African American roots seminar

FLORENCE — The Florence-Lauderdale Public Library is hosting a seminar Saturday on researching African-American genealogy.

The seminar is free, and is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a break for lunch.

Instruction will be provided on how to research old records and other sources for information before, during and after the Civil War.

For many blacks, research on family members has proved to be difficult because of the lack of surnames before the Civil War when most African-Americans were slaves. That, however, does not mean records don’t exist, said Lee Freeman, head of the Local History and Genealogy Department at the library.

Pre-registration for the seminar is encouraged by calling Freeman at 256-764-6564, ext. 30, or by emailing him at lee@flpl.org.

Man eludes police

FLORENCE — Police expect to find a man who led authorities on a chase Wednesday that ended on the Tennessee Valley Authority reservation.

Florence police Sgt. Chris Ticer said the man refused to stop his car when officer Jeremy Keeton tried to stop him for speeding on Helton Drive, near Huntsville Road.

“Plus he didn’t have a license tag on the car,” Ticer said.

Ticer said Keeton pursued the car across Singing River Bridge and on to the TVA reservation where the man jumped out of the car and ran off. Officers from Muscle Shoals joined other Florence officers and searched the area until about 6 p.m.

“We weren’t able to locate him (Wednesday), but we found information in the car who he is, and officer Keeton has identified him, so we’ll get warrants on him (today),” Ticer said.