Winners...Plus Some Users & Abusers

Winners: Congratulations to those who are being sworn into office today. William Smith tells us that the investiture ceremonies for Billy Jackson, Carole Medley, and Gil Self will be at 3:00 p.m. in the Fifth Floor Courtroom of the Lauderdale County Courthouse. The public is invited to attend the event.

Users: There seem to be new storms brewing concerning the renovation of Sweetwater Mansion, aka the Weeden Home. We have no idea how many underage (or adult) volunteers are involved in the interior part of the restoration, but O.B.'s thoughts on the matter are well worth reading...

Sweetwater...Fail...Part I

Abusers: We offer the following account in the "For What It's Worth Department." This short narrative of Andrea Gonzalez' death was sent to us quite some time ago. If it should be true, it's unfortunate that the tale doesn't include the disposition of the body. We doubt the skull found in the Fox Trap Community north of Russellville is that of the missing girl. If it should be, we would hope either Kim or Paul Gonzalez would come forward with more information concerning Andrea's death.

An alleged communication from Kim to her mother that was then forwarded to a third party:

Andrea was in bed between me and Paul. I heard her gagging and I woke up. She had vomited all over herself and had wet the bed. I took her to the bathroom and took off her pajamas. I tried to clean her up with a towel, but she kept fidgeting, so I decided to put her in the tub.

I ran the water and lifted Andi into the tub and she started screaming. I didn't think the water was that hot, but I lifted her out. She just kept on screaming. I told her to be quiet and not to wake up Paul. I figured he was pretty much out of it, but he didn't like to be woke up.

I got some Noxema and started putting it on her legs, but that just made her cry harder and she started to yell. In comes Paul and he was mad. He told her to shut up, but she didn't. Finally he slapped her and she fell and hit her head on the tub. I kept trying to wake her up, but she wouldn't come to. He didn't mean to do it.

A drug addicted prostitute for a mother, an abusive pot-head for a father, and a pregnant easily-controlled stepmother--which of these three was capable of raising Andrea? Obviously none of them. We hear over and over, "I would never give my child up to the state," or "I could never let my child be adopted." Really? Would you rather he or she ended up like Andrea? Think about it.



Shoalanda

Shady Court Closes/Andrea Gonzalez' Skull?

We were about to add the Shady Court Motel on East 12th Avenue in Sheffield to our Eyesore list when a reader sent us a link concerning its closing. The building, open or closed for business, is still an eyesore; however, it is apparently no longer the home for several registered sex offenders.

The Alabama Department of Public Safety still lists three registered offenders as residing at the motel. We hope the Sheffield Police Department knows where these individuals are currently living...because the State seems to have no clue.

*****

Above is a map of the Fox Trap Community (bottom right) in relation to Littleville in Colbert County. Last week a supposedly human skull was found in the Fox Trap Community--a skull that was initially identified as belonging to a child. Forensic investigators from Florence have since stated the skull is that of an adult; however, we've had several inquiries as to the possibility of the remains belonging to Andrea Gonzalez, the young girl who disappeared from her Russellville home in 1993.

For those who might not be aware of the details of Andrea's disappearance, here's a link giving the most accurate background for the troubled child: Link

Do we think the skull is Andrea's. No. We're not even sure it's human, considering the famous bear foot find of last year. If it is human, either an animal dragged the skull away from the rest of the body or the head was severed from the body and each dumped in different locations. We sincerely hope the skull does belong to an animal or a long-dead native American. The problem with the latter, due to the acidity of local soil, bones may totally decay in less than a century.

And if it is Andrea Gonzalez? Many months ago a reader sent us a transcript of a statement attributed to Andrea's stepmother Kim. We'll publish it tomorrow.

*****

Looking for good news about Cherokee? Here's a new Facebook site: Remembering Cherokee



Shoalanda