POLITICAL CORRUPTION IS A NATIONWIDE ISSUE AFFECTING ALL OF US. ALABAMA RANKS #5 AS THE MOST CORRUPT STATE. *DOJ 2007 stats
Something is very wrong in the Land of Cotton


PERTINENT ENVIRONMENTAL AND CORRUPTION ISSUES IN OTHER STATES ARE ALSO DISCUSSED


NO OTHER COMMUNITY, RICH OR POOR, URBAN OR SUBURBAN,BLACK, BROWN,RED, YELLOW OR WHITE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO BECOME AN "ENVIRONMENTAL SACRIFICE ZONE."

Dr. Robert Bullard
Environmental Justice Movement Founder

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

More Self Imposed Embarassment for Alabama--Cordova Lands at the top of the Drudge Report for Refusing FEMA Trailers

Update #1--CNN linked to ABC 33/40 news coverage "Town Won't Allow FEMA Trailers"
Update #2--Mayor Scott's pastor called into WAPI's Leland Whaley show to defend his 'brother' and claimed the Mayor worked for revitalizing Cordova. Big lie, link here
Update #3--CNN posts video story from WBMA
Update #4--The mighty Archibald weighs in
Update #5--Smoking Gun on stereotypes and Cordova in Buster 
Update #6--Finally AP and MSNBC do a mainstream media story, heavy circulation follows 
Update #7--YouTube fun with Jack from NMA TV 
Update #8--Widely read Huffington Post runs the story & Daily Mail United Kingdom

Snapshot of Drudge Report website as it appeared on May 24th 11:43 EST


The mayor of Cordova, Alabama, Jack Scott, a former coal miner, thrusts Alabama back into the national spotlight of 'oh no not again' with his refusal to allow FEMA trailers inside the city limits of the town.

Mayor Scott acknowledges that victims of the April 27th tornado outbreak are without their homes and in need of shelter until they can rebuild, but he *refuses to allow single-wide FEMA trailers to be an acceptable solution. His solution is to house storm survivors in  'Scott approved' FEMA trailer camps outside the city limits, and off of their own property.
*(YouTube link)

Scott claims he is only following a decades-old city ordinance, and admits it's been rarely enforced over the years, but he claims Cordova needs to "keep it's options open to young professionals who might want to build in Cordova," outraging his constituents who are suffering from the devastation of losing their own homes.

They're out of luck in his view and he isn't being kind about it. In a May 24th City Council meeting "tempers flared" and residents had the added misfortune to experience the full breadth ofJack Scott's black as the coal the used to mine heart.

Here's a link to the latest news story on that City Council meeting and a video below from ABC 33/40. Listen for the Mayor to bellow at least twice: "Chief Bobo put her out!"


This is the same Mayor who vacated a Comprehensive Planning agreement that would have revitalized and opened Cordova up to connections with main highway thoroughfares by constructing the proposed I-22 exchange, in favor of a strip mine operation. 
On Cordova's Main Street, the city's vision for rebirth is weighed down by the depression of vacancy and dilapidation. 
Earlier this decade, residents of Cordova, with the help of the Regional Planning Commission and the Auburn Center for Architecture and Urban Studies, drew up a comprehensive revitalization plan anticipating the impact being connected to Birmingham by the new Interstate 22.

The plan pictures a revitalized historic downtown and new neighborhoods connecting the city to the river -- a bedroom community offering riverfront greenways and a marina. 
The community viewed the plan as a chance to reverse a 40-year decline. In 1962, the town lost its dominant large employer, the Arrowhead Textile Mill. About the same time, the once plentiful jobs in underground mining began giving way to more sporadic, smaller-scale employment in strip mining.

"We built our plan on our two interstate interchanges," Randy Palmer said. "This kind of opportunity comes along once every 100 years. Now, it's at our two interchanges they are fixing to strip mine."
"We didn't put a strip pit in our long-range plan," he said.
That operation is the notorious Sheperd's Bend coal mine.

Last time we checked, living next to a coal mine wasn't necessarily a big property owner draw, but we know of stranger things that have happened.

And in Walker County, where Cordova is located, strange doesn't begin to describe the *dark history of the county that coal built and ruined. Nothing happens there without the influencer's blessings, or curse, depending on how you look at it and who you are.
*(beginning on pg 53 & NY Times story 1991)

Jack Scott is an insider and he knows how to play the familiar game of I'll get mine and yours too if I get half a chance.

Word in the community is the Mayor has his eye on some tornado damaged property for cheap.

Scott is your typical small town Alabama politician: a stubborn cuss with my way or the highway thinking plotting his bumbling course through local good ol' boy politics. These types aren't interested in making sense of forward thinking ideas that rise above their high-school-at-best level of education. Ask them and they'll tell you they are the smartest man they know without so much as a flinch of humility. They're prone to cronyism of the worst order, and crave the attention and ego stroking that they believe elected office entitles them to.

We sincerely hope that landing at the top of the widely popular Drudge Report brings 'King' Scott all the attention he doesn't want, but so richly deserves.

Maybe you'd like to get in on it too?
Cordova Mayor's Office
74 Main St, Cordova, AL 35550
(205) 483-9266 or 483-7025   Residence: (205) 483-9235 
*We'll keep this story update with any new developments. Please check back.


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70 comments:

  1. What a heartless f#*k!
    I thought this was an Onion story when I saw it in a Tweet. If only.

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  2. Did Washington advise him? He's right in lockstep with the big R plan of cutting disaster relief.
    I can't believe a public official would do this to people who were just devastated!

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  3. Hey thanks for helping us out!
    Maybe somebody needs to go have a look see at the City Hall offices and PD.
    They're in trailers right now because of the storms.

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  4. Where's your governor? Why isn't he straightening out the crooked and God awful misguided miscreant in Cordova? I don't understand this. FEMA doesn't seem to be moved either according to the link.
    Unbelievable.

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  5. Mayor Scott is a fraud!! He doesn't do anything for Cordova but try to figure out how to use it as his personal piggy bank!!

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  6. Governor Bentley is a hypocrite!
    He leans on FEMA to write more sensitive rejection letters to claimants, but where is he on this issue? Where's the sensitivity Doc? Too afraid of upsetting the coal boys to crack your whip of righteousness in Cordova?

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  7. You are so right Y!

    Jim Foster, a FEMA spokesman, said the federal agency offers only single-wide trailers and abides by state and local laws.

    "State and local law take precedence," he said.

    Foster said Monday he was unaware of any other Alabama community blocking FEMA trailers.

    Can we trade out Foster for Bentley's FEMA boy full of sensitive grace?

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  8. Last night at the meeting Scott quoted a figure of $105,000.00 for a modular home, today in a Fox6 story that figure is now $54,000.00.
    Who's lying?
    This reminds me of the old joke, "We've established what you are, we're just haggling on the price..."

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  9. It just galls me to no end to see him on the news clips smiling and talking his nonsense like everything is just fine and dandy in Jackassland!
    Only a complete idiot and egomaniac would smile while saying F U to his people who have gone through a living hell!

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  10. Yet another good reason why Alabama needs recall provisions.
    And you're right about Walker County, I have lived here all my life, there's good folks here, but there are a lot of secrets and sin going on that has gone for years.
    When I say sin, I am not talking about garden variety sin, I'm talking about serious stuff.
    Mayor Scott knows a lot about that and he is acting like an ass because he knows he can.

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  11. Jack Sh#t wouldn't listen to Washington, he'd call them "Yankees interfering in our business down heah." He won't listen to anybody who doesn't own his sorry behind or point him towards some payoff!

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  12. The spotlight is on Mayor Scott, but Bentley should he getting his fair share of questions too.
    He demanded FEMA be more sensitive, well let's just see if intervenes in Cordova.
    If he doesn't he's an empty suit.

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  13. We had a chance with the development plan and thanks to Mayor Scott it's gone with the wind, just like our homes!!! Coal is over, we need something else now. Let's start with getting rid of the crook and put Cordova on the path of redemption and new life!!
    Thanks for putting the Facebook link up! We need all the help we can get!

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  14. JACKIE--

    You're welcome. We'll help anyway we can and have real empathy for what you folks are going through.

    We've gotten some emails on the HS education comment, and it wasn't our intent to make fun of anyone but Mr. Smarty Pants who views himself as some wise old owl, when in reality he's nothing more than Cuckoo bird crossed with a black-hearted Buzzard.

    MAX & WINGER

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  15. It may not be on Drudge's page anymore, but you can search "Drudge Archives" put in "Ala." and you can see it was there.
    I am glad you all grabbed a screenshot while it was on top. Hope Scott realizes his big mouth has consequences, but what we really need is this ordinance shot full of holes and his no good behind run out of town!

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  16. I vote for another target Elise.......

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  17. Please tune into WQJJ 97.7 Fox-FM Mark Farrior Ministries Show Sunday at noon for a "fire and brimstone" sermon on Brother no good Scott.

    http://monsterfm.com/977/

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  18. What can I do from hundreds of miles away to help the people in Cordova?

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  19. Remember the Pace picante commercials?
    "Get a rope"
    Scott has to go. He's ruining Cordova. Coal made some people rich, but it never made the regular people any better off and there isn't a lot you can do with the land once it's been stripped. Who wants to live in a town with an idiot like this in charge? Not any young professionals that I know of that's for sure!
    He's after property or has buddy in the modular home business who will give him some kick backs.

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  20. Where fore art thou Brother Bentley?
    Are we not your brothers and sisters in Cordova?

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  21. If he is so concerned with changing the population to "young professionals" then I guess that means his worn out old hide has to get the hell out too! Right?

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  22. Somewhere today Harvey Updyke is a happy man.
    I think we have a new contender for the most hated man in Alabama.

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  23. Scott--"Lessee heah now..coal mine or revitalization plan..." Son-in-law, give me that 2 headed quarter over yonder."

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  24. All porta lets may now be disposed off at the residence of Mayor Jack Scott per new citizen written ordinance.

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  25. We added an amendment to the CO to include storm debris and dead anilmals.

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  26. Did anyone have the foresight to videotape the council meeting in Cordova?

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  27. Mayor Dictator was just shown on an ABC 33/40 segment looking and sounding as arrogant and stupid as usual:
    "Jack Scott didn't say no trailers, the ordinance says no trailers. I wish people would get that straight."
    So, if I put some rock salt in your butt Mayor, am I off the hook, because after all I didn't shoot your ass, the gun did.

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  28. ABC 33/40 6:00 newscast just reported that when they tried to call Mayor Scott about allowing portable trailers for police, city hall and businesses but not for residents he "hung up on us."
    hahahahahahaha...breathe....hahahahahaha....gasp.....hahahahahha

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  29. Chief Bobo (to be confused with Dodo absolutely):
    "If you bend the rules for one you've got to bend the rules for all, and the law is not made to bend rules. When you start bending rules bad things happen, bad people come in," Bobo exclaims.
    Right now Chief Bobo's police department and city hall are operating in FEMA trailers, but Chief Bobo said the same rules don't apply.
    "The ordinance covers housing and we have some businesses that is set up in trailers and that's not covered under the ordinance because it is not housing it is a business," says Bobo.

    News flash there Chief, the horse already got out of that barn when you let Scott get a foot hold as Mayor.

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  30. You folks in Cordova need to all get together, pay a small business fee, make up some name and get a banner made up, then according to what the PD and other town businesses are doing, you get to have a trailer!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Boo-Boo is no better than Scott.
    Scott uses the chief and the force as his enforcers. They all need to go!!!!!!!

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  32. My God what a mess you guys have going on in Alabama!!!! What is it, all the pollution in the air and water that just makes certain people behave like complete and utter morons?
    This Mayor has absolutely no good justification for what he's doing. I would think a citizen advocacy group or the FHA could step in. Why isn't the governor doing anything? This is like watching a train wreck in backwards and forwards!

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  33. Interesting that out of all these comments the link in your article on Carrie Lawson didn't get any comment.
    They have yet to find her body.
    Or Becky Fergason.
    Lot of unexplained deaths and a rash of suicides in Walker County over the years. There was a time when the feds just quit sending agents into the Beat 5 Parrish area, four went in, none came back out.
    Some FBI was said in a 60 minutes or some show like that, that if he were looking for a murder hire, he would go to Walker County first.
    I bet there are still a lot of people there plenty afraid to talk about some things.

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  34. Becky Fergason's mother's house burned down right after she went missing.
    Message or coincidence?
    Bad stuff goes on around here, worse than the outside world could even imagine.

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  35. Governor is suspiciously quiet....

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  36. I heard he actually refused to let three teenagers in "his" church when they were looking for shelter from the tornado ripping through town. Two of the three teenagers were killed. Turned them away from a church? No room at the inn?

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  37. It is being reported that Governor Bentley does not want to get involved in city business.
    That didn't stop him from getting involved in state and federal business and demand FEMA write more sensitive letters did it?
    Must not be enough political points to get involved in helping small town Alabama.
    Wait, didn't he say he was concerned about residents in rural Alabama and that's why he wanted FEMA to be more sensitive?
    CHARLATAN!

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  38. Cordova's Facebook page is revealing some interesting names on Industrial Boards; Greg Reed of Alabama Power for one and Drummond influences seem to be firmly entrenched in Cordova matters.
    Coal fired utility giant meets coal family crossed with Sheperd's Bend coal mine.
    And Jack Scott right in the middle of it all.
    No wonder the revitalization plan got squashed and I would be willing to bet Scott has gotten some persuaders for his pocket from Alabama Power to hand over the area. No wonder he is so arrogant, he's hooked in with the shadow government that really runs Alabama, Alabama Power.
    Those folks haven't figured out what's going on yet? They better before it's too late.

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  39. Mayor Scott gives new meaning to the phrase "Buy Local"

    He has no intention of doing anything APCO and big coal don't buy him to do.

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  40. Does anybody else find it odd that the Cordova web groups are really quiet about the coal mining aspect in all of this?
    It's the elephant in the room as far as I am concerned. Archibald saw it too.

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  41. The comment about the kids being turned away is still on my mind...A lady also got turned away. Have you by chance seen the pic of the Church where this happened? Someone with higher power must have seen them being refused entry , and thats why the church was so badly damaged!!!

    ReplyDelete
  42. "Everyday people are straying away from church and turning back to God"

    Too many churches have become the sanctuary of the evil prophets who are not leaders, but less than honorable men who seek validation for their evil nature.
    I gave up on organized religion in favor of my own relationship with God long ago.

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  43. If Cordova has a system like most towns anyone getting on any particular board has to be approved by the CC and Mayor.
    Okay so you have an area with coal and you put a coal jockey on the IB. Yep that was a good move for a community looking to escape a decline. Not.

    ReplyDelete
  44. ANON POSTER--

    Who wrote this: The comment about the kids being turned away is still on my mind...A lady also got turned away

    We have been hearing that from a few sources. If anyone can confirm let us know please.

    WINGER

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  45. There's more gong on but people are afraid to come out with it. I wish they wouldn't keep things to themselves that need to be said. All that does is help Jack Scott and he doesn't need to be help, he needs to be exposed for what he is.

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  46. Mayor Scott threatened to folks at the Cordova protest camp out that he would order Chief Bobo and PD to arrest anyone carrying signs mentioning FEMA Trailers, Jack Scott, or homeless people. He claims they will be charged with rioting and locked up.
    So far he has not made good on his threat and the camp out is going well.

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  47. Read in the no news that Bentley was in Tuscaloosa and Hackleburg recently.
    We haven't seen him in Cordova. Maybe Alabama Power told him to stay out of it? Looks like he's listening.

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  48. Tide is turning and Jack Scott's PR machine and intimidators are out in force. It's heartbreaking to watch support waver. What's going on in Cordova needs to be exposed, every last bit of it or that community will never have a chance. What happened to that fighting spirit of southerners?

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  49. The thing I do not understand is, Where does "I do not want to see" fit in with We, the People?

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  50. "I don't feel guilty," Scott said. "I can look anyone in the eye."
    Buzzards usually can.

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  51. Michael Byrne of FEMA is popping up in the Cordova issue now. He's the same FEMA rep that Governor Bentley called "nothing but gracious" for "understanding that FEMA letters should have some sensitivity."
    Where's the good Doc's sympathy for Cordova? He lose that in the storms? I do not understand why he isn't getting blowback as furious as the storm on Jack Scott's head about this!
    Please tell me that blind political loyalty can be cured..

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  52. Despite the obvious attempts by the state press and certain so called concerned groups to walk this back, MSNBC picking it up just put a huge gust of wind into the story!
    WINNING!

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  53. No they won't self cure their blindness Miss Kitty. Some of these folks are saying pray for Jack and he's not all that bad.
    Yes he is and I am beginning to think so are some of these other yellow dogs who are turning tail and running!

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  54. I don't pray for evil. Never have never will.

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  55. For a successful revolution you need citizen power.
    RECALL BILL FOR ALL. DEMAND IT ALABAMA.
    Get off your duffs and get after it.
    Get rid of the shadow corporate government.
    AEA does not run your state.
    Alabama Power runs your state.

    ReplyDelete
  56. AP story on Yahoo has over 2300 comments!!!!
    Think this hit a national nerve?

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  57. "Great Mayor of Cordova" on Facebook taken down on Memorial Day.
    How fitting!
    It was nothing more than a stroke Jack's --- page anyway.
    Story went back up on Drudge this morning.

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  58. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  59. Mr. Mayor better watch his step. He's facing a whole town of pissed-off people who have nothing more to lose. One of them will take care of his sorry ass.

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  60. Saw this in a al.com comment forum on Scott:
    In my view, the mayor may be hated by those small-minded cretens who are attacking and threatening him, but his motive is absolutely on track to make that little cesspool a decent place to live and work. The people who are doing the most hollering are the ones who don't contribute, but instead take with food stamps, aid to dependent children, medicaid, and a host of other welfare entitlements. Clean out the whole lot of them.
    Yeah bubby, selling Cordova out to the strip miners and bringing hational shame on your town will surely make Cordova a real "decent place to live" alright!
    MORON!

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  61. ALL POSTERS---

    Careful with some of your commentary on violence.

    We want you to have a forum, but don't push the line too hard, okay?

    WINGER

    ReplyDelete
  62. Jacqueline Doss knows about what happened with the boys being refused safety in the Long Memorial United Methodist Church. This is what she posted on a site:
    This is my story…..
    My family and I live in Cordova.

    My really good friend Anett Singelton and her son Madison Phillips age 15 came to our house after the first tornado.

    She told me that the church turned her and Madison away that morning.

    They were at our house until about 3:30 pm, we were listening to a battery powered radio.

    The people we were listening to said the storms were over so Anett wanted to go home to check on her house and everything. Anett being who she was, very head strong stubborn, wouldn't stay at our house after we begged them to stay.

    Our two oldest boys, Jonathan Doss 12 and Justin Doss 10, were very good friends with Madison. They were like brothers. They wanted to go with them and so we let them go.

    Well, it was getting later and I tried calling her several times and no answer. We didn’t have good signal so I left to get a better signal. I went back home and my husband had left. I had three of our children with me and I tried to get into town where our boys were and they wouldn’t let me in, it was about 6:30 pm.

    The second tornado came through about 6:00 pm. I went back home and my husband still wasn’t home so I was even more worried. My friend texted me and asked if I had heared that Madison had died in the second tornado. I said no that can’t be true my boys are with them. I got even more worried so I got a neighbor to babysit the other kids so I could go look.

    I got to the roadblock they wouldn’t let me drive through, so I parked and ran from Pinsgah Hwy into town. I got to the top of the hill where the Methodist church was and the yellow house that was beside the Laundromat was gone-- that was where my kids and friends were, that was Anett's house.

    I started crying and panicking and if you know me I don’t cry or panic. I went down the hill and found Dean Harbison and gave him my boys, my husbands, Anett’s and Madison’s descriptions and they told me I would have to go home and wait.

    I went home and not long after I got home Kenneth Bobo, Chief of Cordova Police Dept. came and told me my boys died and Anett had died but Madison was in the hospital.

    I went with him and identified their bodies it was very hard. I finally found my husband and he was okay thank the good Lord. We went and visited Madison in the hospital he didn’t know about the boys and we had to tell him.

    He told us that church wouldn’t let them in and that it was a woman. After all of this we had heard that it was the mayor and his daughter that had turned them away.

    As far as we are concerned they will get what they deserve we are not finished.



    If it is true that he and his daughter turned my children and friends away then their deaths are on their hands and they will pay dearly.

    If this isn't criminal I don't know what is anymore. Scott is a fiend! Every member of that church should be should to show their faces.

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  63. If what Mrs. Doss says is true Mr. Scott is perilously close to meeting the definition of Manslaughter under Alabama Code 13A-6-3.
    I wouldn't imagine if a jury heard the case they would have much sympathy for the actions of the individuals inside the church. Chilling to hear such a possibly preventable tragedy, especially since children were involved.

    ReplyDelete
  64. I second your thoughts BarT.
    Ms. Doss should find herself a plaintiff's lawyer away from the area and set about seeking justice.

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  65. That letter is...I am speechless...what in the hell is wrong with this man????
    Turning away two young boys in the middle of a damn tornado??????
    Hell isn't good enough for someone like that!!

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  66. I follow up on BarT. If there was any monetary gain to be had in Cordova under the current mayoral leadership, I honestly think, this matter would be explored further. Yet, the hierarchy of rights can be traced throughout several decades. I live a mere couple of mile's from Cordova, and at Cordova's very best, there was very little, if any business opportunity here. April 27th, 2011, may have been the straw that broke the camel's back, metaphorically speaking.

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