Re "Meth
recovery" (Speak Out, Aug. 24)
I would like to say I appreciate this letter about
Judge Gus Colvin. I have a brother-in-law that got in
some trouble and an Anniston police officer wanted the
book thrown at him. I did not say he didn’t do wrong,
but he didn’t kill, or rob a bank or any serious crime.
Thank goodness to Judge Gus Colvin, he has now been
given a chance. He will be in rehabilitation awhile and
hopefully get better, and our family thanks God for this
wonderful judge.
Vickie Smith
Heflin
Changing kickoff
How many high school football
athletes will suffer heat stroke or die before fans and
parents step up and tell the powers that be that 10 p.m.
sports is not as important as a child’s life.
Moving the kickoff time for high school football
games from 7:30 p.m. to 7 is not acceptable. Anyone who
supports this change should be held responsible for
consequences due to the excessive heat.
It is obvious that there was no thought given to the
welfare of the athletes of this state when reaching this
decision or it would never have taken place. The
so-called heat breaks have been around for some time
now, so let’s not evoke that premise for this movement
of the time. All parents and fans should be crying foul.
The state athletic director should be fired for
supporting such an outrageous directive. Coaches and
sports writers should be using their influence to
reconsider this move. It seems, too, they don’t care
about the athletes of this state or this wouldn’t be
happening.
All this because a few want to see 10 p.m. prep show
football highlights, which are repeated on Saturday
anyway. Why let such a preventable tragedy occur ?
Jimmy Padgett
Ohatchee
Hurricane Pat
U.S. evangelist Pat Robertson
called for the assassination of Venezuelan President
Hugo Chavez, saying the leftist leader wanted to turn
his country into "the launching pad for communist
infiltration and Muslim extremism."
Now, if a hurricane happens to take a wild turn and
hits Venezuela, killing Chavez, we’ll surely know who’s
behind it all, by God.
Armond ‘Si’ Simmons
Pell City
Supporting deputies
Not one of our county
commissioners see to think we deserve better law
enforcement protection out in the county. Our sales tax
went up two cents at one time, but none went to public
safety services. My property tax is going up again, but
they say they have no money.
Commissions don’t have to pay for fire departments or
ambulances. I saw where the average county spends 54
percent of the general fund for law enforcement, while
ours about 40 percent. Money from federal inmates pays
for more than half of the jail employees, saving them
even more money.
I know some of the deputies and I heard how they have
to serve felony warrants and answer domestic violence or
other high risk calls alone.
I see deputies out working every day, but there is
not enough of them. I urge the commission to pay them a
better salary and budget for more deputies.
I’m told the commission buys only four cars every two
years. Then why is every vehicle in the highway
department, including dump trucks, replaced every two
years while some deputies are driving cars with almost
200,000 miles on them?
If you support more resources for deputies, please
contact your county commissioner at 241-2800.
Jason Oden
Anniston
Katrina
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