Corey Petree, organizer of last weekend’s Cherokee Farms event, Fly Free Fest, confirms the county shut them down multiple times over the weekend for violating noise rules. He says county leaders have decided to crack down on Cherokee Farms due to multiple problems on the site and a multitude of complaints from citizens.

Petree says Commissioner Heiskell revoked the festival’s non-existent special permit to play music all night long. County insiders verify that account, saying the Commissioner’s Office finally took action after several hundred people called 911 to complain about the event, but there was never any special sound permit issued because the county doesn’t have one. They simply enforced the county’s long-standing noise ordinance requiring loud music to end at 11 PM.

Fly Free Fest Facebook, 10/13/14: “The Walker County Commissioner revoked our special permit and wouldn’t allow us to serve alcohol on Sunday. The sheriff came around 8:30 and told us we couldn’t serve or distribute beer anymore.”

The county DID come tell Fly Free Fest vendors they couldn’t sell alcohol on Sunday, but they didn’t revoke the event’s Sunday sales permit because it never had one of those, either. A special event alcohol retail sale license was issued to Jolly Walrus Productions (which owns Fly Free Fest), but was only good for 10/10 and 10/11, Friday and Saturday. They had no legal permission to sell beer at all on Sunday. The Sheriff’s Office or Walker County Police, whichever agency it was, was right to step in.

For the first time, after eight years of this crap, the county finally started enforcing at least SOME of the rules at Cherokee Farms, and suspended property owner Smokey Caldwell’s “get away with anything” license – at least temporarily.

LU doesn’t say this much, but good on Commissioner Heiskell (and probably Sheriff Wilson) for actually doing something this time.   

 

Wreck this morning on LaFayette bypass at Grant St. in front of the Post Office. Happened around 8 AM. No word on injuries.

That’s a dangerous intersection. A city worker was killed in a city vehicle pulling out there a few years ago.   

Monday night during the regular October business meeting, LaFayette City Council paid tribute to retired LPD officer Rudelle Greene, who passed away last month.

Greene was hired by LPD 47 years ago to the day (October 13, 1967) and was the department’s first non-white officer AND its first officer with a college degree. Greene served until 1998.

WQCH Radio, 10/14/14: “IN THE PLAQUE PRESENTATION, MAYOR ANDY ARNOLD WAS JOINED BY POLICE CHIEF BENJIE CLIFT AND ANOTHER VETERAN OF THE LAFAYETTE P.D. – KENNY CARRUTHERS. SERGEANT GREENE WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN POLICE OFFICER FOR THE CITY. THE PLAQUE WILL BE DISPLAYED NEXT TO THE MEMORIAL FOR FORMER POLICE CHIEF DINO RICHARDSON, AT THE LAFAYETTE POLICE DEPARTMENT.”

Other meeting issues included disposing of surplus equipment and vehicles, engineering new water lines for Swanson Farm industrial park, and adopting a 2015 budget.     

Friday night LaFayette was destroyed by Heritage, 52-9.

A couple years ago Heritage football was a joke; the Generals only had a SINGLE win in the 2012-2013 seasons and were 14-46 during the school’s first six years. After the departure of head coach Tim James the program started doing much better.

This year the former Heritage coach, Tim James, is in charge of defense here in LaFayette. Some are beginning to wonder if James (who’s reportedly hard to get along with) is the reason LHS is 2-3 for the season.

If you’re involved or following high school football this year, what do you think about the Ramblers’ defensive coordinator?   

Gov. Deal recently told reporters the state is prepared for Ebola because the disease is killed by water.

He was apparently told hand-washing is the best way to prevent disease, and extrapolated that into “water kills Ebola.” Or something.

As you would imagine, Deal is being ridiculed for the statement – as he should be.

Meanwhile governor candidate Jason Carter is shooting himself in the foot by letting his grandpa out of the attic to campaign for him.   

Early voting for November’s election began Monday. No local races other than House District 1 (western Walker and Dade), plus a non-binding question about Sunday alcohol sales. Governor and US Senate, among a few other state races, are also on the ballot.   

Tuesday morning’s foul weather wasn’t as bad as expected, but the community didn’t escape completely unscathed. This truck parked at a home off Pledger Parkway sustained major damage after being struck by a wind-loosened dead limb.   

Saturday afternoon someone entered a home on Rhyne Rd. then stole plumbing and the literal kitchen sink.

Nobody has been arrested for that crime yet, but dozens of others have been for other things: Latest Walker County arrests and jail bookings.     

An out of state family staying with relatives, in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now their child is permanent disfigured, possibly brain damaged, and they owe over $1 million in medical bills – all because of an aggressive, mistaken police task force working under state laws that encourage law enforcement brutality.

This could have happened to almost any of us; it’s not the first OR last time, and will happen again unless the rules are changed.   

Hope Rebirth Homeless Shelter in Summerville will NOT be kicked out of their building. Former school housing the shelter was auctioned off as part of a bankruptcy, but the bank that bought it will let Hope Rebirth continue to rent the space indefinitely.

Hope Rebirth provides services to homeless in Chattooga AND Walker – they continue to deserve our support as they help some of the area’s most unfortunate get back on their feet.   

How many of Georgia’s 47 state parks and recreational areas have you visited? How many can you even name?   

Family Crisis Center is providing free self-defense classes for women through the end of October. Walker County class was already held last week, but you can still catch the ones for Chattooga, Dade, and Catoosa.   

Atlanta Business Chronicle is featuring a $2.75 million Lookout Mountain home as one of “Atlanta’s most-luxurious properties.”

1927 house owned by the Martens family is currently the most expensive property listing in Walker County. ($12,000 a month mortgage with a 10% down payment.) Nicest thing about it? It’s actually nowhere close to Atlanta.   

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