Quantcast
Channel: Shoalanda
Viewing all 4593 articles
Browse latest View live
↧

What Happened at "Faces?"

February 24, 2014, 9:00 pm
$
0
0

The first time we heard the name of Faces Bar & Lounge, it involved the alleged rape of a woman dumped on the UNA campus. Here's a brief article from PNS:


Now the name Faces is again making the local news, rumor mill, and Facebook rounds with accusations of an organized "attack" by Sheffield Police. It's not clear why the police were even called to Faces, but the patrons on the unlucky night were attending a party in honor of a local coach. When police arrived they began to use pepper spray, and many claim those innocent of any wrongdoing were caught up in the melee and even tased as they were attempting to flee.

Sheffield doesn't need any more dives/dumps, but neither does it need any more lawsuits. We'll be happy to publish any accounts of abuse.



Shoalanda
↧
Search

Faces, Feuds, & Fathers

February 25, 2014, 9:00 pm
$
0
0

We greatly respect our readers and always appreciate their input. Several have commented to us that the recent Sheffield Police raid on Faces Bar & Lounge on Hatch Boulevard was the result of a false report phoned in to the authorities. If this is correct, we hope the person responsible can be found and punished, not to mention having to pay damages to those who may have been injured in the subsequent melee.

*****

Has another old feud surfaced? Two years ago we received more input on the Colbert County school system superintendent election than any other. We initially endorsed Robert Montgomery for the position, and to say that resulted in an onslaught of e-mail by Tony Olivis supporters would be putting it mildly. Then came the rebuttals for Montgomery.

Now Supt. Olivis has suspended Montgomery. We're sure there's much to this ongoing story that has not yet been told:


*****

Next to a mother, a father is the most important person in any child's life. When he isn't there, it may have a serious negative impact. We recently commented on Blake Austin Hines, a young many who's scheduled to be tried in June in Lauderdale County for a home invasion involving an older victim. An article sent to us at the time of the crime mentioned Hines' mother. A faithful reader and friend wanted us to know that Hines' father should shoulder much of the blame for the young man's criminal bent. It seems he was rarely there for Blake and in fact set a bad example when he was present.

Fathers, you can't spend too much quality time with your children...



Shoalanda
↧
↧

"Undercover Agents" in Leighton

February 26, 2014, 9:00 pm
$
0
0

Okay, we promise no more jokes. We just think prostitution stings could come up with a better name for those officers making the supreme sacrifice...be they male or female. In case you're totally lost here...

It seems Tony Logan has just led a group of ABI undercover agents into the dangerous world of Leighton/Colbert County prostitution...and beyond. The Tuscumbia chief has announced the arrests of four females and one male on misdemeanor charges related to soliciting sex. Logan went as far as to say there had been unusual activity at local hotels recently. Fill in your own joke here since we promised only the one attempt at humor.

Backpage.com? Never heard of it. We did visit so that you, gentle readers, will not have to be bothered. Only one ad seems to be local. From Muscle Shoals:

Click to Enlarge

And the murderer of Mr. Elbert Farley still walks the streets.



Shoalanda
↧

Naming Names?

February 27, 2014, 9:00 pm
$
0
0

The TimesDaily is one publication that makes no secret of its love for Hispanic immigrants, yet it never fails to get their names wrong. Why? One simple memo to writers should take care of the problem...

John Jones marries Mary Smith. They soon produce little Billy. In the English speaking world, Billy would usually be called "Billy Jones." In the Spanish speaking world, Billy would be called "Billy Jones Smith" and addressed as "Mr. Jones," as well as referred to as simply "Jones" in news accounts.

We were looking at accounts of a local Hispanic pedophile in two publications. Pedro Ramirez Rocha has been arrested in Franklin County for sexually abusing a young child. One online publication called him Ramirez, while another called him Rocha. If you guessed it was the TD who named him incorrectly as Rocha you would be right.

Perhaps the TD writers aren't as cosmopolitan as its editor would like for us to think?

*****

Sexual abuse is everywhere...unfortunately. Percentage wise, more immigrants seem to commit this crime than locals. It could obviously be just a case of these abusers being too obtuse to cover their tracks, but it could also be part of a larger culture. Something to think about...

(Lest any readers see the above item as bigoted, the age for marriage of girls in Mexico is 14 in the majority of states, and many indigenous tribes allow marriage at the first sign of puberty. Bigoted? No. Culture Clash? Definitely.)



Shoalanda
↧

In Support of Robert "Tuc" Montgomery

February 28, 2014, 9:00 pm
$
0
0

In Support of Robert "Tuc" Montgomery

A Guest Blog by

A Concerned Parent


I have seen Mr. Montgomery do everything from clean toilets to entertain public figures with the utmost grace and professionalism. He was in a constant state of making improvements to the classrooms and campus as well as causing our test scores to soar. He always gave the teachers a say in the decisions that were made and many times gave the teachers credit for things he had initiated. I've seen the love the children have for him and what a wonderful role model he has been for many of them that need this so desperately. Seeing this school shine has been his goal. I've seen him discipline children with a tear in his eye only to shake their hand afterwards and tell them how loved they are. Teacher's needs were always accommodated. I've seen the love and admiration the children have for him as well as us parents. So many of his hours outside of the school day were devoted to making sure the campus shined inside & out.

Our Parents organization, the schools finances, the teachers' resources. He just simply has turned CHES into a thriving school. If a teacher didn’t have what they wanted … then they hadn’t asked for it. He has cut the grass on the weekends, shoveled gravel in the pouring rain, as well as spent many of his summers painting the school.

He has reached in and taken money out of his pocket because he was afraid a child didn’t have snack money. He has left his own family on Christmas Eve to deliver a bicycle to parents who he knew would not be able to give their own child a present on Christmas morning.

I shudder to think where our school would be today if he had not come to CHES. He has been with CHES over 10 years. Whether you are a preacher, administrator, principal or in any other type of management position you rarely last but just a few years before problems start to crop up for whatever reason….. this man has lasted for over 10 years plus. That should tell you something about his character and work ethic.

You have 3 or 4 on the campus that may have had to be reprimanded or told to step it up or possibly they weren’t given the answer they wanted to hear on a decision he had to make … it is those few that decided to band together and try to ruin his career.

You all may wonder why I support Mr Montgomery so much. It is because I have worked with the PTO/Cats Committee and also been classroom mom since the first day my oldest started school. I have a child in 5th an a child in 2nd. I have worked along side Mr. Montgomery and teachers with many things.

With all this being said us as parents want to know WHY? Why... Did our principal that does his job and an awesome job at that get removed from his job. He makes sure our Children are safe and get the education they need, our teachers are safe and get the things they need for their class rooms, Our School shines inside an out. We parents have a voice in matters. Plus Much More... SO TELL US WHY???

Editor's Note: Our mail is running four to one in support of Mr. Montgomery.



Shoalanda
↧
↧

Seth Lewey: Another Olivis Victim?

March 1, 2014, 9:00 pm
$
0
0

It was a small Shoals company, publicly traded, and very successful. The company had a total of two CEOs in its 40 years of life, and a third long-time employee was set to become the company's newest leader. The problem?

Stockholders were happy that the company was very successful, but they believed in the then current economic climate the business was set to become a shooting star of success in its field. The stockholders met, and at the end of the day a new president had come out of nowhere. The new leader quickly fired many employees and brought in his own team. Many locals were upset. What could they do?

The answer is "nothing." It was a publicly owned company and the stockholders had spoken. What if it's a government entity? What can the taxpayers do? We say, "a lot," and it may now be time for the citizens and taxpayers of Colbert County to speak out.

We know that Robert Montgomery, principal of Colbert Heights Elementary, is not the only long-time education employee to meet the wrath of current superintendent Anthony Olivis. A short six weeks after Olivis took office in January of last year, Seth Lewey turned in his notice ostensibly due to health reasons.

Lewey had been principal of Hatton Elementary School and a supporter of Robert Montgomery in the 2012 superintendent's race. Did he really have health problems? If he did, they cleared up as soon as he resigned from Hatton; he now teaches third and fifth grades at Colbert Heights. Perhaps in an area where teachers are as numerous as mosquitoes in the dog days of summer, Mr. Lewey took what he could get?

Olivis' second would-be victim? We know the name, but have been unable to get a statement from the educator. Often, parties in legal suits agree to a gag order, and this may be the case with the principal from western Colbert County.

Robert "Tuc" Montgomery has now become Tony Olivis' third victim in assembling his team of rural educators, all of whom will publicly support Olivis in the next superintendent's race. Let's hope Mr. Montgomery, his attorney Tim Case, and the citizens of Colbert County will draw a line in the proverbial sand of good ol' boyism...

*****

It would seem some in the Colbert Heights area are rumor-mongering. Let's clear up any reports that there is money missing from the school. From Pen-N-Sword:




Shoalanda
↧

No One Immune to Scams

March 2, 2014, 9:00 pm
$
0
0

Scams may be like a terrorist attack or police raid; the secret is in surprise. Someone calls to say your grandson is in jail, and you don't think rationally for a few seconds...or minutes...or maybe even hours. By the time you begin to say "wait a minute," your money is already in Nigeria or Frog Pond or wherever.

It seems someone is attempting to pull a scam on one of the editors at Pen N Sword, a retired detective no less. Ah, the game is afoot:


What's really surprising about this? Neither the U.S. Postal Service nor the Muscle Shoals Police is willing to pursue the would-be scammer(s) legally. Since many of these con artists reside half way around the world, the local authorities may just realize how futile most cases are to investigate, much less prosecute.

*****

Congratulations to Adruitha Lee on her Oscar win. Anyone out there remember when she used to cruise around Florence with the vanity tag "EEE-EX?" Living well is indeed the best revenge.



Shoalanda
↧

UNA Does Report Sex Crimes...

March 3, 2014, 9:00 pm
$
0
0

There's been much discussion recently about an alleged rape in South Alabama that wasn't reported in a timely fashion. Could that happen at a certain college in Northwest Alabama? We doubt it. The University of North Alabama does an excellent job of reporting crimes...up to a point.

A recent alleged rape that occurred off campus, but resulted in the victim being thrown from a vehicle on UNA property, was not commented on again after the initial report. We were assured that neither of the two individuals involved was a UNA student, but beyond that, readers were allowed to fill in the blanks on their own.

If a new campus crime reporting bill is passed, let's hope there's enough teeth in it to prevent any cover ups, no matter how small.



Shoalanda
↧
Search

Is Ed Henry a Murderer? Is Ed Henry Even Sane?

March 4, 2014, 9:00 pm
$
0
0

This blog is not about abortion, per se. It is about an elected official who seems just a little mixed up. Two years ago, Ed Henry from Hartselle called himself a murderer because he helped a former girlfriend obtain an abortion. He stated at the time that he was morally wrong and regretted his actions.

Whether anyone thinks what Republican Rep. Ed Henry did was morally right or wrong, isn't Ed just a little mixed up here? At the time of Henry's confession of murder two years ago, some asked why the good lawmaker didn't attempt to turn himself in for his crimes.

Good question, but we feel ours is even better. At the time of his declaration of murder, Henry said he cautioned his own children not to commit the sin of abortion as he had done. Wouldn't it just have been simpler for Henry to have cautioned his children, and everyone else's, not to engage in sex outside of marriage to begin with? No sex means no pregnancy, and no pregnancy means no abortion. Simple, isn't it? Or does Henry consider this something less of a sin?

Somehow our perception of Republicans had always included just a hint of better education than the Dems; that rapidly changed when the Republicans came to power in Alabama.

*****

During the current session, our state House of Representatives has passed not one, not two, not three, but four bills that restrict abortion in some manner. Just a thought here, but couldn't these politicians have gotten together and combined much of this legislation for simplicity? Or is their game plan simply to wear down the opposition with numbers?



Shoalanda
↧
↧

Synthetic Drugs? Tell Us About It!

March 5, 2014, 9:00 pm
$
0
0

We've recently received several tips concerning the sale of synthetic drugs under various names. Some of this information comes from sources we don't know and have no idea of their veracity. Others come from those we trust.

Accusing someone or some business of selling these illegal drugs is serious business. If you have proof of such sales, it's always good to report it to the correct authorities. If you have proof, but have doubts about police, you can feel free to contact us.

We can't promise that we can stop this, but we can promise to send your messages, photos, etc. to the correct entities. If you do have pics, we can publish some of them in an anonymous setting.

Above all, kudos to those who care about our society and our youth.

*****

For those who say synthetic marijuana isn't dangerous, you just haven't been keeping up with the news, have you?



Shoalanda
↧

Jeff Eddie: Billy Underwood's Statement

March 6, 2014, 9:00 pm
$
0
0

This a transcript of Billy Underwood's remarks on the sentence accepted by sexual predator/preacher Jeff Eddie:


My client, his extremely wonderful and caring mother and father, plus his compassionate sisters wish to express their sincere sorrow and condolences to the victims and their families about this horrendous situation. They know that there is nothing they can say to make the situation go away, but their hearts are heavy with sorrow.

It would have been an hypocrisy to violate these victims again by putting them through a 12-person jury trial with the public media following each step of the proceedings. This plea gives plausible deniability for any victim to say that they were not part of this sordid episode. There will be no trial where a victim has to face a jury and the public. I would like to thank the District Attorney, Bryce Graham, and Assistant District Attorney Kyle Brown, for the way they handled this matter.

I especially acknowledge Detective Captain Craig Rickman, Detective Captain Sig Mueller of the Muscle Shoals Police Department, and ABI Lieutenant Brian Faulkner, for their thorough, rapidity of action, and professionalism in how they brought this case to a quick end within 36 hours of Eddie’s detainment with them. This has been a textbook example of how one of these cases should be investigated and it should be duplicated by other agencies and State authorities in handling situations such as this. Their attention to the most minute details caused me to do something I have never done in my 30+ years of practicing law. With my client’s approval, I made transparent my file to the investigators which caused us to settle this case.

To the public who wonders why there was such a rush to justice in this case, I would say the evidence was a Titanic iceberg. The public has seen only the surface of what the charges could be and were unable to know the true depth of this case. This case may have created a Sandusky-like scandalous atmosphere if we had allowed it to go to Grand Jury and carry on for one to two years of public scrutiny and media coverage daily on the matter while trial awaited. This is a small, close-knit community. The damage to the victims would be frequent and almost daily. There was never any reason to cause a continual black eye for the Shoals area that could interfere with recruitment of industry and the well-being of our citizens.

My job was to make sure Jeff Eddie did not receive a death sentence in prison. He will end his last 10-15 years of life outside of a prison. This is all that could be hoped for in a situation such as this. I would like to quote Winston Churchill in regards to this case. His statement goes something like this.

“This is not the end. This is not the beginning of the end, but it is the end of the beginning.”

While the criminal case should be left behind us, there will be some families who lawyer up and file civil lawsuits that will probably be under the radar of the local news media in their quest for satisfaction in this case. Again, I only wish the victims the best and they do have plausible deniability.



Shoalanda
↧

Fund for Jeff Eddie's Victims?

March 7, 2014, 9:00 pm
$
0
0



Highland Park Baptist Church has established a fund for victims of their former youth minister Jeff Eddie. The fund is to cover counseling for not only Eddie's actual victims, but also family of the victims. The location of these accounts was made public in a TimesDaily article. In other words, you the readers now know how to donate.

Perhaps the important question is should you donate? We firmly believe any individual has the right to donate to any legal entity they choose. Do you give to the United Way to help those in need locally or do you give to Deep Fat to help the Minnesota orphans? Tough decision sometimes.

We're not going to tell any readers whether they should donate or not. We do have reservations about this church even suggesting a donation. What if Muscle Shoals Utilities had an employee who sexually abused young people while on the payroll? Should the city utility ask for donations to help with counseling of their employee's targets?

Is Shoalanda personally going to give any funds to this cause? No. Whether any readers do or not is up to them.



Shoalanda
↧

A Round-About? Really?

March 9, 2014, 5:05 pm
$
0
0



We've discussed aging buildings and infrastructure before. Here's our previous blog on the need for a new animal shelter:


Now the City of Florence says the 25 year old intersection of Royal Avenue and Huntsville Road is no longer serving its purpose. Some even say it's confusing. Uhhh, wasn't it confusing when it was built then? It doesn't seem to have morphed on its own.

No, the city promised East Florence merchants the disruption the previous construction produced would be more than worth it. Some businesses closed permanently due to the construction. Now we hear this wonderful intersection has been faulty for the last 25 years and a round-about will be the cure-all? Really?

We await...



Shoalanda
↧
↧

An Anonymous Letter Concerning a Sexual Molester

March 9, 2014, 9:00 pm
$
0
0

We received this letter ostensibly from a concerned wife/mother. We are censoring any information that could identify the alleged sexual offender. We are not alleging any of this to be true or not. If it is true, this is a horrible situation. We hope every family keeps their children safe.

The Letter:
I've debated about contacting someone regarding this, simply for the fact that I was hoping and praying that the justice system and DHR would actually do their job. However, it has been a month this Friday since the incident happened and DHR has not had any contact with me nor has interviewed the other 4 kids in my home.

I am praying that someone can get to the bottom of why this has been just brushed under the rug and they sheriffs department has waited to arrest him until the case was reviewed by the grand jury this week. By the way, he is still free.

On Feb 14, my 4 year old daughter came to me and told me her father had put his hands down her panties and was rubbing on her that morning. I immediately went and confronted him, to which he denied it went on. I walked away and thought about what I was told and then went back to him about 15 minutes later and told him that a child doesn't make stuff like this up. They make up stories about monsters under their bed and whatnot, but not things like this. He then said "Fine! Fine!  I did it now can we just forget about it?"

I lost it. All I could do is scream, cry hysterically, and say "Oh my God"

Within an hour I was at Keller having my daughter checked while their grandparents watched the kids. 

A county cop and a DHR worker came to the hospital to make the reports. After finding out that no penetration happened, the DHR worker said she would need to see my kids that night and also my husband. She left and we met at his parents house where she could see everyone. My husband told her and the cop that came out with her that he did it and he didn't know why he did it.

She told me that since it was late, she would just wait to see the kids in a few days. She did advise me to keep everyone away from him (like I would let them hang out or something) and to not ask any questions to the kids. I was to let DHR handle finding out if it was done to my other 3 girls or my son.

Well, it will be a month on Friday that I spoke with DHR last.

Imagine how a parent feels knowing that there may be more to this and that the other kids may have been abused. My daughter that this happened to has completely regressed back to wetting herself constantly. No counseling has been established. Nothing.

I did find out the investigator went to the hospital where my husband was (he went into the mental health part at ECM right after this) and got a signed confession. He admitted everything!

Yet, he has walked free for almost a month.

He worked as the security guard at XXXXX (an enterprise where children are present) a few weeks ago.

He does yard work for people that has kids.

Yet, he has admitted to not only touching his own 4 year old daughter in a sexual manner .. and getting off on it .. but he rubbed his "wee-wee", as she calls it, on her leg. She has showed the spot as if she is showing where she has a sticker at. 

When I asked why he hasn't been arrested and charged yet, given that he has admitted it all, the investigator said that the DA felt we would skip that step and just take it to grand jury. Grand jury is this week and he will get yet another week to walk free. That is, if they actually got the case to them this session.

And if justice does come down and he is charged with Sexual Abuse of a Minor Under the Age of 12 (as the police report lists), I'm sure the media will pick it up. We all know how that story goes... "and Colbert County DHR is assisting the victims." Just know that it will be a straight out lie because not contacting the family for a month is not helping. Ignoring the countless phone calls and voicemails is not helping. And refusing to do a forensic interview on a child that abuse was admitted on to find out the extent of it is not helping.

I'm frustrated, angry, saddened, and just overwhelmed with the lack of answers. I know I will never get the answer to my question of "Why?" but I would hope that someone, somewhere would help DHR and the sheriffs department see that this type of crime against a child is not okay.

Thank you,

A concerned mother
*****
We will update this if and when we receive more information.



Shoalanda
↧

Two Local Sexual Predators?

March 10, 2014, 9:00 pm
$
0
0

First, we at Shoalanda wish to apologize for dropping the ball on part of this story. One of these accounts is several weeks old--we simply left it on a back burner and forgot about it. The second tale is new to us.

Some weeks ago, a white man, approaching middle age or so, possibly bearded, was frequenting a local Walmart. He would ask females for a ride, stating it was an emergency. If a man or married couple asked if they could help, he would turn away.

Obviously, it's possible this man was just misguided in some feeble attempts to find a girlfriend; it's also possible his motives were not for any long term relationship, but a violent encounter. This man may now be long gone from the area, but he may not.

We urge everyone...male, female, or anyone in between...not to assume this is a harmless situation. Be vigilant and don't hesitate to call the police.

*****

Our second tale of a possible predatory male is relatively new and going on as of Sunday. A young man (we know his name, but since he is not currently in the legal system, we will not state it) has been seen at several commercial establishments in the Eastern part of Lauderdale County, particularly the Elgin area.

He may be with male friends and he is on the prowl. He has been attempting to meet/date several young women whom he has encountered. While he may be searching for a soul mate, he has been involved in several violent incidents involving women in his past.

Bottom line: If you're not introduced to anyone via a close friend, just say, "No way, Jose'." We don't want to be writing about you in this blog as a victim of a sex assault.



Shoalanda
↧
Search

Streaming Starts Now!

March 11, 2014, 9:00 pm
$
0
0

Remember our blog on streaming the Florence-Lauderdale Tourism Board meetings?


It starts Thursday morning at nine o'clock. You might need to turn down the volume or purchase ear plugs...

*****

Remember David Gray? He's now been indicted for having the largest collection of child pornography in the history of the state. Here's an extremely informative article from the Quad-Cities Daily:


*****

The bank accounts set up for the victims of Jeff Eddie have caused quite a stir. Well, HPBC is sometimes called the Highly Political Baptist Church.



Shoalanda
↧

"Plausible Deniability"

March 12, 2014, 9:00 pm
$
0
0

Since we published Billy Underwood's statement concerning Jeff Eddie's quick plea in a child sex abuse case, many have questioned and some have misunderstood the term "plausible deniability." Rest assured, Mr. Underwood was not trying to obtain this deniability for his client.

No, the point of avoiding a trial(s) was to excuse the victims from reliving this nightmare. In other words, ten years from now, if someone asks one of Eddie's young male charges if he wasn't somewhat close to the former Baptist minister, he will be able to say that while he knew him, it wasn't well and he was never harmed.

Would it be that easy to deny if this same young man was seen entering the courthouse during Eddie's trial? Or even seen entering any entity where young victims are questioned and videoed? Not quite.

Yes, Billy Underwood did assure that Eddie, if he lives a normal lifespan, will see freedom at some point. When free, he will still be a registered sex offender and the object of points, whispers, and general ridicule.

Mr. Underwood did the Shoals area a favor by helping to settle this matter quickly. Thank you, Mr. Underwood.



Shoalanda
↧
↧

A Shoals Ambulance Guest Editorial

March 13, 2014, 9:00 pm
$
0
0

Editor's Note: We were sent this info...some very interesting info. We personally do not have the required knowledge of the situation to say "Yea" or "Nay" to Brian Gibson's businesses. We welcome rebuttals:

It’s No Wonder Ambulance Executive Bryan Gibson Is Named After A Guitar... 
He Plays Communities Then Leaves Them Standing On A Corner.

*Fool’s Gold: Bryan Gibson is at it again. After abruptly closing emergency medical transport operations in six states and putting hundreds of people out of work, Bryan Gibson is now setting up shop in new locations in Tennessee and Alabama. And he’s stealing employees from other EMT operations. Do those employees know how Gibson folded his tent and left scores of families without jobs and towns in six states scrambling to restore ambulance service.
Priority Ambulance CEO Explains Layoffs At Previous Company
March 6, 2014
A lawsuit also alleges Gibson had been moving ambulances to his personal private ambulance business in Alabama and here to East Tennessee before the company filed for bankruptcy.

First Med CEO Talks, Employees Call His Bluff
March 11, 2014
In a 9 On Your Side Investigation - sources told WNCT it was always Gibson's intentions to run First Med into the ground. “When he started telling us to fly first class and to upgrade our hotels, yea that was a red flag.” Gary Poirier is a former First Med executive. He joined the company in 2009 and says when Gibson fired him, the company was in good shape. “There was a 70 million dollar swing to the positive.”


*You know him by many names:  Why does ambulance executive Bryan Gibson use so many different company names, depending on where he is operating?  Because when one goes belly-up like First Med EMS, which he served as CEO, he can hide the failures.  This is not the kind of “shake, rattle and roll” we need in our community.
State Of Emergency!
December 9, 2013
Bertie County officials declared a State of Emergency here Monday morning after learning  its emergency medical provider has opted to abruptly end service to the county only two months in to a five-year agreement.


*It appears Bryan Gibson also owns and is the CEO of Shoals Ambulance in Alabama and Priority Ambulance in Tennessee. How long before he takes assets from these companies and leaves town just like he did with First Med? We don’t need an ambulance operator who is so quick to change his tune.
First Med Shuffles Resources Prior To Bankruptcy Filing
Dec. 17, 2013
The EMS provider that declared bankruptcy, leaving Bertie County in a lurch is on the move. Following up our investigation, 9 On Your Side uncovered new pictures that prove the company's CEO was moving ambulances before filing for bankruptcy.



*Dead or Alive Sang “You Spin Me Right Round Baby, Right Round:” But there is no “spinning what Gibson did to First Med EMS. Brought in according to the company’s own propaganda to help with “expansion and acquisitions” – presumably because of successful, healthy operations – Gibson instead ran the company into the ground. He shut the doors without notice, or consideration to the communities the company served, or the employees that relied on it.
First Med EMS Shuts Down Bertie County Operations
Dec 09, 2013
...Monday morning county officials learned the ambulance provider had closed down. In October the county hired First Med to provide emergency rescue service...


*The Grinch, But Worse: At least The Grinch felt remorseful, but not Gibson. First Med EMS shut its door after it ran out of cash, laying off so many employees right before the holidays. This is not the kind of conscientious partner we need in our community. 
How First Med Stole The Holidays
Mass Layoff Ruins Christmas For EMTs And Their Communities
December 10, 2013
...It’s a sad state of affairs when an organization simply rolls down the shutter and locks its doors with no warning to its members. While I’d like to think there was some deliberation among senior leadership in the days and hours leading up to the decision, it certainly doesn’t seem like it. 


*They Failed. And Then They Quit On Families. All companies can have a hard time, some may even need to go through bankruptcy court. But Bryan Gibson’s First Med EMS didn’t even try. They just closed their doors stranding families at the worst time of the year. 
Bankrupt First Med Fails To Pay Former Employees
December 13, 2013
The pain continues for employees of bankrupt First Med EMS, as the company fails to provide compensation to nearly 2,000 workers.


Former First Med Employees In Hampton Roads Join Class-Action Lawsuit
January 30, 2014
Employees are seeking back pay for no notice before companywide layoffs.


*Political Animal: Lacking merit or an enviable track record of accomplishment, Gibson relies on playing the political game to get contracts and curry favor. With political contributions to candidates or timely donations to the pet causes of elected officials. Merit and saving lives not money and politicians who like it should be the yardstick for service. In Scottsdale, Arizona Gibson oversaw a disastrous $200,000+ independent campaign to install friendly councilmembers. He failed, and the company he used to work for was harshly criticized in local media. 
Southwest Ambulance Keeps Funding Campaigns
October 28, 2010
The corporate political spending, which is separate from candidates' campaigns, raises the question of just how far corporations will go to sway voters after a controversial U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing corporate and union funding in elections.



*Traveling Man: Like many hucksters that travel from trick to trick in town to town, Gibson is now playing in other places he hasn’t yet failed. Like Alabama, Tennessee, Arizona and New York. Let’s hope these states aren’t the next ones to suffer from Gibson hitting the wrong chords, just as he has so far in Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and Michigan. 
Life Ambulance Files Bankruptcy
Dec. 17, 2013
The owners of Life Ambulance officially filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on Wednesday, five days after it closed several affiliated stations across seven states. Because of the proximity to Christmas, some connected to Life Ambulance stations are conducting an emergency toy drive among the EMS community to ensure people who lost their jobs can provide Christmas to their children.


*The Gibson Guitar is the wrong instrument for effective emergency services in our area. He spent a lot of time in Arizona, Gibson did, where The Eagles once famously sang about “standin’ on a corner in Winslow, Arizona.” It may not be in Winslow, but Gibson will surely play communities in Arizona, Alabama, and Tennessee like he has others, leaving us stuck and standing with little left for EMS. 



Shoalanda
↧

Let's Sweep It Under the Rug

March 14, 2014, 9:00 pm
$
0
0

We are about to begin a series of blogs on fraud. Thinking about it today, we realized just how sexual abuse is like fraud. Let's just sweep it under the rug and hope for the best. Never believe the truth if it hurts, right?

No, wrong. We're always especially sad to hear of a man who claims to serve God abusing children. As it stands now, one in prison and one awaiting trial. To those who came forward, may God bless and keep you. Never question if coming forward was the right thing to do or not. It was.

We've also come to expect some business fraud as a part of life. It grieves us to hear of it in a Christian nursing home. Do we delight in such things? Of course not, but neither should anyone cover up this kind of fraud that ultimately hurts another segment of the population that cannot always help themselves.

*****

We received this from our anonymous wife/mother:

I just wanted to say thank you for posting that letter. Colbert County DHR finally conducted an interview and scheduled counseling for my daughter. Also, my husband was indicted and is now in jail, as of Friday. Once again, thank you.



Shoalanda
↧

Fraud: Dan Beavers

March 15, 2014, 9:00 pm
$
0
0

Daniel Allen Beavers is a member of the Lauderdale County School Board. He's also a local contractor. As of last week, he's in a lot of trouble.

Sources say that Beavers lost his license to do business in Lauderdale County due to selling old air conditioning units as new. Others say he's one prince of a fella and helped many citizens who could not afford A/C. Maybe he's both?

Seven years is a long time to go without a business license. In other words, this was no oversight on the part of Beavers. We predict that Beavers will take some kind of plea and receive a slap on the wrist. The most unfortunate thing about the whole debacle is that he's an elected official...at least for now.

*****

Need an honest air conditioning repair person? Then we have a great one for you!




Shoalanda
↧
Viewing all 4593 articles
Browse latest View live
Search