22 DEC 08: FIGHT TO THE FINISH

Do you realize Columbus Mayor Jim Wetherington is almost halfway through his term? The man who campaigned to make Columbus safer now is dealing with his second crime wave in 18 months. Will that proposed increase in the hotel-motel tax for the Columbus Sports Council wind up training a civilian sharpshooting patrol?

It saddens me to see the Columbus homicide count at 27 for the year, with seven so far in December. I'm not counting that Saturday night incident on Reese Road, because police might rule that a case of self-defense. A stepfather accused of burglarizing his stepson's home tells me someone isn't paying close attention to those schmaltzy Christmas songs on the radio.

It probably was a coincidence, but a man over the weekend showed me a couple of long bullets -- at church. In the center aisle of where we hold worship services. The end-time "beast power" would have picked the worst possible day for capturing our congregation....

As far as I know, no one brought a gun inside the worship service. But the man with the bullets asked me if I had one, which could hold what he was holding. I assured him the only weapon I carry is a sword - which the Bible calls the word of God.

A manager at a downtown fast-food restaurant offered his own theory this weekend on these crime waves. He told me crime seemed to increase in Columbus when people relocated here after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. But Census Bureau numbers show Columbus's population has dropped slightly since July 2005. Did that many evacuees kick welcoming families out of their homes?

(An arrest was announced Sunday in one weekend stabbing in the Historic District - and the suspect is a Fort Benning soldier. At least he can choose from a number of attorneys who can walk to the scene of the crime.)

F.B.I. statistics show in some categories, Columbus has seen sharp increases in crime. The number of robberies is up 56 percent from 2004. The number of reported rapes tripled only last year. And who knows how many more steals have occurred in high school baseball and basketball.

A Columbus police spokesman tried to sound reassuring this past week, about the city's deadly December. He told WRBL in most of the homicides, the suspect and the homicide victim knew each other. That sort of comment makes me think about starting a Myspace account, then doing criminal background checks on all my friends.

Columbus city officials no doubt plan to reassure residents that help is coming. The first of the 100 new police officers should go on duty next year. But how will they stop feuds within families, or quarrels between estranged lovers? Riding up and down local streets with loud love songs playing probably wouldn't work for long....

In a less violent crime, Columbus Police reported Sunday someone broke into several offices at Jordan High School. Trouble is, the glassworking students who can repair the damage are on a two-week winter break.

Let's see if anything happier made news over the weekend....

+ The Ledger-Enquirer had a front-page story on the federal grand jury investigation of attorney Mark Shelnutt. Shelnutt again said no one's told him he's under investigation. Maybe this is like Chicago - and federal prosecutors are referring to him only as "lawyer number five."

+ Alabama Wholesalers in Phenix City ran radio ads, announcing the furniture store is going out of business. Sales must have reached a low point - so now we'll get discount pricing on the order of High Point.

+ The Atlanta Falcons clinched a playoff spot, by minimizing Minnesota 24-17. If you think Atlanta is good now, just wait until next July - when Michael Vick leaves prison, and there's some real competition for quarterback.

(Falcons Coach Mike Smith told his team after the game they're "still in the process." For instance, they're in the process of trying to secure hotel reservations for a first-round playoff game -- anywhere from Phoenix to Chicago.)

+ Troy University lost to Southern Mississippi 30-27 in overtime, at the "R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl." When your bowl game is sponsored by a truck line, is that a good thing? I mean, does that rank higher or lower than the old Poulan Weed-Eater Independence Bowl?

(One Troy radio announcer expressed concern before the game about the yard-line numbers painted on the Superdome field, because they were an unusual distance from the sidelines. This guy must be a graduate of the Larry Munson school of worry-wart broadcasting.)

-> Our poker game last week had a happy ending. Read all about it at our other blog, "On the Flop!" <--

2008 IN REVIEW CON'D: Fire played a surprisingly large role in the local news of May. The Ledger-Enquirer had a fire in its pressroom one morning. A fire destroyed Tyler's restaurant in Phenix City. Yet the Columbus Fire Chief somehow was fire-proof, and ruled "salvageable" by the mayor.

Water also made news in May, as the fountains came back on across Columbus. The drought danger has eased in our area this year -- making me happier than one of those endangered Florida gulf coast clams.

A national survey released in May declared Columbus the fourth-best city in the U.S. for bringing up a family. This detail was mentioned on TV over the weekend, during a holiday toy handout at the House of Mercy. Give me enough free toys and food, and I could bring up a family as well.

The Aflac shareholders meeting in May was dominated by a proposal to approve the pay of top executives. The idea proved so successful that some members of Congress now want to set the salaries of auto industry executives and bankers.

A public feud developed in May, after Georgia's Governor vetoed state money for the National Infantry Museum near Fort Benning. If Sonny Perdue isn't careful next year, one of the museum's promoters might hurl a commemorative brick at his car.

Governor Sonny Perdue signed a controversial bill during May, expanding "concealed carry" gun privileges to restaurants across Georgia. So far, I've heard no reports of customers shooting at lobster tanks to pick the best one for dinner.

Columbus news underwent some changes in May. The Ledger-Enquirer dropped to only two staff photographers. WRBL dropped its 6:00 p.m. weekend newscasts. And WLTZ started showing high-definition newscasts - yet the words used by anchors John Beard and Libby Allison didn't seem any bigger or fancier than usual.

A new radio station officially premiered in Columbus during May - WBOJ-FM, or "103.7 The Truth." It's probably no coincidence that you didn't hear live coverage of the political conventions on this station....

Pacelli continued the local high school baseball tradition, by winning a state title at the end of May. But the Russell County team was put on probation for playing too many games. I guess we shouldn't be surprised by this - considering how coaches sometimes can't remember if a batter has one strike or two.

COMING SOON: What's that thing under the J.R. Allen Parkway? We'll go look....

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