By Steve Flowers, Guest Columnist
Since this is Alabama vs. Tennessee week and we have a Governor’s Race in three weeks, allow me to share the Story of Shorty Price.
Alabama has had its share of what I call “run for the fun of it” candidates. The most colorful of all these perennial “also ran” candidates was Ralph “Shorty” Price. He ran for Governor every time. His slogan was “Smoke Tampa Nugget cigars, drink Budweiser beer and vote for Shorty Price.”
Dear Editor,
I would like to give a SHOUT OUT/THANK YOU to Ms. Lakitha Bell, director of Pickens County Emergency Management Agency (EMA). September 5, 2018, Hurricane Gordon shared with me a bit of a “watery” experience. Water covered half my carport!
Dear Editor,
This letter is intended to be informational and perhaps educational. Do you know the actual impact that agriculture, forestry, and other related industries have on Pickens County: In 2010, $195.6 million was generated through our country’s agricultural and forestry production. Poultry and egg production was the largest agricultural commodity, contributing 70% of Pickens County’s total agriculture and forestry production, according to USDA National Agriculture Statistics.
By Steve Flowers, Guest Columnist
The State of Alabama’s fiscal year begins next week on October 1. Our state’s finances are not the best in the world. However, they got a boost from the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this year, The high tribunal ruled that states can collect sales tax on internet sales.
BY GENA HUFF, Editor
The Autumnal Equinox has come and gone. Last Sunday, Sept. 23, the official beginning of the Fall season began, although we here in the South don’t get many of the benefits of Fall, if ever, until much later in the year.
By Steve Flowers, Guest Columnist
Dear Editor,
Thank you to the individuals and community organizations that made themselves available to welcome students back to school on “the first day of school” for the 2018-2019 academic year at Aliceville Elementary School. Their presence portrayed a positive mental attitude for the students to emulate. Great schools are known by the communities that support them. School - community relations is vital to the success of a school and school district.
BY GENA HUFF, Editor
Sunday, September 9, marks this year’s Grandparents Day. Celebrated since 1978, the statute signed by then President, Jimmy Carter, states the purpose of Grandparents Day is “to honor grandparents, to give grandparents an opportunity to show love for their children’s children, and to help children become aware of strength, information, and guidance older people can offer.”
BY GENA HUFF, Editor
Seventeen years ago. September 11, 2001. Do you remember what you were doing…where you were? I do. I remember.
My youngest daughter was two years old. She had come down with a bad cold and we had been up half the night. I woke up at about eight o’clock that morning. The television was on, which was strange. Usually, it was quiet after everyone else in the house had gone to school or work. The baby was with me. I guess she may have slept with me, or I with her. I held her on my hip.
By Steve Flowers, Guest Columnist
Dear Editor,
Teachers are the largest group of school employees. The second largest group is the school staff classed as auxiliary. The auxiliary staff is also called school support staff, school support personnel, and education support personnel (ESP). They are bus drivers, custodians, food service workers, secretaries, bookkeepers, maintenance technicians, etc. It is estimated that almost 3 million school support personnel are working in our nation’s public schools. During the 2017-2018 school year, 36,057 support personnel were employed in Alabama’s 1,473 public schools.
BY GENA HUFF, Editor
Everyone has the impulse. At this point in our society, it is more like instinct. The notification sound goes off on the cell and the instant reaction is to reach for the phone. So, we look. And wham, within that second or three of distraction, we can turn whole worlds on their head.
By Steve Flowers, Guest Columnist
Recently, I wrote about Alfa’s influence in Alabama politics. In my August 8 column, I said, the Alabama Farmers Federation still controls the Legislature. They used to play in the Governor’s Race. However, they got burned badly by Bob Riley when they helped him get elected and the first thing he did was stab them in the back. However, they have slipped around this year and will not only own the Legislature, they will probably have a good friend in the Governor’s office.
By Steve Flowers, Guest Columnist
The appointment of a United States Supreme Court Justice is one of the most profound legacies that a U. S. President can achieve. The opportunity that President Donald Trump was given to appoint Neil Gorsuch to the High Tribunal last year will be a monumental achievement of the Trump administration.
By Steve Flowers, Guest Columnist
Now that the dust has settled on the primaries, allow me to share with you some thoughts on the Alabama political stage.
There is an old saying that says the more things change, the more they stay the same. This old adage is true in Alabama politics.
BY GENA HUFF, Editor
As the new school year rolls into existence, so too will bullying. Seemingly, these go hand in hand. Although bullying can continue into adulthood — no longer called bullying but harassment, assault, or defamation — school years, and especially the younger to middle years of school, can be a gauntlet of peer pressure, confusion, angst, and awkwardness. This is only exasperated with bullying.
BY GENA HUFF, Editor
e Pickens County Herald o ce receives press releases from all over the country, from all types of people and agencies. is includes press releases from Alabama State Trooper’s public information o cer regarding tra c fatalities in Pickens and the neighbor- ing counties. All too o en, those press releases state a seat belt was not in use.
Because of inertia, meaning an object will con- tinue to move at its current velocity until a force causes
Dear Editor,
In Birmingham, Monday July 2, I was very disappointed in a comment Superintendent Jamie Chapman made about the city of Aliceville. It was wrong. It was slander towards us. And it made our city look like we aren’t doing anything.
He attacked our city council, in an open meeting in Birmingham. He attacked it on the issue of the one-cent tax. He said, to the judge, that we didn’t support the resolution. Sure enough, we didn’t. But it was two sides to that story. He didn’t tell the other side.
Words cannot express the gratitude the Town of Pickensville and Pickensville Community Affairs have for the support, financially, that has been shown to us.
The Town of Pickensville and Community Affairs is still in awe from the benefits. We are so grateful to all those people that helped make it possible, the vendors, and to all the people that came and showed their support.
We are also grateful to the many volunteers that came out to work at the Pickensville 13th Annual Pre-Fireworks Show and Pickenville’s Bicentennial Celebration.
By Steve Flowers, Guest Columnist
You have the results of Tuesday’s runoff elections. I had to go to press with my column before the results were known.
By Steve Flowers, Guest Columnist
Well folks, if you vote in the Republican primary you may want to go back to the polls next week and finish selecting the GOP nominees for several important state offices. If you are a Democrat the only reason you will need to vote on Tuesday is if you have a runoff in a local race and there are very few of those around.
Dear Editor,
The Tuscaloosa Veterans Medical Center has erected four cottages (nursing homes) to our veterans.
I sat in on a meeting with the directors of these facilities along with patient veterans. The patients made a suggestion that maybe some organization could donate some umbrellas for our picnic tables and some bird feeders. They like to watch the birds feed.
BY GENA HUFF, Editor
As summer gets into full swing and kids are looking for new activities to cut down on the boredom, some young budding entrepreneurs may decide a lemonade stand is worth a try.
Everybody likes to sell lemonade, it’s cheap, the profit margin is good, it’s easy to make and refreshing, it goes well if you want to have a cookie or two on the side, and nothing says “Awww, how cute,” to grownups like a kid or two running a lemonade stand.
By Steve Flowers, Guest Columnist
The best races of the year have been for Attorney General and Lt. Governor, as well as Agriculture Commissioner and for the 2nd Congressional district.
BY GENA HUFF, Editor
The summer heat is upon us once again. Throughout the summer, there will be days at the pool, shopping trips, vacations, and disrupted schedules. As you go about your summer, remember to check your back seat to make sure your children are not there before you lock the door to the car. All too often, children are being left in the back seat of the car, forgotten, and much more quickly than you may think, that child can perish from heatstroke.
Dear Editor:
My name is Myah Shamery, and I am writing on behalf of Sweet Elite Dance Team.
As founder and coach of Sweet Dream Elite, we are currently working on a major fundraising project that will help us raise money to compete in Pomona, California, July 25-29.
In order to make a difference, we rely on the support of generous individuals and businesses throughout West Alabama. These young ladies are our future of tomorrow. Please send or give us a donation by June 29. We will make sure you receive a receipt for your tax documents.
Dear Editor:
Friday, June 15, 2018 is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. On that day, communities in the USA and all over the world will sponsor events to highlight solutions to this systemic social challenge.
By Steve Flowers, Guest Columnist
Now that the dust has settled from last week’s gubernatorial primaries, let’s analyze the outcome.
