Category: Editorial

By Steve Flowers The premier issue of this year’s legislative session will be whether to borrow a massive amount of money to build new prisons in the state. This initiative appears to be our lame duck Governor Robert Bentley’s primary agenda. Last year Bentley proposed an $800 million bond issue for new prisons. He has come forward with a similar proposal this year. His plan would close all existing prisons…

By Harvey H. (“Hardy”) Jackson Back in 1871, Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circuses joined to create “The Greatest Show on Earth.” The other day the company announced that it was closing. One bit of my childhood, gone in the blink of an eye. As usual, I exaggerate. In truth, for me the golden era of circuses ended long ago. Like many of you, I grew up with traveling…

By Congressman Bradley Byrne I’ve held over 75 town hall meetings since being elected to Congress, and these meetings allow me to get a feel for what issues are most important to the people I represent. At every single town hall meeting, I get at least one question about problems at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). We have all read different stories about the VA in the newspapers –…

By Steve Flowers We have unbelievable natural resources in Alabama starting with the Tennessee Valley and transcending to the beautiful white sands at Gulf Shores. Many of our natural resources have been exploited over the years. The prime example would be the exploitation of our rich vaults of iron ore discovered in Jefferson County in the early 20th Century. It created the city of Birmingham, the Steel City of the…

By Larry Lee The Legislative Contract Review Committee recently put a hold on a $536,000 contact between the state department of education and Class Measures, Inc. of Massachusetts. Legislators want more information as to what this contract is all about. In the meantime, Decatur Daily reporter Mary Sell has continued to look at what is going on, as reported here. She states: “State Superintendent Michael Sentance communicated with the education consulting…