During Monday’s Lanett Council meeting, three local students received scholarships from Energy Southeast. District 2 Councilmember Krisse Story recognized this year’s scholarship winners on behalf of Mayor Jamie Heard and the council.
“It is with great pleasure that we congratulate you on earning an Energy Southeast Scholarship awarded on behalf of the City of Lanett. Students Thomas Arnold Patillo, Chloe Elise Jones, Evan Bautista, and Carington King were presented with scholarships in front of their families and other attendees.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to support your educational journeys through this program. We are currently working with your city and school counselors to arrange the presentation of your scholarship certificates. The Energy Southeast scholarship provides an award of $2,500, which can be used at a four-year university, community college, or vocational school of your choice within the state of Alabama,” said Story. The funds can assist the scholarship recipients with college tuition, fees, and books. Students must use the scholarship within 16 months of their high school graduation date.
“We extend our congratulations on this achievement and wish you a bright and successful future,” Story added. Mayor Heard and the council echoed those sentiments.
Later on in the meeting, local business owner Valerie Gray announced industrial development that her family business is undertaking in the city.
“I wanted to come and address you all,” she said. “Over the past six months, I have been talking with Mayor Heard, and then, a couple of weeks ago, I asked Council Member Story to meet me at our business in Lanett. As you all know, I have transitioned from public service to now private. It is a lot of different hats that I am wearing now. I am here to give a report on what our family has been doing to improve our presence in the city of Lanett. We have one manufacturing firm and Ms. Story and Mayor Heard visited with us. We are currently under expansion. It is a certified USDA clean facility.”
Gray provided further details on how this business venture will develop over time.
“Our plans are to become the largest producer of ice in the entire state of Alabama, if not the Southeast,” she said. “It will take us about a year to ramp up all of that productivity. I appreciate the street department for helping with an extremely large pothole that you guys took care of. We hope to be able to apply for some state funding for that to help offset any future city costs for that street work.”
