Birmingham News - State may look to tolls for road construction projects in 2008.
Birmingham News - The Birmingham News calls for Environmental Management Commission to move forward with new limitation on allowable carcinogens in state’s waterways.
Birmingham News - The Birmingham News reminds readers not to become complacent with guilty pleas in continuing community college corruption probe, urging them to be “very, very outraged.”
Mobile Press-Register - Chancellor, most members of State Board of Education oppose proposal to create new oversight board for postsecondary system.
Huntsville Times - The Huntsville Times calls for stronger environmental laws and enforcement provisions following report that ranked state’s environmental protection efforts and policies as 48th in nation.
Montgomery Advertiser - Alabama set to receive almost $1 billion in projects in federal spending bill.
Montgomery Advertiser - State sets new record for child support collections in 2007.
New York Times - Article profiles the impact of the original German rocket scientists on Huntsville.
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Dothan Eagle - “Enterprise tornado top story of 2008″
The News Courier - From the county’s first presidential visit to stink over sewer sludge, 2007 was an interesting year.
Daily Mountain Eagle - Local Soldier’s death in Iraq top story of the year.
(more…)
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Andalusia Star News - City should pay fair rate to jail. Andalusia’s mayor provides a column discussing the city’s contract with the county to house prisoners.
Times Daily - Disclosing contacts. An editorial advocating the passage of the bill introduced to require public officials to disclose personal connections with government agencies or relatives who work for the government.
Gadsden Times - Kimberley hears challenge to Mountainboro annexation vote. The contested annexation election in Mountainboro has its day in court.
(more…)
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Birmingham News - Alabama farmers tested by drought.
Birmingham News - Women hold few cabinet-level or high elective positions in Alabama.
Birmingham News - 2007 worst year for Alabama stocks in more than a decade.
Birmingham News - The Birmingham News provides a 2008 “to-do” list for state and local officials.
Birmingham News - Bob Blaylock predicts that continuing fallout from Barron-Bishop “punch” may derail 2008 legislative session.
Mobile Press-Register - Conecuh County group fighting proposed landfill seeks changes in laws regulating landfill approval process.
Mobile Press-Register - People with disabilities boost workforce.
Mobile Press-Register - Press-Register calls for leaders to “maintain momentum” in 2008.
Montgomery Advertiser - Changing demographics result in increase in Alabama’s older population.
Montgomery Advertiser - The Montgomery Advertiser endorses proposed transparency measures to be introduced in 2008 session,
Decatur Daily - The Associated Press lists their top 10 news stories in Alabama for 2007.
Decatur Daily - The Decatur Daily calls for enactment of proposals to ban transfers of campaign funds and require increased economic disclosure by legislators.
Times Daily - The Times Daily endorses proposal to require legislators and their spouses to report employment or contracts with state entities.
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Birmingham News - Veterans Affairs Board set to choose site for fourth nursing home.
Birmingham News - The Birmingham News views Alabama’s population growth rate as a positive, allowing sufficient time for infrastructure growth to match population increases.
Huntsville Times - Legislators frustrated by lack of budget information from Medicaid; Commissioner says she will be ready for budget presentation on January 16th.
Montgomery Advertiser - Governor says he lacks the authority to order post-conviction DNA testing.
Montgomery Advertiser - State appeals court upholds ruling in favor of environmental groups challenging ADEM permit in Tuscaloosa County case.
Montgomery Advertiser - Guest columnist challenges Advertiser editorial critical of Bush veto of SCHIP.
Tuscaloosa News - At least 2000 attorneys may miss deadline to direct interest from firm accounts to charitable purposes.
Times Daily - The Times Daily poor ranking as “green” state as evidence that ADEM “is not even a paper tiger, it’s dormant.”
Winnipeg Free Press - Canadian travel writer finds surprises on the Robert Trent Jones trail.
Niagara Gazette - Commentary from the Niagara (Falls) Gazette looks at plans of new chair of National League of Cities (representing Madison, Alabama) to “ensure that the federal government ceases its terrible budgeting practices and provide adequate funding to localities for transportation issues and poverty.”
Fox Business - U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus (R) recognized for work in domestic violence prevention.
Montgomery Independent - Riley’s 2002 and 2006 may have violated campaign reporting law by improperly reporting use of corporate airplanes and improperly reporting donations.
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Andalusia Star News - Mysterious fliers appear in Gantt. The fliers call for the replacement of the town council. Earlier story about the mayor’s arrest here.
Times Daily - Selection may defy voting act.
The Clanton Advertiser - Many lawyers close to missing charity account deadlines.
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Birmingham News - Latest population figures show Alabama unlikely to lose U.S. House seat after 2010 census.
Birmingham News - Traffic deaths at four-year low.
Mobile Press-Register - Press-Register comments on recent ranking that determined Alabama was among the least “green” state in nation.
Montgomery Advertiser - Life at Alabama’s Holman Prison depicted on MSNBC television series.
Montgomery Advertiser - The Montgomery Advertiser contends that recent guilty pleas may indicate that long-running corruption probe of community college system may be nearing its end.
Tuscaloosa News - Public health officials push smoking-cessation program.
Daily Home - The Daily Home sees the creation, by congressmen, of political action committees is a “sign of a broken political system, where congressmen have to raise money to buy their way into leadership posts.”
Washington Post - GAO upholds portion of protest by Birmingham-based Pemco against Air Force contract with rival Boeing.
News link - Alabama-Louisiana senate battle underway over Katrina relief and flood-insurance premiums.
News link - Alabama Constitution Party endorses Ron Paul for president.
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Times Daily - Local budgets make room for charitable appropriations. A look at how much and to whom Shoals area governments appropriate to local charities.
Decatur Daily - Lawrence clerk’s pay hike draws fire. County Commissioners also discuss her job performance and other matters.
The Tuskegee News - BOE delays vote on Lewis Adams. Two members of the Macon County Board of Education (MCBOE) said they were unaware of a public hearing conducted last Friday (December 14) concerning the future of Lewis Adams Early Childhood Center.
(more…)
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Birmingham News - Jasper businessman agrees to plead guilty to bribery and conspiracy in ongoing investigation of community college system.
Birmingham News - The Birmingham News argues that state employees receive too many paid holidays each year.
Montgomery Advertiser - Alabama’s population growth slowed in ‘07.
Montgomery Advertiser - The Montgomery Advertiser calls for Southern Company to resolve problems at Farley Nuclear Power Plant.
Times Daily - The Times Daily urges compromise to allow expansion of SCHIP.
News link - Philadelphia writer questions whether Alabama, in refusing to grant request for DNA testing in Tommy Arthur case, will execute an innocent person.
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The Greenville Advocate - Helping students goal of Pay Plus. Editorial about Butler county’s experiment in incentive pay for educators.
The Andalusia Star-News - County facing challenges in 2008. Editorial by Covington County Commissioner Greg White, where he sets out the issues to be resolved in 2008.
Daily Home - Surviving mill closings takes community wide effort. Editorial on the silver lining in the wave of textile mill closings.
(more…)
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Daily Mountain Eagle - Several polling places changing. Walker county announces changes in polling places and there is some controversy over the location of the Argo station polling place.
The Brewton Standard - Primary on tap in 2008. Article reminds us of what elections will be occurring when in 2008.
The News Courier - Diversity keeps jobless rate low.
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Birmingham News - U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers joins with four other Alabama congressmen to form PAC.
Mobile Press-Register - Press-Register is pleased with interpretation by Ethics Commission that laws prohibiting gifts.
News link - Political columnist Steve Flowers reviews the top political stories of 2007.
Montgomery Advertiser - Gary Palmer of the Alabama Policy Institute comments on the “truth about the state of education in Alabama.”
Tuscaloosa News - PSC officials hope that recent rate decrease will result in expansion of Alabama Power biofuel project and decrease reliance on fossil fuels.
Gadsden Times - The Gadsden Times endorses proposal to require public officials and employees and their spouses to report if they are working for the government or have government contracts.
New York Times - The new York Times cites Siegelman case, among others, in call for continuing investigation into whether politics played role in federal prosecutions.
Times Daily - Thousands file pre-employment applications for jobs at North Alabama railcar manufacturing facility.
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Birmingham News - Alabama Honda sets production record in 2007 with over 300,000 units at Lincoln facility.
Montgomery Advertiser - Industrial recruiters expect another banner year in 2008.
Tuscaloosa News - Mobile County school officials could cut hundreds of jobs next year as budget crisis looms.
New York Times - University of Alabama law professor Susan Pace Hamill looks at tax policies from Biblical perspective in all 50 states.
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Most of the papers I look at will not be publishing today. So, I thought I would pass along some links below the fold to various small papers so y’all can see their online Christmas greetings/stories. These are in no particular order and are posted without comments.
If you are traveling, please don’t drive like my son.
(more…)
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Merry Christmas to everyone who has played a part in making the Political Parlor happen this year. G, Walt, Chauncey, Cam Ward, Randy Hinshaw, Peter, all the folks who are eyes and ears for us, and especially the readers…
Whether your holiday and family time is typically closer to a Norman Rockwell experience or closer to a Norman Bates experience, may you (like the Senate Republicans) have a Holley… er… holly, jolly Christmas.
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The Selma Times-Journal - Allowing the sunshine to come in again. An editorial calling for openness from the Selma City Council.
Times Daily - Local facilities helping those without insurance. Article explaining how local clinics and hospitals arrange payment from those who don’t have health insurance.
Have a Merry Christmas
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Birmingham News - $6 billion in Alabama industrial projects announced in 2007.
Birmingham News - The Birmingham News contends that Gov. Riley runs the risk of murdering an innocent man if he continues to refuse DNA testing in case of death-row inmate Tommy Arthur.
Mobile Press-Register - Baldwin County lawmakers want to cap increases in property taxes.
Mobile Press-Register - Center for Responsive Politics says clergy and employees of religious organizations are shifting their political contributions to Democrats.
Montgomery Advertiser - The Montgomery Advertiser contends that there is “simply no argument against” adopting more stringent limitations on allowable carcinogens in state’s waterways.
Decatur Daily - Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb denies interest in 2010 governor’s race.
Tuscaloosa News - “Alabama Exposure,” Dana Beyerle’s weekly political roundup for readers of the NYTimes regional papers.
Anniston Star - Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.
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Birmingham News - Plans for federal prison in Pickens County could expand.
Birmingham News - Alabama public employees get more paid holidays than most workers.
Birmingham News - The Birmingham News says ill-feelings continue to threaten next legislative session.
Birmingham News - The Birmingham News cites spike in sale of artwork by death-row inmates, blames Sen. Phil Poole (D-Moundville) for killing bill that would have prohibited profits from such sales.
Mobile Press-Register - Press-Register praises Alabama’s improvement in preparation for health emergencies.
Mobile Press-Register - Commentary by April Hall of the Alabama Rivers Alliance calls for leadership from state agencies and officials in developing state water use plan.
Huntsville Times - State Ethics Commission director endorses proposal to expand requirements to require public officials and employees and their spouses to report if they are working for or have contracts with government.
Montgomery Advertiser - Presidential primary elections divide some of Alabama’s prominent political families.
Associated Press - Milton McGregor plans to offer bingo at Birmingham Race Track, enters agreement with Greenetrack.
Montgomery Advertiser - The Montgomery Advertiser compares Bush veto of SCHIP expansion to the Grinch that stole Christmas, calls for congress to push for expansion of program.
Tuscaloosa News - The Tuscaloosa News calls Bush veto of SCHIP expansion and reauthorization “bullheaded and callous.”
Decatur Daily - Unknown budget shortfall for Medicaid poses problems for lawmakers.
Washington Post - The Washington Post calls for abolishing death penalty.
(more…)
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Cleburne News - Black urges more civic involvement.
Daily Mountain-Eagle - Bishop ready to fight bingo during ‘08 session. Article appears to be setting up a legislative struggle between State Sen. Charles Bishop and State Sen. Ken Guin over the bill.
The Daily Sentinel - Former Fabius mine site contaminated. Sludge dumped by Chattanooga in 1995, believed responsible.
(more…)
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Andalusia Star News - Gantt mayor arrested again. This is the sixth arrest for Mayor Thomas “Tommy” Glidewell on charges arising from his dealings with the town council or town clerk.
Dothan Eagle - Dothan City Commission approves controversial jurisdiction move.
Demopolis Times - Zoning issues surface again.
(more…)
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Birmingham News - State’s economy viewed as strong despite November increase in unemployment rate.
Mobile Press-Register - Sen. Shelby’s actions to insert prohibitions against updating manuals to detail water-use adds ‘new wrinkle’ to negotiations between Alabama, Florida and Georgia.
Tuscaloosa News - Ethics Commission ruling on hospitality expenditures for elected officials and public employees raise questions during holidays.
Tuscaloosa News - State officials to follow holidays with trip to Hawaii for industrial recruitment.
Senate Sketches - “Senate Sketches,” the weekly column by Sen. Hank Sanders (D-Selma) for his constituents.
Dothan Eagle - Aging population expected to increase demands for public transportation.
Opelika-Auburn News - The Opelika-Auburn News points out that state cannot always depend on the availability of rainy-day funds to bail out budget shortfalls.
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Democratic State Sen. Jimmy Holley (of Elba) has confirmed to Republican party officials (and is telling Democratic colleagues) that he will switch parties and become a Republican, a solid source close to the situation tells the Political Parlor. This means that there will be 22 Democratic Senators and 13 Republican Senators after the announcement is made. State GOP Communication Director Philip Bryan told the Parlor, “[State Party chair] Rep. Mike Hubbard has been talking to several Democrats, so we can not confirm that rumor.”
Holley has been one of the so-called dissident Democrats to caucus with the Senate Republicans. The minority coalition caucus of Republicans and dissident Democrats has 15 members, and that number will remain unchanged. The Democratic majority caucus has 20 members, still one vote shy of the 21 votes necessary for a “filibuster-proof” majority. (This count includes Sen. Larry Means of Attalla in the Democratic majority caucus. He had caucused with the Republicans last session, but he is said to be back with the Democratic majority, though I have seen no official announcement.) The other two Democrats who caucus with the GOP are Jim Preuitt (Talladega) and Tom Butler (Madison).
Holley’s district is solidly Republican. A Senate insider wondered to the Parlor in August if Holley might never come back into the Democratic fold, since Holley could easily win his district as a Republican.
It’s always a coup when someone switches teams, so we can naturally expect the GOP to make much of this. Functionally, the change will do little to affect the operation of the Senate.
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The Montgomery Independent has three reasons why Republican Public Service Commission President Jim Sullivan may opt for retirement instead of a re-election campaign: “Baxley, ethics and business.”
Since the Parlor broke the news that former Democratic Lt. Governor Lucy Baxley was eyeing the position, many have been contemplating the showdown between one of the bigger names in state Democratic politics and the Republican incumbent who has had the post since 1983. It just may not happen, say columnist Bob Gambacurta. We’ve heard similar speculation here in the Parlor that Sullivan will announce his retirement, though I’ve also heard that Sullivan really does not want to be seen as running from a fight.
The Montgomery Independent column does not mention what we’ve heard here, that former PSC Commissioner George Wallace, Jr. (R) is considering a run for the PSC Presidency especially if Sullivan chooses not to run.
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Catching up in a busy week...
Birmingham Mayoral runner-up Patrick Cooper this week dropped his legal challenge to Larry Langford’s election in October. The state Supreme Court was slated to hear the challenge that Langford did not meet the residency requirements to appear on the ballot. Two months ago an elections lawyer told us that in the unlikely event that Cooper won the challenge, there was “no chance” Langford would be disqualified from a subsequent do-over if he met the requirements by then - which he would, of course.
Langford said this week that he believes he is the target of a criminal investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission. I guess their subpoena of all those financial records of his back in August might have been a tip-off.
Langford went down to Miami last week to not testify to the SEC. That is to say that he (and Bill Blount) answered a subpoena by appearing but claimed some unspecified legal privilege that excused them from answering questions. But it was not the Fifth Amendment. No, no, they were not claiming protection under the Fifth Amendment.
Birmingham News yesterday:
It led to goofy exchanges between attorneys for both sides, with the SEC at one point asking if Blount’s lawyer Bill Baxley was arguing protection under the Constitution’s Second Amendment. “All of them,” Baxley responded.
Obviously - and Langford’s lawyer Mike Rasmussen made this clear - neither, in answering specific questions, wanted to invoke his Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination. “And there’s nothing the press or his political enemies would like more than to say Larry Langford took the Fifth, all right?” Rasmussen said.
This may be supplanting the story that Jefferson County could have two commissioners claiming one seat as the current Parlor favorite to watch in Alabama local politics.
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To you, state Agricultural Commissioner Ron Sparks may be a Hillary-endorsing liberal, but to Eagle Forum founder Phyllis Schlafly, he’s an exemplary role model.
Some have said that Sparks’ political future in Alabama is limited because he has endorsed Clinton in 2008, but I’m not sure I buy that. For one, it might be limited anyway even if he didn’t endorse Clinton. But the flip side is that I get glimpses over and over again of how deep his support is among some segments of our state.
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Birmingham News - Jefferson County paid millions more than Alabama on sale on $1 billion in bonds.
Birmingham News - Six former death row inmates, exonerated by DNA testing before execution, ask Riley to order DNA testing for Thomas Arthur.
Mobile Press-Register - Construction of new ship building facility in Mobile gets $33 milllion boost from Navy.
Huntsville Times - The Huntsville Times comments on state’s recent removal from list of “judicial hellholes.”
Montgomery Advertiser - Although Congress has approved extension of SCHIP, Alabama’s ALL Kids unlikely to see growth.
Tuscaloosa News - Federal judge stays Alabama’s next scheduled execution.
Tuscaloosa News - The Tuscaloosa News characterizes Alabama’s neglect of adequate funding for mental health services as “unconscionable.”
Associated Press - New NRC report details partial failure of cooling system at Alabama Power Company’s Farley Nuclear Power Plant.
Birmingham News - 1300 job losses expected as East Alabama textile mills close.
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Daily Home - Motion filed asking court to reconsider decision voiding Woodruff’s election. Earlier story about court’s decision here.
Randolph Leader - Voters won’t like some changes, registrars say. The county Board of Registrars has been updating and computerizing the voter roll and assigning polling places as required by the National Voting Rights Act.
Clanton Advertiser - I hate press releases. News editor explains why and how politicians press releases have to be rewritten before they are fit to publish.
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Party dances… there’s the Limbo. The Macarena had its moment. The Chicken Dance, of course. Soulja Boy, anyone? And there’s that ridiculous moment at the Christmas dance in “It’s a Wonderful Life” when everybody’s dancing up a storm in the gym and no one realizes the floor is moving. I digress. Party dances…
But Bobby Bright’s party dance is of a different nature. Which party’s banner will he carry in the 2nd Congressional District Race next year? Around and around the question, he dances. Some are convinced he’ll run as one, some as the other.
Today in Roll Call, he indicates that he’s clearly giving thought to running as a Democrat:
Bright did say that more important than party affiliation is the fact that the 2nd is a conservative district. He also noted that the conservative Blue Dog Coalition is a “big and growing” part of the House Democratic majority.
Bright, whose wife is a lifelong Democrat, added that “military and agriculture are very hot issues in this district, and the Democratic Party has assured me that if I was running as a Democrat they would do everything they possibly could to make sure that I get assigned to those committees and that’s important to this district and important to me in making this decision.”
Rep. Artur Davis (Ala.), the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s top recruiter, said the DCCC “does want Bobby Bright as a candidate.”
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St. Clair News-Aegis - Immigration: Looking Deeper. Article presents interviews with local leaders about the issue. Related article at the Hartselle Enquirer.
Dothan Eagle - Newton man found guilty of obstruction, re-arrested. Article tells the story of Derrill Speller, who was convicted of obstruction for removing water board records, his subsquent arrest for the felony of intimidation of a witness and his belief of governmental misconduct in the town of Newton.
Gadsden Times - Council controversy continues. Selection of a school board member continues to roil the waters in Gadsden.
(more…)
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