Middle school ‘drag queen’ teacher James Miller set to retire Friday
Huntsville middle school teacher James Miller spends his free time as a drag queen and has a Facebook page under the name “Madge D. Ivine (Miss Majesty Divine). The Mountain Gap Middle School teacher frequently posted pictures of himself on social media attending drag events like Drag Queen Story Time. According to Huntsville schools, Miller is set to retire on Friday. In a story broken by 1819 News, Vice President of the State Board of Education Wayne Reynolds said that Miller was set to retire on Friday. Superintendent Christie Finley did not respond when 1819 News tried to confirm the news. Miller recently made inappropriate comments at a Drag Queen Story Time geared toward kids. At one of the story time events that was hosted at Hard Knocks Rescue & Training, Inc., an animal rescue organization, Miller made a comment while reading a book about a dog that hid its bone, saying in front of a group of children, “Everybody loves a big bone.” On Monday, podcast audio surfaced detailing how Miller placed LGBTQ+ material in his classroom. According to the podcast, after leaving Birmingham, Miller claims he moved to a rural, “redneck” school that he described as very intolerant. “When I moved from Birmingham, I moved to a very rural school that was 40% Hispanic, about 5% African-American, and the rest were white,” Miller said. “And like very rural, I’m just going to say redneck, just a very redneck school. The first child, a family that had two moms: oh my god, you would have thought there was porn plastered across the school building because everybody was talking about it.” Miller explained that he “strategically” placed LGBTQ+-themed books in his classroom to help his students. “[T]hose kids were in my classroom, and I didn’t know how to say, ‘I don’t care,’” Miller explained. “Like that’s your family. I’m going to treat you with respect. I’m going to treat them with respect. So I didn’t have a way I could say that and not get in trouble with my boss. So, I went and got ‘Heather Has Two Mommies, ‘Tango Makes Three,’ I got all these kids’ books, and I strategically placed them in my room, to where, when the kids who were LGBT were over by my bookshelf, they would see them. And then I didn’t have to come out and say, ‘OK, it’s safe to be gay here.’” Miller described how he began working as an elementary school counselor and claimed to have worked with children who were transgender. “I had trans kids; I had second-graders who knew in second grade that they were non-binary, and they were able to articulate it,” Miller continued. “That is when I really started working with kids, is when I started that elementary because the easiest way to get through to them is to read them a story. And so, while they’re thinking about the story, one little girl said, ‘that’s just like me.’ I was reading ‘I am Jazz.’” Miller, who has been a teacher for 27 years, responded in an interview with WAAY TV after receiving threats from people around the country. He worked as a drag queen as a side business, which never interfered with his teaching career. “I became a teacher because I wanted to be that inclusive person that I needed when I was in middle school that I didn’t have,” Miller explained in the interview. “I’ve created a classroom based on that. I’ve created an advocacy for kids based on that. I became an activist based on that. I do my job well, and I’m proud of what I’ve done. I’m proud of what I’ve put together, and these things they’re saying about me are flat-out lies. They’ve twisted it so they can make a lie out of it. I will continue to be an advocate for my LGBTQIA community and my students and for the ones that are not a part of that community.”
Richard Shelby awarded Aerospace Industry Association award
The Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) honored U.S. Senators Jim Inhofe (R-Oklahoma), Richard Shelby (R-Alabama), and Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) with the “Wright Stuff Award” in recognition of their support of the aerospace and defense industry. “On behalf of the 2.1 million employees working in the aerospace and defense industry, it’s an honor to present our ‘Wright Stuff Award’ to Senators Jim Inhofe, Richard Shelby, and Patrick Leahy for their decades of bipartisan leadership and service,” AIA President & CEO Eric Fanning said. “Sens. Inhofe, Shelby, and Leahy will leave a legacy of unwavering support and dedication to investment in our military, our national security, and the U.S. defense industrial base that supports both.” “Thank you to the Aerospace Industries Association for presenting me with the Wright Stuff Award,” Sen. Shelby said. “This is a high honor. I am proud of what Senator Inhofe, Senator Leahy, and I have been able to accomplish in this space. The safety and security of our nation is paramount, which is why I have supported the aerospace and defense industry throughout my career. There is no wiser investment than that of our military.” The AIA praised Shelby for being a longtime advocate for the U.S. military and the manufacturing base that supports it. “Sen. Shelby’s role on the Senate Committee on Appropriations as both Chair and Vice Chair will continue to have a lasting impact on the military, NASA, and our civil aviation system,” the AIA said in a statement. “Sen. Shelby has served the state of Alabama in both chambers of Congress as well as in the state legislature. He was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1986 and is currently in his sixth term.” For nearly three decades, Sens. Shelby and Leahy led congressional delegation trips to the Farnborough and Paris Air Shows, critical convening opportunities for industry, government partners, and thought leaders. “The Wright Stuff Award” was created in 2020. It is named after the inspiring Wright brothers, whose ideas and inventions ushered in the age of flight and, in turn, transformed the world. The award recognizes individuals who have made major and measurable contributions to the U.S. aerospace and defense industry. The aerospace and defense industries play a significant role in Alabama’s economy. Shelby is retiring at the end of this Congress. He is being replaced in the Senate by his former Chief of Staff, Katie Britt. Shelby has served in the U.S. Senate since 1987. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives representing Alabama’s Seventh Congressional District from 1979 to 1986 and in the Alabama Senate representing Tuscaloosa from 1970 to 1978. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama and the University of Alabama School of Law. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Kay Ivey awards $7.1 million to assist domestic violence victims
Gov. Kay Ivey has awarded $7.1 million in grants to help provide services to domestic violence victims across the state. The funds will provide services, including safe shelter, crisis lines, counseling, referrals, advocacy, and assistance in filing victims’ compensation claims. “Domestic violence unfortunately continues to affect some Alabama families and residents, and they deserve to have access to quick and compassionate services to help them take steps toward recovery and prevent further abuse,” Gov. Ivey said. “I am pleased to support these organizations who help victims navigate the legal system and begin to heal.” The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs will administer the grants from funds made available by the U.S. Department of Justice. ADECA administers a wide range of programs that support law enforcement, economic development, infrastructure upgrades, recreation, energy conservation, and water resources management. “ADECA shares Gov. Ivey’s dedication to helping victims of domestic abuse by making sure they and those who are assisting them have the resources they need as they rebuild their lives,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. The following grants were awarded to organizations that provide direct services: Baldwin Family Violence Shelter (Baldwin, Conecuh, Escambia, Monroe): $262,197 Penelope House (Choctaw, Clarke, Mobile, Washington): $282,806 The House of Ruth Inc. (Barbour, Bullock, Coffee, Covington, Dale, Geneva, Henry, Houston, Pike): $427,034 Legal Services Alabama Inc. (Madison): $34,293 Family Sunshine Center (Autauga, Butler, Chilton, Crenshaw, Elmore, Lowndes, Montgomery): $838,802 Columbus Alliance for Battered Women Inc. (Russell): $74,875 SafeHouse of Shelby County Inc. (Chilton, Clay, Coosa, Shelby): $519,145 King’s Home (Jefferson, Shelby): $449,698 SAN Inc., better known as Turning Point (Bibb, Fayette, Hale, Lamar, Pickens, Tuscaloosa): $216,397 Domestic Violence Intervention Center (Chambers, Lee, Macon, Randolph, Tallapoosa): $194,181 2nd Chance Inc. (Calhoun, Cleburne, Etowah, Talladega): $313,523 Family Resource Center of Northwest Alabama Inc. (Walker): $167,029 Victim Services of Cullman Inc. (Cullman): $292,811 Safeplace, Inc. (Colbert, Franklin, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Marion, Winston): $1,366,222 One Place of the Shoals (Colbert, Franklin, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Marion, Winston): $50,593 Domestic Violence Crisis Services (Cherokee, DeKalb, Marshall): $171,143 Crisis Services of North Alabama Inc. (Jackson, Limestone, Madison, Morgan): $689,431 Selma and Blackbelt Regional Abuse Sanctuary Inc. (Dallas, Greene, Marengo, Perry, Sumter and Wilcox): $156,332 YWCA Central Alabama (Blount, Jefferson, St. Clair): $673,051
State receives $143,000 from the National Wild Turkey Federation for wildlife management
The Alabama Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) recently allocated more than $143,000 in Hunting Heritage Super Funds and Tag Funds for wild turkey projects in Alabama. “We are proud to partner with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) on the conservation of wild turkey in Alabama,” said Craig Harris, Alabama NWTF Chapter President. “Working together, we can ensure this important natural resource is available to future generations of Alabamians.” “We thank NWTF and the Alabama Chapter Board of Directors for helping to support the conservation of wild turkey in Alabama,” said Chris Blankenship, ADCNR Commissioner. “With their assistance, we will continue working to ensure the future of this resource for generations to come.” $35,392 was donated to the Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division (WFF) of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) to fund projects, including wildlife habitat management and the publication of the annual wild turkey report, ‘Full Fans & Sharp Spurs.’ $107,655 was approved for other turkey projects statewide. That funding allows the state to draw down $786,712 in matching funds provided by other conservation partners available to positively impact approximately 126,000 acres statewide through the enhancement of turkey habitat. The funding also supports efforts to increase access to hunting opportunities and investigate why we are experiencing wild turkey declines in parts of the state. Most of the funding donated to WFF will be used on Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) and Special Opportunity Areas (SOA) throughout the state to support habitat management and other wild turkey programs. Some of the donation will also be used to purchase much-needed wildlife habitat management equipment. “More than $23,000 of this generous donation offers us access to federal matching dollars, which makes the donation go even further,” said Chuck Sykes, WFF Director. “Since federal matching dollars play such a major role in how our division is funded, contributions like this are extremely important.” The WFF is primarily funded by money generated through the sale of hunting and fishing licenses. That money is then matched on a nearly three-to-one ratio by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service through funds allocated to Alabama from the Pittman-Robertson Act. WFF does not receive any appropriation from the state’s General Fund. In addition to the monetary donation, the Alabama NWTF chapter provides financial support for prescribed burn projects that help manage quality habitat in public hunting areas, costs associated with public hunting land acquisitions, the Adult Mentored Hunting Program, the Archery in the Schools State Championship, and the Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program. Five species of wild turkeys are native to North America, and wild turkeys live in all 67 Alabama counties. The eastern wild turkey is found throughout forested habitats in Alabama, from the Appalachian Mountains in the north to the Mobile-Tensaw Delta swamps in the south. The NWTF estimates that there are 300,000 wild turkeys living in the state of Alabama, which puts the state somewhere in the top seven states nationally for wild turkey population. Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources promotes wise stewardship, management, and enjoyment of Alabama’s natural resources through four divisions: Marine Resources, State Lands, State Parks, and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
U.S. service academies nomination deadline is Thursday
U.S. Representative Mike Rogers released a statement reminding high school seniors who are graduating in 2023 and are interested in receiving a Congressional nomination to attend one of the U.S. Service Academies to complete an online application. The application can also be mailed to one of his district offices. The deadline for receipt of these applications is December 15, 2022. To be considered for a nomination for appointment to any of the service academies, including the U.S. Military Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy, and the U.S. Merchant Marines Academy, seniors must complete application material and submit it online or mail the completed packet to one of Rogers’ district offices. The U.S. Coast Guard Academy does not require a Congressional nomination. The applications can be sent to: Congressman Mike Rogers Attn: Service Academy Application 701 Avenue A, Suite 300 Opelika, AL 36801 Or Congressman Mike Rogers Attn: Service Academy Application 149 E. Hamric Drive, Suite D Oxford, AL 36203 The service academy allows students to get four years of high-quality college instruction in exchange for a period of service as an officer in the U.S. armed forces. Generations of our country’s senior military leaders have begun their careers through service academies. Congressman Mike Rogers was recently elected to his eleventh term representing Alabama’s Third Congressional District. Prior to his congressional service, Rogers represented Calhoun County in the Alabama House of Representatives, where he was the House GOP Minority Leader. He also previously served on the Calhoun County Commission. He is an attorney and resides in Saks. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Steve Flowers: Two Jefferson County legends retire
As we begin to celebrate the Christmas season and close out 2022, allow me to share the story of two great Jefferson County/Alabama political legends. Alabama Supreme Court Justice, Mike Bolin, is retiring at the end of the year from the state’s highest judicial tribunal. Judge Bolin is a young 72. He would not have retired and would have sought and been elected to another six-year term if it were not for an antiquated state law that disallows someone to run for a judgeship in the state after age 70. Justice Bolin is one of the most popular and well-respected judges in Alabama. He is a big man, physically and figuratively. He is beloved throughout the state, especially in his native Jefferson County. Mike Bolin was born in and is a lifelong resident of Jefferson County. He attended elementary and high school in Homewood and graduated from Shades Valley High School in 1966 with honors. He stayed in Homewood for college and graduated from Samford University with a degree in Business Administration in 1970. He then continued on and got his law degree from Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law. He graduated from law school in 1973. He was on the Dean’s list and was associate editor of the Law Review. Judge Bolin was a practicing attorney in Birmingham from 1973 through 1988. In 1988 he was first elected Probate Judge of Jefferson County. He was reelected Probate Judge of Alabama’s largest County in 1994 and again in 2020. He served in that position until his election to the Alabama Supreme Court in January 2004. He began serving on the Supreme Court in January 2005. Thus, at the end of his tenure in six weeks, he will have served 18 years on the high court. Justice Bolin and his wife Rosemary have one daughter, Leigh Anne. Mike Bolin is known and respected for his integrity, humility, and kindness. Another Jefferson County legend, Tony Petelos, retired from public service last year. Tony is a lifelong resident of Jefferson County and is a real American and Alabama success story. Tony Petelos has carved out a niche in Jefferson County and Alabama political history. His parents are first-generation immigrants. His family fled Greece when Mussolini and later Hitler invaded and decimated Greece. His father fought in the Greek Army and then later became a member of the United States Army. Tony is the youngest of nine children. He had five siblings born in Greece; one died in the war. His father made it to the United States in 1947. His mother arrived in 1950. They had four sons born in America. Tony is the youngest. His father and mother settled in Ensley. Tony’s father was in the construction business and became quite successful. Tony and his three older brothers joined their father in the family business. He earned his college degree at UAB while working during the day. He met his wife Teresa while both were studying at UAB. She became a Jefferson County Circuit Judge and served 18 years on the bench. Tony began his political career in 1986. He defeated an incumbent and became one of only 14 Republicans in the 105-member House of Representatives. He was reelected in 1990 and again in 1994. In 1997, after 11 years in the House, Governor Fob James named Tony Commissioner of the Department of Human Resources for the State of Alabama. He was reappointed Human Resources Commissioner by Governor Don Siegelman in 1998 and served through 2001. In 2004, Tony Petelos was elected Mayor of the City of Hoover, one of the state’s largest cities. He served eight years as mayor and earned a reputation as one of the state’s premier municipal administrators. In 2011, the Jefferson County government was in chaos, to say the least. The County Commission lured Tony away from Hoover to be the Administrator of Jefferson County’s government. He cleaned up the corruption and financial problems and spent ten years in that position. He retired about this time last year at 69. He and his wife, Judge Petelos, are doing well. They live in the same home they have lived in for the last 24 years in Hoover. They have two adult daughters, who they are very proud of. Tony’s story is a great Alabama political success story. Happy Holidays. Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. Steve served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.
Joe Biden signs gay marriage bill
President Joe Biden on Tuesday signed into law the “Respect for Marriage Act,” a bill codifying protections for same-sex and interracial marriages. “Today is a good day,” “Biden said. “A day America takes a vital step toward equality, for liberty and justice, not just for some but for everyone.” The signing took place after a ceremony and a string of performances from gay entertainers. The bill, which received support from nearly 40 House Republicans last week to send it to the president, repeals the federal Defense of Marriage Act that was signed by President Bill Clinton in 1996. As The Center Square previously reported, U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc., helped lead the effort in the Senate, where the bill was first passed. Her office said the legislation would “require the federal government to recognize a marriage between two individuals if the marriage was valid in the state where it was performed.” The legislation would also guarantee that “valid marriages between two individuals are given full faith and credit, regardless of the couple’s sex, race, ethnicity or national origin, but the bill would not require a State to issue a marriage license contrary to state law.” The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2015 on the landmark case Obergefell v. Hodges to make same-sex marriage the law of the land nationwide. That ruling required states to allow same-sex unions under law. The high court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade earlier this year, as well as comments made by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas raised concerns that the court could do the same to the Obergefell ruling. “Passing the Respect for Marriage Act wasn’t just the right thing to do for America,” Democratic Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said. “It was personal to us, to our staff, and to our families.” Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Republicans call for impeachment of DHS head, cite surge at border
A group of U.S. House Republicans on Tuesday called for the impeachment of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The lawmakers, led by U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., made their remarks during a news conference outside the Capitol Building, calling for Mayorkas’ impeachment amid the soaring number of illegal immigrants crossing into the U.S. “Every day he remains in office, America is less safe,” Biggs said. U.S. Customs and Border Protection have released a steady stream of figures showing that the number of illegal immigrants entering through the southern border has soared to record levels since President Joe Biden took office. Those numbers are poised to get worse. Trump-era Title 42 protections that allowed feds to expel migrants more quickly because of COVID-19 concerns are set to expire later this month, and experts predict a surge of illegal immigrants are awaiting that expiration. Some areas, like El Paso, are seeing thousands of migrants cross over each day. Those larger numbers of migrants have also brought large quantities of fentanyl, a deadly drug that is trafficked in the U.S. via cartels. Fentanyl overdoses have soared in recent years as well. Some in the Senate have echoed the criticism of Mayorkas. “The southern border has been an issue for a long time,” said Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn. “Secretary Mayorkas only showed back up when the mainstream media caved and reported on the issue.” Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Joe Guzzardi: U.S. ecological footprint confronts Southwest border crisis
Ask the millions of migrants who have either entered the United States or are lined up at the border what motivated their journeys, and all will answer that they’re in pursuit of the proverbial better life. Translated, a better life means they’re longing to become consumers—consumers of housing, hard goods like cars, and natural resources such as water, electricity, and natural gas. The migrants’ goal is great news for big businesses that never met a consumer they don’t love but bad news for environmentalists who hope to preserve a vanishing America. As conservationists look ahead, the future they see is unsettling. With Title 42 set to expire on December 21st, U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX), whose district includes 42% of the Texas-Mexico border, predicts a “hurricane” of illegal immigration. Everyone in his district, Gonzales said, is in “batten down the hatches” mode as they await a historic and unmanageable increase in migration—more eventual consumers. Border patrol agents advised Uvalde residents to expect about 150 daily migrant drop-offs indefinitely, evidence which, Gonzales said, proves that the Biden administration has no meaningful plan to cope with the ongoing invasion. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Title 42 has been enforced since March 2020 to expel migrants at the southern border. But, in November, in his 49-page opinion, U.S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan, President Bill Clinton’s appointee, ruled that Title 42 is “arbitrary and capricious” and violated federal regulatory law. For FY 2022, an estimated 5.5 million aliens, a total that includes the 4.4 million that CBP reported, and 1.1 million gotaways, are in the U.S. interior. Princeton Policy Advisors’ analyst Steven Kopits, who correctly predicted the FY 2022 crisis, wrote that “… based on the last two months [October and November], 2023 should set yet another record for illegal border crossing — and by a substantial margin over 2022.” March, April, and May 2023 will be, Koptis concluded, especially high as part of the illegal immigrant siege. Only if Republicans captured both congressional chambers, Kopits envisioned, could the migrant invasion be halted—wishful thinking as the mid-term results were tallied. The red tsunami that Kopits saw as the vehicle that might level off illegal immigration turned out to be a mere trickle. The House will have a narrow margin, and the Senate remains under Democratic control. All fifty senators have, since 2020, an unbroken voting record that supports open borders. Many of those senators are captives of the corporate donor class that wants the steady stream of consumers to continue unabated. Environmentalists should be front and center in the battle to preserve the nation’s green space and irreplaceable resources. But not only have congressional Democrats abandoned limiting immigration to sustainable levels, but environmentalists have also given up the battle. Although population surges destroy the ecosystems, wildlife habitat, and farmland that exists between their cities and towns, no large environmental group today advocates for saving natural habitat from relentless growth. The Census Bureau projects that by mid-century, immigrants and births to immigrants will drive more than 85% of U.S. population growth and add more than 100 million people to its current 333 million population. America has one of the world’s largest ecological per capita footprints, 8.04. Any and all U.S. population growth— let alone the massive multi-million-person border surge–will grow its existing footprint. The average U.S. citizen’s ecological footprint is about 50% larger than that of the average person in most European countries. The nation has more suburban sprawl and less public transportation than most countries, which means it burns more fossil fuels that add to its per-capita carbon consumption and uses more energy and water per person than most other developed countries. No one in the Biden administration or in Congress, or among the major environmental organizations has meaningfully addressed the open border’s long-term consequences, even though they are potentially dire. E.O. Wilson, a biologist and writer, expressed the ecological threat dramatically but accurately: “The raging monster upon the land is population growth. In its presence, sustainability is but a fragile theoretical concept.” Joe Guzzardi is a nationally syndicated newspaper columnist who writes about immigration and related social issues. Joe joined Progressives for Immigration Reform in 2018 as an analyst after a ten-year career directing media relations for Californians for Population Stabilization, where he also was a Senior Writing Fellow. A native Californian, Joe now lives in Pennsylvania. Contact him at jguzzardi@pfirdc.org.
