Commissioner Heiskell is required by law to regularly meet with her constituents. She hasn’t had time to hold community meetings this year, but did manage to host this massive golf tournament fundraiser for her 2016 reelection campaign.

Participants included employees of Republic Services, representatives of Audia International, county workers, Elliott Davenport, and other vendors/contractors or businesses that make money from the county.

They support Bebe’s reelection, and then she funnels your tax dollars into their pockets through development deals and rigged bids. That’s a benefit of having (or at least BEING) a Sole Commissioner.

Some of these people live in Walker County, quite a few don’t – but they’re all Heiskell’s true constituents, the friends and donors she supports in her decisions. Those who just live in the county, work their regular jobs, pay their taxes, and try to survive don’t get her ear unless they’re willing to cut a check.   

Friday morning a federal judge TEMPORARILY halted Erlanger’s push to foreclose on Hutcheson to reclaim $20.5 million in debt. He said the sale would set HMC back and should be postponed for now, but warned the counties of their legal obligation to tell citizens what will happen if the hospital does close.

Foreclosure is paused until the lawsuits Erlanger and Hutcheson have filed against each other conclude, which could take years.

Meanwhile Hutcheson continues to falter and Commissioner Heiskell (one-third responsible for the hospital’s leadership) lies about her knowledge of its financial problems and their impact on the county:

WQCH Radio, 08/02/14: “COMMISSIONER BEBE HEISKELL LEARNED THIS WEEK THAT BOND RATING AGENCY STANDARD & POORS HAS DOWNGRADED WALKER COUNTY’S BOND RATING BY FOUR STEPS, TO ‘BBB-PLUS’. THE DOWNGRADE INDICATES A PERCEIVED GREATER RISK OF DEFAULT, SINCE WALKER AND CATOOSA COUNTIES GUARANTEED 10-MILLION EACH OF HUTCHESON’S DEBT. THE AGENCY BELIEVES THAT A HUTCHESON DEFAULT COULD PUT WALKER COUNTY IN A STATE OF QUOTE ‘WEAK LIQUIDITY’. THE DOWNGRADE ALSO MEANS THE COUNTY WOULD HAVE TO PAY A HIGHER RATE OF INTEREST ON FUTURE BOND ISSUES.

“OF COURSE, IF THAT DEBT IS CALLED, WALKER COUNTY GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE NO CHOICE OTHER THAN TO RAISE PROPERTY TAXES TO MAKE THE PAYMENTS BUT COMMISSIONER HEISKELL SAID THURSDAY THAT SHE BELIEVES THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN.”

Bebe knew about the downgrade in April. LU did a blog post on it back then, and the county called S&P a few days later to ask they no longer rate county bonds. There’s no possible way she wasn’t aware of the credit cut and the multiple reasons behind it.

Heiskell’s claims of not knowing about the S&P cut can be filed under “delusional” along with her stated expectation of the hospital’s debt never being called.   

Domestic situations starting at gas stations have become a LaFayette tradition.

WQCH Radio, 08/02/14: “A DOMESTIC CASE RESULTED IN CHARGES AGAINST A LAFAYETTE MAN, AFTER HE GOT AN UNUSUAL RIDE HOME. IT HAPPENED IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS, WEDNESDAY, ACCORDING TO LAFAYETTE POLICE.

“MICHAEL DEWAYNE WALLIN GOT INTO A ‘FUSS’ WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND AT THE MAPCO MART IN NORTH LAFAYETTE. WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO LEAVE THE SCENE, POLICE SAY WALLIN JUMPED ONTO THE HOOD OF HER VEHICLE AND REFUSED TO LET GO. THE WOMAN DROVE HIM BACK TO HIS HOUSE ON JONES STREET IN LINWOOD AND TOLD POLICE HE WAS BANGING ON THE HOOD AND WINDSHIELD OF HER CAR FOR THE ENTIRE ‘RIDE’.

“WHEN THEY ARRIVED AT HIS ADDRESS, WALLIN GOT OFF THE CAR, ALLEGEDLY GRABBED A STICK AND THREATENED TO BEAT THE WOMAN WITH IT. POLICE SAY THE WOMAN WAS NOT HURT BUT CHARGES OF AGGRAVATED ASSAULT AND CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY WERE FILED, AND WALLIN WAS ARRESTED.”

Maybe Mr. Wallin is a “T.J. Hooker” fan/wannabe?   

Last Thursday night Dade residents dodged a bullet when county leaders there gave up on a proposed 44% property tax increase.

A large number of Dade citizens opposed to the increase showed up to protest, and their multi-member commission actually listened.

Dade County’s commissioners and school board had to get all their tax meetings done by July 31 in order to comply with state law. Meanwhile Walker County WILL be raising taxes but its Commissioner hasn’t had any of the required (now late) meetings because she doesn’t want to deal with voter backlash.   

Check out the latest members of the Walker County Jail regular customer club.

Go to jail three times and your fourth stay is free.   

Bubba Simmons named new principal of Gordon Lee. Simmons is leaving a position as athletic director of McCallie in Chattanooga to take over the Chickamauga high school.

He’s served as coach and athletic director in several Tennessee schools. Nothing has been said so far about his academic qualifications, if any. Chickamauga DOES have its priorities.   

LaFayette Walmart is hiring.

Company-wide, Walmart’s reputation of being a bad place to work (along with actually BEING a bad place to work) has made it difficult for the retail giant to hire and keep good people. That’s resulted in deteriorating quality and customer service, which is impacting sales. If WMT’s new CEO can’t fix what’s broken, a yet unknown competitor could do to Walmart what Walmart did to K-Mart and other legacy stores over a decade ago.   

Last year drug overdose deaths in Georgia fell to a five-year low. Deaths from legal prescriptions have fallen, while OD’s from illegal drugs like meth and coke have increased – although prescriptions are still coming out on top.

Number one drug responsible for overdoses? Xanax. Meth, the worst illegal drug, is 5th.   

Elite Power Sportz has moved from Cherokee Street to a new location around the corner at 301 North Main.

A rare success story for LaFayette’s business community. Congrats to Elite (a former LU blog advertiser) on their move and continued growth.   

Mohawk, world’s largest carpet manufacturer, reports another quarter of record profits.   

Three years ago veterinarian Ben Benson moved from Cumming to Villanow, setting up his animal clinic in the old county fire hall. He’s still there, the only vet in Walker County east of Taylor’s Ridge.

Article doesn’t mention it, but Dr. Benson is apparently building a new office at the corner of 136 and 201.   

Hopefully this isn’t the best we can get for the county’s $3,000 per month restaurant/resort management contract.   

Pete “Professor” Van Wieren, broadcaster for Atlanta Braves on TV and radio for three decades, passed away Saturday after battling cancer.

His radio partner for most of those years, Skip Caray, died six years ago Sunday.   

Rome-based Cancer Navigators isn’t just a cancer center, they help patients with emotional, financial, and physical needs while battling the disease.   

This month 22 films and TV shows will be produced in Georgia, most around Atlanta or Savannah. List includes “Family Feud” game show, “The Vampire Diaries,” new crap from Tyler Perry, Marvel’s “Ant Man,” and of course more of “The Walking Dead.”   

1.1 million adult Georgians have taken college classes but never finished a degree. Last week the state launched a new promotion – “Go Back Move Ahead” – encouraging those residents to finish their educations.   

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