Top Stories

Drone contraband is becoming a problem
Main, News, Russellville
by Addi Broadfoot For the FCT 
April 15, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Area law enforcement officials say they support the idea of more authority to stop drones from delivering contraband into jails. Alabam...
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Oliver: Too many children are being abused
Main, News, Russellville
by María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
April 15, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Franklin County deputies investigated 85 cases involving child and sexual abuse in 2025. “For a county the size of Franklin County, tha...
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Sentencing delayed again in manslaughter trial
Main, News, Russellville
by By Brady Petree For the FCT 
April 15, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Brandy Dowdy will have to wait even longer to learn how long she will serve in prison after her sentencing was delayed for the second t...
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First Metro Bank donates $250K to hospital
Main, News, Russellville
by María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
April 8, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Russellville Hospital has received a $250,000 donation from First Metro Bank through a state tax credit program.
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PC grad had role in Artemis II launch
Main, News, Phil Campbell
by By Bernie Delinski and María Camp 
April 8, 2026
PHIL CAMPBELL — Noah Williams stood in a grassy field at Kennedy Space Center on April 1 about seven miles from the Artemis II launch pad. It was the ...
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Main
by María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
April 15, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — The Russellville City Council approved the rezoning of a Lawrence Street property during its April 6 meeting. The council voted to rezo...
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Main
by María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
April 15, 2026
PHIL CAMPBELL — Water service for customers in areas along College Road is expected to be disrupted Thursday as crews install a new meter and vault fo...
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Garden club hosts plant, bake sale
Columnists
In the Community
by María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
April 15, 2026
RED BAY — The Red Bay Garden Club held its annual plant and bake sale Saturday at the high school greenhouse to raise funds for projects across the ci...
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Birthdays
April 15, 2026
April 15   Josh Ryan Prewitt   Jordan Prewitt   Jeff Robertson   Howard Barnett   Hayden James   Billy Witt   Angela Witt Dunstan   Nora Madilyn Baker...
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Marriages
April 15, 2026
March 31 • Zarek Mark Barnett to Mackenzie Morgan Hanford • Thomas Mathew Jones to Tabitha Cheyenne Kelley April 1 • Austin Lee Bridges to Briana Alex...
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Has the city on a hill lost its shine?
Columnists
April 15, 2026
Ronald Reagan used the “Shining City on a Hill” as a metaphor for the United States as a beacon for freedom and democracy in the world. Joe Biden ofte...
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Columnists
April 15, 2026
Sheriff Shannon Oliver is right. Even one abused child in Franklin County — or anywhere in Alabama — is one too many. And yet in 2025, Oliver’s deputi...
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Land Transactions
by Griffin Traylor 
April 8, 2026
March 24   Michelle and Ellis Wooton to Robert Fishman, warranty   Daniel S Pickens to Lance Justin Baggett, Tara Baggett, Renea Chandler and Ronnie C...
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Franklin County
by Kevin Taylor For the FCT 
April 8, 2026
VINA — Three people are facing a drug trafficking charge after members of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office found 35 grams of crystal and liquid me...
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Main
by By Brady Petree For the FCT 
April 8, 2026
MUSCLE SHOALS — U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt said last week he expects Northwest Shoals Community College to get some of the federal government’s future ...
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News
by Kevin Taylor For the FCT 
April 8, 2026
PHIL CAMPBELL — A 63-year-old man was found dead March 30 by a resident of the property and pond the man regularly fished in off Franklin County Road ...
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Locals react to US’s 10-day space flight
News
by María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
April 8, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Rocky Stone, former Russellville High School principal, called last week’s Artemis II launch a “milestone” in the United States’ space ...
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Gray hired as UNA director of bands
News
by Alyssa Sutherland For the FCT 
April 8, 2026
FLORENCE — Joseph Gray has been named the next director of bands for the University of North Alabama.
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Editorials
April 8, 2026
Four astronauts on NASA’s Artemis II mission are on the seventh day of a 10-day test flight around the Moon and back. That’s something that hasn’t bee...
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Protect local deposits which power growth
Columnists
April 8, 2026
Most conversations about new digital payment tools often miss a crucial reality: When money exits community bank deposits, local lending is directly i...
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Meeting highlights service, awards
Columnists
HERE AND NOW
April 8, 2026
Members of the GFWC Book Lovers Study Club reported more than $2,700 was raised for community causes, and the chapter received multiple awards during ...
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Waypoint Church hosts Easter egg hunt
News
by María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
April 8, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE – Waypoint Church held an Easter event at Sloss Lake Friday afternoon. The free event included photos with the Easter bunny, music (inclu...
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Band turns life’s stories into songs
Features
by Chelsea Retherford For the FCT 
April 8, 2026
For the band OTIS, the road isn’t just for touring and performance. Between shows, in parking lots and back rooms, the band gathers stories from the p...
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WELDING, DESIGN COMPETITION
News
April 8, 2026
Russellville City Schools welding, design students placed in a welding competition at Northwest Shoals Community College. • Felix Dominguez earned sec...
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La Catrina opens in Phil Campbell
News
by María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
April 8, 2026
PHIL CAMPBELL — Downtown Phil Campbell has a new restaurant. La Catrina had its official grand opening last week. Owner Ernesto Gayton said he chose t...
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Turning her battle in blessings
Features
by Chelsea Retherford For the FCT 
April 8, 2026
At four years old, Rachael “RayRay” Weir learned a word most adults hope never to hear — leukemia. Now eight years old and still in treatment, she has...
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Birthdays
April 8, 2026
April 8   Adam Pelfrey     April 9   Sheila Upchurch   Josie Willis   Rex Mayfield   Keslie Boyles   Jeanette Bray   Rebekah Myrick   April 10   Noah ...
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Students take part in ‘Adulting 101’ event
Franklin County
by María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
April 8, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE – About 200 Franklin County high school seniors took part in an “Adulting 101” event at the Franklin County Career Technical Center in Be...
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Marriages
April 8, 2026
March 26 • Diony Macedo Chazez to Ashley Nicolle Varela Amaya March 27 • Braxton Nash Mitchell to Leigha Paige Purser • Adam Brent Jeffreys to Jessica...
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High School Sports
by Brannon King For the FCT 
April 8, 2026
The Russellville Lady Golden Tigers spent a portion of spring break participating in the Pleasure Island Showdown tournament held at the Gulf Shores S...
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Golden Tigers have won 9 of last 10
High School Sports
by Brannon King For the FCT 
April 8, 2026
The Russellville baseball team has won four consecutive games and nine of their last 10 contests. The Golden Tigers defeated Scottsboro 6-0 on March 3...
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High School Sports
by Bart Moss For the FCT 
April 8, 2026
The Red Bay Tigers didn’t allow a run while sweeping the Lamar County Bulldogs in an area series. The Tigers beat the Bulldogs 8-0 and 1-0. In game on...
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Sports
by Bart Moss For the FCT 
April 8, 2026
Softball action was limited during spring break. Phil Campbell beat Haleyville 9-7 and Tharptown picked up a 16-2 win over Brilliant. Belgreen travele...
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PC sweeps Colbert County
High School Sports
by Bart Moss For the FCT 
April 8, 2026
The Phil Campbell Bobcats got their area games off to a great start with an easy sweep of the Colbert County Indians. The Bobcats beat the Indians 11-...
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Main
by By Addi Broadfoot For the FCT 
April 1, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — The city’s water and sewer board has reversed a decision made about 18 months ago that left landlords responsible for any unpaid utilit...
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