Bi-Lo LaFayette is no more. Food City opened this morning at 8 AM, the last former Bi-Lo in Northwest Georgia converted to the new owner’s branding.

Regular store hours at Food City will be 6 AM to midnight seven days a week, same as Walmart.

The house brand for Food City is Food Club, the same one sold at Shop-Rite. That will be a little awkward, maybe, although it’s all the same as Bi-Lo’s Southern Home store brand just with different labels.

LU has seen no customer reaction to the new store, so far.   

  

Wednesday GSP arrested Bryce Godfrey of Trion (17) and crime report regular Tim Brumlow of LaFayette (18), on suspicion of stealing a car and breaking into others.

Per reports, they stole a Honda from Thornton Street in town and abandoned it on Monroe Greene Rd. towards Naomi, then broke into (and unsuccessfully tried to steal) other vehicles in that area. When picked up they allegedly had property from car thefts in a backpack.

[Photo at left is from someone on Monroe Greene whose car was broken into. Looks like an attempt was made to steal the car but they couldn’t figure out how to start it after tearing the column apart.]

Brumlow has been arrested at least four different times, before this, in the last ten months. Stealing various things from family members, breaking into a house to steal guns, stealing a vehicle, drugs.. Now another vehicle theft.

His crimes are getting more serious but he still walks the streets.

Godfrey hasn’t had much reported criminal activity until last month when he was picked up for trespassing and stealing a car. Looks like he’s learning fast from his new friend.   

Another friend of Tim Brumlow continues going out on his own.

  

Trevor Wiley (17) and Whitney White (23) arrested for allegedly shoplifting at Walmart last Wednesday.

Store security say they attempted to steal shotgun shells, knives, and makeup.

Wiley was allegedly involved in two of Brumlow’s previous crimes earlier this year. White was arrested at Walmart back in April, also for shoplifting, and was banned from the store at the time. Due to the banishment, her latest charges include trespassing.   

Wednesday Commissioner Heiskell signed a contract with Puckett EMS, selling them all of Walker County’s ambulances, a fire station, and a training center for $1.35 million. All of the county’s EMT’s will transfer to Puckett within the next month.

The county will pay Puckett about a quarter million every year (for at least the next five) to provide ambulances to residents, who will also have to pay for each ride – but at a lesser rate than the county has charged patients for the last six years.

WQCH Radio, 10/02/15: “PUCKETT HAS AGREED TO PAY WALKER COUNTY 1.35-MILLION DOLLARS, ACCORDING TO HEISKELL, AND THEY WILL REQUIRE THAT THE COUNTY PAY A YEARLY SUPPLEMENT OF 250-THOUSAND DOLLARS. PUCKETT HAS ALSO AGREED TO BUY WALKER COUNTY’S HAZ-MAT BUILDING AND WILL OPEN A TRAINING CENTER AT THE FIRE AND EMS HEADQUARTERS ON ALEX DRIVE.

“‘DADE COUNTY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED PUCKETT,’ HEISKELL SAID. ‘THEY HAVE BEEN VERY PLEASED WITH THE SERVICE. PUCKETT IS THE NUMBER-ONE AMBULANCE PROVIDER IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA’, SHE SAID.

“HEISKELL SAID SHE IS ALSO HAPPY FOR THE COUNTY’S EMS EMPLOYEES AS PUCKETT WILL PAY THEM MORE AND GIVE THEM BETTER BENEFITS THAN THE COUNTY WAS ABLE TO AFFORD. FOR CONSUMERS, HEISKELL SAID THAT PUCKETT’S BASE-RATE FOR AMBULANCE TRANSPORT IS HALF WHAT THE COUNTY HAS BEEN CHARGING.

“PUCKETT ALSO OPERATES AMBULANCE SERVICE IN CHATTANOOGA AS WELL AS DADE COUNTY, AND THOSE SERVICES WILL BE AVAILABLE TO SERVE WALKER COUNTY IN TIMES OF HIGH DEMAND. PUCKETT PLANS TO HAVE FOUR AMBULANCE CREWS STRATEGICALLY LOCATED WITHIN WALKER COUNTY.”

The concern is that Puckett will only operate four ambulances, where the county has been using five. But since Puckett has ambulances in Dade too, they’re expected to have one from Dade come over if the Walker ambuances are busy.

(Angel Medical, which has previously provided backup ambulances for Walker, has suddenly become much less available. It’s likely no coincidence that Angel’s owner, Walker County Coroner DeWayne Wilson, is beyond pissed that HE didn’t get the deal, despite spending several months on illegal negotiations to buying the ambulance service himself.)

It still seems backwards to cut a fine ambulance service to save money when the county is wasting money like mad on other things we don’t need, but if an ambulance deal had to be made this is the best option out there.   

What were the noises and fires reported on Friday and (especially) Saturday night?

Another event at Cherokee Farms. Alchemy, a small version of the Burning Man festival, attracted hundreds to drink, smoke, party, and light fires while listening to terrible, loud music. Plus setting off explosives:

Alchemy 2015 Pocket Guide: “Saturday Night: This year, they’ll hear the boom in Nashville.”

They may have succeeded.

Saturday a structure larger than the one depicted above was set aflame, causing some in the community to panic thinking a house was burning down. A deputy was dispatched to Cherokee Farms, directed to have music turned down due to community complaint, but it doesn’t seem to have made much difference.     

Update on Wednesday’s three-vehicle accident on the bypass:

WQCH Radio, 03/05/15: “THE POLICE REPORT IS COMPLETE ON AN INJURY-ACCIDENT WEDNESDAY MORNING IN LAFAYETTE, AND ONE DRIVER HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH FAILURE TO STOP FOR A RED LIGHT.

“IT HAPPENED ON THE INTERSECTION OF THE LAFAYETTE BYPASS AND WARTHEN STREET, AROUND 10 AM WEDNESDAY.

“THE DRIVER OF A 2016 KIA OPTIMA WAS TRAVELING NORTHBOUND ON THE BYPASS AND MISSED STOPPING AT THE RED SIGNAL. HER CAR HIT A PICKUP, WHICH WAS CROSSING THE BYPASS FROM ROUND POND ROAD. BOTH VEHICLES THEN HIT A THIRD, STATIONARY VEHICLE, WHICH HAD STOPPED FOR THE RED LIGHT IN THE SOUTHBOUND LANE OF THE BYPASS.

“THE DRIVER OF THE PICKUP WAS AIRLIFTED TO ERLANGER ON LIFE FORCE. HE WAS IDENTIFIED AS JERRY WALLIN. THE DRIVER WHO WAS CHARGED WITH CAUSING THE WRECK WAS IDENTIFIED AS KATHERINE LEEANN WILSON OF LAFAYETTE. POLICE SAY ALL INVOLVED – A TOTAL OF FOUR PEOPLE – WERE RELEASED FOLLOWING TREATMENT.”

The driver put two people in the hospital but faces one minor ticketable charge. That’s a perk you get when your daddy is the Sheriff..   

Wednesday afternoon Commissioner Heiskell completed the process of raising county property taxes another 11%. Only four citizens showed up to speak, and their concerns were summarily dismissed.

Despite advocating for a casino in public as recently as last month, Heiskell said it’s only a “rumor” she’ll build a casino at Mountain Cove Farms, claimed buying the Farm was a good deal, and clung to her BS story of the purchase not costing anything because it involved tax-funded waterlines being sold from one county entity to another.

“What cannot be overstated, she said, is that the county has lost $100 million in its digest — taxable properties — over the last decade. That in turn has meant each mill of taxes that once raised $1.5 million now generates $1 million in revenue, she said.”

And about twenty million of that former property is no longer taxed because she bought it with tax dollars.

She’s a broken record that citizens can’t stop turning – especially when nobody shows up or speaks out.

None of the three tax and budget meetings were very well attended, which is sad – but understandable. People don’t want to fool with it anymore because it’s just subjecting themselves to abuse to accomplish nothing, since she does whatever she wants anyway.     

As LU reported a week ago, Hutcheson laid off a good number of people during September. Sources said at least 20; the final verified number is 58. Those laid off are being paid for their time on the clock but get no severance, and looks like they lose any accrued benefits like vacation time.

Layoffs were mostly in middle management. The upper management, CEO Hayes, administrators, and the multiple hospital boards that have driven the hospital off a cliff, retain their jobs, paychecks, and benefits.

(A report from the local paper says the hospital lost another $1 million in September, which is well in excess of the money it actually had on hand to pay for anything with, and they’re creating ANOTHER committee to decide what bills are paid and which are ignored.)

Another rumor also verified: the hospital will no longer do emergency surgery. One more reason not to stop at HMC on your way to Chattanooga if you need serious medical care.

“As part of the cost-cutting measures the hospital is no longer performing emergency surgeries at the main campus — all surgical procedures are now being scheduled and done at Hutcheson on the Parkway. Also, all non-emergency labor and delivery services have been curtailed and the hospital’s Women’s Center has closed.”

What good is a hospital that doesn’t deliver babies or do surgeries? Go to the ER, get a bandaid, then go to a real hospital to get treatment? Hutcheson is just billing people for sending them on to Erlanger or Memorial.   

Pear Pine may soon be no more.

WQCH Radio, 09/29/15: “THE THIRTY-DAY NOTICE WAS UP ON MONDAY, AND THE CITY OF LAFAYETTE IS MOVING AHEAD WITH CONDEMNATION PROCEEDINGS AT PEAR PINES TRAILER PARK.

“CITY MANAGER DAVID HAMILTON SAID IT APPEARS THAT ONLY ONE TRAILER IN THE PARK IS STILL OCCUPIED, AND IT’S HOPED THEY WILL BE MOVED-OUT TUESDAY [last week]. THE PARK HAS BEEN WITHOUT WATER SERVICE FOR MORE THAN A MONTH DUE TO NON-PAYMENT OF THE BILL.

“HAMILTON SAID THE CITY HAS STILL HEARD NOTHING FROM THE PARK’S OWNER, BUT HAS BEEN COOPERATING WITH A LIENHOLDER ON THE PROPERTY.

“AFTER AN INSPECTION OF ABOUT TWENTY OF THE MOBILE HOMES OVER THE WEEKEND, HAMILTON SAID THERE IS ‘NO DOUBT THAT PEAR PINES IS A HAZARD TO PUBLIC HEALTH’ AND DEMOLITION OF THE PARK LOOKS PROBABLE.”

The city manager says they haven’t heard from the owner, but he HAS attempted to tell police, as recently as two weeks ago, that people living there are all squatters who need to be evicted, and they’re all responsible for damaging his trailers.

In other words he’s delusional or a liar. Good riddance to him AND his trash heap.   

A final hearing for the property tax increase will be held at noon today in the Courthouse. Very few people went to the last two, because of all the good it does to go talk to Bebe.

One attendee at the last meeting asked her if she could change her mind, she said the tax increase is already a done deal. The meetings are simply, as usual, a formality and she will do what she wants – and do it to you, hard. Maybe somebody’s going today?   

The Man shot and killed by deputies Sunday night was identified as 44-year-old Christopher Shell. Per the Sheriff, Shell had a history of domestic violence and substance abuse.

Shell allegedly beat his live-in girlfriend, who fled to a neighbor’s home where 911 was called.

Officers say he held them at bay for a time, then exited the home carrying a high-power rifle and was killed after holding it in “a manner that was perceived as threatening.”

A handful of deputies involved are on leave while the shooting is investigated, per normal procedure.     

Another wreck Tuesday morning in front of Saddle Ridge school. Thankfully those involved received only minor injuries.

The no red light / 55 MPH school zone plan continues failing.

The state is responsible for the road, but the county or school system could pay to have a red light put in. So far this is all they’ve managed to do for safety.

Just wait until they build the high school there, if you think it’s bad now.   

A winning bidder for Walker County’s ambulance service has not yet been formally announced, but the final decision has been made – and made public by the owner of a losing bidder.

DeWayne Wilson, owner of Angel Medical (and Walker County Coroner among many other things), sent this message to his employees yesterday, bemoaning Commissioner Heiskell’s secret decision to transfer the ambulance service and equipment to Puckett Medical.

Puckett, based out of Powder Springs GA, reportedly offered $1.5 million for the county’s EMS team, versus Wilson’s Angel offering “about $1 million.” Puckett also offered to charge county residents $850 per ambulance ride and $12 per mile vs. Angel Medical’s $950 and $16.50 per mile.

Puckett’s annual fee to the county is $250,000, some $40k higher than the $210,000 fee Wilson offered to charge. That’s in line with what the ambulance service is said to cost the county internally now, minus employee liabilities. (If annual fees are backed out of the sale price, no money would change hands for several years.)

Wilson says his offer was the better deal, which doesn’t seem to be the case – although it’s not clear exactly how close either company could come to matching the current level of coverage. Both would likely cut back the number of ambulances available, and Puckett is rumored to be planning a huge reduction.

(Offers from a third bidder, American Medical, were not revealed in any media reports and seem to have been summarily dismissed by the Commissioner. An initial proposal from July “selling” the ambulance service to Hutcheson for a fictional $2 million was abandoned when man+dog realized Hutcheson is going out of business.)

DeWayne Wilson also says Commissioner Heiskell held a “private meeting” with Puckett Monday to give them the contract. He mentions the process has taken “the last 9 months,” indicating Heiskell was in talks to sell the ambulance service six months before she made those plans public or even revealed them to her employees. Both of those statements, if true, could violate state rules for the bidding process. (Good luck getting anything done about that.)

Dade County has used Puckett since Walker County bought Hutcheson’s ambulance service in 2010, and most in Dade have said they’re happy with the company. How well that translates to Walker’s much larger territory and population is yet to be seen.

We could find out as soon as Thursday, as the original plan was set to begin on October 1st and Heiskell has insisted all along she needs EMS employees off the county’s budget by that date. Talk about short notice…