A New Addition at Spring Park

 

Tuscumbia residents say a total of 18 solar panels have appeared at Spring Park. How much energy will they produce? What exactly will they power? Those familiar with the park tell us that the waterfall/water show are controlled by two electric pumps situated under the water and have their own dedicated energy source. 

It will be interesting to see how much the City of Tuscumbia has invested in the panels. Perhaps a certain Lauderdale sculptor has refunded some of the 30K paid toward the Singing River artwork?

*****

Speaking of the sculptures, it seems the Not Elvis statue in Sheffield may have a new name:

Tuscumbia - the Charity City

 

When that unexpected snow storm hits, it's great if private companies help clear a town's roads. A horrible flash flood? It's fantastic when citizens help shore up areas that are prone to insufficient drainage.

But how about when normal city equipment goes on the fritz? How often are towns forced to rely on local organizations to repair the broken or even purchase new for the town they call home? Apparently the City of Tuscumbia has welcomed that private assistance again in Spring Park.

On Thursday, we received this message from a concerned citizen:

the mayor and city council members plan to put on another “look what we did” show sometime tomorrow when they turn the waterfall back on. They couldn’t just leave it running when they put in two pumps on Tuesday, they turned it on then back off so they can put on on their show with possibly some news media there.

Was he correct in his prediction? Absolutely. The City's small ceremony did acknowledge that the AL-TN Trail of Tears Corridor Association and TVA "assisted" with the effort to repair/replace the two pumps that power the park's waterfall.

Thanks to both entities, but especially the AL-TN TTCA, a private organization not funded with our tax dollars. We are concerned that this trend could spread in the wrong direction. Will we soon hear of the Highland Hookers providing new equipment to the Chisholm Road soccer field or the Satanic Temple collecting trash in Sheffield?

Collecting trash in Sheffield? Hmmm...

An Unexpected Critique on Spring Park/Tatum Design Strikes Again

 

The City of Tuscumbia has financial problems, yet is the town spending its available tax revenue wisely? It certainly isn't spending it on Spring Park. A member of the Robbins family recently posted this on Facebook:

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A company called Belterra Partners is seeking rezoning to build a retail facility near Walmart on Cloverdale Road. In looking at information on the business partially based in Birmingham, we found their web profile and logo.

Ah, yes, their logo! If you think it's lacking, consider this: It was created by Tatum Design, that infamous company which gave us F!rence...

Spring Park Looks Like Halloween Year-Round

 

Have there been strange doin's at Spring Park in Tuscumbia this October? We can say there have at least been some actions related to the park, but were they positive?

1. The City of Tuscumbia is selling the park's roller coaster. Bummer!

2. Christmas lights are going up. Hey why not - It's how retail does it.

3. The waterfall? Still not working.

4. The light show? Still not working.

5. The pond/mini-lake? Still filthy. Don't believe us? Here's some new pics:

Perhaps it's a plan to take the citizen's minds off the potholes...

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The State of Tuscumbia's Spring Park

 

A little maintenance can go a long way. Similarly, no maintenance can destroy years of work at public facilities:

From a reader:

The thousands of dollars that the city spent on the new kayak ramp In Spring Creek could have been better spent on repairs to the park. Also the beavers in the park are cutting down some of the shrubs along the sidewalk that goes to the waterfall area on the north side of the Claunch Cafe. The majority of the lights on the carousel don’t work now and the train was run off the tracks the other day and it’s not working now. Things just continue to go downhill in the park and the city doesn’t have the money to take care of everything.

At least the muskrats seem to be behaving well...

*****

The Condition of Tuscumbia Spring Park

 

Many who viewed the video of the rescue of the tangled duck at Spring Park in Tuscumbia mentioned how horrible the spring looked. First, the unlucky duck had become tangled in discarded fishing net. How long had the net been there?

Second, see that yellow object directly below the kayak? It appears to be a plastic bottle. Obviously, human nature being what it is, we can't expect the spring to be pristine seven days a week, but groundskeepers need to do better.

*****

Next, a dumping site just beside a major Florence thoroughfare? Sadly, the answer is yes. 

More tomorrow...

Labor Day in Spring Park

 

Tuscumbia Labor Day Celebration: A Celebration of Labor and Community

The Tuscumbia Labor Day Celebration is an annual event that takes place in Spring Park in Tuscumbia, Alabama. The event is organized by the Shoals Labor Council and is a celebration of labor and community.

It includes a parade, live music, food vendors, political speeches, and a beauty contest. The parade is the highlight of the event and features floats, marching bands, and other participants. The music lineup typically features local and regional musicians. The food vendors offer a variety of food options, including barbecue, fried chicken, and funnel cakes. The political speeches are a chance for candidates to address the community and discuss their views on labor issues. The beauty contest is a chance for young women to compete for the title of Miss Labor Day.

The Tuscumbia Labor Day Celebration is a family-friendly event and is a great way to celebrate the contributions of labor to our community. The event is free to attend and is open to the public.

The Tuscumbia Labor Day Celebration is the oldest Labor Day festival in Alabama. It was first held in 1922 and has been held every year since then. The event is a tradition in the Shoals area and is a way for the community to come together and celebrate the importance of labor.

The celebration is held on Labor Day, which is the first Monday in September. This year, the Tuscumbia Labor Day Celebration will be held on Monday, September 5, 2023. The event will take place from 10am to 4pm at Spring Park in Tuscumbia, Alabama.

If you are in the area on Labor Day, be sure to check out the Tuscumbia Labor Day Celebration. It is a great way to celebrate the contributions of labor to our community and to enjoy a day of fun and festivities.

Here are some additional details about the event:

• The parade will start at 11am and will travel down Main Street in Tuscumbia.
• The live music will start at noon and will feature a variety of local and regional musicians.
• The food vendors will be open from 10am to 4pm.
• The political speeches will be held at 1pm and 2pm.
• The beauty contest will be held at 3pm.

Press Release

Muskrats for Mental Health & Park Safety

From the Tuscumbia Muskrat:

Insanity is defined as "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." I think this is the perfect slogan for Tuscumbia’s Park Director – Joel Kendrick. Every year the same mismanagement practices are done over and over again – so why does the Mayor expect different results?

I am sure most everyone in the Shoals area has heard about the many calamities at Tuscumbia’s Spring Park. With each new incident we are supplied with a new Times Daily article spotlighting the current park issue at hand. As I dove into the latest TD article (“City hires safety consultant” June 13, 2017) I began to draw a question that has perplexed me for quite some time – Why is the Mayor covering-up for the Park Director?

According to the article, Mayor Bubba Underwood is working toward solving the ride safety issues at Spring Park. The main solution came from the city hiring a safety consultant. Apparently in just a few days the newly hired safety consultant determined that city employees need training on ride safety protocols and found that there were insufficient safety guidelines in place for the park rides. (By the way – I also identified that a lack of knowledge and training were indeed a major issue for park employees.)

In addition the safety consultant informed the city that employees were incorrectly operating the Python Roller Coaster ride. Apparently park employees were unaware that ALL 5 cars needed to be in operation in order for the ride to function safely and correctly. Instead only 4 cars were in operation on May 31st which was the day that the 6 children became stuck on the roller coaster ride.

I truly appreciate the Mayor hiring a safety consultant and addressing our children’s safety. However, could Mayor Underwood please explain the job duties of our Park Director? Spring Park employees are under the supervision of the Park Director and it is HIS responsibility to ensure that training and safety protocols are in place. 

I find it extremely discomforting that the Park Director has been just “getting-by” on a wing and a prayer for all these years. We are very blessed that no park visitor has ever suffered a severe injury from general ignorance of ride safety. If a Production Manager at a plant didn’t give his employees proper safety training --- would the manager be fired? If we continue to keep a park director who keeps dragging the park down then that is Insanity indeed!

*****

The Keller Festival is at hand. Let's hope all rides will be functioning safely and that no muskrats, er, children will be injured during the event. 

Special: The Muskrat on Latest at Spring Park

Fool me once shame on you, Fool me twice … or more, if I live in Tuscumbia. The Tuscumbia City Council voted on Monday night to dedicate $220,000 to renovate the Spring Park Fountain Show. Woo-hoo! That’s great news for Spring Park! Now guys, let’s not start jumping on the City Council’s band wagon. They certainly do not deserve all the praise.

The real heroes are the group of concerned citizens who called out our city leaders for idly sitting on their hands as the park slowly deteriorated. After many months of receiving citizen complaints, the City Council’s arm was twisted and thus they finally submitted to cleaning up their damage. Now who’s going to ensure that the park property and the attractions are properly maintained and kept in a reasonably safe condition? Oh no! Please say it isn’t so! 

Surely the City of Tuscumbia isn’t foolish enough to clean up their mess only to hand it back over to the same Park Director. If Joel Kendrick continues to have control he will steer the park right back into its current state of disorder. If they were wise then they would know that we study our history so that we may learn from our past mistakes. Have the Mayor and City Council Members been fooled or are they just fools?

Tuscumbia Muskrat

*****

Check out Quad-Cities Cuisine; we have a new review on 306 BBQ posted and a review on Logan's Roadhouse is coming shortly!

Quad-Cities Cuisine

Special: Don Quixote and the Fantasy of Spring Park

I love the story of Don Quixote. It is a fictional tale about a man who became obsessed with books about chivalrous adventures. He believed every word he read to be 100% true, despite the fact that much of the events in the stories were clearly impossible. So are Times Daily readers as gullible and naïve as Don Quixote? This has to explain why we are subjected to the same ‘ole Times Daily public relations, fluff story about Tuscumbia’s Spring Park. The TD would have us to prefer the glory of a fantasy park over the truth of the real park.

Their latest article really captured the park manager’s condescending satire of the facts, with his quote: “The rides are in good shape.” (3/7/16 Times Daily – “Park rides open for season, fountain still down”)

In good shape, huh? Well, let’s compare his statement with the real world.

The rides at Spring Park DO NOT receive the same maintenance that was REQUIRED under the operations of Mr. Harvey Robbins and the nonprofit Tuscumbia Railway Company. For example when was the last time that you’ve seen the park’s roller coaster disassembled and reassembled for maintenance? This maintenance procedure use to begin in the late fall or early part of winter. The maintenance workers would disassembled and reassembled the coaster, while painstakingly inspecting each part; properly greasing joints, ball bearings, etc.; and replacing any worn out parts.

And let’s discuss the train. So the article says it is operating … but not with all its passenger carts. So why aren’t all the passenger carts in operation? Apparently some of the passenger carts now exist as "donor” carts. Basically that means that parts are taken off of the donor carts to keep the “working” carts patched up. This maintenance method is sometimes referred to as: “Robbing Peter to pay Paul.”

Can you remember how many carts were originally on the train? How about 6!!! Only 4 were running this past weekend. All 6 were in operation when the nonprofit Tuscumbia Railway Company handled the train maintenance. Each year they would disassemble the truck (wheels) to grease and perform proper maintenance. They also daily inspected the railroad tracks. Cold and hot weather causes the tracks to contract and expand. They must be checked often in order to avoid derailment. Is this being done?

And what about the carousel? The seahorse has been missing from the carousel after I posted pictures comparing the 2013 seahorse with the badly peeling 2016 seahorse. I hope this means that the seahorse is finally being restored. I noticed that one of the pictures in the Times Daily article was a close up of a carousel horse with a peeling face. Will it be missing next? Why is it that things have to go bad (with picture proof) before Kendrick does anything about it?

Kendrick's standard of park ride maintenance is to doctor everything up ONLY A FEW WEEKS BEFORE OPERATION. Do a little pressure washing, splash on some paint, and maybe use a bit of WD40. It is frightening to think about all the “temporary fix” experimentations that are occurring, especially when majority of the rides are for our CHILDREN.

I'm tired of half truths. I'm tired of excuses. I'm ready for change.

‪#‎REPLACESHOEMAKER‬ ‪#‎REPLACEKENDRICK‬

Tuscumbia Muskrat

Special: Dr. Do-Nothing or How I learned to find a new scapegoat and love the muskrat

Without fail every year the Times Daily provides an article with the latest info on the Spring Park blame game. Without further ado, the new scapegoat for 2016 is the fountain’s electronic system. (Hey Fountain System, I feel for ya! It sucks to be blamed.)

I know what you're thinking. Wasn't it the muskrats who damaged the fountain show?

Well it's easier for Dr. Do-Nothing (a.k.a. park manager) to blame a muskrat instead of saying that he can't afford to buy a replacement part. I know the parts aren’t cheap, but c’mon man - can you not create a decent park budget for park maintenance? If city hall can be remodeled with all new furnishings (and with a hefty budget $$) then the city should be able to buy a bulb … a bathroom door … parts for the train … paint for the horses … but I digress.

So is the fountain's electronic system out of date? Surely this is a software issue. How about getting an upgrade?

The original software really isn’t a concern in this case. This type of system doesn’t require software upgrades like a personal computer because you’re NOT going to use it to open an email, upload a photo, stream a movie, or browse the Internet. Its only function is to store and control choreographed fountain shows.

So then, is this a hardware issue?

Yes it’s a hardware issue deriving from laziness and lack of common sense. The fountain show’s electronic operating system is located in the second story of a small building in Spring Park. The AC units within the building are not reliable and thus provides a very toasty environment for the fountain’s sensitive electronic equipment. The electronic system contains a lot of parts that in itself creates heat when in use. Tiny fans within the system help to move out much of heat that is generated from within the hardware. However, the fans cannot handle the additional heat also coming from outside the computer. Common sense tells you that when the temperature gets too hot you risk serious damage to the system. It's not that the internal components aren’t built to last, but they can’t cope with the intense temperatures they are often subjected too. Needless to say, keeping the system cool should be top priority!

So what happens when you mix hot, humid weather (and no AC) with expensive electronic equipment?

If it's somewhat functioning, the park spectators witness a unique version of the fountain show. When the system gets too hot it becomes erratic with incoherent water & light patterns that clearly are not in sync with the music. Sometimes the system even locks up and when that happens an employee is called in to fool the crowd by operating the fountain show by hand. This by no means is visually epic. The city employee starts the music then randomly pushes buttons to jettison water and shine lights. It kind reminds me of what happens after eating that triple layer burrito. Like I said, it's not pretty.

So what type of upgrade is truly needed? I recommend starting at the top by electing a new mayor and hiring a new park manager. Spring Park deserves more than lethargic management. It’s time to find people who care!

Tuscumbia Muskrat

A Reader on Ben Graves/Yeezy?

From a reader:

Shoalanda, you must be slipping because you really blew it with your comments on Ben Graves. Did you read his bio at all? He has only TWO years of law practice experience and says he came home from Bay Minette due to his grandfather’s illness. In other words he didn’t come home because he wanted to be here at all. Then he has THREE years experience as municipal judge. Five Years in all, three of them working two days a week. So yes my family and I will be voting for William Smith for Circuit Judge. You got that one right!

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We reread the statements of both candidates and will add that Mr. Graves is also guilty of failing to use the Oxford comma. Shame, shame! (Sorry, Ben, the Grammar Nazi in us couldn’t resist.)

In all seriousness, while we believe Ben Graves is an honorable man, he doesn’t have the experience to perform the duties of circuit judge. Every action of a judge is closely examined in criminal trials, and Lauderdale County doesn’t have the funds to waste on retrials when there is a judicial error.

Three places where experience counts the most? The cockpit, the operating room, and the court room.

*****

From Tuscumbia Muskrat:

So who is to blame for the carnage that was once known as Tuscumbia’s Spring Park Fountain Show?

For the sake of argument I know that everything on this earth will face the bashing of mother nature and father time. However, if you don’t provide proper maintenance then the results could lead to costly consequences or irreversible damage.

So let’s begin by dissecting the events that bring us to where we are today:

April 2002 – The newly renovated Spring Park offers its first Fountain Show. The Fountain Show was one of many city renovations provided by the generosity of Harvey Robbins.

Under the original Robbins’ Project management the park attractions and fountain show operated with minor hiccups and like clockwork everything was ready to operate each Spring.

2005 – The City of Tuscumbia assumed some of the Robbins’ projects. (Including the Fountain Show)

2007 – The Robbins’ Projects are almost fully transitioned to the City of Tuscumbia. Also the Robbins’ Project's original personnel transferred under the City of Tuscumbia. The nonprofit Tuscumbia Railroad still operated the Old Depot.

2010 – The City of Tuscumbia takes full ownership of the Railway Company assets.

Three Months later – City announces that it brought in $40,000 from ticket revenue from rides since taking ownership of the Railway Company assets.

October 2010 – City announces a 3 percent pay raise due to the increase in the year’s budget.

Summer 2012 – Concerns of employee(s) stealing Spring Park ticket money.

Fall 2013 – The last of the original personnel from the Robbins’ Project are no longer employed with the City of Tuscumbia

December 2013 – More missing ticket money (around $2,000). Investigation started. Suddenly investigation stopped.

May 2014 – The Waterfall is broken. Blamed on muskrats.

June 2014 – The Waterfall is working again just before the Helen Keller Festival.

Summer/Fall 2014 – The Fountain Show is working on and off. The park train is operating with less compartments.

April 2015 – Fountain Show is not working and thus, not ready for Spring Park’s Spring opening.

April 2015 – Local citizens question the conditions of Spring Park’s poor condition. (i.e. the rotting of the Tree Indian Carving, peeling paint of the carousel horses, missing boards on the railroad bridge, a large hole in the women’s restroom door, missing train compartments, etc.)

Spring 2015 - A group of citizens form “Friends of Spring Park”.

June 2015 – A community clean-up is scheduled at Spring Park.

June 2015 – A group of people try to salvage the Tree Indian Carving. (Unfortunately it is eventually removed from the park)

February 16, 2016 – An expert reveals the huge estimated cost to overhaul the Fountain Show.

2015 / 2016 - Many individuals are removing their privately loaned collections from the depot museum and park.

So what do I expect in the next couple of months? Why of course....More EXCUSES! I think we are long past due on seeing the real cause of concern. We are witnessing the collapse of our Spring Park attractions. Our Park Manager does not have a handle on the situation. Plain and simply put, he doesn’t know what he is doing. However, I can't let the Park Manager take all the blame. Of course the mayor will look the other way and deny the facts. I don’t know if Mr. Shoemaker understands that his mayoral legacy is riding the coat tails of delusion. The Mayor and Park Manager have proven that they cannot take care of what Harvey Robbins built. I really hate to grasp at straws but I'm hoping the mayoral election will provide a person who will be strong enough to make the personnel changes that we desperately need... or is it too late?

*****

We see that part of Coffee Cemetery is again being referred to as the “Servants’ Cemetery.” No, it was the Slaves’ Cemetery. The individuals buried there had no choice but to labor for the Coffee family. They weren’t servants who could negotiate better employment in the next county. By this feeble attempt to whitewash history, the TD is actually minimizing the great tragedy that was slavery and the lives that slaves were forced to lead.

*****

Yeezy Does It

First he was Jesus, now he’s Uncle Walt.

But don’t be too harsh; it’s really not his fault.

So don’t diss his music or his lack of class;

All he needs is a Taylor Swift kick in the a**.



Shoalanda

Spring Park Update/Real Skinny on TMC:

Tuscumbia's Spring Park is in dire need of new management! It has long been mismanaged, thanks to years of bad budgeting and neglected upkeep. How many times should park visitors have to endure broken down / neglected attractions? In September Tuscumbia hosted the Oka Kapassa festival. This is an annual Native American festival held in Spring Park. During this year’s festival, park guests had to endure very poor restroom conditions. Days before the festival started Tuscumbia's Park Manager, was confronted about Spring Park’s unsightly restroom conditions.

The restrooms suffered from: backed-up toilets, broken/shot lighting fixtures, cobwebs, broken door hinges, and feces on the walls/toilets/floor. In addition, the women’s main entrance door is so swollen and warped that it cannot be closed for fear that it could get stuck and trap people inside the restroom. But no worries because the door also contains an enormous hole that a person could crawl through for escape. Mr. Kendrick’s solution to the restroom issues – just wash down the restrooms with a pressure washer. So how does this suffice for proper maintenance? Maybe his cleaning method also explains how the women's restroom door acquired (over time) the enormous hole. Water damage? 

But I digress! To add further insult, the newer public restrooms remained under lock and key during the entire festival. Meanwhile the City of Florence has been chomping at the bit to relocate the Oka Kapassa Festival to their side of the river. The motive - FESTIVALS BRING IN $$! It appears that our very own park manager could care less. Another embarrassing episode occurred this past weekend when a large church group from Albertville, Alabama visited Spring Park. They gathered at the park to view the water fountain show - however - the show never occurred. There were no announcements nor any signage to inform the visitors that indeed the water fountain is broken. (Yes everyone, it’s broken again!) The visiting church group returned to Albertville feeling very disappointed.

There are many more similar stories posted on Facebook, Yelp, and other social media sites with firsthand accounts from other out of town visitors. Even the parks’ most devoted visitors have noticed the mismanagement. Some of these citizens brought their concerns to Tuscumbia's Mayor, but to no avail. Yes... I know that a well known prosperous family could toss out a few thousand dollars and patch up the mess (again), but with further neglect it falls apart all over again. The source of the problem has always been grave neglect, mismanagement, and incompetence from our Park Manager, along with our Mayor - who’d rather spend a million plus dollars renovating City Hall so he can have a nice office. I think it's time to clean out Tuscumbia from the inside out for the sake of our park and our city.

Tuscumbia Muscrat

*****

From a reader:

The real reason TMC is closing is not because they are “not profitable”, as reported in the Times Daily. It is due to an internal power struggle between the infamous Joe Pampinto, our “distinguished” Muscle Shoals city counsel member, and TMC’s former, as of yesterday, department head, Randy Ray. Joe hated Randy so much that he starved TMC out to get rid of him. In January of this year Joe started outsourcing the work that TMC did for Constellium and force them to become “unprofitable”. Unfortunately, Joe has successfully unemployed 135 members of his community with this petty fight. Thanks Joe!! Hope the voters remember this. I have contacted Times Daily and WHNT and have yet to see this side of the story reported.

*****

Shoalanda

Muskrats & Malls

From Tuscumbia Muskrat: The biggest waste of Tuscumbia tax payer money is the continued employment of our incompetent Park Manager, Joel Kendrick. The Times Daily (again) delivered Kendrick's whitewash of the truth ... this time regarding the removal of the wooden Indian statue at Spring Park. Joel Kendrick's statement:“It had been kind of preserved when they did the work on it, but the underground parts were deteriorating,” “You can’t really preserve it. It had gotten to the point where we were afraid it was going to topple over.” (Statement taken from - Workers seek to salvage Spring Park tree - TimesDaily June 26, 2015)

First Kendrick admits that the statue was originally treated by the man who carved the statue...or as Kendrick so condescendingly put it, "kind of preserved." So for all these years did Kendrick even try to preserve the statue? I guess telling everyone "you can’t really preserve it" means that he never tried to treat it?!? Many concerned citizens questioned the deterioration of the wooden Indian carving, along with other ongoing issues at Spring Park. A few of these citizens posted pics of the neglected park, including pics of the statue's rotting foot... And that ladies & gentlemen is when all the neglect in the park got noticed!!! It certainly WAS NOT an outcry from a concerned Park Manager! Is anyone going to make the Park Manager accountable???

*****

From Darren Rhodes: Jimmy Clemmons (Owner Gingerbread Antiques) turned in his notice last week. I never asked him to leave, or asked to increase his current rental rate for the space. The information you have in your article is 100% false.

(We await a rebuttal from J. Redmon.)



Shoalanda

Return to Spring Park

A few varied views on the current condition/situation at Spring Park:

Tuscumbia Muskrat - Interesting that the TimesDaily didn't report "why" Spring Park needs a volunteer group to "chip in" with park maintenance. Hmmm.... Could it be that concerned citizens pointed out the Park Director's lack of maintenance? Could it be that many attractions were rotting? Could it be that the train was only half running? Could it be that boards were falling off & not being replaced on the railroad bridge? Could it be that the fountain is NEVER ready for operation in early spring (even after saying it would be)? Could it be that paint was peeling off the carousel horses, along with warped boards, shot light bulbs, & no music? Could it be that the restrooms are in terrible disrepair? If the park was well managed then there would not be a long repair list for volunteers to "chip in" with! To quote the Park Director: "“It’s going to be so good for the park. Having volunteers like that, it helps the community take ownership of the park.” (TimesDaily 6/13/15) How about you, Mr. Kendrick, take ownership for your failure as park director!!!!!

Reader DP - Last night (June 7) a special group had the park and rides. First problem came because the train had broken down in the wooden bridge and would not be operable for the group. The next problem arose when there was not a uniform enforcement of the rules for the roller coaster. The rides crew tried to enforce a height rule for small kids but not in a uniform way. This allowed some kids to ride who were shorter than the height rule being enforced and others who were shorter were allowed to ride. Some kids got to ride one time but when they came back to ride again, they were not allowed to ride. This resulted with crying kids and upset parents. On the lighter side, THE NATIVE AMERICAN INDIAN SCULPTURE WAS REMOVED TODAY AND PLACED UNDER COVER AWAY FROM THE ELEMENTS, KIDS, AND INSECTS.
  
Another reader from June 6th - I have a good report on the park in Tuscumbia. The train is running and the crossing signal works. Unfortunately there is a car show with someone who loves to hear his voice on the p.a. The waterfall and fountain were both operating. The train was running with plenty of cars. The roller coaster, carousel and splash pad were all seeing lots of action, too. It was my first real visit and I was really impressed with what they had at the park today. 

*****

A great video:

 

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Shoalanda

The Muskrats Broke What?

From a day-tripper:

Does the Tuscumbia park train run on Saturdays? It looks like their web pages are bad. If you go to springparkal dot com you get a general Muscle Shoals area tourism page. That page gives tuscumbiarailway dot com, which goes nowhere. Have the muskrats broke the Internet?

This link works; however the most obvious is broken.

Train

Now the question: Is the site up to date?

*****

The winner of the "Pick Your Pate" contest is Joey! He garnered 19 votes. In all, 50 votes were cast. We hope that brought 50 donations to our charities. If you know some brothers or co-workers who would like to compete for charity, let us know.

*****

Donate to HASRA

Shoalanda

Muskrat Madness?/MSHS Questions

From Tuscumbia Muskrat: So a new nonprofit committee has been created to manage the "welfare and beauty" of Tuscumbia's Spring Park. Ok, is anyone else confused?!? If the committee is making the park "suitable for locals and tourists" then why should the city continue to have a Park Director on salaried payroll?!? Who is the committee saving ... Spring Park, the Park Director's job, or both? I am 100% in favor of saving the park, however, I am NOT in favor with saving the job of the Park Director who has done a terrible job in managing Spring Park. His incompetence is why this committee came into existence. Hmmm... I did catch a few interesting names serving on the committee such as Bubba Underwood. He ran against incumbent Mayor Bill Shoemaker in the last mayoral election. Is this committee also being served as a political move for the next upcoming mayoral election? Very interesting!

*****

From a reader: What is the deal??? We got a new crew of administrators at MSHS this past year. Have you noticed that none of them reside in Muscle Shoals? Although I don’t think it is a requirement, I just think that it is strange none of them are even from Colbert County! Chad Holden, Principal, Kevin Davis, Assistant Principal and Karen Hairrell, Assistant Principal all live in Lauderdale County!! Also, Gary Dan Williams, Career Principal lives in Lauderdale County! I do think that all the MSHS principals that have school aged children send them to MS city schools. Of course, they would want the best for their children so the opportunity to have your children in one of the best school around is a job perk! But, Williams’ children go to school in Lexington where he lives and used to work. According to my neighbor (who has relatives in Lexington) he will never move his kids to MS. If an employee was being supportive of their school system, it seems that they would jump at the chance to send their kids to the school where they work. Williams is often a topic of conversation at our home because Williams has previously spoken to my child in a demoralizing way and some of my kids friends are not allowed (by their parents) to take courses at the Career Center because of Williams and the way he treats students. After a group of ladies brought it to my attention that none of the administrators live in MS, I asked my kids and their friends if Mr. Williams ever attended sporting events to support his students, they said that I had never known him to be at any extracurricular activities, including sports. I know the MSHS administrators are required to be at these types of events. Why does Williams want to work where he will never be a part of the community through his children and where he apparently he doesn't care to support his students? You know that at least some of those boys in career classes also play sports. What is the deal???

*****

From J. Redmon:  NO Superintendent or principal can tell students/parents 'not to clap' at an assembly.  That would be a violation of the students'/parents' 1st Amendment rights.  They can ASK/request that there be no applause, but they cannot prohibit such.

*****

More tomorrow...



Shoalanda

Indians Still Don't Get "No Respect"

From our friend Mary Carton: The falls are running again, thanks to the work of city employees. However the statue is termite riddled and has lost a foot and has a big hole at the base. Enjoy this view while you can.

Tuscumbia seems to be like the man who inherited fifty thousand dollars, purchased a nice Merc, then discovered he had to take it to Huntsville to have it serviced--something he couldn't afford. Again, those in the know say if the train ride was properly handled, it could pay for all park upkeep. Why doesn't the city look into this?

Obviously mechanical rides break. Muskrats do chew--it's what muskrats do. But not properly sealing this statue? There's no excuse.

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From the Tuscumbia Muskrat:

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Spring Park is nothing to brag about... 





Shoalanda  

Tuscumbia Employee Salutes Park Patron?

The TimeDaily recently offered us its version of muskrat love...er, hate, but muskrats and the light show at Spring Park aside, there seem to be many problems with the park that are being glossed over. We're publishing a new guest editorial today; it's accompanied by photos, so we can say that most of this is documented. Did a City of Tuscumbia employee direct an obscene gesture at our writer? If any employees wish to make a rebuttal, they are always welcome.

From our guest editorialist:

We had an article on muskrats in the newspaper on March 22, where the rec. director told the public, "creek will most likely be down for two weeks" After a period of three weeks, we get another lesson on muskrats, where we are informed that it will take another two to three weeks for repairs to be completed. Again all blame was on the muskrats Might I assume from this that if the rec. director fails to have it ready in two more weeks, we will get another article on muskrats, and how we are having FEW complaints. 

The nice picture in the newspaper shows three people working while the rec. director watches I have been in Spring Park most every day this last month, and have seen the rec. director there only three times, never helping.

Saturday`s newspaper says, "Kendrick said that the other park rides , including the carousel, small roller coaster, and train are up and running. For the most part, we`re full steam ahead right now." The truth is the train is in operational condition only with three cars, The other three are inside in shambles, being used for PARTS.

The huge drive wheels are not on the engine and have not been for three years. The railroad bridge is a total embarrassment from missing boards and the crossing gates are not working properly.

The park was scheduled to open the first weekend in March. Six weeks later the lights on the carousel STILL are not working, still no music. I think I can say that the lights, or lack thereof, is not a muskrat problem. {management, maybe?} It also safe to say that the rusted bathroom door is not muskrat related.

The rec. director believes that the waterfall will be repaired "by the time the light show repairs are done" I suppose TWO to THREE weeks? Now if our rec. director is proud of his part in this, and willing to say the rides are up and running," and for the most part are full steam ahead", we may have an understanding as to why things are in the shape they are.

PS= I was siting in my truck today, enjoying the scenery, when I received an obscene hand gesture from the engineer and conductor. CLASS?

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On the bright side in Tuscumbia, we believe that city has the honor of having the most adept police chief. We understand there may be some news in the Elbert Farley Davis Jr. murder investigation in the immediate future. Prayers for Chief Logan and all involved in bringing this murderer to justice.

Shoalanda

Readers' Thoughts: Spring Park/Muscle Shoals High

We're publishing some readers' thoughts on Spring Park in Tuscumbia and on Muscle Shoals High School Policy. Our thoughts on these issues will be published in red beneath the original comments.

On Spring Park: Saturday, April 4th. To add further to an ongoing tragedy, the carousel has NO power, so NO CAROUSEL The blinking lights at the RR crossing are not functioning, causing a real safety hazard. The only person who knows how to fix them is out of town. The only other responsible person is the Rec. director, but he NEVER comes to the park on Saturday, his off day . WHAT TO DO ?

We've talked to several individuals who have indicated that the railway/train could support the park by itself. Could the city lease the train to a competent individual to run, maintain, and pay half of the profits? Any comments?

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On Muscle Shoals High School Track: Over the weekend, I was quizzed to why the citizens of Muscle Shoals are locked out of using the track at the M.S. football dynasty. The statement was that it was always a community use when there was no construction and were told that has changed since the 10 million upgrades. Looking back through the "Trash Daily" newspapers, the coach is quoted as saying;

“Our track is not only used by the school; it’s used by the community, and, anytime we have to close the gates, there are a lot of people who get frustrated,” he said. “The track is a great asset for us.”

http://www.timesdaily.com/archives/coach-muscle-shoals-track-in-need-of-resurfacing/article_d32e02be-00b9-5de1-8825-90afa633977c.html

The last statement the man made to me was, "and they want us to vote this month on more taxes for that school". Maybe the coach who runs the schools and city will have a change of heart...

Could this be a security issue? What times were the public allowed to use the track in the past? Was there a sign-in? Maybe there were also insurance issues? Comments please (Just don't shoot the messenger).

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A second reader comment on the track: The info below was a quote from MS Athletic Director and Head Football Coach Scott Basden in 2010.  OK, the track has now been completely resurfaced and is still closed.  The “citizens” are frustrated but it’s apparent now the Athletic Director and Head Football Coach doesn’t want “HIS” facility open to the public.  Never mind that it was the“citizens” who paid, correction – are paying for the next 30 years, for “HIS” facility.  Contact your local City Council Members and Mayor if you want the track re-opened for public use.  Contact information below:

Joe Pampinto           256-762-1173

Neal Willis                 256-335-5284

Mile Lockhart            256-577-0352

Jim Holland               256-335-5345

Allen Noles                256-335-5336

David Bradford        256-335-3626

Remember, if you don’t call, then don’t complain!

Coach: Muscle Shoals track in need of resurfacing

By Michelle Rupe Eubanks | Posted: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 12:00 am

MUSCLE SHOALS -- The track around the Muscle Shoals High School football field is a popular spot for residents to get in an evening walk or a night-time run.

This summer, however, it’s been off limits because the track has fallen into disrepair, according to Muscle Shoals High School Athletic Director and head football coach Scott Basden.

“Our track is not only used by the school; it’s used by the community, and, anytime we have to close the gates, there are a lot of people who get frustrated,” he said. “The track is a great asset for us.”

Do the city council members have any control over the track? It would seem logically to be the school board's decision. Anyone know for sure?

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Neal Barker, Basketball Coach

On Muscle Shoals' new basketball coach: 

Wonder why they dug a long strip up in the nice parking lot at the concessions stand at the football field next to Harding Avenue. Makes you wonder when they will quit throwing money at that football field.

Did anyone send you anything about the Trash Daily's article on the new Head Basketball Coach at MSHS? He was fired from Spain Park as basketball coach the first of March and hired at MSHS the end of March. Interesting that Lindsey said his salary will be 60-70K but they don't know his teaching assignment?

The legal calculation of a teacher/coach pay is: Teaching assignment = $$ based on certificates/degrees and year of teaching (this guy is young), Additional $$ for the coaching supplement. A teaching assignment and a coaching supplement does not equal 60k or 70k. Even crazier is that they hired a coach without any specifics.

Wonder why the teachers aren't questioning a starting salary that is, in most cases, twice the amount a teacher is paid coming in if not a coach. Can't make this stuff up.

This we have no knowledge of or ideas about. Readers?

Shoalanda