Good Day, Selma

Bond issue fails

OK. So the $12.3 million bond issue fails. And what does Mayor James Perkins say to a council member? He said for that person to just remember all this when we're overcome by thugs in the streets.

Heck, mayor, we already have problems with thugs in the streets and shootings and stabbings and robberies. The police department has no leadership. Cameras and wireless won't help increase officers on the streets.

C.O.P.S. means police officers on the streets and in the cars patrolling neighborhoods, not sitting up at bank parking lots jack jawing. They wouldn't have a whole lot to talk about if they had leadership.

Seems like we're putting an awful lot of faith in this new guy. I hope he measures up. But the way we talk about him, he'd have to be like John Wayne and Shaft all rolled into one. I don't think anybody is all that.

No School Board Bill

I have searched filed bills in the Alabama Legislature and have found no bill for the election of city school board members. What happened?

Another wet night

It looks like the rain will pour and the thunder rumble tonight and Friday. More later...

No tainted beef in 'Bama schools

It's enough to make you want to become a vegeterian, huh?

The head of Alabama's child nutrition program said none of Alabama's 132 school districts placed orders for beef from a California slaughterhouse that's at the center of a nationwide meat recall.

Perry Fulton sent an e-mail to the Huntsville Times saying Alabama schools were never scheduled to receive the meat products.

Federal ag officials estimate that about 55 million pounds of recalled beef from Westland/Hallmark Meat Compay went to USDA nutrition programs.

The Selma Bond Issue

I am torn about the bond issue. This city needs so much. I don't understand why it hasn't attempted to gain its share of Homeland Security Money. Where is the Rapid Response Team? Where is the closeness with the county to share things? Why hasn't some of downtown been labeled as blighted and an urban renewal project under way to develop a better downtown with small boutiques and coffee shops and arts places. And for goodness sakes WE NEED AN INDEPENDENT BOOK STORE! Here's one that works in a river town:

It's a full moon

Two shootings tonight in Selma. Our photographer, Amy Collins, and our reporter on duty, Coy O'Neal, caught them both. We had to have a little help on one from Vic Inge, another reporter. Good team work. Our readers will benefit from these stories.

Bad weather is on the way. We'll keep you posted on www.selmatimesjournal.com.

Whereabouts of Mayor Perkins

Last week, while Selma City Council President George Evans waited for a work session with the council, which didn't show up, Mayor James Perkins Jr. was in Hastings, Neb., at least that's what Hastings' newspaper reported.

Update from Alabama GOP

Birmingham – In what has become something of a trend, Marshall County Commissioner Buddy Allen announced on Monday that he is switching from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party stating, “The No. 1 reason is the Democratic Party has left me.”
Commissioner Allen becomes the second public official to switch parties in 2008, joining Senator Jimmy Holley (R-Elba).  This historic shift on the Marshall County Commission gives the Republican Party a majority on that body for the first time since Reconstruction, and gives the GOP the majority on 21 County Commissions within the State.  These 21 County Commissions govern approximately 54% of the population.
“The Party welcomes Commissioner Allen and we look forward to working with him as a Republican,” stated Alabama Republican Party Chairman Rep. Mike Hubbard (R-Auburn).  “First Senator Holley and now Commissioner Allen, it is truly a great time to be a Republican,” Hubbard added.

Off the beaten track

The blogger, Big Country, loves Joni Mitchell's Court and Spark and Blue albums. He also loves Johnny Cash. I thought I'd post this just for him...

Bickering among us

Selma City Council members spend a lot of time bickering. That may be one reason why the city is in the shape it's in. Maybe someone should lead them in a verse of Kum-by-yah. Maybe somebody should lead them in this...