3 SEP 08: HURT, BUT NOT DEAD
You might forgive the Hurtsboro City Council for watching something other than the 6:00 p.m. news Tuesday night. The officials might have turned to CW-66 to watch a show they could relate to -- "Still Standing."
A Macon County judge ruled Tuesday that Hurtsboro can remain a city, and its charter will NOT be dissolved to come under Russell County governance. Isn't this unusual? Given our last Big Blog Question [27 Aug], we have an elected official who actually does NOT govern based on the polls.
Judge Alfonza Menefee ruled the petition drive to revoke Hurtsboro's charter was "dismissed with prejudice." That means the five people who signed petitions cannot file new documents to try again. Petitions sent to Montgomery still have not brought intervention from Governor Bob Riley - since he's too busy trying to keep Jefferson County from going bankrupt.
We do not have a copy of the written ruling, but Judge Alfonza Menefee reportedly ruled the petitioners in Hurtsboro did not prove their complaints. Next time, they need to take pictures of garbage bags sitting on the curb day after day....
The court ruling was yet another setback for outgoing Constable and Hurtsboro resident Robert Schweiger. He told WXTX "News at Ten" the city will "continue to suffer." And Schweiger hinted at new legal action - which at least would ensure the city attorney will continue to suffer.
Robert Schweiger indicated he may file a civil suit of some sort involving Hurtsboro, and might even demand the Russell County District Attorney file criminal charges. He'd better hurry up with that - before outgoing Mayor Sandra Tarver-Yoba moves to Columbus, and seeks asylum in Georgia.
CORRECTED: Robert Schweiger told WRBL he's very disappointed, but will take whatever steps he can so the issue can "reach its conclusion." Given his threats in response to Tuesday's ruling, Schweiger's only accepting one conclusion - and his answer is the only one that's right.
Tuesday's ruling means the runoff election for Hurtsboro Mayor can proceed in October. Finalist TeuTonya Burns said it wasn't right for five petitioners to attempt to dissolve the city, when Hurtsboro's "founding fathers" wanted one. This seems to be Robert Schweiger in the same camp with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin....
Russell County Judge Alford Harden originally was assigned the Hurtsboro charter case. He said Tuesday it's time for healing to take place in the town. That clearly will not be easy - because when I visited Hurtsboro last November, I didn't recall seeing even a doctor's office.
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OVERHEARD OVER HERE: It was last Thursday - the historic Thursday, with the nominee's acceptance speech on the anniversary of the "I Have a Dream" speech. But first, an African-American woman was watching meteorologist Susie Martin on WLTZ's 6:00 Report.
"She's wearing a pink jacket?!? She totally lacks credibility."
Not much else in the news thrilled us Tuesday, but here's what did....
+ Columbus City Manager Isaiah Hugley announced one million city dollars now are available for "greenspace" development around the central library. Columbus Council members can stretch those dollars even farther, by collecting trees for recycling next January and planting those free seedlings outside the doors.
+ The Columbus Catfish cleaned out their locker rooms at Golden Park, with the staff planning to remove everything within two weeks for the move to Kentucky. They have to hurry, of course - because in Bowling Green, it actually can be too cold for baseball by November.
+ The Associated Press college football poll dropped Georgia from first to second, and moved Southern California into the top spot. Bulldog fans should learn a lesson from this. Steve Spurrier knew what he was doing, when he ran up the score on Florida's opponents years ago.
+ WRBL reported Phenix City Mayor Jeff Hardin has taken in two of his wife's relatives, who are evacuees from Hurricane Gustav in Louisiana. Here's yet another reason why Hardin would have lost a re-election bid - as someone with that background couldn't bring a Popeye's chicken restaurant to town.
+ Instant Message to Georgia Public Broadcasting and Troy Public Radio: I think you can return to your regular classical music schedule now. You can bring back works by the composer that listeners might have misunderstood as "Gustav Mauler."
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UPDATE 1/12:55pm