Paradise Drive Doesn't LIve Up To Name

Since a fatal accident on Paradise Drive in Waterloo, discussion of what repairs are needed to make this road safe have increased. From a reader:

The death that occurred in Waterloo is on the same road the county commission has refused to make safe. The county commission voted 3-2 to leave the road as a 1981 resolution had said with minimal maintenance only. Fay Parker and Rhea Fulmer voted to eliminate or change the resolution, but D.C. Thornton and Larry Irons voted to leave the 1981 resolution in place and the tie was broken by Dewey Mitchell voted to leave it in place.

I also sent the commission and the road engineer a Notice of Defects on February 10th 2012, and they have taken no action to correct. One of the defects is lack of adequate signage and guard rails. Both may have prevented this accident from occurring.

We realize the commission cannot turn all Lauderdale County roads into a California freeway; however, one needless death is one too many. Kudos to Fulmer and Parker for at least attempting to rectify the problem and sour lemons to the Thornton, Irons, and Mitchell.

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On Monday, our friend Amy Collins wrote her last regular blog. We will leave the link in our sidebar for those who would like to look back over her profound and humorous observations.

In the mean time, she will continue with Brave Mable on Fridays. The Brave Mable line is available at several outlets in the Shoals. As Mable would say, "Buy Local!"

Note to Amy: We just wish we had thought of your "wordless" catch phrase before you did...

Shoalanda