Email community announcements to newscouriersoundoff@gmail.com.

Tomato Sandwich Day & ‘Greater Mater’ Competition

Tomato Sandwich Day and the Greater Mater Competition is coming to Athens Farmers Market on Saturday, July 12. In partnership with the market, the Limestone County Extension Office will host the 3rd Annual Greater Mater Competition, a friendly contest to find the best homegrown tomatoes in the area.

Local growers are invited to bring their tomatoes and enter one or more of the competition’s categories. Registration will take place from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., with judging beginning promptly at 9:30 a.m. A $100 prize will be awarded to the winner of each category, and participants do not need to be present to win.

Beyond the competition, visitors can enjoy a free tomato sandwich, live music and meet with Master Gardeners and Extension Agents, who will be on-site to answer your home and garden questions.

Early voting for Christmas in July

The Christmas in Athens-Limestone County Committee is requesting the public’s input the choosing of its 2025 theme. Vote online for your favorite from among five options, including “A Superhero Holiday,” “Merry Movies & Magic,” “Christmas in the Cosmos,” “Once Upon a Christmas,” and “Christmas Under the Sea.” Voting closes July 14. The winner will be announced soon afterward. Visit https://forms.gle/SUDVvU4uydSDeLJW7 to take part in the vote online.

Revival — Peace Missionary Baptist Church

Peace Missionary Baptist Church in Athens (1214 Plainview Circle) will host its annual church revival from July 16-18. Visiting Pastors Keith Shoulders, Larry Lockett and Damon Betts will present dynamic preaching accompanied by soul-stirring music and a spirit-filled atmosphere. Each evening’s service will begin at 6:30 p.m. Visit Peace Missionary Baptist Church on Facebook for more information. 

Community Thank-You

NAACP Limestone will host a community Thank-You event on Saturday, July 19 from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. The event will be held at the Lincoln-Bridgeforth Park (815 Westview Avenue) in Athens, featuring free hot dogs, hamburgers, drinks, sweets, T-shirts and other giveaways. There is no cost to take part in this free community event.

Let There Be Cake — cake sampling fundraiser

The Athens-Limestone Beautification Board is hosting a cake sampling fundraiser on July 25, during the last Fridays After Five event at the LaunchBox on Marion Street in Athens. Come by and sample a wide variety of local bakers’ cakes. Admission is $5 per person, with 3 samples. Raffle tickets for 2 layer cakes will be available for $1 each.

Limestone County Historical Society quarterly meeting

The Limestone County Historical Society will hold its quarterly meeting Sunday, July 20, in the Rodgers Center of the First Presbyterian Church in Athens. Refreshments will be served at 2:30 p.m. with the meeting to follow at 3 p.m. Cait Monroe, archivist for the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library system and Historic Preservation chair for the Alabama Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, will speak about cemetery preservation and share information about how to properly clean and care for your family grave markers. Everyone  interested in Limestone County and North Alabama history is invited to attend.

MindFit mental health series

Millions throughout North America are struggling with their mental health. In fact, more than 20 percent of Americans experience mental illness in any given year. Join Pastor Alex Rodriguez for MindFit, a 4-part series that is free to the community as he seeks to shed light on the current mental health crisis. The event will be held in the community room at the Athens Limestone County Tourism Association, 100 North Beaty Street in Athens, beginning at 7 p.m. on Monday, July 21. Register online at mindfitevent.com. For more information, call 256-658-7477.

Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful membership drive

Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful has begun their 2025-2026 membership drive. Stop by the office at 125 East Street in Athens, or visit kalbcares.com for more information.

Athens City Schools bus service sign ups open

Parents in the Athens City Schools system needing bus service for their K-8th students, must sign up through Returning Student Registration (Re-Enrollment) or New Student Registration (Enrollment). If you need your student’s snap code for re-enrollment, call 256-233-6600 or visit the ACS Central Office. Learn more at acs-k12.org/reenrollment. Reminder that bus service is not available for Athens High School or Athens Renaissance School students. Learn more about ACS Transportation at acs-k12.org/transportation.

Back to School supplies drive

1st Franklin Financial is asking customers to help out with back-to-school items that will benefit community schools and students this coming year. Any item that would benefit the students or teachers is greatly appreciated. One boy and one girl will be selected from a draw to each win a new backpack. Donations of the following items will be welcome: New or gently used backpacks and lunch boxes, Pencil/crayon boxes, Loose paper, Notebooks, Subject binders, #2 pencils, colored pencils, crayons, highlighters, Dry erase markers, Glue sticks, rulers, scissors (grade school appropriate), Index cards and flash cards, Lysol wipes, tissues, hand sanitizer, paper towels.

Support Group

Support groups for domestic abuse victims and survivors will be held at the Family Resource Center on Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. and on Fridays at 12 p.m. Facilitated by Crisis Services of North Alabama. For more information, call 256-230-1240.

Women Empowering Women

Every fourth Sunday of the month, the Women Empowering Women of Alabama will meet at Freshwind Church, located at 17200 Lucas Ferry Road. Athens, from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. from February to October. For more information, you can contact Rev. Janice Elisa Lanier Williams at 256-233-5995 or you can visit their website at wewoa.org/.

Houston Memorial Library

The Houston Memorial Library and Museum is open Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Home to a large collection of mystery, fiction, children’s, young adult and western books to be checked out with a $5 per year membership. The historic residence, which was built in 1834, also has a book sale room that is open each day. The museum has period furniture, civil war memorabilia and Native American artifacts.

Virtual exercise class

Limestone County Council on Aging presents virtual exercise class 2–3 p.m. Mondays and Fridays via Zoom. The classes are called S.A.I.L., which stands for Stay Active and Independent for Life. More information: 256-233-6412.

Book sale

Friends of the Athens-Limestone Public Library host a used book sale from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. each Tuesday and the first Saturday of each month from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the library, 603 S. Jefferson St., Athens. More information 256-232-1233.

TOPS meeting

Athens AL TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) Evening Chapter #0616 meets weekly on Mondays, at the Athens Activity Center on Pyror Street. Weigh-in starts at 6 p.m. with meeting at 6:30 p.m. For more information, email: AthensAL616TOPS@gmail.com.

Food giveaway

Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church’s food pantry will be open 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on the third Saturday of each month at 1911 Hine St., Athens. Patrons must provide proof of at least one of the following: eligibility to receive supplemental food assistance (SNAP/food stamps); eligibility for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families; eligibility to receive Supplemental Security Income; income at or below 130 percent of the federal poverty level; or special circumstances. Eligibility forms provided at distribution site. Must have valid ID card or driver’s license. Only one distribution per household while supplies last. Monetary and food donations accepted. More information: 256-424-5403.

Hearts for Homeless

Join The News Courier, and several others, as we try and help out our homeless population in Athens and Limestone County. Please give whatever essentials you can. All donations can be left at The News Courier’s office at 410 W. Green St. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Other donation sites include; Don Carter Heating and Cooling on 72 East, Toodlebugs on E. Hobbs St. and One Main Financial on 72 East.

Flower and Flag Regulations for Athens Cemeteries

(City; Hine-Hobbs St., Old City, Roselawn and Thatch-Mann Cemetery) No flowers or decorations allowed on the ground for maintenance, unless following a funeral. Placement of flowers is acceptable year-round on monuments. Flowers will be removed after funerals as follows: Fresh flower removal will take place seven (7) days following a funeral. Silk flower removal will take place twenty-one (21) days following a funeral or to be placed on grave as specified above. Approval by Superintendent of Cemeteries is required before planting flowers, shrubs, trees, or sod grass. City Cemetery personnel shall remove any trees or shrubs that become detrimental to the adjacent lots or prevent opening of a grave. The City of Athens Cemetery Department will remove flags and properly dispose of them, when they are so worn that they are no longer fit to serve as a symbol of our country. The City of Athens will not replace any worn flags that it removes. The City of Athens does not assume any liability for any monument, flowers, shrubbery, ornaments, flags, etc. in any City owned cemetery.