Colbert EMA Complaints

First, an old complaint that we're hearing again: The Colbert EMA does not test its emergency siren system! At least the sirens in Sheffield and other areas are either not tested or are not working. What happens when there's an actual tornado and the sirens fail? 

Next, we have a more subjective complaint. The Colbert EMA has in the past few months gone through a personnel purge/realignment. Who are the new employees or employees-to-be? Will friends and relatives be given these positions?

Specifically, who is to be the new EMA office manager? Someone with friends in EMA high places? We await!

Nepotism is not new and not concentrated in only Colbert County. Anyone applied for a job in Rogersville recently? How about at Lauderdale County schools? 

If you answered yes to those two questions, good luck! If you're looking for a school position, we predict the current financial situation at Lauderdale schools will worsen this fall; try Limestone County - you'll be glad you did.

Future Colbert EMA Office Manager?

 

Unfair Criticism of Florence Independence Day Celebration?

For several years, the Independence Day celebration in Florence has been sketchy, as in sponsorship and level of professionalism. This year the annual July 4th event has come under severe criticism for its sparse program. Let's look at two problems...

1. This year the event has no sponsor; only the city itself is funding the to do. First, thanks to the city for maintaining this tradition. Second, to those who wanted more, we say: Do you want your tax dollars spent on brief entertainment for the masses or for actual needs of the city? Does that bring it into perspective? City officials have stated that a new sponsor is being recruited for next year. Any businesses out there which want to step up? When you buy your fireworks from TNT, remember that it has abandoned the annual show after Florence gave the company almost exclusive rights to sell in the city. How's that for gratitude?

2. Now, here's a great question: Just who brought (or threatened to bring) legal action against the City of Florence for copyright infringement of the name "Spirit of Freedom?" The name had been used for years, but can no longer be incorporated into the celebration according to officials. Since the local celebration is just that...local...it seems petty that anyone would object, especially after all these years.

For those who want more than Florence has to offer, the Jam at Sloss Lake in Russellville is again a winner, showcasing Shenandoah this year.  Go for it!

Who Names These Things?

Lauderdale is Tops in What?

What do you visualize if someone says "chemical endangerment of a child?" Originally, the Alabama law was designed to bring charges against individuals who manufactured methamphetamine in homes with small children present, or perhaps who left drugs indiscriminately lying around their abodes. Somehow the charge came to be extended to pregnant women who were known to take drugs.

Yes, a pregnant woman arrested for drug use can also be charged with endangering her fetus. Other times, the arrest comes after the woman gives birth and then tests positive for illicit drugs. Is this a good interpretation of the law or not?

We'll leave that to the legal experts, but one result of this unintended result is the disparity found in these prosecutions. Which counties in Alabama regularly prosecute these women? According to one legal watchdog, only three: Marshall, Morgan, and Lauderdale. Prosecution in larger counties is practically non-existent. 

Is there a moral here? There's a slight geographic pattern, all these counties being in the northern part of the state. Beyond that, what are we missing? Why does Lauderdale County prosecute these pitiful women and Colbert, Franklin, etc. do not?

Comments welcome...

Opening Act in Equal Justice for All

ATVs in Sheffield & Muscle Shoals

Our readers report illegal ATV usage in both Muscle Shoals and Sheffield...especially Sheffield, where the police have told citizens they are too busy to enforce traffic laws. What can you do?

Call your councilperson or, better yet, attend a council meeting. Take video to show to the authorities. This is a dangerous situation, and you may actually save someone's life by reporting the illegal vehicles.

Other readers have asked us the status of the Salvationist's grant from the City of Florence. We have heard nothing on how the city may have responded to the FFRF's complaint, but we will update if we do.

Several have also asked why the city has not established its own shelter for the homeless. We're not sure this is the best use of taxpayer funds. We already have Room in the Inn and fervently hope that everyone will support that project rather than the Salvation Army Church. 

Word on Mexico? None. We've been asked to publish what information we have, but it's all hearsay. Again we ask that anyone who has definite information about local funds being sent to Mexico to contact us. You will always remain anonymous. 

And Make a Mental Note to Give to Room in the Inn
  

Are Garner & Melson Behind Proposed Colagross Ouster?

From an anonymous pundit:

The president (Glenda Colagross) is hesitant to build the workforce development center in Florence. She does not believe that it will beneficial to college to have such a building when those who started the ball rolling do not and have not had a plan for what will be done in such building. Since Senator Tim Melson and Commissioner Roger Garner are tied so tightly to the Ag Center, they are desperate to make her build. Mr. Garner is also an employee of NWSCC and is unhappy that he can not manipulate this president like he did the last.

Senator Melson’s involvement has been confirmed by several in Montgomery and by the AEA state representative. The vote was incredibly unorganized and last minute due to “someone with ties to Montgomery” leaking a story to the local newspaper that one would occur. The employee who headed up the vote, Ms McBride, is the secretary of one of Senator Melson’s very close friends, Mr. Tom Carter. The TimesDaily has obviously aligned with Senator Melson and his plots since they are not reporting fact and definitely not telling the entire story. I am very sad by what has occurred this week at Northwest Shoals and believe that those who are responsible for damaging the college and the community should be known.

I would also like to add that there was not a 68% no confidence vote. Of those who voted, half the individuals voted for and half voted against. Many people did not vote at all since they do not want to be involved with something so ridiculous. When all numbers were counted, less than 18% of the faculty and staff voted no confidence for the president. Of those who voted not confident, many were lied to about their futures at the college while others were threatened. Additionally, there was no procedure in place to make sure that those who actually voted were who they said they were and only voted on one campus. With 492 employees, there was no safe guard to make sure that individuals were really college employees.

In regards to the “short-term leave”, President Colagross was on a planned vacation with her family and was on campus Thursday and Friday. This vote was planned at a time so that that statement could be used.

Note: Our calculations indicate a 52 percent "no" vote. We are happy to correct this.

A Lotta Bodies Down Here...

68% No Confidence Vote for Colagross

When the ballots were unfolded, 68% of NWSCC employees had cast a no-confidence vote in the presidency of Dr. Glenda Colagross. Nearly all sources say the root of discontent with Colagross is a huge faculty salary issue.

A peripheral issue seems to be that the community college president has declined to listen to those who oppose her. How deep does that issue go?

Colagross has been reported to be on a leave of absence. Really? Health? What? Is the State of Alabama circling wagons and coming up with a new strategy...or a new college president?

Apparently there's a great deal more to this issue than has been reported. We certainly realize that Dr. Colagross inherited quite a mess from Dr. Humphrey Lee, but whatever she's done to make matters better, it doesn't seem to be working.

We still hear rumors that part, if not all, of the Phil Campbell campus may close. This is not what the public wants. Yes, things change, and perhaps education gurus should consider revamping the entire community college system. Comments welcome.

The Negligent/Wanton Homicide Case Against Carol Davis

Emily Hartline has sued Carol Davis of Vina for what legal documents are calling negligent or wanton homicide in the death of Roman and Haven Hartline. The two Franklin County children were in the foster custody of Davis at the time of their deaths.

Readers have previously reported to us that Davis either is or was a school teacher. That doesn't make her an astrophysicist, but it does make her someone who can understand basic traffic and safety laws. Why was she ignoring these laws when Roman and Haven died?

Hartline's suit specifically claims that:

1. Davis placed the two Hartline children on an ATV made for only one person. The one person concept shouldn't be hard to understand; why did Davis ignore the safety regulations for the vehicle she was operating?

2. Davis proceeded to operate the ATV on state roadways. Years ago, the fine was $500.00 for this crime. Has it gone up? Why was Davis willing to risk both financial loss and physical injury to both herself, her illegal passengers, and any law abiding citizens she may have injured in the process?

3. Neither Davis nor the children was wearing any safety equipment (helmets). Again, why? Did this woman have a death wish?

4. Davis drove the ATV over terrain where it was difficult to maintain control. We're going to give Davis a pass on this one since this a subjective claim.

There are only two choices here: Carol Davis is either incredibly dumb or incredibly evil. The "dumb" designation would include impaired, but according to sources in law enforcement, Davis didn't have drugs in her system. We would like this woman better if she had. 

As it now appears, Davis was mad at something (perhaps the world) and didn't care what happened to her or anyone else. This is the woman that Franklin County gave the Hartline children to. 

From an uncaring, drugged up mother to an uncaring, perhaps psychotic foster parent, this is how Roman and Haven were forced to live their entire lives. The only consolation here is that these two children are now in a permanent place of safety and happiness. 

Let's pray for all the children who remain here in unspeakably cruel circumstances.

After His First Ride, We Plan to Take Him to a Brothel...

Missing Mom Emily Sues Careless Carer Carol

Emily Hope Joy Hartline McCalpin

"Mother": What does that word mean to you? Ever read any articles about mother bears defending their young? Ever see your own mother leap tall buildings in a single bound when she heard you scream in the distance?

Okay, get those images out of your mind when you think about Emily Hartline. If you're out of the loop, this will fill you in:

Franklin County Killed the Hartline Children

Roman & Haven

We were told some time ago that both parents had filed suit in the case; however, we didn't have any details until now. At least we have the skinny on the suit filed by Emily Hartline - there is possibly a second lawsuit that is in the works.

First, let's look at Emily; we'll look at the foster mom Carol Davis tomorrow. Emily doesn't have a very good track record as an even moderately adequate human being, much less mother to young children. Just how much did her children mean to her?

First we have her arrest in February 2015 for Possession of Methamphetamine and Chemical Endangerment of a Child. The State of Alabama took her children at that time.

Next we have the now 29 year-old Hartline failing to appear at her pre-trial hearing. She was captured and jailed in August 2016. Are these actions indicative of a woman who wants her children back?

Sixteen months later, Hartline had still made no headway in reclaiming her two children, but she had snagged a new man. On December 15, 2017, she married James Phillip McCalpin. Hubby Richard probably didn't have a chance to complete since he had spent most of the intervening months in jail on one drug charge after the other. The latest marriage must be rock solid since the 54 year-old McCalpin still lists himself as single in his online bio. 

Eight more months pass, and Emily Hartline McCalpin is no closer to reclaiming her offspring. She has posted on Facebook that she would like to find a job and believes that she would be good at many things. Apparently motherhood wasn't one of them. Roman and Haven died that month - August 2018.

Four months later, the grieving mother filed suit in Franklin County against Carol Davis, the foster mother to whom the state had entrusted the Hartline children. Hartline-McCalpin and attorney Grant Wright of Tuscumbia are requesting punitive damages to be set by a jury. 

Tomorrow: Carol Davis

"Free Trap!" Really?

It's difficult to know how people really feel about things since so many often use trite expressions or meaningless hyperbole. Since an article on Travis Fallows' most recent conviction and new arrest, we're seeing the hash tag "freetrap." We'll assume that "Trap" is Fallows' nickname.

He's not the only one online posters deem worthy of freedom. We see these sentiments a few times a week whenever a career criminal is arrested. They have such good hearts. In fact we just saw someone mention that Fallows would give you the shirt off his back. We once postulated that was the surest way to identify a murderer: They will always give you the shirt off their back.

So let's see...We know that Travis Fallows has shot an innocent woman while trying to hit her male family member, shot a man in a pool hall who later died from his injuries, attacked a family member (in the third degree), and is now accused of stabbing a fellow inmate to death. Should we free "Trap," folks?

Our opinion is, due to his two previous violent felonies, good ol' Trap will get Life Without if convicted of the Elmore prison murder. Perhaps Gov. Ivey will pardon him if he promises to be good?

Colbert County Needs Better Investigators

The Source of the Boating Deaths Rumor?

If you've been keeping up with the aftermath of the tragic boating accident that occurred two weeks ago, you've heard the rumor that so many have accused us of hiding. Until our blog on the subject, we hadn't a clue who the alleged owner of the cabin cruiser was. Then the e-mails/messages began to flood in - all naming the same man.

Except...as the Quad-Cities Daily is reporting, neither the rumored boat pilot nor any vessel registered to him was involved. From the QCD:

He’s not part of the investigation. I can’t say more about the case, but what I can allow is that neither Tom nor his boat were (sic) involved.

Who started this rumor? Interestingly, those who have related a source in their communications to us have indicated an unnamed Lauderdale County Sheriff's deputy as the one who placed blame on the Florence boater. Interesting if that is correct.

Second, the Augusta, Georgia, newspaper published incorrect information on the owner of the boat and, by inference, deflected blame from one vessel. We're going with the QCD account which is very thoroughly researched.

There seems to be blame on both sides in the accident. After speaking with a person very familiar with the creek/lake area, we understand that small sightseeing bass boats/speed boats have no place on the waterways after dark. It's too late for Lauren and Blakely Cowart, but let's hope at least some learn from this misadventure.

Inspiration Landing is Elkington's Most Advanced Project?

In case any of our readers thought that Sheffield was the center of the Shoals, we must disabuse you of that idea. According to a certain Memphis developer, it's Furnace Hill. Oh, well, Sheffield can go back to being the City on the Bluff. Let's hope the city saved all its old signs.

A recent article in a Nashville financial magazine has listed Inspiration Landing as the most far advanced of John Elkington's three current developments. The other two are in New Orleans and Nashville. All three are primarily entertainment districts - highly specialized areas requiring, we would have thought, highly specialized planners and workers. 

In a recent filing with the SEC in which Elkington seeks to increase the amount of money he can legally glean from investors, the developer listed four others as major players in his company's plans when he included them in the official paperwork. One of these four is local - Sheffield contractor Bill Campbell, owner of Construction Engineering. From Manta:

Construction Engineering LLC is a privately held company in Sheffield, AL and is a Unknown business. Categorized under Home Builders. Our records show it was established in 2007 and incorporated in Alabama. Current estimates show this company has an annual revenue of $1 to 2.5 million and employs a staff of approximately 10 to 19.

Does this mean that Campbell is a major investor...or that he will be a major contractor for the project? If you want to learn more about the Inspiration Landing project, you can check out its website:

Inspiration Landing

Pretty slick, huh? And we have readers who criticize the quality of our online content...

An Indian Casino in Our Future?

For some time now, rumors of a Poarch Indian casino arriving in our end of the state have been swirling in cyberspace. Could any of them be true? That we don't know. We do know that a fourth rumor has just cropped up, so we'll present them here for you to either laugh at, take to heart, or pray for:

1. DeKalb County - The draw of this area is unknown to us, but it is one of four that have been suggested.

2. Intersection of I-65 and 565 - This is the latest rumor known to us. The location seems ideal and would be another jewel in Limestone's crown...assuming all one cares about are dollars and cents.

3. Waterloo - This small town does have tentative connections to native Americans and might be ideal in some ways. Perhaps Paradise Drive could finally be paved?

4. Lauderdale Ag Center - Yes, we saved the best rumor for last. We're not sure if our mysterious ag board has actually been approached by any agents for a casino or if this is idle speculation concerning a project to which few see a benefit. 

Any of our readers have casino location rumors to add to ours? Send them our way...

Just Don't Come to Us for a Loan When You Lose the Rent Money...

Quash the Lauderdale County School Tax?

Now comes the Lauderdale County Superintendent and Board of Education entreating voters to head to the polls in August to reauthorize expiring property taxes that bring in $6 million annually to the county school system. Their standard plea that this is “not a new tax” may prove far less palatable to Lauderdale County voters in the present day than in years past, now that the Board has enthusiastically conspired with the AG Center Cabal to siphon many hundreds of thousands of dollars away from county schools each year to help fund a boondoggle project that no one voted for and that will prove itself to be more of a monument to the political hubris of its backers than a necessary public asset.

So if you support the decisions being forced down our throats by these autocrats, then by all means, please hurry to the polls and vote for the renewal of these taxes. After all, these leaders of ours must have the purest of motives at heart, their decisions doubtlessly guided by Divine Providence. Isn’t that what Romans:13 tells us? It's a good thing that our Founding Fathers did not subscribe to a literal interpretation of that particular scripture with respect to King George III. And with respect to the suspicious behavior of our school leaders and our state legislative delegation, their motives for disposing of taxpayer dollars as they have lately appear to be far from pure and aimed at something other than the public’s best interest.

But more than the need to develop a healthy distrust of all politicians, there is a greater lesson to be learned from the clandestine dealings of our public school leaders, the lesson that government owned and controlled schools are themselves anathema to our heritage as sons and daughters of Liberty. They are the metastatic cancer that will inexorably reduce the American spirit of fierce individualism to the servile pawn of totalitarian utopianism. True and pure education is a commodity that should be subject only to the natural forces of a free market, not the self-righteous dictates of any particular notion of truth or justice.

Humbly submitted for your consideration by...

We Don't Know His Name, Honest Red Injun

Slightly over a week ago, a collision between two boats on Shoal Creek resulted in the death of a young woman and her daughter. At that time, a press release from ALEA's marine division said very little. The two crafts had steered into each other and nothing would be announced until after the investigation was completed.

What did the public think? Aunt Jane knows the first two things that popped into the minds of most who read of the tragedy. Apparently, we can disregard the first; the collision was in no way the fault of those on the small bass boat.

According to the Augusta Chronicle, Lauderdale coroner Butch Tucker stated that the much larger cabin cruiser hit the boat presumably belonging to Ross Wooten Jr. Wooten's son was also injured in the crash and treated at Huntsville Hospital for serious injuries.

Since that time, many have asked us the name of the pilot of the cabin cruiser. We have absolutely no idea. We do know, judging from past incidents on both land and water, there is usually an indictment before any arrests are made. How long this might take, we have no idea, but perhaps months.

Why the secrecy? The marine police is different from the more well known state troopers. This may be the standard protocol for that organization. It will be extremely interesting to see how this plays out. In the interim, rest assured that no one here at Shoalanda knows any names or is protecting anyone.

The Victims

Father's Day 2019

The best way to be a good father? Sometimes, it's simply a matter of just being there. You may not have the right words or you may feel like chucking it all and running off to Tahiti with the boss' secretary, but you don't. You don't because you love your children and want to do the right thing. You realize that it's no longer all about you.

No one said it would be easy. Just hang in there...

The Staff at Shoalanda Speaks

Does Anyone Care About These Two Dead Children?

It's almost Father's Day, and many are commenting on what it takes to be a real father. Sadly, some never seem to take those comments to heart. How about all those "pro-life" comments? Tears for unborn fetuses, but a big shoulder shrug for two real live children whose foster mother killed them?

Hartline Children

It's been ten months since the Hartline children died. The pathetic excuse for parents have sued Franklin County. What has Franklin County done? Nothing. Perhaps the county thinks if it prosecutes the foster mother for manslaughter it will in some way acknowledge guilt?

Think about these two children the next time you campaign for saving the unborn. No, there's nothing wrong with that. We feel the same way up to a point. We also feel that when those who have been born are wantonly killed, the majority of people should not say, "Well, it was an accident." Yes, it was an accident waiting to happen, and obviously no one cares.

Oh, wait, the Hartlines care. They care about getting all that money from the county. How do you feel about that, Franklin County? You want your hard earned tax dollars to go to a pair of drugged up slackers who never did anything right in their pathetic lives? Well...do you? Be sure to get back to the county with your answers to that question.

Franklin County Is Having a BOGO!

Roundabout & Frankfort Road

What's the difference between the Sweetwater roundabout and Inspiration Landing? Neither might ever be finished, but at least the roundabout has been started. On the plus side, the construction site isn't an ugly mess like that despicable rainbow downtown...ahem!

If we were David Bradley, we'd be at that ramshackle excuse for construction every working day until the workers got the idea that they'd better shake a tailfeather!

Frankfort Road? Have you seen the new sign? Genius!

A Local Parent on Our Schools

I can direct you to numerous parents who have had issues with not just Muscle Shoals school district... but Colbert county and Florence city. Surprisingly I've heard little from Lauderdale county. 

I can tell you about kids who tried to commit suicide and even after the suicide attempt and mental hospital stay - the school failed to enforce the protection order they had placed on his bully. The same child had a teacher intentionally humiliate him in front of the class for having nail polish on his fingernails and then further humiliated him by taking him into the hallway to tell him he was asking for these kids to bully him by doing things like that. This year- he is still getting bullied. 

I can tell you of parents who have moved out of state to seek other opportunities because they found that not only does this issue continue around the state, but AL state schools are so far behind educationally and policy wise, its disgusting.

These districts need to be put in their place, because they seem to think it's politics. They are failing these students in more ways than one.


In the meantime, our state legislators make sure no one ever utters the dreaded word "Namaste" in our classrooms...

No, Tim, Curb Crawlers Aren't Innocent

First, in recent weeks we've published some criticism of Tim Melson, our state senator for Lauderdale County. Some has been written by others, and we do not totally share their opinions.

If Sen. Melson ran tomorrow, we would endorse him. Our problem with Tim is his problem with pronouncements. We don't feel that he thinks before he speaks. "Innocent Johns?"

No, we're pretty sure there's no such thing as innocent murderers, innocent arsonists, or innocent johns. Most counties already release booking photos of the crub crawlers caught in their vice webs. 

Wives and children? Thieves, arsonists, rapists, etc. have wives and children. It's not the government's fault...it's not the press' fault...that these people commit crimes, are arrested, and then are presented to the public as the evil doers they are. 

We will chastise Sen. Melson here for being so concerned with the families of criminals, but not innocent children who have been raped and are now pregnant by their attackers. Couldn't you have voted against that sick bill, Tim? Most of us would have thought much more of you if you had...

FFRF Requests Florence Rescind Grant to Salvationist Church

In February, the Florence City Council approved a grant for $38,500.00 to the Salvation Army Church (Salvationists) to upgrade its homeless facilities/programs. While it's good that the city wants to help with the problem, many who contacted us were upset that the city was choosing to do so by uniting with a local church/cult in order to accomplish the task.

This is not the first time the city has given the SA funds; however, this may be the largest donation on record. We've learned that the Freedom from Religion Foundation has contacted the city to inform officials that sponsoring this project is in direct opposition to the Constitution and has already been declared illegal by the Supreme Court.

It's unknown how the city will respond to the demands of the FFRF. We continue to receive complaints about the local church sending donations outside the U.S.; however, we have not as yet received any documentation of those payments. Feel free to send us your comments and/or proofs of any such donations to south of the border.

Just Where Do Rapists Have Rights?/Namaste, Y'all!

We've had one reader ask if Alabama is one of only two states giving rapists rights to the products of their crimes. Our friend believes that as many as 30 other states do the same. 

Laws differing so from state to state, it's difficult to compare in every instance. We can say that Alabama is supposedly one of only two states which does not automatically sever the visitation rights of rapists upon conviction of the crime. 

No matter how many other states give rapists any legal standing in a child's life, do we really want Alabama to?

*****

Yoga...yeah, that really subversive trend that's been around for, oh, hundreds of years. We can remember yoga at UNA when we were there during the Napoleonic Wars. Opposition to yoga classes seems to come from fear of that newfangled rock group the Beatles and their heathen ways. 

No matter, we were intrigued that a recent bill in our legislature wanted to ALLOW yoga classes as long as no one said "Namaste." Being extremely culturally deprived, we had to look it up to be sure that it wasn't a contrived bit from Jonathan Creek. We found that it's a simple Indian greeting.

So can public school students still say "Buongiorno?" How about "Adios?" Are we prejudiced against Indians only? How have we been missing this?

Our state legislature at work, folks. 

Rapist Gets Visitation Rights in DeKalb County

Yes, rapists who father a child in Alabama have legal visitation rights to that child. Alabama is one of only two states which allow this. Let's see...the state with the harshest anti-abortion law also favors allowing a rapist rights to see children produced from that crime. Nice, huh?

Consider Lenion Richard Barnett Jr. The Sylvania resident fathered four children (two of which died) by his step-niece while his victim was a young teenager (the first rape occurred when she was 12). After he left prison, he returned to DeKalb County and was granted visitation rights by a family court judge. In May, Barnett was arrested on drug charges and may be out of the picture at this point...no thanks to an imbecilic jurist.

Here's another total idiot: Ned Holstein of the National Parenting Organization. He says there is good on both sides of the issue. Really? Holstein makes our legislators look intelligent.

A law to strip rapists of their parental rights to products of their crimes didn't make it out of committee this past session. It will be introduced again during the next regular session. We personally feel that any man who rapes his young teenage niece should be drawn and quartered...and that's just for starters; however, at least the proposed law is a step in the right direction.

I'm Ned Holstein and I Think Rapists Have Rational Rights to the Products of Their Crimes. Will Someone Please Just Shoot Me Now?

More on Sheffield Lawsuit & Frankfort Road

We received some questions concerning the possible lawsuit against the City of Sheffield. Several stated that many more businesses should follow this path. The suit to be filed by Joseph Mitchum is quite specific in that he accuses Sheffield of defrauding him by its actions. While other businesses have suffered due to the smoking ban, as far as we know none of them had been assured that the city's business climate would remain favorable to them. That is the difference. 

Frankfort Road? Residents have reported Sheffield Utilities have begun rerouting power lines in anticipation of repairs starting next week. The timeline is 45 days from start to finish.

Did someone say timeline? Wasn't the TimesDaily cute in its article that stated no one thought the East Florence roundabout would take this long? Just who were these individuals who actually believed that all would go according to schedule?

And the new city parking on Huntsville Road? We hope everyone managed to read far enough to see that the extra parking places are on hold due to a problem with title to the land the city sought to purchase. Murphy really loves East Florence, doesn't he?

Business Owner Announces Suit Against Sheffield

If you don't want to read the small print, Mr. Joseph Mitchum is demanding $50,000.00 in damages from Sheffield, accusing the town of fraud when the city told him it was supportive of a cigar lounge he planned to build. Mr. Mitchum is now out 50K and would obviously like to be reimbursed.

This shouldn't be a problem since the money from Inspiration Landing will start rolling in shortly. Year five and counting. 

New Colbert Animal Control Budget?

Commissioner Tommy Barnes took the time to answer our blog on problems with the commission. He has consistently been the only commissioner who has seemed responsive to the citizens' needs in quite a while. Thank you, Mr. Barnes.

Commissioner Barnes states that he's working on a new funding scheme for Colbert Animal Control. Some private citizens have told us that Ms. Rillie Winkle is also working on securing more equitable funding for the shelter. 

We'll have more on this later, but for now we want to thank both Mr. Barnes and Ms. Winkle for taking on a much needed task, a task that is unfortunately unpopular among some groups of people who care only for themselves and see nothing wrong with kicking animals to the curb.

While on the subject, props to Mayor Steve Holt and all the Florence City Council for finally making that city's new animal shelter a reality. We can't say enough good about the shelter or thank our officials enough for following through as promised.

More props to the city on the new Florence Middle School. The mayor and council fought against UNA's bid to wrest the old Coffee property from the school children of Florence, and every caring citizen should be forever grateful. 

If you haven't taken an up close and personal drive-by to look at the school, do it this weekend. It's another jewel in the city's crown!

We're Doing Our Best To Get You Some

Colbert County Commission Twiddles Thumbs as Frankfort Road Slides Away

Is everyone happy with how the new Colbert County jail is coming along? Oh, wait, we forgot. It's not coming along, is it? Well, the commission has other pressing matters.

Animal control is serious business, and the commission is on top of that, right? No? Afraid not. The county won't even consider updates to an almost 20 year old budget.

Well, roads! Yes, they're on top of the road conditions, right? What do you really think?!!!

Our blogger J. Redmon recently published a short article on the difficulties New Bethel School is experiencing due to its main access road being closed. We certainly got complaints from readers who seemed to think we blamed New Bethel for the problem. No, we can blame the flooding from last February...and the Colbert County Commission.

Approximately 300 feet of Frankfort Road was washed away or slipped from its base during the heavy floods from last winter. That section of road has remained closed to all traffic since the third week in February. After the flooding cleared, the county engineer announced that his department was "aggressively assessing" the damage. Just how does one aggressively assess something? Does one do a Maori war dance while viewing the damage? We're going to surmise that John Bedford meant "thoroughly," but for some odd reason thought "aggressively" sounded more gung ho. 

Bedford also announced that the county was attempting to secure emergency relief funds from the state department of transportation in order to do the work. We understand that asphalt/road work is comparable in cost to platinum, but the county doesn't have the emergency funds on hand to repair 300 feet of a two-lane road?

So here we are over three months later and the county is now beginning to consider bids on the project. Think about that. Your county commission in action. We sincerely hope that every resident of the Frankfort area, as well as every parent/teacher of New Bethel School, votes District 6 commissioner Charlie Hovater out of office...and that the rest of Colbert County follows suit with the other commissioners.

Who Needs a Border Wall When You Have the Colbert County Commission?

Prince Threatens to Bite Mayor Underwood

Hi, guys. Shoalanda asked me a few questions about the dog situation in Sheffield and I was only too glad to fill her in. In fact, I volunteered to do a blog and to bite whoever needed it starting with Tuscumbia mayor Kerry Underwood.

Yes, the shelter is full. Just because not all the animals who have to camp out there are listed on the website, it doesn't mean they aren't actually there taking up those luxurious suites and dining high on the Purina pig. A lot of them are strays that the shelter has to hold or are undergoing medical treatment that prevents them from being on the active adoption list. Also, there aren't enough employees to keep the list up to date. 

In fact, the shelter may have to reduce the number of employees even if it's currently understaffed. The budget hasn't been redone since 2000. Yeppers, 19 years since anyone has had a raise or increased funding.

Funding? Tuscumbia has consistently failed to come across with its share of doggo dough. So I'm here today to offer a grrrrreat solution. I'll bite anyone free of charge in order to help the shelter out. I'll start with Mayor Kerry Underwood and then work my way up to the Colbert County Commission (otherwise known as that pointless pile of do-nothing puppy poop).

So let's get together and demand that Tuscumbia pays its fair share. Then let's elect a new commission that will act alive enough to keep the fleas off them. How about it?

Biting for Justice Since 2015

Legislature Takes Up Sex Ed & Divorce

(Sorry to disappoint, but the legislature failed once again.)

The most recent legislative session has ended. While induced abortion was basically banned, the legislators didn't see fit to make time for a bill that would have improved the sex education curriculum in this state. Apparently this august body doesn't comprehend that a better understanding of the reproductive system is the first step toward preventing unwanted pregnancies. Be sure to thank them. 

Divorce? No. That was also a tongue in cheek comment. Which is the larger problem in this state: Divorce or induced abortion?

In Alabama in 2014, the last year for which statistics in these two areas are readily available, we find some interesting numbers:

Induced Abortions             8,020

Divorces                          18,504


Some more interesting numbers from the Bible:

Times abortion is mentioned                                            0

Times divorce is mentioned (condemned, etc.)                 17


If our legislature really cared about family values, why doesn't it come up with something to counter the state's rising divorce numbers? J.D. Crowe with AL.com called our legislature a rather vulgar term, but he did hit the nail on its pointed little head. It's "Bass-ackward and proud of it!"

Who's Your Lawn Boy? Let's Hope It's Not Ryan

We recently blogged about lawn care/landscape workers, tree trimmers, etc. Many of those working in these trades have felony convictions, usually for drugs and theft (no white collar crime here). Our friend who was robbed by workers employed to put down new sod after the recent flooding still hasn't been reimbursed by his insurance; his total loss now stands at around $6,000.00.

Shortly after that, a reader stated she wanted to give these men a second chance. Second chances are great, and we believe in them. What about eighth and ninth chances? That gets a little more problematic, doesn't it? We want former addicts to succeed, but we also don't want them robbing any of us blind if they fail. Isn't that just common sense?

According to an alert reader, an arrest this past week brought this point home. On May 25th, probationer Ryan Kent Pollard wrote on his FB page:

On May 29th, he was arrested. His primary charge was a DUI, but a source has told us that he's a suspect in some other "petty" crimes in Lauderdale County. Petty crimes or major crimes, don't be a victim. You work hard for your money, don't simply sit back and say "Oh, well..." when it's stolen from under your grass allergy afflicted noses.

If You Vet Your Office Employees, Why Not Your Landscapers?

Problems at New Bethel School

This is a GREAT school, 'up on the mountain', in Colbert County. However, last winter's floods washed out a section of county road that parents/buses used to get students to school. Parents from the extreme outer, west end of Tuscumbia have been forced to detour through Cherokee in order to get to school. This added 1 HOUR to the drive. Now the kicker: Colbert County Road Department is apparently relying on grant money to fix this issue. Grant money. Are there no contingency funds for things like this?

How about it, Colbert County Commission? Isn't this just a little bit of an emergency? Hey, here's an idea: If the grant falls through, perhaps you could ask Santa Claus. It seems in line with your game plan...

Colbert County Plan B