Alabama Scene
Folsom pushes Senate to act
      If you are a baseball fan you could call it a walk-off home run…a bottom of the ninth inning home run which won the game.
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Louisiana politics?
      The Alabama State Senate continues to be an embarrassment to every hardworking Alabamian as the 35 senators bicker and fuss like children among themselves, ignoring important legislation. The most recent and frustrating example was last week when they squabbled over incenti...
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Assassinating reform
      The Alabama Senate isn't the only group acting irresponsibly and not in the state's best interest. Depending on your perspective, the Alabama Farmers Federation either pulled a smart political trick last week or used some underhanded maneuvering to kill a bill that would ha...
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Gone South
Free lunch days over for dry counties?
Hardy Jackson
      As I write, 15 Alabama counties are running scared. If a bill working its way through the Legislature actually passes, those counties will see their operating budgets cut 10 percent over the next five years.
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From Our Files
      29 years ago Dana Becton of Grove Hill was awarded Marion Military Institute's Best All-Round College Athlete Medal during the school's annual sports banquet. Becton excelled in football and baseball at MMI in 1977 and 1978. He also won the Judge Irby Pope Medal for Sports...
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Viewpoints
Ending double dipping
Gary Palmer
      The long struggle for accountability and transparency in state government took a discouraging downturn recently when the Alabama State Board of Education failed to consider a proposal to ban politicians from holding jobs or contracts with state two-year colleges while also s...
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Inside the Statehouse
'Miss Mittie' knew it all
Steve Flowers
      Whenever I travel in Alabama I am always asked to retell the story of Miss Mittie. It has been two years since this column appeared but by popular demand, here goes the story of Miss Mittie. As a youngster I spent my summers working as a Page in the State Legislature.
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Check fellow Democrats, too
      Dear Editor, Rep. Marc Keahey, D-Grove Hill, has taken a commendable and positive step in our State Legislature. He has asked for an audit of the Governor's use of the state aircraft. The Governor says he'll furnish all necessary documentation.
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'A good time was had by all...'
      Dear Editor, "…And a good time was had by all." The phrase has been used by many seventh grade essay writers to wrap up an essay when they have run out of things to say. Also, many high society ladies of daysgone by have finished up a description of a tea by using t...
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Congress Reports
Equal justice for all
Jo Bonner
      Last week, the House passed the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007, H.R. 1592, by a vote of 237-180. This legislation would provide federal assistance to states, local jurisdictions, and Indian tribes to prosecute hate crimes.
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