The Covington Veterans Foundation will conduct sales of veteran tribute banners for display in November from Mon., Sept. 28, through Fri., Oct. 9.
The project began last year, when the Foundation sold more than 240 of the banners, which are to be displayed annually during the month of November in downtown Andalusia.
“We were thrilled with the response we received last year,” CVF Chairman John Vick said. “We have already had inquiries about adding banners and are pleased to announce this year’s sales. This tribute to our local veterans in the public space brings attention to the service and sacrifice of these individuals. We can never thank them enough for their services to our country.”
Vick said the CVF also is selling tribute banners for current active duty military personnel this year.
The Covington Veterans Foundation will display all banners in Andalusia. However, it also has entered an agreement with the City of Opp to duplicate banners of Opp area veterans which will be displayed in that city’s downtown area.
The banners are $100 each and include a photograph of the veteran. The banners will be used each year.
Forms can be downloaded from the Covington Veterans Foundation Facebook page or the City of Andalusia’s website. They also are available in the Covington County Veterans Service Office in the County Administration Building, in Andalusia City Hall.
Banners can be purchased on the third floor of the Andalusia City Hall between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Sept. 28 through Oct. 9. A high-quality photograph of the veteran in uniform should accompany the form and payment. Because of COVID-related production and shipping delays, the deadline cannot be extended.
Click here for a form. For additional information, contact Michele Gerlach at 428-1143, or email .
Andalusia will become a city of even more lights this Christmas, when the city will expand the snowflake decorations added on the bypass last year.
The Andalusia City Council last week approved the purchase of 100 additional eight-foot snowflakes. Mayor Earl Johnson said 2020 marks the second year of a three-year project to add the decorations to all of the business portion of the bypass. Last year, lights were installed on the western portion. This year, lights will be added from the Hwy. 84/Hwy. 29 intersection near the Covington Mall, east to the intersection of East Three Notch/Hwy. 29 and the MLK Expressway (near Piggly Wiggly).
Next year, the mayor said, the lights will be extended to Walmart.
Joe Nix and Kennith Mount were elected to the Andalusia City Council in the 2020 Municipal Elections on Tuesday.
In District 1, Nix defeated incumbent Will Sconiers, 111 to 81, or 58 percent to 42 percent. Nix previously served three terms on the Andalusia Board of Education.
In District 2, Mount was returned to office, defeating challenger Michael Veasey 160 to 63, or 72 percent to 28 percent.
Mayor Earl Johnson, District 3 Councilwoman Hazel Griffin, District 4 Councilman Ralph Wells and District 5 Councilman Terry Powell were unopposed in their bids this year.
They will take the oath of office in November.
East Three Notch Street could get an update designed to slow down traffic and add bike lanes if the City of Andalusia is successful in its pursuit of ATRIP II grant funding.
The city council on Tuesday approved a resolution in support of the grant application. The project plans, drawn by CDG, include planning and resurfacing the existing roadway, updating existing traffic signals, and adding new traffic striping and configuration from the Court Square to the MLK Expressway.
City Clerk John Thompson explained that the proposal calls for the current four-lane configuration to become two lanes with a center turn lane and bike lanes on each side. The bike lanes are part of the city’s long-term plan for downtown redevelopment.
Mayor Earl Johnson said the bike lanes would help make downtown more livable, but also make the sidewalks on East Three Notch Street safe.
“We have an awful lot of fast traffic on East Three Notch,” Johnson said. “But we don’t have enough police officers to keep them slowed down. This should help that problem.”
The project, if approved, would total $1.5 million. The city would be responsible for only 10 percent of that total.
ATRIP II is an Alabama Department of Transportation-administered transportation infrastructure grant program for projects of local interest created in the Rebuild Alabama Act of 2019.
The City of Andalusia is conducting a municipal election today, Tuesday, August 25, 2020.
There are only two races on the ballot: Council District 1 and Council District 2. Only voters who live in those districts will be voting.
In District 1, incumbent WIll Sconiers faces Joe Nix.
In District 2, incumbent Kennith Mount faces Michael Veasey.
If you do not know which district you live in, call 334-428-1143 for assistance.