Wednesday 10/31/2007 DAILY NEWS DIGEST

Birmingham News – Birmingham mayor-elect sets meeting with Governor to discuss state funding for proposed dome.

Birmingham News – Second prosecutor denies any political involvement in Siegelman prosecution.

Birmingham News – Attorneys argue whether child welfare case should be revived in appearance before three-judge federal appeals court.

Birmingham News – Riley pledges to fight for water in meetings later this week in Washington.

Mobile Press-Register – Schools dispute classification as “drop-out factories.”

Montgomery Advertiser – Governor halts plans to open state-run liquor stores on Sundays.

Anniston Star – The Anniston Star says that calls for book publisher to alter text to be used in course on impact of the Bible to accomodate one particular denominational group as crossing “a constitutional line we should not cross.”

Decatur Daily – Selma officials form biracial panel to address problems.

Tuscaloosa News – The Tuscaloosa News calls for moratorium on executions.

Tuscaloosa News – “Alabama Exposure,” Dana Beyerle’s political roundup for reader of the NYTimes regional papers.

Washington Post – Water battles between Alabama, Georgia and Florida places Bush in bind.

New York Times – Supreme Court’s actions in staying Mississippi execution reflects that Court intends to block all executions until Kentucky case is resolved next Spring.

Senate Sketches – “Senate Sketches,” Sen. Hank Sanders’ (D-Selma) weekly column for his constituents.

FROM TODAY’S ANNISTON STAR:
Alabama officials from across state defend water conservation efforts
By Markeshia Ricks
Star Capitol Correspondent
10-31-2007

MONTGOMERY — As the ongoing drought continues to escalate a tri-state water war, it has also exposed Alabama’s failure to put together a statewide water management plan in nearly 18 years.

The state’s lack of a plan, or even a draft, in the face of a continued struggle with Florida and Georgia, was raised at a press conference of the Southeast Water Alliance Tuesday.

Mayors and water officials from across the state came to Montgomery to set the record straight about the water conservation measures their counties and municipalities have taken during this year’s drought.

Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue has publicly accused Alabama of not doing all it could to conserve water during what has been labeled a multi-year drought, with 2007 being the worst year yet.

Jerry Sailors, co-chairman of the Southeast Water Alliance, vehemently protested Perdue’s statements, citing data from the Army Corps of Engineers that says Atlanta and its suburbs have taken more than their allotted share of water from lakes Lanier and Allatoona during the drought.

Sailors did concede, however, that Alabama has dropped the ball when it came to developing a statewide water management plan.

The state does have a drought management plan, but Sailors said a water management plan would focus on the economic development of the state’s water resources, and how to sustain that development while meeting other water needs in the state.

Sen. Kim Benefield, D-Woodland, said she believes the state’s water crisis and the development of a water management plan would be ideal issues for her to bring to the Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee, of which she is chairwoman.

“Alabama is bearing some of the pain and in East Alabama we are bearing more than our share,” she said. “I think it’s time we had our committees work on our water issues.”

Representing several counties that share a border with Georgia, Benefield said she’s already seeing the ripple effect of the drought on businesses in her area.

“It doesn’t just affect the recreation and the marina,” she said. “It affects the grocery store and the restaurants too. The water issues are way beyond politics at this point.”

Benefield, who also serves on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said she plans to bring the water issues up there during the 2008 legislative session.

Calhoun County Commissioner Robert Downing was scheduled to be at the press conference, but was unable to attend.

He said by phone Tuesday, that Calhoun County has, like other areas of the state, been proactive in conserving water, and he supports the state developing a statewide water management plan that he hopes would take into consideration economic development and the basic needs of citizens.

“If we don’t have a statewide plan, then we certainly need to get on the ball,” he said. “We need adequate water for more than just economic development.

“You can do without a lot of things, before you can do without water.”

Perdue will meet with Gov. Bob Riley and Florida Gov. Charlie Crist in Washington, D.C., on Thursday