In a joint statement this week, Franklin County commissioners are asking the community to celebrate freedom a little differently this year, in light of the continuing pandemic conditions.

The Franklin County Courthouse and county offices will be closed July 3 in observance of Independence Day. Whether people plan to celebrate July 3, July 4 or all weekend long, the county commissioners had this message to share:

“The Franklin County Commission would like to wish everyone a happy and safe 4^th of July. We are appreciative of the freedoms we have in this country and that we can spend time with family and friends celebrating this holiday.

“As you know, COVID-19 numbers are continuing to climb in Franklin County. We want to encourage all Franklin County citizens who are celebrating in the coming days to follow the Alabama Department of Public Health and CDC guidelines.

“Please continue social distancing, frequent hand washing and using face coverings. If you or anyone in your family has been in contact with someone who has been sick, try to limit contact with others. If you begin to feel ill or have other COVID-19 symptoms, we encourage you to contact your primary care physician.

“School will be starting in the next several weeks, and we as County Commissioners would like to see a decline in the number of positive cases. If we practice the guidelines to keep the virus from spreading, it will not only benefit the school systems but all county residents.

“We hope everyone will do their part to stop the spread of COVID-19 in Franklin County.”