NEWVILLE: Alabama Speaker of the House, Nathaniel Ledbetter, traveled all the way to Newville to speak at the re-election announcement of District 85 Incumbent Rick Rehm.
The Alabama Legislature is made up of 105 members of the Alabama House of Representatives and 35 members of the Alabama Senate.
Alabama State Representative Nathaniel Ledbetter is Speaker of the House which is in charge of all 105 members of the Alabama House. He handles the meetings and assignments to committees.
Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter traveled specifically to Ravenwood in Newville to personally endorse Rick Rehm for re-election to the Alabama House of Representatives.
NEWVILLE: Republican Incumbent Alabama House of Representative Member Rick Rehm, District 85, which represents all of Henry County and parts of Houston County speaks Tuesday evening at Ravenwood.
Republican Incumbent Rehn held his announcement for re-election at Ravenwood located on Highway 431 north of Newville. In a packed house with top level members of the Alabama House of Representatives present. Those top members included the Speaker of the Alabama House, Nathaniel Ledbetter, Majority Leader Scott Stadthagan, and fellow House Members of the local legislative delegation being Representative Steve Clouse, Paul Lee and Jeff Sorrells.
Former Chairman of the Houston County Republican Party, John Gormley, was the Master of Ceremonies for the re-election announcement.
Just 12 days ago Rick Rehm had hip surgery so that is why he has a cane.
The most impressive speakers were Aleah Sanders and Luke Lawson ( hope I spelled names corrently.) These two are seniors of Headland High School who are very much involved in and has studied politics. They were very impressive and gave great presentations.
Some others in attendance, Houston County Commission Chairman Brandon Shoupe, Houston County Commissioner District 2 Tracy Adams, Houston County Commission Candidate District 3 Taylor Knight, Houston County School Supt. Brandy White, Henry County Commission Chairman/Probate Judge Ray Marler, Henry County Sheriff Eric Blankenship, Headland Mayor Jody Singleton, Alex Reynolds and many others.
Election will be in May 2026.
NOTE: The entire event was almost 30 minutes. I broke the talks down where they were easier to watch and that is why so many seperate articles.
DALE COUNTY: Dale County Sheriff Mason Bynum and members of Dale County Sheriff Department, Houston County Sheriff Donald Valenza and members of Houston County Sheriff Department are working together searching for a missing person.
WASP ( Wiregrass Aviation Support Program ) is in the air assisting.
COWARTS: Houston County 911 dispatched Houston County Sheriff Deputies and Ashford Police to Cowarts City Hall to disorderly subjects, reported to be armed.
The information was Cowarts Mayor Elect, Greg Odom, had a locksmith at the City Hall having the locks changed on the building. Ashford Police was first on the scene and called for backup units, which were already enroute.
There was a locksmith truck at the city hall on arrival of law enforcement.
The Mayor election for Cowarts was very heated. The current mayor of 15 or so years, Randy Rowland, was defeated by fellow councilmember Greg Odom for Mayor. However, Randy Rowland is still Mayor until the official changing of guards on Monday. And Cowarts City Hall is open for business on Thursday and Friday. And until 12 AM on Monday Rowland is still the Mayor.
Law Enforcement told the current Mayor there were no criminal charges which could be lodged against Odom. Which the locksmith, according to Mayor Randy Rowland, told him that Odom called him to change the locks.
Finally the original locks were changed back, Mayor Rowland took possession of city hall back, the Deputies were back in service, and no one went to jail.
According to articles that RSN has read in the Alabama League of Municipalities, a councilman has ZERO authority, except in an official meeting when the majority of the council votes in favor of a motion. Other than that a single councilman or even a majority of the council present, but not in an official meeting where a motion passed, has no authority.
Odom is a current councilman but there was no meeting tonight so there was no way an official vote could be taken. And even though Mayor Elect, Odom has no official power until the changing of the guards on Monday. Therefore if Odom called the locksmith and directed to change the locks he has no legal authority to do so.
The current Mayor was told the District Attorney probably would not presecute the matter. But failure to do so is willful neglect of duty on the part of the District Attorney if the current Mayor decided to press charges.
Because it is no different then a District Attorney Elect thinking he can go prosecute a case before he officially takes office. The courts would laugh him out of the courthouse.
The final outcome tonight, the locks restored to the original locks. the current Mayor Randy Rowland has gone inside City Hall to see if anything was tampered with, all others have left, no one went to jail, and everyone gone.
BARBOUR – BULLOCK COUNTY: For decades the “only”Circuit Court Judge in Barbour and Bullock County, Bert Smithhart, has protected bondsman James Thomas.
The only Circuit Judge, Bert Smithhart, has denied any other bondsman from operating in Barbour County but James Thomas Bonding. He has sit on any paperwork filed by someone else or bogus reasons why no other bondsman could open in Barbour County.
And then orders for bonds would be written “professional surety required”. This meant you had to use and pay James Thomas whatever he charged. Citizens were not allowed property bonds with orders written “professional surety required”.
A person is considered innocent until proven guilty and under most charges are allowed a reasonable bond. But Circuit Court Judge Bert Smithhart has allowed basic extortion of people that you paid what James Thomas charged or you remained in jail.
Today Eufaula Police Department arrested, around noon, that bondsman, James Thomas. The charges, as RSN understands, were for domestic violence and possession of cocaine.
Actions observed over the years of the only Circuit Court Judge in Barbour and Bullock County, RSN believes Bert Smithhart is not clean and honest. That is my opinion in what we have observed and been told.
Sources have said they will be filing judicial ethics complaints against Circuit Court Judge Bert Smithhart in the immediate future. In review of court filings over the last several years the records do not show honesty.
