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25 AUG 04: FIRST, LOCAL - LIVELY?
Phenix City voters chose Jeff Hardin as their new Mayor Tuesday night. It wasn't close, as he beat J.W. Brannen by a three-to-one margin - and given one of his big issues, people at Carmike Cinemas may be running scared today.
Jeff Hardin is a former Phenix City Council member, who portrayed himself as NOT being a "good ol' boy." Compared with J.W. Brannen, voters obviously wanted a Mayor who's a good YOUNGER boy.
Jeff Hardin told WXTX "News at Ten" his success was a victory for old-fashioned, "door-to-door campaigning." How can it work for him, when it doesn't seem to work for guys selling cable TV contracts?
Jeff Hardin says one of his goals as Phenix City's Mayor will be "mending relationships" - such as between the city and Russell County. This might not be that difficult. All he might have to do is hire away Administrator LeeAnn Horne-Jordan.
J.W. Brannen seemed to have the most money of the three candidates for Phenix City Mayor. After all, he made a TV commercial - but maybe he was too good a "good ol' boy," and needed an attack ad.
Phenix City's number-one blog claimed the other day there's "not a dime's worth of difference" between any of the three candidates for Mayor. I beg to differ with that. Ted Brazell gained only 49 votes, didn't return any TV station phone calls - and for all we know, he might have operated gambling parlors 50 years ago under another name.
Phenix City Council member John Storey kept his seat, beating Jo Ann Wade by a two-thirds majority. Storey won even though he faces a state ethics investigation. Maybe he'll make some new signs for that Columbus complainer, saying "Get Lost!"
As for other results, the Eufaula Mayor's race may be heading for a recount. Incumbent Jay Jaxon leads Randall Greene by only nine votes. That'll teach the Mayor to propose adding a "Lake" to the city name.
In nearby Clayton, Alabama, Piggly Wiggly grocery employee Terri Shepard tried to run for Mayor - and she finished last out of five candidates. The lesson here is obvious: don't take the movie "Win a Date with Tad Hamilton" seriously.
Opelika will have a new mayor, as Gary Fuller defeated incumbent Barbara Patton. What did Patton do wrong? She started Sunday liquor sales in stores, and she brought the Tiger Town shopping center to town.... no wait. That's the problem right there. Opelika's the Bulldogs -- Auburn is the Tigers.
(Barbara Patton doesn't have to disappear completely from public service in Opelika. All she has to do is get Mike Patton to change the name of one of his car lots.)
Meanwhile, Barry Moody is in a runoff for Mayor of LaFayette. James Moody won a city council seat in Smiths Station. And so many incumbents did well that voters didn't seem very moody at all.
E-MAIL UPDATE: We now know we have at least one reader in Columbus city government. This came to us from a ColumbusGA.org address:
Dear Richard,
I enjoy reading your blog. You are extremely funny and really have some interesting things to say.
The reason I am writing is to ask you about something you said in the blog on Sunday. You made the comment that based on Dr. Buffong's mugshot property values in Green Island will be going up. I am sure that you didnt mean for that to sound as racist as it did, right?
I am not going to comment on whether or not Dr. Buffong is guilty or not but I will tell you that he is a brillant Doctor and has helped a lot of women ( myself included ) with nothing other than complete professionalism. My probelm with your comment stems from the fact that you speak like you are a christian ,and I believe you to be, but the statement came across as very racist and unchristian.
I look forward to reading more of the blogspot .
Sincerely,
Suzanne
Thanks for your kind words, Suzanne - and after reviewing what I wrote, I can see why you reached the conclusion you did. Please forgive me, and allow me to clarify.
I suspect some people in Green Island quietly would be happy to see Dr. Eric Buffong go. He doesn't have the "country club look" some of those residents probably prefer. It's sort of like a local version of the TV series "Method and Red."
(And it's the hair in that mug shot which caught my attention more than anything - not quite matching the Green Island "Stepford Wives" image.)
Before e-mail comes in the other direction, a true confession: in seven-plus years in Columbus, I never have driven into Green Island Hills. I fear someone would see my ten-year-old soot-covered Honda, and call police on the theory I'm a
burglary suspect.
People who have spent any time in Columbus know they have to fight racially-charged thinking. It comes at them from all sides - radio talk show hosts pulling in one direction, civil rights groups pulling in another direction. Maybe I should go back to my old "neutral" stand, and play salsa music tapes in my car.
(BLOG-BLAH-BLAH: How would you rewrite my Eric Buffong joke? Since I fouled it up, I'll give you a chance. Write me with your version - but remember, Suzanne may read it....)
On a very different note, another e-mail came to us with the title: "Did you know the S. GA Waves are still around?"
The sign at Linwood blvd and 10th suggests it to be true...
Do you think the Catfish see them as being rivals? Before you say something about it I know they are the previous team and that they just never removed/replaced the sign, yet I find it amusing that after all this time, it is still there.
Keep on posting!
Hmmmm - maybe this is one intersection the few Catfish fans don't drive by.
I can top that one, though. The Columbus Civic Center sign along 4th Street has displayed an old Columbus RedStixx logo for several weeks. Maybe this is the Catfish management's alternative to "turn back the clock" day.
Before the clock runs out on me, some quick notes from the last couple of days:
+ After months of speculation, Mara Kelly seems to have left WRBL at last. The challenge will be to avoid replacing a "Kelly" with someone who's simply green.
+ Major Mike Anti returned home to Fort Benning, after winning a silver medal in Olympic shooting. His wreath should be a perfect addition to his backyard or basement target.
(I've tried to avoid the Olympic games for a few days -- because believe it or not, my Pastor preached AGAINST them last weekend! He explained they were set up long ago to honor Greek gods, not the true one. So all those Athens residents who
fled for a summer vacation might be right after all.)
+ The University of Georgia fired its cheerleading coach, amid accusations she was insensitive to a Jewish cheerleader. Talk about trying to outdo Ed Richardson at Auburn....
(Did you know UGA has a Jewish cheerleader on the squad this season? Considering the Bulldogs play so many Saturday afternoon football games, this is truly un-Orthodox.)
+ Instant Message to Synovus: Thanks for the big new company logo you put on your building, facing the two Riverwalks. Next time I'm out walking or jogging and suddenly have the urge to apply for a home loan, I'll know where to go.
COMING SOON: A Marshal under fire.... but why?
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