Thank you to all the people who have supported me in Elkmont for the past 7 years. I am sad to say i will be changing career paths at the end of this month. 
 | Name: Herbert Wilson Ezell Dates: Birth date: February 16, 1930 Death date: December 23, 2012 Obituary:
Herbert Wilson Ezell age 82 of Elkmont, passed away on Sunday, December 23, 2012 at his residence. Mr. Ezell was born February 16, 1930 in Limestone County to James Buford Ezell and Roxie Lou Christopher Ezell.
Services for Mr. Ezell are Thursday, December 27, 2012 at Limestone Chapel Funeral Home at 1:00 p.m. Visitation will be Thursday, December 27, 2012 from 11:00 until 12:45 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be in Todd Cemetery with Charles Maples officiating. Mr. Ezell was a member of the Baptist Church. He retired after 22 years from the US Navy and also after 15 years from Athens Water Treatment Plant. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Ruby Jean Ezell of Elkmont; son, Michael Ezell and wife Debbra of Elkmont; daughters, Janet Ezell O’Conner of Athens and Denise Ezell Seago of Athens; brother, Frank Ezell and wife Kaye of Utah; sisters, Ruby Jean Tinnon of Athens and Cynthia Weigart of Anderson; grandchildren, Brett Ezell and wife Beth, Keith Ezell and wife Jamie, Jason Wooldrigdge, Joey Wooldridge, Clint O’Conner and wife Sharon and Gannon Curtis and husband Josh; great-grandchildren, Bailey Ezell, Brooke Ezell, Brenin Ezell, Sydney Ezell, Scott Ezell, Kase Curtis, Gage Curtis, Ellason Curtis and Luke Wooldridge. He is preceded in death by his parents, Buford and Roxie Ezell; brother, Jimmy Ezell; sister, Edith Marbut. Pallbearers are Brett Ezell, Keith Ezell, Jason Wooldridge, Joey Wooldridge, Clint O’Conner and Josh Curtis. In lieu of flowers please make donations to Hospice of North Alabama. |
Elkmont Middle School Red Devils won their first game of the Elkmont Invitational Middle School Christmas Tournament. Held in the old gym, the fans were treated to a big win, 47 - 16 over Minor Hill. 
 | Name: Dorothy Hobbs "Dot" Smith Dates: Birth date: October 7, 1937 Death date: December 18, 2012 Obituary:
Dorothy Hobbs "Dot" Smith, 75 of Elkmont, Alabama died on Tuesday, December 18, 2012, at Donalson Care Center in Fayetteville, Tennessee.
Born Thursday, October 7, 1937 in Toney, Alabama, she was the daughter of the late Ovis Clevis Hobbs and the late Mercedes Whitt Hobbs. She was also preceded by two children: Michael Kevin Smith and Mary Ellen Smith. She lived most of her life in this area and was a member of Wooley Springs Baptist Church. She enjoyed being with her children and her pets and doing things for others. Surviving are her husband: Charles Smith of Elkmont, AL; a son, Charles M. Smith of Elkmont, AL, and a daughter, Kimberly Smith of Elkmont, AL. Funeral services will be at 1:00 PM on Thursday, December 20, 2012, at Ardmore Chapel Funeral Home, Ardmore, Alabama with Bro. Tony Boyles officiating. Burial will be in Gatlin Cemetery, Ardmore, AL. The family will receive friends from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Wednesday, December 19, 2012, at Ardmore Chapel Funeral Home, Ardmore, Alabama. |
 | Name: Eva Joy Bailey Dates: Birth date: June 10, 1931 Death date: December 18, 2012 Obituary:
Eva Joy Bailey, 81 of Ardmore, Tennessee died on Tuesday, December 18, 2012, at Ardmore on Main in Ardmore, Tennessee.
Born Wednesday, June 10, 1931 in Fayetteville, Tennessee, she was the daughter of the late Howard Helums and the late Nettie Edwards Helums. She was a member of Ardmore First Baptist Church and had lived in this area all her life. She loved spending time with her grandchild and great-grandchildren. Surviving are son, Phillip (Georgie) Bailey of Athens, AL, daughter, Deborah (Terrell) Watts of Elkmont, AL, brother, Ray Helums of Taft, TN, grandchild: Christopher (Sandi) Smith, and two great-grandchildren: Carly and Logan Roberts. Funeral services will be at 11:00 AM on Friday, December 21, 2012, at Ardmore Chapel Funeral Home, Ardmore, Alabama with Bro. Alan Hughes and Bro. William Suddarth officiating. Burial will be in Gatlin Cemetery, Ardmore, AL. The family will receive friends from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Thursday, December 20, 2012, at Ardmore Chapel Funeral Home, Ardmore, Alabama. |
| December 17, 2012
In this MegaVote for Alabama's 5th Congressional District:
Recent Congressional Votes
Upcoming Congressional Bills
Editor's Note: | |
| Recent Senate Votes | |
TAG Extension – Motion to Waive - Vote Rejected (50-42, 8 Not Voting) Last week the Senate began and stopped the process of considering legislation to extend the FDIC’s Transaction Account Guarantee (TAG) program. The program, initiated in 2008 as a way of shoring up the banking system, provides unlimited government backing for non-interest bearing transaction accounts, such as those used for business expenses. (The normal threshold for government guarantees on such accounts is $250,000.) The Senate invoked cloture on the legislation earlier in the week by a healthy 76-20 margin (Roll Call 225). But the bill foundered on a budgetary point of order raised by Pennsylvania Republican Pat Toomey. Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson, D-S.D. moved to waive Toomey’s point of order, but he fell ten votes shy of the 60 needed for such a maneuver. Like so much unfinished business, an extension may well get lost in the year-end rush to avert the fiscal cliff. Even if a bill does get through the Senate, however, House Republicans have signaled they would prefer to let TAG expire, which it is scheduled to do on December 31. Sen. Richard Shelby voted NO......send e-mail or see bio Sen. Jeff Sessions voted NO......send e-mail or see bio | |
| Recent House Votes | |
| Suspension Authority - Vote Passed (226-178, 27 Not Voting) In a sign of things to come, House leaders brought a rule to the floor allowing bills to be considered under suspension of the rules through Friday, December 28. That would allow for expedited consideration of any deal to avert the fiscal cliff, as suspending the rules prevents any amendments from being offered and limits debate to one hour. It also raises the threshold for passage to a two-thirds majority, which could prove difficult, depending on the exact parameters of any agreement between President Obama and Speaker John A. Boehner of Ohio. Rep. Mo Brooks voted YES......send e-mail or see bio Epinephrine Inhalers – Suspension - Vote Failed (229-182, 20 Not Voting) The House failed to muster a two-thirds majority for a bill that would have granted a seven-month grace period for the distribution and sale of over-the-counter asthma inhalers that use chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) as a propellant. The inhalers have been banned since December 1, 2011 per the Montreal Protocol, an international convention, which bans ozone-depleting substances (including CFCs). The bill under question, introduced by Texas Republican Rep. Michael C. Burgess, would have lifted the ban until August 1, 2013. Because it was considered under suspension of the rules, the bill would have needed 274 votes to pass. The bill appears to have enough support to pass under regular order, but leadership would need to clear enough floor time for a full debate. Rep. Mo Brooks voted YES......send e-mail or see bio Defense Authorization – Motion to Instruct - Vote Passed (399-4, 28 Not Voting) The House and Senate named conferees last week to negotiations over the final version of the national defense authorization bill for fiscal year 2013. Rep. Susan A. Davis, D-Calif. moved to instruct House negotiators to agree to a provision in the Senate bill (S. 3254) that would mandate a report to Congress on how the U.S. will promote the security of Afghan women and girls as allied forces transition out of the country. The House also agreed to a motion from Armed Services chairman Buck McKeon, R-Calif. to close portions of the negotiations to the public, presumably those dealing with intelligence and other particularly sensitive matters. Rep. Mo Brooks voted YES......send e-mail or see bio | |
| Upcoming Votes | |
| Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 - H.R.1 The Senate is scheduled to begin consideration of the supplemental appropriations bill providing emergency relief to the states victimized by Hurricane Sandy. Because all spending bills must originate in the House, Senate leaders are using H.R. 1 – which the House passed in February 2011 - as a legislative "shell" to carry the emergency spending language. Defense Authorization - H.R.4310 Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., has indicated that the defense authorization may be ready for floor action by mid-week. | |
Mr. Stanley Ray Moore, 59 of Athens, Alabama, passed away Thursday, December 13, 2012 at his residence.
