This week’s near-desecration of graves in the LaFayette cemetery is just another display of heartlessness and incompetence from the city’s leadership.

During the October city council meeting, councilman Wayne Swanson called for a motion to require people to clean up after their pets while visiting the cemetery. Swanson then, according to the council minutes, “also asked Richard Moore to monitor objects and other items being placed on or near graves.”

Late in the evening of Friday November 6th, Rossville PD officers arrested Charles Lee Cochran for “disorderly conduct” and sent him to the Walker County Jail. Mr Cochran was later found in a jail cell hanging dead from a t-shirt. The GBI was called in to do an autopsy and investigate the incident, as would be expected.

Initial news reports offered very little information about what actually happened, and a slightly more detailed story on the Walker Messenger site still left a lot of unanswered questions.

As reported on Channel 3 and in the Walker Messenger, Walker County Sheriff Steve Wilson has been diagnosed with cancer. The specific form of cancer is Multiple Myeloma, or Kahler’s Disease. It’s a blood cancer that mostly affects the bone marrow and can lead to weakened or broken bones and pain, especially in the ribs and spine. Sheriff Wilson has begun taking chemotherapy and will receive radiation treatments for the next six months.

(The Underground had this information on November 1st but waited to post anything out of respect for the Sheriff’s privacy; now that it’s public record we feel free to comment.)

Our prayers are with Sheriff Wilson as he battles the pain and uncertainty that comes with cancer. Regardless of any differences we may have with the sheriff and his management of the department and jail over the last 13 years, we wouldn’t wish this kind of illness on anyone and hope he has a quick recovery.

As promised, here’s some analysis of Tuesday’s city election:

Sadly there isn’t much to say about the results because nothing much has changed. The people of LaFayette (those who vote anyway) said overwhelmingly that they’re happy with the way things are. Those who voted for the status quo will get exactly that, and they deserve it – but the rest of us who voted against the city’s stagnant leadership will be dragged along with them.

7:49 PM UPDATE:

We’ll try to post results of today’s vote as soon as we can. When I voted around dinner time the poll workers said they haven’t been rushed but the pace has been steady all day; that’s better than how these off-year city elections usually go. Channel 9 was shooting video and interviewing voters, should see some footage tonight at 11 on their newscast.

10:12 PM UPDATE:

Fox 61 used some of the Ch. 9 video in their 10 PM news. Reporter said results aren’t in yet (as we well know) but it “broke a record” for turnout for an off-year city election. That probably doesn’t mean much, but interest is definitely high.

10:42 PM UPDATE:

Results are in. Liquor loses by 22 votes. City council and mayor remain unchanged, Neal Florence wins his next 4 year term with a margin greater than 2:1. Kenneth Maples will be the new city judge, winning by 46 votes.

Analysis coming soon…