The city may have been a touch slow in noticing the wear and tear on the American flags on each side of the Veterans Bridge, but they certainly were quick to act.
Whether it was already planned - city special projects director Ellis Smith emailed earlier this week to say plans were put in motion Tuesday - coincidence or even a side case of the squeaky wheel getting the grease, all 30 flags have been replaced over the course of the last couple of weeks, with most being swapped out Thursday and Friday.
If you are interested in participating in the Veterans Bridge Flag Initiative, you can find more information online at chattanooga.gov and search under the public-works/transportation tab.
And hey, maybe someone in the mayor's office can put "drive Subaru over Veterans and check flags" on their weekly to-do list.
Scoreboard
OK, I used to think the people who seriously followed sports were walking the lunatic tight rope. They are after all called fans, which comes from the word fanatic.
Well, sports fans and practitioners of politics are every bit that out there.
Don't like a final vote tally? Cry foul. Don't like the outcome? Claim the system was rigged.
Asserting improprieties in our election process is serious. But not unlike those who cry wolf, creating chaos and introducing doubt into an election process just because your candidate of choice did not win damages any legitimate claim of voting laws being broken.
Heck, political folks may be worse than sports nuts. At least sports nuts see the final score and deal with it, win or lose.
Obit observation
Yes, I peruse the obituaries on the digital pages of the TFP these days.
And I always appreciate the nominations from you loyal regulars on obituaries that grab your attention. Today's comes from Trigg M., who passed along the announcement of the death of Mary Francis Green of Ringgold. She was 73 when she died May 11, and suffice it to say, not only was Mrs. Green a bona fide pistol, she made sure she had the final word. In fact, we'll just share some the most direct parts of the obit as presented on the Turner Family Funeral Home website:
"She enjoyed bowling and trips to the casino. One of her favorite things to do was stay up all night chain smoking and reminiscing about the good ol' days."
After celebrating Mrs. Green's connection with her granddaughter - "Words cannot express the love Mrs. Green had for (granddaughter) Kalie" - the same opening paragraph ended with this sentence: "Mrs. Green provided for all her family's needs, including loaning money and bonding about every living survivor out of jail."
Which led us to, "She was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth Green. She once tried to run his van through Kermit's Bar, with him inside the bar."
And finally, when mentioning her family members left behind, Mrs. Green did not mince words: "Survivors include her brother, Billy Wilson Sr., Billy Wilson Jr., Eric Wilson (has a job), Toby Wilson (has a job), Mark Wilson (allergic to sweat), and Ashley Wilson (can't get-right), Kimberly Mooneyham (never been right). The few that weren't thugs include: Kalie Wilson, Annabella Wilson, Harlee Wilson, Chance Wilson, and a dear friend who was there till the end, Andrea Brandon."
God, here comes Mary Francis Green. Try not to make her mad.
Contact Jay Greeson at jgreeson@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6273. Follow him on Twitter @jgreesontfp.
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Jay Greeson