20 NOV 05: PAPER CUTS

"At this time, there are no newsroom positions available." That was the message I heard Friday afternoon when I called the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer's automated job line. I guess that means Kaffie Sledge's job is safe for another week.

But seriously: this call to the Ledger-Enquirer's job line may confirm what someone told me recently - that the newspaper does NOT plan to fill the reporter position which opened when Melanie Bennett died. Maybe she took her notes to the grave, but surely not her entire cubicle.

I'm hearing from several places that morale in the Ledger-Enquirer's newsroom is in the pits right now, and reduced staffing is a big reason for it. And we thought Tim Chitwood started covering Columbus Council meetings because he needed joke material [15 Sep] -- now we're starting to wonder.

One person told me the Ledger-Enquirer is getting embarrassed by television stations breaking big stories, and the newspaper printing Phenix City crime stories two days after the fact. But hold on - maybe Ledger reporters are waiting for the big jailhouse interview with Commissioner Ronnie Reed.

. The people spreading stories about the Ledger-Enquirer's newsroom put the blame for the low morale on management - especially one top editor who arrived a couple of years ago. This "new broom" apparently is acting too much like an industrial "shop-vac."

One person claimed to me the Ledger-Enquirer's management has a goal of cutting the number of reporters in half by the end of 2006. If that's true, the managers should realize it won't satisfy the newspaper's critics. They want half the editorial board cut - the left half.

(Come to think of it, does this explain why classic Iron Bowl football games were all over the front pages of the Ledger-Enquirer this past week? Maybe the sports staff isn't getting cut - or maybe it's trying to justify its size.)

Because of the newsroom staff cutting, I'm told, longtime Ledger-Enquirer staff members such as Tim Chitwood and Richard Hyatt are being "lassoed in to work more." At least they haven't jumped the ship completely, and started writing about "C-Town Hotties" for "The Edge Magazine."

We called the Ledger-Enquirer Friday to ask about its staffing, and wound up transferred to the job lines. If it's any comfort to the employees, we should note a human being answered the phone and spoke with us....

But let's face the facts: the newspaper industry as a whole is in a slump. Circulation is down across the country, as more people get their news from the Internet and other sources. Are you paying attention, Ledger-Enquirer advertisers? I said INTERNET - like this web site here.

Have you noticed the stands outside stores, offering you a "free paper" in hopes you'll sign up for a subscription? Some of us who are real cheapskates walk on by - because we read the paper for free at a public library hours before.

The Ledger-Enquirer's parent company hired Wall Street investment specialist Goldman Sachs this past week. Knight-Ridder is considering several options, including selling its newspapers to another company. Maybe Cox Newspapers will buy them -- and we'll get a Chattahoochee Valley edition of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution every day.

To be fair: the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer still breaks its share of news stories. For instance, Friday's issue revealed Kohl's will open a store in the Columbus Park Crossing area next October. This finally may be the impetus for "Buck Ice and Coal" to drop the coal part of its name.

BLOG UPDATE: The roar of helicopters began in my neighborhood at 8:55 a.m. Saturday. If you're going to invite Historic District residents to "God Bless Fort Benning," at least have a sign flying from the back of your chopper mentioning it....

Four military helicopters circled around God Bless Fort Benning for at least half the day Saturday, giving rides to visitors for $45 each. While they made a lot of noise, it probably was the safest day of the year to live at the Booker T. Washington apartments.

As the helicopters flew over the Historic District, someone in my apartment complex had WKZJ "K-92.7 FM" on his stereo. At about 10:45 a.m. that station played the Gap Band classic "You Dropped a Bomb on Me" [true] - and for a moment I was scared....

Fort Benning soldiers were on display at South Commons, for the special day. So were miliary veterans, and visitors were invited to "hug a hero." I can't wait to try this line on women at a nightclub....

Several members of Congress attended God Bless Fort Benning this year. That really wasn't surprising - since next year's event probably will occur after the 2006 election.

The star musical act at God Bless Fort Benning was country singer Tracy Lawrence. He performed his hit song, "How Bad Do You Want It?" Some people apparently didn't want it badly enough - as no Iraqi insurgents showed up.

For the first time, God Bless Fort Benning stretched well into the night. One event was a Phenix City Amphitheater concert by Vince Vance and the Valiants. If you saw Vince's picture on billboards, his hairdo almost could fit the SOA Watch stereotype.

(That concert really may have been aimed across the Chattahoochee River - as SOA Watch traditionally sets up organizational tents at the grassy oval near Tenth and Bay Avenue. So this could have been a long-distance "tents situation.")

The Columbus Civic Center had a Cottonmouths game after God Bless Fort Benning - and the hockey team came out wearing the colors of the U.S. flag. So should true soldier-loving Columbus residents have rooted for the New England Patriots to beat Atlanta a few weeks ago?

There were no firm numbers Saturday night on how many people attended God Bless Fort Benning. One person who was there told me it wasn't as crowded as she expected it would be. Maybe if the Columbus Exchange Club had shown up, selling foot-long hot dogs....

(While the final attendance count is in doubt, we can be sure of one thing. No one at God Bless Fort Benning was arrested for crossing a line or climbing a fence.)

The Saturday evening news asked several Fort Benning soldiers what they thought of the SOA Watch protest - and many admitted they didn't know much about it. What do you know? That puts them even with a large numbers of today's demonstrators on Fort Benning Road.

The organizers of God Bless Fort Benning say it's not a "counter-protest." Yet Dr. Jack Tidwell told the evening news the event supports "protesters in uniform" - the U.S. military, protesting terrorism. The Iraqis probably wished their carried placards, instead of rifles.

To say God Bless Fort Benning is NOT a counter-event to SOA Watch weekend is at least disingenuous. Remember how it all started - with a tent near the protesting crowd at the main gate three years ago. Besides, veterans like Jim Rhodes probably want it timed to fall precisely on Armed Forces Day in May.

So did I visit God Bless Fort Benning Saturday? No -- and I don't plan to visit the SOA Watch protest today, either. I decided I should attend either both events, or neither of them. You want your blogger to be "fair and balanced," right?

I skipped God Bless Fort Benning because I went to church. The congregation where I attend wants God to bless ANYONE truly trying to please Him. Which leads me to dare to ask - where on Saturday's schedule was a prayer, with ministers ASKING for that blessing?

Now for other little things from a big weekend of area activities:

+ WRBL reported at least one Columbus gas station has dropped below two dollars a gallon. I'm told at least one Macon station has fallen to $1.87. So we know the drill, don't we? Fill your tank today, before the Thanksgiving price hike.

+ The AFLAC Tower was lit on the east and west sides with a "50" after dark. If you're in Columbus for the weekend, please don't be confused by this. This is marking AFLAC's 50^th anniversary - NOT how many stories the skyscraper has, and not even Dan Amos's age.

+ Auburn University's trustees voted to give Interim President Ed Richardson a $60,000 raise. One more of those in a couple of years, and he might finally drop the "interim" part of the title.

+ Auburn beat Alabama for the fourth year in a row 28-18, as the Tiger defense tackled the Tide quarterback 11 times. So was this an Iron Bowl, or a sack race?

+ Later in the evening, Georgia Tech stunned third-ranked Miami 14-10. Of course, that's the final score for now. If history repeats itself, Tech will lose that game 1-0 five years from now due to an ineligible player.

(You've got to love Georgia Tech broadcaster Wes Durham. He previewed next week's Georgia game by calling it "good old-fashioned hate." Larry Munson would have waited until next Saturday's pre-game show to go to that extreme.)

+ Instant Message to "Just for Men": How did you know?! I mean, sending me that coupon for hair coloring - who told you about my new beard?

SONG OF THE DAY: Under "loser has their fight song changed" rules, it's time for Alabama's tune to go commercial:

Call Ken Nugent - get a check!

If you're in a car and you're in a nasty wreck.

Call Ken Nugent, right away!

He knows how to make the insurance agents pay.

Make one call and -- that is all!

Since you know the settlement you're offered is too small.

When you're in a collision,

Make the right lawyer decision....

So call Ken Nugent - get a check!

Tell tort reformers they're pains in the neck!

COMING MONDAY: We wrap up the big weekend.... and get an update on that good-looking woman at Houlihan's....

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