Wednesday, September 26, 2007

26 SEP 07: FOR WHOM THE TOLLS BILL



"You must be from Florida," a repairman said to me Tuesday afternoon at a coin laundry. My outfit for Laundry Day was an orange T-shirt and orange running shorts - but all I had in the car was diet cola, not orange juice.



"Not for this day," I answered - then showed them the words "Oklahoma State" on my T-shirt. That school's sports teams wear orange, just as Florida does at times. But did you notice the repairman didn't immediately conclude I'm an Auburn fan?



(And if you've seen the videotape of Oklahoma State's football coach at a news conference the other day, you might conclude the athletic department is even orange in the face....)



"I'm going to Florida on vacation tomorrow," I noted to the two repairmen fixing washers.


"Where to?"


"Panama City Beach."


"That's not Florida."


"It's not? What it is, then?"


"Lower Alabama."



The repairman went on to claim the entire Florida panhandle is really Lower Alabama - and to be honest, I see his point. Several cities in that part of Florida tend to be linked to Alabama. Pensacola's only 30 miles down Interstate 10 from Mobile, yet people there still might find the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail more attractive.



The Panama City area's connections to Alabama are a bit fuzzier to me. Phenix City Central went to that other "P.C." for a football game a few years ago. But have you seen the TV commercials in Columbus for the Emerald Coast RV Center? It's in Dothan - a good two-hour drive from Emerald Coast beaches.



A proposal by Governor Bob Riley actually could damage the Alabama connection with Panama City. He's proposing a toll road from Dothan toward Interstate 10 -- saying it's either charge tolls across the state, or increase gasoline taxes. Of course, it could be his sly way of deterring Alabamians from going to the state line, and playing the Florida Lottery.



U.S. 431 through Russell and Barbour Counties is a popular route for travelers to Panama City Beach. Could businesses along the way be damaged by this toll road, as drivers look for alternate routes which are free? Or might they actually make more money - by selling expensive maps, with those routes marked?



CORRECTED FROM FLORIDA: I'm not waiting for a decision on this toll road. I'm heading down U.S. 431 to 331 231 today, for an annual church convention. But I might not save that much gasoline along the way -- because I'll have to make a left turn toward my beachfront motel sooner or later.



Don't worry, dear blog readers - we're not forgetting you for the next week or so. Again this year, we've lined up "guest bloggers" and will post entries from them every couple of days. We've lined up some names which should be very familiar - but I'll only drop one hint about them. Judge Bobby Peters did NOT e-mail us any wedding photos.



But of course, Columbus life will go on while we're gone - so let's do some "pre-blogging," and look at events scheduled to happen during our vacation:



FRIDAY, 28 SEP: The Bavarian House restaurant at Whittlesey and Weems begins its two-night Oktoberfest. Given how early Halloween items went on sale, I'm surprised this didn't happen in August.



Also on this day, Fort Benning will unveil the first "self-service dog washing facility" in the U.S. military. They're stopping short of offering overnight kennel service with this - because the thought of "water-boarding" a dog simply sounds wrong.



SATURDAY, 29 SEP: The Greater Columbus Fair holds CPR training sessions in the morning. Then the Trade Center hosts a "firewalking experience" during the evening. Coincidence?!?



(I think I read it'll cost 50 dollars to take part in the evening of firewalking. I'm assuming that's to cover the high cost of gasoline for the coals.)



Also on this evening, Auburn travels to Florida for college football. I remember last year's battle at Auburn very well - and I regret to inform Coach Tommy Tuberville that the Gators are likely to remember their loss EXTREMELY well.



SUNDAY, 30 SEP: The final day of the Greater Columbus Fair. The fair opened Tuesday night, with Robin Walker of the Columbus Civic Center declaring on the evening news it has "more animals than last year." That's why police need to double-check all the staff members handling the rides....



TUESDAY, 2 OCT: Peachtree Mall hosts a fund-raising "Bunco Night" for women's cancer awareness. We hope no one gets out of control, and gambles as they roll the dice - because then police could hold a "bunko squad night."



THURSDAY, 4 OCT: Russia is likely to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Sputnik launch, which officially began the space age. But you'll be saddened to learn as of Tuesday night, the Sputnik Bar on 15th Street in Columbus did NOT plan anything special.



Thanks to WRBL, we learned Tuesday night this day also is "Communities in Motion Day" in Columbus. So you don't get the wrong idea: this is designed to promote METRA. There will NOT be an attempt to break the world record, for the largest electric slide.



FRIDAY, 5 OCT: I'm scheduled to drive home, on day two of a four-day Georgia sales tax holiday. You can save money on "Energy Star" efficient appliances. Now if Columbus Park Crossing kindly will install a bicycle rack....



E-MAIL UPDATE: Back in the present, several of you want to comment about Monday night's Muscogee County School Board votes. One reader even goes after us a little:



Richard,



You have some bad math going on today...that building was approved for $26.6 million. That is double what the citizens approved in their vote in 2003. I know what inflation is but my goodness, 50% increase in pricing within four years!!!!! That building is going to cost $177.00 more per sqare foot than it should. Either build it with what the voters agreed to or don't build the darn thing.



My child has been in school for 6 years now and I only had to go to one of their facilities ONE TIME - to register him. So it isn't like they have to make it a show place for parents. We only care about the school that the children will go to everyday and the books that they have.



If they think anyone is going to vote for another SPLOST they are sadly mistaken. This is will the only new thing the school board gets for a long time coming.



I don't think I have what this writer thinks I have. In fact, we have to issue a BLOG CORRECTION today - as it turns out gas prices in my neighborhood did NOT go up 20 cents. They stayed right where they were. So my problem isn't bad math - it's bad eyesight.



I went by what the Monday night TV newscasts seemed to say, about the cost of the new Educational Services Center. The higher price was smacked on the front page of Tuesday's Ledger-Enquirer - so maybe the school board members who voted against it already have figured out the cost overruns.



This reader may have a good point, when it comes to priorities in the school district. Have you noticed they never seem to give the Golden Apple Award to someone behind a desk at the old Bradley Library?



But the complaints about the school board's decision don't stop there....



Well, they did it,voted to build a $15,000,000 (+ -) administrative building while our kids are out in portable buildings with no covered walks...Middle schools and high schools bands are asking people to adopt a chair or a music stand. Their equipment is so old it is falling apart. There are classes with 30+ kids struggling to learn. MCSD was given money by the state to hire graduation coaches in each high school..MCSD opted to pocket the money and pull a guidance councilor out of their job descriptions and place them in this position. When that move took place the grade level that councilor was assigned fell on the other counselors..In the smaller high schools that was not as drastic as in the larger schools. A councilor can now have 550+ students that they have to keep up contact with about grades,attendance ,behavior and parental contact,plus all the standardize test that are required..At a state meeting of graduation coaches MCSD was the only one who pulled counselors to do this.



Adopt a chair?! This seems tame compared to the sign I saw outside Ashley Station Apartments during the summer. It actually asked people to adopt some of the Jordan High School seniors.



This writer seems to disagree with Muscogee County Superintendent John Phillips, who claimed on TV Tuesday the need for a new central office building is "obvious." Phillips claimed right now, some school buildings are "sliding down the hill." So who built the current office along the side of Wynnton Hill in the first place?



Even though the ratio may be one guidance counselor for every 550 students, that doesn't mean all those students need a counselor. I hardly ever talked with my high school counselor years ago. But then again, maybe I should have - because she wanted me to go to law school.



The other accusations against the school district will have to wait, until we get back from vacation. Now before I get a good night's sleep for the trip, here's one last headline check for the road:


+ Mayor Jim Wetherington admitted while Columbus has hired 52 new police officers this year, it's lost 40 more - so there still are 16 open positions. The mayor promised to do something about that. Hopefully that doesn't mean installing a revolving door at the Public Safety Center.



(WXTX "News at Ten" noted the starting salary for police officers is $3,000 higher in LaGrange than in Columbus. Wow - are Kia executives paying high property taxes on their mansions already?)



+ Auburn University Dean of Students Johnny Green rode a bicycle around campus all day, trying to get students to park cars and ride bikes. Nice try, Dr. Green - but how do you expect football fans to have tailgate parties on Saturdays?



+ Chester's Barbecue downtown held a one-day online vote drive, trying to win an award from the Steve Harvey radio show. Chester's is a finalist for the best barbecue restaurant in the country - and all the loyal Country's customers must be wondering how Harvey missed all that smoke, on his last trip to town.



+ The Nation's Report Card on education came out, and Alabama Governor Bob Riley declared his state "number one." He says Alabama has the biggest growth in fourth-grade reading scores over the last two years. He did NOT bother saying Alabama still ranks below Georgia, and is considered below-average nationwide. So Riley is acting a bit like Crimson Tide fans did last Wednesday....






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