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April 28, 2008
English-only bills would move state backward
Two illegal immigration-related bills (one that would make English the official language of the state, the other requiring all drivers license tests be given in English) were delayed Thursday morning in the Alabama Senate.
April 25, 2008
State Senate gambling by filibustering bingo bill
If the State Senate cannot conclude deliberation on the Macon County gambling bill, it’s past time it put this issue on the back burner and find other matters to solve.
April 24, 2008
Gogue performing admirably, formally or not
Apparently, Jay Gogue has been Auburn University’s informal president since his first day in office at Samford Hall last July. Auburn officials sent word this week that Gogue will be formally installed as the university’s 18th president today.
April 23, 2008
Hunger not just a worldwide problem, but also local
World food collection agencies are beginning to hit the panic button. The price of rice has doubled in the last five weeks, and food prices have risen by 83 percent in the last three years, according to The World Bank.
April 22, 2008
Debt relief for underprivileged nations best for U.S.
Good for the U.S. House of Representatives. It’s 285-132 vote last Wednesday to expand the list of poorest nations eligible, mostly from Africa, for debt relief by nearly 25 was the best option.
April 21, 2008
Mike Rogers: Take time to thank your local firefighters
WASHINGTON, D.C. — All of us across East Alabama agree that our first responders deserve our unwavering support and gratitude.
Editorial: College football is NCAA’s concern, not Congress’
Congress can’t find proper solutions for health care, immigration or a suffering economy, so it’s ridiculous to believe three members have the answer for improving college football.
April 18, 2008
Higher graduation standards would stimulate higher education
Alabama should demand more from its high school students. After all, a high school diploma has more clout when it requires more effort and knowledge to achieve.
April 17, 2008
Legislators support corruption over betterment of state
The Alabama Senate Government Affairs Committee decided Tuesday, then the Alabama House Government Operations Committee echoed the sentiment Wednesday, that the corrupt good ‘ol boy system that led to the current scandal in the state’s two-year junior college system should continue unabated.
April 16, 2008
Uniform start, end dates for schools worth considering
Alabama legislators cannot agree how to fund public education, but why not agree on when the school year ends and begins? No dollars and cents are involved. This has nothing to do with politics or special interest groups.
April 15, 2008
Bill to restrict teenage driving at night worth passage
Whatever is suggested to make Alabama’s roadways safer, it must be taken seriously. Last week, the Alabama Legislature received a bill to lower speed limits on interstates and four-lane highways by 5 mph. But another bill, one that would put additional restrictions on young drivers, could save more lives.
April 14, 2008
Slower speeds would save gas and save lives
Slower speeds save gas and save lives. That’s what a Montgomery legislator believes, and the House Public Safety Committee agrees. Thad McClammy introduced House Bill 103 — passed Wednesday by the committee — which would reduce the maximum speed limit in interstate highways from 70 mph to 65 mph and reduce the speed limits on other four-lane highways from 65 mph to 60 mph.
April 10, 2008
Lingerie, Internet dating not among federal necessities
News coming out of Washington, D.C., Tuesday was nothing short of repulsive.
Stun guns can be weapons and should be registered
People must have permits before carrying firearms. There’s a simple explanation. Firearms are weapons and can be used to harm, or kill, others.
April 09, 2008
Olympics a celebration of human spirit, not host nation
China’s record on human rights abuses are far from medal-worthy.
April 08, 2008
Joe Turnham: Governor would have had power to appoint commission
Recent legislation regarding the creation of an independent Transportation Commission for Alabama died on a split vote in an Alabama Senate committee. The concept of the legislation and parts of the legislation enjoyed bi-partisan support, yet died because of several emerging legitimate concerns that could not answered.
Mike Hubbard: Commission would elevate state’s highway projects
A recent study by a conservative think tank tracked the performance and cost effectiveness of state owned roads across America between 1984 and 2005. Among the data studied in each state were pavement condition, bridge condition, administrative costs, traffic fatalities and other factors.
Education taking backseat to politics
Last week was a dark episode in Alabama’s fight to cleanse itself from corruption. Monday, a Montgomery County judge ruled against the Alabama Board of Education’s mantra to ban legislators from holding jobs within the two-year system. The ban was put in place as numerous legislators used the college system to beef their own bank accounts, taking from the public coffers of our already embattled budget.
April 04, 2008
Ruling should focus on state’s interest, not legislators’
Monday’s ruling in Montgomery County court preventing the Alabama Board of Education from baning of lawmakers from holding jobs in the Legislature and the two-year college system is disturbing.
Group applauded for fighting underage drinking in area
An estimated 5,000 people below the legal age of 21 die each year as a result of alcohol-related injuries. Whether these injuries include automobiles, boats, falls or drownings, there is one common denominator.
April 02, 2008
Commission catches on: Time to plan for BRAC is now
When it comes to the Base Realignment and Closure Initiative (BRAC), it appears that the Lee County Commission is getting ahead of the curve.
March 31, 2008
Gary Fuller: City shows no signs of national economic crunch
While many parts of the U.S. have begun to feel the crunch of an economic slow down, the City of Opelika continues to show growth in commercial, retail and residential developments, with an unemployment rate that continues to hover between 2.6 percent and 3.1 percent.
Bill Ham: Auburn’s progress can be found in stability
Progress is a word that should be used responsibly. Properly used, it is always positive, denoting advancement or improvement. Change, in and of itself, should never be automatically labeled progress. That being said, I am confident that Auburn has made great progress in recent years.
Progressive attitude propels progressive area
One thing’s for certain: We’re making progress. The Opelika/Auburn area is moving fast-forward in a number of areas, whether they are sales tax revenues (see below), housing growth, commercial development, job opportunities, etc. Drive through our area. Look around. Signs of progress are everywhere.
March 28, 2008
Legislators claim part-time job really is full-time, and vice-versa
Good for DuWayne Bridges. The District 38 representative from Valley is sponsoring a bill that would prohibit a legislator from holding a job in state government — including agencies such as public schools.
March 27, 2008
Bulldogs model of consistency under Coach McCracken
Spence McCracken stood in the varsity locker room and gave a group of young men a lecture about winning, desire and commitment. The boys looked up to their new leader in awe.
March 25, 2008
Childhood obesity a problem best fought at home
Alabama’s youth have a weight problem, and the state Legislature thinks it has a solution.
Gary Fuller: Opelika to celebrate Earth Hour 2008
On behalf of the Opelika City Council I’m pleased to announce that our community will participate in Earth Hour 2008. From Chicago to Sydney to Tel Aviv, cities and countless individuals around the world will turn off the lights for one hour at 8 p.m. on Saturday as part of a global event created to symbolize this important fact: each one of us, working together, can make a positive impact on climate change.
March 19, 2008
Open records, open meetings signs of open government
As a tax-paying citizen, you have a right to know what your elected officials are doing. You have a right to know how they’re spending your tax dollars, whether it’s on a federal, state or municipal level.
March 14, 2008
Transportation commission badly needed in Alabama
It is time for Alabama to establish a transportation commission if for no other reason than the obvious fact that the current system of maintaining the state’s roads and bridges isn’t working. The state Senate believes otherwise.
