Chamber hosts Ivey for State of the State

May 28—On Thursday, the Greater Limestone County Chamber of Commerce welcomed Gov. Kay Ivey to the Carter Gymnasium at Athens State University for a State of the State luncheon.

Ivey took the podium to thank attendees for their support during Tuesday's primary election.

"I'd like to begin by thanking you, all of you, from the bottom of my heart for your support. It truly means a lot. We have a lot of great things happening in Alabama, but we still have a lot of work ahead of us. I am proud to continue working alongside folks like you and all this room to ensure that Alabama is the best place to live, work and raise a family," said Ivey. "As you look ahead into the next few years, I am confident that by working together we will propel Limestone County, the entire state and our nation forward."

Ivey focused on the infrastructure improvements under way in Limestone County and in Alabama, including interstate 565 and Hwy. 72.

"Let me start by talking about infrastructure. and when I say that I don't mean Washington, D.C.'s definition of the word; we're from Alabama. So, I mean roads and bridges. Folks if you know me, you know I shoot straight and tell you like it is, and after all, Alabama's roads and our bridges needed some work, and they still do. We have made significant progress thanks to Rebuild Alabama," said Ivey. "We are seeing the long-awaited projects in this area become reality. We are making serious progress on interstate 565. We recently announced a long overdue expansion of Hwy. 72. As promised, every single penny is going into road and bridge projects, as well as to our port."

The state has issued road projects in most Alabama counties, amounting to almost 1,500 projects totaling more than $5 billion.

"On top of the local improvements being made, the state has administered projects in almost all 67 counties. Since I've been governor, we've embarked on almost 1,500 new road and bridge projects worth north of $5 billion. We are announcing additional projects what feels like left and right, and like I said, y'all, we're just getting started. When we make a serious commitment, and not just lip service, to improving our infrastructure we are setting ourselves up for success in other areas too, like our economy. Alabama's economic comeback is leading the nation," said Ivey.

Ivey highlighted local industry success, including Toyota and Amazon, and the job growth the companies brought to Limestone County.

"Limestone County is a shining example of local success in our state. In this part of the state, to put it simply, y'all are killing it. We are seeing a lot of activity and growth with our automotive suppliers, including Toyota, that was 400 jobs right here in Athens. Amazon also announced a $200 million investment for a new distribution center in Limestone County, which created 750 jobs. It's these types of real results and partners like you that have helped Alabama's economy be at one of the best points in our state's history," said Ivey.

2021 saw record low unemployment rates, as well as significant job growth. Ivey encouraged attendees to not become complacent and to continue pushing for economic growth for future Alabamians.

"2021 was the second-best year ever in our state's history. We saw significant job growth in areas like distribution, automotive, metals, IT and agricultual. We are seeing growth both in urban and in rural areas. All that said, we cannot become complacent, y'all, and we must continue to think about the economy of the future so that our children can continue to have job opportunities that enable them to stay and raise their families right here in Alabama," said Ivey. "Folks, as you've heard me say, the best is yet to come."

Alabama continues to see record low unemployment rates.

"For 18 consecutive months we have held the lowest unemployment rate in the southeast," said Ivey. "We are the best place to do business, and it's because of folks like you and partnerships that we have, that make this a reality."

Ivey recently signed the largest education trust fund in Alabama's history. It addressed pre-k classrooms, provided math coaches and funded after school programs. It created pay increases for teachers and rewarded experienced teachers.

"I've said this before, but it's worth repeating today. The single, most important issue here in Alabama — and across the nation — is our student's education. Plain and simple. We must put renewed focused on the basics. Ensuring our students are proficient readers and making sure we laser in on our efforts in mathematics," said Ivey. "I'm a firm believer in the potential of Alabama, and I am a firm believer in our students."

At the end of the address, Ivey expressed hope for the future of Alabama and reiterated her core values that she campaigned on.

"I know each and every one of us in this room are extremely grateful to call Alabama home. We live by our values and our faith, and we lend a helping hand to each other. We support our military and honor our veterans. We back our men and women in blue. We are tackling the toughest issues and not backing down from a challenge. Areas that have long needed attention, such as mental health care, are major priorities for us. We are making real progress on important issues, and we will continue asking what more can we do," said Ivey. "If we continue to make strategic improvements and investments where they count, then I assure you that decades from now people all across the country and across the world will talk about the Alabama transformation that we helped lead. That, my friends, is what's in front of us. There is great possibility in the future of Alabama. This is our opportunity, so let's not waste a moment."

Special guests in attendance at the event included:

* Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks

* Council chairman Collin Daily

* District Four commissioner LaDon Townsend

* State representative Lynn Greer

* State representative Parker Moore

* State representative Andy Whitt

* State representative Danny Crawford

* Speaker Mac McCutcheon

* State senator Tim Melson

* State senator Tom Butler

* Athens City Schools Superintendent Beth Patton

* Limestone County Schools Superintendent Randy Shearouse

* Councilmember Dana Henry

* Circuit Court clerk Brad Curnutt

* Sheriff Joshua McLaughlin

* Calhoun Community College president Jimmy Hodges

* ASU president Philip Way

* ASU vice president for university advancement Keith Ferguson