19 JUN 07: THE TOO RUGGED CROSS?
Call me old-fashioned if you wish, but I have never eaten at a Hooters restaurant. That's because I don't agree with what that chain is really selling. You know what I mean, right?! C'mon, something bigger than a chicken wing....
I'm glad I wasn't at the Columbus Hooters Sunday night, because things became so tense that police were called. Several people claim a motorcycle club made threats, wouldn't let some customers inside, and even sexually assaulted a woman. And the only big sports event on TV to provoke all this was the U.S. Open golf tournament.
Here's the way it was explained to me: At least 50 members of the Iron Cross Motorcycle Club gathered for supper at Hooters. Then about six employees of Harris County's Draco Cycles showed up, and the club members started acting like a tough-guy gang. I know it was hot Sunday -- but this is Columbus, not Daytona Beach.
One woman on the Draco side says an Iron Cross member sexually assaulted her outside Hooters, by grabbing her (ahem) underside area. Assuming she's accusing a man, I've never quite understood why men do this. Aren't there other ways to carry brides over the threshold?
Another member of the Draco group called himself a military veteran who "fought to keep those guys free" -- but he claims the Iron Cross club barred him as well. Other veterans and soldiers should make a note of this, and show up at Hooters in full military dress.
To hear the Draco group tell it, the Iron Cross members were upset with the Draco Cycles logos they wore. Some club members reportedly threatened to follow the Draco people to other locations around Columbus -- and I don't think they were looking for poker run cards as they did it.
The Draco Cycles group retreated to the Winn-Dixie store on Veterans Parkway, and reported what happened to police. Officers apparently also went to Hooters - but we're not sure if they were allowed inside to "examine" the wait staff.
I first heard about this tension Sunday night, and called Hooters to ask what was happening. Two staff members there claimed the Iron Cross club actually was "very polite," and police didn't stay there long. Of course, that could have been because there still aren't enough officers to provide reinforcements on a weekend.
But a critic on the Draco Cycles side says Hooters made up a story about good behavior, because the Iron Cross club was making the restaurant too much money. This may explain why Hooters doesn't have a location inside the Phenix City limits....
So what does the Iron Cross Motorcycle Club have to say about all the hubbub at Hooters? I found a phone number for the club online, and dialed it Monday evening. An unnamed man told me: "I don't know anything about it. Thank you." - and then hung up. At least he didn't threaten to send gang members to my neighborhood, to hold 50-lap motocross races.
A police report apparently was filed over the Sunday night tension, but I heard nothing Monday about any arrests. If there's one lesson to be gained from all this, it could be that Hooters needs to open a Harris County location - either that, or have checks for weapons at the entrance to the parking lot.
E-MAIL UPDATE: We've had plenty of responses to two hot Sunday topics. Let's start with our exclusive look inside Pioneer Little League - and a woman who e-mailed us not once, but twice:
If Bernard Ashley would go back to the official scorebook, he would clearly see that the first pitch was thrown at 9:04. Pioneer Little League has very poor leaders. Rick Chadwick wouldn't stand up for that league if his life depended on it. He doesn't know how to address concerns and issues, and fix them. He runs cowardly to the press box instead and hides out until everyone leaves so he doesn't have to answer for his inexcusable behavior. If no one speaks up about it, he'll just keep it up.
As for Bernard Ashley-not only should he know the game started at 9:04, he should also know that Coach Miley was NOT TOLD ABOUT A MANAGERS MEETING BEFORE THE GAME. Ya know, maybe that's my point altogether, they don't like Coach Miley because he's not a follower. Everyone on the Pioneer Little League board and the coaches follow Rick Chadwick like puppets, except Coach Miley. Perhaps that's why Rick Chadwick said he would personally sign waivers for all of the Pirates to play at another league. He had better get his pen ready!!!....
I am a proud parent of a B League Pirate, and I'd like to add to my previous comments..... Bernard Ashley just confirmed for everyone
with his comment about the "prayer meetings", just what kind of coach Philip Miley was to these kids. He taught them not only about baseball, but about who ultimately oversees the games, decisions, injuries, etc.. that go along with baseball and every other aspect of their lives. His B league team has come in first place at Pioneer for 8 years......a record that Rick Chadwick SHOULD be proud of. Instead, he's encouraged that winning record to go to another league. I guess the bottom line is......Coach Miley DID come in 1st place YET AGAIN this year and he IS the coach of the All-Star team representing Pioneer Little League. We can only hope he holds "prayer meetings" in the half-innings of each all star game. We will be going to another league next year so my child can continue to play for coaches with winning records, awesome coaching skills, and faith-filled motivation.
As for the thousands of dollars that was spent on the fields at Pioneer that Tracy Wilson seemed to be so proud of.....that money comes from kids (like the Pirates) selling raffle tickets, parents' time working concession stands, etc. It's expected....it's their job to spend that money on the league. It doesn't give them bragging rights. Maybe that's their way of trying to cover up what the real issue is....LEADERSHIP PROBLEMS!!! (Or lack thereof) Rick Chadwick is in it "for himself".
A true leader addresses issues. He doesn't harrass parents at the concession stand to give them directions to another league. A true leader doesn't call manager's meetings and fail to invite the one coach he coincidentally doesn't like. A true leader doesn't punish a coach for having to run to the restroom during the game. A true leader doesn't stand at a golf cart and giggle and watch the team representing his league get shafted by the local Little League officials and then afterward, throw up his hands and say "What could I do about them stopping the game early? I don't have any control over this!"....Well, that my friend, we already knew! That would be my point entirely!
Lisa Long
Starting from the top: if Pioneer Little League President Rick Chadwick is really that cowardly, why did he return my call - not once, but twice? And he didn't seem to read a prepared statement on either occasion....
I don't know who chooses the All-Star coaches in Pioneer Little League. But Rick Chadwick suggested to me the other day that Philip Miley has been appointed to top coaching jobs two years in a row. Would the President or Board of Directors do this, if they held a grudge against Miley? But then, maybe this is like the Atlanta Falcons' relationship with Michael Vick.
Maybe local teams need those "prayer meetings" between innings, to prepare for big tournaments ahead. After all, have you seen those Japanese teams bow down to "the god of Little League"in Williamsport - a statue of a man beyond the centerfield fence?
But then again, I can see the need to keep games moving. One reason why interest in major league baseball has dropped is because the games are considered "too slow." And Ricky Henderson isn't out on the base paths anymore, provoking everyone to move faster.
The last paragraph from Lisa Long raises some new issues I know nothing about. Do coaches really get punished for going to bathrooms during games?! Isn't the whole point of baseball about making runs -- one way or another?
Here's another message we received about Pioneer Little League:
Mr. Burkard,
The time that Bernard Ashley quote was 8:35pm. The umpire announced the official time before the game started at 9:04pm. So I don't know where Mr. Ashley is getting his information from. It wouldn't have been a big deal if the game started at 8:35pm and ended at 10:30pm. But it didn't start at 8:35pm. Bernard Ashley and Tracy Wilson are bashing parents and coaches that contribute time and money to Pioneer Little League. Instead they should have a little compassion for what the team had to go through that night. It's all about the kids, and when the kids work hard all season to make it to the City Championship they should play the whole game. If they can't, the game should never start. I personally now some of the coaches that did attend the meeting and they said there was no mention of a 10:30pm curfew at all!!!!!!! Pioneer hosted the tournament and they knew the announcement system wasn't up to par, they had plenty of staff that could have easily gone around the ballpark to make absolute sure all coaches new about the unscheduled meeting. Coach Miley wasn't the only coach who didn't here the announcement. Mrs. Wilson as for you, your kid wasn't on the Pirates team, if they were you would have seen first hand the harassment Rick Chadwick gave them this year. Since your child wasn't on the team it's easy for you to say the parents are wining and just upset that they lost. That's not the case. If they lost in a full game there would have been no complaints. There upset and voicing there opinion because they are fighting for the children's misfortune. I guess if you fight for your team and children you're just a complainer, right Mrs. Wilson.
Congrats Peach For Making It To The Final Game.
I'm not sure how many "staff" members you need to put on the Jack Cook Tournament. But based on all the people who have spoken up in the last few days, there certainly seems to be plenty of loudmouths available.
While the Pioneer feud rages, the world champion Northern All-Stars held a skills camp for children Monday at John Rigdon Park. It was a striking scene to see -- as ten months after the big win in Williamsport, the players and the parents still seem to like each other.
Now to another hot topic, that's coming up in a couple of meetings today -- what to do about "Uptown Columbus." Someone wrote a pair of "rants" about our Sunday comment there as well:
"WRBL reported Uptown Columbus Inc. plans to pre-screen anyone who wants to sing along Broadway. Somehow I don't think this is how the New York subway system handles it...."
For those in Columbus who have not had the pleasure of working with UPtown Columbus, Inc., the Executive Director is Richard Bishop. Yes, this is the same Richard Bishop who was on the news recently for having his neighbor almost put in jail for her sons riding their ATVs on their OWN property. Take a look at the actions by UPtown Columbus since they have been started and see how much "power" they have gotten and you will see why they really feel they CAN control everyone on Broadway, including anyone who wants to sing on the streets. Please someone tell us how does a Non-Profit establishment gain so much power over part of our city?
Hey UPtown Columbus, Inc. do you really think all the articles in the paper about the great turn out for the concert series is really fooling the business owners in DOWNTOWN? Why don't you ask the business owners what they really think..you might get the following.."why are you having a concert series on a night we don't need help bringing business to our places" (what happened to doing them on Thursdays and not Fridays?). You might also hear.."thanks for building the stage on the 1100 block, this doesn't highlight the business that are ACTUALLY open during the concert series times. (that was smart planning...who made that decision?).
These are just 2 of the comments I have heard in the last day or so..there are plenty more. Richard, when you get off of your bike and come into our establishments, why don't you ACTUALLY listen to what we would like to see or have in our DOWNTOWN! Also, why don't you go over and talk to UPtown Columbus Business Improvement District, Inc. and ask them what they are doing with the advertisement budget they have set aside, as we haven't seen barely any of it spent on promoting DOWNTOWN. On the other hand we have seen commercials promoting themselves.
These are combined opinions of several, being spoken by one voice....
The following quote was posted on WRBL's website:
"The proposal is also about which musicians would play. The musician who wants to play outdoors would have to go through an approval process. "They would come to uptown and fill out an application. We would look at their resume," said Bishop.
Several of us in Downtown have many questions concerning the above comment.
1. Are we in America? When did it become the right of a non-profit organization or anyone to tell us what type of music we wanted to listen to or which musicians we wanted to hire at our establishments?
2. Who is going to actually approve these people? Will it be Richard Bishop or Lisa Rowe? Yes, those are the only two people that work at UPtown Columbus, Inc., I hope all of you like their taste in music.
3. If it isn't the two employees of UPtown Columbus, Inc. are they going to create another special committee for approval? Yes, there is a Special Events Committee. This means when there is a special event you want to put on downtown that is not inside your establishment, you have to apply thru UPtown Columbus to host the event. Your application is then approved or non-approved by a committee. A committee, we can't figure out how one becomes a member of, or when existing members terms are up for limits. (If it is anything like some of our city council, they will be on there until they die, then they will be stuffed and placed in a chair...how would we know any different?)
Our understanding is Isaiah Hugley, City Manager, created the idea of the committee and it approving events, then in which would be passed on to him. Why would the city government give such control to a non-profit organization, esp since, if we recall correctly, they are a 501 C 3 and not a 501 C 6. This means they ARE NOT funded by tax dollars, but by public interest funds instead.
4. If the committee doesn't like your music..are they going to tell you to take your talent to Midtown Columbus? Yes, there was an organization who wanted to do a family event for FREE in downtown and was told by Lon Marlow, chair of the committee, to take their event to Midtown as they were starving for events, and this organizations event was "tabled".
Can someone tell us when an event is denied what is the appeal process? Comments by Lon Marlow when this was tabled was if Isaiah was to not listen to the committee on any table or denied event, then he would tell Mr. Hughley that there was no since in having such a committee.
I guess we answered our own question..there is NO appeal process, UPtown Columbus and any political and money backing they have are the final say.
Again..we hope you really like their musical selections!!
5. Are they going to charge an application fee to these musicians to review their resumes? That's right folks. If you put in a application for an event downtown you must pay a $50 application fee to UPtown Columbus, Inc.
So, if there is a fee imposed, what are we saying to people when we ask them to pay to work?
6. Are the musicians going to have to be approved each time they want to play? Wow..if there is an application fee, we see one way UPtown Columbus will keep their salaries coming. Maybe that means they won't feel the need to do another golf tournament. (Last time we looked there wasn't golfing in downtown..oh so an organization that is suppose to highlight downtown decided to do a fund-raiser on the north side of town, what does that say?)
7. If a person isn't approved, what is going to happen to them? Are we going to have someone monitoring these singers and handing them fines? Are we going to start giving them tickets, like the Facade Board gives business owners for having to many posters in their windows?
These are just a few questions off the top.
Funny..are they going to make our "characters" that randomly sing apply with their resumes? We would actually encourage this for our entertainment factor, nothing makes us laugh more then picturing our random "characters" signing about the Lord and Rhinestone Cowboys sitting in UPtown's waiting room.
It's Downtown Not Uptown
I knew the downtown area had several church pastors -- so perhaps it's only fitting that a Bishop has come in to oversee everything.
(By the way, I'm assuming it's Richard Bishop who's being described in the e-mail as riding the bike. I haven't done that since my vacation last year at Jekyll Island - and I wasn't really there to do an economic survey.)
If I recall correctly, a business association was set up in the downtown area several years ago -- with dues being paid to Uptown Columbus Inc. to represent them. If businesses on Broadway aren't happy, I suppose they could protest by dropping their memberships and not paying dues. Then they can join Falcons Tattoos, in renewing the downtown part of Veterans Parkway.
If it wasn't for Uptown Columbus, Inc., there might not be much music downtown at all at this time of year. The Columbus State RiverArts campus is on a summer schedule. The RiverCenter is between seasons. And Carmike Cinemas doesn't even play movie music, around its headquarters parking lot.
I've seen one current TV ad for a downtown business, and noticed in the fine print that it was paid for in part by the Business Improvement District. That struck me as strange - but then again, I guess many of the businesses are so small that they need help to buy TV time. How Columbus Bank and Trust grew without it, I have no idea.
Now to IDNU's questions: some of us already allow nonprofit organizations to tell us what type of music we like. If you donate to Troy Public Radio, for instance....
Uptown Columbus Inc. should realize it cannot have only two music judges. This is 2007, after all. You need THREE judges. That's how it works on "American Idol" and "Dancing With the Stars."
If you want to hold a special event in some other part of Columbus, you'd probably have to apply for approval somewhere. I assume it would go through a city department, which sometimes can be a very slow process. I'm still waiting for the Parks Department to tell me if I'm approved to use McClung Memorial Stadium - last October.
Columbus Council apparently has some oversight over what happens in downtown Columbus. Today's agenda includes a discussion of the area - and if you ask me, I think there's only enough room for greenspace instead of a park.
I assume the music review policy still would allow for "Open Mic Nights" at The Loft. That music is indoors, one story above the street - but trust me from personal experience: if you're not rocking after 11:00 p.m., you might as well go to the next room and shoot billiards.
And what's all this complaining about a lack of downtown golf? The middle of Broadway between Fourth and Ninth Street is a perfect spot for practicing your short game. And with C.S.U. RiverArts construction ending, the oval at 11th and Front Avenue could be turned into a nice nine-hole putting course.
Here's one more e-mail before we close - one that's actually overdue, but required some clarification on our part:
And to think when I wrote earlier I was talking about John Wells running from the bulls in Spain [11 Jun].......then he opens the gate in his own home field. Hope he does better in Spain.....................
there is a true problem when a board that handles discipline of students and teachers can't even be seen in public conducting meetings.........something is seriously wrong with this picture......
This writer disagrees with the Muscogee County School Board's reluctance to have work sessions televised on CCG-TV. Monday night's regular monthly session WAS taped for telecast - so would you rather see the final cuts of meat, or how they're handled at the slaughterhouse?
It turns out the Ledger-Enquirer is offering to record the school board work sessions, and post them online as a "webcast." But if these sessions really were interesting or funny, I'd think a spectator with a cell phone would have put them on YouTube by now.
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