Shoalanda Speaks

• Jennifer Hampton: Her Death Demands Justice

  
  Valentino Vasquez Miranda brutally beat, raped, and murdered Jennifer Lee Hampton. He then disposed of her body in a nearby lake where it remained for seven days. His skin and semen were found on Jennifer's body, and his victim's blood was found on the clothes [...]
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  Posted: November 25, 2009, 10:15pm EST
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• Jennifer Hampton: Coming Home for the Last Time

  
  After medical examiners identified the body found in the lake as that of Jennifer Lee Hampton, her family in Lauderdale County began to make funeral arrangements. At first, family members were concerned over a lack of funds, but individuals who had never met Jennifer stepped [...]
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  Posted: November 25, 2009, 1:25am EST
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• Jennifer Hampton: Murdered by Illegal Immigrant

  
  Valentino Vasquez Miranda had migrated to the United States illegally and, like the Guatemalan immigrant of our earlier tale, was living with a common-law wife over whom he exerted total control. Miranda and Rosa Rodriguez Hernandez shared a room at the Days Inn on South [...]
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  Posted: November 23, 2009, 8:40am EST
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• "Save Cypress Creek" Meeting

  
  Our Series on Jennifer Hampton will continue tomorrow.
  
  The newest environmental group in Florence is Save Cypress Creek, and they want you to join them in spirit, in person at Tuesday's meeting, on facebook, and in accomplishing something for future generations. From their press release:
  
  

  On [...]

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  Posted: November 23, 2009, 11:30pm EST
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• Jennifer Hampton: Child without a Home

  
  Jennifer Lee Hampton was 21 years old when she died, scores of miles from her high school friends in Waterloo and the various homes in which she had lived in her short life. According to officials at Waterloo High School, Jennifer lived with a sister [...]
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  Posted: November 21, 2009, 12:15pm EST
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• Miranda, Rights, & Immigration

  
  The young Guatemalan had walked for miles. He was determined to make it to the United States for a better life. As he walked, he thought of all he would need when he arrived in his new home--a companion came to mind, one who spoke Spanish. By now he [...]
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  Posted: November 20, 2009, 2:30pm EST
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• More on Roger Bedford and the Forgotten Audits

  
  We reported earlier in the week on the lack of state audits for two of Roger Bedford's pet projects, the Marion County Community Development Association and the West Alabama Development Association of Fayette County. At that time, Ronald L. Jones, Chief Examiner of Public Accounts stated the required [...]
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  Posted: November 20, 2009, 12:50am EST
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• City of Florence Owes England Auto Salvage an Apology

  
  Last night the Florence City Council voted to purchase a 157 acre tract west of Florence. The land is currently in use as a country club and 18 hole golf course; if the council has its way, in six or seven years at least part of this land will [...]
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  Posted: November 18, 2009, 7:40am EST
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• Influence: Good or Bad?

  
  When the Florence City Council meets this afternoon at five o'clock, will Dr. Barry Morris (pictured) be voting on the proposed purchase of the Florence Golf and Country Club? There's a possibility that the vote will not come up, but if it doesn't today, it [...]
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  Posted: November 17, 2009, 7:30pm EST
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• Roger Bedford & State Coal Tax Severance Revenue

  
  Coal tax severance revenue? Those words really tell us a lot about...well, perhaps nothing if you've never heard them before. It seems in many states, Alabama being one of them, a company can't just purchase vast acreages and then do anything with the land, at [...]
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  Posted: November 17, 2009, 1:45am EST
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• Free "Poison & Wine" Album Download from The Civil Wars

  
  John Paul White is a Shoals musician who's going places. Recently he teamed with Joy Williams, currently of Nashville, to form a band called The Civil Wars. Their music is diverse and has been featured on such television shows as Grey's Anatomy.
  
  John and [...]
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  Posted: November 16, 2009, 11:50pm EST
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• TimesDaily to Charge for Online Content?

  
  The Tennessee Valley Printing Company is owned by the Shelton family; currently the fourth generation of Sheltons manage this growing business. Yes, in this economic recession, the Tennessee Valley Printing Company is still growing, but by acquisition, rather than increased sales and revenue. Obviously, this [...]
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  Posted: November 14, 2009, 5:25am EST
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• Just Say Nay - Dump the Dump!

  
  A Letter to All Citizens of Florence & All Other Conservation-Minded Individuals:
  
  It's been said "You can't fight City Hall." Well, we say we can--especially if City Hall is wrong. We are asking all residents of Florence to take part in this campaign to [...]
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  Posted: November 13, 2009, 8:25am EST
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• Cynthia Stewart Does Tharptown

  
  
  Tharptown ladies, sing this song, ooh lah, ooh lah.
  Tharptown admins, boy, they're wrong, ooh lah, ooh lah.
  Gwine to dance all night, gwine to dance all day,
  Else we'll protest, ain't that right, got to have our say.
  
  Like Katy Perry, Cynthia' [...]
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  Posted: November 12, 2009, 2:10am EST
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• Saluting Frank Buckles - Last Living U.S. WWI Veteran

  
  
  
  Frank Woodruff Buckles, 108, is the last living United States Veteran of World War I. Since the 2008 anniversary of the Armistice, the last known remaining veteran from Great Britain has passed away. Now, Frank [...]
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  Posted: November 11, 2009, 8:00am EST
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• Salute to Veterans 2009

  
  Whether you call it Armistice Day, Remembrance Day, or Veterans Day, November 11th is a day set aside originally by all English speaking countries to mark the end of the Great War and, now, to honor all veterans who have served their countries with honor.
  [...]
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  Posted: November 10, 2009, 5:50am EST
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• Checks, but No Balances...

  
  Those who read our column on a daily basis are familiar with Brandi Lee Campbell, the Colbert County woman a grand jury refused to indict in the slaying of her brother. Now, Campbell is again wanted by Colbert County authorities. Besides several bad check charges, [...]
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  Posted: November 09, 2009, 5:10am EST
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• Ronnie Valentine - Dedicated Deputy or Gunslinger?

  
  Lauderdale County Road 200, commonly called the Old Savannah Highway, is a winding stretch of two-lane road--so winding that it was bypassed when the state upgraded Alabama Highway 20 some years ago. Early in the morning of Sunday, October 4, 2009, Deputy Ronnie Valentine was [...]
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  Posted: November 08, 2009, 6:15am EST
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• We Offer a Question and an Answer

  
  The rub of today's topic is that the question and answer aren't mated...
  
  A reader from Killen has asked the current status of Allen Wilson, the Lauderdale County teacher who was recently convicted of misdemeanor assault and terminated from his position at Brooks High School. Wilson was sentenced [...]
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  Posted: November 07, 2009, 4:05am EST
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• Andy Betterton & Rhea Fulmer - Biased on Not on Tourism Pick?

  
  Would Jan Ingle (pictured) make a dynamic addition to the Florence-Lauderdale Tourism Board? We think she would, but the 1985 graduate of the University of North Alabama may never get the chance.
  
  It seems the Lauderdale County Commission and Florence City Council are still [...]
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  Posted: November 06, 2009, 8:45am EST
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• Zachary Mullins Charged Because of Flag Team Row?

  
  Our October 29th blog on the indictment of Morgan County teacher Jessica Heather DeFoor and Air Force Lt. Zachary W. Mullins told it like it is: If an 18/19 year-old male has sex with a 15 year-old girl, he's guilty of second degree rape' [...]
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  Posted: November 05, 2009, 3:00am EST
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• Looking for a Bargain? Or Maybe a History Lesson?

  
  Are you looking for a bargain? Well, if you aren't, you should be; so if you haven't discovered Bargain Mom, you've been missing out on a multitude of great deals.
  
  Some of the offers featured in the Bargain Mom Blog, are local to the Birmingham area, but' [...]
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  Posted: November 04, 2009, 5:10am EST
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• One Swanky Landfill

  
  They're tearing down a school to build a parking lot.
  
  They're tearing down a hospital to build a parking lot.
  
  They're tearing down a church to build a parking lot.
  
  Whoa! They're tearing down a parking lot to build a parking lot!
  [...]
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  Posted: November 03, 2009, 2:05am EST
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• Guerra & Konig: A Tale of Two Entrepreneurs

  
  Francisco Guerra and Bernard Konig have a lot in common. The two are dedicated family men, close to the same age, and epitomize the ethic of hard work. In the early part of this decade both men brought their ideas to northeast Lauderdale County and set up shop; this [...]
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  Posted: November 02, 2009, 4:00am EST
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• Mayor LaWayne Harrison - Same Song, Second Verse

  
  In 2008, LaWayne Harrison won his second term as mayor of the small Colbert County town of Leighton with 74% of the vote; however, the landslide victory came in spite of Harrison's record in office, not because of it.
  
  In 2007, employees of the' [...]
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  Posted: November 01, 2009, 5:40am EST
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• A Limestone Haunting

  
  The following Halloween tale is suitable for kids eight to 108. So, gather round, kiddies; the season is upon us. Let's not wait, let's get started...
  
  
  
  Beans looked around the old vacant house and shuddered as the cool breeze flowing down the [...]
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  Posted: October 31, 2009, 2:35am EDT
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• Hangman's Corner: No Longer PC

  
  Several years ago a Huntsville businessman hanged a parking meter. Yes, he really did, and he did it as a symbol of his campaign against charging shoppers for parking in downtown Huntsville. One might have expected support for this businessman from various circles, if not [...]
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  Posted: October 30, 2009, 5:40am EDT
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• Is Lt. Zachary W. Mullins a Sex Offender?

  
  As we bring you this cautionary tale, we will immediately answer the question posed in today's topic; yes, Zachary Mullins, if guilty of the charges brought against him, is a sex offender and a fugitive from justice. Is the law under which he was indicted fair? Yes, as fair' [...]
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  Posted: October 29, 2009, 2:20am EDT
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• Post Office Murals - Hartselle & Haleyville

  
  Photo by Jimmy Emerson
  
  Cotton Scene is the title of the New Deal mural that once adorned the Hartselle Post Office. Now the 1941 artwork of Lee R. Warthen resides in the Hartselle Chamber of Commerce at 110 Railroad Street. US Senator John [...]
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  Posted: October 28, 2009, 2:01am EDT
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• More Post Office Murals - Russellville

  
  Photo by Jimmy Emerson
  
  Our column on the Tuscumbia Post Office mural garnered more mail than any since the inception of our blog. There were only four such murals created in the northwest Alabama area that loosely includes Lauderdale, Colbert, Franklin, Winston, Lawrence, Morgan, [...]
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  Posted: October 27, 2009, 4:05am EDT
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• Props to Florence PD Officer Luke McIntyre--A Very Lucky Man

  
  Bryan Luke McIntyre is lucky to be alive. On Saturday afternoon, Officer McIntyre was patrolling an area immediately northwest of Hermitage Drive that includes three large apartment complexes. Over the years, these apartments have been home to ministers, teachers, nurses, students, and other upstanding productive [...]
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  Posted: October 26, 2009, 7:45am EDT
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• "Chief Tuscumbia Greets the Dickson Family"

  
  
  Photos by Jimmy Emerson
  
  No, the title of today's blog isn't the name of a new Disney comedy; it's the title of an acclaimed work of art by Jack McMillen, a mural covering the surface of one wall of' [...]
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  Posted: October 25, 2009, 5:50am EDT
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• From Demonic to Angelic - A Potpourri of Reports

  
  Sadly, our demonic reports outnumber the angelic two to one...
  
  Demonic: One of the paradoxes of psychology is the need for healthy individuals to have pride in their own heritage and ethnicity while accepting and admiring the same thing in those who are of different backgrounds. Obviously, not [...]
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  Posted: October 24, 2009, 3:05am EDT
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• Tales of Tourism Tangles

  
  Sam Pendleton, a member of the Florence City Council since 1992, has never been shy about speaking his mind. Now he is speaking out on the standoff between Lauderdale County and the City of Florence over their joint appointee to the Florence-Lauderdale Tourism Board.
  
  [...]
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  Posted: October 23, 2009, 9:25pm EDT
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• George Wallace III, the Good & the Bad - Part II

  
  After losing his bid for the Republican nomination for Lt. Governor, George Wallace III, aka Jr, reportedly told friends he considered his political career at an end. Now the oft-married son of two former Alabama governors has announced his candidacy for State Treasurer, a position [...]
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  Posted: October 23, 2009, 12:15am EDT
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• George Wallace III, the Good & the Bad - Part I

  
  We make no secret that our political leanings are conservative; however, that does not mean we are wingnuts or support every candidate who claims the mantle of the Republican Party. One extremely controversial Republican is George Corley Wallace III, a man who styles himself politically [...]
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  Posted: October 21, 2009, 12:21am EDT
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• It's Our First Anniversary!

  That's right--our very first column was October 20, 2008. Since our modest debut blog discussing a proposed dog ordinance in Tuscumbia, we've amassed a reading audience responsible for 2.5K unique hits and 4K page views a month. That's not the Huffington Post, but we're still growing.
  [...]
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  Posted: October 20, 2009, 2:45am EDT
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• Leo's a Metrosexual? Say It Isn't So...

  
  PETA, the animal rights organization, has certainly made clear its opposition to all live mascots, including Leo III and Una at the University of North Alabama. Such rhetoric is to be expected when discussing live animals, but how about those other mascots--the humans dressed in [...]
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  Posted: October 19, 2009, 3:50am EDT
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• Fourth Time the Charm for Mobile Plaza Fountain?

  
  The fountain at the corner of Seminary Street and Mobile Plaza is not what most citizens of Florence would call attractive. Constructed in 1972, the three tiered structure falls under the category of "what were they thinking?" Thinking? Perhaps we give the city fathers entirely [...]
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  Posted: October 18, 2009, 8:29am EDT
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• Where Did Shoals Stimulus Funds Go?

  
  Despite several state and local governments refusing Federal stimulus money, much of it made its way to the Shoals. Right? While not all stimulus money has actually been handed out, why don't we see where disbursed funding has gone to date? All figures are taken' [...]
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  Posted: October 17, 2009, 3:40am EDT
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• "The Civil War in the Shoals Area"

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The Tennessee Valley Historical Society is hosting a special program entitled The Civil War in the Shoals Area presented by Dr. David Gregg, at the [...]
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  Posted: October 16, 2009, 5:30am EDT
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• Fabulous Finds Has a New Home

  
  The semi-annual Fabulous Finds sale begins tomorrow in its new home. Now located at 623 South Seminary Street in downtown Florence, the sale begins its fall run tomorrow at 8:00 a.m.
  
  The new location will offer more space to present Fabulous Finds' gently' [...]
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  Posted: October 16, 2009, 11:40pm EDT
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• Billy Jackson Has Grown Donkey Ears

  
  Perhaps we should call him Puck...it seems the former Republican District Attorney is now sporting long ears and referring to himself as a Democrat. To what end?
  
  From 2002 until 2004, Billy Jackson served as Lauderdale County District Attorney, but lost his appointed position [...]
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  Posted: October 14, 2009, 10:20pm EDT
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• Psychic? Try Madam Zara...

  
  With Halloween just around the corner and talk of the Sweetwater fortune teller making the rounds, we received several inquiries about Madam Zara, the psychic secretary. Today, we bring you an exclusive interview with her.
  
  SS: Hi, Zara. Is Zara Goldstein your real name?
  
  ZG: Well, it's' [...]
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  Posted: October 13, 2009, 9:25pm EDT
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• How Does Fitz Hill Get All These Jobs?

  
  Today's TimesDaily informs us that renovations of the former License Commissioner's office in the Lauderdale County Courthouse are going well, at least according to County Administrator Jenoice Bevis. We're glad that representatives of the local press were able to contact Ms. Bevis, who is normally away from her desk' [...]
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  Posted: October 12, 2009, 4:40am EDT
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• Is Willson Jenkins the Next Lauderdale Circuit Judge?

  
  Is Willson Jenkins of Florence destined to be the next Lauderdale County Family Court Judge, or, perhaps more importantly, is he the right man for the job? We think he might be. We also know that whoever succeeds the incumbent will not have an easy task before him or [...]
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  Posted: October 12, 2009, 12:30am EDT
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• Lauderdale's Diminutive Judge to Run Again?

  
  Several comments in The Courthouse Forum concerning Lauderdale Circuit Court Judge Jimmy Sandlin have assured his detractors that the diminutive jurist will not be running for re-election in 2010; however, two sources that we consider to be extremely reliable tell us that Sandlin will indeed be seeking a second [...]
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  Posted: October 11, 2009, 12:25am EDT
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• Those Must Have Been Some Love Letters

  
  John Celetti, formerly of Florence, is not a lucky man, either in money or love. In 2005, the then 55 year-old Celetti worked for Net Related, an Internet service provider. The company closed abruptly in February of that year, leaving Celetti and 44 co-workers without a job and owing [...]
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  Posted: October 09, 2009, 9:50pm EDT
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• Jan Ingle v. Bill Hunt for Tourism Board

  
  Jan Ingle (pictured) is a purchasing agent for SBS Electric Supply and, per the Florence City Council, the newest member of the Florence-Lauderdale Tourism Board. According to the Lauderdale County Commission, Bill Hunt will retain his current post. Obviously one governing body is in error, [...]
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  Posted: October 09, 2009, 12:35am EDT
  by Shoalanda Speaks

• Saluting Daniel Pate

  
  Several of our readers have asked us to spotlight Daniel Pate of Muscle Shoals. What makes Daniel so special? Other than the fact we're told he greatly resembles Ron Burgundy--just better looking? It seems there's not just a single aspect of Daniel's life that makes him special; there's many.[...]
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  Posted: October 07, 2009, 2:01am EDT
  by Shoalanda Speaks