Early voting has begun in Georgia. You can vote now through November 2nd or hold off for voting day on the 6th – but please be sure to vote. Sample ballots and precinct information are available here through the GA MVP site. This is for county, state, and national races including Sheriff, Commissioner, GA House, US Congress, and President. It also has the Charter Schools amendment and another ballot measure plus all the races with no opposing candidate.

Here’s how to vote with the machine, if you’ve never done it before.

Before voting, check out all LU coverage of the 2012 election. An additional Q&A with House District 1 candidates McMahan and Deffenbaugh will be posted soon.

In related election news, there are still two legally qualified candidates for Walker County Commissioner: Ales Campbell and Bebe Heiskell.

WQCH Radio, 10/12/12: “AFTER RECEIVING A TELEPHONE ‘TIP’ THAT WRITE-IN CANDIDATE FOR COMMISSIONER, ALES CAMPBELL, HAD UNPAID TAX BILLS, ELECTIONS SUPERINTENDENT BARBARA BERRY CALLED THE COUNTY ATTORNEY FOR ADVICE. THAT ACTION, AND A SUBSEQUENT PRESS CONFERENCE CALLED BY ATTORNEY DON OLIVER TO RECUSE HIMSELF, LED TO AN APPEARANCE BY THE CANDIDATE BEFORE A MEETING OF THE WALKER COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS FRIDAY MORNING.

“MS. CAMPBELL TOLD THE BOARD THAT THE ACTION HAD DAMAGED HER CAMPAIGN, AND SHE ASKED FOR AN APOLOGY FROM ELECTIONS SUPERINTENDENT, BARBARA BERRY. SPECIFICALLY: FOR CALLING THE ATTORNEY BEFORE SHE CONTACTED THE CANDIDATE. CAMPBELL ALSO PRESENTED TO THE BOARD, WRITTEN EVIDENCE THAT ALL TAX BILLS HAD BEEN SATISFIED AND WILL SOON BE REMOVED FROM RECORDS IN THE CLERK OF COURTS OFFICE.

“JIM BUCKNER, A MEMBER OF THE ELECTIONS BOARD, TOLD CAMPBELL THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT WAS CORRECT IN CONSULTING THE COUNTY ATTORNEY ON THE MATTER AS THEY HAVE OFTEN DONE IN THE PAST. HE SAID THE BOARD MUST TAKE ANY ACCUSATION AGAINST A CANDIDATE SERIOUSLY AND INVESTIGATE IF NECESSARY. HE EMPHASIZED THAT NO ACCUSATIONS AGAINST CAMPBELL HAD COME FROM THE ELECTIONS OFFICE. AND FINALLY, HE SAID MS. BERRY SHOULD NOT HAVE TO APOLOGIZE FOR HER ACTIONS.

“ELECTIONS CHAIR EBETH EDWARDS SAID FROM THE BOARD’S POSITION THIS EVENT WAS A ‘NON-ISSUE’ AND THAT MS. CAMPBELL IS A QUALIFIED WRITE-IN CANDIDATE IN GOOD STANDING.”

The problem here isn’t Berry calling the county attorney, but with the county attorney calling a press conference to kick Ales around before anyone checked into the tax issues or even contacted Campbell about it. Almost like it was planned that way. The elections office is fine but it’d be interesting to know how the person who called Berry (Rock Spring resident and Ringgold business owner “Melissa Capehart”) accessed the records to begin with and how Heiskell supporters ended up with them before the elections board did.

Don Oliver should hold another press conference just like he did a week ago, declaring Campbell clear of the accusations and apologizing to her for doing the first press event. But he’s not going to do that; people close to the county attorney say he’s been calling all his friends and relatives begging them to support Heiskell so he can continue in his job long enough to get full retirement. If Heiskell is defeated Oliver will be out of a job, and he’s not going to get one elsewhere since he’s near retirement age and a convicted felon – that’s plenty of motive for him to do something unethical like the press conference.

Officers gathered at Skate n Play last Thursday night were attempting to arrest this gentleman who lives nearby after a domestic incident. They missed him that night, he was finally picked up Saturday “walking to Rock Spring.”

This is posted to answer questions some asked about what was actually going on at the time.

Unverified reports of exactly what went on in his home aren’t going to be shared, considering it was a domestic situation. There may be more charges if other details about his behavior prove true.

More reported car burglaries in the West LaFayette area, around Spencer St. Anyone parking on the street or where people can easily access their vehicle is advised to lock the doors at night.

Friday night LaFayette won 19-7 against Heritage. That makes the Ramblers 1-5 and leaves the Generals at 0-6 for the year.

LaFayette is now 1-1 for division games, but will have trouble this week beating Dalton at home, and face the 5-1 Ridgeland Panthers in Ridgeland next week.

Saturday at the annual Walker County Gala in Chattanooga, Senator Jeff “TSPLOST” Mullis was named Citizen of the Year. In other words: the award continues to become more meaningless.

Mullis is a State Senator, NWGAJDA director, former Walker County fire department supervisor, and planner for the City of Chickamauga. Jeff Mullis joins the ranks of past winners like David Ashburn and Bebe Heiskell who have received the self-congratulatory award. Here are the previous ten recipients:

2011: Nelda Parrish; Civic Center director, Chickamauga Lions member, and sister-in-law of former commissioner Roy Parrish (Chickamauga).
2010: Chip Catlett; Board Member for NWGAJDA and Chamber of Commerce (Chickamauga).
2009: Belva Gi—-t; retired educator/volunteer/millionaire (LaFayette).
2008: Bebe Heiskell; Walker Commissioner (Chickamauga).
2007: Farrell Brown; retired probation officer, Walker Co firefighter, property tax assessors board (LaFayette).
2006: Dino Richardson; deceased police chief (LaFayette).
2005: Eddie Upshaw; Walker Co Chamber Board, United Way volunteer (Chickamauga).
2004: Steve Wilson; Walker County sheriff (LaFayette).
2003: Willie Haslerig; Chickamauga Lions Club (Chickamauga).
2002: David Ashburn; Walker EMA Coordinator, YMCA CPR instructor (Rock Spring).

Clara Marsh won in 1995, to add another close friend of county leadership to the list.. The award is an absolute joke. The award has been given to the woman behind Tri-State Crematory, both men who ignored Theresa Parker’s pleas for help a year before she was murdered, and the guy who pushed the TSPLOST legislation through the legislature. It’s like a booby prize dunce award.

With very few exceptions you have to be a county employee, part of the Chickamauga Mafia, or work at the Civic Center – which is why truly deserving people are rarely ever nominated for the meaningless honor.

Published six days later, here’s a rundown of candidate statements during last Tuesday’s forum at the Civic Center.

Thursday a detective with the Chattooga Sheriff’s Office disappeared with a bunch of confiscated narcotics he was supposed to destroy, leading to a manhunt in the area where he last used his phone. Friday he was picked up in Alabama for pulling a gun on somebody and possessing cocaine.

WRCB TV 3, 10/12/12: “A North Georgia deputy is behind bars after escaping town with a heap of controlled substances. He went missing from the Chattooga Sheriff’s Office Thursday afternoon.

“Thirty-three-year-old Matt Hayes was arrested in Fort Payne, Alabama after a run in with a local store employee. Police say he threatened the owner with a gun, but was struck in the face by the woman’s husband, who then called police.

“Investigators are being very tight-lipped about the investigation. But deputy Hayes is still behind bars, facing charges of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.”

He’s now been charged with stealing prescription drugs and cocaine from the Chattooga County evidence locker.

Sounds like Chattooga SO is collapsing, or at least turning into a circus as the current Sheriff leaves and there’s no clear replacement until after the November election.

Also in Chattooga, the sole-commissioner there has asked all county departments to give employees furlough days, but the department heads (including Sheriff Everett) have basically told him to go jump off a cliff. Looks like the detective who disappeared in Alabama will be about the only one taking unscheduled time off..

WQCH Radio, 10/15/12: “ANOTHER ROUND OF ‘RABIES BAITING’ WILL HAPPEN HERE, THIS MONTH. LAFAYETTE MAYOR NEAL FLORENCE SAID HE HAD BEEN NOTIFIED THAT THE SMALL BAIT BOXES WILL BE DROPPED OFF ROADSIDES AND FROM AIRCRAFT IN MORE REMOTE AREAS.

“THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN RECENT YEARS, WITH FEW IF ANY REPORTS OF WILD ANIMALS WITH RABIES. THE BAITS ARE EATEN BY SMALL ANIMALS, PARTICULARLY RACCOONS, IMMUNIZING THEM AGAINST THE FATAL DISEASE. EXPERTS SAY IT’S STILL VITAL THAT PET OWNERS HAVE THEIR ANIMALS VACCINATED FOR RABIES ON A YEARLY BASIS TO PROTECT HUMANS FROM EXPOSURE.”

More myths about the Charter Schools amendment.

“Sahkanaga” – the movie loosely based on events at Tri-State Crematory, filmed in Chickamauga with a mostly local cast by a director who grew up here – will be playing through Thursday at the Majestic 12 theater in Chattanooga. Filmmaker also says it will be available on Netflix, iTunes, and Hulu sometime next year.

Similar reports from the Chattanooga Times Free Press and Atlanta Journal Constitution.

A Rome man may soon lose 160+ different properties in Floyd and Chattooga counties due to unpaid taxes. That’s a LOT of property on the courthouse steps.

Firearms deer hunting season starts in Georgia this upcoming weekend. For some this is like Christmas.

A year ago this week on the LU Blog: fire heavily damages the old Mars Theater building. Oddly enough the fire may have done more good than harm as it led to this year’s renovations of the entire city block and new businesses moving into the neighborhood.

A cop in Brunswick GA has asked a judge to force a local minster and political activist to stop posting about him on Facebook. Looks like both sides have taken things a bit too far, and there may be libel involved – but what’s the line on free speech?

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