The City of Andalusia will be closed Monday, May 26, 2025, in observance of Memorial Day.

Monday’s garbage routes will be picked up on Tuesday, along with Tuesday’s routes.

The City of Andalusia is still seeking lifeguards for its summer and after-school programs.

Lifeguard applicants must be 16 or older; must be strong swimmers, and must be able to pass a lifeguard certification class.

Certification/training is planned May 22 - May 25. The schedule for new hires is as follows:

• Thursday, May 22 - Coleman and Robertson Center Pool, 3 p.m. - 8 p.m.

• Friday, May 23 - Blue Lake Camp, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

• Saturday, May 24 - Coleman and Robertson Center Pool, 9 a.m - 5 p.m.

• Sunday, May 25 - Coleman and Robertson Center Pool, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

To apply for work as a lifeguard, call Johnathan Carpenter at Johnson Park, 222-2714.

The current senior enlisted member of the Alabama National Guard will be the guest speaker at Monday’s Memorial Day Ceremony in Andalusia.

Command Sergeant Major Meacham Bailey is currently assigned as the Command Senior Enlisted Leader of the Alabama National Guard. He previously spent eight years as the leader of Andalusia’s 1-117^th Field Artillery Battalion.

The ceremony is set for 10 a.m. on Monday, May 26, at the Covington Veterans Memorial located behind the Andalusia City Hall.

CSM Bailey entered the Alabama Army National Guard on March 14, 1988.

He is a graduate of the U.S.  Army Nominative Leaders Course, United States Army Sergeants Major Academy, First Sergeants Course, Combat Life Savers Course, Total Army Instructor Training Course, 13M10 PH II Course, Multiple Launch Rocket System PH I and II Course, Small Group Instructor Training Course, Battle Focused United States Army Training Course, 77W United States Army Reserve School, Primary Leadership Development Course, Reserve Component Instructor Training Course, 13B Cannon Crewman, and United States Field Artillery Training Course.

He previously as served as the 135th Expeditionary Sustainment Command’s Command Sergeant Major, Garrison Command Sergeant Major of Fort McClellan Training Center, Brigade Command Sergeant Major of the 226th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Command, Sergeant Major of the 1-117th Field Artillery Battalion, First Sergeant of the Forward 3 1-117th Field Artillery Battalion at Ali Al Salem Airbase in Kuwait for Operation Iraqi Freedom, First Sergeant of Alpha Battery 3-117th Field Artillery Battalion, Total Army Instructor Course Non-commissioned Officer in charge at Ft. McClellan, 13B Instructor 3rd General Studies Battalion 200th Regiment at Ft. McClellan, 13B Cannon Crewmember, Headquarters and Headquarter Battalion 3-117th Field Artillery Battalion, 92F50 Water Treatment Specialist, 1208th Quartermaster Company, 13B Cannon Crewmember Alpha Battery 2-117th Field Artillery Battalion.

His  awards include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal with 1 oak leaf cluster, Army Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Army Good Conduct Medal, Army Reserve Components Achieve Medal with two oak leaf clusters, National Defense Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon (6th Award), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, and Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” device.

Command Sergeant Major Bailey holds an associate degree in applied science from Mount West Community College. He and his wife, Jacqueline, have two children, Reid and Mary Madyson Bailey. They reside in Roanoke.

The City of Andalusia on Thursday announced an $11 million public-private partnership that will add hotel rooms to the community and preserve one of its most iconic landmarks.

The City is partnering with Jason Wood and his development team, who formed Andalusia Hotel Properties to create the Andalusian Boutique Hotel, a  58-room facility in the 6-story First National Bank Building located on the Court Square. The building, completed in 1922, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The project also takes in the two upper floors of the former Andala Building, where the destination restaurant, Big Mike's, is located on the ground floor. The two buildings will be connected with a sky walk.

The hotel will be soft branded as an Ascend Collection by Choice Hotels International and rooms are available in its central reservation network.

Mayor Earl Johnson said the project has been five years in the making.

"We began talking with Jason about this project in 2020," Johnson said. "We have worked closely with him to take advantage of historic tax credits and new market tax credits, all of which took a considerable amount of time.

"His plan for the hotel is for it to be as unique as the building that anchors it, and we believe this will be a good thing for Andalusia," Johnson said. 

Wood, who is originally from West Alabama, has a long history in the hotel business. He has developed unique hotel projects in Destin, Gulf Shores, Panama City Beach and Grayton Beach, along with numerous hotel projects in his native West Alabama – East Mississippi area.

The new hotel is also only a block away from Heritage Park, currently under construction on South Cotton Street. The new park will have a water feature, ampitheater, walking trails and biking trails. Phase I is on track to be completed later this year, and long-term plans call for the addition of a carousel and other features.

The First National Bank Building was designed by Montgomery architect Frank Lockwood, who also designed the Covington County Courthouse. It was completed in 1922 at a cost of $115,000, or $2.1 million in today's dollars.

Amendment 725 to the Constitution of Alabama 1901 authorizes certain municipalities in Covington County, including Andalusia, to participate in economic development.