Alternative news and discussion for Scottsboro, Jackson County Alabama and the Tennessee River Valley as I see it. Responsible comments to articles welcome. As always, "Watch for Snakes," particularly those wearing suits.
JAMES MADISON QUOTE - 1822
"A popular government without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a Prologue to a Farce or a Tragedy; or, perhaps both. Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives."
Agenda Item 3 - Rec Com Pool HVAC replacement bid was approved for $427,260.00; engineering fee was for 7.8% costing $33,326.00. This money will be paid out of the Bond Issue for the Rec Com pool improvements previously voted upon and approved.
First Storm Shelter location announced - to be built behind the Randall's Chapel Methodist Church. Property lease usage terms, a 20 year lease for $1.00 per year. Construction to begin 2-3 months by City of Scottsboro, Scottsboro Electric Power Board and Scottsboro Water Sewer and Gas will participate in the construction. (Photo credit - Inside an Alabama storm shelter; FEMA Grieg Powers, Fair Use for non-profit news reporting.)
From left to right, City Council President Tony Wallingsford, City Attorney Steve Kennamer, Council Member Patrick Stewart, Council Member Jessica Butler considering issues before council.
Council Member Smith comments about cost overruns of projects.
Mayor Robin Shelton, left, discusses project cost increases in Goose Pond Walking Trail and decreases in expenses, Council Member Stewart looks on.
Regardless of the comments of political, judicial or officials of Community Corrections/Court Referral there is no Federal Certified Laboratory for drug testing in Jackson County Alabama or the entire State of Alabama. There needs to be local improvements, drug abuse is a mental health care problem, more so than a legal problem. Mental health care funding in Alabama has decreased and Medicaid funding is not provided under the Affordable Care Act in Alabama.
In Jackson County Alabama, the acceptance of drug testing laboratories whose standards do not meet Federal Standards, and where the local legal standards do not meet the standards of employment law nor Department of Transportation requirements of drug testing is ridiculous and not supportive of a just legal system. This problem is simple to correct, there is no will to do so as it would mean following a set of just legal standards which insure a system of checks and balances not present currently regarding drug testing of those clients in the Court Referral system in Jackson County. Laboratories meeting federal legal standards of drug testing laboratories: https://www.samhsa.gov/workplace/resources/drug-testing/certified-lab-list
The failure to require Court Referral clients testing positive to not be called in and informed of test results immediately when a positive test is demonstrated is a failure of due process. The failure to not have two sealed sample containers with urine as is the standard of practice is not only a failure of due process of law and a violation of standards of practice but an excuse to incarcerate without due process of law. To wait weeks, over a month, before notification after a known positive test result is ridiculous and demonstrates a failure of our legal system involving Court Referral. The bottom line - there needs to be improvement regarding drug abuse treatment and the organizations involved in drug testing in Jackson County Alabama.
Agenda Item 14 on the
County Commission Agenda - Community Corrections resulted in a continuation of
Monday’s meeting today at 10:30 AM. The meeting lasted approximately one and half hours.
The Jackson County
Commission will consider whether to change the Court Referral - Community
Corrections status from a non-profit organization to an organization under the
purview of the Jackson County Commission.
Commissioner Jeffrey
Williams from the Alabama Department of Corrections was present and made a
comprehensive presentation; Judge Jennifer Holt, Presiding Judge Jackson County
Circuit Court; Jackson County District Court Judge Donald Word: Jackson County
Courts Clerk Donna Barksdale; Director of Community Corrections Mike Brown;
Director of Court Referral Brandon Brown were present; Jennifer Lackey from the
Lackey Law Firm who are the attorneys of record for the Jackson County
Community Corrections and Court Referral Office; Parker Edmiston of the
Edmiston Law Firm attended.
Videos, Part 1 & 2 November 16, 2017 Commission meeting continuation
PHOTOS
Department of Corrections Commissioner Jeffrey Williams makes presentation to commissioners. (photo by G. Morgan)
Presideing Circuit Court Judge Jennifer Holt discusses her concerns with Commission; Commissioner Tim Guffey in foreground listens. (photo by G. Morgan)
Community Corrections Director Mike Brown answers questions. Commission Chair Mike Ashburn on right; Attorney Jennifer Lackey of the Lackey Law Firm and District Judge Don Word.
(photo by G. Morgan)
VIDEO (Nov. 13, 2017)
Regarding Agenda Item 14, Community Corrections Court Referral
Scottsboro, Alabama November 13, 2017 Jackson County Commission Agenda Item 14 Motion to Discuss Community Corrections. Motion was made to go into an Executive Session to discuss Good Name and Character. "Incompetent . . . Incomplete" says, in part, requested report by Jackson County Commission referring to Community Corrections accountability. I was informed by a confidential source that Judge Holt was present prior to the Commission meeting to express alleged displeasure with agenda item 14, Community Corrections. Mr. Porter, County Attorney, was asked if Judge Holt was present during the Executive Session on agenda item 14, he stated "no comment."
All Rights Reserved for writings, video, photographs and art by Garry L. Morgan.
U.S. Copyright Office Fair Use Rule: "Section 107 contains a list of the various purposes for which the reproduction of a particular work may be considered fair, such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, nonprofit educational purposes and research. Link: http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html
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Scottsboro Police Department Web Site
""The police are the public, the public are the police. The police are the only members of the public who are paid to give full time attention to duties that are incumbent on every citizen in the interest to community welfare and existence." - Sir Robert Peel, 1829 https://www.scottsboropd.org/
The Sunlight Foundation uses cutting-edge technology and ideas to make government transparent and accountable. Click on image to learn more.
THE FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY
"I can say with confidence that the federal government needs a major overhaul. Don’t get me wrong, most public servants in government are highly educated and dedicated professionals who are committed to “the greater good.” At the same time, the government has become a bloated bureaucracy that is based on past conditions and in too many cases, federal programs and policies can’t demonstrate that they are generating real results that benefit the American people."
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David Walker President and CEO The Peter G. Peterson Foundation http://www.pgpf.org/ ; former, recently served for 10 years, Comptroller General of the United States and head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).
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NPR's story on David Walker: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124460237
"public intelligence"
"What is Public Intelligence? Public Intelligence is an international, collaborative research project aimed at aggregating the collective work of independent researchers around the globe who wish to defend the public’s right to access information." http://publicintelligence.net/
A Nuclear Engineer's Report on the Bellefonte Nuclear Plant
Danger Zone: Aging Nuclear Reactors
Incident at Browns Ferry (PBS 1977)
History of nuclear power safety issues which the 1975 Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant fire brought forward. This video has been censored by the nuclear industry. The trillion dollar multinational nuclear death industry prefers to keep you the citizen in the dark and feed you crap.
Renaissance artists including Michelangelo, Sandro Botticelli, Pietro Perugino, Pinturicchio and others. Click on image for a tour. Left click & hold mouse to move image.
Bellefonte Efficiency and Sustainability Team/Mothers Against Tennessee River Radiation http://www.matrr.org/
"TVA at the Crossroads" a SACE Film.
"America is at an energy crossroads and the Tennessee Valley Authority has a choice to make: Will it cling to old coal power because of its historic significance or will it retire its oldest, dirtiest and least efficient plants and lead America into a clean energy future?" TVA At The Crossroads from SACE.
****************************I'm GARRY MORGAN, a Christian, U.S. Army (AMEDD) retired, Race Relations/Equal Opportunity Specialist (U.S.Army, Retired DOD-DRRI-DEOMI) a citizen of Scottsboro Alabama, a Baylor University grad-Go Bears, a political activist and a political Independent as I believe political parties divide the citizenry whom they are suppose to represent. We must learn the lessons of our history or we will surely repeat our mistakes. I think the greatest problem facing our nation is the massive national and personal debt.
