10 NOV 08: MORE EBONY THAN IVORY

"I'm so happy that Barack Obama won...." So said a speaker Sunday at the Liberty Theatre, during the premiere of the Columbus Walk of Fame. And no, there was NO hurried effort to find a Republican and make it an official political forum....

It's probably no surprise that someone would talk about the presidential vote at the Liberty Theatre. But the big surprise was who said those words -- not Calvin Smyre, not Ed Harbison and not Carolyn Hugley, even though they all spoke during the program. It wasn't even Sanford Bishop, because he entered the theatre right as an aide said he could NOT attend.

The only speaker who dared to utter Barack Obama's full name during the Columbus Walk of Fame ceremony was Don Nahley. The 78-year-old former co-host of Rozell and Coffee Break declared: "I don't want to sound political, but I'm so happy about it." As I told someone sitting next to me, "Leave it to a white guy to steal the show...."

Don Nahley was on the program to offer a tribute to Walk of Fame inductee Fredye Marshall. She was a regular singer on Rozell's midday TV show, and Nahley recalled he sometimes gave her a ride home from WRBL. Marshall gave a command performance for the British royal family - yet METRA couldn't work out a special bus ride?!

But Don Nahley decided other speakers on the stage had told Fredye Marshall's story well, so he decided to use most of his three minutes to talk racial history. He noted his mother-in-law in south Georgia didn't like Ed Sullivan presenting African-American artists. Nahley's wife told her bluntly: "This world will be a lot better when your generation is gone."

Connecticut native Don Nahley hopes Barack Obama's election will bring the "dawning of a new age." He also wondered due to segregation, "How many geniuses have we missed....?" Not to mention the wanna-be geniuses, who make up stories about why they need handouts on street corners.

Nahley's words were noteworthy because the Liberty Theatre was packed for the Columbus Walk of Fame ceremony - and almost everyone there was African-American. Mayor Jim Wetherington described it as a future tourist attraction. So maybe the white people are waiting for the crowds to dissipate.

Walk of Fame Chair Jacquelyn Egins told your blog after the ceremony she expects it eventually will honor artists of all ethnic backgrounds. Maybe if the Jake Hess fans started holding gospel hoedowns at the Liberty Theatre on Sunday afternoons....

The Columbus Walk of Fame begins with stars for three musicians. In addition to Fredye Marshall, there's a star for Ma Rainey -- but the program for Sunday's ceremony showed her year of death as 1929, ten years too soon. If you tell relatives a woman died at 43 instead of 53, is that a compliment?

The third musician honored Sunday was 19^th-century pianist Thomas Wiggins, better known as "Blind Tom." He gained fame not only as a composer, but for his ability to repeat piano pieces others played merely by hearing them. So 100 years ahead of his time, Wiggins was a pioneer of "instant replay."

Thomas Wiggins was remembered at the ceremony by Russell County Judge George Green. Green declared he has the largest collection of "Blind Tom" material, which soon will be available to the public at his "Green Museum." I wondered what they were planning for the Russell County Courthouse, once some offices are moved.

(The judge's "Green Museum" in Phenix City is available now by appointment only. Research into Blind Tom probably has to be worked around George Green's personal attempts to be blind - as in finalizing plea bargains.)

Robert Anderson with the Liberty Theatre Cultural Center told the audience he dreams of building a museum on the other side of Eighth Avenue, to tell the stories of people on the Walk of Fame. Based on how long it took to make Ma Rainey's house into a museum, look for it to open around 2025.

Besides Don Nahley, the other unexpected star of Sunday's ceremony was Miss Georgia 2008. A few people in the audience stood up when Chasity Hardman was introduced to sing. I overheard one woman saying, "Aren't you supposed to rise for royalty?" Just because she's wearing a crown does NOT mean she's ruling the state....

Chasity Hardman went on to present an inspirational song which had people rising to applaud in the middle, then sitting, then rising again at its conclusion. Either these people thought they were at a Pentecostal church service, or they've watched "American Idol" a bit too much.

Miss Georgia also received the most embarrassing moment of the day - as she was introduced as someone who has "a secret crush on John Travolta." What does mother and minister Ann Hardman think of her daughter quietly longing for a Scientologist?

(BLOGGER'S NOTE: We regret to report our camera batteries died, so we have no pictures of the Walk of Fame ceremony. We may post some shots of the walkway Monday or Tuesday on our picture page.)

E-MAIL UPDATE: Two messages were sent us several weeks ago, which inspired a Big Blog Question on what direction this blog should take. Today we finally feel comfortable posting them....

Lets just say the principals book FAIR wasn't FARE and it is not the first time "accounting practices" have come into question at Rigdon Road Elementary....

I have heard that the principal misappropriated funds from the sale of books at a school book fair. I also heard that this is Not her first indiscretion when it comes to MCSD funds.

It seams that in Columbus anytime a person of color is accused of a crime inside the government or school district it is swept under the rug in fear that the public will cry Racism. The law would suggest that everyone is innocent until proven guilty, although I know it really doesn't work this way. However Red, Yellow, Black or White, theft is theft.

The allegations that I have heard suggest that books were sold by this principal at a book fair that belonged to MCSD and were not intended for sale. The money from the books was in turn pocketed by the principal with no records kept of the sale of books. I have also heard that a similar event took place with the same individual, not sure of the outcome of that.

In addition. It is obvious that the Ledger is controlled by the powers that be in this town. You would be hard pressed to find any truth in this publication when it comes to any of those powers.

We happened upon former Rigdon Road School Principal Phyllis Jones, outside Sunday's Walk of Fame ceremony. You may be happy to know she heard those rumors, too....

Phyllis Jones denies she reached into any accounts at Rigdon Road School for personal gain. Jones also denies speculation that she somehow manipulated test scores, so Rigdon Road students did so well. "They did the same thing to Jesus," she pointed out. That's true - except He didn't have the option of taking a nice retirement package.

So why did Phyllis Jones suddenly decide to resign as Rigdon Road Principal last month? "It was TIME!" she said with a smile. She's 55 years old, and wants to have free time to enjoy life. I should have asked her where she's stashed all the investment money to afford that....

Phyllis Jones decided it was time to retire over Labor Day weekend. She says she was with her husband and friends in Charleston, South Carolina - and she had to get to Columbus before seeing all the historic homes. Do you see the sacrifices people have to make, when they're in charge of year-round schools?

Even though she's retired from Muscogee County schools, Phyllis Jones tells me she's keeping busy. She's doing consulting work for a couple of rural schools in south Georgia, and has finished more than 80 pages of a book. So wait a ew months, and Jones may answer all the other Rigdon Road rumors - for a price.

In the meantime, Phyllis Jones is planning vacations to Canada and Alaska. She also has other things to do: "I want to go to a wrestling match...." Yes, as in professional wrestling. Somehow I can't imagine Jones holding up a sign saying, "Rigdon Road fears the Undertaker."

We promised one other e-mail today, which relates to the Frank Lumpkin III case:

Hi, Richard!

Just curious if those fine television reporters you work with are going to now do a followup with the heartbroken mom of the teen shot by Mr. Lumpkin? Afterall, it was the newsleader's exclusive featuring mama cryin about her little boy wasn't it? Here are some suggestions for the "newsleader" to ask this mother of the year! What kind of mother let's her child skip school for three years? There ARE laws against it. And how is her precious baby so innocent with a rap sheet a mile long including 15 priors? Enquiring minds want to know the rest of the story Richard, please track mama down for some real must see TV!

Good Luck!

Robbie

This is referring to a story in the Ledger-Enquirer last week, which detailed the teenager's juvenile court record. But if prior convictions automatically mean someone is guilty of stealing a car, then President Bush must have been drunk at all his White House state dinners.

The phone number of the teenager's mother is NOT made clear by the Columbus phone book, so we called the teen's attorney. As of Sunday evening, two calls to Derrell Dowdell had not been returned. Perhaps we'll have to wait for the next news conference - where the mother might appear with the head of a home schooling committee.

Let's wrap things up with some other sights from a lovely fall weekend....

+ An afternoon walk near South Commons found a crew watering down the warning track at Golden Park. What a nice reminder that.... hey, wait a minute! Why do that at a baseball stadium, when there's no current team there? And besides, doesn't that water risk another flooded outfield?

(The Golden Park lights have been on after dark a few recent evenings. Either the city is trying to attract another baseball team, or we've found this year's holding pen for SOA Watch demonstrators.)

+ Georgia State Senator Emanuel Jones told WRBL he's working on a deal to buy Bill Heard Chevrolet. Is this really a good solution? If a customer tries to sign an agreement for a car, Jones may propose three amendments and one committee substitute.

+ The Atlanta Falcons nipped New Orleans 34-20, and are now 6-3 on the year. Did you see Joey Harrington on the Saints sidelines, backing up quarterback Drew Brees? I'm sure Harrington is more comfortable there -- with so many more clubs for playing the jazz piano he loves.

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