The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
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Folks, taking care of prisoners is not a popular political issue. However, every so often Alabama politicians pragmatically have to acquiesce to the mandates of federal judges and grant our transgressing citizens their rights as determined by the courts. Federal Courts have determined that our felons deserve the rights to adequate imprisonment. You just cannot log them in, lock them up, and give them a basic bunk and rations three times a day. Courts want them to have sufficient space and...
Recidivism rate is the tendency of a criminal to commit a crime and return to prison. This is one of those areas where fuzzy math drives you crazy getting to the facts. According to the National Institute of Justice, 68 percent of 405,000 prisoners released in 30 states in 2005 were arrested for a new crime within three years of their release from prison, and 77 percent were arrested within five years. According to a 2018 report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in 1960 the U.S. prison...
Easter morning, I woke up to celebrate the most amazing miracle in the history of the universe. The resurrection of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We talked about this at length last Friday night out at Red Eagle where three guys from my church go out twice per month for prison ministry. After listening to Brother Cedrick speak, I was pumped up for Easter. Sunday morning, I got up, had a little breakfast making sure I left ample space for lunch a little after church, get semi-dolled up, turne...
The current measles outbreak has brought new criticism of parents who refuse to vaccinate their children over vaccine safety concerns. Measles was declared to be eradicated in the U.S. in 2000, and yet this year 550 cases have occurred through the second week of April. Anti-vaccination attitudes, I think, reflect a decline in trust in government. The research “anti-vaxxers” cite linking vaccines to autism, multiple sclerosis, and other ailments, has been called “junk science.” The Centers...
Kudos to Sen. Cam Ward [R-Alabaster] head of the Senate Judiciary Committee blocking the ethics bill proposed by Marsh and Albritton. Reported dead in Ward’s committee by Bill Britt [APR 4/18/19] who wrote, “However, since then, the pair have continued to lobby Republican caucus members to climb on board with the measure. Albritton is even suggesting that he and Marsh go around the Judiciary Committee to get the bill to the Senate floor” to circumvent the usual process. Amazing to watch polit...
While Congress was out of session for the April district work period, I had the opportunity to spend time on the road, traveling throughout Alabama’s Second District, meeting with constituents, businesses, industries, and local leaders. As I always say, I appreciate every chance I get to hear directly from the people I represent, and I believe our interactions enable me to be a stronger advocate for our shared beliefs in Congress. During the April district work period, I spent time in P...
“The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets people to do the greatest things.” – Ronald Reagan Two years ago, when Kay Ivey took the Oath of Office as Alabama’s 54th Governor, Alabama was under a dark cloud. Governor Robert Bentley, just a few hours prior had resigned from the Governor’s Office in disgrace. A mere 8 months earlier Speaker of the House, Mike Hubbard was convicted of 12 counts of ethics violations and was forced from offi...
Article V of the Constitution says... The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths there...
In 1699, the French sailed into Pensacola Bay. Upon finding the Spanish well established there, they moved on westward to discover the mouth of the river, "La Mobilla." In charge was a French naval officer, La Moyne Iberville. With him, was his younger brother, Bienville. They explored the area of Mobile Bay, and the island close to the Bay. Shocked at finding more than 50 bodies of men and women who had been slain, he named the area "massacre." Later, the French renamed that area, Dauphin Islan...
Music City, Nashville, Tennessee exceeded all expectations for hosting the 2019 NFL Draft. From Thursday, April 25th through Saturday, April 27th attendance at the draft exceeded 500,000, a record for the event. Philadelphia hosted the 2017 draft and drew a record 250,000. Nashville doubled that figure to establish a record that will be hard to beat. The NFL Draft will be held in Las Vegas next year. There were representatives from Vegas studying how Nashville handled the logistics. Twelve other...
Since the dust has settled from this turkey season, I want to tell the amazing story of an accomplished young turkey hunter. Her name is Mari Grace Brooks from Grady Alabama, and she is 13 years old. Mari Grace successfully completed the double Grand Slam in a single season. This is totally unheard of and possibly the first 13-year-old female ever do such an unimaginable task in one year. Honestly, I know only a handful of grown men that it took a life time of hunting to accomplish one Grand...
Ringtail cats are not related to the cat family but are members of the raccoon family, Procyonidae which also includes Kinkajous, and Coatimundis. Ringtails are cat sized animals that resemble a mix between a fox and a raccoon. The face is fox-like, with a pointed snout, and the body is raccoon-like and elongated. The top side of the animal is yellow to dark brown or black, and the underside is a whitish buff. The ears and eyes are large and the eyes are ringed by white fur. The tail is very...
In our nation’s beginning, our founding fathers wrote our Constitution to specify that American citizens must be 21 years old to be eligible to vote. This was considered to be the minimum age for a person to be mature enough to make wise decisions in the selection of our elected leaders. Our founders also set minimum ages for Senators (30) and the President (35). But in 1971, the American people very foolishly ratified the 26th Amendment which lowered the minimum voting age to 18. The a...
In celebration of the State of Alabama’s Bicentennial, the Town of Pike Road is excited to host "Alabama, Then & Now," a traveling bicentennial art exhibition presented by the Alabama Plein Air Artists (APAA), May 6 – 17. The Exhibition will be on display in the Mezzanine of Pike Road Town Hall (9575 Vaughn Rd), and it will be open for viewing from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. on weekdays, as well as from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 11. Entry is free and open to the public. This exhibition is offi...
Camp Show & Tell Camp Show and Tell application window is now open. The application window will close on Monday, June 3, 2019. This camp hosted by Sheriff Derrick Cunningham and the staff of the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office will be held July 29th - August 2nd. During this camp, youth explore and enjoy a week of outdoor fun and recreation. This mentoring-based camp also offers workshops addressing bullying, and the effects of bullying behaviors, gun violence/ substance abuse awareness and...
We have all been waiting for this month in order to kick into high gear with our garden and our pot gardens. If we have been diligent in picking out the winter weeds, preparing the soil, and making the garden plan, we should be ready to dash out and almost complete an instant garden. If you have completed the plan, and already have marked off the areas that seed has been sown and where cut back perennials live, it is time to get out a credit card or your check book for obtaining the spring and...
The construction of the beautiful Gothic Cathedral, Notre Dame, “The Cathedral of Paris”, began during the reign of King Louis VII in 1163 AD and was completed in 1345 AD. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a worldwide Parisian icon. It was the location of some of the most important moments in the history of France and survived many wars including WWI and WWII. It has inspired the architecture and construction of many Catholic and Protestant Churches around the world. Notre Dame is the off...
May 2 was the National Day of Prayer when we pause to thank God for our nation, seek forgiveness for our sins and ask his guidance in the future. There were at least two major proclamations before the event was formalized. The Continental Congress called the colonies to pray in 1775, and President Lincoln asked the nation to pray in 1863. Our modern observance was created in 1952 under President Truman and amended under President Reagan in 1988 to fall on the first Thursday in May. Every preside...
I made good use of some lovely Alabama spring weather to plant my garden. My wife planted her flowers; I planted my cherry tomatoes, mint, rosemary, and basil. My gardening philosophy is, “If you cannot eat it, do not plant it”. The sub-set to that philosophy is, “If you want beautiful, delicious, and non-labor intensive fruits and vegetables, go to the farmers market!” I planted cherry tomatoes because I have had luck with cherry tomatoes in my big planter pots. I can plant three tomato...
I had been handling things pretty well, until we went to the Piggly Wiggly last week. And I’m hardly alone. There are mothers everywhere feeling like I feel. It’s the road all parents walk. We know from the time they enter the world that they are going to grow up. That is our entire purpose, preparing that child to be independent. I managed to get my oldest daughter down the aisle without falling apart. And the second daughter moved out at 20 without me having a complete breakdown. Now she is...
This month my husband, Brian, and I will celebrate our 11th wedding anniversary. According to Hallmark, the 11th wedding anniversary’s material (or gift idea) is steel, which is a symbol of strength. As we journey along into the second decade as husband and wife, we are reminded of how God is our strength, every day in every way. For Brian and I, our wedding anniversaries are very important…particularly on the actual date. We always observe it in some special way. “That is why a man leave...
Special Edition - May 2019...
