22 JUL 10: Mondays with Mari J.
So what have you put inside YOUR shoes lately? I mean, other than your socks and your feet? Wouldn't Dr. Scholl's make a lot of money in the South right now, by selling an insole you can chill in the refrigerator before walking outside?
A Columbus city employee is accused of putting something very different in his shoes. Sheriff's officers claimed Wednesday Anthony Hubbard hid marijuana there, while on the job as a garbage truck driver. Of course, supporters might argue he was trying to make the marijuana easier to roll.
The Muscogee County Sheriff's Office claims Anthony Hubbard sold pot to prison inmates who help pick up the trash. For some reason, one of the big sale days was Mondays. Talk about starting the week on a high note....
Anthony Hubbard reportedly was searched by sheriff's deputies Tuesday, and was arrested when marijuana was found on him. If this is true, we can't really say Hubbard was caught red-handed - perhaps more like brown-footed.
But NO prison inmates will be charged in this case. An assistant warden told WTVM none of them were found with marijuana. This tells me it's not "medicinal marijuana," because the inmates can smoke it in a hurry.
This case clears up some questions about the staffing of Columbus city garbage trucks. The driver acts as a paid supervisor, while prison inmates do the heavy lifting. You know, maybe that's part of the problem. Some prisoners do their time, then "lift" other people's property.
(But this may cause another problem -- in terms of traffic backups. Marijuana supporters will drive slowly behind the trash trucks, hoping for simply a whiff....)
Jail records indicate Anthony Hubbard posted bond - but he hasn't returned to work with the city. If he comes back, he'll be placed on administrative leave and face termination. So I won't be surprised if Hubbard is spotted with Tony Adams at that big basketball tournament in Florida.
That was the other Columbus city employee who made news Wednesday. Tony Adams was spotted in Orlando, coaching Georgia Blazers basketball players at an AAU tournament. He's still coaching, even though he's on administrative leave - so Adams somehow has more clout than Damon Evans did at the University of Georgia.
An attorney for the Parks and Recreation Director told WRBL Adams's trip was paid for by Nike, through a third-party nonprofit group called East Marietta Basketball. If this seems shocking, remember something - Nike never dropped Tiger Woods from its endorsement list.
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E-MAIL UPDATE: We don't receive public service announcements very often, but here's one....
Greetings,
Could you please mention the women's book club I am trying to get started in Columbus?
The web site for it is:
http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/29970.Columbus_GA_book_club
Our first meeting will be July 31 and we will discuss Bird in Hand by Christina Baker Kline.
We will meet at Cheddar's at 11:00 a.m. for lunch.
I have been trying to find/start a good women's book club here in town. If you could help me get the word out that would be great!
Thanks,
~Nancy
Talk about an old-fashioned idea! After all, we're in 2010 - and I have friends who call those things DTB's: Dead Tree Books.
(You'll notice Nancy chooses her words carefully. She does NOT talk about "kindling" interest in a book club.)
I was naturally curious about the book these women are reading. "Bird in Hand" is a novel which includes two good friends, a deadly car crash and an adulterous affair. Perhaps this explains why I don't read novels - since plots like that are still on daytime TV every afternoon.
Let's close the virtual book on Wednesday with other news headlines:
+ The Ledger-Enquirer reported Muscogee County school maintenance workers officially have filed their discrimination lawsuit against the district. Former Columbus NAACP President Bill Madison told WRBL he's helping the plaintiffs on his own, separate from the organization. I'll believe that when I see Madison's old hearse parked outside the Public Education Center.
+ The Loft shut down its websites, after WXTX discovered credit card information on dozens of customers was posted online. Posting the credit card numbers is one thing - but revealing to your boss how many drinks you had at the nightclub is something else.
+ A University of Georgia scientist warned the Columbus Rotary Club there's a health risk from the fires burning spilled Gulf of Mexico oil. Dr. Samantha Joye says smoke from the fires could be spreading dangerous materials across south Georgia. Uh-oh -- peanut farmers might have to order an extra tank of herbicide.
+ Documents filed in a lawsuit revealed Victoryland earned about $162 million from electronic bingo in 2008. But it donated less than two million dollars to charities. There's an obvious flaw in the logic here. Casino workers faithfully pay tithes to Macon County churches, from all the money gamblers lose.
+ University of Alabama trustees approved plans for a new psychiatric hospital in Tuscaloosa. I assume a special wing will be available every November, for frustrated Auburn football fans.
+ Southeastern Conference football "Media Days" began in suburban Birmingham. Alabama head coach Nick Saban took a moment to assure reporters he'd be talking about the 2010 season. Crimson Tide fans were all too happy to save that talk for the new fiscal year.
+ Instant Message to WLTZ's Jeremy Babin: If you're going to provide live online updates about SEC Media Days, you'd better learn to spell Nick Saban's name correctly -- either that, or be evenhanded and spell the Auburn coach's first name Jean.
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