Can Sheffield Ever Come out on Top?

As the City of Sheffield Revolves

By:  The Midnight Rider

Sounds like a Soap Opera, doesn’t it. While it may not be as bad as Muscle Shoals, Sheffield has some things going on right now. We all know that the City of Sheffield cannot retain employees in its various Departments. Basically the City of Sheffield is a training ground for other cities. 

First let’s look at the Police Department. In the month of December, they lost three Police Officers. Two of them had less than a year on the job. The third had about 2 years on the job. So the two short timers basically went through the Police Academy which is 3 months long and then left shortly thereafter. Now the Police Department has to replace and train these Offices. I noticed in the Times Daily Newspaper that the City Council had approved to start a list for the Police Department. I hope it is long they way they are losing officers. 

Secondly, the Fire Department is no better. They are replacing Firemen just about as fast as Police Officers. In the month of December, they lost a Fireman with about 5 years’ experience. So now they get a rookie that they will probably have to train. Even the Times Daily has figured this out and ran stories about this. 

However, they have a nice Library. Kinda looks like the Taj Mahal. We have gone by a couple of times and there has been no one there using this nice facility. But it is nice. 

Inspiration Landing…………………..Don’t even get me started on this fiasco. 

Businesses are closing. Miss Kitty’s: Closed. Hammer Down Gun & Pawn: Closed. Rumor has it that Foodland is not happy with the way the plaza is being run and may be leaving at the end of their lease. If that is true, that will close the plaza. One of the Council Members made a comment that they needed a grocery store on “that side of the tracks”. I guess Foodland doesn’t count since it is on the south side of the tracks. This was reported by the Time Daily. 

Shouldn’t the retention of business or the recruiting new businesses be the top priority of the Council? That is what pays your taxes to the City so they can pay their employees. Recently as reported by the Times Daily that Council couldn’t readily agree on giving its employees a raise. News Flash! That is why you are losing employees to other Departments. Ray Charles can see that. 

Ok, the City of Sheffield has a Mayor that oversees everything. A City Council that is supposed to help control the City is also in place. Then we have a Public Safety Director that is over the Police and Fire Department. This same Public Safety Director just happens to be the Fire Chief. Then we have a Police Chief. Sounds like to me that we have to many Chiefs and not enough Indians. 

I remember a couple of years ago in Florence, there were a slogan as well as signs going around “Vote them all out.” It may need to happen in Sheffield. 

We are glad we don’t live in the City of Sheffield, but in the County. 

Is there anything good about the City of Sheffield right now? We did have to do a little digging but we did find something. The Panty Tree is blooming.

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

Thompson Propane/More Montgomery Madness

Some time ago, national chain Thompson Propane bought out L&L Propane, a long time local business. Then last year it purchased Clark Propane Gas. Now people are going without heat because Thompson can't get its act together.

PNS is doing an article on Thompson's wayward way of business...some might even use the term "shake down" rather than business. If you've been affected negatively by Thompson's lackadaisical practices and/or odd fees, contact PNS at pennswordeditor@gmail.com. 

It promises to be an interesting story.

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Now for our kinky, er, quirky proposed legislative bill of the day: A bill was introduced in the House that would require a person over the age of 21 convicted of sex offenses against a child 12 years of age or younger to be chemically castrated, at the offender’s expense, before being released from custody. The bill is pending in the House Judiciary Committee [HB116 by Representative Steve Hurst].

So, we've learned something. It seems modern chemical castration drugs aren't your great-grandfather's saltpeter. Chemical castration can be permanent in up to 80% of those who choose to go this route. The other downside beside the 20% which recover their libido? Many sex offenders are driven by anger, not sexual desires. Still, this has worked fairly well in California. We're all for anything that lessens sex crimes. 

Will the bill get out of committee and eventually pass? We're doubtful. After all, just think how this could possibly affect one former candidate for U.S. Senate...

David Black/State Legislature Again Out There

On the John McMillan/David Black front, we have had no comments about McMillan either yea or nay. We've had at least two concerning Black, neither favorable. The office of State Treasurer is hardly what springs to mind when one hears the term "political power." Yet, the holder of this office serves the people no less than the governor. 

While it would be a novelty to have such an elected official from northwest Alabama, McMillan has a long-standing political base and is known for his strong family ties. Qualifying won't end for three more weeks. It will be interesting to see who else may toss his toupee into the ring.

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With the new legislative session comes some really, really bad bills. Most of them won't make it out of committee; however, for the sake of entertainment as well as informing the public what insipid individuals hold elective office in our state, we're going to showcase one each day for a few weeks.

Here's a good one to start with: A bill was introduced in the House that would require the state, a county, a municipality or a local board of education to sell at public auction or transfer to the Alabama Land Bank Authority any building owned by such that is unused and has been uninhabited for not less than two years. The bill is pending in the House State Government Committee [HB95 by Representative Jack (JD) Williams].  

Just think, a local school system would be forced to give up land it has plans for if it's waiting on traffic studies/funding for more than 24 months. We're not sure who would take advantage of this law, but we assume an entity...oh, just off the top of our head, say UNA...could force such a sale and take over the property. Insert private individual to replace government entity. How would that go over? There must be an interesting story behind Williams' support of this legislation...well, that or a powerful lobbying interest.

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Remember to bring in your pets tonight. That's unless you live in Lauderdale County; then the DA's office says you can let them freeze. We assume Coty Hand isn't running for office any time soon. 

Let's Praise Shelby, Not Censure HIm

Many are saying Alabama wouldn't have gotten the Toyota-Mazda plant if Roy Moore had been elected our newest U.S. Senator. No one can actually know that for a fact, but we feel it's a pretty good guess. Would Moore have cared? We're guessing the answer to that is no.

What role did Richard Shelby play in Moore's defeat? We certainly think he helped, but we don't believe he was the deciding factor. Now some Moore supporters want the Republican Party to censure Shelby for going against party line. We doubt that they get their wish, but it does reflect on the average Moore supporter, aka sore loser.

Shelby won't run again, so he really has nothing to lose. He's already a hero to most of the state, and many are calling him the greatest senator the state has produced. We're holding off on that title. Such appraisals are almost impossible considering the amount of change in political climate from generation to generation, but certainly Shelby should be pretty high up in the pantheon. 

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Colbert Commissioner David Black

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Let's Talk John McMillan

John McMillan is the current state Commissioner of Agriculture and a long standing fixture in the state Republican Party. He had planned to run for governor, but changed his mind...for whatever reason. Now he's running for state Treasurer. He has name recognition and a large political base. 

If the election were held in the proverbial tomorrow, McMillan would win hands down. We all know how quickly things can change, and the primary is five months in the future. Now McMillan will be facing local political iconoclast David Black. Republican Black has some state cred, but how much is the question. Or perhaps the question is the contents of his war chest?

Whom will we support? That too is open at this point. We can say that it's going to be another long political season.

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Like McMillan, several announced candidates have dropped out of the governor's race. Yet, there's still time to qualify. Keep your garlic handy.

Those Pesky Prison Phones & Jerry Don Crowden

News reports from Montgomery indicate our governor is not a fan of building new prisons. If we have no new prisons, we have no new cell phone blocking technology. What we do have is a DOC which says it currently doesn't have the ability to police smart phones accessing the Internet for any and all purposes.

Some months ago, a reader contacted us several times about a cell phone in the possession of Jerry Don Crowden, a noted local ne'er-do-well who won't see daylight for 15 more years. In the past, Crowden has used a cell phone to open a Facebook account to contact family members and make connections with women who ostensibly sent him money. 

For a while, Crowden's account went black; however, our reader has sent us a new link for this Lauderdale bad boy. He's now operating under the name J. D. King.

J.D. King

Can he be stopped? Just think how many others must have similar phones hidden away from the prying eyes of guards. Our advice here is to the ladies reading this. No, he's not different. Yes, he just wants your money. No, you can't change him. Write these admonitions on your fridge and repeat them several times daily if this will help you not to become the latest victim of a prison scam.

Now a worst case scenario; Crowden has two escapes to his credit. He could be using this form of communication to plan a daring escape. If he should show up at anyone's door, be advised he's not going anywhere for a long, long time. As a sex offender, he's barred from work release and passes, so you know he didn't get home in any honest way. Be vigilant.

Our Convoluted History on Display This Monday

Who is the most hated man in U.S. history? Many would say Gen. Benedict Arnold. Did you know there is a monument honoring Arnold in Saratoga, New York? There's even a more grandiose monument across the border in Canada where Arnold is considered a patriot and a plaque in London, England. 

So which was he? Probably a little bit of both. Like many who came both before and after in recorded history, Arnold acted as a super bogeyman to rally Colonial troops during the Revolution. We're in favor of viewing him today as he really was...a human being who did what he thought was right at the time.

So on Monday, the State of Alabama celebrates two birthdays. Take your pick. Martin Luther King Jr. or Gen. Robert E. Lee or both. Our pick? Both.

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So, in keeping with our theme today, here's a blog from Southern Son which he sent us a few weeks ago:

As I understand it, on Wednesday night the City of Memphis and City Council unanimously approved the sale of Health Science Park, home of Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest, and its easement on Fourth Bluff Park, home of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, for $1,000 each to Memphis Greenspace Inc. Fourth Bluff, or Memphis Park, is owned by a group called The Overton Heirs.

The new nonprofit, which is led by Shelby County Commissioner and attorney Van Turner, brought in a crane to remove the Forrest statue first at around 6 p.m. Wednesday night.

They, in their ignorance and arrogance, used basically a technicality to do what they've done and "sold" the property removing the monuments in the process believing that would absolve them of having to obey the law.  Their folly may just get the better of them because the deed was not registered as of this (Thursday) morning. "Legally" the City was still in possession of the parks as of business this morning which means they blatantly and with abandon, broke Tennessee state law. 

Also trucks used in the removal violated DOT regulations by using blue tape covering up the company or business name. (Pics attached). Here is a link to the DOT regs that were violated as is known at this point:  https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/highlights-commercial-motor-vehicle-marking-final-rule

Southern Son

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We've received some interesting comments about Park Place. If you have photos of bed bugs or black mold, please send them to us.

Who Knew Plumbers & Pipefitters Were So Subversive?

We've heard a lot about George Soros contributing to ads against Roy Moore in the special Senate election, but it's been revealed the second largest contributor to the Highway 31 PAC was the Plumbers & Pipefitters Union with a four million dollar donation. And to think they walk among us...

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Newly minted Senator Doug Jones has joined in supporting the bill to continue funding CHIP. In case you missed it during the fall campaign, Roy Moore ostensibly said he preferred churches and charitable institutions to help the needy poor. The "needy poor?" We're not sure if that's a redundancy or merely comparable to the expression "legitimate rape."

Proponents of CHIP are calling those against continued funding supporters of "postpartum abortion." If we can have pre-born humans and full term abortions, postpartum abortion seems a natural followup. Perhaps it will mentally slap some sense into those who oppose CHIP funding.

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We encourage everyone to keep wearing their garlic necklaces. So far Roy Moore hasn't broached the subject of the governor's race. For the record, we haven't heard from Kayla or Sassy either.

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Ice tomorrow? Stay home if at all possible. 

Hospitals and physicians' offices are also asking that everyone stay home if at all possible. We understand local hospitals now have phone lines. Yes, really. Call those who are hospitalized and don't transmit or receive the flu. The life you save may be your own.