Walker County property owners have recently been notified that their buildings and lands are being reappraised by county officials, to set the taxable value before property taxes rise this summer.

Hopefully tax assessors will notice the Davenports, one of Walker County’s wealthiest families (that control more private land than anyone else) have a barn that somehow hasn’t been included on their tax bill in the past.

County records show only one building on this property, but anyone with eyes can see there are obviously at least two…

The Davenports have been generous campaign supporters of Commissioner Heiskell, and the county has been building a project FOR the Davenports now for over a year, across the street from the barns. (Photo below shows a county work truck parked nearby.)

Tax Commissioner Carolyn Walker and Road Commissioner Bebe Heiskell both know that taxes not paid by one property owner become taxes that have to be paid by others. Certainly neither of them would intentionally screw the rest of us to benefit their friends on the mountain.

Nobody would dare suggest this is an intentional benefit for the Davenports, but simply an oversight. LU shares the photo and information here so county officials will know of this mistake and can rush to correct it before tax records are set in stone for the year.

You’re welcome!   

150 years ago last night and today, LaFayette was the prize in a heated battle between Union and Confederate forces. Union soldiers headquartered inside the old downtown courthouse were attacked on June 23rd by a band of of Confederates on their way to blow up bridges heading into Tennessee.

US troops tore down a wooden school building and used the material to build barricades, holding off rebel fighters until reenforcements arrived from Rock Spring early on June 24th. Union forces prevailed and LaFayette was not returned to the Confederates.

LaFayette Presbyterian Church, built in 1848 and still standing, served as a hospital for soldiers wounded in the conflict. Total losses were 28 killed and 60 wounded. Many of those who died fighting for LaFayette are still buried in the city cemetery; 15 Confederates killed here have never been identified.

The school building torn down was the Female Academy built in 1849 between the Marsh House and Chattooga Academy building. At that time Chattooga Academy was the boys’ school; it and the Female Academy were then the only equivalent of a modern (private) high school for several counties.

(Chattooga Academy [or John B. Gordon Hall], as we all know, already had a role in the Civil War about six months earlier when General Bragg used it as his headquarters during the Battle of Chickamauga.)

The Female Academy was later rebuilt and served, along with Chattooga Academy, as the original LaFayette High School until 1919 when the school moved to Cherokee Street.

An event commemorating the 150th anniversary was held over the weekend.     

Two suspects in last week’s Trion kidnapping case have been arrested.

The men, identified as Cedric and Samuel Johnson, were living in an apartment adjacent to the kidnapping site, but aren’t from the area. Trion PD has recovered weapons and clothing detailed by the victim.     

Latest local arrests, June 16-22.   

Representatives from US. Rep. Tom Graves’ office will be in Walker County today to meet with citizens.   

Math material for Common Core standards frustrate parents, students, and even teachers across the country.

These are the same standards supported by the GA Chamber of Commerce, school superintendent candidate Mike Buck, and Jeff Mullis. Gov. Deal hasn’t endorsed the rules but has rejected efforts to get the state away from them.

(To be fair, Jason Carter isn’t going to get the state out of Common Core, either.)   

“LU are you Republican? Democrat? Libertarian?”

Sorry, LU isn’t defined by those labels. LU is contrarian.

When you get to the place that you say everything coming from a certain side, group, or ideology is going to be right no matter what, you’re heading down a dangerous road..

Question and challenge EVERYTHING, wherever it comes from.   

As suggested before, Gov. Deal will soon sign an order barring state agencies from asking potential employees about their criminal histories. They will, however, still be asking job candidates about their histories during the interview process.   

Couple years ago LaFayette got excited when the local Taco Bell was torn down and rebuilt. Now the Summerville Taco Bell is also being replaced, but their new store is going in next to the existing one instead of on top of it.

This could provide thousands of jobs to the Summerville area.

Or more like five.   

This sounds good but without details it could be meaningless talk:

WQCH Radio, 06/19/14: “GOVERNOR NATHAN DEAL HAS ANNOUNCED THE CREATION OF ‘HEALING COMMUNITIES OF GEORGIA’ – A NETWORK OF CONGREGATIONS FROM ALL FAITHS, WORKING TO REDUCE RECIDIVISM. IT WILL BE LED BY THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE OF TRANSITION, SUPPORT AND RE-ENTRY TO IMPROVE THE SUCCESS RATE OF FORMER INMATES WHO ARE RETURNING TO THEIR COMMUNITIES. FORMER REPRESENTATIVE JAY NEAL OF LAFAYETTE HEADS THAT DEPARTMENT.

“CONGREGATIONS TAKING PART IN ‘HEALING COMMUNITIES’ WILL BE KNOWN AS ‘STATIONS OF HOPE’ TO PROVIDE ACCOUNTABILITY AND RELATIONSHIPS FOR RETURNING EX-PRISONERS. THE GOVERNOR SAID ‘I AM CONFIDENT THAT IF WE WORK AS A TEAM AND OPEN LINES OF COMMUNICATION, WE WILL INCREASE THE NUMBER OF REHABILITATED OFFENDERS RETURNING TO THE WORKFORCE'”

Since Rep. Neal is from Walker County, some church or churches in the area will probably be named as “stations of hope.” If so it’ll show this is a bunch of crap. We can’t even maintain accountability for cops, politicians, and restaurant owners, much less former prisoners.   

Three perspectives on Georgia’s “no knock” warrant laws and militarization of police.   

US Supreme Court has ruled government employees should have “whistleblower” protections when they testify against government agencies or leaders who break the rules.

This could eventually set back Governor Deal’s plan to remove protections from state employees who dare speak out when they see wrongdoing.   

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