For the first time since the 1970s, an Andalusia mayor took the oath of office for consecutive terms. Similarly, four of the five council members were sworn in for consecutive terms, the first time a majority that large has been returned to office since 1952.
Judge Lex Short administered the oath of office to Mayor Earl Johnson, returning council members Will Sconiers, Hazel Griffin, Kennith Mount and Terry Powell, and to Ralph Wells.
Former Speaker of the House Seth Hammett, who spoke at the ceremonies, said when he was introduced as Covington County’s state representative, he was always proud to add, “I live in Andalusia.”
“We have a lot to be proud of,” Hammett said, adding the city boasts a quality education program and beautiful school facilities,.
“We have a diversity of employment opportunities,” he said. “Of course, we think of Shaw, which anchors our community. There is great work at the airport and the facilities we have there.
“We should take great pride in the fact that we understand we can do more if we work together,” he said. “We realize a business does not have to locate within the city of Andalusia for Andalusia to benefit.
He said having the headquarters of Southeast Alabama Gas District and PowerSouth, as well as two engineering firms here also is a great benefit.
“And we forget what a great employer, Andalusia Regional Hospital is. It truly is a regional hospital. We have many more specialists than most communities our size could ever have.
“We have great quality of life,” he said. “Who couldn’t have enjoyed being on the square last week for Halloween? How many communities around the United States wouldn’t like to have something like that in their communities?”
Hammett also praised the city’s recreational and cultural opportunities.
“You have made great strides in the appearance of our town,” he said. “When I was at LBW, I used to say that we wanted the appearance of our facility to reflect the quality of our programs.”
Hammett said when he spoke to new members of the house of representatives, he always reminded them to remember their titles.
“I always reminded them they were state representatives, not a Birmingham or Mobile or Dothan representative, not Democratic or Republican, black or white. If you want to get elected and stay elected, stay in touch with people of your district. Talk to them and return their telephone calls. But your title is city council members. You are responsible for the entire city, not just your district.”
He said he also told new representatives, “don’t ever allow anybody to tell you how to vote.
“If somebody tells you this is how you should vote, ask them, ‘Where were you on that hot summer day when I was out knocking on doors?”
He urged them to disagree “disagreeably,” if they must do so.
“The Bible teaches us, of those to whom much is given, much is expected,” he said. “Much is expected of you folks. You have a great opportunity here and a great community. Frankly, I envy you the opportunity you have to make great place to live an even better place to live.”
It was shoulder-to-shoulder traffic at Wednesday’s Halloween on the Square event in Andalusia.
Duke Smith with the city’s department of leisure services estimated the crowd at 10,000.
“It was a great night,” Smith said. “There were a lot of folks there. I stood in the Square, in the center, and looked down toward CCB Community Bank, and the road was covered with people. Everything went fine. Crews spent (Thursday) morning cleaning up, and we’re back to normal.”
Local merchants handed out candy left and right as area residents made their annual trek around the Court Square. Some 28 businesses participated, pulling out all the stops in decorating for the night.
The first place award for the best booth space went to South Alabama Law’s tribute to “Alice in Wonderland,” complete with a Red Queen sitting on her throne and the Mad Hatter. Second place went to the Andalusia Police Department for their “Happy Haunting,” featuring Dispatcher Susie Fannin and her creepy channeling of a wicked witch who enjoyed a good leg bone now and then.
Entertainment for the night was Keith Williams and Second Nature, who at one point,, was joined by a dancing Freddy Krueger.
“Our businesses went all out,” Smith said. “I was glad the weather hung in there, too. It was nice and cool, but not too cold. All in all, just right.”
Andalusia City School System parents are being asked to complete an online survey to assist in the system’s accreditation process.
Superintendent Ted Watson said Wednesday notices were sent home this week asking parents for their help.
“Every four years, we have to go through the Advanced Ed Accreditation process,” Watson said. “And what we have to do is collect data, and some of that data comes in the form of a survey. We really encourage parents to fill it out.”
Accreditation is a voluntary method of quality assurance developed more than 100 years ago by American universities and secondary schools, and designed primarily to distinguish schools adhering to a set of educational standards. The accreditation process is also known in terms of its ability to effectively drive student performance and continuous improvement in education.
Watson said the survey can be found by visiting the system website at www.andalusiacityschools.net. Pop ups must be enabled for the survey window to appear. A link is also on the Andalusia Middle School Facebook page.
It takes about five minutes to complete the 35-plus question survey.
“We need a certain percent of parent participation in this survey,” Watson said. “Obviously, accreditation is an important part of the education process. It validates the job we do as educators. By going through with the process it says, we meet the level of excellence that is measured by those standards.”
A dedication ceremony for the Alatex Monument Park and the Andalusia Area Chamber of Commerce’s new home in the former Alatex corporate headquarters is today at 10:30 a.m.
A dedication ceremony for the Alatex Monument Park and the Andalusia Area Chamber of Commerce’s new home in the former Alatex corporate headquarters is set for 10:30 a.m. Thurs., Oct. 25.
Former Alatex president Fred H. Rhinehardt will be the special guest speaker.
Alatex, which once owned factories in Andalusia, Troy, Crestview, Elba, Opp, Brantley, and Panama City, Fla., was organized by John G. Scherf in Andalusia in 1923.
Thousands of people worked in the textile company, which through the years produced work and military shirts, pants and underwear. But its primary product was dress shirts, produced for Arrow and for department stores. At its peak in 1971, the company produced more than 10 million shirts.
Alatex was acquired by Cluett, Peabody and Co. in 1968, and went through several mergers and acquisitions in the ensuing years. Biderman, S.A. closed Alatex operations in Andalusia in 1992.
Twenty years later, the corporate headquarters has been restored a public-private partnership between the City of Andalusia, which owns the building, and the Chamber of Commerce, which helped renovate the facility and will occupy it.
The site includes a memorial brick walk, and will be home to a monument to the many textile workers once employed there – a giant starched white shirt fabricated by William Merrill of Metal Fabrication. The shirt is to be set in place on Monday.
A history of the company has been prepared by Bill Hamiter, a former vice president of operations for Alatex who chaired the memorial committee.
The magazine-style history will be available at Thursday’s event.