14 OCT 05: FEMA'S FAVORITES
Did you know there's a list of hotels and motels where some U.S. government employees HAVE to stay when they travel? It's compiled by your friends at the Federal Emergency Management Agency -- so next time there's a disaster, you'll know where to go to complain late at night.
BLOG EXCLUSIVE: Your blog has discovered the FEMA list of approved housing for U.S. government travelers has a surprising name on it - the Center City Motel in Phenix City. Given this motel's reputation, you're tempted to ask if it was listed first when Bill Clinton was President.
The Center City Motel on Opelika Road is the one Russell County prosecutors want to close, for alleged drug-dealing and prostitution. Yet it's on a FEMA list of approved places for U.S. government travelers to stay. And as many people from New Orleans would tell you: with friends like FEMA, who need enemies?
How did the Center City Motel make FEMA's list? Because it's considered a "fire-safe motel." If you've driven by it, I'm not sure if you'd agree - unless you happened to see a couple of wide-open doors on the second floor....
Did FEMA check the Center City Motel, before putting it on the "fire-safe list" for government employees? I'm not really sure. Any motel owner can register at the web site of FEMA's "U.S. Fire Administration" branch. If your home shows up on the list next week, I guess the answer will be no.
Our online check of the FEMA fire-safe list found six Phenix City motels listed. But it's interesting to note only one of them is designated as having a fire sprinkler system. At the rest, you may have to hurry outside to the ice machine....
(Yes, this list of approved motels for U.S. government travelers is online. And if we know where it is, we fear those spies from the Philippines probably know as well....)
As for Columbus, 24 motels are listed on the FEMA fire-safe list. You may be reassured to know only one of them is on Victory Drive - and none of them are also on the Fort Benning off-limits list.
We came upon this list of fire-safe motels because this is Fire Prevention Week. Alabama officials are especially concerned this year about people leaving burning candles unattended. So please, do NOT answer the phone while someone in your family brings out a birthday cake.
Alabama ranks sixth-highest among U.S. states in the rate of fire deaths. Georgia ranks 12th. The Columbus Fire Department tries to lower this number, by offering free smoke detectors to those in need. But with heating prices expected to jump this winter, maybe they should offer free fire barrels as well.
While we were browsing online this week, we also found an interesting new Brookings Institution report. It shows nine percent of Columbus residents have no access to a car -- not far below the percentage in New Orleans. Next time we have days of heavy rain, go to a METRA station and charge 50 cents a rider.
Now for other short hops from Thursday:
+ Many Jews and some Christians marked the Biblical Day of Atonement. The Pastor of our congregation used his sermon to reveal he's finally seen the movie "The Passion of the Christ." After about 18 months, apparently it's at last safe to watch.
(Our Pastor was neutral about the Mel Gibson movie last year, but his comments suggested he was against church members watching it. I'm not sure what made him change his mind - because I doubt he was waiting for the book version to come out.)
+ A group of Russian medical professionals toured The Medical Center's Perinatal Center. The Russians hope to upgrade their own center - before all the babies get adopted by U.S. couples and moved here.
+ Traffic on Hamilton Road was slowed when a water main broke. There was so much water that potential dinners at Rose Hill Seafood wanted to make a run for it....
+ Groome Transportation assured the evening news it will NOT raise prices for its Atlanta airport shuttles, despite high gas costs. That's because ridership is up in recent weeks. Be sure you take an iPod, so you don't have to hear the boring blabbermouth sitting next to you.
+ Instant Message to the Chevron at 13th and Veterans Parkway: What's going on here? Your posted gas price is $2.75, while Spectrum and Summit a block away are at $2.80?? Should I assume the state nailed you for price gouging several weeks ago?
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