By Staff
Students thank special teacher
Editor,
We are students of Hartselle Junior High School, and we are writing this letter on behalf of our world history teacher, Mrs. Jodi Fuqua. After the tsunami hit Thailand and surrounding areas, our school decided that we should offer our help in their time of need. Mrs. Fuqua directed us and started all of the fundraising events such as hat day, a winter dance, teacher/student basketball game, and an ugly walk. We also donated money through our lunch lines. She set our goal at $5,000. Nobody thought we could achieve this goal. However, we managed to raise over $7,700. Everyone was surprised, even Mrs. Fuqua. So we are writing this letter to thank Mrs. Fuqua and let her know that she is well appreciated by all students and faculty.
Everyone at Hartselle Junior High School
Parent upset about officiating
Editor:
Now that basketball season is over, I want to officially condemn Hartselle Youth Basketball for making a mockery of the game and all who play it. This league is the poorest excuse for an organized sport I have ever witnessed. Why? Because of the league's choices of untrained and incompetent referees" who know less about basketball than hyenas. Many parents, players, and fans spend copious amounts of time, energy, and money each year to provide this activity to Hartselle' s children, only to have their efforts marred by the heinous behavior of the league-employed referees. The league suffered an unprecedented number of injuries this year, many of which were season-ending for the players involved, and I truly believe that poor officiating led to the majority of those injuries. The negligent and boorish referees allowed many games to become muggings and slugfests. Two of my sons suffered season-ending injuries because of it!
In two games, my oldest son was verbally threatened by one such referee, who then allowed my son to be tackled at mid-court. He suffered two cracked ribs, and a fractured knee cap. A foul was never called against the offending player.
One also must question why the Parks and Recreations department continues to sanction such proceedings even after constant parental complaints. I've been complaining for four years now. It's that bad, folks, and it would never be allowed in Hartselle baseball. I wonder why?
Pamela A. Ramey
Hartselle
Bill unfairly targets coalition
Editor:
Rep. Ronald Grantland is out again trying to get even with the Alabama Christian Coalition, because they rated him soft on gambling in their Voters Guide a few years ago.
Since then, he and pro-gambling representatives like Randy Hinshaw and Sue Schmitz have been trying to pass a bill requiring the Christian Coalition to file lists with the local probate judges of who their contributors are. Why should a non-partisan group like the Christian Coalition, which stands for Biblical family values and only reports the documented voting records of state legislators, have to divulge anything?
And yet this week House Bill 75 co-sponsored by Grantland, Hinshaw, Letson and Schmitz got its second reading in the House which is their way of attacking those who stand against gambling. They tried it last year and failed. If sensible people will let their legislators know what they think about this shoddy piece of legislative junk they will fail again.
James Henderson
Decatur