LPD arrested 40-year-old Christopher Thornton, a LaFayette native with a Chattanooga address, after he dragged a state forest ranger across a parking lot with his car.

According to reports, Thornton pulled into the West LaFayette Kangaroo station around 2:30 Thursday afternoon with music blaring. After he began cursing, DNR wildlife officer Tim Gilbreath approached Thornton, asking him to cool the music and language. Thornton challenged Gilbreath’s authority, at which point the officer asked Thornton for ID. Thornton then grabbed Gilbreath’s arm and started driving away.

After getting free, Gilbreath attempted to follow Thornton in his own vehicle but lost the man on West Main. Thornton was picked up a short time later on Webb Wheeler Rd. and now faces five charges – only one of which stems from the original issue of loud music.

Wednesday morning thieves broke into cars, stole personal property (including guns), and even stole a few vehicles, in the Foster Mill Drive area south of town. Many of the cars were unlocked and the ones stolen had their keys left inside.

WQCH Radio, 01/10/13: “A TRUCK AND A 4-WHEELER WERE STOLEN, AND SEVERAL THEFTS FROM VEHICLES WERE REPORTED IN A LAFAYETTE AREA CRIME-SPREE BETWEEN MIDNIGHT AND 5 AM WEDNESDAY.

“THE TRUCK WAS TAKEN FROM THE RESIDENCE OF RANDALL AND BETH CAGLE ON FOSTER MILL DRIVE, BUT IT WAS RECOVERED, UNDAMAGED ON CHAMBERLAIN ROAD – ACCORDING TO SHERIFF STEVE WILSON. THE CAGLES’ USED CAR LOT WAS STRUCK BY CAR THIEVES LAST YEAR BUT THERE APPEARS TO BE NO CONNECTION, WILSON SAID.

“TWO FIRE ARMS AND OTHER VALUABLES WERE TAKEN FROM THE UNLOCKED CARS, ONE AT FIELDSTONE FARMS NORTH OF LAFAYETTE THE OTHER TWO, SOUTH OF TOWN. ALL HAVE BEEN CONNECTED, THE SHERIFF SAID, DUE TO EVIDENCE FOUND. AN OPEN GARAGE WAS ALSO ENTERED AND ITEMS TAKEN AT A FOSTER MILL DRIVE RESIDENCE. THE 4-WHEELER WAS RECOVERED ON BROOMTOWN ROAD.

.. “A REWARD HAS BEEN OFFERED FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO AN ARREST. ANONYMOUS TIPS CAN BE LEFT AT THE WEBSITE “WALKER S O (DOT) COM” OR TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE REWARD, TALK TO DETECTIVES AT 706 638 1909.”

Commissioner Heiskell tells reporters this year’s election was her hardest, mostly because of LU, but the election was easier than fixing what’s broken at Hutcheson.

“A veteran of politics, Heiskell said that race was waged differently than any she had previously experienced. ‘It was an Internet election, something I’d not dealt with,’ she said. ‘Anonymous online voices making accusations and statements; it was unnerving.'”

In other words, someone actually called her out. That never happened before and she nearly crashed and burned trying to figure out how to stop it.

Walker County has for a generation been a safehaven for ethically challenged politicians and anybody with a crooked business plan, because there’s been no public scrutiny. Nobody has ever challenged or questioned these people before in a serious way. Now they don’t know what to do when it happens.

“Archer Plant is in the process of plumbing in water and natural gas lines to operate a water bottling plant and aquaponics operation. It could become the largest market for fresh fish and seafood east of the Mississippi’ [Heiskell said].”

Remember, when that company (which she didn’t name) was first announced in a county-prouced press release, they were just a water bottler and would begin operating in July. Now it’s January, they’re not operational, and it’s a fish business with water bottling on the side.

Someone should ask her if she knows what they’re going to feed those fish.

Two survivors of Friday’s crash in Noble have been identified as Bob and Peggy Moore of Rome. They’ve both been at Erlanger since the accident. Bob is listed in “critical condition” in ICU, Peggy moved out of ICU today and is considered “stable.”

Previous reports said they received “non-life threatening injuties” but five days in ICU is pretty serious. Hopefully they’ll be OK.

Something’s rotten under the Gold Dome:

“Ethics and the Legislature: Money, secrets, power rule dome.” An excellent, comprehensive article about ethical failures in Georgia’s General Assembly. Every GA voter should read this link.

No caps on lobbyist gifts.
No laws against campaign donations from lobbyists.
No laws preventing legislators from voting on bills where they have conflicts of interest.
Legislature is intentionally exempt from open meetings laws.

It’s no wonder Georgia was ranked 50th of 50 states last year for ethics and potential for political corruption.

(Image courtesy Draplin Design Co; available as a very cool poster.)

WQCH Radio, 01/08/12: “THE ‘WHEELS ARE TURNING’ IN LAFAYETTE HIGH SCHOOL’S SEARCH FOR A NEW HEAD FOOTBALL COACH.

“PRINCIPAL MIKE CULBERSON SAID MONDAY THAT HE GOT OVER 60 APPLICATIONS FROM SEVERAL STATES, BEFORE THE DEADLINE. CULBERSON HAS FORMED A COMMITTEE OF SIX TO NARROW THE LIST OF CANDIDATES TO 15, AND INTERVIEWS ARE SCHEDULED FOR NEXT MONDAY AND TUESDAY. CULBERSON SAID HE’D LIKE TO PRESENT THE SCHOOL BOARD WITH A UNANIMOUS COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION BY THE JANUARY BOARD MEETING ON THE 22nd, BUT HE ADDED THAT EVEN IF THE DECISION STRETCHES INTO FEBRUARY, THE NEW COACH WILL HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO PREPARE FOR SPRING PRACTICE.

“CULBERSON’S SEARCH COMMITTEE INCLUDES HIMSELF, THE LHS ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, THE LAFAYETTE MIDDLE SCHOOL ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, A REPRESENTATIVE OF LAFAYETTE HIGH PARENTS, AND OF THE ATHLETIC BOOSTER CLUB.

“DON’T EXPECT A LOCAL NAME BECAUSE NO ONE LOCAL, APPLIED. HOWEVER, THE NARROWED FIELD DOES HAVE 10 APPLICANTS WITH HEAD COACHING EXPERIENCE.

“THE PRINCIPAL SAID HIS GOAL IS TO FIND A COACH WHO IS WILLING TO BUILD THE FOOTBALL PROGRAM OVER AN 8 TO 10 YEAR PERIOD, AT LAFAYETTE HIGH. HE ENCOURAGED THE COMMUNITY TO GET BEHIND THE PROGRAM AND THE NEW COACH, WITH A GOAL OF RETURNING TO ‘WINNING SEASONS’ IN A COUPLE OF YEARS.”

Friday afternoon around 3 PM, an accident involving three vehicles took the life of 30-year-old Aaron Dooley from Chattooga County. Dooley apparently drove into oncoming traffic while heading north on Hwy. 27 in Noble. His car struck another, and both were hit by a third. Occupants of the other vehicles survived with non-life-threatening injuries.

No word yet on how or why Dooley’s car ended up crossing the center line.

The accident, emergency response, and cleanup blocked all five lanes of the highway for over two hours. Thanks to alert contributors serving as the community’s eyes and ears, first reports of this major accident were posted to LU Facebook only a few minutes after it happened.

A Hwy. 151 resident was picked up on Dec. 26th for beating “a female” on Dec. 22nd in front of multiple witnesses.

Even more unfortunate, the alleged incident was witnessed by children. The man faces charges of aggravated assault, false imprisonment, battery, and cruelty to children.

WQCH Radio, 01/03/13: “LAFAYETTE’S ROPER CORPORATION IS BUILDING A MILLION-DOLLAR ADDITION AT THE SOUTH END OF THE PLANT.

“SCOTT REECE SAID THE ADDITION WILL HOUSE A NEW MECHANICAL POWER PRESS, WHICH WILL BE USED TO STAMP PARTS FOR A NEW LINE OF KITCHEN RANGES. REECE SAID ‘WE COULD HAVE MADE ROOM FOR THE PRESS IN OUR EXISTING PLANT SPACE – BUT IT WAS EASIER TO BUILD AN ADDITION FOR IT.’

“FURTHER DETAILS ON THE NEW PRODUCT LINE WILL HAVE TO WAIT FOR AN OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT IN ABOUT 3 MONTHS, HE SAID. THE CITY OF LAFAYETTE ISSUED THE BUILDING PERMIT TOTALING 1-MILLION, 598-THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE ADDITION.”

This is good news for LaFayette and all of Walker County. While the Roper expansion doesn’t necessarily mean many more jobs, it does represent a commitment from Roper (and parent GE) to stay here for the foreseeable future. They’re not going to spend over $1.5 million on construction and then walk away in a year or two. Maybe in six or eight years, but not in 2013 or 2014.

Walker Co government has declared property extending between W. Reed Rd. and Walmart part of an “enterprise zone” which could double tax credits for industries that set up in the area. But it means nothing unless the state Department of Community Affairs approves the designation. This apparently includes the old Sweetheart Cup/Imperial building but not the Swanson farm in Noble we’re paying $10,000 a year not to buy.