MIRABEAU B. LAMAR: Somebody punch, James (6.10.08)

Sometimes Mirabeau worries about James Walker during Muscogee County School Board meetings. His gavel is quiet and so is he. Mirabeau doesn’t know whether to call 911 or the coroner. But at least he doesn’t snore.

Though WTVM-TV isn’t ready to crown Dee Armstrong’s successor, Mirabeau is. Mirabeau hears Zaneta Lowe will claim Dee’s chair when the longtime Channel 9 anchor’s contract expires.

Mirabeau hears more familiar bylines will declare their independence from the Ledger-Enquirer by July 4th. Taking buyouts are columnist Kaffie Sledge, Fort Benning reporter Mick Walsh, Auburn beat writer Christa Turner and veteran copy editor Jerry Gibson. Seems like Gibson was there when Mirabeau owned the paper. Not quite, but the former sports writer is the dean of the newsroom with more than 40 years of service.

Did anyone see Deputy Superintendent Robin Pennock hold up one finger at the end of this week's Muscogee County School Board soap opera? Mirabeau did, and it was because Pennock, who's retiring, has to endure just one more meeting. Mirabeau thinks Pennock should watch reruns of Saturday Night Live every second and third Monday of the month since she won't get laughs at board meetings anymore.

If Mirabeau could vote, he would cast a ballot for Randy Roberston as 1st Vice President of the Georgia FOP. Robertston is head of Homeland Security for Mayor Jim Wetherington.

The chairman of the Muscogee Republican Party points out a Mirabeau mistake. Josh McKoon says Rob Doll is a delegate and Alton Russell is an alternate to the Republican National Covention.

Mirabeau wonders how Columbus State University’s basketball team missed out on former local prep star Fred Brathwaite. Worse yet, he signed with Peach Belt Conference rival Augusta State. Brathwaite started at Spencer High but for the past two years put up numbers at Perimeter College in Atlanta. He was Georgia’s junior college player of the year averaging 22 points and nine rebounds.

Mirabeau does congratulate CSU athletes Kenneth Lawrence, Hernando Ortiz, Brian Gordon, Rachael Darr, Ashley Chastain, Hilary Holder, Michael Hicks, Ryan Kirk, Howard Duffin, Brian Mailhot, John Neill, Sean Miller and Tamela Bell. These young people had GPAs between 3.0 and 3.24 for the academic year and were named Presidential Scholars by the Peach Belt Conference.

Mirabeau wonders why a sitting Superior Court judge would go out and recruit a candidate for the bench.

Mirabeau fears he will slit his wrist if he is forced to watch another TV spot that features Dr. Donald Gold.