Now here’s an interesting up and coming singer to watch… Highlights of Nikki Yanofsky’s performance at Le Theatre du Nouveau Monde during the 2008 Montreal International Jazz Festival. NBC’s Brian Williams did a piece on her for the New Year’s Eve “Nightly News.” What a voice — and a look! She will be a super…
Monthly Archives: December 2009
The Top Stories and People of 2009
Rick Dove Hurricane Creekkeeper John Wathen, The Locust Fork News-Journal Person of the Year Under the Microscope by Glynn Wilson When a lone writer sits in front of the glow of a computer screen in the early morning hours when most of the world is asleep trying to figure out a way to articulate what…
Recalling Alabama's Natural History
Guest Column by Pat Byington There is a wonderful chapter in Aldo Leopold’s book “A Sand County Almanac” called “Good Oak,” a story about the life of a fallen oak tree. Looking down at the great big stump on his farm, Leopold counts 80 growth rings — 80 years of wood-making before the tree fell…
Ron Sparks Stays in Alabama Governor's Race
He Will Not Run for Congress as Some Hoped Alabama’s Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks says he is staying in the race for the Democratic nomination for governor and will not run in North Alabama’s 5th District against Rep. Parker Griffith, who infuriated Democrats last week when he announced his switch to the Republican Party. Sparks…
Coal Ash Spill Anniversary as Forgotten as Disaster Itself
John Wathen Ruby Holmes, 80, who has lived in a house right across the street from the Arrowhead Landfill in Perry County all her life, says when she tries to sleep with her window cracked, “This odor wakes me up at night.” Originally published as the Christmas Day lead story at Truthout.org | Digg It……
Senate Passes Historic Health Bill on Christmas Eve
President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden… The United States Senate passed a landmark health care reform bill in a rare Christmas Eve vote that could help define President Barack Obama’s legacy and usher in near-universal medical coverage for all Americans for the first time in the nation’s history. The 60-39 vote on a…
Alabama Dems Betrayed by Parker Griffith's Switch to GOP
It didn’t take long — after the news hit the Web in what was billed as an “exclusive” by Politico that Huntsville Congressman Parker Griffith was abandoning the Democratic Party that got him to Washington, to join the Republicans — before Democrats began to express their disappointment and betrayal. Joe Turnham, chairman of the Alabama…
Riley Tries to Claim Credit for Funding he Opposed
Governor Bob Riley has issued press releases trying to take credit for a $39.1 million award by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for Alabama’s Children’s Health Insurance. According to the release, Riley said, “The fact that Alabama is one of only nine states receiving a performance bonus, and we are receiving the…
Restoring Trust in State Government
Guest Editorial by Ron Sparks In an election year, ethics reform is a topic of much conversation. The problem is that for most folks, it’s just an empty word that politicians use. Few, if any of our candidates take the time to explain exactly what real, meaningful ethics reform would look like. What we are…
Where We Stand on National Health Care Reform
Guest Editorial by Barack Obama Early this morning, the Senate made history and health reform cleared its most important hurdle yet — garnering the 60 votes needed to move toward a final vote in that chamber later this week. This marks the first time in our nation’s history that comprehensive health reform has come to…
An Early, Deep White Christmas in DC
Brooks Boliek Click on the image for a photo essay… TAKOMA PARK, MD — A fierce storm dropped record snowfall and stranded travelers up the East Coast from Virginia to New England, but its weekend timing helped reduce travel problems, and for many, it guaranteed a break from work and brought the prospect of an…
An Early, Deep White Christmas in DC
Brooks Boliek It’s beginning to look a lot like an early, deep white Christmas in D.C. This according to Reuters: Northeast digs out of monster snowstorm Brooks Boliek When they woke up in Takoma Park near Silver Spring, Maryland, just north of Washington, D.C., this is what the Boliek family found… Brooks Boliek A blanket…
Merry Christmas: I Mean It…
Under the Microscope by Glynn Wilson Historically, Christmas is one of my least-favorite holidays. This year, however, I am trying to gin up some hope with a little Christmas cheer. Why? Because I think we need the break, for one thing. There are a lot of poor people suffering immeasurably this year due to the…
Whooping Cranes Migrate from Wisconsin to Florida
All 18 Led Through Alabama Last Year Died A new flock of Whooping Cranes is migrating between Wisconsin and Florida, with the help of surrogate parents….
Endangered Whooping Cranes Migrate Over Alabama
OperationMigration.Org Thirteen whooping cranes follow an ultra-light through West Jefferson County last year as they passed over Alabama Power’s Miller Steam Plant on the Locust Fork of the Black Warrior River. Twenty juvenile whooping cranes reached Franklin County, Alabama, on December 17 on their ultralight-guided migration from Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in central Wisconsin to…
Education Crisis Calls for Honest, Courageous Leadership
Guest Column by Ron Sparks Education changes lives. The single most effective way to ensure progressive change in Alabama is to guarantee and invest in education for the young people of Alabama. Recent studies show that from earnings to pension plans, access to health-care, and overall community vigor, higher education yields significant rewards to recipients…
Next: Alabama's Nick Saban, Coach of the Year
Vote to send major money to charity… Tom Campbell Alabama’s Nick Saban with Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram Saturday in New York… Alabama’s Nick Saban is up for coach of the year honors, and you can vote to help him win and contribute to charity at the same time, says Pat Whetstone, Director of Alumni…
A Nick Saban Hoodoo Wink?
Tom Campbell Saban flashes a knowing smile and wink after Ingram won the Heisman Saturday night… Under the Microscope by Glynn Wilson Somewhere in the great divide between religion and science there exists the uniquely American game called football — and the practice of voodoo. Nick Saban knows a thing or two about football, and…
A Witness to History
Guest Column by Tom Campbell NEW YORK — Few people ever have a chance to be arms’ length from greatness. As a lifelong fan of Alabama football, I feel lucky to know that I’ve been a witness to an event that will become a part of Alabama’s fabled history. To have had such an opportunity…
Heisman Trophy 2009
Mark Ingram Taking Home Alabama’s First Heisman Photos by Tom Campbell Alabama’s Nick Saban gives a wink to wily reporter’s question about the Heisman Curse… Alabama’s head coach Nick Saban with 2009 Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram Alabama’s Mark Ingram with the stiff-arm statue and his mom Alabama’s Mark Ingram, 2009 Heisman Trophy winner Ingram…
