By By Kerry Whipple Bean – publisher
The new year is shaping up to be a bright - and busy - one for the Brewton area.
Politics, economics and entertainment will be a big part of 2008, along with more opportunities to participate in community service.
After months of watching a new Walgreens take shape on the corner of U.S. 31 and Douglas Lane, local customers can begin shopping there as soon as the first of February. That's when Walgreens is scheduled to open its new drugstore.
Just down the street, residents will be able to see the new Wal-Mart Supercenter going up on U.S. 31. Dirt work has already begun at the site, and city officials say they've been told the building could take about a year to complete.
Also in February, voters across Alabama will go to the polls on Feb. 5 for the presidential preference primary.
This is an earlier date than Alabama usually has held its primary; state officials were hoping to get the state more attention from candidates in the early days of the campaign, but few have visited so far.
In fact, politics will dominate the rest of the year, with the presidential campaign, some county offices up for vote and municipal elections scheduled for Aug. 26 for local municipalities.
Brewton residents can also count on taking time out for some fun in 2008. The Oak Ridge Boys are scheduled to headline the Brewton Music Festival in March, a concert designed to raise money for improvements to Burnt Corn Creek Park.
Last year's concert - the Brewton Songwriters Festival - raised enough money to begin work on a new skateboard park at the site, and organizers hope to raise even more money this year for the refurbishing plans, which include a new stage, welcome center and other improvements.
In February, the community's youngest talent can try out for roles in the Missoula Children's Theater production of “Cinderella,” part of the Brewton Council of the Arts performance schedule. Auditions will begin Feb. 4, and the performance will be held the following Saturday.
And as usual, Brewton residents will have plenty of opportunities to take part in community service activities throughout the year. Relay for Life, the annual American Cancer Society fundraiser, is scheduled for April 26, but teams are already raising funds in a variety of ways.
And Habitat for Humanity, which over the summer built the bulk of two houses in just a few days, plans an April blitz in which the group will build one house - completely, from start to finish, in just seven days.