News Archive 2009

Editorial from Representative Mike Millican Hot Summer in Alabama Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Summer begins officially this week, but you didn’t need a calendar to know that summer has arrived. Alabama is going through its first heat wave. Our state recently recorded the first triple digit temperatures of the year, and even in the night, the mercury doesn’t drop enough to cool things off. With the rise in temperatures comes the rise in electricity use, as we try and keep our homes and businesses cool. It is no surprise that summer has the highest electricity use. Alabama has a high state rank in electricity generation. Most of our electricity is generated from coal, as befitting a state with a large coal industry. However, large portions of our power are generated from two other sources: hydro and nuclear power. Alabama is a national force in nuclear power generation. Our two nuclear power plants produced more than one-quarter of all the electricity generated in the state, and that output increased recently when the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) restarted a nuclear reactor at its Browns Ferry nuclear power plant that had been idle for more than 20 years. Alabama is also a major force in hydroelectricity, one of the top producers east of the Mississippi. Our state has more than two dozen hydroelectric dams, located mainly along the Alabama and Coosa rivers. Hydroelectric power typically supplies at least 6 percent of Alabama’s electricity. While we generate a tremendous amount of power, we also use a tremendous amount. Most of our state’s electricity goes to commercial use, and that is no surprise considering how much energy is needed in traditional industries like steel and paper. Yet Alabama’s per capita consumption of residential electricity is one of the highest in the country as well. We use air-conditioning a lot during times like these, and even in the winter, most homes use heat pumps that run on electricity. Nobody is looking forward to the electric bills coming after this heat wave. There are some simple and effective ways to reduce electricity consumption during these heat waves. First of all, experts say to make sure your air filter is changed or cleaned. Having a clean filter is the easiest and most inexpensive way of improving efficiency of your air-conditioning. Replacing a dirty air filter is probably the simplest and most often overlooked maintenance job there is. Your thermostat is next. The rule for efficiency is to "set it and forget it," changing temperatures often is one of the easiest ways of wasting energy. Experts say that setting the thermostat at 78 degrees or higher is the most efficient temperature for summer months. Experts also say to use fans. Most of us remember a time when the fan was our air conditioning. Fans used along with air conditioning keep things comfortable without having to lower the thermostat. Every two-degree increase in your thermostat can result in a reduction of up to 10 percent in your air conditioning energy use, and the cost of running a fan is minimal. The difference between 72 degrees and 80 degrees can drop your power bill by almost a third. These three tips can save you money and help our power producers.

E-Mail:  mike.millican@alhouse.org

Website:  MIKE MILLICAN

State House: Room 628-F 11 S. Union Street Montgomery, AL 36130 (334) 242-7768

Home: 995 Country Estates Drive Hamilton, AL 35570 Home Phone: (205) 921-3214 Cell Phone: (205) 468-0694 FAX: (205) 921-5959

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Sen. Roger Bedford, Capitol Report, Thursday, May 21, 2009 We finished this year’s session last Friday. Because the Education Budget and the General Fund Budget had been passed earlier in the session, the last week went by rather quickly. However, we did have an important fight on Thursday when Governor Riley vetoed the General Fund budget and returned it to us with cuts to children’s health insurance, Medicaid, programs for seniors, mental health, veterans and law enforcement. Two years ago, when the economy began to falter and tax revenue began to decline, I stood with my fellow members of the Senate Democratic Caucus and made a pledge to the families of Alabama: No budgets were going to be balanced upon the backs of our seniors and our children. I kept that pledge on Thursday when I voted to override the Governor’s veto of that budget. One of the most important initiatives on this session was contained in that budget: our plan to expand the children’s health insurance program to an additional 14,000 Alabama children. The Governor’s veto eliminated that expansion. Our expansion of the All Kids program is one of the most important acts we have taken in a number of years, and thanks to our vote, 14,000 more kids will get the health care they deserve. The budget I wrote also expanded the CHIP Prenatal Care expansion, a plan that will provide more than 5,000 women with maternity care. This will be the first time that the program has covered maternity care for non-teen mothers. All Kids addresses a growing problem among working families. These families make too much money to qualify for aid, but they don't make enough money to afford basic health insurance. So their kids end up with no health insurance at all. We are talking about thousands of working families who play by the rules, pay their taxes and raise their families, but they work for companies that do not provide basic health care coverage. Or they simply cannot afford the high premiums of private health care. That's just wrong. So we overrode the Governor’s veto. We stood up for children, seniors and veterans on Thursday, and I am very proud of this vote. In addition, the Senate also passed legislation that makes it a crime to use a computer or electronic means to solicit a child. The bill also makes it a crime even if the person the defendant thought was a child was an undercover operative of law enforcement. The bill was sponsored by Sen. Myron Penn of Union Springs. It now goes to the Governor for signing. Next week I will take a final look at the highlights of the session, let you know what bills became law, and let you know about those issues we must continue to fight for. I am also pleased to report to you that I was able to distribute grants in Franklin County this past week including $500 to the Belgreen Varsity Girls Basketball program; $1,000 to Belgreen High School for their academic banquet; $1,000 for the Rocket City Volleyball; $500 for the Shelby Grissom Scholarship Committee; $500 for the Russellville High School golf team; $2,000 for the Phil Campbell High School SADD program; $2,354 for the Phil Campbell High School interactive classroom system; $1,000 for the Phil Campbell High School BBSST program; $300 for Phil Campbell Elementary; $1,350 for the Russellville Police Department to assist with the purchase of a bite suit; $1,000 for the Phil Campbell High School cheerleaders to assist with their summer camp and uniforms; $500 for the Belgreen High School DARE graduation; $250 for the Franklin County Community Education Teen Day; $500 for the Russellville High School SADD program; $1,000 for the Phil Campbell High School varsity cheerleaders; $500 for the Tharptown High School FBLA program; $2,000 for the Franklin County Schools preschool special education program and $1,000 for the Franklin County Career Technology HOSA trip. It was a pleasure to be able to assist these fine school and community projects. I am so very proud of the high quality educational system we have in the senate district along with the high achievements of our students in extracurricular events. It is also a pleasure to announce that the City of Moulton was awarded a $24,981.75 Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs grant for the purchase of equipment. Please continue to contact me at the following: Roger H. Bedford, Jr. Alabama State House 11 S. Union Street Suite 730 Montgomery, AL 36130 Phone: 334-242-7862 Fax: 334-242-4736 PO Box 370 Russellville, AL 35653 Phone: 256-332-2880 Fax: 256-332-2801 E-mail: senbedford@aol.com  Website: www.rogerbedford.com

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Statement by Senator Roger Bedford May 17, 2009 Concerning the 2010 Alabama Governor's Race For the last month I've given thoughtful consideration to running for governor. But after consultation with my family, and much prayer by all of us, I have decided that I can best serve the people of Alabama as the Senate General Fund chairman and not as a candidate for governor. That point became abundantly clear to me during the last two days of this legislative session. A governor's veto threatened funding for critical programs for our seniors, our children, homeland security and mental health. Most importantly, that veto threatened my personal effort to expand our children's health insurance program to 14,000 more kids. As General Fund chairman, I got the Senate to override that veto and protect all my priorities in the budget, especially the All Kids health insurance program. This was a factor that convinced me that, at this time in my professional life and the life of my family, it is best that I remain in the Senate. I appreciate the calls, emails and letters of support that I received from friends and voters in every part of Alabama. That makes this decision even harder. I will now focus my efforts on keeping a Democratic majority in the Senate and electing a fellow Democrat as the next governor of Alabama. Contact Information: Mark White 205-323-1888

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Winfield Public Library News 1/13/09

Story Hour @ Winfield Public Library Tuesday, January 13, 2009 at 3:30 p.m. Regina Sperry Winfield Public Library wpl@dlis.net

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City of Hamilton, AL Crime Report December 31 - January 6, 2009 Wrecks - 3 Incident/Offence 1 - Assault 3rd 1 - Burglary 3rd 1 - Theft of Property 2nd 1 - Criminal Mischief 3rd TOTAL - 4 Arrest/Citation 1 - Speeding 3 - DUI 1 - License Revoked 2 - License Suspended 1 - Running Stop Sign 1 - Improper Equipment 1 - Improper Tag 4 - No Insurance 1 - Attempt to Elude 1 - Illegal Possession of Alcoholic Beverage 1 - Public Intoxication Parking Ticket 1 - Parked in Handicapped Space TOTAL - 18 Hamilton Police Department News Report on Felonies December 31 - January 6, 2008 Date of Arrest: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE City: NONE Charges: NONE Status: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE City: NONE Charges: NONE Status: NONE (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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City of Hamilton, AL Crime Report January 7, 2009 - January 13, 2009 Wrecks - 1 Incident/Offence 1 - Rape 2nd 1 - Domestic Violence 3rd 1 - Theft of Property 3rd 1 - Theft by Deception 1 - Counterfeit Money 1 - Traffic Incident 1 - Leaving Scene of Accident TOTAL - 10 Arrest/Citation 5 - Speeding 1 - DUI 1 - No Drivers License 2 - No Insurance 1 - Criminal Mischief 3rd 1 - Rape 2nd 1 - Possession of Marijuana 2nd 5 - Alias Warrants 1 - Illegal Possession of Alcoholic Beverage 1 - Public Intoxication Parking Ticket 1 - Parked in Handicapped Space TOTAL - 20 Hamilton Police Department News Report on Felonies January 7 - January 13, 2008 Date of Arrest: 1/12/09 Name: Juvenile Age: 17 City: Hamilton, AL Charges: Rape 2nd Status: Bonded Date of Arrest: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE City: NONE Charges: NONE Status: NONE (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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City of Hamilton, AL Crime Report January 14 - January 20, 2009

Wrecks - 4

Incident / Offense

3 - Domestic Violence 2 - Traffic Incidents 1 - Vicious Dog

TOTAL - 6

Arrest / Citation

3 - Speeding 2 - DUI 2 - No Insurance 1 - Fail to Yield Right-of-Way 1 - Improper Tag 1 - Improper Equipment 1 - Minor in Possession of Alcohol 1 - Under Age Drinking 1 - Public Intoxication 1 - Theft of Property 3rd 1 - Domestic Violence 1 - Alias Warrant

TOTAL - 16

Hamilton Police Department News Report on Felonies January 14 - 20, 2009

NONE REPORTED

(All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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City of Hamilton, AL Crime Report January 21, 2009 - January 27, 2009 Wrecks - 2 Incident/Offence 3 - Domestic Violence 2 - Harassment 1 - Theft of Property 1st 1 - Theft of Property 2nd 1 - Theft of Property 3rd 1 - Forgery 2nd 1 - Criminal Mischief 1st 1 - Criminal Mischief 3rd 1 - Criminal Trespassing 1 - Duty Upon Striking Unattended Vehicle 1 - Vicious Dog TOTAL - 14 Arrest/Citation 5 - Speeding 1 - Vicious Dog 1 - Minor in Possession of Alcohol 1 - Possession of Marijuana 2nd TOTAL - 8 Hamilton Police Department News Report on Felonies January 21 - January 27, 2008 Date of Arrest: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE City: NONE Charges: NONE Status: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE City: NONE Charges: NONE Status: NONE (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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City of  Hamilton, AL Crime Report January 28, 2009 - February 3, 2009 Wrecks - 3 Incident/Offence 1 - Domestic Violence - Assault 2 - Domestic Violence - Harassment 1 - Domestic Violence - Harassing Communication 1 - Theft of Property 3rd 2 - Criminal Mischief 3rd 1 - Missing Person - Located 1 - ID Theft 1 - Attempt to Commit a Controlled Substance Crime TOTAL - 10 Arrest/Citation 5 - Speeding 2 - Improper Equipment 1 - No Insurance 1 - Improper Tires 1 - Theft of Property 3rd 2 - Domestic Violence - Assault 3rd 1 - Domestic Violence - Harassment 1 - Alias TOTAL - 14 Hamilton Police Department News Report on Felonies January 28 - February 3, 2008 Date of Arrest: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE City: NONE Charges: NONE Status: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE City: NONE Charges: NONE Status: NONE (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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City of Hamilton, AL Crime Report February 4 - February 10, 2009 Wrecks - 5 Incident/Offence 1 - Domestic Violence 3rd 1 - Assault 3rd 1 - Harassment 1 - Harassing Communication 1 - Reckless Endangerment 1 - Burglary of a Vehicle 1 - Theft of Property 1st 1 - Trespassing 1st 1 - Criminal Mischief 2nd 2 - Vicious Dog 1 - Possession of Controlled Substance x 3 1 - Possession of Marijuana 1 - Possession of Drug Paraphernalia TOTAL - 14 Arrest/Citation 10 - Speeding 2 - DUI 1 - Reckless Driving 2 - No Drivers License 1 - Expired License 2 - Expired Tag 1 - Racing on the Highway 1 - No Seat Belt 4 - No Insurance 1 - Improper Lights 1 - Attempt to Elude 1 - Fail to Yield Right of Way 1 - Public Intoxication 1 - Illegal Possession of Prohibited Beverage 1 - Harassment 2 - Theft of Property 3rd 1 - Possession of Controlled Substance - x 3 1 - Possession of Marijuana 1 - Possession of Drug Paraphernalia 1 - Parked in Fire Lane TOTAL - 36 Hamilton Police Department News Report on Felonies February 4 - February 10, 2008 Date of Arrest: Feb. 5, 2009 Name: Sterns, Jimmy Lee Age: 43 City: Hackleburg, AL Charges: Possession of Controlled Substance x 3, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, DUI Status: Jail Date of Arrest: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE City: NONE Charges: NONE Status: NONE (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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City of Hamilton, AL Crime Report February 11, 2009 - February 17, 2009 Wrecks - 7 Incident/Offence 2 - Domestic Violence 2 - Harassment 1 - Theft of Property 3rd 1 - Criminal Mischief 1 - Vicious Dog Attack 1 - Dog Bite TOTAL - 8 Arrest/Citation 14 - Speeding 2 - License Suspended 8 - No Insurance 1 - No Seatbelt 3 - No Drivers License 2 - Improper Lights 1 - Alias TOTAL - 31 Hamilton Police Department News Report on Felonies February 11 - February 17, 2008 Date of Arrest: Feb. 5, 2009 Name: Anthony, Amanda Blake Age: 25 City: Detroit, AL Charges: Theft of Property 2nd Status: Bonded Date of Arrest: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE City: NONE Charges: NONE Status: NONE (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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CITY OF HAMILTON, AL CRIME REPORT FEBRUARY 18 - FEBRUARY 24, 2009

City of Hamilton, AL Crime Report February 18, 2009 - February 24, 2009 Wrecks - 6 Incident/Offence 1 - Kidnapping 1st 1 - Domestic Violence - Harassment 1 - Assault 1st 1 - Reckless Endangerment 1 - Harassing Communication 1 - Forgery 1 - Criminal Mischief 1 - Possession of Marijuana 1st 1 - Possession of Marijuana 2nd 2 - Possession of Drug Paraphernalia 1 - Theft of Property 1st 1 - Theft of Property 2nd 2 - Theft of Property 3rd 1 - Resisting Arrest 1 - Trespassing 1 - Possession of Controlled Substance 2 - Unlawful Manufacturing 1st TOTAL - 20 Arrest/Citation 11 - Speeding 4 - DUI 1 - Improper Lane Usage 1 - Lane Control Signal Violation 4 - Improper Equipment 6 - No Insurance 1 - Possession of Forged Instrument x 2 1 - Domestic Violence - Harassment 1 - Possession of Marijuana 1st 1 - Possession of Marijuana 2nd 4 - Possession of Drug Paraphernalia 7 - Possession of Controlled Substance 1 - Fail to Appear 1 - Fail Stop at Stop Sign 1 - Fail to Yield Right of Way 1 - Illegal Possession of Prohibited Liquor 1 - Public Intoxication 1 - License Revoked 2 - Reckless Driving 1 - Kidnapping 1st 1 - Assault 1st 1 - Reckless Endangerment 1 - Resisting Arrest 1 - No Seatbelt 1 - Unlawful Manufacturing 1st 2 - No Drivers License 1 - Improper Passing 1 - Expired Tag 1 - Attempt to Elude 1 - Fail to Signal TOTAL - 62 Hamilton Police Department News Report on Felonies February 18 - February 24, 2008 Date of Arrest: February 19, 2009 Name: Metcalf, Nancy Fay Age: 41 City: NONE LISTED Charges: Possession of Controlled Substance, Illegal Possession of Prohibited Liquor, Public Intoxication Status: Bonded Date of Arrest: February 19, 2009 Name: Cochran, James Patrick Age: 35 City: Hamilton, AL Charges: Kidnapping 1st, Assault 1st, Reckless Endangerment, Resisting Arrest, Driving Without Headlights, Attempting to Elude, Fail to Signal, No Drivers License, Reckless Driving, Improper Passing Status: Jail Date of Arrest: February 19, 2009 Name: Purser, James Derek Age: 25 City: NONE LISTED Charges: Unlawful Manufacturing 1st, Possession of Controlled Substance Status: Jail Date of Arrest: February 24, 2009 Name: Fawcett, Robin L. Age: 31 City: Hamilton, AL Charges: Possession of Controlled Substance, Possession of Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia Status: Jail Date of Arrest: February 24, 2009 Name: Burleson, Lecll Age: 26 City: Hamilton, AL Charges: Possession of Controlled Substance, Possession of Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia Status: Jail Date of Arrest: February 24, 2009 Name: Helton, William Eugene Age: 32 City: Haleyville, AL Charges: Possession of Controlled Substance, Possession of Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia Status: Jail (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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City of Hamilton, AL Crime Report February 25, 2009 - March 3, 2009 Wrecks - 2 Incident/Offence 2 - Theft of Property 3rd 1 - Possession of Controlled Substance 1 - Burglary 3rd 1 - Theft of Property 2nd 1 - Theft of Property 3rd - by Deception 1 - Domestic Violence - Assault 3rd 1 - Vicious Dog 1 - Theft of Property 1st - by Deception TOTAL - 9 Arrest/Citation 7 - Speeding 1 - DUI 1 - No Drivers License 2 - No Seatbelt 4 - No Insurance 1 - Possession of Controlled Substance 1 - Possession of Controlled Substance 1 - Alias Warrant 1 - Attempt to Elude 1 - Theft of Property 3rd 2 - Domestic Violence - Assault 3rd 1 - Running Stop Sign 1 - Passing Stopped School Bus TOTAL - 23 Hamilton Police Department News Report on Felonies February 25 - March 3, 2008 Date of Arrest: February 20, 2009 Name: Kivette, Ronald Cecil Age: 43 City: Hamilton, AL Charges: Possession of Marijuana, DUI, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, No Insurance, Improper Lights Status: Bonded Date of Arrest: March 3, 2009 Name: Sullivan, Joanne Danielle Age: 41City: Vina, AL Charges: Possession of Controlled Substance, DUI, No Insurance, No Drivers License, No Seatbelt Status: Jail (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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City of Hamilton, AL Crime Report March 11, 2009 - March 17, 2009 Wrecks - 3 Incident/Offence 1 - Assault 3rd 1 - Domestic Violence - Harassment 1 - Burglary 3rd 1 - Unauthorized Use of Vehicle 1 - Theft of Property 3rd 1 - Criminal Mischief 3rd 1 - Counterfeit Money Order 1 - Vicious Dog 1 - Possession of Controlled Substance TOTAL - 9 Arrest/Citation 7 - Speeding 1 - License Suspended 3 - No Drivers License 1 - Reckless Driving 1 - Running Stop Sign 3 - Improper Equipment 1 - No Seatbelt 1 - No Insurance 1 - Expired Tag 1 - Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle 1 - Domestic Violence - Harassment 1 - Sodomy 2nd 1 - Possession of Controlled Substance TOTAL - 24 Hamilton Police Department News Report on Felonies March 11 - March 17, 2008 Date of Arrest: March 11, 2009 Name: Lowery, Jourdan Age: 23 City: Hamilton, AL Charges: Sodomy 2nd Status: Jail Date of Arrest: March 17, 2009 Name: Bryson, Cynthia Age: 25 City: Hamilton, AL Charges: Possession of Controlled Substance, Possession of Controlled Substance Status: Jail (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

city of hamilton, al crime report march 18 - march 24, 2009

City of Hamilton, AL Crime Report March 18, 2009 - March 24, 2009 Wrecks - 2 Incident/Offence 3 - Domestic Violence - Harassment 1 - Assault 3rd 1 - Harassment 1 - Harassing Communication 1 - Burglary 3rd 1 - Theft of Property 2nd 1 - Theft of Property 3rd 3 - Criminal Mischief 1 - Counterfeit Money Order 1 - Vicious Dog 1 - Resisting Arrest TOTAL - 15 Arrest/Citation 6 - Speeding 2 - DUI 1 - Reckless Driving 2 - No Drivers License 1 - Expired Drivers License 8 - No Insurance 1 - No Tag 1 - Attempt to Elude 2 - Resisting Arrest 1 - Reckless Endangerment 1 - Fail to Yield Right of Way 2 - Illegal Possession of Prohibited Beverage 2 - Domestic Violence - Harassment 1 - Burglary 3rd 1 - Trespassing 3rd 1 - Criminal Mischief 1st TOTAL - 33 Hamilton Police Department News Report on Felonies March 18 - March 24, 2008 Date of Arrest: March 22, 2009 Name: James, Christopher Aaron Age: 18 City: Hamilton, AL Charges: Burglary 3rd, Criminal Mischief 1st, Trespassing 3rd Status: Bonded Date of Arrest: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE City: NONE Charges: NONE Status: NONE (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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City of Hamilton, AL Crime Report March 25 - March 31, 2009

City of Hamilton, AL Crime Report March 25, 2009 - March 31, 2009 Wrecks - 5 Incident/Offence 1 - Rape 3 - Domestic Violence 1 - Harassment 1 - Harassing Communication 1 - Burglary of a Vehicle 2 - Theft of Property 2nd 2 - Criminal Mischief 3rd 1 - Possession of Controlled Substance 1 - Possession of Marijuana 2nd 1 - Possession of Drug Paraphernalia TOTAL - 14 Arrest/Citation 19 - Speeding 1 - Speeding - Construction Zone 2 - No Drivers License 4 - No Insurance 1 - No Seatbelt 1 - Improper Location of TV Viewer 2 - Public Intoxication 1 - Disorderly Conduct 1 - Resisting Arrest 1 - Domestic Violence 1 - Possession of Marijuana 1 - Possession of Controlled Substance 1 - Possession of Drug Paraphernalia TOTAL - 36 Hamilton Police Department News Report on Felonies March 25 - March 31, 2008 Date of Arrest: March 30, 2009 Name: Kivette, Rebecca Renfroe Age: 41 City: Hamilton, AL Charges: Possession of Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia Status: Jail Date of Arrest: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE City: NONE Charges: NONE Status: NONE (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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City of Hamilton, AL Crime Report April 1, 2009 - April 7, 2009 Wrecks - 4 Incident/Offence 1 - Domestic Violence - Harassment 1 - Harassment 1 - Interference of Custody 1 - Motor Vehicle Theft 1 - Burglary of a Vehicle 1 Forgery 2nd 3 - Theft of Property 3rd 1 - Vicious Dog 1 - Possession of Controlled Substance 1 - Possession of Drug Paraphernalia TOTAL - 12 Arrest/Citation 1 - Speeding 2 - No Drivers License 1 - License Suspended 4 - No Insurance 1 - Improper Lane Change 1 - Improper Tag 1 - Improper Equipment 4 - Alias Warrants 1 - Forgery x3 1 - Possession of Controlled Substance 2 - Possession of Drug Paraphernalia TOTAL - 19 Hamilton Police Department News Report on Felonies April 1 - April 7, 2008 Date of Arrest: April 4, 2009 Name: Ellis, Franklin Lee, Jr. Age: 28 City: Jasper, AL Charges: Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Forgery x3 Status: Jail Date of Arrest: April 6, 2009 Name: Tidwell, Benny Joe Age: 54 City: Duncan, OK Charges: Possession of Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia Status: Jail (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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City of Hamilton, AL Crime Report April 8, 2009 - April 14, 2009 Wrecks - 4 Incident/Offence 1 - Domestic Violence 1 - Harassment 1 - Menacing 1 - Harassing Communication 2 - Theft of Property 2nd 4 - Theft of Property 3rd 1 - Trespassing 2 - Criminal Mischief TOTAL - 13 Arrest/Citation 6 - Speeding 2 - No Drivers License 1 - Improper Tag 1 - Expired Tag 1 - Running Stop Sign 1 - Theft of Property 3rd 3 - Alias Warrants TOTAL - 15 Parking 1 - Parked in Fire Lane Hamilton Police Department News Report on Felonies April 8 - April 14, 2008 Date of Arrest: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE City: NONE Charges: NONE Status: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE City: NONE Charges: NONE Status: NONE (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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City of Hamilton, AL Crime Report April 15, 2009 - April 21, 2009 Wrecks - 4 Incident/Offence 1 - Burglary of a Vehicle 1 - Harassment 1 - Trespassing 2 - Theft of Property 2nd 2 - Forgery 2nd 2 - Criminal Mischief TOTAL - 9 Arrest/Citation 6 - Speeding 3 - License Suspended 3 - No Insurance 3 - No Tag 1 - No Drivers License 1 - Fail to Signal 1 - Expired Tag 1 - Harassment 1 - Forgery 2nd TOTAL - 15 Parking 1 - Parked in Fire Lane Hamilton Police Department News Report on Felonies April 15 - April 21, 2008 Date of Arrest: April 20, 2009 Name: Ellis, Frankie Lee, Jr. Age: 28 City: Russellville, AL Charges: Forgery 2nd x 5 Status: Jail Date of Arrest: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE City: NONE Charges: NONE Status: NONE (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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City of Hamilton, AL Crime Report April 22 - April 28, 2009 Wrecks - 6 Incident/Offence 4 - Domestic Violence 1 - Harassing Communication 1 - Burglary of a Vehicle 3 - Theft of Property 2nd 1 - Forgery 1 - Credit Card Fraud 1 - Criminal Mischief 1 - Distribution of a Controlled Substance 2 - Possession of Controlled Substance TOTAL - 15 Arrest/Citation 1 - DUI 2 - No Drivers License 2 - Expired Drivers License 1 - License Revoked 4 - No Insurance 2 - Expired Tag 1 - No Seatbelt 2 - Improper Muffler 1 - Domestic Violence 3 - Distribution of Controlled Substance 4 - Possession of Controlled Substance 2 - Possession of Marijuana 1 - Possession of Illegal Firearm 1 - Forbidden Possession of a Firearm 1 - Alias Warrant TOTAL - 28 Parking NONE Hamilton Police Department News Report on Felonies April 22 - April 28, 2008 Date of Arrest: April 17, 2009 Name: Terrell, Floyd Lee Age: 46 City: Hamilton, AL Charges: Unlawful Distribution of a Controlled Substance x 2 Status: Jail Date of Arrest: April 17, 2009 Name: Morning, Decarlos Lamare Age: 32 City: Hamilton, AL Charges: Unlawful Distribution of a Controlled Substance, Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance x 2, Forbidden Possession of Firearm, Unlawful Possession of Marijuana 1st Status: Jail Date of Arrest: April 17, 2009 Name: Johnson, Gloria Rene Whitehead Age: 48 City: Hamilton, AL Charges: Unlawful Possession of Controlled Substance x 2, Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia Status: Bonded Date of Arrest: April 17, 2009 Name: Scott, Jerry Wayne Age: 71 City: Hamilton, AL Charges: Unlawful Possession of Controlled Substance x 3, Unlawful Distribution of a Controlled Substance x 2, Possession of an Illegal Firearm, Unlawful Possession of Marijuana Status: Bonded Date of Arrest: April 28, 2009 Name: Strickland, Heather Clingan Age: 23 City: Haleyville, AL Charges: Unlawful Possession of Controlled Substance x 2 Status: Bonded (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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City of Hamilton, AL Crime Report April 29 - May 5, 2009 Wrecks - 1 Incident/Offence 1 - Assault 3rd 2 - Domestic Violence - Harassment 1 - Domestic Incident 1 - Harassing Communication 1 - Interference with Custody of a Child TOTAL - 6 Arrest/Citation 1 - Speeding 2 - DUI 1 - License Suspended 2 - No Drivers License 1 - No Seatbelt 1 - No Insurance 1 - Fail to Signal 2 - Illegal Possession of Prohibited Beverage 1 - Carrying Concealed Brass Knuckles 2 - Domestic Violence - Harassment 1 - Alias Warrant TOTAL - 15 April 2009 Highway Safety Campaign Extra Patrol Tickets 54 - Seat Belt 2 - Speeding 22 - No Proof of Insurance 4 - Driver License Violation 3 - License Suspended or Revoked 1 - Misdemeanor 11 - Other Violations Total - 97 Hamilton Police Department News Report on Felonies April 29 - May 5, 2008 Date of Arrest: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE City: NONE Charges: NONE Status: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE City: NONE Charges: NONE Status: NONE (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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City of Hamilton, AL Crime Report May 6 - May 12, 2009 Wrecks - 4 Incident/Offence 1 - Assault 3rd 1 - Harassment 2 - Harassing Communication 1 - Interference of Custody 1 - Disorderly Conduct 1 - Burglary 3rd 1 - Theft of Property 2nd 4 - Theft of Property 3rd 1 - Criminal Mischief 3rd 1 - Truck Incident 1 - Possession of Marijuana 2nd 1 - Possession of Controlled Substance TOTAL - 16 Arrest/Citation 2 - Speeding 1 - DUI 1 - No Drivers License 2 - No Insurance 1 - Leaving Scene of Accident 1 - Public Intoxication 3 - Theft of Property 3rd 1 - Possession of Marijuana 1 - Possession of Controlled Substance TOTAL - 13 Hamilton Police Department News Report on Felonies May 6 - May 12, 2008 Date of Arrest: May 10, 2009 Name: Juvenile Age: 17 City: Hamilton, AL Charges: Possession of Marijuana 2nd, Possession of Controlled Substance Status: Juvenile Authority Date of Arrest: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE City: NONE Charges: NONE Status: NONE (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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City of Hamilton, AL Crime Report May 13 - May 19, 2009 Wrecks - 3 Incident/Offence 1 - Domestic Violence 1 - Domestic Dispute 1 - Harassing Communication 1 - Interference of Custody of Child 3 - Theft of Property 2nd 4 - Theft of Property 3rd 1 - Possession of Marijuana 2nd TOTAL - 15 Arrest/Citation 1 - Speeding 1 - License Suspended 1 - Running Stop Sign 1 - Improper Lights 2 - No Insurance 1 - Running Stop Sign 1 - Improper Lights 2 - No Insurance 1 - Running Stop Sign 1 - Child Restraint 1 - Allowing Minor to Drive 1 - Attempt to Elude 1 - Disorderly Conduct 1 - Theft of Property 3rd 1 - Domestic Violence 2 - Possession of Marijuana 2nd TOTAL - 15 Hamilton Police Department News Report on Felonies May 13 - May 15, 2008 Date of Arrest: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE City: NONE Charges: NONE Status: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE City: NONE Charges: NONE Status: NONE (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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City of Hamilton, AL Crime Report May 20 - May 26, 2009 Wrecks - 5 Incident/Offence 2 - Domestic Violence 2 - Assault 3rd 1 - Sex Offender Violation 1 - Harassment 3 - Harassing Communication 1 - Theft of Property 2nd 1 - Theft of Property 3rd 2 - Criminal Mischief 3rd 2 - Possession of Controlled Substance TOTAL - 15 Arrest/Citation 2 - Speeding 1 - No Drivers License 4 - No Insurance 3 - Domestic Violence 2 - Endangering Welfare of Child 2 - Possession of Controlled Substance x3 1 - Alias x4 TOTAL - 15 Hamilton Police Department News Report on Felonies May 20 - May 26, 2008 Date of Arrest: May 23, 2009 Name: Perry, Christina Lyn Age: 24 City: Hamilton, AL Charges: Possession of Controlled Substance x3 Status: Bonded Date of Arrest: May 23, 2009 Name: Tucker, James Brandon Age: 24 City: Hamilton, AL Charges: Domestic Violence - Assault 3rd, Possession of Controlled Substance, Alias x4 Status: Jail (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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City of Hamilton, AL Crime Report May 27 - June 2, 2009 Wrecks - 3 Incident/Offence 1- Rape 2nd 1 - Domestic Violence 1 - Enticing Child 1 - Harassment 1 Burglary 3rd 1 - Theft of Property 2nd 1 - Criminal Trespassing 1st 1 - Fraudulent Lease or Rent 1 - Criminal Mischief 3rd TOTAL - 9 Arrest/Citation 1 - Speeding 1 - D U I 1 - Reckless Driving 1 - License Revoked 1 - License Suspended 1 - No Insurance 2 - Illegal Possession of Prohibited Beverages 1 - Possession of Marijuana 1st TOTAL - 9 Hamilton Police Department News Report on Felonies May 27 - June 2, 2009 Date of Arrest: May 28, 2009 Name: Williams, Raymond, Jr. Age: 45 City: Hamilton, AL Charges: Possession of Marijuana 1st, Illegal Possession of Prohibited Beverages, License Revoked Status: Jail Date of Arrest: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE City: NONE Charges: NONE Status: NONE Memorial Day - "Click it or Ticket" Highway Safety Campaign May 18 - 31, 2009 Tickets: 56 - Seat Belt 1 - Child Restraint 2 - Speeding 15 - No Proof of Insurance 1 - Driver License Violation 1 - License Suspended or Revoked Total - 76 Warnings: 1 - Speeding 1 - Other Violations Total - 2 TOTAL: 78 (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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City of Hamilton, AL Crime Report June 3 - June 9, 2009 Wrecks - 5 Incident/Offence 3 - Domestic Violence 1 - Interference of Child Custody 1 - Identity Theft 1 - Criminal Mischief 1 - Missing Dog TOTAL - 7 Arrest/Citation 2 - Speeding 2 - D U I 1 - Reckless Driving 3 - No Insurance 1 - Motorcycle - No Helmet 1 - Resisting Arrest 1 - Enticing a Child for Immoral Purposes 1 - Domestic Violence 1 - Criminal Trespassing 1st 1 - Minor in Possession/Consumption of Alcohol TOTAL - 14 Hamilton Police Department News Report on Felonies June 3 - 9, 2009 Date of Arrest: June 3, 2009 Name: Contreas, Cesar Augusto Age: 33 City: Russellville, AL Charges: Enticing Child for Immoral Purpose, Criminal Trespassing 1st Status: Jail Date of Arrest: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE City: NONE Charges: NONE Status: NONE Memorial Day - "Click it or Ticket" Highway Safety Campaign May 18 - 31, 2009 Tickets: 56 - Seat Belt 1 - Child Restraint 2 - Speeding 15 - No Proof of Insurance 1 - Driver License Violation 1 - License Suspended or Revoked Total - 76 Warnings: 1 - Speeding 1 - Other Violations Total - 2 TOTAL: 78 (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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City of Hamilton, AL Crime Report June 10 - June 16, 2009 Wrecks - 7 Incident/Offence 1 - Domestic Violence 3 - Harassment 2 - Leaving Scene of Accident 1 - Possession of Marijuana 1st 1 - Possession of Controlled Substance TOTAL - 8 Arrest/Citation 9 - Speeding 1 - D U I 1 - License Suspended 4 - Running Stop Sign 2 - Improper Lights 5 - No Insurance 1 - No Insurance 1 - No Seatbelt 1 - Attempt to Elude 1 - Carrying Brass Knuckles 1 - Possession of Marijuana 1st 1 - Possession of Controlled Substance 1 - Alias Warrant 1 - Warrant - Other Agency TOTAL - 29 Hamilton Police Department News Report on Felonies June 10 - 16, 2009 Date of Arrest: June 8, 2009 Name: Abbott, Marlin Ray Age: 38 City: Hamilton, AL Charges: Marijuana 1st Status: Jail Date of Arrest: June 8, 2009 Name: Rice, Derrall, Jr. Age: 24 City: Hamilton, AL Charges: Possession of Controlled Substance - Cocaine Status: Jail (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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City of Hamilton, AL Crime Report June 17 - June 23, 2009 Wrecks - 5 Incident/Offence 3 - Domestic Violence 1 - Assault 3rd 1 - Burglary 3rd 2 - Theft of Property 3rd 3 - Harassing Communication 1 - Leaving Scene of Accident 2 - Possession of Forged Instrument 1 - Fail to Pay for Gas TOTAL - 14 Arrest/Citation 4 - Speeding 1 - D U I 1 - License Revoked 3 - License Suspended 1 - Improper Lights 2 - Improper Tag 9 - No Insurance 1 - No Seatbelt 1 - Harassment 1 - Alias Warrant TOTAL - 24 Hamilton Police Department News Report on Felonies June 17 - 23, 2009 Date of Arrest: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE City: NONE Charges: NONE Status: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE City: NONE Charges: NONE Status: NONE (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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City of Hamilton, AL Crime Report June 24 - June 30, 2009 Wrecks - 1 Incident/Offence 1 - Robbery 1st 1 - Burglary 1st 2 - Attempt Burglary 1 - Domestic Violence - Harassment 1 - Harassment 1 - Theft of Property 1st 3 - Theft of Property 3rd 1 - Criminal Mischief TOTAL - 11 Arrest/Citation 4 - Speeding 2 - No Insurance 2 - Theft of Property 3rd 6 - Alias Warrant TOTAL - 14 Parking 2 - Parked in Fire Lane/Plug Hamilton Police Department News Report on Felonies June 24 - 30, 2009 Date of Arrest: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE City: NONE Charges: NONE Status: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE City: NONE Charges: NONE Status: NONE (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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City of Hamilton, AL Crime Report July 1 - July 7, 2009 Wrecks - 4 Incident/Offence 3 - Domestic Violence 1 - Burglary 3rd 1 - Forgery 1 - Identity Theft 1 - Theft of Property 2nd 1 - Theft of Property 3rd 1 - Child Custody 1 - Vicious Dog 1 - Criminal Mischief 2nd 1 - Harassing Communication 1 - Manufacturing Controlled Substance 1st 1 - Possession of Drug Paraphernalia TOTAL - 14 Arrest/Citation 7 - Speeding 1 - DUI 6 - No Insurance 2 - Running Stop Sign 1 - No Seatbelt 1 - Disorderly Conduct 1 - Leaving the Scene of Accident 1 - Domestic Violence 1 - Public Intoxication 1 - Rape 2nd 2 - Warrants - Other Agency 1 - Manufacturing Controlled Substance 1st Possession of Drug Paraphernalia TOTAL - 26 Parking 1 - Parked in Fire Lane Hamilton Police Department News Report on Felonies June 24 - 30, 2009 Date of Arrest: June 30, 2009 Name: Mullins, James Age: 47 City: Hamilton, AL Charges: Manufacturing Controlled Substance 1st, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia Status: Bonded Date of Arrest: July 2, 2009 Name: Contreas, Cesar Augusto Age: 24 City: Russellville, AL Charges: Rape 2nd Status: Jail (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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City of Hamilton, AL Crime Report July 8 - July 14, 2009

Wrecks - 2

Incident / Offence

1 - Assault 3rd 1 - Child Abuse 3 - Harassment 1 - Harassing Communication 1 - Burglary 3rd 1 - Theft of Property 1st 2 - Theft of Property 3rd 1 - Unauthorized Use of Vehicle 3 - Criminal Mischief 1 - Abandoned Vehicle

Arrest / Citation

6 - Speeding 1 - DUI 1 - License Suspended 1 - Improper Lights 5 - No Seatbelt 5 - No Insurance 1 - No Tag 1 - Leaving the Scene of Accident 1 - Harassment 6 - Alias Warrants 2 - Burglary 3rd 2 - Criminal Mischief

Hamilton Police Department News Report on Felonies July 8 - 14, 2009 Date of Arrest: July 9, 2009 Name: Juvenile Age: 17 City: Hamilton, AL Charges: Burglary 2nd, Criminal Mischief 2nd Status: Released to Parents Date of Arrest: July 9, 2009 Name: Juvenile Age: 17 City: Hamilton, AL Charges: Burglary 2nd, Criminal Mischief 2nd Status: Released to Parents

(All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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City of Hamilton, AL Crime Report July 15 - July 21, 2009 Wrecks - 5 Incident/Offence 1 - Domestic Violence - Harassment 2 - Burglary 3rd 2 - Theft of Property 2nd 3 - Theft of Property 3rd 2 - Criminal Mischief 1 - Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle TOTAL - 11 Arrest/Citation 9 - Speeding 1 - DUI 1 - License Revoked 1 - License Suspended 2 - No Drivers License 1 - Improper Passing 1 - Running Stop Sign 2 - Improper Lights 5 - No Seat Belt 13 - No Insurance 1 - Expired Tag 1 - Domestic Violence 4 - Possession of Marijuana 2nd 1 - Possession of Drug Paraphernalia TOTAL - 43 Parking 0 - Parked in Fire Lane Hamilton Police Department News Report on Felonies July 15 - 21, 2009 Date of Arrest: June 30, 2009 Name: NONE Age: NONE City: NONE Charges: NONE Status: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE City: NONE Charges: NONE Status: NONE (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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City of Hamilton, AL Crime Report July 22 - July 28, 2009 Wrecks - 3 Incident/Offence 1 - Sexual Abuse of a Child 2 - Domestic Violence 1 - Assault 2nd 2 - Assault 3rd 1 - Burglary 3rd 2 - Theft of Property 2nd 2 - Theft of Property 3rd 1 - Forgery 1 - Criminal Mischief 3rd TOTAL - 13 Arrest/Citation 9 - Speeding 1 - License Suspended 4 - Improper Equipment 3 - No Helmet 2 - No Child Restraint 7 - No Insurance 3 - Attempt to Elude 1 - Public Intoxication 1 - Theft of Property 3rd 1 - Warrant - Other Agency TOTAL - 32 Parking 0 - Parked in Fire Lane Hamilton Police Department News Report on Felonies July 22 - 28, 2009 Date of Arrest: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE City: NONE Charges: NONE Status: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE City: NONE Charges: NONE Status: NONE (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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City of Hamilton, AL Crime Report July 29 - August 4, 2009 Wrecks - 1 Incident/Offence 2 - Domestic Violence 1 - Assault 3rd 1 - Harassment 1 - Harassing Communication 1 - Burglary 3rd 1 - Theft of Property 2nd 1 - Theft of Property 3rd 1 - Forgery 1 - Possession of a Forged Instrument 1 - Criminal Mischief 3rd 2 - Leaving Scene of Accident TOTAL - 13 Arrest/Citation 10 - Speeding 4 - License Revoked 2 - License Suspended 1 - No Drivers License8 - No Insurance 1 - Running Stop Sign 1 - Attempt to Elude 1 - No Seatbelt 1 - No Tag 2 - Expired Tag 1 - Switched Tag 4 - Improper Lights 1 - Alias Warrant TOTAL - 40 Parking 0 - Parked in Fire Lane Hamilton Police Department News Report on Felonies July 22 - 28, 2009 Date of Arrest: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE City: NONE Charges: NONE Status: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE City: NONE Charges: NONE Status: NONE (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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MARION COUNTY, AL SHERIFF'S CRIME REPORT MAY 6, 2009

Marion County Sheriff's Crime Report May 6, 2009 T R ALIAS - 1 DOM VIO/ASSAULT - 0 DOM VIO/HARASS - 1 D U I - 1 MARIJ 2nd - 0 P I - 1 VIO OF REL ORDER - 0 P V - 1 I W C - 0 NON SUPPORT - 0 ASSAULT 3rd - 0 DISORDERLY CONDUCT - 1 CRIMINAL MISCHIEF 3rd - 1 MENACING - 0 VIO PROTECT ORDER - 0 RESIST ARREST - 0 CRIM TRESPASS 3rd THEFT OF PROP 3rd - 0 I P P B - 1 BENCH WARRANT - 2 HARASSING COMMUNICATIONS - 0 PARA - 3 D C ALIAS - 1 C C ALIAS - 1 Report on Felonies Name: Brandon Ely Age: 21 Address - City: Hamilton, AL Charges: R S P 1st Date of Arrest: 4/29/09 Amount of Bond: $25,000 Date of Release: 5/4/09 Name: Thomas Jackson Age: 19 Address-City: Vina, AL Charges: R S P 1st Date of Arrest: 4/29/09 Amount of Bond: $25,000 Date of Release: In Jail Name: Jeremy McCraw Age: 27 Address-City: Hamilton, AL/Tishomingo, MS Charges: Forgery 2nd x 3 Date of Arrest: 4/30/09 Amount of Bond: $20,000 Date of Release: 5/1/09 Name: Noel McNeal Age: 29 Address-City: Guin, AL Charges: Burg 3 Date of Arrest: 4/30/09 Amount of Bond: $10,000 Date of Release: In Jail Name: Scotty Smith Age: 45 Address-City: Haleyville, AL Charges: P C S Date of Arrest: 5/1/09 Amount of Bond: $7,500 Date of Release: 5/5/09 Name: David Pahkanen Age: 19 Address-City: Haleyville, AL Charges: T O P 2nd Date of Arrest: 5/5/09 Amount of Bond: Not Set Yet Date of Release: In Jail WINFIELD ARREST Name: Haley Jones Age: 20 Address-City: Arley, AL Charges: Manuf 2nd, Para Date of Arrest: 4/30/09 Amount of Bond: $7,500 Date of Release: In Jail Name: Jody Henderson Age: 32 Address-City: Nauvoo, AL Charges: Manuf 2nd, Para Date of Arrest: 4/30/09 Amount of Bond: $7,500 Date of Release: In Jail (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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Marion County Sheriff's Crime Report May 13, 2009 T R Alias - 1 Dom Vio/Assault - 1 Dom Vio/Harass - 0 D U I - 0 Marij 2nd - 0 P I - 1 Vio of Rel Order - 1 P V - 2 I W C - 0 Non-Support - 1 Assault 3rd - 0 Disorderly Conduct - 0 Criminal Mischief 3rd - 0 Menacing - 0 Vio Protect Order - 0 Resist Arrest - 0 Crim Trespass 3rd - 0 Theft of Prop 3rd - 0 I P P B - 0 Bench Warrant - 2 Harassing Communications - 0 Para - 0 D C Alias - 1 C C Alias - 0 Report on Felonies Name: Robert Bradley Cook Age: 31 Address - City: Hamilton, AL Charges: Burg 2, Bur Tools, Att Burg 2 x2 Date of Arrest: 5/11/09 Amount of Bond: $88,000 Date of Release: In Jail Name: James Richard Pollock Age: 44 Address-City: Winfield, AL Charges: Manuf 1 Date of Arrest: 5/11/09 Amount of Bond: $30,000 Date of Release: In Jail Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE OTHER ARREST Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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Marion County Sheriff's Crime Report May 20, 2009 C C Alias - 1 Dom Vio/Assault - 0 Dom Vio/Harass - 1 D U I - 1 Marij 2nd - 0 P I - 1 Vio of Rel Order - 0 P V - 1 I W C - 0 Non-Support - 0 Assault 3rd - 0 Disorderly Conduct - 1 Criminal Mischief 3rd - 0 Menacing - 0 Vio Protect Order - 0 Resist Arrest - 0 Crim Trespass 3rd - 0 Theft of Prop 3rd - 0 I P P B - 2 Bench Warrant - 2 Harassing Communications - 0 Para - 0 D C Alias - 0 Harass - 1 Report on Felonies Name: Jesse Sullivan Age: 28 Address - City: Winfield, AL Charges: Manuf 2, P C S Date of Arrest: 5/17/09 Amount of Bond: $10,000 Date of Release: 5/19/09 Name: Heather Galbraith Age: 23 Address-City: Winfield, AL Charges: B & E Vechicle Date of Arrest: 5/17/09 Amount of Bond: $7,500 Date of Release: 5/18/09 Name: Marquita Swanigan Age: 25 Address-City: Guin, AL Charges: T O P 2nd Date of Arrest: 5/17/09 Amount of Bond: $15,000 Date of Release: 5/18/09 Name: Charles Bush Age: 24 Address-City: Millport, AL Charges: T O P 2nd Date of Arrest: 5/17/09 Amount of Bond: $15,000 Date of Release: 5/18/09 Name: David Hughley Age: 52 Address-City: Haleyville, AL Charges: Escape 3rd Date of Arrest: 5/13/09 Amount of Bond: $5,000 Date of Release: In Jail Name: Michael Harrison Age: 49 Address-City: Tuscumbia, AL Charges: Theft by Deception 1st Date of Arrest: 5/15/09 Amount of Bond: $2,500/Cash Date of Release: 5/18/09 OTHER ARREST Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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Marion County Sheriff's Crime Report May 27, 2009 Alias - 0 Dom Vio/Assault - 4 Dom Vio/Harass - 2 D U I - 2 Marij 2nd - 0 P I - 2 Vio of Rel Order - 1 P V - 1 I W C - 0 Non-Support - 0 Assault 3rd - 1 Disorderly Conduct - 0 Criminal Mischief 3rd - 0 Menacing - 0 Vio Protect Order - 0 Resist Arrest - 2 Crim Trespass 3rd - 0 Theft of Prop 3rd - 0 I P P B - 0 Bench Warrant - 3 Harassing Communications - 1 Para - 0 RSP 3 - 1 Harass - 0 Report on Felonies Name: Jeremy Hill Age: 24 Address - City: Haleyville, AL Charges: Burg 3, D V 3 - Assault, Crim Tres 3, Dis Cond Date of Arrest: 5/20/09 Amount of Bond: $10,000 Date of Release: In Jail Name: James Brandon Tucker Age: 24 Address-City: Hamilton, AL Charges: P C S, D V 3 - Assault Date of Arrest: 5/22/09 Amount of Bond: $10,000 Date of Release: In Jail Name: Christina Perry Age: 24 Address-City: Hamilton, AL Charges: P C S x3 Date of Arrest: 5/23/09 Amount of Bond: $15,000 Date of Release: 5/24/09 Name: Christopher Quimby Age: 30 Address-City: Brilliant, AL Charges: Burg 3, P I, T O P 3, R A Date of Arrest: 5/24/09 Amount of Bond: $10,000 Date of Release: 5/26/09 Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE Name: NONE Age: 49 Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE OTHER ARRESTS Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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Marion County Sheriff's Crime Report June 3, 2009 Alias - 0 Domestic Violence/Assault - 0 Domestic Violence/Harassment - 0 D U I - 3 Marijuana 2nd - 3 Public Intoxication - 1 Violation of Release Order - 2 Parole Violation - 1 Issuing Worthless Checks - 1 Non-Support - 0 Assault 3rd - 2 Disorderly Conduct - 0 Criminal Mischief 3rd - 0 Menacing - 0 Violation Protect Order - 0 Resisting Arrest - 0 Criminal Trespass 3rd - 0 Theft of Property 3rd - 0 Illegal Possession Prohibited Beverage - 2 Bench Warrant - 0 Harassing Communications - 0 Paraphernalia - 0 Receiving Stolen Property 3rd - 0 Harassment - 0 Report on Felonies Name: Heather Galbraith Age: 23 Address - City: Winfield, AL Charges: Breaking & Entering Motor Vehicle, Theft of Property 3rd, Burglary 3rd, Criminal Mischief - 3rd Date of Arrest: 5/29/09 Amount of Bond: $10,000 Date of Release: In Jail Due to Violation of Release Order Name: Cody Crane Age: 17 Address-City: Hamilton, AL Charges: Possession Controlled Instrument, Marijuana 2nd x2 Date of Arrest: 6/2/09 Amount of Bond: $5,000 Date of Release: 6/2/09 Name: Heather Strickland Age: 23 Address-City: Haleyville, AL Charges: Criminal Mischief 3rd, Burglary 3rd Date of Arrest: 5/29/09 Amount of Bond: $10,000 Date of Release: In Jail Due to Violation of Release Order Name: Chris Berlin Age: 21 Address-City: Hackleburg, AL Charges: Possession of Controlled Substance x3 Date of Arrest: 5/29/09 Amount of Bond: $15,000 Date of Release: 6/2/09 Name: Vicki Jones Age: 53 Address-City: Cullman, AL Charges: Possession Controlled Substance, Marijuana 2nd, Illegal Possession of Prohibitid Beverage, D U I - C/S Date of Arrest: 5/30/09 Amount of Bond: $12,500 Date of Release: 6/2/09 Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE OTHER ARREST Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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Marion County Sheriff's Crime Report June 17, 2009 D C Alias - 1 Domestic Violence/Assault - 1 Domestic Violence/Harassment - 1 D U I - 1 Marijuana 2nd - 0 Public Intoxication - 1 Violation of Release Order - 1 Parole Violation - 1 Issuing Worthless Checks - 0 Non-Support - 2 Assault 3rd - 0 Disorderly Conduct - 0 Criminal Mischief 3rd - 1 Menacing - 0 Violation Protect Order - 0 Resisting Arrest - 0 Criminal Trespass 3rd - 3 Theft of Property 3rd - 3 Illegal Possession Prohibited Beverage - 0 Bench Warrant - 2 Harassing Communications - 0 Paraphernalia - 3 Receiving Stolen Property 3rd - 0 Harassment - 0 Pistol W/O - 1 Report on Felonies Name: David Webster Age: 45 Address - City: Guin, AL Charges: Possession of Controlled Substance x 2, Manufacturing 2 Date of Arrest: 6/10/09 Amount of Bond: $15,000 Date of Release: 6/11/09 Name: Jessica Noriega Age: 26 Address-City: Haleyville, AL Charges: Manufacturing 1st, Possession Controlled Substance x 4, Paraphernalia, Marijuana 2, Child Abuse/Chemical Endangerment x 2 Date of Arrest: 6/12/09 Amount of Bond: $25,000 Date of Release: In Jail Name: Kimberly Lambert Age: 22 Address-City: Bear Creek, AL Charges: Manufacturing 1st, Possession Controlled Substance x 4, Paraphernalia, Marijuana 2, Child Abuse/Chemical Endangerment x 2 Date of Arrest: 6/12/09 Amount of Bond: $25,000 Date of Release: In Jail Name: Carlton Craig Age: 41 Address-City: Haleyville, AL Charges: Manufacturing 1st, Possession Controlled Substance x 4, Paraphernalia, Marijuana 2, Child Abuse/Chemical Endangerment x 2 Date of Arrest: 6/12/09 Amount of Bond: $25,000 Date of Release: In Jail Name: M. Scott Gravelee Age: 45 Address-City: Sheffield, AL Charges: Manufacturing 1st, Possession Controlled Substance x 4, Paraphernalia, Marijuana 2, Child Abuse/Chemical Endangerment x 2 Date of Arrest: 6/12/09 Amount of Bond: $25,000 Date of Release: In Jail Name: Amanda Whitman Age: 28 Address-City: Bear Creek, AL Charges: Attempt Manufacture, Possession Controlled Substance, Paraphernalia Date of Arrest: 6/13/09 Amount of Bond: $10,000 Date of Release: In Jail Name: Tammy Johnson Age: 39 Address-City: Bear Creek, AL Charges: Attempt Manufacture, Possession Controlled Substance, Paraphernalia Date of Arrest: 6/13/09 Amount of Bond: $10,000 Date of Release: In Jail Name: Jerry Lauderdale Age: 43 Address-City: Bear Creek, AL Charges: Attempt Manufacture, Possession Controlled Substance, Paraphernalia Date of Arrest: 6/13/09 Amount of Bond: $10,000 Date of Release: In Jail Name: Mary Hulsey Age: 29 Address-City: Hamilton, AL Charges: Interference W/Custody, Unauthorized Use Motor Vehicle Date of Arrest: 6/15/09 Amount of Bond: $10,000 Date of Release: In Jail Name: Chase Rea Age: 20 Address-City: Hamilton, AL Charges: Possession Controlled Substance, Paraphernalia Date of Arrest: 6/15/09 Amount of Bond: $10,500 Date of Release: In Jail Name: Christopher Tidwell Age: 33 Address-City: Guin, AL Charges: Possession Controlled Substance, Marijuana 2, Paraphernalia Date of Arrest: 6/15/09 Amount of Bond: $13,000 Date of Release: In Jail (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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Marion County Sheriff's Crime Report June 24, 2009 T R Alias - 1 Domestic Violence/Assault - 1 Domestic Violence/Harassment - 0 D U I - 3 Marijuana 2nd - 1 Public Intoxication - 0 Violation of Release Order - 2 Parole Violation - 2 Issuing Worthless Checks - 0 Non-Support - 2 Assault 3rd - 0 Disorderly Conduct - 0 Criminal Mischief 3rd - 0 Menacing - 0 Violation Protect Order - 0 Resisting Arrest - 1 Criminal Trespass 3rd - 1 Theft of Property 3rd - 0 Illegal Possession Prohibited Beverage - 0 Bench Warrant - 1 Harassing Communications - 0 Reckless Endangerment - 1 Attempt Elude - 1 Paraphernalia - 0 Receiving Stolen Property 3rd - 0 Harassment - 0 Pistol W/O - 0 Report on Felonies Name: Tegan Flippo Age: 24 Address - City: Brilliant, AL Charges: Manufacturing 1st, Possession of Controlled Substance x 2, Vio. Pseudoephedrine Law Date of Arrest: 6/18/09 Amount of Bond: $33,000 Date of Release: 6/19/09 Name: Gregory Johnson Age: 25 Address-City: Memphis, TN Charges: Att. Murder, Marijuana 2, Resist Arrest, Att. Elude Date of Arrest: 6/23/09 Amount of Bond: $102,000 Date of Release: In Jail Name: Derrick Webb Age: 28 Address-City: Winfield, AL Charges: Manufacturing 1st, Resist Arrest, Reckless Endangerment Date of Arrest: 6/19/09 Amount of Bond: $21,000 Date of Release: In Jail Name: Morris Putt Age: 38 Address-City: Winfield, AL Charges: Community Notification Date of Arrest: 6/22/09 Amount of Bond: Not Set Date of Release: In Jail Name: William Curtis "Bill" Goodwin Age: 39 Address-City: Brilliant, AL Charges: Stalking Date of Arrest: 6/22/09 Amount of Bond: $10,000 Date of Release: 6/24/09 Name: Corey Williams a/k/a Corlexis Williams Age: 27 Address-City: Columbus, GA Charges: GJI, TOP 1 Date of Arrest: 6/22/09 Amount of Bond: $10,000 Date of Release: In Jail Name: Santoris Stancil Age: 25 Address-City: Beulah, MS Charges: Escape 3 Date of Arrest: 6/23/09 Amount of Bond: $80,000 Date of Release: In Jail Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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Marion County Sheriff's Crime Report July 1, 2009 T R Alias - 2 Domestic Violence/Assault - 1 Domestic Violence/Harassment - 1 D U I - 1 Marijuana 2nd - 0 Public Intoxication - 0 Violation of Release Order - 0 Parole Violation - 2 Issuing Worthless Checks - 0 Non-Support - 0 Assault 3rd - 0 Disorderly Conduct - 0 Criminal Mischief 3rd - 0 Menacing - 0 Violation Protect Order - 0 Resisting Arrest - 1 Criminal Trespass 3rd - 0 Theft of Property 3rd - 0 Illegal Possession Prohibited Beverage - 1 Bench Warrant - 1 Harassing Communications - 0 Parole Violation - 1 D C Alias - 1 Violation Release Order - 1 Theft of Services 3 - 1 Reckless Endangerment - 0 Attempt Elude - 0 Paraphernalia - 0 Receiving Stolen Property 3rd - 0 Harassment - 0 Pistol W/O - 0 Report on Felonies Name: Tommy Kevin Burleson Age: 32 Address - City: Brilliant, AL Charges: R S P 2nd, Possession of Controlled Substance x 2, Manufacturing 1st x 2, Paraphernalia Date of Arrest: 6/26/09 Amount of Bond: $60,000 Date of Release: In Jail due to Bench Warrant Name: Timothy Hammock Age: 34 Address-City: Hamilton, AL Charges: Marijuana 1st, Possession Controlled Substance x 6, Paraphernalia Date of Arrest: 6/28/09 Amount of Bond: $55,000 Date of Release: In Jail Name: Christopher Humbers Age: 22 Address-City: Winfield, AL Charges: Marijuana 1st Date of Arrest: 6/30/09 Amount of Bond: $7,500 Date of Release: In Jail due to Violation of Release Order Name: James Mullins Age: 47 Address-City: Hamilton, AL Charges: Manufacturing 1st, Paraphernalia Date of Arrest: 6/30/09 Amount of Bond: Not Set Yet Date of Release: In Jail Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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Marion County Sheriff's Crime Report July 8, 2009 D C Alias - 5 Domestic Violence/Assault - 3 Domestic Violence/Harassment - 1 D U I - 1 Marijuana 2nd - 0 Public Intoxication - 2 Violation of Release Order - 0 Parole Violation - 2 Issuing Worthless Checks - 0 Non-Support - 0 Assault 3rd - 0 Disorderly Conduct - 1 Criminal Mischief 3rd - 0 Menacing - 0 Violation Protect Order - 0 Resisting Arrest - 1 Criminal Trespass 3rd - 0 Theft of Property 3rd - 0 Illegal Possession Prohibited Beverage - 4 Bench Warrant - 3 Harassing Communications - 1 Drug Ct. Violation - 1 Paraphernalia - 3 Report on Felonies Name: Jimmie Finch Age: 45 Address - City: Winfield, AL Charges: Theft of Property 2nd Date of Arrest: 7/1/09 Amount of Bond: $7,500 Date of Release: 7/2/09 Name: Donald Meeks Age: 57 Address-City: Tony, AZ Charges: Receiving Stolen Property 2nd Date of Arrest: 7/1/09 Amount of Bond: $10,000 Date of Release: 7/2/09 Name: Kevin Benton Age: 18 Address-City: Winfield, AL Charges: Theft of Property 1st Date of Arrest: 7/2/09 Amount of Bond: $10,000 Date of Release: 7/7/09 Name: Hershel Rivers Age: 67 Address-City: Hamilton, AL Charges: Grand Jury Indicment - Sodomy 1st Date of Arrest: 7/2/09 Amount of Bond: $50,000 Date of Release: 7/2/09 Name: Curtis Swanigan Age: 61 Address-City: Guin, AL Charges: Transporting Alcohol Date of Arrest: 7/3/09 Amount of Bond: $5,000 Date of Release: 7/3/09 Name: Clayton Keeton Age: 19 Address-City: Fayette, AL Charges: Manufacturing 2nd, Illegal Possession of Prohibited Beverage Date of Arrest: 7/3/09 Amount of Bond: $10,000 Date of Release: In Jail Name: Justin Nichols Age: 19 Address-City: Fayette, AL Charges: Manufacturing 2nd, Illegal Possession of Prohibited Beverage Date of Arrest: 7/3/09 Amount of Bond: $10,000 Date of Release: In Jail Name: Lori Hollingsworth Age: 29 Address-City: Fayette, AL Charges: Manufacturing 2nd, Illegal Possession of Prohibited Beverage Date of Arrest: 7/3/09 Amount of Bond: $10,000 Date of Release: In Jail Name: Derrick Tyra Age: 24 Address-City: Haleyville, AL Charges: Possession of Controlled Substance, Paraphernalia Date of Arrest: 7/3/09 Amount of Bond: $10,000 Date of Release: 7/6/09 Name: Dustin Kelley Age: 18 Address-City: Haleyville, AL Charges: Possession of Controlled Substance, Paraphernalia Date of Arrest: 7/3/09 Amount of Bond: $10,000 Date of Release: 7/6/09 Name: Lonnie Colburn Age: 34 Address-City: Beaverton, AL Charges: Grand Jury Indictment - Attempt Manufacturing Date of Arrest: 7/5/09 Amount of Bond: $10,000 Date of Release: In Jail Name: Doyle Brimer Age: 47 Address-City: Bear Creek, AL Charges: Possession of Controlled Substance, Paraphernalia Date of Arrest: 7/6/09 Amount of Bond: $20,000 Date of Release: 7/7/09 Name: Samuel Heath Age: 18 Address-City: Lynn, AL Charges: Theft of Property 2nd, Burglary 2nd Date of Arrest: 7/7/09 Amount of Bond: $25,000 Date of Release: 7/8/09 (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

Marion County Sheriff's Crime Report July 15, 2009

Alias - 0 Domestic Violence/Assault - 2 Domestic Violence/Harassment - 0 DUI - 0 Marijuana 2nd - 1 Public Intoxication - 1 Violation of Release Order - 0 Parole Violation - 2 Issuing Worthless Checks - 0 Non-Support - 0 Assault 3rd - 0 Disorderly Conduct - 1 Criminal Mischief 3rd - 0 Menacing - 1 Violation Protect Order - 0 Resist Arrest - 0 Criminal Trespass 3rd - 0 Theft of Property 3rd - 1 Illegal Possession Prohibited Beverage - 0 Bench Warrant - 1 Harassing Communications - 0 Violation Release Order - 3 Drug Ct Violation - 1 Paraphernalia - 2

Report on Felonies

Name:  Samuel Heath Age:  18 Address - City:  Lynn, AL Charges:  Theft of Property 2nd, Burglary 2nd Date of Arrest:  7/7/09 Amount of Bond:  25,000 Date of Release:  7/8/09

Name:  Robert McDonald Age:  20 Address - City:  Eldridge, AL Charges:  Forgery 2nd x 2, Possession Forged Instrument 2nd x 2 Date of Arrest:  7/8/09 Amount of Bond:  20,000 Date of Release:  7/9/09

Name:  Chris Booker Age:  30 Address - City:  Hackleburg, AL Charges:  Marijuana 2nd, Paraphernalia, Firearm - Person Forbidden Date of Arrest:  7/8/09 Amount of Bond:  3,500 Date of Release:  In Jail

Name:  Benjamin Defoor Age:  21 Address - City:  Hackleburg, AL Charges:  Possession Controlled Substance, Manufacture 1st Date of Arrest:  7/8/09 Amount of Bond:  20,000 Date of Release:  In Jail

Name:  Michael Burleson Age:  40 Address - City:  Tuscumbia, AL Charges:  Possession Controlled Substance, Manufacture 1st Date of Arrest:  7/8/09 Amount of Bond:  20,000 Date of Release:  In Jail

Name:  Jennifer Sprinkle Age:  32 Address - City:  Brilliant, AL Charges:  Attempted Manufacture Date of Arrest:  7/9/09 Amount of Bond:  10,000 Date of Release:  7/10/09

Name:  Brandy Kelley Age:  22 Address - City:  Haleyville, AL Charges:  Manufacture 1st, Possession Controlled Substance, Paraphernalia, Child Abuse, Chemical Endangerment Date of Arrest:  7/9/09 Amount of Bond:  80,500 Date of Release:  7/10/09

Name:  Raymond Smothers Age:  45 Address - City:  Winfield, AL Charges:  Possession Forged Instrument 2nd x 23 Date of Arrest:  7/9/09 Amount of Bond:  184,000 Date of Release:  In Jail

Name:  Corena Clark Age:  39 Address - City:  Nauvoo, AL Charges:  Forged Instrument 2nd x 18 Date of Arrest:  7/9/09 Amount of Bond:  144,000 Date of Release:  In Jail

Name:  Aaron Cook Age:  22 Address - City:  Bear Creek, AL Charges:  Possession Controlled Substance, Public Intoxication Date of Arrest:  7/14/09 Amount of Bond:  Not Set Yet Date of Release:  In Jail

(All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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Marion County Sheriff's Crime Report July 22, 2009 D C Alias - 1 Domestic Violence/Assault - 2 Domestic Violence/Harassment - 0 D U I - 1 Marijuana 2nd - 1 Public Intoxication - 2 Violation of Release Order - 2 Parole Violation - 0 Issuing Worthless Checks - 1 Non-Support - 0 Assault 3rd - 0 Disorderly Conduct - 3 Criminal Mischief 3rd - 0 Menacing - 0 Violation Protect Order - 0 Resisting Arrest - 1 Criminal Trespass 3rd - 2 Theft of Property 3rd - 1 Illegal Possession Prohibited Beverage - 0 Bench Warrant - 3 Harassing Communications - 2 Drug Ct. Violation - 0 Paraphernalia - 1 Unlawful Purchase Pseudoephedrine - 1 Report on Felonies Name: Chris Quimby Age: 30 Address - City: Brilliant, AL Charges: Making A Terrorist Threat, Disorderly Conduct Date of Arrest: 7/16/09 Amount of Bond: $10,000 Date of Release: In Jail Name: Nicky Herrick Age: 35 Address-City: Guin, AL Charges: Manufacturing 1st Date of Arrest: 7/16/09 Amount of Bond: $10,000 Date of Release: In Jail Name: Thomas Glaviano Age: 39 Address-City: Hackleburg, AL Charges: Manufacturing 1st Date of Arrest: 7/16/09 Amount of Bond: $10,000 Date of Release: In Jail Name: Samuel Heath Age: 18 Address-City: Lynn, AL Charges: Burglary 3rd, Theft of Property 3rd Date of Arrest: 7/17/09 Amount of Bond: $10,000 Date of Release: 7/17/09 Name: Demetric Salter Age: 17 Address-City: Hamilton, AL Charges: Burglary 2nd, Criminal Mischief 2nd, Criminal Mischief 3rd Date of Arrest: 7/17/09 Amount of Bond: $10,000 Date of Release: 7/17/09 Name: Andy Hanson Age: 17 Address-City: Hamilton, AL Charges: Burglary 2nd, Criminal Mischief 2nd Date of Arrest: 7/17/09 Amount of Bond: $5,000 Date of Release: 7/17/09 Name: Brandon Neels Age: 24 Address-City: Guin, AL Charges: Burglary 3rd, Theft of Property 2nd Date of Arrest: 7/21/09 Amount of Bond: Not Set Yet Date of Release: In Jail Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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Marion County Sheriff's Crime Report August 5, 2009 T. R. Alias - 3 Domestic Violence/Assault - 0 Domestic Violence/Harassment - 0 D U I - 2 Marijuana 2nd - 6 Public Intoxication - 2 Violation of Release Order - 1 Parole Violation - 2 Issuing Worthless Checks - 0 Non-Support - 1 Assault 3rd - 0 Disorderly Conduct - 1 Criminal Mischief 3rd - 0 Menacing - 0 Violation Protect Order - 0 Resisting Arrest - 1 Criminal Trespass 3rd - 0 Theft of Property 3rd - 1 Illegal Possession Prohibited Beverage - 1 Bench Warrant - 2 Harassing Communications - 1 D. C. Alias - 1 Reckless Endangerment - 1 Paraphernalia - 2 Unlawful Purchase Pseudoephedrine - 0 Report on Felonies Name: Billy McLean Age: 43 Address - City: West Point, TN/Double Springs, AL Charges: Burglary 3rd, Theft of Property 2nd Date of Arrest: 7/30/09 Amount of Bond: $12,500 Date of Release: 7/30/09 Name: Kimberly Gosa Age: 37 Address-City: Winfield, AL Charges: Possession Controlled Substance x 3, Theft of Property 3rd, Marijuana 2nd Date of Arrest: 7/30/09 Amount of Bond: $20,000 Date of Release: 8/3/09 Name: Wendy Hughes Age: 19 Address-City: Hamilton, AL Charges: Manufacturing 1st, Possession Controlled Substance, Marijuana 2nd, Paraphernalia Date of Arrest: 7/30/09 Amount of Bond: $23,000 Date of Release: In Jail Name: Derek Tate Age: 25 Address-City: Hamilton, AL Charges: Manufacturing 1st, Possession Controlled Substance, Marijuana 2nd, Paraphernalia Date of Arrest: 7/30/09 Amount of Bond: $23,000 Date of Release: In Jail Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE Name: NONE Age: NONE Address-City: NONE Charges: NONE Date of Arrest: NONE Amount of Bond: NONE Date of Release: NONE (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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"Confronting Culture" A Christian Seminar

Confronting Culture is a seminar/rally, which will be held at the Bevill Center in Hamilton, Alabama January 9th and 10th, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m., 2009.

The messages will be delivered by Joe Wells of Focus Press.

The seminar is a group of messages geared toward youth but needed by all Christians. It will uplift and prepare all who attend to walk a better Christian life.

Itinerary is as follows:

Friday, January 9th, 2009 6:30 - 7:00 p.m. - Songs of Praise and Prayer 7:00 - 7:45 p.m.- Be Aware 8:00 p.m. - Dismiss

Saturday, January 10th, 2009 8:30 - 9:00 a.m. - Songs of Praise and Prayer 9:00 - 9:45 a.m. - Be Equipped 10:00 - 10:45 a.m. Be Alert 11:00 11:45 a.m. - Be Engaged 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. - Lunch 1:30 p.m. - Dismiss

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Photo slideshow

Heavy Rains Cause Traffic Hazard Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Click Pictures to Enlarge

HAMILTON, AL - Traffic was blocked this afternoon at approximately 3:30 pm.  A tree fell blocking all lanes on Military Street South (Hwy. 43/78 So.).

This could be attributed to the torrential rain we have received over the last day and a half.

The Hamilton Police Department was on scene controlling traffic until work crews could arrive to clear the debris.

Story & Photographs by Gary W. Mays & 49 County News.Net 1/6/09

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H. Guy Hunt, 49th Gov. of Alabama, Dies at 75

Birmingham, AL  - Harold Guy Hunt, age 75, of Holly Pond, Alabama, passed away Friday, January 30, 2009 at Trinity Medical Center in Birmingham. Hunt has been battling cancer for several years.

Alabama's first Republican governor since Reconstruction, Hunt served as governor of Alabama from 1987-1993.

Family spokesman Mark McDaniel says Hunt died at 2:55 p.m. today, January 30, 2009, at Trinity Medical Center in Birmingham, AL. Harold Guy Hunt was born June 17, 1933, in the Cullman County farming community of Holly Pond, Alabama. His parents were William Otto and Frances Holcombe Hunt. At an early age, Hunt joined the Mt. Vernon Primitive Baptist Church, and church and home became critical influences in his life. Salutatorian of his high school class, he graduated from Holly Pond High School, and less than a year out of high school, at only 17 years of age, on February 25, 1951, he married his high school sweetheart, Helen Chambers. The couple would have four children. Hunt continued his family's farming tradition at this time. During the Korean War, Hunt served in both the 101st Airborne and the First Infantry divisions of the U.S. Army and earned a certificate of achievement for outstanding performance of military duty and the distinguished service medal. After his military service, Hunt returned to his family farm at Holly Pond and in 1958 was formally ordained as a minister in the Primitive Baptist Church. Hunt’s wife of 53 years, former First Lady Helen Hunt, died on Nov. 22, 2004, after battling pulmonary fibrosis. Hunt married longtime family friend Anne Smith of Adamsville in October 2005. Hunt is survived by his wife, Anne Smith Hunt; 1 son, Keith Hunt; and 3 daughters, Pam Hunt, Sherrie Williams and Lynn Harris. Funeral arrangements have not been announced but will be published as soon as they are available.

Current governor, Bob Riley, has ordered that Flags on government offices be lowered to half-staff in honor of the former Governor's passing.

For more on Gov. Guy Hunt CLICK HERE

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Food Inspections Jan 26-30, 2009 Sam.LeMaster  Email:  Sam.LeMaster@adph.state.al.us

Byrdnest Day Care (Hamilton) 97 Cardinal Drive-In (Winfield) 95 Crossroads Market and Deli (Winfield) 90 Dollie's Country Kitchen (Hamilton) 87 Galbreath Country Buffet (Hamilton) 91 Hamilton Drive-In 91 Happi Faces Preschool (Winfield) 96 Jack's (Guin) 96 Jean and Ann's tea Room (Hamilton) 98 McDonald's (Winfield) 90 Moore's Hwy 129 Shell (Winfield) 93 Pizza Hut (Winfield) 87 Sonic Drive-In (Hamilton) 97 Yampertown Steak and Seafood (Winfield) 98

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Food Inspections Feb 2-6, 2009 Coop's bears Den (Bear Creek) 92 Eastside grill (Hamilton) 93 JP's Grill (Hamilton, Bevill State) Passed inspection for new permit Plaza BBQ (Guin) 92 Sugarbend Shell (Hamilton) 97 Yancy's Restaurant (Bear Creek) 100

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Food Inspections for Feb. 23-27, 2009 Sam.LeMaster@adph.state.al.us

Aromas Cafe and Coffee Bar (Winfield) 98 Burger King (Hamilton) 99 Burgers and More (Winfield) 95 Catfish and Steak Haven (Winfield) 96 Foodland Deli/Bakery (Winfield) 97 Foodland Supermarket (Winfield) 97 Grace's Place (Hackleburg) 92 Hackleburg High Lunchroom 100 Jack Rabbit Slim's (Hackleburg) 98 JP's Grill (Hamilton, Bevill State) 90 K&A Food Mart (Hamilton) 94 La Estancia Mexican Restaurant (Hamilton) 90 Mandarin House (Winfield) 95 Marion Regional Medical Center Cafeteria (Hamilton) 97 Smokehouse Restaurant (Hackleburg) 96

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P S A: About peanut butter recall that has been in the news.

Go to the FDA website

(1) www.fda.gov  (2) Type in "peanut butter recall" in search box (3) click on "Search for peanut butter recall products" under words "best bets" You will see the latest list of several products subject to the FDA's recall. This page is periodically updated.

Sam LeMaster  SLeMaster@adph.state.al.us

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Food Inspections for March 9 - 13, 2009 Sam.LeMaster@adph.state.al.us

Bassville (Haleyville) 97 Chip's Mexican Grill (Winfield) 92 McCracken's (Hamilton) 98 Northwest Medical Center cafeteria (Winfield) 94 Seafood Selects (Winfield) 93 Sno-Biz (Hamilton) 98 Tiger Den Restaurant (Brilliant) 91

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Inspections for March 30 - April 10, 2009 129 Grocery (Haleyville) 91 Bama Food Mart (Hamilton) 98 Bills Grocery (Yampertown) 99 Brenda's (Hamilton) 99 Brinkley's Hilltop (Hamilton) 97 Chevron Gas Mart (Hamilton) 95 Chris's Catfish (Hamilton) 92 Dollar General (Hackleburg) 99 Dollar General (Hamilton) 99 Dollar General (Winfield) 98 Flatwoods Flea Market (Winfield) 96 Guin Elementary Lunchroom 90 H&L Service (Bear Creek) 97 Howell's BBQ (Hackleburg) 99 Kingdom Kids (Winfield) 92 Mac's Texaco (Winfield) 81 Moore's Jr. Food Mart (Hamilton) 98 Phillips High Lunchroom (Bear Creek) 98 Polka Dot Store (Hamilton) 98 Scott's Pure Service (Haleyville) 96 Winfield Elementary Lunchroom 95 Winfield High Lunchroom 100 Winfield Middle School Lunchroom 100

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Food Inspections for April 13-17, 2009 Sam.LeMaster@adph.state.al.us Cedar Landing (Winfield) 97 China Buffet (Winfield) 83 Family Inn Motel (Winfield) 86 Frosty Front (Guin) 92 Jimbo's BBQ (Guin) 97 Kountry Kitchen (Winfield) 94 Leonelli's Coffee Buzz (Hamilton) 90 Mutter's Produce and Diner (Guin) 90 Sparerib BBQ (Winfield) 85 Subway (Winfield) 96 Webster's Deli (Guin) 88 Webster's Piggly Wiggly (Guin) 91  

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Inspections for April 27-May 8, 2009 Brilliant Elementary Lunchroom 96 Byrdnest Daycare (Hamilton) 92 Cardinal Drive-In (Winfield) 90 China One (Hamilton) 87 Coop's bears Den (Bear Creek) 97 Crossraods market and Deli (Winfield) 90 Dinelli's (Hamilton) 93 Emerson Ice Plant (Hamilton) Passed inspection Galbreath's Country Buffet (Hamilton) 90 Guin Elementary Lunchroom 96 Hackleburg Senior Center 100 Hamilton Elementary Lunchroom 98 Hamilton High Lunchroom 93 Liberty Christian Academy Lunchroom (Guin) 97 Lindley's Grocery (Hamilton) 94 Mac's Minit Mart (Hamilton) 93 McDonald's (Winfield) 87 Oh! Bryan's (Hamilton) 92 Pizza Hut (Winfield) 86

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Inspections May 11 - 15, 2009 Catfish and Steak haven (Winfield) 93 Daily Bread (Winfield) 90 Dollie's Country Kitchen (Hamilton) 94 Eastside grill (Hamilton) 98 Hamilton Drive-In 96 Jack's (Guin) 98 Jean and Ann's Tea Room (Hamilton) 99 McDonald's (Hamilton) 97 Moore's Hwy 129 Shell (Winfield) 94 Moore's Super Store (Hamilton) 91 Plaza BBQ (Guin) 96 Sonic Drive-In (Hamilton) 99 Subway (Hamilton) 96 Sugarbend Shell (Hamilton) 97 Winfield Elementary Lunchroom 100 Winfield High Lunchroom 100 Winfield Middle School Lunchroom 98 Yampertown Steak and Seafood (Winfield) 94

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May 18-June 5, 2009

Sam.LeMaster@adph.state.al.us  

Burger King (Hamilton) 100 Dollar General (Brilliant) 99 Garcia's Mexican Store (Hamilton) 97 Guatelinda (Hamilton) 98 Hackleburg Lunchroom 99 Hamilton Senior Center 96 K&A, Inc. (Hamilton) 90 La Estancia Restaurant (Hamilton) 87 Marion Regional Medical Center (Hamilton) 97 O Taste and See Restaurant (Hamilton) 98

Sno Biz (Hamilton) 99 Token No. 3 (Brilliant Chevron) 95 Wal-Mart Deli/Bakery (Winfield) 100 Wal-Mart Supermarket (Winfield) 100

Sam.LeMaster Email: Sam.LeMaster@adph.state.al.us

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Inspections June 8 - 12, 2009

Bayou Cafe (Winfield) 99 Gateway Supermarket (Brilliant) 91 Grace's Place (Hackleburg) 93 Jack's (Winfield) 98 Lunch Wagon (Hamilton) 86 Smokehouse Restaurant (Hackleburg) 96 Teresa's Country Cafe (Hamilton) 95

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Inspections June 15-19, 2009

Food Inspections for Asian Wok (Hamilton) 78 Bama-Q Pitt and Grill (Hamilton) 90 Burgers and More (Winfield) 96 Buttahatchee BBQ (Hamilton) 93 Cat's Gas Mart (Winfield) 94 Chip's (Winfield) 83 Foodland Del/Bakery (Winfield) 97 Foodland Supermarket (Winfield) 94 Huatulco Mexican Restaurant (Winfield) 90 Jack Rabbit Slim's (Hackleburg) 99 JP's Grill (Hamilton Bevill) 87

Mandarin House Chinese Restaurant (Winfield) 94 Midway Restaurant (Haleyville) 96 Northwest Medical Center Cafeteria (Winfield) 100 Plantation Steak House (Gu-Win) 92

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Inspections June 29 - July 2, 2009 Harper's Junction (Hamilton) 88 Ivie's Cost Plus 10%(Winfield) 96 Kentucky Fried Chicken (Hamilton) 91 Maywood Christian Camp (Hamilton) 83 Maywood Christian Camp Cafeteria (Hamilton) 95 Pizza Hut (Hamilton) 90 Trinity Youth Camp (Guin) 96 Trinity Youth Camp Cafeteria (Guin) 93  

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Inspections for July 22-26, 2009 Sam.LeMaster@adph.state.al.us Aroma's Cafe and Coffee Bar (Winfield) 98 Bassville (Haleyville) 91 Burgers and More II (Winfield) 95 Catering by LeAnne (Guin) 98 Coal Miners' BBQ (Brilliant) 96 McCracken's (Hamilton) 92 New Mart Quick Shop (Winfield) 90 Seafood Selects (Winfield) 93 Taco bell (Winfield) 99 Tiger Den (Brilliant) 96 Wal-Mart Deli/Bakery (Hamilton) 95 Wal-Mart Supermarket (Hamilton) 100 Super-Valu (Hamilton) 92  

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Inspections for July 27-31, 2009 Sam.LeMaster@adph.state.al.us Emerson Ice Co. (Hamilton) Passed routine inspection (Food processor inspections to not have a numerical score) Guin Water Park Snack Bar (Guin) 98 Howell's BBQ (Hackleburg) 93 Jimbo's BBQ (Guin) 94 Moore's Superstore (Hamilton) 94 Mutter's Produce and Diner (Guin) 95 Smokin' Butts (Hamilton, formerly Clifty Creek) Passed inspection for new permit Token No. 4 (Guin Chevron) 89  

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Inspections for August 3-7, 2009

China Buffet (Winfield) 86 Coop's bears Den (Bear Creek) 91 Eastside Grill (Hamilton) 92 Kountry Kitchen (Winfield) 95 Leonelli's Coffee Buzz (Hamilton) 95 Mac's Minit Mart (Hamilton) 75 Panther Mart (Hackleburg) 90 Postell's Meat market (Hamilton) 98 Subway (Winfield) 97 Sugarbend Shell (Hamilton) 93 Webster's Deli (Guin) 97 Webster's Piggly Wiggly (Guin) 92  

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Inspections for Aug 10-14, 2009 Sam.LeMaster@adph.state.al.us Byrdnest Day Care (Hamilton) 95 Car Lot BBQ (Winfield) 90 Carolyn's Lunchbox (Winfield SITEL) 97 Catfish and Steak Haven (Winfield) 95 Cazadores Mexican Restaurant (Hamilton) 95 Cedar Landing (Winfield) 93 China One (Hamilton) 85 Days Inn Motel (Hamilton) 94 Econo Lodge (Hamilton) 94 Frosty Front (Guin) 98 Galbreath Country Buffet (Hamilton) 90 Hamilton Holiday Motel (Hamilton) 92 Happi Faces Pre School (Winfield) 97 Key West Inn (Hamilton) 96 Moore's Hwy 129 Shell (Winfield) 97 Oh! Bryan's (Hamilton) 94 Piggly Wiggly (Hackleburg) 88 Subway (Hamilton) 93 Yampertown Steak and Seafood (Winfield ) 93

Breaking News

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Missing girl from Madison found Posted by Staff reports February 03, 2009 3:59 PM Categories: Breaking News

Madison Police Department Ariella Kelsey Berlin, a 16-year-old girl missing from Madison since Saturday, has been found, police said. MADISON, AL. -- A 16-year-old girl missing from Madison since Saturday has been found, police said. Police said in a news release that Ariella Kelsey Berlin, who had been reported missing as a runaway, was found safe this afternoon, police said. No foul play was suspected.

Source

~  

16-year-old girl missing from Madison, police asking public for help Posted by Staff reports February 03, 2009 12:05 PM

MADISON, AL. -- Madison Police are investigating the disappearance of a 16-year-old girl. Police said in a news release that Ariella Kelsey Berlin has been missing since Saturday. Madison Police Department Ariella Kesley Berlin, 16, has been missing from Madison since Saturday. She is 5-feet, 7-inches tall, weighs 125 pounds, has brown hair and hazel eyes. Police did not release further details on her disappearance. Anyone who knows where Berlin might be is asked to contact their local law enforcement agency or call the Madison Police Department at 256-772-5689 or 256-722-7190.

Source: www.al.com

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Marvin Morrow In Live Concert at Local Church

HAMILTON, AL - Look for Marvin Morrow, Sunday, February 15th, 2009, he will be in Concert at Bethany Church, North West of Hamilton, AL. on County Hwy. 20.

Pictures and story by Judy Webb Mays 2/11/09

The following is a

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The following is a Press Release from Governor Bob Riley, and dated January 11, 2009.

Whether you agree or disagree with this, if you have not read it we think you should, because just as with all the laws in this State of Alabama, it will affect you, your family, and your future.

Please read this and let us know what you think at jmays@49countynews.net

Also let your voice be heard by emailing State Senator, Roger Bedford and State Representative, Mike Millican.  Their emails are: 

senbedford@aol.com

mike.millican@alhouse.org

PRESS RELEASE

Illegal Gambling Must End in Alabama By Governor Bob Riley January 11, 2009

Every year there is an effort in the Legislature to expand gambling. In its last session, the Legislature spent roughly two-thirds of its time debating bills to expand gambling. Not education, not health care, but gambling. It appears this upcoming session will be no different. Already, gambling supporters are using the pretext of proration to justify more gambling. The year before that they justified their proposal as a means to fund Medicaid. Before that, again, the excuse was education in the guise of “bingo for books.” And so on and so on.

Story by: jmays@49countynews.net

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Remarks by Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner Introducing the Financial Stability Plan Tuesday, February 10, 2009

February 10, 2009 TG-18 Secretary Geithner Introduces Financial Stability Plan      As President Obama said in his inaugural address, our economic strength is derived from "the doers, the makers of things." The innovators who create and expand enterprises; the workers who provide life to companies; this is what drives economic growth. The financial system is central to this process. Banks and the credit markets transform the earnings and savings of American workers into the loans that finance a first home, a new car or a college education. And this system provides the capital and credit necessary to build a company around a new idea. Without credit, economies cannot grow at their potential, and right now, critical parts of our financial system are damaged. The credit markets that are essential for small businesses and consumers are not working. Borrowing costs have risen sharply for state and local governments, for students trying to pay for college, and for businesses large and small. Many banks are reducing lending, and across the country they are tightening the terms of loans. Last Friday we learned that the economy had lost three million jobs last year, and an additional 600,000 just last month. As demand falls and credit tightens, businesses around the world are cutting back the investments that are essential to future growth. Trade among nations has contracted sharply, as trade finance has dried up. Home prices are still falling, as foreclosures rise and even credit worthy borrowers are finding it harder to finance the purchase of a first home, or refinance their mortgage. Instead of catalyzing recovery, the financial system is working against recovery. And at the same time, the recession is putting greater pressure on banks. This is a dangerous dynamic, and we need to arrest it. It is essential for every American to understand that the battle for economic recovery must be fought on two fronts. We have to both jumpstart job creation and private investment, and we must get credit flowing again to businesses and families. Without a powerful Economic Recovery Act, too many Americans will lose their jobs and too many businesses will fail. And unless we restore the flow of credit, the recession will be deeper and longer, causing even more damage to families and businesses across the country. Today, as Congress moves to pass an economic recovery plan that will help create jobs and lay a foundation for stronger economic future, we are outlining a new Financial Stability Plan. Our plan will help restart the flow of credit, clean up and strengthen our banks, and provide critical aid for homeowners and for small businesses. As we do each of these things, we will impose new, higher standards for transparency and accountability. I am going to outline the key elements of this program today. But before I do that, I want to explain how we got here. The causes of the crisis are many and complex. They accumulated over time, and will take time to resolve. Governments and central banks around the world pursued policies that, with the benefit of hindsight, caused a huge global boom in credit, pushing up housing prices and financial markets to levels that defied gravity. Investors and banks took risks they did not understand. Individuals, businesses, and governments borrowed beyond their means. The rewards that went to financial executives departed from any realistic appreciation of risk. There were systematic failures in the checks and balances in the system, by Boards of Directors, by credit rating agencies, and by government regulators. Our financial system operated with large gaps in meaningful oversight, and without sufficient constraints to limit risk. Even institutions that were overseen by our complicated, overlapping system of multiple regulators put themselves in a position of extreme vulnerability. These failures helped lay the foundation for the worst economic crisis in generations. When the crisis began, governments around the world were too slow to act. When action came, it was late and inadequate. Policy was always behind the curve, always chasing the escalating crisis. As the crisis intensified and more dramatic government action was required, the emergency actions meant to provide confidence and reassurance too often added to public anxiety and to investor uncertainty. The dramatic failure or near-failure of some of the world's largest financial institutions, and the lack of clear criteria and conditions applied to government interventions caused investors to pull back from taking risk. Last fall, as the global crisis intensified, Congress acted quickly and courageously to provide emergency authority to help contain the damage. The government used that authority to pull the financial system back from the edge of catastrophic failure. The actions your government took were absolutely essential, but they were inadequate. The force of government support was not comprehensive or quick enough to withstand the deepening pressure brought on by the weakening economy. The spectacle of huge amounts of taxpayer assistance being provided to the same institutions that help caused the crisis, with limited transparency and oversight, added to public distrust. This distrust turned to anger as Boards of Directors at some institutions continued to award rich compensation packages and lavish perks to their senior executives. Our challenge is much greater today because the American people have lost faith in the leaders of our financial institutions, and are skeptical that their government has – to this point -- used taxpayers' money in ways that will benefit them. This has to change. To get credit flowing again, to restore confidence in our markets, and restore the faith of the American people, we are fundamentally reshaping the government's program to repair the financial system. Our work will be guided by the lessons of the last few months and the lessons of financial crisis throughout history. The basic principles that will shape our strategy are the following: We believe that the policy response has to be comprehensive, and forceful. There is more risk and greater cost in gradualism than in aggressive action. We believe that action has to be sustained until recovery is firmly established. In the United States in the 30s, Japan in the 90s, and in other cases around the world, previous crises lasted longer and caused greater damage because governments applied the brakes too early. We cannot make that mistake. We believe that access to public support is a privilege, not a right. When our government provides support to banks, it is not for the benefit of banks, it is for the businesses and families who depend on banks… and for the benefit of the country. Government support must come with strong conditions to protect the tax payer and with transparency that allows the American people to see the impact of those investments. We believe our policies must be designed to mobilize and leverage private capital, not to supplant or discourage private capital. When government investment is necessary, it should be replaced with private capital as soon as possible. We believe that the United States has to send a clear and consistent signal that we will act to prevent the catastrophic failure of financial institutions that would damage the broader economy. Guided by these principles, we will replace the current program with a new Financial Stability Plan to stabilize and repair the financial system, and support the flow of credit necessary for recovery. This new Financial Stability Plan will take a comprehensive approach. The Department of the Treasury, the Federal Reserve, the FDIC, and all the financial agencies in our country will bring the full force of the United States Government to bear to strengthen our financial system so that we get the economy back on track. We have different authorities, instruments and responsibilities, but we are one government serving the American people, and I will do everything in my power to ensure that we act as one. Our work begins with a new framework of oversight and governance of all aspects of our Financial Stability Plan. The American people will be able to see where their tax dollars are going and the return on their government's investment, they will be able to see whether the conditions placed on banks and institutions are being met and enforced, they will be able to see whether boards of directors are being responsible with taxpayer dollars and how they're compensating their executives, and they will be able to see how these actions are impacting the overall flow of lending and the cost of borrowing. These new requirements, which will be available on a new website www.FinancialStability.gov, will give the American people the transparency they deserve. These steps build on what we've done already. We've acted to ensure the integrity of the process that provides access to government support, so that it is independent of influence from lobbyists and politics. We've committed to provide the American people with information on how their money is spent and under what conditions by posting contracts on the Internet. And, importantly, we have outlined strong conditions on executive compensation. Under this framework, we are establishing three new programs to clean up and strengthen the nation's banks, bring in private capital to restart lending, and to go around the banking system directly to the markets that consumers and businesses depend on. Let me describe each of these steps: First, we're going to require banking institutions to go through a carefully designed comprehensive stress test, to use the medical term. We want their balance sheets cleaner, and stronger. And we are going to help this process by providing a new program of capital support for those institutions which need it. To do this, we are going to bring together the government agencies with authority over our nation's major banks and initiate a more consistent, realistic, and forward looking assessment about the risk on balance sheets, and we're going to introduce new measures to improve disclosure. Those institutions that need additional capital will be able to access a new funding mechanism that uses funds from the Treasury as a bridge to private capital. The capital will come with conditions to help ensure that every dollar of assistance is used to generate a level of lending greater than what would have been possible in the absence of government support. And this assistance will come with terms that should encourage the institutions to replace public assistance with private capital as soon as that is possible. The Treasury's investments in these institutions will be placed in a new Financial Stability Trust. Second, alongside this new Financial Stability Trust, together with the Fed, the FDIC, and the private sector, we will establish a Public-Private Investment Fund. This program will provide government capital and government financing to help leverage private capital to help get private markets working again. This fund will be targeted to the legacy loans and assets that are now burdening many financial institutions. By providing the financing the private markets cannot now provide, this will help start a market for the real estate related assets that are at the center of this crisis. Our objective is to use private capital and private asset managers to help provide a market mechanism for valuing the assets. We are exploring a range of different structures for this program, and will seek input from market participants and the public as we design it. We believe this program should ultimately provide up to one trillion in financing capacity, but we plan to start it on a scale of $500 billion, and expand it based on what works. Third, working jointly with the Federal Reserve, we are prepared to commit up to a trillion dollars to support a Consumer and Business Lending Initiative. This initiative will kickstart the secondary lending markets, to bring down borrowing costs, and to help get credit flowing again. In our financial system, 40 percent of consumer lending has historically been available because people buy loans, put them together and sell them. Because this vital source of lending has frozen up, no financial recovery plan will be successful unless it helps restart securitization markets for sound loans made to consumers and businesses – large and small. This lending program will be built on the Federal Reserve's Term Asset Backed Securities Loan Facility, announced last November, with capital from the Treasury and financing from the Federal Reserve. We have agreed to expand this program to target the markets for small business lending, student loans, consumer and auto finance, and commercial mortgages. And because small businesses are so important to our economy, we're going to take additional steps to make it easier for them to get credit from community banks and large banks. By increasing the federally guaranteed portion of SBA loans, and giving more power to the SBA to expedite loan approvals, we believe we can turn around the dramatic decline in SBA lending we have seen in recent months. Finally, we will launch a comprehensive housing program. Millions of Americans have lost their homes, and millions more live with the risk that they will be unable to meet their payments or refinance their mortgages. Many of these families borrowed beyond their means. But many others fell victim to terrible lending practices that left them exposed, overextended, and with no way to refinance. On top of that, homeowners around the country are seeing the value of their homes fall because of forces they did not create and cannot control. This crisis in housing has had devastating consequences, and our government should have moved more forcefully to limit the damage. As house prices fall, demand for housing will increase, and conditions will ultimately find a new balance. But now, we risk an intensifying spiral in which lenders foreclose, pushing house prices lower and reducing the value of household savings, and making it harder for all families to refinance. The President has asked his economic team to come together with a comprehensive plan to address the housing crisis. We will announce the details of this plan in the next few weeks. Our focus will be on using the full resources of the government to help bring down mortgage payments and to reduce mortgage interest rates. We will do this with a substantial commitment of resources already authorized by the Congress under the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act. Let me add that as we go forward, President Obama is committed to moving quickly to reform our entire system of financial regulation so that we never again face a crisis of this severity. We are consulting closely with Chairman Chris Dodd in the Senate, Chairman Barney Frank in the House, and their colleagues on both sides of the aisle on the broad outline of a comprehensive program of reforms. The President's Working Group on Financial Markets is developing detailed recommendations. And we will begin working closely with the world's leading economies on a set of broader reforms to the international financial system in preparation for the G-20 Summit in London on April 2nd. The success of our financial stability plan is going to require an unprecedented level of cooperation, here in the United States and around the world. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, FDIC Chair Sheila Bair, John Dugan, the Comptroller of the Currency, and John Reich the head of the Office of Thrift Supervision, are here today. I want to thank them for helping to shape this plan, and their commitment to making it work. This program will require a substantial and sustained commitment of public resources. Congress has already authorized substantial resources for this effort, and we will use those resources as carefully and effectively as possible. We will consult closely with Congress as we move forward, and work together to make sure we have the resources and the authority to make this program work. Later this week, I will be traveling to meet with the G7 finance ministers and central bank governors in Italy. There, I'll start the process of working with our international partners to ensure that we're working together to strengthen recovery and to help stabilize and repair the global financial system. And we will work closely with the leadership of the IMF and World Bank so that they can deploy resources quickly to help those countries around the world that are most at risk from this crisis. Many of the programs I've just discussed involve large numbers. But it is important to recognize that these programs involve loans, guarantees, and investments with terms and conditions that protect taxpayers and help compensate the government for risk. Because of these terms and conditions, the risk to taxpayers will be less than the headline. Our obligation is to design the programs so that we are achieving the largest benefit in terms of supporting recovery at least cost to the taxpayer. And we take that obligation extremely seriously. But I want to be candid: this strategy will cost money, involve risk, and take time. As costly as this effort may be, we know that the cost of a complete collapse of our financial system would be incalculable for families, for businesses and for our nation. We will have to adapt our program as conditions change. We will have to try things we've never tried before. We will make mistakes. We will go through periods in which things get worse and progress is uneven or interrupted. We will be guided by the principles of transparency and accountability, dedicated to the goals of restoring credit to families and businesses, and committed to moving our nation towards an economic recovery that is as swift and widespread as possible. This is a challenge more complex than any our financial system has ever faced, requiring new programs and persistent attention to solve. But the President, the Treasury and the entire Administration are committed to see it through because we know how directly the future of our economy depends on it. Thank you. Source

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Senator Roger Bedford Capitol Report January 6, 2009

We have completed our first full week of the regular session and it was a good one. In tough times we need strong leadership, especially to protect our seniors and children. It was good to see the successful transfer of the Senate Pro-Tem office when distinguished Senator Hinton Mitchem stepped down and Senator Rodger Smitherman was elected by a vote of 18-12 over Senator Jabo Waggoner. As you all know, we face some difficult choices this year as well as Alabama has not been spared from the ramifications of the downturn in the federal economy. Both budgets face difficulties as we try to maintain essential government services including healthcare for our elderly and children as well as working to limit the impact of the shortfall to the education budget. You may rest assured that I will continue to keep you updated on all legislative and budget matters as the session progresses. I hope that the federal Congress will soon send economic stimulus money to the state to assist with funding. While we are facing some tough economic times, our senate district did procure several grants this past week including a Homeland Security Grant for $5,500 for Colbert County and $4,400 for Franklin County. The grants will be used to fund equipment and training for Mutual Aid Response Team. The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs also awarded several grants to our senate district. Three of those grants were for weatherization assistance programs. The funds are used to help low income, elderly and disabled residents of Alabama weatherize their homes. The recipients of these grants were the Community Service Programs of West Alabama which services the counties of Bibb, Fayette, Greene, Lamar, Hale, Pickens and Tuscaloosa; the Community Action Agency of Northwest Alabama which serves the counties of Colbert, Franklin and Lauderdale Counties; and the Community Action Partnership of North Alabama which serves the counties of Cullman, Lawrence, Marion, Morgan, Walker and Winston. I would encourage anyone who feels they would qualify for this program to contact their local community action agencies and set up an appointment to see if they can get assistance with weatherizing their homes. I am proud to report that the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs issued two grants for Shelton State Community College to provide overtime funds to law enforcement agencies. The grants were for $24,800 and $22,445 respectively. Northwest Shoals Community College also received two Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs grants which I supported. One grant was for $34,960 for the North Alabama Highway Safety Office’s, also known as NAHSO, safety belt enforcement project. The other grant was for $39,145 to help implement the ADECA/LETS 410 DUI enforcement project. Both projects cover the counties of Colbert, Cullman, Franklin, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Marion, Madison, Morgan and Winston. Also receiving grants from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs this past week were the Shoals Crisis Center, which received $16,000 to assist with the rape response campus awareness and prevention program which provides crisis intervention for victims of sexual violence on the campuses of the University of North Alabama and the Phil Campbell and Muscle Shoals campuses of Northwest Shoals Community College. The Pickens County Commission also received a $30,000 grant to be used to continue the 24th Judicial Circuit Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Unit. This Unit covers the counties of Fayette, Lamar and Pickens. I was glad that the Alabama Department of Transportation announced the opening of bids for three highway projects in our senate district this past week. One of the projects is the resurfacing and striping of State Road 171 from 0.578 mile north County Road 45 to County Road 35 in Hamilton. The second project is the resurfacing and traffic striping of State Road 107 from MP 15.808 approximately 800 feet south of the Fayette County line to MP 19.100 at the intersection of State Road 118 in Fayette County. The third project is in Colbert County and involves the much needed signalization of the intersection of County Road 312, also known as Haley Drive, and County Road 376, also known as Titus Drive in the Barton Riverfront Industrial Park. This year is already moving quickly and it will not be long before high school graduation will be upon us. As the seniors prepare for this momentous event, they are also working on their college submissions which also includes the search for financial assistance through pell grants, student loans and scholarships. As many of you already know, one of your best sources for finding these sources of funding is high school counselors as well as the internet. Recently, I received information regarding a scholarship program being done through Best Buy. The company began their scholarship program in 1999 and since that time has awarded almost $13 million to more than $10,000 students in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. The program is open to students in grades 9-12 who live in either the U.S. or Puerto Rico and who plan to enter a full-time undergraduate course of study after graduating high school. Each scholarship is worth $1,500. The deadline for submitting the scholarship application is February 15. For further details and to apply simply go to I encourage all interested students to apply. I hope all of you have had a chance to enjoy a local high school basketball game. We can all be proud of all our area teams and I wish them the best through the rest of their seasons. I also want to wish the best to all the softball and baseball teams who will soon be starting their seasons as well. It is a privilege for me to have been able to assist our area teams throughout the years and I assure you that I will continue to work hard in seeing that our young athletes get funding to assist them with their athletic dreams. Sports provides many good benefits to our young people including teaching them about team work and discipline as well as being a positive outlet for their energies and a great way for them to remain physically fit. Thank you for your many letters, phone calls and e-mails. Please continue to contact me at the following: Roger H. Bedford, Jr. Alabama State House Suite 730, Montgomery, AL 36130 Phone:334-242-7862, Fax:334-353-4304 Roger Bedford & Associates, P.C. P.O. Box 370, Russellville, AL 35653 Phone: 256-332-2880 Fax:256-332-7821 website: www.rogerbedford.com  E-mail: senbedford@aol.com 2-6-09

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SENATOR ROGER BEDFORD CAPITOL REPORT MARCH 2, 2009

In 2006, you didn't just elect me to public office, you hired me to do a job. You expect three things. One, you expect results. Two, you expect me to go to Montgomery to work for your interest, not special interests. And three, you expect me to make the legislative session about people, not about politics, or political parties or partisanship. That is exactly what I am trying to achieve in Montgomery on your behalf. And in the first weeks of the legislative session, I, along with other members of the Senate Democratic Caucus, passed Senate bills for the people of this state, bills that require licensing of tax preparers, give retired physicians an incentive to serve in free health clinics, and expand educational benefits for the families of soldiers. These bills now go to the House of Representatives for consideration. Of primary importance, we passed legislation that gives increased education benefits to the families of Alabama's soldiers, benefits for the children and spouses of those killed, disabled or missing in action in the line of duty. This bill gives these spouses and children free tuition, fees and books at any college, university or trade school in Alabama for five years, an increase of one year over current Alabama law. These soldiers and their families give the ultimate sacrifice to our country. They give their lives and independence taking care of our families, and it is only right that we take care of theirs. So many times, the finances of these families are decimated, and we must ensure they have the money available to attend the state college or university of their choice. We also passed legislation creating a new car tag for veterans of Operation Freedom Iraqi and Operation Enduring Freedom-Afghanistan. It is yet another way to recognize the outstanding achievements of our men and women serving abroad. In my opinion, we cannot do enough for them. That is why we have also introduced a mortgage protection plan for the families of slain soldiers. If a soldier is killed in the line of duty, no bank, mortgage holder – nobody -- can foreclose on that soldier's home for 180 days, one of the strongest home foreclosure protections in the nation. We also successfully passed legislation that makes it easier for retired physicians to do volunteer work for free health clinics. The idea is to include retired physicians under the same liability coverage that the state of Alabama provides for state employees and agents of the state. That provides a huge incentive for retired physicians to volunteer in health care clinics in their communities. This legislation will immediately impact the quality and the amount of care available in free clinics. Retired doctors in every county of this state will now be able to provide their years of experience and knowledge to Alabamians who need their care the most. I think this is a win-win for everyone. Now our retired doctors can continue to practice in our clinics with the knowledge they are fully protected by the state of Alabama. At the same time, our clinic patients will have access to quality health care provided by physicians with years of experience. The Alabama Taxpayer Protection and Assistance Act also passed the Senate, a bill requiring that individual tax preparers pass a proficiency exam, obtain a license and meet continuing education requirements. We need to make sure that our taxpayers receive every dime they deserve in their tax refunds. But that won't happen if their tax preparer isn't qualified, and that won't happen if taxpayers are charged outrageous fees for the work. We need standards, we need continuing education, and we need licensing. Alabama consumers deserve nothing less. The legislation doesn't apply to tax attorneys, certified public accountants or any professionals already regulated. The bill also requires registered tax preparers to maintain a surety bond and mandates disclosure of fees. All of this is achieved when we put the interests of the people first, and when we stop playing silly partisan games and “gotcha” politics. It is my hope that we can continue to deliver for the people of Alabama in the weeks to come. I am also pleased to announce that the Alabama Department of Transportation will open bids for two highway projects in our district on February 27. The first project is in Franklin County and involves work the leveling, widening, striping and placing of pavement markers on County Road 77 from County Road 54 to County Road 56. The second project is in Colbert County and calls for the signalization of the intersection of County Road 312, known as Haley Drive, and County Road 376, known as Titus Drive, in the Barton Riverfront Industrial Park. You may rest assured that I will continue to work in seeing that we get our fair share of tax dollars for important road projects such as these which help improve our infrastructure and the safety of roads.

Please continue to contact me at the following addresses and numbers: Roger H. Bedford, Jr. PO Box 370 Russellville, AL 35653 (256)332-2880 phone (256)332-2801 fax Alabama State House 11 S. Union Street Suite 730 Montgomery, AL 36130 senbedford@aol.com www.rogerbedford.com

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Story Hour at Winfield Public Library Thursday February 19, 2009 3:30 p.m.

Regina Sperry, Librarian wpl@dlis.net

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SENATOR ROGER BEDFORD CAPITOL REPORT Monday, March 13 , 2009

Alabamians Need Credit Card Reforms

Last week we learned of more bad economic news for our state. First, unemployment increased to 7.8 percent, the highest level in our state in 22 years. Second, it was announced that Alabama ranked fourth nationally in bankruptcy filings in 2008. That was 24 percent higher than the year before. And what was a major factor in those bankruptcies? Credit card debt. Alabamians have an average credit card debt of $6,195, ranking us seventh in the nation in that category. If you are like most people, your interest rates on credit cards have jumped dramatically in the last few months. As credit tightened, buying dropped and lending stopped, so credit card companies saw their profits shrink. If nobody is spending, how does a credit card company increase profits? It is simple, really, they look for every legal way at their disposal to raise your rates. And that is exactly what they have done, by using all that small print you agreed to when you accepted your credit cards. It's called “rate-jacking,” and more than likely it has already happened to you. Or the card companies gave you little notice when they raise the rates. Or they shorten the time you have to pay to make you miss a payment, triggering an increase. Our citizens need more time to pay their credit card bills. Our citizens need a longer notice period when rates are increased so they may shop around for the best credit card deal. Our citizens need a limit on certain credit card fees. The good news is that change is coming. On Dec.18, 2008, the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, the Office of Thrift Supervision and the National Credit Union Administration adopted sweeping credit card industry reforms that eliminate many of the abusive practices by the industry on consumers. These reforms: · Limit interest rate hikes on existing credit card balances. · Keep a fixed interest rate on new purchases for the first year of a card and increase rates afterward after giving 45 days notice. The old rules allowed rate changes at any time for any reason, with just 15 days notice. · Discontinue universal default, which allowed credit card companies to raise interest rates on all credit cards if a consumer missed payment on just one credit card or bill. · Give cardholders at least 21 days to pay monthly bills. · End "double-cycle billing": If a consumer does not pay off a bill in full in a given cycle, the company charges interest on the entire balance from the previous cycle, even if the cardholder paid part of it off. · Allocate payments in excess of the minimum amount due each month to items with the highest interest rate balances. · Limit over-the-limit and subprime credit card fees. · Improve the readability of monthly statements. · Ban raising rates on existing balances unless you're at least 30 days late paying the minimum due. Now the bad news: They chose to delay implementation until July 1, 2010. These reforms will impact every Alabama credit card holder. It is ridiculous that these new consumer protections have been adopted but don't take effect until July of next year. Our citizens need help now, during the worst economic crisis in my lifetime, not 15 months from now. These are the most important credit card regulations in more than 30 years, and our people need their protections now, not tomorrow. That is why I co-sponsored a resolution calling upon the Alabama congressional leadership, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, United States Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and the United States Congress to pass legislation implementing these new credit card regulations this year, taking effect 90 days after the president signs the bill into law. I also asked that copies of the resolution be sent to every state legislature requesting they adopt similar resolutions. Our families are struggling in this economy, and many are drowning in credit card debt. The abusive tactics of credit card companies must stop, and fairness must prevail. It is time to implement these rules. In the senate district, we had some good news with the announcement of the City of Sheffield receiving a $100,000 Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs grant. The funds will be used to construct a 10 foot wide, 1,110 foot long trail connecting Riverfront Park to Whipporwill Park with lighting. The Alabama State Council on the Arts released its report on grants given for the 2008 fiscal year this past week. The mission of the Council is to enhance the quality of life in Alabama culturally, economically and educationally by supporting the state’s diverse and rich artistic resources. The 2008 recipients of grants from the Council in our senate district were as follows: Colbert County: $ 1,660 for the Helen Keller Foundation for the Flaming Fiddles and Smoking Guitars $15,600 to the Tennessee Valley Art Association for operating support $ 6,000 to the Tennessee Valley Art Association for the historic Indian apparel exhibit $ 5,000 to the Tennessee Valley Art Association for the Blues & Bluegrass traditions $ 2,300 to the Tennessee Valley Art Association for the presentation of In their Own Voices Fayette County: $ 4,200 to the Town of Belk for the Belk Bluegrass Festival Lawrence County $ 9,500 to the community and area schools for the rural school tour Marion County $ 1,700 to the City of Winfield for the Joey Dee and the Starlighters $ 1,000 to the City of Winfield for Three on a String concert $ 600 to the Hamilton Middle School for a five-week visit by an artist to the school The Council is accepting applications for grants for the period of 2009-2010 at this time. The deadline for application for assistance with operational expenses is June 1, 2009 and the deadline for folk art apprenticeships is September 1, 2009. To apply and find out more about available grants and fellowships along with the requirements for the same please go to the Council’s website at www.arts.alabama.gov or call them at 334-242-4076.

Please continue to contact me at the following: Roger H. Bedford, Jr. Alabama State House 11 S. Union Street Suite 730 Montgomery, AL 36130 Phone: 334-242-7862 Fax: 334-242-4736 PO Box 370 Russellville, AL 35653 Phone: 256-332-2880 Fax: 256-332-2801 E-mail: senbedford@aol.com Website: www.rogerbedford.com

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SENATOR ROGER BEDFORD CAPITOL REPORT Friday, March 20, 2009

It was good to take a break for the session this past week and be able to travel about the senate district. I enjoyed the conversations I have had at my various stops. I too was surprised to find that Kay Ivey had allowed the Prepaid Affordable College Tuition program, also known as the P.A.C.T. program, to run into the ground. What makes it worse is that she did not attempt to get any help from anyone until she had done so. While it is clear that she cannot do the job, it is my hope that the Governor and Legislature can step up to the plate and assist the students of Alabama and their parents who have invested in this program. I traveled to Colbert County this past Thursday, were I was able to present grant checks at the Colbert County Reporter including $2,500 to Colbert Heights Elementary for computers for their media center, $500 to the Northwest Shoals Community College softball team and $2,000 to the FFA chapter of Cherokee High School. I then traveled to Lawrence County where I was able to present $900 to the Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce for the leadership program, $2,000 to the Lawrence County Veterans Memorial Park for improvements, $500 to the Jesse Owens Runners Club, $500 to the Moulton Elementary School for their outdoor classroom project, and $500 to the Oakville Indian Mounds Education Center. On Friday, I traveled to Marion County where I presented $2,000 to the Hamilton Aggie Band to assist with the purchase of percussion equipment, $800 to the Winfield High School Scholar’s Bowl team, $1,000 to the Hamilton Middle School track team, $1,000 to the Marion County High School basketball girls team for uniforms, $1,000 to the Brilliant Police Department for a e-citation computer, $1,000 to the American Legion to assist with boys and girls state and $1,000 to the Marion County High School volleyball team to assist them with equipment needs. I am pleased to see that the Shoals Crisis Center received an Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs grant in the amount of $29,632. The funds will be used to enhance the quality of services Rape Response provides including the training of volunteer advocates and professional support staff, such as law enforcement and medical personnel, on issues of improving and increasing services to people with disabilities who are victims of sexual violence. The project will contribute to Rape Response’s operation, reach out to an underserved population and promote the use of rape crisis services and reduction of rape in the area. It is a pleasure for me to assist in acquiring these grants for our senate district not only to improve the quality of life but, also to assist with programs and equipment that will enhance the safety of our community. I also had the privilege of attending the dedication of the dedication of the Veterans Park at the Franklin County Archives in Russellville. This has been a long time project designed to honor the veterans of Franklin County and I am pleased to have been able to assist with the same.

Please continue to contact me at the following: Roger H. Bedford, Jr. Alabama State House 11 S. Union Street Suite 730 Montgomery, AL 36130 Phone: 334-242-7862 Fax: 334-242-4736 PO Box 370 Russellville, AL 35653 Phone: 256-332-2880 Fax: 256-332-2801 E-mail: senbedford@aol.com Website: www.rogerbedford.com

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SENATOR ROGER BEDFORD CAPITOL REPORT Friday, March 27, 2009

Home Buyers, Home Builders Need Help Now

We had a productive week in Montgomery this past week with many bills being passed through committee. However, the Republicans continued stalling bills on the floor. We have begun to study the federal stimulus in connection with the general fund and education budgets to see how to best use the funds. I was also able to travel to the Alabama Manufactured Housing Association Convention. I was very impressed with the quality of the workmanship which speaks well of the manufacturers in our senate district as well as a fine tribute to our workforce. We must do all that we can to see that we have affordable housing here in Alabama which the stick build method helps to do. There is one inescapable fact about the demise of our nation's economy: The problems started with the housing sector. I believe that the state of Alabama can play an important role in housing, helping both citizens and home builders to buy and sell more homes. I believe that Alabama has a responsibility to stimulate its own economy, using state resources to jump-start job creation in the housing sector. We can accomplish that by creating a mortgage guarantee fund to stimulate home sales. The Alabama Homeowners Initiative Act that will help more than 7,000 new home buyers in the next year and increase investments in home mortgages. The Act creates a mortgage guarantee fund to offset certain losses by investors who hold new Alabama mortgages that are foreclosed. The fund program will be administered by the Alabama Housing Finance Authority The guarantee fund will have two sources of revenue. First, the fund will receive $6 million from the Alabama Capital Improvement Trust Fund. This is the only time proceeds will be used from the Alabama Capital Improvement Trust Fund. Second, the fund will receive proceeds from 1 percent of the cost of every home financed by this program. This 1 percent fee will be paid by the home buyer. Although the home buyer will be paying a new 1 percent fee at closing, their total upfront costs for buying a home will actually be less under our program, not more. By paying the 1 percent fee into our mortgage protection fund, the home buyer no longer has to buy mortgage insurance, which can cost as much as 3½ percent of the home price. Therefore, our buyers will receive mortgage protection at a cheaper rate, saving money for new home owners. The mortgage protection fund will give additional protection to investors who risk their money in these home mortgages. Under our plan, investors can recover up to 40 percent of the amount owed by the borrower. Currently, under private mortgage insurance, the investor can only recover up to 25 percent. With more protection against loss under the new fund, investors have a new incentive to invest in Alabama mortgages again. This creates a win-win situation for everyone. Home builders, with homes to sell but few buyers, will begin to sell again. Investors, afraid of mortgage foreclosures, will see reduced risks and begin to invest again. And homeowners, with reduced costs and quality loans, will begin to buy again. This homeowner stimulus plan will cut the up-front costs of buying a home, while creating a new incentive for investors to invest in new mortgages. This two-prong approach will get home buyers buying again, at better prices, and get mortgage investors investing again. The loan program is aimed at middle-class Alabama families. Total borrower income cannot exceed $98,230, which is 190 percent of the state median income. Loans offered are 30-year, fixed rate, 101 percent loan-to-value loans with strict qualifying criteria. The loans can be used to buy new or existing homes. Other criteria include: Eligible home buyers must have a minimum credit score of 620. Eligible home buyers' total debt ratio cannot exceed 50 percent of their gross monthly income. Eligible home buyers must complete a pre-purchase home buying counseling course. As Alabamians buy more homes, home builders will start to build again. That means the generation of more income for our communities. It's Alabama companies and Alabama families working together to fix Alabama's economy.

Please continue to contact me at the following: Roger Bedford, Jr. PO Box 370 Russellville, AL 35653 Phone: 256-332-2880 Fax: 256-332-2801 Or Alabama State House 11 South Union Street Suite 730 Montgomery, AL 36130 Phone: 334-242-7862 Email: senbedford @aol.com Website: rogerbedford.com

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Roger Bedford's Capitol Report Friday, April 24, 2009

The Senate Democratic Caucus continued to move forward last week on its agenda for working families, taking an important step in passing the state education budget, developing a plan to save the PACT program and pledging to expand the children's health insurance program by 14,000 kids. The Senate Finance and Taxation Education Committee approved a $5.6 billion education budget for the 2009-10 school year. Although this budget is $1 billion less than the education budget just two years ago, much needed federal stimulus money will ensure that most teacher jobs, along with popular reading, math, science and pre-kindergarten programs, will be saved. We still have a lot of work to do on the education budget, and there will be many changes before final passage. But we will protect our priorities, and that means protecting instruction that works for our kids, pre-k and protecting teacher jobs. On Wednesday, the Senate Democratic Caucus announced the expansion of the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), All Kids, an expansion that will provide health care to more than 14,000 Alabama children presently not covered. The Caucus also announced the CHIP Prenatal Care expansion, a plan that will provide more than 5,000 women with maternity care. This will be the first time that the program will cover maternity care for non-teen mothers. In these tough economic times, when Alabama families are losing their jobs, losing their homes and losing their health care, we will make sure that the health care needs of our children are met. This is the right thing to do for these families, the right thing to do for these children, and the right thing to do for Alabama. This expansion will now cover a family of five at 300 percent of the Federal Poverty Level, which is a gross income limit of $77,370. All Kids currently serves more than 71,000 children. A $7 million state match to $24 million in federal funds will pay for the expansion. Also on Wednesday, the Senate Finance and Taxation Committee passed a plan to save the troubled Prepaid Affordable College Tuition program (PACT.) The plan freezes tuition for three years for PACT students, forbids new enrollments and turns over the management of the assets to the Retirement Systems of Alabama so that Dr. David Bronner will run the P.A.C.T. Program and not Bradley Byrnes and Kay Ivey, who ran it in the ground. That's the week in Montgomery. Good news for the district came this week from the Alabama Department of Transportation which announced the opening of bids for five road projects in our district. One of the projects is in Colbert County and is for the resurfacing and striping of State Road 13 from 2300 foot south of the Franklin County Line to County Road 77 in Littleville. The second project is in Lamar County and is for a two foot pavement widening and resurfacing on State Road 118 from the Mississippi State Line to east of the Sulligent City Limits 0.2 mile east of Crews. There is also a project for Marion County which calls for the resurfacing and striping of State Road 253 from County Road 49 to Walker Street in Hackleburg. The final two projects are in Franklin County. The first of these is for the resurfacing and traffic striping of State Road 24 from just West of County Road 63, also known as Washington Street, to 0.4 mile east of State Road 13. The second project is for the roadside mowing in Franklin and Lawrence Counties. All of these projects are greatly needed and will enhance the safety of travel and improve the ability of businesses to get their goods to market. Congratulations also goes out to the Alabama Retirees Technical Group on being awarded a $50,000 grant from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs. The Alabama Retirees Technical Group is a non profit organization dedicated to promoting energy efficiency and the elimination of waste from commercial, industrial and institutional value chains and headquartered in Northwest Alabama. ARC and matching funds will be used to purchase existing curricula from established providers such as the National Energy Education Development project, to adapt those curricula to train teachers to then train students about the basics of school facilities, and to use the curricula to train teachers to then train students, teachers and school facilities and to use the curricula to train teachers to then train students about the basics of energy efficiency. ARTAG will offer training to middle and high school teachers via the Alabama Math, Science and Technology Institute’s in-service academy. Teachers from “distressed and at-risk counties in the whole of Appalachian Alabama will be targeted this includes the counties of Bibb, Lamar, Pickens and Randolph Counties. Thank you for all the cards, letters and e-mails letting me know what is on your mind and how you want me to vote on issues. It helps me do a better job for you.

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Our Quest for Low-cost  Spay & Neuter Options Takes us to Amory, Mississippi Feb. 5, 2009 A very interesting and Entertaining city.

Story & Pictures by Judy Mays & Don Gann Click on any Picture to see it larger.

     Don and I travelled to Amory, Mississippi this week to check out their Animal Clinic. We're involved with our local Marion County Humane Society and we were searching out possible low-cost Spay and Neuter options. We have made contacts in other areas who will take a stray or abandoned dog or cat and help us find it a home. You never know where you might find a friend!

We went with an open mind and found many friendly and knowledgeable people. Amory has so many things going that it's hard to tell it all. So, I will just tell you about some of the nice people and some of the attractions that this friendly city has.

We didn't get started on our little trip until after 12:00 noon, Thursday, so one of the first things we looked for was food. And of course there are many nice restaurants and eating places in Amory but we headed for Bill's Hamburger.

I have a shirt from Bill's that I wear once in a while because I have eaten there before. Don had not. He didn't know what to expect. He had talked to his brothers, who both live in other parts of the country, and they told him they eat there when they go to Amory to play golf. One of Amory's many attractions is a nice country club and golf course.

He got me with my mouth full of course!

Time about is fair, isn't it!

We arrived at Bill's and immediately ordered a cheeseburger with everything, fries and a Dr. Pepper. It was delicious! If you go to Amory, and you like old fashioned hamburgers, you must have one at Bill's. You can't miss it; it's on the main street in the middle of town. It reminds me of "Bedford's Better Beef Burgers" of Hamilton fame. Remember them?

At Bill's, we met two nice young ladies, Diana and Amy, who were the waitress and cook.  Also there, were couple of regular customers, Curt Tubb and his daughter Cameron.  Mr. Tubb told us about the Vet who had been in town but left and where to find the Amory Animal Clinic.

Our next stop was downtown at the Amory City Hall, also in the main part of town.

We saw the huge train downtown and have pictures for you to see.

Each year, Amory, Mississippi is the scene of the Annual Train Festival and people come from all over to enjoy the food, fun, and festivities. That's another story!

The old Park Hotel

Downtown, on the main street, there are several different kinds of stores, and even a Main Street Opry. They are, I noticed on the way into town, a "Main Street City". It is a very attractive and busy city.

We made a stop at a small fishing lake (McAlpine Lake) that is only for youth, 15 years old and younger. It, also, is close to the middle of town! It had a pier, ducks, bird houses and cypress trees out in it.

There is a huge Medical Center there. People from all around Mississippi and Alabama go there to receive medical care. Lots of babies from Hamilton, Alabama were born there!

The Tenn-Tom Waterway

One thing I noted, we didn't see a Wal-Mart. There may be one (I was told there was one) but we didn't see one. First, we just want to formally thank everyone we met and tell them how much we enjoyed meeting them and touring their city. It was a short drive and there were so many things to see. It would take more than a day to see everything worth seeing in their city. How many towns and cities around here could you say that about? Now, to the reason we went in the first place. We did enjoy our visit to the city and then we arrived at the Amory Animal Clinic.

There we found a spacious, clean facility with three nice ladies behind the open and inviting counter. They were quick to ask if they could help and just as quick to offer answers to our questions. We came away with numbers and facts to present to our Marion County Humane Society and names of people who may be able to help us help people who are seeking affordable spay and neutering.

While there to we met the nicest young lady who works at the Oak Tree Plantation Assisted Living Facility who had brought in the cutest little Chihuahua puppy to visit the doctor. She let us take her picture with her precious and tiny "Molly".

"Molly"

Thanks for reading...Any questions or comments...email me at jmays@49countynews.net 

THE MARION COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY GETS A SIGN TO GO ON OUR LAND AT PIKEVILLE!

As some of you might know, our Marion County Humane Society is struggling to get enough money to build a facility in Marion County. We have some money in the bank and about 5 acres of land in the Pikeville area on which we hope to build a facility.

(L-R) Kathy Ballard, Judy Mays, Bill Nowlin & Noah Photo by Don Gann Future Home of the Marion County Humane Society

Last week, while in Birmingham, Alabama, Don and I visited Alabama Spay & Neuter Clinic. Their temporary facility is located just off I20. It offers some promise in my quest. They have at least five counties in the North Alabama area who provide transportation to the facility for the purpose of lower cost spaying and neutering. They are building a huge new facility next door. At this time, they are equipped to do about 50 spays and neuters per day with two vets on staff. When the new facility is finished, they will have four vets and be doing about 100 spays and neuters per day. They also do bunnies! You can visit their site at www.alabamaspayneuterclinic.com/ Another site to visit is SpayAlabama/LowCostOptions. We are excited about the future but we need to find help with spaying and neutering in the present. We need to stem the staggering number of puppies and kittens being born every day in our area. The MCHS has no funds at this time to spay and neuter so it's my goal to find "lower cost" options for spaying and neutering and to encourage each and every pet owner to act responsibly in their pet's health and reproduction. Please come to the Marion County Humane Society meeting this Tuesday, February 10, 2009, 6:00 p.m., at the Hamilton City Hall in the large Courtroom. Everybody's welcome!

Thanks for reading...Any questions or comments...email me at jmays@49countynews.net

Photo slideshow

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Chicago, IL - ABC Radio Network spokesman Louis Adams says, broadcasting pioneer, Paul Harvey has died at the age of 90. Harvey died Saturday, March 1, 2009, at his winter home in Phoenix, AZ. surrounded by family. No cause of death was immediately available. Harvey was a news commentator and talk-radio pioneer whose staccato style made him one of the nation's most familiar voices. He was forced off the air in 2001 because a virus weakened a vocal cord. But he returned to work in Chicago and was still active as he passed his 90th birthday. Known for his resonant voice and trademark delivery of "The Rest of the Story," Harvey had been heard nationally since 1951, when he began his "News and Comment" for ABC Radio Networks.

~

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London, England - British actress Wendy Richard, whose four-decade television career included roles as a sexy sitcom shop assistant and a working class matriarch on the soap opera "EastEnders," died Thursday, Feb. 27, 2009, after a long battle with breast cancer. She was 65. She was known to most of us who watch the 'Brit-Coms' on PBS as Miss Brahms, a staff member of the fictional Grace Brothers department store in 1970s sitcom "Are You Being Served?"

~

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Los Angeles, CA - Dorothy Bridges, a poet, widow of "Sea Hunt" actor Lloyd Bridges and matriarch of the acting family that includes sons Jeff and Beau, died Monday, Feb. 23, 2009.  She was 93. Born Dorothy Dean Simpson on Sept. 19, 1915, in Worcester, Mass., she was married to Lloyd Bridges for 60 years, until his death in 1998.

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Beef Business Basics

How to make it through the difficult changing times in the beef business Saturday, March 28, 2009 9am 'til noon Lunch and Refreshments will be provided Auburn’s Research and Experiment Station in Winfield 171 Experimental Loop Winfield, AL 35594 Sample of the Speakers: Don Ball - World Renowned Forage Specialists: Making it Through Tough Economic Times AJ Ebert with Gallagher: Cost Effective Ways for Forage Utilization Using Temporary Power Fence Other topics: Forage Quality Cow Culling   Where do I Spend My Money Please RSVP by March 20th by contacting your county extension office or: Ilana Stover (205) 487-0559 or (205) 442-1743 cell Wayne Robinson (205) 695-7139 or (205) 442-1388 cell

Public Service Announcement - 3/14/09  

JERRY BROWN ARTS FESTIVAL DEEMED HUGE SUCCESS

Organizers from the Northwest Alabama Arts Council were hopeful that all of their hard work would pay off with a huge turnout for this past weekend’s seventh annual Jerry Brown Arts Festival (JBAF). Little did they know that over 4,000 people would attend the two-day festival from 14 different states. In addition to the huge turnout, many of the artists participating in the festival indicated they had record sales – greater than shows in Birmingham, Atlanta, and Tuscaloosa. Arts council president Tyna Pyburn stated that “One sure way to continue getting quality artists to attend our show is for word to spread among the art community that the JBAF is not only a quality show, but a money-making show for them.” One returning artist has deemed the JBAF as “a sneaky little show,” explaining that even though it’s not as large as some of the other shows he attends, it is well attended and supported by festival attendees making purchases from the artists. National publicity was one of the perks attached to the festival’s Southeast Tourism Society’s Top 20 award, and the results showed. States represented by attendees at the festival included Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Arkansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Illinois, Idaho, Michigan, Massachusetts, and California. The arts council wishes to thank its corporate sponsors for this year’s festival as well as those who attended and supported the festival. One individual who the arts council would like to especially recognize and offer its gratitude to is Mr. Regi Klement of Klement Investments for usage of the building. Special thanks go to the City of Hamilton Park and Recreation Department in assisting the arts council in getting the building ready for the festival. Also assisting with other preparations were the City of Hamilton’s Street Department and Water Department. Pyburn stated, “We were extremely pleased with the whole weekend. We are already working on ways we can improve next year’s festival and make it bigger and better.”

Northwest Alabama Arts Council, Inc. P.O. Box 694 Hamilton, AL 35570 (205) 921-9483 www.nwaarts.org www.jbaf.org

Free smoke alarm program going on at Hamilton Fire Department

Find information about it at www.hamiltonfd.net You'll find the form there to fill out and sign up, as well as a short video. We will have a Kick Off meeting for the program March 2, 2009 at the Hamilton City Hall at 6pm. - we will be in the hall during the council meeting. For more info call Matt McCracken at 205.495.3450 or Tim Rye 205.412.1141

Thanks to Matt McCracken for this information! 3/09

4-H Fruit Trees Now Available

The 4-H Annual Fruit Tree Sale Has Begun! There is a large variety of fruit and ornamental plants to choose from.

Contact the Marion County Extension Office at 205-921-3551 or log on to www.aces.edu/marion for more information.

Friday, March 27, 2009

SENATOR ROGER BEDFORD CAPITOL REPORT

Home Buyers, Home Builders Need Help Now

We had a productive week in Montgomery this past week with many bills being passed through committee. However, the Republicans continued stalling bills on the floor. We have begun to study the federal stimulus in connection with the general fund and education budgets to see how to best use the funds. I was also able to travel to the Alabama Manufactured Housing Association Convention. I was very impressed with the quality of the workmanship which speaks well of the manufacturers in our senate district as well as a fine tribute to our workforce. We must do all that we can to see that we have affordable housing here in Alabama which the stick build method helps to do. There is one inescapable fact about the demise of our nation's economy: The problems started with the housing sector. I believe that the state of Alabama can play an important role in housing, helping both citizens and home builders to buy and sell more homes. I believe that Alabama has a responsibility to stimulate its own economy, using state resources to jump-start job creation in the housing sector. We can accomplish that by creating a mortgage guarantee fund to stimulate home sales. The Alabama Homeowners Initiative Act that will help more than 7,000 new home buyers in the next year and increase investments in home mortgages. The Act creates a mortgage guarantee fund to offset certain losses by investors who hold new Alabama mortgages that are foreclosed. The fund program will be administered by the Alabama Housing Finance Authority The guarantee fund will have two sources of revenue. First, the fund will receive $6 million from the Alabama Capital Improvement Trust Fund. This is the only time proceeds will be used from the Alabama Capital Improvement Trust Fund. Second, the fund will receive proceeds from 1 percent of the cost of every home financed by this program. This 1 percent fee will be paid by the home buyer. Although the home buyer will be paying a new 1 percent fee at closing, their total upfront costs for buying a home will actually be less under our program, not more. By paying the 1 percent fee into our mortgage protection fund, the home buyer no longer has to buy mortgage insurance, which can cost as much as 3½ percent of the home price. Therefore, our buyers will receive mortgage protection at a cheaper rate, saving money for new home owners. The mortgage protection fund will give additional protection to investors who risk their money in these home mortgages. Under our plan, investors can recover up to 40 percent of the amount owed by the borrower. Currently, under private mortgage insurance, the investor can only recover up to 25 percent. With more protection against loss under the new fund, investors have a new incentive to invest in Alabama mortgages again. This creates a win-win situation for everyone. Home builders, with homes to sell but few buyers, will begin to sell again. Investors, afraid of mortgage foreclosures, will see reduced risks and begin to invest again. And homeowners, with reduced costs and quality loans, will begin to buy again. This homeowner stimulus plan will cut the up-front costs of buying a home, while creating a new incentive for investors to invest in new mortgages. This two-prong approach will get home buyers buying again, at better prices, and get mortgage investors investing again. The loan program is aimed at middle-class Alabama families. Total borrower income cannot exceed $98,230, which is 190 percent of the state median income. Loans offered are 30-year, fixed rate, 101 percent loan-to-value loans with strict qualifying criteria. The loans can be used to buy new or existing homes. Other criteria include: Eligible home buyers must have a minimum credit score of 620. Eligible home buyers' total debt ratio cannot exceed 50 percent of their gross monthly income. Eligible home buyers must complete a pre-purchase home buying counseling course. As Alabamians buy more homes, home builders will start to build again. That means the generation of more income for our communities. It's Alabama companies and Alabama families working together to fix Alabama's economy. Please continue to contact me at the following: Roger H. Bedford, Jr. Alabama State House 11 S. Union Street Suite 730 Montgomery, AL 36130 Phone: 334-242-7862 Fax: 334-242-4736 PO Box 370 Russellville, AL 35653 Phone: 256-332-2880 Fax: 256-332-2801 E-mail: senbedford@aol.com  Website: www.rogerbedford.com

SENATOR ROGER BEDFORD CAPITOL REPORT

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SENATOR ROGER BEDFORD CAPITOL REPORT Friday, May 1, 2009

Expansion of Unemployment Benefits in Jeopardy

Who in their right mind would turn down $100 million in free stimulus money to help Alabama workers? Who would say “No” to expanding unemployment compensation benefits to part-time workers, 70 percent of whom are women helping to support their families? Who would say it’s wrong to provide unemployment benefits to victims of domestic violence so hurt they cannot work? Who would oppose unemployment benefits to those workers in training programs trying to better themselves? Common sense would tell you that nobody would oppose such things. But last week in the Alabama Senate, Republicans succeeded in killing the unemployment benefit expansion that does all of the above -- and at no cost to Alabama taxpayers. Unemployment in Alabama today stands at 9 percent. In many Alabama counties, we see unemployment as high as 20 percent. And for every person unemployed we can expect the same number to be underemployed, putting that number at 18 percent statewide. Unemployment compensation is not welfare, and it is not a handout. Working people pay into the fund for protection in situations just like we are enduring now. We cannot turn our backs on these families now, and I will do everything in my power to get another vote on this issue. I can think of 20,000 reasons to expand our unemployment benefits: It is estimated that these new benefits will help almost 20,000 more Alabamians, 20,000 families that need help now and aren't getting it. In addition, expanding unemployment insurance is one of the most cost-effective fiscal stimulus measures that we can implement. It is estimated that Alabama will receive an economic return of more than $2 for every dollar we invest in our workers' unemployment benefits. That makes it good for Alabama's working families, and that makes it good for Alabama's economy. As I stated above, the cost of the Alabama expansion, using all federal stimulus money, is $100 million, and this federal money will pay for the program from calendar year 2010 to 2013. Beginning in 2014, the cost to the state for this expansion will be $22 million. It is here that opponents make their case against expansion. They claim that in 2014, when the stimulus money runs out, Alabama companies will get left holding the bag of new costs. Folks, there is absolutely no truth to this argument at all. First, state employers will soon begin paying the maximum amount of fees into the unemployment compensation fund whether we pass this legislation or not. Expansion of our benefits simply will not impact what businesses pay. Second, in 2014, when the federal stimulus money ends, let's see if there is any negative tax impact on Alabama businesses. If so, the Senate can take action to repeal this expansion, and we can do so without any retribution by the federal government. Let's take care of Alabama families in 2009. We can take care of 2014 in 2014. Third, there is absolutely no reason to believe that our record unemployment will be this high four years from now when stimulus money ends, so our benefit costs should decrease, not increase. Finally, you know my record on taxes. I do not vote to raise taxes because I cut taxes. Last year, we cut income taxes by $57 million, and this year I want to eliminate the sales tax on food, a tax cut for 96 percent of Alabamians -- 96 percent. I vote to cut taxes, not raise them. Now I need your help. If you believe that we must make Alabama working families a priority, if you see the good ole-fashioned Alabama common sense in accepting this $100 million federal stimulus money, if you believe it is time to pass this legislation, if you believe it is time to give our workers the extra help they need facing the worst economic times in my lifetime, then you must act now. Let your voice be heard. Our struggling families deserve it. This past week, I also had the opportunity to speak and MC the cancer symposium held at the Clearview Cancer Institute in Huntsville. It was a wonderful and informative evening as we all learned more about the exciting developments taking place in cancer research. As a cancer survivor, I owe a lot to the continued research and efforts in stopping this disease. In the coming weeks, many counties in the district will be holding their annual Relay for Life events. The funds raised during these events provide vital monies for the continued research into more innovative and effective treatments for all forms of cancer. I commend all those who participate in these events for all their hard work on behalf of the families who are fighting cancer because as anyone who has had cancer knows, the fight against this disease is not just an individual one but, one the whole family takes on. I was also able to travel to Gadsden this week where I participated in a golf tournament which raised funds to assist veterans who wish to travel to Washington DC to visit the memorials that are there for veterans. Our veterans have given so much of themselves so that we can be safer and enjoy the many freedoms that we have. I believe it is important that we all do what we can to support and assist our brave veterans. Please continue to e-mail, write, call and/or come by and let me know your views on the issues facing us here in Alabama at the following: Roger H. Bedford, Jr. Alabama State House 11 S. Union Street Suite 730 Montgomery, AL 36130 Phone: 334-242-7862 Fax: 334-242-4736 PO Box 370 Russellville, AL 35653 Phone: 256-332-2880 Fax: 256-332-2801 E-mail: senbedford@aol.com  Website: www.rogerbedford.

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Senator Roger Bedford Capitol Report June 18, 2009

It is a pleasure for me to announce the awarding of several grants for our senate district this past week from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA). The grants awarded are as follows: $30,754 for SAN, Inc., d/b/a Turning Point to assist with domestic violence and sexual assault services $46,981.00 for Crisis Services of North Alabama, Inc. to be used to hire two part-time shelter services specialists a part-time maintenance person and equipment for the shelter This past week, Northwest Shoals Community College received a $17,000 grant from the Workforce Development Funding Allocations for the summer technology institute to provide workforce development training service to K-12 educators and counselors. Bevill State Community College also received a grant from the Workforce Development Funding Allocations in the amount of $76,770 to develop and conduct a workshop for community college instructions who plan to teach EGR 101, Engineering Foundations and to purchase equipment for the Industrial Maintenance Program. We also received good news through the Alabama Department of Transportation which announced the letting of two highway projects in the senate district on June 26. The projects include, in Colbert County, the resurfacing, open grade friction course, traffic striping, and guardrail installation on State Road 13 from Colburn Mill Road in Littleville to County Road 61. In Fayette County, the project calls for the resurfacing of State Road 129 from State Road 171 to County Road 49 in Hubbertville. Our thoughts and prayers continue to go out to our troops serving in harm’s way including Afghanistan where the 166th of Winfield is currently serving. They have been busy constructing new buildings there and I am proud of their hard work and commitment to serving their country and helping the people of Afghanistan. I also want to wish Fuller Kimbrell a happy 100th birthday which he celebrated this past weekend in Tuscaloosa. Fuller Kimbrell was born on a farm in Berry, Alabama in 1909. He owned a John Deere dealership for awhile before running for the Alabama Senate in 1946. He served as finance director for Governor Jim Folsom in 1954. Under his leadership, the State Administrative Building was built and Highways 13, 69, 107 and 129 were paved and made state highways. Kimbrell along with his fellow senator, Rankin Fite, did a lot for Northwest Alabama especially Fayette, Lamar and Marion Counties and I want to thank him for his great service to our senate district as well as to all the people of Alabama. While I was unable to attend the party, I know it was well attended and that a good time was had by all. I hope all of you have been having an enjoyable summer. It is hard to believe that June is almost gone and the 4th of July will be upon us. I hope all of you will continue to contact me with your thoughts and views at: Please continue to contact me at the following:

Roger H. Bedford, Jr. Alabama State House 11 S. Union Street Suite 730 Montgomery, AL 36130 Phone: 334-242-7862 Fax: 334-242-4736 PO Box 370 Russellville, AL 35653 Phone: 256-332-2880 Fax: 256-332-2801 E-mail: senbedford@aol.com  Website: www.rogerbedford.com

January 12, 2009

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EDITORIAL FROM THE DESK OF REPRESENTATIVE MIKE MILLICAN January 12, 2009

We Must Remove the Food Tax Now, Not In Ten Years Every family in Alabama, no matter how much they make, pays a lot of money to put food on the table each day. That’s why I have made it one of my priorities to remove the tax on groceries. My goal is to help pass it this session, which begins the 1st week of February. Alabama and Mississippi are the only two states making people pay taxes on groceries. Tax on food has to be the most unfair tax in the country. It is long past time for this tax to go. As chairman of the Health Committee, I see firsthand how many people are having a hard time paying for both food and medicine. Some people have had to go as far to choose between putting food on the table, or buying the medicine they need. I don’t believe anyone should be forced to choose between the two, and that’s why it’s so important to end the state sales tax on food. Last session we got farther than ever before in our attempt at removing the tax. One thing that is difficult to explain is that any time you remove a tax, it leaves a hole in the budget. We can’t cut funds for schools more than they already have been, and there are ways to make up the difference. The bill would make up lost revenue by eliminating the deduction for federal income taxes on state income taxes. It is important to replace revenue because every penny of the food tax is earmarked for education. Removing the food tax creates a $320 million hole in the school budget. Trading the food tax for the federal income tax deduction makes sense. The majority of families in the state would save money. About 80 percent of Alabama families would get an immediate and permanent tax cut while protecting children and education in the process. There is room for compromise and bipartisan cooperation. We can negotiate on the reduction of the federal income tax deduction as an example, and will continue to look for other ways to fill the budget gap. Yet there are some basic principles that all legislators should recognize. We need immediate tax relief for families. Removing the sales tax on food is the best way to do it, and that’s why supporting it is one of my top priorities this session.                    

###

E-Mail:  mike.millican@alhouse.org

Website:  MIKE MILLICAN

State House: Room 628-F 11 S. Union Street Montgomery, AL 36130 (334) 242-7768

Home: 995 Country Estates Drive Hamilton, AL 35570 Home Phone: (205) 921-3214 Cell Phone: (205) 468-0694 FAX: (205) 921-5959

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EDITORIAL FROM THE DESK OF REP. MIKE MILLICAN April 21, 2009 Final Work on the Education Budget Begins This week the education budget is front and center for the Legislature. The governor submitted his final version of his school spending plan, and now it is time for the House and Senate to get to work. While it seems pretty far along in the session for the budget to come up, the delay was necessary in order to understand what will happen with the economy next year, and how federal assistance could be used in order to close a widening budget gap. It is one of the worst situations in decades for education revenue. Alabama funds schools primarily with state sales and income taxes, and both of these earmarked funding streams have been hard hit by the current economic troubles. The proposed education budget is approximately $5.64 billion, or $182 million less than the current school-year budget. We are in the midst of a 12.5 percent proration called by the governor earlier this year. He has drawn down half of the available Rainy Day funds in order to reduce the cuts to 9 percent. Hopefully, he will draw down the other half at the end of summer to reduce cuts down to 6.5 percent, but that is the administration’s call and he may leave the proration figure as it is. However, with either less or no Rainy Day funds available next year and the economic forecast still either flat or predicting continued recession, the 2010 education budget was looking at a massive shortfall. In order to understand just how poor revenue is, just two years ago the state education budget stood at $6.7 billion. That means in just a span of a few years education revenue has dropped more than 15 percent. Without a way to make up such a devastating shortfall, schools were looking at letting go up to 8,000 teachers and support personnel, and every program implemented to improve schools undertaken in the last decade would have been slashed to the bone. More education layoffs were predicted than at any time in a generation, and Alabama was at-risk of losing every bit of the hard won progress attained in the last decade. It was as stark a budget situation as anyone could remember. Then at the end of February, Congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, otherwise known as the economic stimulus package. Within the stimulus, there was $1.3 billion over two years in direct aid to the state to help fill widening gaps in education budgets. It was designed specifically to help prevent massive teacher layoffs. While most of Alabama’s congressional delegation voted against the package, and there has been some opposition to the aid, there is no doubt that the federal funding will save our schools and thousands of teaching jobs. The stimulus was first and foremost supposed to be about jobs. With recent news that Alabama’s unemployment jumped to nine percent for the first time since 1986, saving education jobs is an important outcome for our state, especially in rural counties. The last draft of the governor’s education budget includes the federal stimulus money, which filled in a big part of the gap, but not all. However, his budget would still leave up to 5,000 teachers and support personnel losing their jobs. Every job is critical in this economy, and there looks to be a way to save those jobs. So the legislative work now comes down to crafting a budget that saves jobs and protects vital programs like the initiatives in Reading, Math and Science. The belt will have to be tightened harder than it ever has before, but with some assistance and some careful planning, we can protect our schools. That is a much better outcome than most thought was possible at the beginning of this legislative session.  

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We Must Remove the Food Tax Now, Not In Ten Years Every family in Alabama, no matter how much they make, pays a lot of money to put food on the table each day. That’s why I have made it one of my priorities to remove the tax on groceries. My goal is to help pass it this session, which begins the 1st week of February. Alabama and Mississippi are the only two states making people pay taxes on groceries. Tax on food has to be the most unfair tax in the country. It is long past time for this tax to go. As chairman of the Health Committee, I see firsthand how many people are having a hard time paying for both food and medicine. Some people have had to go as far to choose between putting food on the table, or buying the medicine they need. I don’t believe anyone should be forced to choose between the two, and that’s why it’s so important to end the state sales tax on food. Last session we got farther than ever before in our attempt at removing the tax. One thing that is difficult to explain is that any time you remove a tax, it leaves a hole in the budget. We can’t cut funds for schools more than they already have been, and there are ways to make up the difference. The bill would make up lost revenue by eliminating the deduction for federal income taxes on state income taxes. It is important to replace revenue because every penny of the food tax is earmarked for education. Removing the food tax creates a $320 million hole in the school budget. Trading the food tax for the federal income tax deduction makes sense. The majority of families in the state would save money. About 80 percent of Alabama families would get an immediate and permanent tax cut while protecting children and education in the process. There is room for compromise and bipartisan cooperation. We can negotiate on the reduction of the federal income tax deduction as an example, and will continue to look for other ways to fill the budget gap. Yet there are some basic principles that all legislators should recognize. We need immediate tax relief for families. Removing the sales tax on food is the best way to do it, and that’s why supporting it is one of my top priorities this session.                    

###

E-Mail:  mike.millican@alhouse.org

Website:  MIKE MILLICAN

State House: Room 628-F 11 S. Union Street Montgomery, AL 36130 (334) 242-7768

Home: 995 Country Estates Drive Hamilton, AL 35570 Home Phone: (205) 921-3214 Cell Phone: (205) 468-0694 FAX: (205) 921-5959

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EDITORIAL FROM THE DESK OF REP. MIKE MILLICAN June 8, 2009 As The Summer Begins, We Look Forward To Local Produce It was a good spring for rain and temperatures. The drought is now firmly over, and we didn’t see any major late frosts or other natural disasters that can wreak havoc on farmers and their crops. Now we are in the growing season and that means one thing: fresh local produce is starting to arrive. Alabama is fortunate that we have an abundance of world-famous local produce, from Chilton County peaches to Geneva County tomatoes. We have the soil, the climate, and the people that grow the best produce in the world. Sometimes however, it is hard to know whether what we are buying this summer is locally grown. There are two ways to quickly find out. In farmers markets and farm stands throughout the state, you can look for the “Buy Fresh, Buy Local” label. Sponsored by the Alabama Farmers Market Authority, the colorful and bold labels clearly mark that the produce you are about to buy is grown locally. The second is the “Alabama A+” campaign that promotes Alabama produce and value added products in grocery stores and other markets. The Department of Agriculture & Industries program showcases our state’s farmers and the goods that they produce using visual displays and colorful “Product of Alabama” labels. It is obvious why buying local produce is important: it is always fresher and therefore tastes better. Usually sold within 24 hours of being harvested, locally produced fruits and vegetables are simply better than produce which has been shipped for a long period of time. Studies show that produce purchased in supermarkets may have been shipped from distant states and countries traveling an average of 1,300 miles for as many as 7 to 14 days. We have all eaten a tomato that is grainy and flavorless, and the reason is because it was picked well before it was ripe and sat many days before it reached you. But when you eat a locally grown tomato picked at the height of ripeness, the natural exceptional flavor, as well as the nutrients, come shining through. There is another very important reason to buy locally grown produce: it supports local farmers and has a very important impact on the state economy. The traditional family farm is in danger of disappearing. Alabama family farmers are a valuable part of our economy and heritage, and are the backbone of our rural counties and communities. Alabama has lost thousands of family farms in the past decades, and one of the best ways to sustain the family farms we have left is to buy directly (or as close to directly) from the farmers themselves. State officials say that today’s farmer receives less than 10 cents of the retail food dollar. When a farmer is able to sell directly to us, the middleman is cut out and a higher profit is realized by the farmer. The farmer then circulates his profits throughout the local community creating an economic cycle that benefits everyone. Moreover, when a farmer makes a profit selling produce locally, it helps preserve agricultural land. Many farmers have had to sell the land for development and other non-agricultural uses because it was no longer profitable. Selling directly to the local consumer is an important income source that helps maintain farming land. And one other outcome of buying local is that it maintains genetic diversity. Commercial produce has few varieties, hybrids created to survive shipping and stay long on the shelf. Yet local farmers grow a much wider variety of plants, some only grown in the local area, and therefore preserving plant varieties for future generations. Most importantly, nothing compares when it comes to taste. Alabama grown produce is the best, and when we can easily identify through the “Buy Fresh” and “Alabama A+” programs, then we know that excellent flavor is guaranteed.  

LIBRARY

PROMOTION

(EXPIRES APRIL 15th)

This is a promotion for library’s to raise money. We will get $10 per ticket sold with our promo code LIBWIN. The Winfield Public Library is the only participant in Marion County , also there is a flyer attached for you to use if you want. This promo expires April 15th. I just got info today. Bama Jam is a 3-day music festival held in Enterprise , AL June 4-6 and (only in its second year) is the largest music festival in the US ! The festival has more than 400 camp sites and is also the site of hundreds of arts/crafts and food vendors. Bama Jam has an incredible line up this year, Taylor Swift, Brooks and Dunn, Alan Jackson, Black Crowes, Kid Rock, Grace Potter, Gary Allen... totally worth the pass price! check out the website for a full description www.bamajammusicfestival.com

Customers will go on the Bama Jam website through the library computers or their home computer and purchase tickets with a credit/debit card, get a confirmation # and can print their passes. There will be a space to enter a promotional code. Winfield Public Library Promo code is LIBWIN. Passes purchased at the gate are regularly $179.00, but with your library's promo code, the 3-day passes are $139.00. This gives people who are planning to attend the incentive to use the library code to save $40 on their pass. $10 of this pass price will go to the library with that promo code! Thanks Regina Sperry Winfield Public Library <wpl@dlis.net> 205-487-2484

3/23/09

A NEW SERIES BY

TODD CLIPPARD

PART ONE

Paul's Keys to Joy: Philippians 4:1-9 (part 1)

To read this new series by TODD CLIPPARD on our Religion Page - Click Here

“Home Grown” Gardening Workshop on Thursday, March 26, 2009

The Marion County Extension Office will be hosting a “Home Grown” Gardening Workshop on Thursday, March 26, 2009 in the Courthouse Annex Meeting Room located across from the Hamilton Recreation Center from 10:00 to 3:00 p.m. Agenda topics and speakers include: Soils and Plant Nutrition - Doug Chapman, Regional Extension Agent, Limestone County, Vegetable Garden Basics – Nelson Wynn, Regional Extension Agent, Shelby County, Container Gardening – Charles Pinkston, Regional Extension Agent, Cullman County, Raised Bed Gardening – Ken Creel, Regional Extension Agent, Madison County, Edible Landscaping - Danny Cain, County Extension Coordinator, Walker County. The cost of attendance is $10.00 which includes a boxed lunch. Pre-registration and payment is required by Tuesday, March 24th. For more information, contact the Marion County Extension Office at 205-921-3551.

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Hamilton Elementary School 8th Annual Spring Play Thursday, April 16, 2009

3rd & 4th graders are presenting

Willy Wonka Kids Based on the book: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Written by: Roald Dahl Performance Times Thursday, April 16, 2009 9:00 a.m. & 12:30 p.m. Sunday, April 19, 2009 2:00 p.m. Monday, April 20, 2009 9:00 a.m. & 12:30 p.m. Cost: $5.00 for adults $2.00 for school aged children Director: Susan Burleson Assistant Director: Linda Watson Interested groups and parties can call the school for reservations at 921-2145. Individuals can purchase tickets at the door. Tena Taylor Finance Officer Marion County DHR P.O. Box 96 Hamilton, AL 35570 Phone: 205.921.6028 Fax: 205.921.6050 Tena.Taylor@dhr.alabama

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Public Service Announcement: About peanut butter recall that has been in the news.

Go to the FDA website

(1) www.fda.gov  (2) Type in "peanut butter recall" in search box (3) click on "Search for peanut butter recall products" under words "best bets" You will see the latest list of several products subject to the FDA's recall. This page is periodically updated.

Sam LeMaster  SLeMaster@adph.state.al.us

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MARCH 2009 FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM  

Due to the Alabama State Pro-ration the budget for the Food Assistance Program was reduced by 10% for this year. We will use the funds available the best that we can. Thanks for your cooperation. Marion-Winston Counties Community Action Agency will be in the following locations to distribute food to eligible families.

No applications will be taken at the distribution sites. 3-23-09 Double Springs ( Armory Building ) 11 am – 12 pm Double Springs Municipal Building on Hwy 195 South Addison Community Center 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm 3-24-09 Guin City Hall 10 am – 11 am Brilliant Housing Authority 1 pm - 2 pm 3-25-09 Haleyville Old ARC Building 10 am - 11:30 am Lynn City Hall 1 pm - 2 pm 3-26-09 Hamilton Recreation Center 10 am - 11:30 am Winfield Community Center 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm 3-27-09 Hackleburg Town Hall 10 am - 11 am Bear Creek City Hall 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm If additional information is needed please call: Hamilton (205)921-4224, Double Springs (205)489-5448, Haleyville (205)486-7239 (This agency prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex age, handicap, religion or national origin) Marion Winston Counties Community Action Committee P.O. Box 1716 Hamilton , AL 35570 (205) 921-4224 (205) 921-3415 FAX

Food Inspections

Sam LeMaster SLeMaster@adph.state.al.us

Check out the Food Inspection Ratings each week on the Food Page!

E-Mail From Bro. Preston Headrick, Pastor Christ Community Fellowship

 Get Together

Look on the Religion Page  

List Your Items In Our FREE Classifieds

To List What You Need to Sell, Trade, or Buy Call 205-495-4403 Fax 205-921-2573 Or EMail:  classifieds@49countynews.net

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JERRY BROWN ARTS FESTIVAL IN FULL SWING THIS WEEK-END

Photo slideshow

Pictures by Don Gann

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JERRY BROWN ARTS FESTIVAL DEEMED HUGE SUCCESS

Organizers from the Northwest Alabama Arts Council were hopeful that all of their hard work would pay off with a huge turnout for this past weekend’s seventh annual Jerry Brown Arts Festival (JBAF). Little did they know that over 4,000 people would attend the two-day festival from 14 different states. In addition to the huge turnout, many of the artists participating in the festival indicated they had record sales – greater than shows in Birmingham, Atlanta, and Tuscaloosa. Arts council president Tyna Pyburn stated that “One sure way to continue getting quality artists to attend our show is for word to spread among the art community that the JBAF is not only a quality show, but a money-making show for them.” One returning artist has deemed the JBAF as “a sneaky little show,” explaining that even though it’s not as large as some of the other shows he attends, it is well attended and supported by festival attendees making purchases from the artists. National publicity was one of the perks attached to the festival’s Southeast Tourism Society’s Top 20 award, and the results showed. States represented by attendees at the festival included Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Arkansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Illinois, Idaho, Michigan, Massachusetts, and California. The arts council wishes to thank its corporate sponsors for this year’s festival as well as those who attended and supported the festival. One individual who the arts council would like to especially recognize and offer its gratitude to is Mr. Regi Klement of Klement Investments for usage of the building. Special thanks go to the City of Hamilton Park and Recreation Department in assisting the arts council in getting the building ready for the festival. Also assisting with other preparations were the City of Hamilton’s Street Department and Water Department. Pyburn stated, “We were extremely pleased with the whole weekend. We are already working on ways we can improve next year’s festival and make it bigger and better.”

Northwest Alabama Arts Council, Inc. P.O. Box 694 Hamilton, AL 35570 (205) 921-9483 www.nwaarts.org www.jbaf.org

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“Home Grown” Gardening Workshop on Thursday, March 26, 2009

The Marion County Extension Office will be hosting a “Home Grown” Gardening Workshop on Thursday, March 26, 2009 in the Courthouse Annex Meeting Room located across from the Hamilton Recreation Center from 10:00 to 3:00 p.m. Agenda topics and speakers include: Soils and Plant Nutrition - Doug Chapman, Regional Extension Agent, Limestone County, Vegetable Garden Basics – Nelson Wynn, Regional Extension Agent, Shelby County, Container Gardening – Charles Pinkston, Regional Extension Agent, Cullman County, Raised Bed Gardening – Ken Creel, Regional Extension Agent, Madison County, Edible Landscaping - Danny Cain, County Extension Coordinator, Walker County. The cost of attendance is $10.00 which includes a boxed lunch. Pre-registration and payment is required by Tuesday, March 24th. For more information, contact the Marion County Extension Office at 205-921-3551.

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Free smoke alarm program going on at Hamilton Fire Department Find information about it at www.hamiltonfd.net You'll find the form there to fill out and sign up, as well as a short video. We will have a Kick Off meeting for the program March 2, 2009 at the Hamilton City Hall at 6pm. - we will be in the hall during the council meeting. For more info call Matt McCracken at 205.495.3450 or Tim Rye 205.412.1141 Thanks to Matt McCracken for this information! 3/09

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4-H Fruit Trees Now Available The 4-H Annual Fruit Tree Sale Has Begun! There is a large variety of fruit and ornamental plants to choose from. Contact the Marion County Extension Office at 205-921-3551 or log on to www.aces.edu/marion for more information.  

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NEW RAGSDALE CREEK BRIDGE WALKWAY

February 11, 2009

A walkway has been constructed for the new Ragsdale Creek Bridge on Hwy. 278 East out of Hamilton, AL.

Story: jmays@49countynews.net Pictures: dgann@49countynews.net

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HUGE CROWDS ENJOYED TUSCALOOSA AIR SHOW SATURDAY

We enjoyed the air show in Tuscaloosa Saturday, April 4, 2009 and so did thousands of other people.

Large crowds were in attendance at the show put on by the United States Navy Blue Angels along with several other performing groups Saturday.

Below you will find just some of the many pictures which we took at the show. I hope you enjoy them as much as we enjoyed taking them.

We hope to get some of our video on soon. So check back 'cause it is spectacular!

Photos and Story by Judy Webb Mays & Don Gann and Property of 49 County News.Net

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APRIL 23, 2009 I'M BACK BUT I'M SLOW!

I still need your help, especially during my recovery!

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.

APRIL 15, 2009

ON A PERSONAL NOTE...

I will be going in for surgery in the morning, Thursday, April 16, 2009, to repair a broken left arm.

I tripped and fell on a sidewalk, February 24, 2009, in Gulfport, Mississippi, while visiting my cousin there.

I would appreciate your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.  The difficulty being that I will not be able to keep up, as I would like, with the news and events going on in Marion County.

I NEED HELP!

Please send pictures of any news items (any pictures, such as weather related or anything which will be enjoyed by the people of Marion County and surrounding areas).  Also, stories related to your children in plays, sports and trips they or you might have taken.

Thank you for your help and your thoughts and prayers.  I intend to return soon better than ever (I HOPE!)

Sincerely & God Bless! Judy Webb Mays April 15, 2009

Please send stories and digital photographs by email to jmays@49countynews.net Please use plain text for your stories. Notepad is good. It will be much easier to copy and paste with my broken arm! Thanks!

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APR. 28TH, 2009 PUBLIC MEETING APRIL 28TH 6:00 P.M. HAMILTON CITY HALL

This meeting is for the City Council to get input from the public (THAT'S YOU!) concerning a grant for revitalization of the downtown area of Hamilton.

BE THERE IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN YOUR CITY'S PROGRESS!

SEE YOU THERE!

STORMS MOVE ACROSS MARION COUNTY & SURROUNDING AREAS April 2, 2009

Utility crews, city, county and state workers were out last night and most of the day today surveying damage and clearing roadways and houses of the debris caused by storms which raged through Marion County and it's surrounding areas on Thursday and Thursday night, April 2nd, 2009.

Below you will find some pictures of  Hamilton and surrounding communities.  Most notably, the city of Hamilton, communities of Fulton Bridge and Shottsville.

If you have any pictures to share, please email them to jmays@49countynews.net with the subject:  Storm Pics, April 2, 2009.

(Click pictures to view larger)

Below:  Hwy 78/43 S. Hamilton - Near Hamilton FWB Church

Below:  Corner of 78/43 S. and Hwy. 35 Hamilton - Behind Pawn Shop

Below:  Fulton Bridge Area, Hwy. 35

Below:  Fulton Bridge Area, Intersection, Hwy. 35 and Hwy. 55

Below:  Crews work to clear trees from the Frederick residence, on Hwy 35 in Fulton Bridge area.

Below:  Fulton Bridge, Buttahatchee BBQ Sign

Below:  Fulton Bridge, View from Buttahatchee River Bridge, looking South. 

Below:  Fulton Bridge Area, Key West Sign looks like a kite when it folds in half.

Below:  Does this scene look familiar?  It should!  The tractor shed of Robert McCarley in the Shottsville area.  This has been newly rebuilt from the last storm which hit it last year!

Below:  Shottsville area, a house loses it's metal roof!

More pictures will be added in a few days.

Pictures by Don Gann and Judy Webb Mays 4/3/09

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WIND DAMAGE IN HAMILTON Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2009

Hamilton, AL. - A large billboard across from NTN, between the carwash south of town and the Econo-Lodge Motel, was blown down during the strong winds on Wednesday.

Also noticed, was some damage to a house.  The guttering was dislodged in one place.

And a store building across from Oh! Bryan's on Hwy. 17 South.

Story: jmays@49countynews.net Pictures: dgann@49countynews.net

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LIBRARY PROMOTION (EXPIRES APRIL 15th)

This is a promotion for library’s to raise money. We will get $10 per ticket sold with our promo code LIBWIN. The Winfield Public Library is the only participant in Marion County , also there is a flyer attached for you to use if you want. This promo expires April 15th. I just got info today. Bama Jam is a 3-day music festival held in Enterprise , AL June 4-6 and (only in its second year) is the largest music festival in the US ! The festival has more than 400 camp sites and is also the site of hundreds of arts/crafts and food vendors. Bama Jam has an incredible line up this year, Taylor Swift, Brooks and Dunn, Alan Jackson, Black Crowes, Kid Rock, Grace Potter, Gary Allen... totally worth the pass price! check out the website for a full description www.bamajammusicfestival.com

Customers will go on the Bama Jam website through the library computers or their home computer and purchase tickets with a credit/debit card, get a confirmation # and can print their passes. There will be a space to enter a promotional code. Winfield Public Library Promo code is LIBWIN. Passes purchased at the gate are regularly $179.00, but with your library's promo code, the 3-day passes are $139.00. This gives people who are planning to attend the incentive to use the library code to save $40 on their pass. $10 of this pass price will go to the library with that promo code! Thanks Regina Sperry Winfield Public Library <wpl@dlis.net> 205-487-2484

3/23/09

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ServSafe® Manager Certification Course To Be Offered

The Alabama Cooperative Extension System’s Food Safety Program is pleased to offer “ServSafe® to Restaurant and foodservice organizations in the state of Alabama. According to the Centers for Disease Control, an estimated 5,000 deaths are caused by food-borne illnesses in the United States each year, and the majority are caused by the mishandling of food. One case of food-borne illness in an establishment can significantly damage an establishment’s reputation, causing a loss of customers and sales. This certification program is designed to protect the establishments and keep the customers safe! ServSafe® is a program accredited by the National Restaurant Association and is the industry standard in food safety. The Food Safety Certification training course offered through the Alabama Cooperative Extension System includes topics such as contamination and food-borne illness; storage, preparation, and servicing; and food safety regulations and standards. The program is designed specifically for food-handling employees of restaurants, hospitals, nursing homes, schools, daycares, and other food service professionals. The intensive 10-hour course is spread over three consecutive sessions, ending with the certification exam. Once certified, managers are issued a ServSafe® certificate which can be displayed at their dining establishments. This certification demonstrates concern for consumer food safety, and also fulfills state requirements. Because of changes to the Alabama food code, it is very important to make sure that your restaurant is in compliance with the current laws. Although some counties in Alabama require that foodservice establishments have at least one person on duty at all times with ServSafe® certification, it will become a state-wide requirement by the year 2010. Check with your local health department for specifics. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System will be offering the ServSafe ® class on Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at the Marion County Extension Office, Courthouse Annex, Hamilton, Al. The class will begin at 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Pre-registration is required by May 11th. Extension professionals can come on-site if your company wishes to certify 10 or more employees. The course fee is $95 per person, which includes the book, examination, and testing materials. For a group of 20 or more employees from the same restaurant or franchise, there is a reduction, at a rate of $90.00 per registrant. For more information about ServSafe® Classes, or to register for an upcoming class, you can contact Susan Hill at (205) 489-5376 or (205) 269-1748 or hillaps@auburn.edu .

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The Kozy Krafters Quilt Guild will have Ms. Shelby Duskin coming once a month teaching classes on quilting and bringing her beautiful fabric. She will be at the Car Nut Museum in Winfield (on Tuesday, May 19th, 6 p.m., and again on Wednesday, May 20th from 10 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. The charge for the class is $10. Anyone who is interested in learning about quilting is urged to attend. Ms. Duskin is a professional quilter who can teach this very unique skill, which is also a dying art. Ms. Duskin will then return to the museum on Saturday, May 23rd to sell her fabrics and notions. She will be coming the third weekend of each month as long as there is sufficient business. As for the success of the April 10 & 11 quilt show, Skip and Linda have decided to make it an annual event which will be held on the second weekend of April. For more information, please call Linda Addison at (205) 495-8604. Northwest Alabama Arts Council, Inc. P.O. Box 694 Hamilton, AL 35570 (205) 921-9483 www.nwaarts.org www.jbaf.org 

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may 6, 2009 BAD WEATHER PICTURES

Tree-top down on Hwy. 278 East in Hamilton, AL., near Hamilton Tractor Co.

Hamilton Police stopped traffic for the tree-top in the road.  Look to the right of the Patrol car and across the street, you can see the tree still standing without the top.

Looking closely at the  tree which lost it's top.

Hamilton City workers begin clean-up of the tree-top from Hwy. 278 East in Hamilton.

Pictures by Don Gann Story by JMays 5/6/09

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NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER hELD IN hAMILTON TODAY, THURSDAY APRIL 7, 2009

ramp leader, Karen Wheaton and many of the Preachers, Church Pastors, and many other citizens of Hamilton, met together at the Hamilton City Hall today to pray for our City and County, it's elected officials, and citizens.

It was a very moving service and we at 49 County News.Net wish to join them in praying for our citizens and our economy in this depressed time. 

We join them in praying that God blesses our towns and our county and brings jobs for the unemployed workers we have here. 

We don't want any citizen to have to move from our towns and cities in Marion County to find a job elsewhere.

Please join all of us in this prayer for our leaders, our citizens and our troops abroad. We pray that they might all seek the guidance of our Lord in every day of our lives. And may He make us truly thankful for the wonderful blessings he bestows on us, our towns, our county and our country every day.  AMEN

49 County News.Net :

Judy Webb Mays Don H. Gann and Gary Wayne Mays, Jr.

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Rabies clinic HELD WEEK OF MAY 30 - JUNE 6, 2009

cost - $10.00

The State of Alabama Public Health Law requires that all dogs and cats, three months of age and older, be vaccinated for Rabies annually.

Saturday morning, 9:00 - 10:30 a.m., May 30th, 2009, there will be a low cost clinic held at Marion County Health Department.

The State set fee is $10.00 per vaccination. 

Certificates may be written in advance by calling 205-921-3392.

FULL SCHEDULE FOR MARION COUNTY

DATE: Saturday, May 30th PLACE: Hamilton, AL, Marion County Health Department TIME: 9:00 - 10:30 a.m.

DATE: Saturday, May 30th TIME: 1:00 p.m. PLACE: Watson's Grocery, Hwy. 19 South

DATE: Tuesday, June 2nd PLACE: Brilliant, AL - Under the Trees at the School Entrance TIME: 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.

DATE:  Thursday, June 4th PLACE:  Guin, AL - Elementary School Parking Lot  TIME:  4:00 - 5:30 p.m.

DATE:  Friday, June 5th PLACE:  Twin, AL TIME:  3:00 p.m.

DATE:  Friday, June 5th PLACE:  Winfield, AL, City Hall TIME:  4:30 - 5:30 p.m.

DATE:  Saturday, June 6th PLACE:  Hackleburg, AL, Stadium Parking Lot TIME:  9:00 - 10:30 a.m.

DATE: Saturday, June 6th PLACE:  Bear Creek, AL, Under the Trees at the School TIME:  1:00 - 1:30 p.m.

Remember, Rabies Certificates may be written in advance by calling 205-921-3392.

The State of Alabama Public Health Law requires that ALL dogs and cats, three months of age and older, must be vaccinated Yearly.

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Anniston, AL Humane Society June, 2009

Anniston, AL - Money problems could force the euthanization of hundreds of animals. The Humane Society of Calhoun County in Anniston can't even pay its utility bills. Without an immediate surge in donations, this could be the beginning of the end for the shelter and its animals...*  abc3340.com

Those words are the beginning of a story carried on television station abc 33/40 out of Birmingham yesterday. It hit me so hard, I had to share it with you. If you click on the link, you can read the rest of the story on abc3340.com. I spoke with a representative at the shelter and was told that they had been busy today. People are paying attention to the story. Maybe there is hope for the more than 300 animals at the shelter. Even if you only had $5.00 to share this month, it would be $10.00 because, an anonymous donor has promised to match donations. Wow! We in Marion County, Alabama MCHS have just begun the journey...having land...hopefully one day...having a facility...We, too will need help like the Humane Society of Calhoun County in Anniston, Alabama. How can we expect help if we don't give it as well.  

jmays@49countynews.net

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jmays@49countynews.net *Source - www.abc3340.com

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Governor Riley Launches Connecting Families Initiative Dec. 09, 2008

Deployed troops, families back home will be able to communicate with webcams

MONTGOMERY - Alabama families who have loved ones deployed overseas in the military will be able to visit public libraries across the state and visually communicate with them using computers equipped with video web cameras, Governor Bob Riley announced today. The new program, called Connecting Families, puts the video webcams and computers in more than 100 libraries throughout the state. Alabamians will be able to make appointments with the libraries when they can come in and use the technology to see and talk to their deployed family members. “We’re grateful not only for our troops but also for the families who serve by their side, even though thousands of miles often separate them. Like our soldiers, the families sacrifice so much. Anytime we have an opportunity to help our brave troops and their families back home, we must take it,” Governor Riley said. Rebecca Mitchell, director of the Alabama Public Library Service, said Alabama is the only state in the nation with this program. Connecting Families is a partnership between the public library service and the Alabama Broadband Initiative that Governor Riley launched earlier this year. The program got its start thanks to grant funds from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. But the program’s real impetus came from Chief Warrant Officer Randy Hickman, who was unable to communicate via webcam with his family in Elmore County while he was serving in Iraq. The problem wasn’t due to a lack of broadband access at his base in Iraq, but rather because his home 20 miles outside Montgomery didn’t have high-speed Internet access. Hickman contacted Governor Riley’s office, which got the Broadband Initiative involved. The Governor and Mitchell announced Connecting Families at the Wetumpka Public Library, with Hickman and his family in attendance. The project got its first demonstration today at the Wetumpka library when Col. Christopher Morgan, who is currently serving in Afghanistan, visited with his wife Leslie and their children via the video hookup. Note: A list of public libraries that are part of the Connecting Families program is attached.  

Gov. Riley stands with the family of Col. Christopher Morgan in front of a computer at the Wetumpka Public Library as they communicate with Col. Morgan, who is serving in Afghanistan, by means of the “Connecting Families” program launched today. More than 100 libraries throughout the state are being equipped with computers, broadband access and video web cameras so families of deployed military personnel can visually communicate with their deployed family members. Funding for the program comes from a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

For more contact information, visit Governor Bob Riley's Web Site:  http://www.governor.alabama.gov/ For videos of Governor Bob Riley visit:  http://www.media.alabama.gov/

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N.W.AL. Rebel Cruisers

Hi, I am Mike Lyons of the N.W.AL. Rebel Cruisers. Could you please post our cruise in your paper. Thank You. If you have any questions, please contact me. We like to have fun and show off our vehicles. We are opened to all vehicles, cars trucks, muscle cars, tuners, bikes, classics, restored or not, no restrictions. If you have it and like it, bring it out. We have 50/50's, half going to a charity and the other half to the winner, door prizes from different businesses in the area. All money collect at the end of the year, goes Eldrige Children Home. Come check us out. We meet every second Saturday of the month. March 14th at Frosty Front in Guin. Watch the calendar for up coming events and locations www.nwalrc.com . If you would like to be on the mailing list, please e-mail us at nwalrc@yahoo.com Mike Lyons NW. Al. Rebel Cruisers PO Box 1258 Winfield, Al 35594 http://nwalrc.com nwalrc@yahoo.com 205-245-3222

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TV Converter Box Information (FYI)

If you receive your television signal over the air (i.e. one or more of the TVs in your home not hooked to Cable or Satellite), you might need the information below before June 12, 2009, when all analog signals (over the air signals) will cease.  From that time you will need an HD (High Definition TV) or a convertor box for each TV either not High Definition or not connected by cable or satellite.  Those connected to cable or satellite will be good to go!

Click this link to download a printable PDF which can be mailed to receive your TV Converter Box Coupons by mail.  (Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to open and read the file)

Or, go to our Entertainment Page or click on this link to apply online for your coupon(s).

NEED MORE INFO ON INSTALL?  EMAIL ME AT:

jmays@49countynews.net

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Highway Safety Campaign Memorial Day - "Click it or Ticket" May 18 - 31, 2009 Tickets: 56 - Seat Belt 1 - Child Restraint 2 - Speeding 15 - No Proof of Insurance 1 - Driver License Violation 1 - License Suspended or Revoked Total - 76 Warnings: 1 - Speeding 1 - Other Violations Total - 2 TOTAL: 78 (All persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are merely an accusation unless otherwise stated.)

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Phil Campbell Hoedown Festival June 19 - 20, 2009

Photo slideshow

We had the privilege and fun of visiting the town of Phil Campbell, AL's "Hoe Down Celebration" on Friday, June 19th and June 20th, 2009.

Phil Campbell is just across the Marion County line in Franklin County, AL. 49 County News.Net has ties there in the form of one Gary Wayne Mays, Jr. ....In other words, my son, and one of the owners and editors of this publication.

We serve not only Marion County but all the surrounding counties as well.  And we are thrilled to be welcomed to join our neighbors in their Celebrations.

There was in attendance, many talented people, both young and 'older'!  We live in an area where we have an abundance of highly talented individuals.

There was a great turnout, we were told by the Mayor, Jerry Mays.  We met the members of the Fire and Rescue and many others who I will not try to name for fear that I will leave out someone.

Suffice it to say, we had fun and enjoyed the festivities in Phil Campbell.

Here are a few pictures from the festivities.

Ed McMahon dies at 86

Los Angeles, CA - Ed McMahon, sidekick to Johnny Carson for 30 years on the "Tonight Show" has died at age 86. McMahon passed away shortly after midnight, Monday, June 22, 2009, at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center surrounded by his wife, Pam, and other family members.

jwm/6/23/09

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Alabama Born...Dusty Rhodes...Pinch Hitter for NY Giants, dies at 82, June 17, 2009

Las Vegas, NV - Dusty Rhodes, whose pinch hitting helped the New York Giants win their last World Series title in 1954, has died at age 82. Rhodes passed away Wednesday, June 17, 2009, of cardiopulmonary arrest at Valley Hospital Medical Center in Las Vegas, the Clark County coroner's office said. He lived in Henderson, NV. Born James Lamar Rhodes in Mathews, Alabama, Rhodes played left field with the New York Giants from 1952-57, then appeared in 54 games for the San Francisco Giants in 1959. He had a .253 career average, 54 homers and 207 RBIs. Rhodes was 4 for 6 with two home runs in the 1954 World Series, when the Giants swept the Cleveland Indians. Pinch hitting for Monte Irvin in the 10th inning of Game 1, Rhodes had a tie-breaking, three-run homer off Bob Lemon for a 5-2 victory at the Polo Grounds. He had a tying single as a pinch hitter for Irvin in the fifth inning of Game 2 and led off the seventh with a homer off Early Wynn for the final run in a 3-1 win. Rhodes pinch hit again for Irvin in the third inning of Game 3 at Cleveland and had a two-run single against Mike Garcia for a 3-0 lead in a 6-2 victory.

jwm/6/23/09

SATISFYING UPDATE ON THE FOLLOWING STORY!

Thank you! We made it! Our $10,000 goal...READ HERE

Anniston, AL Humane Society June, 2009  

Anniston, AL -

Money problems could force the euthanization of hundreds of animals. The Humane Society of Calhoun County in Anniston can't even pay its utility bills. Without an immediate surge in donations, this could be the beginning of the end for the shelter and its animals...*  abc3340.com

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~UPDATE~

Thank you! We made it! Our $10,000 goal for the ChipIn campaign has been met! Thank you to every single one of the 199 people who contributed to this ChipIn. Large or small, your contribution made a difference in the lives of this shelter and all the animals staying there until they find their forever home. (The Campaign continues through the end of June, if you still want to give please visit our home page!)  

We invite you to remain friends of The Animal Shelter, the shelter YOU helped save:

Bookmark our Web site Become our Friend on MySpace Subscribe to our Blog Become a monthly donor Join us as a volunteer Put a Petfinder widget on your site Vote for us in the Shelter+ Challenge

Dollie's Country Kitchen 608 Military Trail Hamilton, AL

I tried the Bananas Foster at Dollie's Country Kitchen...It was scrumptious!!

It tastes like the best banana pudding!  It is not easy to tell you just how good it was but I hope this gets the idea across that you should try it too!

The Hot Buffet was quite good as well as was the Salad Bar. 

The fresh yeast rolls are just like "mother used to make".

Bobby's mom the restaurant's namesake, "Miss Dollie" brought out fresh rolls and I couldn't resist. The restaurant was named after her, of course.

All I can say is "try it, I'm sure you'll like it".

The decorations are all plush and comfortable. I'm sure you'll like the cozy atmosphere as much as I do.

It's open 7 days a week and is a great place to take your company when they visit.  It is partitioned off into different rooms and that makes it just a little more 'homey' for entertaining.

It's a good place to take your date, or special someone, more intimate and romantic, than some, maybe.

Bobby Cook, your very gracious host, has live music sometimes on Friday or Saturday night.

One week, (Our Friend) Tim Cannon entertained on a Saturday night.

Watch for special entertainment and other special offers on Dollie's website below...

Check out their Menu Page at www.dolliescountrykitchen.com

   For a Map Click Here

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Inspections for July 13-24, 2009 Chris's Catfish (Hamilton) 98 Crossroads Market and Deli (Winfield) 94 Flatwoods Flea market (Winfield) 98 Guthrie's (Hamilton) 96 Hardee's (Hamilton) 91 Huddle House (Hamilton) 97 Kingdom Kids Child care and Preschool (Winfield) 94 Mac's Texaco (Winfield) 93 River Road Food and Fuel (Hamilton) 91 Yellow Creek Baptist Youth Camp (Hodges) 94 Yellow Creek Camp Cafeteria (Hodges) 96

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Friday, August 28th, 2009 - Tragic Fire in Weston - Thankfully No Injuries Reported. Holloway House Fire on Sentry Road (Hwy. 19), Hamilton, AL

Photo slideshow

The home of Lee and Heather Holloway caught fire this afternoon, Friday, August 28th around 3:00 p.m.

According to sources, Mr. Holloway, who works nights, was asleep at home at the time the fire started.  No injuries were reported.

The Holloways have two young children, ages 7 and 5, who were at school at the time the fire began.

According to a friend, Co-Workers of the Holloways have already begun a drive to help the couple.

A yard sale will be held with proceeds going to aid the family.

It was reported to me that the family rented the home and had no renter's insurance on their belongings.

If you wish to help the family, contact Praise Assembly Church in Hamilton at (205) 921-9185 for more information. 

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Arts Council Received $1500 Check from Wal-Mart's "Good Works" Community Grant!

Our arts council officers received a $1,500 check from Wal-Mart's "Good Works" community grant program today. These monies were awarded for use with our arts council projects. This presentation was awarded via the Hamilton store. Shown left to right at the check presentation: Secretary Missy Miles, Vice-President Carrie Bolton, Hamilton Wal-Mart Assistant Manager Sherri Hawkins, President Tyna Pyburn, and Treasurer Ed Minter. Wal-Mart Assistant Manager Sherri Hawkins commented that Wal-Mart was thrilled to award the grant for our arts programs, that she personally loved to draw and paint, and was excited for Wal-Mart to be helping promote art programs in the local area. Northwest Alabama Arts Council, Inc. P.O. Box 694 Hamilton, AL 35570 (205) 921-9483 www.nwaarts.org www.jbaf.org

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August 29, 2009 Surprisingly good things to crow about …

QUESTION:

We seem to be seeing more and more crows in our neighborhood. They also seem to be less afraid when confronted. What’s the deal?

RESPONSE:

A quick answer to your question is the crows are feeding on grubs, caterpillars, army worms and other insects that are abundant during this time of year. You mentioned the population increase and yes, you are correct. In the last 30 – 40 years, crows have decided that roosting in urban areas is more to their liking than roosting in the country.

Why this is happening is still being debated by the scientific community, but from a layman’s point of view it seems logical that having fewer predators and not having to go nearly so far to get to the grocery store makes good sense.

Speaking of good sense, most experts believe the crow to be among the most intelligent and social of all of our American birds. Crows have even been observed making tools out of twigs and leaves to catch their own insects. Unlike most birds, they plan ahead by hiding food and coming back later for a meal.

Crows are actually very interesting to read and learn about. They tend to mate for life and the offspring spend up to 5 to 7 years in the family unit helping to do family chores like babysitting subsequent nestlings and teaching learned parenting skills. If crows make it through their first year, they live a long time, often 17 years or more. Normally, you will see several family groups in your backyard with the average family size being about 6 to 9 crows. All of these families roost in large groups as protection from predators.

Crows work together and have figured out there is power in numbers when it comes to threatening predators or another of their own kind trying to move into their territory. They are alerted by one member and come together to form a “mob” to take care of business. The loud sound they make usually does the trick. That “caw-caw” sound that we associate with the crow is just one of many (up to 25) rattles, clicks and bell-like tones they use to communicate with each other.

A single family of crows can consume 40,000 grubs, caterpillars, army worms and other insects in one season. While crows are known and/or hated because of their cornfield prowess, one needs to understand that corn or grain makes up only a small percentage of their diet and the amount of good they do by eating our harmful insect pests normally offsets the damage to your garden corn crop.

Believe it or not, crows are actually good citizens of their ecosystem. They transport and store seed that contributes to the maintenance and renewal of our forests, which helps lots of things with soil erosion near the top of the list. Crows are also near the top of the list of nature’s cleanup crews as it relates to their habit of eating carrion (road kill).

For those of us in urban America who tend to have negative thoughts about crows and feel they are strictly a nuisance that needs to be eradicated because they make too much noise and too much mess, we may want to revisit this and weigh the pros and cons.

While I could continue with many more facts about this intelligent bird that we have criticized forever, I think I have “crowed” enough. We may not be ready for a “Thank You, Mr. Crow Day,” but hopefully we can educate ourselves into knowing that crows play a more important role than we thought when it comes to our environmental concerns.

David Hubbard Regional Extension Agent Alabama Cooperative Extension System

"Amy Hardin" <hardiam@aces.edu>  

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August 22, 2009 “Sooty Mold” Production and Control … Look up to see where the real problem is coming from

Question: Several of my shrubs have a black powdery mold growing on the leaves. It is even growing on the patio furniture. What is causing this and what can I do to prevent it in the future? Answer: The problem you are seeing is a common one this time of year and it is called “Sooty Mold”. The mold develops as a result of a fungus growing on the honeydew exudates produced from the feeding of aphids, scale, whiteflies or another sucking insect. This fungus does not infect the plant but can do damage as a result of reducing photosynthesis. Also, as you have noticed it is very unsightly and generally makes a black sticky mess everywhere it grows. The sooty mold will usually wash off with the use of a mild insecticidal soap spray and water. However, you need to look up to see where the real problem is coming from. The insects are likely feeding on a tree positioned over the shrubs and patio furniture that is coated with the sooty mold. I noticed some crape myrtles this past week that had a heavy infestation of aphids and sooty mold growing on its leaves and the leaves of everything below it. Hackberry and river birch trees are also notorious for heavy aphid feeding and sooty mold production. Most plants will tolerate a small insect population and light amounts of sooty mold. Control of sooty molds begins with management of the insect creating the honeydew. For example, populations of aphids are usually highest on succulent, new growth. In some situations they can be dislodged with a strong stream of water if the plant is small enough. Also avoid excessive fertilization to keep plants healthy but not excessively vigorous. Overly vigorous plants are more attractive to insects. The regular improper pruning of crape myrtles often seen in our area can contribute to the problem by causing excessively vigorous growth. Properly pruned crape myrtles will have less vigorous new growth and better air and light penetration, which will reduce the foliage’s attractiveness to sucking type insects. Another important consideration may be ant management. Ants are attracted to and use honeydew as a source of food. Because of this, they will protect honeydew-producing insects from predators and parasites in order to harvest the honeydew. Using ant baits and spot treating ants can go a long way towards controlling these honeydew producing insects by giving the beneficial insects a chance to naturally control the bad guys. Once the honeydew-producing insects are suppressed, sooty molds will gradually weather away. As mentioned before sooty molds can be washed off with a strong stream of water or soap and water to speed up the removal process. Plants such as hackberry that are perennial problems may be treated in the spring with a systemic insecticide to kill the aphids before they get a chance to do any significant feeding. The systemic insecticide imidacloprid (Bayer Advanced Garden Tree & Shrub Insect Control or Merit) is available to both homeowners and professional applicators. The home-use product (Bayer Advanced Garden Tree & Shrub Insect Control) is diluted with water, and poured onto soil near the base of the tree trunk, as directed on the label. Late winter to early spring (when the new leaves flush) is believed to be the most effective time for a soil treatment in our area. If the area is watered regularly, slightly later applications may do some good but early applications work best. If you wait until you see the problem it is too late. Tony Glover Regional Extension Agent Alabama Cooperative Extension System

"Amy Hardin" <hardiam@aces.edu>

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