Pardon?

WASHINGTON D.C. - Just two days after her inauguration, President Hillary Clinton issued a pardon to former Alabama governor Don Siegelman. Siegelman serving a seven year sentence on Federal corruption charges received the news the evening before while engaging in a game of squash at the federal prison in Oakdale,Louisiana.

"This comes as a complete surprise!" Siegelman commented to reporters accompanying U.S. Attorney General and ex-president Bill Clinton who personally delivered the pardon documents. Attorney General Clinton declined comment except to say, "We'll soon be changing the name on Don's cell to "prisoner Rove."

Sources close to Siegelman expected that he would soon be appointed U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama in Montgomery. Siegelman is reported commenting, "The Spanish Inquistion will look like a girl scout barbeque when I get through with those lying bastards who stuck me in this hellhole."

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Are you brave enough to wear it? If you are, in the next couple of weeks, the new website Alabamaconfidential.com will begin. On it you can order T-shirts, coozies, books, etc. Alabamaconfidential.blogspot.com will remain,however,the primary source of gossipy information.

Just a Reminder...

Sometimes things happen, everybody gets excited and the crisis is averted. So it happened in October of 2004 when Edward Dubose's parole hearing was scheduled for November 1 of that year.

Edward Dubose was convicted in the murder and rape of Brewton teenager, Stephanie Marie King. After much petitioning from Sallie King[mother] and Stephanie's many friends, Edward Dubose was denied parole. Sometimes the passage of time causes things to be forgotten. Sometimes things fall through the cracks in the floor...

According to a paragraph in the Alabama Pardon and Parole policies:

11. If parole has been denied, the Board shall determine whether and when the case shall next be docketed for consideration, not to exceed five (5) years. The case will be considered again as near as practicable to the specified month and year.

The "five (5) years)" will arrive on November 1, 2009. That's next year. Here is something to consider for activists protesting Dubose's next parole hearing:

Limestone Prison where Dubose is imprisoned is experiencing severe overcrowding problems. Reportedly this month they shipped 60 prisoners to Louisiana.

MONTGOMERY — Sixty male inmates from the Limestone Correctional Facility were moved to a facility in Louisiana on Friday, the Alabama Department of Corrections said. The transfers are an effort to reduce prison overcrowding and keep state inmates out of county jails beyond the 30-day time limit.
http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturd...6/briefs.shtml

These factors and time could work in Dubose's favor. It is not too early to start petitions.

It takes Guts!

Those who have read my columns here or at Thomsontalks, know that I have a disdain for editorial cowardice on the part of small town newspapers - or any other kind of newspapers for that matter. This blog exists to get people talking about subjects that local papers shy away from. I can't say,however,that Bo Bolton, publisher of the Monroe Journal shys away from reporting news. He did something this past Thursday that few small town papers in this day and time would do. Bo went wading into a fight going on in a church.

According to this past Thursday's article:

Jo Ann Snowden is standing firm in refusing to release Morning Star Baptist Church financial records as long as she remains the "official church secretary." In October, the Monroeville church filed suit against Snowden, who was hired as church secretary 30 years ago, for failing to return church property including its financial records. The church said that it had made repeated requests for the return of its property from its former secretary.

There is more to this story:

In her response filed Friday in the circuit clerk's office at the Monroe County Courthouse, Snowden said she was elected to office by a vote of the church's congregation and that she cannot be removed from office or relieved of her responsibilities before her term expires except by a vote of the congregation.
"There has been no vote of the congregation taken at a duly-called and properly-conducted congregational meeting to remove defendant (Snowden) from the office of church secretary," her response says. Snowden also says that about a year ago the church leadership attempted to "bribe" her for the records. She said that on Jan. 30, 2007 the church's pastor John Tucker and Albert Mobley, chairman of the Board of Deacons, without church approval requested that she return church records in return for what she "believed to have been an offer of bribery in the amount of $2,142.74."Snowden said she returned the "alleged bribery check" about a week later and said she could not accept pay for work that she had not been allowed to perform."

My comments about Bolton are thus: Bo Bolton did what he was supposed to do. There was an issue in his town of public interest. He reported on it - no matter whose toes he stepped on. Keep watching the news, this could very well turn out to be a national story. I guess in a way it already is...

Until Next Time...

World War II Memorial - Washington, D.C.

32,000 Alabamians served in World War II. 4000 died during the war.

Some of you visit Washington D.C. and more than a few of you work here. If you haven't done so, be sure to visit the National World War II Memorial which was dedicated last spring. I knew and know more than a few WWII veterans during the time I lived in Alabama. I am personally acquainted and friends with an Alabamian who survived the Bataan Death March. Paul Lankford and I served together from 1971 until 1977 and I was privileged to help him as he compiled his memoirs for the Air War College in Montgomery in 1972.

Read Paul Lankford's Story

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Hats off to Jamar Travis!

Think of all the kids in the U.S. that play football and work their hearts out doing so. There must be millions, at least. Think of the little community of Brewton and East Brewton, Alabama. One of their own was picked with 500 others from across the U.S. and recognized in the top echelons of those aspiring to make it in this very competitive sport. He's big (6'1" - 298 lbs), He's smart (3.5 gpa), and he's fast (forty: 5.1 seconds), and he's got another year in high school to further develop his potential as a defensive tackle. With a little luck,hard work, and the Good Lord's Will, I think Jamar's name will be a household word in the homes of football loving Alabamians everywhere! Read more at Rivals.Com

Startling Religious News From Opp!

This is a scary article. I hope everyone takes time to read it... From Unconfirmed Sources.

Airbus in Mobile getting closer!

This in today's Seattle Times:

Airbus will play a last-ditch trump card Monday in its bid to beat Boeing for an Air Force refueling tanker contract worth tens of billions of dollars.

I spent a week in Toulouse, France about two years ago and had a chance to meet some of the EADS engineers at the Airbus plant there. If the plant comes to Alabama it will be boon for the area. More from the Seattle Times:

Chief Executive Tom Enders plans to announce that if Airbus wins the tanker competition, it also will assemble commercial airplanes in the U.S.

Enders and Alabama politicians are to announce the plan in Mobile, where the tankers would be assembled.

The Airbus proposal envisages up to four aircraft a month rolling out of a plant at Brookley Field in Mobile, a person familiar with the plan said.

Lets all keep our fingers crossed!

Why Gossip Abounds...

In the two posts that precede this one, you will notice no names or places are mentioned but everyone assumes the story has validity or these posts would not have gotten over 942 hits in 3 days. Many of the visitors are from out of the state of Alabama. On my web tracking program, I can see where some people read the columns and forwarded them on to people out of town and in many cases to people in other states. Here are a couple of comments:

You didn't tell the whole story. You neglected to mention who was chasing whom, and why they were chasing (which is how the telephone pole was hit). Perhaps your 'source' didn't know that part.

Obviously, the above came from someone who has "inside" information. Is it relevant "who was chasing whom?" People chasing each other with alcohol in them on the streets of a small town are pretty dangerous. Here's another comment:

I noticed your article on the party and I think your out of line here. There were dui charges filed and things are not as you would seem.

Another person with "inside" information. Is there a public record on these charges? DUI is a pretty serious offense. Did these arrests make the local paper?

Transparency is a term used a lot these days. Gossip abounds in the absence of transparency. When city and county officials in any jurisdiction make it difficult for citizens to obtain public information - transparency does not exist. When newspapers, radio, and tv stations fail to investigate and report on situations involving public safety and the common good of a community - transparency does not exist.

I spoke recenty with a person who for several years was involved in with a news company that owned several small hometown papers throughout the country. She said one of the reasons these papers did not report "real" news was their vunerability to their major advertisers i.e if you tick off one of your major advertisers, you could go out of business. While I can understand that argument somewhat,there are many aggressive "independent" small town newspapers that could rival their big city brothers and sisters in going after the news. These independents realize that it is real news that draws advertisers.

I'm in the gossip business. In the absence of "real news" people come to me with stories and tales. Some have validity and some don't. In most cases the "tale" has been circulating long before it reaches Alabama Confidential. I wouldn't write it if you didn't read it. Keep those emails coming!

Just a sampling the places linking on to this site by forwarded email links today:

Mobile
Nashville
River Falls
Brewton
Houston
Mary Esther
Woodstock,Al
Pensacola
St Louis
Birmingham
Philadelphia,Pa
Monroeville
Leominister,Mass
Miami
Bay Minette
Milton,FL
McIntosh,AL
Jay
Atmore
Eufala
Montgomery
Singapore[Wow!]
Columbia,SC
Hattiesburg,MS
Campo,Colorado
Tampa,FL
New Bern,NC

The most interesting email link to my site today was from someone at the national organization of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Some of you are concerned about the safety of your children or loved ones with so many drunks and dopeheads driving on the streets these days. Small towns have always been plagued with what is commonly known as "selective" enforcement of driving laws. Mothers against Drunk Driving seeks even,fair, and aggressive enforcement of DUI laws. These people are "tigers" on this issue. If you think your community needs help or maybe you wish to form a local chapter, here is some contact information:

Address: MADD National Office
511 E. John Carpenter Frwy
Suite 700
Irving, TX 75062
Phone: 800-GET-MADD (800-438-6233)
Local 214-744-6233
Victim Services 24-Hour Help Line
877-MADD-HELP (877-623-3435)

Fax: 972-869-2206/07


Many of you are starting to realize that we truly live in a global community. You might be disillusioned to know that sometimes what happens in "Vegas" does not necessarily stay there. Analyze the biggest crime, corruption, and tawdry human interest stories that appear on CNN,Fox,and MSNBC. The majority come from small towns. The internet,blogs,cell,satellite communication,and low cost long distance service have changed our lives and made even the most remote places in the world highly accessible. So why is it that some people think a small town in Alabama can be "hidden" forever?

Mike Thomson (Just one of the 342 people from out of state[who've been to AC in the last 3 days] who are interested in what goes on in a certain town).

Until next time...

The Queen Bee

There once was a paper in a little town,
Who wrote upbeat news as the city melt down.
“Keep it happy and chirpy, the editor said.
make sure we don’t offend the “Queen Bee...”

The Queen Bee’s on her throne and she’s not alone,
her court has shot glasses in hand.
“All hail to the Queen, who we know is not mean,
her booze is the best in the land.”

The police are in bars ignoring wrecked cars,
as drunks careen down the highways.
The Chief doesn’t care as he sits in his chair,
thinking of the Queen’s chocolate soufflés.

Off in the night, citizens sleep in their beds,
unsure of what the morning may bring.
Their town that they love suffers bad moral health,
and there’s no leader in place to provide zing.

Another tale from Alabama's lawless town of the idle rich.

Alabama Confidential reporters have been scouring for holiday news in one of our favorite small towns. This story came our way and it's a doozy. It seems that a socialite in this town hosted a party associated with a wedding. According to one of my sources, whose brother was at the party, the highlight of the evening were the trendy ice cube shot glasses. Cold straight booze gulped very quickly can make a person very drunk. Here's the gossip as a result of this drunkedness among the privileged young invitees to this upscale soiree:

(1) One guest attempting to leave the party struck and caused property damage to five vehicles.

(2) Another guest driving up B.... Avenue struck a telephone pole and thankfully there were no injuries.

(3) Another female guest was found In flagrante delicto in the bushes with someone who wasn't her husband.

(4) Another totally passed out person - who even the guests could not identify - was checked into a local motel to sober up.

(5) The police chief was at the party and made sure all the loose ends were neatly tied up. There were no DUI charges filed.

Just another tale about how the privileged skate the law in a wealthy small town in south Alabama. I wonder if there were any drugs present?

People called complaining about the noise at the party and the police chief assured them he had the situation in hand. Heh,heh,heh.

If one of the drunken drivers leaving the party had collided and killed someone - maybe a teenager, what would have been the fallout?

I'm wondering how deep the police chief is in the pocket of the wealthy in this small town? How about his recent ski trip to Colorado? Did he pay for that himself? Is this protector of the people headed for a fall?

Given the identity of the person behind the wheel of the car crash in item (2), was there any effort on the part of the mayor to suppress DUI charges?

And the hostess of this train wreck of a party? Will she retain her cherished "queen bee" status as a result of this debacle? Alabama Confidential will let you know.

More Juicy Holiday Gossip:

Who was the well known entrepreneur who flies his ex-wife in his personal aircraft to a football game in Tuscaloosa, then in front of friends, accuses her of doing the "monica" to a certain person? He then abandons the woman and flies back home leaving her stranded at the football game. Poor J... Oh by the way, according to other sources, the guy who got the "monica" was the same guy who wrecked the 5 cars in (1). Everything in small towns is connected...

until next time...