The Covington Veterans Foundation will sell veterans tribute banners from Sept. 18 through Sept. 28th this year.

This will mark the fifth year that the Covington Veterans Foundation (CVF), in partnership with the City of Andalusia, will display the tribute banners to mark the Veterans Day holiday. Additional banners have been sold each year, and in 2022, the city displayed 505 banners in the downtown area.

The banners, which are $100 each, include photographs and information about veterans with ties to Covington County. Once a banner is purchased, it is displayed annually for Veterans Day.

Banners can be purchased on the third floor of City Hall. To purchase a banner, sponsors will need to bring a photograph of the veteran, preferably in uniform, and complete a basic form with information about the individual’s service. Forms are available by clicking here.

For additional information, call Michele Gerlach at 334.428.1143 or email her at .

Other Veterans Day events for 2023 include:

Celebration of Heroes, a musical program planned for 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 5, in the Andalusia High School auditorium. This year’s event will focus on the contributions of local veterans in the Korean Conflict.

• A reception will follow Celebration of Heroes in the Andalusia City Hall, where CVF will have a display about the Korean Conflict.

Veterans Day Parade, coordinated by the Andalusia Area of Chamber of Commerce, is set for 10 a.m. on Sat., Nov. 11.

• A program coordinated by the City of Andalusia will immediately follow the parade at the Covington Veterans Monument behind the Andalusia City Hall. Andalusia native Tom Floyd, who was an Air Force pilot, will be the guest speaker.

All events are free.

The Andalusia City Council on Tuesday broke ground for the new Heritage Park in the former rail yard on South Cotton Street.

“We’ve waited a long time for this to happen, but today, after a couple of years of planning, we are breaking ground on our new Heritage Park,” Mayor Earl Johnson said.

“The idea for this park came from our planning partners at Concordia in New Orleans,” he said. “The park concept was designed after we received input from local residents in two town hall meetings.

“Since then, we have put the financing in place, worked with ADEM, the Corp of Engineers, and the Alabama Historical Commission on the proper permitting, and with CDG, Inc., a local engineering firm, for the final designs.”

The new park will include a 1.4 acre pond, a quarter-mile, 8-foot wide concrete walking path, an exterior, 12-foot-wide, multi-purpose asphalt trail, an amphitheater that will seat about 300 people, and green spaces. The city also plans to add a carousel, gazebo, and pavilion in later phases of this development.

“In the coming days, you’ll see city crews moving dirt and putting the pipe in place to build the water feature,” the mayor said. “We are very excited about this project, and believe it will help us as we continue to redevelop our historic downtown.”

Later this month, Lost Pizza will open in the Prestwood Building on the historic Court Square, and the city also is preparing to announce another major redevelopment project in the downtown area.

The Andalusia City Council recently took a step toward planned renovations for the Andalusia Fire Department when it engaged the New Orleans design firm Concordia to provide architectural drawings.

Planned upgrades to the fire station include private sleeping accommodations for the six to seven firefighters who are always on duty, an updated kitchen and a new façade. The work was among that planned when the City secured its 2022 Series A Bonds.

Preliminary drawings for the project show a new façade that picks up architectural details used in other municipal buildings, including the current City Hall.

Mayor Earl Johnson said the architectural drawings are expected to take about a month. Once received, the project will enter the bid phase.

 

NEW BODY CAMERAS

In unrelated business, the council also approved the purchase of new AXON body cameras for members of the Andalusia Police Department.

Chief Paul Hudson said the department first implemented the use of body cameras in 2016 when it received a federal grant to do so.

“Since we have started using the cameras, they have become a vital tool in the department for documenting crime scenes, evidence documentation, and training,” Hudson said.

The plan adopted by the council will include 35 cameras, with unlimited video footage stored in the cloud. The total cost for five years, which includes new cameras at the 2.5-year mark, is $201,933, to be paid over the course of the contract.

Voters in Andalusia’s District 5 returned Dr. David McCalman to a fourth term on the Andalusia City Board of Education on Tuesday.

McCalman defeated challenger Shawn Geohagan, 144 to 6.

The District 5 race was the only one on the ballot, as Sammy Glover was unopposed in his bid for re-election in District 1.

In District 3, incumbent David Bryant chose not to seek reelection. John Wells was the only candidate who qualified for the office.

School board members run in staggered years. Incumbents in District 2 and 4 will be up for election in two years.

The City of Andalusia’s Department of Leisure Services has opened registration for the 2023 soccer season for August 7-21.

The league is open to ages 4-14. The co-ed teams will play in four divisions:

• Micro: Ages 4-5. Click here to register.

• Division 1: Ages 6-8. Click here to register.

• Division 2: Ages 9-10. Click here to register.

• Division 3: Ages 11-14. Click here to register.

The age cut-off date is July 31, 2023. 

Registration is $35 for one child; $55 for two children; and $75 for three or more children. Scholarships are available and based on financial need. There is a $20 processing fee at the time of registration. 

Ability ratings for ages 9 and up only are set for 6 p.m. on Thursday, August 24, at the Kiwanis Sports Complex. 

To register, visit Johnson Park between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays, August 1-15, or register online at cityofandalusia.com. (Look under “Departments” for “Leisure Services,” then “Parks and Recreation.”)