What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm

Franklin Living

Franklin Living magazine is a bi-monthly publication of Franklin County Newspapers, Inc.

The magazine features the people, places and events that make Franklin County a unique and special place to live, work and play.

12/22/2023

“I got into quilting after my husband was given an old quilt top that belonged to his grandmother. I got all of the squares even, and I put it back together, and that was the first quilt I quilted. I wasn’t really thinking about getting into quilting before that. I realized I enjoyed the process, and I kept going with it, adding more projects over the years.”

For Red Bay resident Margie Upton, hours spent quilting and crocheting is time well spent. While she has shown her work, sold or given it away, the time spent creating is what she said is the most rewarding – time that’s uniquely relaxing and satisfying.

12/20/2023

What's the best gift you could give this year?

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! From Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day, our calendars are jam packed with shopping, cooking and making it to all the places we are supposed to be. The truth is, “the most wonderful time of the year” can be exhausting – and, for many of us, there is [....

12/13/2023

Tuck a napkin into your collar and grab a fork – Amy McCollum has some delicious recipes for you.

The holidays are a fun time for friends and family to get together. This is a time to reminisce and reflect on holidays past and the family we miss – and no holiday celebration is complete without those delicious casseroles, side dishes and desserts we all love!

12/11/2023

“I think we’ve got a little over 120 different houses right now, and I make all my backdrops, carving them out of Styrofoam and painting them. Every few years, I try to change it up a little bit. I end up buying more houses, and then I have to make room for them, so I have to make the village higher.”

For Spruce Pine resident Rickey Skidmore and his wife, Pam, the love of Christmas fuels their motivation for a special ongoing project. It all started 10-12 years ago when his mother-in-law got tired of decorating and gave them the eight or so Christmas village houses she had and encouraged them to....

11/29/2023

“When you think about College Avenue, you can still hear the slide of feet on those polished floors. I can still hear the hiss of the radiators and hear the children outside playing kickball. I’ll never forget walking outside after lunch and going and letting the kids have about five or 10 minutes outside and catching leaves falling off the trees.”

Once upon a time, in a place not far away, there stood a school. More than bricks and books and tests and games, it’s where generations passed through as they made their way along childhood’s rambling path to adulthood. Although no two experiences were the same, many who passed through its halls...

11/15/2023

A final piece from the September/October magazine before we begin sharing the November/December stories. Your helpful faith-based advice from Philip Goad at North Highlands church of Christ—

Difficult people. At least a few can be found in most businesses, church families and blood families. How can these people be helped? Are there Bible verses you can share with them? Absolutely! Proverbs is loaded with wisdom in this regard, and most of us remember Jesus stating that the second great...

11/14/2023

It doesn't come out until tomorrow ... but you can catch a first glimpse online today!

Read 2023 Franklin Living November-December by Franklin County on Issuu and browse thousands of other publications on our platform. Start here!

11/13/2023

Do you need to do some budgeting for home maintenance?

FRANKLIN LIVING SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2023 Home improvements can be some of the most exciting projects. Home repairs, on the other hand, can be some of the most stressful. Home “improvements” are typically planned for and dreamed about, while home “repairs” usually means something has gone wrong...

10/27/2023

From the Franklin County Extension Office-Alabama Cooperative Extension System — Happy Extension Week!

What is the Alabama Cooperative Extension System? The ACES provides university-based knowledge, delivered straight to the people where they live and work. The system is an organization of educators who take cutting-edge research from our land-grant universities, Alabama A&M and Auburn, and turn it i...

10/16/2023

Many might know Robert “Buddy” Perdue as the co-operator of Thompson’s Drapery in downtown Russellville. When he’s not busy running the business, however, Perdue is busy running in a more literal sense.

Many might know Russellville resident Robert “Buddy” Perdue as the co-operator of Thompson’s Drapery, a longtime staple in downtown Russellville, which he runs with his wife, Kim and her mother, Allie Thompson, who started the business in 1965 with Yvonne Porter. When he’s not busy running t...

09/25/2023

“We have finished stone all over, including in other countries, and it’s very special to be able to drive by buildings and know you worked on it. We have a lot of interesting pieces all over the place. My grandfather worked on the big stone columns on the front of Valley State Bank in Russellville, and my father planed all the steps and windowsills and elements like that – all elements that are still there.”

For Russellville native Lee Todd, being a third-generation stonecutter means not only getting to do work he loves but also following in the footsteps of his father, Thomas Todd, and his grandfather, Odell Todd. As an employee in the finishing department of Alabama Stone in Russellville for the past....

09/15/2023

In this country we have days that celebrate certain foods, and in this issue of Franklin Living we are highlighting some of our favorite foods that merit these unique observances. You might want to whip them up on their respective days!

09/14/2023

"Our focus on academics shouldn’t be so all-consuming that we forget our goal is to give our students a well-rounded education that not only prepares them academically but prepares them to be good citizens and good people who can go on to make an impact in the world."

I am so excited to have had a great start to the 2023-2024 school year for Russellville City Schools. This year’s theme, which we introduced at our annual Institute at the beginning of August, is . With this being my last year with RCS, this theme means a lot to me personally because it enc...

09/11/2023

“I’m trying to stay open to any and all of performing because I don’t really want to put myself in a box and close myself off from other opportunities, so if it’s possible for me to do it all, that’s what I’m going to reach for. Whatever path this takes me down, I just want to perform. That’s what I really love.”

“I really didn’t know where I was going to fit in or what my place in the world might be,” explained Avery Guinn, recalling his mindset prior to discovering a passion for performing while a freshman at Russellville High School. From that first foray into performance art, through his graduation...

09/06/2023

Latest Franklin Living is now live. Check it out—

Read the stories of Avery Guinn, Lee Todd and Buddy Perdue plus more great content in this bimonthly lifestyles magazine.

08/22/2023

You can read yourself right into a new adventure!

Although summer for many presents a time for traveling, a great book can provide a way to traverse the globe without ever leaving the comfort of home. Northwest-Shoals Community College library director Lori Skinner has these titles to recommend:

08/14/2023

"We should highly value both God’s knowledge and presence every single day, but because we are human, there are times when we might be tempted to try to flee from God or pretend he isn’t present."

God our Creator is always watching. One of the amazing and difficult-to-understand things about God is that he’s always present everywhere. The “churchy” word we use for this quality is God’s omnipresence.

08/07/2023

“For the students who choose to go, getting to see them be just absolutely amazed by what they see – I love that because I know they’ve made a choice that’s going to have an impact on them for the rest of their lives.”

The group toured Murano, known for its glass; Burano, known for its lace; the Leaning Tower of Pisa; Florence; Rome; Assisi; the Vatican, including the Sistine Chapel; Capri; and a number of other cities and sites, including some via a boat tour.

08/03/2023

It's watermelon time in Franklin County —

August is Watermelon Festival time in Franklin County! As Russellville’s quintessential community event approaches, try a recipe that just might inspire a new love for the festival’s namesake fruit.

07/26/2023

"We have a lot of difficult conversations with our kids. Money can be one of the most trying! That’s mostly because it’s a constant lesson in teaching them money does not come easy. To kids, everything seems just a swipe of the debit card away."

We have a lot of difficult conversations with our kids. Money can be one of the most trying! That’s mostly because it’s a constant lesson in teaching them money does not come easy. To kids, everything seems just a swipe of the debit card away.

07/24/2023

Francisco-Lopez said she initially only expected to stay for around a year, but her feelings changed after experiencing what it was like. “It went really well, and I really fell in love with their culture and decided I wanted to stay a lot longer.” After finishing her year-long contract, she came home for two months to visit family before returning. The second time, she stayed for three years, living the first two and a half years in a bigger city, Anyang, located closer to Seoul.

Since graduating from Russellville High School in 2011, Magda Francisco-Lopez has logged quite a few travel miles and gained new experiences and stories along the way.

07/17/2023

From the current edition—
"Do you love plants? Do you love to volunteer your time? Then you are a great candidate for Master Gardener Intern Training! You do not have to be a garden expert; simply come with a desire to learn and grow."

The Master Gardener program is a partnership among the land grant universities of this state – Alabama A&M University and Auburn University – Alabama Extension agents and motivated volunteers interested in educating their communities.

07/11/2023

Don't miss the latest edition online now!

Franklin Living shines the spotlight on the people and places that make Franklin County Alabama such an amazing place to live, work and play.

07/10/2023

What's for dinner tonight?

When dinnertime calls for something both hearty and delicious, beef is a classic staple ingredient for a reason.

07/09/2023

As you consider your faith, minister Philip Goad has this question: Got joy?

Would those who know you best say you walk in joy?

07/07/2023

Have you given blood lately?

Stepping into a LifeSouth bloodmobile means stepping inside a place where the healthy are sacrificing so the sick and injured can survive.

07/06/2023

It's hot out there! Keep it cool with H2O advice from the Franklin County Extension.

Water is important for your health and survival. It is an essential component and makes up 50-70 percent of your body’s weight.

06/13/2023

“This is my full-time job. It can be challenging, but it’s also a lot of fun and interesting to work on the different aspects. I’m getting ready for the next honey season now, and both and I the bees have plenty to keep us busy.”

“We got three hives our first year, and the operation has grown tremendously since then ... It can be challenging, but it’s also a lot of fun and interesting to work on the different aspects."

06/05/2023

Sound off — did you get to visit Oliver Farms this strawberry season?

In Russellville and Franklin County, the juicy watermelon often gets the most attention when it comes to fruits. For Chad and Jerri Ann Oliver, however, there’s a different sweet treat that gets the spotlight.

05/28/2023

If you missed this great story from the March-April edition of the magazine – that might be because we never shared the link . Let's give Mrs. Betty Mahan the spotlight due her before we start sharing those links for the latest mag!

For Betty Mahan, the reason behind her six-plus decades in the Vina school cafeteria is simple: “I enjoy working,” Mahan explained, while sitting at a cafeteria table surrounded by fellow lunchroom workers.

05/04/2023

New Franklin Living? You better believe it!

Franklin Living is all about the amazing people and places across Franklin County that make it such a wonderful place to live, work and play.

04/20/2023

Fancy a gardening read? Got a few ideas for you right here —

As the weather warms up, our thoughts often turn to preparing our gardens and spending time out in the sunshine. Check out these reads, both fiction and nonfiction, to help you prepare for spring planting or to get lost in a great book. Northwest-Shoals Community College library director Lori Skinne...

Address

14131 Highway 43
Russellville, AL
35653

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

(256) 332-1881

Website

http://www.franklincountytimes.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Franklin Living posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.