Is National Alabama for Sale? 99.99% Sure the Answer is Yes

The gossamer web spun around the National Alabama Corporation began to unravel officially on July 17th of last year. It was then that TimesDaily reporter Trevor Stokes had the courage to finish off an article on local industry by announcing SEDA was looking for companies that could operate in the rail car facility. For his truth in journalism stance, Stokes was seemingly banned from the pages of our local rag for three months and then reassigned to the great metropolis of Russellville.

Others at the TimesDaily attempted damage control and expressed hope that 2011 would be the year National Alabama would prosper. Despite a small contract for auto transport cars, is the plant really beginning to prosper; will it be retained in the RSA stable of businesses? Let's take a chronological look at National Alabama over the past eight months.

July 2010 - Forrest Wright of SEDA announces they are looking for other businesses to locate in the mile long rail car plant. (Does this refer to subdivision or the total exodus of NAC?)

January 2011 - ShoalsInsider reports ABI investigation into National Alabama finances.

Februrary 2011 - Dr. David Bronner omits any reference to National Alabama in his annual report on RSA finances.

February 2011 - Payroll and utilities are revealed to be close to three million a year; income is zero.

February 2011 - Sources inside the plant reveal the interior of the executive offices have never been finished.

March 2011 - Bronner states he's looking at multiple companies to occupy the National Alabama facility. Sources in the plant respond that the entire mile long complex is needed in order to produce rail cars. (As the plant is currently set up, and I see no way to make it otherwise, the entire length of the plant, all 4 production lines, are needed to make railcars. There would be no way to 'sub-divide' the plant and remain capable of producing railcars.)

We believe the correct expression is cutting losses and high-tailing it when it gets this bad. Dr. Bronner may live in an ivory tower of academe, but he is no fool. He will do what is required to rid the RSA of this albino pachyderm...and soon if at all possible.

*****

Congressman Mo Brooks announces the official opening of his Shoals District Office. The public is invited to a special open house on Monday, March 28, 2011 from 2:00 - 3:30pm to meet Congressman Brooks and his staff. The office is located in the Bevill Center on the campus of Northwest Shoals Community College at 1011 George Wallace Boulevard, Tuscumbia, AL 35674. Congressman Brooks looks forward to meeting with constituents and answering their questions.



Shoalanda