The Index

Every Series, In Order

Our dated series are meant to be read in sequence. This page keeps them that way — newest first, nothing missing, updated as each new edition publishes.

Front Porch Talk Council in 5 Minutes The Florence Files This Week

Front Porch Talk

Our free bi-weekly newsletter about the people, moments, and things worth knowing in Florence.

No. 9 The Palmetto School and Dr. Iola Jones A historical marker for the Palmetto School and Florence County Foster Home for Negro Children, and the second Hope Village on North Douglas Street. No. 8 The Region 7-4A Football Opener A new historical marker on Stokes Road, north-side stormwater work, and Panting for Paws. No. 7 Two Statewide Awards for the City of Florence The Carolina Theatre renovation nearing completion and the Youth City University application deadline. No. 6 A Mortgage-Free Home for Deputy Devin Mason's Family A mortgage-free home for the family of fallen Darlington County Deputy Devin Mason, plus Flamingos baseball and a kitten rescue. No. 5 The First GED Graduation at the Detention Center McLeod Health's gift to nursing, a traveling historical exhibit at the library, and more good news from Florence. No. 4 A 113-Pound State-Record Flathead Catfish A state-record flathead catfish caught in the Big Pee Dee River, plus Florence school grants and Tree City USA. No. 3 The Pee Dee River in Florence The river that shaped the region, and what it means to the people who live along it. No. 2 FDTC's 2026 Commencement Workforce education paths and the graduates stepping into them. No. 1 342 FMU Graduates Where it started — the story of 342 FMU graduates and local community news.
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Council in 5 Minutes

Recaps of Florence City Council and Planning Commission meetings — what was decided, what was deferred, and what it means for you.

City Council Oct 12, 2026

Citizen Engagement Sessions pass on second reading

Hoffmeyer Road sewer repair, six zoning and annexation items, the city manager's report, recognitions, and what went to executive session.

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City Council Sep 14, 2026

The Grove at Ebenezer vote is deferred

The deferred subdivision vote, a progress check on the city's $85 million water and sewer plan, and the rest of the agenda.

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Planning Commission Sep 8, 2026

Stratton Drive townhouses and revised noise rules

A proposed townhouse development, revised noise rules, two annexations, and an emergency access request near Palmetto Cove.

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The Florence Files

Our local history archive — the people, places, and moments that made Florence. Read in order, or jump to any installment.

Part 5 Gamble's Hotel: The Landmark Buried Beneath Downtown The wood-frame railroad hotel that helped launch Florence, its 1865 Civil War skirmish, and the 2023 dig that found its foundation. Part 4 Before Hugo, After Hugo Hurricane Hugo's landfall on September 22, 1989, told through a firsthand account of riding out the storm at Francis Marion College. Part 3 Florence Had Pro Hockey. Then It Didn't. Now It Does Again. From the Pee Dee Pride (1997–2005) to the Pee Dee IceCats — the long arc of professional hockey in Florence. Part 2 How Downtown Florence Came Back From "a drunk too far gone to be saved" to the Great American Main Street Award. Part 1 1979: The Year Florence Moved West How Magnolia Mall and the new McLeod Regional Medical Center reshaped Florence in 1979.
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This Week in Florence

Our weekly events roundup, checked against the host or a local source before publishing. The current week lives here; past weeks roll off as new ones publish.

Current Week Updated weekly

October 26 – November 1, 2026

Day-by-day events, closures, what's on view, and government meetings — every entry with the time, place, and source we confirmed it against.

See what's happening this week

About this page. We keep this index by hand as each new edition publishes, so it never falls behind. If you spot a series that looks incomplete, tell us and we'll add the missing entry.

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