27 DEC 07: THE OVER-THE-HILL GANG
I feel a song coming on today: "Down in the valley, the valley so low.... keep looking up, where cliff jumpers might go...."
This song came to mind after watching the news Wednesday night, and hearing the story of the Liebendorfer family. Their home is on Charter Oaks Circle in Columbus, east of Moon Road at the bottom of a hill - and 11 days ago, a car flew down that hill and smashed into their home. You wondered where that 21st-century flying car was, didn't you?
A driver somehow went out of control on Ritch Haven Road, went through a chain-link fence at a "dead end" and went downhill into the Liebendorfer home. Amazingly, no one was hurt - so if the sign on this street actually says "dead end," it needs to be changed to "no outlet."
The car which went over a hill went through a wall of the Liebendorfer house, and stopped at the foot of a boy's bed. For that young man, it must have been every "Grand Theft Auto" game come to life....
Sonya Liebendorfer says the car left such a gash in the side of her home that she had to cover it, so animals along a nearby creek wouldn't wander inside. The last thing you need is an Aflac duck entering the bedroom, to remind you of the close call you had and the need for extra insurance.
After the 16 December wreck, Columbus city workers put up three red diamond-shaped reflectors at the end of Ritch Haven Road. Sonya Liebendorfer says that won't prevent future crashes down the hill and into her house. Besides, Ritch Haven Road residents probably don't want reflectors which tempt their children to gamble on poker.
Sonya Liebendorfer says she plans to go before Columbus Council in January, and ask for a guard rail to be installed at the end of Ritch Haven Road. That way, there won't be talk about having to buy "no-fault" or "comprehensive and collision" insurance for her home.
But Columbus city engineers say a guard rail at the end of Ritch Haven Road is the wrong approach. They explain wild drivers might wind up rolling over as their cars head down the hill, because the metal rail is NOT able to absorb head-on crashes. If you REALLY want heavy metal around here, visit Fort Benning or "Rock 103" FM.
Perhaps the right answer to this problem is another kind of material. Concrete barriers were added in front of the Columbus Civic Center after the September 11 attacks. They're on other "dead end" roads which might lead onto Fort Benning. But if some smart aleck spray-paints it green, it might blend in too well.
There's also the approach used in car and motorcycle races - putting up hay bales to slow the cars down. But that probably wouldn't work, either -- as the nearby animals either would eat the hay for dinner, or move it to the creek and flood the Liebendorfers' house when it rains.
THE BIG BLOG QUESTION closed Wednesday, and the vote was overwhelming: 71 percent of you would vote against a one-cent sales tax for public safety (10-4). So when Mayor Wetherington talks about presenting the idea to Columbus Council "early next year," remember one thing -- anything before June 30 can qualify as early.
One person in our poll wrote Mayor Wetherington should stick to public safety officers in a sales tax vote, and NOT commit money to new precincts and a jail expansion. That person wrote: "Why increase the budget so that we can afford more officers when there aren't any to afford?" So does this mean we should pay the current police more, so we can have less of them?!
The main complaint from commenters in our non-scientific poll involved corruption in city government. One person accused Police Chief Ricky Boren of doing nothing, concerning Zachary Allen's positive drug test after an EMS crash last year. But if the information wasn't on an EMS incident report, what could he do? I think the voters would consider a staff psychic a waste of tax money, too.
One person argued public safety workers recently received a raise "when other city workers got none." But another wrote a city "compensation time" plan actually is costing police officers thousands of dollars in overtime. So it would seem police are with their families more, and enjoying it a bit less....
The comments section also turned to the Columbus Fire Department. One person claimed firefighters rejected a new scheduling plan with a pay raise, because they prefer to work at second jobs such as remodeling. As long as they're installing fireproof shingles and paneling, aren't they still doing their main jobs?
We thank you all for voting and commenting. Now let's check other Wednesday headlines:
+ Port Columbus opened an exhibit it described as its "most shocking ever," showing electrolysis equipment. I'm sorry, but I disagree with this hype. Showing fake-bloody operations on live, awake patients - now THAT'S shocking.
+ The manager of the Columbus Salvation Army store told WXTX "News at Ten" her staff is making daily trips to the landfill, because people are dropping off worthless junky items. Please don't get confused, friends - it's the Goodwill staff which repairs broken items. But sometimes even they struggle with ketchup stains on ties.
+ Bill Heard Cadillac announced an unusual new incentive. If you buy a Cadillac, they'll give you a membership to Maple Ridge Golf Club. But they do NOT throw in an electric golf cart to get around the course -- because then no one would need to buy the Cadillac.
+ WRBL reported James West took over the title of Eufaula Police Chief. Longtime Chief Kenneth Walker has retired - but he's probably still likely to bring stares, every time he states his name in the Columbus area.
+ National Public Radio reported the cocaine trade has dried up in the Atlanta area in recent months. Based on F.B.I. numbers, there seems to be an obvious explanation for this - drug users have become addicted to robbing banks instead.
+ Columbus beat Atlanta in hockey 2-0. When the Cottonmouths can shut out an N.H.L. team, this is quite an accomplishment for Coach Jerome.... oh wait. There's ANOTHER Columbus where they play hockey - only that city doesn't win as often.
(WRCG radio is carrying Atlanta Thrashers games - but it has an annoying habit of interrupting the game for commercials, even in play is in progress. Someone at Archway Broadcasting must be walking down the hallway with static electricity, and touching off the computer.)
+ Instant Message to WGSY-FM "Sunny 100": So you've put the Xmas music away for another ten months or so. When do you plan to make up for the last few weeks - and play a tribute to the late Dan Fogelberg?
2007 IN REVIEW, CONTINUED: September began in a strange way in Columbus - as rumors of a gang attack caused Brookstone School to shut down early for Labor Day weekend. I keep waiting for police to raid Glenwood School, to get to the bottom of this....
Columbus Council approved 50 new stun guns for the police department in September. Yet Sheriff Tommy Boswell recently wrote the "Redneckin" blog of Russell County to say he has NO plans to buy any for awhile. For one thing, they'd defeat the purpose of that nice new firing range.
Columbus gained a new sister city in September: Taichung City, Taiwan. Was this really a good decision - considering Kia's headquarters is in South Korea?
September officially marked the end of Riverfest, in the downtown area. It's now been merged into an "Uptown Coalition," which hopes to have big events downtown every weekend. OK - how about a parade this weekend for the Columbus Catfish, which won a championship in September and received nothing?
A major movie with Columbus roots opened in September - "In the Valley of Elah," based on the murder of Fort Benning soldier Richard Davis. Judging from its weak ticket sales and lack of award nominations, the door is open for Eve Tidwell to make her own version of the story.
Phenix City Councilor Ray Bush was arrested in September, after a city employee accused him of harassment. Bush was acquitted at trial - yet no one has taken a survey, to see if he's more popular than that other Bush in elected office.
Old-time musical groups stopped by our area during September. The Grass Roots performed in Phenix City. The Four Tops appeared at the RiverCenter. Yet no one realized it was the 80th anniversary of "Columbus Stockade Blues" until the newspaper mentioned it last Sunday.
Two Columbus radio stations swapped spots on the FM dial in September. I guess we could say "Da Beat" hip-hopped down to 98.3 - but was that other station guilty of "black Magic"?!
The college football season began in September, with Auburn losing two consecutive games at home. For a few days, many people actually would have been happy to see Tommy Tuberville move to Arkansas....
Fort Benning marked a few major events during September. The U.S. Army Infantry marked its 100th anniversary. Then Benning became the first location in the military with a "self-service dog washing facility." Remember, the Infantry fought long and hard for your pets to smell nice.
This blog has thousands of visitors each month, from people in Columbus and around the world. To advertise to them, offer a story tip or comment on this blog, write me - but be warned, I may post your e-mail comment and offer a reply.
BURKARD BULK MAIL INDEX: 1905 (+ 24, 1.3%)
The views expressed in this blog are solely those of the author -- not necessarily those of anyone else in Columbus living or dead, and perhaps not even you.
© 2003-07 Richard Burkard, all rights reserved.