Tabitha Daniel is shown with the new digital system. | Andrew Garner/Star-News
Gone digital.
That’s what the City of Andalusia did with its recent transition from analog radio to digital.
Citywide, the new digital radio system works on one frequency, which allows the different departments to work in talk groups. Each city department has a talk group.
The digital radios can’t be picked up my analog scanners, which will give the police department a blanket of security when responding to calls.
“That’s the next best thing,” Andalusia Police Chief Paul Hudson said. “We swapped the whole city to that.”
Hudson said the project cost $185,000 to get it all done, as it took several months to make the transition.
“The biggest part was waiting on the (United States Security and Exchange Commission) to give us our license (for the frequency),” he said. “One of the plusses is that nobody can scan it. That’s going to benefit us on some calls.
“If they’re trying to commit a crime and they have somebody listening to the scanners for the dispatcher, they’re not going to hear anything from us,” he said.
Hudson said a lot of people may not like the digital radios, but making the transition was a needed step in the right direction.
“A lot of the departments are headed that way,” he said. “Instead of taking it one step back, we’re taking it one step forward.”
Hudson said the city still has the old analog radio system just in case something happens to the digital radio system.
Andalusia Star News
By Andrew Garner
Andalusia Star News
Shown in red is the proposed route of the new sidewalk. | Artist's rendering
The City of Andalusia Tuesday authorized Civil Southeast Engineering to pursue a grant for the installation of sidewalks on the east side of town.
Jeremy McMath of Civil Southeast addressed the council with the proposed plan, which would extend sidewalks down Stanley Avenue to Andalusia Memorial Cemetery, and from Stanley Avenue down Lindsey Bridge Road to the intersection of Maple Street.
The estimated project cost is $538,073, of which the city would contribute $143,854, if the grant is approved.
McMath estimated actual work on the project would be two years away, if the grant is approved. A similar grant was submitted last year, but was not funded.
McMath also updated the project schedule for sidewalks on the west side of town, which have been funded. Once the state approves the final engineering plan, he said, bids can be let this summer, and the project will begin in the fall. It should be completed by Feb. 15, 2016, he estimated.
In other business, the council:
• Transferred the beverage license of Boland Lanes to a new owner.
• Accepted Walker Electric’s low bid of $21,717 to
• Agreed to contribute $1,500 to the Alabama Junior Rodeo Association, which will hold its finals in Andalusia in June.
• Awarded a three-year cemetery maintenance contract to Deep South Lawn Service.
• Approved the abatement of weeds on three properties, including 407 Montgomery St., a vacant lot on Fletcher Road, and lot on 222 Crescent St.
• Approved a hazardous building abatement for property at 236 Smith Street. The city will tear the structure down.
By Michele Gerlach
Andalusia Star News
Do you have any unwanted, unused, or obsolete electronics?
A good way to clear up some space and to help save the earth is to take the electronic devices to the Andalusia Electronics Recycling event next Fri., May 1.
The fourth-annual e-recycling day is sponsored by the City of Andalusia, AHS Key Club, Alabama Clean Water Partnership and C E & E Solutions.
Janet Wofford, facilitator with the Alabama Clean Water Partnership and event organizer, said the purpose of the event is to collect obsolete electronics, unwanted electronics or things that are no longer working. Additionally, it’s a day that highlights litter awareness.
“We want to dispose of them responsibly,” Wofford said of the electronics. “This will keep people from throwing things out in creeks and it will also save space at the land fill. Most of them are big and bulky.”
This year’s event will be held from 8 a.m. until noon at the City of Andalusia’s Recycling Center on Progress Drive, off of Sutton Road
Items that can be recycled include computers/laptops, televisions, copiers, printers, fax machines, scanners, stereo equipment, keyboards, mice, peripherals, VCRs/DVDs, telephone systems, cell phones, cameras, wireless devices, microwaves, communication cables, medical electronics, servers, typewriters, CD and tape players, electronic games, UPS’s, word processors, modems, pagers and PDAs, radios, camcorders, answering machines, VHS tapes and CDs, to name a few.
The three previous events collected a total of some 30,000 pounds of unwanted... READ MORE>
Andalusia Star News
WKNI TV 25
The Andalusia Police Department surpassed its $10,000 Relay for Life goal by more than $2,500 on Friday with their seventh annual Arrest a Friend event.
More than 300 warrants were signed and delivered to area residents who had to make bail. As of Monday, the APD Relay team had collected $12,531.
The American Cancer Society’s annual Relay for Life raises funds for cancer research.
Chief Paul Hudson said he would like to thank all that participated and the business owners who allowed the officers to come into their business and “arrest” their employees while on the clock.
“Each year our success is owed to our community,” Hudson said. “If it were not for the men and women in Andalusia and Covington County supporting our efforts in fundraising for the American Cancer Society, our department would not be able to make this donation. Our officers donated their off day, my administrative staff worked diligently to organize and prepare for the day’s events, and several of the wives from the ‘Ladies Behind the Blue’ took time away from their jobs to help out.... READ MORE>