Who Has the Tape & When Can We Hear It?

Our guest blog on Muscle Shoals government has indicated someone has a very interesting audio tape in which a city official spills the beans about preferential treatment. We have to ask:

1. When will he release it?

2. Could it possibly bring legal charges against someone in the mayor's office or even spark a recall?

3. Does this mysterious Mr. X have an attorney? If he doesn't, may we suggest Billy Underwood.

We'll publish any updates as soon as we have them.

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Congratulations to Bobby Inman on a much deserved "retirement." We placed that word in quotes since we believe Bobby's retirement will be short lived.



Shoalanda

A Few More Words About Muscle Shoals

Shoalanda Speaks hit it on the nail when speaking about the lack of reporting of Times Daily. The following article appeared in Times Daily:

MUSCLE SHOALS — Since the beginning of April, city code enforcement officers have written more than 50 citations for violations of the city’s strengthened ordinance policing grass growth and junk, according to Tandy Crosswhite, city building official.

It’s the first real “grass season” since August when the City Council added teeth to the city’s ordinance.

Crosswhite said the Building Department has been more successful at getting offenders to respond to citations because they know the city means business when it comes to overgrown lots and junk.

“I wouldn’t want it beside me,” Crosswhite said. “If my next-door neighbor has grass over a foot tall, I’m going to be upset about it, so I understand.”

The city has two code enforcement officers who respond to complaints from residents and issue citations if someone is in violation.

If a citation is issued, the offender has seven days to bring the property into compliance before getting a summons to court.

Previously, the offender got two notices before the city would get court permission to cut the lot. Now the offender gets just one notice.

Violators are subject to a $100 fine for the first offense, a $300 fine if a second violation occurs within 12 months and $500 and/or up to six months in jail for a third violation during any time period.

The new ordinance also gives a more comprehensive definition of junk, which according to the ordinance includes metal, machinery, plumbing fixtures, vehicle parts, building materials, tires and other items that are “rusted, wrecked, disabled, discarded, dismantled” or inoperable.

Muscle Shoals Mayor David Bradford said grass and junk calls do put a lot of work on the code enforcement officers, but the payoff is a cleaner city.

“We aren’t able to get out and drive around a lot looking for violations,” he said. “We have to work mostly off complaints from neighbors or if the code officer happens to see something when they are out working. We probably won’t ever be able to get everybody.”

NOW - the real story:

Well isn’t this article very politically correct…………however, political correctness isn’t always equated with honesty. As you will notice in the words of the article, a violator of this ordinance is “subject” to various penalties. Why would a violator be “subject” to being penalized for a wrong doing? Well, that’s an easy one to answer. If a violator was strictly penalized for an offense then Mayor Bradford and his 5 disciples (councilmen) couldn’t pick and choose who would and would not be penalized. 

Would Mayor Bradford please explain to the Muscle Shoals taxpayers why he ordered a dilapidated building on Woodward Avenue to be torn down at taxpayer expense when the owner had a contractor lined up to tear the building down, not to mention this property is probably worth close to $1,000,000 dollars (that’s one million dollars for you Muscle Shoals math scholars). Did Mayor Bradford and his Disciples place a lien on the property so the taxpayers could be reimbursed when the property sells? Of course they didn’t. Mayor Bradford says it was a training exercise for his Public Works Department. Really????? 

Since when does a Public Works Department need training on tearing a building down? If anyone believes that I have a great deal on a piece of oceanfront property located on Wilson Dam Road that I’ll sell you. Next, why does Mayor Bradford and his Disciples order various City Departments to perform work on the“Private Property” of certain individuals at taxpayer expense? There is documented evidence for proof but the dear Mayor always has a reason why the ordinance violation had to be performed. If you believe him, then I still have the oceanfront property on Wilson Dam Road for sale at a really good price. Since Mr. Crosswhite was quoted in the article, maybe you should ask him if all citizens in Muscle Shoals are treated fair and equal. He can’t lie because someone (can’t tell you who at this time) recorded a conversation they had with Mr. Crosswhite where he admitted the Mayor and the Disciples definitely play favorites in the fair city. 

This all takes us back to the debacle involving Officer Greg Scoggins and the deer killing incident. Mr. Scoggins was fired while the Mayor and the Disciples had complete disclosure about another officer (won’t mention his name now but he has now transferred to another City Department) committing the same offense. Obviously this individual received no disciplinary action because I saw him working at one of the ball fields just the other day. The list is basically endless noting the many sins of the MSPD that the good Mayor has covered for years (isn’t that right Donatello). One would assume Officer Scoggins would still be employed if he had just shot a hole in his patrol car and covered it up until he got it fixed (bring back memories Mr. Mayor). 

Let’s just be biblical for a moment Mr. Mayor and Disciples,“YOUR SINS WILL ONE DAY FIND YOU OUT”, maybe not today but there’s always tomorrow. Think about all your deeds and what you’ll tell the voters who placed their trust in you. They may not be concerned now but just wait until something happens that does affect them. Of course everyone knows the Muscle Shoals citizen’s motto, “BLESS ME AND MINE AND THE HECK WITH YOU AND YOURS”. Mmmm, that’s kind of how the Mayor and Disciples operate, isn’t it. Guess all the Muscle Shoals residents have good role models in City Hall. Glad to say I wised up several years ago and moved to a sister city where the residents don’t spend every waking minute of the day telling each other how great they are.

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The above is a guest editorial. It certainly has some very interesting and extremely valid points. Comments?

Shoalanda

How Far Will Keller Go?/Randal Haddock

RegionalCare has won the current appeals battle with Helen Keller Hospital and is now presumably free to begin preparations for the new hospital in earnest. Not so quick, says Keller CEO Doug Arnold, rumored a distant cousin to a certain American army general widely celebrated…in Canada.

Yes, it seems Keller has at least one more appeal left. Will the Huntsville Hospital backed entity avail itself of that chance? We hope not, but we’re sure RegionalCare is prepared for that eventuality.

This whole brouhaha has gone on longer than a fight over an abortion clinic. Perhaps if Keller had put up as much money to offer superior services to patients as it has to block a new hospital on the north side of the river, it wouldn’t have to worry about going under?

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Blind Man on the Corner

We’re proud to announce our support of Randal Haddock in the July Lauderdale County runoff election. Haddock, a sheriff’s deputy, will be facing the current police chief of Lexington, Augie Hendershot.

Due to most 2014 elections being decided without the need for a runoff, a light voter turnout is predicted. We hope each registered Democrat in Lauderdale County will see this for what it is…a chance to change our ill run and justly maligned sheriff’s department into something we can be proud of.

As our regular readers know, we have several contacts in the sheriff’s office and the detention center. No matter who wins the Democratic runoff, no matter who wins the fall election, we’ll continue to update citizens of Lauderdale County on its sheriff’s department.



Shoalanda

Was Jodey Wayne Waldrop Guilty of Capital Murder?

There’s probably no one out there reading this that would have wanted to meet Jodey Wayne Waldrop in a dark alley. There’s probably only a miniscule number out there who mourn his death. In short, he could be called the dregs of society who isn’t worth a second thought now that he’s dead.

Yet Waldrop was still a victim of our capital punishment laws in Alabama. There may be some who believe the Red Bay man meant to kill his son; we believe he honestly just wanted to “shut him up.” In doing so, the child died. Surely, while Waldrop didn’t look nearly as smart as a border collie, if he had wanted to murder his son, he would suffocated him, poisoned him, anything but made him a victim of shaken baby syndrome.

Waldrop was tried for the capital crime because his victim was under the age of 14. That stipulation is one of several that makes some murders capital offenses in our great state. District attorneys have the right to decide which crime qualifies and which one doesn’t. Joey Rushing of Franklin County thought Waldrop qualified and prosecuted him at the capital level. If we had seen the photos of the young infant and then looked at the person Waldrop presented to the world, we would probably have done the same. A jury agreed.

One of our fellow bloggers disagrees with us, but we still feel the Colbert County district attorney should have had Ronald Weems indicted for Capital Murder. No one would have questioned the charge of rape, or at least attempted rape, considering the testimony that witnesses gave concerning the state of his victim when they first saw her lying on Weems’ basement floor. The public would have then been assured Weems would not leave prison alive.

There’s no way to know if Jodey Waldrop would be alive today if he had been charged with and convicted of Felony Murder. We doubt anyone cares. We’ll be honest enough to say that the only reason we “care” is because it demonstrates the tremendous problems with Alabama’s capital punishment laws.

If Waldrop had been the son of a millionaire industrialist, if he had been the client of a slick Atlanta law firm, just what would have been the charges and the verdict in this case? A more important question is what will it take to change our maze of capital punishment laws? We’re guessing a full time P.R. Firm and millions of dollars. In other words, don’t expect to see a positive change in this century.

The Joel Moyers trial awaits on the horizon...

Shoalanda

Jodey Wayne Waldrop Dies in Prison

Remember our blog on convicted Baptist minister pedophile Jeff Eddie being incarcerated at St. Clair correctional facility. Some readers felt this medium security prison wasn’t quite tough enough. Apparently, it’s tough enough that Franklin County baby killer Jodey Waldrop has lost his life in a knife attack.

We’re sure only a few tears will be shed over Waldrop’s death, but not everyone incarcerated at St. Clair is on the same level as Waldrop. The Alabama Department of Corrections has been mum on many of the details surrounding Waldrop’s death, but a spokesman has indicated he was killed by another prisoner in a knife attack in his own cell.

Jodey Wayne Waldrop

Knife attack? Would that be what’s commonly called a shiv? Something whittled down to make a sharp weapon? Or could it have been a real knife, slipped into the prison as contraband?

No matter what we think of Waldrop, it’s disconcerting to know that it was so easy for someone to take his life in his own cell. For those who wanted to see “Bro. Jeff” in a less homelike environment, we stand behind our belief that St. Clair is no ice cream parlor.

We’ve received some criticism for referring to Jeff Eddie as “Bro. Jeff.” In our use of this appellation, it in no way confers Christian fellowship. “Bro. Jeff” is simply the name he used online and easily identifies him.

Did Eddie use the name to make it easier to insert himself into the lives of his victims and their families. It’s certainly a possibility.

Shoalanda

What Will Montgomery & Burbank Do Now?

It’s official that Colbert County Supt. Anthony Olivis wants to transfer Bob Montgomery to the alternative school. The salary may be the same, but obviously the working conditions bear no similarities. Montgomery has refused the position.

Will it go to the courts? If so, it’s the citizens (read: taxpayers) who will bear the burden of this fight. If Olivis and the school system lose, they will in all probability bear Montgomery’s legal expenses as well, assuming they’re not covered by AEA.

Money will not be the only concern, should it go to court. Both Colbert Heights Elementary School and the alternative school will be in limbo until these positions are decided. That’s not even considering the possibility that Jeff Burbank may decide to engage in a legal fight against his demotion.

We’ve seen some comments that the three administrators Olivis has challenged were not doing their job. What if that should be correct? While we don’t believe it is, in that case the former superintendent had been tolerating three principals who were not doing their job.

We welcome comments on this, as well as any of our blogs.

We’ve heard it said a promotion isn’t really a promotion unless a raise is involved. Nevertheless, titles are nice, they bring respect and they look good on resume’s so that the employee who didn’t get an actual raise can look for a better job.

How about a demotion? Is is really a demotion for Jeff Burbank if he makes the same salary? We say it is. If you’re at a social gathering and are introduced to a classroom teacher and a principal, which one do you think has more “on the ball?”

Comments, anyone?

Shoalanda

Voting Tuesday?

Here's a few things to think about:

1. Colbert County Sheriff? We endorse Frank Williamson in the Democratic primary. He's the better man. 'Nuff said.

2. Lauderdale County Commission Place 1 - D.C. Thornton--he, unlike his opponent, hasn't been arrested lately.

3. Franklin County Sheriff - Ray Hayse

4. Franklin County Revenue Commissioner Rep. - Veronica Stancill--She will make a great one.

5. Franklin County Corroner - Elzie Malone--He's done a good job so far.

6. Alabama District One Rep. - Josh Statom

7. Alabama Senate District One Dem - Earl Gardner--Any one is better than Mike Curtis.

8. Alabama Senate District One Rep. - Tim Melson

Learn all you can about the candidates. Once they're elected, you're pretty much stuck with them for a few days.



Shoalanda