The Political Round-Up
Dusting off Dow?
Woodall supports Parsons over Parker;
Erwin, Satterwhite split up; Gina rises;
Figures fights on in bid to battle Buskey;
Child sex crimes beat and 'combat fatigue'; Nodine gets speedy trial; School bell blues;
Ballot buster; Lighting Sparks way;
Here come da' judge; Who will lead Semmes?
By Chip Drago
Mobile Bay Times
Reid Cummings Wednesday evening kicked off his City Council campaign with a strong show of support from his colleagues in the commercial real estate community.
Former Mayor Mike Dow was also present to back the real estate executive in his race against ex-Councilwoman and Dow nemesis Bess Rich.
Cummings and Rich are the only two announced candidates for the District 6 vacancy. The seat opened up when Connie Hudson won a special election to the Mobile County Commission, District 2 slot. Under impeachment and facing other legal problems, Stephen Nodine resigned office about three months ago.
Cummings describes himself as a consensus builder with the business skills to help Mobile maintain and build on its appeal as a community where people want to live, work, raise families and invest in.
Among the crowd at the reception at Wintzell's on Airport Boulevard were insurance executive Jeff Adams, CPA Mike Thompson and numerous commercial real estate figures, including Merrill Thomas, John Vallas, Burton Clark and Richard Weavil.
A four-term mayor from 1989-2005, Dow clashed regularly with Rich during his two middle terms when she served as the District 6 council representative. Dow won re-election to a fourth term in 2001, defeating Rich in the process.
Asked if he was attending more as a Cummings camper or as a Rich foe, Dow laughed, "I'm pro-Reid."
Should Rich win a return to the District 6 Council seat and use it as a springboard to a mayoral run in 2013 in a field that didn't include incumbent Mayor Sam Jones, would Dow come out of political retirement in a bid to thwart her?
"Absolutely, without any doubt," said Dow.
Cummings, 49, and his wife, Rebecca, own The Cummings Company, LLC, a real estate, financial services and consulting company.
The Cummings campaign will roll out its official website -- www.SupportDistrict6.com -- soon, according to campaign spokesman Brian Mishkin.
A University of North Carolina graduate, Cummings also holds a Masters of Business Administration degree from the University of Mobile, where he graduated with honors.
The special election is set for Nov. 2 to coincide with the general election. A runoff, if necessary, would be held on Dec. 14.
Party loyalty on trial
Alabama Supreme Court Justice Tom Woodall apparently doesn't plan to seek re-election in 2012.
The two-term Republican member of
the state's highest court contributed
$5,000 toward the campaign of
Democratic Supreme Court nominee
Mac Parsons for the seat now held by
Justice Tom Parker, according to a
report in Doc's Political Parlor, a
popular website for Alabama
political junkies.
The Alabama Republican Party has
a standing rule -- one that recently
cost Dothan state Sen. Harri Anne Smith
the right to run as a Republican --
stating that open and public support of
any opponent of a GOP nominee for
any office "may deny ballot access to
the officeholder " the next time they
are up for election.
Woodall, who was appointed a circuit judge in Jefferson County in 1996 by Gov. Fob James, would end his career on the bench with 16 years of public service. His political plans are uncertain, according to Woodall.
Justice Champ Lyons, too, is on record in support of Parsons and Democratic nominee Rhonda Chambers who is vying with GOP nominee Kelli Wise to succeed the retiring GOP Justice Patti Smith. Lyons, however, knows that his political future on the court ends in 2012. He is aged barred from seeking re-election.
Lyons will mark his 70th birthday in December. The state Constitution disallows anyone 70 or older on Election Day from appearing on the ballot.
Gina rises
Mobile City Council President Reggie Copeland has tapped Councilwoman Gina Gregory to replace Connie Hudson on the Council's finance committee.
Councilman William Carroll, who chairs the finance committee, said he would call a meeting soon, but not before Labor Day. He said Mayor Sam Jones and his staff have requested at least four days notice before the finance committee convenes.
Erwin, Satterwhite split
Former local Republican Chairman Mark Erwin and Harry Satterwhite have dissolved their law partnership.
Erwin said the split was amicable and reflected the divergent paths of their practices. Erwin will relocate from the former Satterwhite-Erwin firm's offices on Dauphin Street in midtown.
Erwin is municipal judge in Saraland. He is also an assistant county attorney for the Mobile County Commission. His contract on that assignment renews today, Sept. 1 for three years.
Erwin ran unsuccessfully for district attorney in the June 1 GOP primary.
Here come da' judge(s)
The Town of Dauphin Island solicited resumes from "highly qualified candidates" for a two-year appointment as its municipal judge.
Competition for appointment to the vacancy on the municipal bench at Dauphin Island may provide a glimpse into the future competition to succeed Judge Jim Wood on the Mobile County Circuit Court bench. Wood is age-barred from seeking re-election in 2012.
Applicants for the island judgeship include: Adam Bourne; Brent Day; Donald Beebe; Gary Porter; Jay Ross; Jeff Deen; Mark Erwin; Norman Gale; Steve Dugan; Todd Mallette; and Walter Honeycutt.
Ross is the town's prosecutor, so his selection would create a vacancy in that post.
Officials were developing an interview and selection process, according to Stacy Mallon, clerk of court.
Among those drawing mention as possible contenders for the Wood judgeship are GOP state Sen. Ben Brooks, drug court magistrate Ed Blount, veteran Mobile attorney Eaton Barnard and Honeycutt.
On the Eastern Shore, Daphne officials Tuesday night interviewed applicants to replace Tom Doyle as municipal judge. Candidates reportedly include Buddy Brackin, Ken Hitson, Jim Sweet, Will Chason and Brian Dasinger.
And the winner was Hitson, who this past primary election unsuccessfully sought the GOP nomination for district attorney in Baldwin County.
After reviewing other neighboring municipalities, Daphne reduced compensation for its municipal judge from $49,000 annually plus health insurance benefits to $35,000 per year without health insurance.
And, according to some members of the Baldwin County legal community, unless Hitson matches the draconian Doyle in his findings and sentences, Baldwin County Circuit Court could see its case backlog ease as appeals to the higher court of cases from Daphne municipal court subside to rates comparable with other Baldwin County municipalities. A corollary benefit to Daphne would be increased and timely collection of court costs.
Daphne's new municipal judge began his two-year term Sept. 1.
Buskey fights to keep Figures off ballot
A hearing will be held here this week to determine whether a young Mobile businessman will be allowed to challenge a 34-year legislative veteran in elections this fall.
Mobile County Circuit Judge Rick Stout will hear arguments over RaShawn Figures' residency in Figures' quest to unseat incumbent District 99 state Rep. James Buskey.
Buskey, 73, was in his second term in the House of Representatives when Figures, 28, was in diapers.
The state Democratic Party upheld Buskey's earlier complaints that Figures failed to meet residence requirements and Figures' candidacy in the District 99 Democratic primary election was barred.
Figures then sought to qualify as an independent in the general election. After he collected enough signatures on a petition, the Alabama Secretary of State certified his candidacy as an independent.
Buskey contends that Figures' independent candidacy is illegitimate on grounds of residency and under state law designed to prevent a "sore loser" from running as an independent in the general election.
Stout held that Figures did not voluntarily leave the Democratic primary as a political strategy, so he wasn't a "sore loser" as intended by the state Legislature in adopting the law. Stout also ruled that while the state Democratic Party disqualified Figures on grounds of residency, the judge wasn't bound by its decision, freeing the court to conduct its own hearing into Figures' residency.
The hearing will be held before Stout at 2 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 2.
Stout will likely rule before the end of the week or Tuesday, Sept. 7 at the latest because Probate Judge Don Davis plans to send the General Election ballots to the printer in early September.
As far as the "sore loser" law was concerned, the question the court had to answer, wrote Stout, was whether Figures was a candidate in the primary election.
Buskey argued that Figures was a candidate because he declared himself to be a candidate. Stout held that it was more "ambiguous" than that. The point of the sore loser law is to prevent "gamesmanship" when a candidate recognizes a faltering party primary campaign and so abandons it to revive the effort in the general election or to undermine his party primary foe's chances in the general election.
Stout ruled: "A candidate in the party primary cannot file a declaration of candidacy, then voluntarily abandon his primary campaign when the going gets rough, and run for the same office in the same year as an independent candidate. One could not be a candidate for the party's nomination for an office and simultaneously position himself or herself to be on the general election ballot as an independent in the event the campaign for the party's nomination was not successful. If (the law) is intended to prevent such gamesmanship, how is its purpose fulfilled by disenfranchising an independent candidate who was disqualified from engaging in a party's primary? The record here does not indicate Defendant Figures gained any political advantage by his disqualification from the primary, and he twice contested the challenge to his qualification to be a Democratic Party candidate."
Big convention in 2012
Mobile will host the 2012 National Convention of the Marine Corps League, the Mobile Bay Convention and Visitors Bureau announced. The convention, which is held annually at locations throughout the U.S., will bring between 4,000-5,000 Marine Corps League and Auxiliary members and guests from throughout the nation to Mobile for the weeklong event Aug. 12-18, 2012, and will be hosted by the Mobile based P.L. Wilson Detachment #447 of the Marine Corps League.
“This is a first not only for Mobile, but the entire State of Alabama, and we are excited to show off all that the Mobile area has to offer in 2012,” said Cal Walters, Chairman of the Local Convention Bid Committee.
MBCVB has long coveted the convention that boasts an estimated economic impact of between $17 and $18 million, according to Leon Maisel, President and CEO of the MBCVB
“Hosting a convention of this size in what is typically one of our slower months for both business and leisure visitors translates into a tremendous opportunity for many businesses throughout our city to experience a marked increase in sales and activity,” said Maisel.
Mobile was picked over rival bids from Irving, Texas (Dallas area) and Charleston, South Carolina, reportedly by an overwhelming majority.
The Battle House and Renaissance Riverview Plaza Hotels will serve as anchor hotels for the event and due to the size of this convention many other local hotels will help to house a portion of the attendees as well.
The Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center will be the site of the group’s business sessions, exhibits and training sessions.
McMillan fund raiser set
U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions and U.S. Rep. Jo Bonner are expected to join supporters of GOP nominee for state Commissioner of Agriculture & Industries John McMillan for a fund raiser/reception from 5:30-7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 8 at the home of Ann Bedsole.
For more information contact Sheryl Jennings 334-239-7203 / 334-391-7107 or slj1011@yahoo.com.
Nodine: On trial for the holidays
Baldwin County Circuit Judge Charles Partin Wednesday morning, Aug. 25 granted ex-Mobile County Commissioner Stephen Nodine's request for a speedy trial on charges of murdering his lover, setting the proceedings to be held between Thanksgiving and Christmas, probably beginning Monday, Dec. 6.
Nodine's defense counselors John C. Williams and Dennis Knizley maintain that the murder case should be resolved before a federal trial on unrelated charges alleging that Nodine illegally abused narcotics while also possessing firearms. However, with Attorney Gordon Armstrong defending him, Nodine is still set for trial in U.S. District Court here shortly, well before a jury will consider the murder case, despite Partin's favorable ruling for Nodine. Any testimony Nodine might give in his defense against the federal charges and in the sentencing phase, should it come to that, could hamper his defense in the murder trial.
Nodine is accused of murder in the May shooting death of Angel Downs, 45, outside her townhouse on Fort Morgan Road in Gulf Shores.
The defense is expected to emphasize Downs' mental condition, both psychological and pharmacological, and point to evidence suggesting her suicidal tendencies.
Those school bell blues
When should the school year begin? When should it end? The days when the academic year ended about Memorial Day with a stream of screaming school kids racing from classrooms straight into summer are long gone. The days when the school year began with squeaky new shoes and the unfamiliar tug on the shoulders of a schoolbook-laden backpack are gone, too.
Now it seems like it is race from opposite directions between the beginning and the ending to be the first to reach July 4.
Tourism interests from throughout the state lament the loss of so much profit and tax revenue from each lost week at summer's end if schools open early and eliminate late summer vacations. School boards don't see it exactly that way.
Alabama Education Association Executive Director Paul Hubbert says either side has points in its favor.
"From a monetary standpoint they (tourism interests) are right," he said.
But the issue isn't simply one of revenue; it's also a question of who is the cart and who is the horse and inevitably the school boards are the horse and come first, said Hubbert.
"Each year, however, the question boils down to who should determine when school starts — tourism or the local boards of education," Hubbert said. "The latter always wins."
The debate has been going on a while and, not surprisingly, there are strong arguments and strong support on either side.
"Our members are somewhat split," Hubbert said. "Some years they want to start later and in others they side with the Board because getting out early in the summer appeals to them."
Neither side has been able to develop its case well enough to put the matter to rest.
Proponents of either side have not presented compelling evidence to suggest that significantly enhanced revenue would result from a later school start nor has any study distinguishing advantages to the students from being in the classroom in June or August. Is June milder than the scorching August temperatures? If there is a case for it, it hasn't yet been made, said Hubbert.
Another roadblock is the testing program, Hubbert pointed out.
"The State Department of Education always says that schools have to start early to get the required number of teaching days in before testing begins in the Spring," Hubbert said. "They say the company who does the grading of the test must have them in hand by a certain date. No one has ever asked if only one company can do the grading."
"Tourism probably has a good argument," he continued, "but if they are to succeed, they need to do the necessary background work and refute the arguments put forth by the local boards and State Department. They also will need to set not just the start date but the testing date so that the necessary teaching days separate the two times at least to the extent they do at present."
According to Hubbert, AEA delegates will discuss the issue in December. There has been a lot of division over the matter, said Hubbert, because it involves local control of the school year as much as it involves a straight up debate over economics and hot weather.
Lighting Sparks way
Ron Sparks will headline a rally Saturday, Sept. 11 to open the Mobile headquarters in his Democratic run for governor, according to the Sparks campaign’s Mobile County coordinator Thelma Thrash.
Festivities will include music, entertainment, refreshments and “hopefully lots of people,” said Thrash.
The event will take place from 3-6 p.m. at the 1905 Government Street headquarters, at Rickarby Street near the Loop, that Sparks and the local Democratic Party will share through Election Day, Nov. 2.
For more information call Thrash at 471-5471 or Mobile County Democratic Party Chairman Reggie Copeland Jr. at 648-8600.
Who will lead Semmes?
With voters in Semmes approving its incorporation by a 3-1 margin on Tuesday, the next step will be picking leaders. Who will lead Mobile County's 11th and newest municipality? Let the unofficial polling begin.
GOP committeeman to speak on Eastern Shore
Alabama GOP committeeman Paul Reynolds will keynote a luncheon meeting of the Eastern Shore Republican Women Wednesday, Sept. 15 at 11:30 a.m. at the Fairhope Yacht Club.
Guests and prospective members are welcome. Lunch is $16 per person. Reservations should be made no later than Monday, Sept. 13 to lhsundbeck@aol.com.
