5 JAN 05: JUST DOING OUR JOBS

Well, well - a report submitted to Columbus Council Tuesday night shows police actually handled the Alniece Peterson collision properly. NOW can the city find some money for a public safety pay increase?

The Georgia State Patrol office in Manchester was asked to review last October's collision on Oates Avenue, which left four-year-old Alniece Peterson badly injured. The findings submitted to Columbus Council actually seem to absolve Adam Johnson of any blame - so the Sheriff's son can apply for a summer internship as a deputy trainee now.

The Georgia State Patrol review concluded young Alniece Peterson was "unsupervised" on October 29, and "ran into the roadway in front of approaching traffic...." This followed a Friday night service at Bethany Worship Center - which leaves you wondering if this church should be more Pentecostal, and let everyone run up and down the aisles.

The Georgia State Patrol decided Alniece Peterson darting onto Oates Avenue was "the only contributing factor in the direct cause of this collision." So Adam Johnson's pickup wasn't to blame after all? To hear some people at the scene talk, you'd think Johnson was practicing for the NASCAR Truck series.

(You may recall people at the scene of the October collision wanted Adam Johnson checked for all sorts of things. Was he driving while drunk? Was he on drugs? Did his father assign him the task of running over potential voters in the Sheriff's election?)

The State Patrol review goes on to say in the Alniece Peterson case, Columbus Police "conducted an accurate and thorough investigation without any prejudice." And here we've been led to believe the only people in town who could do this were running civil rights groups....

(Of course, there's one important thing to keep in mind. This collision occurred on Willie Dozier's final weekend as Columbus Police Chief. Rick Boren took over November 1 - and with a white guy in charge, some officers may feel "liberated" somehow.)

Columbus Mayor Bob Poydasheff did not seem surprised by the outside report on the Alniece Peterson case. He says he knew all along the police did a professional job - even if they sometimes feel like they're paid like rank amateurs.

So an outside investigation has found Columbus Police in the right and Adam Johnson not to blame. Does that mean the new stop signs on Oates Avenue can come down? Or should they be pointed away from the street, and toward church doors?

I somehow have the feeling local civil rights groups will not be satisfied by the Georgia State Patrol's report on the Alniece Peterson case. In fact, Pastor Wayne Baker may give that "new grand jury" he wants some extra work to do....

(How will civil rights groups "spin" this Georgia State Patrol report? Will they call it politics as usual - and somehow claim Governor Sonny Perdue is really as "independent" as Sheriff Ralph Johnson?)

The biggest civil rights group in Columbus had something else to do Tuesday night. The NAACP chose a successor to Edward DuBose. Now now, you cynical blog writers - I don't want to hear anything about the passing of the ceremonial purple suit.

The Columbus NAACP chapter selected current Vice President Bill Madison as its new president. I assume this was done by a vote of the membership. But if touch-screen voting wasn't used, can you really trust these results?

I asked two different people Tuesday night about Bill Madison's background - and I'm saddened to say the word I kept hearing was "slumlord." Certainly Madison doesn't expect renters to pay an extra "tip" to charity every so often....

BLOG UPDATE: Auburn's football team probably felt like unplugging their TV sets Tuesday night. Southern California not only won the Orange Bowl, but blew Oklahoma away 55-19. The only way Auburn will get first-place votes in the coaches' poll is if Tommy Tuberville can give ballots to his assistants.

Southern Cal spotted Oklahoma an early lead, then blew the Sooners out of the Orange Bowl. The Trojans will say they're number one. Auburn will still claim it's number one. And what do you know - we're divided into "red states" and "blue states" all over again.

I heard more than one person grumble Tuesday night that Oklahoma was weak, and Auburn would put up a much better fight against Southern California. How quickly we forget -- only 16 months ago, U.S.C. went to Auburn and made the Tigers look even more wimpy.

Auburn quarterback Jason Campbell tried his best to persuade the public Tuesday, after the Sugar Bowl -- claiming the Tigers beat more teams with nine or ten wins than anyone else. If you didn't know better, you'd think Campbell's major is political science.

When you consider all the unbeaten college football teams, wouldn't a better final showdown really pit Southern Cal against UTAH, instead of Auburn? As much as they scored in their bowls, that clash might last five hours instead of the Orange Bowl's four.

Now to wrap things up with "news, weather, sports and go to bed":

+ Columbus Council held an emotional farewell ceremony for City Manager Carmen Cavezza. Mimi Woodson seemed almost ready to cry, as she talked about calling Cavezza "at 12, one in the morning" asking what she should do. Why she calls the City Manager about her children, I have no idea.

+ Frances Harris of Sylvester issued a statement admitting she was NOT pregnant with twins at age 59 after all. In fact, Harris's son now isn't sure if she ever was expecting at all. Perhaps we can be thankful Harris doesn't go to dog shows, like that accused killer in Kansas City did.

+ In the weather, the high temperature in Columbus again topped 70 degrees F. Put these warm January days together with the government report on the Clean Air Act, and Columbus may be turning into the Los Angeles of the Southeast.

+ And in sports, the head football coach at Pacelli High School resigned to take over "Doctor Phillips High School" in Orlando. How many Muscogee County School Board members would like Dr. John Phillips to join him?

To offer a story tip, make a donation or comment on this blog, write me - but be warned, I may post a reply.

If you quote from this in public somewhere, please be polite enough to let me know.

© 2003-05 Richard Burkard, All Rights Reserved.