Sales tax holiday for storm supplies is Feb. 26-28
With the spring storm season approaching, this is a great time to take stock of your emergency supplies at home. And, during the last weekend of February, you can stock up on supplies free of state sales tax.
Alabama will hold its 10th annual Severe Weather Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday, beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 26, and ending at 12 midnight on Sunday, Feb. 28. Alabama has two sales tax holidays each year; the other, for back-to-school supplies, is in July.
Note that covered items will be free of state sales tax, but local sales tax may apply.
Covered items, priced at $60 or less per item, include household batteries (but not coin or auto/boat batteries); cellular phone batteries and chargers; portable and weatherband radios; portable self-powered light sources; tarps and plastic sheeting; duct tape; plywood, window film or other materials designed to protect windows; non-electric food and water storage containers; first-aid kits; fire extinguishers; reusable ice; smoke detectors; and gas or diesel fuel tanks.
Also, generators with a sales price of $1,000 or less are exempt from the state sales tax.
This is not an exhaustive list; for more information, visit revenue.alabama.gov and click on “services” and then “sales and use tax division.” Scroll down to the “sales tax holidays” button.
Judson College surpasses fundraising goal
After Judson College, a private, Baptist-affiliated women’s college in Marion, Alabama, announced on Dec. 15 that the school would need $1.5 million in cash and commitments to continue operating, donors stepped forward, and the school’s board of trustees approved moving forward with the spring semester.
The college had announced that it would need $500,000 in unrestricted cash donations and $1 million in unrestricted commitments to reopen in 2021. As of Jan. 12, alumnae and friends of Judson have donated, or committed to give before May 31, more than $1,462,868.
In its initial announcement, the school acknowledged the financial effects of declining enrollment and the COVID-19 pandemic. Its spring semester began Jan. 20, and as of press time, the college is planning for a fall session.
Take us along
We’ve enjoyed seeing photos from our readers on their travels with Alabama Living! Please send us a photo of you with a copy of the magazine on your travels to: mytravels@alabamaliving.coop. Please include your name, hometown and electric cooperative, and the location of your photo. We’ll draw a winner for the $25 prize each month.
We wanted to share photos of Ian MacLean of Cheshire, England, and Melissa Locher of Foley, a member of Baldwin EMC, this month in honor of Valentine’s Day. The two met in 1986 in Scotland, then lost touch due to moves and email changes. As Ian puts it, “My search for her became what I thought would be a ‘mission impossible,’ but after years of searching and with the aid of the internet, mutual friends and ‘one click of a mouse’ we eventually re-established contact in August (2020). To say it was a joy for me would be an understatement.” Melissa agrees, adding they’ve been in touch every day since August, and “now I have this wonderful man that’s been in love and searching for me all these years back in my life and I’m not losing him again.” Ian is looking forward to visiting Alabama once the virus restrictions are lifted, and until then, he’s enjoying reading Alabama Living and wearing the Alabama shirt Melissa sent him. Thanks for sharing your love story with our readers!
Our own Fred Braswell, president and CEO of the Alabama Rural Electric Association, took his magazine to the ski slopes at Crested Butte, Colorado, last year. Fred is retiring this month after 22 years of serving the rural electric cooperatives of Alabama. We wish him more time on the slopes and continued good reading!
