The Florence Entertainment District: Lost in Translation (and Zombieland)

The Florence Entertainment District is now a reality, or soon will be. Where is it? No one seems to know. The usually geographically impaired Robert Palmer of the TimesDaily has given us this description:

We get Pine Street to the west and Tuscaloosa Street to the north, but "intersection of Tennessee and College Streets?" Oh, right, Palmer has lived here only 30 years or so and can't read a map, so we can't blame him for his muddled thinking concerning Florence geography. It's not like it's his paid job or anything.

If the map isn't indicative enough, Tennessee and College run parallel. In other words, the streets never intersect. We have an idea that the original southern boundary was to have been Tennessee, but was extended to College to accommodate the poetically named Gunrunner Hotel.  

The eastern boundary? Is it Seminary? Is it Wood? Is it Walnut? (Wouldn't want Florence library patrons leaving by the back door to be left out now would we?) 

Are we the only ones to think this is going to be a huge hot mess modeled after John Elkington's Beale Street? (You know...John Elkington of Inspiration Landing fame.) No, wait. We're apparently not the only ones; the Anonymous Deacon now has a few words for the City of Florence.

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FEAR THE WALKING BRAIN DEAD!!!

This week the City of Florence did us a favor by announcing that beginning March 16th portions of the downtown area will be designated as an entertainment district. In order to appease the thousands of entertainment starved citizens (voters), the Council agreed to allow anyone of age that so desires to walk freely up and down city streets holding open containers of alcohol for one weekend a month. I want to say thank you to the City Council; not for allowing me the ability to someday drink a beer as I cross the street from Ricatoni’s on my way to On The Rocks, but instead for giving my family and me fair warning. Now in my calendar next to REC LEAGUE BASKETBALL @ 8:00pm, I can scribble AVOID BEING HIT BY A DRUNK IN DOWNTOWN FLORENCE ON 3/16. It’s good to plan out your week and this is an important date to remember. 

Of course as a recent friend of mine can testify to; you can be hit by a drunk driver at anytime. A sad fact he learned up close and personal at 4:00 on a Thursday afternoon several weeks ago. As for the date of March 16; it may seem random, but unless you’re one of those who eagerly wait with biting anticipation for that one day a year to pull out your “KISS ME I’M IRISH!!!” T-shirt. it should come as a bit of a surprise that Saint Patrick’s Day is also that weekend.

I love how the Times Daily quotes Chief Tyler as saying that if things start going bad then the event can be “stopped immediately.” That’s politician speak for “If we start losing money we will flip-flop and claim the city streets need to be more family friendly.” During my time at UNA, I remember hearing the Council being concerned about how this massive resource of bored college kids were taking their free time and dollars of town because of a lack of places to hang out locally. Now some 20 odd years later I realize that while we claimed to be bored, we never ceased to find a way to get trashed whenever we felt like it. Not that I’m saying a good time can’t be had without alcohol, but honestly though sometimes I wonder if I’m the only one that realizes that.

Look, the city is exploring options to keep people coming downtown and spending dollars. I’m fine with that, but let’s drop the labels and call this what it is: The Council openly saying that they are okay with stepping aside and watching crime and traffic fatalities increase as long as tax revenue also rises sharply. If that’s not entertainment then what is?!?

The Anonymous Deacon

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St. Patrick's Day? Faith and begorrah! No one would believe a drunken Irishman, now would they?

Parole for Tiffany Nunley?

Several readers have advised us that Tiffany Nunley became eligible for parole consideration on November 1st last year. She will be having a parole hearing shortly. You can read about her crime here:

On the Game and Out of Control

If you want to write a letter to the parole board, here is the info:

Tiffany Marie Nunley
AIS # 293312
Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles

Mailing Address:

The Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles
PO Box 302405
Montgomery, Al 36130-2405

Email Addresses:

General Information: questions@paroles.alabama.gov

Victim Services: Victim.Services@paroles.alabama.gov

Pardons/Voting Rights: pardons@paroles.alabama.gov

Telephone:

(334) 353-7771 or (334) 353-8067

Victim Services: (334) 242-8050

FAX:

(334) 353-9400

Board Operations:

(334) 353-7701

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From a reader:

Sunday afternoon, around 5pm, I saw a TVA vehicle, a white Ford SUV, occupied by a couple, dressed as if headed to church (Colbert Mountain area), and thought it odd.  Are we paying for TVA employees use of government vehicles for their own convenience?

We know that many law enforcement agencies allow officers to use vehicles in an attempt to deter crime. For what purpose would TVA allow an employee to use a government vehicle?

Walmart Construction/Accident in Sheffield

Wal-Mart Construction

By:  The Midnight Rider

If you have been to Wal-Mart in Muscle Shoals lately, you have seen that they are remodeling the checkout area to include more self-check-out registers. I recently saw an article on MSNBC that Wal-Mart was one of three major retail companies that wanted to be completely self-check-out by 2020.  

Okay, let’s look at this. They have both ends of the check-out area under construction. The middle check-out register are now overflowing with customers trying to get out of the store with their merchandise. Would it have not made sense to do one end then do the other end? Of course, there are never enough cashiers checking people out and now it is really bad.

Is self-check-out the answer? Me personally, I say no. Every time I have tried it, it never goes smoothly. I have to get the lady from that area to come over and help. This causes a back-up at the self-check-out.  Now some people might not be able to comprehend the concept of this and would prefer a cashier to help them.

Finally, this takes jobs away from people with self-check-out. This area does not need to lose any more jobs. Wal-Mart, you might want to rethink the concept of complete Self-Check-out. It might make people go to other Retail Outlets.

Cell Phones

This happened recently at Wal-Mart. I was in line to check out with a Cashier. Ahead of me was a female who was on the phone. She was on the phone the whole time we were in line. When she checked, still on the phone.

As she walked away, the Cashier stopped her and told her that she left a bag. She began to walk away again, and the Cashier stopped her again to give her another bag. The lady said “I must be losing my mind.” No, but if you would get off the d*mn phone, you might pay more attention to your surroundings.  

Come on people, is a phone call that important?

That’s it for now. But remember, the Midnight Rider will always be around to voice his/her/their (?) opinion.

I am and always will be, the Midnight Rider

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From a reader:

On February 1st, there was a really bad accident on the corner of North Jackson and E 28th St. in Sheffield. A man was struck so hard by a woman that ran a red light it turned his car around until it was facing the direction he was coming from. There was a woman who witnessed it. She was stopped at the red light and the girl flew through the red light and hit the guy. The woman stated that she was traveling at a very high speed. I moved the bumper out of the street and put the sodas back in his trunk. That's how hard he was hit, the trunk flew open. The woman who witnessed this stayed so she could testify as to what happened. When I left the police officer was speaking with her. The police report states there are no witnesses and the guy was at fault. If you are or know the lady who witnessed it please call (205) 341-7507.

We edited our reader's account slightly. Apparently race may have been an issue in the police officer's actions. We have seen this in Florence twice and are not surprised. If you have any information, please let our reader know.

Neon & Nicotine

From the Anonymous Deacon:

Thursday night I happened to be driving around Florence and came across a disturbing site. As I made my way down Mall Road behind the theater, the entire sky suddenly lit up and for a split second I thought the fair was back in town. It was raining that night which already made it difficult to see and as I squinted out of the windshield expecting to see some grand Chuck E Cheese inspired fun palace, I was disappointed to find a cigar store. Total bummer right?!?!?!

Don’t get me wrong, as a former smoker of ten years I’m not against people lighting one up to take the edge off.  Rarely will I complain about second hand smoke as long as it’s not around my children, who both have asthma. I’m not one of these “You should only be able to smoke in your own home and even then only in if you live outside the city limits” type people. Just keep it way from my kids and you’ll hear no arguments from me. What I do take issue with though is this; let’s not pretend that smoking is such some a grand experience that we dress up a cigar store so that it looks like Disneyland. I get that it used to be an ice-cream store and without throwing a ton of money into remodeling, the owners probably did the best they could with what they had and are more than likely barely able to pay the rent on such prime real-estate. Can we at least cut back on some of the flashing neon & clown makeup though? A coat of paint would go a long way to making it look more like a store for adults who enjoy a good cigar and less like what it appears now which is what my brain still said it was…an ice-cream store! I mean I read the words cigars sold here, but my stomach literally started shouting “Rocky Road! Rocky Road!”

Sex on TV at 4:00 in the afternoon, cursing on the radio during the morning drive to school every morning; I’m aware our world is the least family friendly it has ever been, but on top of everything else do we really have to make smoking look like an amusement park thrill ride? It’s Florence, AL not Las Vegas, NV. You don’t need the neon to let get our attention. I’ve lived here 42 years; people know when a new business opens and what they sell. Don’t listen to me though, I’m just blowing smoke.

The Anonymous Deacon

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Live in Florence? Then you need to read this! It doesn't matter which district you live in, you should join this group and keep up with the content. 

Citizens for a Better Florence

It's your city; only you can make it better!

"Judge" Roy Moore Plods On...

On Thursday, January 4th, Leigh Corfman filed her defamation suit against both Roy Moore and the "Judge Roy Moore for Senate Campaign." After the campaign was served with the legal papers the next day, January 5th, the campaign treasurer resigned. Who replaced him? Ol' Ray/Roy himself.

While this was not illegal, it has been called unethical, as well as giving the appearance of evil. Of course, we all know that Moore would never commit an unethical act, so we have no real worries here...especially since we would have been the last to have donated to the campaign.

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On Friday, Moore's attorneys asked for a change of venue. Corfman's suit was filed in Montgomery County where Moore's Foundation for Moral Law is housed. Moore is asking that the suit be moved to Etowah County. 

The primary thrust of the suit is Moore's allegation that Corfman received money from the Washington Post to offer up her story of underage dating. Did she? We sincerely doubt it. 

If it does come down to an actual civil trial, the term "three-ring circus" will hardly cover it. Hmmm, perhaps Moore has the popcorn concession in Etowah County?

Ta Ta TD Two Times a Week

The most surprising thing about the announcement is that it was so long coming. The TimesDaily will cease publishing on Saturdays and Mondays. 

Now the pressing question is what the poor parakeets will do on Sundays and Tuesdays...

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Inspiration Landing? It's been six weeks since the Sheffield City Council voted basically to fund/assist in funding two projects related to the much touted Tennessee River project. 

Surely no one now thinks the first phase will be completed on schedule? But John Elkington has failed to offer a new schedule for the amphitheatre. We're guessing that's because it's still unknown, and that it's unknown since no one can predict when the funding will arrive. What if the funding never materializes? 

Has anyone considered a local group to fund the project? What? Everyone was asked and said no? That would be a very good guess.

Saluting Billy Underwood

We have been online friends with Mr. Billy Underwood for some years now. We have found him to be a man of probity and integrity. He is also a man who is a Democrat in a world dominated by Republicans; further, he is a man who has practiced successfully for many years and has, therefore, accumulated a certain measure of wealth. Such men make enemies.

We feel when all charges have been heard against Billy, they will be dropped as groundless. If they aren't? That in no way diminishes our opinion of Mr. Underwood.

We understand that two attorneys have joined Billy's firm in Tuscumbia to assist him in cases he cannot handle in the state courts at this time. Both attorneys are extremely competent, and we'll be having more on them later. 

Billy told us some time ago that he had more cases than he could handle. We also know that he recently had surgery on his shoulder. Perhaps this is God's way of telling Billy to slow down?

Thank you, Mr. Underwood, for all you've done for the Shoals!

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What's wrong with our schools? We can't tell you everything that's wrong either here or across the state. We can tell our readers that schools can't teach everything a child needs to know in six hours, while parents don't care what the child does the remaining hours of the day. 

Nothing will change until parents change. End of...