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26 SEP 04: EPPS, THEY DID IT AGAIN
Muscogee County Democrats opened a new headquarters on Macon Road Saturday. It's in the old Pier One Imports Building -- and we all know how well that worked for Judge Roxann Daniel during the summer.
Meanwhile, Russell County Democrats are trying to regroup from an important court ruling. A judge kicked Commission Chair Cattie Epps off the November ballot, even though she won the primary in June. Republicans now are racing the clock - searching for a way to get John Kerry disqualified, too.
Russell County Probate Judge Al Howard declared Cattie Epps ineligible for the November election because she filed campaign finance documents after the June 1 primary. This ruling gave an amazing new meaning to the religious song, "One Day Too Late."
Cattie Epps sued Probate Judge Al Howard, attempting to stay on the November ballot. For some reason, Epps never argued that the handling of election ballots has nothing to do with probate cases.
Al Howard admitted to the Ledger-Enquirer last month even if Cattie Epps was barred from the ballot, Russell County voters still could write in her name for Commissioner. We'll see if Epps tries to organize this sort of campaign. She'd help
her chances by changing her first name to "Cat" for a few weeks.
(I can hear Commissioner Epps borrowing an old Richard Gephardt line now - "It's your CAT-fight, too!")
Remember Al Howard's words several months ago, after Russell County Commissioners such as Cattie Epps voted to reinstate Administrator LeeAnn Horne-Jordan? The judge warned Horne-Jordan's backers risked a possible recall drive. It turns out there was a bigger risk - a man with both a gavel and a bad mood.
By the way, the chair of Russell County's Democratic Executive Committee is a familiar name - J.W. Brannen, who lost the mayor's race last month. If Cattie Epps winds up losing her Commission seat, Brannen might want to consider retiring to Lake Eufaula.
THE BIG BLOG QUESTION is back, based on the entry we posted Saturday night (just below this one). Now you can tell me whether I should hold beggars accountable for their claims - or whether my wallet pocket and heart have cast-iron buttons on them.
Now let's check other findings of the weekend:
+ The chief executive of St. Francis Medical Center resigned, telling the Ledger-Enquirer he had unspecified "management differences" with the board. You don't think someone actually suggested renaming the hospital "Hurricane Frances...."?!
+ Albany's City Manager told Police Chief Bobby Johnson to leave, only days after he announced plans to retire in January. Now I finally understand why Columbus Police Chief Willie Dozier doesn't want to talk on camera....
(The interim police chief in Albany happens to be named Bob Boren. Is this some new "police and fire games" competition or something?)
+ WXTX "Fox 54" held open auditions for a local version of "American Idol." One judge from Foxie-105 FM described some of the candidates as "great shower singers." Or as Simon Cowell might call them - losers.
+ Atlanta's baseball team clinched its 13th division title in a row. Considering how much this team changed from last year, I think Bobby Cox finally should win the "Manager of the Year" award. If he doesn't, I think Cox should argue about it until he gets ejected -- since he's so good at that, too.
+ Auburn's football team breezed to a 33-3 victory over The Citadel. Coach Tommy Tuberville hopes to build on this next year, by finding a college called The Country-dell.
+ Columbus State's women's soccer team lost 2-0 to the renamed college "South Carolina-Upstate." Is this really a good name for a university? Won't jeering fans accuse all the players of taking "uppers?"
+ Instant Message to Buck Ice and Coal: Your "official" Confederate flag on Talbotton Road looks tattered and torn. Too bad all the street-corner vendors around town only sell the politically incorrect version.
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© 2003-04 Richard Burkard, All Rights Reserved.