20 DEC 07: CONDITIONS ARE FLUID

Russian "Putintate" Vladimir Putin was named Time magazine's "Person of the Year" Wednesday. In this part of the country, I think some people would have voted for a thing instead of a person: water. A lack of it made yards brown, dried up local fountains - and still has elected officials on the verge of spitting bottled water in each other's faces.

Several items relating to water made news Wednesday. Reporters discovered Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama snuck language into a spending bill, to block the federal government from rewriting the rules for water sharing. This may sound selfish - but then he's saving the government money on liquid paper.

Senator Richard Shelby apparently believes the current Army Corps of Engineers water-sharing rules are fine. Or perhaps he's concerned that the rules will be revised so Georgia gets to keep more water, while Alabama receives less. So why doesn't Shelby add an "earmark" to widen West Point Lake, so more of it is in Chambers and Randolph Counties?

WLTZ's top story Wednesday night was also water-related. It explained why local officials don't like the latest management map from the Georgia Water Council. No, it's NOT because Troup County would get more gallons per person than Muscogee County....

The issue with the new water management map is that Georgia is divided into 12 geographic districts, based on county lines. Local officials want the lines drawn by the way rivers run, so the Chattahoochee River would have a district all to itself. Even if that means people in the Bull Creek neighborhood have to drive to Helen sometimes to complain.

But there was a hopeful sign of peace Wednesday on another, uh, water front. WRBL reported Columbus Water Works is offering to swap one of its ponds for a pond the city owns behind Oxbow Meadows. So what's the catch here? Is one filled with freshwater fish, while the other has an alligator?

You may recall Columbus Council's discussion in November over what to do with "Beaver Pond," behind Oxbow Meadows [28 Nov]. City officials say they need it for dumping inert natural waste such as tree limbs. Columbus State University opposes that, and it operates Oxbow Meadows. There are companies which make high cloth fencing, to hide this sort of thing.

But now Columbus Water Works is coming to the rescue. It has a pond in Columbus South near Oxbow Meadows, and is offering to trade it with the city for Beaver Pond. This way, waste can be dumped without ruining the effect of Oxbow Meadows - a true example of "what pond-switch has preserved."

City Manager Isaiah Hugley is willing to pursue this swap, so crews will examine the ponds after the turn of the year. I suppose there could be objections - for instance, from people who want a new outdoor swimming pool in Columbus South.

But under this swap, the city of Columbus still would have three ponds -- one becoming full of natural waste, and a second set aside for more. Now someone needs to figure out where Pond #3 is, so people can go there after dark with buckets for watering their lawns.

THE BIG BLOG QUESTION closed Wednesday night, with most voters wanting heads to roll in Columbus city government. We found 62 percent of you want officials to be fired, for their handling of the Zachary Allen "cocaine crash" case (8-5). The next question is: WHICH officials should be fired? One writer wrote "YES" 15 times - but Columbus Council only has ten members.

This one-week question sparked some very lively comments. Some people want Zachary Allen charged, since he tested positive for cocaine after wrecking a city EMS vehicle late last year. But another said Allen's attorneys would argue "he was not mirandized." I think that refers to being read his "Miranda Rights" - because I've never seen actress Helen Mirren in Columbus.

"The Feds need to be in the middle of that department," one person commented. The federal government inside the Columbus Fire Department?! It's bad enough now to see federal "homeland security" grant money being used to buy Columbus firefighters exercise equipment.... [true!]

"All who filed false reports should be prosecuted," that voter also wrote. Another claimed the cocaine test result was hidden for a year "due to the fact he is an Allen." Somewhere in the Government Center, Sheriff Ralph Johnson must be wondering why his son didn't get the same sort of break.

Then there was a voter who brought up a fire department name I hadn't heard in a long time. He called Jerry Fountain a "crusader" against "vile corruption and cronyism," and longed for him to return. But there's one potential problem with that - when you're in a drought, adding a Fountain doesn't look very appropriate.

That same voter argued part of the problem with Columbus Fire/EMS is its scheduling: "working one day and being off two days. I think those two days off breed corruption." Then let's apply this across the board - and order Columbus Council to meet every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

E-MAIL UPDATE: Now an update to another corruption complaint, was started here Monday. It involves the Phenix City Manager....

YOU SAID

"I asked a news reporter who covers Phenix City about this Sunday - and was told Bubba Roberts claims to own property inside Phenix City, where he lives from time to time. That's in addition to his home outside the city limits. So if Russell County can hire an engineer who lives in Lee County, why isn't this legal?"

MY RESPONSE:

H.H. Bubba Roberts does INDEED own property inside the city limits. He has NEVER and I guarantee you WILL NEVER EVER live in or on this property. According to tax records (all public records of course) he owns a home at 2014 2nd Avenue in Phenix city. If you were to take a trip to that address you wouldnt unlock the doors on your car much less get out. This homes appraised value is $50,099 and is a RENTAL PROPERTY. I live not too far from this address and at the time I sent all this info in to the papers & other media outlets about his homes it had a busted window covered with plywood and the neighbors advised the police removed a crackhead woman who had been squatting there. The outdoor lighting remains on 24/7 as does all the lights inside the empty house at the moment.

His other home in Lee County appriases at a whopping $206,000 complete with a boat ramp, boat house, and shop on the same property. So why in the h**k would he even consider living at this rental property. That comment is such a joke!

Just thought you should have the rest of the story on his homes. BUBBA Does NOT live in town and hasnt for years.

They just fed you the same story they feed everyone. Says here lives there sometimes ... what a joke.

Thanks for your attention & for trying.

We went to 2014 Second Avenue Wednesday afternoon, actually climbed out of our car and looked at the home. There's a church parking lot right down the street, which gave us a measure of protection....

I didn't notice any lights on at the modest Second Avenue home -- but I didn't get too close, because a "private property no trespassing" sign is posted outside. If the Phenix City Manager owns the home, at least he's helping Alabama Power meet its expenses.

From what I could see, the Second Avenue home appeared to be in decent condition. A couple of blocks down the street, other homes appear downright run-down and messy - and they're much closer to the planned Phenixian development, so those owners should cash in much better.

By the way, who left a three-legged dog outside to roam 20^th Street in Phenix City? It was quite a surprise, when that animal crossed my path - and it was even more surprising that the dog seemed able to jog a bit.

Thanks to everyone who visits, votes and writes - and now let's get caught up on news from the last couple of days:

+ The Phenix City Council voted again to oppose the proposed soft drink tax in Russell County. Have you noticed how the Alabama tax proposal has been mentioned for its nice economic benefits - while in San Francisco, a similar proposal is designed so people DON'T buy soft drinks and get fit?

+ Columbus State University tested its new "Cougar Alert" warning system, with messages sent to students by computer and text. We're told 90 percent of the students received the test message successfully - while the other ten percent are the nerds too busy reading books for next semester's courses.

+ Demolition began at the tornado-damaged Sumter Regional Hospital in Americus. What a different one year makes! If bulldozers had been seen near that hospital last January, Jimmy Carter would have been pleading for Congressional intervention to stop them.

+ Bill Parcells decided NOT to take a front-office job with the Atlanta Falcons. What does it say about this football team, when Parcells prefers to keep doing those Coors Light commercials with classic news briefings?

2007 IN REVIEW, CONTINUED: March had a disastrous beginning in Columbus and Americus, due to deadly tornadoes. Yet Art Garfunkel's concert went on at the RiverCenter, after the audience was moved into a basement. So did he change one of his song titles to "Bridge Under Troubled Skies?"

A new recycling plant opened in Phenix City during March. Blaze Recycling reportedly can shred an entire car in one minute. Too bad it opened four months after Zachary Allen's car crash....

But things were more ominous in March at Phenix City's hospital. The obstetrics department at Summit Hospital was closed - and now in an ironic twist, the entire building is being adopted.

Phenix City Manager Bubba Roberts was asked by the mayor to resign during March - but he didn't, and there aren't enough votes on the city council to force him out. It's a wonder Jeff Hardin didn't e-mail us about that house on Second Avenue long ago.

March was the month when the great "library land deal" was announced involving the city of Columbus and the Muscogee County School Board. The legal wrangling since then makes you wonder why the Library Board simply doesn't expand the central library, and use that space for law journals.

The Alabama Legislature voted itself a raise in March - a 62-percent raise at that. The jealousy over Nick Saban's football coaching contract was deeper than anyone imagined.

The principal of Baker Middle School suddenly was "reassigned" during March. I don't know if the new principal is doing any better - but it certainly hasn't persuaded anyone to buy the old middle school yet.

One Columbus grade school had a change in March, as Eastway Elementary was renamed in honor of Lonnie Jackson. I assume this school now follows Jackson's tradition - by serving Thanksgiving dinner to students about ten days in advance.

Loachapoka's schools had a strange day during March. When a strange odor filled a school building, teachers climbed aboard school buses to hold class. Why don't more school districts require this -- especially on the rides to and from school? If teachers don't drive, greenhouse gas levels go down.

Jordan High School brought a state boys' basketball title to Columbus during March. So where was THEIR parade down Broadway? Where was THEIR big rally at the Civic Center? Apparently the Red Jackets dominated their final games a little too powerfully.

Auburn University won national championships in March, for male and female swimming. And perhaps more amazingly, the athletes did not sneak off for a mixed skinny-dipping party to celebrate.

(A few days later, Dr. Jay Gogue was approved as Auburn's new President. He's been in office several months ago - and I'm stunned by the fact that not one professor has called for his firing yet.)

March was also the month when Blue Man Group performed at the Columbus Civic Center. But the show did NOT sell out - as WOKS-AM refused to play the group's blues songs.

We tried to make history here in March, by having a Big Blog Question on what to name the Aflac duck. More voters preferred the "none of the above" option than any of the names we offered. Yet local humane societies keep showing up on TV with named animals, anyway....

BURKARD'S BEST BETS: Gas for $2.81 a gallon at the newly-converted Crown Busy Bee, 14^th Street in Phenix City.... milk for $3.89 a gallon at Walgreens.... and no, I have no blog gift cards to sell....

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