When the U.S. Census Bureau completed its assessment of Andalusia last year, it estimated there were 400 to 600 unoccupied dwellings.
Abandoned houses overgrown with shrubs and vines were counted. And unfortunately, that formal accounting has inhibited the city’s quest to secure funding for additional apartment units, identified as a key ingredient needed for future growth.
City officials are working with the Southeast Alabama Regional Planning Commission to challenge the Census report. But meanwhile, a concerted effort is being made to remove houses that are uninhabitable, abatement officer Jim Locklier reported to the council last night.
Abatement is the legal process a government must use in notifying property owners of problems ranging from weeds to unsafe structures. The property owner has a specified amount of time in which to respond.
If no response is made, local governments can take steps to correct problems. For instance, if a property owner fails to address a weed problem, an entity like the city can have the property cleaned up, and the costs can be added to the property owner’s taxes.
Locklier said most of the abatement cases in the city are related to weeds.
“Many of them are habitual offenders,” he said.
If a property owner can’t repair unsafe structures, permission can be granted to the city to burn the house or demolish it. A number of structures have been burned by the local fire department, Locklier said, adding that there are others on the list to be burned.
Among those structures currently in the abatement process are Cedar Apartments, currently unoccupied and located near Church’s Chicken, he said.
Mayor Earl Johnson said, “Hardly a day goes by when people don’t comment about how Andalusia looks. It looks like this for a reason. If we didn’t stay after it, we’d look like some other places.”
• Approved a retail beer and table wine license for Food Giant Supermarkets, Inc., 550 W. Bypass.
There is one goal Andalusia Tennis Camp director Ginny Adams said she wants campers to accomplish this summer — “to fall in love with the game” of tennis.
Approximately 70 campers signed up to participate in the camp held at the LBWCC tennis courts.
The camp began on Monday, and Adams said it was a “huge turnout” for the 11-and-over campers.
“We want the kids to come and fall in love with tennis,” Adams said. “This is a stepping stone to build on their future in tennis.”
The tennis camp will run Mondays through Thursdays during the month of June, and camp times vary depending on the age group.
Adams said there is still plenty of room to participate in the camp during June. Cost is $35.
The younger campers are participating in the QuickStart tennis program, which is used all over the United States, Adams said.
Adams said the one benefit of playing tennis is that it’s a sport that can be played no matter the age.
“It’s a sport you can play your entire life,” she said.
The Andalusia Tennis Camp will be forming an All-Stars tennis team in July for tournament play in Auburn, and the cost to play on the team is $25.
Additionally, there will be an adult tennis league that will run on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7 p.m. at the tennis courts.
For more information on the camp, contact Adams at 222-1316, or 208-6595.
Get ready to enjoy the full flavor of the South as the LBW Community College Foundation presents the newest version of “Swamp Gravy,” a unique play that captures the comedy and tragedy of daily life of the Southern culture.
“We know many residents and church groups from the Covington County area have traveled to Georgia in the past to see this production,” said Jennifer Curry, LBWCC Foundation vice-president and chair of the development and events committee.
“Their reviews convinced us to bring the newest version of ‘Swamp Gravy’ to Andalusia because it appeals to so many in our area.”
The production started as a community development project in Colquitt, Ga., in 1991. Since then, it has not only become the state’s folk life play, it has also been performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
It uses a combination of family stories, tall tales and folklore that so uniquely define the Southern culture.
“The theme of the play changes each year,” said Curry. “Because the setting is a typical southern town, we can all relate to the stories as they unfold on stage.”
Professionally written and directed, the large-scale production features an estimated 100 volunteers from the Colquitt community.
This year’s version, “The Big Picture,” comes to Andalusia at 7:30 p.m. on Sat., June 11, at the Dixon Center for the Performing Arts.
General admission is $15, and VIP tickets are $100, which includes a pre-event reception and reserved theater seating. Tickets are on sale now at LBWCC Andalusia campus and MacArthur campus in Opp, Andalusia Area Chamber of Commerce, Opp Chamber of Commerce and Harold’s Furniture and Flooring in Andalusia.
All proceeds from the event will benefit scholarships and other LBWCC Foundation programs.
For more information, call (334) 881-2306.
As sweltering summer temps sweep across the south, local residents should take precautions against heat-related incidents.
At 1:30 p.m., the temperature was 101 degrees, and at the new site of Legions Field, City of Andalusia utility workers were busy installing a drain at the rear of the parking lot.
Public Works director Jim Hogg said employees are instructed to keep hydrated and to take breaks to avoid heat-related illnesses such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
“We tell them – plenty of liquids,” Hogg said. “And if they feel like they’re getting too hot, take a break.”
Public works employee Robert Elliott said for him, that means “plenty of water and Gatorade.”
“And my poor man’s toupee, here,” he said tugging at the brim of his hat. “I use that to keep the sun off my head. I don’t use sunscreen.”
Employees are regulated to a 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. work schedule, which gives extra work time in the early morning hours that, in the summer, help to avoid the summer sun.
The American Red Cross recommends using the following to avoid heat related illnesses.
• Dress for the heat. Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing. Light colors will reflect away some of the sun’s energy. It is also a good idea to wear hats or to use an umbrella.
• Drink water. Carry water or juice with you and drink continuously even if you do not feel thirsty. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which dehydrate the body. Avoid using salt tablets unless directed to do so by a physician.
• Eat small meals and eat more often. Avoid high-protein foods, which increase metabolic heat.
• Slow down. Avoid strenuous activity. If you must do strenuous activity, do it during the coolest part of the day, which is usually in the morning between 4 and 7 a.m.
• Stay indoors when possible. If air-conditioning is not available, stay on the lowest floor out of the sunshine. Remember that electric fans do not cool. They simply circulate the air.
• Be a good neighbor. During heat waves, check in on elderly residents in your neighborhood and those who do not have air conditioning.
In the event someone does suffer from heat cramps or heat exhaustion, it’s imperative to get the person to a cooler place and have him or her rest in a comfortable position.
If the person is fully awake and alert, give half a glass of cool water every 15 minutes. Don’t let them too quickly. Do not give liquids that contain alcohol or caffeine. Remove or loosen tight clothing and apply cool, wet cloths, such as towels or sheets. Call 911 if the person refuses water, vomits or loses consciousness.
Heat strokes are life-threatening situations that require help immediately. Call 911. Move the person to a cooler place. Quickly cool the body. Immerse victim in a cool bath, or wrap wet sheets around the body and fan it. Watch for signals of breathing problems. Keep the person lying down and continue to cool the body any way you can. If the victim refuses water or is vomiting or there are changes in the level of consciousness, do not give anything to eat or drink.
“You get a line, I’ll get a pole,” will be the tune on parents’ mind Saturday as the Andalusia Kiwanis Club and the U.S. Forest Service sponsor the annual kids’ fishing derby.
The event is being held in conjunction with National Fishing and Boating week, and all Alabamians – not just youngsters – will have the day to fish. All one needs is a pole and bait, not a license, since the day allows for an annual day to fish in state waters without a license. The exemption applies to both freshwater and saltwater fishing.
Barnett Lawley, commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, said the event provides a great opportunity for Alabama families to spend time together outdoors.
On the local front, Debbie Russell with the U.S. Forest Service said children ages 3 to 15 are invited to the pond in front of the USDA building on Ala. Hwy. 55 from 7 a.m. until noon.
“Children must be accompanied by an adult and bring their own bait and tackle,” Russell said. “We’ll have free food and activities. This is a great event, and if memory serves me, brought out our biggest crowd in a very long time last year.
“We hope to see more of the same,” she said.
Russell said the local event is being sponsored by the Kiwanis Club, the USFS, Covington County 4-H and Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries.
“This day was designed to get people out to celebrate the outdoors,” Russell said. “We hope to see you there.”
For more information about the event, call 334-222-2555.