Kiwi's Haven & Renee' Miskell

If you're a regular reader of our blog, you know the name Renee' Miskell. Renee' has written several guest commentaries for us in which she has demonstrated her concern for those who are abused and otherwise mistreated.

Now, Renee' and her husband Jeffrey are extending that concern to a large group of animals recently confiscated in Minor Hill, Tennessee. Here is Renee's story in her own words:

I just rescued 37 horses, 5 cows, and 3 dogs from Joanne Betty Gutknecht, 76, of Minor Hill, Tn on 7/10/10; who was arrested on 7/2/10 by the Giles County, TN, Sheriff's Office. There are photos at timesdaily.com/photos (search Animal Cruelty). The Times Daily kindly printed the article on 7/14/10. Several of the horses were severely emaciated, and two died from starvation.

I will one day be starting Kiwi's Haven, a non-profit organization; but first the case will be heard August 19, 2010 at 8:00 at the Pulaski, TN, Giles County Courthouse.

My husband, Jeffrey Miskell, and I are not millionaires and we are personally taking on this responsibility for the health and welfare of these poor animals that were locked in a world of living hell. Joanne Gutknecht and I were friends but I had to make a decision between severing our friendship over actively speaking out against this painful life of the horses that were literally starving to death.

If anyone is interested in making a financial contribution to our cause, please have them call us at 256-247-1727 and please be sure to leave a message. I assure you that we are not trying to get rich. The cost of bringing back a horse to good health from this type of malnourishment is costly and could rise to the level of $3000-5000 per horse depending on whether they get ill because of their immune systems being down, it could be even more costly.

We need horse halters, horse panels, medicine, feed and hay. I have been blessed already with several phone calls and even one volunteer who came yesterday to assist with the horses after she read the article! I thank the Florence Times Daily for running the article and I thank all of the lovely people who have helped in this rescue operation including cattle haulers, friends, and the Giles County Sheriff's Department.

Thank you Shoalanda for your blog. You are reaching many folks on several important causes.

We have encouraged Renee' to add Kiwi's Haven to Facebook causes. Those wishing to donate may do so via PayPal. We'll be updating this story once the site is set up.

Photo by Matt McKean

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Demise of BlogNetNews: We have been members of the BlogNetNews Alabama site almost since the very inception of our column. We were honored when their sister site Blogophilia named us the best new Alabama Political Blog of 2008.

Sadly, due to lagging revenue, this aggregate of political blogs has bitten the dust. We hope the site owners will be able to find a way to resurrect their website before the November elections.

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From C. R.:

PRIVACY PROBLEMS

Any citizen having a house telephone in western Colbert County is very concerned today. Over the weekend news broke about former Mayor Mignon Willis being allowed to hang around the Cherokee Telephone Company for hours at the time. Furthermore, Willis is being allowed to use the telephone company’s computers that hold personal information about the company’s customers. Monday a flood of concerned customers were calling the home office of the telephone company in Jackson, Mississippi. and complaining about the news. We will have to see what action the telephone company takes.

NEED HELP

Because of the ongoing feud between the Burger King Four and the city clerk, Mayor Lansdell believes the citizens are not getting the help they need. If you have called city hall or your councilperson and have not received help, please e-mail the mayor and he will respond to your request. The issue has come up after a house was damaged by backed up sewage. To contact the mayor email, cklansdell@dishmail.net

Shoalanda

Blognet News and Beyond

Blogs, blogs, everywhere a blog. The majority of political blogs are national in scope. This in itself is not bad, but how much influence does the average citizen have over national politics?

Just as charity begins at home, so does influence. By improving the conditions of the Shoals, we set in motion trends that influence the state. While Alabama will never be New York or California, we can hope Alabama will lead the nation in specialized areas.

Yes, it starts here. Remember that the next time you write a letter to a U.S. legislator or other national political figure. Take time to address local issues as well; you'll have a much larger chance of succeeding in your goals. Also take the time to learn what others in the state are doing. We've recommended several blogs to our readers before and we hope you have utilized them to learn more about our regional political arena.

Today we have the honor of being added to Blognet News. This site will offer you a gateway to the best political blogs in Alabama. Read them, learn from them, and act on your knowledge. Together, you and I can change the Shoals for the better.

Add to your bookmarks: http://www.blognetnews.com/alabama/

Thanks, Shoalanda