Dear Editor,

This is a response to the comments that were printed in the paper about our storm shelter. I myself monitor the weather and have been unlocking the shelter early. In this incident, the shelter had been unlocked for around 12 hours before the first watch was posted.

The way the door handle is built on the shelter, someone trying to open the door will be prone to lock it before they get the latch open. By rules set forth by the Emergency Management Agency, the shelter must be kept locked until a watch is posted. Then, the shelter may be unlocked where citizens can come and get in the shelter.

The only time the shelter is to be manned by department officials is when a tornado warning occurs. In this case, someone had locked the shelter after it had been unlocked. The members of the department went to responding when the warning was issued. You have to have a little patience because we have to get our own families up and going as well. I myself was working when this took place, but I did have personnel on call.

As this is a volunteer department, there is no way you can just have one person scheduled to make sure the shelter is open. We as a department keep a close eye on weather issues, and we are determined to keep everyone in our area safe.

We strive to make everyone happy, but you’re never going to make that happen. I myself have been volunteering my time for about 18 years.

So in the best interest of your community, come on out. We have a membership application waiting for you to fill out, and you start volunteering your time. Until you do it, you should not be able to complain about how certain things need to be handled. Our meetings start at 6 p.m. on the first Monday in each month at Station 1, and the third Monday of every month at Station 2.

Again, we appreciate any and all support and will still be here helping people in need.

As for other county divisions, they get paid for their time and service, including (EMA Director) Bill Collum. This may just be misunderstood because we as rural volunteer fire departments do not.

Robin Ellison, Chief, Union Grove Fire Department

Dear Editor,

This letter is concerning the community storm shelters recently built by the Chilton County Emergency Management Agency. On Monday morning around 4:50 a.m., my family and I arrived at the locked Union Grove community storm shelter.

We sat at the locked storm shelter until 5:20 a.m. I am frustrated by this because whoever is responsible for unlocking these shelters needs to be more aware of weather warnings and also arrive to get these shelters unlocked for the community a lot quicker!

During a tornado warning, every minute counts, and I waited 30 minutes before I could get in. I hope a better plan is put into place to get it unlocked quicker. A locked storm shelter during a tornado warning does not benefit anyone in the community.

Crystal Martin, Jemison

Dear Editor,

I would like to give a huge “thank you” to Mike Getman and Justus Griffin, coaches of the UAB men’s soccer team, for donating two of their soccer goals to Jemison Middle School.

It is nice to know that they care about the kids in their surrounding communities. The students at JMS can’t wait to get out on the field and play. I hope that some of the soccer fans in the community will go see the Blazers in action next season. Show your support for a great soccer team and two coaches who cared enough for our kids to give us two soccer goals.

I would also like to thank Lawrence Mims and his family for taking time on a Saturday, in the rain, to transport the goals from Birmingham to Jemison. I and all of my students really appreciate you.

Todd Alexander, Calera

Dear Editor,

I read a letter to the editor recently from a teacher who was saddened by the loss of his students due to the recent immigration law passed in Alabama. I believe that teachers, as well as other people of supposed intellect, however misty eyed, should still be able to see that this is not Alabama’s fault.

The parents of these students are to blame—not society as a whole, but the illegals themselves, for not entering our country properly, are responsible.

Hispanics are not the only ones being targeted. A Yemini in Gadsden was actually the first in the state to be subjected to actual enforcement of the new laws.

I doubt lawmakers are “fearful” of illegals but rather recognize the undo costs and responsibilities placed upon the state by these people. How about the hospitals nationwide that have been forced to close because of the uncompensated care that they have been forced to provide? What about the extra people on W.I.C and food stamps when the majority do not even pay into these programs through taxation? How about the billions of dollars sent back to the home countries rather than being spent here? I don’t have the room to go into all the negative effects on the job market, wages and the labor force.

These people are criminals; it is their fault they have to leave. Should we just accept things the way they are and allow these people to stay? We have to obey our laws, why shouldn’t we force others to do so as well? These people are not refugees, they are illegals. I am not unsympathetic to them wanting a better life, but there are legal ways to do it.

Mark Domian, Jemison

Dear Editor,

Do we have an animal control law? Undoubtedly, we don’t.

I’ve been pestered with dogs for years. Last year, a mother dog had five puppies, which we like to have never gotten rid of. I was promised that the mother dog and the male dog would be caught, but are still roaming the roads, and for weeks, there have been five young dogs in my yard, morning and night.

I opened my back door this morning (Wednesday, Aug. 10), and there were five young dogs digging in my flowerbed and trying to get under my steps. My neighbor has also been pestered with dogs, and he has called, but the dogs still roam freely.

Floreine Beasley, Thorsby

Dear Editor,

On April 5, we had a house fire that started in the kitchen.

After calling 911, three volunteer fire departments answered the call.

I want to thank Union Grove, Jemison and Thorsby for saving our home. These volunteer firemen train many hours and give up a lot of their time so that they can help others.

Our home would have burned to the ground if they hadn’t come to the rescue.

They all cooperated to get the job done.

Thank you Jemison, Union Grove and Thorsby.

Judy and Fred (Butch) Williams, Jemison

Scott Jeffrey Alexander, 43, from Jemison, passed away Saturday, June 11, 2011, at his residence.

He was known as “Coach Scott” to many former players involved in youth sports in Jemison.

Survivors include his wife, Sherry Alexander; father, Bill Alexander; mother, Carol Hickox and step-father, James Hickox; son, Jeffrey (Alexis) Alexander; daughter, Kayla Alexander; brothers, Brian Alexander, Jacob Hickox and Spence Hickox; father and mother-in-law, Bobby and Brenda Collum; and numerous other family members.

Visitation will be held from Rockco Funeral Home in Montevallo Tuesday, June 14 from 6-8 p.m.

Funeral services will be held at the funeral home, Wednesday, June 15 at 10 a.m.  Burial will be in Old Rock Springs Cemetery in Calera.  Rockco Funeral Home, Montevallo directing.  Please share condolences online at rockcofuneralhomes.com.

Dear Editor,

My very sincere congratulations to our inspired leaders on Capitol Hill. Once again, they show their complete ignorance for how Americans really live.

I am sure they are all warm and cozy in their outrageously expensive houses (paid for by us) while I, on the other hand, am listening to the wind, thunder and rain and hoping there is not a tornado I need to be worried about.

It is Friday, April 15, and 3:38 p.m. at my home in Jemison (paid for by me). I have to listen and hope for the best because the powers that be decided to digitize all of the television signals. That means that when the cable or satellite goes out (like every time it does when it is partly cloudy or worse), I have no way of receiving my local stations and actually knowing if I need to hide under the house.

I understand they want to moniter absolutely everything we do and that a digital signal is required to track what people watch, but they have taken away people’s safety in the name of… of…of what? In order to invade our privacy? Thanks a lot!

Just one more example of how out of touch your representatives are with you. We are not all terrorists that need to be watched; some us just want to see the news, especially when the weather is like this.

Maybe they can screw up our radios next, and then we will just watch the cows for signs of bad weather.

Mark Domian, Jemison

Dear Editor,

Good ethics in nearly any situation builds healthy relationships, and when it comes to business, it will help a community flourish.

For years, the mayor and the city council of Jemison have ordered flowers and supplies from Cindy’s Nursery. Cindy’s Nursery is a small local business that has always utilized proper business ethics. The business puts forth trust in those appointed to the council and mayor positions.

Every year, the city brings 72 big flower pots to the business so that they can be filled with blooming flowers and potting soil. The small business also travels throughout the city filling up the massive concrete planters with flowers and new potting soil. The materials alone cost more than $3,200. Obviously, there is also much labor required to fill the 72 flower pots and the concrete planters. With the cost of the supplies added with the labor, it is more than $3,600.

This practice and transaction happens every year to help groom and neaten the city. The small local business puts forth much effort into the betterment of Jemison and the community as a whole by donating products, services and some monetary contributions for the city park and other morale, recreational, and welfare boosting organizations.

Due to the stringent economic times, the business owner called Jemison Municipal Complex to verify that the city was still going to purchase more than $3,600 worth of products and services from the business. One of the city officials confirmed the annual process and sent some city workers to take the 72 flower pots to the business to be filled. This was a confirmation that the proper funds would be allocated toward the city’s annual beautification project and that the business would be compensated accordingly.

As one can see, the normal transaction was confirmed, and the small local business provided their annual supplies and services. However, on Monday, April 18, there was a Jemison City Council meeting, and for what is normal in this day and time, finances were the main concern. They decided to reject paying for the beautification project. Unbelievably, the vote was 5-1 with only Faye King voting to do what is morally right.

This corruption is beginning to be the norm. The remainder of the councilmembers do not worry about the law abiding and taxpaying, working citizen. It is a shame for them to hold those positions when their choices are very influential on the city of Jemison and the people in it. The necessities and prosperity of the Jemison community should be top priority. If the funds were not going to be available, then the flowers, supplies and services should not have been ordered.

This manner shows much disgrace and discredit upon the mayor and councilmembers who voted to not pay for what was ordered. Values of character, integrity, duty, honesty and responsibility have been compromised. This scandal is absolutely humiliating and embarrassing to the city of Jemison due to the acts of the mayor and council members being so uncaring of the community they represent and putting such a financial burden on this small local business.

Joseph McNeal, Jemison

Dear Editor,

Regarding the town of Thorsby considering a ban on smoking at ball parks, my child plays ball at Thorsby, and I smoke. However, I have always moved far away from everyone when I smoke.

I understand having “smoking areas,” but I believe that if any municipality bans smoking at any public place, that municipality should not sell tobacco products. It should revoke all licenses to sell tobacco.

As for myself, if they ban smoking, I will no longer purchase tobacco in Thorsby! If they don’t want me smoking in their public places, they can’t have my tax dollars to help with the upkeep of those public places.

People should realize that just because you smell smoke doesn’t mean you will develop cancer. You must inhale it. If the lady that started this is so scared, maybe she should sit in her car to watch the games. Also, maybe we should ban outdoor grills that put off smoke because it also contains dangerous chemicals.

I am so sick of people banning smoking but continuing to make money off the smokers!

Audrey Chance, Jemison