Jack’s Restaurant in Andalusia had an estimated 2,000 people show up for their opening day by 5 p.m., with people traveling from as far south as Jacksonville, Fla., to enjoy Jack’s chicken.
“Today has been absolutely exciting,” area manager David Denmark said. “We expected to be busy and so far it has lived up to our expectation.”
Denmark is excited the most about being in Andalusia because it is the start of Jack’s journey to the South.
“We are very excited because we are in a new town,” Denmark said. “This is allowing us to grow further south. It is opening up the door for us to be able to set our footprint here down in the ‘L.A.’ Our growth plan is to grow all the way down to the beach, so this is opening sets the footprints for that.”
Beginning at 7 a.m. on opening day, the line of cars in the drive thru of Jack’s wrapped around the building, Denmark said.
“On the average, when cars are wrapped around the building like that, it’s about 25 cars,” Denmark said. “And it has been constant like that all day.”
Diane Jarrell and her family planned their vacation all the way from Jacksonville, Fla., around Jack’s opening.
“We lived in Decatur before we moved down to Jacksonville,” Jarrell said. “But our daughter lives in Andalusia. We missed Jack’s because we were able to get it in Decatur. When our daughter told us that they were opening one in Andalusia, we had to plan our trip around this grand opening.”
Davionna Crittenden and Nyesha Mitchell usually have to travel to Montgomery for Jack’s, but now they are able to get it in their hometown.
“The food here is great,” Crittenden said. “I always stop at the one in Montgomery, but now I can stop here and get their hamburgers.”
Mitchell said that she is excited for Jack’s to be in Andalusia because it’s something new.
“I’m excited to come here now,” Mitchell said. “We don’t always have the opportunity to get something new, and the food is good so that is a plus.”
Terrell Howard and her family drove from Brewton to celebrate her birthday at the new Jack’s.
“It is my birthday and we were all talking about it on Facebook about Andalusia getting a Jack’s,” Howard said. “And I just love Jack’s, so I knew I had to come when the grand opening was on my birthday.”
This isn’t the first time that Andalusia has had a Jack’s, and Tiffany Shufford, who was with the Brewton group, made sure to come again, thanks to her fiancé.
“My fiancé told me that they had the best chicken that he has ever tasted when Andalusia used to have a Jack’s,” Shufford said. “So I traveled here from Brewton with them because I needed to try it and see if it was true.”
Mayor says city will offer extensions on utility bills
Andalusia Mayor Earl Johnson announced yesterday that the city’s Utilities Department will work with federal employees who are furloughed or working without pay during the government’s shutdown to make sure they can keep their utilities on.
“We are talking about full-time federal employees,” Johnson said. “If they will come into the utilities office in city hall, and bring their work badges, we will make sure their power stays on.”
Once the government shutdown ends, he said, the city will work with the federal employees on payment plans to catch up their bills.
“I’m not sure how many federal employees we have who live here who are affected, but we certainly want to do all that we can to help them,” the mayor said.
Today marks the 27th day of the government shutdown, which began just before Christmas.
According to an analysis of Office of Personnel Management data published The Washington Post last week, there are 5,500 federal employees in Alabama working in the top three agencies affected by the shutdown. Of those, 2,300 are employed by NASA, 1,000 work of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (which includes the U.S. Forest Service), and 500 work for the U.S. Department of Justice. According to the DOJ website, the department’s essential law enforcement and national security functions will continue during the shutdown.
Both houses of Congress approved a bill guaranteeing federal employees back pay once the government reopened, and President Trump signed the legislation Wednesday.
Andalusia partners with Coach Safely to comply with new law
Volunteer youth coaches who work with the City of Andalusia’s Department of Leisure Services will be required to complete an annual two-hour sports safety course beginning this year.
Tommie Agee, director of leisure services for the city, said the class, which will be delivered electronically, was developed by the Andrews Research and Education Foundation for the Coach Safely Foundation. The course is presented at no charge through the foundation, in partnership with Children’s of Alabama, Encore Rehabilitation, and ThreatAdvice.
“All of our coaches have got to take it,” Agee said. “If you are on the sidelines of any teams, 14 and under, you are required. It is basically to education the public on sporting events and make sure we keep our kids safe.
The training is actually required for all community or association athletic personnel of youth athletes (14 or under), thanks to the Coach Safety Act approved by the Alabama Legislature in the 2017-18 session. The law brings coaching standards to all the 14 and under aged athletes in Alabama.
The law requires that the course cover prevention and injury recognition of:
- Concussions
- Heat and exertion illnesses
- Trauma and overuse
- Sudden cardiac arrest
- Emergency action plan
- Physical conditioning
- Equipment usage
The Andalusia City Council agreed on Tuesday to partner with the Coach Safely Foundation for the training. There is no charge for the class.
The Coach Safely Act, which will be enforced by the Alabama Department of Public Health, went into effect on Nov. 4, 2018.
On Wednesday Jan. 16, 2019, the town of Andalusia turned 175 years old, according to historian Wyley Donald Ward.
In honor of the 175 anniversary of the town, the Three Notch Museum hosted people to enjoy a piece of Cornbread Cake as they visited the museum loaded with the history of Covington County.
In Ward’s book, “Early History of Covington County, Alabama 1821-1871,” the historian points out the date of Jan. 16, 1844, as the date Andalusia was conceived.
The following is a paragraph from Ward’s book that highlights the approximate date the Andalusia came to be.
“The exact date that Robertson and Pettibone deeded the land for the new county seat to Covington County has not been verified, but the court house commissioners certainly held an option on the land (as required) prior to the time the selection was finalized by a legislative action which was approved on January 16, 1844. This act established the site selected by the court house commissioners as the permanent county seat of Covington County, thus was born the town of Andalusia, Alabama.”
According to local historians, many believe the date to be in July of 1844 when the post office was erected.
“The town has always kind of thought when the post office became the post office in July of the same year that that was when it started,” Three Notch Museum’s Linda Castleberry said. “The town was actually established before the post office. Mr. Ward is very particular about what he prints so it would not in here if it wasn’t true.”
The Andalusia City Council agreed Tuesday to let bids for two paving projects funded by separate grants.
The city received a Community Development Block Grant for paving portions of portions of Third Street, Eight Street, Ninth Street, Second Street, Oak Street, and Woodruff Street.
In addition, the city has a $250,000 Alabama Department of Transportation Grant for additional paving streets to be specified.
Glynn Ralls, director of public works for the city, provided a list of 12 streets he has determined to be the streets most in need of repairs. The total estimated cost tops $900,000.
At present, the city has $287,000 in its gas tax accounts, which can only be used for roads. At least $106,000 of that will be used as matching funds for the CDBG grant.
On the advice of Bob Carter of Goodwin Mills and Cawood, the council agreed to let separate bids for the projects, but have them due the same day. Carter will determine which streets can likely be paved with the ALDOT grant, and the additional streets will be included in the bid as an alternate. Based on the costs, the council will decide how many can be paved.
In other business, the council agreed to reapply for a state ADECA grant that assists in providing services for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. Police Chief Paul Hudson said to date, services have been provided for 250 clients.