Congratulations to former Purdue basketball star on being drafted by the SuperSonics, then traded to Houston. Seattle was extremely active in the draft yesterday, but I’m sure Carl is pleased to be joining Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady as a Rocket.
Indy Star: Purdue’s Landry headed to Houston
Posted
Purdue on Friday, June 29th, 2007.
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The clean-up of the two year college system continues with the resignation of two presidents who have schools in serious trouble. Bradley Byrne has a lot of work yet to do, but he continues to move in the right direction.
The Birmingham News: Bishop, Shelton state presidents to retire
Posted
Alabama Politics on Friday, June 29th, 2007.
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Former Governor Don Siegelman and former HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy were taken into custody by US Marshals yesterday, after being sentenced to lengthy jail terms. It’s unfortunate that the cases appear to have been influenced by folks in Washington, because there is no doubt in my mind they are guilty, but there is now a pall over the entire prosecution.
Siegelman, Scrushy taken into custody - Breaking News from The Birmingham News - al.com
Posted
Alabama Politics,
National Politics on Friday, June 29th, 2007.
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I guess there have been worse ideas…but I still had to laugh:
Gov. Bob Riley has asked Alabamians to pray for rain to end the state’s drought.
The governor issued a proclamation designating June 30 through July 7 as “Days of Prayer for Rain,” according to his office.
“Throughout our history, Alabamians have turned in prayer to God to humbly ask for His blessings and to hold us steady during times of difficulty,” he said in a statement. “This drought is without question a time of great difficulty for our farmers and for communities across the state.”
Montgomery Advertiser: Riley asks citizens to pray for rain
Posted
Alabama Politics on Thursday, June 28th, 2007.
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Congratulations to the Alabama Conference of Black Mayors as they get ready to celebrate their 35th anniversary.
Montgomery Advertiser: Black mayors approach milestone
Posted
Alabama Politics on Thursday, June 28th, 2007.
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The real question isn’t whether residents of the Gulf Coast are ready, it’s is the federal government ready?
WSFA TV Montgomery, AL - Alabama Governor Attends Hurricane Preparation Conference
Posted
Alabama Politics,
National Politics on Thursday, June 28th, 2007.
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David Bronner rides to the rescue again in aiding the state with their deteriorating old buildings in downtown Montgomery. In a building for parking deal, Bronner acquired the Old Supreme Court building and has plans for its renovation.
Montgomery Advertiser: State swaps old high court building for parking
Posted
Alabama Politics on Thursday, June 28th, 2007.
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First, they vote themselves a pay raise that no one thinks they deserve, now they want free health insurance. I hope the senators lose this battle, but I fear they won’t.
AP: Showdown upcoming on Alabama senators’ health insurance
Posted
Alabama Politics on Wednesday, June 27th, 2007.
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Kathy is absolutely right, the dominoes are falling. I was proud of my former senator, Richard Lugar for being the first senator to stand up, now Voinovich has joined him. There will be others.
Birmingham Blues: The Dominoes Are Falling
Posted
National Politics,
Iraq War on Wednesday, June 27th, 2007.
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WSFA will be blogging from inside the courtroom at the Scrushy/Siegelman sentencing, get your updates here.
Posted
Alabama Politics on Tuesday, June 26th, 2007.
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Former Gov. Don Siegelman and former HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy are scheduled to be sentenced today for their corruption convictions. Spin the wheel and we’ll see how many years they will go away for…
Montgomery Advertiser: Siegelman, Scrushy sentencing today
Posted
Alabama Politics on Tuesday, June 26th, 2007.
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Monday’s Death Notices in the NY Daily News
MONTERA-Minnie P., (nee Citarella), age 97, died in Hudson, Florida on June 2, 2007. Mrs. Montera was a lifelong resident of Long Island City and Astoria. Her beloved husband Adolph & son, Paul, predeceased her. She is survived by son, Peter P. Montera, retired Circulation Manager of the NY Daily News, now of San Antonio, TX and a daughter, Anne Poskiff, of Hudson, FL, 9 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, 11 greatgreat grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Burial will be in the family gravesite in New Calvary Cemetery, Queens, NY. A memorial Mass will be celebrated at Saint Thomas More, R.C., Church, Breezy Point, NY at Noon, June 27. Arrangements under direction of THOMAS C. MONTERA INC., Funeral Home, Bronx, NY, 718-824-3700.
Yes, I am one of the 21 great-grandchildren and my daughter is one of the 11 great-great-grandchildren.
Posted
Personal on Monday, June 25th, 2007.
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At least Rep. Gordon corrected his mistake, but he did it after the paper did the research and contacted him. This kind of stuff goes on all the time, but I applaud the Press-Register and other media outlets for exposing it.
Mobile Press-Register: Gordon runs afoul of property tax law
Posted
Alabama Politics on Monday, June 25th, 2007.
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It’s not surprising that the AEA has a non-solution solution to the problem with double-dipping. To my mind what needs to be eliminated is pretty clear cut, but tough to legislate. We should not be preventing educators or state employees from becoming legislators, but we should be prohibiting legislators who are not state employees from becoming state employees after they have entered office. Most state employees and many educators are already prohibited from running in “partisan elections” if their offices are funded with federal dollars by federal law. So there is certainly precedent for doing something, but I don’t believe anyone has identified the appropriate response yet.
Birmingham News: Two-year colleges: Hubbert says fire lawmakers not doing jobs
Posted
Alabama Politics on Monday, June 25th, 2007.
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Brett Blackledge continues to peel back the layers of the onion on the close ties legislators have with two-year colleges. Today he exposes the dollars that came from legislators to the colleges where they were employed.
I still think the proposals on the table are an overreaction, because we should not be eliminating educators from running for the legislature. The real issue is with people gaining employment because of their position in the legislature. A more narrowly defined bill would help here. I also think the idea of legislators having discretionary funds has always been ridiculous and rife with potential for malfeasance, and has proven so time and again.
Birmingham News: Lawmakers with financial ties to colleges send special grants their way
Posted
Alabama Politics on Sunday, June 24th, 2007.
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People (yes you Dan) may finally be coming around tomy initial take, that the Governor did the right thing in vetoing the ethics legislation unanimously passed by the legislature, based on newspaper editorials over the last couple of days. Bravo!
Posted
Alabama Politics,
Blogging on Friday, June 22nd, 2007.
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This quote concerns me:
[Gulf Shores High Principal Eddie] Tyler said that the testing sends a clear message to students: Do drugs and you will get caught.
“We may have some students who think, ‘Well, I’m never going to get caught. I’m an occasional user, and this really doesn’t work,’” Tyler said. “I think our student population can see that’s not true. As more and more students make that mistake and that mistake is uncovered … hopefully, more and more will say, ‘I can’t do drugs. I can’t afford this.’”
“Getting caught” is not what student drug testing programs are supposed to be about. The quickest way to get such a program sued is to make it about punishing students who get caught, that isn’t the purpose. These programs are supposed to be about getting treatment for people who need it and intervening with kids who are experimenting before they get addicted. It is not supposed to be punitive and as soon as you turn it into that, you are violating the law. If it’s not about helping students, then it quickly crosses the line into “search with no suspicion legal territory”.
Mobile Press-Register: Drug use higher at Shores school
Posted
Alabama Politics on Friday, June 22nd, 2007.
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And Dan PAC rolls on…it’s the feature of the Montgomery Advertiser editorial today.
Congratulations again Dan!
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Dan appeared on the Matt Murphy radio show yesterday to discuss Dan PAC. This is taking on a life of its own, and as soon as I get through my move (getting ready to move next month), I will be making a donation to Dan PAC as well.
Posted
Alabama Politics,
Blogging on Thursday, June 21st, 2007.
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Roy Moore stuck his head out from under a rock yesterday to comment on a ten commandments monument in Fargo, ND. I question whether Roy knows where Fargo is, but it doesn’t really matter to him, if there’s a monument, he’ll talk about it.
Former Alabama judge opines on Fargo monument | KXNet.com North Dakota News
Posted
Roy Moore and Ten Commandments on Thursday, June 21st, 2007.
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I seem to be alone on my position in agreement with the Executive Director of the Alabama Ethics Commission.
Both Doc and Dan believe it isn’t right. I am certainly in favor of this type of ban and I certainly think it should include the Governor’s children, if appropriate, but they need to tighten up the language next time around.
Posted
Alabama Politics on Thursday, June 21st, 2007.
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President Bush is back in Alabama…does anyone really care, other than those attending the $1,000 a plate fundraiser for the least intelligent sounding man in the Senate?
Bush to visit Mobile today- al.com
Posted
Alabama Politics,
National Politics on Thursday, June 21st, 2007.
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Today is the day the five state senators who will decide what to do about Sen. Charles Bishop throwing a punch at a fellow senator will meet for the first time. Hopefully, they can deal with the matter expeditiously, but I wouldn’t bet on it.
Birmingham News: Senate panel to begin its probe into Bishop scuffle
Posted
Alabama Politics on Thursday, June 21st, 2007.
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This is one of those issues where you have to get beyond the headline.. Just because a bill passed unanimously does not mean people knew what they were voting for, especially in Alabama. I’m going to put my faith in Jim Sumner of the Alabama Ethics Commission on this one that the bill is much broader than the legislators realized, but I hope they work to construct a narrower bill to address the problem in the next session.
UPDATE: I agree with Kathy that the Governor’s Communication Director is wrong to accuse the entire legislature of grandstanding on this issue. I believe they were actually trying to do something good, they just did it incorrectly.
Posted
Alabama Politics on Wednesday, June 20th, 2007.
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The state agency tasked with ensuring other state agencies follow the bid law has violated the bid law. And laughter ensues…
Mobile Press-Register: Report: Department did not follow bid law
Posted
Alabama Politics on Wednesday, June 20th, 2007.
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Senator Jeff Sessions continues to be an embarrassment to the state of Alabama. His stand on the bi-partisan immigration bill is just the latest in a long history of being on the wrong side of issues and sounding ill-informed in the process.
He holds a press conference yesterday issuing a list of demands for the bill and then says he probably won’t support even if he gets what he wants…what an idiot.
Birmingham News: Sessions says existing immigration law should be enforced- al.com
Posted
Alabama Politics on Wednesday, June 20th, 2007.
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Congratulations to one of my best friends in the world, Courtney Dohman on the article which appeared this weekend in the Chicago Sun-Times about her business, Sweets by Courtney. I hope it signifies big things to come!
Posted
Personal on Wednesday, June 20th, 2007.
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R.I.P. Coach, and my condolences to Hoosier Nation.
Posted
Purdue on Tuesday, June 19th, 2007.
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Mayor Bright found another way to turn success into failure with the Amphitheatre. It’s an amazing facility that has not been used to its potential up to now. And we finally get a promoter willing to take a chance on it, they have successful shows, but the city finds a way to mess it up. This has got to stop, it’s happened before and it will happen again. It’s a shame for the city and the venue.
Posted
Montgomery Politics on Tuesday, June 19th, 2007.
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Dan continues to get play for his PAC. It was a brilliant move and one that has obviously had lasting demonstrative impact. He deserves all the praise.
Posted
Alabama Politics on Tuesday, June 19th, 2007.
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Time to gear up for another presidential visit. Can you feel the excitement?
Huntsville Times: Bush to visit Browns Ferry
Posted
Alabama Politics,
National Politics on Tuesday, June 19th, 2007.
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