"Undercover Agents" in Leighton

Okay, we promise no more jokes. We just think prostitution stings could come up with a better name for those officers making the supreme sacrifice...be they male or female. In case you're totally lost here...

It seems Tony Logan has just led a group of ABI undercover agents into the dangerous world of Leighton/Colbert County prostitution...and beyond. The Tuscumbia chief has announced the arrests of four females and one male on misdemeanor charges related to soliciting sex. Logan went as far as to say there had been unusual activity at local hotels recently. Fill in your own joke here since we promised only the one attempt at humor.

Backpage.com? Never heard of it. We did visit so that you, gentle readers, will not have to be bothered. Only one ad seems to be local. From Muscle Shoals:

Click to Enlarge

And the murderer of Mr. Elbert Farley still walks the streets.



Shoalanda

Daniel Rosser Has Work to Do/50K in Overdrafts?

 Downtown Leighton, Alabama Business District

After we published our blog on voter apathy and poll worker malfeasance in Leighton yesterday, a reader suggested we do more than report the problem to our readers. Current Colbert County Probate Judge Tommy Crosslin pooh-poohed the incident of 50 District 5 voters receiving District 4 ballots. Since the buck stops with the probate judge, we would have expected some promise of "getting to the bottom" of it, but perhaps Crosslin felt he couldn't comment further since he's soon leaving office.

That brings us to Daniel Rosser. We supported, and support, Dan since we feel he's the most qualified for the position. We don't expect Mr. Rosser to do miracles within 24 hours of taking office, but we do expect more efficiently run elections in future. We hope to publish a comment from Dan shortly.

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It would seem Leighton has more pressing problems than poorly informed poll workers. It's been reported that approximatley 50K in payments to Leighton's waste disposal department were co-mingled with water department funds and apparently never returned.

Does one city department have to sue another city department in order to make this right? Again, the TimesDaily simply reported the situation, but asked no questions concerning how this happened and what was being done to correct it.

The TD also reported that Leighton had 50K in overdraft charges during the past year. Just a thought here, but after around one or two thousand in such charges, wouldn't the town learn not to write checks when there was no money in its accounts? Novel idea, we're sure, but it's worked for us.



Shoalanda

The Tale of Two Train Wrecks

We don't want to look at train wrecks; we know we shouldn't look at train wrecks; yet we invariably do look at train wrecks. Colbert County seems to have two train wrecks--one at each end, veritable bookends you might say.

Neither Cherokee nor Leighton can have a town council meeting without harsh words and strong language--and sometimes fisticuffs. The mayor has been sued in Leighton, as has the mayor's wife in Cherokee. Both towns have female town council members who have been in the news this past week--neither for any meritorious actions. Leighton is being investigated by the Federal Department of Justice, while Cherokee is the subject several State ethics complaints.

Is there a cure for these two towns and their anti-social behavior? Nanny McPhee Part III coming soon...

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Our mail is running five to one against our removing the Cherokee town council member pics; however, there was the slight chance her accounts were actually hacked. We think it was probably an instance of someone providing the password to the wrong person and look to hear more about this in the immediate future. As we publish, the council member's Yahoo status of "needing some action and satisfaction" is still up...

For the few who felt the pics shouldn't be republished, remember this person is an elected official, one who makes decisions that affect the entire community. We understand she also makes medical decisions in her role as a rescue squad volunteer. Hacked accounts or not, there were some very bad decisions made here.

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Words from Mother Dear: Three things that don't mix...Oil & Water, Ammonia & Chlorine Bleach, a Thong and a Man with a Camera. Mother Dear was always right.

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Now, let's return to the train wreck. From C. R.:

Keeper of the Keys

It seems there is a battle of the keys in Cherokee. The city council voted to change the locks on the door to the city clerk’s office. The only person that would have the key would be the city clerk. The mayor of the city would not be allowed to have access. The council wanted to make sure the mayor was really insulted and let the city clerk keep a key to the mayor’s office.

It appears that the mayor has had enough of the council. Friday when the city clerk was off for training he changed the locks to the city clerk’s office and his own. Sunday night after 9:00 p.m. the city clerk Melinda Malone went to city hall and found the locks changed. Melinda Malone called the police officer on duty and the officer called his dad the chief of police and the chief called the mayor. The mayor came to city hall and gave a copy of the key to the city clerk office to Melinda Malone and made her sign for receiving a copy of the key. This should make for an interesting council meeting Sept 7.

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Shoalanda



Prepare to Get Connected!

The Lady or the Russellville Tiger?

Every six years, Halloween falls on Friday night. Therefore this should not come as a surprise to any of the powers that be. In a kinder, gentler time a Wednesday Halloween presented problems for small rural communities, as a Sunday holiday still does. Now it seems in a Southern culture of "two-a-day" the Friday night lights take precedence over the Celtic New Year's Eve.

Russellville had obviously hoped to have a perfect season, and as it stands now, has only one loss and a stab at a State Title. In other words, local residents just love to watch a successful team. This Friday, the Russellville Golden Tigers will play Colbert County, only a short drive for Franklin County residents. The Mayor and other elected officials naturally want everyone from the area to drive to Leighton to support their team, but what of traditional trick-or-treating? Easy: Halloween is now Thursday night! I'm sure Russellville City teachers just loved that pronouncement. Of course, those not interested in football may now trick-or-treat in Russellville on Thursday and then travel to Muscle Shoals on Friday for an encore and a toothache.

Perhaps now the Russellville officials will change Christmas to July. The sales are better.


What's up with this: If the Lauderdale County Teachers' Credit Union is unable to recoup the six million lost on loans to bankrupt Tim Shelton, just who loses?