Showing posts with label Kenneth Sylvester. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kenneth Sylvester. Show all posts

Monday, February 8, 2010

Protests, Clarifications, and Politics as Usual


Vulcan Materials in Tuscumbia pays Colbert County a large severance tax each year, as well as donating materials to local schools, libraries, and other community endeavors. Therefore, a reader was recently surprised to find at least five, and perhaps more, homemade billboards protesting this giant quarry company. These protest signs are located on Hwy 20 between Barton and Tuscumbia, most immediately adjacent to Vulcan's huge plant complex.

A phone call to the company confirmed that there are such signs in place, but the spokesperson would provide no further information. What, after all these years of business in the same area, has Vulcan done (or not done) to spark such animosity?

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Chad Holden has now officially launched his Facebook site and invites supporters to join. Chad has asked that we clarify one statement from our recent profile. While he does describe himself as an Independent, he will be running on the Democratic ticket. Mr. Holden feels the word "Independent" is a wise choice for social networking sites that his students will invariably read. We agree this shows wisdom and commend Chad's choice in the matter.

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Congratulations to Sandra Killen-Burroughs on the new canine member of her family. After our blog published a small item about Morris Lentz' foundling Squirt needing a new home, she and her family visited and promptly fell in love. We may need to change the name of our column to Adoptions Are Us.

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Yesterday, we published a guest commentary by Renee' Miskell. We have been in contact with Renee' for some time since her friend Jennifer Bragg's murder. Renee' would like us to add that her interest in ensuring appropriate punishment for abusers and murderers extends well beyond Jennifer's case, as evidenced by her commentary on the surprisingly light sentence meted out to Kenneth Sylvester.

Renee' knew Jennifer only the short period of time that the Shapley/Bragg family had lived in the Lexington area. Yet, she has been deeply affected by her death, as have many others.


Remembering Jennifer H. Bragg
July 26, 1990 - February 7, 2008

Jennifer is no longer crying out - she is now still - resting comfortably and in peace under the cover of God’s love, grace and mercy. God rest your beautiful soul, Jennifer. You are surely missed.

I knew you only briefly, I wish I could have helped had I known.

Renee Miskell

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Happy birthday tomorrow to our favorite computer guru Jim Fisher who will be in the neighborhood of 110. More birthday wishes to our favorite Lipstick Librarian Jessica Piper who will turn 21ish.


Shoalanda

Too Nice, Too Lenient?


TOO NICE, TOO LENIENT?


A Guest Commentary by

Renee' Miskell


On Friday, February 5, 2010, the TimesDaily reports that Kenneth Sylvester pleads guilty to manslaughter in the beating death of Donnie Guyse in Judge Mike Jones courtroom; thus avoiding the possible 99-year prison sentence Kenneth Sylvester could have received had he been convicted of murder. Kenneth Sylvester faces up to 16 years in prison as part of a plea agreement.

I am sure that Judge Mike Jones and the District Attorneys of Lauderdale County are very nice people - maybe too nice to be in their current positions of protecting the public. Getting 16 years in prison for taking another person's life is definitely not enough time to serve in prison (if he stays in prison that long)!

Is anyone else taking notice of how lenient they have been on murderers?

You are clearly sending the wrong message to murderers and to violent criminals.
It is time that we get officials in office who are hard on criminals and time to stop making short-termed prison sentences and plea agreements with these criminals!

If we need more jobs, and the prisons are over crowded, build more prisons, hire more guards and take action to protect the public. Someone who murders is clearly sick and when that person gets out, he or she will do it again.

Wake up and take action people...this is our town, this is our safety that we are talking about here. Let's not be passive about such an important issue.


Renee' is a Rogersville resident who was close friends with murder victim Jennifer Bragg. It has been exactly two years today since Jennifer's murder. Her killer has 23 years left to serve on his sentence. Let's hope he serves it all.

Shoalanda