AUGUST 13, 2010
This past week, I had the privilege to attend several teacher in-service
meetings. It is always good to meet with our educators. I appreciate the
fine job which they do at all levels from pre-k through our college level. I
want to thank the Franklin County Schools, Winfield City Schools, Fayette
County Schools, Marion County Schools, Lamar County Schools and Bevill State
Community College for allowing me to visit with them.
I enjoyed meeting with the Alabama Farmers Federation membership of Lamar
County this past week. They are an excellent organization and I appreciate
all that the good they do for our farmers and our communities.
I also had the pleasure of traveling by rail for the Crescent Corridor Rail
Trip hosted by Norfolk Southern. It was great to celebrate the heritage of
the rail system which contributed so much to the opening up of our country
and to industrial growth and development.
I want to thank the Northwest Alabama Council of Local Governments for
allowing me to attend their annual fish fry. We had great food and
fellowship. The Northwest Alabama Council of Local Governments does a great
deal to help promote economic growth and development and I truly appreciate
the fine members for their hard work and dedication.
It was also good to meet with the football coaches of the schools of
Franklin County as I shot a commercial this past week. I appreciate them
taking the time to meet with me and discussing their plans for the upcoming
football season.
I want to congratulate Dal-Tile of Fayette on receiving an ADECA grant to
assist them with job training. Dal-Tile has been a good corporate neighbor
in Fayette and I am pleased to see them receive this grant to help them
continue their work in Fayette.
I also want to congratulate the Lamar County Commission on being awarded an
ADECA grant of $120,000 to assist Steel Dust Recycling in expanding their
recently completed Waelz Kiln plant by constructing an interconnection and
gas metering station. Steel Dust Recycling will also construct a second kiln
and additional rail spur to service the new kiln representing an additional
$20 million investment in the Lamar County facility.
The Alabama Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention/Children’s
Trust Fund announced the awarding of two grants to the Community Action
Agency of Northwest Alabama. The first grant is for $18,000 for the Mothers
parenting class and the other is $50,000 for their Fatherhood Program. Both
programs work with courts, the Department of Human Resources and Safe Place
referrals to provide nine on-going weekly classes in the Counties of
Colbert, Lauderdale, Franklin and Lawrence.
Homeland Security has announced the awarding of a $20,000 grant to Winston
County to improve emergency management and preparedness capabilities by
supporting flexible, sustainable, secure, strategically located and fully
interoperable emergency operations centers with a focus on addressing
identified deficiencies and needs.
The Alabama Forestry Commission has been selected to administer the
Prescribed Burning and Hazardous Fuel Reduction Grant which is funded
through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Private, non-industrial
landowners who own 250 or less forest acres may enroll in the program. The
sign-up period ends August 27, 2010. For more information you may visit your
local forestry office or go online at
www.forestry.alabama.gov/prescribedburningandhazardous.aspx .
The Alabama Department of Children’s Affairs has awarded the Winston
County’s Children’s Policy Council $2,500 to assist them in a project to
reduce school absenteeism.
I am pleased to see the awarding of these grant in our senate district. It
is important to continue to fund programs that help our community not only
economically but, through community programs as well.
I trust that all the students that have returned to school have had a
successful start to the school year. I am looking forward to the beginning
of football season. I know the players, band members and cheerleaders have
been this summer preparing for the upcoming season and I know it will be a
great one throughout the senate district.
Please continue to contact me at the following:
Alabama State House
11 S. Union Street, Suite 730
Montgomery, AL 36130
Phone: 334-242-7862
Fax: 334-242-4736
Russellville Office
PO Box 370
Russellville, AL 35653
Phone: 256-332-6966, Fax: 256-332-6967
Email: senbedford@aol.com
Website: www.rogerhbedford.com