46-year-old Francis Middleton found dead Saturday in her apartment in downtown LaFayette. Middleton’s cause of death undetermined; authorities say this could be a murder, a suicide, or a death related to health issues – but it will be treated AS a murder until evidence verifies one way or the other.

Per varying reports, Middleton was last seen alive on Friday, then found dead in her apartment next to Family Dollar late Saturday by a maintenance man, neighbors, or a teenager. Despite being spotted a day earlier, medical sources tell LU there had been significant decomposition, possibly related to the nature of her death or the condition of her home on a hot August day.

Rumors about the nature of this death are swirling all over town, but for the sake of Ms. Middleton’s family those will not be shared here until something more substantial emerges. The GBI is involved along with local law enforcement and an autopsy is being performed to nail down more details of what occurred.     

Thursday Commissioner Heiskell posted another video calling out LU (“an anonymous blog”) for saying she’s raising taxes 60%.

She’s actually raising HER share of your tax bill by 69%. A 3.233 mil increase (she confirmed to local reporters) added to the county’s existing 4.705 mils is an exact increase of 68.714133900106% over last year’s bill to support the county’s general government.

In the video, Heiskell says that’s not ALL the property taxes you pay, there are also school, city, and state taxes – which is true. But those aren’t within her control. The part SHE controls is going up 69%. Nobody’s talking about the schools here but the Commissioner – and if we’re talking about schools, the school system can actually show you something positive being done with the money they get.

Bebe’s people are spinning the hell out of her tax increase, sending stuff to local media trying to hide the impact of raising taxes and blame the increase on everything from the beginning of time until now, as long as it’s not herself.

In this piece Heiskell (or her ghost-writer Larry Brooks) cites 9/11, Tri-State Crematory, 2008 recession, 2011 tornadoes, the price of asphalt, the price of gasoline, the State of Georgia, Walker County residents who don’t shop in Walker County (neither does she), the City of LaFayette, senior citizens, Juvenile Court, local schools, and the library for higher taxes.

She’s also comparing Walker County to neighboring communities:

“Citing a number of factors that have combined to reduce revenue, she has set a county millage rate of 7.938 for 2014, an increase of 3.233 mills over the current 4.705 rate. ‘This will bring us in line with the rates in Catoosa and Dade counties,’ the commissioner said.”

So can we presume she’ll begin offering the same level of service that Catoosa County does? How long since YOUR road was paved?   

Friday evening a Walker County Jail inmate disappeared while on an apparently unsupervised “building and grounds assignment.” News of Jerry Morgan’s escape wasn’t announced until midday Saturday, and a photo wasn’t made available to media until nearly a day after he escaped.

He was eventually located in Rossville and rearrested. His wife and three other people were also arrested for helping him flee. Knowing he had escaped in a timely manner might have made catching him easier. (Sounds like they didn’t want people to know.)

Another Walker County Jail escape Sheriff Wilson will claim never happened when/if he runs for reelection. He denied previous escapes when he ran in 2012.

Walker County Jail, under the control of Steve Wilson and Mike Freeman, is run sloppily. Prisoners working outside the jail fence aren’t closely watched – a concern for LaFayette residents since the jail is within a few minutes of downtown and residential neighborhoods.   

County Dictator Commissioner Heiskell released this video Tuesday, admitting she will be raising your property taxes “about 3 mils” on top of the 4.7 mils paid now – a 64% increase. She blames the increase on everything but herself, and says her pretend effort to sell Mountain Cove Farms fell through.

This is the face of Walker County, and she’s telling you you’re screwed. Straight from the proverbial horse’s mouth.

She admits here that the county spent a million dollars renovating Mountain Cove Farms AFTER buying it. She claims they’ve made all that money back, but financial data from 2013 shows Walker County didn’t make even $200k off the place, and payroll there cost more than event revenues.

She blames the $3 million in revenue losses on $64 million less in property value. But during her time in office the county, school system, and state have purchased at least $30 million of land that was formerly being taxed. She needs to look in the mirror here, if she can stand it.

(Anybody else find it ironic she’s talking about how much money the county doesn’t have while sitting behind a brand new desk in her recently renovated and repainted office?)     

Last week Heiskell sent this memo to county department heads, requiring them to ask her permission before buying anything.

A good idea – ten years ago. Putting this in place now that the county is falling off a fiscal cliff is like shutting the barn door after the barn burned down.

And it glosses over the big issues. Walker County isn’t out of money because of department heads buying too many pencils, it’s out of money because of giant purchases the Commissioner made herself.

It’s ironic the woman who “approved” her own tax-funded purchases of Mountain Cove Farms and thousand-dollar refrigerators to go in the rental cabins there now demands her employees ask permission to buy gasoline and copy paper.   

Per Channel 3, Roper employees are “worried” about the pending sale of GE Appliance to Electrolux or another competitor.

Roper employees ARE worried. So are Walmart employees, city employees, county employees, people who don’t have jobs… School children, some smarter dogs..   

During Thursday’s public meeting, Commissioner Heiskell said she’s discussing a deal to sell Mountain Cove Farms to an “unnamed” private individual.

She claimed the farm has made back $3 million she’s put into it, but a close look at the county’s books show it’s cost a LOT more than $3 million and has lost money every single year we’ve owned it. Payroll costs alone at the farm, last year, exceeded revenue by thousands of dollars.

So which of her generous campaign supporters or relatives will buy the place and then give her a job running it?   

Speaking of things for sale.. Roper parent GE Appliances may soon be sold to Electrolux of Sweden. What’s behind the sale talks, and what happens to Roper and LaFayette if a sale goes through?

The Commissioner was wrong on this one, per her usual.       

Last Thursday Erlanger LifeForce touched down at Walmart LaFayette. The helicopter ambulance sat on the ground for quite a while, making some wonder if it was involved in a drill or test instead of an emergency, but they were patiently waiting on the arrival of a man involved in a 4-wheeler accident further down the road.

Per reports, a yet-unidentified 72-year-old man was seriously injured while riding an ATV near the Fox Hunter’s club on 136 west of Walmart. He was stuck deep in the woods and county rescuers had trouble getting to him. No word on his condition.         

Walker County has seen its share of brutal, horrible murders. A young mother raped and killed, elderly people beaten to death in bed, a business owner stabbed and shot to death in his store.

Decades later the evil men responsible for those deaths still sit in prison with their sentences uncertain – thanks to laziness and incompetence from District Attorney Buzz Franklin and his predecessor Ralph Van Pelt, now a judge.

“Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney Herbert “Buzz” Franklin has failed to bring these cases to trials the past two decades. The judges handling these cases, likewise, have allowed them to linger.”

Buzz is the same DA who let Clara Marsh off the hook, who collaborated with the Sheriff to make sure officers who did wrong weren’t punished, and who decided to convict Tanya Craft of child molestation when all she did wrong was not promote DeWayne Wilson’s daughter to the next grade.

Franklin should have been sent back to private practice during the last election, but won the race by 40 or so votes that turned up in Dade County. Walker Counter voters need to remember that in 2016 and turn out in large enough numbers to fix this situation.   

After weeks of rumors and speculation, General Electric has confirmed discussions to sell its appliance division. That’s a big concern for LaFayette and the surrounding area since GE Appliances & Lighting owns Walker County’s largest employer, Roper Corp.

Per Businessweek and various other news outlets, GE is seeking to unload the consumer appliance business for $2 to $3 billion, and the most interested potential buyer is Swedish appliance giant Electrolux.

“‘GE is evaluating a wide range of strategic options for our appliances business including discussions with Electrolux and other interested parties,’ Seth Martin, a GE spokesman, said today. He declined to name other bidders. Electrolux confirmed its interest in a statement, saying there’s no guarantee a deal will be reached.”

General Electric is a massive conglomerate with various interests, including appliances, electrical generation, oil and gas, transportation equipment, medical devices, and light bulbs. Under the control of CEO Jeff Immelt, GE has focused on industrial and infrastructure businesses – core holdings where it can be most profitable. In the last few years GE has successfully sold a plastics factory, real estate, its risky finance unit, overseas banks, stakes in entertainment companies, and tried once before (unsuccessfully) to get out of the appliance business.

While GE Appliances & Lighting DOES make a profit, the division is being considered for sale due to having low margins and little potential for growth – especially compared to the rest of GE. Combining third-place GE Appliances with no. 2 Electrolux would give GE a cash infusion, and put Electrolux in a better competitive position against the biggest US appliance manufacturer: Michigan-based Whirlpool.

Roper employees in LaFayette received confirmation of sale talks last Thursday via an e-mail from Dr. Charles “Chip” Blankenship, CEO of GE Appliances & Lighting. Blankenship’s message admitted GE is considering an Electrolux deal in order to “increase our competitiveness.” The e-mail promised to quickly make GE employees and communities aware of any sellout or restructuring, but made no firm promises regarding job security once a deal is done.

“…if an agreement is reached, and the sale progresses, the goal of both parties is to create a combined business that is better positioned to win with customers and consumers.”

That better position likely means lower costs through consolidation. Consolidation generally translates into job cuts or plant closures.

During Monday night’s City Council meeting, Councilman Chris Davis made a motion to put liquor by the drink on a LaFayette ballot this fall. None of the other four councilors would second the plan, essentially a 1-4 vote against changing city pouring rules.

Councilman Bradford said the city needs more time after recent controversy regarding liquor at Chattanooga Street Tavern, and should wait on Walker County to solidify its own liquor rules. His thoughts were echoed by councilors Swanson and Garmany.

Also from the meeting: LaFayette has entered an agreement to rent a jet fuel truck for $8,000 a year, saying it will attract more aircraft to the city’s airport and make a small profit.

Seems like a fiscally sound idea. If it doesn’t make money they can end the lease after a year and the most we lose is $8k.

Not sure about THIS claim though: “At that time Barwick Industries was the world’s largest manufacturer of tufted carpet and the LaFayette airport was part of the company’s success. DC-3 cargo planes would land in LaFayette, be filled with rolls of carpet and then flown to Detroit for use by automobile manufacturers.”

(If that actually happened it’s no wonder Barwick eventually went bankrupt. Seems like an inefficient way to ship carpet.)

Meeting agenda [PDF] also had a scheduled appearance from someone representing Jefferson’s Restaurant, but per Councilman Davis they didn’t show up.         

Yesterday was the first day back in class for Walker County students, and the first day of use for this almost pointless school zone sign. This isn’t helping.

Beyond the usual complaints about unannounced changes to school bus routes, everything seems to have gone smoothly.

Rock Spring Elementary principal Kandy Gilstrap was present for the first day of class, but today faces surgery for the breast cancer she’s been battling since March. After surgery Gilstrap will require chemotherapy treatment until next May.       

Dustin Keith Williams of Summerfield Rd. Noble arrested last week for stealing mail from at least 100 local mailboxes. Williams’ wife lied about his whereabouts as he tried to escape through the attic; attempt was unsuccessful and he won a free trip to jail. (Wife also goes to jail for lying to police.)

Williams allegedly rifled through mail looking for credit cards or applications for credit, which he then used for shopping sprees in area stores. He’s also accused (at least by victims) of stealing Netflix discs.

LU has mentioned mail thefts several times this summer. Williams made a previous LU appearance in June after he was connected to credit cards stolen from vehicles in Rock Spring. Seems he really likes stolen cards.