The Blog of Columbus, Georgia

Sunday, February 13, 2011

13 FEB 11: All Over the Road

If you missed the storytelling evening I emceed at a Columbus church Saturday, it was your loss. We had good chili, lots of laughs, a couple of revelations - and a teenager who claimed she was bribed to participate. At least her prom dress will be a little nicer now....

I mentioned during the program that "news stories" sometimes are real news, and sometimes are nothing but inflated stories - as in fiction. Russell County seems to be filled with stories straddling the line, spread by people who don't think much of the "powers that be." At least they stop short of demanding local officials produce their birth certificates.

One of the most curious claims involves the man who's become the most polarizing person in Phenix City. Critics accuse Councilor Jimmy Wetzel of getting pulled over by police one night for drunk driving - only to have the City Manager intervene to have the ticket "fixed." They've never told me if the tool used in the fixing was a blowtorch, a pair of scissors or something else?

Does erratic driving happen in Phenix City? I can imagine how it could. If you've ever driven southbound down Summerville Road after dark, you might wonder why it hasn't been suggested for a Grand Prix car race. The street is nearly as crooked as the Phenix City politicians of the early 1950s....

Does ticket fixing happen? Yes, it does -- because I heard a civil rights activist admit it during a meeting in another city 30 years ago. He told supporters a city council member helped him get off the hook for traffic tickets. That man made sure my tape recorder was turned off before he said it, too.

But did these things happen for Jimmy Wetzel in Phenix City? When I was called into City Manager Wallace Hunter's office recently on the case of the delayed city audit [1 Feb], I asked him about it directly. "That is an absolute lie," Hunter answered. For one thing, he says Wetzel never was given a ticket. I doubt he's been given any to Phenix City Central sports events, either.

Wallace Hunter told me shortly after Jimmy Wetzel took office, a Phenix City police officer stopped him for driving down Broad Street at the speed limit. The City Manager says the Councilor was checking whether or not the traffic lights were synchronized - and if you'll recall, Wetzel wasn't even in sync with Mayor Sonny Coulter at the time.

Jimmy Wetzel reportedly asked the police officer if he broke the law. From there, "One thing, I guess, led to another," according to the City Manager. I'd say things escalated all the way to Wallace Hunter's office -- except there's only an elevator to the third floor of Phenix City Hall.

Wallace Hunter says he's normally called "automatically" about matters involving Phenix City Councilors. "I get calls about even smaller things," he told me. Imagine if someone had accused Hunter of getting a tricked-up Ford Focus, in a deal with the Columbus Mayor....

Wallace Hunter says the dispute was settled in a meeting with Jimmy Wetzel, the suspicious officer and the Phenix City Police Chief. By the way, I should thank Chief Ray Smith for being a blog reader. The City Manager told me Smith "brings what you write over here sometimes." Maybe he's laughing at the events in Hurtsboro, too.

The Phenix City Manager says he's had no personal ethics issues in 26 years of work for the city - and councilors "know better than to ask me for help." As we've come to see with the current City Council, the place to turn for financial help is Rep. Lesley Vance's office.

Wallace Hunter told me he tries to stay out of the feuding in Phenix City politics. His wish is that everyone "start doing their job and doing the best they can do to serve the people, and stop going after each other's throat." At least until the mayor and city council face re-election next year....

So that's the Phenix City Manager's story. If the accusers of Jimmy Wetzel want to insist on continuing to tell theirs, the burden of proof is on them. Bring forward the "arresting officer." Show a copy of the traffic ticket. Or at least explain why a Russell County Grand Jury didn't indict Wetzel at the same time as Arthur Sumbry, to really clean house.

We had no submissions for the Sunday Soapbox this weekend, and one other e-mail needs a review on my part. So let's check items from the weekend news....

+ The Muscogee County School Board held a retreat. The Ledger-Enquirer website reports Superintendent Susan Andrews wants work to begin this summer on adding air conditioning to all elementary school gymnasiums -- the better to encourage visits to the new South Commons ice rink.

+ The manager of Buffalo Wild Wings at Columbus Park Crossing told WRBL his restaurant is the second-busiest in the chain. If it's only number two, does that mean the food is NOT "off the chain"?

+ Southern Union Community College in Opelika began offering "Wi-Max" - giving students free high-speed Internet service campus-wide, and even one mile away from campus. If drive-in movies weren't in trouble before, they are now. College student "date nights" only need a laptop on the dashboard.

+ Roundball Saturday Night (tm) saw Auburn's men come back from 19 points down to mash Mississippi State 65-62. Auburn Arena was sold out, perhaps due to a promoted halftime appearance by the "Russian Bar Trio." Tell most college students a bar is coming to town, and it's an easy sell.

Final 2010 score: more than 54,700 unique visitors to The Blog of Columbus! To advertise to them, make a PayPal donation, offer a story tip or comment, write me - but be warned, I may post your e-mail comment and offer a reply.

BURKARD BULK MAIL INDEX: 1,069 (- 107, 9.1%)

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.

Friday, February 11, 2011

11 FEB 11: Free-Flow Friday

It's been a busy week for me - so busy that I've had to turn down a news tip or two which would require a lot of time to confirm. So today (and perhaps on future Fridays for a while), we'll change the format and offer short thoughts about a wide range of topics. This should be perfect for readers with attention deficit problems....

1. THE BENNING BUG. The current basic training class at Fort Benning isn't feeling very well. About 150 soldiers have come down with some kind of stomach virus. Are we sure it's not some kind of rebellion, inspired by events in Egypt? Instead of the "blue flu," we may have a camo whammo.

Fort Benning officials say the basic training breakout seems to be confined to one unit -- yet dozens of soldiers have symptoms such as diarrhea. Instead of an Army running on its stomach, we have Army stomachs which are simply running.

It may not be simply an Army illness. I know a church pastor who's battled his own stomach illness in the last couple of weeks. He noted it used to be called "Montezuma's Revenge." But unlike those attorneys in Montgomery, he stopped short of blaming Taco Bell for it.

When I had a queasy Monday afternoon a couple of weeks ago, I blamed it on myself. It can happen when I don't let leftover "Hamburger Helper" heat long or high enough in the oven. And no, it did NOT feel like that "oven mitt" was tickling my stomach.

2. THE WILD WILD 'WEB. WLTZ reported Thursday on construction at one of Columbus's oddest crossroads -- the confluence of Buena Vista Road, St. Mary's Road and Brennan Road. It's known in police lingo as "the Spiderweb". But when a train comes through in the middle of the afternoon, drivers probably feel as slow as an armadillo trying to chase down an ant.

City Planning Director Rick Jones says the Spiderweb is receiving a "streetscape" of sorts - as trees and landscaping will be added. This is part of the city "Heat Island Mitigation Program." What's so bad about heat islands? I've enjoyed every hot shower I can this winter.

3. RICKY'S ANGELS. Thursday was promotion day at the Columbus Police Department - and based on a Ledger-Enquirer list, nearly one-third of the officers promoted to corporal are female. And you thought the "good ol' boys" network was evaporating only at the Government Center.

Another promotion announced by Chief Ricky Boren will give Columbus Police its first official chaplain in several years. Corporal Roy Isasi is an ordained minister. But he will NOT receive a pay raise - so don't be surprised if he proposes traffic fine increase to a tithe of your income.

4. I-PHONE WHY-4. Verizon Wireless began providing iPhone service Thursday. Admittedly, I still don't have an iPhone. I'm so old-fashioned I still haven't seen an "iCarly."

WTVM spotted former Shaw High School quarterback and current minor league baseball player Cam Greathouse in line for a Verizon iPhone. Greathouse said he showed up at 3:00 a.m. to buy one. I knew something was missing amidst all the night spots on Broadway....

5. HAR-COURTS. Ground was broken Thursday for a new Harris County Recreation Center. It will have two full basketball courts, along with a "competition-sized" swimming pool. Does that mean it's big enough to have the first Columbus area belly-flop diving contest?

Wouldn't it be something if Harris County finishes its own version of a natatorium before Columbus does? After all the years of talk and pleading, the growing county to the north could make Columbus look all wet.

6. PEACE IN OUR TIME. WTVM finally announced Thursday an agreement with DirecTV to keep its programming on satellite. It was announced through one of those "crawls" on the screen during newscasts - and if Zaneta Lowe isn't doing a "Consumer Watch" report on how much it will cost me, I'm a little concerned.

7. QUAD STAKES. Long before Taco Bell put it on the menu, some of us dreamed of making it at the poker table - such as we did Thursday night. If ours wound up tasting sweet, the restaurant might be worth a try.

BURKARD BULK MAIL INDEX: 1,176 (+ 32, 2.8%)

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.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

10 FEB 11: Picking Up the Save

As people across the area wondered about possible snow Wednesday night, a baseball player from Columbus made two of the "big three" national newscasts. Isn't that a sign spring is approaching? Or are you waiting until next Thursday, and the twin 150 races at Daytona?

The baseball player receiving national attention is Kevin Jordan - but not because of his play. The former Northside outfielder had kidney failure a few days ago. Yet he's alive and well, because of an organ donation from his college coach -- who realized kidneys are a bit like hitting. If you go "one out of two," you'll still do well.

Kevin Jordan was halfway through his senior season at Northside when he was diagnosed with a rare kidney disease called ANCA vasculitis. I had to check the Ledger-Enquirer's website for the proper spelling of that. I didn't think Paul Anka had a disease named after him, to match Lou Gehrig.

The condition was so bad that Kevin Jordan had to undergo kidney dialysis 20 hours per day. Think about that for a second. Thar's almost as long as some teenagers spend each day on text messaging.

Kevin Jordan's immediate family was ruled out as a match for a kidney transplant. But the baseball coach who recruited him to Wake Forest was found to be a match in December. I would have no idea about who qualifies as a match. I'll leave to the doctors who know beans about kidneys.

The kidney transplant occurred Monday, then both Coach Tom Walter and his player met the media Wednesday in Atlanta. Kevin Jordan appeared to be in good shape, and he said he feels a lot better. Jordan is still sore in his right side - but he can pretend a Georgia Tech pitcher threw too close to him.

Tom Walter told reporters his main concern was NOT about getting Kevin Jordan into the Wake Forest baseball lineup. It was about giving Jordan a normal college life. It may not be completely normal for awhile, though - as I don't think doctors will recommend he drink pitchers of beer right away.

If the recovery goes as planned, Kevin Jordan will be able to do light physical activity in mid-April. He hopes to be back in class at Wake Forest next fall - and Jordan might be so thankful, he'll actually buy and wear one of those "red shirts" college athletes receive for injuries.

How ironic that Coach Tom Walter has made "sacrifice" a motto for his Wake Forest baseball team this coming season. But how do you top donating one of your kidneys to a player? Will the pitchers dare to make wisecracks about needing "another arm" in the bullpen?

You won't find Kevin Jordan's name on the Wake Forest baseball roster for 2011 -- probably because of the transplant. But if Congresswoman Gabrielle Gifford can make a big medical comeback, so can he. And I don't expect Jordan ever will declare his coach a "Demon Deacon" - at least not the demon part.

BLOG UPDATE: The Russell County Commission voted down a proposed new landfill Wednesday. The vote was one in favor, five opposed and one abstaining - as if Larry Screws wanted the property turned into a giant recycle bin.

After dropping hints she might support the landfill in her south Phenix City district, Cattie Epps voted against it. The only "yes" vote came from Ronnie Reed, who said the entire issue has been "overblown." Come to think of it, the wind pattern was about the only thing NOT brought up by critics.

(I can hear the skeptics across Russell County now - saying Ronnie Reed voted for the landfill because the managers guaranteed it would be named after President Obama.)

Russell County Commission Chair Peggy Martin told WTVM no one contacted her in support of the landfill. Really now - how many people would dare to become a "Facebook friend" of a landfill? That's about as silly an idea as Waste Management sponsoring a pro golf.... oh wait....

-> We had a big night of online poker last week. Read what happened at our other blog, "On the Flop!" <-

E-MAIL UPDATE: "Super Bowl" read the title of the message in my InBox Monday. Still not knowing Sunday's final score, I dared to open it....

Did you go on the breaking news site of the Ledger the night of the Super Bowl? They posted last yr's game as if it was being played then,scores and touchdowns and plays..THe other happening news articles were correct.

Why, of course I didn't. Checking any newspaper site probably would have revealed the winner to me. But it's nice to know Drew Brees of New Orleans hasn't lost anything in the last year.

Let's see what else we found in the Wednesday news....

+ A Double Churches Middle School student won the Muscogee County spelling bee. His name is Norjuan Johnson - and I think he had an unfair advantage, because he's had to spell that first name aloud for so long.

+ The Dothan Eagle reported a Mobile man is wanted for stealing $95,000 worth of hamburger meat. If I drove a bread truck in southeast Alabama, I'd be extremely careful today....

+ WRBL reported former Northern Little League hero Cody Walker signed a letter of intent to play junior college baseball at Chattahoochee Valley next year. It's the next big step for Walker, on his way to becoming an arch-villain in the Japanese League.

+ Roundball Night in Dixieland (tm) is in serious danger of being canceled, if the scheduling doesn't improve. My best option again Wednesday night was a Georgia State game -- and the Panthers lost to Hofstra, which changed its nickname a few years ago so I can't do any more "Flying Dutchman" jokes.

+ Instant Message to everyone upset with Columbus Water Works increasing rates: It could be worse, you know. They could invoke Monopoly rules - and force you to roll two dice, then pay ten times the amount shown.

BURKARD BULK MAIL INDEX: 1,144 (+ 37, 3.3%)

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.

Wednesday, February 09, 2011

9 FEB 11: Blue, Less Blood

When I take walks on cold and wet winter days at Peachtree Mall, I often find a slow-stepping uniformed "mall cop" on patrol. He's big and tall, perhaps to keep teenagers and pre-teens in line. And thankfully, he hasn't stopped me yet for walking faster then him.

Are you feeling safer in Columbus these days? The mayor and police chief tried to convince everyone Tuesday you should. A news release announced the city crime rate dropped 8.8 percent last year. This is one time when "crazy eights" leaving town may be a good thing.

The 8.8 percent decline includes everything from murder to larceny - offenses defined by the Federal Bureau of Investigation as "Part-1 Crimes." If you spray-paint X's on trees to match what a city crew is doing downtown on Veterans Parkway, you're simply second-rate.

While the Columbus homicide count increased by two last year, declines were reported in all other major crimes. The number of car thefts dropped by almost 34 percent - so maybe the fad of "Grand Theft Auto" video games finally is disappearing.

Mayor Teresa Pike Tomlinson said it's important to reduce the number of "entry-level crimes." That's a very fitting description of auto theft, burglary and robbery. You have to enter a car, a house, a business....

(Side point here: we have decided to refer to the mayor from now on as "Teresa Pike Tomlinson," since she signed a recent e-mail to us that way. We're following the approach news outlets used when Hillary Rodham Clinton was U.S. first lady. But we are stopping short of concluding this signature proves she's a Democrat.)

The mayor and police chief say the lower crime numbers prove the "streets and safety" Local Option Sales Tax is having an impact. Yet I suspect there were extra officers at Kendrick High School's basketball games Tuesday night, after a fight involving Carver and Kendrick students last weekend. Maybe police should set up a mixed martial arts octagon on the front lawn.

As it happens, the Office of Crime Prevention received Columbus Council approval to fund four more community programs Tuesday. But at least one of them has been in operation for several years - the FAST program to bond at-risk children with their families. I'm not sure how a city grant will make that process any FAST-er....

(After checking the Columbus Council online agenda Tuesday night, I've concluded the "FAST program" does not apply to the official city photographer.)

Office of Crime Prevention Director Seth Brown says one of his goals this year is the launch of a program to enroll convicted felons at Columbus Technical College after they leave prison. This makes a lot of sense to me - since there simply isn't a lot of demand for license plate makers these days.

-> We had a big night of online poker last week. Read what happened at our other blog, "On the Flop!" <-

OVERHEARD OVER HERE: A room full of office workers is watching a Powerpoint presentation on technology equipment. One slide shows a Universal Power Supply machine -- and an older man decides to offer a young worker a bit of advice.

"That's not a brown truck, so it's the other UPS."

Now let's try to make sense of other Tuesday news....

+ The Columbus Council agenda revealed former Councilor Julius Hunter has applied to become a Recorder's Court Judge. He'll obviously want the courtroom to be as quiet as he was during most Council meetings.

+ Auburn University announced its 2011 football schedule. The most intriguing game to me occurs one week before the Iron Bowl, when the Tigers host Samford. Will fans boo a team coached by former Auburn quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Pat Sullivan? Or will the crowd decide it can stand Pat?

+ Georgia running back Washaun Ealey was suspended from the team indefinitely. He reportedly never showed up for a "punishment run." Part of me thinks a better reaction would be to make Ealey run across the Auburn campus in the middle of the day, in a Georgia uniform.

(Somebody has to ask it - did Isaiah Crowell know this suspension was coming when he signed the national letter of intent with Georgia last week? If Coach Mark Richt could show him a mock workout with no running backs, he could have prepared a "wanted" poster with Ealey's picture on it.)

+ The Georgia men's basketball team lost to Xavier 65-57 -- and during a timeout in the final minute, some of the students at Stegeman Coliseum booed the officials. Apparently they don't teach incoming freshmen about "Southern hospitality" the way they once did.

+ Instant Message to Alabama Governor Robert Bentley: Could you please come up with a different word, to describe cuts in the state education budget? Every time I hear "proration," I think of Ken-L Ration dog food - and I wonder how many dogs really were "pro" that.

BURKARD BULK MAIL INDEX: 1,107 (+ 25, 2.3%)

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.

Tuesday, February 08, 2011

8 FEB 11: Filled to Overflowing

A big event in Phenix City Monday had people lining up one hour early for seats. And here's the amazing part - John Conlee wasn't even scheduled to sing.

The Russell County Government Center was packed for a public hearing on a proposed landfill in south Phenix City. The atmosphere was so tense that Sheriff's deputies searched people at the door -- which admittedly is a good way to encourage metal recycling.

You may have seen billboards warning about this proposal, even in central Columbus. "Landfill beside the Chattahoochee River," they scream - but that's misleading, because its closest point is three-fourths of a mile away. The Fourth Avenue Car Wash is closer to the river, but I don't see anyone walking west from there with fishing poles.

Yet even that distance is too close for opponents of the proposed landfill. They told the Russell County Commission dangerous chemicals could run off from the site into the Chattahoochee River, or seep into the river from groundwater. And who knows what could happen if Blaze Recycling offers a one-week special price on copper.

The stakes were so high at the landfill hearing that there was a statement from a scientist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some of us remember recent history -- and realize the CDC wouldn't know there's anything dangerous in the river until dozens of people in Eufaula become sick.

Hugh Sorrell of Earth Services LLC told the Commission his landfill would accept only construction materials and waste from demolition work. But opponents warned those materials can contain items such as arsenic - so obviously, old lace should be barred from these grounds as well.

Hugh Sorrell assured Russell County Commissioners the Alabama Department of Environmental Management will put strict rules on his landfill. But people who have tracked Phenix City sewage spills into the Chattahoochee River probably weren't comforted by that. Don't you dare ask what brown can do for them....

Opponents of the Earth Services project argued the Russell County area has more than 300 years of available landfill space. Then why is Columbus City Manager Isaiah Hugley so concerned about extending the "life span" of the landfill on Schatulga Road? Is the Valley Partnership so focused on building up that it overlooks where to throw things away?

But Hugh Sorrell argued his landfill in south Phenix City will lower costs of dumping, because there will be more competition. I never thought before of a competitive market for landfills. Top dollar for my gold is one thing - but dead tree limbs?!

The Russell County Commission faces a Wednesday deadline to vote on the landfill proposal. In a potentially telling sign, Commissioner Cattie Epps endorsed it - even though the project would go in her district. I can see the angry opponents in next year's election, making "Cattie OOPS" signs.

WRBL spotted Cattie Epps and two other Russell County Commissioners at a private meeting last week with landfill supporters. A reporter was NOT allowed to enter, which is sure to spark rumors of deals in "smoke-filled rooms" - even though they should have ended with state rules against smoking in government buildings.

-> We had a big night of online poker last week. Read what happened at our other blog, "On the Flop!" <-

BLOG UPDATE: Thanks to all of you who played along with our Super Bowl "experiment." But I slowly determined Monday Green Bay won the game. It started late in the day as I sat with a group of people in an office. One man was asked if he rooted for the Steelers, and he only made a grunting noise.

(I'll take the blame for not being prepared for that moment. I should carry headphones with me during these efforts at ignorance - not to mention something to plug into the other end.)

But then of all people, Kurt Schmitz settled things during the 11:00 p.m. weather report on WTVM. He talked about snow-shoveling in Green Bay for "a big party tomorrow night" - and I'm smart enough to know Wisconsin hasn't made a bid for the Winter Olympics lately.

Now for a quick check of other news we actually were interesting in hearing Monday....

+ A Muscogee County grand jury indicted former Columbus Parks Director Tony Adams and staff member Herman Porter. But supporters of the suspects don't need to worry too much yet. In basketball terms, the arrest and indictment only give them two fouls.

+ Country Crossing owner and Phenixian promoter Ronnie Gilley was ordered jailed by a federal judge in Montgomery. A former lobbyist indicated Gilley offered him a bribe to give false testimony - and told him in October: "The eagle is about to land." I would have expected secret code like this in the Cam Newton investigation, but not here....

+ Opelika Police Chief Thomas Mangham confirmed to WTVM he wrote an e-mail last week, essentially ending a "mutual aid" policy with the Lee County Sheriff's Office. The Opelika City Administrator didn't seem thrilled by this news - but then again, he's the one who will have to move excess jail inmates to Phenix City if Lee County won't take them.

+ Flatbed trucks began hauling Army Reserve military vehicles from Fort Gillem to Fort Benning. Fort Gillem is closing most of its buildings, due to base realignment - and those rows of barracks will make great housing for Atlanta families still dealing with foreclosure.

+ Instant Message to the driver of a car I saw on South Lumpkin Road with the license plate "1BIGEGO": If that's the plate you're going to have, at least put it on a Cadillac.

BURKARD BULK MAIL INDEX: 1,082 (+ 26, 2.5%)

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.

Monday, February 07, 2011

7 FEB 11: Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me

If I'm wrong about something, I don't mind being corrected about it. In fact, I want to know. The last few weeks have shown the new Columbus mayor will do that with amazing speed - sometimes within 24 hours.

But there are times when I don't want to be told something - on purpose. For years I've done occasional experiments to see how long I can go WITHOUT learning a major item of information. It's a test of whether I can escape the inundation of The Mass Media. It also shows whether I can live comfortably in an Amish community.

Sunday night was another of those experiments - and as I've done several times before, I avoided the Super Bowl. After all, most of the churches I've attended warn if the world is going in one direction, a good believer heads the other way. Maybe that explains some of the reactions I get when I don't shower for a couple of days.

To be honest, I seldom get invited to Super Bowl parties. I had to miss one in Columbus due to work commitments. And the one invitation I could accept occurred 30 years ago in suburban Kansas City. My radio station's sales manager invited all the employees to his home -- and I annoyed a few people by following my college training, and doing play-by-play aloud during the telecast.

(That party was the night I discovered how fanatical some people are about pro football. The host made sure no one missed a play by setting television sets in every room of the house - even the bathroom. Come to think of it, he didn't tune in the radio broadcast on a competing station.)

I've used Super Bowl Sunday nights for everything from special prayers to work on my income tax returns. I simply turned off the TV and radio for the night, and kept things quiet. This year I kept my radio on Columbus religious stations - where by the way, you never hear references to "hail Mary" plays.

Last February brought the most unusual interruption to my Sunday of Super Bowl silence. The phone rang as I worked on my income tax, and a blog reader started telling me how much he'd won by gambling on New Orleans to beat Indianapolis. I tried to stop him, but he didn't understand. But then again, I didn't understand how he could gamble while complaining to me of a lack of funds.

On a couple of occasions, I've been able to remain ignorant about the winner of the Super Bowl for days. It was easy in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Turn off the sports reports, look away from newspaper racks, avoid Monday morning newscasts -- and the toughest part: turning up other things when co-workers start talking about the game.

But in 2011, dodging Super Bowl media hype is much tougher. You have to avoid all kinds of websites which put news headlines and photos on their home pages. I even have to cover part of the computer screen with my hand, when I call up e-mail accounts. It's truly never been more difficult to be dumb.

I've come up with creative explanations for why I avoid the Super Bowl. If someone blows a guilt cloud of ignorance in my direction, I respond I'm showing I'm NOT addicted to football. Why, I can stop watching it anytime I choose.

But it turns out I'm not the only one who's become a Super Bowl avoider. A few years ago, a woman brought up the game during a morning church devotional I attended - and very few people in the sanctuary raised their hands to admit they watched. Moments like this separate the "fun" from fundamentalism.

So how did things go Sunday night? I played a weekly championship tournament in online poker, where not one person mentioned the Super Bowl. And I avoided WTVM's late-night newscast, since they mentioned a Super Bowl charity party at The Loft at 6:00 p.m. All it takes is one drunk guy who picked the winning team....

So as you read this, I may have no idea who won the Super Bowl. But you may be in the dark about some of these weekend headlines:

+ Columbus Police reported a fight developed at the end of the Carver-Kendrick high school basketball game. Then an AK-47 gun was found in the back seat of someone's car in the parking lot. This suspect must have misunderstood what sort of "long-distance shooting" was planned inside the gym.

+ WLTZ went to Wild Bill's Party Shop and asked customers about a proposal to allow Sunday liquor sales in stores across Georgia. One customer said of complaints from ministers: "People are going to say what they're going to say, but we've gotta do what we've gotta do." Part of me wants to see this man's police record....

+ Leaders of Trees Columbus told WRBL about 25 percent of its trees were lost due to last year's drought. That's actually a little comforting - because it shows the expanded police force has prevented those trees from being stolen.

+ The Georgia Department of Revenue finally restored "direct deposit" tax refunds which were removed from bank accounts a few weeks ago. This is why I'm uncomfortable with direct deposit programs in general. People who give you money can take it away without notifying you - and before you know it, they have star billing in Southern Homes magazine.

+ Alabama Senator Richard Shelby made his annual visit to Phenix City, and talked about a constitutional amendment he's proposed to require a balanced federal budget. Where was this idea during the last 15 years, when Shelby kept adding pork-barrel projects and earmarks to spending bills?

+ The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Georgia football coach Mark Richt convinced Carver's Isaiah Crowell to commit by arranging an indoor practice session with NO running backs. They might have tried the same thing at Alabama -- only with female greeters wearing short skirts in the backfield.

+ ESPN reported rock star Jon Bon Jovi is being offered partial ownership of the Atlanta Falcons. Can't you see the 2011 team now - with half the players inspired to grow long hair, along the lines of Troy Polamalu?

+ Instant Message to the Pro Football Hall of Fame: I assume you'll be building an expanded area this spring - to make room for Deion Sanders's ego.

BURKARD'S BEST BETS: Gas for $2.89 a gallon at USA Mini-Mart on the 280 Bypass in Phenix City.... double-stack sandwiches for 99 cents at Wendy's.... and the people at today's public hearing on a Russell County landfill failing to agree on anything....

BURKARD BULK MAIL INDEX: 1,056 (- 44, 4.0%)

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.

Sunday, February 06, 2011

6 FEB 11: Recuse Spiders

Justice is supposed to be blind, we're told. But I hear plenty of skeptics who don't think it really is. I surprised one man at church this weekend by mentioning a majority of the U.S. Supreme Court is Catholic. He still didn't seem convinced the court is Christian, but that's another matter....

SUNDAY SOAPBOX: Our main letter writer this weekend is watching Phenix City crime and politics from about 20 miles away....

Sir Richard:

I swerved from my usual practice (Robert's Rules of Order) of checking your BLOG before reading the good ol' L-E, and there to my wondering eyes appeared an Item about the legal shenanigans pertaining to Arthur Sumbry Sr.

The item solidifies my past disclosures about the camaraderie that binds together the local Jurists and the "Good Ol' Boys" in Russell County politics.

I searched several dictionaries and my thesaurus for a definition of the word RECUSE without success It just wasn't there.

I knew the term had to exist, because a quartet of judges had used the procedure to escape me during my efforts to prosecute two mayors and a former police officer in "Hurt'sboro.

Further research led me to WEST'S ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN LAW.and its definition. is as follows.

RECUSE- A transitive verb -"The disqualification or removal of oneself over a particular proceeding."

It's a legal tactic to avoid responsibility or; God Forbid, incur any disfavor among ones local peers. Once again; Judge Al Johnson is in the spotlight, and rather than risk making another appealable decision; he has decided to pass the buck to someone "outside" the circle of wagons.

If I were to bet - I would put my money on Arthur Sumbry Sr.

R.J. Schweiger

My check of hardbound dictionaries went one-for-two. American Heritage didn't have "recuse." Webster's New World Dictionary did -- saying: "To challenge (a judge, juror, or court) as prejudiced or otherwise incompetent to act." Robert Schweiger probably would lean toward the latter in this case.

I presumed Robert Schweiger knew what "recuse" meant - because he used the word in a previous e-mail to this blog [18 Jan 07]. It's different from "reaccuse," which he's done toward Hurtsboro officials several times here.

While Robert Schweiger calls Russell County Judge Al Johnson a "buck-passer" by recusing himself from the Arthur Sumbry Sr. case, there's another way to look at it. This could be a move to guard against any appearance of impropriety or bias. Imagine if Cam Newton's eligibility for Auburn football had been left up to Nick Saban....

(You'll recall Phenix City Police passed the accusations against Sumbry over to the Russell County Sheriff, because the City Council oversees the police department. Civil rights leaders wanted that done in the Columbus Parks Department investigation -- but they were left standing alone like a goal post at Shirley Winston Park.)

Recusal is done at all levels of government. All federal judges in Arizona have recused themselves from the Gabrielle Giffords shooting case, because one of their colleagues was killed. Yet I seem to be the only person wondering if a Tucson TV station with the call letters KGUN should change them.

We have one more e-mail today, responding to our Friday topic about the plans for Point University in West Point:

I can't waiting for the rim shot on this one and can't believe you didn't funny-up with "Good ole P*eYoo"!

Tim

To be honest, that one-liner never occurred to me. I was too busy trying to be like that public radio talk show - "On Point."

I've been asked to emcee a "storytelling night" at a Columbus church - and you're invited to join us! There'll be a worship service, followed by a chili supper/cookoff and the story time. It all starts next Saturday at 2:30 p.m. ET at Woodmen of the World hall on Milgen Road, across from Christ Community Church.

LAUGHLINE FLASHBACK: Ten years ago this weekend, the Super Bowl was history and a new football league had its premiere. Remember Vince McMahon's Extreme Football League, which had a team in Birmingham? Here's part of what we wrote about it for LaughLine subscribers during 2001:

19 MAR 01: The XFL telecast between Birmingham and Las Vegas ended with a minute to play, so "Saturday Night Live" could start on time. NBC executives may propose today that games be moved to Thursday night, and end so "Friends" can start on time -- at 8:00 p.m. ET.

26 MAR 01: Memo to Vince McMahon: Instead of moving WCW stars Ric Flair, Bill Goldberg and Hulk Hogan into the WWF, put them on XFL teams. There MAY still be time to save this league....

2 APR 01: San Francisco played Las Vegas in Sunday night's XFL matchup - one that UPN billed as an "Elimination Game." But once again they let us down, because we didn't see a single player using the restroom.

(Maybe we misunderstood what UPN meant. If enough people didn't watch the game, the league would be eliminated.....)

16 APR 01: The XFL Playoffs began - with new rules for extra points. Teams can go for one, two, or even THREE after touchdowns. So THAT'S why people haven't been watching this league! The extra points are too boring....

(Memo to Jesse "The Football Analyst" Ventura: you TWICE said the first Chicago-Los Angeles game went to "triple overtime" - when you were there, and it only went to DOUBLE overtime. Are you figuring Minnesota state budgets this way, too?)

23 APR 01: The XFL crowned its first [and only] champion over the weekend -- the Los Angeles Extreme. Trouble is, their victory parade won't get any attention in L.A. unless they can turn it into a police chase.

(This PROVES Vince McMahon fixed the games all along. The team called "Extreme" won the Extreme title. Coincidence?!?!?!)

Los Angeles demolished San Francisco's Demons to win the XFL title. One Extreme player celebrated a touchdown by dropping an imitation of The Rock's "People's Elbow" -- on the ball! Now we know what the players have planned for the off-season - forming World Wrestling Federation tag teams.

The XFL's version of a championship halftime show was to bring together all the league's cheerleaders for a dance number. We hadn't seen so much shaking since NBC executives saw the football league's ratings.

BURKARD BULK MAIL INDEX: 1,100 (- 87, 7.3%)

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.

Friday, February 04, 2011

4 FEB 11: Get the Point

Harris and Troup Counties have West Point. The south side of metro Atlanta has East Point. Alpharetta has a mall and megachurch named North Point. And after checking a map, I can tell you the south point of Georgia is a short drive from Jacksonville.

A surprising announcement Thursday was West Point's gain and East Point's loss. Atlanta Christian College not only is changing its name, but the location of its main campus - moving more than one hour outside metro Atlanta to West Point. I realize Atlanta traffic can be bad, but this seems a bit extreme....

A news release from Atlanta Christian College explains the East Point campus still will be used for adult degree programs. But it's boxed in to prevent future growth, so the administration decided to relocate to downtown West Point. Some Christians simply aren't satisfied with being David, and hearing comparison to Goliath.

Since the main campus will be far from Atlanta, college administrators decided a name change was in order. After all, mention A.C.C. to many people in Atlanta and they probably think of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

So even before the main campus shifts to West Point in the fall of 2012, Atlanta Christian College will become Point University. Is that really a good name? Competing colleges could laugh it to scorn during recruiting - noting it's not polite to Point.

At first the main building of Point University will be the old headquarters of West Point-Pepperell. It seems like a fitting location - exchanging a textile mill for a diploma mill.

But administrators have big plans for Point University -- including a downtown campus and new athletic facilities. For instance, Point University plans to start programs in football, cross country and softball. Huh?! No rowing team on West Point Lake?

Thursday's announcement marks another big economic win for West Point, almost five years after the announcement of the Kia plant. Come to think of it, Atlanta Christian College might as well change the mascot of the sports teams. Chargers?! Try the Point University Sorrentos.

If there's a potential local loser in Thursday's announcement, it's Columbus State University. It opened a West Point campus a couple of years ago, which now will have competition. Atlanta Christian College students are every bit as qualified to use the HOPE scholarship - and they're more likely to examine what "hope" means in Bible classes.

Thursday's announcement brought back nice memories for me. I used to live a short drive from the Atlanta Christian College campus, and went there to scour the library's religious shelves to answer tough spiritual questions. I also (shhhh) used the library's one MS-DOS computer to write a couple of potential freelance articles. Maybe this campus move is a reminder to apologize finally for that.

But I keep coming back to the college's new name - especially after seeing students wear T-shirts with the big word "Point" on them. You can hear the jokes now....

+ What will graduates call their Master's Degree work? The Point-after.

+ Should the university allow sororities - so women become known as Point-er Sisters?

+ What will department chairs be called? Point-y Heads.

+ Will this expand the nightlife of the city - starting with a bar called The Tipping Point?

-> We had a big night of online poker this week. Read what happened at our other blog, "On the Flop!" <-

E-MAIL UPDATE: Thursday's mention of stolen copper gutters from the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce led one reader to write....

One might almost say the thieves came and went like ghosts.

Be careful here. Unless you know the suspects are Caucasian, you shouldn't stoop to racial profiling.

One other message is being stashed inside our Sunday Soapbox. So let's review what else we noticed Thursday....

+ GPB Radio reported Georgia Power has installed solar panels atop several Columbus utility poles. It's an 18-month experiment to see whether solar power really is effective in this part of the country. When we had the big drought a few years ago, that answer should have been obvious.

+ After months of hype and planning, The Dee Armstrong Show finally premiered on WLTZ. But I'm sure a few viewers were left disappointed, because Dick McMichael wasn't there to read news headlines.

+ Auburn University scientists told WRBL Georgia and Alabama have a growing infestation of the "stinky kudzu bug" and another form of "stink bug." We should note these are real insects - not someone's niece or grandchild.

+ Tennessee toyed with Auburn in men's college basketball 69-56. Tennessee won even though head coach Bruce Pearl is serving a lengthy suspension for rules violations -- and no, they have nothing to do with the orange suit he sometimes wears on the sidelines.

+ Alabama head coach Nick Saban held a news conference about National Signing Day and declared: "Just because you pick the puppy dog with the biggest feet, that doesn't mean he's going to grow up to be the best hunting dog." If that's not a slap at Isaiah Crowell for his decision to attend Georgia, I don't know what is.

+ The Southeastern Conference Commissioner reported one of the colleges complained about Alabama's fax machine web-cam on National Signing Day. The camera showed not only faxes, but the short skirt of an Alabama student collecting them. Under Title IX rules, a hunky guy in running shorts should pick up the letters of intent for women's basketball.

+ Instant Message to all Tea Party activists: Thank you for your restraint so far. It's nice to see you're not following the lead of those demonstrators in Egypt.

SCHEDULED THIS WEEKEND: A football league you may have forgotten....

BURKARD BULK MAIL INDEX: 1,187 (+ 36, 3.1%)

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.

Thursday, February 03, 2011

3 FEB 11: Goodbye, Crowell World

If you came here looking for comments about Groundhog Day -- sorry, I'm not playing. I was taught years ago to follow the "clean meats" mentioned in the Bible....

Another event had the attention of many people in the Columbus area Wednesday. It was National Signing Day for high school football players - and this year, Columbus had live national television coverage on ESPN-U. It would have been nice if one of the players had said, "What progress has preserved" at some point.

ESPN came to Columbus for a big announcement from one of the top U.S. high school running backs. Carver's Isaiah Crowell announced he'll play college football at Georgia -- and did it not only by putting on a Georgia hat, but displaying a live little bulldog. It was a rare daytime TV mix of sports talk and the "Pet of the Week."

Isaiah Crowell chose to join a recruiting class Georgia head coach Mark Richt has dubbed the "Dream Team." If it doesn't have a division title in a couple of years, Richt may be dreaming about a new coaching job in the Mid-American Conference.

Wednesday's announcement ended months of speculation about where Isaiah Crowell will play college football. Alabama was one of the finalists - and Richard Hyatt's website reports Alabama head coach Nick Saban even visited Crowell's grandmother at a nursing home. The Carver star can "motor," but I don't think Grandma's wheelchair can match it.

One of Isaiah Crowell's teammates at Carver signed a letter of intent to play college football at Auburn. Defensive lineman Gabe Wright put on an Auburn hat with the words, "Nick Who?" on it. Was this a slap at Nick Saban? At departing Auburn defensive star Nick Fairley? Or does Wright have something against Nickelodeon?

A total of 20 Carver football players signed national letters Wednesday to play college football somewhere. Who could have predicted that five years ago? It shows how Coach Dell McGee has turned around a mediocre program - and you almost wonder why he didn't ask Mark Richt about an assistant coach's opening, to follow Isaiah Crowell's coattails.

Auburn University responded by gaining a college commitment from a top prospect in Maryland. His announcement also was shown on ESPN-U -- but his signed letter had yet to arrive in Auburn by Wednesday night. This could give a completely new meaning to the "double reverse."

One high school coach told WXTX National Signing Day has become "crazy." It wasn't hard to find evidence of that Wednesday....

+ Valley High School defensive back Erique Florence signed a commitment to Auburn - then did a dance in the school library, where he was joined by WLTZ reporter Christina Chambers. Chambers must be hoping to be recruited by "America's Got Talent."

(Florence says he was pursued by so many colleges, he has "enough letters to start my own library." Hopefully the Auburn coaching staff will remind him not to sell them.)

+ The Alabama athletic office reportedly set up a web-cam on its fax machine, so fans could watch signed letters of intent arrive. For some diehards, it was a nice warm-up for today's arrival of Social Security checks.

+ WLTZ showed special Signing Day graphics, with the signature of Eli Remmington. An online search for that name didn't turn up much - so maybe he's the top prospect in Davenport, Iowa.

+ LaGrange High School defensive end Javonte Daniel provided the nicest surprise of the day for me -- by signing a commitment to play at my alma mater, Kansas. It's nice to see this blog is getting results! Someone has to be the pioneer, to turn things back around.

+ Alabama Governor Robert Bentley announced a new program called "Hardest Hit Alabama." It will award.... oops, wait a minute. That's a program about home foreclosure, not tackles during football games.

E-MAIL UPDATE: Uh-oh - I fear the blogosphere "honeymoon" with the new Columbus mayor is over....

Richard - Sorry to get with you again so soon. Someone just forwarded me your blog for today. Clearly, I can't respond to all commentary about this administration and don't intend to. I am committed, however, to responding to anything that is misheard or that would create misinformation in the community. Editorial license aside, I'm afraid you missed the point of our Occupation Tax discussion completely. I hope you taped it and can go back and listen to the recorded show. (By the way, as with Mayor Wetherington, I will appear on the Chamber's radio show the Monday of each month. That continued arrangement was made some time ago).

The discussion was that our current Occupation Tax system is believed to be highly inequitable and uncompetitive in the business community. It is the business community that is clamoring for review and changes. One example we discussed on the show is a local business that pays $95,000 a year in Occupation Tax in Columbus, but is looking at taking its business and jobs to LaGrange because it would only pay $5,000 in Occupational Tax there. Numerous businesses have that problem and are considering leaving our county for tax relief purposes. One business last year had layoffs and lost hundreds of thousands of dollars and yet paid over a quarter of a million dollars in Occupation Tax almost causing them to close their doors. So, a Mayor, or anyone in a leadership position, must ask: "Do we have an Occupational Tax structure that is suitable to a healthy job market or are we driving businesses out of our county? Completely contrary to the comment that this review or our Occupational Tax would be "raised" or will result in businesses going to Harris County, the opposite is true. If we don't start looking at how we maybe inequitably taxing businesses, we will lose jobs.

Please understand that I respect critical analysis tremendously. I was in a role equivalent to an "investigative reporter" for 16 years. We all know that editorial priviledge is essential to community anaylsis. I do think though that a miscontruction of the information does not forward the discussion. I am available anytime you wish to "pin me down" further on a subject. I welcome any debate or converstation about issues important to our city. I could not, however, let precisely the opposite of what was discussed be published as accurate without comment. I hope you understand.

Teresa Pike Tomlinson

Well, this could have been worse - the mayor could have called me into her office, the way the Phenix City Manager did.

Here's what happened with me Tuesday: I was awakened from bed by the telephone police alert. I went to my radio, and heard Senator Saxby Chambliss talking on WDAK's "Viewpoint." Then I turned off the radio and did something related to the police alert. Let's just say I did NOT bow down to any elected officials....

Other tasks of the day eventually kept me busy, including a money-winning night in online poker. So it was 1:30 a.m. when I finally was able to focus on Wednesday's topic -- and I'm not sure even Columbus Councilors are allowed to call the mayor with questions at 1:30 in the morning.

So I apologize for only hearing part of the discussion about the city occupation tax, and taking an admitted guess which apparently was wrong. But the "blogger in his pajamas" didn't want to wake up the mayor in the middle of the night. There's a fine line between "investigative reporting" and simple harassment.

But the mayor's explanation raises other questions, which likely will be answered in coming weeks. If the occupation tax structure is changed so Columbus businesses pay less, another source of revenue will have to change to keep the city budget balanced. Richard Hyatt's website hinted Wednesday a "blue ribbon committee" may examine the tax issue. Blue - not green, the color of money?

I'm admittedly taking a chance by not asking the mayor about Viewpoint airing on Mondays, as opposed to Tuesdays. But I'm going to move on to other Wednesday news:

+ Columbus Police told the Ledger-Enquirer someone stole copper gutter pipes from the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce building. NOW try telling me the Mike Gaymon controversy hasn't distracted the Chamber staff....

+ The RiverCenter ended a three-night national touring performance of the musical "Beauty and the Beast." Wasn't the timing of this amazing - considering what Charlie Sheen has been doing lately?

+ GPB Radio reported the Georgia Senate's President Pro Tem has a bill to allow school districts to replace textbooks in middle schools with iPads. You know Georgia education is in trouble when students could receive Apples FROM the teachers, instead of the other way around.

+ Roundball Night in Dixieland (tm) found Georgia's men edging Arkansas 60-59. The game came down to a winning foul shot by Trey Thompkins with 1.4 seconds left - and as the Bulldogs ended a time out before that shot, the players were spotted laughing. Did the coach threaten to have Thompkins push the team bus home through the snow?

+ Instant Message to one of Wednesday's letter-writers in the Ledger-Enquirer: You must not have seen what I saw. The Columbus "March for Life" rally WAS on the evening news. WLTZ mentioned it, and interviewed the guest speaker. That station only shows "Everybody Loves Raymond" reruns once a day now.

COMING SOON: A business where I was "welcomed" by a motion to slash my throat....

BURKARD BULK MAIL INDEX: 1,151 (+ 39, 3.5%)

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.

Wednesday, February 02, 2011

2 FEB 11: More of Your Business

Tuesday was a scary day in part of Columbus - certainly nothing to joke about. But business owners throughout the city may have received a jolt, if they heard a radio interview with the mayor. She brought up something which could cost them all more money -- and no, she's NOT calling for a city version of national health care.

Mayor Teresa Tomlinson told WDAK's "Viewpoint" she's considering adjustments in the city occupation tax, to help keep the city budget balanced. This was noteworthy for several reasons. For one thing, the mayor agreed to be interviewed by Mike Gaymon after his highly-publicized apology....

An occupation tax means different things in different places. In Columbus, it's something businesses compute every year based on their estimated "gross receipts." Sadly, that phrase now has expanded to include items found at East Porterdale Cemetery.

I've filled out the city occupation tax form a couple of times, because of home business ideas that came and went. In one year, I actually received a refund check from the city [23 Jul 07]. These days, the only way that might happen will be if Tony Adams sues the city after being acquitted at trial.

Mayor Teresa Tomlinson didn't get into details about how the occupation tax might change. But I'm guessing some of the exemptions on the second page could be reduced or eliminated, so businesses pay more. Right now they receive an exemption for subcontracting their work, or for "nonprofit receipts." After the fuss last year over MidTown Inc. tax returns, non-profits might want to clear time for May budget hearings.

The new mayor showed some "chutzpah" by dropping hints about the occupation tax on a Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce radio program. Maybe this finally will do what was promised years ago - bring major retail growth to Harris County.

But if Teresa Tomlinson really wanted to shake up the business community, she'd propose something else. I've lived in places where businesses had to pay a city earnings tax -- and it showed up as a deduction on my check stub. I'd say more about this, but I don't want to be blamed for every Columbus worker losing money....

Tuesday's Ledger-Enquirer mentioned one more potential money-making idea. City officials again are talking about selling "naming rights" to the Columbus Civic Center. This was tried a few years ago, but the price was set too high for companies [4 Apr 06]. And the way things went the last few weeks, I seriously doubt the new ice rink will be named Dale Hester Hall.

On another matter, Mayor Tomlinson said Tuesday the federal government will not provide extra money for area schools to deal with base realignment until the fall of 2012. Washington apparently waits one year after the realignment is complete - the better to lobby lawmakers, by showing row after row of portables.

-> We had a very late night of blogging, due to a big night of online poker. Look for details during the day at our other blog, "On the Flop!" <-

E-MAIL UPDATE: When someone confesses faults, we respond with compassion and understanding - right? Well, maybe not everybody....

"Sir" Richard:

I just read your 2/1/11 Special Edition. It filled my heart with glee. Now, if I could get you to work just as hard on those "Weezels" in "Hurt'sboro's Town Hall - I know they would just be a memory very soon. One thing you may have overlooked -there's a new regulation that a municipality has to change auditors every three years. I guess those that make the laws, don't want things to get too cozy between the Examiner and the Examined.

R.J. Schweiger

In fact, the Phenix City Charter includes a section mentioning a "three-year" rule for changing auditors. But the auditor is selected through a bidding process, and Phenix City officials have said they seldom have more than one bidder for the job. In Hurtsboro, accountants might wind up losing money from the work.

Another Phenix City story tops our review of other recent news....

+ A former Phenix City department head set up what appears to be a mock "Sumbry Defense Fund" Facebook page. I'm not sure Councilor Arthur Sumbry Sr. really needs that -- not as long as the NAACP holds Freedom Fund banquets.

+ Victoryland owner Milton McGregor abandoned his federal court fight to have a monitoring bracelet removed from his body, while he awaits trial. McGregor has claimed the bracelet increases his blood pressure. Is he sure the thought of federal prison isn't causing that?

+ Aflac reported total revenues for 2010 of $20.7 billion. That's up more than 13 percent from the year before -- so maybe now the company will hire an assistant duck.

(An Aflac news release explained revenues were higher in part because the Japanese yen is stronger compared with the U.S. dollar. Yet for some reason, Shogun and Fuji still haven't opened Japanese restaurants near the Aflac tower on Wynnton Road.)

+ GPB Radio reported a bill in the Georgia Legislature would shorten the time for advance voting from 45 to 21 days. This would substantially reduce the time candidates have to trick voters by flip-flopping on major issues.

+ WTVM showed the opening day of baseball practice at Columbus High School. If the defending state champions go on another long playoff run this year, one thing could be different - as Kyle Carter may be able to grow a playoff beard.

+ Instant Message to WRBL: I notice you have more local commercials on digital 3.2 these days. But isn't Haverty's Furniture rushing the seasons a bit? I'm more used to seeing Columbus Day sales in September, not February.

BURKARD BULK MAIL INDEX: 1,112 (+ 34, 3.2%)

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.

Tuesday, February 01, 2011

1 FEB 11 (final): Smith and Lessons

The good news is that Phenix City's 2009 audit report is now final. The bad news is that a city employee paid a penalty for it - much worse than the City Clerk having a flu bug. At least the City Clerk could take sick leave....

BLOG EXCLUSIVE: As we first posted at 1:15 p.m. ET Monday, Phenix City Finance Director Stephen Smith confesses he's had to take a suspension without pay because of discrepancies with the city's 2009 outside audit. It's not clear when that suspension occurred, or how long it lasted. Neighbors will have to reveal when they spotted Smith outside, doing extra gardening.

"Some bank records and accounting records were not kept up to date, like they should have been," Stephen Smith admitted in an interview Monday at Phenix City Hall. Smith said a former employee made errors, but he failed to back up that work to make it right. At least Smith didn't have to back up a truck to clean out his office....

"I deserved it," Stephen Smith told your blog about his suspension. "I am deeply embarrassed by the lateness of this report." But Phenix City Manager Wallace Hunter told me he still likes Smith, and the problems in city bookkeeping now are resolved. Just in time for the 2010 outside audit to find whether or not that's true.

It was the Phenix City Manager who called me Monday morning, asking me to come to his office for a discussion of the 2009 financial report. Even though I'd asked about the report last week, this call was a surprise. I had a flashback to grade school -- even though I never was called into the principal's office then.

Wallace Hunter and Stephen Smith told me the final 2009 report from Albany accountants Mauldin and Jenkins arrived at Phenix City Hall Friday. I was not allowed to look at the audit report before the afternoon City Council work session - which may prove Chuck Williams at the Ledger-Enquirer is more persuasive with city contacts than I am.

So why did the 2009 report not become final until January 2011? Stephen Smith explained it was partly due to a change in accountants. In the past, Phenix City converted its financial records from "cash reporting" to a "modified accrual method" after the audit. Mauldin and Jenkins wanted that done before the audit. Who could have guessed modified accrual would leave such a cruel mark on an employment record?

"We weren't ready," Stephen Smith admitted concerning that conversion of records. But the Finance Director seemed to be ready for other kinds of conversion -- at least judging from the Bible displayed on his necktie.

But I digress: Stephen Smith said Mauldin and Jenkins found a "long list of discrepancies" in Phenix City's accounting. Yet Smith also said an unnamed city employee made "very few errors"- errors discovered only after that employee moved on. You'd think city computers would come equipped with built-in calculators....

"I should have followed up on the work that employee was doing," Stephen Smith told me. Instead, he simply asked the worker if the job was done. That approach has cost many taxpayers a big refund check at this time of year.

The Finance Director verified one item we noted last Thursday - Phenix City received a "draft audit" from Mauldin and Jenkins. Stephen Smith says it was checked for accuracy in terms of format, but with NO changes in the numbers. I guess that means they're still using base-ten mathematics.

Phenix City officials say the records now are in compliance. But the Finance Director admits there were "some accounting deficiencies.... I have been disciplined because of that." Yet Stephen Smith still has his job - and he might want to call the Columbus Fire Chief about starting some sort of support group.

As a result of the discrepancies, a 2009 financial report that should have been completed last June finally was presented to a Phenix City Council work session Monday afternoon. City Manager Wallace Hunter assured me the report will be posted on the city website in the process of time. There you go, Superintendent DiChiara - city money being used for business education.

But the work session about Phenix City's financial records was upstaged by another issue - whether Councilor Arthur Sumbry would show up, three days after his arrest. Sumbry's known for being short, but he couldn't hide this time.

WTVM spotted Arthur Sumbry at the meeting, but he refused to answer questions about the forgery and perjury charges against him. City Manager Wallace Hunter told me he had no comment on the case, except that it's "unfortunate" and apparently concerns Sumbry's private business practices. Who could guess working as a notary could seal someone's political fate?

I asked Wallace Hunter about one accusation Phenix City government critics have made against Arthur Sumbry. Did Sumbry order a city work crew to pave his mortuary parking lot? Hunter said if it happened, it occurred before he became City Manager. And Hunter speculated the city right of way might have been a factor -- so perhaps travelers might mistake the small mortuary for a rest stop.

-> Our other blog starts with poker, then goes in directions you might not expect. Visit "On the Flop!" <-

E-MAIL UPDATE: Before the Phenix City Manager called us Monday, we'd planned to look into this - the discovery of hair, a bone and trash in an open grave at East Porterdale Cemetery. A blog reader sent me 25 pictures of Saturday's finds. I've posted only the tamest photo - even if viewers of the TV series "Bones" decide that makes me a wimp.

The TV newsrooms apparently also received those cemetery pictures, and ~~went digging~~ asked for details. East Porterdale is a city-run cemetery, and WRBL reported the open grave is in a section set aside for pauper burials. It's almost as if the trash in the plot could be some survivor's treasure.

Muscogee County Coroner Bill Thrower told WTVM he thinks the bone in the open grave is from an animal. But it will be analyzed in Atlanta to be sure. And in the meantime, let's be thankful the Port Columbus staff hasn't declared this discovery evidence that their museum is haunted.

COMING SOON: The Phenix City Manager addresses another curious local rumor....

Today's main topic was a follow-up to a blog reader's tip. To offer a story tip, advertise to our readers, make a PayPal donation or comment, write me - but be warned, I may post your e-mail comment and offer a reply.

BURKARD BULK MAIL INDEX: 1,078 (+ 38, 3.7%)

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.

Monday, January 31, 2011

31 JAN 11: The Rest of the Story (Maybe)

A TV game show of my youth ended every afternoon with host Tom Kennedy declaring: "It's not what you say that counts - it's what you don't say." Sunday's Ledger-Enquirer brought a startling reminder of that. Many hidden pieces in a big Columbus controversy suddenly came together - and showed big-city dailies sometimes still can put small weeklies in their place.

The front-page story "Gaymon's Ghost" revealed many things we didn't know before about the President of the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce and his "tablecloth joke." For instance, we learned....

+ The man portrayed as Mike Gaymon's victim is NOT demanding his resignation. In Tom Wyatt's words, "I'm not driving that train." So does that mean there's railroading here -- by somebody?

+ Wyatt was arrested on contempt of court charges in 2009, because he didn't pay traffic fines. Perhaps even judges in black robes scared him by this point.

+ African-American elected officials met on the matter two weeks ago, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Now we know they're still a "minority," because they didn't have enough members to require a public meeting.

+ The man who organized a silent protest outside a Chamber of Commerce meeting says he accepts Gaymon's apology. Ronzell Buckner plans no more protests - but if that changes, he'd better make them noisy so we know.

For those who hadn't heard about the tablecloth incident in 2008, the Sunday newspaper article provided a complete in-depth explanation. But for those of us who have watched this fuss build since October, it was eye-opening. And serious questions now have to be turned toward The Courier - which looks more slanted than the hill down Steam Mill Road to Buena Vista Road.

We should give The Courier credit for breaking the news of the "tablecloth joke," after it was hidden almost two years. It also was first to publish an interview with Tom Wyatt, in last Thursday's edition. The Ledger-Enquirer found Wyatt in Florida - so that exclusive interview wasn't hidden very well.

I find it very hard to believe The Courier would NOT ask Tom Wyatt if Mike Gaymon should resign. After all, it asked Georgia NAACP President Ed DuBose that question. So why didn't Wyatt's claim in the Ledger-Enquirer of no "vendetta" against the Chamber of Commerce become part of The Courier's story? Did he simply give the wrong answer?

The front page of The Courier's latest issue asks "our African-American elected officials" where they stand. Yet those officials had met ten days earlier, and their concerns apparently led Chamber Chair Carmen Cavezza to urge a public apology statement from Mike Gaymon. The so-called "Voice of the Minority Community" in the masthead looked like the quote one line below about a "lack of knowledge."

To be fair, The Courier's news staff doesn't seem to be much larger than this blog -- so details of stories can be missed. But this is looking like a case where a newspaper hasn't said everything it knew, because some facts got in the way of its agenda. Who would have thought to put Wane Hailes and Andrew Breitbart on the same media list?

Some supporters of The Courier have wondered why the Ledger-Enquirer took so long to report on the "tablecloth joke." Perhaps the daily paper was waiting to assemble all the facts first, while the weekly released a few bits and pieces each issue as they surfaced. It's a bit like using waterboarding, versus filling a swimming pool.

Debating which journalistic approach is better is a bit like comparing ~~white and dark meat~~ apples and oranges. But in the Mike Gaymon case, the Ledger-Enquirer certainly comes across as looking more "fair and balanced." Wow -- I've done it again, now comparing Tim Chitwood to Bill O'Reilly.

The Courier clearly has changed in the last couple of years from a "news" paper to an opinion journal on crusades. You may recall before Mike Gaymon, there was the fuss over where Piggly Wiggly placed its advertising. It may not stop until someone in The Courier's watch list makes page one of The Joint.

Newspaper crusades certainly aren't new -- and they aren't done simply by weekly tabloids. Remember how The New York Times went after Augusta National Golf Club several years ago? Last time I checked, the club was still men-only. The Masters was still a major golf tournament. And Martha Burk was last seen turning her pointing finger toward Tiger Woods.

But crusades reach a point where you either achieve your goal or you don't. Now that we know The Courier's goal is NOT the goal of the originally offended employee, should the newspaper defer to that employee and back down? Or is it hoping for someone to smuggle out Mike Gaymon's joke book?

If there's any comfort for The Courier in all this, at least it's staked out a position as a more probing African-American paper than the Columbus Times. I don't think the Times has mentioned "Gaymon's Ghost" at all - especially if it didn't receive a news release from the Chamber of Commerce to copy and paste.

And at least The Courier's publisher is on the latest list of "50 Most Influential African-Americans" in the area. Yes, Wane Hailes is on a list compiled by his own paper. I've never thought about awarding a Burkard Award to myself....

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E-MAIL UPDATE: The writer in our Sunday Soapbox subject saw a need for self-correction, after reading what we wrote....

Sir Richard:

Touche! Your obsession for proper spelling and my propensity for making such errors gives you another literate victory! I DO proof-read everything I write; but I guess that my dimming eyesight isn't adequate enough to scrounge out difficult words like "weesel" I will try to improve.

I also admit to a bit of confusion as to whom is appealing What on the School Board issue. It's hard to identify the players without a scorecard, And I really don't know "Who's on First." And, if I remember correctly - all I predicted - was that there would be an Appeal.

Now, about the Public Audit. In my extensive search for that elusive document; I learned through a conversation with Alabama's Chief examiner, that the requirements call for the audit to be kept in a public institution such as the library; or it can be filed with the Examiners as a matter of convenience for the public.

BUT! It is to be presented to the Council and spread upon their minutes Those minutes are available through the Open Records Act.- Any gaps in procedure should show up there.

Ho-Hum! That's enough of the humdrum. I'm a lot more interested in Arthur Sumbry.

R.J. Schweiger

That "W-word" truly is a difficult one - because careful readers will notice Robert Schweiger misspelled it again.

Considering you can't even find the city charter at the Phenix City-Russell County Library, I seriously doubt you'll find an audit of the city finances there. Maybe that's why the city makes sure its share of the expenses are paid [15 Oct 09] - it keeps the complaints heading in the other direction.

A group of e-mails is being held until phone calls can be made about them. So let's check other news items from a marvelous January weekend:

+ WRBL reported Judy Wilkinson's appeal of the "Mimosa Madam" case was turned away by the Citizens Police Review Board. This news may stun a lot of people, who never knew there was a Citizens Police Review Board. Former mayor Jim Wetherington certainly knew how to hide that one.

(Fraternal Order of Police President Randy Robertson admitted he's annoyed at Judy Wilkinson for flaunting her arrest by selling "Mimosa Raid" merchandise. He says alcohol is the biggest drug problem law officers face. Yet Robertson apparently hasn't convinced the police chief to set up "beats" outside liquor stores.)

+ A woman was arrested at the LaGrange bus station on charges of attempting to ship more than 30 pounds of Ecstasy pills to Columbus. Some of the pills were shaped like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Couldn't those turtles simply add a little more oregano to their pizzas?

+ Former President Jimmy Carter told his Sunday School class in Plains that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak probably will have to leave office. I'll only say this about what's happening in Cairo - the Egyptian unrest really sphinx.

+ ESPN The Magazine predicted Carver High School running back Isaiah Crowell will finish second in the 2014 Heisman Trophy voting. Talk about going out on a limb! This assumes Crowell will have something go wrong, to stay in college four years....

+ The Atlanta Falcons coaching staff helped the National Conference win the Pro Bowl game 55-41. The NFC intercepted passes throughout the first half - making me wonder who was the idiot that thought Philip Rivers and Peyton Manning should be all-star quarterbacks.

BURKARD BULK MAIL INDEX: 1,040 (- 30, 2.8%)

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.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

30 JAN 11: Sumbry Offenses?

A few people were waiting for the next eruption in Phenix City politics. But I don't think anyone expected it to be announced by the new Russell County Sheriff. After two weeks in office, Heath Taylor's looking like a latter-day Albert Patterson - and his office is safely at the edge of town.

Sheriff Heath Taylor announced the arrest of Phenix City Councilor Arthur Sumbry on felony charges. A Russell County grand jury suspects he forged documents, then perjured himself by lying about it in court. Was the "Street Committee" at The Courier tipped off to this? Sumbry somehow missed its "Most Influential African-Americans" list.

The grand jury accuses Arthur Sumbry Sr. of putting a notary public seal on a false signed warranty deed, then testifying the person who signed the deed was in his presence. The old church phrase "with you in spirit" apparently doesn't count in a civil trial....

Sheriff Heath Taylor says his office started investigating Arthur Sumbry Sr. last October, because the Phenix City Police feared examining a Councilor would be a conflict of interest. Somewhere in Columbus, Tony Adams is wondering why he didn't apply to work in Phenix City in the first place.

The Ledger-Enquirer went to its archives, and found Arthur Sumbry Sr. was convicted in two trials 30 years ago. One of those convictions was for perjury as well - which raises the old question of why more politicians aren't prosecuted for forgetting their campaign promises.

(Arthur Sumbry Sr. received a pardon for those convictions in 1982. Talk about a quick turnaround! His record was cleared almost as quickly as it took to test Carlton Gary's DNA.)

We did our own archive check Saturday night, and discovered Arthur Sumbry Sr. also was arrested in 2005. That case involved writing a bad check for $7,200 [12 Apr 05]. I never heard how that case was settled - but Sumbry still serves on the Phenix City Council, so perhaps business at his mortuary picked up.

So Arthur Sumbry Sr. has a record of 1-2 when it comes to arrests. If he's convicted on these felony charges, will it be "three strikes, you're out?" Or will Sumbry become the next state legislature campaign issue for Johnny Ford?

If Arthur Sumbry Sr. is cleared of the felony charges, he may have more questions to answer. One critic of Phenix City government has sent me a series of accusations, and added more in a message sent Saturday night. But that critic didn't send anything in advance about the felony case - and some of the latest accusations would require a photographer from TMZ to prove.

If you're wondering why I refer to the Councilor as Arthur Sumbry Sr., it's because there's also a "Junior." His son nicknamed "Pee Wee" is the Russell County Coroner. If the father has to give up a Phenix City office, the son is waiting to replace him - and the son's controversial mini-hearse could become an SUV again.

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SUNDAY SOAPBOX: Phenix City politics already were going to be in our spotlight, due to two e-mails from the former Constable of Hurtsboro. This one reached us first....

Sir Richard: How sweet it is when you begrudgingly pass a kind word my way. It really makes life worthwhile. You probably don;t remember - but you hinted that I might be blessed with ESP in one of your BLOGS a few weeks ago. I'm not equipped with any ability to peer into the future, it's just that.any moron (of which I am one) could read the script as written for "Hurt'sboro, and its judicial cronies. But enough of that. After a busy day in Phenix City; I turned to the news as displayed on the pages of the good ol' L-E! Right there on the front page - just as I had predicted - was the news that the Phenix City School Board was appealing Good Ol' Judge Johnson's ruling against them. I will make another prediction. THEY WILL PREVAIL! When you take it to the Court of Civil Appeals - you are walking with the big dogs; fellows like Mayor Tapley and Judge Johnson need to stay on the porch.

R.J. Schweiger

I used the phrase "prophetic gift," not ESP [20 Dec 10] -- although I'm sure some people in Hurtsboro could benefit from the Enrichment Services Program.

Trouble is, the Ledger-Enquirer's article of last Wednesday was NOT about an appeal by the Phenix City School Board. It said the Phenix City Council was appealing a court ruling, which actually was in the school board's favor. So I'm not sure if Robert Schweiger actually predicted that, or he's developing dyslexia.

This case involves Judge Albert Johnson's ruling in November that the Phenix City School Board is independent, and immune from a city investigation. I'm admittedly not a judge, but my reading of Article 9.07 of the city charter this past week showed the city can "inquire into the conduct of any office, department, board or agency...." Yeow -- I'm sounding like Paul Olson.

Phenix City Superintendent Larry DiChiara told the newspaper the city's court appeal will use up money which could "be spent in a much wiser way...." Such as a possible retirement party for Councilor Sumbry....

Within 24 hours of that first e-mail, Robert Schweiger wrote us again - with the title "POP! Goes the weasle" (yes, he spelled it that way)....

Sir Richard:

I do wish you had paid more attention to my decade old complaint about missing Annual disclosures - before you started chasing your tail - 'Round and 'Round the chicken coop. For your information, it matters little what the City Charter includes. It's a matter of State law.

Here in Alabama Title 11 Sec. 43-85 covers the issue in full detail. You can rest assured, that Georgia's Code covers the requirements almost verbatum.

"Hurt'sboro has been playing "Hide and Seek" with the citizens of the Town, the Russell County District Attorney, and the Examiners of Public Accounts for four (4) years. There hasn't been an audit since 2003. Fortunately, all the sought for documents we have a right to examine would be on the ground level floor if they even existed. I'm not capable of competing in a staircase marathon.

I hope you find what you are seeking in the immediate future - but don't be too surprised - if it doesn't exist. There are many unanswered financial questions in "Hurt'sboro, and it seems that they will never be answered. I hope you fare better than I have in uncovering the facts that you seek.

R,J. Schweiger

Strange but true -- I did a Bing search Saturday night for "Alabama Title 11 Sec. 43-85." But what I found at the top doesn't seem to have anything to do with the state law....

Eventually I found the section of the Code of Alabama dealing with annual reviews of city financial records. But it says nothing about where that review is to be kept for public inspection. That's the issue Phenix City government critics are raising -- and the ground floor of City Hall wouldn't qualify, because the City Manager's office isn't there. To get the freshest air, you have to climb the mountain.

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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.