But, Lowndes County is different than most communities. Instead of pointing fingers and complaining while doing nothing, our community has taken the bull by the horns. Neighborhood Watches are being formed, Facebook pages were born and citizens are rallying together to take our streets back.

For the most part the citizen’s response has been positive and proactive. There is a fear and rightfully so; crime has been on the increase over the past four or five months, but there has not been panic or dissent. This is a great compliment to our community.

It will take everyone working together: the police, government officials and the community to solve the problem of crime and disorder. The problem of crime is complex and lays within many different social ills and problems. And, there is no quick fix.

Over the next several weeks, The Real Story will address the problem of crime and its root causes on both the website and the print edition. The complexities of social disorder and the history of its origins will be discussed. It is not a one article ordeal, and such a complex issue deserves the time and space it needs to be completely addressed.

The first order of business is to discuss the first building block of safety, community awareness and the Neighborhood Watch program. The following information has been taken from the National Crime Prevention Council‘s website, and our organization encourages you to visit their website, http://www.ncpc.org/  — it has a multitude of information.

Sponsored by the National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA), Neighborhood Watch can trace its roots back to the days of colonial settlements, when night watchmen patrolled the streets. The modern version of Neighborhood Watch was developed in response to requests from sheriffs and police chiefs who were looking for a crime prevention program that would involve citizens and address an increasing number of burglaries.

Launched in 1972, Neighborhood Watch counts on citizens to organize themselves and work with law enforcement to keep a trained eye and ear on their communities, while demonstrating their presence at all times of day and night. (The program took off quickly: in just ten years, NSA data showed that 12 percent of the population was involved in a Neighborhood Watch.) Neighborhood Watch works because it reduces opportunities for crime to occur; it doesn’t rely on altering or changing the criminal’s behavior or motivation.

 Tips

• Work with the police or sheriff’s office. These agencies are critical to a Watch group’s credibility and are the source of necessary information and training.
• Link up with your victims’ services office to get your members trained in helping victims of crime.
• Hold regular meetings to help residents get to know each other and to decide upon program strategies and activities.
• Consider linking with an existing organization, such as a citizens’ association, community development office, tenants’ association, or housing authority. They may be able to provide an existing infrastructure you can use.
• Canvass door-to-door to recruit members.
• Ask people who seldom leave their homes to be “window watchers,” looking out for children and reporting any unusual activities in the neighborhood.
• Translate crime and drug prevention materials into Spanish or other languages needed by non-English speakers in your community. If necessary, have a translator at meetings.
• Sponsor a crime and drug prevention fair at a church hall, temple, shopping mall, or community center.
• Gather the facts about crime in your neighborhood. Check police reports, conduct victimization surveys, and learn residents’ perceptions about crimes. Often, residents’ opinions are not supported by facts, and accurate information can reduce the fear of crime.
• Physical conditions like abandoned cars or overgrown vacant lots contribute to crime. Sponsor cleanups, encourage residents to beautify the area, and ask them to turn on outdoor lights at night.
• Work with small businesses to repair rundown storefronts, clean up littered streets, and create jobs for young people.
• Start a block parent program to help children cope with emergencies while walking to and from school or playing in the area.
• Emphasize that Watch groups are not vigilantes and should not assume the role of the police. Their duty is to ask neighbors to be alert, observant, and caring—and to report suspicious activity or crimes immediately to the police.

In the end, it will be the community working together that makes any community a safe place to live. It will be the community that sets the tone and makes the government officials correct the problems contributing to crime. As always, the community rules.

Joseph St. John

A/K/A Mr. MoJo Rising

Note: If you still can’t find The Real Story in print, let us know at distribution@realstorypublishing.com and we will hand deliver you a copy!

The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.

“I Have a Dream” Speech during the Freedom March

delivered 28 August 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C.

Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" Speech

I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we’ve come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.

In a sense we’ve come to our nation’s capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the “unalienable Rights” of “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked “insufficient funds.”

But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we’ve come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.

We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro’s legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. And those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. And there will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.

The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.

The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.

We cannot walk alone.

And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead.

We cannot turn back.

There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, “When will you be satisfied?” We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the negro’s basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their self-hood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating: “For Whites Only.” We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until “justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you have come from areas where your quest — quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of “interposition” and “nullification” — one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; “and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.”

This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.

With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

And this will be the day — this will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with new meaning:

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

My country ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.

Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim’s pride,

From every mountainside, let freedom ring!

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.

And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.

Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.

Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.

But not only that:

Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.

From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:

Free at last! Free at last!

Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!

Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

All Credit to MLK and http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm

Audio:  http://www.archive.org/download/MLKDream/MLKDream_64kb.mp3

Related articles

• I Have A Dream Speech (TEXT) (huffingtonpost.com)
• Taking Martin Luther King Jr. at his words (cnn.com)
• On MLK Day: How a Racist Criminal Justice System Rolled Back the Gains of the Civil Rights Era (alternet.org)

The Troops are sworn in!

Sheriff Arledge — without a doubt — has the biggest challenge facing any newly elected official. The Sheriff stands alone, and all the issues of crime, disorder and chaos lay at his feet. He cannot pass the buck or make excuses as to why or why not people feel safe in the community.

To his credit, Sheriff Arledge has been a proponent of community policing in his pre- and post-election comments. When approached with a letter about supplying The Real Story with all the press releases and information given to the other media outlets, Sheriff Arledge was quick to offer his support. He stated quickly, “I plan to put a person in charge of this as soon as I can, and I want to be open with the community.”

His openness is appreciated, and he seems to have a general understanding of what is needed in his department. He is also aware that many people in our community do not feel safe at this present time. The burglaries and general disorder has led many people to band together and take a hard stand against crime.

These community concerns have to be taken seriously, and Sheriff Arledge appears to be ready for the challenge. He is aware of the problems he is facing and is equally aware of the challenges he faces in redirecting his organization. He has been open on both accounts.

Change is never easy, and regardless of the positive events on Tuesday, human nature says that there will be those who do not want the status quo changed. They were comfortable in the old regime and will fight it, no matter how much the corrections better the community. To be blunt, they will put themselves before the people they serve.

There is always a small group in every organization that forgets that “work” is an action verb. They will try to bide their time and make a paycheck. Sheriff Arledge has to be on guard for this phenomenon. The five percent who do not feel any obligation to the community often destroy the organization from within.

Sheriff Arledge has already taken strides in correcting this problem by reorganizing his command staff. As of Tuesday afternoon, here is newly created rank structure of the LCSO:

A New Day...New Leadership

MIKE ARLEDGE, SHERIFF
GREG WRIGHT, CHIEF DEPUTY
MARC MILEY, MAJOR
BILLY WOOD, CAPTAIN OF PATROL
JOE YOUNG, CAPTAIN OF CID
BOBBY GRIMES, CAPTAIN OF NARCOTICS

LT. STEVE HATCHER
LT. WILLIE JONES
LT. CLINT SIMS
LT. PAUL GREGGS
LT. LARRY SWEARINGEN

SGT. TODD MISTROT
SGT. DARYL NABORS
SGT. CHAD WALTMAN
SGT. TONY PERKINS

The LCSO gets ready for Inspection

The addition of Captain Bobby Grimes in the Narcotics Division should be a welcome sight to the community. His decades of experience in our community and with the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics (MBN) should push the Narcotics Division to a new level. That is good for the community and bad for the bad guys.

However, it will be communication that will make or break a law enforcement agency. The community has to feel that law enforcement is on their side and willing to help them feel safe in their own home. Without this support, everything else is for naught.

Sheriff Arledge has a great advantage on his side. He was elected and not appointed. The citizens of Lowndes County elected him to be a leader. He was chosen and not thrust upon the people. It is and was the people’s choice that he be Sheriff.

It is imperative that he uses this mandate from the people to create a better Sheriff’s department. He has the moral authority, and to paraphrase a quote from Harry Sanders at Tuesday’s supervisors meeting, Sheriff Arledge has the “big stick.” He is the people’s choice. He is our area’s top law enforcement official.

The next four years will be enlightenment to Sheriff Arledge and the LCSO. Long after the wonderment and excitement wears off and the gold ring is not so shiny, the task of the job will continue. The people of the community will still be hungry for leadership, and the never-ending battle against crime will continue.

Here is wishing Sheriff Arledge all the luck in the world with his endeavors in keeping us all safe. We all need it!

Joseph St. John

A/K/A Mr. MoJo Rising

Notes:

Stand by for exciting news about The Real Story. The next installment of “Monday Morning Water Cooler Talk” is going to outline the next step in the growth of our webzine/newspaper. That’s right gang, sooner than later, The Real Story is going to print. You will be able to buy it at your local convenience store with a coke and chips! Also, you will be able to purchase subscriptions and buy ads, which we would really like you to do.

Things are moving fast, and we will share more on Monday morning!

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The presents are unwrapped, and the food is all eaten (well, most of it)… but Christmas is still on everyone’s mind. Many people are off work or school today, and others are just staggering back to the grind knowing that the New Year is just around the corner. 2012 is barreling upon us like a freight train, and nothing is going to stop it. Time is the one thing man has no control over.

2011 is soon to be a memory, and now is a great time to reflect on all that has been accomplished — and what still needs to be done. Things are no different at The Real Story. 2011 has been a wonderful year, and 2012 holds the promise of a bright future and realized dreams at this lil webzine /newspaper.

Since October 19, our publication has strived to bring the community news and views it cannot receive from any other outlet.  We have persisted in being different, witty and sometimes even brutally blunt to get the real news across. We have done it with fairness and with No Compromise. This will not change in 2012!

As the year winds down, here are a few accomplishments we have attained with the help of a very loyal readership and the support of the community since October 19, 2011:

• The Real Story has posted 157 articles as of today
• We have had 388 comments made on our posts
• We have created 22 categories with over 4500 tags
• We have 1404 followers with 108 individuals getting an e-mail every time we post an article
• Sometime — early this week – The Real Story will shatter 50,000 hits all-time on our website
• Content from The Real Story is easily accessible from Google, Bing, Yahoo!, Ask.com and other major internet search engine outlets
• Daily, our writers and staff are approached by people in the community and are thanked for the hard work they do, bringing the truth to our readers and sharing the tough, hard-hitting stories, many of which are not covered by any other legitimate media outlet in the area

Without the support of a great community, none of these accomplishments would have occurred.

2012 will bring even greater success to our venture, with the support of our friends and readers who have been with us from the beginning. Our goals are lofty and our dreams are huge, but we feel we can do anything with the love and help of this wonderful community.

In the very near future, The Real Story is going to do a media campaign, pushing our webzine and our soon-to-be print edition. There are still thousands of people who do not know about this venture or the product that we are producing. It is imperative that we all spread the word to make this a success.

So without further ado, here are the lofty goals of Real Story Publishing for 2012:

• By January, The Real Story will be a bi-weekly print publication. We will start modestly as a 12-page, large tab publication and will expand as our product grows. Also, we will move into a weekly publication as soon as the demand is established.
• We will not print random mug shots of people who are arrested. While others hunt squirrels and rabbits, we are going to hunt big game. We are going to cover the movers and shakers of this community:  the politicians, individuals in business and industry, and activists who make this town and area click.  And, most of all, we are going to keep those individuals who serve in government accountable. We will keep their feet to the fire. Period. We will never get in the bed with politicians and allow our stories to lose credibility.
• We will never serve on political committees, never ask politically appointed boards for money for our projects, and will never take money from special interest groups. We will not take advertising money from individuals or businesses that would ever compromise our principles and integrity.
• We will be an open and “free” press. We encourage our readers to comment and write on today’s current events. The Real Story must be interactive.
• We will strive to be the best written paper in Mississippi. We will not compromise politically and side with the “Right” or the “Left”, so don’t expect us to lose these principles of objectivity.  We will tell the truth, and if you need to be called out as a politician — we will be the one to do it. No Apologies. We did not start this publication to become popular or make friends. We started it to serve our community as a legitimate news /press /new media /publishing outlet.
• We will not be politically correct. If you can’t handle the truth, you can’t handle this paper.
• We will continue to have a daily webzine after the paper goes to print. We will be timely on both fronts.

As for our readers, here are some things you can do to help us be successful:

• Ask your local merchants to carry the paper and display it so people can see it and know that it is being sold in their stores.
• Buy a copy and share it with your friends. Let everyone know about the website and the paper.
• Write for us and take pictures of your events. We need your input to make this a true community publication.  We want to promote your local events!  We want to and thus can give a voice to the otherwise unheard and virtually speechless, who deserve to have a voice in the region.
• Advertise your business or services in our print publication with full-color ads and buy/trade/sell in our classifieds section.

2012 is going to be an incredible year. With the support of our loyal readers, there will be no stopping us. Together, we can take back our community… one story at a time!

Joseph B. St. John

A/K/A Mr. MoJo Rising

City Hall

In what was an obvious “rush job,” the City Council held a three-minute meeting on Monday to appoint the next Police Chief. No explanation. No discussion. Nothing. Period. Columbus, if you don’t like it, just… You get the point!

But, insanity is about to take another turn for the bizarre. During this Tuesday’s meeting, the Council is poised to name a new School Board member.  And, guess what? One of the candidates is Kabir Karriem’s sister-in-law. That’s right, boys and girls, I could not make this stuff up!

In a town that has such a strict nepotism policy that people have had to quit their jobs for dating each other, Kabir feels it is okay to have his sister-in-law appointed to one of the most important boards in the city. This development is so outrageously insane that you would think that someone in city government would put a stop to the sheer madness before it went public. But once again, the Council and Kabir thumb their noses at the people they serve.

Regardless if Dinetta Karriem is a good candidate, she is Kabir’s sister-in-law. Case closed. She should not be considered. We have a nepotism clause in the employee handbook, and it should be followed by the council in their board appointments. Period!

The Columbus City Council is at a crossroads. Someone – anyone — needs to take control. It is a shame to watch, as no one takes command of this chaotic situation. It is apparent that a majority of the Council does not care what the citizens think. They prove it time and time again. But this has to stop for the sake of the community.

There is, however, an easy solution in regard to board appointments. Make those candidates who want to serve on a board submit a resume and have this information posted on the City’s website for the community to read. This is going to be a hard concept for City Hall to grasp, since the Mayor and many Councilmen have a limited knowledge of computers. But, it is almost 2012; the City needs to step into the real world.

Also, tell the community if these appointments come with monetary compensation. The public has the right to know.

Speaking of IT, word on the street has it that the search for an IT Director has also become a large joke. No one close to the process – those who put in for the job – wants to talk. However, several sources have said the process is a joke, since the rules change daily. Once again, our City Government don’t need “no stinking rules!!”

In regard to Tuesday’s meeting, here is a list of the board openings and their applicants:

This is printed, as-is, from the City’s Council Agenda

Board Vacancies:

Golden Triangle Regional Solid Waste Management Authority

• One vacancy
• 4-Year Term
• M. L. McCarty’s term will expire 12/31/2011.
• Appointment can be made on 12/20/2011.

Applicant

• M. L. “Mac” McCarty

Columbus Municipal School District

• One vacancy
• 5-Year Term
• Alma Turner has resigned, effective November 1, 2011.
• Appointment can be made on 12/20/2011.

Applicants

• Dinetta Karriem
• Stefanie Jones
• Clifford Reynolds
• Keith E. Worshaim
• Aubra Arletta Turner
• Jason Spears
• Julie Jordan
• Adrienne R. Morris

Municipal Election Commission

• One vacancy
• 4-Year Term
• Leon Speck resigned, effective November 18, 2011.
• Applicant will fill the remainder of the term.
• Appointment can be made on 1/17/2012.

Applicant

• Keith E. Worshaim

City Utilities Commission

• One vacancy
• 4-Year Term
• Jabari Edward resigned, effective December 1, 2011.
• Applicant will fill the remaining of the term.
• Appointment can be made on 1/17/2012.

Applicant

• Andrew Colom
• Rowena S. Worshaim
• Jessie Davis Koonce

Zoning Board of Adjustments & Appeals

• One vacancy
• 3-Year Term
• Darren Leach’s term will expire on February 1, 2012.
• Appointment can be made on 02/07/2012.
• No applicants at this time

City Planning Commission

• Two vacancies
• 3-Year Term
• Whyth Rhett and Phillip Long’s terms will expire on February 17, 2012.
• Appointments can be made on 02/07/2012.
• No applicants at this time

Come to the meeting Tuesday. It should be a thrill ride.

NOTES:

The CCVB will be having their monthly meeting Monday at 4:00 pm. This should be fun.

And, last but not least, last Tuesday was Sheriff Butch Howard’s last day on the 911 Board. We wish him all the luck in the world!

The old Cowboy rides off one last time!

Joseph B. St. John

A/K/A Mr. MoJo Rising

After a crazy week, it is always good to reflect. The City and County is teeming with activity, and there seems to be no slowing up for the holidays. The drama of the Chief of Police selection process should come to a merciful conclusion on Monday afternoon at 5pm. We will finally be able to focus on the future of the Columbus Police Department. Let’s hope that the outcome is satisfactory.

Christmas is around the corner. Shoppers are everywhere. It is all the more important to be aware and careful. Safety should always come first. Remember to be aware of traffic in the parking lots. This Saturday while ringing the Salvation Army bell at Wal-Mart, I saw a near accident between a vehicle and a pedestrian. Try not to lose focus while shopping. It is easy and can be dangerous.

Kudos to everyone working the collection kettles: The Greater Columbus Civitan Club took part on Saturday, and I was impressed by the mood and the generosity of the citizens of Columbus and the surrounding area. Seeing the outpouring of good cheer and charity, I was proud to be part of this caring community. I saw what makes this community great. It’s the people!

Over and over again, I met individuals in good spirits with smiles on their faces. It was a very welcome sight on a cold, cloudy morning. Thanks to the efforts of Major Paul White and the Salvation Army, many people who would otherwise have been left out this holiday will now receive Christmas Blessings. It is this spirit of goodwill that makes this time of year so beautiful.

However, like every year, there are still needs. In the words of Major White, “We still have 79 children or angels who have not been chosen. We are about $2000 or $3000 short.”

Any person or business wishing to adopt an “angel” (or several angels) is invited to contact Mrs. White at (662) 435-4204. Can we let any child go without a treat this Christmas if it is within our power to bring joy and gladness? This is a wonderful cause and it would be a shame to see children go without.

Christmas is a special time of the year but we also need to be thoughtful and stay safe. With this in mind, remember the following Christmas Safety Tips, provided by The Miami Herald:

• Always be aware of your surroundings. People who are aware are less likely to become victims.

• Carry your purse over your shoulder and close to your body. Do not keep wallets or money in back pockets or in a backpack that can be easily opened.

• Keep a list of the contents of your wallet, including credit card numbers, in a secure place. In the event these items are stolen, this will facilitate the reporting process.

• Never leave your purse, wallet or packages unattended.

• Beware of pick-pockets, especially in crowded areas.

• Carry only the amount of cash or credit cards that you need.

• Avoid storing any purchased items inside your vehicle.

• Park your vehicle in a well-lit area. If your vehicle is parked in a dark area, request security to escort you to your vehicle when you are done shopping.

• As you walk towards your vehicle, have your car keys in hand.  Avoid fumbling through your purse while in the parking lot.

• Make sure your vehicle is locked and the windows are closed before you walk away from it.

• If you encounter vehicle trouble, such as a flat tire while shopping, request assistance from security or return to the information counter in the shopping center.

• When using the ATM, make sure it is not in a secluded location and that it is well-lit. Go directly to your vehicle and avoid counting your cash while at the ATM.

• Avoid carrying information regarding personal identification numbers (PIN) or other personal access numbers.

• Avoid carrying your social security card, passport, birth certificate, etc.

REMEMBER: Nothing you own is worth risking serious injury or death!

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/12/09/2533229/police-offer-tips-for-holiday.html

Notes:

Double Thumbs up to all the performers at the Open Mic Night at Cafe Aromas. Friday night was a wonderful experience full of music and poetry. And, a special thanks to guitarist extraordinaire Larry Priest for running the sound!!

Joseph B. St. John

A/K/A Mr. Rock Star Complex

This move is aimed to get us ready for 2012. Starting in mid-January, The Real Story will go to print. First it will appear bi-weekly and then move to a weekly publication. Over the next several weeks, we will share with you more information about our plans, such as the print date, pricing and, yes, possibilities for you to advertise (and write!).

In the move to becoming a real paper, The Real Story will address setting a price, marketing and distribution. This is an exciting time. A new paper means that in the next few weeks, we will embark on our own media campaign. Some people may have thought Mr. MoJo Rising had left the building: nothing could be further from the truth!

With more than 35,000 website hits in less than two months, we have learned a lot from the experience. Mississippi State sports is a kingpin! Our biggest day was when we posted last Thursday’s Quinton Wesley story, which received over 1800 hits. MSU Football is unreal!

Also, politics has been a real part of The Real Story. The positive comments are appreciated. We will continue to be the “watchdog” of the community. The blurring of the lines between our traditional media and the local government is not healthy for our community, and we pledge to keep ourselves separate and objective. Media has a vital role. It is the Fourth Estate. Members of the Media should never be lap dogs for government.

The Tennessee Williams House

At Thursday’s CCVB meeting, another one of those strange occurrences occurred. Steve Rogers, Assignment Editor of WCBI, covered the story. This would not be unusual, except for the fact that at the last CCVB meeting, he was there talking about the Legends Concert. He is the Vice President of the Legends Concert organization. Mayor Robert Smith is the President. Really? Of course, neither he nor anyone else was there from WCBI to cover the brouhaha that arose in that meeting. After he answered questions about why the Legends Concert was $5000 dollars in the hole, he left. Consequently, there’s no film footage of what was probably the best Donnybrook since the battle of MSU versus Ole Miss.

At the same special call meeting, the CCVB Board decided to spend money only on publicity and advertising and to set stricter guidelines for grant qualification. Unfortunately, Harvey Myrick and Whirllie Byrd were not in attendance, so this meeting did not address their bigger problems.

Everyone played nice Thursday. However, the bigger issues continue to grow. The Real Story is waiting to see what happens when people don’t get the grant money they are accustomed to receiving. 2012 is a pivotal year for the CCVB, and we will be there to get The Real Story — unbiased, fair and not asking anyone for money.

As the New Year approaches, the CCVB Board members must ask themselves the following questions and give the community honest answers:  What is going to happen with all the name calling and ethic violations threats? Do the LINK Board members who resigned from the LINK come under more scrutiny because their first job is to direct maximum CCVB funds to the LINK, and there is more money than ever accruing from the hotel and restaurant tax that funds the Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau (CCVB)?  This is the cloud they are under. Can they pretend that this accusation did not arise?

1. Is the CCVB going to hire a lawyer who doesn’t sit on the Board? If they engage one who will act as a separate entity, they won’t suffer the embarrassments of the past. They cannot make another mistake, like letting a board member do their legal work for pay and then clawing a refund back after being called on the legal impropriety. Worse, of course, would be having no legal counsel at all. Have any lessons been learned?
2. Can individuals serve on the Board and then get CCVB grants for their special projects as well?
3. Where do the LINK and the CCVB stand? Have all conflicts of interest been resolved? Will the LINK get only the same maximum grant amount as other beneficiaries?
4. In their new guidelines formulation process, apparently only four members of the Board will select which projects are permitted for consideration by the full Board. This will negate the original purpose of the Board, as chartered. It will be interesting to see which members of the Board will be on this select committee. The Real Story will be watching to see how this plays out.
5. And, most of all, the obvious conflicts of interest must end, such as mayors, media personalities, councilmen and supervisors getting CCVB grants. The Mayor’s Picnic is now part of Columbus Pilgrimage. Do all politicians get this perk? Is it okay for those who appoint you to the Board to come back later and ask for money?

Tennessee Williams Sign

Before the CCVB can move forward, it needs to hire a lawyer and an accountant and prove that the Board is following proper procedure. Until then, they will always be seen as unprofessional, even if they played nice for one day!

Notes:

Special Kudos to:

The Wonderful Citizens of Ward 5 for their great participation at the December 1, 2011 Crime Watch Meeting at the Lowndes County Public Library. Over 60 residents, interim Chief Selvain McQueen and the Columbus Police Department tackled the tough problems of Crime. They should all be commended.

Christmas Tree Lighting

The City of Columbus and Main Street for another outstanding Wassail Fest and Christmas Tree Lighting.

Joseph St. John

• Somewhere, some place tomorrow, someone is going to load up vans full of people, carry them to an election site, tell them who to vote for and then carry (drive) them back home. The 45-minute trip will be the first and last time most of these individuals ever think about an election.
• Somewhere, some place tomorrow, someone is going to the polls and will pull the lever for every name that has an R or a D beside it. They will have no idea who they voted for or why. That is just what they do. If Satan himself should happen to have the right letter beside his name, some people will vote for him, even if they believe he is the Prince of Darkness.
• Somewhere, some place tomorrow, someone will vote a certain way, simply because a preacher, friend or co-worker told them they should vote that way.
• Somewhere, someplace tomorrow, someone will vote because of a candidate’s skin color, as if an elected official would not take advantage of you, because you are both of the same race.

Yes, if you don’t vote, our elections will be swung by these groups of people. And our community will continue to suffer because of this unfortunate bias. All elections are important, and everyone should vote tomorrow.

The Real Story is not here to tell you which candidate to vote for or who you should support. We just encourage everyone to make their voice heard. Each vote does count. What if everybody thought it didn’t matter?

Even though we will not make predications or endorsements, the following are some musings on this year’s election:

• If a person or organization has a paid political advertisement in the media, please have the guts to put your name on it and say that you paid for it. Slam jobs done by anonymous people are gutless at best and unethical at worst. It’s a paid political ad, so let us know who paid for it. It is the least you can do. All media outlets should reject any ad submitted by organizations who do not state who paid for it.
• This is also true of over-the-top crazy fliers sent to people’s homes. It is alright to be on the lunatic fringe; just have the decency to tell the community who you are.
• An important note to the candidates: We are glad that you love your family, your dog, and your church and that you don’t have ugly children; however, give us an idea what you plan to do at the local level if elected. This is especially true for newcomers trying to get name recognition. It’s nice if the community knows who you are, but we also need to know what you will do if/when you get the job. A lot of money is spent without getting that message across. But, we do know about your really nice family.  Three buzzwords on a poster saying something like, “Dick Jones:  Honesty, Character, Commitment”, can actually swing your average voter–”I’m voting for Dick Jones alright, he’s an honest man!  Says it right there on the dang sign!!”  
• Newsflash: No one ever won an election on this platform: “I hate my ugly family and worship Satan.”  So, tell us how you plan to serve your community!
• And last but not least, can we please leave poor Barney Fife alone. He was a dedicated law enforcement professional. He was also fair. He even put Aunt Bee in jail!

Barney Fife, with bullet

But, even though it is important to vote tomorrow, it is more important to keep the winners and all elected officials honest. A newspaper article about how much each candidate spent on the election is nice. It’s an easy article to write. All that information is free of charge. What the community needs to know is how much money these folks can expect to get after they are elected.

Who gives them money? Will they get money from the same organizations from which they appoint the board members? Are they getting any unfair advantages from tax-supported political rallies?

This information is on public record. You do have to pay for it, but it is worth every penny. The Real Story will follow the money trail whatever the cost. Period. Many of these organizations hire lawyers to review the public records before they release them to the public, but we will get the information.

Unlike others who received the information and then did nothing helpful with it, we will follow-up. We aim to protect public property and keep our community safe from political favoritism. With the community’s help, we intend to keep every elected official honest. All we ask is that our representatives abide by the same standards they demand of government employees and the community.

By the way, if you need a million dollars worth of insurance for a small bus tour around the city the Friday before Halloween, it is mind-boggling to imagine what amount of insurance you would need to close off several blocks of city streets for several days for your festival.

And, you will read all about it at The Real Story!

Notes:

A special shout out to Ron Williams of the The Columbus Packet for telling it like it is about the chief selection process.

If you know where any of these anonymous ads come from, let me know at stjohnjb@realstorypublishing.com.

It is common practice among our local media to parade the less fortunate in front of the public eye, in handcuffs, shamed and humiliated. It must be a sure-fire way to sell a paper or increase the numbers watching a newscast. But, have you ever stopped to think, “at what cost?” What does it do to a community, especially one trying to move ahead, to have every petty crime exposed, photographed and detailed?

Since the beginning of time, humanity has been fascinated by the suffering of others and the public humiliation of those who defy social norms. A law-breaker shunned in the public spotlight of shame suffers the punishment of being out of line with society.

The unfair part of this is that this spotlight usually shines on the less fortunate, the suffering, and the disenfranchised. The poor and the powerless are the ones most exposed. The people who have no control over their fate or status and the people whose impact on the community is slight usually come in for the closest scrutiny.

In fairness, when Mayor Robert Smith and Councilmen Kabir Kareem got into a “Brawl at City Hall”, it was front page news–as it should have been.  But, what has been forgotten and buried now is that after all the expense and humiliation they caused the City and the County, the only real punishment they got was having to say they were sorry, and giving each other a public hug.

I am sure that all the city employees who have been given 20 or 30 day suspensions would have loved to have had the same punishment. Yet, everyday these two brawlers sit on “the golden seat of judgment” and deliver punishment to employees and tell the community what makes a good police department.

News flash to all involved: just because someone has been arrested doesn’t make them the best person to speak about law enforcement matters. Rather, it is quite the opposite. For the citizens of our community who actually care, it simply makes the process more frightening.

Unfortunately, that’s not all. While the media are parading the street criminals across their pages, the powerful just grow more complacent. They sit at city council meetings, participate in hearings to sanction owners of an overgrown lot, while at the same time they benefit from owning slum property themselves. Everyone on the council, everyone in the media and a good number of the community know it. And what do the council and the media say about it? Nothing!  It’s just business as usual.

Meanwhile the community they are expected to serve suffers. It is time that those who are called to serve their community face the facts. If you’re scared to stand up for what is right, say you’re scared. And, if you’re scared, quit, because you are of no help to the community. Any elected official or member of the Fourth Estate who will not tackle the real issues of the community is not in the right job. A free society needs people who will take a stand on justice and fair dealings.

The media does a great job flushing out the petty criminal while the powerful and the well-connected can sleep peacefully at night, secure in the knowledge that the press is never going to look in their direction unless they give them a really big story and, even then, it is soon forgotten. If you wait long enough, you may even read in the paper that the most powerful media person in northeast Mississippi has great respect for you. Why would anyone in power worry?

As The Real Story moves forward in transition to becoming a print publication, the community can expect coverage of the hard stories. We will write about things others will not. So, if you are an elected official and own slum property, it would be respectful to fix it up now for the sake of your tenants and for the benefit of the community. You might also want to resist the temptation to kill draft ordinances that would make it harder for slum lords to prevail. These are the sort of stories that will be covered.

During the CLOPAC meeting on October 25, 2011, District 5 candidate, Roger Larson, stated that the County needed to understand that for the County to prosper, the City of Columbus had to prosper. This is so true. However, before the City can prosper, the citizens have to come first and be dealt with fairly and honestly.

This starts with the Mayor and the Council. Every department head in Columbus understands that if they cross the mayor, they will be pulled into to his office and berated. This will happen even if what they said was true. Because everybody needs their job, they just remain silent after they are mentally beaten down. So, the truth is often never told.

The saddest part of this scenario is that every councilman knows this but says nothing. Why would they? Out of fear; they are simply scared. Many have been cowed to the point that they have dropped their own moral convictions and their responsibilities to their Wards. It is sad but true.

The Real Story will speak out as the real voice of the people. As time progresses, we will identify and report on every slum property owned by an elected official. We will report every racist rant on the radio from an elected official, and what is more, we will do it in the spirit of real journalism. Never will we ‘get into bed’ with the very government officials that we have sworn to watch. We take pride in being your watchdogs.

Our commitment may trouble the status quo. Those with a vested interest in ‘business as usual’ will try to discredit us, of course. When it comes to the Status Quo, we will gladly be the “Bad Guys”. We will stand our ground and we will oppose those who profit from neglect and decay. We will “steal the bread from the mouths of decadence.”

Joseph B. St. John

“The Bad Guy”

Notes:

The Real Story is growing. We have added sports, music, letters to the editor, lifestyles, the Consumer Corner and more. We welcome our new writers. We ask readers to check back daily to see what we have added!!

The Rant rocks. Keep up the good work and keep adding your comments. It is the most viewed section of our webzine. It is where you, the reader, become THE VOICE!

This week we will be adding a Culture section, and we encourage you to send your photos to the Gotcha section. Let us know what you are doing in the community, so we can spread the word.

We are your connection.

The Real Story.  Taking Back Our Community One Story at a Time!

I cannot help but marvel at the irony of choices made last week. Two weeks ago a group of people in Cafe Aromas discussed the need for another media outlet and BOOM here we are. And, what is the first big story confronting us? It’s my old job.

The subject has added difficulties for me. As a general rule, it would be easy to say, ‘Stay away. It will look like sour grapes; a conflict of interest’, or ‘Are you crazy!!!’

Unfortunately, I cannot ignore it. The selection process for chief has been nothing short of a scene from a Mel Brooks movie. Somehow the very media that should be protecting us from the government are now neck deep in government operations.

The owner and editor of one of the most influential media outlets in northern Mississippi was appointed head of the committee to select the next police chief in Columbus. But, wait; it gets better. The Assignment Editor of our local television station was also on the committee as was the Associate Editor of our popular weekly newspaper. Talk about a political/media coup on the part of your local government! Our media has been rendered impotent in any attempt to impartially cover the story. City Hall has expertly performed a trifecta of media demolition.

It is impossible to cover a story and, at the same time, be the story or be in the story. Which is what happened last week. As we watched this comedy unfold, the first problem to rear its head occurred when the rumor mill started rumbling on about how our acting police chief was being given preferential treatment when the job description was rewritten to not require a college education. That’s right. We live in a community that does not believe one of the most important jobs in city government requires a college degree. And, we wonder why no one places much value on education? It is obvious that our leaders, and let’s include the media, fail to appreciate the importance of higher learning. Such thinking is guaranteed to keep the state of Mississippi forty-ninth in educational achievement forever.

The Commercial Dispatch first reported that the candidate had a degree then the next day printed a tiny retraction saying he did not. The Packet never addressed the issue. So, who is going to ask the tough questions? Is Birney going to ask: “Birney, did anyone get an unfair advantage by a re-writing of the job description?”

I have had an opportunity to work, talk and socialize with Mr. Imes, Steve Rodgers of WCBI and Sarah Fowler of the Packet on many occasions. They are good people, but I hope they understand that they have been played like a fiddle trio by our city’s politicians. Nero doesn’t have to fiddle while Columbus burns. Our local media is playing a swan song for him. The politicians can sit back and laugh. How easy it is to fool such important people with a little flattery and a promise of “Transparency!” Meanwhile, our community flounders as a result of compromised media objectivity and no untainted journalistic outlet.

The press in our country is known as the Fourth Estate. Journalists are expected to protect their communities from an overreaching government and be watchdogs for the underdog. Instead, we get media that are more than willing to climb into bed with our local politicians. When the separation of state and press is demolished, we should be appalled and nervous. The entire concept of the First Amendment has been sacrificed by our local media in exchange for a seat at the government’s table. What a price that has been paid for the honor to compromise the integrity of our community!

Sunday’s Commercial Dispatch article about police chief candidate Curtis Brame was interesting. But, can we trust this report by the Editor who selected him? He cannot say anything bad about the candidate without making himself look bad. Has any information been left out? How do we know?

Mr. Brame sounds fascinating. Imagine a man who has sued his former mayor expecting to work for a mayor who never accepted an Attorney General’s opinion about not interfering with the day-to-day operations of a police department. Folks, this could be a match for the ages. (The best part of being fired is never having signed any crazy little documents stating that I will not disclose information I know about the city and its officials. Sometimes it is good to be fired. It allows a person to share all kinds of information, and I will as time goes on.)

But, just when you think it can’t get worse, guess what? It gets worse. A new committee has been formed to complete the background checks and who will be in charge of this committee? Birney Imes and guess what? Don’t be surprised if other media personnel are on this five-person committee. Some people never learn or will never put their community and their occupation ahead of doing favors for their friends, the government. The day the media sides with the government over the people is a day we all lose some of our freedom!

Where is the watchdog? The community needs a watchdog. Someone has to look over the shoulders of elected officials to make sure that the common man is not trampled underfoot. Not following the rules but sacrificing the good of the people in order to take a seat at the government’s table is corruption at its highest level. It’s thumbing your nose at everything the community needs and wants from the Fourth Estate.

We need a watchdog, not a lap dog. By being ready to jump and whimper at the demands of city government, no cool detachment is possible. If we cannot trust the media, who will protect us from the powerful, the dishonest or the manipulative? The people stand alone with no one to defend their rights.

No, we have a vacuum when we have a press that gives up its responsibilities to the community in order to serve on a search committee. Our city is caught in the middle of a Mel Brooks movie; we can’t escape. Expect that some people may find out eventually that it is not always “good to be king.”

Joseph B. St. John ~~~~ No Compromise!

Whoever controls the media, controls the mind. ~~~ Jim Morrison

NOTES:

Please take the time to check out our Consumer Corner. A new article was posted there today. Each week there will be information about local and national merchants along with other items.

The Real Story will also be adding more articles about sports, entertainment and lifestyles and, of course, politics over the next few weeks.

Last week, Real Story Published, soon to be The Real Story Publishing, was registered as a Mississippi Business Corporation. Yes, we are proud!

Our goal is to become a print publication in the very near future, and to offer the hardest hitting news in print and on the web in northeast Mississippi and western Alabama.

Stand by…you ain’t seen nothing yet!

Mr. MoJo Rising