Bullying or Assault?/Housekeeping

Bullying or Assault in Sheffield?

By: The Midnight Rider

From WHNT 19 News:

COLBERT COUNTY, Ala. – A Sheffield elementary school mother is upset about injuries her daughter received recently. She claims her fourth grader is the victim of bullying.

The pictures you’ll see in this story are quite graphic. They flooded social media over the weekend. WHNT News 19 met with the girl’s mother on Monday. Kelly Turpin said this is an ongoing problem.

Turpin’s daughter has a concussion, two black eyes and bruised face.

“When I came in she was very upset and covered in blood,” said Turpin. “The first thing I did was scoop her up and find out what was going on.”

Turpin says she was called to her daughter’s school on Friday morning. As her daughter was leaving art class at L.E. Willson Elementary in Sheffield, Turpin says she had an incident with another student.

At first, Turpin says the school told her it was an accident.

“My child started talking right then and said, ‘No Momma, I told them she grabbed me and pulled me and jumped on top of me,'” said Turpin.

Turpin claims the other student has been bullying her daughter for a while. We understand the Turpins have also spoken with an attorney.

WHNT News 19 spoke with Keith Lankford, Superintendent of Sheffield City Schools by phone.  He says they were not made aware there was a bullying situation going on until afterwards. He added they are diligently investigating the incident and will enforce the school code of conduct if necessary.

First of all, let me put this as politically correct I can, “This is Horse Shit!” This is not bullying but an assault. This little girl got beat. With the Sheffield City School Systems not doing anything, they are at fault. I have spoken to several parents whose kids go to Sheffield Schools who say that this is not uncommon. Bullying is rampant in the School System.

Of course they have a School Resource Officer. Oh, wait a minute, they got rid of the School Resource Officer who had been there for years and have a new one. But there is the problem of one School Resource Officer for three schools, so that is not working. I have news for you, if that had been my child, I would have been waiting for the aggressor’s parents so we could have a “conversation.”

Kids at this age need to be learning not worrying about getting jumped at school. Does bullying exists? Yes it does. Is Sheffield Schools doing something about it? It doesn’t appear that they are. Thumbs down to Sheffield School System.

Is the Midnight Rider mad about this? You’re damn right I am.

I am and always will be, the Midnight Rider.

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A bit of housekeeping; everyone please read:

1. If we are in error on any subject, please inform us as soon as possible. Simply saying “you’re wrong” does not help us understand what’s incorrect. We have readers from all walks of life who do this. We once had a professional gentleman take four posts to point out the one word error in our blog. It certainly needed to be corrected, but we are not mind readers.

2. If you feel something should be deleted or wording changed, you may always feel free to ask us. We usually try to see all sides and are happy to work with you. Please do not start your message with “You god**** dirty mother*****n’ ho” if you wish us to oblige you. Words like that assuredly don’t make us wish to accommodate you. BTW, when you use this kind of language in your FB posts about us or any other writers, you don’t look intelligent, moral, or even fit to live outside a padded and locked cell. Think about it…

3. If you don’t want to look foolish, please don’t start your message with “I’m getting a lawyer” or “I’ve hired an attorney.” We know what attorneys charge; you first have to have that kind of money and second you have to be willing to spend it. The first thing an attorney will do…if we are in error…is to ask us to correct the matter. That’s something you should have done to start with. So in over eight years of writing this blog, how many have ever contacted an attorney about something we had blogged? Only one. We took our data from two other news sources who had published first, but we were happy to correct the post, as was one of the other two publications. Who was the victim of the false news report? Chip Dillard, now in the Lauderdale County lockup. We’re sure he wishes he could clear up his current situation as easily.

Ken Kitts & UNA Have a Diabolical Plan

Did you hear the one about the Florence swain who proclaimed his undying devotion for his ladylove? The problem was his chosen lady already wore a diamond on her finger, had the Vera Wang gown in her closet, and the announcement mailed to the newspaper. In short, he was the epitome of too little, too late.

The above would apply to UNA president Ken Kitts…if he really wanted the old Coffee High School property for the university. What Kitts really wants is almost anyone’s guess, and we’re guessing the right to say the university is due a new football stadium.

Let’s look at the timeline:

Fall 2014 – Plans are already underway for a new middle school on the Coffee property when Kitts arrives; he says nothing.

Summer 2016 – Demolition of the old Coffee building is announced, as well as the completion of architectural plans for the new middle school. Kitts says nothing.

Fall 2016 – Demolition is delayed due to a problem with a landfill permit. Kitts says nothing.

October 2016 – Demolition begins. Kitts says nothing.

November 2016 – Earthmoving on the site begins. Kitts says nothing.

December 2016 – Kitts privately approaches the Florence School Board with a request to purchase the land. The TimesDaily says nothing.

January 2017 – Rogers Kimbrell, presumably working for the university, attends a public school board meeting at which he asks them to consider trading the Coffee property for the old Powell School property.

February 2017 – Kitts goes to the TD with his idea to purchase or trade the property—29 months after his arrival at the university—stating it’s his duty.

The above facts are only what the public has been told. What other backroom finagling may have gone on, who knows? Does Kitts really want the old Coffee property? There are certainly enough reasons to believe he should never get it.

1. Florence has paid thousands of dollars to tear down four old buildings on the property, to prepare the property, to commission plans for a new school to sit on that specific property, and for a required traffic study.

2. Residential neighborhoods around the property don’t want the green space turned into a large parking lot/tailgaiting area.

3. Parents and public, leery of modular classrooms now in use, have been assured the new school will be ready for Fall 2018.

4. Even if UNA should in some manner actually acquire the Coffee property, it still wouldn’t own the stadium; that might be next on its list of proposed acquisitions, leaving the Florence Falcons in the lurch.

No, the most logical assumption here is that Kitts wants the city and the school board to say no to this more than odd request. He can then go to the university’s board and to the public to explain the pressing need of a new stadium for the now Division 1-AA Lions.

Before any readers proclaim “…but the university wouldn’t lie,” just remember this:

Mark Linder

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This is some great footage shot from a drone. Be sure to like and subscribe to this channel:

Topsy Talks on Tourism

We've been fortunate to have a reader with an inside view on local tourism write for us from time to time. In the interest of clarity, we're going to dub this reader/writer "Topsy." Topsy has sent us a very interesting take on some of the shenanigans now going on in local tourism:

Here is a thought on Canada Rob promoting Colbert County so often. Rob is getting his direction from that o’so intelligent Florence-Lauderdale tourism board. They are clearly eyeing a takeover of the Colbert County Tourism Convention & Visitors Bureau. They have mismanaged the huge budget that Florence Lauderdale Tourism had for 20+ years and are now in search of more funding. 

Hey, "Why not takeover Colbert County?" They hired Rob (whom they can control) at a much higher salary than their former director, even paid him under the table for some fake moving expenses (remember that is why Kelly Kelley resigned from the board), built a new visitors center that regardless of what the board claims was WAY over budget (well they had to save Libby Jordan’s not so excellent record of project manager by pretending that the building was under budget when all along it was WAY over budget just like the Library that she was the project manager for. After all, the very reason most of them are on the board to begin with is because Dick Jordan placed them there so that he could and does control them). So LOOKOUT COLBERT COUNTY - Muscle Shoals, Tuscumbia, Sheffield. They are coming for ya and they won’t stop til they get your money and your tourism office.

With that being said, it might be a good thing for Lauderdale and Colbert counties to merge their tourism efforts and become one office. It works well for the Shoals Chamber of Commerce (if they could ever find a new leader to replace Steve Holt who is now the new Mayor of Florence. That sure came back to bite someone on the butt pretty dang fast. Whomever was behind running Steve out of the Chamber sure got a shock when he was elected MAYOR #karma).  But should Lauderdale and Colbert counties EVER merge their tourism offices, it surely doesn’t need to include ANY of the current board members from the Florence Lauderdale Tourism Board.

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And on the Escape Room Florence front, here's a great story:

Winner of Valentine's Contest

TD Writers & Legislators...Not Too Bright

How hard is it to read a street sign? We’re guessing for the TimesDaily’s Jennifer Edwards and Robert Palmer, it’s pretty difficult. Twice in the past month, Irvine Avenue, one of Florence’s oldest thoroughfares, has been called a street. We’ll give Palmer his due, he did correct his error in the third article about a proposed round-a-bout. If such a simple concept of street v. avenue eludes these writers, how are we to expect them to convey the intricacies of bond issues and similar financial dealings? 

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In case you’re wondering, we don’t know of anyone who blogs here who supports the medical termination of pregnancy as a method of birth control. We do support implementing some common sense in our legislature.

According to the TimesDaily: "There will also be a bill protecting medical personnel from being forced to perform abortion procedures that violate their moral beliefs."

So, when’s the last time you read of anyone putting a gun to anyone’s head to make them participate in such a procedure? If a person accepts a job at what’s commonly called an abortion clinic, just what do these people think goes on there?

We were hoping that the upcoming legislative session would focus on a budget, new infrastructure, little things like that. Guess not…

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From 20 to six, here’s the short list of candidates to replace Alabama senator Jeff Sessions:

Congressman Robert Aderholt, Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange, head of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs Jim Byard, State Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh (R- Anniston), Rep. Connie Rowe (R- Jasper), and former Montgomery-area state lawmaker Perry Hooper Jr.

A final selection could come as early as Monday. Smart money is, unfortunately, on Strange. Note that none of them is from extreme north Alabama. What? You’re not surprised?

How Would You Like a 100% Raise?

There aren't many who would turn down a 100% raise, are there? Gov. Robert Bentley's pet Stan Stabler is asking for basically that...and more. His current budget for ALEA is 44 million. For the 2018 budget (the budget year starts in October 2017), he's asking for 104 million. If Stabler lied for Gov. Bentley, will he lie for other reasons? 

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A friend shared our blog on Rob Carnegie promoting Tuscumbia. One of his friends then asked if anyone at this blog was ever happy. Yes, personally, we've very happy. When it comes to how we feel about state and local government, we're much less so.

We expect some waste of our tax dollars. How many of you go shopping and never purchase an inferior product? Or even the wrong product? Governments are no different. It's only when government doesn't care, when it deliberately wastes money, that we call foul. 

And each and everyone of you should too!

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Did someone say Rob Carnegie promoting something outside Florence and Lauderdale County? Florence Tourism has a new cover for its Twitter account:

It's sad that Rob's vision is so bad he can't distinguish Florence from Muscle Shoals.

Trump Makes Unannounced Visit/Domestic Abuse

Trump makes unannounced visit

By: The Midnight Rider

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump made an unannounced visit Wednesday to Dover Air Force Base for the return of the remains of the US service member killed in the raid in Yemen.

Trump went to Dover AFB on Marine One, along with his daughter, Ivanka, and Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware.

Chief Petty Officer William “Ryan” Owens, a Navy SEAL, died of wounds suffered during a raid Sunday in Yemen against al Qaeda, according to US Central Command.

First of all let me say that I don’t care if you are White, Black, Asian, Hispanic, Democrat or Republican, It takes a real American to do what Trump did. It doesn’t matter if you voted for Trump or not, you have to respect what he did. There is a lot of Protest going on about his tenure as President. The thing about it is, you can Protest all you want, and he is still the President.

For him to go to the retrieval of Remains for a fallen Service Member, to me that shows character. When was the last time you saw a President do that? It is a published fact that Trump has contacted several families of Fallen police Officer just to talk to him. Trump supports Law Enforcement as well as our Service Members. That is the way it should be.

First Responders as well as our Military Members sometimes give the Ultimate Sacrifice to keep us safe or free. The Ultimate Sacrifice is their lives. Their families have lost someone that will never return in exchange for our Freedom and we should be thankful for that. Covering your faces, looting, protesting, breaking windows, that is not how you get your point across. That will get you an “ass whoopin”’ when the Police gets there.

Will everyone agree with what Trump does? No. But for a Commander-in-Chief and his Daughter to make a secret trip to Salute a Fallen Soldier with the family, that shows me Class. Class that maybe some other leaders of Countries should take notice of. Our Service Member deserves this type of Respect.

I am and always will be, the Midnight Rider.

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There was another act of domestic violence last night. While one woman was shot, at least no one died. We’re not sure if you count the man killed by his brother-in-law a victim of domestic violence or not, but if you do, that makes four serious incidents in the past two weeks. By serious, we mean shot or stabbed, resulting in three dead and two hospitalized. Why?

In two of the incidents, alcohol played a large role. In another, it was depression. In the third, drugs may have contributed to the act of violence.

This past year, we’ve often thought that Huntsville was becoming a second Birmingham. Now, we’re pretty sure the Shoals isn’t far from Huntsville in the percentage of domestic violence/drug crimes. Is there a fix?

We’ll close with the story of the second drink. Three famous actors had lunch at a restaurant near their studio. With lunch, the actors had a cocktail. At the end of the meal, the waiter asked the trio if they wanted a second drink. Two replied yes; one no.

Of the two who replied in the affirmative, one lost his career and wound up in rehab; the second died after a fall, too inebriated to know he was bleeding out.

The third who refused a second drink? He became president of the United States.

Let Us Splain This River Thing

Photo Posted on Florence Tourism's Instagram Account Today

You see, there’s this river. It’s long and it’s wide. A great many people forgot about the river over the years until people on the north side of the river desperately needed a new hospital. Then the people on the south side of the river tried to tell the people on the north side what they could or couldn’t do. Suddenly the river roared back. 

It’s a great deal like this Alabama-Auburn thing. Always root for (insert name Alabama or Auburn) unless they’re playing (insert name Auburn or Alabama). Similarly, always root for Colbert, Franklin, etc., unless they’re competing with Lauderdale.

And God forbid…pay close attention now, Robbie Baby…you’re paid to promote Florence-Lauderdale and you promote Tuscumbia-Colbert. Tuscumbia is a beautiful town. It’s historic. It’s well worth seeing. It’s just not what you’re paid to promote; get it, Rob?

Not all sights, or sites, around the Florence-Lauderdale area are equal. More people may be interested in seeing Rogers Hall than are in seeing the Rogers Department Store building…or vice versa. Yet a person could post a different interesting photo on Instagram each day for ten years just from Florence-Lauderdale. Why is Rob Carnegie posting a photo from Tuscumbia to the Florence Tourism account?

Doesn’t Robbie Baby know about the river?

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Now a word to all you guys in Colbert County. We’ve seen people in Sheffield and Tuscumbia thoroughly trounce Muscle Shoals for using a photo of Ivy Green in its promotional material. Now’s your chance. Shoalanda not only gives you permission, but is actively recruiting you to give Rob Carnegie hell for stealing one of your top tourist draws. Please…go for it!

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Now let’s talk legalities. We don’t know who, if anyone, owns the copyright to the picture Rob Carnegie posted today, but we do know it’s not anyone in Lauderdale County. We’ve seen the photo floating around for years and quickly found it on a site from 2011. If we had to guess, it may be 30 or more years old.

Sure, Tuscumbia is glad to let you use it, aren’t they, Rob? See remarks in section above. Still, if you continue to use photos that aren’t your own or don’t belong to Florence-Lauderdale Tourism, you’re going to tick someone off someday. Let’s try to be a little more honest, shall we, and at least give credit where due.

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We do have to congratulate Rob Carnegie--he's really on a roll. In the past month, he's promoted one Florence business over its competitor, spotlighted an illegally parked motorbike, misspelled Deibert Park, and now is promoting a town outside the Florence-Lauderdale area. From the movie Elizabethtown: ...there's a difference between a failure and a fiasco. A failure is simply the non-presence of success. Any fool can accomplish failure. But a fiasco, a fiasco is a disaster of mythic proportions.