State history was made in Andalusia in 1955 when then-Circuit Judge Bowen Simmons impaneled an advisory jury of six women and six ministers to decide the future of a child in a custody case that involved a well-known young couple. It was the first time women had ever served on the jury in Alabama.

Andalusia native Marianne Merrill Weber has written a fictionalized play based on the true story which Roger Powell is staging this spring through a new arts organization, ReAct Theatre & Arts. The cast had the first read-through of “Ladies of the Jury” Thursday night, with the playwright on hand. 

Weber, who lives in Prattville and is a frequent visitor to her hometown, thanked both Powell and the cast for agreeing to do the project.

“You can write until doomsday, but until somebody says, ‘I’ll read it,’ it doesn’t come to life,” she said. 

She was a child growing up on College Street at the time of the actual case, and has no recollection of the story, she said. But much of what she wrote about, she does remember from the time. She also has done extensive research on the actual case.

ReAct will present the play in the Andalusia City Hall Auditorium on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, April 22, 23 and 24^th, and other special activities are being planned around the event. 

Cast members include:

Bernard Reeves – Ben Bowden

Forest Martin – John Peek

Julia Martin – Barbara Peek 

Lindsey Martin – Hayden Howell

Junior Martin – Lucas Brown 

Lelia Bell Martin – Pat Murphy Carlton

Pearl Brandon – Valarie Shakespeare

Billy Joe Brandon – Harold Jones

Ralph Watley – Frank Shaffer

Suzie Watley – Kay Hugghins

Tom Watley – Christian Pate

Zeke Carver – Leyton Kidd

Nancy – Cathy Powell

Fay Barrett – Casey Athearn

Madge Hardy – Carol-Ann Mullins

Vicky Braswell – Darlene Hogg

Melton Reynolds – Margo Russell

Mary John Reece – Hannah Cross

Dottie Wilson – Tiffany Kidd

Mrs. Levin – Lori Godwin

Mack Johns – Tyler Peacock

Lena Jones – Robynn Wiggins-Cowan

Rita Jones Bradford – Maggie Holmes

Lucas Bradford – Skip Enzor

Sheriff – David Wiggins

Policeman – Leyton Kidd

Rev. Jefferson – Arthur Carlton Jr.

Rev. Merriman – Robert Foreman

Rev. Avery – Chris Reynolds

Rev. Williams – (to be announced)

Rev. Johnson – Don Cotton

Rev. Barrett – Larry Popwell

The Andalusia City Council on Tuesday approved two items that put the city one step closer to having a hotel in the downtown area. 

Ordinance 2022-01 declares the Timmerman Building, commonly known as the First National Bank building, and the top two floors of the Andala Building, also known as Big Mike’s, as surplus, which is the first step needed for the city to sell property. 

Resolution 2022-01 sets up a development agreement between the City of Andalusia, Covington County, the Capital Improvement Cooperative District, Big Mike’s and Wood Properties, which plans to develop a boutique hotel.

The agreement calls for a limited lodging tax rebate to the developer and a property tax abatement, which will make the project viable in downtown Andalusia. 

“These are just the first steps toward making this dream a reality,” Mayor Earl Johnson told the council Tuesday night. “The resolution authorizes us to enter into the project with the other parties, but it does not mean the project is done. The next key step is for the Covington County Commission to also approve a similar resolution.”

The commission has given notice that the resolution, authorized by Amendment 725 to the Constitution of Alabama, will be on its agenda on January 11. 

The mayor said that if the commission approves the resolution, the developer can begin other due diligence to be done, including the architectural drawings of the project, and finalizing the financing. 

The development agreement calls for all parties to sign off on the final architectural design, so that the exterior appearance will be in keeping with the historical character of the downtown area. The hotel will be branded with a nationally-known company. 

“This is one of the biggest things to happen in Andalusia in many years,” Johnson said. “We were so fortunate to announce last year the repurposing of the Prestwood Building in a partnership agreement with CDG Engineering and Associates.

“That agreement, coupled with this new one, will address two of our oldest structures that have been sitting mostly empty for years,” he said. “It will also bring a much-needed asset to downtown – a first class hotel. With these votes tonight, the council has shown that it is behind the projects, 110 percent. Although there is still work to get done, you have helped put the project on the road to success.”

The 2021-22 City Ambassadors were recognized by the Andalusia City Council at the council’s Tuesday night meeting. The ambassadors, directed by Mrs. Jerri Stroud, represent the city at official functions.

Ambassadors shown are (from left) Aidan Vines, Sophia Jones, Connor Dalton, Adeline Fischer, Cooper Taylor, Emma Taylor, Abigail Lee, Tucker Glenn, Meleah Treadaway, Cameron Johnson and Griffin Kennedy. Not shown is Marion Starnes, who is representing Covington County at the state Distinguished Young Woman event in Montgomery this week. 

Ambassadors are governed by a committee led by Mrs. Stroud. The committee accepts applications in the spring, interviews applicants, and selects ambassadors for the following school year. 

Mayor Johnson expressed his appreciation to the ambassadors, Mrs. Stroud, and the committee for their work. 

Andalusia Mayor Earl Johnson said Troy University football fans can look forward to great things as Jon Sumrall takes the helm of Troy football.

Sumrall comes to Troy from the University of Kentucky, where he recently was promoted to co-defensive coordinator. He previously served as an assistant head coach at Troy under Neal Brown during the 2015-2017 seasons. During that time, he helped the Trojans win a Sun Belt Conference title in 2017, as well a stunning victory against LSU. He also has coached in the NFL.

Mayor Johnson, who serves on Troy University’s Board of Trustees, also was on the selection committee to name a new coach this week. s

 “There were four of us on the committee who made the recommendation to the chancellor,” Johnson said. “We interviewed four coaches from around the country and had in-depth interviews with each one. We asked what they thought of Troy, and what they knew about Troy. 

“One thing was clear,” the mayor said. “Troy is a known football power in the Southeast and the Midwest. We have a highly-respected program.”

Johnson said Sumrall was an obvious choice. 

“He’s been to Troy. He spent some time in Troy. He knows Troy,” he said. “Troy is a different place than other university cities. Troy is a small, rural town in South Alabama. You have to be different in how you recruit to that. Coach Sumrall understands that, and will be an asset not only to Troy University as a football coach, but also to the community.”

Johnson also said that when asked about recruiting to Troy, Sumrall rattled off a list of Alabama high school coaches he already knows and with whom he plans to work, including Andalusia High School's own head football coach Trent Taylor. 

Johnson described the new coach as “very focused.”

“I think we’ve got one of the top coaching prospects in the nation in Troy now,” Johnson said. “He’s a bright young man. He is very, very committed. Very focused. And he is like Nick Saban in that his intensity. His background and his history confirms he can also coach. I’m very excited about Troy’s future.”

Sumrall will be officially introduced in a press conference on Monday.