Fatal Florence Fentanyl Overdoses: 22 In Last 15 Months

 

According to information compiled by Florence Police Chief Ron Tyler, from January 2022 through March 2023, there have been 22 documented deaths related to fentanyl within his police jurisdiction. In other words, an average of 1.47 deaths per month.

As stated, this number reflects deaths that can be positively attributed to the drug. Obviously, some deaths may have been misidentified, while with still others fentanyl merely played a smaller part.

We're left to wonder how many similarly died in the county or the entire Shoals area? Can the latest act of our legislature remedy this?

Anyone caught possessing at least four grams of the powerful opioid is subject to life in prison with the possibility of parole. Will this be a deterrent? Perhaps a small one.

Bottom line: Know a fentanyl dealer? Turn him/her in.

Check Out Sheffield's Crown Jewel: Cherokee Pike

 

Acting on a tip from readers, our faithful photojournalist J. Redmon has dared to venture down Cherokee Pike off West Montgomery Avenue in Sheffield. Due to his stunt driving skills, J. managed to avoid being consumed by numerous piles of trash displayed along the roadway.

Here are the two worst examples of Sheffield refuse:

Residents of this area say it's been over a month since any city truck has darkened the pavement on this street. With the money the city has wasted on Inspiration Landing, it could have purchased its own out of the way property to use for a dump/landfill...

Clarence Thomas Proves What Kind of Man He Is

 

How many of you make $500,000.00 a year? We don't see too many raised hands. How many of you live in a home that's valued at 500K? Hmmm, still don't see too many hands.

Therefore, we're going to take an educated guess that none of you has ever taken a vacation that's valued at 500K. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas did...but he didn't pay for it. Thomas, a juris doctor sitting on the country's highest court, not only didn't pay for that and other vacations, he failed to report the GIFT. Oh, we forgot to ask how many of you have ever received a gift worth over $500,000.00? Still don't see too many raised hands out there.

No, Justice Thomas and his long-nosed wife didn't just forget this and many other gifts when filling out yearly ethics forms. Thomas HID these gifts until they were exposed this week by Pro Publica. 

Clarence Thomas has never lived a moral life. Yet many support him because he votes uber conservative on various issues. Do as he says and not as he does. 

Legally, Thomas can face an impeachment trial if he fails to exhibit "good behavior." If this isn't such a failure, we don't know what is. 

To quote "Nick Fury," how's Uncle Clarence feeling right about now?

Remembering Victims of Police Chases

 

A Green Hill man was killed while attempting to elude law enforcement earlier this week. Several readers have sent us information about Zachary Hoffman. The nicest way we can put it is that this young man had not lived the kind of life that would have kept him safe from police stops. Yet, the 28 year-old Hoffman was not alone when he chose to run from officers; he had two passengers who quickly became hostages and were lucky to escape with their lives.

Over the years, we've conducted two polls concerning police chases. Are they justified? Each time, 80% of current and former LEOs who answered said "No!" These polls were hardly scientific, but they should give us pause.

Here's a brief list of victims of fatal local police chases:

Jon Willingham - 27 - June 2009 - Florence

Joseph Aigner - 18 - November 2019 - Florence, Killen, & Rogersville

Tab Kennedy Waddell - 32 - February 2020 - Florence

Joe Dewayne Cothrum - 35 - June 2020 - Florence

Kenneth Ray Belue - 52 - November 2020 - Tuscumbia

Of the above list, Cothrum was a passenger in a fleeing vehicle. The remaining four were drivers/operators of the vehicles and made a willing choice to flee. We're sure there are many that we have omitted.

These five, six as of this week, made some very bad decisions. The question is: Should these bad decisions have cost them their lives?

Answers to Questions about Accused Killer Christian Daniel Modas

 

Our blog has been inundated with questions about two recent headline stories in the Shoals. We will address at least one of them here - the murder of Terry Wayne Lewis.

A few questions answered:

1. Is Christian Daniel Modas really from Killen? According to credit report data, the 30 year old Modas grew up on Country Club Drive (Turtle Point Village) and currently lives on Bridge Road.

2. Does Modas have a record? Yes. In July 2018, he was arrested by Rogersville police for criminal vandalism and resisting arrest.

3. Has Modas posted bond on his current Felony Murder charge? No. As of this afternoon, he remained in the luxurious Winston County Jail pictured below.

4. Did Modas resist arrest? We have no inside information on that, but his Winston County mugshot shows him wearing what is called a prison restraining straightjacket similar to one pictured below.

5. When is Modas' arraignment? According to the Winston County clerk's office, his initial hearing will be May 15th. Justice is slow in smaller counties. At that time, his representative may ask for a reduction in the bond amount.

6. Who is Modas' attorney? The attorney of record is William Kevin Diver of Florence. Lawyer.com lists Diver as in "general practice." We predict Modas' family will bring in someone along the lines of Robert Tuten of Huntsville.

7. Will Modas get a change of venue? This is merely another prediction, but we say yes. Winston is a very small county population wise, and we don't see how the accused killer could receive what is commonly referred to as a fair trial there. It could easily be moved to Tuscaloosa or Jefferson Counties.

8. What will be the outcome of Modas' trial? Considering there is at least one eye-witness, it would be difficult to believe the Killen man won't be found guilty. In such cases, the sentence is usually Life with Chance of Parole. The key word there is chance, and most such killers are not seriously considered for 30 years. Since Mr. Lewis left five young children to protest any parole over upcoming years, Modas might never see life as a free man again.

For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 1st Timothy 6:10.

Touring the Trash Dumps of Sheffield

 

Our intrepid inner-city explorer J. Redmon has again ventured out into the wilds of Sheffield - you know, the areas John Elkington doesn't want shown to the public. Pictured below are various areas of the city that are teeming with trash. 

Should we blame a closed dump in Cherokee? Should we blame the city council for not really caring at this point? We're going with the latter in most cases. 

The next municipal election may not be just around the corner, but it's coming. In the interim, if you live in Sheffield, why are you not attending city council meetings? You've now made 16 payments on those two USDA loans for roads to nowhere; what will it take to make you raise your voices against these con artists?

12th Street Off Montgomery Avenue

Old Tires Recently Added to This Pile of Trash

One Block North of Sheffield High School

The above are just four examples. Mr. Redmon has sent us several more which we will publishing on a regular basis. In the mean time, what say you, Sheffield?

His Mother Left...and He Became a Killer

 

It has not been a good week in the Shoals, North Alabama, or the Southeast. It started for many of us as the major inconvenience of no electricity and proceeded to the horror of a school shooting so close to home, the senseless death of a Huntsville police officer, and finally the brutal murder of an innocent good Samaritan - killed by "one of our own."

The week rumbled on with more storms last night. We doubt there was a utility worker in the Shoals who didn't at least think "Oh, s**t!" when more storms passed through early this morning. More kudos to you guys!

A friend asked us to expound on our take of mental illness in all this. We had planned to contrast two husbands/heads of households of whom we had never heard until this past month. Which one was the leader that exemplified God's plan?

Things change. Even more basic than fathers? That would be mothers. How many mothers do you know who abandon their children? 

Christian Daniel Modas grew up, along with his younger brother, without a mother. We can imagine few things worse for a child than being abandoned by a woman who should have loved him forever...but didn't.

One local family recalled Christian as a happy boy who liked to skateboard with her son and other friends. Along the way...somewhere...somehow...he turned into a brutal killer who stabbed and then ran down a husband, a father of five, a teacher of many in Winston County.

Some have told us it was the result of a drug buy. Too many drugs taken too quickly, and then a senseless lashing out during the resulting psychosis.

Perhaps. Perhaps not. It hasn't been that long since his younger brother was charged with beating a woman who was at least 80, all because of a senseless online feud. So is it drugs or something else, something deeper?

If you know a youth without a father, step up and be at least a role model to him. If you know a youth without a mother, pray for him with all your heart.