10 NOV 06: P.D. OR NOT P.D.?

That is the question - and voters in neighboring counties have given different answers. Columbus is putting a former chief of the police department in the mayor's office. Chattahoochee County may shut down its new police department. And oh yes -- Pee Dee beat the Cottonmouths in hockey Thursday night 6-4.

Chattahoochee County Police Chief Ken Suddeth told WRBL Thursday he plans to keep working, even though a judge has ordered a freeze on the department's growth. Suddeth says he plans "to protect and to serve" - even if that means protecting his office, when he's served a court order.

The new police department in Chattahoochee County is in limbo because of more than the court order. Voters kicked out two pro-police commissioners Tuesday, then a third commissioner resigned. It's tempting to borrow Frank Myers's line from Tuesday night and say, "There's a new sheriff in town" - except the voters prefer the current one.

Chattahoochee County Commissioner Wade Coleman agrees with the Tuesday vote. He said Thursday a separate police department is "not what consolidation [with Cusseta] was about." Wait until Jim Wetherington hears that quote - then the rumors about City Manager Isaiah Hugley will move to Sheriff Ralph Johnson.

The outcome in Chattahoochee County clearly was a vote of confidence in that county's sheriff. Rumors had swirled about him not serving arrest warrants. But a state investigation found nothing - matching what visitors to the Cusseta City Park found for several years.

There's now a real possibility that with new members next year, the Chattahoochee County Commission will vote on eliminating the police department. But wouldn't that bring a lawsuit from the other direction? And besides, the Sheriff's Department patrol cars are so much closer for vandalizing.

You would think in all of this, someone would contact the Columbus Government Center and ask how they do it. There's a city police department and a county Sheriff's Department, and they seem to get along fine. There's even a Marshal's Department - which will breathe a lot easier if Nathan Suber loses the Columbus Council runoff.

People south of Chattahoochee County should be watching all this very carefully. Voters in Quitman County decided this week to consolidate their government with the city of Georgetown. Why they didn't follow the high school's example and merge with Stewart County, I'm not really sure....

While we're talking police: where is the outrage in Phenix City? You'd think officers would be up in arms over the vote to give the next mayor a $38,000 raise. Or has Jim Wetherington already sent them "e-invites?"

BLOG UPDATE: Thursday's Ledger-Enquirer had updated numbers on the Columbus mayor's race. It turns out Bert Coker really had 75 write-in votes, instead of 48. So when his fan club has its first meeting, he might need one extra row of chairs.

The newspaper story about write-in votes, which for some reason made page one, noted Bert Coker had more support than "Tony the Tiger." Why is it always Tony in Columbus?! Doesn't anyone think Aubie can commute to and from work?

Meanwhile, former Georgia Congressman Mac Collins refuses to concede a close House race to incumbent Jim Marshall. Collins apparently thinks absentee votes will come to his rescue - either that, or the Republican Party attorneys who were ready for action in Virginia.

Now for other items from a Thursday when sports items seemed to dominate:

+ We mentioned the Columbus Cottonmouths losing at Pee Dee 6-4 - in what radio announcer Mike Vee called a "bizarre" game. Vee complained the referees "cannot call penalties every two or three minutes. That's not what people pay to see." Vee must not know how the mayor's race turned out.

+ Auburn University officials warned people who try to smuggle alcohol into Saturday's game against Georgia will be put in special Jordan-Hare Stadium "holding cells." So where are football players put if they're flagged for holding -- a drunk tank?

+ Georgia's athletics department announced it will host Oklahoma State to open the football season next year. That means Columbus's Dantrell Savage and Quencey Patrick will get to play in their home state - but why did it take the help of ESPN to "broker" this deal? After the fuss over Colorado's buffalo, is Mark Richt afraid the Cowboys' "Pistol Pete" might fire real bullets?

+ The Auburn University trustees began two days of meetings. A campus official told WRBL the top construction priority right now is a new basketball arena. Considering the Tigers lost to Auburn-Montgomery this week, you'd think they'd work on getting a top team first.

+ Away from sports, the Russell County School Board voted to finalize the hiring of Vivian Carter as Superintendent. After the events of the last 12 months, let's hope Carter doesn't suggest any "jail and bail" fundraisers.

(The school board votes on Vivian Carter have been along racial lines, and one parent at Thursday night's meeting called that "heartbreaking." That parent happened to be pro wrestling announcer Billy Roper - so he's used to heartbreak, from bad guys hiding brass knuckles in their trunks.)

+ The Landings shopping center on Sidney Simons Boulevard held a ceremony to mark the end of "phase one" of its renovations. Some business owners there say store traffic is up. But of course, the managers of Que Pasa Burrito Company were not available for comment - because they're shut down.

+ Instant Message to Publix at Cross Country Plaza: You're really optimistic about this holiday season, aren't you? I mean, you've set out so many bars of fruitcake....

COMING THIS WEEKEND: Sonny Perdue has one.... and we want to help the Mayor-Elect have one, too....

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