Gov. Robert Bentley Thursday awarded nearly $995,000 in grant money to three local entities for various projects.

“This is my first time in Red Level,” the governor said.

Bentley said the state is able to award $37 million each year in taxpayer money, which is allocated through the federal government for special projects in rural Alabama.

The town of Red Level was awarded $240,000 to make Bobby Dye Stadium more handicapped accessible.

“The grant will help a lot of people in our community,” Red Level Mayor Willie J. Hendrix said.

Hendrix read a letter from a Red Level High School student about how the lack of handicapped accessibility at the stadium makes it difficult for people with disabilities or older members of their families to enjoy games.

Parking is limited at the stadium and there aren’t many handicapped spots in which to park.

A lot of elderly residents are often dropped off at the gate.

“If our stadium was more friendly to the elderly and handicapped, more people could come,” Hendrix read from the letter.

The plans, designed by Southern Engineering Solutions of Andalusia, call for handicap signage at the entrance of the stadium on the home side, and a concrete walkway from the back of the home stands around the north end of the football field to the visitor stands.

Additionally, the home side restrooms will be restored to be ADA compliant, and there will be ADA compliant ramps in the restrooms.

On the visitors’ side, there is already a new ADA compliant restroom.

A ramp with a retaining wall will also be constructed on the current clay hill on the home side.

Covington County Board of Education President Jimmy Rodgers expressed his happiness with the project.

“This is going to be neat,” he said.

The town or Red Level will contribute $20,163 to the project.

For Opp, the city has received $444,793 for sewer rehab.

The money will be used to provide sewer line repairs along Kolb, Bailey, Foreman, Barnes, Hardage and Jewell streets.

The city of Opp has committed $50,000 for the project.

Opp City Planner Jason Bryan said this is the third year in a row that the city has applied for a grant for that project.

“We are doing this for the utilities,” he said.

Bryan said that CDG Engineers is doing the project plans for them.

“I don’t see it starting for a couple or three months,” he said. “They still have to finalize the plans and bid it out.”

Opp Mayor Becky Bracke said that the money it very important to the town and it means the world to them.

Additionally, the Coffee County Commission also received $310,000 to provide water system improvements along portions of Hwy. 87 and County Road 410.

Coffee County Commission Chairman Dean Smith said they love to see the governor except when it’s flooding.

Smith said they previously applied for the grant but didn’t get it.

He commended ADECA’s staff, including Director Jim Byard for coming down and working with them to help them get it approved.

They also partnered with a grant writer from the Southeast Alabama Regional Planning and Development and Commission.

“We are very appreciative,” he said.

Bentley also gave credit to the state legislature for approving matching funding for the Community Development Block Grants.

“If it wasn’t for them matching it, we wouldn’t get as many grants as we do,” Bentley said.

Bentley gave props to longtime Sen. Jimmy Holley and Rep. Mike Jones for representing the area well.

“CDBG grants are very important for rural areas,” he said.

The governor said he was recently in Fayette and the CDBG money awarded there gave 29 families access to running water.

Bentley said it’s easy to dig wells in South Alabama, but not in North Alabama because of the rock.