18 OCT 07: LET MY PEOPLE FLOW

So I'm at a grocery store the other day, and see a display selling bottles of "Respect Water." As if we need a brand name right now, to remind us to do that....

Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue got tough in the "water wars" Wednesday night. He filed suit against the Army Corps of Engineers, after demanding it stop the daily release of water from Lake Lanier down the Chattahoochee River. The Corps said no - so thankfully, the river still had some water in it Wednesday night.

Yes, today we ARE actually doing as advertised at right -- and talking about the flow of the river. Elected officials across Georgia are upset with rules requiring millions of gallons of water to head down "the Hooch," to protect endangered species in northwest Florida. So it's now political muscles vs. panhandle mussels.

Senators Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson have proposed a bill changing the Endangered Species Act, until the drought conditions in Georgia end. If nothing changes, no one will ever be able to call Isakson "rock-the-boat Johnny" again.

People at West Point Lake have been concerned about the water level for months. Lakeside restaurants now have windows overlooking several yards of barren land. And to make things worse, the owners aren't sure if setting up inflatable swimming pools outside will violate Georgia's water rules.

A scary front-page headline in the Ledger-Enquirer this week warned the next step in Georgia might be water rationing. I guess this could return rural parts of the state to what grandparents call the "good old days" - back when people only took tub baths on Saturday nights.

I'm wondering if some Columbus restaurants already are taking steps to prepare for tougher water rules. The blog of the newspaper's Sonya Sorich notes she recently had to pay 25 cents for tap water, at the new downtown Sumo-a-Go-Go. But then again, it could simply be the cost of placing your restaurant across the street from a busy post office and courthouse.

When Georgia had a similar "dry summer" several years ago, several nice Atlanta restaurants stopped serving water glasses at the table unless you asked for them. Could Columbus be moving in that direction? Could we reach the point where barbecue joints have to import unsweetened tea from up north, because they can't make sweet tea on their own?

The forecast calls for rain in Columbus today, and every little bit could help alleviate the drought. No rain fell Wednesday -- and to make matters worse, the high temperature was near a record at 85 degrees F. A few more days like that, and the "CSI Miami" cast might show up here by mistake.

As it happens, Georgia state officials have been holding hearings on a proposed comprehensive water plan. The next local hearing is Friday evening at Columbus State University. If you only see bottles of Dasani at the refreshment table, you'll know these officials really are serious.

You'll know the water situation in Columbus REALLY is serious when....

+ The afternoon water release occurs from downtown dams, and people are waiting along the riverside for it with buckets.

+ Swim teams have to race across the pool the short way - in the shallow end only.

+ Guys try to drive across the Chattahoochee River in Jeeps - and not on a bridge.

+ Police stop me while I'm running, if I spit in someone's yard. (Hey, I try to avoid the sidewalk.)

E-MAIL UPDATE: We now return to the changes at a Hurtsboro grocery store. The elected official who first told us about them Monday replied to the extra details we mentioned Tuesday:

Sir Richard:

Let's fill in some gaps. The name G-Tu just simplifies the actual title of the "front Man' for the corporation that purchased Williams Grocery in Hurtsboro.

Gary Williams sold the store several months ago with the stipulations that he would not go into competive business within ten miles of the Hurtsboro location - and he would allow the new owners to use his off-premise liquor license.

It's true that the new owners tried to get approval (a necessary first step) from Hurtsboro - but it's also true that the matter languished for over two months without any action being taken!

Since the sale; Gary Williams has built a new store of similiar nature (a scant ten miles away) in Hatchechubbee and plans to open soon. He has allowed his Hurtsboro license to expire and has obtained one for his new enterprise.

Enter the ABC. They shut down Mr. G-Tu's operation until he obtained a license. Mr.G-Tu scurried off to see the mayor and lo and behold the tardy paperwork was whisked off to the ABC. The information you received from ABC was correct they just didn't inform you that it was freshly arrived and that it had been delayed because of the Mayor of Hurtsboro.

You seemed curious about my term "The kiss of death. Believe me- alcohol sales have always been a MAJOR source of revenue at #1 Main Street in Hurtsboro!!

Mr. G-Tu has survived this crises - but I suspect a bumpy road lies ahead!

Constable R.J. Schweiger

If Gary Williams agreed to let "G-Tu" from the Harsh Corporation use his liquor license, why did the Alcohol Beverage Control official in Montgomery tell me he changed his mind? Did he want a "G-One" to have the license first?

The Constable has suggested Gary Williams felt unsafe in Hurtsboro, after two crimes aimed at him and his business last year. So he's opening a new store in Hatchechubbee, which relies solely on the Russell County Sheriff's Department?! Well, it IS closer to Phenix City. And so far, R.J. Schweiger hasn't complained about anybody there.

A man we mentioned here Wednesday was quick with a reply as well:

Richard,

I checked in on the Blog of Columbus this afternoon, and noticed that you were wondering when I might come out of hiding.

A few weeks ago, I started a new job as a Web Producer at WXIA-TV in Atlanta. I am very excited about this opportunity to grow professionally, and be closer to my family and friends in Atlanta.

Keep up the good work on the blog!

Best Regards,

Chris

That's former WRBL reporter Chris Sweigart - and I admittedly had not heard about this move. To borrow from his new station's web site, I was left asking: "Dude? What?!"

(WRBL never seemed to announce Chris Sweigart's departure. And the station certainly didn't prove it was "on my side," by showing a list of tips for how to get a new job in Atlanta.)

Now that we've checked some movers, let's see what else had us shaking Wednesday....

+ What's this I'm hearing about seven people getting ejected from the RiverCenter, during George Carlin's show last week? Did those preachers actually think they might convert him?

(Now this would make an interesting combination concert - the "all-RiverCenter diva tour," featuring George Carlin and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa.)

+ Columbus Chamber of Commerce Transportation Chair Rob Doll complained to WXTX "News at Ten" some people are "scared" to fly to the Columbus Airport, because they fear they'll be left there. Maybe Doll can help solve the problem, by moving his Nissan dealership a little closer.

+ Rep. Vance Smith of Pine Mountain was passed over for Georgia state transportation commissioner. He'll have to settle for having four of his grandchildren on the official state map [24 Aug 06] - and hoping they'll someday lobby to have part of Interstate 185 named after him.

+ Habitat for Humanity in Americus revoked the affiliation of two Georgia chapters. It's not clear which ones were affected or why, but a spokesman told GPB Radio some affiliates have been dropped for not building a house in eight years. If those places have eliminated poverty, I want to know where they are - and move there.

+ Georgia's Governor announced Dongwon Autoparts Technology of South Korea will open a plant in Meriwether County, with 300 new jobs. If a male employee tries to date all the females, he'll be a Dongwon Don Juan.

+ Georgia Congressman Hank Johnson told NPR's "All Things Considered" he wants to reverse his vote on a resolution condemning Turkey, for the killing of Armenians in 1915. He explained the "timing is bad" for it right now. For one thing, the centennial is still eight years away....

(Hank Johnson says he still thinks the Ottoman Empire committed genocide against Armenians in 1915, but he now realizes Turkish relations are important for national security. Predecessor Cynthia McKinney never would have had second thoughts -- and might have only thought turkey was a Thanksgiving dish.)

+ The Atlanta Thrashers fired head coach Bob Hartley. He led the team to its first division title and playoff appearance last spring -- and now he's canned for a 0-6 start?! There's more fog in the Thrashers' front office than the Cottonmouths are skating through at the Civic Center.

+ The Atlanta Falcons announced Byron Leftwich will start at quarterback Sunday in New Orleans - two days after the Journal-Constitution declared he'd been demoted to third-string. They can't both possibly be.... well, hang on. The way this season's going, that might not be a contradiction after all.

+ Instant Message to the driver of a four-by-four with Muscogee County tag ARW 3960: You're breaking Georgia law. Not with your speed - your bumper sticker. If it said, "Find 'em, feel 'em, FAKE 'em, forget 'em," that would be legal....

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