The City of Andalusia will host a Memorial Day ceremony at 10 a.m. on Mon., May 31, at the Covington Veterans Memorial on the campus of City Hall.
Dr. Forrest Lee Marion, Col., USAF (Ret.), will be the guest speaker. Dr. Marion is staff historian at the Air Force Historical Research Agency at Maxwell Air Force Base, where he has been since 1998.
He was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1980, and remained on active duty until 1992, primarily as a helicopter pilot and academic instructor.
Dr. Marion served in the USAF Reserve from 1993 until 2010, mostly as historical officer, with deployments to Southern Philippines in 2002 and Afghanistan in 2009. He returned to Afghanistan in 2011 as a civilian historian.
He is the author of four books and 14 published articles on military history.
He and his wife, April McCready Marion, have four adult children, two of whom attained the rank of USMC captain and now serve in the Reserve. The Marions also have six grandchildren.
The City of Andalusia has begun the process of updating its Comprehensive Master Plan and is inviting residents to provide input through a Virtual Community Survey.
The planning process will build on and surpass expectations set in 2003 with the explicit goal of developing a forward-thinking plan that embodies the vision and goals of Andalusia.
Director of Development Andy Wiggins is leading the effort for the city, and the City of Andalusia Planning Commission will play a major role in the development. The City has contracted with Concordia, a New Orleans architectural and community planning firm, for the project.
“We would like for as many people as possible to complete the survey and give us their thoughts about the things they love in Andalusia, and what they would like to see added to the community,” Wiggins said.
Residents may access the survey from the city’s website, or social media pages. Those who are registered voters will begin receiving postcards this week that include a QR code to take one directly to the survey. Those who do not have access to the Internet may participate in the survey in the Andalusia Public Library’s computer lab. The survey will be available through May 31, 2021.
In addition to the survey results, the team members plan to seek additional input through community meetings this summer.
Mayor Earl Johnson said the plan developed in 2003 has been instrumental in the city’s development, and he believes the updated plan also will be helpful.
“A sound Comprehensive Plan helps ensure that the City of Andalusia remains a highly-desirable community in which to live, work, and visit,” Mayor Johnson said. “This can be accomplished by preserving and enhancing the qualities of the city that are considered important. The plan helps residents, business owners and developers invest in the community with a reasonable expectation of what will happen in the future."
For additional information, contact Michele Gerlach at , or at 334.428.1143.
Registration is now open for the 19th annual Summer Tennis Camp, sponsored by the City of Andalusia and the Andalusia Tennis Association.
Tennis camp is open to students ages 5 – 18, and will again be taught by Paul Smith and Monica King. Camp runs for six weeks on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, beginning the week of June 8, and continuing through July 22, but skipping the week of July 4th.
Daily camp times will be:
• 8 – 9 a.m. – 8 and under
• 9 – 10 a.m. – 9 and 10-year-olds
• 10 - 11 a.m. – Beginners, 11-years-old and up
• 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Intermediate and advanced
Online registration is available at http://www.cityofandalusia.com/leisure-services/parks-recreation.html#tennis, or in person, weekdays, at Johnson Park. Registration is $30 per student.
For additional information, call 222-2714.
Registration for the youth golf is open through May 15 or until slots are filled in Andalusia’s Department of Leisure Services.
The summer golf program is open to students ages 10 – 14, and is limited to 12 slots.
Sessions taught by Art Gilbert at the Evans Barnes Golf Course on the campus of LBW Community College. Sessions are held from 4:30 until 6 p.m., Wednesdays beginning June 9th and continuing until July 28th, excluding the week of July 4th.
Registration is $35 per participant; $55 for two participants; and $75 for three or more participants.
Registration is open from 1 until 5 p.m. weekdays at Johnson Park. Because of limited capacity, there is no online registration. For information, call 222-2714.
The Andalusia City Council on Tuesday took an important step toward the continued renovation of historic structures in the downtown area when it agreed to work with McNair Historic Preservation, Inc., to expand the city’s commercial historic district.
The company, led by Stephen McNair, Ph.D., specializes in historic tax credits, historic preservation, and architectural history. City Administrator John Thompson explained that renovation projects within a commercial historic district qualify for significant tax credits at the federal and state level, which makes the projects more attractive to owners.
Structures determined by the Alabama Historical Commission as eligible for listing in the National Register, or those individually listed in the National Register also qualify for tax credits.
Thompson said there are a number of projects in the works that will be more attractive for developers if the structures qualify for the tax credits.
As a result of the council’s vote, McNair Historic Preservation will survey the city’s commercial district to determine which buildings could potentially be added to the registry, and work for approval of the Alabama Historical Commission and the National Park Service to have Andalusia’s historical commercial district redefined.
At present, there are 10 Covington County sites included in the National Register of Historic Places, according to its website. They include:
• Andalusia Commercial Historic District, roughly bounded by Coffee Street, Seaboard Railroad tracks, and South Three Notch Street, listed in 1989.
• Avant House, 909 Sanford Road, Andalusia, listed in 1996.
• Bank of Andalusia, 28 Court Square, Andalusia, listed in 1989.
• Central of Georgia Depot, 125 Central Street, Andalusia, listed in 1984.
• Covington County Courthouse and Jail, 101 N. Court Square, Andalusia, listed in 1989.
• First National Bank Building, 101 S. Cotton Street, Andalusia, listed 1982.
• Florala Historic District, described as 23216-24310 Fifth Avenue, N Fifth Street; 519-1189 S Fifth Street; 1113-1115 Fourth Street; and 22510-22664 Wall Street, listed in 2010.
• J.W. Shreve Addition Historic District, 115-300 6th Avenue; 302-425 College Street; and 403-505 E. Three Notch Street, Andalusia, listed in 2009.
• Opp Commercial Historic District, roughly bounded by Covington Ave., Hart, Main, Whaley and College Streets, listed in 2001.
• William T. Shepard House, Poley Road, Opp, listed in 1973.
McNair has completed work on similar districts in Foley, Dothan, Atmore, Faunsdale, Fairhope, and Mobile.