Mobile Off-Topic

[Southron]

A panel of federal judges denied a motion to temporarily return Juan Chastang to his seat on the Mobile County Commission. State Attorney General Troy King said he plans to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court to reinstate Chastang, who has been out of office since May 1, when the panel of federal judges ruled that his seat must be vacated because Gov. Bob Riley violated the federal Voting Rights Act when he appointed Chastang in November 2005.

State law requires that a special election be held to fill an open seat on the commission 60 to 90 days from the date of the vacancy, which was May 1. The U.S. Department of Justice has said that a special election should be held to fill the vacancy. Former Mobile City Councilman Thomas Sullivan, former county attorney Merceria Ludgood and city Councilman William Carroll are said to be considering a run for the Democratic-leaning district, along with Republican Chastang.

Mobile Press-Register: Chastang loses again; Supreme Court next?

[Southron]

[Threads merged]

"Down in Mobile they're all crazy, because the Gulf Coast is the kingdom of monkeys, the land of clowns, ghosts and musicians, and Mobile is sweet lunacy's county seat."

- Eugene Walter, The Untidy Pilgrim (1953)

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This is a thread where members can discuss anything concerning the Mobile area that would not warrant a thread of its own, or something that would not otherwise be posted on this site. Feel free to contribute as much as you like, but please show respect towards other members and follow the UP rules.

[Southron]

Former Mobilian David Alsobrook is returning to direct the Museum of Mobile. Alsobrook spent over 30 years as a federal archivist, including serving as the first director of both the George H. W. Bush presidential library and the Bill Clinton presidential library.

Mobile Press-Register: Alsobrook to lead museum

Helluva talented guy to be running the museum -- good things should be in store.

[nimsjus]

How about the school board keeping a former 5A school open for 18 students. This is the biggest most blatent waste of tax payer money. Dodge was the only one with any sense and he recommended closing it, but the board blew it as usual and are keeping it open. This is all aside from the fact that it was supposed to be up and functioning as a trade school by now. Mobile has a labor shortage for these "trade school" type skills(especially with a new steel mill, possible aircraft manufacturing plant, etc). Maybe the board should look into having EADS and TK try to get their original plan off the ground.

[Southron]

How about the school board keeping a former 5A school open for 18 students. This is the biggest most blatent waste of tax payer money. Dodge was the only one with any sense and he recommended closing it, but the board blew it as usual and are keeping it open. This is all aside from the fact that it was supposed to be up and functioning as a trade school by now. Mobile has a labor shortage for these "trade school" type skills(especially with a new steel mill, possible aircraft manufacturing plant, etc). Maybe the board should look into having EADS and TK try to get their original plan off the ground.

[Southron]

Manatees are being seen more often in coastal Alabama. According to the article, manatees were once common in the area but were not seen in the 1970s or 80s. They began turning up again in the mid-1990s, with the resurgence of grassbeds that had been lost on both sides of the bay.

Mobile Press-Register: Manatee sightings increasing along Alabama's coast

[Southron]

A black bear caused a stir in Daphne Wednesday afternoon when it walked onto a roadway near hotels and just west of the Jubilee Square shopping center. Police said the bear was about 4 feet tall and weighed about 250 pounds. State officials said this was probably a young male, recently kicked out by its mother, looking for a new home.

Rapid growth in Baldwin County is cutting into wild animal habitats, leading to an increase in such sightings. A black bear was spotted in Foley last Saturday.

Mobile Press-Register: Wild black bear sighted near Daphne retail strip

[elb401]

Thats really sad. I wish there could be some laws that help control sprawl and promote density. Baldwin County is a mess!

[The Dude]

Thats really sad. I wish there could be some laws that help control sprawl and promote density. Baldwin County is a mess!

[Southron]

Repairs will begin this year on the 134-year-old Sand Island Lighthouse, funded by $320,000 in federal money aimed at saving it from collapsing into the Gulf of Mexico. It would cost $1.3 million to fully secure the 132-foot-tall tower, and millions of dollars more to make it accessible to visitors.

Mobile Press-Register: Work on Sand Island Lighthouse set

[Southron]

Mobile will celebrate the new year by dropping a giant, electric Moon Pie at the city's new year's eve street party near Fort Conde. The giant pie will be lowered to the street from 100 feet in the air using a city fire ladder truck. The Chattanooga Bakery, the maker of moon pies, will bake the world's largest Moon Pie and and serve it for the occasion.

Kind of cheesy to drop it from a fire truck, but maybe down the road a more fancy structure will handle the drop.

Giant Moon Pie to bring in 2009