred over just three days, August 8-10, 1918. However, preparations began a month earlier with the arrival in town of Mr. Harry D. Lewis, the designated Managing Director of the three-day event. Under his close eye, according to an article in the Florence Times on July 12, 1918, a crew “set to work to transform Florence business houses and streets into a veritable bower of beauty, with H.L. Reeder Cotton Warehouses used for the construction of scenic effects and floats.” A special feature of the celebration was the election of a Queen who would reign over the entire three days. Any young lady who wished to enter the contest could do so. Upon her entry, she would be given “one hundred votes and the best wishes of Mr. Lewis and the Executive Committee.” After that, she had to solicit the help of anyone who would purchase votes in her behalf no later than August 3, 1918. The winner would reign over all festivities and be presented a diamond ring from the Florence Jewelry Company on Court Street (formerly J.W. Sommer Jewelry). Certain runners-up would become the Queen’s Maids of Honor. Miss Lady Ruth Whitaker was eventually elected, with Mayor M.M. Striplin crowning her in an elaborate ceremony at the Elks’ Home located at the rear of the Post Office.
Next Week: Florence’s Centennial Part II: A Locally-written Pageant at Florence Normal College (now UNA)
--Billy Warren, City Historian
Tired Of Waiting On The Leaf Truck?
Remember that bagged leaves on the curb are collected weekly. Leaf collection keeps the leaves out of the storm drains!
Campground Attendant Part Time New
- Park and Recreation 2830 Darby Drive Florence
- Part Time - $13.00 Hourly
- Police Department 702 South Court Street Florence
- Full Time - $42,195.38 - $67,428.82 Annually
Fire Chief New
- Fire Department Station #1 402 South Wood Ave Florence
- Full Time - $103,409.60 Annually
NEXT COUNCIL MEETING
The Mayor and Council members will hold the next council meeting on
January 3, 2023
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