5 AUG 05: NOT OVER TILL IT'S OVER

Your blog confirmed Thursday WRBL's parent company has filed appeals papers, in that federal pregnancy discrimination suit. In fact, the notice was filed in June - but if Media General hasn't announced anything about it for two months, maybe it doesn't expect to win.

The "notice of appeal" which was filed in Atlanta federal appeals court has no details about Media General's grounds. Apparently that's coming later - perhaps after attorneys watch episodes of "Boston Legal" and "The Law Firm" for ideas.

You may recall we spent a week in federal court in mid-March, covering the pregnancy discrimination trial involving WRBL. Melissa Schultz Miller wound up winning $300,000 damages, the legal limit. Hopefully she hasn't bought a fancy new car on credit - much less written a check for her legal fees.

Media General actually is supposed to pay legal costs, under the jury's verdict. But documents filed since March show the company is challenging the bills submitted by Melissa Schultz Miller's attorneys. For one thing, they can't believe the Columbus gas price was really that low....

Even more revealing in the documents we checked Thursday was one showing plaintiff's attorney Gwen Newsom-Bunn proposed a settlement with Media General - in APRIL, one month after the verdict! She'll never become District Attorney with an approach like this....

The documents also show Gwen Newsom-Bunn's offer of a post-trial settlement has brought no response from Media General. The defense refused all settlement talk before the trial, too - but these lawyers should realize in this case, silence is NOT golden.

UPDATE: Your blog contacted attorneys on both sides of the lawsuit, for comment on the appeal. Defense attorney King Tower e-mailed us late Thursday night from Virginia, saying Media General's policy is NOT to comment on pending litigation. That doesn't stop them over at Court TV....

Plaintiff's attorney Maxine Hardy told us the appeals process still is in an early stage. The last transcript of the trial was provided only last Monday. It records the verdict, the jury being polled - but did NOT include a count of how many tissues Melissa Schultz Miller used to cry over her win.

(Media General's attorneys had better not use "news coverage" as an excuse in their appeal. This blog was the only one taking notes and providing reports on the trial - and if we hadn't been there, WRBL managers might have declared they won.)

While we were at federal court, we checked on basketball coach Ashley Powell's lawsuit against the Muscogee County School District. It apparently won't go to trial before next year - so her chances of becoming Shaw High School's next football coach look grim.

Now let's pound the gavel on court matters, and consider other Thursday topics:

+ Which TV news anchor was pulled over downtown for running a red light - but the officer chose NOT to hand out a ticket, deciding the anchor was not a threat? If a city official had received this treatment, would the anchor have considered it a news story?

+ Government Center security personnel confirmed a man was ordered to leave the building Wednesday. We asked the Sheriff's Office why, but we still have no answer - and the man who was told to leave would like one, because he tells me he's stumped. He says he even was dressed up a bit....

+ The manager of Bama Lanes in Phenix City told WRBL business on weekends has doubled, since Georgia banned most public smoking. You'll know this trend is for real, if they organize a "Winston Cup" bowling league.

(Good work, WRBL - you beat me to the obvious line, about smoking bowlers appreciating any "Lucky Strike" they can get.)

+ Habitat for Humanity of Americus announced Minnesota Pastor Jonathan Reckford will be its new chief executive. He once coached the South Korean Olympic rowing team -- which had to be challenging, because one wrong oar pointing north could have started a war.

+ The Columbus Catfish slammed Savannah 5-0, and gave away Tommy Lasorda "bobble-head dolls." You could tell right away these were NOT major league bobble-heads - because Lasorda's stomach didn't bobble as well.

+ Instant Message to Qué Pasa "Tex-Mex Restaurant" on Sidney Simons Boulevard: Why did you drop the "Burrito Company" from your name? Were customers afraid to order giant bean burritos, because of (ahem) what might happen afterward?

COMING SOON: How many freebies can you get in one day in Columbus? Find out how we did....

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UPDATE 1....