A roundup of Sunday editorials from Alabama’s leading newspapers
A roundup of Sunday editorials from Alabama’s leading newspapers: Anniston Star – Keeping track of our data online In the summer of 2013, a statement from an associate dean at the University of Wisconsin highlighted the epidemic of cyber attacks at U.S. colleges and universities. “We get 90,000 to 100,000 attempts per day, from China alone, to penetrate our system,” Wisconsin’s Bill Mellon told The New York Times. Three years later, reports of nearly 100,000 attempts per day — at a single university — remain an unimaginable statistic. They also make this week’s breach of Jacksonville State University’s computer system seem small in comparison. But make no mistake: the theft of student and faculty information from JSU computers is no small-time crime. The university, local law enforcement and the FBI are right to treat this case with the seriousness it deserves. The situation at Jacksonville brings home a terrible lesson about the depths computer hosts — businesses, schools, government agencies, banks, hospitals, etc. — must endure to ward off hackers. A 17-year-old student has been arrested for the JSU hack, and from the hacker’s apparent online postings, the intent seems to be more about proving the weakness of JSU’s network security than anything else. If that proves to be the case, JSU and its students are truly fortunate. Birmingham News – Rep. Mo Brooks: Ted Cruz has the best plan for economic growth Many candidates have made their mark focusing on the Obama administration’s past mistakes, and there are a lot of them. But now it’s time to look to the future. As this campaign goes on, voters will begin to focus on who has the best plan for dramatic economic growth. It’s clear that Ted Cruz’s pro-growth policies are the best to increase employment and wages for Americans. The Obama administration likes to tout an unemployment rate hovering above 5 percent, but this ignores the startling 94 million Americans who are out of the workforce. People in this group who have stopped looking for work don’t get counted by the government as “unemployed,” so the very real peril of unemployment gets ignored. This only hurts regular Americans. But better paying jobs don’t just appear because a billionaire commands them to. They’re created when the economy grows. And the economy grows when the government stops overtaxing individuals and businesses, overregulating industry, and stops enabling foreign labor to take American jobs. Out of all the candidates, Ted Cruz solves every side of this problem. Decatur Daily – Shelby, Crumpton best options for US Senate The Issue Republican U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby’s clout in Congress often has helped Alabama, and losing his seniority would be a blow to the state. Neither Democratic candidate has the experience needed to be an effective senator, but Ron Crumpton has at least dabbled in state legislative issues. The rhetoric of U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, the 81-year-old incumbent fending off several Republican challengers in Tuesday’s primary, often is disturbing. In his ubiquitous campaign ads, he panders to our least-rational fears. He recognizes our trepidation about people who look or sound different than us, and he plays it to maximum political advantage. The Republican from Tuscaloosa fights President Barack Obama — who has been made the icon of our xenophobia — “every hour of every day,” according to a commercial he is running with some of his millions in campaign contributions. And there’s some truth to that. On issues where the Obama administration has stated a position, according to a recent study by Congressional Quarterly, Shelby voted against the White House 63.9 percent of the time. He leads the Senate in that statistic. His opposition to a U.S. Supreme Court nominee that Obama has not even selected is a recent example of his blind opposition to the president. It may be a politically savvy strategy, but it interferes with the efficient workings of government. Dothan Eagle – Hug a utility worker Stormy weather that rolled through the Wiregrass area late Tuesday and early Wednesday left scattered damage affecting several homes and knocked down many trees, utility poles and signs. There were fatalities in other parts of the South, but in our corner of the world, the storm brought some structural damage and a whole lot of inconvenience. In Dothan, about 3,000 utility customers lost power, and it wasn’t until Thursday afternoon that electricity was restored everywhere. While it surely caused problems for those left in the dark for more than 24 hours, something unexpected happened on social media, where people are often quick to complain about virtually anything. Instead of diatribes, posts about the power outage took a more insightful view, as commenters – plugged in via smart phone, apparently, at least as long as the batteries hold – spoke of the unexpected value of blackout with regard to quality time with the family. That’s refreshing, particularly considering the plight of scores of utility workers, who have put in long hours in adverse conditions for the last couple of days to ensure that customers’ utility service was restored as quickly as possible. As we enjoy our restored electricity, along with our televisions, refrigerators and freezers, and heating and cooling (and we need both this time of year), it’s important that we remember that the service didn’t magically heal itself. Enterprise Ledger – Betters ways people could have passed the time My good friend and scribe associate, Ricky Adams, called last week all distraught over what was taking up all of the once precious airspace on his television set. It was not over a political agenda, he quickly noted, rather the agenda all of the talking heads/pundits were discussing. “I’ll leave the political writing to you,” Adams said, wisely choosing to stay out of that crossfire. “But, what gets me is what would these people be doing if Justice (Antonin) Scalia hadn’t died? What would they be talking about? And, couldn’t they wait until the coroner has pronounced him dead before making his death such a talking point. I just hope all
A roundup of Sunday editorials from Alabama’s leading newspapers
A roundup of Sunday editorials from Alabama’s leading newspapers: Anniston Star – Nelle Harper Lee, 1926-2016 “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” — “Before I can live with other folks, I’ve got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience.” — “Real courage is when you know you’re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.” — “Sometimes the Bible in the hand of one man is worse than the whisky bottle in the hand of (another) … There are just some kind of men who — who’re so busy worrying about the next world they’ve never learned to live in this one.” — “I think there’s one kind of folks. Folks.” Birmingham News – I can’t believe I’m actually sticking up for Donald Trump It’s not often I can side with Donald Trump. Frankly, most of his conduct disgusts me and his proposal to deport 12 million illegal immigrants would be absurdly impossible to execute. It’s equally unusual for me to criticize Pope Francis. As a life-long Catholic, I believe he is one of the best and most effective popes God has ever blessed us with since Jesus Himself walked this earth. Yet, in a classic “man bites dog” scenario, the Holy Father apparently hasn’t thought through his comment this week about Trump’s proposed wall to keep illegal immigrants from crossing our southern border. After visiting the U.S.-Mexican border, Pope Francis said this about Trump: “A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not of building bridges, is not Christian. This is not the gospel.” Decatur Daily – GOP misguided on Scalia replacement The Issue The prevailing GOP position on the replacement of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia is a reminder that opposition to President Barack Obama is blind, not reasoned. It also suggests GOP politicians are so obsessed with short-term political goals that they are making unwise strategic decisions. In 2009, fresh off the new president’s overwhelming victory, Rush Limbaugh famously proclaimed, “I hope Obama fails.” His comment set the tone for the seven years that have followed. A Republican Party that once prided itself on having well-reasoned theories for effective governance has in the last seven years devolved into a party that only consistently stands for one thing: opposing Obama. This strategy of blind opposition has not been effective in strengthening the Republican Party. Obama won again in 2012. A party once known for the inspirational rhetoric and grand ideas of Ronald Reagan and even Abraham Lincoln, GOP politicians increasingly are recognized by the public as obstructionists. By defining itself as “the party of no,” the GOP has cobbled together a constituency that has little in common but for opposition to a single president. Dothan Eagle – Location information enhances police response A standoff between federal law enforcement officials and Apple CEO Tim Cook emerged this week after the feds asked the tech giant to develop software that would essentially create a bypass to the iPhone’s touted privacy features. Left with a locked iPhone belonging to one of the gunmen in December’s San Bernardino terrorist shootings, the government asked the company to help breach a function that would erase all data from the device following a number of unsuccessful attempts to log in. Cook and Apple have taken the stance that to create such software would be detrimental to the privacy and security of millions of American iPhone users, and millions more worldwide. As technological advances emerge, there will likely be more clashes between privacy advocates and law enforcement. However, police have also benefitted from new technology in other ways that will vastly improve service to the public. Enterprise Ledger – It’s February, but SEC jabs still connecting The jabs never cease. A recent phone conversation with a “friend” went as follows: “Hey Luke. What’s up?” “Just trying to make it home through these 162 national championship banners Alabama is now claiming.” “Oh really, well come down for a few days and we’ll talk about it, or we can talk about Auburn football over a cup of coffee.” My cousin is an avid LSU fan, growing up smack dab in the middle of Duck Dynasty territory. Each fall I get under his skin with another remark about an LSU fall out. And by each year, I mean every year since most of us could pronounce “underachievement.” But I digress. TimesDaily – Ambitious sentencing reform was needed The Issue In Alabama, we’re torn between the desire to be tough on crime and the reluctance to pay the price for an adequate corrections system. Sentencing reform legislation that took effect recently was an implicit recognition the state can’t afford the penalties it wants to impose. On Jan. 30, major sentencing reform legislation took effect in the state. It was one of the most ambitious laws passed by the state Legislature in recent years, and its passage may have owed much to its complexity. The public did not understand the law well enough to oppose it. The law’s net effect, and its goal, was to ease the penalties on nonviolent crimes. Sen. Cam Ward, R-Alabaster, shepherded the legislation through the Statehouse, and he’s taking a beating now that district attorneys and the public understand what it does. While the Legislature may need to tweak the law, Ward should not be painted as a villain. What he accomplished was long overdue. Gadsden Times – Socialism sounds good, but isn’t sustainable A lot has been written about socialism with the emergence of Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., as a serious candidate for president. Socialism has a nice ring to it and many people think it simply means taking care of all the needs of the population by the federal government. But socialism by definition is the theory or system of ownership of the means of
A roundup of Sunday editorials from Alabama’s leading newspapers
A roundup of Sunday editorials from Alabama’s leading newspapers: Anniston Star – Don’t mess with football, governor And we thought we had it bad in Alabama. In 2015, Montgomery lawmakers spent months dealing with an expected General Fund budget shortfall of at least $250 million. State parks closed or reduced hours and state services were trimmed. It took three legislative sessions to produce a budget Gov. Robert Bentley would sign. And still more shortfalls are expected this year. Well, down in Louisiana, that state is facing a $943 million budget deficit and has a June 30 deadline to solve it. Thursday night, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards’ budget chief said the state was stopping payments into TOPS, Louisiana’s college scholarship program that assists 47,000 students, and that virtually all parts of the state’s public colleges and universities would be affected by the drastic cutbacks. That includes LSU football, some feared. Birmingham News – Valentine’s Day is tomorrow and you still need ideas. Yes, it’s that time of year. We’ve literally created a national calendar reminder to express our love for our spouses and significant others. If you’re reading this while standing in line at a drugstore, I feel compelled to again remind you that our national day of love and romance traces its origins to Lupercalia. The ancient Roman festival began with men sacrificing goats and a dog, the hides of which they would use to whip nearby women in an effort to promote fertility. How romantic… Yes, deer season just ended, but striking women with dead animal skins is widely frowned upon these days regardless of your intentions. Last year, I suggested a few gifts that aren’t as great as you think they are. That still stands. Red roses, assorted chocolates, perfume and signed cards lack inspiration. For the husbands out there just realizing Valentine’s Day is tomorrow, here are five gift ideas that might ring the bell with your lady luck: Decatur Daily – State lawmakers not acting like conservatives A fundamental principle of conservatism is that power should flow to that government which is closest to the people. Under this theory, the federal government, being most remote from the people, should wield the least power. Indeed, many of our precious state tax dollars pay for litigation defending this principle. Our conservative lawmakers are determined that state government, being closer to the people, should trump federal government. True conservatives, of course, do not limit this principle to differentiating between state and federal government. Local governmental entities are closer to the people than is state government. While this is true geographically — Decatur residents are closer to City Hall than they are to Montgomery — it also is true politically. Conservatives focus on the accountability of officials to the citizens they serve. State government is more directly accountable than federal government, and local government is more accountable than state government. Dothan Eagle – Low turnout insults candidates Congratulations, Commissioner Crutchfield Congratulations are in order for David Crutchfield, who was elected Tuesday to the Dothan City Commission to fill the unexpired term of former District 6 Commissioner Hamp Baxley. We also thank Steve McCarroll, former president of BBVA Compass Bank, who has served as interim commissioner for several weeks following the resignation of Baxley, who stepped down in November after having moved to a new residence outside District 6. Crutchfield has a steep learning curve ahead, with the city facing challenges related to sewerage debt and a controversial landfill expansion, which has generated an EPA complaint from neighboring residents. These are issues that both Crutchfield and his opponent for the vacant seat, Gary Roney, were fully aware of when they chose to seek the position. Both men deserve commendation for their willingness to step into the daunting role, and we commend each for running clean, vigorous campaigns. However, the turnout for the election signals perhaps a lack of appreciation on the part of the District 6 constituency. Only 1,023 of the district’s 8,140 registered voters turned out to cast a ballot on Tuesday. That’s dismal, slightly more than 12 percent. Enterprise Ledger – Super Sunday turned out to be a super dud Well, nothing could have topped the Arizona-Green Bay overtime game in the first round of the NFL playoffs, but what a pathetic Super Bowl. Even the commercials are getting next to no response, which is not a good thing for those businesses that spent the millions during the breaks. Peyton Manning, one of the best to ever lace them up, proved it is high time he take off the helmet for good. I don’t know if Manning could rattle a set of tea glasses from 15 yards. To say his body has seen its better days is like saying Joe Namath isn’t quite the athlete he was during his days at Alabama. That said, I still believe that 50 years from now Manning will be among those mentioned in the first sentence when discussing the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game. What we saw Sunday was not his prime, but during it no one could put a ball on the perfect spot for a receiver better. NO ONE. The best player on the field, certainly this day, was Von Miller. I can’t remember a more deserving Super Bowl MVP. It was also nice to see DeMarcus Ware, the former high school wide receiver from Auburn turned defensive monster at Troy, play so well. TimesDaily – Bill focusing on temps and incentives has merits At least one Alabama lawmaker believes companies that benefit for state-granted tax breaks should not be relying so heavily on temporary workers to fill out the workforce. Sen. Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, filed a bill that would remove the tax breaks and incentives for three years from companies whose workforces are more than 5 percent temporary workers. It’s not clear the extent of companies’ use of temporary workers, but the subject is worth exploring. Singleton said recently he has been told the state’s automobile manufacturers in some cases have high numbers of temporary
A roundup of Sunday editorials from Alabama’s leading newspapers
A roundup of Sunday editorials from Alabama’s leading newspapers: Anniston Star – A true need for Alabama’s schools Schools operated on the cheap fail their first obligation: to properly educate the students sitting in their classrooms. In previous generations, “cheap” meant using old textbooks and outdated equipment and refusing to update antiquated facilities. Today, it often revolves around technology, which has changed so fast in the last decade that schools once on the cutting edge can be outdated overnight. Montgomery lawmakers heard just that this week from Kathy Johnson, the director of the state’s Office of Broadband Development. Her pitch: Alabama’s schools must have broadband Internet access. Without it, students won’t get what they deserve out of the state’s public schools. Susan Poling, technology coordinator for Shelby County Schools, put it this way: “This is not a technology need, this is an instructional need.” Birmingham News – Bentley’s moonshot will require bold leadership in Montgomery Governor Bentley on Tuesday called on Alabamians to shoot for the moon. In a surprisingly progressive speech, the governor outlined his ambitious “Great State 2019 Plan” which would transform Alabama’s schools, prisons, workforce, technology and infrastructure. The ideas were bold and we were especially encouraged to see his leadership in the criminal justice arena; but these bold ideas require more than words, they will require a coalition of bold leadership. Since his reelection, Gov. Bentley has consistently surprised us. Last year, he decisively removed the Confederate flag from the Capitol grounds he tried, in vain, to persuade the state to buy into a huge tax reform proposal of as much as $700 million; and he welcomed corporate leaders such as Google to our state. And he isn’t alone in his bold pursuits, Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh has pushed several proposals that had been previously unpopular with his party, including a massive casino and lottery bill late last year. Decatur Daily – Shooting of north Alabama deputy reminder of risk Law enforcement is a hazardous profession. Every day the men and women of our police and sheriff’s departments pin on their badges, they know there’s a chance they could encounter a potentially dangerous situation. As they protect and serve the communities where they live, these officers face risks that range from volatile domestic disturbances, to undercover drug stings, to unsuspected attacks by those who find themselves on the opposite side of the law. Such was the case Wednesday night when Lauderdale County Deputy Randall McCrary attempted to serve a mental commitment paper at a residence in north Florence. Details of what unfolded remain sketchy, but McCrary and the man being served were both injured during an exchange of gunfire. “This is absolutely the worst fear anyone in law enforcement can have,” Florence Police Chief Ron Tyler said of the shooting. “Someone out here, serving our county, our citizens, trying to keep them safe, and this happens. Unfortunate is not a strong enough word for this. It’s senseless.” Senseless, yes. Uncommon, no. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s latest statistics on law enforcement officers killed and assaulted reveal that 48,315 officers were assaulted in 2014 while performing their duties. The rate of officer assaults was 9 assaults for every 100 sworn officers in the 11,151 agencies participating in the survey. Dothan Eagle – NIMBY: Neighboring residents file federal complaint over landfill expansion This week, a group of residents asked the Environmental Protection Agency to investigate the Alabama Department of Environmental Management’ approval of the City of Dothan’s request for a permit to expand its existing landfill. Their strategy is a civil rights complaint, citing an EPA regulation that prohibit any entities it financially assists from administering programs which “have the effect of subjecting individuals to discrimination …”. It’s just the latest chapter in the city’s beleaguered attempt to create a place to put the trash and garbage generated by Dothan’s more than 60,000 residents. However, it’s disappointing that the saga has taken such a turn. It’s reasonable to assume that anyone would take the NIMBY approach – “Not In My Back Yard.” No one relishes the idea of having a landfill nearby. They can be noisy and smelly, they attract flies, rodents, buzzards and other nuisance animals, and there’s always a fear that something vile may be leaching into the ground, regardless of regulatory requirements meant to ensure that doesn’t happen. However, trash and garbage has to go somewhere, and the proposed expansion would take place adjacent to the existing landfill, which has been in operation in the same area for many years. In other words, an expansion wouldn’t be expected to generate anything objectionable that isn’t already there. The Enterprise Ledger – State well represented at Super Bowl There will be 24 former SEC players on the rosters of the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos for Super Bowl 50, most notably quarterbacks Cam Newton (Auburn and Florida) and Peyton Manning (Tennessee). Guess that ‘SEC doesn’t have quality quarterbacks’ talk gets debunked, yet again. The Big Ten is second with six fewer players. Guess that ‘SEC is overrated’ talk gets debunked, yet again. Incidentally, the NFL broke with tradition and chose not to use Roman numerals this year, so it is Super Bowl 50 and not Super Bowl L. There will be three former members of the Alabama Crimson Tide and an equal number of former Auburn Tigers, as well as two former Troy Trojans. No bad considering there is only one from LSU, the same amount of players from Morningside College and Assumption College. (Without the help of Google, can you name where those two football powerhouses are located?) Auburn’s Super Bowl representatives are all with Carolina, beginning with Newton, former running back Cameron Artis-Payne, and injured guard Tyronne Green. Also, former Tiger Reese Dismukes is on the Panthers’ practice squad. TimesDaily – Bentley offered no funding plans for grandiose ideas What has happened to Alabama? Where have we gone wrong? We live in an incredible state. It has a rich history. It’s natural beauty is remarkable. We are
A roundup of Sunday editorials from Alabama’s leading newspapers
A roundup of Sunday editorials from Alabama’s leading newspapers: Anniston Star – Star’s front-page editorials over the years carry a similar theme The Star’s Sunday front page offered an editorial that encouraged Anniston residents to begin thinking about the 2016 election for city school board. Election day is Aug. 23. “Now — about seven months before Election Day — is the time to begin thinking about the priorities for the next Anniston city school board and who should serve on it,” the editorial began. “The upcoming four years are some of the most challenging Anniston’s schools will face in their history.” On Aug. 21, 2014, we offered a similar front-page editorial encouragement ahead of the 2016 school board election. “Anniston’s future, as well as the future of its students, depends on quality public schools that produce an attractive workforce and lure businesses to the city,” it read. The point is that the people best positioned to create change in our community are those who call it home. In a busy election year where the race for president will draw more attention than it deserves, it falls to this newspaper to shine a light on an election that will set the course for public schooling in our region. Birmingham News – What exactly is a pro-life Democrat? Recently, I offered a harsh critique of GOP leadership in Alabama and made a plea to the Alabama Democratic Party to open their doors and acknowledge the pro-life movement. The comments were none too pleasant, to say the least. And though I didn’t anticipate an outpouring of support, I did see a significant lack of understanding about what constitutes a “Pro-Life Democrat”. So let me explain. First and foremost, though we don’t hold the majority, we are actually significant in number. In a 2011 Gallup poll, 31% of people surveyed identified as both pro-life and Democrat. Secondly, though many make the opposite assumption, we differ significantly from our GOP counterparts. As pro-life Democrats, we are governed by the Whole Life Ethic, which states that human life, at every stage, is precious and sacred and worthy of protection and sustainment. So while we are actively anti-abortion, we are also fervently opposed to anything that does not sustain life. Decatur Daily – Lawmakers can heal an unhealthy state Interstate signs welcoming people to Alabama should have a warning attached: “Living in Alabama can be hazardous to your health.” The residents of only two states, Mississippi and West Virginia, have lower life expectancies than in Alabama. Stated differently, the average Alabamian, with a life expectancy of 75.4, is deprived of more than three years of life compared to the U.S. average. The average black Alabamian lives to 72.9, almost six fewer years than the national average. Black Alabamians have a life expectancy about the same as that in Cambodia, and shorter than the life expectancy in Iran. And it’s no wonder. According to the Alabama Department of Public Health, 35 of 55 rural Alabama counties lack labor and delivery services, and eight do not have hospitals. In the rural counties that do have hospitals, there are roughly 25 beds for every 10,000 residents, compared to 45 beds per 10,000 residents in urban communities. Getting sick or having an accident in rural Alabama can be a death sentence. Alabama’s infant mortality rate is 8.7 per 1,000 live births, worse than every state but Mississippi. Alabama’s infant mortality rate almost is twice that of most developed nations with universal healthcare. The infant mortality for black Alabamians is 14.6 per 1,000 live births, about the same as Syria and Colombia. About 11 percent of Alabamians have diabetes, second only to Mississippi. Dothan Eagle – A new approach to teaching in Webb Administrators and teachers at Webb Elementary School have made some changes in how students are taught in the county school east of Dothan. And in a time when many schools are struggling to meet the academic needs of students, the youngsters at Webb Elementary seem to be thriving under the changes. School officials report gains in student achievement and better performance on standardized tests. Recently, Webb Elementary was named as a CLAS Banner School in recognition of its academic performance – one of only 14 chosen from among 178 Alabama schools. The changes include a move to standards-based curriculum, establishing specific teachers for reading and math, and using tutors, all of which helps identify students who are having trouble before further academic difficulties take hold. While there is plenty of controversy in education circles surrounding the differences between curriculum-based instruction and standards-based instruction – and who sets those standards – there’s little doubt that the changes set in place at Webb Elementary have produced positive results. Enterprise Ledger – Shall I point out towns where gripes are merited? I know it’s the nature of the beast. Being a politician sprouts gripes from the public regardless of whether it’s justified or not. Depending on what biased cable channel you choose, Barack Obama is either a villain or a hero, Hillary Clinton is either a pathological liar or just being picked on because she’s a woman (hello, Mrs. Palin), and Donald Trump is either a nut or a…, well, from Fox News to the Peacock network, most agree he’s a nut, even those who would rather he be moving to the Oval Office next year. In Alabama, there are actually those that still support Speaker of the House Mike Hubbard, despite evidence that shows he has used, or at least tried to use his position for personal gain. He has more ethics violations charges than you can count using all of your fingers and toes. People’s pride in refusing to admit they’ve been a sucker for believing in a political misfit is tough, and until that situation is resolved, Alabama and its Republican Party will continue to suffer. But I digress… TimesDaily – For leaders, we need pragmatists, not ideologues It would be convenient if all of our problems could be solved by a single ideology. On the
A roundup of Sunday editorials from Alabama’s leading newspapers
A roundup of Sunday editorials from Alabama’s leading newspapers: The Anniston Star – From Flint, a message to heed Government matters, from the smallest of city halls to’ the wings of the White House. If you scoff at that notion, then consider what’s going on in Flint, Mich. Since 2014, Flint residents have suffered because government has failed them. The water that flows into their homes and businesses is brown and contaminated with lead. City Hall, which switched Flint’s water supplier as a cost-saving measure, virtually ignored their initial complaints. What actions government did take — telling residents to boil water before using it, for instance — didn’t solve the problem, it only prolonged it. Now this majority-minority city with a large population of low-income residents is in full-on disaster mode. Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, a Republican heavily criticized for his slow response, has apologized and issued a state of emergency for Flint’s county. President Barack Obama has sent $5 million in federal aid and the National Guard to help distribute bottled water. Lawsuits have been filed. Residents, meanwhile, want answers and accountability as much as the clean water they used to have. The Birmingham News – A modest proposal to fix health care: Use fake medicine Before I go about solving the financial problems of America’s health care system, it’s only fair to give a shout-out to Dr. Elisha Perkins, who should probably get the real credit. Dr. Perkins invented the famous “Perkins Tractors,” which he patented after years of research in 1796. Retailing for $25 per pair (equivalent to about $700 today), his original tractors were a pair of 3-inch pointed metal rods, which when passed over painful body parts relieved pain and inflammation by drawing off “noxious electrical fluid,” whatever that is. Dr. Perkins attributed their effectiveness to the combination of exotic metal alloys he used. Personal testimonies of the Tractors’ ability to relieve the pain of arthritis, gout, and headaches poured in. The Tractors attracted some high profile clients, including President George Washington, and their popularity soon spread to England. However, before long, some humorless British doctors started doing their own experiments, finding that wooden rods painted to look like Tractors or iron nails coated with sealing wax were just as effective at relieving pain, so long as the patients thought they were the real thing. Presto! The placebo effect was discovered. The placebo effect, of course, is the ability of fake therapies, sugar pills or colored water, for instance, to have a medical benefit if the patient thinks they are real medicine. The Decatur Daily – Reading is still fundamental No one disputes reading is important; one might even say fundamental. So when test scores show students lagging in reading, educators and parents worry. Everyone should worry; students who can’t read at their grade level are likely to graduate — if they do graduate — at a significant disadvantage. There is no shortage of ideas for how to improve reading, but there is a shortage of funding, and not all ideas are created equal, anyway. When the state Legislature cut funding to local school systems, many of those systems cut reading specialists upon whom they relied to help boost reading scores. Cedar Ridge Middle School, however, has instituted a program that costs nothing, at least in terms of money. Each morning at 9:30, students — as well as teachers, counselors and administrators — drop everything else and spend the next 20 minutes reading. It’s largely self-directed. Students can read pretty much whatever they like, be it a book, magazine or newspaper. All the school does is provide the dedicated time. It may not seem like a big deal, but it is. Students have lots of things competing for their time: homework, sports and extracurricular activities. That’s just what school demands of them. It doesn’t take into account video games, movies, TV, spending time with friends and family, household chores and all the other demands on a busy student’s life. Heaven help the student who also takes piano lessons or dance classes. With so many things vying for kids’ time and so much of that time structured, a block of time where the only requirement is to read must seem like a calm in the storm for many students. Dothan Eagle – Cat videos and criminal investigation The Internet – social media in particular – is certainly a fount of cute animal videos and aggravating political vitriol, but it’s clear that the depth of its potential hasn’t been reached. For instance, we imagine Mark Zuckerberg hadn’t considered the myriad uses of his software when he developed a program to connect fellow students at Harvard any more than the creator of the wheel imagined how it would alter the trajectory of mankind. But in Dothan in recent weeks, Facebook has become a crime-fighting tool that has led to arrests and, possibly, prevented some crimes. Facebook users who live in neighborhoods in the loosely defined northwest Dothan area called the Garden District established a Facebook group some time ago, and for a while, it was primarily used as a bulletin board for lost pets. However, parts of the area have been plagued with vehicle and home burglaries in recent weeks, and the online group has become a real-time message board for the neighborhood watch. Police officers monitor the group, which gives them a good picture of what sort of criminal activity is going on and where, and the forum can suggest patterns that may be useful in investigation. Several arrests have been made. This week, one local business owner posted a short video taken from their store’s surveillance system showing a customer putting on a shirt and jacket in the store and sauntering off. The owner said Eagle Eye Outfitters had been victimized by shoplifters and asked for help identifying the person in the video. Within a week, the clip had been viewed 135,000 times and shared by almost 2,000 Facebook users, leading to the identification and arrest of two Blountstown,
A roundup of Sunday editorials from Alabama’s leading newspapers
A roundup of Sunday editorials from Alabama’s leading newspapers: The Anniston Star – Getting under Trump’s skin For politicians, the press is an easy target because its defense is the truth and the First Amendment, not bluster and ego. That’s especially the case for aspiring politicians like Donald Trump, who’d rather rough up a reporter’s reputation than deal in facts. As Trump marches toward the Republican presidential primary season, he’s repeatedly shown how he’d deal with people outside his control who don’t follow his script. The press — particularly national reporters covering his campaign — have only one job: fair political coverage. Portraying Trump as he’d prefer isn’t part of the deal. On Friday, a reporter for the New York Times was kicked out of an Iowa campaign event for the New York billionaire and reality-TV star. The reporter, Trip Gabriel, was one of a number of reporters there. Gabriel, however, had written a story the day before that detailed the inner troubles of Trump’s Iowa team. The Times put it on the front page. Trump, apparently, didn’t like it. Thus, Gabriel was shown the door. Gabriel was told it was a private, invitation-only event. The other journalists remained. This is how Trump operates, which is fine; it’s his prerogative to act petulantly. It’s important to note, as well, that Friday wasn’t Trump’s first rodeo with a wayward media outlet during this campaign. Gabriel’s account of his trouble in Iowa included the fact that reporters from the Des Moines Register had been barred from Trump events after that newspaper’s editorial board called for Trump to suspend his campaign. The Birmingham News – 100,000 reasons Mike Hubbard won’t resign as AL House Speaker Mike Hubbard has at least 100,000 reasons not to step down as Speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives. With his every action and word scrutinized, Hubbard will use all available legal means to defend himself, and that likely requires him to remain in his powerful post. Hubbard is entitled to his day in court to face the charges against him, and we all know that private legal defense is expensive. Under Alabama law, Hubbard is able to use his campaign funds to pay for legal expenses, and he’d have to be crazy—or independently wealthy—not to do exactly that. The Speaker’s annual campaign finance report tells the story. Hubbard’s largest 2015 campaign expenditures were paying off a $50,000 personal loan he made to the campaign and his legal expenses totaling almost $40,000. More significantly, Speaker Hubbard raised almost $90,000 in a year where he’snot facing election after he was indicted. That was permissible because he had campaign debt (to himself) to repay after his reelection. The Speaker of the House is, by many accounts, the most powerful political office in Alabama. Anyone who wants legislation to move is wise to stay on the Speaker’s good side. That’s a clear fundraising advantage unique to the office. At the same time he made his annual campaign filing, Hubbard also submitted a “major contribution” report for a $100,000 loan he made to his campaign in January of 2016. Think of it as a type of bridge loan. The Decatur Daily – Hits and misses Decatur police deserve credit It’s a rough time to be a police officer. Around the nation, attention increasingly has focused on the use of force by policemen. Sometimes fairly and sometimes not, police have been called out for the use of excessive force. In the midst of the resulting hostility, police still have to go about their jobs: protecting the public and solving crimes. A recent Decatur Daily story profiled the two detectives who bore the brunt of handling Decatur’s five 2015 homicides. As Detective Mike Burleson pointed out, real life detective work bears little resemblance to the TV shows. “There’s no supercomputer with everybody’s fingerprints, DNA, all the girlfriends a person’s ever had and their cellphone records,” Burleson said. “We rely mostly on witnesses and people telling us what they know or saw. It’s nothing like what you see on TV.” It’s high-pressure work that is emotionally and physically draining, and even quick results usually are too slow for an anxious public used to an arrest in one hour, minus commercial breaks. And especially at the Decatur Police Department, it’s work that does not pay well. Sgt. George Silvestri explained why it is worth the effort. “The look on those families’ face and the light in their eyes when we tell them ‘We got ’em’ is why I do this job,” Silvestri said. Staying focused on the job is tough when hostility toward police is running high and Monday morning quarterbacking of split-second decisions is the norm. Kudos to Burleson, Silvestri and their colleagues for their success. Dothan Eagle – No. 16 and its big payoff for Alabama If there’s anything to be said about the University of Alabama’s football team, it’s that the Crimson Tide is a winner. Even many dyed-in-the-wool Auburn fans will admit that there’s something about the team from the other side of the state that exudes success. Perhaps it’s the legacy of Bear Bryant, the iconic coach who led the team to the pinnacle time and again, or the uncanny ability of Nick Saban to set a trajectory that may ultimately set him above the Bear in the annals of the Capstone’s gridiron history. Whatever the logic, it had many people in our state convinced that there was no way on earth that Alabama’s team, even with its loss to Ole Miss on its 2015 record, would travel to Glendale, Arizona, to face an undefeated Clemson team and return without a 16th national championship trophy. They were right: the game was a nail-biter; the Alabama squad prevailed; and the people back home were frenzied. Many would argue that college athletics are irrelevant to life, that academics get short shrift in the shadow of athletic powerhouse schools, and on and on. And while there may be some truth to those arguments, the game reverberates throughout the nation, and the beneficiaries
A round-up of Sunday editorials from Alabama’s leading newspapers
A round-up of Sunday editorials from Alabama’s leading newspapers: The Anniston Star – Sheriff Amerson’s views on gun laws In this era of hyperbole and panic over the Second Amendment in America, calm is rare whenever gun rights are mentioned. It’s Pavlovian: mention firearms and gun owners fear the worst. That’s been the case this week after President Barack Obama issued his executive order that, among other things, called for stronger background checks on gun sales. Obama has been pilloried by Republicans. His plan has been scoffed at by the National Rifle Association. Obama’s supporters — those in the Democratic Party and those who back stronger gun laws, regardless of politics — have had a hard time keeping up. Nevertheless, this was said Thursday night in Anniston: “The good news is, I didn’t see anything that keeps people from access to guns. We have a lot of freedom and still do.” Those two sentences belong to Calhoun County Sheriff Larry Amerson, who this week held another of his popular gun-safety classes at the Anniston City Meeting Center. (An overflow crowd attended.) It may sound odd — a conservative, Southern sheriff skipping an opportunity to bash the president’s efforts to strengthen America’s gun laws. But, really, it isn’t. The Birmingham News – Let’s move New Year’s Day to March 1 Now that Christmas and New Year’s Eve/Day are safely behind us and life is beginning to return to normal, it’s time to think about which of those two holidays needs to be moved. I vote for New Year. It’s always puzzled me why we should cram two of our major raucously celebratory holidays so close together, particularly since both of them unlike, say, July 4, are on arbitrarily-chosen days. Their proximity during the darkest days of what used to be winter not only leads to Zombie week, the week between the holidays when you pretend to be alive at work, it also wastes a major celebration when you have barely recovered from the previous one. If we spread them out a bit, there would be one fewer large gaps between our raucously celebratory holidays. No one knows on what day or month or, for that matter, year, Jesus was born. We celebrate Christmas on December 25th because the Roman Emperor Constantine decided nearly 1700 years ago that a time near the winter solstice, when the days are just beginning to lengthen once again, was appropriate. Besides, he thought he might also be able to co-opt for Christianity a couple of pre-existing Roman feast days honoring other gods which were celebrated around that date. The Decatur Daily – Roy Moore brings disgrace, again Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore on Wednesday issued an administrative order prohibiting probate judges from issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. He did not issue the order as part of a pending case — a single justice lacks such power — but pursuant to his duty as administrative head of the Unified Judicial System of Alabama to “alleviate any condition or situation adversely affecting the administration of justice.” Alabama’s judicial system is adversely affected, he explained, because of “confusion and uncertainty” stemming from a conflict between two court decisions. One of those decisions, issued in March, was by the Alabama Supreme Court. In that case, the court upheld two Alabama laws banning same-sex marriage. The other decision, rendered in June, was by the U.S. Supreme Court. Based on this conflict, Moore concluded probate judges in Alabama had no clear direction. That direction could only come when the Alabama Supreme Court again weighs in on the issue, he said, and his administrative order was to clarify the duties of probate courts during the interim. “Until further decision by the Alabama Supreme Court, the existing orders … that Alabama probate judges have a ministerial duty not to issue any marriage license contrary to the Alabama Sanctity of Marriage Amendment or the Alabama Marriage Protection Act remain in full force and effect,” Moore wrote. Moore’s administrative order is a farce. There is no confusion whatsoever about the obligations of Alabama’s probate courts. Lawyers not positioning themselves for future elections or speaker fees get this. Dothan Eagle – The invisible homeless Almost a decade ago, a man was found badly beaten near a vacant building downtown, and he died later from his injuries. The victim lived on the streets – homeless, some would say, although the man’s family members said he lived the way he wanted. The tragedy was an epiphany for many local residents, people who, if asked, might have said there were few homeless people in our city. They’d be wrong, as volunteers with several local organizations could tell them. There are more people living on the streets of Dothan than one might guess, although it’s difficult to know an exact number, as many homeless people are transient. Local groups that offer support and assistance hope to get a better idea of the scope of homelessness in our area by conducting a headcount later this month. Those who are interested in doing something now have an opportunity. Volunteers are needed to carry out the initiative, Point in Time Count, conducted by the Southeast Coalition for the Homeless. The study is part of a national effort by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and will provide valuable data to homeless service groups in efforts to secure funding. The Enterprise Ledger – Just a few of my preferences I’d like to share Please refrain from using your cell phone at a movie theater. I think you should be escorted from the premises if you choose to text and perhaps even shoved out if you choose to talk on one during the movie… or even during the previews for that matter. Please drive the speed limit if you’re in the left lane or move over to the right lane. Some people need to get from Point A to Point B in a timely manner. Remember, if you take a shot at one university because of their
A round-up of Sunday editorials from Alabama’s leading newspapers
A round-up of Sunday editorials from Alabama’s leading newspapers: The Anniston Star – Bentley’s review of 2015 On Thursday, Gov. Robert Bentley took to Twitter to tout the year-end review of Alabama’s 2015 achievements, particularly those in economic development. By his count, Alabama added more than 52,000 jobs last year. A who’s-who list of companies — Polaris, Google, Mercedes and GE Aviation — put their money in Alabama-based projects. Result: $2.2 billion in investments, the governor said. Business Facilities Magazine, impressed by that $2 billion, named Alabama its state of the year. While he was at it, the governor also mentioned the state’s $10 million funding increase for pre-Kindergarten programs in Alabama and the prison-reform legislation passed last May. The governor is proud of his state, which should be expected. Cheerleading is one of a governor’s duties. “This was a great year for Alabama, especially in economic development,” Bentley wrote. “We will work even harder for your in 2016.” A great year? Sounds like hyperbole to us. Granted, the accomplishments the governor tweeted Thursday are indeed noteworthy. (The Google data center planned for Jackson County, for instance, is a major economic-development get for a Deep South state.) But, cheerleading aside, Alabamians must ask themselves how impressive 2015 really was for Bentley and the state Legislature, which the governor’s Republican Party controls with virtually no legitimate Democratic resistance. The Birmingham News – After a Bama Cotton Bowl victory, reflections on a year gone by It’s dark and quiet at my house right now. Alabama just won the Cotton Bowl with a shutout. My wife and I watched the ball drop in New York, and I have less than an hour to put forth any last minute thoughts for 2015. This one isn’t as hard as I thought it would be. This year has been tough. Period. Honestly, I’ve had my fill of all the fighting and anger. It’s tiring. I’m a conservative guy who loves his family, thinks free markets really do work, and believes we need to do a better job at loving each other. Yes, I know that might seem like a strange combination, but give me a minute to explain. While I don’t like the liberal solution of promising people more government stuff to improve their lives, I’m not interested in defending the capitalist who doesn’t care about his or her community. It’s more than opposing cronyism. I believe that people who profit from free markets in a nation like America ought to take care of their employees, ensure that they’re caring for the environment, and show people that a free marketplace really can produce better outcomes for the average person. The Decatur Daily – Embracing a new year New Year’s Day is a time to reflect on wisdom gained from past mistakes and on the joy of being able to start again. We collect here a few of our favorite quotes on the meaning of this day, and how best to embrace the coming year. “Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.” — Oprah Winfrey “Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.” — Benjamin Franklin “Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.” — Helen Keller “One resolution I have made, and try always to keep, is this: To rise above the little things.” — John Burroughs “Every new year is the direct descendant, isn’t it, of a long line of proven criminals?” — Ogden Nash “And now we welcome the new year. Full of things that have never been.” — Rainer Maria Rilke “Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.” — Mother Teresa “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” — Steve Jobs “The object of a new year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul.” — G.K. Chesterton Dothan Eagle – Gov. Bentley’s beach folly Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley is concerned about things that make Alabama look bad. On the action list of the second-term governor, who recently lost two Gulf Shores beach houses in a divorce from his wife of 50 years, is spiffing up the state’s decaying governor’s beach mansion, which has been gutted and boarded up since 1997’s Hurricane Danny. “The governor doesn’t want this property to be an embarrassment any longer,” said spokeswoman Jennifer Ardis. Earlier in December, work began on the 7,500 square-foot mansion, a two-story beachfront cinderblock structure in Baldwin County. Estimated cost of the renovation and rehabilitation is $1.5 million to $1.8 million, and will include updated security features. “It will have to be brought up to the standard of a governor’s residence,” Ardis told the Associated Press. Surely the state has more pressing economic needs that almost $2 million could address. After all, the beach mansion has been untouched for almost 20 years because no politician had the audacity to put tax money into the luxury home when so much of the state has struggled. Then again, this bill won’t be footed by taxpayers. It’ll be paid by “left-over” funds from the BP settlement after the 2010 Gulf oil spill. That’s stunningly audacious rationale, particularly considering the devastating impact the oil spill had on many areas of Alabama’s Gulf Coast and up into Mobile Bay, where the seafood industry of Bayou LaBatre and surrounding areas still feels the crippling effects of the disaster. The settlement money has been burning a hole in the administration’s pocket; the first plan was to use it to build a hotel and conference center on the beach until lawsuits started flying. However, that could have tangentially met the purpose of the settlement by infusing the area with more tourist traffic. The Enterprise Ledger – Another year in the books; I still miss Lindsey Nelson Ricky
A roundup of Sunday editorials from Alabama’s leading newspapers
A round-up of Sunday editorials from Alabama’s leading newspapers: The Anniston Star – Money for their captivity in Iran If a human life is invaluable — which it is — then what are 444 days of a person’s life worth? For more than 30 years, that question has dogged the U.S. government and the 53 Americans taken hostage at the U.S. Embassy in Iran in 1979. One of the infrequent stories about the hostages and their families is the long struggle in seeking compensation for their ordeal. Thirty-seven of the hostages are still alive. That struggle is over. The living hostages and the estates of the deceased are now eligible for payments up to $4.4 million each thanks to the omnibus spending bill signed into law earlier this month. Spouses and children of deceased hostages are eligible for lump-sum payments up to $600,000 each, The New York Times reported this week. The living hostages will receive up to $10,000 per day of captivity, though the final amounts are undetermined because of myriad legal hurdles yet to be cleared. Money for the payments became available, The Times reported, when a Paris-based bank paid a $9 billion penalty for breaking sanctions against Iran. The compensation is long overdue, but it doesn’t replace the human toll of spending 400-plus days in captivity in Tehran. The Birmingham News – A vision of amazing love without burning down the church When I looked down the row of chairs, the potential fire hazard was apparent. My three sons were in close proximity to lit candles. We separated them between my family members to reduce the likelihood of the candlelight service becoming a bonfire service. With one of my sons sleeping on my chest, I looked down the row in the dark room filled with hundreds of flickering flames. I saw my family. I saw my wife. And my other two sons were simply mesmerized by it all. My heart was overflowing. And then it struck me. “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” As a father, I can’t imagine sacrificing any of my sons to save a friend, let alone someone who had become my enemy. That strikes me as utter lunacy. That’s the point. That’s how strong a love it takes to save a broken wretch like me. Jesus’s arrival in the manger is at the crossroads of God’s radical love and my desperate need for redemption. I don’t want to accept that. I want to repair the wrecked parts of my character and the world on my own. If I earn it, I’m entitled to it. If I’m entitled to it, I can set myself apart—relishing in my own smug superiority. The Decatur Daily – Good tidings of great joy And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. “And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, good will toward men.” Dothan Eagle – Keep calm In the fall of 1939, a day after Britain’s Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain declared war on Germany, the nation created its Ministry of Information to handle press and publicity at home and abroad. Among its tasks was settling a population anxious about Britain’s entry into the Second World War. One of its productions, a red poster featuring a crown and the words “Keep Calm and Carry On,” was part of that initiative, although the placard was not widely deployed. The image emerged 70-odd years later as an icon of popular culture, both in its original form and in various clever reiterations. Its message, however, is one worthy of reconsideration these days, as we’re experiencing an uneasy and dangerous cocktail of political posturing, rancorous debate over guns in America and an unpredictable and ill-defined enemy. The result is a growing fear that’s begun to creep into every corner of hometown America and is destined to foment irrational decisions or, worse, policy. On the political front, candidate Donald Trump’s public appearances have occasionally degenerated into violent mobs. In a Republican debate last week, candidate Chris Christie called President Obama “a feckless weakling,” saying the president has damaged the nation before the world. While competing philosophies on policy issues is a hallmark of representative government, name-calling has no place in the halls of government. Then there’s anxiety here at home. Recently, Geneva County Sheriff Tony Helms joined the growing number of law enforcement officials in urging residents to arm themselves. The Enterprise Ledger – Santa,
A roundup of Sunday editorials from Alabama’s leading newspapers
A round-up of Sunday editorials from Alabama’s leading newspapers: The Anniston Star – A Saturday night affair for Democrats Saturday night, in the lyrics of Elton John, is “alright (sic) for fighting.” But is it a good time for a presidential debate? Hillary Clinton’s top Democratic adversaries, Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley, don’t think so. Their camps are none too pleased that the Democratic National Committee has scheduled the party’s third presidential debate for Saturday night on ABC — opposite a nationally televised NFL game and on the final shopping weekend before the Christmas holiday. “I guess Christmas Eve was booked,” Michael Briggs, a spokesman for Sanders, told The New York Times. Sanders and O’Malley aren’t worried about television ratings per se; it’s that they need every opportunity to show Democratic voters that they can compete for the nomination. Front-runners don’t need the air time. As challengers, Sanders and O’Malley can’t waste any chance to take Clinton to task on such a coast-to-coast stage. But ratings are part of the equation, and thus far the Republican Party debates have become must-see television, even for Americans who are apathetic about politics. They’re Washington’s version of reality TV: a bombastic, unfiltered businessman; a candidate with a legacy last name; a bright up-and-comer; a smart Texas senator; a brash New Jersey politico; and the field’s only female, a former CEO who has seemingly lost the ability to smile. Put them in a room. Turn on the cameras. And watch the sparks fly. Tuesday night’s GOP debate drew more than 18 million viewers for CNN, making it the third most-watched political debate in U.S. history. The top two: the first two Republican debates this fall, which each drew more than 23 million viewers. The Birmingham News – Alabama hired Obamacare website developer to ‘fix’ accounting system Ken Rollins, the vice president of the Alabama Council of the Vietnam Veterans of America, has good instincts. This week he told AL.com reporter Mike Cason that the state’s transition to a new accounting system seemed a lot like the Obamacare rollout of Healthcare.gov. Like a lot of organizations, Rollins’ group has a specialty car tag, and when the state sells one of those specialty tags, Rollins’ group gets $3. Or that’s what typically happens. Since September, they’ve gotten nothing. The Alabama Finance Department is in the middle of updating its accounting software, and the upgrade has been anything but smooth. Throughout the state, government vendors and contractors have been paid late, if at all. Tom Layfield, director of the Alabama Road Builders Association, told the Montgomery Advertiser this week that the late payments have been hurting some of their members. “One of my members said, ‘I’ve begged, borrowed and stolen everything I can. I really have to get paid now,’” Layfield told the Advertiser. The finance department has brought on extra staff to try to unstick the backlog of accounts payable. But that’s work the IT contractor should be doing. The Decatur Daily – Morgan sheriff should consider using 911 Center An embarrassing dispute between the acting Morgan County attorney and the head of the Morgan County 911 Center may have pointed to an explanation for what appears to be an inefficient decision on emergency dispatching. At the Morgan County Commission meeting Wednesday, commissioners approved Sheriff Ana Franklin’s $400,000 purchase of radios and other equipment for use by the Sheriff’s Office’s in-house dispatchers. The Morgan 911 Center would have supplied the Sheriff’s Office with radios if it switched to using the center. Morgan County 911 already handles emergency calls for every agency in the county except for the Sheriff’s Office and Somerville police, which dispatches through the Sheriff’s Office. The expense of the radios is not the main issue. Emergency 911 calls to the sheriff must first go to Morgan County 911, which must obtain much of the necessary information before handing it off to the sheriff’s dispatchers. Ryan Welty, director of Morgan County 911, said this duplication adds up to 90 seconds to deputy response time. Moreover, Morgan County 911 has the ability to efficiently pull in other agencies and ambulances to assist deputies if an evolving situation warrants it. Centralized dispatching also creates economies of scale, allowing Morgan County 911 to have the most advanced dispatching equipment and the most qualified dispatchers. Morgan County Commission Chairman Ray Long said Wednesday the commission can’t force Franklin to use Morgan County 911 dispatchers. While the commission can’t make Franklin use the 911 Center, it does have power to attempt to make her change her mind. The commission has the power of the purse string, as demonstrated by the commission’s approval of the $400,000 radio purchase. Dothan Eagle – Back to the drawing board on fees for serving documents The creation of a framework of government is a work in progress. Laws are passed, amended, rescinded, or rewritten as time goes by, and it’s not unusual to find, once a new law is in effect, that it causes unforeseen consequences. Such is the case with a measure passed in the state Legislature earlier this year to allow the Houston County Sheriff’s Office to collect fees for serving civil papers. The measure should have been put in place long ago. There’s an avalanche of paperwork produced by the local court system, and the task of serving those documents falls to the sheriff’s office. Getting the job done requires personnel and vehicles, and all the related expenses from salary and benefits to tires, maintenance and fuel. An established system of fees for document service would go a long way toward offsetting those costs. However, the wording of the legislation passed in the spring doesn’t specifically include juvenile court and family court, and makes no provision for documents from outside the local judicial district. So it’s back to the drawing board, with Sheriff Donald Valenza and county officials huddling to redraft legislation and clear the necessary hurdles to get the measure in front of the local legislative delegation prior to the next regular session in a few
A round-up of Sunday editorials from Alabama’s leading newspapers
A round-up of Sunday editorials from Alabama’s leading newspapers: The Anniston Star – Truth, or lack of it, in politics If you buy into the premise that everyone lies — especially politicians — then you face a choice: How much can someone lie and remain trustworthy? The early slog of the 2016 presidential election cycle is answering that question, particularly for Republican voters. The first primary votes haven’t been cast, yet fact-checkers are showing Americans which candidates of both parties are most inclined to say the earth is flat as if it were fact. On Friday, Angie Drobnic Holan, editor of PolitiFact, wrote an op-ed for The New York Times that every voter should read. Again, take politics out of it. (PolitiFact is a nonpartisan fact-checking website.) Her fact-checking of presidential candidates’ statements dates to 2007 and, given PolitiFact’s track record of accuracy, is imminently reliable. If you vote Republican, consider that Ben Carson and Donald Trump, two of the GOP’s biggest newsmakers this fall, rank as the worst purveyors of falsehoods. Eighty-four percent of Carson’s statements were either mostly false or worse, according to Holan. Trump, who’s leading most Republican polls, is hardly better at 76 percent. Taken another way, anytime Trump or Carson have made statements of fact during their campaigns, there’s a chance that 3 out of every 4 of them will be misleading or patently wrong. Or, flipped around, only 4 percent of Carson’s statements were true or mostly true. For Trump, it was 7 percent. The Birmingham News – When Donald Trump accepts the GOP nomination, there’s one way for him to make things right As you may have noticed, I’m not a politically correct guy. When I said we needed to kill these ISIS jihadis and their families, people got upset, but not you guys. You know we have to kill them. We have to kill their families. We have to kill their pets. And we have to kill their pets’ families. I know that sounds extreme, but if we don’t, one day you’re walking down the sidewalk, you look down and see a hamster, and boom! You’re dead. Promising to kill people is good for my polls. A lot of you don’t think I care about the polls, which is remarkable since whenever in my speeches I’m not saying crazy racist stuff, I’m talking where I am in the polls. But the polls just show you which way the wind is blowing. They don’t make the wind. I make the wind. When a lousy poll came out of Iowa showing that Ted Cruz was gaining on me — the thing was rigged, obviously — you know what I did? I went out on TV and said that we shouldn’t let any Muslim people into this country. That’s ridiculous by the way. I do a lot of business with Muslims. How am I going to do that if the princes and the sheiks and those other guys in the Middle East who care about money like me can’t come here? I care about money. I’ve said from the beginning that I’m spending my own money on this campaign. I have a lot of money. But I haven’t had to spend much of it. In fact, I have been getting money from other people, but that doesn’t matter because I don’t have to spend a dime. You know why? I’m trending on Twitter. The Decatur Daily – Bentley decries politics. Really. Full of righteous indignation, Gov. Robert Bentley on Wednesday lashed out at the U.S. Department of Transportation. “This USDOT investigation is nothing more than a weak attempt to embarrass the people of Alabama and exploit our state in the name of a political agenda,” Bentley said. It’s amazing he could get the words out without choking on them. The investigation to which Bentley referred is focused on his entirely political decision to close more than 30 driver’s license offices in the state, including the one in Moulton. He closed them in October in the midst of a petty battle with the state Legislature, which has consistently refused to raise taxes on its wealthiest constituents. Typical Alabamians were stuck in the crossfire. On the one hand, the Legislature is content to run the state into the ground rather than offend the rich with levels of taxation that they would have to pay in almost any other state. On the other hand, Bentley’s proposed taxes did nothing to inject fairness into the state’s tax system, and he took out his frustrations at the Legislature’s obstinacy on those Alabamians who are already at the greatest economic disadvantage. The 31 driver’s license offices Bentley closed were in the poorest counties in the state. The total savings from the closures amounted to $100,000 per year. To put this in perspective, the state paid $50,000 to Planned Parenthood lawyers to give Bentley the brief political pleasure of saying he would no longer spend about $2,000 a year for Medicaid recipients to receive contraceptives at the organization’s two Alabama clinics. Bentley’s decision to close the driver’s license offices had nothing to do with state finances. Dothan Eagle – Poverty is a challenge for Alabama A report released by the child advocacy group Voices for Alabama’s Children reminds us that poverty remains a significant challenge for far too many Alabamians. The organization’s most recent Alabama Kids Count Data Book reveals that about 25 percent of the state’s children live in poverty stricken households, with half of those in families with less than $1,000 per month in income. In this season between Thanksgiving and Christmas, there are ample opportunities to give to the less fortunate among us, and many aid organizations count on increased support during the holidays to buoy their programs throughout the year. That’s an important consideration, as poverty isn’t seasonal. There are strategies to help lift families out of poverty, but there is no quick fix, just as there is no single culprit. Job growth is a key factor, but if those
