Did you call or e-mail state leaders to give your thoughts on Senator Mullis being appointed 3rd most powerful in state government? Time’s running out to protest this bad decision – contact info is here. Only loud citizens can keep Senator Maglev from reaching a position of power he’ll never be dislodged from.

Here’s video from last week’s Walker Commissioner meeting, the first since mid-October. No word yet if there will be one today, odds aren’t very good since there haven’t been two consecutive weekly meetings since at least summer.

Part two is here.

Happy New year to you and yours from The LaFayette Underground! Here’s a brief look back at 2012 (at least through the prism of the Underground) as we step off the “fiscal cliff” into 2013.

No Daily Update tomorrow or Wednesday. Check back at 11:30 AM Tuesday for the top LU blog and Facebook posts of 2012. Updates will return Thursday. Happy New Year!

State Senator Jeff “The Hutt” Mullis of Chickamuaga will most likely be appointed Chair of the Senate Rules Committee late this week before the new legislative session begins. That will make him the third most powerful person in state government, with ability to block any legislation he dislikes. The position also means he’ll rake in even more campaign cash and special gifts from lobbyists and corporate interests around the state, making him less likely to listen to constituents (if that’s possible) and harder to run against here at home.

Mullis was the primary sponsor of TSPLOST. He’s worked for years to get the federal government to build a high-speed train from Atlanta to Chattanooga (for billions of dollars) with no stops in his own district. He’s been Chair of the Transportation committee for years, but all he’s done for local roads is block projects in Rome that his deep-pocket supporters dislike.

It’s likely to happen, but we might still be able to make a difference. E-mail Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle’s office at Ben.Fry@Ltgov.ga.gov – put “Senator Mullis” in the subject line. Contact President Pro-Tem elect David Shafer at david.shafer@senate.ga.gov or 404 656 0048. Contact Majority Leader Elect Ronnie Chance at ronnie.chance@senate.ga.gov or 404 651 7738. Call Gov. Deal’s office at 404 656 1776. Tell these men, who will make the final decision about Mullis, than even his own constituents are opposed to him gaining more power in the state.

Other media outlets are looking into this issue also; LU will probably have much more to share with you later in the week.

The Sheriff’s hand-picked State Court Judge, Billy Mullinax, will be sworn in today at 2. The county will begin raking in record revenues from traffic fines next week, and nobody accused of anything by the Sheriff’s Office in the next four years will have a chance of acquittal.

He’ll be publicly “sworn in” in an unofficial ceremony by disgraced former State Judge Donnie Peppers; Mullinax is Peppers’ defense attorney in a DUI case. He’s also attorney for members of the Wilson family arrested for DUI whose cases haven’t come up yet in court.

The county hasn’t set Mullinax’s salary yet, likely because they haven’t finished screwing over Judge Roberts, who sued over his own pay. (We need a Commissioner who will pay people based on some kind of standard, not whatever she feels like.)

Meanwhile ex judge Peppers still brings down $60k a year for sitting on his butt.

Apparently Hutcheson is $60 million in debt, and nobody knew this until recently. That’s why Catoosa is coughing up $25 million in bonds to help pay down what HMC owes to Medicare – and why the hospital wants Walker County to do the same thing.

Why didn’t local government leaders know about this massive debt, and why didn’t it surface two years ago when new directors came in at Hutcheson? How can a hospital owe money to a government agency that normally reimburses expenses? Did Hutcheson’s new billing company finding charges to Medicare for procedures that weren’t really owed?

Hope you had a wonderful Christmas! Now back to work..

Local media report a commissioner meeting will be held at 10 AM today at the Walker Commissioner Office on Duke Street. Only seventy days since the last public commissioner meeting, according to the LU Commissioner Meeting timer.

Concerned citizens are strongly encouraged to attend – if you’re not back at work yet from Christmas break, take the time tomorrow to participate in local government.

Many people who have waited since October 18th for a chance to ask the Commissioner a few questions are planning to be at the meeting, and will hopefully get video to share here tomorrow.

Monday night around 9:30 a plane being fueled on the runway at Barwick Airport somehow exploded. No injuries reported and no significant damage done to airport facilities, but the plane was a complete loss.

Fueling a plane, at 9:30 at night, on Christmas Eve, in a blinding fog. .. ok.

The aircraft belonged to Ralph Casey of Villanow, owner of Casey & Sons Horseshoeing School; Mr. Casey was in the news last week when harassment charges filed against him were thrown out by a local judge. [Update on that below.]

News of the explosion was first reported on LU Facebook shortly after 10 PM. Posts are here, here, and here.