New Hospital Still Planned for Lauderdale

A department head with ECM Hospital has contacted us concerning the confusion over the location of the new RegionalCare hospital. Despite the suggestion of Drs. William Heaton and Hisham Ba'albaki that the new facility could possibly be built on TVA land south of the river, the plans remain in place for the hospital to be constructed in Lauderdale County.

While we feel a merger of RegionalCare and Helen Keller Hospital is in the interest of all Shoals citizens, it should be pointed out that ECM cardiologists stand to gain if the merger comes to fruition. Currently, Keller is sending patients requiring stents and similar procedures to Huntsville--these same procedures are done, and done well, at ECM.

Again let us stress, if citizens of Colbert County feel the partnership with Huntsville Hospital is the wrong path for their health care, they need to contact their county commissioners...and contact them now. For too long both the citizens and commissioners of Colbert County have let the Keller Board blindly lead them. They deserve better.

*****

If any readers have family that are currently or have in the past been incarcerated in the Lauderdale County Work Release program, please contact us concerning problems they may have encountered.

*****

Speaking of inmates, we today read that Alabama is third in the nation. In what, you may ask. Unfortunately not in any desirable area. It seems that Alabama falls behind only Florida and Delaware in the percentage of populace who have permanently lost their right to vote.

While Attorney General, Troy King added numerous crimes to the standard list of offenses of moral turpitude. We hope once he becomes acclimated to his new office, Luther Strange will remedy many of the excesses of TK the AG.

*****

We've heard from our blogging sister Mary Carton. Despite her new role as blogger for Grit magazine, she assures us she will continue with Rosedale Gardens. The Shoals area is truly blessed with numerous great bloggers. Thanks, Mary, for your wonderful tales of flowerbeds and hooligans.



Shoalanda

All Is Not Well in Sheffield?

From C.R.:

Citizens Unhappy

The Sheffield Police Department is in turmoil. It appears citizens that live in Sheffield do have a say in their government. Several citizens have been filing complaints with their Sheffield City Council Members and Mayor. The complaints stem from a lack of control with the police department. The citizens call over and over again complaining to the Police Chief about problems in their neighborhoods and no action is taken. When the citizens call their respective council member and in turn the council member calls the police chief, nothing is done.

Complaints

There are three main complaints coming from the citizens. The police department seems to care more about writing a traffic ticket for speeding a few miles an hour over the limit than doing something about drugs. The second complaint deals with the way some police officers are treating the citizens. One citizen was quoted as saying the department is speaking to and treating people like dogs. The third complaint is the lack of visible patrol in the city’s neighborhoods.

The citizens are not the only people complaining; several police officers are complaining of mistreatment and other officers complain nothing is being done about drugs. It is also alleged that Police Chief Ray broke federal law. When one military reservist turned in notice of a deployment, Ray informed him he could not hold his job and made the officer resign. Ray tried to make a second military reservist resign after turning orders in for deployment but the officer refused. Both incidents are a violation of federal law and could cost the city some major money. One employer had to pay a military reservist over one million dollars for improper termination. I hope the both officer reads this and file a law suit against the city.

The council has not been happy with Ray over the last few months but the final straw could have been the death of an inmate in the city jail.

Meetings

The Sheffield City Council had a meeting with Police Chief Greg Ray. During the meeting Ray was told he had until 8:00 am Monday morning to resign or be fired at Monday night’s city council meeting.

Police Chief Greg Ray had a meeting with some of his officers Friday evening. He informed the officers that they might hear rumors about being asked to resign. Ray admitted the rumors were true.

A couple of the supervisors have started to put pressure on their officers to attend the council meeting Monday night and show support for the chief. If several officers show up for the council meeting Monday night the council should take that under advisement. The officers are being made to show up.

*****

Interestingly, we have heard some stories similar in nature to C.R.'s report. Many in Sheffield who have contacted us have expressed hope that Curtis Burns will be made chief should Ray resign of be terminated.

*****

Two very different views of Toomer's: Check out both O.B's Corner and Rosedale Gardens for two very different views of the situation facing Auburn.

Shoalanda