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The 40th annual WC Handy Festival kicked off this past weekend. Running from July 23 – August 1, the music and arts festival features a staggering list of outstanding performers and events for all ages.  History ‘Handyfest’ was started with the help of local musicians and the Music Preservation Society to celebrate the cultural legacy of Shoals native WC Handy. Born in Florence in 1873, Handy would become known as the Father of the Blues with very good reason. He was the first composer to publish Blues-style music, elevating the genre’s reputation and bringing the sounds of the blues to a world audience. Like many Shoals artists, Handy had a passion for music that was innate and unquenchable. As a child,

The Shoals is a two-county region in Northwest Alabama that is home to an incredible musical heritage, stunning downtown areas, and many other fascinating attributes. Many people call The Shoals home for different reasons. Maybe they grew up here, have a job in the community or want to be a part of our music scene. No matter the reason, those living and moving here often talk about finding their place and falling in love with The Shoals. Why might that be? What about The Shoals makes it such a great place to live? We’re here to share five reasons why you should consider moving to and calling The Shoals home! 1. Weather The Shoals location in Northwest Alabama provides for

Florence, Ala. October 27, 2020—Kith Kitchens, an established cabinet manufacturer in Alabama, announced plans to invest approximately $11 million to open a new manufacturing facility in Florence, AL. This high-quality cabinetry producer will create 131 new full-time jobs at their new facility in the Shoals. “A couple of years ago the Shoals EDA developed an aggressive product development plan that included the construction of a new road and speculative building pad in the Florence-Lauderdale Industrial Park,” said Adam Himber, Vice President of the Shoals EDA. “The speculative building pad will allow Kith Kitchens to become operational quicker to meet the ever-growing demand in their industry.” Kith Kitchens will purchase the Shoals EDA’s 150,000 square foot speculative building pad and approximately

American Picker Mike Wolfe is supporting an effort that anchors the Shoals area to a regional movement designed to showcase the benefits of living and working in small towns. The movement, called “Nashville’s Big Back Yard” spotlights 13 rural Middle Tennessee and Northwest Alabama communities, a region anchored by 100 miles of the Natchez Trace Parkway from Leiper’s Fork, Tenn. to Muscle Shoals, Ala. “This global pandemic is making folks rethink how and where they want to live and work,” said Wolfe, a rural Williamson County resident who has traveled tens of thousands of miles and gained millions of fans as the star and creator of HISTORY’s “American Pickers” series. “I know first-hand how much rural communities have to offer.

 Muscle Shoals, Ala. August 25, 2020– DURA Automotive Systems announced today their plans for a new manufacturing facility in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. The Michigan-based automotive supplier will invest $59 million and create 279 new jobs in their new facility that will produce battery trays for electric vehicles. “This project is the culmination of a lot of hard work and vision from our community leadership. They had the forethought to invest in infrastructure and assets to allow the Shoals to compete for projects on a global scale. It’s because of them and the exceptional workforce of the Shoals that today is possible. I want to commend the work of our staff, the Department of Commerce, and TVA for landing this project

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AL4IofRhzik&t=1s The Shoals Economic Development Authority is proud to announce PROJECTXYZ as one of the newest companies in The Shoals! We’re thankful Larry and Kim Lewis of PROJECTXYZ were willing to step in and help retain 100+ jobs here in The Shoals. Their acquisition of CBC INGS America, LLC would not have been possible without their support, as well as the Shoals Industrial Development Committee, the SEDA Board, CBC INGS America, and the community leaders in The Shoals. Check out this video for more information about the acquisition’s process, PROJECTXYZ and all those involved!  From PROJECTXZY: New Subsidiary Expands in Automotive Product and Service Offerings July 6, 2020, Muscle Shoals, AL – PROJECTXYZ, Inc. has announced the acquisition of CBC INGS America,

 Paycheck Protection Program- $349 billion available The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is a Small Business Administration (SBA) loan that is designed to help businesses continue to employ their workforce during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. Who’s eligible? -Any small business that meets SBA’s size standards -Any non-profit organization, 501(c)(19) veterans organization, or Tribal business concern that has less than 500 employees or meets the SBA industry size standard if more than 500 employees. -Any business with a NAICS Code that begins with 72 (Accommodations and Food Services) that has more than one physical location and employs less than 500 per location -Sole proprietors, independent contractors, and self-employed persons    What’s the details? This loan will be fully forgiven if the funds are

Economic Injury Disaster Loan- $10 billion available The Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EDIL) will provide up to $10,000 of economic relief to businesses that are currently experiencing a temporary loss of revenue. This loan is designed to help a business meet necessary financial obligations that could have been met had the disaster not occurred. This is a low-interest, fixed-rate loan that can provide up to $2 million in assistance for a small business.   Who’s eligible to apply? The following businesses who have 500 or fewer employees or less than $35 million in annual revenue: -Sole proprietorships, with or without employees; -Independent contractors, -Cooperatives and employee owned businesses; -Tribal small businesses; and -Nonprofits that are exempt under 501(c), (d), or (e)