This site is dedicated to bringing you the latest, freshest news from all of Etowah County. GadsdenMetro will be developing a network of community reporters who will present to you news from every nook and cranny of our wonderful county.LETTER TO EDITOR: WE ARE THE DREAM
29 August 2010
Dear Editor:
For more than a decade prior to his assassination in 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. went into the homes of white American families, particularly in the deep south, and talked to them about their attitudes toward African-Americans. He spoke to white children in their own living rooms as they sat on their couches and recliners. True, he was not there physically, and he did not enter the homes through the front door. That would have been unlikely in the racially-charged 1960s. But nonetheless, it was Dr. King himself, in the form of flickering back-and-white images on television screens, delivering the most powerful lines of his speeches during news broadcasts.
When Dr. King said, "I have a dream of a day when my children are judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character," the message was not filtered through a scrim of journalism simultaneously reporting and interpreting it. It was not drab newsprint the children would have found too boring to read. It was the great man himself, making his case "in terms so plain and firm as to command their assent," as Thomas Jefferson once described his own declaration. Nothing could shake the fundamental truth once the message had been delivered - not parents, not schoolteachers, not friends or parents of friends, not the governor standing on the steps of the university, and not the brick-throwing unrest and fist-fighting school integration of the next several years.
Dr. King was a great man because he fought a social cancer that had inflicted American society over 300 years. But his message was not new. It had been expressed by a thousand other great men and women since the 17th century. He did, however, have the advantage of being the first to deliver the message via the newly-invented television directly to the upcoming next generation of children while they were still young enough for his words to influence their yet-unformed attitudes. It seems doubtful he would have been as effective without it. He himself probably did not comprehend how the new appliance would help him ultimately and posthumously accomplish what John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, Harriett Beecher Stowe, and others could not.
Barack Obama is not the realization of Dr. King's dream. We are. Millions of white children of the 60s and 70s who did not grow up to become racists despite having been born into a racist society. Dr. King did not care about electing a black American president; he cared about an America where the color of the president's skin is trivial. President Obama was elected by a multi-racial majority. More importantly, Obama's opposition is based strictly upon issues, not upon skin color. By anyone's standards, White America has achieved Dr. King's dream.
His speeches were delivered to assembled crowds of primarily African-American attendees. But the messages contained within those speeches were not directed at African-Americans. It asked nothing of them. It did not ask them to change their attitudes; it was white attitudes that needed changing. He did not ask African-Americans to achieve; it was assumed that once they were given the opportunity to achieve, they would need no prompting. African-Americans already cheered King's words. Caucasian-Americans were the ones who needed convincing.
The political left owns racism in the US today by the way it defines everyone according to the demographic categories it assigns them: heritage, gender, sexual orientation, physical limitations, etc. By identifying, categorizing, and allocating everyone into groups, leftists strip people of their individuality and their individual freedoms. Last January, Chris Matthews of MS-NBC had an epiphany - for one hour while the President was delivering the State of the Union Address, Matthews stopped thinking about the fact that the President is black. Apparently, prior to last week, Matthews had never had seen President Obama without focusing his thoughts on skin color instead of issues. Now, he has put thoughts of race out of his head. Welcome to the conservative majority, Mr. Matthews, even if it only lasted for an hour.
Last weekend a large and diverse crowd gathered at the western end of the National Mall around the Lincoln Memorial, where Dr. King gave that speech 63 years before. The message of this meeting was not about repression of one race, or about promoting one race over any other. It was about Americans - all Americans coming back together under the principles upon which the greatest nation in the history of the world was founded. Those principles have come under attack during every generation, and every generation has been called upon to rededicate itself to them. Some on the left have predictably claimed that the "Restoring Honor" rally was meant to usurp Dr. King's message. That assertion badly misses the point. On the contrary, it represents a social movement that grew naturally from the realization of The Dream. Many who were gathered in Washington on August 28th were among the very people to whom Dr. King directed his famous speech, and their children, and children's children. The fact that race had nothing to do with the message of the Restoring Honor gathering is a testament that The Dream has been realized. And those who accuse it of racism appear, sadly, to be those who have not realized it.
The left's philosophy is that you cannot be one of them unless you agree with them on every issue. No one who disagrees with the leftist views on race, abortion, gay rights, or any other individual issue would be welcome as part of the leftist movement, even if they agree on everything else. The political faction that claims to embrace diversity will not accept diversity of opinions, the most underpinning of all civil liberties, within its own ranks.
Last year a grass-roots political movement began to stretch its wings at an estimated 800 tea parties on April 15th. It is a movement that focuses on a return to the vision of the Founding Fathers and the Constitution. Some reporters at CNN, NBC and its cable counterpart MSNBC, and most notably, liberal activist Janeane Garafalo have claimed that these tea parties are mere racist demonstrations. Infuriatingly, we all know that they know it is untrue. No racism was in evidence at any of the tea party rallies. In fact, this new socio/political energy is more inclusive and issue-based than any our generation has seen. Garafalo and the NBC news organization have abandoned all journalistic ethics and are attempting to make news that doesn’t exist rather than report the news that does.
Did any racists attend these tea parties? Who can say? No one suggests that there are not some racists extant in America, only that they are not in positions of leadership and that racist attitudes are no longer socially acceptable. If a few racists were in attendance, we have not yet made the Orwellian leap into thought control. Individuals are still entitled to their opinions, even ignorant and unpopular opinions. Anyone has the right to have a racist attitude if that is the attitude he has. He may not act on it in a way that denies the rights of others, but he may have and express his opinion short of that without fear of molestation. If he happens to agree with the principles this country was founded upon, and if that belief inspires him to attend tea parties, it does not require the movement to adopt or defend his racist attitudes. But it also does not require the movement to turn him away and refuse his support for other causes they agree about, such as limited government and market capitalism. In fact, the dissent on various issues among participants illustrates the very fundamental freedom of thought and expression tea parties are seeking to protect.
Television, which four decades ago gave Dr. King the power to speak truth directly to millions is failing its duty to the American people today. Rather than allow the message of tea parties to pass through unfiltered, reporters and anchors at NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, MSNBC, PBS, and CNBC distort their reporting to suit their own editorial orthodoxy. Only at Fox News and C-SPAN can anyone hear the tea party message in its own words, sans interpretive commentary.
The political conservatives believe the USA and our society were built upon a belief that everyone is an individual, not a mere representative of all others who appear similar in some superficial way. One might think that this, too, is a plain and firm truth that everyone, even Janeane Garafalo, would embrace.
Rex Stanfield
Gadsden, AL
Hokes Bluff Man Says 40+ Years of United Way Giving "Comes Back"
27 August 2010
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| Mr. Cecil, from Hokes Bluff, telling his story in the United Way Campaign Video "How I LIVE UNITED" from 2010 Campaign |
(Hokes Bluff, AL - August 26, 2010) During Thursday's "Opening Day" ceremony for the 2010 United Way giving campaign, a house full of guests in Gadsden's Convention Hall had the opportunity to meet "Mr. Cecil" and several others who have received help from the United Way in past years.
During a four-and-a-half minute video presentation, viewers were introduced to four Etowah County residents who have received service from the 26 member agencies of the United Way of Etowah County. One of the three stories revolved around Goodyear retiree "Mr. Cecil."
Cecil tells of his struggle with recovery from encephalitis, a disease that shuts down one's nervous system. "I'm one of the few that lived through it," he says in the video interview. He continues to explain that he had contributed to the United Way weekly for more than forty years before he retired from Goodyear.y
"I knew [my contributions] helped the Y(MCA), but I never thought I might have to be part of it, using it, getting the benefit from the Y to help myself be mobile again." Mr. Cecil participates in the Silver Sneakers program, a physical therapy program geared for the physical needs of a more senior participant. He also participates in other rehab programs at the Y on Walnut Street in Gadsden.
Cecil tells GadsdenMetro that his experiences at the Y have helped keep him alive. "Between the programs at the Y, my friends and fellow church members, the Good Lord have kept me alive and getting better." His health has improved so much that he's gone from not being able to even write his own checks to pay his bills to being an ambassador for the United Way this campaign season.
He has visited his former workplace, and several other businesses in the area to encourage workers to contribute "somethign, anything" to the United Way. In the video interview, he reminds them to "give, because they don't know when they're going to use it." He says he doesn't regret a penny he spent on supporting the various programs of the United Way member agencies.
"I'm prouder of it [contributions] right now than I was then, knowing I'm getting the benefit of it now," he states in the campaign video. He says for forty years his money was "just a gift back then I gave to help... but, its come back home to me" he says in one of the most emotional moments in the entire video.
During the United Way of Etowah County Opening Day Celebration, it was announced that the Pacesetters Campaign, which was just concluded, had raised over $600,000. That amount reflects almost half of the more than $1.3 goal for 2010-2011.
Link to Campaign Video
Gadsden Man Pleads Guilty to $100,000-plus Mail Fraud
26 August 2010
(Birmingham, AL - August 26, 2010) U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance says a Gadsden man has pleaded guilty to mail fraud for more than $100,000 in fake invoices sent to the Tennessee Valley Authority. The plea was entered into Federal Court in Birmingham on Wednesday, according to a statement released today.
39 year old William Lenn Coffey of Coffey Manufacturing in Gadsden entered a guilty plea to one count of mail fraud filed against him in May of this year. A maximum sentence for the charge is 20 years in prison and $250,000 in fines.
Coffey's plea agreement states that his accomplice, Daniel Sieber II was a manager of Shaw Field Services, a subsidiary of Louisiana-based Shaw Group, Inc. The parent company had a contract with TVA to provide insulating blankets for some power plants. That company, Shaw Group was later bought and became Analytic Stress Relieving in 2005.
Sieber created fraudulent invoices for insulating blankets and submitted them to Shaw Field Services/Analytic Stress Relieving between June of 2005 and June of 2007. Those invoices were from Coffey Manufacturing with the purpose of receiving payment on the fraudulent invoices. Moneys received by Coffey would be divided with Sieber.
Both Coffey and Sieber knew the invoices were fake and that Shaw Field Services/Analytic Stress Relieving had not received the insulating blankets from Coffey's business, according to the plea agreement.
Documents indicated Sieber submitted $106,662 in fraudulent invoices to his company, which paid Coffey Manufacturing $91,855.
The case was investigated by the TVA Office of Inspector General, Assistant U.S. Attorney David Estes is the federal prosecutor.
Ronnie Watkins Ford Raising Money for Gadsden City High
26 August 2010
(Gadsden, AL - August 26, 2010) Local businesses are often asked to help schools raise money for various groups and projects at area schools. But, local Ford dealer, Ronnie Watkins Ford is really stepping up to the plate for Gadsden City High School this year.
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In cooperation with Ford Motor Company, Ronnie Watkins Ford is offering to contribute up to $6,000 to Gadsden City High School on September 3 at the Titans vs Oxford High School football game. The event, called "Drive One 4 Ur School" offers to pay a selected high school in the dealership's market $20 for each test drive made in a Ford, Lincoln or Mercury vehicle during a specific period of time.
Watkins says the company would only allow his dealership to select one school to support this year. He hopes to be able to conduct similar fundraisers for other schools in the area if the opportunity is made available in future years.
According to the promotional information on the internet for the program, "The Drive One 4 UR School program was developed as a fun, engaging way to help high schools raise money to support their sports and extracurricular activities." The great thing about the promotion is how the money is raised. Any individual who completes a test drive of any new Ford, Lincoln or Mercury vehicle on the lot at Ronnie Watkins Ford puts $20 of Ford Motor Company's marketing budget into an account for the selected school.
Several schools across the nation have been selected to participate in the national promotion. During the fall 2009 session of Ford Motor Company’s Drive One 4 UR School program, 25 high schools were engaged to participate in a student video contest for the chance to increase Ford’s donation to their respective booster club(s). Eleven participants accepted the challenge, and were tasked with creating original content that would capture the spirit of their event along with highlighting Ford’s commitment to their local communities.
Those videos can be found on the Ford Motor Company website "The Ford Story."
This year, the Gadsden Ford Dealership was invited to participate in the awareness campaign. Watkins says "they would just let us do one local school, if this is a success maybe we do another next year, but we got to get people out of the event during or before the Oxford/Gadsden game on Friday night Sept. 3rd."
The dealership will bring vehicles to Gate 4 at Titan Stadium on the day of the game. If 300 individuals complete a test drive in one of those vehicles, $6,000 will be delivered to the school during the game.
Watkins tells GadsdenMetro.com that he is proud of Ford Motor Company's commitment to local causes. "I can promise you no company works harder to try and give back to our community than Ronnie Watkins Ford," he says.
This year, he was able to get Ford to pay to be the title sponsor of Gadsden's 25th Anniversary RiverFest, and his dealership provides several campuses in the area with Driver's Ed vehicles in addition to the financial support he and his dealership provides for several groups and events in the Northeast Alabama region.
Post-Election Council Meeting Has Lite Agenda, Heavy Back-slapping
25 August 2010
(Gadsden, AL - August 25, 2010) With city elections over in Gadsden, save one runoff between District 2 incumbent J.R. Countryman and front-running challenger Deverick Williams on October 5, the city council meeting was light on agenda and heavy on back-patting accolades.
Following the regular agenda, during the public comments section of the meeting, all five of the councilmen present and the mayor made comments concerning last night's election. One councilman, expected to be contending for the council presidency, Robert Avery made the most extensive comments concerning the vote.
Avery, who ran unopposed for his District 3 seat, admitted to his open endorsement and work for incumbent mayor Sherman Guyton, "It is no secret that I supported the mayor and worked for his re-election." Avery explains that of the three mayors he has served with in the council, "One I got along with, one I worked with and I didn't get along at all with Steve Means."
Avery says he thinks the vote, although from a very light turnout of less than a third of registered voters in the city, "said we didn't need his kind of leadership in the city."
The other councilmen were a bit more genteel in their comments, with the elder statesman of the council, Bob Echols congratulating his two opponents saying "I am certain we will hear from both of them again." Echols laid to rest any rumors that he might step down from office before the end of his term during his comments, "You'll have to put up with the old man again for four more years," he said, "unless the Lord wants me there more than I want to be here."
Echols tells GadsdenMetro that his ability to serve his district is a large motivator for him every day. "I love serving my city," he says, "its what I get up for."
Incoming District 1 Councilman Billy Harris says he is looking forward to "working with such a diverse council to accomplish great things for the city." Harris is replacing retiring councilman Walt Higgins who announced he would not be seeking reelection so he could focus on other endeavors and family.
In other action during today's council meeting:
APPROVED AN ORDINANCE CHANGING PARKING REGULATIONS FOR SPECIAL EVENTS
Even though some Gadsden City Police officers complain that much of the city's parking ordinances are "weak and unenforceable" in some areas, such as Wall Street in Alabama City, the council voted to add an ordinance for special event parking that will regulate enforcement of parking during special events, such as First Friday.
The "Special Event Parking Restrictions" will require the police chief to "Provide notice to vehicles parked in the specified area for the event no later than two hours before the removal period begins." If a vehicle has not been removed within 30 minutes of the start of a removal period, the vehicle could be impounded and towed away from the area.
This ordinance will be used for special events such as First Friday, and other community festivals, parades or celebrations. Those event sponsors could allow individual vehicles special permission to park during those events in designated areas. However, they will not be allowed to park in those restricted areas until less than one hour prior to the start of the event.
In addition, several restrictions concerning locations of parking zones should be enforced which would keep intersections, sidewalks, and other areas needed "to preserve the capacity of the streets for travel and transporation during the event," and "to maintain for the residents only the parking needs, and to alleviate hazards of too closely packed parking."
APPROVED AN ORDINANCE ALLOWING FOR BEER MANUFACTURE IN RESTRICTED AREAS
Passed, by a 4-1 vote, an ordinance allowing for the manufacture of beer under state regulations of micro-breweries in certain areas of the city.
This ordinance was passed to pave the way for a Gadsden-area native to return to Gadsden in order to move his micro-brewery business, Back Forty Beer Company, to the old Puckett's distribution center on 6th Street in Downtown Gadsden.
REZONED PROPERTY AT 3002 HiCKORY STREET
Approved a request for rezoning of property at 3002 Hickory Street for Light Industrial use. The property was previously zoned I-2 for Heavy Industrial use.
According to the council minutes, the owner of the property is requesting the rezoning so he can open an Automobile and Truck Repair business on the property.
Originally scheduled as a public hearing on the matter, Councilman Avery requested a vote on the issue by unanimous consent. The ordinance passed unanimously.
APPROVED CITY SPONSORSHIP OF FLASHBACK WEEKEND TOURNAMENT
Approved a request to co-sponsor an annual "Flashback Weekend" with an unincorporated association named "Team Leaders" on the second weekend of April in 2011.
The weekend basketball tournament of former players from Gadsden High, Emma Sansom High, Litchfield High and Etowah High to support the work of Team Leaders. Team Leader head Anthony Treadwell says the association was established to promote and support youth activities in Gadsden and to provide opportunities for leadership development in the city.
District 2 Councilman Robert Avery announced that Beyonce' Knowles' father and Gadsden native, Matthew Knowles was challenged to participate in next years' event during his recent visit to the area. "He has committed to being here for the weekend," Avery announced during the council meeting.
APPROVED SUPPORT FOR SENIOR NUTRITION PROGRAM
Approved an amendment of the FY 2010 budget to reflect the acceptance of a $3,300 ADECA grant to provide additional operating expenses for the Senior Nutrition program.
Councilman J.R. Countryman says the funds actually came from the discretionary funds made available from the state budget to Democratic Senator Larry Means (District 10). "This is actually a good example of how to use your discretionary funds," Countryman said during the council meeting, "anytime you have an opportunity to support the elderly, you should," he said during the council meeting.
APPROVED AN ADDITION TO A ROAD PROJECT
Approved a change order to a road treatment project in District 7. The change, according to city engineer Chad Hare is an extension of the JG Treatment project on Scenic Drive between Robin Hood Road and Meighan Boulevard.
Hare says the project was added to the existing project once significant road damage was discovered in the roadway. According to the resolution, the amount of the change order ($21,079.50) reflected a minor change and did not require competitive bidding on the changes.
Charles E Watts, Inc was awarded the $115,147.10 bid several weeks ago.
Jimmy Ray Shelton
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Jimmy Ray SheltonGadsden Unlawful Possession |
Michael Mims
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Demetrius Horton
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Demetrius HortonGadsden Unlawful Distribution |
Carla Cook Fuqua
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Carla Cook FuquaPiedmont MISSING PERSON |
Dawn Floyd
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Dawn FloydAlbertville Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance |
Peter Flournoy
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Timothy Farmer
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Timothy FarmerGadsden Non-Support |
Billy Deerman
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Billy DeermanGadsden Non-Support |
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GMA Seeks Artists
The Gadsden Museum of Art is seeking artists who will participate in the Recycled Art and Emerging Artists shows next month.
According to GMA publicist, Nichole Papa, applications, entry fee and images must be submitted by March 22, 2010. Art must be turned in by March 29th, and the reception will be held on April 11th.
Seeking Writers
Gadsden's newest online source for news and information is seeking writers and newsgatherers to help report on news from every neighborhood, community, city and town in Etowah County. If you're interested, click here for more information.
Money Laundering
Etowah County Red Cross Executive Director Heather New says her agency is laundering money. The agency was given bucketfuls of coins from the Gadsden Mall water fountain recently. She says volunteers have been sorting coins and researching ways to clean the coins. Several, she says, have turned up to be quite valuable finds. If you'd like to donate the the Etowah County Red Cross, you can visit their offices at 405 South 1st Street, or call 256-546-8667.
Smoke On The Falls
Gadsden Parks and Recreation Department and several community leaders and wrapping up plans for the Second Annual Smoke on the Falls BBQ Festival at Noccalula Falls. The event, sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society, should be larger than last year's, says PARD Director Kerry Payne. New attractions, more competitive teams, more concerts, and an opened Noccalula Falls Park are all attractions to this state qualifier event.
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