Thanks to Speakin Out News and to our many dedicated readers. Prayers are needed for all to have a Happy Blessed New Year in 2022. I had a great Christmas but the family always does too much for me. Our family watched the New Eve celebrations on television again this year and New York hosted a huge celebration as always. New Year’s Day my son took me to breakfast at the Huddle House in Hampton Cove and it was great.
COVID CASES
Madison County is second in the state for COVID cases per day averaging 166 new cases a day. Jefferson County, the most populous county in the state and home to Birmingham, is having the worst outbreak averaging more than 424 new cases per day. Please be safe and careful with lots of prayers. The omicron variant is twice as contagious as the delta variant. If you start to feel sick get tested right away.
POLITICANS
Biden signed the $768.2 Billion bipartisan defense bill increasing military spending by 5% and providing the Troops a 2.7% raise. The Act provides vital benefits and enhances access to justice for military personnel and families including critical authorities to support our country’s national defense. While these things are all good there were many other things in the defense bill that were questionable.
ALABAMA POLITICS
Alabama Legislatures held a special session in late September to build new prisons. They voted on prisons and pot, but not on the lottery. The Republicans controlled legislature and gave its blessing for medical marijuana but pushed back on Biden’s vaccine mandates on companies with more than 100 employees, federal contractors and health care workers.
Legislators cleared the way for Home Delivery for beer, wine and liquor and passed a proposal to amend the state constitution to give judges more discretion for denying bail to people accused of violent crimes. Legislatures also passed a bill to allow people to purchase lifetime permits to carry concealed handguns and to standardize the background checks for permits for 67 counties.
POLITICS
City Leaders need to start working for the people. There is too much money involved with politicians helping their friends so that they can get re-elected. The City Garage across from the Municipal Building will begin being torn down this week or next. I am sad that leaders want to tear this building down and replace it with a big brick building on the garage property. This will hurt our downtown businesses and the courthouse as we do not have enough parking places now. Please leaders, rethink this idea and leave the parking garage and the municipal building where they are. This year is an election year and it is important to us all. Love you all and have