Laquania Welch Weems is Guilty

Laquania Welch Weems is guilty. How guilty is anyone's guess. Yet the Muscle Shoals police have never charged this sorry excuse for a mother with any crimes. At least she's as guilty of hindering prosecution as Laurel Pruett, Matthew Fox, and the chillingly cruel Ash Lette, the stripper with the axe.

She at least feels some shame since she has taken down her Facebook page. That was after she had updated it with a photo from the 1970s, complete with cowgirl hat and a red heart frame. Of course, we may be giving Laquania too much credit. Let's look at her accomplishments.

She is a widow who doesn't work. She was happy to take in her grown son, who also didn't work, but relied on the Salvation Army to help with his kids' Christmas. Not to mention she took in any woman who caught her son's fancy, and that was apparently plenty. All the while, her grandchildren lived under the same roof.

Did she raise Ronald Wikkid Weems to be a murderer of just to be a loafer who lived off society and spent money intended for his kids on himself? She obviously had no problem when Ash Lette (legal name Ashley Greenhill) chased away a visitor with her axe. That's chased away as in threatening with a lethal weapon. Nice folks, huh?

Now she has Ron's child with Laurel, getting state money for her. Not only have the police not arrested Laquania, DHR hasn't taken away the child. So now she can raise Pandora Pruett as she raised her father. That's some moniker the little girl has, so in twenty years or so we can be sure to spot it when the product of Laquania's raising starts her own rap sheet.

Actually we think Laquania likes all the publicity. She even showed a television crew around the basement where her son killed his victim. Think she's an Agnes Scott graduate? Some people don't need painting with what Shoalanda calls a white trash brush--you can see and smell their lifestyle a mile away without any help from prosecutors or defense attorneys.

Should those convicted of Second Degree (Statutory) Rape be placed on the sex offender list? I can't see that these men, or women, are in the same class as those who force someone to have sex.  "The Connection" is currently compiling a list of those who have actually abused others while committing their crimes. Here's the latest entry...

Jerry Bryant Griffin

Bailey

Bailey's Message to a Battered Woman

Dear Battered Woman:

I've never met you and I've never been a battered woman. If you want to stop reading now, feel free, but I just may have something to say that will help you.

I don't know how you became involved with him, but that doesn't matter now. You had him arrested, but then dropped the charges because...well, he begged, he threatened, his family begged, his family threatened. Now he's out of jail and threatening you again.

You can't change the past, so you have to deal with the present. Re-file the charges if you can. Press new charges when he accosts you again. Get a restraining order--Protection From Abuse. Get an alarm system. Yes, they're expensive, but you don't have much choice. You'll feel safer and be safer. Make the local alarm company aware that you have a stalker.

If you have evidence in the form of letters or photographs, store them in a safety deposit box or with a friend or attorney. Make sure he knows others know and nothing had better happen to you if he values the rest of his life. Make sure your employers are aware of who he is and what he's threatened. Who knows? They may have contacts that will assure he's arrested and tried if he pulls something with you at work.

Get a stun gun--they're fairly cheap now. Get a "real" gun if you can stomach it. Take lessons on how to use it. Now that you feel fairly safe, join a support group and see what others like you have gone through in the past. You're not the only one.

Now you want to say, "Yes, but you don't know..." What I do know is your situation won't change until you do. His family? They can threaten all they want. They won't do anything. If they do, have them arrested too. Him? He's 90% bluff. The law knows about him. He doesn't want to go back to jail. The law can do only so much if you won't or don't follow through.

It won't take him long to see that you're mad as **** and won't take it any more. Fortunately for you and unfortunately for the unlucky person, he'll find a replacement for you very soon.

A man (or woman) can only bully when he/she has someone who allows it. Don't ever allow it again.

Since Shoalanda is taking the day off, I'm going to use my bailiwick to comment on another subject...

So you want to bring the rest of the Shoals up to your "moral standards?" Nothing wrong with that if you really have any.  I suggest first you stop stealing from Shutter Stock if you want others to think you have any sense of morality.

Bailey

Republican? Thanks for the Compliment!

We can't speak for everyone who writes for this blog, but we have never made any secret of having Republican leanings. That doesn't mean we don't vote for a Democrat from time to time, so perhaps we are technically Independent. We once called ourselves conservative, but considering the utter nut cases out there, we now prefer the term moderate.

Someone who became a "fan" of our blog during our coverage of the Amanda Taylor murder has apparently been very surprised at our moderate stance...which she seems to find very anti-Democrat. In her words: Start (to help her stepbrother Roger Bedford) by not reading any blogs by the blogger "Shoalanda Speaks" shes (sic) an apparent Republican..... poor journalism!!

First we don't consider ourselves to be engaged in journalism, except peripherally. We comment on current events and we do try to provide salient details of stories the TimesDaily overlooks. Even so, we believe Republicans can be as proficient journalists as Democrats. 

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One sore point with our aforementioned critic was our statement that Roger Bedford has no ties to Florence. After all, she said, his wife is from Florence. Yes, she is, but...

Where does Roger Bedford live?
Where does Roger Bedford work?
Where does Roger Bedford go to church?
Where does Roger Bedford get his dry cleaning done?
Where does Roger Bedford buy his gasoline?
Where does Roger Bedford get his hair cut?

Hint: The answer isn't Florence. Voters in East Limestone and portions of Madison may also ask the same of Tammy Irons. What are her ties to those areas? Bedford or Irons may be elected and work very well for the areas they will represent, but they do not have real ties to those areas. Obviously, neither Bedford nor Irons is responsible for the redistricting debacle. Republican leanings or no, we say there had to have been a better way.

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A point to ponder: What do Democrats do? If you make $250,000.00 a year, they would love to take $125,000.00 to give to those who don't work. Well, you say, that isn't too bad. Okay, but if you make $25,000.00 a year, they would also love to take $12,500.00 to give to those who don't work. Oh, wait, you say, now that's hitting home. Yes, it is.



Shoalanda

Update on Andrew Daniel Scott Arrests

Andrew Daniel Scott

Twenty-two year-old Andrew Scott, aka Hottie Scottie, was arrested in Florence on May 11th for Third Degree Theft of Property and Second Degree Burglary of a non-residence. The Killen resident previously received youthful offender status for a non-marijuana drug arrest in February 2010.

As recently as 13 months ago, Scott's father posted on his Facebook page: How do you justify taking a child from his biological father? Laws created in a corrupt legal system are second to God's law.

God's law? As far as we know God hasn't given out any updates on his plan for families. Perhaps Andrew's troubles stem partially from feeling above man's law? 


Related post: Andrew Daniel Scott of Killen Arrested

Shoalanda

A Bedford in Florence's Future?

If the proposed redistricting plan is approved by our legislature, Florence will be in Sen. Roger Bedford's district. We're going to have to agree with Sen. Tammy Irons that this move is illogical and just plain, well, dumb.

We doubt Florence could regularly expect more than lip service from Bedford, but we've been mistaken before. Could the Florence vote send Bedford packing? That's entirely possible, but it would require a super candidate. Anyone out there?

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The redrawn district lines for the seat currently held by Tammy Irons will make it nearly impossible for a Shoals resident to win the seat. - Mike Goens of the TimesDaily

Certainly the current plan diminishes Tammy Irons' loyal base, but northern Limestone and Madison counties are not the population centers of those areas. Irons has always been a good campaigner, whether she's been the best candidate for the job or not.

As with Bedford, any defeat of Irons will involve a super candidate. We predict a Democratic challenge from Limestone and a Republican foe from Madison.

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Weakening of the Shoals? That's what opponents are stating the new redistricting plan will accomplish. We say let's make lemonade. Instead of one senator representing us, we'll have three. That's three chances to produce an advocate for this area. Just because a candidate isn't from the Shoals, it does not automatically follow that he or she won't "play nice" in order to win the votes of this area--even Bedford. What's being predicted to be a huge loss for the Shoals could turn into a win-win situation for extreme northwest Alabama.



Shoalanda

Undercover & Out of Control/New Poll

Holly Ann Shempert was an undercover informant for the City of Sheffield. Now she faces not only drug charges, but the charge of First Degree Theft for going AWOL with the authorities' 3.5K listening device.

Sheffield Police stated she apparently couldn't resist the crack cocaine once she was inside the location to make the buy. A quick check shows Shempert with drug arrests in the Jacksonville, Florida, area over the last ten years.

Obviously that's the problem. Sheffield Police should have known they can't trust those big city druggies. It's only the local crack heads that have any integrity...or understand the proper use of tweezers.

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Be sure to check out the poll on O.B.'s Corner: Poll

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Mine eyes have seen the gory of the coming of the store; Walmart is marching on...



Shoalanda

The Tuscumbian: Tuscumbia History At Its Best

Live in Tuscumbia? Just love local history? Then we have a great new blog for you. Actually, it's our friend Mary Carton who's responsible for the blog, and she's requesting submissions. If you would like to write for the blog, contact her at: marycar53@gmail.com

Their first post has been penned by Tuscumbia historian Jim Smith. Enjoy...

The Tuscumbian

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The following responses, updated periodically, are in answer to state senator Tammy Irons' remark published 5/12/12: Several weeks ago, I was told by a member of the reapportionment committee* that they would draw me a great district to be elected as a Republican. 

Gerald Dial: If someone told her that, they drank too much or smoked too much. (Awaiting follow-up)

Cam Ward: I just have not heard of any such bribe or conversation. The first I read about it was in the newspaper. Maybe she did have the conversation but it is not something I heard.

Clay Scofield: You can be assured that it was not I who offered Tammy Irons a "Republican district" if she switched parties.

Trip Pittman: You can rest assured that I will give your e-mail the serious consideration it deserves. (Awaiting follow-up)

* Nine Republican senators - We've contacted each of them concerning this accusation. We currently have four replies and are awaiting initial answers from the remaining five.

Shoalanda