Dear traffic – welcome to Hartselle!

By By Leada Gore, Editor
There are signs greeting you as you drive into Hartselle, issuing a welcome to the “City of Southern Hospitality.”
Somehow, I bet those stuck in traffic last week on Highway 31 weren’t feeling so hospitable themselves. Thanks to a large sinkhole on Interstate 65, the northbound lanes have been closed, diverting traffic onto Highway 31 through Lacon, Falkville, Hartselle and Priceville. The detour meant thousands of drivers accustomed to normally cruising along the interstate at 70 mph were forced into the land of 35 mph and traffic signals every block or so.
While the traffic is a headache, smart merchants in Hartselle are taking advantage of the situation. Not missing the opportunity, Hartselle Area Chamber of Commerce sent out an email advising merchants on Highway 31 to market to the drivers coming through.
That’s a great idea. We have an opportunity to introduce people to Hartselle, our stores, gas stations and more. So, whether this situation is fixed in a few days, weeks or months, let’s turn this negative situation to a positive one and introduce everyone to the true “City of Southern Hospitality.”
Making Progress
This issue of the Hartselle Enquirer is our largest one of the year. It’s our annual Progress issue and it’s the result of weeks and months of planning and work.
Each year, our goal is to make our Progress section as interesting to our readers as possible. I think we’ve accomplished that this year with our theme, “Did you know…” This issue is filled with all sorts of trivia about our area, such as:
You can learn about all these things and more in this special issue and we all hope you enjoy each story.
To the hard-working staff that went the extra mile to make this section excellent, thank you. And thank you to our advertisers, who make it possible to do what we do.
We hope you enjoy Progress 2010. It is a labor of love that taught us a thing or two, too.