The next time someone tells you how much better things are under Bebe Heiskell, show them these statistics. Between ’99 and ’09, poverty in Walker County grew from 12.5% to 19.7% of residents. Poverty in LaFayette went from 20.9% to 26.9%. That’s a much steeper increase than the state as a whole.

You can also tell them between 1999 and 2009, poverty for CHILDREN in LaFayette went from 33.9% to 41.1%.

Is Bebe responsible for the economic situation? Well that’s up to her. If she’s going to take credit for the local economy, she has to own these numbers too. If she doesn’t want her name put on these declines, then she shouldn’t claim responsibility for any growth.

All figures taken from 2009 and 2010 census statistics.

If you’re going to run for office this summer (as an R anyway), qualification is this week. 9 AM Wednesday-Noon Friday. There will be a public forum with an element of debate 6:30 Thursday night in Chickamauga.

Qualification must be done at Walker Republican Party headquarters at 8566 N. Hwy 27 in Rock Spring.

Republican candidates for the following offices can qualify at the times and locations above by paying the respective fee by bank certified check or cashier’s check:

Walker County Sole Commissioner $2,290.00
Walker County Sheriff $2,275.00
Judge, Probate Court $1,900.00
Clerk, Superior Court $1,900.00
Tax Commissioner $1,900.00
Judge, Magistrate Court $1,900.00
Walker County Coroner $836.00
Board of Education, Posts 1, 4 and 5 $36.00
Walker County Surveyor $20.00

Republican candidates with additional questions can contact Nathan Smith, Chairman of the Walker County Republican Party, at 423-364-2964 or natsmith9@gmail.com for more information or to schedule an appointment.

There will also be a candidate forum/debate on Tuesday June 19th at the Civic Center, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce.

(All info provided by the Walker County Republican Party. No we don’t know when or where Democrat Party qualification is, they haven’t bothered contacting us with it.)

Yesterday Rock Spring resident Doug Grammer announced plans to run for Walker County Probate Judge.

WQCH Radio, 05/21/2012: “LAFAYETTE’S SWIMMING POOL OPENS FOR THE SEASON THIS SATURDAY. HOURS ARE MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY FROM NOON ‘TIL 6 PM, SUNDAYS FROM 1 ‘TIL 6. ADMISSION IS $4 PER PERSON. AGES 3 AND UNDER ARE ADMITTED FREE. SEASON POOL-PASSES ARE AVAILABLE, $ 40 FOR AN INDIVIDUAL OR $100 FOR A FAMILY UP TO 5 MEMBERS. THE POOL CAN BE RESERVED ON FRIDAY, SATURDAY OR SUNDAY EVENINGS FOR PRIVATE PARTIES FOR A FEE OF $75.”

We still think the $4 admission is a crime, because it excludes certain kids from the pool (which is meant to be a community service, not a for-profit business) but the $40 individual pass is (far as we know) new. But some kids don’t have the $40 either.

Another case of flesh-eating bacteria in Georgia. That’s the third this month: college student Aimee Copeland, a woman who gave birth at Emory Hospital in ATL, and now this landscaper who fell off a ladder and got a gash in his side.

Chattanooga Times Free Press, 05/21/2012: “Hundreds of people are injured every year and an average of two to three people are killed in police-involved crashes in Georgia as well as Tennessee, numbers from both states show. These numbers don’t distinguish whether the officer or the other driver was killed or injured. But Georgia Department of Transportation figures indicate that police likely were to blame in more than half of the 2,000-plus officer-involved crashes across the state last year.”

Cops off duty need to slow down and start using their turn signals. Everybody else needs to be aware of police responding to legitimate emergencies and get out of the way.

Last night’s episode of “American Pickers” featured a visit to Murray County. We guess nobody in Walker had anything they were interested in.

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