Jan. 10, 1948: The date fell on a Saturday during a 12-year period (1940-52) when The Star didn’t publish on that day of the week.
Jan. 10, 1998, in The Star: Last month Anniston bar owner Dee Ford started putting exotic dancers on stage at the Ramada Inn, at Quintard and 4th Street, where he also has a lease on the inn’s restaurant and bar. Ford says he’ll let that contract expire in February, but not before. That might not be soon enough for Ramada corporate officials, who have a policy against strip clubs in their lodgings. The new owners of the Ramada, who have a valuable franchise agreement with the corporation, say they’re stuck — they bought the motel in June of 1997 but Ford had acquired the contract on the restaurant and bar during the previous January. “My clients had no knowledge that Mr. Ford was going to begin the dancing without their knowledge,” said an attorney representing the four owners. Also this date: Alabama’s governor, attorney general and secretary of state, Republicans all, announced yesterday that the U.S. Justice Department has approved an Alabama law that requires voters to show identification in special elections in small Alabama towns (less than 12,000 population). The three elected officials are also sponsoring legislation that would require voters to produce identification in all elections. Attorney General Bill Pryor said, “This is a tremendous first step to bringing honest elections to the citizens of Alabama through voter identification. There is no good reason not to have this law.” Proposed legislation would require a valid Alabama driver’s license, some other generally recognized picture ID, or a signed affidavit when voting. The legislation would also require an equal number of Republican and Democratic poll workers.
