Case & Logan Don't Know?

Those who have been following the ongoing alcohol fueled antics of Tuscumbia Police Chief Tony Logan are aware that the long-time officer has asked for a trial in Lauderdale County Circuit Court to determine guilt or innocence in his DUI arrest. Unfortunately, the Chief and his defense attorney Tim Case don't seem to know as much as the lay people keeping tabs on the situation. Quoted in Today's TimesDaily, Case offered these words in Judge Gil Self's courtroom:

Defense attorney Tim Case declined to enter a plea for Logan during an arraignment hearing Tuesday, arguing the charges against the police chief are vague. “We don’t know what we are charged with at this time,” Case said.

Sad, isn't it, when a veteran law enforcement officer and a juris doctor can't fathom simple DUI charges. Perhaps Case's strategy may get Logan off, but this prolonged theatre of the absurd isn't garnering any respect for Tony Logan. If Logan should win his case, just imagine the resulting chaos in Florence Municipal Court for all future DUI trials.

*****

Sources tell us that Randall Scott Shook was a second cousin to Kenny Strickland, convicted murderer of Rusty Earnest. According to other sources, Shook had approximately 15 felony convictions, as well as an extensive juvenile record. He was also awaiting trial for a recent assault conviction.

We suspect, like Tony Logan, Scott Shook had a serious problem with alcohol. While we have heard rumors that responsible drinkers are out there, they don't seem to live in the Shoals.

*****

Apparently, the e-mail sent to Colbert County Bar Association members concerning Tim Milam's move back to Mississippi was all in fun. Milam has a new Facebook page where he touts his expertise. A reader tells us one post on DUI defense was hastily removed.

See the last statement in the Scott Shook update...

Shoalanda

Tim Milam Leaving Colbert County?

We were forwarded the following e-mail from a reader in Colbert County. We assume the original recipients were members of the Colbert County Bar Association.

"After coming in 4th place, I hear Tim Milam is selling his law practice and moving to Mississippi. He's already resigned as a deacon at his church. So, I thought as bar members, we could all work together to help him pack up and move. If anyone can help pack or has a truck/trailer he can borrow, we need to get together and get him packing. If you know of anyone who might be interested in helping him move or buying his practice, you might wanna forward them this email."

*****

For those who have have asked for a blog showcasing Kyle Brown, Republican candidate for Colbert District Judge, we will not be focusing on any candidates in the November general election until after the July 13th runoff.

*****

E-Mails: If you wish to contact us, please do so via our Google e-mail address, rather than through our Facebook page. Thanks,


Shoalanda

Troy Oliver: Increasing Our Word Power

"We need to vote; we get wrapped all around the axlem, and we can't get past it," Mayor Troy Oliver said. TimesDaily, June 8, 2010


There's nothing we like more than learning new words, so when the mayor of Russellville says that town's city council can't get past an axlem, we're enthralled--or we were until we discovered the word is not in any dictionary.

Is an axlem:

Bigger than a bread box?

Something we might find in our homes?

Something belonging to BP that our sweet/street talking chief exec wants to kick?

Something found only in the county seat of Franklin and does it need to be kicked?

If any readers know what's so hard to get past, please shoot us an e-mail

*****

$68.00 per vote: We recently wrote that Polly Ruggles spent 2K more than Chad Coker on their campaign for Colbert County District Judge. An update on figures reports that at last look, Coker has now outspent Ruggles by 2.5K. Perhaps the most interesting revelation is that Tim Milam spent 73K in his failed attempt to win the judgeship, or roughly $68.00 for each vote he received.

With the exception of Nathan Johnson, this was the initial campaign for the candidates in this race. In other words, they were trying out the waters; who knows how many of the four also-rans will attempt another race in two to four years. We hope they have good stock portfolios.

*****

Famous comedy teams: Abbott & Costello, Laurel & Hardy, Martin & Lewis, Lansdell & Lambert. We understand that last act is extremely hard to get tickets for; Chuck Lansdall and Thelma Lambert have been a no-show at their last three gigs. Let's hope Cherokee voters who favor these George Jones wannabes are also a no-show in the next election.


Shoalanda

Tim Milam - Pro & Con (A Special Report)

Note: We published at 12:45 p.m. on Sunday, indicating that it would be our last political column before the election. At 11:48 Sunday night we received a guest commentary that was favorable to Tim Milam, candidate for Colbert County District Judge. We believe strongly that Memorial Day should be just that--a day to honor those who have given their lives for our country; however, when we informed the guest blog's author that her column would not be published until Tuesday, she implied we were dishonest in our request for blogs espousing a differing view from ours. Therefore, we are publishing a special blog for this pro-Milam article and including another recent submission that takes the opposite view.

*****

Time for a Leader in Colbert County

By Concerned Colbert County Mom

I fully support Tim Milam as being the next Colbert County Judge. He is an honest, hard working, Christian man that believes in obeying the law and doing whats right. So many have slandered this man, made false accusations, and told lies to try to discredit him personally. It has been brought out about Dallas, the truth has NOT been told about this situation. Dallas has no hard feelings toward the Milam's, he loves them and stays in contact with them regularly. The situation of Dallas no longer living with Tim Milam was not a decision of Tim making him leave, or "kicking him out", Dallas left on his own to explore life to his liking. During this campaign, people have gotten so ugly and nasty, without knowing the facts. It doesn't matter who gets hurt, whose reputation gets destroyed, or the impact these lies have played on the life of these candidates. It has all been about winning a vote. People I ask you to please stop the rumors, the lies, the hear say: If there is something you want to know about any of the candidates, by all means go to them and ask them. Don't listen to the garbage that is spreading on the forums, radio, papers. Pray and ask God to guide you in the right direction as you go to the polls Tuesday. And May God be with each of these candidates and see them through this election. I have made my choice, that's my right. Now you make yours, its your choice.

*****

The Devil Made Him Do It

By Chief Tuscumbia

Tomorrow: It's been suggested that because of apathy in the governor's race, there will be a low voter turn-out tomorrow. We sincerely hope that each registered voter in the Shoals will exercise his or her right and duty on Tuesday.

Shoalanda

The Final Word: Three Guest Commentaries

This will be our last political blog before Tuesday's primary. We bring you a guest commentary from each county.

From Lauderdale:

Chad Holden: Ready to Lead on Day One

My wife and I, along with our son Conner, have certainly enjoyed meeting so many people in Lauderdale County since joining the race for Board of Education the very first week in February. After four months of visiting just about every town in the county, shaking many hands, eating a lot of fried fish, and enjoying a fine breakfast every Saturday morning, we are now only days away from the June 1 primary.

As I said to a group of folks assembled in Waterloo last week, the candidates are all making "closing arguments" now as we near election day. I will take a moment to say that voters have a tremendous list of qualified men and women who care deeply about Lauderdale County on the ballot in 2010. I have come to know and call "friend" just about every local candidate on the ballot, and I can honestly say it will be a tough choice when casting my votes this year. All the candidates are winners in my mind.

The candidates running for Board of Education will be the last to appear on the Democratic ballot. However, I believe the two school board seats are among the most important decisions voters will make this year. What a great opportunity voters have to make a change on the board of education! Two open seats, no incumbents, and six good candidates. Now comes the hard part: choosing the "best" from among the "good."

In my final request for your vote, I ask everyone to take a serious look at all the candidates for the school board. As I have listened to the voters, the consensus is clear: people are ready for change. People do not want "more of the same." The citizens of Lauderdale County are hungry for school board members who have a passion for public education and understand what it takes to educate our children. People are tired of the "politics-as-usual" and want the school board to put education first. I genuinely believe that I am the only candidate running for Place 2 who represents "real change" and offers a perspective that no other candidate can offer a full-time classroom teacher on the front lines of education every day.

My opponent claims to be the only one with a "vested interest" in our schools since his children are enrolled in the Lauderdale system. My "vested interest" is a one-year-old son named Conner who will be in school soon enough. This race is not a competition about which candidate has the oldest children or the most children. The issues facing our schools are much bigger than that. This is not about me, my family, or my own community. It is about electing board members who are trained and ready to lead a school system with 1,000 employees and over 8,000 students. It is about electing board members who have the education and training necessary to make decisions about curricular and extracurricular matters, as well as the tremendous budgeting challenges our school board faces.

I am a Christian leader, husband, and father. I am a classroom teacher, certified administrator, and an officer in the Alabama Education Association. As an advocate for public education both at home and in Montgomery, I have a good working relationship with our state legislators and AEA officials which will benefit our schools if elected. I am ready to roll up my sleeves and be the voice speaking for you, fighting the good fight, and putting education first.

To do that, I need your vote on Tuesday, June 1. I humbly ask that you consider my qualifications, experience, and passion for education and cast your vote for CHAD HOLDEN for School Board Place 2.

Thank you for taking the time to educate yourself about the election this year, and by all means, pray for the candidates and their families.

Chad Holden
Candidate for School Board Place 2
Lauderdale County


From Franklin:

Chief Jeff Masterson


From Colbert:

He Knows Which Children Are Worth Saving

by Tuscumbia Tom

Yes, Tim Milam relinquished custody of an adopted son, but he kept the boy's sister. That tells me he knows which children are worth saving and which ones aren't.

Tim Milam will use this same judgment in family court. We need a District Judge that will be able to decide which children are worth saving. It's a hard choice, but Milam has demonstrated he's able to weed out the chaff in his own family and can do the same in court. We don't need bleeding hearts that think every child is basically good. They aren't.


Tomorrow is the official observance of Memorial Day...then the election. We hope that each voter will pray to ask God's guidance as they make their decisions and mark their ballots.

Shoalanda

Tim Milam's Forgotten Son

The Forgotten Son

A Guest Commentary By

Hoffman Dean

The topic of children and family has been pointed out as an important issue among candidates in the Colbert County District Judge’s race. Although it has been mentioned in passing within several TimesDaily forums, I feel the need to draw direct attention to the following question:

“Where’s your forgotten son, Mr. Milam?”

Most people learn early in life, often from their parents, that it’s never a good idea to throw stones in a glass house. Mr. Milam apparently never grasped the meaning of that statement. Possibly, because his father was deceased and his relationship with his mother became extremely volatile. As for the reason, we may never really know. But maybe, just maybe, the oldest candidate in the Colbert county district judge’s race will learn this valuable life lesson now, before anyone else suffers the wrath of his dirty campaign tactics.

Tim Milam states, on several occasions and on various political marketing pieces, that he adopted THE CHILD of his deceased sister, who passed away after a lengthy battle with Cystic Fibrosis. The truth is that his niece and nephew were to be left with and cared for by his mother. Mr. Milam and his wife, as evident in Colbert County court records, sued his mother for custody of his sister’s two children, a boy and a girl. So I ask you now, concerned voters of Colbert County, what kind of man, what kind of father, rips a family apart to gain custody of a child, and parents that young child, only to give him away a few years later? The same man who sues the woman who gave everything to raise him on her own. The same man who never mentions his mother or the FORGOTTEN SON he gave away because of minor discipline issues. As for the evidence, follow these links and you will find personal photos of Tim Milam’s adopted son. The proof is in the captions.

Link One

Link Two

Link Three

Link Four

Link Five

In 2004 Dallas Milam was part of the Tim Milam family. He called Tim and his wife “Mom & Dad,” and Tim’s grandson was referred to as the boy's nephew. But just two short years later, he was no longer in the Deshler High School football program as part of the Milam family, he was living in Mississippi, playing football at a different high school, throwing up “gang signs” and referring to himself as “Lil Gotti.”

Link

How easy it is for a child to get lost in this world when parental guidance is absent in their lives. How important is a candidate’s relationship with their own family in regards to the their ability to weigh cases in family court?

If Tim Milam is elected judge, will the children of Colbert County be as disposable as his own FORGOTTEN SON?

*****

I just wanted to back up the statement that Tim's adopted son has been repeatedly left out of any and all political statements made by the Milam camp (his words in red).

From his Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tim-W-Milam/113122411673?v=info

Interests: "My wife Sonia, my children; Nina, Hunter, Morgan and Myranda and my grand children, Grant and Ava! Im all about my famiily!"

From his ShoalsInsider release: http://shoalsinsider.com/clients/shoalsinsider/milam-touts-experience-p2584.htm?twindow=Default&smenu=1&mad=No

"I am a proud parent and grandparent of four kids and 2 grand kids. My life revolves around them and what sport/activity they are involved in."

and

"It is crucial for any District Court Judge to have children. I have biological children and have adopted a child. Until a person walks in the shoes they should not be allowed to Judge others. How can any person who does not have children be, qualified to decide all the issues for any child in District Court? I do not believe they can. A Judge should have their own children before they can understand how to treat someone else’s children. District Court Judge also hear adoptions under certain circumstances. I have handled many, many adoptions. Further, as stated above, I have adopted a child. Two of the other candidates do not even have children. None of the other candidates have ever adopted a child."

and

"My sister died of Cystic Fibrosis in April of 1999 and my wife and I adopted her child, Myranda, she attends Deshler middle school."

*****

More tomorrow on Johnny Mack Morrow. Until then we leave you with our favorite quote from this campaign. BFred in the TimesDaily Forums on Judge Jimmy Sandlin: "Once you get past the whole adultery and screwing over his family thing he's a pretty good guy."

Shoalanda

The Readers Speak

Some recent comments and questions--we'll start with a humorous, but valid question:

Don't you guys have spell check? Yes, but it doesn't work on titles (and apparently our editor doesn't either), so if you see any blatant errors, please contact us asap. Many thanks.

Why do you all comment on other counties if you live in Lauderdale? Please read yesterday's blog. This is 2010; what's good for Lauderdale is good for Colbert is good for Franklin is good for Alabama. Even if you don't live in Lauderdale, feel free to send any comments about elections in this county . Again, we're happy to publish guest commentaries.

Do you have an agenda? Only for the best candidates to lead us into an uncertain future. Again, please read yesterday's blog. No one pays us anything and we have endorsed in three counties so far. We don't endorse if we don't have facts on which to base that endorsement; however, we realize any political stance is less valid or important to those whom it doesn't affect. If the voter doesn't have food on the table, he/she couldn't care less if the candidate is green or not.

If I want to send you a guest blog, do you have to publish my name? No, in fact we have published most commentaries under a pen name. We welcome all work, but will edit for vulgar language and anything that could be inferred as libelous. Your opinions do not have to agree with ours--that's one of the major reasons for accepting guest commentaries. We are happy to publish opposing views; however, we will not accept any blogs that support rapists, pedophiles, etc.--that should be self-explanatory.

Those figures on the Colbert County District Judge race seem low. Where did they come from? The guest commentary we recently published used data (we take it) originally published in the ShoalsInsider...and many thanks to that website for publishing them. The State of Alabama has updated disclosures, and we are publishing those figures today.

*****

That brings us back to that donnybrook in Colbert County. Just who has spent what? Here's an updated list (amounts rounded to nearest thousand):

Nathan Johnson - 7K

Tina Miller Parker - 10K

Chad Coker - 22K

Polly Ruggles - 23K

Tim Milam - 38K

With the election twelve days away, it should be interesting to see how campaign expenses compare to the final vote tabulations.

*****

Finally, we haven't had a poll in quite some time. We've received many questions about our "man on the street" based predictions in the above race, so today we're offering a poll on the Democratic primary for Colbert County District Judge. The poll will record only one vote per IP addy.


Shoalanda

Lauderdale v. Colbert...or Who's Your Daddy?!!!

Everyone knows, just as they have known for over one hundred years, that residents of Colbert County should not spend their tax dollars in Lauderdale, just as Lauderdale citizens should never support any civic project in Colbert. Further, don't even think about mentioning Franklin County. Yes, we know all this was supposed to have changed some years ago, but has it?

All of us who work with Shoalanda live in Lauderdale County with the exception of one individual. Trader lives in Colbert County, and while we have not asked him how he feels about any elections on either side of the river, we're sure he knows he's more than welcome to contribute to this blog as well as his own. That goes for everyone who reads us; we openly solicit blogs from readers of every political slant and have never failed to publish any that have been sent to us.

Yet, many seem to have read one or two of our almost 600 columns and continue to make assumptions about who we are and what we stand for. They (who woulda thunk it?) even wander aimlessly with their false ideas and publish them as fact in other venues.

As far as we honestly know, our publisher, who has never written the first blog or told us what to write, is the only person associated with Shoalanda who is related to any candidate in the tri-county area. He is related by marriage to a Lauderdale candidate. Nor have any of us used any candidates to obtain a divorce, buy a car, or have the lawn mowed. Our opinions are based on facts and personal observations. We offer them to you in the For What It's Worth Department and hope that you both enjoy the content as well as learn a few things that might not be common knowledge.

When Billy Underwood predicted the Colbert County District Judge's race would be the one to watch, the political equivalent of an Auburn-Alabama football game, he wasn't just gushing idle rhetoric for the TimesDaily. One has only to read the TD Forum to see what balderdash is being uttered about many of these Colbert attorneys.

Our opinion on the leaders in this race is just that--opinion based on observation and accounts sent to us from all areas of Colbert County, from Cherokee to Littleville to Leighton. As we have said before, the race is still anybody's ball game, especially with Tim Milam's 30K still to come into advertising play. It's a sad commentary, but many vote based on slick adverts without even a nod to the issues. Thank God we live in a Republic and not a Democracy.

*****

The civil suit against former Cherokee mayor Mignon Willis began yesterday after a series of delays. We'll keep you abreast of events as they are related to us.

*****

Colbert County candidate for Sheriff Lyn Gregory will be in Leighton today from 10:30 a.m until 12:30 p.m. Stop by the Leighton Volunteer Fire Department to speak with Lyn and learn about his vision for modern and ethical law enforcement in the county. We understand he will also be serving hot dogs, so we can't think of a better lunch date.


Shoalanda

Where Did the Money Go?

Where Did the Money Go?

A Guest Commentary by

Nicholas James

Recently Tim Milam disclosed that he gave $30,000 to his own campaign. The other candidates are running on budgets that are, on average, under $5,000. Milam has a lot more.

That $30,000 he gave to himself....where is it going? He seems to have more signs than the other candidates, but not $30,000 worth.

He could get a TV ad made and shown on Comcast for $5,000 to $10,000, but I haven't seen one. He could get lots of radio ads.... has anyone heard one? With that kind of money he could blanket Shoals radio with ads. But he hasn't. The Times-Daily charges $520 for a full page, full color ad. At that price Milam could run 57 pages. So he could either buy every page in the Sunday paper or a full page ad every day for two months. Has he run any full page ads? I don't get the paper, so I don't know.

If he hired people to go door to door, with $30,000 he could pay 93 people $8.00 an hour to work a 40 hour week to tell people about his qualifications for District Judge. Or he could pay one person the same amount to knock on doors for 21 months.

So what is Tim Milam spending $30,000 dollars on? Does he have any left?

*****

What's up with this: If you're short on work in the office, it might not be the best idea to Tweet about it. Just a thought...

Shoalanda

The Next Colbert County District Judge?

The election of a new Circuit or District Court Judge is a rarity. Colbert County has certainly fielded a covey of candidates from all areas of the legal world. From reading various forums in the area, it would seem that many don't fully understand the role of District Judge. From The Guide to Alabama Courts:

District Courts have limited jurisdiction over certain types of civil and criminal cases.

Criminal cases handled by District Courts include most misdemeanors, some ordinance violations, preliminary hearings for felony cases, and guilty pleas in felony cases that do not include a death penalty.

Some misdemeanors and ordinance violations may be heard by Circuit Courts as lesser-included offenses in a felony case, or if an indictment for a misdemeanor has been returned by a grand jury. District Courts will generally only handle ordinance violations if no Municipal Court exists in the area, and shares jurisdiction with Municipal Courts over criminal acts that violate state laws but can also be prosecuted as municipal ordinance violations.

Civil cases handled by District Courts include general civil cases when the amount in dispute is less than $10,000, excluding interest and costs. District Courts share jurisdiction with Circuit Courts over most civil cases that involve amounts in dispute between $3000 and $10,000, exclusive of interest and costs. District Courts have exclusive jurisdiction over Small Claims cases, which are most civil cases that involve less than $3000 in dispute, excluding interest and costs.

District Courts share jurisdiction over juvenile cases with Circuit Courts and can receive certain cases, such as adoptions, from the Probate Court if a proper request is made and granted. When Circuit Courts or District Courts hear juvenile cases, these judges sit as a Juvenile Court and a separate docket is maintained.

District Courts offer a simplified Small Claims procedure for eligible cases involving less than $3000 in dispute. Cases that are beyond the limits of District Court jurisdiction are heard in Circuit Courts, even if the amount of money in dispute is less than $3000. For example, District Courts do not have jurisdiction over certain types of equitable relief, including declaratory judgments, and District Courts are prohibited from exercising jurisdiction over certain types of cases, including actions for negligence against municipalities.

Now that we all know exactly what a District Judge does, who will do it best for Colbert County? We have stated before that Chad Coker and Tina Parker have been the front runners in this contest for quite some time. A close third is Tim Milam, followed by Polly Ruggles and Nathan Johnson.

Both Parker and Coker have impeccable legal credentials, as well as a strong sense of social responsibility. We think that both are destined to serve Colbert County for years to come. At this particular time, after much consideration, we endorse Tina Miller Parker for Colbert County District Judge.

*****

A few years ago, a neighboring county held a large political rally. One candidate, a man who sought the office of Lt. Governor, stood before the vast audience and spoke. At the end of his speech, he asked that those present would vote for him. He then asked that if they could not find it in their hearts to vote for him for Lt. Governor, at least not to vote for Luther Strange.

We have a similar request of you, our readers, today. We don't believe all the strange tales that come to us via e-mail, but when person after person, from all walks of life, e-mail us accounts of dirty campaigning by one individual, then--yes--we believe them to be true.

If you can't find it in your heart to vote for Tina Parker, we humbly ask you to vote for Chad Coker, or to vote for Polly Ruggles or Nathan Johnson. As someone said, if a candidate is this dishonest during an election, what would he be like if elected judge.


Shoalanda

Tina Parker - A Woman of Vision

Billy Underwood, Democratic Party leader in Colbert County, has pronounced the election for District Court Judge to be the one to follow this year. Five candidates are vying to succeed Judge George Carpenter, not counting the unopposed Republican whom we have not as yet profiled.

We have previously received personal communications from Chad Coker, Tim Milam, and Tina Parker; our sources show Coker and Parker as the front runners. Our original showcase of Parker was in July of last year, and since that time the citizens have asked many insightful questions of all the candidates. Today we bring you an update from Tina Miller Parker:

BIO

I am a native of Colbert County, born in 1970 and raised in Muscle Shoals, where I still live today. My parents are Jerry Miller, originally from Florence, and Sue Russell Miller, originally from Tuscumbia. My maternal great grandparents were raised in Cherokee before they married and moved to Sheffield. I have one brother, Jeff, who is married to the former Stephanie Kimbrough from Leighton.

I am a licensed attorney practicing primarily in the areas of personal injury, family law, consumer bankruptcy, and workers’ compensation. I was raised in a blue collar family, and through them I learned the value of hard work. I have never been afraid of long hours, and I earned my law degree by attending classes at night while working full time during the day as a paralegal. I began practicing law in April 2002 for a large insurance defense firm before I began representing injured people in 2005. I have experience handling civil and criminal cases in both District Court and Circuit Court, and I would love to take that balanced experience with me to the District Court Judge’s office.

Between graduating from UNA in 1993 and starting law school, I earned a childhood development certification from Northwest-Shoals Community College, and I opened and directed Kid Safari Child Care in Muscle Shoals, where my staff of 13 and I cared for 85 children. I spend a large amount of my spare time giving back to the community by volunteering for local organizations, mainly those that support our community’s children. I serve as the President of C.A.S.A. (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Colbert County, where we pair trained volunteers with abused and neglected children and advocate for those children through the judicial system. I serve on the board of directors for the Shoals Optimist Club, another youth organization, and I have volunteered and raised funds for Safeplace, Habitat for Humanity, and P.A.W.S. (Pets are Worth Saving) of the Shoals.

VISION FOR THE DISTRICT COURT

There is no question that the new Colbert County District Court Judge will have big shoes to fill. Judge Carpenter has enjoyed five terms on the bench. I had the experience of winning one of my very first trials as a new lawyer in his court, and he was fair and respectful. Judge Carpenter is responsible for a very large docket of cases each year. In addition to hearing traffic cases and other misdemeanors, he also hears juvenile cases, evictions, and civil cases involving monetary damages up to $10,000 in value.

One of my goals for the District Judge’s office, should the voters in Colbert County allow me the privilege, is to organize the voluminous traffic court docket in such a manner that people do not have to take an entire morning or afternoon off work for a court appearance. One way this could be accomplished would be by dividing the docket alphabetically by last name into two or three groups, staggering the court date and time for each of these groups.

I would also like to separate the DUI docket from the other traffic docket and invite guest speakers whose lives have been permanently changed as a result of DUI-related crashes to address the DUI defendants. I have spoken to local people who have lost loved ones in DUI-related accidents who are eager to participate in this program. So many people, and young adults in particular, have the mind set that they are invincible. My hope is that, through this program, we can reduce the number of repeat DUI offenders in Colbert County.

Last, but certainly not least, I would like to start a juvenile drug court in our county. We have a program for adult offenders, but we need a program for young people who are starting down a slippery slope of drug or alcohol abuse. A juvenile drug court would place nonviolent youthful offenders in a community corrections program, provide them with much-needed counseling, and require them to perform community service and undergo random drug testing and strict monitoring. If a juvenile fails to complete the program, he or she is still subject to being placed in a detention center. But if a juvenile successfully completes the program, we have one less delinquent breaking into cars or homes to steal for drug money, or driving under the influence and placing innocent folks in danger, and we have one more good, contributing member of society. We have a successful juvenile drug courts already in place in our state, and we could benefit from this program in our county.

A good judge is one who treats every man, woman, and child who comes before her or him with respect, whether they are rich or poor, black or white, young or old. When it comes to a judge, people deserve equal access to the system, a speedy trial and ruling, and fair, unbiased decisions that are based upon the law and the facts of each individual case. A good judge will have an open door to listen to the concerns of the citizens in the county. Judges are granted much discretion under the law, but a good judge will not abuse that discretion. A good judge will manage the courtroom and docket efficiently and will always be mindful of the fact that she or he is a servant of the citizens. I respectfully ask for your support and for your vote on June 1st.

Tomorrow: An endorsement

Shoalanda

Tim Milam Gives 30K to His Campaign

While other Democratic candidates for the Colbert County District Judgeship have given their campaigns between one and three thousand dollars, the ShoalsInsider is reporting that Tim Milam has bankrolled his attempt to succeed Judge George Carpenter with thirty thousand of his own bucks. Perhaps this is why Milam is so sure of a place in the run-off that his campaign is sponsoring at least one event after the June 1st primary.

Our sources show Chad Coker and Tina Parker as the front-runners, but the election is still four weeks away. We're looking for an expensive media blitz from Milam. Wonder if his ads will mention that he had the forethought to have children?

*****

Apparently family members of those currently housed in Sheffield City Jail have complained about the lack of three meals a day. While penal institutions in the State of Alabama are required to furnish only two meals per day, all other jails in the area manage to offer the standard three.

A spokesman for the city states that the diminished number of meals is due to the high census of prisoners currently incarcerated in Sheffield. We doubt that this city has more prisoners than any other jail in the Shoals; perhaps the dietitian needs a few pointers on stretching food dollars?

More to the point, do prisoners deserve three meals a day? There's a great variety of inmates in local jails. We personally feel that child molesters should be beaten every hour on the hour for the duration of their stay, and that's just for starters.

Yet not all prisoners are on the same illegal and immoral plane as those who use children for their personal perverted pleasure. Many who are incarcerated have made a mistake--a mistake they will never make again. These people do not deserve to be starved just because they're at the mercy of the state, county, or city. We suggest that Sheffield City Jail administrators rethink their policy.


Tomorrow: More on the race for Alabama Senate Place 1

Shoalanda

Strutn into Guinness...

Strutn, a production company owned by Mike Tennyson of Muscle Shoals, is staging a record-shattering event at the Alabama Music Hall of Fame on June 12th. Starting at 10:00 a.m., Strutn will attempt to break four world records. The ads don't specify which records will be falling that day, but the promotional material does call for casual dress for participants.

Proceeds from the event will go to American Cancer Assistance. We've not been able to locate any data on this organization and look forward to learning more about it.

The event, to be held 11 days after the June 1st primary, boasts the sponsorship of Tim Milam, Colbert County District Judge candidate, and Len Gregory, a candidate for Colbert County Sheriff. Either the event has been postponed from its original date, or Milam and Gregory are sure not only of a run-off, but that they'll be in it. We'll see...

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New Links: Be sure to check out the new links to some great Shoals blogs. We've spotlighted Dirt Therapy before, but if you haven't yet visited Phillip Oliver's award-winning gardening blog you've been missing some great give-aways, plus Phillip offers his own links to several other wonderful gardening columns from around the U.S. For inspirational reading, we highly recommend Life As I Know It, Garnering Wisdom, and Gathering Life.


Remember: The Shoals rocks, and Shoals bloggers rock the Shoals.

Shoalanda

Tim Milam Announces for Colbert District Judge

Shoals attorney Tim Milam has announced his candidacy for Colbert County District Judge. Milam will be running as a Democrat in his quest to succeed retiring Judge George Carpenter. He joins a large covey of candidates that includes Chad Coker, Tina Miller Parker, and Polly Ruggles.

We have not received any personal word from Mr. Milam concerning his platform, but the following was posted in the official Facebook site he requested we join:

You would not believe what other people are telling me that other people are doing. They should be embarassed (sic), but are not. I have not changed one thing in my life because I am trying to serve the community by being the Judge. I want to be positive about the election and myself instead of negative about others, so I dont (sic) talk about the other things going on. I am a lifelong Democrat running as a Democrat. However, I have life long republicans that are telling me they will vote for me and help but they cannot do it publicly. I am proud that not only Democrats are voting for me. I am the most experienced person running and will stand on my record. I think it is important to have a broad background and work experience for the District Court Judge.

Milam at one time practiced corporate law in Florence. We wish him luck in this pivotal Shoals race--with the large and accomplished field of candidates, he will need it.


Notice: A trust fund has been set up at Bank Independent for the family of the late Sammy Tidwell. One may donate at any branch. Mr. Tidwell was well known in the world of Shoals cyberspace, and we offer our sincerest condolences to his family.

Shoalanda