The Waynesboro Cemetery Vandals

A word from Bailey:

As a child I was taught not to step on graves, that it was disrespectful. Now I see where breaking up 125 year-old tombstones is merely "disrespectful." And the two "boys" who did this are really great kids. Sorry, thinking adults don't believe this. Dominic Alexander Dickey and Jaymin Tyler Wren are hoods, thugs, perverts, and vermin.

One of these boys works in a cafe and the other one doesn't have a job. How are they supposed to pay for the damage they did to over 50 graves in Wayne County, Tennessee? Some of the people buried in these cemeteries don't have family to file claims in the case. 

What kind of people take up for these two thugs? Judging from Facebook, I'd say a girlfriend, a sister, and a cousin. I'm pretty sure if there's a jury trial, these three won't be on the panel that convicts them. 

They'll have their first court appearance on Tuesday. Give them 40 years hard labor. Then maybe when they get out, they'll be too old to hurt anyone else.

The Odd Man Out: Belk, Dillard's, or J.C. Penney?

After our blog yesterday, we received several communications concerning the three remaining anchor stores in Florence Mall: Belk, Dillard’s, and J. C. Penney. Is one or more of these once huge retail giants about to leave the Shoals? It’s a sad possibility, and according to some who claim to know, it’s a given. Let’s look at them and see what those “in the know” have to say…

Belk: The store we know as Belk started out as two separate mall stores - Pizitz/McRae’s and Parisian. Through a series of purchases, both McRae’s and Parisian became part of the Belk lineup. Depending on what site you consult, Belk is a middle range store for middle class customers or a marginal high end department store for those who are slightly more affluent.

Many locals have complained that Belk in Florence doesn’t measure up to its counterpart in Huntsville, but that’s always been the way of local stores. Amenities aside, is Belk about to say hasta la vista to Florence? The chain closed a Birmingham store recently, but hasn’t hinted to investors that any massive closings were in the works. Local employees have told us if Belk should close, it will be news to them. The bottom line here seems to be: If you like Belk, visit from time to time to make a purchase; it can’t hurt.

Dillard’s: The management of the chain that bought out Castner-Knott likes to rank the stores on a level with Nordstrom. Really? Still, just one year ago, Dillard’s faced a financial crisis when its stock plummeted 15%. Last month the company announced that a small handful of under-performing locations would close in May.

Several local employees have stated that Dillard’s has until the end of this calendar year to up sales or fold tents. Perhaps the most intriguing tale to come out of local speculation concerns a makeover for the store. For some time before it closed, Madison Square Mall in Huntsville housed a Dillard’s Clearance Store. Could one of these be coming to our mall? Would anyone really want it? If some think Belk looks like a thrift store, what would they make of a Dillard’s clearance outlet?

J. C. Penney: The value based department store has announced the closing of 27 various outlets for 2019. None of the closures is in Alabama. If 27 sounds like a lot, the number is still much smaller than other announced closings in recent years.

Penney goes back the longest of the three departments stores, even counting the older Shoals incarnations of Belk from 50 years ago. That means a large percentage of the population has a store credit card and a personal history with Penney. That didn’t keep Sears from closing, but it should certainly make Penny think twice about leaving the Shoals market.

Conclusion: No one can say which of these three iconic brands will close first, if at all. Yet, the rumblings around Dillard’s local foundation are not an encouraging sound.

Sheffield Belk 1946 (Who Knew Colbert County Had This Many People?)

Florence Mall: Forgotten but not Gone (Yet)

When it opened in 1978, Regency Square was billed as the largest single level mall between Nashville and Birmingham. That appellation didn’t really have to make sense, it simply sounded good to a retail starved community. Castner-Knott? Nashville didn’t have anything on us. Pizitz? Birmingham didn’t have anything on us either. Here’s one for the record books: The mall proudly claimed over 20 shoe stores. Were there that many feet in the Shoals?

In a mall that size, one expects quite a turnover of retail establishments. The shopping mecca simply needed to find a niche and all would be well...in perpetuity. Only it wasn’t. It wasn’t well here or in Muscle Shoals or Decatur or not even Huntsville. At least the legacy of Madison Square Mall can blame Bridge Street for pounding the final nail in that coffin. Whom can we blame in Florence?

When we predicted that Hibbett Sports would soon be gone from Florence Mall, we received this:

Speaking of Florence Mall.... we are losing Payless this week, Charlotte Rousse is going out of business currently, & Lids is gone. We lost Auntie Anne’s and Sababros Pizza in the winter. Some of us who manage stores in the mall are very concerned. I would love to see a report on the mall since the renovations were done. Go down the hall by the recruiting offices, it’s like a ghost town down there. How much longer does our mall truly have before it closes the doors? It’s a very hush hush situation with no transparency in sight.

We’re not ashamed to admit that we don’t even know what Lids is...or was. When we looked it up, we were sorry that we had. Retail pundits can pontificate on saving brick and mortar stores all they want, but there’s not many of us who want to invest time and gasoline to walk around a dreary mall to shop for something that we can much more easily purchase using our Dell laptop from the comfort of our Lazy-Boy recliner.

If any of you should doubt that, just ask us where we purchased those two items. Hint: It wasn’t at Florence Mall.

Regency Square: Alabama's Only Licensed Retailer for Legionnaires' Disease

TimesDaily: So Little News, So Much Wrong

Welcome to the world of the TimesDaily where nothing of any great import ever happens - at least if it’s bad. Want local crime news? Click on the drop-down news menu for crime and you’ll discover the last entry in that section was January 27th. Two months without any serious crime?

Sure, some crime stories have been published under the general heading of news, but no “Law & Order” reports have been made available since Tom Smith left the daily disappointment. Why? Is it just too much trouble to call and ask local authorities or does the TD simply want only good news these days?

What is wrong with a newspaper that considers the non-demolition of a long vacant building to be worthy of headline news? It’s sad when the Lawrenceburg newspaper has more to offer than our local one.

If you want real news, if you want real opinion, you’re not going to get it from the TimesDaily.

Shoals Retail:

Hibbett Sports is set to close almost 100 stores before the end of the year. The chain that once called Florence its corporate headquarters is keeping mum on locations, but any town with a Sports Academy or a Dick’s for competition is a very good guess.

While the Hibbett chain is spread out over 30 states, we’re going to predict the Shoals will see at least one closure. There are currently three stores in our area, and a source close the company has told us the Florence Mall location has been underperforming for some time. Yes, we know, you’re shocked...

Not My Circus - Not My Monkeys

The Table (Re)Turns/Family Dollar Closings

By whatever route, the valuable conference table missing from a City of Florence office has been returned. Public shaming is usually an effective method to secure the return of misappropriated property. It’s sad when those shamed are county and state officials.

You may have heard that five Family Dollar Stores in Alabama will be closing. The good news is that those scheduled for the axe are not in the Shoals. What hasn’t been announced are the locations of several more Family Dollars that will be transformed into Dollar Tree locations.

Those who have communicated with us say they would like to see the Family Dollar outlets become the super popular Dollar Tree brand. DTs are extremely competitive with both Walmarts and Dollar Generals, something the Family Dollar stores are not at this point in time.

For those of you who say government is slow to act, here’s proof that the Lauderdale County Commission is doing something about Paradise Drive:

Inspiration Landing: City within a City

According to the City of Sheffield, Inspiration Landing is a “city within a city.” Will it have its own mayor? Probably not, but will have its own tax structure. Yes, expect to pay more taxes at restaurants in the proposed project than you would just outside its borders. That would also hold true for any retail establishments which might locate in the resort. You know...Chanel, Gucci, Louis Vuitton. Don’t worry, we can all go through IL’s trash to recycle bags for our Target purchases.

Of course, IL is for tourists, not regular folks as some would call the everyday inhabitants of the City on the Bluff. Or as W.C. Fields would have said: Suckahs!

Councilman Ronnie Wicks said two weeks ago that he feels like the city is about to break ground on the project...after five calendar years of planning and at least four start dates that have come and gone.

If IL does come to pass, just how will the State Department of Revenue handle the sales tax distribution? Are there any other cities within cities in the state? Will Montgomery laugh at Sheffield? Or should the question be: Will Montgomery laugh even more at Sheffield?

Ag Board Pits NWSCC v. UNA?

Separation of Education and Agriculture in Lauderdale County

by: Uncle Zackery A. Remusall

Dear Mrs. Shoalanda,

My family and friends have sure gotten a big kick giving old Uncle ZAR a hard time after my last letter to you was published. Somehow I got my east and my west all mixed up.

This month I bought some extra facebook minutes for my cell phone and let me say, Mr. Melson sure put on one fine show this last Friday. I really enjoyed it!

I found it very exciting that Mr. Hackworth has met with Congressman Aderholt about widening Highway 72. All of us that travel to work in Florence every morning will tell you that is needed.

Melson began the meeting by saying, "we feel (the Ag Center) is a very important project for this area." He went on to say that the Ag Center is simply a quality of life issue.... In a stern voice he warned the crowd, "I would be careful what you say about our attorney, or our architect."

Since he brought them both up I do have a question. Exactly how much are they being paid?

I think it is great that Ms. Morrow has requested all past, present, and future documents relating to the Ag Authority Board be released. I hope that they will be published monthly on this website and on her facebook too.

The Lauderdale County Board of Education has no problem letting everyone know how much they spend on a monthly basis. Shouldn't the Lauderdale County Board of Agriculture be just as transparent?

My faith in the BOE was slightly restored during the meeting when Lynn Greer stated that the "BOE will be working with the State". That is great news! Isn't that what they are suppose to do?

The influence on the school system by the Ag Board, and Melson particularly, is what has had everyone so frightened.

Greer did encourage the BOE to "get with" the state entity that will be handling the workforce development and that "this part of Alabama may be able to advance."

Greer went on to explain how Lauderdale County has sunk from being 9th in the state to almost the bottom half since 1979. "We've got to get the training," he said.

"The Workforce Development Center would be under one of two entities. NWSCC or UNA, Greer went on to say, "Dr Kitts (at UNA) has a plan that is unbelievable."

When talking about spin-off jobs from the Toyota-Mazda plant Greer said, "I promise you one thing we are not sitting back waiting. It is being worked on."

"We've got to bring the Shoals back up to what it once was." he concluded.

The main source of confusion with this project is why does the Workforce Developmental Center seem to take a back seat to the Ag Center? We all agree that workforce development is much needed.

Melson ended the program by saying, "we would like for this to become a community project." All we want to do is, "make this whole area better for all of us."

He went on to say that, "next time we will try to have a public forum with questions."

Roger Garner recommended that meetings from now on be held in the County Commission board room. It "cuts down on confusion," stated Garner. Tammy Irons could be seen nodding her head in agreement. Mrs. Irons, will please tell Roger Garner to sit up in his chair and stop reclining? It is very annoying and seems impolite.

I believe that the creation the Lauderdale County Ag Authority was an overreach in political power. This is especially true when considering the hijacking of the gas tax component.

Let us not forget that at one time members of this board wanted no bid contracts and the power on eminent domain. This is documented truth. Maybe they each had a change of heart, but we do not want the will of politicians forced upon us. On the ‘Rebuild Alabama’ ‘yes’ vote Greer acknowledged almost everyone in his district was against the tax increase, but insists that he was voting in his district’s ‘best interest'.

Some of the members of this Ag Authority Board are Republican in name only. How else do you explain increasing taxes at every chance? I say what they have done is more like socialism for the rich. Health care left to the free market to decide, but livestock shows are the responsibility of the government?

The absolute worst part about the creation of the Ag Authority Board is that it sets a precedent that reaches across our entire state with repercussions that will last for forever. Melson said "I'm not looking toward the next election. I'm looking toward future generations." That is easy to say right after an election. Also, easy to say when you know that you will remain on the board even if you loose re-election.

This brings up another sore spot of contention. A board such as this should have term limits set for board members. Such as other non-elected boards in the City of Florence, Lauderdale County, and State of Alabama.

As a lifelong member of the Lauderdale County Republican party I ask that the law which created the Ag Authority in Lauderdale County be amended to include term limits. If not, I propose a bipartisan coalition to request that the laws which created the Ag Authority, including the 2 cent gas tax, be repealed.

In closing I would just like to ask the board one final, very important, question. Do you think we will be able to afford the cup holders at every seat like the architect mentioned? I sure hope so and in the words of board member Phillip Pettus, That's all folks!

Uncle ZAR

Roger Garner Fantasizes He's Anywhere but an Ag Board Meeting

Have You Been Harassed by Derek Warren Logue?

It was almost nine years ago when we first blogged about the inordinately high number of sex offenders living in Sheffield. In that blog, we also mentioned "sex offender activist" Derek Warren Logue who was then living in Colbert County. Not long after, we received an extremely rude communication from Logue who related he had sworn out a warrant against us at the Sheffield Police Department - charging us with harassing him.

Needless to say, we had said nothing about Logue that wasn't true. We did call a friend who was working with Sheffield Police at the time; he quickly informed us that every officer knew Logue and would merely laugh if he had attempted to have anyone arrested for harassing communications. You see, according to our officer friend, Logue was always the one to bully others who dared question his goal of abolishing the sex offender registry and weakening offender laws.

Logue soon moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, and continued his work as "the Fallen One." Over the years, Derek broadened his hate list, calling the U.S. flag a "rag." He also has requested both cash donations from his adoring public, as well as items he could sell on eBay. You see, as a registered sex offender, Logue is considered unemployable and receives a disability from the government. Translation: Our taxes support Derek Warren Logue who refuses to work at the manual labor some registry offenders do.

The Fallen One also attends what he calls rallies (attendance usually only Derek and a henchman) at various functions, many of them in Florida. He's been so active in the Sunshine state that one Florida legislator had him slapped with a restraining order. It was in February 2018 that CCTV captured Logue at a Margate Lexus dealership pilfering eight owner's manuals. It seems that these booklets cost $250.00 each and can be sold on eBay for around $128.00. When police looked at the footage, they easily identified Logue (imagine that) and issued a warrant. It wasn't until this month that Logue was arrested in Cincinnati where he had become homeless, ostensibly due to an accidental fire.

Now Derek Logue is being held without bond on eight counts of unauthorized entering a vehicle. He's also facing a grand theft charge. Given his record in this state, plus his previous stalking charges in Florida, a judge may not look favorably on Logue. We can hope this will at least create great difficulties for the media swine to return to Colbert County as it had been rumored he would. 

We know that over the years, our blog has not been the only target for Logue's harassment. He once publicly called out a Killen woman who spoke against his attempts to abolish many sex offender laws in Alabama. He's also bullied lawmakers and pro-registry activists in other states. In the past we haven't kept any of Logue's extremely vulgar communications to us. In hindsight, this was a great mistake. 

If you've been bullied or threatened by Derek Warren Logue, you may wish now to inform the Broward County, Florida, court system. These records can also be presented to any local sheriff or police chief in case this child predator (and that is how he's classified in Ohio) should be freed and decide to move back to the Shoals. 

Unfortunately, Predators Don't Come with Warnings

Melson & Greer Have Wielded Undue Influence?

Friday, March 22, 2019 was a red-letter day in Florence, Alabama. On this day the Lauderdale Luminary enjoyed the high honor and distinct privilege of basking in an aura of greatness as the Lauderdale County Ag Center Authority Board convened to pontificate about its raison d'être, the unneeded and widely unwanted Ag Center. The greatness in the magnitude of unmitigated presumption, indifference, and ineptitude on brazen display was truly awe inspiring as the Board Chairman gaveled the meeting of this august body to order ten minutes late, piously announcing that the Board would not be taking questions from the public at this particular meeting because the purpose of the meeting was simply to inform the public of the Authority's future plans and to reiterate that the Board was still developing procedural policies. Wow! Seems like the cart comes perpetually before the horse with this group. To extend this equine metaphor, the Board then trotted out its architect to present a multi-media dog and pony show extolling the virtues and glamour of this glittering monument to political hubris.


Ironically, although the Board would take no questions, one of its members gave a report at the outset of the meeting that indirectly answered one question foremost in the Lauderdale Luminary's mind. The member reported that he was in discussions with a local accounting firm being considered to provide auditing services and to manage payrolls when the Authority begins to hire staff. The logical inference then is that the operations of the Authority and its governing board WILL NOT be subject to routine annual audits by the Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts (ALDEPA) as so many local agencies and boards are. This gives the clear appearance that the two state legislators who sit on this board have wielded undue influence to gain this exemption from ALDEPA audits. Furthermore, any accounting firm that observes the rules of the Alabama State Board of Public Accountancy (ASBPA) and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) would know that any licensed CPA firm is barred from providing services such as accounting for payrolls and then engaging in an audit that includes those same records for that same entity, as the board member's report seemed to suggest.


Insofar as ALDEPA is under the control of the Alabama State Legislature, the Alabama State Ethics Commission, an entity that seems to function more as a political weapon than as a guardian of public trust, ought to take an interest in the operations of this Board and whether two of its members who are also state legislators are wielding undue influence in order to avoid public scrutiny. Even so, it would seem that the die is cast. Even if Melson and Greer are voted out of office, it will come too late. This boondoggle project is a fait accompli that will provide the Shoals with yet another white elephant for its trophy case. It will be a far bigger tax money pit than the ill conceived Alabama Music Hall of Fame. Just sit back and enjoy being robbed, raped, and ignored. And if you voted for these clowns, don't have the audacity to complain when your child's school is consolidated because of the funds this Board and these legislators have siphoned from school district revenues to fund this "Authority"!

Humbly submitted for your consideration by...

Does Charles (Charlie) Smith Work for Populous or Not?

The latest Ag Authority Board meeting is over; we've posted a video of the proceedings to our Facebook page for those who are long-suffering. For those who may not have the patience to watch the entire meeting, we'll be touching on one issue today.

In October of last year, Charlie Smith was introduced as the event center architect and as an employee of Populous Architecture, a very large global firm. Mr. Smith's LinkedIn page also shows him as still affiliated with the firm's Knoxville office. What does the firm say?

The last reference to Mr. Smith on Populous' website is from 2014. At that time, Smith was called a senior participant of the company. The current website lists 104 senior participants, but Mr. Smith is not one of them.

So does Charles Smith work for Populous or not? Did he perhaps work for the company as recently as last October, but leave? Is the board incurring any undue financial obligations to anyone in this matter?

In closing, one final thought:

On Standby if Needed (Why Not? Everyone Else Has Gotten Into the Act)

Meanwhile...Back in Sheffield

From one of our regular bloggers:

NS had a mess today on the West End. When I got back into Sheffield Montgomery was blocked, but at least Atlanta was opened. Trains were waiting all over, well beyond Corinth.

Did John Elkington have any idea of the train situation when he first considered Sheffield for Inspiration Landing?

And from another of our regular bloggers:

Pigs are flying in Sheffield! Over the course of this past week, and apparently under the cover of darkness, the Sheffield Street Dept. has managed to fill almost every pothole on Hatch Blvd.

Sheffield residents should probably write Mr. Elkington a thank you note for that!

It seems someone has been speculating on the identity of the Midnight Rider. That someone is mistaken, but as for the person wrongly identified, we would be happy to have him send us some guest blogs. After all, we have discerning tastes...

Most Talked About Character in Sheffield and He Doesn't Even Live There!

New Location for Friday Ag Board Meeting

In case you've missed the notices:

Agency Name: Agriculture Authority of Lauderdale County
Meeting Date & Time: 3/22/2019 10:00 AM
Meeting Location: 200 S. Court Street, Florence, AL 35630
Meeting Type: regular
Submission Date & Time: 3/21/2019 12:26:08 PM

In other words, instead of the meeting being held at the Florence-Lauderdale Government Building, it is now scheduled to be held at the Lauderdale County Court House. Are they expecting a bigger crowd? Or just hiding? Let's hope there's a major turnout.

Does the Ag Board always follow the open meeting laws? We received this today:

They "shall use a reasonable method of notice that is convenient to the public" and "any change of the location or method of posting notices shall not take effect until the change has been approved at an open meeting..." The Ag Authority Board has posted all meetings on the Secretary of State website. A person would need to check this page daily or request to receive email notifications about the meeting to be informed. In my opinion, this method is not reasonable. The meeting last Friday was NOT posted on the website as required by law. Their friends at the Lauderdale County Commission notified the Times Daily about the five minute meeting. The Ag Authority used the newspaper to seek a positive story and a photo op.

It's our opinion that most groups/committees/boards become more and more complacent about flouting rules as time goes by. If the Ag Board is this new and this cavalier about the required legalities now, what will it be in five years?

Help! I've Been Kidnapped by Seven Demented Dwarfs!

Greer Businesses/LifeWay Going

We've had a reader request to enumerate the businesses of Ag Board members, possibly with a view to cross-referencing them. Starting with Rep. B. Lynn Greer:

Shoals Retail:

LifeWay owns one store in the Shoals, but it will soon be a thing of the past. The Christian resource company is closing all its brick and mortar facilities by the end of 2019.

Cox Creek Parkway circa 2025

TD Socks it to Tammy Irons

Let's just cut to the chase. In January, the Ag Authority Board went into executive session and did not re-convene. Was it all done according to generally accepted rules and regulations, aka Roberts' Rules of Order?

1. Tammy Irons says everything was just hunky dunky. No story here. Listen to her as attorney for the board. Would she lie to you?

Hmmmm. See this little blog: Just Tell the Truth

2. The TimesDaily states that Irons is wrong. The following steps were needed to make everything on the up and up:

1) A quorum of governmental body must first convene a meeting …

2) A majority of the members of the governmental body present must adopt, by recorded vote, a motion calling for executive session and setting out the purpose of the executive session ...

3) The vote of each member shall be recorded in the minutes.

Assuming the TD is correct, either Irons doesn't know her stuff or she's hoping the general public doesn't know theirs. Silly us, we thought the purpose of a board's attorney was to make sure the body didn't make a legal misstep...not to cover it up when it did.

You Know It's Bad When the TD Feels the Need to Report It.

This Friday Only: The Melson the Magnificent Magic Review

Coming this Friday to the Florence-Lauderdale Government Building, it's Melson the Magnificent! See the uncanny wizard make millions in taxpayer dollars disappear before your very eyes!

Assisting Melson will be Lynn Larson E. Greer. Also on the bill is comic Phil "Pumpkinhead" Pettus; he's a real trooper! 

Seating is limited, so be sure to arrive early for the 2:00 p.m. performance. Critics have raved: No one in the state can match Melson and Greer when it comes to the disappearing dollars routine!

State Now Manufacturing Spirits?

We once read a column lamenting that if Mega Giant Foods has a website enumerating new recipes and products, then Firestarter Matches just has to have a site also. Perhaps that why the Alabama Beverage Board has gone into the business of manufacturing spirits.

It's not unusual to see a state authorize a medal/coin for a special event, but somehow the ABC Board partnering with a bourbon distillery to manufacture a commemorative beverage seems out of the scope of its authority. But, hey, this is Alabama, so expect the unseemly hijinks of government.

Yes, the ABC Board partnered with Blanton Bourbon to produce a small number (thank God) of bottles of special one barrel product, then authorized just ten of its outlets to sell the specially brewed bourbon. Lucky Muscle Shoals was home to one of the ten stores, but don't look for it there now. The product almost immediately sold out at all ten retailers.

If you missed the commemorative One Barrel Bourbon, don't dismay. The Blanton Distillery is also producing its Jefferson Trace Bourbon in much higher quantities...in special 200th birthday bottles of course. After all, the state wouldn't want to miss out on any possible commissions from the sales.

Just how much is the state making off this little collaboration? No one is saying how much money is being taken in or where it's going. We're guessing it's not about to make its way to education, infrastructure, or Medicaid expansion.

For those of you who vehemently oppose our state being in the business of selling alcohol, now you have some new ammunition. After all, hasn't Will Ainsworth already had enough to drink?

Not to be Confused with the Bourbon in which Tyson Soaks its Chicken Bites

Beware the Ags of March

It seems that Lauderdale County is about to own a 5.6 million dollar lot. A vacant lot at that. Don't worry, there will be an agriculture center built on it shortly. Expect big proms. Learn to do the Hokey Pokey. Oh, wait, the ag board already knows how to do the Hokey Pokey with our tax dollars. And our city furniture. And to think that the media once gave John Dillinger such bad press. 

Will the Ag Center be built? We may not get a DreamVision in Muscle Shoals or an Inspiration Landing in Sheffield, but those projects didn't depend totally on tax dollars. 

What about the feasibility study? Even if it should come back in the negative, does anyone think this project can be stopped now? Twenty-five years ago, a feasibility study informed the City of Florence that the town could not support a conference center. The city built it anyway. The center was never anything but a very attractive money pit until the RSA came along and took it off our hands.

Anyone think the state retirement system will eventually do the same for the county ag center? No, we didn't think so...

Remember: Our Grandchildren Will Still be Enjoying the Ag Center 50 Years from Now.

The Republican Senate Candidates?

Yesterday, we mentioned Bradley Byrne, the only announced Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2020. We also stated that of those semi-announced, he's the most promising. Several of our regular readers commented and most were not in favor of any of the Republican candidates. No one is perfect, but it's sad that our state can't muster any better material for the Republican party.

We're going to look at those who are rumored to be potential candidates, but we also want to note that we hope each voter selects the best candidate...not one simply because he/she has an "R" or a "D" after the name. We know that one of our bloggers has stated he will always support the Republican candidate no matter what, and we are certainly willing to publish reader/blogger opinions on either side of the political table. 

Here's the lineup:

Bradley Byrne (Announced): We've been asked to point out his involvement in the Drummond Coal scandal a few years ago. Was he bought and paid for to help the industrial giant escape responsibility in the toxic boondoggle? Rest assured that if Byrne is the Republican nominee, we'll be looking at this in more depth.

The following are "rumored" candidates on the Republican side:

1. Will Ainsworth - The new lieutenant governor has been in office only a few months. Does he want to leave so soon? His basic answer to any question seems to be "vote for me, I'm not a baby killer." His party lifestyle will really get a boost if he should go to Washington, but the welfare of the average Alabama citizen won't.

2. Robert Bentley - Do we even have to say more? How many want Rebekah Mason as de facto senator? Haven't we had enough adultery in D.C.?

3. Roy Moore - Here's another alleged candidate that needs no introduction. He now has more personal lawsuits in state courts than most of us have eggs in the fridge. Anyone examining his statements on women, gays, and bova (yes, we mean cattle) would think the man should be put out to pasture with Sassy.

4. Jim Ziegler - Jim is a colorful character who has some good ideas for money management, but his past support for Roy Moore included disparaging remarks about the "purity" of women over the age of 15 or so. Sorry, Jim, you lost us there...forever. 

5. John Merrill - Our current secretary of state looks almost as good as Byrne on paper. He's done well to recover from some ancient personal scandal, but his recent reckless statements concerning Sen. Doug Jones would seem to betray a lack of temper in his emotions that we don't need in Washington. Everyone knows that belligerent pols belong in Cherokee.

6. Mo Brooks - Mo didn't fare that well in his last attempt to upgrade his political status. He also was a loyal supporter of Roy Moore after the disgraced former judge won the party's nomination. He should have taken his cue from Sen. Shelby and stayed out of it. It's not that we dislike Mo; we simply find him to be the epitome of the Peter Principle. 

There are, of course, three or four others, including Jeff Sessions, who have stated they have no current plans to run. Note the word "current" in that statement. Should they change their minds, we will add them to the list.

As for now, we still believe Bradly Byrne is the most likely candidate to beat Democrat Doug Jones. Are we committed to Byrne? Or to Jones? No. We are committed to the best candidate for Alabama, no matter who he or she may be, and that can't be determined until the nominations are a fait accompli. 

We're the Alabama "A" Team - Just Don't Ask Us What the "A" Stands For.

Reader Requests...

A few topical requests from readers:

The family of accused child pornographer Perry Underwood asked us to publish this statement: " We are all shocked and disgusted, and we believe justice should be served. We all miss and love him, but his affliction is inexcusable. We are grieving, but after all he has done and put his family through, we believe he is where he belongs. "

Alcohol at the Keller Festival? Before we could write anything, the steering committee for the event voted down any chance for alcohol sales in connection with the festival. While we're sure many supported the sale of spirits at the event, we believe the committee made the correct choice.

What do you want to do with Hoda? Two readers have asked us about the mini-controversy over Sen. Doug Jones wanting Hoda the so-called ISIS bride to return to the U.S. Many haven't bothered to read his rationale that this is the only country in which she could possibly receive legal punishment. She's not committed any known crimes in Syria, so it's not about letting that country pay for any trial. There won't be a trial if she's not brought back here. On the flip side, if she's not returned to the U.S., one could reason that having to live out her life in some hellhole of an Arabic country is sufficient punishment for her actions. 

Roy Moore running for U.S. Senate? Is anyone surprised? Have you read some of the evidence he's collected in his answer to Leigh Corfman's libel claims? Apparently some affidavits refer to how many men she's f*cked as an adult woman. Way to go, Roy. As a certain anchorman would say, stay classy.

Bradley Byrne for U.S. Senate? Rep. Byrne doesn't always come across as well as he should. He has a lot going for him. We haven't seen anyone better on the Republican side; he may just be the best person for the job.

On Behalf of Politics, We Resent These Allegations...Not to Mention the Allegator.

John Merrill Wants to Do WHAT to Doug Jones?

Some years ago, one of our regular readers wrote to us about being threatened by John Merrill. The alleged incident had happened some years before this gentleman contacted us, and we had no way to investigate any allegations properly. We had no doubt that something had happened between the two men, but since we didn't know what, we really hadn't thought too much about it in the intervening months and years.

Now it seems the news has been remiss in reporting a remark that investigative reporter Josh Moon has attributed to Merrill. According to Mr. Moon, Merrill threatened at a Vestavia meeting of the Republican party to "bust (Jones) in the chops." 

We immediately had a vision of Merrill hitting Jones in the mouth, but with slang, who knows? Looking it up, the expression can also mean calling someone names. So Secretary of State John Merrill has openly said he wants to either hit our junior senator in the mouth or call him names?

If you're like us, you've been led to believe that Sen. Jones may have made quite a misstatement concerning minority voters in this state. Look into it farther, and you'll see that Jones was speaking of the U.S. as a whole, not our state specifically.

We're linking Josh Moon's article below. It's also very telling that our state, for all the "voter fraud" that is alleged, has prosecuted only one case of voter impersonation...ever. 

Doug Jones Is Right

Since this is a related topic, we're going to digress for a moment. We repeatedly hear of "dead people voting" in this and other states. We can't speak for other states, but the Alabama Department of Health sends a monthly report to each county registrar listing those citizens who have passed away in that period. The name of any deceased voter remains on the polling list for six to eight weeks tops. 

As with most things and individuals, both Democrats and Republicans have enough flaws to report without making up charges. Debate candidates/officials on their actual words, not on how much you can twist their comments.

I'm John "Jivin'" Merrill and I'm Not Here to Chew Bubble Gum!

Really, John? Snicker...

How to Recover Half of that Dime per Gallon

The additional gasoline tax is now a reality, or at least a certain future one. Many of us can afford to pay the extra pennies, but many others can't. Even if we can afford the extra tax, that doesn't mean we like it. Here's how you can recoup some of that money:

If you’re a savvy saver, you probably already use GasBuddy to help you find the cheapest gas station in town. It’s an easy — and free — way to avoid overpaying.

But once you pull up to the pump, here’s something else you can do: Swipe your Pay with GasBuddy card to automatically save 10 cents per gallon on your first purchase (and 5 cents per gallon after that).

The free discount card is tied directly to your checking account. It works at 95% of gas stations throughout the country, so you don’t have to drive around town just to find “your” station. Plus, you don’t have to wait for a rebate — it’s immediate savings.

Simply and securely sign up through GasBuddy. Connect your bank account, enter your address, and GasBuddy will put a card in the mail.

Now that we can feel just slightly better about that added tax, let's map out where the money is going. How much of our money is going to Mobile or larger counties? We have legislators - they're OUR representatives. Let's make sure we tell them how we want that tax money spent, or not spent!

Thanks to Our Multi-Tasking, You Can Now Have Your Tax Dollars Stolen Here and in Montgomery!

One Glaring SEDA Error!

SEDA has been around for decades, and many think the Shoals Economic Development Authority has outlived its usefulness. Some merely think the organization shoots too low in its recruiting targets. No matter all the problems that may or may not affect SEDA, things are certainly coming to a head rapidly. The Lauderdale County Commission has made what appears to be a hollow threat to leave the organization. Should Lauderdale actually follow through?

There are probably 30 days of blogs that could be written on this subject, and we're sure we will be returning to it shortly, but for now we have one strong criticism. We will assume that those in charge are experts in many fields and do a great job, but after looking at the organization's website, we couldn't help but notice what we consider to be a huge mistake in marketing. 

Let's imagine that a new company is making uber waves in X-ray technology. We're talking new paradigm type innovations, and this company is looking for a home in which to flourish. It will be the biggest thing in the country since Amazon, and it's up to one or two individuals to make a list of prospective cities that might be just perfect for the company.

There are 50 states, and assuming these states have an average of 10 recruitment entities each, the new company would have an initial list of 500 sites at which to look. It might be easy to eliminate some which weren't near a major transportation artery or which were deemed undesirable due to extreme weather conditions, but what about the rest? Perhaps that leaves 400 areas in the U.S. that this new company would need to assess.

What does this new company see when it looks at the SEDA site?

It's hard not to miss the word "Targets" in the top menu. Click on the drop down icon and you'll see "Automotive Suppliers" and "Computer Software Designers." This would be fine if these two endeavors were the only ones we wished to reach. Except, these two are not the only ones...and we've just lost the huge new X-ray manufacturer. We were eliminated before the company execs could even look the site over properly.

However, if automotive suppliers and software designers are the only two industries the Shoals is seeking out, so be it. Then do we really need SEDA to help with this limited recruiting?

You Wouldn't Want to Locate in the Shoals by Any Strange Chance, Would You?

How Does Current Alabama Gas Tax Stack Up?

While we're not totally opposed to a an increased gasoline tax, we can definitely say that the majority of our readers are. Like our readers, we do want more accountability in spending in this state, especially concerning such pet projects as the proposed Agriculture Center.

How does our state currently stack up against 49 others in the gas tax category? Here are a few interesting facts based on the most recent numbers from July 2018:

1. Alabama ranks only 41st in state gasoline taxes, meaning 40 states have higher tax rates than we do.

2. The three most highly taxed states are Pennsylvania at .59/gallon, California .55/gallon, and Washington .49/gallon.

3. The three least taxed states are Alaska .15/gallon, Missouri .17/gallon, and Mississippi .19/gallon.

That brings us to the two local legislators who voted "Yes" on increasing the gasoline tax. What have Lynn Greer and Phillip Pettus done for this area? Especially Lynn Greer?

Rep. Greer, we're still waiting for you to introduce legislation either abolishing or amending the state's antiquated Certificate of Need law. When you think of Florence not getting a new cancer treatment center, be sure to think of Lynn Greer. Think of that loss again the next time you go to the polls.

So I lost us a cancer center? Thanks to me you can now legally have a shoot 'em up in your house of worship. It's all good!

Government Waste: NWSCC

Some waste is a given. A woman purchases too much food for a party. A man purchases items on sale, not considering the expiration date. The list goes on.

We're not talking about that kind of accidental waste; we're speaking of your elected and appointed officials spending your/our money without regard to any value received. Unfortunately, this is true in more government entities than not.

We've received some very interesting information about a prime example of this kind of waste at Northwest-Shoals Community College. Let's look at it:

NWSCC is not only a basic two year college preparing students to finish a four year degree elsewhere, it offers two year degrees and one year certificates in various trades. In other words, one can learn welding, mechanics, etc., at the school and be job ready and proficient at the end of the program. 

The college offers many such technical courses and a few years ago decided to offer a program in "Plastic Extrusion." This process produces many items including pipe, tubing, etc. In other words, such a program should be extremely desirable. After investing between 250K and 300K in equipment for the course, the college was ready to roll.

How many have graduated from this program? We're told just one. The machines used in the course have now been mothballed. What happened? 

Was the course not advertised? Was it not explained property to prospective students? Was it something else entirely? Perhaps most importantly, is this a one-off or have there been other such failures at the college costing the taxpayers funding the Shoals can ill afford to lose?

At a higher educational level, remember UNA's "College of Medical Quackery" in conjunction with Chinese communists? That worked out so well, didn't it? It had no graduates and an enrollment of one!

Do we need increased taxation on gasoline, or do we simply need more common sense in spending existing funds?

We're Here to Lighten Your Burden...and Your Wallet

Just Give the Table Back!

So many people who contact us have no idea of any delineation between city and county. It seems a county office worker falls into that group. There's been quite a conversation between Lora Morrow, former state legislative candidate, and Barbara Jamieson Griffith who works for the Lauderdale County legislative offices as a clerk. Griffith has accused Mrs. Morrow of twisting the truth, when it seems to us that Griffith doesn't even wish to admit for whom she works.

At issue is an antique table...or perhaps an antique reproduction conference table...that the Ag Board removed from city property, the Karsner-Kennedy House on Pine Street. The Facebook banter:

Griffith: my bosses had no idea it was gone. Blame me if you want. The KK house was refurbished in the early 80s for the Legislators to have an office. The table was built for them. The Main Street organization was allowed to use the upstairs office about 10 years later. They kicked the Legislative office out of their own building and I had I hour notice b4 I moved because the Main Street head didn’t have enough courtesy to tell me. We took the furniture to another Florence city office. It was not our choice to leave and the furniture was originally the legislators. What’s funny is the time you wasted of so many people to push an issue that not your business.

Morrow: 

I must challenge the accuracy of your statement. 

1. The Legislature was not kicked "out of their own building." The building is owned by the City of Florence.
2. The table is owned by the City of Florence, and was taken without permission from the Karsner-Kennedy House
3. You did not take it to another Florence City office. You took it to a Lauderdale County controlled office.
4. The furniture was not "originally the legislators"
5. As a citizen of Florence, it is my business, along with every other citizen, to protect the assets of our great city.

If any other group of people had taken property that didn't belong to them, they would be in
jail. When are you returning the table and any other furniture stolen from Karsner-Kennedy House?

Since this was no easily replaced Ikea table, and since we're sure the Ag Board wants to remain scrupulously honest, we assume the conference table will be immediately returned. If it isn't, please let us know. The plurality of bloggers here live in Florence and have a vested interest in city property. 

Who Took the Table to the Stable?