Rickey Wiggins was an award winner at the Andalusia Area Chamber of Commerce banquet Thursday night. 
| Incoming Chamber President Stallion Sasser presents the Presidet Stallion Sasser presents the Distinguished Service Award to Rickey Wiggins. |
Wiggins received the Chamber’s Distinguished Service Award.
“Our recipient this year is not one that you will have seen in the paper for organizing countless community event or fundraisers, but we know that many of these wouldn’t be possible without his hard work and dedication to our city,” Mohon said
“Rickey Wiggins and his entire crew from the maintenance department at the City of Andalusia work countless hours behind the scenes to make this a great place to live and work,” he said. “Rickey displays an incredible work ethic in all that he does and receives little to no recognition in return. Anyone that works with Rickey would agree, he takes great pride in his work and strives to make all of our community events a success."
Mayor Johnson: "Congratulations to Ricky Wiggins for receiving the Andalusia Area Chamber of Commerce 2015 Distinguished Service Award. Ricky is an outstanding leader in the City of Andalusia's maintenance department. His hard work, dedication, and team spirit serves as a great example for all of us. I am so proud of Ricky as well as his fellow city employees who work unselfishly hard every day to serve our great city!"
Andalusia Star News
Site preparation work has begun for the new Taco Bell, which will be located on the West Bypass.
Site prep work is under way for Taco Bell’s new Andalusia location on the west bypass, between TRIO and First Choice Kubota.
Tacala LLC, the largest Taco Bell franchisee in the country, is building the Andalusia restaurant. In October, the company entered a memorandum of understanding with the City of Andalusia, in which the city agrees to refund half of city sales taxes the restaurant collects for four years. In the memorandum of understanding, Tacala agrees to spend $1.7 to $1.75 million on site preparation and construction and to hire 35 to 40 people.
Founded by Dick Reese and Don Ghareeb in 1988, Tacala located its first Taco Bell franchise in Columbiana, Ala., in 1989. It has since grown to more than 247 locations in the Southeast and Texas.
Altamont Capital Partners, a private equity firm, acquired major ownership in Tacala in 2012. Most recently, Tacala added locations in Texas previously owned by another long-time franchisee, Austaco.
Founded in 1962, Taco Bell serves more than 36.8 million consumers each week in nearly 5,600 restaurants in the U.S.
Those interested in working in the new local franchise may apply online at www.tacalacareers.com. Current openings listed include general manager, shift manager, assistant general manager, and part-time and full-time team members.
No experience is required for the team-member jobs, according to the website, but experience is required for the management jobs.
By Michele Gerlach
Andalusia Star News
More than 160 students participated in Andalusia’s brand-new after-school program, APPLE, which opened yesterday at Woodson Learning Center, formerly Andalusia Middle School.
The program, which is free, is funded by a three-year, $600,000 21st Century Learning Grant awarded to the city in October.
“The majority of the children were K-4,” Andy Wiggins, director of planning and development for the city, said. “The kids were super excited.”
Participating students are bused from Andalusia Elementary and Andalusia Junior High to the Woodson Learning Center, where they participate in recreational and academic activities.
Wiggins said the students were especially excited about the computer labs.
The city has employees directing the program, and volunteers also are helping, he said.
“That’s what will make the program successful,” he said. “There were lots of smiles on those kids’ faces.”
Wiggins said more than 200 applied for the program, but not all parents completed paperwork and attendance obligations. Those children are now on a waiting list.
- One perk of the APPLE after school program is the one-on-one tutoring sessions for students. Vanessa Snider, an APPLE teachers aid, worked with fourth grader CJ Harrelson on his homework.
- Alyssa Richardson (left) and Kylee Taylor were greeted by APPLE Site Manager Cece Lotierzo.
- APPLE Program Director Caitlin Shipman greeted students during their first day at the after school program and directed them into the building.
There are several area events planned Sunday and Monday to celebrate the legacy of slain civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
On Sunday, Bethel A.M.E. Church will hold a tribute at 2:30 p.m. including a panel discussion, “Living the Dream in the 21st Century.” Performances will be by First Unity Missionary Baptist Church Praise Team.
In Opp, a citywide march traditionally is held at 10:15 a.m. on Monday, beginning at the Opp Police Department. The group will march to Hardin Street.
On Monday, Florala events begin at 11 a.m. at the Carver Community Center, Councilwoman Hazel Lee said.
At 6 p.m., St. Peter Missionary Baptist Church will hold its annual tribute with guest speaker the Rev. Bobby Harris.