By Staff
Tournament a great success
Editor,
A terrific display of community effort was realized recently as the Hartselle Girls' Basketball League hosted the Girls' 11/12-year-old and Girls 9/10-year-old basketball tournaments for District II of the Alabama Park and Recreation Association.
Eighteen teams, 180 girls, with their coaches and families participated in the tournament from locations in Morgan and Madison counties, Hartselle, Huntsville, Boaz and Ft. Payne.
A tournament of this size required several groups to work together, and they did. The Park and Recreation Department of Hartselle provided guidance and personnel. The school system allowed us to utilize the Hartselle Junior High School gym, and Christy Ferguson and the coaching staff at the junior high welcomed and assisted us with setup and logistics.
The parents and officers of the girls' basketball league worked in the concession stand, worked the gate and sold T-shirts. Jeni and Tim Nelson organized the concession stand with the help of Ramey's Shell Station, which provided the concession materials.
Tim and Stephanie Moore sold T-shirts to the tournament participants. Dale Robinson welcomed the coaches and worked and worked. Jeff Luter assisted with scheduling the officials. Jeremy Johnson and Nannette Miller kept the scorebook and clock for 16 games!
We had several compliments on a job well done. Some said it they ever moved from their home, they could live in Hartselle. Some just thanked us for our hospitality and told us they enjoyed their weekend.
Thank you to all of those who assisted and helped the 180 kids who participated to have a positive sports experience.
Congratulations to the girls from the Morgan County East teams as they won both the 9/10 and 11/12-year-old tournaments and advanced to the state tournament.
Anne Glasgow
Hartselle Girls' Basketball League President
Limiting gambling up to the voters
Editor,
I am somewhat amused at James Henderson's portrayal of the Christian Coalition as an organization espousing family values. This is the same organization that took millions from Mississippi Choctaws so that Alabama Indian gambling would be protected and allowed to continue its expansion in Alabama. Mr. Henderson, John Giles with the Christian Coalition, and Alabama Indian Gaming don't want the people of Alabama to have an opportunity to vote to limit gambling to the four existing dog tracks in Alabama.
Mr. Henderson failed to tell readers that the Alabama Constitution forbids gambling. The only way this can change is by vote of the people. Alabama Indian gaming has their sights set on North Alabama.
They realize that if the four dog tracks are allowed to have the same type gambling devices that they currently have, then the incentive to expand into North Alabama is gone.
Harrah's is currently building a $120 million casino in the Montgomery area for the Indians. This was done without a vote of the people.
The Mississippi Choctaws want to keep their casino customers coming across the border and also protect the Indian casinos currently in Alabama. It's all about greed and money with the Christian Coalition right smack in the middle.
Rep. Ronald Grantland
D-Hartselle