11 JAN 09: Mixed Martial Arts?
Did you see the sign posted on a tree, in Saturday's Ledger-Enquirer? A woman posted this warning in her yard: "THERE IS A ROBBER! IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD." Hopefully we haven't uncovered another Muscogee County kindergarten teacher....
Carole Whetstone explained to the newspaper she put up the sign after her apartment on 32nd Street was robbed twice in two weeks. She claims she misspelled "their" on purpose, to "help draw attention" to the sign. At last -- an explanation for some of the misspelled "headlines" on TV news.
But Carole Whetstone admits she took the warning sign down on orders from Columbus city officials, after someone complained about it. Was it because she called attention to crime in her neighborhood? Or because it made everyone on the block look downright illiterate?
If it's wrong to display warning signs on your property in Columbus, Carole Whetstone is NOT the only offender. Drive down Weems Road east of Moon Road and you'll see this metal sign in front of a house: "The wicked shall be turned into...." uhhhh, well -- it does NOT say they'll be turned into city garbage collectors....
(That sign quotes from the Biblical book of Psalms. There's another Bible verse which could be even more effective in deterring crime. Philippians 3:2 actually says, "Beware of dogs.")
Signs such as these indicate the lengths people are taking in Columbus to fight crime. Yet the weekend news reported a new series of five burglaries. And I hope the people who decided against buying something at Saturday's "Starving Artists' Sale" locked their car doors.
Mayor Jim Wetherington assured reporters again Friday the 100 promised new police officers are on the way. He said 34 have been hired, and most of them will enter the police academy Monday. Hopefully they'll come out like the women of "Charlie's Angels," and not the guys in the "Police Academy" movies.
Some of the new police officers may be put in unusual locations. Richard Hyatt's web site reported Saturday a new police precinct is being placed inside a new CB&T branch on Buena Vista Road. Anyone attempting to rob this bank truly will be a dumb criminal.
But the crime-fighting effort in Columbus seems to be overshadowed in part by political maneuvering. One potential trouble spot was resolved Friday, when Deputy Joe McCrea declared he'll retire from the Sheriff's Department. He could have battled to save his job until March, and then seized on public support around St. Patrick's Day....
Former Muscogee County Sheriff Ralph Johnson apparently did NOT put his staff under the city merit system, the way the former District Attorney and Municipal Court Judge did. So new Sheriff John Darr is putting his own team in place - and seems to be shocking the old system, with something other than a Taser.
The story I'm hearing is that Deputy Joe McCrea had a letter of suspension from Sheriff John Darr, which was a step toward termination. McCrea reportedly was ready to go before Columbus Council and appeal for his job. But Darr denied he had any plan to fire McCrea - as if the "letter of suspension" was designed to make him wear belts.
WRBL reported Joe McCrea will retire from the Sheriff's Department at the end of January. Then he'll take a new position at St. Francis Hospital. Knowing how much McCrea loves ice hockey, the Cottonmouths may not return to the Medical Center pediatric ward for quite awhile.
Meanwhile, another sheriff's deputy received a promotion from Mayor Jim Wetherington. Brad Hicks has been named the new Director of Homeland Security - but Hicks described his job in terms of writing requests for government grants. Some of us hoped to see him inspecting rail cars, before they roll past the Government Center.
These two developments lead me to ask a question. Where are the mass resignations of jail employees, which an e-mail to this blog promised last fall? [7 Oct 08] Is Sheriff John Darr making all of them majors, the way he's reportedly "demoting" some deputies to that rank -- perhaps so everyone can feel equal?
Lest we point all our fingers at Columbus law enforcement, there's a curious case in Lee County. Two female prisoners were captured Saturday, after reportedly walking away from a work-release program at a Sonic Drive-In. Huh - you mean jail inmates are preparing people's dinners? No wonder you sometimes get extra bacon you don't want, instead of cheese you requested.
Really now - would you be less likely to go to a restaurant, if you knew a jail inmate was preparing your food? Or would you decide it didn't make any difference, as long as the inmates didn't pass along their usual dinner of hash and cornbread?
We'll lock up any more jokes along this line for now, and check other news of the weekend....
+ Port Columbus held a historical symposium for scholars on battleships. But the museum let me down and missed a great teachable moment, by not holding a tournament with children playing the "Battleship" board game.
+ Troy University announced all current vacancies will go unfilled through March, to save money. At the Phenix City campus, I think this means some great opportunities for Chattahoochee Valley Community College students to serve as interns.
+ Richard Hyatt's web site reported Susan-Elizabeth Littlefield is leaving WRBL, to work at a TV station in Columbia, South Carolina. This is a bit surprising, since Littlefield has relatives here. Hopefully she didn't make a big 2009 mistake - by saying the word "raise" around her boss.
+ The Georgia Office of Consumer Affairs revealed nine gas stations were found in violation of price gouging laws during Hurricane Ike. None of them were in the Columbus area - which may show convenience stores fare better when they work as a team.
+ Columbus native Rod Hood had an interception, as Arizona amazed Carolina 33-13 in the pro football playoffs. To use Fox score-box shorthand, Hood now stands guilty of CAR theft.
+ Atlanta-based Home Depot announced it will no longer sponsor U.S. Olympic athletes. The first effect will be on the 2010 winter games in Vancouver. The chances for our ski and bobsled teams may be going downhill - well, even more than usual.
SCHEDULED MONDAY: We get you ready for opening day....
The number of unique visitors to our blog has doubled since 2006! To advertise to them, offer a story tip, make a PayPal donation 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: 1,202 (- 73, 5.7%)
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.
© 2003-09 Richard Burkard, all rights reserved.