They buried Ed McIntyre last week. Augusta won't be the same.
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City Ink met Mr. McIntyre well after his legal trials were over and - we would say done with, but they were not. They followed him doggedly to his grave.
Some people never forgave him for his misstep. But I did.
City Ink used to visit Mr. McIntyre for one reason or another in his little office on Bay Street, which was no more than a cubbyhole, and could not help thinking how far it was from City Hall's crystal-chandelier-adorned mayor's office, where many still say he was the best mayor Augusta ever had, certainly the best to employees low on the totem pole.
He was always dignified, always businesslike, always forthright during our interviews. Once it was to talk about renaming a road Essie Mae McIntyre Boulevard in honor of his late mother, who he said was the first black woman ordained as a Baptist minister in the United States. His conversation was always filled with things his mother told him.
He tried to come back politically after serving time in federal prison, running for mayor three times. But we all knew then what Georgia Court of Appeals Judge John H. Ruffin Jr. said at the funeral Friday.
"The truth is, Ed did not really want to be mayor. Ed was looking for redemption and repayment," he said. "He wanted to redeem himself and repay the city."
Mr. McIntyre devoted his final years to his good causes, such as the African American Historical Committee; his annual Unity fish fry; and Augustans Together, the organization he founded to promote race relations.
In a message he wrote before his death, he said, "During my life, I did some right, and I did some wrong. It is my prayer that the wrong did not negate the right."
On Friday, thousands came to say it did not.
WHERE THERE'S SMOKE, THERE'S A LOT OF HOT AIR: The debate about banning smoking in public places at the Columbia County Commission's meeting last week just wouldn't have been complete without the occasional long cough from a protester in midsentence or the intermittent smoke break.
In one case, a resident who was on the agenda to speak against the ban had to be called from outside the Evans Government Complex auditorium because he was appeasing his habit.
Commissioners called his name about three times, and when he returned, the audience couldn't keep from laughing.
Then there was Mike Pirtle, of the group Citizens Opposing Socialist Tyranny. Mr. Pirtle took a tough stance against the smoking ban, saying it violates his constitutional rights.
"I will fight to protect that right till my last dying breath,'' he said.
To that, someone in favor of the ban responded from the audience: "It may be sooner than later.''
Later on, resident Maggie McMahon, who was against the ban, interrupted, shouting out that "the sun's a carcinogen. Can we ban people from going outside when it's sunny?''
But a health department worker quickly reminded her that unlike secondhand smoke, there's already an effective protection against the sun. It's called Coppertone.
THERE GOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD: The Richmond County Republican Party opened campaign headquarters at 1255 Broad St. last week, across the street and down a little from the Democratic Party's headquarters. Democratic Party Chairman Lowell Greenbaum said, "We probably forced them into it. Gloria did such a good job with First Friday."
Mrs. Greenbaum advertised that party headquarters would be open on First Friday and the place was swamped, Dr. Greenbaum said, with people buying John Kerry merchandise - $750 worth.
The move had nothing to do with the Democrats, Republican Party Chairman Dave Barbee said. The Republicans change their campaign headquarters every two years and felt it was time to be downtown in incumbent 12th Congressional District Rep. Max Burns' and state Senate District 22 candidate Sen. Don Cheeks' district.
"It has nothing to do with them," Mr. Barbee said.
But yes, the Republican headquarters will be open on First Friday, too.
He's no Oprah: Richmond County Schools Superintendent Charles Larke was summoned for duty in Superior Court last week. On Monday, he was called as a possible juror in a murder trial. But attorneys dismissed him, and observers say the well-dressed superintendent reacted by walking out of court with a huge grin.
He appeared in court three days last week but was never selected. He'll get $25 a day for his time, but what's that to a man who makes more than $825 a day as head of the school system? It might even throw him into a higher tax bracket, if there is such a thing.
WHY IS EVERYBODY ALWAYS PICKING ON US? The school system and its budget are sore subjects with Augusta Commissioner Andy Cheek, who sounded off about them last week. Mr. Cheek is frustrated that the system gets two-thirds of local property tax money, has such a bad track record and gets by with it. The city, meanwhile, has cut its budget to the bone and still gets criticized, he said.
"People are leaving Augusta for Columbia County because of the sorry state of the schools," he said. "Why doesn't somebody investigate what they're doing with all the money and look at their top-heavy administration?"
A TALE OF TWO CHEEKS: During a Richmond County Assessors Board meeting, member E.L. Thomas left the room after a motion had been made. His colleagues waited for his return, and after about five minutes, member Bobby Cheeks said, "The county commission gets up and walks out when they don't want to vote. He might have done the same thing. They can't keep Andy Cheek in there."
"Your namesake," member Bert Thomas said. "You're cousins."
"No we're not. He's a Cheek. I'm not. I'm a Cheeks. I've got two pair. He only has one."
"We're killing too much time," member Tracy Williams said.
"Yes, we are," Chairman Charles Smith said.
even more cheeks: Mr. Cheek said Mr. Cheeks is just speaking out of ignorance because he never abstains on votes.
"Old Cuz. He's just not fully abreast of the facts," he said. "Partial facts and a mouth readily put in gear leads people to say things they don't really know anything about."
And if you go to the Cheek and Cheeks family cemetery in Davisboro, Ga., where the family trees run together for Andy Cheek, Bobby Cheeks and state Sen. Don Cheeks, you'll find some Cheeks buried with Cheek, he said.
Besides, they all look alike, a sure sign they're kin.
City Ink thanks Columbia County Bureau Chief Preston Sparks and Staff Writer Greg Rickabaugh for their contributions to this week's column.
Reach Sylvia Cooper at (706) 823-3228 or sylvia.cooper@augustachronicle.com.
