Just Say Nay - Dump the Dump!

A Letter to All Citizens of Florence & All Other Conservation-Minded Individuals:

It's been said "You can't fight City Hall." Well, we say we can--especially if City Hall is wrong. We are asking all residents of Florence to take part in this campaign to save the Florence Golf and Country Club. While we firmly believe 95% of a municipality's business should be just that--theirs and no one else's, something of the magnitude and beauty of this property belongs to the Shoals, just as does the New Deal mural in the future Tuscumbia City Hall.

While trash and garbage are a fact of life, that does not mean we should give these dregs of day-to-day living a place of prominence in our community. Perhaps the next step would be to raze the 1948 Art Deco Rogers Department Store building and install pay toilets. We have every confidence that the elected and appointed officials of Florence can design a plan for solid waste disposal that does not include the destruction of 157 acres of beautifully landscaped property and an edifice of architectural integrity.

We ask you to call or e-mail the following Florence officials with your concerns:


District I - Sam Pendleton - 760-6401, spendle@bellsouth.net


District 2 - Dick Jordan - 760-6402, djordan@mjcarterins.com


District 3 - Hermon Graham - 760-6403, hermon1@comcast.net


District 4 - Barry Morris - 760-6404, bkmorris@una.edu


District 5 - James Barnhart - 760-6405, jhbarnhart142@comcast.net


District 6 - Andy Betterton - 760-6406, andy@abetterton.com


The first, and perhaps only, vote on this issue will be Tuesday, November 17th, at 5:00 p.m. in the Municipal Building auditorium. We encourage all who can to be there. We humbly and sincerely ask everyone to make a long and loud protest of this purchase to the above named council members.

Thank you,

Shoalanda (E. A. Truitt, publisher)

Hermon T. Graham - Don't Play Without Him

Somehow after Sarah Palin announced she no longer wanted to be the Governor of Alaska, it's fitting that Hermon T. Graham has announced his candidacy to succeed Rep. Tammy Irons in the State House. Graham currently serves as Florence City Councilman for District 3, largely located in the Eastern end of the city.

Graham has previously stated he was being encouraged to run for state representative, although he never bothered to mention the names of those who were doing the encouraging. Graham's district is one of the most economically depressed in Florence, and it's quite possible the good councilman has grown tired of it.

It was only a few years ago that Graham butted heads with Martin Dean, Scott Carrier, and several concerned East Florence residents over the proposed Bass Pro Shop to be located in District 3. When Graham refused to address his constituency's concerns, they proceeded to take the matter into their own hands. Graham's reaction: How dare they?

From the June 2, 2006 TimesDaily:

In the message, Graham said Dean should not have called for a meeting "about things in other people's district(s)," Carrier said.

"I don't approve of having (a) meeting in my district I represent, (when) I'm out of town," Graham stated on the message. "He's playing with fire and whoever is helping him is, too."

Carrier said Graham's message indicated that residents need Graham's permission to assemble in the district Graham represents.

We're sure we're not alone in the belief that a representative should represent, not thwart the will of the district he serves. Considering the amount of the interest in the District I seat, we doubt Hermon T. Graham will be a viable contender.


Quote of the day: “Some people would be better off with poor eye sight than more credit.” - Bobby W. Miller, Florence Author