Janice Keeton Has a Fan Club...

Janice A. Keeton wants to become the first woman elected to the position of Circuit Court Judge in Lauderdale County. If the amount of e-mail we have received concerning the Florence attorney is any indication, she will certainly garner a large share of the votes in the Democratic primary.

Keeton, a 1974 graduate of Muscle Shoals High School, worked for 16 years as a legal secretary before obtaining her juris doctorate degree in 2003. She is also a graduate of Faulkner University and the Birmingham School of Law. After passing the bar exam, Keeton went to work as an associate in the office of her former boss, Florence attorney Cliff Wright. She and her husband Jimmy reside in the Zip City community in northern Lauderdale County.

Recently, Keeton applied to succeed Circuit Court Judge Mike Suttle, but failed to make the selection committee's short list. She will face Gov. Bob Riley's appointee Gil Self in the June 2010 primary. We wish Mrs. Keeton well in her race; however, we have been told by those in the know that Mr. Wright's law practice may very well implode without his junior partner's wit, wisdom, and organizational skills.

Good luck, Janice. We hope to hear more good things from you before the primary.


What's up with this: The ShoalsInsider weekly poll is now featuring candidates in Colbert County's District Court race. Tina Miller Parker is currently in the lead, with Polly Ruggles trailing the pack. We encourage everyone to visit this site and vote for the individual whom you believe will best serve Colbert County.

Shoalanda

Fire Prevention Month Parade Tonight in Florence

October is Fire Prevention Month, and our friend Morris Lentz has asked us to remind our readers of the parade tonight in downtown Florence. This year's "Night of Fire Parade" will line up on Pine Street at 6:00 p.m. and officially kick off 2009's fire prevention campaign as the participants make their way down Court Street at 7:00 p.m.

All Shoals municipal and volunteer fire departments are encouraged to send at least one truck to participate in the parade featuring the Red Knights Motorcycle Club. All parade participants are invited to attend a pizza dinner in Wilson Park after the event.

Morris is president of the Lauderdale County Volunteer Firefighters' Association and donates countless hours of his personal time to keeping Lauderdale County and the surrounding areas safe. Kudos to him and all the Shoals firefighters. We encourage everyone to turn out for the parade to honor these men and women.


What's up with this: Just what are the Red Knights? Take a peek at their website; you definitely don't want to miss this group!

Shoalanda

Don't Miss Family Law Show Monday on WOOP FM

Have a question about family law? Have a comment about a judge or his/her rulings? Here is the venue to address any and all related topics:

CALL IN INTERNET RADIO TALK SHOW ON FAMILY LAW CASES Monday October 5 - 8 am (Ala. Time)

Tennessee Radio station < www.woopfm.com > is airing a talk show about family court cases and constitutional law with Hosts William “Wilky” Fain and Constitutional law attorney Stanley Charles Thorne.

The talk show will air at 8 am (Alabama time) You can listen and watch it live on online.

Calls are requested from all over the United States.

The Station owner said if there are many calls to the show, the hosts can have the same hours Monday to Friday for one month.

About the hosts:

William “Wilky” Fain made a movie “A Father’s Rights” about his fight for his rights to protect his daughter.

Through making of the movie has either changed laws or made several new laws affecting the family court system throughout the state of Tennessee. All they rely on is fair treatment from the judges and protection awarded by our state and federal constitutions.

For more about Wilky go to his web site < www.WilliamFain.com >

Stanley Charles Thorne is a Constitutional law attorney. He deals with the nightmare family court rulings throughout the USA.

He works with Wilky as Thorne the Regulator producing video and DVD’s that plans to be releases as a pilot television show that you could describe as “Dog the Bounty Hunter” but outing judges that do not follow the law. See the Thorne web site here < www.ThorneTheRegulator.com >

On this website, you can see the documentary on the Sara Evans divorce story.

In the near future the web site will tell the story of Huntsville, Alabama firefighter Chris Hobbs and his “Why Judge Little.com” public awareness campaign.

www.FamiliesUnite.org - is an organization to bring family- friendly people and businesses together to protect our children’s rights to BOTH parents and to protect fit parents from government intrusion into their relationships with their children.

When camera’s roll when with lawyers, judges, politicians, CPS or DHR and those who stand in the way of equality and our children’s rights to BOTH parents, that changes the scheme of things.

Lawyers and judges don’t want cameras in the court room - not because they claim they want to protect the kids - but because they don’t want the harm they do to families known to their families, friends, and voters.

WHAT: Internet Radio talk show on family law cases < www.woopfm.com >

WHEN: Monday 8 am to 10 am (Alabama Time)

WHO: YOU, we need you to listen in and call in.

YOU ARE INVITED TO LISTEN & CALL IN at < www.woopfm.com >

Note: For those who have asked due to a proliferation of local forums and blogs, the Shoalanda Group consists only of Shoalanda Speaks, Nurse Nan, Madam Zara, and Shoals Crime. We do have links to others that we recommend, none of them a hate site. Thanks, ET

Shoalanda

Sweetwater - Treats or Just Tricks?

From reading the above poster, one would think Sweetwater Mansion, aka the Weeden Home, will now be open to the public, but according to Cypress Realty representative Martin Dean, that's not quite the case. It seems the floor of the decaying edifice will not support large groups; the tours that are to commence on October 9th are of the grounds only. For those who may not be aware, the picture displayed prominently in the poster is from 1935. Sadly the old Weeden Home no longer bears even a passing resemblance to the the above photograph.

That brings us to the purpose of the "Haunted Tours," said to benefit the Sweetwater Mansion Restoration Fund. Currently the home is owned by Susan Leigh Smithson of Atlanta; Smithson is asking nine million dollars for the house and remaining 22 acres of land. Any funds raised by the tours will be used to refurbish the old mansion in order to attract a buyer willing and able to fork over that kind of money for the former showplace.

We have no idea of what these tours will be composed. Certainly, many will wish to see the grounds of the home that has been closed to the public for so long. Just how many will wish to avail themselves of the "fortune teller" remains to be seen.

So...a twenty dollar tour to enhance the pocket book of Ms. Smithson or the same amount spent at Greystone Manor where it will be returned to the Shoals economy? Tough Choice? Hardly.


What's up with this: We understand that Insurance Bluff, the scene of a recent accidental death, is not located in Iron City, but lies to the west in West Point, Tennessee. We would love to hear from any readers who have stories about this historic and infamous area.

Shoalanda

Ashley Morgan - Sunday School Teacher or Thief?

Rebecca Ashley Morgan is 21 years old and in a lot of trouble. The 2006 graduate of Sheffield High School currently lives with her parents Richard and Heather in the Underwood community north of Florence. For the past five years, Ashley has worked intermittently at McFarland campground in Florence. During that period, Ashley attended Itawamba Community College and taught Sunday School at Calvary Baptist Church in Tuscumbia.

Now, Florence Police have arrested Ashley and charged her with the embezzlement of over $10,000.00. She's currently free on $5,000.00 bond, and her friends are concerned about her. The young woman who contacted us feels that Ashley Morgan has been set up by someone else.

It does seem odd that family and friends would not suspect any problems if Ashley had been spending the large amount of money the former Florence Parks and Recreation Department employee is accused of taking. Friends also report that Ashley is not the kind of young woman to do illicit drugs.

If Rebecca Ashley Morgan's friends are right, we hope the actual miscreant is quickly uncovered. We also hope that everyone has friends who trust them as much as Ashley's.


Kudos: Congratulations to Colbert County District Judge candidate Tina Miller Parker for spearheading the effort to fund a new heating and air-conditioning system for the Colbert County Animal Shelter. This is a woman who gets things done. What's that quote about rubies?

Shoalanda

Officer Jake Tompkins - Angel on His Shoulder?

Russellville Police Officer Jake Tompkins may very well have an angel on his shoulder. While Police Chief Chris Hargett refuses to confirm the identity of the officer engaged in a pharmacy shoot-out early Wednesday morning, several sources have identified the patrolman as Jake Tompkins.

Tompkins joined Russellville law enforcement in December 2006 as a certified sheriff's deputy, first working for the Solid Waste Department. As the county's first full time Litter Control Officer, Tompkins oversaw inmate work details.

In June 2007, Tompkins attempted to pursue Micah Brown, an escapee from the Franklin County Courthouse. While racing through a red light, Thompson escaped injury when his patrol car was broadsided by another motorist.

Now Tompkins has once again escaped harm after being fired on by Steve Jeffrey Cain, a convicted felon wanted in several local drug store robberies. We hope Cain will be now tried as a habitual offender and congratulate Officer Jake Tompkins on both his accurate aim and good luck.


What's up with this: Two readers have identified Officer Jake Tompkins as a former star Russellville high school player who left both UAB and UNA athletic programs early in his college career; however, we have not been able to confirm this.

Shoalanda

Rhea Tays Fulmer Lacks Logic in Lauderdale Budget

Do you love your job? We hope you do. Would you leave the job you love if you could increase your wages by $5.00 an hour? We're pretty sure most of our readers would answer in the affirmative.

According to the September 29, 2009, TimesDaily report on the most recent Lauderdale County Commission meeting, Fulmer's was the only dissenting vote among the four member commission concerning an approximate 3.5% raise for county employees.

Fulmer's logic, or perhaps a better term would be lack of such, concerning her vote against the raise was based on the need for an additional deputy. While the Lauderdale Sheriff's office has increased its staff by four in the past two years, no one will argue that the department is stretched thin in its attempts at patrolling the entire county.

Fulmer stated, "I see public safety as a top priority." We agree with Fulmer on the priority of public safety, but disagree on her reasoning. Should the Lauderdale Commission consent to fund another deputy by foregoing the annual cost of living raises for current law enforcement officers, how long would the sheriff's department be able to retain its present staff? Assuming it could find replacements for those who would leave for higher paying jobs, the county would be responsible for the training of these new recruits--recruits who would still be tyros and unproved in the field.

Kudos to the Lauderdale County Commission for funding these yearly raises for county employees, and two thumbs down to Mrs. Fulmer who needs to look at the whole picture before speaking out.


What's up with this: Russellville police chief Chris Hargett has refused to name the officer who fired shots in a recent chase. Accounts of the shooting picture it as completely justifiable, so why the secrecy from Hargett who has been termed by many as extra tough on certain segments of the population (read: black).

Shoalanda