Making McCallie Avenue safer; camera focus must continue; new awards show categories; obit observations
Gotta admit, the timing must have been coincidental. Truly. And a bit unfortunate, especially with the overload of search engine results with the word “McCallie” in them.
There was a news release about a McCallie School employee let go, tons (rightfully) on the shooting on McCallie Avenue, stories about a failed surveillance camera at that scene and a remembrance of one of the shooting victims of the McCallie Avenue shooting.
Well, as that area of town gets more blue lights than Black Friday at a Kmart, City Hall announced another set of bike lanes planned for McCallie Avenue.
Peachy. McCallie Avenue will be reduced to three lanes between Central and Highland Park avenues as bike lanes are added and sidewalks are widened.
After helping to gut downtown parking, bike lanes are planned, and I kid you not, according to the Local 3 News report, “to make our streets safer,” according to city transportation officials. Yeah, right about now they may want to rework that wording, don’t you think?
A TRULY MEANINGFUL GOVERNMENTAL GATHERING
So, there have been vigils and community meetings after the shootings downtown the past two weekends.
We hope those will produce results, both in the fight against gun crime and for peace for the loved ones of the victims.
But here’s a thought for the City Council: Every time the gavel drops on your weekly get-together, rather than speechify about your outrage, let’s make sure someone — anyone — is asking the Chattanooga Police Department how many of those cameras are operational and what is being done to quickly replace the ones that are not.
Thank goodness for social media in this case, since that is apparently where most of the details about what is going on are coming from.
NEW CATEGORY
So, I saw the Grammys are adding a category for the best social change song.
Super. I guess. If we are going to grandfather in a couple, shouldn’t we start with “We Are the World,” all things considered?
That would be pretty awesome since it would mean Kevin Costner and Dan Aykroyd would be among the winners since they were in the video with some of the best recording artists of all time. Crash Davis and Elwood Blues with Grammys? I’m good with that.
And while we’re here, want to know an award show change I would appreciate?
The Academy needs ‘most entertaining movie of the year’ because “Top Gun: Maverick” will not get a lot of award consideration next to three Meryl Streep snoozefests.
“Top Gun: Maverick” was better than all that dreck, and the movie industry should be most appreciative to Tom Cruise for reminding all of us post-pandemic how much fun going to the movie theater is.
OBIT OBSERVATION
I was fascinated by the range of expertise mentioned in the obituary of “Buddy” Rhodes Jr. earlier this week. Rhodes died late last month. He was 88. Check out the life challenges he tackled.
He was stationed in Germany as a decorated sharpshooter from 1956 to 1958 in the U.S. armed forces. He worked as a representative for Coca-Cola after returning from service for a few years before becoming the general manager of Lake Winnie for most of the 1960s. In 1970 he started Rhodes Oil in LaFayette, Georgia, and wore every hat from big boss to gas pumper.
And he clearly was the charmer, since his obit stated, “He was a member of the Chattanooga Golf and Country Club and also frequented the Cleveland Country Club where he never put his own name on the tab.”
Wow, what a life. And what a skill set.
Contact Jay Greeson at
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