From business to schools to community events, city news and more, here are some of the headlines from 2023.

JANUARY 2023

County observes Martin Luther King Jr. Day
The Franklin County branch of the nonprofit Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. scholarship committee held its annual commemoration march and related events Jan. 16, this year taking place in downtown Russellville.

New district attorney swears in
Jeffrey Wade Barksdale, Franklin County’s assistant district attorney since 2014, took the oath of office as district attorney Jan. 15 in the upstairs courtroom of the Franklin County courthouse.

FEBRUARY 2023

Downtown Russellville Collective names executive director
The Downtown Russellville Collective, formed in 2022, as part of the city’s efforts working toward achieving Main Street Alabama status, announced Ann Epperson McDermitt as its first executive director, effective Feb. 1.

MARCH 2023

Franklin County Partnership Awards banquet spotlights county’s best
The Franklin County Partnership awards banquet took place March 23 in the A.W. Todd Centre in downtown Russellville. Jointly presented by the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce and the Franklin County Development Authority, it’s an annual event designed to highlight Franklin County accomplishments.

Off-duty Russellville firefighters spot house fire, respond without hesitation

Off-duty Russellville Fire Department firefighters Sgt. Shane Mansell and Michael Hall set out around 4:30 a.m. March 21 to head to South Carolina to pick up a bass boat Mansell had purchased. Along the way, they discovered a house fire and stopped to help those trapped inside.

Scholarship committee keeps Chucky Mullins’ memory alive with annual events
Classmates of Chucky Mullins and other volunteers continued their work to reflect on and showcase his legacy March 24-25, hosting the 12th annual golf tournament at Twin Pines Country Club and the third annual youth football camp at the RHS stadium, as well as the second annual Special Olympics Pro Bowl in the RMS gym.

APRIL 2023

Russellville eighth-graders 3-D print prosthetic arm
Ansley Willis, Kloee White and Wendy Barrientos, students in Lee Brownell’s Russellville Middle School STEM class took on the project of planning and creating a 3-D printed prosthetic arm for four-year-old Sloan Hellums, the daughter of RMS teacher Lauren Hellums, who teaches special education next door.

Belgreen High School Scholars Bowl secures Class 1A state title for second year
The BHS senior Scholars Bowl team buzzed its way to the top at Jefferson State Community College April 14 in Birmingham, Ala, securing the Class 1A state title for the second year.

RCS Education Foundation honors excellence
The annual Russellville City Schools Education Foundation banquet, held April 24 at the A.W. Todd Centre in downtown Russellville, included honoree recognitions as well as a total of $40,000 awarded to 29 scholarship recipients. Honorees included Jerry Groce, Lela Ray and Dr. Wayne Ray. Cindy Coan received the Dan C. Hindman Star Polisher award.

MAY 2023

NWSCC announces renovation plans for Phil Campbell campus
During a public meeting in the Student Union Building Addition of the Phil Campbell Campus May 8, officials announced a building and campus renovation project for the Phil Campbell campus that is estimated to exceed $30 million. The plans included a new building, Patriot Plaza, which will connect a newly renovated Wallace Administration Building (301) and library (Building 306). The new plan will turn much of the library and building 307 into classroom and lab space. Building 305 will be renovated, and buildings 302, 303 and 304 are planned for eventual demolition.

Tharptown High School rocketry team places second in nationals
Tharptown High School’s rocketry team blasted into second place in the nation, out of 100 teams from across the country, during the American Rocketry Challenge, the world’s largest student rocketry competition, held May 20 at the Great Meadow Foundation in The Plains, Va.

Franklin County performs, enjoys entertainment
Franklin County boasts a number of opportunities to show off local talent, including the Roxy’s Salute to Broadway.

Belgreen FFCLA hosts basketball tournament to help hunger
Belgreen FCCLA hosted a three-man basketball tournament named “Hoopin’ 4 Hunger” to raise money to purchase grocery gift cards for some of their students to help over the summer.

JUNE 2023

City of Russellville receives Main street designation
Following a lengthy process, the City of Russellville received Main Street designation June 1. “Being designated as a Main Street Alabama city signifies a commitment to revitalizing the local economy,” explained Ann Epperson McDermitt, Executive Director of the Downtown Collective (Russellville Main Street) efforts.

Grimes announces forthcoming resignation as RCS superintendent
“After much consideration and many discussions with the Russellville City School Board, it has been determined that the 2023-2024 school year will be my final year as superintendent of Russellville City Schools,” Dr. Heath Grimes said in an official announcement May 30. The school board hires the superintendent, and the Russellville City Council appoints the members of the school board. In addition to the school system being recognized for a number of achievements over the course of his tenure, personal accomplishments include serving in a variety of capacities, along with being a two-time District 8 Superintendent of the Year and state finalist. Grimes also received the Dr. James A. Street award June 13 in recognition of his work to ensure quality education for the children of Alabama.

JULY 2023

Reedtown School celebrates centennial
Alums, friends and former employees of Reedtown School came together June 30 at the Chucky Mullins Center for the “Reedtown Roundup” centennial celebration and fashion show.

College Avenue Elementary sees final sunset
Although the physical structures, long out of us, were demolished, College Avenue has a legacy that endures through the generations, with former students, faculty and staff recalling many fond recollections of school days long passed.

Gateway Church of God catches fire
Russellville Fire Department responded to a fire at Gateway Church of God on Hwy. 43 in Russellville. The three-alarm fire called for help from both volunteer firefighters, as well as off-duty paid personnel. Nobody was injured. Russellville Police Department, as well as Blue Springs and Tharptown volunteer fire departments also helped take control of the situation.

RCS BOE sees two new members
In the Russellville City Council meeting July 17, the council (with the exception of Councilman Darren Woodruff-District 2) voted in favor of filling the expired Russellville City Schools Board of Education positions of Greg Batchelor (District 3) and Jerry Groce (District 4) with Ike Rogers (District 3) and Howard Hillman (District 4).

RMS triathlete competes at Junior Olympic finals
Russellville Middle School student, Ryland Calvert, now in seventh grade, entered his first track meet earlier in the year, winning the 100-meter and 200-meter dash, going on to participate in the AAU Junior Olympic Finals.

AUGUST 2023

Local insulator places second in U.S., Canada master apprentice competition
Patrick Sykes, a 2017 graduate of Belgreen and a fourth year in the master apprentice program for the Birmingham, Ala., based insulators union, placed second in the 2023 competition.

SEPTEMBER 2023

RHS ranks 18/386 on best Alabama high schools list
U.S. News & World Report released their list of best high schools Aug. 29, and Russellville High School ranked 18 out of 386 high schools in the state of Alabama, the highest RHS has ever been ranked. The previous year, RHS was ranked 22nd in the state.

OCTOBER 2023

Russellville Elementary remembers classmate
RES fifth-grader, Austin Jase Fretwell, 11, and his mother, Jennifer “Jen” Fugate Fretwell, 38, passed away Sept. 27 following injuries sustained in a car accident on Highway 43. A prayer vigil took place at RES Sept. 28 in memory of both. Students at RES and other schools wore his favorite colors in remembrance, and others in the community contributed in multiple ways to honor his memory.

Roger Bedford, Jr. passes away
Roger H. Bedford, Jr., 67, passed away Oct. 11 following a recent illness. He began his legal career practicing with his father, uncle and cousin in the Russellville firm that became Bedford, Rogers and Bowling P.C. Bedford was a trial lawyer. Later in his career, he served as the municipal court judge in both Russellville and Hackleburg, in addition to a variety of other roles. He and his late wife, Maudie, prioritized family and service. In 1982, he was the youngest person ever elected to the Alabama State Senate at the age of 25.

First Franklin County Latino Heritage Festival takes place
The first Franklin County Latino Heritage Festival took place in downtown Russellville. Events included foodand other vendors, street soccer, music, a car show, dance competition, closing parade and other activities.

NOVEMBER 2023

Football season ends for Russellville with second round playoff loss at Moody
The Russellville football season ended with the Golden Tigers falling 42-21 to the Moody Blue Devils in the second round of the AHSAA Class 5A playoffs.

Mountain View Baptist Church gives thanks by giving back
With 75 volunteers cooking, serving and delivering for the 23rd annual event, Mountain View Baptist Church in Phil Campbell served 605 free Thanksgiving dinners – 29 more than the previous year’s 576 meals (which was 110 more than the year before that) to community members and others nearby who registered on the church’s website for the event.

DECEMBER 2023

Community celebrates season
Franklin County celebrated Christmas with a variety of events, including concerts, parades and plays.

> CHECK OUT THE 2022 YEAR IN REVIEW.