It’s time to make back-to-school shopping plans, especially if you want to get the most bang for your buck. 
Alabama's 18th annual sales tax holiday for school-related items is set for July 21-23, 2023. Instituted in 2006, the sales tax holiday originally fell in August, but was moved to July in 2017.
From 12:01 a.m. Friday, July 21, until midnight, Sunday, July 23, the state waives its four-percent sales tax on school-related supplies and clothing. More than 300 cities and counties throughout Alabama waive their local taxes as well. Andalusia and Covington County are waiving sales taxes on school items that weekend, as are Opp, Florala, and Red Level.

Exempt items include:

• clothing priced at $100 or less per article of clothing;

• school supplies valued at $50 or less per item;

• books that cost $30 or less per book; and

• tablets, laptops, computers and printers with a selling price of $750 or less.

For a full list, visit revenue.alabama.gov.

The City of Andalusia will play host to 25 to 30 baseball teams and their fans when it hosts the  2023 Cal Ripken 8U State Tournament next week.

Teams from across Alabama will check in at Johnson Park on the afternoon of Thursday, June 29, and opening ceremonies are slated for 8:30 a.m. on Friday, June 30.

Andalusia Parks and Recreation Director Willie Edwards, who also represents District 8 in the state Babe Ruth organization, said there is a bid process for winning the rights to host the tournament. In the past, only district tournament winners or runners-up participated, but now there is an open invitation.

“Our policy is we only send teams that win or come in second in a tournament,” he said. “But others can participate if they pay their fees.”

Because participating teams pay entrance fees, there is no admission fee at the gate, which means area residents can enjoy baseball all weekend.

Traditionally, when the city or counted has hosted state and regional tournaments, the events have made positive impacts on the local economy.

“I’ve checked with all of the hotels we listed in our tournament packet (all hotels in Andalusia and surrounding cities), and every one of them except one had at least two teams staying there,” he said. “The Best Western was already booked for a family reunion, or they would have teams, too.”

“Any time we can host an event like this one, we are proud to do so,” Mayor Earl Johnson said. “We know both from talking with local retailers and by carefully tracking sales tax numbers that ball tournaments and special events like Candyland help us build a local economy. It has always been our goal to give people a reason to come to Andalusia, not just know it as a place they drive through on the way to the beach.”

As of Wednesday morning, there were 15 teams registered with an additional 10 teams to 15 teams expected to register. Andalusia’s 8U All-Star team won the District Tournament in Evergreen, and will participate in the state tournament, as will Opp’s 8U All-Stars.

After this round, only tournament winners can advance. The winner of the 8U Cal Ripken Tournament will play in the regionals in Hot Springs, Arkansas, July 14-17, with the World Series to follow in Cherry Hill, N.J.

Edwards said his overall goal for the state tournament next week is for the players to have good experiences.

“The theme for the week’s play is good sportsmanship,” he said. “The bottom line is that we are here to watch our children play a game, so please enjoy the games for what they are and let the partici­pants do the same. Good sports­manship is expected and required from all in attendance.”

There will be food trucks at the tournament, and tournament T-shirts, which are $20, will be on sale at the park.

This coming week will be a busy one for Andalusia’s 8U, 10U and 12U All-Star baseball teams, the 8U All-Star softball team, their parents, and Andalusia’s Parks and Recreation employees.

First, the City of Andalusia’s Parks and Recreation Department is hosting the 8U Cal Ripken Baseball State Tournament beginning Friday at Johnson Park. Parks and Recreation Director Willie Edwards will direct the tournament, which is expected to draw as many as 25 to 30 teams to the city.

Andalusia’s 8U All-Stars won the District Tournament in Evergreen, and will participate in the state tournament here, which begins with opening ceremonies at 8:30 a.m. on Friday. There is no gate charge for admission.

Members and coaches include Henry Patterson, John Collier Wright, Tillman Alverson, Hollis Patterson, Owen Shelnutt, Clarkson Smith, Jayceon Parker, Jonah Wilson, Darrion Malcolm, Dallas Tyson, Will Bergfeld, Gunner Thorn, Chase Shelnutt, Billy Bergfeld, George Patterson, and Drew Smith.

Meanwhile, the 10U All-Stars will advance as District Tournament champs to the state baseball tournament in Florence, Alabama. Selena Lockhart from Andalusia’s Parks and Recreation Department will accompany that team.

Team members are Gage Brooks, Rowan Cleland, Shep Diamond, Hansen Dooley, William Hall, Colton Little, Rowen Mack, Parker Maynor, Mason Oglesby, Legend Reeves, Jax Sansom, and Reid Ware. Coaches are Tanner Brooks, Brett Mack, and Brad Sansom.

The 12U All-Stars – nine of whom were members of the 10U team that won the World Series two years ago – will be participating in the state baseball tournament in Mobile. Mike Hourel from Andalusia’s Parks and Recreation Department will accompany that team.

Team members  are  Houston Weant, Zay Leslie, Brock Bennett, Everett Marcotte, Row Thorn, and Farley Brannon, Kaleb Covin, Cooper Maynor, Jude Bradley, Jackson Grimes, JB Barrow, and Grady Seal. Coaches are Kevin Covin, Mitch Thorn, Jordan Maynor.

The 8U All-Star softball team won the state tournament in Opp earlier this month, and will represent Alabama in the Babe Ruth Regional tournament in Ponchatoula, La., beginning June 27. Heather Haygens from Andalusia’s Parks and Recreation Department will accompany them.

Team members are Laney Cotter, Baylee Short, Mika Newton, Erean Mount, Mary Kate Fowler, Raglan Stacks, Charlie Bozeman, Charlotte Dozier, Adalyn Brooks, Ettalena Sanders, Keeley Walsh, and Scarlett Hare. Coaches are Clay Stacks, Brad Sanders, Ray Bozeman, and Alex Little.

Edwards said it speaks well of the local program to have four teams advancing.

“In my 17 years working with parks and recreation programs, I’ve never seen one league win three divisions at district in the same year,” he said. “We are very proud of their successes, along with the success of the Girls 8U softball program.”

Tournament brackets and tourney updates will be posted to the City of Andalusia’s Parks and Recreation Facebook page as they become available.

Mayor Earl Johnson issued a friendly warning to area residents who are in the habit of speeding, littering, racing, and creating a commotion downtown: Continue, and you will receive a ticket.

Several residents of the downtown area attended Tuesday’s council meeting and voiced concerns about the noise and potential for danger posed by those who congregate in downtown parking lots, and drag race when they leave.

“We don’t want to hear vulgar songs playing loudly when we sit outside,” one of the residents said. “It’s gotten out of hand.”

Mayor Johnson said he appreciated the professionalism and courtesy of those who expressed their concerns.

“These citizens came in a courteous fashion to complain about noise; fast, dangerous driving in their neighborhood; littering; boisterous yelling, screaming and foul language that can be heard all over the community; and leaving at high speeds and racing. We’re going to put a stop to it,” the mayor said.

Section 15-17 of the City’s Code of Ordinances states that “No person shall make, continue or cause to be made or continued any noise which either annoys, disturbs, injures or endangers the comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of others in the city. It shall also be unlawful and a nuisance for any person to make or permit to be made any such noise by any motor vehicle in his control or upon any premises owned or possessed by him or under his management or control.”

It further states that compression release engine brakes, and unreasonable sound amplification from a vehicle are violations of the ordinance.

“We have tried to use a soft touch, and it hasn’t worked. We’re going to get strict and we’re going to write some tickets.

“Some folks will be mad about it, and some mamas and daddies mad about it when their children are ticketed, but that’s the way it’s gonna be,” he said. “We have the potential that somebody will be killed or hurt seriously, and we don’t want that to happen.

“We spend thousands of dollars picking up and cleaning up behind people so that our community looks good, and I’m tired of that. I’d rather spend that money on something rather than picking up trash left by people who don’t care about our community,” he said.

Johnson also said the city will soon add more cameras to assist in gathering evidence, and that fines will likely increase in the near future.

“We’re going to give them one warning,” he said. “After that, citations will be written. We’re also going to look at all of our ordinances, consider the fines for these offenses, and most probably, and most probably those fine levels will be increased.”