Andalusia Star News
More than 200 participants will be featured in Andalusia in Revue, the history of Andalusia told in song, dance and skits.
The show, which was written for Andalusia’s Homecoming 2010 event by Sue Bass Wilson and Paula Sue Duebelt, will be presented at 7 p.m. on Thurs., Nov. 11 in the Dixon Theatre of LBWCC.
Wilson, a music teacher by training, has long been involved in historic preservation efforts; Duebelt is a semi-retired music teacher with years of experience in staging productions. The two spent countless hours in collaboration.
“She would research, and I would type,” Duebelt said. “We’ve ended up with such a mixture, from square dance to an aria from Carmen to a sing-a-long and ballet.”
Native American Indians, Spanish soldiers, Andrew Jackson, Confederate soldiers, Rosie the Riveter, Hank Williams, Elvis, a school marm, jitterbug dancers, and hula-hoopers will take the stage during the course of the evening.
Among the participants are Angela Sanders, Ron Picking, Dan West, Jason Gunter, the AHS Chorus, Ralph Ricks, Larry Shaw, Francis McGowin, Ronda Ricks, Dr. Jacquelin Denson, Felicia Crittenden, Lary Turman, Tambry Nix, Pat Wilcox, Sonia and Dwight Crigger, members of the Andalusia Ballet, Aurelia Donald, Robert and Madison Copeland, Darlene Hogg, Parrish and Katie King, Charlie Brock, Tripp Bass, Earl Johnson, Ted Watson, the mass choir assembled for last spring’s hymn festival, the First United Methodist Church choir, Phillip McGlung, and Blaine Wilson.
All in attendance will receive a written history of Andalusia put together by Wilson and Duebelt.
Tickets are $5 each and are available at city hall, the chamber of commerce.
Dr. Jacquelin Denson and Angie Sasser
rehearse with the mass choir Tuesday
. | Michele Gerlach/Star-News
By Stephanie Nelson
Andalusia Star News
The more than 100 Andalusia Middle School students participating in Thursday’s “Living History” parade did tell stories to everyone who visited the Court Square.
Students, dressed as characters from history from Betsy Ross and Rosa Parks to Elvis and Albert Einstein, informed parade viewers how their characters impacted history
Taylor Earnest as Hernan Cortez regales
his father, Taylor, with the tale of how
the Spanish conquistador led the expedition
that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire.
By Stephanie Nelson
Andalusia Star News
W hat do the Statue of Liberty, Queen Elizabeth I, Jim Bowie and Franklin D. Roosevelt have in common? They’ll each be on parade tomorrow at 10 a.m. in the annual Andalusia Middle School ‘Living History’ program.
The parade will travel in front of city hall, and immediately following the more than 140 costumed characters will be on the Court Square until noon telling of their life’s history.
Emily Dendy as the Status of Liberty; Rachel Dayton as
Christine of Sweden; Faith Brundidge as Queen Elizabeth I;
Holly Majors as Marie Antoinette; Dieanna Fair as Bessie
Boleman; Moesha Prior as Harriet Tubman; and Lillian
Andrews as Elizabeth Blackwell.
By Stephanie Nelson
Andalusia Star News
City of Andalusia employee Harvey Peacock works to finish
a project at Dream Park.
The Andalusia Dream Park renovation project is now in the hands of the city, and officials predict it will be open for use on Thursday.
Kristy White, Dream Park Revitalization committee co-chairman, said crews of volunteers worked tirelessly last week to make the park handicap-accessible. The build ended on Sunday.
“We did not finish, but I invite you to walk through and see the remarkable progress,” White said. “There are two new components that did not get built because we did not have the manpower. The city has agreed to get these ready before the Homecoming dedication.”
The renovation and expansion of the Dream Park, located on the Andalusia campus of LBWCC, is the civic project planned for the city’s Homecoming 2010 celebration. The park will be dedicated on Sat., Nov. 13, during the Homecoming gala.
Work consisted of adding 20 new “components,” including a handicap-accessible swing, ground-level mirror and rock wall; new railing throughout the park, and the installation of new “handprints and fence pickets,” which were sold as part of the project’s fundraising effort.
Dwight Mikel, Andalusia’s director of leisure services, said he expects the park to reopen for use Thursday morning.
“Now, that’s weather permitting, and right now, it looks like it might cooperate,” Mikel said. “I think the work space will be cleaned up and the finishing touches done by Wednesday night.”
Mikel said parts to two of the components didn’t arrive “in time” for the volunteer work drive.
“We have get cleaned up and get ready to open in time for the weekend,” he said. ”We might have to close at the first of next week to finish the installation, but we’ll get it done.”
People unable to pick up tools Monday or anyone with questions about future Dream Park projects, can continue to call White at 334-881-2246 or 334-488-1770.
By Michele Gerlach
Andalusia Star News
The Andalusia City Council has joined the Alabama League of Municipalities in urging voters to support Amendment 1 on the Nov. 2 ballot.
The amendment corrects unintended wording in a 2006 constitutional amendment that would have shifted costs in future years for assessing and collecting ad valorem taxes.
With the correction, agencies receiving ad valorem taxes share the cost for collections.