As all political wonks in Alabama know, former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ron Sparks is now in the employ of Republican Gov. Robert Bentley. The Anniston Star shares a moment with a philosophical Sparks as he talks about keeping the big picture and living up to all the talk about bipartisanship. But will he switch parties? No way. From The Anniston Star -- Ron Sparks still pounding the pavement -- at the Governor's request

It never amounted to much, but over the years, voters occasionally grumbled about Alabama agriculture commissioners putting their names in big, bold letters on inspection stickers that appeared on gas pumps and grocery store scales across the state. Gov. Robert Bentley even brought the issue up in one of his debates with then-Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks. Well, so much for that. The Anniston Star reports that new commissioner John McMillan has decided to redesign the stickers. Instead of "John McMillan," they just say "approved." In fairness, we should add that former Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks responded to The Star's story after it ran in the paper. While he didn't question McMillan's decision to make the change, Sparks said there was a reason to put his name on those gas pumps. "I received many phone calls, over the years, from people who said they didn't get a gallon of gas they paid for, or similar issues," he said in a phone interview Friday."I wanted people to know who to call when they had a problem." From The Anniston Star -- Ag commissioner's name removed from pump and scale stickers

We have to admit, we were skeptical when we heard news reports that various products marketed as “bath salts” were being banned in Alabama because they’re actually dangerous narcotics. Don’t get us wrong. Bama Fact Check is against the use of addictive drugs. Snorting random consumer products is a good way to get yourself a Darwin Award. But something about the news accounts of the bath salt phenomenon made our fact-checking feelers go up. Teens who think they can fly after using drugs? A new drug that’s right up there with heroin and cocaine? Users who go crazy and have “superhuman strength?” We could feel all the old standards of drug war propaganda being trotted out. As a fact-checking organization, we want actual, direct accounts -- not friend-of-a-friend anecdotes and guesswork. Who thought they could fly, and where? Well, good journalism to the rescue. The Washington Post has an excellent article on the bath salt phenomenon, complete with accounts from actual former users and their families, plus an explanation of the active chemical involved, and hard numbers on emergency room admissions for the drug. It won’t have you looking for bath-salt-snorting zombies under your bed, but it makes a pretty good case. Funny, how the facts can do that.

Until now, Bama Fact Check has stayed away from coverage of the Toomer's Corner tree poisoning. While football permeates every facet of life in Alabama, there was no explicitly political angle to the story. (Though it's a safe bet that the poisoning will generate some action in Montgomery, if only a resolution, when the Legislature starts its session.) Even so, an article from The Opelika-Auburn News (a Bama Fact Check partner) reminds us that it's not only politicians who lie -- and that politicians' lies are not the only lies that get repeated in the media. A caller to a popular sports radio show said he'd poisoned the beloved trees because Auburn fans allegedly rolled them in celebration after the death of legendary Alabama coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. The story has since been repeated in a number of media outlets. Is there any truth to the claim? The Opelika-Auburn news wasn't able to find any. From The Opelika-Auburn News -- No evidence Auburn fans rolled Toomers oak after Bryant's death