With only 63 days until Christmas, local chambers of commerce and cities are planning their annual Christmas parades.
The City of Andalusia will hold its parade Dec. 4, at 7 p.m., in downtown Andalusia.
This year’s theme is Christmas in Candyland: Snow in South Alabama.
Entry fee is $25 for each commercial entry and $10 for each non-profit.
Deadline to submit an application is Nov. 26.
Andalusia Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Chrissie Duffy said around 100 participants usually take part in the festivities.
“New this year, we will have a 5K race that will lead off the parade,” she said. “It is sponsored by the Junior Woman’s Club. Participants will wear Christmas lights.”
Additionally, Andalusia’s first “snow” of the season will occur that night.
“It will snow when they light the Christmas tree and then again before Santa comes.”
To promote Andalusia, the city and Chamber are working together to put snow machines on the Square for the season.
The City of Opp’s Christmas parade will be held Fri., Dec. 5, at 6:30 p.m.
This year’s theme is “Joys of Christmas.”
Applications are available at the Opp and Covington County Chamber of Commerce.
“The theme this year will give people the freedom to express what brings them joy at Christmas,” said Emilee Gage of the chamber.
There is a $10 entry fee.
Red Level will hold its Christmas parade Sat., Dec. 6, at 10 a.m.
Town officials said there is no entry fee for the event, but the deadline to register is Dec. 1 by 5 p.m.
Florala’s Christmas parade is set for Dec. 13. Entry forms are due to the Chamber by Dec. 6. For more information, call the Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce at 858-6252.
Andalusia Star News
By Kendra Majors
The program, called A.P.P.L.E., is a joint effort of the Andalusia City Schools and the City of Andalusia, and is funded with the help of a 21st Century Learning Grant.
The program is free, and will provide transportation to students from Andalusia Elementary School and the Andalusia Junior High School. It will be housed at the Woodson Learning Center, currently known as the Andalusia Middle School.
The program will run from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. daily, and it is the responsibility of parents to pick up children by 6. Late fees will be assessed.
After school activities will include tutoring and homework help, recreational athletics, computer concepts, arts, and home economics. Healthy snacks will be provided.
Applications, which were sent home with students this week, should be returned to the teachers by Fri., Nov. 7, 2014.
The largest Taco Bell franchisee in the country plans to build a restaurant in Andalusia.
The Andalusia City Council on Tuesday approved a property tax abatement for the restaurant that sealed the deal.
Mayor Earl Johnson said Tacala LLC has a memorandum of understanding with the city, in which the city agrees to refund half of city sales taxes the restaurant collects for four years.
“Keep in mind, these are sales taxes,” Johnson said. “The company is not paying sales taxes; they are collecting sales taxes from consumers. This does not give them a competitive advantage.”
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.
“They project to do $1.1 million in sales their first year,” he said.
“They have to build, open, and operate it,” Johnson said. “The refund is strictly based on their sales.”
Councilman Ralph Wells, who said his grandchildren love Taco Bell, made the motion, which was unanimously approved.
The new restaurant will be located on the bypass between TRIO and Southern Rentals.
Johnson said the company is the largest Taco Bell franchisee in the country, and the building will be Taco Bell’s newer style.
In other business, the council:
• Agreed to transfer an off premise retail beer license to Gitty Up N Go No. 11, 223 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Expressway.
• Reappointed Robert Williams, Patricia Davis and Annie Jean Stone to the Library Board.
• Reappointed Willie Locke, Larry Avery, Vernell Craig and Frank Wayne Holmes to the Board of Zoning Adjustments.
• Agreed to finance new communication equipment for the city departments and city utilities, as well as three new police vehicles, at Southern Independent Bank, at an interest rate of 2.9 percent.
Andalusia Star News
By: Michele Gerlach
Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs Director, Jim Byard, Jr., visited Andalusia on Tuesday, September 23rd as the guest of Mayor Earl Johnson and spoke to the Andalusia Rotary Club. "Andalusia looks great and you should be very proud. As a visitor or outsider looking in, I see a place that is moving forward, where you take pride and work hard to distinguish yourselves. In my experience businesses looking to expand notice that sort of thing. We at ADECA are extremely proud of what Mayor Johnson and Andalusia have accomplished in developing your economy and look forward to continuing our long and prosperous relationship."
When speaking to the Andalusia Rotary Club, Dir. Byard said that his department has participated in various infrastructure improvement projects in Andalusia and Covington County totaling many millions of dollars. "We at ADECA strive to make sure that our tax dollars are spent wisely and that our projects benefit tax payers."