John Northrop Jr., who has distinguished himself in journalism and education careers, is among the five Andalusia High School alumni being honored this week as AHS Outstanding Graduates.
A 1968 graduate of Andalusia High School, Northrop earned an undergraduate degree at Birmingham-Southern College, and worked as a reporter and photographer at The Birmingham Post-Herald, The Birmingham News, and the Samoa News.
He then enrolled in Harvard University, where he earned a B.A. in English, Ed.M and C.A.S. (certificate of advanced study). He worked in education administration in California, Georgia and Kentucky before returning to Alabama, where he was executive director of Alabama School of Fine Arts from 1997 until 2011.
“When the opening for the executive director of the Alabama School of Fine Arts was announced, I thought immediately of John,” wrote former colleague Pat Taylor in a letter supporting Northrop’s nomination. “While he was away, he had acquired the skills and experiences that were exactly what were needed to move the school forward.
“At the time, ASFA, was an institution in need of structure and refined policies, a skill set in John’s nature,” she wrote. “Putting managerial skills aside, however, he brought qualities of character that defined his leadership: fairness, an openness to listen, learn and sometimes change his heart and mind, and an uncanny aptitude for objectivity.”
Dr. Mike Wells nominated Northrop, his former classmate, for the honor.
“Without reservation, I feel John is a most deserving recipient of this high honor,” he wrote. “John has always been passionate about education and social justice.”
Northrup has given his civic energy to social justice and education causes, and most recently worked with the Birmingham chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby.
“He’s an excellent leader and is using his retirement to help pass on a livable world – which is a very worthy goal, and one we fervently hope to be part of accomplishing with his help,” Joyce A. Lanning of Birmingham wrote in a letter supporting his nomination.
In 2004, he published a full-length play in book form, and in 2016, his photography illustrated the poems of his wife, Ericka Northrop, in “Animal Impressions.”
Birmingham Southern named him a distinguished alumnus in 2009.
The Andalusia Rotary Club recognized John Vick with its Spirit of Andalusia award Tuesday, citing his extensive community service work, and especially his effort to introduce youth to tennis.
Vick established the Andalusia Tennis Association in 2001. Each year, the group organizes a summer tennis camp for young people. More than 1,000 young people have received tennis lessons through this program.
Mayor Earl Johnson presented the award on behalf of the club.
Vick also has been an active member of the Andalusia Lions Club and First United Methodist Church, where he has held many leadership roles.
He also has served on Auburn’s University’s National Alumni Association board, and is a former president of the Alabama Wildlife Federation and the Covington County Cattlemen’s Association. He also has served on Auburn University’s Forestry Advisory Committee.
He has been a director of CCB Community Bank for more than 40 years, and currently serves as chairman of the board of Southern National Corp., the holding company for four CCB banks.
As a 1958 graduate of Andalusia High School, he earned a four-year Naval ROTC scholarship. He earned a mechanical engineering degree from Auburn in 1962, and entered the U.S. Navy where he served four years. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant (O-3) before leaving active duty in 1966.
He is an avid supporter of veterans and has worked to document veterans’ stories.
He and his wife, Faye, have three adult daughters.
The club also named Vick a Paul Harris Fellow, contributing $2,000 to the Rotary International Foundation in his name. RI has as its major initiative the international eradication of polio, but also funds other charitable projects, such as building wells for clean drinking water. Immediate past president Stallion Sasser also was named a Paul Harris Fellow
When it comes to superstitions about sitting in a certain spot for Friday night football at Andalusia High School, perhaps no one can top Bulldog super-fan Marianne Harper Thomason.
“Ever since I could remember, we were sitting in our old reserved seats,” Thomason said.
Still, she decided to move to the new, upper-level reserved seats that were added to the stadium this summer.
“I am a lifelong Bulldog fan,” Thomason said. “So I decided to go ahead and enjoy the advantages of the new seats, but it is a little scary. I have gotten used to being next to my friends and being in my spot.”
Thomason said that it making a decision to change was hard.
“But now we are excited to continue the tradition of attending games in our new seats,” she said.
There were approximately 314 new reserved seats added to make an upper level in the stadium, and according to AHS office secretary Gloria Adams, the new area is sold out.
Count Chrissie Duffy among those who decided to try a new spot.
“We always want to support the school whenever there is an opportunity like this,” the Andalusia Chamber of Commerce director said. “Now we have a great view to watch football, but we did it more importantly to support the school.”
Bulldog fan Melanie Day said that her husband, Dr. Tim Day, made the decision to make their move to the upper level.
“He always talked about how he wanted to be higher up,” Day said. “So once the opportunity came he went ahead and got the seats. We are so excited to watch football Friday night in our new seats.”
The man behind the original plan to have reserved seating in the AHS stadium was Jerry Andrews.
“When Ed Richardson was principal we went to a bunch of different games and saw that they had reserved seating in their stadiums,” Andrews said. “It made sense to me to have reserved seating and have it where fans pay for a whole season and get their own spot, so that is how it started.”
Andrews said that the idea was that reserved seating would also increase ticket sales. Like many other Bulldog fans, he’s moving up.
“I am very excited for this weekend and to see all of the renovations to the stadium,” Andrews said. “We got seats in the front row of the upper level section and the thing that I am looking forward to the most is seeing our amazing band.”
Andalusia Fire Chief Russell McGlamory said he actually went to the stadium to see the new seats before deciding to move to the upper level.
“I went to check the seats out before deciding to get them,” McGlamory said. “They still had a few available and the view was great so I knew it was the right decision to get them. I absolutely cannot wait until Friday night.”
Though the new seats may be tempting, not everyone wanted to change.
Tara Dalton decided to stay in what she calls the “rowdy” section.
“I like the freedom of not completely staying in my assigned seat,” Dalton said. “Because it is not actually a seat like in the upper level. Everyone sitting next to me can scoot together during the winter and spread out during the summer games.”
Dalton said that the lower level has a lot of fun and that is why she decided to stay in her original reserved seating.
“We have much more fun in the lower level,” Dalton said. ‘All my friends are there, and I can see the field fine, I’m high enough to enjoy the game.”
School board member Amy Dugger said that she is a creature of habit when it comes to her seat.
“I have been in my reserved seating since 2006,” Dugger said. “My parents can walk in and go straight to their seats and all of my friends are all around me.”
Dugger said that she is beyond excited for the game on Friday night.
“A lot of planning has gone into the whole renovation so I am ready to see the finished project,” Dugger said. “I am thrilled for our kids to be able to play and enjoy the new stadium.”
Adams said that there are still some reserved seats available in the lower level. Each seat is $78, which covers admission to all six home games, but does not include play off games.
Any one interested in purchasing a reserved seat can contact the Andalusia High School main office at 334-222-7569.
Recent growth and investment is helping local officials get at least a first and sometimes a second look from retail developers.
Andalusia City Clerk John Thompson and Director of Planning and Development reported to the Andalusia City Council on their recent trip to a retail trade show. The event is designed to connect communities with retail developers and site selectors.
“What we are learning is that 2017 was the bottom of the brick and mortar reorganization,” Thompson said. “Brick and mortar alive and well and expanding, based on the numbers at that show.”
Thompson said Andalusia’s data was well received.
“One thing you’re asked to do is show growth,” he said. “We are able to document sales tax receipts since 2000. Even if you back out the sales tax increase we had, we’ve had a more than 65 percent increase in sales tax collections in that time.”
Thompson said developers are interested in what the city has done to attract revenue, and recent development on the west bypass.
“We are getting to be an easier sale,” he said.
Based on recent retail studies that capture the data of people who shop here, there are 150,000 people in the retail trade market, Thompson said.
“They don’t think anything about driving 30 to 45 minutes to shop,” he said. “As demonstrated in the information collected, we have a billion and a half dollar leakage into the bigger economies around us.”
Thompson said he and Wiggins are trying to connect with retailers who would not have a direct competitor here.
“Retail growth is important to our economy,” he said. “We have a nice body of work to show, with all of the recent investments in our community, including a quarter billion dollar investment at Shaw. We have a nice presentation to show these people, and we are on their maps. We will keep on the door, reminding them we are here”.
Mayor Earl Johnson said referenced the recent announcement that Jack’s will locate where Kentucky Fried Chicken once was.
“We have two or three more businesses in the queue,” Johnson said. “For all practical purposes, they are done deals.”
The council’s only action items on Tuesday were:
- the purchase of three police vehicles. Including equipment, the purchases will total $133,600.
- the purchase of a skid steer for the public works department’s use at the landfill.
- the approval of weed abatements on Henderson, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, and King streets, Sanford Road and Hand Avenue.
10 local, 10 transfer employees to begin C-130 repairs
Yulista employees will be on site at South Alabama Regional Airport by the middle of next week, and expect to begin work there on Jan. 3 with 20 employees.
SARA director Jed Blackwell told board members in a meeting Tuesday that the company plans to employ 10 people between now and January, and will relocate another 10 from within their company.
Yulista is an Alaska Native Corporation with operations in 14 states, and doing business in 28 countires, CEO Josh Herren said. Its shareholders are of Yup’ik descent. The company has leased the twin hangars in the SARA complex, which were designed for C-130 and B-737 aircraft.
Blackwell said initially, Yulista will do maintenance and repairs for six C-130s, which is expected to take at least 16 months.
In a ceremony at SARA earlier this month, Herren said the company “is going to be very good for your community.”
Blackwell and Covington County Economic Development Commission executive director Rick Clifton said there has been renewed interested in the Standard Arrow/Vector facility. The company has ceased operations in Andalusia, but has a lease on its building until April.
SARA also has leased its warehouse facility – the original home of AcroHelipro, which later became Vector – to Joey Davis and Mark Sweiger.