Local Politics
State & County Government, Elections, Policy
Coverage of Lauderdale, Colbert, Franklin, and surrounding counties — what your local officials are doing and why it matters.
Read on Substack →North Alabama heads to the polls today for the statewide primary. Closer to home, the Shoals community is mourning soul legend Clarence Carter, Florence residents are bracing for higher water bills, and Franklin County communities vote on fire department funding. Here's what you need to know this Tuesday morning.
Read Today's Stories ↓ Subscribe FreeToday is Primary Election Day across Alabama, with polls open from 7 AM to 7 PM. This is one of the most significant primary cycles in years — voters are choosing candidates for governor, U.S. Senate, all seven congressional seats, and a range of local offices. North Alabama's 5th Congressional District primary was actually canceled on the Republican side after Rep. Dale Strong ran unopposed, so no GOP primary there today. But races for U.S. Senate, governor, and county offices are still live.
If you haven't voted yet, find your polling place at the Alabama Secretary of State's website. Remember: you can only vote in one party's primary, and you must vote in the primary to be eligible for any runoff your party may hold on June 16.
The Shoals has lost one of its own. Clarence Carter, the blind guitarist and singer who helped define the sound of Southern soul at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, passed away at age 90. Carter was born in Montgomery in 1936, studied music at Alabama State University, and found his voice at FAME — the legendary studio on Alabama Street that helped shape American music.
His 1968 debut hit "Slip Away" sold a million copies and has been streamed nearly 50 million times on Spotify. He followed it with "Too Weak to Fight," then landed his signature pop crossover hit in 1970 with "Patches" — a dramatic story-song that reached the top of both the pop and R&B charts. His holiday track "Back Door Santa" and his late-career Southern soul anthem "Strokin'" kept him relevant for more than six decades. He was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in 2003 and received two Grammy nominations.
Carter was more than a recording artist — he was proof of what the Shoals could produce. He is survived by his music and by the community that helped create it.
Florence residents will see a $10-per-month increase on their water bills starting June 1, after the City Council approved the rate hike Tuesday. City leaders say the additional revenue will be used to pay down water department debt and fund upgrades to the city's aging water infrastructure.
Mayor Ron Tyler was direct about the decision: "Be mad at us, be angry with me — but yet we supply you with safe, reliable, and regulatory-compliant water." The increase is expected to impact every water customer in the city. No exemptions or low-income adjustments were announced alongside the vote.
Residents in Belgreen and Frog Pond in Franklin County are voting today on whether to approve a small property tax increase to fund their local volunteer fire departments. If passed, the measure would add roughly $3 per month per household — money that would go directly to the Belgreen Volunteer Fire Department and the Frog Pond Volunteer Fire Department.
Both departments currently rely almost entirely on community donations and membership fees to operate. Rising costs for fuel, insurance, utilities, and gear are squeezing these rural departments hard. "It would be very useful because, as I say, fuel costs are tremendous and all the other costs involved in operating the volunteer fire department," said Robin Grissom, a member of the Belgreen department. All other towns in Franklin County already have similar property tax measures in place for their fire departments.
Agents with the Lauderdale County Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at a home in Greenhill and found more than 122 grams of methamphetamine — also known as ICE — along with drug paraphernalia consistent with sales and distribution. The warrant targeted a camper on the property following reports of drug dealing activity in the area.
Jack Steven Duncan, 68, of Greenhill, was arrested and charged with trafficking in methamphetamine and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. The Lauderdale County Drug Task Force was assisted by Florence Police, the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office, and the Lauderdale County District Attorney's Office.
Florence's historic Pope's Tavern museum is hosting a free public archaeology event on June 13. The event is open to the community and offers a chance to learn about the history preserved at one of the oldest surviving structures in Florence — a stagecoach stop and tavern that dates to the early 19th century and served as a hospital during the Civil War. Details on timing and activities are available through the City of Florence Parks and Recreation. Mark your calendars.
Get The Red Clay Report delivered to your inbox every morning — free.
Subscribe on Substack →Coverage of Lauderdale, Colbert, Franklin, and surrounding counties — what your local officials are doing and why it matters.
Read on Substack →The people and places that make North Alabama worth writing about — from Muscle Shoals to Russellville and beyond.
Read on Substack →Economic developments across the Tennessee Valley — new businesses, closures, workforce news, and what it means for working families.
Read on Substack →The Red Clay Report is an independent daily publication covering North Alabama — from Red Bay in the west to Fort Payne in the east. We publish every day, keeping local residents informed about the politics, community life, and events that national outlets overlook.
There are no paywalls on the essentials, no corporate owners, and no agenda beyond keeping North Alabamians in the know. Subscribe free on Substack and get every edition delivered to your inbox.
New to The Red Clay Report? Subscribe on Substack and receive the daily briefing in your inbox — no cost, no catch, just North Alabama news.
Subscribe on Substack →Free to subscribe. Unsubscribe anytime.