Legislators tackle tough issue of state's official booze
By Staff
Bob Ingram, Alabama Scene
MONTGOMERY–It has been a long time in coming, but the Auburn University Board of Trustees has a new look.
Last week the State Senate confirmed two new members to that board, this coming on the heels of the confirmation of three other new members earlier in the legislative session.
Approved last week were Virginia Thompson of Opelika, a hospital executive; and Alabama Power President Charles McCrary.
Mrs. Thompson fills the vacancy caused by the death of Jimmy Samford, McCrary fills the seat left open when Dr. Ed Richardson stepped down as State School Superintendent to become interim president of Auburn.
Auburn faithful, long convinced that the old board had micro-managed the university to a fault, now have hopes of better (and less turbulent) days ahead.
There had to be a chuckle or two at the comment made by State Sen. Lowell Barron, D-Fyffe, following the confirmation of McCrary and Thompson.
"This is a great day for Auburn," Sen. Barron said.
Barron had been one of the most controversial of AU trustees for years. He was replaced on the board earlier this year after holding on for dear life as long as he could.
I never thought it was possible but apparently the Lord dialed the wrong number. Fuller recently qualified as a candidate for Congress as a Democrat. I am not sure what his ministerial plans are.
The more I think about it the less inclined I am to think the Lord made a mistake. Perhaps Fuller took the call on a cell phone, and you know how garbled messages can be on those phones.
Fuller, a former member of the State House, will seek the Third District seat now held by Republican Mike Rogers of Anniston. This is the seat Bob Riley vacated two years ago to run for governor.
Shula had ordered that Croom's name be removed from the award but the decision created such howls of protest that the Tide coach wisely rescinded his order.
About all that was accomplished by this dumb decision was to give some brief relief to Auburn folks, who have suffered through a winter and spring of ridicule from their cross-state rivals.
In his absence, U. S. Sen. Richard Shelby is expected to be chairman of the delegation.
The convention will be held at Madison Square Garden in New York on Aug. 30-Sept. 2.
Faced with some of the most challenging crises in history, the lawmakers have accomplished little or nothing during the regular session…they have done a lot of fiddling.
But they stood tall on a resolution that would name some Kentucky-made booze Alabama's official "Spirit" because the water used at the distillery is from this state.
When Gov. Riley properly vetoed the resolution…he doesn't like a commercial product being recognized in such a manner…our stalwart lawmakers passed the resolution over his veto.
Makes you proud of your legislators, doesn't it?
