11 JAN 07: ENTER STAGE LEFT?
Finally it makes sense! Now I understand why the annual report from Cascade Hills Church shows it hosts all sorts of Northside High School events. It's NOT really because 90 percent of the student body is Baptist....
I didn't realize until Wednesday that when Northside High School was built five years ago, one key part was left out. It doesn't have an auditorium -- which should shut up some of the Columbus South parents. You see, students in the other side of town actually are disadvantaged.
I picked up a Cascade Hills report a couple of years ago, which showed the church hosted several Northside High School activities. A dinner theatre was held there. National Honor Society members were inducted there. Even Northside's "Career Day" was held there - although I'm not sure if Cascade Hills would have been in trouble if it promoted a career in the ministry.
Those Northside High School events and others were moved to Cascade Hills Church because the school lacks an auditorium. Apparently the building plans didn't even include a stage in the gymnasium -- which is amazing, because the University of Georgia even remembered to put one in its gym.
The online "school profile" for Northside High shows it has 583 computers. It doesn't mention the lack of an auditorium - but you'd think the students taking special architecture courses could draw up plenty of potential blueprints.
An auditorium at Northside High School apparently cost too much five years ago. The Muscogee County School District is considering whether to build one now -- and it would cost an estimated six million dollars. Of course, the district could hire two new head football coaches with that money....
The use of Cascade Hills Church by Northside High does more than raise intriguing church-state questions. It indicates an obvious effort to avoid Brookstone School, which is even closer to Northside. Don't Brookstone parents pay property taxes, which fund public education? Renting Brookstone facilities would be like the economic circle of life.
The Muscogee County School Board is looking at other potential construction projects. One involves renovating the old Baker Middle School. That would cost only about $200,000 - so maybe the southside parents can gripe after all, about work being done on the cheap.
E-MAIL UPDATE: Two Wednesday items inspired a reader to comment:
To the person who said you were writing too much about the local news lady leaving..Well,it is your blog..I think you can write what you want....
Perhaps the Ga legislator who wants an investigation of the Augusta facility should look into our landfill problem..Some one needs to be accountable,even if is the businesses who knew they owed the money..We know nothing is going to be done to the people or person with the local gov't..Is not shredding gov't papers a criminal offense?..If I committ a criminal offense while on the job and I change jobs or retire am I not going to be prosecuted? I think it should at the bottom and move up the chain of command..If it happened under your watch you are responsible..
Now hold on here! How do we "know" nothing is going to be done to city employees over "landfill-gate?" The District Attorney may have learned something from the Kenneth Walker case -- and maybe this time, he won't leave it in the hands of somebody from Albany.
I'm not really sure if shredding government documents is a "criminal offense" or not. If the Government Center has paper shredders, they must be there for a reason -- and it can't be for handling the City Manager's hate mail.
Investigations such as the landfill fee-asco tend to go as the e-mailer suggests. They start at the bottom, then move up the chain of command - and sooner or later, only the big fish is left without a plea bargain.
(Some people in this country are naive about this, and think the top-level officials should be prosecuted first. But enough about the talk of impeaching President Bush....)
Now for other whispers from a wintry Wednesday:
+ The Associated Press reported Third Brigade soldiers from Fort Benning will be sent to Iraq sooner than planned. This may not be a bad thing. They'll go to Baghdad early - and once Democrats start showing their clout in Congress, they'll be pulled out and decommissioned early.
+ City Planning Director Rick Jones announced a public-private agreement to build an access road through the Bunker Hill neighborhood, connecting St. Mary's Road to Old Cusseta Road. Apparently Northstar Drive north to Steam Mill Road isn't a good enough escape route - and residents haven't figured out how to get through the winding roads they have already.
+ Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue presented his "State of the State" address. One of his goals for this year is a tourism program called "Go Fish Georgia." That's the way to stay ahead of the trend! Gin rummy must be the next poker....
(Governor Perdue told lawmakers if Georgia was an independent country, it would have the 17th-largest economy in the world. And with oil imports increasing the "national" trade deficit, the poverty rate might be even higher.)
+ Alabama House Republican leader Mike Hubbard of Auburn complained he's been removed from a state budget committee for political reasons. He ought to be thankful - because now he can devote all his time to Republican news releases and planning inaugurations.
+ Instant Message to Freeway Auto Credit on Manchester Expressway: Are things really THAT bad? When you put a six-line disclaimer about Freeway Ford below your main sign, that seems pretty bad....
SCHEDULED FRIDAY: We'll watch two big events.... one at Fort Benning, the other in Phenix City....
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