President Declares Major Disaster For Alabama
FEMA, Release Date: September 26, 2008, Release Number: HQ-08-229

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced that federal disaster aid has been made available for Alabama to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area struck by severe storms and flooding associated with Hurricane Ike during the period of September 12-14, 2008.

FEMA Administrator David Paulison said federal funding is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms and flooding associated with Hurricane Ike in Baldwin and Mobile Counties.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures for all counties and tribes within the state.

Paulison named W. Michael Moore the federal coordinating officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Moore said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.

Editor's Note -- You can get more Information on Alabama Severe Storms and Flooding associated with Hurricane Ike by actually going to the FEMA web site.

Just click on the >> Read more... below.

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U.S. Senator Richard Shelby and U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus are in the discussions of the massive financial bailout
The Birmingham News, Friday, September 26, 2008, Mary Orndorff

WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Alabama, took his concerns about a proposed $700 billion bailout of the financial industry into negotiations at the White House Thursday.

Shelby, the top Republican on the Senate banking committee, said the bailout is too risky to taxpayers with no guarantee of preventing further crisis in the markets.

He took to the meeting a list of economists who oppose the bailout. "I brought it up in the hearing," Shelby told reporters. "I'm probably not welcome again."

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Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby says proposed bailout of financial industry is too risky for taxpayers
The Birmingham News, Wednesday, September 24, 2008 MARY ORNDORFF News Washington correspondent

WASHINGTON - If the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury on Tuesday was trying to convince Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama that a $700 billion bailout of the financial industry was essential to economic recovery, it didn't work.

Shelby, the top Republican on the Senate banking committee, listened to more than four hours of explanations from top government officials before declaring that the plan is too risky to taxpayers and too lenient on those who caused the financial meltdown in the first place.

"The market is overwhelmed ... by greed, by mismanagement, by a lack of regulatory reform in the past and regulatory oversight, and the bottom line, as I see it, is that visiting the taxpayer with it - I think that's shameful, myself," Shelby said.

Editor's Note -- I sent the Senator an email yesterday thanking him for his position on the 'bailout' when I saw him speak on Fox News. Please let him know you appreciate him protecting the citizens of America. Tell him I sent you. :-) You can reach im by sending him an email:

Senator@shelby.senate.gov

Drop me an email if you require more information: editor@JohnMatyi.com

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Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford wants millions for citywide street pavingPlan starts at 500 miles using $16 million a year
The Birmingham News, Wednesday, September 24, 2008 JOSEPH D. BRYANT News staff writer

Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford wants to pave all 1,100 miles of streets and roads in the city, and told the council Tuesday the city has money to begin the work.

Langford estimates the cost of fixing all city streets at $126 million. He proposes beginning the task by paving 500 miles, over three years at a cost of $16 million a year. The money to cover the initial work already is available in three city funds, he said.

Many of the streets have potholes and others are patched with metal plates.

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Former Jefferson County Commissioner Mary Buckelew admits she lied to special grand jury probing county sewer bond deals - First plea deal -- announced in -- federal probe of -- sewer financing --
The Birmingham News, Wednesday, September 24, 2008 VAL WALTON News staff writer

Former Jefferson County Commissioner Mary Buckelew agreed to plead guilty to an obstruction of justice charge because she lied to a special grand jury about receiving $4,000 worth of gifts - designer shoes, a purse and a spa treatment - from an investment banker whose firm received millions of dollars in fees from sewer bond and swap transactions.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Birmingham announced Tuesday that Buckelew's charge stems from her Aug. 11 appearance before the grand jury and will cooperate with investigators probing criminal activity surrounding Jefferson County sewer bond deals.

"For $4,000, Mrs. Buckelew, commissioner, entered into the spider web of corruption that surrounds the Jefferson County sewer system bond deals," said U.S. Attorney Alice Martin at a Tuesday news conference. "Jefferson County is now in a financial crisis of unprecedented proportions."

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Report finds disparities in senators' staffs - Democrats employ 43 while GOP shares one employee
The Birmingham News, Saturday, September 20, 2008 The Associated Press

MONTGOMERY - A dozen Democratic state senators have employed 43 people at state expense to drive for them, perform constituent work, write newsletters and assist with legislation, while the Senate's 13 Republicans share just one employee, the Montgomery Advertiser reported.

The newspaper disclosed how the Democrat-controlled Senate provided funds for staff in a review of the chamber's spending records.

The Sept. 14 report found the cost for all 44 employees was more than $777,000 in taxpayer money from last October through the end of July, the vast majority of it going to the 43 Democratic hires. The lone GOP staffer received about $42,000 in state funds.

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U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus fights attempts to weaken federal ban on Internet gambling
The Birmingham News, Wednesday, September 17, 2008 Mary Orndorff News Washington correspondent

WASHINGTON - A federal ban on Internet gambling would be weakened under legislation approved Tuesday by a House committee over the objections of Rep. Spencer Bachus of Alabama.

Bachus, R-Vestavia Hills, engineered an upset victory in June to keep the ban in place. But proponents of online wagering returned with a compromise that would require the federal government to delineate exactly which types of gaming Web sites are illegal. If it were to become law, it would clarify for financial institutions which online payment transactions they could accept.

Online sports betting would continue to be off-limits, but games like online poker might be allowed.

Editor's Note -- Thank you Rep. Bachus, from all the right-thinking citizens of Alabama. They know who they are.

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Birmingham makes FBI Top 10 lists in violent crime, property crime and homicides
The Birmingham News, Tuesday, September 16, 2008 CAROL ROBINSON News staff writer

Once again Birmingham is ranked among the nation's most crime-ravaged cities, making the FBI Top 10 lists in violent crime, property crime and homicides.

Birmingham's showing in the FBI's 2007 crime report, issued Monday, bucked the national trend.

Violent crime in Birmingham was up 4.6 percent. But according to the federal report, violent crime nationwide fell for the first time since 2005.

Editor's Note -- Why is it Birmingham won first prize in this contest and no one is happy?

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Smitherman proposes tougher finance rules to allow information on city projects
The Birmingham News, Monday, September 15, 2008 JOSEPH D. BRYANT News staff writer

Birmingham City Council President Carole Smitherman today will propose new rules requiring Mayor Larry Langford to give regular financial reports and include specific funding sources for all new projects.

While the Mayor/Council Act requires monthly financial information from the mayor's office, the council has not received it in months.

Smitherman and other council members said they are asked to approve millions in proposals without having all the needed financial information. While she supports most of the mayor's ideas, Smitherman said the council must know exactly how much money is actually available to pay for them.

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Mexican and Central American drug gangs said to be operating in the Birmingham area
The Birmingham News, Sunday, August 31, 2008 CAROL ROBINSON News staff writer

It was not just a crime. It was a message.

When five men were shocked, beaten, bound and their throats slashed in a Shelby County apartment this month, that message was barbarically clear, law enforcement officials say.

Disloyalty and betrayal of the family - the organized crime family - will be cut out quickly and savagely.

Authorities say the crime also signals a broader message to the people of Birmingham and its metropolitan area: Mexican and Central American drug gangs operate here, and more incidents of such violence could follow.

"It's sort of a wake-up call to people who believe this kind of thing is not going on in Birmingham," said Greg Borland, assistant special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in Alabama. The multiple slaying was "horrible ... but it was only a matter of time because of the increasing prevalence in Alabama."

"People have been allowed to believe these organizations don't exist here, and I think a lot of people preferred to think that," Borland said. "The reality is, they are everywhere."

Editor's Note -- I certainly hope that this is not a sign of the times. Alabama is not a 'Sanctuary State,' but authorities in many areas certainly do seem to conveniently ignore the immigrant status of criminals in the court system.

If you are aware of any incidents or specific local government behavior regarding this issue please contact me so we can further substantiate the problem. JohnMatyi@gopusa.com, or on my blog at editor@johnmatyi.com

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