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2 JUN 04: SINS OF THE SONS

Tuesday's news revealed the teenage son of Muscogee County Sheriff Ralph Johnson was arrested on charges of marijuana possession. It's embarrassing -- but in a way, perhaps we all should be relieved. In this case, police say they FOUND the drugs....

Columbus police say they found eight bags of marijuana on Adam Johnson at a Victory Drive convenience store. The bags reportedly were in his pocket, inside his truck, and even in a police car after he rode in it. Now hold on a minute -- in the police car?! There's step one toward the "I was framed" defense.

Sheriff Ralph Johnson admitted to WRBL his son DID have marijuana on him last weekend. Hey, there's step two for the defense! Choose a racially-mixed jury, call the Sheriff to testify, and you might have a deadlock over whether the testimony is believable.

The Sheriff added when it comes to the arrest of 17-year-old son Adam Johnson, "I'm playing by the rules." Hmmmm - does that mean his boy gets kicked out of the house or not?

Sheriff Ralph Johnson told the Ledger-Enquirer his teenage son "will face the consequences." Now this should be interesting to watch. Who will face them first: David Glisson or Adam Johnson?

It was interesting Tuesday to hear people around me react to the arrest of Adam Johnson. Several said Sheriff Ralph Johnson shouldn't be held responsible for what his 17-year-old son may have done. Republicans laughed at this sort of thinking for years - until Vice President Cheney's daughter revealed she's a lesbian.

At times like this, the question arises of whether the arrest of a famous person's child really is news. My boss says Adam Johnson's arrest is news because the father/Sheriff is a "public figure." Oh really?! Doesn't it seem like this Sheriff often tries hard NOT to be a public one?

It sometimes seems like Columbus news media in general are protective, when it comes to offenses by the children of well-known citizens. You might call it the GOB principle - Good Ol' Boys showing gobs of respect for each other.

Around this season a few years ago, I took a call from someone complaining about a loud post-graduation party in Green Island Hills - at the home of a famous-name resident. The caller wanted a TV crew to show up, and put that family to shame. But how far do you go with this? I don't take pictures of neighbors with loud radios on their porches....

BLOG UPDATE: Russell County Commission Tillman Pugh had a close call in Tuesday's Alabama Primary. In fact, it may have been even a closer call than that January night at Wal-Mart....

The final count in Russell County shows Commissioner Tillman Pugh won reelection, but with only 50.7 percent of the vote. Considering Pugh's recent problems with Administrator LeeAnn Horne-Jordan, I can only conclude nine more men cast votes than women.

The big issue no one dared discuss in the Russell County Commission races was LeeAnn Horne-Jordan's sex discrimination complaint. It turned out most Commissioners won new terms - so maybe voters would rather get their entertainment watching officials snipe at each other.

I heard an early complaint Tuesday about the primary vote in Russell County. A woman in Pittsview claimed she received the wrong ballot for a School Board seat, without the candidate she wanted. If you can't exercise your right to vote, get exercise another way - by picking up phones over and over to make calls.

It turns out the woman's favorite candidate won easily. Kenneth Barnes claimed a school board seat with 74 percent of the vote, even though Barnes himself was given the wrong ballot and couldn't vote for himself! I predict as a new board member, Barnes will emphasize geography skills -- such as reading maps.

BIG PREDICTION UPDATE: Was I ever wrong about Tuesday night's Miss Universe pageant! After predicting Amelia Vega here last year, my pick of Peru didn't even get past the first round! Maybe now I'm under the Candace Cook curse or something....

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© 2003-04 Richard Burkard, All Rights Reserved.