Advertiser Headline

 

Valiant Cross fundraises for new HVAC system at Prevail Union downtown

I THINK they intended it to read...

"Valient Cross fundraises at Prevail Union downtown for new school HVAC system"

 

Washington Post Column

 Some U.S, Senators and House members voted against the most recent Ukraine Aid package, even though it actually helps their states.

The article cites Alabama Republican Senator Tuberville as an example:

"Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) did not vote but tweeted his opposition to the aid package, declaring: “Globalist Democrats want to use this opportunity to send EVEN MORE MONEY to Ukraine. … I haven’t voted for a dime of Ukraine funding — and I’m not going to start now.” Actually, the money is going to workers in Anniston, Ala., to help produce Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and Hercules recovery vehicles; workers in Huntsville, Ala., producing Hydra 70 rockets; and workers in Troy, Ala., producing HIMARS and Javelin missiles for Ukraine. Tuberville’s opposition to not only hurts Ukraine but also defense manufacturing communities across his state.

Full Column HERE.

Unions

 The Guv doesn't hold back:

"The UAW is NOT the good guy here. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for calling out the UAW for what it is — corrupt, shifty and a dangerous leech."

 

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey 

Dad's Death Date

 30 years after my Dad's death.

And HIS Father, Andrew, who died when my Dad was an infant. He was a police officer too.

Consumer Reports: Most Expensive Cars to Maintain

 Glad to see Alabama-Manufactured Hyundai vehicles are off the list!

 

 

Land Rover had the highest ten-year maintenance costs, at an average of $19,250. Porsche was second worst with $14,090 in costs.

10 car brands most expensive to maintain over 10 years:

1. Land Rover: $19,250
2. Porsche: $14,090
3. Mercedes-Benz: $10,525
4. Audi: $9,890
5. BMW: $9,500
6. Volvo: $9,285
7. Infiniti: $8,500
8. Acura: $7,800
9. Mini: $7,625
10. Subaru: $7,200

SOURCE: HERE

61 Years Ago Today

George Wallace, raised the Confederate Battle Flag over the Alabama Capitol dome on April 25, 1963, as a symbol of defiance to the federal government; that was the date of his meeting with U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy to discuss desegregation of the University of Alabama. 

The flag was eventually taken down three decades later--- on April 30, 1993. 

Both the raising and the removal happened during confederate history month.

Coming to The Capri

 SPECIAL EVENTS

May 23, 2024: A Fistful Of Dollars

June 5, 2024: Adam Ezra Group

June 6, 2024: Hedwig And The Angry Inch

June 9 & 11, 2024: EOS: My National Gallery, London

June 13, 2024: But I'm A Cheerleader

June 19, 2024: Purple Rain

June 20, 2024: Some Like It Hot

June 27, 2024: The Adventures Of Priscilla Queen Of The Desert

July 2, 2024: Jaws

July 9, 2024: Invasion Of The Body Snatchers

July 16, 2024: Tremors

July 23, 2024: The Birds

July 30, 2024: Preda

In case you've been wondering....

Here is a list of wild animals residents of Alabama may not own!

Alabama prohibits the personal possession of numerous exotic animals, including:

• Mongooses (yep, that's them up top)
  
• Giant African snails
• Tegus
• Walking catfish
• Coyotes
• Foxes
• Raccoons
• Skunks
• Wild rodents
• Wild turkeys
• Venomous snakes
• Black bears
• Mountain lions
• Bobcats
• Antelope
• Pigs
• Any species of bird, mammal, reptile, or amphibian listed as injurious wildlife under the U.S. Fish and Wildlife's Lacey Act (18 U.S.C. 42)

 SOURCE: HERE.

My Camera Wrote this poem?

 There's a camera that not only takes photos, but writes poetry about the scenes it records!

Here is the story.

Hey! I can do that too!

Here is a recent photo I made.

And here is the poem I wrote about it:

VOTERS

They snake

a

r

o

u

n

d

the place to vote,

wanting to say their say,

              to pick their personal winners,

even those

who lose.

Unions in The South

 from a CNN story:

"The first test of the UAW’s momentum comes next month, when a union vote at a Mercedes plant in Vance, Alabama, is set to be completed. The plant has about 6,000 hourly workers.

But the South’s history of difficult structural dynamics for unions is entrenched. And union wins in the auto industry are likely to generate significant political backlash.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said earlier this year he would “fight” unions “to the gates of hell,” and Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said “the Alabama model for economic success is under attack” by unions."

Whitewater Impact?

 

"The two-day trials generated an estimated economic impact of about $1.5 million while bringing in about 4,500 people to watch 60 athletes test the course, a Montgomery Whitewater spokesperson said."

 Montgomery Advertiser report

Source please? Who did their "estimated" research? 

Today is One of Alabama's THREE Confederate Holidays

Confederate Memorial At Capitol.

 

 

Today: Confederate Memorial Day

(the other yet to come this year is Monday, June 3, Jefferson Davis’ Birthday)

  

 

 

Two "holidays" have been added in recent years: 

Martin Luther King, Jr. (scheduled on the same day as the existing state holiday for Robert E. Lee!) January 15th.

Rosa Parks (a day of commemoration ONLY...NOT a state holiday). December 1st.

Here is the full list of State Holidays in Alabama. 

(NOTE: A lawmaker in Mississippi is trying to undo his state's King/Lee double-holiday.)

Since Monday is a State holiday, residents will be able to watch cable coverage of the 1st D.T. trials

Historic Marker Corrections

 An NPR story this morning is criticizing the accuracy of some historic markers...for example;

"Three separate states, for example, have markers that claim to be the place where anesthesia was discovered. Two states, Kentucky and Missouri, both claim to be the home of Daniel Boone's bones. Michigan and Alabama both claim to be the home of the first railroad west of the Allegheny Mountains, while Maryland and New Jersey both claim to have sent the first telegram."

 HERE is an interactive map of historic markers in Alabama!

Graetz Family Rememberance

 Most of the children of Rev. Robert and Jeannie Graetz gathered at Oak Park today, planting an oak tree and marker in their memory. The organization One Montgomery sponsored the event.

Mayor Reed met with the family at the memorial dedication.

 

The oak tree planted in honor of Rev & Mrs. Graetz is reflected in the memorial stone.

TODAY!

 LOCATION : United Evangelical Lutheran Church

                                                  Graetz Neighborhood

       1104 Rosa L Parks Ave, Montgomery, Alabama 36108

                                            1:00pm - 5:00pm

 I look forward to seeing you there!!

TODAY!

 

VW goes Union. Will Hyundai follow Suite?

 

Employees at Volkswagen’s SUV assembly plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, have voted to join the United Auto Workers in a historic labor victory, the union and Volkswagen announced late Friday.

A preliminary tally released by the company showed workers favored union representation by a count of 2,628 to 985, a nearly 3-1 margin. The landslide win gives the union a crucial toehold in the anti-union South.

The UAW called it a “historic breakthrough” in a statement.

FULL Story is HERE from Huffington Post

 

The Mercedes/Alabama vote?  5,000 Mercedes workers will have an opportunity to vote to form their union in less than a month. The election will be held in-person at the Mercedes plant May 13 – 17 in Vance, Alabama.

 

Columbine 25th Anniversary

 FBI Files on shooting HERE

The Columbine High School massacre was a school shooting and attempted bombing that occurred on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School in Columbine, Colorado, United States.[a] The perpetrators, 12th grade students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, murdered 12 students and one teacher. 10 students were killed in the school library, where Harris and Klebold subsequently committed suicide. 21 additional people were injured by gunshots, and gunfire was also exchanged with the police. Another three people were injured trying to escape. At the time, it was the deadliest high school shooting in U.S. history.[b] The shooting has inspired dozens of copycat killings, dubbed the Columbine effect, including many deadlier shootings across the world.[c] The word "Columbine" has become a byword for school shootings. Harris and Klebold had intended for the attack to primarily be a bombing and secondarily a shooting, but the failed detonation of the several homemade bombs they planted in the school caused the pair to launch a shooting attack. Two bombs were set up as diversions at another location away from the school, one of which partially detonated. The motive remains inconclusive; however, they had planned the attack for at least a year and hoped to have a large number of victims. The police were slow to enter the school and were heavily criticized for not intervening during the shooting. The incident resulted in the introduction of the IARD tactic, which is used in active shooter situations. Columbine also resulted in an increased emphasis on school security with zero tolerance policies. Debates and moral panic were sparked over American gun culture and gun control laws, high school cliques, subcultures (e.g. goths), outcasts, and school bullying, as well as teenage use of pharmaceutical antidepressants, the Internet, and violence in video games and movies. Many makeshift memorials were created after the massacre, including victims Rachel Scott's car and John Tomlin's truck. 15 crosses for the victims and the shooters were also erected on top of a hill in Clement Park. The crosses for Harris and Klebold were removed later following controversy. The Columbine Memorial began planning as a permanent memorial in June 1999 and opened to the public in September 2007.

TOMORROW!!!!!!!!

 I'll be there!

Come say hello!

Coming up this Saturday----April 20th...A Loving Literacy Community Fair!

• Focus on literacy within the community–helping children see themselves as change agents of the future, igniting a love of reading and for creating social change.

• Showcase the Graetz Neighborhood and its rich Civil Rights history–ensuring that history has a life that moves backward and forward.

• Honor the work of Rev. Robert and Jeannie Graetz and pick up the mantle–continuing their legacy.

Unions

 

 From a N.Y. Times Column by Jamelle Bouie

"The mere potential for union success was so threatening that the day before the vote began, several of the Southern Republican governors announced their opposition to the U.A.W. campaign. “We the governors of Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas are highly concerned about the unionization campaign driven by misinformation and scare tactics that the U.A.W. has brought into our states,” their joint statement reads. “As governors, we have a responsibility to our constituents to speak up when we see special interests looking to come into our state and threaten our jobs and the values we live by.”

 

Ivy's Anti-Union Stand

 (SOURCE: Governor's Office)

Governor Ivey & Other Southern Governors Issue Joint Statement in Opposition to United Auto Workers (UAW)’s Unionization Campaign

April 16, 2024

Statements

MONTGOMERY – Governor Kay Ivey, along with the governors of Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas, issued the following joint statement:

“We the governors of Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas are highly concerned about the unionization campaign driven by misinformation and scare tactics that the UAW has brought into our states. As governors, we have a responsibility to our constituents to speak up when we see special interests looking to come into our state and threaten our jobs and the values we live by.

“The reality is companies have choices when it comes to where to invest and bring jobs and opportunity. We have worked tirelessly on behalf of our constituents to bring good-paying jobs to our states. These jobs have become part of the fabric of the automotive manufacturing industry. Unionization would certainly put our states’ jobs in jeopardy – in fact, in this year already, all of the UAW automakers have announced layoffs. In America, we respect our workforce and we do not need to pay a third party to tell us who can pick up a box or flip a switch. No one wants to hear this, but it’s the ugly reality. We’ve seen it play out this way every single time a foreign automaker plant has been unionized; not one of those plants remains in operation. And we are seeing it in the fallout of the Detroit Three strike with those automakers rethinking investments and cutting jobs. Putting businesses in our states in that position is the last thing we want to do.

“The experience in our states is when employees have a direct relationship with their employers, that makes for a more positive working environment. They can advocate for themselves and what is important to them without outside influence. The UAW has come in making big promises to our constituents that they can’t deliver on. And we have serious reservations that the UAW leadership can represent our values. They proudly call themselves democratic socialists and seem more focused on helping President Biden get reelected than on the autoworker jobs being cut at plants they already represent.

“We want to keep good paying jobs and continue to grow the American auto manufacturing sector here. A successful unionization drive will stop this growth in its tracks, to the detriment of American workers.”

All signatories include:  Governor Kay Ivey (AL), Governor Brian Kemp (GA), Governor Tate Reeves (MS), Governor Henry McMaster (SC), Governor Bill Lee (TN), and Governor Greg Abbott (TX)

Washington Post story

 Anti-Wind Power

 

 

"Former president Donald Trump repeatedly ranted about wind power during a fundraising dinner with oil and gas industry executives last week, falsely claiming that the renewable-energy source is unreliable, unattractive and bad for the environment."

FULL story is HERE

 

2nd District Runoff is today

 

The winner of today's runoff between Democrats Shomari Figures and Anthony Daniels will face the winner of the Republican runoff between Dick Brewbaker and Caroleene Dobson.

UPDATE: The winners were Democrat Figures & Republican Dobson. They'll next go up against each other. (I managed to vote for another loser. 😞)

Independent Bookstore day

 Celebrate Indie Bookstore Day with the NewSouth bookstore and enjoy these special offers
Did you know that Saturday, April 27 is Independent Bookstore Day? As a participating member of The American Booksellers Association (ABA), your favorite Montgomery independent is celebrating with three special offers for our newsletter friends and customers! Mention this item at The NewSouth Bookstore and receive ten percent off — that’s 10% off! — your entire purchase. That’s right! Plus: Buy any two used books and you get a third one free. And there’s more! The first twenty people to shop the store on that day will receive a door prize! That’s several good reasons to head on down to The NewSouth Bookstore on Saturday, April 27. Mark the date. And thank you for your support of indie bookstores like ours!

Tuscaloosa

 USA Today reports Alabama has some of the highest reporting of credit card fraud and identity theft.

 

• "Cities from Alabama, Georgia and Louisiana also appear on the list, suggesting that credit card fraud is particularly common in southern states. Tuscaloosa (296.6 complaints per 100,000 residents) and Atlanta (250.5) round out the top three.^{1, 6}
• In fact, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, saw a 359.8% increase in credit card fraud and identity theft complaints between 2019 and 2023, more than any other city.^{1, 3, 6} Fraud complaints at least doubled in over 120 cities across the U.S. between 2019 and 2023.^{1, 3, 6"}