Vicious Tweets/Whiskey River Kings

Approximately two days ago, almost all local high schools experienced what has to have been a synchronized Twitter attack by unknown individuals. Some of those who tweeted hurtful and libelous remarks posed as teachers.

There is no excuse for this. If students are so busy putting others down, they obviously are not using their time to bring themselves up. One mother expressed to us that these young high school students aren't ready to have a Twitter account. From reading tweets from around the world over the years, it appears this is true of many adults also.

Parents, check what your darlings are doing. You'll either breathe a sigh of relief or start planning a trip to the woodshed. If any readers have more information on this bullying at Cherokee and Sheffield in Colbert and in almost every Lauderdale County school, please come forward and talk to the school administration about it.

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Terry Wayne Myers remains at large. It seems that while the night shift at the Lauderdale County Detention Center was aware of his escape, the word was not passed to Sheriff Willis or deputies on the day shift. Obviously, precious time was lost.

Two factors come into play: It was a state holiday and the detention center director and the sheriff are not bosom buddies. While we welcome the good sheriff's statement concerning this, it would seem he has never made any effort to mend any breaches his previous behavior may have caused.

Terry Wayne Myers Still at Large

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The Whiskey River Kings are in a tight contest to win a spot at Bonnaroo. This group is managed by our friend from Belgreen Cops, Daniel Horton. There's now less than two days left in the contest, so please register and vote to send this great band to Bonnaroo.

Vote

Shoalanda

Have a Wild Weekend! (And a Date with Mable...)

Would you like a date with Mable this weekend? Say no more. We can fix you up.

"Brave Mable" is the creation of Shoals artist/writer Amy Collins. Amy (along with Mable) will be at the 2nd Annual Jack O'Lantern Farms' Arts & Crafts sale this Saturday. The farm is located on Garage Road in Sheffield just off Hatch Boulevard; the sale hours are 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

We recently added Amy's blog to our list and have been extremely impressed with her work. The show will also feature other local artists as well as cooking demonstrations. See you there!

(If you don't make it to the show Saturday, you can buy cards featuring Brave Mable at The Yellow Door, the Wine Seller, and the Spa at the Shoals Marriott.)

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If the art sale wears you out, don't worry. You have a week to rest up for Rodgeapalooza.

Yes, it's the latest brainchild of our friend Daniel Horton, so you know it will be entertaining. Here's the link for more info:

Rodgeapalooza

Shoalanda

Ghosts Tonight, Zombies Tomorrow

Ghosts in April? Well, you didn't think they just made appearances in October, did you?

Debra Glass, a UNA alumna and author, will conduct a campus ghost tour and discussion April 12 at 7 p.m. beginning at the Memorial Amphitheater. Glass is the author of more than 15 books and the 1992 recipient of the National Society of Arts and Letters Alabama Screenwriter Award. Glass, a local ghost historian, will lead the free tour for UNA students, employees and members of the community.

Thanks, Debra, for giving back to your alma mater and your community!

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Did someone say zombies? We've heard that ChargerCon will have more than zombies. It's a gaming convention and much more. Our own Belgreen cop Daniel Horton is the driving force behind this event. What better way to spend Friday the 13th?

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A reader pointed out that we owed our friend Larry Fisher an apology since we didn't include him in the category of little men who aren't here. Yes, we had temporarily forgotten that Larry was once stated to be a woman from Tuscumbia...  

Larry Fisher Fan Page

Shoalanda

Why Didn't Linda Stanley Think She'd Be Indicted

Former Muscle Shoals City magistrate Linda Stanley has told Judge Hal Hughston she wasn't prepared to pay back any of the almost 90K she embezzled from the city because she didn't think she'd be indicted. Why?

Was it because she had worked for the city for almost 25 years or was it because she knew the "right people?" We had predicted she wouldn't receive probation, but will serve only a matter of months.

Related posts:

Is Linda Stanley Guilty?

Muscle Shoals Loses 33K in Theft

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From our friend Daniel Horton:

"For the latest football scores and North Alabama gossip, tune to WFHM 95.5 FM tomorrow night starting at 9:30pm! The gang from who brought you Belgreen Cops and the Belgreen Bear will be bringing you the Highway 43 Friday Night Special on the Big 95.5. We hope you'll join us for a night of football, music, and general hellraising!"

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Tomorrow: A local clinic has closed its doors in Lauderdale County and Colbert County's Dr. Chris Gay has again been before the Board of Medical Examiners. A new trend? Or an old one?



Shoalanda

Rape? Get Life...Rape & Murder? Get 25 Years

Judge Gil Self yesterday sentenced Ronald Szezrak Jr. to two consecutive life terms for the rape of a six year-old girl. It is unlikely that Szezrak will ever be a free man.

Thanks to Judge Self for his common sense. Unfortunately it doesn't work that way in every case. Shaun Shapley raped and murdered his 17 year-old stepdaughter and received a sentence of only 25 years. Shapley was a habitual offender with a long history of violence against women; he should have been put away for life. It's a sad commentary on our judicial system in Lauderdale County.

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Daniel Horton of Dirrty Apple Productions informs us there will soon be a new episode of Belgreen Cops. Here's the trailer:

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Just how accurate are sex offender records at the Alabama Department of Public Safety? Tomorrow we'll look at some of these records and their shortcomings...


Shoalanda

Sheffield: Sexual Predator Central?

Many in the Colbert County town of Sheffield have made it no secret that they worry about the large number of sexual offenders living close to the downtown area. The Alabama Department of Public Safety site currently lists 26 offenders in Sheffield--one of them the late Rudy Stanback who made the list due to a conviction of second degree (statutory) rape.

Apparently among their number is an activist of sorts, one Derek Warren Logue, whose crime took place in Franklin County. Logue, a former Moulton resident, calls himself a civil rights advocate and is the author of Once Fallen, a book that advocates the forgiveness of sex offenders based on Biblical principals. We certainly believe in forgiving all who sin against us, but we also understand the difference between honest and trustworthy.

Logue, pictured at his 1996 wedding, was 24 in 2000 when he had sexual relations with an 11 year-old girl. In almost all of Logue's writings, he blames his victim. The above link is the least salacious website to feature Logue, either as hero or villain. In fact, the content of most of these websites is so disturbing that we suggest you Google them at your own risk.

Logue would like us to believe that he and others like him are changed. What his writings actually do is portray such a twisted individual that we can't blame those who live nearby this Sheffield "activist" for wanting rid of him. We hope that everyone from Turtle Point Village to Manning Homes, from Wilson Lake Shores to Little Guatemala in Russellville, teach their children about sexual predators. After all, they don't wear it stamped on their foreheads...but they should.

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Those who knew Tim Yeager during his tenure at Brooks High School in Killen are having some interesting things to say about the former coach. Yeager is currently awaiting a Tishomingo County Grand Jury hearing on charges of sexual improprieties with a 14 year-old student at Iuka Middle School.

* ...one of my closest friends told me that Coach Yeager did this to her as well. He made some extremely inappropriate advances several times and she would laugh them off. Then the final time, he actually touched her and she made it very clear for him to never do that again and it stopped then.

* ...Yeager back then was making advances to some of the girls (cheerleaders I think). I remember hearing through grapevine that he called one or two of them at home and told them to come to his house and he would supply alcohol, etc.

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Daniel Horton of Dirrty Apple Films tell us that we can look forward to a new Belgreen Cops video in the near future. In the meantime, here's our favorite:




Shoalanda

Bellgreen Cops

They're rough...they're tough...and they're silly. They're the Bellgreen Cops.

If you haven't yet viewed any Dirrty Apple videos, you've been missing a real treat. Founded in Franklin County in 2002, this small company specializes in short comedies. Perhaps Dirrty Apple's best known works are those featuring a group of comedic cops set in the rural Franklin County town of Bellgreen, hometown to the producers.

Currently there are six Bellgreen Cop videos, the last shot just last month at Florence's Renaissance Faire. Our two favorites feature a perp with a very unusual weapon and the hunt for a retro criminal that takes our heroes to the metropolitan city of Russellville.

Dirrty Apple founders include Daniel Horton, Sharla Horton, Brian Rodgers, and Jonathan Borden. These talented young film/video makers now live in Huntsville, where they continue to expand their portfolio of humor. Besides YouTube, you can view these videos at their website or via their new pod casting endeavor.

Give them a look and you'll be hooked. Be sure to sign their guest book while there and tell them that Shoalanda sent you.


What's up with this: Sources close to the Florence zoning department say the release of information concerning environmental contamination at the former Richards' Metal Plating Company has put the nails in the coffin of the Sweetwater Entertainment District. Wasn't that unofficially buried long ago?