Garou stuff, in the news and general observations

[Chauma Smith Guss]

Any further addenda to downtimes based on this information will be processed in the order you sent me the information.  <3

In the realm:

It's raining.  A lot.  Four out of five days there are periods of heavy downpour and flooding, enough that some of the homes of city dwelling animals and homeless humans are getting washed away, enough to overflow creeks and gullies and rain-off ditches.  

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Birmingham, Alabama - Health Department officials and local area hospitals are cautioning everyone to wear insect repellant and light colored clothing, particularly when out in the woods or in parks, as the mild winter has caused a bloom in the flea and tick population.  The city has increased patrolls by mosquito trucks in hopes that the insecticide will help control the insects.

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Roebuck, Alabama - The Freedom From Right Wing Religion Foundation has sent a letter of complaint to Roebuck City Schools to object to a planned "prayer caravan" set for Aug. 10.

Roebuck County Schools Superintendent Billy Williams initiated the voluntary program which for the past three years has organized a day for school district leaders to visit each county school and say a short prayer.

FFRWRF Staff Attorney Andrew Seigal wrote a letter to Williams on July 22 telling him that it was an unconstitutional government sponsorship of religion.

FFRWRF said the event will alienate nonreligious members of the Roebuck City Schools community and inject religion into what should be a secular public school system. The school system’s official “prayer caravan” event description on its website ended with, “It will be a time to lift our schools up to God and ask His blessings for the upcoming school year.”

In response to the complaint, Williams took the event announcement off the schools' website and Facebook page, Seigal said.

"Simply removing it from the web site is not enough," Seigal told The Birmingham News and AL.com. "They need to cancel the event. We’re still waiting to hear from the school."

Seigal also asked Roebuck City Schools to cancel the practice of having the recitation of the Lord’s Prayer over the schools’ loudspeakers every morning. That practice violates U.S. Supreme Court precedent, notably Abington v. Schempp, a decision celebrating its 

50th anniversary this year, Seigal said.

FFRP also objected to a Roebuck City Schools Institute employee training event being held in a church. It's scheduled to be held at North Brook Church, Tuesday, Aug. 13, at 8:30 p.m., Seigal said.

Williams told WAFF-TV that he had no intention of canceling the prayer caravan.

Seigal said the FFRWRF complained after being alerted by three different families who objected to religious practices conducted by the Roebuck City Schools.

FFRWRF is a chapter of the The Alabama Freethinkers Society.

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BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Birmingham police investigators have determined that foul play was involved in the disappearance of a man July 13th and have charged a suspect with attempted murder.

Investigators obtained a warrant against Darren Reed, 35, and Reed was taken into custody by the Alabama Highway Patrol during a traffic stop in Shelby County, AL, according to a news release from Detective Alex Madison of the Birmingham Metro Homicide Unit.

Reed is charged in connection with the July 13 disappearance of Anthony Eric Brooks III, 22, son of retail magnate Anthony E Brooks Jr, owner of Brookton Mall on Lakeshore Parkway. Investigators believe Brooks was injured, but he has not been located, Phillips said. The 6-foot-3, 175-pound Brooks was last seen with friends, wearing a woven fiber hoodie, black denim jeans and black Nike shoes in the vicinity of Railroad Park.  His dog, Roscoe, has not been found.

Reed was questioned by police but not charged in the June 18 death of 67-year-old George Reed Jr.

Anyone with information about Brooks should call the Birmingham Police Department at 205-###-####, CrimeStoppers at 205-###-#### or the 

department's Criminal Investigations Division at 205-###-####.

Reed will be held on a $1,000,000 bond while he awaits trial, Madison said.

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Mountain Brook, Alabama -- Real Estate Attorney Nicholas Hirsch, son of Greg Hirsch, co-founder of Hirsch Family Home Builders has been reported missing by his wife Olivia.  His uncle, Lukas Hirsch, died recently in a boating accident.  Hirsch recently purchased the Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve and established a trust corporation to manage it.  Olivia Hirsch has been appointed interim manager of the trust.

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Have you seen me?  19 year old Natalia Guy disappeared after her shift at Don-Don's Pizza Delivery on July 24th.  Her friends and coworkers are being questioned and anyone with additonal information is urged to call Birmingham Police Department at 205-###-#### or CrimeStoppers at 205-###-####.

Be well and blessed,
Chauma Smith Guss
"Living is hard work, and not for the faint of heart." - Garrison Keillor
[VST W:TA AL-020-D, US2013040180]