It’s business as usual as we keep tabs on Hurricane Ian.
There is a margin of error, so the forecast area could end up pretty dry and relatively quiet for much of the period.
Though I wouldn’t be making any grand outdoor plans because we could see significantly greater chances of rain coupled with wind impacts. Nothing too bad.
There are some things to look forward to once the weather settles. You can get cleaned up and enjoy a performance of “The Sound of Music” at UM’s new College Woods Center.
You could also head over to Gulf Shores with the family and have a ball at The Shrimp Festival, which is finally back after two years. No more lockdowns, please!
And it’s nice to see the city show appreciation for active community members. A sizeable grant has been given to eight “Love Your Community” teams.
Our city continues to improve with citizen efforts, road repairs, interschool competitions, and even a new smart texting service. Finally.
The Sound of Music
Calling all theatre lovers!
College Woods Center, a new event venue for the University of Mobile, is now open to the public and is also available to rent for private events.
College Woods Center will open with a public performance of “The Sound of Music,” one of the most popular musicals of all time, put on by the university’s Alabama School of the Arts.
Showtimes are at 7 p.m. on September 29–30 and on October 1 and 3 p.m. on October 2. Take the kids and channel your inner Julie Andrews!
Downtown Repairs
On a slightly annoying note, St. Anthony Street will be closed from Broad Street to N. Jefferson Street on Monday, September 26, 2022.
Repairs will be made to the current road connection to Broad Street. Additionally, the farthest southbound lane on Broad Street between State Street and Old Shell Road will be closed that day, as will the right turn lane from Springhill Avenue onto Broad Street.
A crew will be fixing the curbs and ramps at the intersections. Please expect these two closures to last for at least seven days.
Broad Street will have lane restrictions in the coming weeks as workers continue to perform final repairs. Drivers are advised to take extra care in the construction zone while work continues.
Sign up for text alerts to receive timely information about the Broad Street reconstruction by texting “MOBILEROAD” to 91986.
Text Updates For Mobilians
The City of Mobile has developed a new smart texting service to inform its citizens about local events, projects, and services.
TextMyGov is an application that allows users to gain info from the city and receive notifications on city-related events, initiatives, and services by sending and receiving standard text messages on their mobile devices.
TextMyGov makes it easy to submit requests to the City of Mobile and receive answers to FAQs anytime, day or night.
This service is not only convenient for getting the word out to the public, but it also gives people a way to get answers to their inquiries without having to wait for an email or letter to arrive in the mail.
TextMyGov uses advanced text-recognition technology to answer Mobilians’ questions about any government service, department, or event. It’s all about the keywords.
Get Your Shrimp On
The Shrimp Festival, which had been postponed for the previous two years, will be held once again from October 6-9 at the junction of Highway 59 and East Beach Boulevard in Gulf Shores.
On October 7 at noon, there will be a sand sculpture demonstration and training session, and on October 8, there will be a sand sculpture contest.
On the same day, at 8:15 p.m., country singer/songwriter Trent Tomlinson will be the headliner for a free concert. The Velcro Pygmies, Dr. Zarr’s Amazing Funk Monster, and Kirk Jay, a finalist on The Voice, will also perform, along with tribute bands and other artists.
Students from Baldwin County are invited to participate in the Singing for Scholarship Competition and the 5k/10k Run & Walk around the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail on October 8.
UM Brain Battle
Students from Mobile and Baldwin counties squared off in the third UM Brain Battle Tournament on the UM campus on September 15.
The students from McGill-Toolen ended the day as UM Brain Battle champions, taking home the trophy.
The Bayside Academy team finished in second place. There were about 70 participants from 8 different high schools, all competing on 12 different teams at the scholars’ bowl held at UM.
This year’s UM Brain Battle will serve as a regional qualifying event for the NAQT High School National Championship Tournament.
Other schools that took part were: Satsuma High School, Alma Bryant High School, Gulf Shores High School, and Cottage Hill Christian Academy, in addition to Barton Academy and UMS-Wright.
Giving Thanks To The ‘Love Your Community’ Effort
At a meeting of the Mobile County Commission on September 12, 2022, eight Love Your Community teams were awarded $10,000 in grants.
These teams are truly doing their part in beautifying Mobile County and keeping litter out of our community and waterways. What they’re doing is fantastic, and we really appreciate it.
According to Evelyn DeAngelo, the program coordinator, there are currently one hundred thirty (130) teams participating in the Love Your Community Time Bank.
Earned grants through time banking volunteer work must be utilized for recycling, community garden, park, and other environmentally friendly project ideas in public rights-of-way or common areas.
Hurricane Ian Watch
Water rescue crews throughout the Gulf Coast are warning beachgoers to be careful in the water over the next few days.
On Sunday, the long-range forecast cone, which depicts the possible path the storm’s center could take, extended from the Florida Panhandle into the Atlantic Ocean.
Forecasters have warned that locations outside of the cone might be affected by the storm’s devastating winds, storm surge, and flooding rain.
While the coastal parts of Alabama were taken off the cone on Sunday, a portion of east Alabama is still at risk from the hurricane.
All eyes in Alabama’s National Weather Service headquarters were on Ian. Authorities in Mobile have warned residents of the state’s coast not to relax just yet and to instead stay up-to-date on the latest information regarding Hurricane Ian.
