Sen. Jabo Waggoner (R – Birmingham) announced to a crowd at a Tuscaloosa fundraiser earlier this month that former state Senator Gerald Dial will run as a Republican for the Senate District 13 seat that he held six terms as a Democrat.
Dial as a Democrat became [...]
Did you see that Earl Hilliard Jr. picked up the endorsement of the Congressional Black Caucus PAC in his quest to succeed Artur Davis as the Congressman for AL-07? Dad’s ties from his own Congressional days surely didn’t hurt. The real value for Hilliard [...]
We’ve had more than the usual number of distractions around the Parlor lately, including the holidays and working to get the Parlor back into shape after our ‘net storm. I’ll be sifting through some email and notes to find post topics that didn’t get posted, seeing what [...]
Tallassee’s landmark Hotel Talisi was destroyed in a fire this morning. Opened in 1928, the buffet in the hotel’s restaurant was promoted in an Alabama Tourism campaign, “100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die” (pdf).
There are still some rough edges to be sanded down, and the tweaking will no doubt be an ongoing effort, but we have a new look for the site that brings us closer to completing the transition from the old look (that we [...]
Birmingham News – Jefferson County sheriff wants Collins overruled
Birmingham News – Train-hopping raises concern: 24 trespassers killed in Alabama since 2006
Birmingham News – Encyclopedia of Alabama paints state story
Birmingham News – Voters in other counties deciding fate of occupational taxes
Birmingham News [...]
Birmingham News – Archibald: Ranking the mayors of the past
Birmingham News – Nation’s Black Friday shopping up only modestly, early data suggests
Birmingham News – Birmingham community group conducts Avondale area clean-up
Birmingham News – City in debt: Mobile’s liability worries officials
Birmingham News [...]
The Daily Home – A different tool to reduce drop out rates
The Selma Times-Journal – Group targets AIDS education
The News Courier – Limestone County Commission to show thanks for grants
Daily Mountain Eagle – Carbon Hill recieves $3000 community service grant from Rep. Ken Guin
Dothan Eagle – [...]
A reader writes:
Is it possible to get a list of ALL public officials (elected, appointed, etc.) who were given free AU/AL Game tickets? Who paid for the tickets and what is the actual value of each ticket? Did spouses also receive free tickets? Did taxpayers pay for a special reception, [...]
Birmingham News – Birmingham-area women firefighters to sell Brave Beauties calendar for special needs charity
Birmingham News – Jefferson County hopeful homicides halved in 2009
Press-Register – Mobile’s debt liability raises some concerns
Press-Register – Tropical Storm Ida took toll on Baldwin beaches
Press-Register – [...]
The Sand Mountain Reporter – Group suspends holiday fund raising and related editorial
The Tuskegee News – Racing Commission could receive 45 per cent raise
Southeastern Sun – Community mourns loss of Wallace Miller
Clanton Advertiser – Rhonda Hardesty to seek Republican nomination for third term as District [...]
I expect that next week you will see a new look for the Parlor. The painters are putting on the second coats, and movers will position the big pieces once the dropcloths are removed. Tweaking the smaller pieces and other design elements will be a longer process.
We [...]
Seems to be motto of 13 year old, Marina McKinley, of Saraland. She has gone from seeing people beg for left overs to providing a meal for them. She does have a website where donations can be made.
As the saying goes better to light a candle than curse [...]
Birmingham News – Archibald: Some savor this whacky, whacky world
Birmingham News – Who’s got free tickets? Every state legislator
Birmingham News – Birmingham Baptist Association ‘Food for Friends’ gives away food and clothing on Thanksgiving morning
Birmingham News – Birmingham [...]
Journal-Record - Grants raise interest in Bedford program
The News-Courier – Three years of excess revenue helps Athens pay bills
The Blount Countian - Law center takes on ADEM over Rosa Mines permit
Dothan Eagle – Royer enjoys Thanksgiving with family, friends
[...]Birmingham News – Moody police, FBI investigating threatening letter left at City Hall
Birmingham News – Birmingham police officer charged with murder in fatal wreck
Birmingham News – Former state Rep. Sue Schmitz ordered to begin serving prison sentence Dec. 30
Piedmont Journal – Happy Thanksgiving
The Moulton Advertiser – Late payment leads to brief health insurance lapse for Lawrence County employees
The Blount Countian – Disruptive non-meeting in Cleveland
The Randolph Leader – Randolph County Commission silence stalls projects
The Brewton Standard – Keahy: Lawmakers will have to cut [...]
There is a quote about Thanksgiving attributed to H. U. Westermayer, about whom little is written or known. Regardless of the origin, it is appropriate as we enter this time of thanks to read his words: “The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more [...]
Birmingham News – Archibald: Poof! And the mayor disappears
Birmingham News – Jefferson County judge refuses to dismiss Trinity Medical Center, most defendants from Irondale suit
Birmingham News – Georgia panel says state can’t meet federal deadline to limit Lake Lanier water withdrawals
Birmingham News – [...]
Dothan Eagle – Yes we can! leader talks about 2010 goals
Times Record - School prayer issue at Fayette County Board of Education meeting – scroll past the first two headlines
Daily Mountain Eagle – Jasper won’t service police jurisdiction
The Sand Mountain Reporter – Thrifty teachers
The Daily Sentinel [...]
Birmingham News – Macon County road to bear name of a native son, an Alabama Guard soldier slain in Iraq
Birmingham News – Crowd chanting her name greets Sarah Palin at Homewood booksigning
Birmingham News – FBI releases its 2008 report on hate crime statistics
Birmingham [...]
The Arab Tribune – Marshall County payroll check arrested on theft charge
The Atmore Advance – County food aid need growing
The Brewton Standard – Teachers get gift of supply money – from State Sen. Keahey
The Sand Mountain Reporter – Teachers need help with school supplies
Daily Mountain Eagle [...]
Natalie Davis surveys the current political landscape in the nation, in the state, and with the Birmingham mayor’s race and declares it “Thanksiving Just in Time” in her new post here in the Purple Dot Connection.
[...]THE WASHINGTON SAUSAGE FACTORY
Watching the health care debate reminds me of the old joke about “loving the law and liking sausage.†Start with the vote taken Saturday night. Harry Reid and the Dems prevailed on the vote to proceed with debate on the health care reform bill. To get [...]
Birmingham News – Alabama Arise says decade marked by lost potential for workers in state
Birmingham News – Huckabee appearance packs Books-A-Million at Brookwood Village
Birmingham News – Update: Discussion of gambling laws by Alabama governor and DAs cancelled
Birmingham News – About 1,800 people [...]
In this corner, Gov. Bob Riley and in the other, Milton McGregor, one of Alabama’s most powerful figures.  In another corner is Attorney General Troy King.
According to the Gadsden Times, Gov. Riley’s spokesman has said the McGregor’s Victoryland bingo parlor is operating in violation of state law and [...]
Birmingham News – Archibald: The legacy of a fighter, and a gentleman
Birmingham News – U.S. attorney in Alabama’s northern district: Lighter sentences send wrong message
Press-Register – Mobile’s new U.S. attorney confirmed
Press-Register – Officials issue whooping cough alert for Spanish Fort High
Press-Register [...]
Greenville Advocate – Butler County BOE considers cutting bus routes, adding ‘hubs’
BaldwinCountyNow – Island Men movement growing, helping to change things for the better
Dothan Eagle – Editorial: Explain to us your opposition to bingo, Gov. Riley
The Wetumpka Herald – Beason’s proposal would say yes or no
Selma [...]
Birmingham News – Judge pushes jobs tax refunds
Birmingham News – Georgia spares no water wars expense: Will pay new lawyer $855 an hour
Birmingham News – Lawyer asks EPA to order end to coal ash shipments to Perry County landfill
Birmingham [...]
Ledger-Enquirer – Sen. Ted Little awards $150,000 to Russell County
Shelby County Reporter - FBI seeking relatives of Nathan Johnson, who was killed by Alabaster Police in 1966
Prattville Progress – Marbury Smart boards a Wii bit less pricey
BaldwinCountyNow – Yay or Neigh? Bay Minette Council talks limits [...]
Lagniappe (out of Mobile) this week picks up on the Supreme Court report on the disparities among the justices’ …um… working tempos that we had here last month.
Lagniappe adds comments from Court Clerk Robert Esdale:
Court Clerk Robert Esdale [...]
George Talbot’s article in the Press-Register gives us the morning update on the Jesse Jackson / Artur Davis story.
Jackson said in a statement late Thursday that he called Davis to discuss his remarks.
“I talked to (Davis) today to assure him of my [...]
Birmingham News – Archibald: Oh my God! Look at them!
Birmingham News – Jeffco claims it owes no refund on job tax
Birmingham News – Birmingham acting Mayor Carole Smitherman says city must become more like successful business
Birmingham News – Jay Grinney: HealthSouth lessons [...]
News Courier - Athens ticket fixing probe closed
The Daily Home – Talladega City Council discusses the ‘appalling’ state of city water department
The Cleburne News – Proration will cut $1.1 million from Cleburne County schools
Troy Messenger – Pike County Commission considers key changes to increase revenue
Andalusia Star-News [...]
The Rev. Jesse Jackson calls out Rep. Artur Davis for voting against the Democrats’ health care reform bill in the House.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson on Wednesday night criticized Rep. Artur Davis (D-Ala.) for voting against the Democrats’ signature healthcare bill.
“We even have blacks voting against [...]
Associated Press this morning:
Former federal prosecutor Michel Nicrosi says she plans to run for Alabama attorney general as a Democrat.
The 45-year-old Nicrosi says she is filing papers Thursday with the Alabama Secretary of State’s office showing she will run for the' [...]
Birmingham News – Qualifying ends in Birmingham for special mayoral race
Birmingham News – Alabama Department of Corrections to add 112 more officers on Thursday
Birmingham News – Gov. Riley urges business leaders to support U.S. 280 toll road
Birmingham News – Opponents of Lane [...]
The Arab Tribune - Marshall County struggles with abuse, births
Times-Journal – Sylvania postpones hearing for city magistrate – for the fourth time
Southeast Sun - Governor insists electronic bingo is illegal – embedded is Country Crossing’s response to the latest developments
The Selma Times-Journal – White Hall temporarily [...]
The Parlor hears reliable word that Bill Harris is considering running for Congressional District 2 in 2010. One factor in his decision has to do with when he will be released from active duty from his military service. He also [...]
Birmingham News – Irondale City Council passes $15 million budget with no cuts in jobs, services
Birmingham News – Dothan business willing to spend big to encourage good school attendance
Birmingham News – Federal disaster declaration approved for farm losses in Alabama, four other states
Birmingham [...]
The Arab Tribune – Help needed for 1000 kids – a sign of the times
Times-Journal - Feds target Fort Payne courts
Choctaw Sun – County Commission meets over land fill deal
Clanton Advertiser - Thorsby residents speak out on zoning
Pickens County Herald – [...]
Birmingham News – Alabama to audit 2 nonprofit groups
Birmingham News – Cloudy skies dim shot at seeing meteor storm early Tuesday
Birmingham News – Federal prosecutor: No reason to grant Larry Langford a new trial
Birmingham News – Alabama Agriculture Department testing propane fueled [...]
Daily Mountain Eagle – Electronic bingo’s future addressed by citizen at Walker County Commission meeting
The News-Courier – Man questions lack of county noise ordinance
Brewton Standard – Escambia County DHR: food stamp need rises as families cope with economy
Arab Today – United Way 2-1-1 calls spike [...]
Speaking of the Birmingham mayor’s race…
Richard Arrington apparently will not find out if the once-formidable Citizens’ Coalition could propel him into the mayor’s office again, telling the Birmingham News that he will not run. Many public figures are not self-aware enough to know when [...]
Don’t miss Natalie Davis considering the lay of the land after the recent national elections, and she looks ahead to the Birmingham mayor’s race.
She managed to wiggle the post on to the site at the end of the week before the site got completely uncooperative, [...]
I should have known when I got this warning sign last week that we were in for some trouble.
I put a note of explanation here (and linked for now up top to the text “Update Nov 2009″) that the site is definitely in flux while [...]
Birmingham News – Alabama lawmakers split on path to tax threshold ‘fairness’
Birmingham News – U.S. Marshals in operation to track about 450 sex offenders in Montgomery County
Birmingham News – Birmingham charities see rise in volunteers
Press-Register – Federal regulators should re-examine fishing limits
Thanks to anonymous for the steer to Nonprofits formed by three legislators go unaudited in today’s Birmingham News. In brief, State Sen. Roger Bedford, Reps. Mike Millican, D-Hamilton, and William Thigpen, D-Fayette, helped pass legislation diverting tax funds from the State Coal Severance Tax (which the act also sets [...]
The Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Fact book (pdf). This is a reference provided all legislators to show them where all the money goes. Makes interesting reading. For instance, one state agency recieves about $600K to investigate consumer complaints and secured about $400k in refunds for Alabama consumers and resolved [...]
H, Natalie Davis, Rep. Cam Ward, waltm, Danny, Howie
