State Rep. Tommy Sherer, D-Jasper, said Thursday afternoon on WIXI-AM's "The People's Viewpoint" that he will run again for re-election to a third term in 2010. No Republican opposition has emerged, but a Republican indicated at Thursday's Walker County Republican Party meeting that that person will make an announcement this year for Sherer's seat. That Republican did not want to make a public announcement at this time. Sherer's announcement is the first that a Walker County legislator will run for re-election, as state Sen. Charles Bishop, R-Arley, announced he will not run. (Republican Greg Reed has announced he will run for the seat.) The status next year of state Rep. Ken Guin, D-Carbon Hill, is uncertain at this time.
Meanwhile, Sherer also announced that his long-suffering poll workers bill passed the Legislature and has been sent to the governor. That was confirmed on the state Legislature's Web site. The statewide bill essentially allows poll workers, who have worked 14 hours in one day at a poll site, to have a split shift. The poll worker would still have to undergo training, but would only work maybe six hours, Sherer said. He has worked for several years to get the bill passed. Sherer said the bill would also have to be cleared by the U.S. Justice Department, but no problem is expected.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Vance may set bingo hearing for August or September
Jefferson County Circuit Court Judge Robert Vance Jr. indicated from the bench Tuesday afternoon he wants to set a date to start hearing evidence in the Walker County electronic bingo case, either the week of Aug. 10 or on Sept. 10-11.
Vance was also expected to set a hearing in two or three weeks on a narrowly focused area of the hours of operation of bingo halls in relation to the number of permits had. He said any resulting order would probably be an interim order that governs bingo until he makes his major decision on the legality of electronic bingo in Walker County.
District Attorney Charles Baker said he did not think that would throw off the main hearing if it was set in August or September.
Vance clearly wanted to move the overall matter to conclusion after months of delays. Even after attorney Earl Hillard asked the case be set in September because of other work, Vance said he was open to that but kept mentioning August as a potential time. He also noted he would may have a decision on a date as early as the next day.
"This case has been sitting around awhile. I'm at the point we need to seek closure on the issues presented in this case," Vance said, opening the hearing in his Birmingham courtroom to a roomful of attorneys.
He feels the matter can be addressed in an evidentiary hearing within 60 days, with the primary issues being whether bingo includes electronic bingo -- something he said would take expert evidence -- and whether the business model of a group of charities allowing a co-op to run the games for them is allowable under the law.
"I'm growing increasingly concerned because of time," Vance said at one point in the hearing. He said it was no one's fault that the case had dragged on, saying it was the "nature of the beast" for the legal process to be deliberate. Still, it frustrated him.
"I think everyone wants guidelines but it's been spinning its wheels for two years," he said, noting that was "gnawing" at him.
He agreed with attorney Herbie Brewer that he was being asked to "micromanage" the case in some respect and that he has expressed concern about that. He said the Legislature and the Walker County Commission also failed to act.
"I'm also serving as something of a quasi-regulator," Vance said, saying that is what the motion asks him to do, regardless of whether it was proper or not--and adding he would leave it to others to decide that. On continued arguments, he said lawyers could present evidence the judge did not have authority to act in some respects, noting in the past he has "been spanked by Montgomery for going out too far on a limb."
Vance also revealed he had also been appointed to be the judge in the White Hall bingo case, joking that he is "glutton for punishment" and that he might should stop answering calls from Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb, who also asked him to take the Walker County case after another judge dropped out after several months.
He said he had "no strong feelings" on whether to take August or September, but he said he would try to have a scheduling order within a day or so.
Attorneys Thomas Carmichael and Charles Tatum Jr., who are involved in the issue of whether the Yerkwood Fire Department is getting their fair share of bingo funds, pleaded with Vance to accelerate their hearing. Vance said he wanted to hold a separate hearing on that matter because he might not could get all the bingo issues before him done in the main hearing. He also pointed out that the Yerkwood issue is a class action issue, which brings up more legal complications as Vance would have to determine class.
"I candidly admit I put it on the back burner," Vance told Carmichael.
Carmichael said millions of dollars were rolling into the county through bingo, with 80 percent of the profits going to operators, 10 percent going to charities and only 10 percent left to charities. Tatum argued he had been told lawyers representing the bingo interests had been trying from the outset to drag out the case as long as possible to allow operators to make as much money as possible.
Vance said a motion from Sheriff John Mark Tirey on determining how long a bingo hall can open each week could be delayed two or three weeks, noting it raises significant questions. However, he said he was not comfortable ruling on it as evidence should be heard in the matter.
The 75-minute hearing, like others before it, soon bogged down in legal detail as lawyers around the room make points on whether Vance had authority to make some rulings and whether the rights of charities were being trampled.
The issue of "status quo," which involved a temporary restraining order on adding new charities to the case, came up, and with some arguing that the order was given to prevent delays in the process of adding more charities or bingo halls as defendants. Some argued it was just an agreement and not an order.
Baker, who filed suit with the sheriff to get a legal determination on electronic bingo, said many of the issues were just side issues, and he pressed to get on with a ruling on whether electronic bingo is legal and whether the machines used are slot machines. He said those two issues were "98 percent of the things that concern me."
At the end of the hearing, the sheriff's attorney Bill Adair said he would make a motion to drop the status quo restraining order, although Vance was hesitant at this late stage to take that action on the idea it could open the door to more unseen problems.
Baker said he agreed to move to drop the order -- even though he questioned whether it actually existed -- on the idea that it would speed up the case. He said a solution could be found in agreeing that new charities would also agree to immediately join the case.
State Rep. Ken Guin, representing bingo charities, said the county commission made rules but rescinded them because of concern over the meaning of the status quo order. Guin said the judge could clarify the authority of the rules in reference to the authority of the county commission, which would allow the commission to set the rules.
At one point, one attorney attempted to convince Vance that the charities operated the games, not the operators of the co-ops. Vance pressed for what the operators do if the charities run the games. The attorney said the operators "run the bingo halls," which resulted in laughter in the courtroom. Bingo hall attorney Bubba Grimsley later noted different bingo halls have different models of operation, which the judge would need to look into.
Arguments also went into the legality of seven charities due to technicalities in filing paperwork and their location. There was discussion about charities moving from one bingo hall to another despite a restraining order, and whether bingo halls were enticing the charities with bonus payments. Adair said there were reports of photocopies of licenses being displayed and accidents occurring in the permitting process.
After more than an hour of mind-numbing discussion, Vance admitted to having his fill.
"I believe we'll stop now," Vance said to laughs in the room.
Vance was also expected to set a hearing in two or three weeks on a narrowly focused area of the hours of operation of bingo halls in relation to the number of permits had. He said any resulting order would probably be an interim order that governs bingo until he makes his major decision on the legality of electronic bingo in Walker County.
District Attorney Charles Baker said he did not think that would throw off the main hearing if it was set in August or September.
Vance clearly wanted to move the overall matter to conclusion after months of delays. Even after attorney Earl Hillard asked the case be set in September because of other work, Vance said he was open to that but kept mentioning August as a potential time. He also noted he would may have a decision on a date as early as the next day.
"This case has been sitting around awhile. I'm at the point we need to seek closure on the issues presented in this case," Vance said, opening the hearing in his Birmingham courtroom to a roomful of attorneys.
He feels the matter can be addressed in an evidentiary hearing within 60 days, with the primary issues being whether bingo includes electronic bingo -- something he said would take expert evidence -- and whether the business model of a group of charities allowing a co-op to run the games for them is allowable under the law.
"I'm growing increasingly concerned because of time," Vance said at one point in the hearing. He said it was no one's fault that the case had dragged on, saying it was the "nature of the beast" for the legal process to be deliberate. Still, it frustrated him.
"I think everyone wants guidelines but it's been spinning its wheels for two years," he said, noting that was "gnawing" at him.
He agreed with attorney Herbie Brewer that he was being asked to "micromanage" the case in some respect and that he has expressed concern about that. He said the Legislature and the Walker County Commission also failed to act.
"I'm also serving as something of a quasi-regulator," Vance said, saying that is what the motion asks him to do, regardless of whether it was proper or not--and adding he would leave it to others to decide that. On continued arguments, he said lawyers could present evidence the judge did not have authority to act in some respects, noting in the past he has "been spanked by Montgomery for going out too far on a limb."
Vance also revealed he had also been appointed to be the judge in the White Hall bingo case, joking that he is "glutton for punishment" and that he might should stop answering calls from Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb, who also asked him to take the Walker County case after another judge dropped out after several months.
He said he had "no strong feelings" on whether to take August or September, but he said he would try to have a scheduling order within a day or so.
Attorneys Thomas Carmichael and Charles Tatum Jr., who are involved in the issue of whether the Yerkwood Fire Department is getting their fair share of bingo funds, pleaded with Vance to accelerate their hearing. Vance said he wanted to hold a separate hearing on that matter because he might not could get all the bingo issues before him done in the main hearing. He also pointed out that the Yerkwood issue is a class action issue, which brings up more legal complications as Vance would have to determine class.
"I candidly admit I put it on the back burner," Vance told Carmichael.
Carmichael said millions of dollars were rolling into the county through bingo, with 80 percent of the profits going to operators, 10 percent going to charities and only 10 percent left to charities. Tatum argued he had been told lawyers representing the bingo interests had been trying from the outset to drag out the case as long as possible to allow operators to make as much money as possible.
Vance said a motion from Sheriff John Mark Tirey on determining how long a bingo hall can open each week could be delayed two or three weeks, noting it raises significant questions. However, he said he was not comfortable ruling on it as evidence should be heard in the matter.
The 75-minute hearing, like others before it, soon bogged down in legal detail as lawyers around the room make points on whether Vance had authority to make some rulings and whether the rights of charities were being trampled.
The issue of "status quo," which involved a temporary restraining order on adding new charities to the case, came up, and with some arguing that the order was given to prevent delays in the process of adding more charities or bingo halls as defendants. Some argued it was just an agreement and not an order.
Baker, who filed suit with the sheriff to get a legal determination on electronic bingo, said many of the issues were just side issues, and he pressed to get on with a ruling on whether electronic bingo is legal and whether the machines used are slot machines. He said those two issues were "98 percent of the things that concern me."
At the end of the hearing, the sheriff's attorney Bill Adair said he would make a motion to drop the status quo restraining order, although Vance was hesitant at this late stage to take that action on the idea it could open the door to more unseen problems.
Baker said he agreed to move to drop the order -- even though he questioned whether it actually existed -- on the idea that it would speed up the case. He said a solution could be found in agreeing that new charities would also agree to immediately join the case.
State Rep. Ken Guin, representing bingo charities, said the county commission made rules but rescinded them because of concern over the meaning of the status quo order. Guin said the judge could clarify the authority of the rules in reference to the authority of the county commission, which would allow the commission to set the rules.
At one point, one attorney attempted to convince Vance that the charities operated the games, not the operators of the co-ops. Vance pressed for what the operators do if the charities run the games. The attorney said the operators "run the bingo halls," which resulted in laughter in the courtroom. Bingo hall attorney Bubba Grimsley later noted different bingo halls have different models of operation, which the judge would need to look into.
Arguments also went into the legality of seven charities due to technicalities in filing paperwork and their location. There was discussion about charities moving from one bingo hall to another despite a restraining order, and whether bingo halls were enticing the charities with bonus payments. Adair said there were reports of photocopies of licenses being displayed and accidents occurring in the permitting process.
After more than an hour of mind-numbing discussion, Vance admitted to having his fill.
"I believe we'll stop now," Vance said to laughs in the room.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Bulletin: April unemployment
Walker Co. unemployment drops 1%, from 8.6 to 7.6 %, in April. Alabama rate stays at 9%; 1st time in 18 mts. state rate doesn't go up.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Review: Valkyrie
It is not hard to approach this movie with unease. This is the Tom Cruise movie where Cruise is a real life hero who tried to kill Hitler from within--and he had to wear that eye patch in the course of the movie. You will remember Germany was not too happy that Tom Cruise, Mr. Scientology and Hollywood super star, would take on such a heavy duty, somber task that weighs on the whole country.
Germany should not have been worried. Cruise is part of a balanced cast and handles his duties well. At the start of the movie, we learn that Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg (Cruise) was injured in Africa, leaving one hand amputated and one eye missing, thus requiring either an eye patch or a false eye. He is disillusioned with Hitler and becomes a traitor to him, making the injuries (and the eye patch) more sympathetic. By circumstances, he joins an underground network of Germans determined to take Germany back from within so that the country can negotiate a peace with the Allies, thus saving lives and Europe in general. The movie shows that this was not just a matter of a few good men, but a vast underground with great intentions, although sometimes bogged down by its own bureaucracy and fear.
Cruise, no longer being the kid movie star, is cool, assured and brave - with the fault of sometimes being a little impatient, but, of course, we are talking about saving as many lives as possible, and time is of the essence. Thankfully, Cruise is not overblown is his portrayal and gives nice, human touches -- not wallowing, but a glance, a shudder, a boiling, all underneath that reserved German exterior. It is one of his best performances in some time, and I think it shows the middle age Cruise is maturing in his acting.
The rest of the cast is excellent, with plenty of moments for others to shine. The story is the thing, and the incident where we heard that a briefcase blew up in a meeting where Hitler was attending is shown to be a much larger operation that caused chains of reaction all across Germany. I had no idea that for a short time, major ministry buildings were handed over and even the Berlin police chief gave assurances there would be no problems from him. For a moment, we can suspend our knowledge of history and can be happy for our heroes...if but briefly.
This is a serious film, meaning the number of explosions (even for a World War II film) is kept to a minimum and adults act like adults. And those of us know history, well, that does take out a certain amount of fun. But watching the planning and dedication of certain heroes that no one talks about -- the German resistance movement from within -- and sweating out the details with them does make this two-hour film, released this week on DVD, one to rent. (The two-disk version has all the extras on it.)
Germany should not have been worried. Cruise is part of a balanced cast and handles his duties well. At the start of the movie, we learn that Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg (Cruise) was injured in Africa, leaving one hand amputated and one eye missing, thus requiring either an eye patch or a false eye. He is disillusioned with Hitler and becomes a traitor to him, making the injuries (and the eye patch) more sympathetic. By circumstances, he joins an underground network of Germans determined to take Germany back from within so that the country can negotiate a peace with the Allies, thus saving lives and Europe in general. The movie shows that this was not just a matter of a few good men, but a vast underground with great intentions, although sometimes bogged down by its own bureaucracy and fear.
Cruise, no longer being the kid movie star, is cool, assured and brave - with the fault of sometimes being a little impatient, but, of course, we are talking about saving as many lives as possible, and time is of the essence. Thankfully, Cruise is not overblown is his portrayal and gives nice, human touches -- not wallowing, but a glance, a shudder, a boiling, all underneath that reserved German exterior. It is one of his best performances in some time, and I think it shows the middle age Cruise is maturing in his acting.
The rest of the cast is excellent, with plenty of moments for others to shine. The story is the thing, and the incident where we heard that a briefcase blew up in a meeting where Hitler was attending is shown to be a much larger operation that caused chains of reaction all across Germany. I had no idea that for a short time, major ministry buildings were handed over and even the Berlin police chief gave assurances there would be no problems from him. For a moment, we can suspend our knowledge of history and can be happy for our heroes...if but briefly.
This is a serious film, meaning the number of explosions (even for a World War II film) is kept to a minimum and adults act like adults. And those of us know history, well, that does take out a certain amount of fun. But watching the planning and dedication of certain heroes that no one talks about -- the German resistance movement from within -- and sweating out the details with them does make this two-hour film, released this week on DVD, one to rent. (The two-disk version has all the extras on it.)
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Wet-Dry referendums are likely in Walker County
Well, it has been a long time since I've been in the middle of a wet-dry referendum. Now, I think I'm going to see little ones all over the place.
As you may have heard, the Legislature overrode Gov. Bob Riley's veto the other day to allow cities with populations of 1,000 to 7,000 to have wet-dry referendums in those cities. A number equalling the the total of 30 percent of the voters in the last municipal general election can have their names on a petition sent to the city council. Then the council sets a wet-dry referendum on the sale of alcohol in that city.
Years ago, you used to see these countywide referendums that decided wet-dry issues, and they were grand affairs. In those days, it was the only time preachers got involved in politics, and you would hear a political stump speech right there on Sunday morning. I would not say this is true for all preachers, but some can make for great political stump speakers. We would hear a cascade of statistics about how alcohol can ruin lives (and much of it true, to be sure).
Meanwhile, there would be newspaper ads, flyers and all sorts of excitement. The pro-alcohol people would make their cases for economic progress, but they didn't have opportunities to speak...and even if they did, I wonder how many would have came out for it in public. It was usually faceless committees advocating going wet (much like these full-page bingo ads we now see in the paper that don't identify themselves, either). The pro-wet forces certainly had a hard time competing against those Sunday sermons and concern for families, and in the end they would usually lose in my neck of the woods.
Before I got to Walker County, the city of Jasper went wet, and it is no secret one can go over a couple of borders to get their alcohol. The small cities have always been jealous of the resources that Jasper and other areas have, and alcohol revenue can be included in that. Some of the towns may also be jealous of the bingo revenue, although Carbon Hill has it within its city. Some city departments or boards are benefiting to some extent from bingo revenue or donations. At the East Walker Chamber of Commerce banquet, Sipsey Mayor Anita Sanders was quick to point out renovations on local structures in her town were owed in large part to bingo money. But, as I said, only Carbon Hill actually has any bingo halls.
The envy over alcohol funds becomes more enflamed as the economic downturn has made it tough for the small towns to survive. Carbon Hill and Cordova have not been in great shape for a while, and Dora is undergoing an earthquake of sorts, losing 30 percent of its tax revenue (and possibly more, as Dora Mayor Chris Edwards is beginning to remember businesses lost within the past year).
There was a time when I couldn't imagine small towns with their small churches in rural areas of a county giving over to alcohol sales. But between the economy, changing outlooks and the foothold of electronic bingo, it has not taken long to hear positive responses toward getting alcohol sales. In fact, two towns are looking at it.
Carbon Hill, in fact, is practically jumping up and down to do it. I talked informally with council members and city officials after a called city council meeting before the override, and it was clear the city leaders had no problems with either bingo or alcohol.
After the override, Carbon Hill Mayor Chris Hart said, “We want to get our ducks in a row first,” adding he wants to city with city attorney and state Rep. Ken Guin to go over the bill. “This would boost our economy dramatically," he said.
Edwards, who will discuss dealing with the economic downturn in a called council meeting Thursday night, received several phone calls about the issue the day I called him. “I do think there is a strong push for it," he said.
He said it is an option the council will want to look at as alcohol sales would help to recruit a replacement for Food World (once the cash cow for Dora) or some other major restaurants that have passed over the city before. He said he understands Publix will not come to a city without alcohol sales, for example. He also noted the city deals with residents going to Jasper and Jefferson County on either side looking for alcohol.
Cordova Mayor Jack Scott said Tuesday he hadn't talked about it with the council, and he didn't know if it would pass considering the church vote. However, he would just as soon the alcohol revenue came to his town than to go to Jasper, saying something has to be done to pay the bills in Cordova. He would favor selling alcohol in retail settings, although he would oppose an open bar to yet.
The only public distancing from the issue came from Sumiton Mayor Petey Ellis, who said it had not been brought to the council and if someone brought it to them, then they would consider it. He also noted the city is in good financial shape. Maybe they do oppose alcohol sales. Still, that left a lot of wiggle room as far as taking a stand. That could come in handy if a petition is ever presented. For that matter, the wet forces in this old-fashioned small town might want to be positioned in an old-fashioned faceless committee. (It was interesting I brought it up at a city council meeting, and none of the other council members said a word about the subject.)
Mind you, petitions may not come tomorrow, but they could come in time. I have stated before in a column I am not really happy with the idea of going wet, but -- having fought against the tide of electronic bingo sweeping into the county that we are now awash in -- I am resigned that it may come anyway because of the desire to bring in restaurants and other establishments that won't come to a dry county.
What is almost incredible is that we haven't solved the bingo issue. The Alabama Legislature, in its infinite wisdom, not only didn't resolve that issue statewide, but threw another one in our lap to chew on at the same time. Now we have more controversy than ever before to go to war with each other over.
It's enough to drive someone to drink -- and they may drive all the way to the polls to do it.
As you may have heard, the Legislature overrode Gov. Bob Riley's veto the other day to allow cities with populations of 1,000 to 7,000 to have wet-dry referendums in those cities. A number equalling the the total of 30 percent of the voters in the last municipal general election can have their names on a petition sent to the city council. Then the council sets a wet-dry referendum on the sale of alcohol in that city.
Years ago, you used to see these countywide referendums that decided wet-dry issues, and they were grand affairs. In those days, it was the only time preachers got involved in politics, and you would hear a political stump speech right there on Sunday morning. I would not say this is true for all preachers, but some can make for great political stump speakers. We would hear a cascade of statistics about how alcohol can ruin lives (and much of it true, to be sure).
Meanwhile, there would be newspaper ads, flyers and all sorts of excitement. The pro-alcohol people would make their cases for economic progress, but they didn't have opportunities to speak...and even if they did, I wonder how many would have came out for it in public. It was usually faceless committees advocating going wet (much like these full-page bingo ads we now see in the paper that don't identify themselves, either). The pro-wet forces certainly had a hard time competing against those Sunday sermons and concern for families, and in the end they would usually lose in my neck of the woods.
Before I got to Walker County, the city of Jasper went wet, and it is no secret one can go over a couple of borders to get their alcohol. The small cities have always been jealous of the resources that Jasper and other areas have, and alcohol revenue can be included in that. Some of the towns may also be jealous of the bingo revenue, although Carbon Hill has it within its city. Some city departments or boards are benefiting to some extent from bingo revenue or donations. At the East Walker Chamber of Commerce banquet, Sipsey Mayor Anita Sanders was quick to point out renovations on local structures in her town were owed in large part to bingo money. But, as I said, only Carbon Hill actually has any bingo halls.
The envy over alcohol funds becomes more enflamed as the economic downturn has made it tough for the small towns to survive. Carbon Hill and Cordova have not been in great shape for a while, and Dora is undergoing an earthquake of sorts, losing 30 percent of its tax revenue (and possibly more, as Dora Mayor Chris Edwards is beginning to remember businesses lost within the past year).
There was a time when I couldn't imagine small towns with their small churches in rural areas of a county giving over to alcohol sales. But between the economy, changing outlooks and the foothold of electronic bingo, it has not taken long to hear positive responses toward getting alcohol sales. In fact, two towns are looking at it.
Carbon Hill, in fact, is practically jumping up and down to do it. I talked informally with council members and city officials after a called city council meeting before the override, and it was clear the city leaders had no problems with either bingo or alcohol.
After the override, Carbon Hill Mayor Chris Hart said, “We want to get our ducks in a row first,” adding he wants to city with city attorney and state Rep. Ken Guin to go over the bill. “This would boost our economy dramatically," he said.
Edwards, who will discuss dealing with the economic downturn in a called council meeting Thursday night, received several phone calls about the issue the day I called him. “I do think there is a strong push for it," he said.
He said it is an option the council will want to look at as alcohol sales would help to recruit a replacement for Food World (once the cash cow for Dora) or some other major restaurants that have passed over the city before. He said he understands Publix will not come to a city without alcohol sales, for example. He also noted the city deals with residents going to Jasper and Jefferson County on either side looking for alcohol.
Cordova Mayor Jack Scott said Tuesday he hadn't talked about it with the council, and he didn't know if it would pass considering the church vote. However, he would just as soon the alcohol revenue came to his town than to go to Jasper, saying something has to be done to pay the bills in Cordova. He would favor selling alcohol in retail settings, although he would oppose an open bar to yet.
The only public distancing from the issue came from Sumiton Mayor Petey Ellis, who said it had not been brought to the council and if someone brought it to them, then they would consider it. He also noted the city is in good financial shape. Maybe they do oppose alcohol sales. Still, that left a lot of wiggle room as far as taking a stand. That could come in handy if a petition is ever presented. For that matter, the wet forces in this old-fashioned small town might want to be positioned in an old-fashioned faceless committee. (It was interesting I brought it up at a city council meeting, and none of the other council members said a word about the subject.)
Mind you, petitions may not come tomorrow, but they could come in time. I have stated before in a column I am not really happy with the idea of going wet, but -- having fought against the tide of electronic bingo sweeping into the county that we are now awash in -- I am resigned that it may come anyway because of the desire to bring in restaurants and other establishments that won't come to a dry county.
What is almost incredible is that we haven't solved the bingo issue. The Alabama Legislature, in its infinite wisdom, not only didn't resolve that issue statewide, but threw another one in our lap to chew on at the same time. Now we have more controversy than ever before to go to war with each other over.
It's enough to drive someone to drink -- and they may drive all the way to the polls to do it.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Quick Review: Good summer reading
Since it is summertime, this is the time to read some relaxing books that are a short read and not inexpensive. I've read a few of late that I would suggest.
"Crazy 'O8: How a Cast of Cranks, Rougues, Boneheads and Magnates Created the Greatest Year in Baseball History" pretty well tells the tale in the title. Author Cait Murphy (who has penned an additional Q&A for the paperback edition by Smithsonian Books, $14.95) wrote this dandy 300-page book a couple of years ago but it is easy to find in 2008 paperback edition. Essentially Murphy proposed this was baseball's best year and devotes detailed attention in the book to the season, save for a quick review of the World Series. Like baseball itself, the action along the way and the characters involved make for the real story. There is a lot of attention devoted to the New York Giants and the Chicago Cubs (when the Cubs was a real ballteam), but there are plenty of other teams and characters to devote time to. We learn about Tinkers to Evers to Chance (who didn't like each other but became famous because of a poem), battling John McGraw, the hated Ty Cobb, pitcher Christy Mathewson (who once went to the showers to early and had to be dragged out of the showers to save a game) and poor Fred Merkle, who's mistake on the field became known as "Merkle's Boner" and branded him for the rest of his life.
Best of all, Murphy takes time to examine how different the game was in those days, when pitchers were still the heroes, ballfields were starting to be replaced for becoming fire traps (and some still had crowds in the outfield). The equipment was primitive and catchers barely crouched instead of squated. Crowds would go into the streets to watch large signs that showed a game in progress by lights and other means. Of course, some things don't change: There was a financial panic in 1907 that sounds way too familiar in details and owners worried if patrons would come back to the ballpark. (They do.) Team owners and league presidents sweep their problems (in this era, gambling and fan violence) under the rug. Honus Wagner stages a walkout and doubles his salary--to $10,000. Fans, however, make only $7 a week on the average, and a 50 cent ticket is something that can only be afforded starting with the middle class.
There is a lot of rich detail and characters that I can't do justice to here, and I won't. I wouldn't want to spoil it for you anyway. It is a delight to read, even for the casual baseball fan, and there are many seventh-inning stretches to look at other events and circumstances outside of baseball. It is a fascinating time capsule that brings the era to life.
Also, at just over 300 pages, we have "The Groucho Letters," which is a paperback 2007 reprint from Simon and Schuster, reintroducing a 1967 classic. Here we sample the historic letters coming to and from Groucho Marx, who proved with pen to be mightier and merrier and and heck of a lot more wicked than the sword. Groucho needed no ghostwriters for this, as evidenced by the fact his letters at the time had been given to the Library of Congress, where they remain. Not only do we read Groucho writing to literary, stage and screen wits, but we get to read his mail, from the likes of E.B. White, Fred Allen, Goodman Ace, Nunnally Johnson, James Thurber, Harry Truman, S.J. Perelman and others. We see a serious side of Groucho in many of the letters, but we get the Groucho we know as well. On a tax matter, he said, "The government has some curious notion that I owe them $1,000,000. I claim I owe only $3.85." He winds up saying, "On this I expect to fight them tooth and nail (nail more than tooth, only because I have more nail than tooth." When Warner Brothers warns him not to use "Casablanca" in the Marx Brothers movie "A Night in Casablanca," he writes a grand series of letters confounding the Warner Brothers lawyers, saying he will sue over "brothers" because the Marx Brothers were around before Warner Brothers. That alone is worth the $16 price of the paperback.
In case you thought I didn't read serious stuff, I'm starting 2007's "The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression" by Amity Shlaes (paperback, Harper Perennial, 400 pages). It takes a new look at the Depression and will apparently try to paint Roosevelt and his business opponents as neither heroes nor saints, as they both do good and bad along the way. However, it is interesting that the book proposes some of Roosevelt's policies meddled too much and caused the crisis to linger long after it did in Europe, causing another sharp downturn late in the 1930s as he tried to raise taxes and balance the budget. Looks like it will be interesting.
I would also recommend "Presidential Courage" by Michael Beschloss (Simon and Schuster, 2007) as he looks at a series of presidential crisis situations and how men like George Washington, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, Harry Truman and Ronald Reagan faced them. It makes for a good comparison of the presidency and the more than 300 pages goes quickly.
"Crazy 'O8: How a Cast of Cranks, Rougues, Boneheads and Magnates Created the Greatest Year in Baseball History" pretty well tells the tale in the title. Author Cait Murphy (who has penned an additional Q&A for the paperback edition by Smithsonian Books, $14.95) wrote this dandy 300-page book a couple of years ago but it is easy to find in 2008 paperback edition. Essentially Murphy proposed this was baseball's best year and devotes detailed attention in the book to the season, save for a quick review of the World Series. Like baseball itself, the action along the way and the characters involved make for the real story. There is a lot of attention devoted to the New York Giants and the Chicago Cubs (when the Cubs was a real ballteam), but there are plenty of other teams and characters to devote time to. We learn about Tinkers to Evers to Chance (who didn't like each other but became famous because of a poem), battling John McGraw, the hated Ty Cobb, pitcher Christy Mathewson (who once went to the showers to early and had to be dragged out of the showers to save a game) and poor Fred Merkle, who's mistake on the field became known as "Merkle's Boner" and branded him for the rest of his life.
Best of all, Murphy takes time to examine how different the game was in those days, when pitchers were still the heroes, ballfields were starting to be replaced for becoming fire traps (and some still had crowds in the outfield). The equipment was primitive and catchers barely crouched instead of squated. Crowds would go into the streets to watch large signs that showed a game in progress by lights and other means. Of course, some things don't change: There was a financial panic in 1907 that sounds way too familiar in details and owners worried if patrons would come back to the ballpark. (They do.) Team owners and league presidents sweep their problems (in this era, gambling and fan violence) under the rug. Honus Wagner stages a walkout and doubles his salary--to $10,000. Fans, however, make only $7 a week on the average, and a 50 cent ticket is something that can only be afforded starting with the middle class.
There is a lot of rich detail and characters that I can't do justice to here, and I won't. I wouldn't want to spoil it for you anyway. It is a delight to read, even for the casual baseball fan, and there are many seventh-inning stretches to look at other events and circumstances outside of baseball. It is a fascinating time capsule that brings the era to life.
Also, at just over 300 pages, we have "The Groucho Letters," which is a paperback 2007 reprint from Simon and Schuster, reintroducing a 1967 classic. Here we sample the historic letters coming to and from Groucho Marx, who proved with pen to be mightier and merrier and and heck of a lot more wicked than the sword. Groucho needed no ghostwriters for this, as evidenced by the fact his letters at the time had been given to the Library of Congress, where they remain. Not only do we read Groucho writing to literary, stage and screen wits, but we get to read his mail, from the likes of E.B. White, Fred Allen, Goodman Ace, Nunnally Johnson, James Thurber, Harry Truman, S.J. Perelman and others. We see a serious side of Groucho in many of the letters, but we get the Groucho we know as well. On a tax matter, he said, "The government has some curious notion that I owe them $1,000,000. I claim I owe only $3.85." He winds up saying, "On this I expect to fight them tooth and nail (nail more than tooth, only because I have more nail than tooth." When Warner Brothers warns him not to use "Casablanca" in the Marx Brothers movie "A Night in Casablanca," he writes a grand series of letters confounding the Warner Brothers lawyers, saying he will sue over "brothers" because the Marx Brothers were around before Warner Brothers. That alone is worth the $16 price of the paperback.
In case you thought I didn't read serious stuff, I'm starting 2007's "The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression" by Amity Shlaes (paperback, Harper Perennial, 400 pages). It takes a new look at the Depression and will apparently try to paint Roosevelt and his business opponents as neither heroes nor saints, as they both do good and bad along the way. However, it is interesting that the book proposes some of Roosevelt's policies meddled too much and caused the crisis to linger long after it did in Europe, causing another sharp downturn late in the 1930s as he tried to raise taxes and balance the budget. Looks like it will be interesting.
I would also recommend "Presidential Courage" by Michael Beschloss (Simon and Schuster, 2007) as he looks at a series of presidential crisis situations and how men like George Washington, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, Harry Truman and Ronald Reagan faced them. It makes for a good comparison of the presidency and the more than 300 pages goes quickly.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Charles Bishop bows out of Senate
It is probably a dicey affair to be talking about your boss when your boss is a state senator making news, but it is quite public that District 5 state Sen. Charles Bishop, R-Arley, also is behind the new radio talk show, "Voice of the People," that I joined recently on WIXI, 1360 AM, along with Bucky Rizzo. Bishop himself sometimes appears on the program as a host.
Of course, you would think if Bishop was going to announce that he was not going to run again, his resident news anchor would be the first to know. Well, you just have to know Bishop. He is unpredictable, but that's what makes him so interesting. He really got interesting just after lunch Thursday when I read on the Birmingham News Web site that he was not going to run again for the Senate in 2010.
"I've been giving you hints," he told Bucky on the phone before the show, confirming the news. (We must train the old man on the difference between hints and confirmation. I take it this could be useful in the future. As in, "We can't use hints.")
Having said that, I didn't know what Bishop would do. In fact, Bishop still hints he could run for another office or participate in someone else's campaign. At 71, I don't doubt he wouldn't do either. Time will tell.
The immediate impact, of course, is that we have an open seat in District 5. When Bishop came out of retirement to run for an open seat in 2006, that race became hotly contested in both the primary and the general elections. The primary season was fairly civil, but the general election became the stuff of legend. It was brutal and there was little area for gray. The Democrats and the Republicans both opened up the wallets wide for quite an ad campaign. The Daily Mountain Eagle, eager for revenue like all newspapers these days, is probably salivating at what is coming next year in revenue - and dreading the accusations that may make their way into proposed ads.
Suffice it to say we already have candidates on both sides. Steven Aderholt, who lost the District 4 Walker County Commission race last year, announced in the middle of the 2008 election cycle he was running for the seat. Minutes after I announced the news Thursday on WIXI, Walker County Republican Party Chairman Curtis Poe called the show to say that state GOP executive committee member Vicki Drummond of Jasper had told him she was running for the position. (Interestingly, Poe admitted on the air she didn't know he was going to announce this to the public. So much for party discipline.) Poe said Vicki ran for a seat on the national committee and lost by like two votes.
I expect the crowd will only get thicker with time. It would be interesting to see if some of the candidates from the last race, including Republican Ed Frazier and Democrats Byron McMath and Larry Cagle (the latter being the general election nominee last time), will enter the race.
Something else that should be fascinating is to watch the money trail. There can be no doubt that electronic bingo forces will filter money or advertising to some Democratic candidates. (Keep in mind the Senate will now lose both Bishop and Sen. Hank Erwin, two of the strongest opponents of electronic bingo. Erwin is running for lieutenant governor.) State Rep. Ken Guin's newspaper, the Corridor Messenger, practically became a party newspaper in 2008 with extra editions and full page ads paid for by the state Democratic organization. Between all that and an open seat, the money should flow like Niagara Falls after a rain.
Of course, Bishop will miss out on some of this. It would have been another bitter race probably, and we would have been sick of seeing Democratic TV and print ads reminding us of the punching incident Bishop had with Sen. Lowell Barron. Bishop may have been thinking of this, but I suspect his business interests, which continue to take up more time, and the changing climate of Montgomery had more to do with it. He also went down to help out Future Interstate 22 and instead found much of his time devoted to fighting electronic bingo.
At any rate, even if he runs for something else, it ends a chapter in the Senate that will have stretched for nearly three decades, as he previously served in 1983-90 -- a time that included George Wallace's last term as governor. No doubt he will be remembered for the punch -- something he has regretted to some extent -- but he's done much good for the county in that seat as well. Over the years he fought for agriculture and industry, including his time when he held posts in the cabinet over those areas. Certainly in his last term, he fought electronic bingo tooth and nail to help prevent the county from having a black eye for industrial development. Perhaps it was more of a draw at times, but he certainly prevented victories for the other side.
There is probably much more to be said, but I admit to being a little biased. Over the past few months, as my career has been trying to find itself after leaving the Daily Mountain Eagle, Bishop has been as helpful as anyone out there and has been a good friend -- a little unpredictable at times, yes, but in the end loyal and supportive. He has provided a means to keep bread on the table and give me a new lease on a local news career that I didn't expect to have. I don't know what I would have done without him. Many people don't see this side of him while he is in the public eye, but he has done many acts of kindness when you were not looking. I'm grateful that I'll still be working with him in the future.
And, of course, still trying to guess what the old fox will do next. If you find out first, let me know.
Of course, you would think if Bishop was going to announce that he was not going to run again, his resident news anchor would be the first to know. Well, you just have to know Bishop. He is unpredictable, but that's what makes him so interesting. He really got interesting just after lunch Thursday when I read on the Birmingham News Web site that he was not going to run again for the Senate in 2010.
"I've been giving you hints," he told Bucky on the phone before the show, confirming the news. (We must train the old man on the difference between hints and confirmation. I take it this could be useful in the future. As in, "We can't use hints.")
Having said that, I didn't know what Bishop would do. In fact, Bishop still hints he could run for another office or participate in someone else's campaign. At 71, I don't doubt he wouldn't do either. Time will tell.
The immediate impact, of course, is that we have an open seat in District 5. When Bishop came out of retirement to run for an open seat in 2006, that race became hotly contested in both the primary and the general elections. The primary season was fairly civil, but the general election became the stuff of legend. It was brutal and there was little area for gray. The Democrats and the Republicans both opened up the wallets wide for quite an ad campaign. The Daily Mountain Eagle, eager for revenue like all newspapers these days, is probably salivating at what is coming next year in revenue - and dreading the accusations that may make their way into proposed ads.
Suffice it to say we already have candidates on both sides. Steven Aderholt, who lost the District 4 Walker County Commission race last year, announced in the middle of the 2008 election cycle he was running for the seat. Minutes after I announced the news Thursday on WIXI, Walker County Republican Party Chairman Curtis Poe called the show to say that state GOP executive committee member Vicki Drummond of Jasper had told him she was running for the position. (Interestingly, Poe admitted on the air she didn't know he was going to announce this to the public. So much for party discipline.) Poe said Vicki ran for a seat on the national committee and lost by like two votes.
I expect the crowd will only get thicker with time. It would be interesting to see if some of the candidates from the last race, including Republican Ed Frazier and Democrats Byron McMath and Larry Cagle (the latter being the general election nominee last time), will enter the race.
Something else that should be fascinating is to watch the money trail. There can be no doubt that electronic bingo forces will filter money or advertising to some Democratic candidates. (Keep in mind the Senate will now lose both Bishop and Sen. Hank Erwin, two of the strongest opponents of electronic bingo. Erwin is running for lieutenant governor.) State Rep. Ken Guin's newspaper, the Corridor Messenger, practically became a party newspaper in 2008 with extra editions and full page ads paid for by the state Democratic organization. Between all that and an open seat, the money should flow like Niagara Falls after a rain.
Of course, Bishop will miss out on some of this. It would have been another bitter race probably, and we would have been sick of seeing Democratic TV and print ads reminding us of the punching incident Bishop had with Sen. Lowell Barron. Bishop may have been thinking of this, but I suspect his business interests, which continue to take up more time, and the changing climate of Montgomery had more to do with it. He also went down to help out Future Interstate 22 and instead found much of his time devoted to fighting electronic bingo.
At any rate, even if he runs for something else, it ends a chapter in the Senate that will have stretched for nearly three decades, as he previously served in 1983-90 -- a time that included George Wallace's last term as governor. No doubt he will be remembered for the punch -- something he has regretted to some extent -- but he's done much good for the county in that seat as well. Over the years he fought for agriculture and industry, including his time when he held posts in the cabinet over those areas. Certainly in his last term, he fought electronic bingo tooth and nail to help prevent the county from having a black eye for industrial development. Perhaps it was more of a draw at times, but he certainly prevented victories for the other side.
There is probably much more to be said, but I admit to being a little biased. Over the past few months, as my career has been trying to find itself after leaving the Daily Mountain Eagle, Bishop has been as helpful as anyone out there and has been a good friend -- a little unpredictable at times, yes, but in the end loyal and supportive. He has provided a means to keep bread on the table and give me a new lease on a local news career that I didn't expect to have. I don't know what I would have done without him. Many people don't see this side of him while he is in the public eye, but he has done many acts of kindness when you were not looking. I'm grateful that I'll still be working with him in the future.
And, of course, still trying to guess what the old fox will do next. If you find out first, let me know.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
race cars vs. tornadoes
I just had to point out that during tonight's tornado outbreak, Fox 6's exasperated weatherman wound up having to explain why they were having to give tornado warning coverage.
That was incredulous, except for the fact it was a split screen situation. The other screen was a live broadcast of the Russ Friedman 400 at Richmond International Raceway, a NASCAR race carried by the Fox network.
With tornado warnings issued and the state map lit up with more colors than a Christmas tree on fire, the weatherman noted that the station had already gotten a number of nasty e-mails from race fans. It seems the fans were angry that the races were downsized to a small screen, while the weather was getting the big picture.
You could tell the weatherman was barely keeping it under control, not really wanting to tell off the rednecks. He said that there were Alabamians who were in danger of being wiped out by a tornado and that this was a prime function of the station.
He actually had to explain that, in the middle of a tornado outbreak. I'd be hot under the collar, too.
Now, it is true my county was one of those that was under attack by the tornadoes. It is also true I am not the world's biggest NASCAR fan, although I usually have a good feeling when Jeff Gordon wins. I think it is like when you move into the state and you have to pick Alabama or Auburn, lest someone decides to deport you for being a suspected terrorist or a carrier of swine flu from Mexico. At any rate, racing has its good points and is a fine thing to follow. There are many fine people who follow and participate in the races, and who set a good example.
However, when you are in the first row at Talladega, you almost ask for being in the line of danger. Someone standing at the a crawfish boil in downtown Birmingham and suddenly finding out they may be in the line of tornadoes, that is something else. All of us in this area being in the line of tornadoes or even high winds, that is something else.
One of the major functions of broadcasters and news personnel is to tell you when imminent danger is near, whether it is weather, a meteor, Martians, a terror attack, whatever. We live in an area where people routinely die from high winds, and many times there is not much time to prepare. It also has the characteristic of not booking a more convenient time.
It is amazing that 35 years after the fact, I remember I could not watch one of those NBC mystery movies (I recall it being the "Snoop Sisters") when the April 1974 tornadoes came through. There have been times when I missed seeing a TV show when storm coverage comes on for another part of the state. I was not happy, but I wasn't mad at the TV station.
NASCAR and its fans have grown up in many respects, but sometimes still have to work on the stereotypes that befall that sport. Unfortunately, some of the fans Saturday night -- and I would trust it was a small minority of them -- proved that the idea of a stupid redneck watching a car race on TV and complaining about the interruption for, oh, say, impending deadly weather shows us that we still have a few people left to give racing and Alabama a bad image.
I just hope that if the worst happens (which I wouldn't wish on them anyway) and they find their trailer and their 15 hunting dogs blown away, and that rusty 1976 Chevrolet truck topples off of its cinder blocks in the front yard...well, I just hope it was at a convenient time for them.
That was incredulous, except for the fact it was a split screen situation. The other screen was a live broadcast of the Russ Friedman 400 at Richmond International Raceway, a NASCAR race carried by the Fox network.
With tornado warnings issued and the state map lit up with more colors than a Christmas tree on fire, the weatherman noted that the station had already gotten a number of nasty e-mails from race fans. It seems the fans were angry that the races were downsized to a small screen, while the weather was getting the big picture.
You could tell the weatherman was barely keeping it under control, not really wanting to tell off the rednecks. He said that there were Alabamians who were in danger of being wiped out by a tornado and that this was a prime function of the station.
He actually had to explain that, in the middle of a tornado outbreak. I'd be hot under the collar, too.
Now, it is true my county was one of those that was under attack by the tornadoes. It is also true I am not the world's biggest NASCAR fan, although I usually have a good feeling when Jeff Gordon wins. I think it is like when you move into the state and you have to pick Alabama or Auburn, lest someone decides to deport you for being a suspected terrorist or a carrier of swine flu from Mexico. At any rate, racing has its good points and is a fine thing to follow. There are many fine people who follow and participate in the races, and who set a good example.
However, when you are in the first row at Talladega, you almost ask for being in the line of danger. Someone standing at the a crawfish boil in downtown Birmingham and suddenly finding out they may be in the line of tornadoes, that is something else. All of us in this area being in the line of tornadoes or even high winds, that is something else.
One of the major functions of broadcasters and news personnel is to tell you when imminent danger is near, whether it is weather, a meteor, Martians, a terror attack, whatever. We live in an area where people routinely die from high winds, and many times there is not much time to prepare. It also has the characteristic of not booking a more convenient time.
It is amazing that 35 years after the fact, I remember I could not watch one of those NBC mystery movies (I recall it being the "Snoop Sisters") when the April 1974 tornadoes came through. There have been times when I missed seeing a TV show when storm coverage comes on for another part of the state. I was not happy, but I wasn't mad at the TV station.
NASCAR and its fans have grown up in many respects, but sometimes still have to work on the stereotypes that befall that sport. Unfortunately, some of the fans Saturday night -- and I would trust it was a small minority of them -- proved that the idea of a stupid redneck watching a car race on TV and complaining about the interruption for, oh, say, impending deadly weather shows us that we still have a few people left to give racing and Alabama a bad image.
I just hope that if the worst happens (which I wouldn't wish on them anyway) and they find their trailer and their 15 hunting dogs blown away, and that rusty 1976 Chevrolet truck topples off of its cinder blocks in the front yard...well, I just hope it was at a convenient time for them.
Friday, May 1, 2009
The death of Bruno's
If anything could get me to come out of my hybernation on the blog (sometimes life IS more important, thank you), it would certainly have to be the death of the Bruno's grocery chain, which seemed to finally come this week when it auctioned itself off. Southern Foods bought it; they purchased the Food World in Hamilton a while back and made a mess of it before it finally died as well. I am not terribly hopeful of what is coming.
It may be that Jasper and Dora will be spared anymore suffering. The Birmingham News reported today that it had the list of probable stores to be liquidated, and those two cities were on the list. Assuming that is true, it would mean that Jasper is down to two major chain stores, Wal-Mart and Winn-Dixie, as well as Son's and another store at the Parkland area. East Walker County would now only have one major store (Wal-Mart, of course) and a local store. Dora would be deprived of a major generator of sales tax revenue and the shopping center would lose its big anchor. Jasper would have a big hole in that major quadrant where 78 and Airport collide, and it will be interesting to see in a lesser economy if anyone takes it over soon. (I would point out Goody's nearby is still vacant.)
This is personally sad for me, because Bruno's is responsible for funding my childhood upbringing. Dad was employed there for something like three decades, ironically starting in Jasper. Although he lived in Winfield, he commuted seemingly everywhere, including Haleyville, Jasper, many stores in the Birmingham area, Russellville and finally Hamilton, where he retired. He was a meat cutter and eventually a meat department head in a number of stores.
It was during his time in Birmingham in particular that he got to know many of the people in the company, even those at the top. His conversations have always included tales of the patriarch, Joe Bruno, known as "Mr. Joe." It was a family operation, and they family stayed connected to the business. It always impressed me that the family, devout Catholics, would have a cross set up in the store around the business office, and the stores would be blessed upon opening.
As many of you know, they were community minded and funded a number of institutions, particularly in the Birmingham area. They also loved to hold an open house at the warehouse, and considering they knew all the vendors, it was quite an affair indeed. Of course, the warehouse was something to behold, and they took great pride in showing it off.
Now, those days are over. I've heard many inside and outside the company reflect back to the plane crash that killed several executives, including family members. "The company was never the same after that plane crash," they say, shaking their heads. That is correct. Not only was the management not the same, but Bruno's faced a tide of change in the supermarket industry. The change was Wal-Mart, which stomped in on the scene like a giant, undercutting everyone and swamping with volume. There had been a half-hearted attempt between Bruno's and K-mart to do something like what Wal-Mart does now, but it went nowhere. Moreover, Dad still maintains that the company lost its way in customer service in the end, which is the only thing it could really compete with.
Even if the Jasper and Dora stores survive, it will not be the Bruno's we knew. It will not be the Bruno's bear smiling at us from the grocery ads. It will not be the Bruno's that started a world class golf tournament and funded educational and spiritual institutions. It will not be the Bruno's that introduced Big B drugs when we didn't have mammoth national drug stores on every corner. It will not be the Bruno's that really introduced the big grocery store concept with Food World, with its amazing selections.
Perhaps most of all, it's not Mr. Joe. When the Bruno family left, so did the heart of the company. The reputation of the name is the only reason that the patient is only now dying of cardiac arrest.
It may be that Jasper and Dora will be spared anymore suffering. The Birmingham News reported today that it had the list of probable stores to be liquidated, and those two cities were on the list. Assuming that is true, it would mean that Jasper is down to two major chain stores, Wal-Mart and Winn-Dixie, as well as Son's and another store at the Parkland area. East Walker County would now only have one major store (Wal-Mart, of course) and a local store. Dora would be deprived of a major generator of sales tax revenue and the shopping center would lose its big anchor. Jasper would have a big hole in that major quadrant where 78 and Airport collide, and it will be interesting to see in a lesser economy if anyone takes it over soon. (I would point out Goody's nearby is still vacant.)
This is personally sad for me, because Bruno's is responsible for funding my childhood upbringing. Dad was employed there for something like three decades, ironically starting in Jasper. Although he lived in Winfield, he commuted seemingly everywhere, including Haleyville, Jasper, many stores in the Birmingham area, Russellville and finally Hamilton, where he retired. He was a meat cutter and eventually a meat department head in a number of stores.
It was during his time in Birmingham in particular that he got to know many of the people in the company, even those at the top. His conversations have always included tales of the patriarch, Joe Bruno, known as "Mr. Joe." It was a family operation, and they family stayed connected to the business. It always impressed me that the family, devout Catholics, would have a cross set up in the store around the business office, and the stores would be blessed upon opening.
As many of you know, they were community minded and funded a number of institutions, particularly in the Birmingham area. They also loved to hold an open house at the warehouse, and considering they knew all the vendors, it was quite an affair indeed. Of course, the warehouse was something to behold, and they took great pride in showing it off.
Now, those days are over. I've heard many inside and outside the company reflect back to the plane crash that killed several executives, including family members. "The company was never the same after that plane crash," they say, shaking their heads. That is correct. Not only was the management not the same, but Bruno's faced a tide of change in the supermarket industry. The change was Wal-Mart, which stomped in on the scene like a giant, undercutting everyone and swamping with volume. There had been a half-hearted attempt between Bruno's and K-mart to do something like what Wal-Mart does now, but it went nowhere. Moreover, Dad still maintains that the company lost its way in customer service in the end, which is the only thing it could really compete with.
Even if the Jasper and Dora stores survive, it will not be the Bruno's we knew. It will not be the Bruno's bear smiling at us from the grocery ads. It will not be the Bruno's that started a world class golf tournament and funded educational and spiritual institutions. It will not be the Bruno's that introduced Big B drugs when we didn't have mammoth national drug stores on every corner. It will not be the Bruno's that really introduced the big grocery store concept with Food World, with its amazing selections.
Perhaps most of all, it's not Mr. Joe. When the Bruno family left, so did the heart of the company. The reputation of the name is the only reason that the patient is only now dying of cardiac arrest.
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