The comedy show at the Marriott is now in its second week and promises a lengthy run. Perhaps comedy isn't the word...how about dramady? No? Let's just say down right asinine and be done with it.
According to Keller's legal eagles, the cardiac program at ECM will be short lived since one of the surgeons is 67. No...wait...make that 62. Well, hey, that's still only eight years until retirement. After all, isn't Dr. Athanasuleas the only cardiac surgeon in the U.S.? And just what does the cardiac program have to do with the number of beds in the replacement hospital? Looks like more than deerslayers utilize the smoke and mirrors routine.
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Our friend Steve Wiggins of the Quad-Cities Daily has interviewed Sheffield Mayor Ian Sanford concerning Greg Ray's civil service board victory:
Shannon Ray Johnson, 42, is currently incarcerated on drug charges. After refusing to testify against his brother Alfred Shawn Johnson, 43, he's lost his chance at a plea bargain that would have allowed him to plead to manslaughter in the 2000 death of Keith Barnett. What now?
Since Shawn has now been convicted of Felony Murder, Shannon's attorney Jeff Austin may attempt to place total blame on the older brother, creating a more than slight chance Shannon Ray Johnson could request a jury trial and walk free--at least of any Felony Murder or Manslaughter charges.
Let's hope Shannon Ray Johnson receives the same penalty as his brother.
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Thanks to a lack of documentation and what we hear was some fancy footwork by attorney James Irby, Sheffield's Greg Ray has now been reinstated as police chief. The Quad-Cities Daily has an exclusive interview with the chief:
Former Sheffield Police Chief Greg Ray is currently on paid leave pending a civil service board hearing. That means the City of Sheffield is paying both Ray and his interim replacement, who is also fire chief. How much is this costing the city? We have no firm idea since Dewey King was already on the payroll. We do have a concrete idea that Mr. Ray feels his days as chief, working or on leave, are numbered.
Ray is paying Colbert County attorney Tony Hughes to defend him of charges related to malfeasance. The hearing, already postponed once, was scheduled for January 17th; on the 14th, Hughes requested the subpoena of several witnesses. Obviously, the subpoenas could not be processed in three days time--something we imagine Hughes, our readers, and Hong Kong garbage truck workers would probably be cognizant of.
Either former Florence cop Tony Hughes just received some extremely pertinent new information, he isn't doing his job, or he's attempting to manipulate the system in Sheffield. Only the first possibility is an acceptable one. We have to wonder why Chief Ray didn't hire Billy Underwood. We don't know his going rate, but he does get things done.
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Have fond memories of the Norwood Theatre? The site of the popular movie house in the Seven Points area of North Florence is now Pocket Park, but when first constructed in the latter half of the 1940s, the small theatre caused some controversy. It seems that construction materials were still in short supply, and building permits were issued for only necessary structures. The permit to build the new movie house originally stated it was to be a grocery store. After construction began, some savvy observers reported to the city that it was the only grocery store they ever saw with that much gradient to the floor, but by that time the building was well under way.
Don't you miss those days of dissembling to get around all those pointless government regulations? No? Oh, you just visit Muscle Shoals when you feel nostalgic for them.
If you just adore the Norwood theatre card pictured above, it can be yours for only 3.00 and shipping. Between YouTube and eBay, who can't relive their childhood? Link
...they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
When we first began our blog slightly over four years ago, we did not consider the possibility of writing on the act of baptism. Yet here we are, addressing a subject that has caused some diverse opinions--all because of one controversial convert, Ron Wikkid Weems.
As far as we know, it's always been the practice to allow any prisoner who so wishes to be baptized. Last Tuesday, Ronald Eugene Weems and an unknown number of inmates from the Colbert County Jail were taken to a church building where they were baptized in some manner. We say in some manner since we don't know what they proclaimed or professed before the act. The building pictured is obviously not home to the more conservative among our local believers--note drum set to the right. That does not mean the baptisms themselves were carried out by members of this particular religious group.
Some have compared the trek to the church building to a field trip. Others have objected that it allowed Weems to spend approximately one hour in a serene setting with two of his children and other family members. Still others have questioned the sincerity of Weems, accused of killing Amanda Taylor and dismembering her body. One of our contacts has informed us that Assistant Colbert County District Attorney Kyle Brown was unaware that Weems was in the group that had requested to be baptized. Was there special security?
One of our readers even questioned how many in this group had been baptized before, but chose to again "put on Christ" in order to escape the tedium of incarceration for a few hours. Some readers of the Baptist faith felt there was no need for the baptism since in their faith it is unnecessary for salvation.
We cannot and will not judge Weems' sincerity in this matter. While we do not personally like Ron Wikkid, we do not begrudge him the opportunity to change his life. We do hope that the vast majority of his future life is spent in a maximum security prison setting. There Weems will have ample time to reflect on his past crimes, sins if you will. We also regret the district attorney's office was not able to charge Weems with a second crime related to Amanda's death in order to try him for Capital Murder. It will be up to the public, those who want justice for Amanda and her family, to make sure Weems is not granted parole.
In the "It's just the thought of it" department, we note that Weems is sitting on what is commonly called the Lord's Table, the article of furniture were communion is placed before being served to the congregation. We have to wonder if this image will come to the minds of congregants as they take the Lord's Supper...
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We've just read the latest TimesDaily update on the firing of Sheffield Police Chief Greg Ray. It was a sobering article...up to a point. Then it became hilarious. We're sure our readers with good memories and a strong sense of irony will similarly be amused.
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