Just Who Is Irresponsible? Perhaps It's the Judge

H. Mark Kennedy is a former judge and the current chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party. If your political leanings are so far to the left that you reside in Leningrad or if you have a very strong stomach, you may follow him on Twitter:

Justice Mark Kennedy

Be forewarned that you will be joining Kennedy's throng of 13 current followers. Yes, we said 13--pathetic, isn't it?

But perhaps you don't know Judge/Chairman Kennedy. Just how did he come to be an Alabama Supreme Court Judge, now retired, and later Chairman of the Dems? The fact that he's the son-in-law of the late Gov. George Wallace should give us a clue.

Now it seems he's calling the Republicans "irresponsible" concerning their immigration bill, throwing in the word "ridiculous" for good measure. Well, you can't say he's afraid to take a stance. How do most Alabamians feel? We hope they tell Markie Mark it's time to pack up his extended family and head for...oh, how about outer Mongolia...or anywhere outside this state where the Wallace/Kennedy family has ranted, raved, and pillaged for the last five decades.



Shoalanda

Jack's Hamburgers & the Birmingham Police Department

Like scores of others, I witnessed an unusual scene Thursday night: Bulldozers and other heavy equipment worked rapidly and repetitively to remove the old Jack's restaurant on Florence Boulevard. When I stopped to buy gasoline, on-lookers told me the process had begun around six o'clock; now at almost nine, nothing was left but rubble and waste. It was destroyed in less than three hours.

The Jack's on the corner of Glendale Avenue and the boulevard had stood for almost 30 years, experiencing add-ons, remodeling, and customer growth on a regular basis. Ironically, the old building had replaced an obsolete "George Wallace for Governor" headquarters.

Why ironically? As I left the other on-lookers and drove home, I thought of George Wallace and Bull Connor. Both had done much to bring a reputation of bigotry and violence to the state, and it had taken 30 years to eradicate this view of Alabama, Birmingham in particular. Now, in just 30 seconds, all the good had been undone, at least in the eyes of the world.

When the old Jack's fell, it revealed a sparking new edifice, the jewel in Jack's crown, at least for the next few weeks or months until an even more modern facility is built elsewhere. When the Birmingham Police Department's reputation fell, it left nothing but a bad taste in our mouths. The four officers responsible owe everyone in the state an explanation, but I'm not expecting one.


Reminder: Petco on Cox Creek Parkway is holding a Pet Adoption Day today from Noon until 4:00 p.m. Don't you need a new Frisbe partner or personal masseuse?

Sixty Days without a Judge

When George Wallace appointee Judge Mike Suttle retires on January 31, it may be as long as two months before his replacement is announced. Lauderdale County already has a backlog of cases, making a prompt decision not only desirable, but necessary.

Today is the deadline for applicants to file with the selection committee, headed by retired Judge Leslie Johnson. The committee will have until March 1 to send its recommendation of three names to Gov. Bob Riley. Riley will then have an additional 30 days to pick among the three finalists, making it a distinct possibility that Lauderdale County will be minus one Circuit Judge until March 31.

The TimesDaily has reported only one applicant as of a week ago, and Judge Suttle's staff offered no comment when we contacted his office for an update. This is the first instance of Lauderdale County utilizing such a strenuous vetting process, with thorough background checks for all applicants. Perhaps this has deterred some from applying despite the lucrative salary.

Once the commission releases the names of applicants for the position, all citizens of Lauderdale County should feel not only free, but obligated to contribute to this selection process. Perhaps one impediment to citizens' participation in county government is outdated information posted on Lauderdale websites: http://lauderdalecountyonline.com/Directory/index.html

If we do not hold our elected officials accountable, no one will. Take the time to make your opinions known.


What's up with this: Judging from the Lauderdale County website referenced above, the county webmaster has been on holiday for some time.