Pat Palmore and her murals committee members were about $16,000 shy of the financial commitments they needed to move forward with their next project, a series of 12 panels which will tell the story of textiles in Covington County from the cotton fields to the gin to the factory.
Palmore addressed the council Tuesday night, asking the city to cover whatever amount the committee is not able to raise so that Dothan mural artist Wes Hardin can move forward with the project in Alatex Park on River Falls Street.
She said the committee’s goal is to have the project completed with the traveling Smithsonian exhibit, “The way we worked,” is on display inside the Chamber of Commerce, which once housed the Alatex headquarters.
The textile scenes will be the latest in a series of murals depicting the county’s history. As part of their...READ MORE>
Local merchants are readying the aisles and stocking the shelves in anticipation of this weekend’s annual sales tax holiday.
Second only to the winter holiday shopping season, the back-to-school buying season is expected to boost sales in Alabama by being the one weekend shoppers are certain to fill stores thanks to the fact that majority of their purchases can be made tax free.
All area municipalities – Andalusia, Opp and Florala – as well as the county, are participating in the event, which begins from 12:01 a.m. Friday through midnight Sunday. During that time, the state’s 4 percent sales tax is waived throughout the state while sales taxes levied by 274 cities and counties also will be waived on:
• clothing priced at $100 or less;
• school supplies valued at $50 or less;
• books that cost $30 or less; and
• computers and computer equipment with a selling price of $750 or less.
“Consumer spending will increase in August, and Alabama’s sales tax holiday will give back-to-school shopping in our state the jump start it needs,” said Alabama Retail Association President Rick Brown. The National Retail Federation estimates that total spending on back-to-school will reach $72.5 billion this year. Alabama sales generally represent 1.5 percent of all retail sales nationally. If the national prediction is accurate, $1.08 billion will be spent to equip and outfit students in our state this year. The Alabama Retail Association predicts taxed sales in August will grow about 1 percent over 2012 August sales, which means consumers will spend about $4.16 billion in Alabama next month. That is all sales, all month, not just on back-to-school.
“Alabama’s sales tax holiday means savings for more than just back-to-school shoppers,” Brown said. “Those interested in filling out their wardrobes and stocking their libraries and home offices also can benefit from buying during the tax-free weekend. Such electronics as computers, laptops, e-readers and tablets valued at $750 or less along with computer...READ MORE>
Andalusia residents should be on the lookout for a group of Publisher’s Clearinghouse impersonators – minus the balloons and looking to score some quick cash, Sgt. Jason Curry with Andalusia Police Department said Friday.
He said the department has received “several reports” of the phone scam, claiming the recipient has won some money and a car.
“The way it works is that the caller states you’ve won some money and a car,” Curry said. “You are then instructed to go to Wal-Mart and purchase a Green-Dot card and put a certain amount of money on it so that they can ‘pay the taxes on the car.’
“They tell the resident that once the money is paid, they will arrive 30 to 40 minutes later at your residence with the car,” he said. “Once they get the money, you never hear from them again. We’ve had no reports of anyone actually showing up at these residences.”
It’s unknown... READ MORE>
The City of Andalusia is just two commitments away from having its goal of 20 local merchants participating in a shop Andalusia campaign designed to both encourage local residents to shop at home and to bring people to the city.
Mayor Earl Johnson met with a group of merchants Tuesday night, and said he got the idea for Andy Bucks at Covington Electric’s annual meeting. The cooperative gives away a used vehicle every year, and the chance to win literally brings hundreds of people to the event.
The city’s promotion, Andy Bucks, gives consumers one chance to win a $1,000 shopping spree with participating merchants for every $10 they spend with those merchants. For instance, if a customer spent $95 with Ward and Co., that customer would receive nine chances to be the winner.
At the first council meeting of each month, Johnson said, a winning number will be drawn. The person holding that ticket will have 30 days to claim $1,000 in “Andy Bucks,” or ten $100 gift certificates redeemable with participating merchants.
Participating merchants will commit $50 per month for a year to fund the prizes. The city will provide...READ MORE>
Preparations are already under way for next month’s fund-raising fish fry for Meredith’s Miracles, but help is needed in the form of volunteers and baked goods, said Director Emily Yehling.
Volunteers, called “miracle workers,” will feed more than 500 people.
Plates will contain cheese grits, coleslaw, hush puppies, dessert, a drink and fresh fried catfish and are $8 for adults and $6 for children ages 12 and under. Food will be served Friday from 4:30 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the Southside Baptist Church Family Life Center.
“We are trying to encourage people to come by, grab some good food and help us to raise money for a terrific cause,” Yehling said.
Tickets for plates can be purchased at Southside the night of the fish fry, but residents are encouraged to buy advance tickets, which can be purchased locally at Harold’s Furniture and Flooring and at the Meredith’s Miracle’s thrift shop.
Meredith’s Miracles will also hold a bake sale during the fish fry.
The baked goods sale has also become a large part of the annual fundraiser, and will be headed this year by Patty Ashworth. Baked good donations can be left at the center beginning at 3 p.m. that Friday.
Funds raised are used locally to aid families in need.
“The goal of Meredith’s Miracles is to... READ MORE>