The Solon and Martha Dixon Foundation and Auburn University broke ground on a $1.6 million state-of-the-art facility Wednesday to expand its resources to the wildlife, forestry and natural resources community.
The new facility will feature a 100-seat auditorium and 40-seat classroom, with ancillary facilities, to enhance the learning experience for Auburn University students, and will aptly be named the Solon and Martha Dixon Foundation Learning Center.
Doris Tyler of the Dixon Foundation said the new center was a continuation of the efforts made by “Mr. Solon.”
The current facility was dedicated in 1980, and has managed its natural resources and programs to meat the needs of AU students, the Long Leaf Alliance, and others in the scientific community.
“We are excited about the addition of the new high-tech classroom,” Tyler said. “The hands-on experience will be a venue to generate revenue from other schools. This center is still a learning center and a legacy to the Dixons.”
Dean of the Forestry and Wildlife department Dr. Jim Shepherd said that forestry and wildlife is very important to Alabama, and forests cover some 68 percent of the state.
Shepherd said the Solon Dixon Forestry Education Center has served as the institution for a 10-week summer program for forestry students for the last 33 years, and they have implemented a six-week summer practicum for wildlife majors.
“It’s tough because right now we only have one classroom,” he said. “The extra capacity will be helpful.”
Additionally, Shepherd said the facility is used throughout the year for natural resource-based conferences and the Long Leaf Alliance uses the facilities as well.
“Sometimes organizations want to use our facilities, but they want to have multiple rooms to break out into smaller sessions. Right now, we really don’t meet those needs, but with the addition, we’ll be able to do that,” Shepherd said. “We really want to be a community resource.”
This summer, there are researchers from Penn State conducting lizard research and a team of botanists from Auburn looking at different species of plant life, Shepherd said.
“They were expecting to find around 500 different species,” Shepherd said. “But they have found 1,000 species in this one 5,000 acre property. This is really a great learning tool for our students.”
The project is expected to be completed in March 2013, and will be ready for next summer’s practicums, which start in May.
Jessica Nelson, AU spokesperson said that the new facility will help with outreach and stretch teaching capacities immensely.
The Andalusia City Council dealt with its first request to move a house since passing an ordinance almost four years ago setting stringent guidelines for those who wished to move structures into, out of, or within the city.
Council members ultimately agreed to approve a permit for moving a brick house from Bagley Street to Opp Avenue. The owner has agreed that the bricks will be removed and reinstalled at the new site.
The city’s ordinance requires that the homeowner present a contract with a contractor for moving the house that has an ending date, and that the homeowner purchase a bond that would protect the city and the neighborhood in the event that he or she doesn’t complete the project.
The city also amended a resolution approved last month to improve the exercise facilities at the adult activity center. Previously, a cardiovascular room and a weight room were planned. Now, it will only update cardiovascular equipment.
Today marks a dream come true for Lindsey Reeves, owner of Utopia Salon and Spa, formerly Salon Utopia, as the new store opens for business.
Reeves said the project to open the new store has been in the works for nearly a year. It is located on S. Three Notch Street between Dr. Robert Bowen’s Office and Touch of Country.
“Our old location had about 1,200 square foot,” she said. “But our new location has 2,400 square feet. I was also renting the other location and this one I own.”
“We’ve added an esthetician and a tanning bed,” Reeves said. “Before we only had hair and nails.”
Additionally, Reeves said there will be room for a permanent makeup artist who comes every few months.
The new location features four hairdressers, who each have their own room, a shampoo and drier room, tanning bed, two nail technicians, a spa waiting room, massage room and a esthetician.”
Joining Reeves will be cosmetologists Tara Dreading Bulger, Julie Geohagan and Vicki Thornton; nail techs Melanie Dreading and Danah Spicer; massage tech Angie Scott; esthetician Lynsey DuBose and manager Suzanne Lunsford.
“I’m very excited,” Reeves said. “My husband and I did a lot of the work. I’m only 28, but this has always been a dream of mine.”
Reeves said she changed the name because they now have a entire hall of spa services.
“It’s more inviting and more of a spa atmosphere,” she said. “One of my clients came in the other day and told me it looked like something you would see in Birmingham and not Andalusia, which was really a compliment to me.
“We really tried to think outside the box,” she said. “Blake Barton has been our designer, and he’s done an excellent job. I’d also like to give a special thanks to my friends and family for their support.”
Hours of operation will be Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. until 6 p.m., and Monday and Saturday by appointment only.
For more information, call 222-8774.
Monday marked the first day of the summer swim season, with Coleman Pool open Mondays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Wednesday and Friday until 5 p.m. Cooper Pool is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning at 1 p.m.
Booming gas sales and the need for expansion mean Covington County will soon have a new Gitty-Up-Go, owner Chris Mohon said Monday.
The store, which will mark the company’s 10th location in the county, will be located on U.S. Hwy. 29 South at the old Mike Flackler Exxon site, and its construction is expected to generate three new jobs, Mohon said.
“We’re trying to get a little pressure off the location across from Tractor Supply,” he said. “It’s too busy there, and the cost was too much to put in new (gas) equipment. We thought this new location would be a perfect fit for our need and to help the neighborhood out over there.”
Mohon said site prep is under way, and he hopes the store will be ready to open in September or October. He said the overall look of the store will be similar to the other locations, but that won’t be the case inside.
“Actually, we’re trying to make this a green location,” he said. “We’re going with geothermal air conditioners, foam insulation in the whole building, LED lights and reduced water usage as far as toilets and sinks go,” he said. “It’s an experiment, too. If it works, we’ll modify our other locations.”
Mohon said the site will feature four gas pumps with a satellite diesel pump, which will allow drivers to fill both tanks on an 18-wheeler.
He said his company has been lucky during these economic times.
“People need gas, there’s no denying that,” he said. “When you add the convenience of shopping and being able to get what you need and get out, you can tell that our customers really appreciate it. It helps us keep our prices low, and it helps us to take care of our customers.
“More than anything, we’re very excited the community has give us the opportunity to grow since 1994,” he said.