Two local lawmakers announced this week that schools in the Andalusia City School System will soon receive funds from State Community Service Grants to be used for classroom supplies and equipment.
Sen. Jimmy Holley, R-Elba, and Rep. Mike Jones, R-Andalusia, said schools will receive a total of $4,800 before students return for classes following the summer break.
Some 125 children have been fed lunch and breakfast each day in June thanks to the summer nutrition program held at Andalusia Middle School. Today is the last day for the program. Above: Jay Flowers enjoys barbecued meat with his roll.
A local Red Cross official said Wednesday that the Am-erican Red Cross’ plans to downsize its Alabama operations from four regions to one will not affect services in Covington County.
National Red Cross executives said the result will mean staff reductions. Currently, the local Red Cross chapter is without a director. Former director Merrill Davis stepped down May 25, and Don Johnson was named interim director.
Staci Wilson, president of the local Red Cross board, said previously that regional and national Red Cross officials instructed the local chapter to not hire a new director until the end of its fiscal year, because Red Cross officials were “doing a revamp” of its administrative issues. Today marks the end of the organization’s fiscal year.
Wilson said Wednesday the local chapter will not be downsized, and plans are still in the works to fill the director’s position.
“You can’t really downsize when there’s only one person there,” she said. “Now, at the administrative level and corporate headquarters, that’s where you’ll see the downsizing.”
Wilson said the entire state will be handled as one region, which means the local chapter will report to Birmingham.
The City of Andalusia’s annual Fourth of July event will feature fireworks, free watermelon, and jazz and patriotic music performed by Jazz Comes Home, the Troy University Jazz Quartet.
Jazz Comes Home keeps the traditions of jazz alive through the performance of classic jazz literature and the best in contemporary jazz composition. The group has performed widely for arts associations, jazz festivals and educational institutions.
The musicians, all Troy University faculty members, include Raymond Smith, professor of saxophone and director of jazz studies; Jim Bell, adjunct professor of jazz piano; James W. Smith, Jr., associate professor of music; and Eric Ward, assistant professor of music/audio engineer.
As a professional free-lance woodwind specialist, Raymond Smith has played with many of the top recording artist in the jazz, pop, county, and classical music fields, including Sammy Davis, Jr., Al Hirt, Lionel Hampton, Burt Bacharach, Julie Andrews, Ella Fitzgerald, Eddie Arnold, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Kenny Rogers, Gladys Knight, The Four Tops, The Temptations, the Platters, Bob Hope, Red Skelton, Steve Allen, and many others.
Bell has been a jazz performer for more than 50 years.
James Smith has performed with Frankie Valli, Mary Ann Mobley, Gary Collins, Bob Hope, and Robert Nagel’s Master Brass.
The event is set for 6 p.m. on Mon., July 4, on the Kiwanis Fairway. The musicians will perform from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m., with a fireworks display by Pyrotecnico following. Drinks and concessions will be available for purchase.
Severe weather wreaked havoc throughout Covington County late Tuesday afternoon, bringing down trees, knocking out telephone and cable services and even causing a few small fires.
More than 2 ½ inches of rain fell in Andalusia during the storm, and at times winds gusted upward of 40 mph.
Emergency dispatch reports show that the first report of trees down came in at 3:41 p.m. on Airport Road in Andalusia. At 5:30 p.m., a house fire was reported at the intersection of Lori Lane and S. Cotton Street.
Officials at Andy Cable said lightning is credited with knocking out telephone services for more than 20 minutes before it was restored. Some customers experienced additional problems, but Ivan Bishop, owner of Andy Cable, said employees worked quickly to correct them.
Forecasts for the remainder of the week show a 20 percent chance of rain through Saturday with a high around 95 degrees.