Immigration debate hot

The discussion moved to the City of Austin itself, and whether or not Austin is a “sanctuary city" — a community that prohibits law enforcement from inquiring citizens about their legal status.

“How many of us can break a crime and get away with it?" Hendrycks said, followed by a roar of appreciation from the audience.

“This is ludicrous," she proclaimed. “If we do not enforce our laws, anarchy is going to come."

The panelists said although the City of Austin does not consider itself to be a “sanctuary city," they believe it is one because of its policy.

“What do you see happening?" Hendrycks asked. “Give ‘em hell, but be careful when saying Austin is a sanctuary city."

Austin Mayor Tom Stiehm was not available for comment by deadline today.

Employee Morale and the LE Manager

These stories are all too common and underscore what seems to be a pervasive problem in the law enforcement profession: Law enforcement extracts a large toll, psychologically, emotionally, and physically, on those who make it a career and it is not entirely, or even primarily, those policed who take the largest share of that toll. It is often the politics, policies, and stresses generated within the police agencies themselves that most significantly impact law enforcement professionals.

If you are a leader in a police organization, how is the morale of the people under you? If morale is low, then why? Do you believe organizational morale is one of your responsibilities and, if so, what do you do to improve it? Is good morale important, or maybe even essential, for the organization to carry out its mission? What do you and your organization do right, and what can be done better, to make it a good place to work?

Low morale is a serious problem in law enforcement.

Bay attorney to co-chair national law society

NELSON Mandela Bay attorney Max Boqwana has been elected co-chairman of the Law Society of South Africa (LSSA).

Boqwana, 37, started practising law in 1995 after finishing his BA LLB degree at Rhodes University.

I was never influenced by anyone to take up law. I saw the profession as the only formal response to the injustice that was happening in the country during my high school years.

Apart from being a senior partner of Boqwana Loon & Connellan Inc, which is based in the city, Boqwana is a council member of the LSSA, a member of the LSSAs management committee, general secretary of the National Association of Democratic Lawyers, a council member of the SADC Lawyers Association, and a council member of the Cape Law Society.

He was chairman of the Attorneys Fidelity Fund control board from 2005 to 2007 and is currently a director of the Attorney Insurance Indemnity Fund.

Aldermen's vote to buy $3.5 million worth of property draws legal

North Carolina law allows public bodies to go into closed, or executive, sessions for several reasons. Closed sessions may be held to discuss personnel matters, economic incentives, legal issues or land acquisition.

But unsealing the minutes of a closed meeting is not sufficient when it comes to complying with North Carolina law, said Amanda Martin, an attorney with the N.C. Press Association.

"The law does not permit them to take the actual vote in closed session," Martin said Tuesday. "I think it is a violation."

According to the draft minutes, the aldermen went into the hour-long session to discuss buying three parcels of land and buildings on Kale Road in the James City area. The purchase price for the 20 acres and at least one building is $3.5 million.

New child-support law leaves some parents feeling 'penalized'

``I don't think it's fair,'' the Otsego mother said of the new federal law. ``I'm getting penalized for not getting assistance.

``I'm a single mom and I make about $17,000 a year,'' said Herring, who has a 10-year-old son. ``I pride myself on not getting any assistance and we struggle to make it.''

The child-support checks Herring gets is actually payback from when her son's father fell behind in child-support payments, not current support, she said.

The change was announced in letters sent out in mid-July to those who receive child support.

The Federal Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 requires the $25 fee be collected after the custodial parent receives $500 in support, said Colleen Steinman, spokeswoman for the Michigan Department of Human Services' Office of Child Support.