2 JUN 06: I GIVE TO YOU AND YOU GIVE TO ME
Muscogee County Sheriff Ralph Johnson called a news conference Thursday afternoon, to explain his opinion on the proposed city budget. This was a very symbolic event - because the sheriff usually calls news conferences only when something criminal has occurred.
Sheriff Ralph Johnson said he's against paying incoming Columbus police officers about $31,000 a year. The reason he stated was that 110 of his deputies make less than that now. But isn't there a subtle message here -- that his deputies really aren't that loyal to him?
Ralph Johnson says the Muscogee County Sheriff's Department has 15 vacancies right now, and he's likely to lose 40 more this year. No reporter dared ask him if Deputy David Glisson's position ever was filled.
Sheriff Ralph Johnson warned a higher salary for incoming Columbus Police officers would cause "significant turnover" in his department. To which some current police officers would say: "Climb aboard; this carnival ride has room for more."
(At least no one can accuse Sheriff Ralph Johnson of nepotism. I doubt his son Adam would pass any entrance exam to be a deputy right now.)
Isn't some internal turnover already happening within local public safety? I've heard of police officers taking jobs with the Muscogee County Marshal's Office to make more money. Maybe that's why rumors are starting again about possibly eliminating that department -- it's apparently filled with wealthy fat cats.
But the Sheriff's Department is different from the Police Department in one big way - the Sheriff is under Justice Department pressure to be fully staffed. If it's not, the federal government could sue. Of course, the Kenneth Walker case would come first - and there might not be any money left to pay the feds damages.
Major Terri Ezell of the Muscogee County Sheriff's Department told the late news Thursday night the county jail sometimes has one correctional officer for 60 inmates in a cell block. This sounds totally unacceptable. Schools would have at least two teachers for that many locked-in students.
In response to the Sheriff, Mayor Bob Poydasheff replied in effect: "Talk to the pay study." He says the recommendations from an outside review should determine city government salaries. Of course, it sort of works the same way on Election Day....
(Be careful, Mr. Mayor -- Sheriff Ralph Johnson has endured controversy in office, and actually won re-election.)
By the way, Mayor Bob Poydasheff is scheduled to give the commencement speech tonight at Beacon University. What does it say when a Christian college chooses him, over an opponent who's a former Christian school headmaster?
E-MAIL UPDATE: One of our readers was stunned by an arrest the other day in Lee County:
Unbelievable
Registered Sex Offender Back Behind Bars
Are the laws that weak on this or what...
maybe he will move onto chambers county..Russell County did not want Him and now Lee county has to deal with this mess..
Really now -- should Charles Gaddy Junior take his alleged child pornography and go on tour?
We're not touching that one any further. Instead, we'll greet a relatively new reader:
i just found this link a month ago.Since then i have read all your post since 2003. I reall enjoy them.It is the first thing i view each morning.I thought you might be sick this morning when you didnt post at midnight.Looking foward to reading 1000 more. Bernerd drury
Glad to have you, Bernerd! It's humbling to know I'm the first thing you view each morning -- but also a bit scary. Robin Meade on CNN Headline News is a lot better looking....
And I'm glad you enjoy what we post here. But wow -- if you read all 1,000 posts in the last month, I'm going to feel as slow as a hunting dog under a front porch in July in the days ahead.
BIG PREDICTION UPDATE: It turned out the winning word in Thursday night's National Spelling Bee had only nine letters, not ten. But c'mon - Ursprache? I come from a German background, and we never "sprachen" that....
I knew one word in the championship round of the National Spelling Bee right away -- "aubade." That used to be the name of a weekend classical music show on WABE-FM in Atlanta. That was before public radio stations decided you needed to hear news and solve word puzzles on Sunday mornings instead.
Now let's put away the dictionary, and check other items from Thursday:
+ Which television station's news crew was arrested at the site of an Army helicopter crash in Colquitt County, Georgia? I'm hearing the crew was hauled away for trespassing. That'll teach them to brag on the air about being "first on the scene" of big stories.
+ Former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman finally ran a TV campaign commercial in Columbus. He urged Democrats to "fight for me" in next Tuesday's primary. He might be better off asking for donations to his defense fund....
+ The "World of Outlaws" sprint car series held races at East Alabama Motor Speedway. Every time I see those cars with the long metal plates on top, I wonder how many fans wish they could stack pitchers of beer on them.
+ WDAK radio announced it will broadcast today's final round of the Georgia high school baseball playoffs with Columbus High School. Apparently the Columbus Catfish will have to wait their turn to be on radio - maybe in September.
(One Columbus High player told WRBL Coach Bobby Howard shows the team boxing tapes to "toughen them" for big games. And then you wonder why major league clubs have bench-clearing brawls....)
+ Instant Message to the stranger who walked by me on First Avenue, and asked if I play PlayStation video games: Are you THAT desperate for an opponent? Or did you notice I'd just finished running, and figured you could whip me?
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