American Legion thanks scholarship helpers

To the Editor:

It's the time of year for scholarships again, and the American Legion has been busy reviewing and grading scholarship applications from students in the local area.

The scholarship committee is to be commended for its hard work. They have awarded 55 scholarships this year at a cost of $52,000. In fact, since 1993, the American Legion has awarded more than $554,000 to local students.

Where did this money come from? Well, the American Legion is fortunate enough to have a dedicated Bingo Committee consisting of the following people:

Mack and Norma Williams (Mack is chairman), J.T. and Barbara Raley, John and Brunease Delillo, and Don Taylor.

This group works two evenings a week (Tuesday and Friday), all voluntarily, and they have been doing this for years. From time to time, other volunteers augment this group for sickness and vacations. Others to be thanked and commended are the players who are so important to this endeavor.

Everyone so inclined is invited to participate in these games. It's for a worthy cause.

- Byron Nichols,

American Legion Post 80 Commander

Where are the priorities in Montgomery?

To the Editor:

The Alabama House of Representatives recently passed Bill104, restoration of ex-felon voting rights.

This bill passed by a vote of 56 to 46.

Fifty-five Democrats voted for the bill.

Five Democrats voted against the bill.

They were Joe Carothers of Dothan, Frank McDaniel of Albertville, Mike Millican of Hamilton, Neal Morrison of Cullman, and Johnny Morrow of Red Bay.

All except one of the 42 Republicans voted against this bill.

The lone Republican who voted for the bill was recently converted Republican Johnny Ford of Tuskegee.

Three of the 105 Representatives, all Democrats, did not vote.

They were Jeff Dolbare of Bigbee, Albert Hall of Gurley, and Frank White of Pollard.

The way each Representative voted is posted on ALISON, the website of the Alabama Legislative Information System Online.

By visiting this website, voters can learn how their State Legislators vote on bills of interest to them.

They may be surprised to find that Legislators sometimes say on thing at home and vote another way in Montgomery.

J. Elbert Peters

Huntsville