for 28 JUN 07: GIVE PEACEKEEPERS A CHANCE
A short standoff between the Phenix City Police and Russell County Sheriff's Department apparently ended Wednesday. And unlike the standoff which blocked off a Columbus street during the noon hour, both sides actually HAVE guns in this one.
Phenix City Police Chief Brian McGarr told WRBL a meeting with Russell County Sheriff Tommy Boswell resolved all the disagreements about using a firing range. McGarr looked so unharmed that you'd think he won the duel.
Yet Chief Brian McGarr explained it's now OK for Russell County SWAT team members to use the Phenix City firing range - even if they're part-timers, and not sworn officers. He's apparently decided half-a-SWAT is better than none. But that doesn't usually work on the roaches in my kitchen....
There had been questions about liability for the city of Phenix City, if a part-time SWAT team member had been hurt at the firing range. But this seemed to ignore an important point. If members are on the SWAT team, they know which direction to point the weapons.
Wednesday's agreement means the five Russell County SWAT team members can return to the Phenix City firing range. So those of you who were lining up aluminum cans on fences in Pittsview can take them down....
(It also means we can no longer refer to the Russell County team members as "Sulkin' of SWAT.")
But a question remains regarding the incident which started all this. Phenix City Manager Bubba Roberts reportedly told a part-time SWAT team member from Russell County to leave the range. Did Roberts lack the authority to do that? Did his time with the Alabama National Guard give him higher rank?
Bubba Roberts can't afford to make many slip-ups these days - not when a petition drive is well underway to abolish the City Manager's office in Phenix City. It may not be long before Mayor Jeff Hardin calls Sheriff Tommy Boswell personally. Not to apologize, but to seek a referendum donation.
So if the Russell County SWAT team can use the Phenix City firing range, who else has that privilege? We know Phenix City police use it. Are local judges using it, the way some Muscogee County judges have trained at the Columbus Police grounds? And are nightclub owners going there, in a vain attempt to avoid a city shutdown?
E-MAIL UPDATE: Now an update on "rivalry week" - and the World Indoor Bowl Jocks take the lead over the Miss Georgia Babes:
Be very careful driving around town while the contestants are here!
A few years ago my wife and I were going north on Hilton Ave., just as we got to the Camille Dr. intersection a car ran the stop sign, I slammed on brakes and skidded up to the pageant car so close that there was not enough room for me to walk between our cars. (The pageant car stopped also.) I got out and had a few choice words for the driver.
I called the police to complain and was told the pageant convoys were under police escort and had the right of way at all intersections. I asked why there was no policeman around and they said he was at the head of the convoy.
I think this is B. S. and really believe that if I had hit them I could have won the lawsuit. They were just trying to cover up for not having enough escort vehicles. At any rate BE CAREFUL!
Lon Gammage
Keep in mind that visitors are here for Miss Georgia from all over the state -- and even from other states. The other day, a woman driving a car with New York tags asked me for directions to Big Lots. If you're looking for that store while on vacation, your budget obviously is tight.
You should be able to spot the official Miss Georgia vehicles rather easily. Almost all of them are Chevrolet Tahoe mini-vans, with pageant logos on the side doors. So be.... uh, er.... I guess I should explain this. I drove by the RiverCenter and saw them parked. I wasn't hanging around the dressing room doors, really.
We have one other suggestion today:
The information on your blog about Russell, Lee and other counties are very good, why don't you report some news about Talbot County?
Thank You!
Well, let's try right now. How many Little League baseball programs does Talbot County have?
As one little blogger with not enough income to do it full-time, I'm often at the mercy of other news sources for our topics. If reporters don't go to Talbot County, I'm not likely to go there. Of course, I could follow the lead of that "About Columbus" message board -- and demand Talbot County officials make changes from my home in downtown Columbus.
Don't forget to write us if you have tips on interesting stories - and now let's check other items from Wednesday:
+ Columbus Police arrested a man on charges of stealing $25,000 worth of merchandise from Circuit City. Hey, Bub! You really don't need all those big-screen TV's going at one time. It's called a remote control....
+ The Columbus Health Department offered free screenings, to mark National HIV Testing Day. I try to stay far away from HIV. In fact, I don't go anywhere near bee hives.
+ Auburn head football coach Tommy Tuberville had an appendectomy. Alabama coach Nick Saban was encouraged by this news -- because now he can tell his players the Tiger coaching staff lacks some guts.
(Did you notice Tuberville had his appendix removed in Gulf Breeze, Florida? That's near Pensacola, where former Alabama coach Mike Price had his moment of undoing. The search now is on to learn if anyone "escorted" Tuberville to the emergency room.)
+ Instant Message to L's Place on Buena Vista Road: OK, you're having an "after-party" Saturday night. But for what event? I hope the answer isn't the Little League All-Star tournament.
COMING SOON: I'm challenged to take a 30-question exam....
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