The final quarter of this year began last week with yet another announcement concerning economic development in our Senate district.

DongWon Autopart Technology Alabama has selected north Crenshaw County as a site for its new supplier company to the principal Hyundai plant in Montgomery County. The acquisition of Hyundai has spawned almost fifteen new plants in the last ten months, and it is my understanding that there are yet several significant announcements to be made.

DongWon will employ over 100 people and this should be good for several adjoining counties in addition to its home site of Crenshaw County. A public ceremony was held at the Capitol in Montgomery acknowledging this new industry. Gov. Bob Riley spoke and several officers from the new company were present.

Crenshaw County Probate Judge Jim Perdue presided over the meeting and did a very fine job with the ceremonial announcement. He related all parts of the program to a football team and had some clever ideas that fit well for the ceremony.

In other news, I am pleased to inform the citizens of Greenville and Butler County that the area leading to Cambrian Ridge has been selected as a scenic byway for the state of Alabama. This can be very significant, and I will try to explain why I feel that way.

To give you a little history, about four years ago I passed a bill in the Alabama Legislature entitled the Alabama Scenic Byways Act. This legislation had as its purpose finding and designating scenic or historical places throughout our state, which were generally not on &uot;the beaten path.&uot;

There are federal grants available to improve areas that are considered significant attractions for tourists, but you first have to have a plan and a list of designated places. I was elected chairman of the committee set up under the legislation and we have been developing guidelines to identify these scenic byways for the past 18 months.

Now that those guidelines are in place, the next step is to find areas that qualify as scenic byways. There were a number of places suggested but only three could be identified for the first round of grants. I am very pleased to have nominated and received approval for the Cambrian Ridge Project.

I have asked Nancy Idland of Greenville to serve as a project coordinator for this scenic byways activity, and she will no doubt select others to assist to assist her as we move forward with our plans.

Eventually all of the scenic byways which are designated throughout the state will be placed on an Alabama Highway map that is available to all tourists, as well as Alabamians. This is what makes these projects so significant. They could add considerably to the tourist traffic and therefore be an important economic benefit to the area where the byway is located.

In any event, I am hopeful that we can develop this project into something very meaningful and I wanted you to know that I am proud we have secured this for our senate district.

Until next week remember, &uot;I’ll go with you or I’ll go for you&uot; to help you solve any problem to state government.

Senator Wendell Mitchell can

be reacjed at 334-242-7883, or by writing

to P.O. Box 225, Luverne, AL 36049.