19 FEB 07: BROKEN HURTS?

A happy Presidents' Day to you. As a reminder, Columbus area libraries are closed today -- but the library staff is having a training day. So perhaps you can quiz them Tuesday, on the order of all the Presidents.

Around here, it's also another "Hurtsboro Monday" - but the tradition of several weeks could be at the brink of ending. That's because the man who started all the commotion several weeks ago sent us e-mail titled "ADIEU" during the last week. But then, maybe he knew the Parisian store was about to close....

But to get to the point -- the Constable comments again:

Richard:

In your latest BLOG [12 Feb] you bemoaned the fact that you hadn't received any E-Mail from "Hurt"sboro. Well here's a submission - but I doubt that you will publish it!!

I found you by accident - but believe me - : I'm deliberately distancing myself from you!

It was a mistake on my part to assume that you were a legitimate journalist ( Phenix Citizen 2/8/07) but; "Fool me once and it's your fault." Believe me, there will be no second time!

There are serious issues here in "Hurt"sboro, the town isn't just in pain - its dieing!! Another business closed today, and others will follow soon. I suppose it's far too late to resuscitate the old burg but it should be at least given a dignified demise. It's totally inappropriate to invite a buffoon to blather over its deathbed!

I can take consolation in one fact - there was almost total lack of response, to your innuendo's and half-truths. Perhaps you are not as well circulated as you claim. Perhaps this E-Mail will serve to bring out your defenders!

I will bow out with this comment - "There is plenty of news here in "Hurt"sboro - a legitmate journalist could do a great service for the citizens of Russell County. COME DIG FOR IT!!!

Constable R.J. Schweiger

Oh dear - it's so hard to keep satisfied customers these days. We posted the Constable's first e-mail 4 Jan, and now he may not last through the end of high school basketball season.

First of all, does a mention in the Phenix Citizen-News explain why our number of blog readers suddenly doubled last week? We're happy to have all the new visitors - and maybe that newspaper is read more closely than the Ledger-Enquirer.

I'm not sure what I've done to make the Constable conclude I'm not "a legitimate journalist." I mean, just because I haven't posted continuous updates on the death of Anna Nicole Smith....

The Constable should recall it was this blog which tried to call four Hurtsboro business owners he specifically named, and offered a detailed response from the wife of one of them [22 Jan]. If the others don't want to talk - believe it or not, freedom of speech can include the freedom NOT to do so.

It was this blog which went to Russell County Court for Constable Schweiger's arraignment [7 Feb]. The arraignment which was continued until next week, we were not allowed inside the courtroom to watch -- and the Constable might have only recognized us had we worn a giant "BLOG" T-shirt.

It was this blog which offered details last week of a petition drive filed with the Alabama Governor, seeking executive intervention in Hurtsboro. As far as we're aware, it still has not happened. Or perhaps two Russell County Sheriff's Deputies were able to accomplish it, in an undercover operation.

What could have made Constable Schweiger turn against me so? What "innuendos and half-truths" have been brought here against him? He confirmed the convictions in Hurtsboro Municipal Court, and the petitions sent the blog confirm he wants state intervention in the town. Not to mention his admission that he sleeps on top of a dog cage....

Perhaps R.J. Schweiger is annoyed (and based on e-mail from two weeks ago, we probably can cross out the "perhaps") that the Hurtsboro Mayor has not replied to all his messages. I tried to call Sandra Tarver at home Sunday - but the number listed in the phone book for her has been disconnected. Is she scared I'd try to track her down? Or is she tired of a Constable already doing that?

Perhaps R.J. Schweiger is upset because we haven't mentioned everything in that U.P.S. package of papers he sent us. Not only did it have petitions to the Governor (which we considered more newsworthy), it also had petitions from last June about votes on "a projected retail liquor serving establishment" seeking an "on premises retail liquor license." I think I remember when this was called a bar.

(The petitions expressed concern about "large crowds" gathering at this establishment, while Hurtsboro has "no viable police department." Imagine if the petition-signers saw a full house for a country music concert at the Columbus Civic Center.)

But perhaps R.J. Schweiger is more concerned about this blog not making a drive to Hurtsboro to "dig" for details on the town's conditions. How does he know we have NOT done that? Is he checking every license plate passing down Alabama Highway 26?

And perhaps Constable Schweiger is most concerned about the people of Hurtsboro, who have described him to us as "eccentric" - to use one of the more polite labels. Perhaps he's going to "distance himself" from us because we've come quite close to turning the tables on him. After all, we could call his ex-wife in another state anytime [29 Jan]....

If Constable Schweiger does not want a "buffoon" visiting his beloved Hurtsboro after all, so be it. But he should remember something - some Democrats would argue he's asking for exactly that, with those petition to Governor Bob Riley.

E-MAIL UPDATE: Let's swing the microscope now back over to Georgia - and a reply to last Friday's e-mail about Talbot County activists:

In regards to the blog about Talbot County:

Deborah Owens made some interesting, but apparent misguided charges regarding the Concerned Citizens for Responsible Government (CCRG) of Talbot County.

Apparently Ms. Owens has an agenda that is contrary to the agenda of CCRG. The CCRG promotes open, ethical and honest government. Citizens are encouraged to get involved and participate. The public is kept informed and aware of the operations, policy-making and decisions made by county officials. CCRG also watches how county officials allocate and spend tax dollars. If these issues are objectionable to Ms. Owens, it would be interesting to know her agenda.

I do not belong to CCRG but I have attended several of their meetings and have talked with each of the current and past directors. I have found that each of them are committed to the goals of CCRG. I have also attended several Board of Commissioners meetings and based on my observations, the actions of the BOC are not always in the best interests of the taxpayers.

I am also aware that the Board of Commissioners meetings are video recorded. Video recording was started because, in the past, minutes were found to not accurately record the actions of the BOC. Also, commissioners tended to distort their previous stands on issues and talked down to constituents. Now, with a video record, the citizens have a way to refute any inaccuracies.

I noted Ms. Owens made several allegations but, she did not cite CCRG names. Of course, anyone can make outlandish statements without facts but, doing so usually indicates a lack of credibility rather than the opposite.

As for getting rid of all county elected officials: There may be some individuals who harbor that desire but, it is not and never has been the objective of CCRG. CCRG is dedicated to getting the current elected officials to follow the law and to act in the best interests of the citizens of Talbot County.

I wonder if Ms. Owns has ever attended a CCRG membership meeting or a board of directors meeting to see for herself how the organization works. Her comments remind me of an attention getter I have used:

I have a colored tennis ball, black on one side while the other side is still green. I select two people to come before the group, facing each other and I instruct them to identify the color of the ball the quickest, when I lift the handkerchief covering the ball. I hold the ball so the black side is exposed to one person and the green to the other person. When I remove the handkerchief, one person says green and one says black. I cover the ball and comment "how can that be." I ask them to repeat the procedure. This time, they tend to lean a bit so they can see more of the ball and they finally figure out the color of the ball. The point of the exercise is: we should not be too quick to jump to conclusions about something based on our own perspective but, we should also look at the situation from the other persons perspective.

Perhaps Ms. Owens has only looked at the CCRG from her perspective and needs to look deeper to gain a clear understanding of their purpose and actions to achieve that purpose. The CCRG maintains a web site www.ccrgtalbotcounty.com, which provides information about their efforts and cases when the elected officials are not acting in according to the law and in the best interests of taxpayers.

Regards,

A. Earl Cheal

Midland, Ga

I would agree with A. Earl that Deborah Owens's agenda is different. To sum it up: she doesn't want anyone with "axe handles" swinging them at the pristine Talbot County woodland.

The use of a two-colored tennis ball can provide interesting lessons. For one thing, I could read the spin of it better in returning a serve....

Let's see if any of our Sunday topics make you spin or sputter....

+ Which son of a well-known Columbus minister is telling business people his father is the pastor of "Six Flags Over Jesus?" Is there a separate flag in Aramaic, since that was the language Jesus purportedly spoke?

+ The Best Buy store revealed "BeBe" the calf mascot has a worse break than first thought, and may not return to its spot until mid-March. A manager said the fiberglass calf was damaged from customers sitting on it. This is no way to practice for the pro bull riding tour....

+ Kevin Harvick won the Daytona 500 stock car race -- and WRBL reported one of Harvick's sponsors is Realtree of Columbus. So why wasn't Harvick's car in camouflage colors, to sneak around Mark Martin better on the final lap?

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