2 | LAGNIAPPE | May 26, 2016 - June 1, 2016 LAGNIAPPE ••••••••••••••••••••••••••• WEEKLY MAY 26, 2016 – JUNE 1, 2016 | www.lagniappemobile.com BAY BRIEFS Ashley Trice Co-publisher/Editor Health officials are putting a pinch [email protected] on bar owners who offer free Rob Holbert crawfish to drum up business. Co-publisher/Managing Editor 6 [email protected] COMMENTARY Steve Hall Life advice for recent graduates. Marketing/Sales Director [email protected] Gabriel Tynes 12 Assistant Managing Editor [email protected] BUSINESS Dale Liesch Bay Minette lands a $1.5 million Reporter [email protected] investment by Morganton Pressure Vessels. Jason Johnson 16 Reporter [email protected] CUISINE Eric Mann Saisho, the latest Reporter [email protected] CONTENTS creation of NoJa’s rockstar chef Chakli Kevin Lee Associate Editor/Arts Editor Diggs, serves modern [email protected] American cuisine Andy MacDonald inspired by Japanese Cuisine Editor cooking. [email protected] Stephen Centanni Music Editor [email protected] 1818 J. Mark Bryant Sports Writer COVER [email protected] The Mobile County Stephanie Poe Commission has Copy Editor [email protected] proposed to borrow $20 million for the first Daniel Anderson Chief Photographer phase of a controversial [email protected] $40 million soccer and Laura Rasmussen aquatic complex. Art Director www.laurarasmussen.com Brooke Mathis Advertising Sales Executive 2424 [email protected] Beth Williams ARTS Advertising Sales Executive Add “Arts” to “Science, Technology, [email protected] Engineering and Math” and you get Candace Houston STEAM. Advertising Sales Executive 26 [email protected] Ashley Killian MUSIC Advertising Sales Executive [email protected] Memphis band Lucero comes to The Merry Melissa Edge Editorial Assistant Widow on the strength [email protected] of its latest album, “All Ross Pritchard a Man Should Do.” Distribution Manager [email protected] Jackie Cruthirds OfficeManager [email protected] 30 Contributors: 30 Asia Frey • Brian Holbert • Dan Murphy Jon Coxwell • Ron Sivak • Jeff Poor Lee Hedgepeth FILM On the Cover: Sage Park “Don Verdean” may be a satirical by Daniel Anderson comedy or sincere, but nearly all the POSTMASTER: Send address changes to P.O. performances are superficial. Box 3003 Mobile, AL 36652. 34 Editorial, advertising and production offices are located at 1100B Dauphin St. Mobile, AL 36604. Mailing address is P.O. Box 3003 Mobile, AL 36652. Phone: MEDIA 251.450.4466 Fax 251.450.4498. Email: Catt Sirten’s “Live from Avalon” is [email protected] or [email protected] picked up by PBS. 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Violators are Boozie saw it all hangout at Hangout subject to prosecution. and Stephen Nodine personally says For Lagniappe home delivery visit 46 goodbye. www.lagniappemobile.com/lagniappehd May 26, 2016 - June 1, 2016 | LAGNIAPPE | 3 GoiNGPOSTAL P o L i CEDISPATCH Smarter than you think we are Trust the system, not the (m)asses Michael Boulevard murder suspect in custody No one at NBC has, to my I suspect most of us have recently learned more than we ever wanted to know By Jason Johnson knowledge, said anything flattering about the electoral process in this country. I vaguely remember the elector ap- pointment controversy surrounding Gore/Bush in 2000 but “rigged” primaries about Alabama or Mississippi, but Authorities in Mobile were able to make a quick arrest in a murder have somehow avoided real scrutiny. Mr. [Tom] Brokaw’s low-intellect that occurred on Michael Boulevard over the weekend. According to the suggestion reminds me of a funny It seems obvious the populist segments of both parties have now identified Mobile Police Department, reports of a shooting on the 3800 block of incident on the “Morning Joe” what they consider to be fundamentally flawed systems even though the origins show on MSNBC a few years ago. of the Electoral College and the system as a whole can be traced back to the Michael Boulevard May 22 led to the discovery of a deceased male who I remember because I’m an opera constitutional convention of 1787. Most of us never get past the first 10 amend- was later identified as 30-year-old Eddie Drummond Jr. fan and the Metropolitan had a new ments when studying the constitution so we have to dig deeper to try to find the Drummond’s body was discovered in a parking lot in the area, where general manager who was really current procedures — they’re there (like it or not). police say he appeared to have been shot several times. Drummond was screwing up the Met and trying to Suffice to say, the popular vote defers to that of the Electoral College, where pronounced deceased at the scene. attract people by putting a mega the numbers of delegates ARE based on states’ populations, based on the most The following day, police located and arrested 33-year-old James screen in the plaza at Lincoln recent census. So the vote of the Electoral College is a legitimate version of, Alvin Hubbard and charged him with Drummond’s murder. According or surrogate for, the popular vote. The emergence of political parties with their Center. to Mobile Metro Jail records, Hubbard, who is from Mississippi, has no One weeknight they presented rules, national and within each state, simply compounded the confusion and previous charges in Mobile County on his record. As of May 24, Hub- “Aida,” one of the three most brought us to our current chaotic state. popular operas in the world. The The rules of both parties do not, in fact, seem truly democratic when bard was still in police custody in Mobile. next morning, one of the wispy scrutinized under current circumstances. The simple truth, however, is that the It’s still unclear whether Hubbard knew his victim, and police have intellectual female reporters from “founders” never intended that the popular vote would select the president and yet to give any indication of a motive for the murder. NBC told how she got caught up in vice president, so the “anti-rigging” groups need to get over yourselves — as- the crowd at Lincoln Center over suming you really are constitutional conservatives. ‘Reckless behavior’ cited in May 18 shooting death some show on the screen. I’ve been trying to explain this as best I can to my grandsons, one 15 and According to police, the May 18 death of 40-year old Carlos Allen the other 22. It wasn’t easy until it occurred to me to explain the status of the Joe Scarborough, the show’s was investigated as an accident. current popularly elected leaders of the state of Alabama. We have a governor host and an Alabama alum, tried Officers with the Mobile Police Department say Allen, who was to question her about what she had threatened with impeachment for allegations of sexual improprieties, the speaker found deceased in a vehicle on Williams Street, died from a gunshot seen and heard. She had no idea of the House of Representatives indicted on 23 counts of influence peddling for so he explained it, but his parting personal gain, and the elected chief justice of the state Supreme Court suspend- wound to the neck. According to police, there were witnesses who shot at her was, “My God, you’re ed from the bench for over-ruling the U.S. Supreme Court. I think that captures were in the vehicle with Allen when he was shot, and those interviewed a graduate of Williams College all three branches of government. claimed Allen was “handling a weapon carelessly when he was shot.” and know nothing about the most Why would anyone want the people who elected these three sterling choices Though no conclusions have been reached, the investigation indicates famous opera in the world, and a to elect the president of the United States? Not me! I’ll take my chances on Allen may have shot himself. Police officials also cited “reckless behav- lowly Alabama grad has to explain imperfect but relatively well-informed “superdelegates” or party leadership any ior” on Allen’s part as the cause of death in the case. it to you. Incredible.” time. No one has been charged with any crime in the shooting, but MPD spokesperson Terence Perkins said the case will be presented to a Mo- Dan Benton, George Crozier, bile County grand jury. Fairhope Mobile 4 | LAGNIAPPE | May 26, 2016 - June 1, 2016 May 26, 2016 - June 1, 2016 | LAGNIAPPE | 5 BAYBRIEF | MOBILE COUNTY MCPSS announces second round of school closings BY JASON JOHNSON/REPORTER | [email protected] iting dwindling student populations, the Mobile County rigor and relevance” of academic programs in all grades. This from the Mobile County Health Department found mold and mil- school board voted May 24 to close two of the district’s district is also allocating extra funding to provide “signing dew, water damage, “soiled patient beddings” in the nurse’s area, a schools and relocate students to nearby facilities within bonuses” in hopes of attracting highly qualified teachers for math dishwasher that wasn’t being utilized and “visible signs of insects the district.