Gov. Kay Ivey has awarded the City of Andalusia a $400,000 Community Development Block Grant to facilitate the expansion of one of Alabama’s most well-known home-grown food products, creating jobs for Alabamians.

Conecuh Sausage Co. Inc. announced last February its plans to build a new manufacturing plant in Andalusia. The family-owned, Evergreen-based business, established in 1947, is building a 102,000-square-foot plant to meet a growing market demand. The new plant is expected to employ 110 people people.

The CDBG funds will be used by the City of Andalusia Utilities Board to provide sewerage services and public water to the $58 million production facility and office complex under construction in the Andalusia Industrial Park.

“Conecuh Sausage is an Alabama food landmark recognized throughout the Southeast and as far north as the Canadian border,” Gov. Ivey said. “I am thrilled by this company’s success, and I am excited to see its continued growth, creating jobs right here in Alabama with this new facility in Andalusia.”

Conecuh Sausage is sold throughout the Southeast and has markets in Texas, Michigan and Wisconsin. Among its retail customers are Walmart, Kroger, Publix, Piggly Wiggly, Aldi, Greer’s and Winn Dixie.

The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grant from funds made available by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

“Conecuh Sausage has become as much an Alabama food icon as Wiregrass peanuts and Chilton County peaches,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “ADECA is proud to be a part of this expansion project in Andalusia, and we wish them continued success as they go forward.”

Gov. Ivey notified Mayor Earl V. Johnson that the grant had been approved. The city is contributing $80,000 in local funds for the project.

“We appreciate the assistance and support from Gov. Ivey and Director Boswell for this project,” Mayor Earl Johnson. “Our industrial park, where Conecuh Sausage is locating, has public utilities, but we needed additional water supply for food processing. This grant will help us put that piece of the puzzle in place.”

ADECA administers a wide range of programs supporting law enforcement and traffic safety, economic development, energy conservation, water resource management and recreation development.

The City of Andalusia will be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec. 24 and 25, for the Christmas holiday.

Tuesday's and Wednesday's garbage routes will be picked up on Thursday, Dec. 26. 

Thursday's and Friday's routes will be picked up on Friday, Dec. 27. 

The City of Andalusia will be closed on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in observance of the New Year holiday. 

However, public works crews will work on New Year's Day, and the garbage schedule will not be interrupted. 

We wish everyone a safe and happy holiday, and look forward to all that the New Year holds. 

The City of Andalusia will be closed on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in observance of the New Year's holiday. 

However, our sanitation crews will be working, so there are no changes to the garbage schedule this week. 

We wish you all a safe and happy new year!

The holiday shopping season is officially under way this week, and City of Andalusia officials are encouraging residents to shop local, especially on Saturday, which is known nationwide as “Small Business Saturday.”

“The holiday shopping season is critically important for the success of retailers, especially for our locally-owned businesses,” Mayor Earl Johnson said.

To encourage local residents to support local businesses, the City has purchased 1,000 reusable shopping bags which it is providing local retailers to begin using this weekend.

“It is our hope that Andalusia shoppers will use these bags as a reminder of the importance of local retail to our economy,” the mayor said.

The City promotes shopping at home every holiday season, but decided to put an extra spin on it this year with the bags.

“We track our retail sales month-to-month and year-to-year,” the mayor said. “We can see, analytically, how important these sales are to local business owners. These businesses support the local teams, bands, and special events that make our community so special, and I want to encourage you to support them in return.”

Local retailers who haven’t received shopping bags to distribute this week should call Michele Gerlach at 428-1143.

The mayor said that local retail sales and lodging have been on an upward trend in December in the past 11 years.

“We know that retail sales in the month of December grew 35 percent in the first 10 years we partnered with the Andalusia Area Chamber of Commerce to present Christmas in Candyland,” Johnson said. “This event brings thousands of people to our community, and helps our retailers and restaurants have successful seasons.”

Last year, there were more than 65,000 visits to Candyland, which opens this year on Friday, Dec. 6.