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We may not know what 2025 will bring, but we can look back on what 2024 brought to the Shoals:
4. Unethical Florence Tree Commission
2. Muscle Shoals Police Shoot Alzheimer's Patient Dead
Ah, tomorrow's a new day and a new year. Let's make the most of it.
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If you live in Florence and have an after hours utilities emergency, don't be surprised when the listed number connects you to 911. At least it's in Lauderdale County and the person on the other end knows where Slaughterneck Road is.
How about Sheffield? No, you don't get 911 or any place in Colbert County...or even Alabama. You get a call service located in another state where the attendant will tell you to hold on - she's doing the best she can.
For anyone who doesn't know, Sheffield has the highest overall utility rates in the Shoals. Yet you don't even get any homegrown emergency service?
It could be worse; you could be asked to leave a message for someone to get back to you...as your kitchen floods or a geyser spouts from the pothole-filled lane in front of your home.
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In case you're wondering what damage the 2025 Alabama legislative session will bring, at least ten city mayors are requesting that online sales tax be increased. They're not greedy, of course. They just want brick and mortar stores to have an even playing field with online merchants in their humble little towns.
Really? We bet most residents of Shoals towns (think Sheffield) would rather pay an even higher sales tax than have to go downtown to shop.
...in the amount of stock traded. That's right, there are 528 members of the U.S. Congress who buy and sell less stocks than Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville. Further, he was one of 37 who traded in defense stocks last year. Nice, since he's a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Certainly the "Coach" does good from time to time, but 90% of his acts and pronouncements are highly suspect. Isn't there someone out there who would be willing to run against Tommy in 2026?
At this point, a hologram of Grover Cleveland would do...
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After a great deal of Christmas recreational reading, we feel the need to offer a new lesson in English. Disinterested and Uninterested are not interchangeable. It may be bad for a person to be uninterested in something, but it's always good for a judge to be disinterested in a legal matter.
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If you don't know the "Broken Window Theory," it states that a building can sit abandoned for 20 or so years and remain untouched, but if someone throws a rock through one window, in a matter of weeks, all the windows in the structure will be broken. We can apply it here to Sheffield trash.
After all, why keep your lawn clean and neat if no one else does? It might be garbage, trash, or just weeds growing in the gutter, but if you allow them to accumulate, it says something about you.
Apparently Sheffield code enforcement officers are too busy checking dates on retail fire extinguishers to cite residents whose homes look like they belong on Tobacco Road. Did you ever wonder how John Elkington must have laughed at you behind your backs?
How about the residents of nicer areas? Their guests must pass through endless trash to arrive at their homes. These individuals should make a point to complain also.
Is it just the citizens? No! If a resident places a discarded item of furniture on the curb to be picked up, he or she should have every expectation of it being removed within a week, certainly within two weeks. Yet the City of Sheffield fails to do its job...over and over.
The theme for Sheffield should be: Taking out the Trash in August 2025!
A BAC of 0.23 is extremely high and puts you at serious risk of alcohol poisoning. Here's what can happen to your body at this level:
If you or someone you know has a BAC of 0.23, it's crucial to seek immediate medical attention. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
We don't pretend to know all the circumstances that brought Dana McLaughlin to the Lauderdale County Detention Center on Christmas Eve. We do know her death could have and should have been avoided.
According to her father, Ms. McLaughlin was involved in a traffic accident that led to her arrest. So far, detention center administrators have not stated how often the 51 year-old Florence woman was checked on before she was found deceased in her cell at 2:00 a.m. Christmas morning.
Let's hope this tragedy leads to reform at the LCDC. Our sincerest sympathy to the family of Dana Yarbrough McLaughlin.
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1819 News runs some thoughtful articles. It also runs some stories that belong in File 13. Today we read about a poor rioter who had to serve time for attacking a Capitol police officer. Oh, but it really wasn't his fault.
We haven't heard such proclamations of innocence since we read excerpts from Ryan O'Neal's autobiography. No, Kaleb Dillard of Birmingham had very little to do with his crimes...ahem.
1. It was his father who encouraged him to go to the January 6th rally.
2. He didn't intend to approach the Capitol, but was swept away by the huge throng of people.
3. When he saw a Capitol police officer blocking his way, he didn't think, he just grabbed him and threw him to the ground (or as he says, released him to the floor).
We'll agree, Dillard didn't think about consequences before he grabbed the officer. He wound up with ten months in a federal prison to think about his crimes.
What's he doing now? He's writing a book about how his arrest, trial, and imprisonment were such a waste of taxpayer dollars.
Dillard's thinking isn't that rare. We just last week received several comments on how a car burglar was so unfairly treated when he attacked the arresting Florence officer.
We don't know why you think you have the right to attack a police officer, but if you do, don't expect us to support you.
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Our Harlan Elementary School observer has sent us some very interesting information. We present it here without editing:
With all the evidence and information that is continued to be given. Look at the following information and see what Thomas Casteel has been doing and to the extent of Jimmy Shaw and the Florence Board of Education know about all of this for years and still letting it happen….
Alabama public schools and Florence City Schools principal/leadership job description & guidelines
In Alabama public schools, principals are expected to fulfill a range of responsibilities that encompass administrative management, instructional leadership, and community engagement. Key guidelines outlining these duties include:
Alabama Standards for Instructional Leaders:
These standards emphasize the principal's role in fostering a vision of high expectations for learning and continuous improvement. Principals are responsible for:
Alabama Code § 16-24B-4:
This statute outlines the legal duties of principals, including:
Local School Board Policies: Florence City Schools
https://www.florencek12.org/
Florence City Schools (FCS) outlines specific qualifications and responsibilities for principal positions to ensure effective leadership and the promotion of academic excellence within its schools.
Qualifications:
Duties and Responsibilities:
These standards ensure that principals within Florence City Schools fulfill both administrative and instructional leadership roles to support student success and continuous school improvement.
And then take a look at this
Based on the job descriptions and requirements for principals outlined by the Alabama State Department of Education and Florence City Schools, the actions described indicate several violations by the principal, including:
1. Violating Educational Leadership Duties
2. Violating Staff Supervision and Ethical Standards
3. Failure to Comply with Mandated Reporting Laws
4. Mismanagement of School Policies and Procedures
5. Breaching Legal and Ethical Obligations
6. Violating Instructional Leadership
Did the board of education never take this into account …. The principal, superintendent, and board of education has allegedly failed to meet the qualifications and responsibilities required for the role, including ensuring safety, adhering to policies, supporting staff, and complying with legal and ethical standards. These actions represent significant breaches of trust, district policy, and Alabama law.
Or are they just worried about the ‘data & numbers’ the school is producing.
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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...
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First the store in Florence Plaza was W.T. Grant (remember the popcorn machine?), then Woolco, and (almost) finally Big Lots. Yes, it was Big Lots for decades until the store moved to the parkway. Things were booming...or so everyone thought.
Then yesterday, everyone's favorite discount store announced the closing of its 963 remaining stores. Life goes on, but differently.
While many are totally opposed to shopping from the comfort of their La-Z-Boy, we love it. Pay that yearly Amazon Prime and Walmart+ fee and shake off the chains of the combustion engine and lipstick.
Sure, we'll miss just knowing that Big Lots was out there, but we've survived J.C. Penney, K-Mart, and Sears disappearing, we'll live through this. Plus we have about $500.00 worth of fancy cosmetic/bath product bottles in our bathroom that will forever remind us of the glory that was Big Lots.
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If you're wondering what retail icon could go next, the rumor mill has recently been in overdrive about closure of the remaining Game Stops.
Florence attorney and former Lauderdale County circuit judge William K. (Billy) Jackson has been named the new Sheffield Municipal Court judge. Jackson will take office on January 1st.
The Florence resident was confirmed by the Sheffield City Council, with one dissenting vote. Councilwoman Randa Hovater stated she favored someone who lived and paid taxes in Sheffield. The current City judge is also a resident of Florence.
Over the years, we've received several communications from readers who believe they've spotted someone wanted in the Shoals. We've always advised them to contact the appropriate law enforcement office. A few months ago, we decided to publish wanted posters from local and national agencies in hopes that at least a few walkabout felons could be apprehended.
Some readers informed us that one or two of these individuals were now deceased, but the oddest comment has come from a long-time reader who is often critical of our blog. She has asserted several times that we have omitted White felons, while posting Latinos almost exclusively. Have we?
Unless we knew a wanted individual was deceased or had been apprehended, we omitted no one. Are there more Latinos on the Most Wanted Lists? Yes in some cases; however, since we have nothing to do with composing these censuses, we can't comprehend how we are in anyway to blame.
Here's a rundown of the ethnic/racial makeup of the lists we published:
Colbert County:
White - 3
Black - 6
Latin - 0
Franklin County:
White - 3
Black - 0
Latin - 2
Marion County:
White - 10
Black - 2
Latin - 0
Tishomingo County:
White - 0
Black - 0
Latin - 2
City of Russellville (only those with photos):
White - 8
Black - 0
Latin - 3
State of Alabama:
White - 3
Black - 0
Latin - 3
State of Mississippi:
White - 1
Black - 2
Latin - 0
State of Tennessee:
White - 2
Black - 3
Latin - 4
Asian - 1
FBI:
White - 2
Black - 1
Latin - 6
Indian - 1
US Marshals:
White - 5
Black - 6
Latin - 2
The State of Tennessee and the FBI both have an inordinate number of Latins considering the population makeup. Why? We can only speculate, but it's easier for a Latino to return to south of the border than it is for a citizen to disappear completely. Thus, Latins are not captured in large numbers and remain on the list.
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We've begun publishing posters of missing Alabama children, and those are numerous. Who knows...keep your eyes open and you might reunite a family.
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Sadly, we never hear anything good about elected boards of education. Complaints against the Lauderdale body are both numerous and frequent. We also hear much more infrequent worries about the Florence City Board. This week we've been made aware of the board president's odd behavior concerning complaints from Harlan Elementary teachers. He "cackled."
Attorney David Howard is the president of the Florence BOE. Surely a lawyer is able to keep a straight face. Does he just not care?
We've previously mentioned area council and commission members who never acknowledge e-mails or phone calls. Our take has always been that they could at least pretend to be interested in the problems of the citizens. Similarly, if the Florence BOE president can't at least pretend to be an advocate for the system's teachers, maybe it's time for him to retire.
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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...
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Republicans in the state legislature have published their agenda for the February session. There's good, and there's dog whistles. Illegal immigration is one hot topic, but according to Sen. Larry Stutts it's much worse than anyone thought.
Per 1819 News' account of the recent Shoals Republican meeting:
Stutts concluded the discussion and saw the solution to the illegal issue as "getting control of the borders." Stutts alleged that many of the millions here in the state of Alabama are not necessarily looking for a better life and have no desire to learn Alabama's values or assimilate.Millions of illegals? That was news to us. What do actual statistics say? Here's a few numbers to put the illegal immigration problem into perspective:
* Alabama has 183,500 immigrant residents, which is 3.6% of the state's total population.The last time we checked, 55.4K (or 62K) people are no where close to two million. Why are Alabamians so ill-informed? Perhaps because its leaders are...
The old and new Florence parking decks have produced endless discussions. We've only now learned of an important argument that has been taking place, one that may be already settled. The question: Is the current City policy the correct one?
Electric vehicles are not allowed in some decks. Why?
Yet the powers that be in Florence are currently allowing EVs in the new deck without specialized means to avoid/mitigate these fires. Perhaps it's simply a case of Andy being Andy...
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Sheffield mayor Steve Stanley has, rather belatedly, attempted to cut back on expenses for the City on the Bluff (or is it the Center of the Shoals?). There may have been a financial reason for his seeking to redo contracts with the city judge, attorney, and prosecutor.
While no new contract has as yet been negotiated with the municipal judge, agreements have been reached with the City attorney and prosecutor. We understand that these contracts which begin January 1st are much less lucrative than previous agreements.
As for the five or six lawsuits against the City, we can't help but speculate if Ben Gardner Jr. will require additional assistance in his defense of the town and its police department. Perhaps Mayor Stanley can initiate a GoFundMe page?
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