Murder Victim Mikal Legrande's CMPD Connection

WSOC TV's Camera Crew were on scene early on November 15, 2011

Sometime just after Midnight, November 15 Mikal Lee Legrande was shot to death by Jeremiah Lamont Luke at the Steeplechase Apartments parking lot. Luke had spent 13 years in prison after being convicted of second-degree murder in Charlotte in 1995 and was most recently arrested for trafficking cocaine. WSOC TV's Coverage is here.


Jeremiah Lamont Luke Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office


Mikal Lee Legrande Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office

Witnesses told police that Legrande and a "friend" arrived at the apartment complex to meet someone. Witnesses heard a gunshot, police said, and then discovered Legrande lying in the parking lot.

Legrande had a history of domestic violence: with recent charges of assault on female, aggressive and non-aggressive, additional arrests for communicating threats, interfering with an emergency call, as well as a sentence of probation on an apparent felony conviction.

Legrande was convicted on the day of his murder for violation of a protective order and was sentenced to 18 months probation and community service. NCDOC Record is here.

Normally the killing of one thug by another wouldn't draw much attention. Such is life in a big city where drugs and violence are embraced by many in black culture as an accepted way of life.

The cursory mention on the morning news, and a slightly more detailed report and perhaps a follow up in the Charlotte Observer, are nominal in Charlotte for the killing of a black male in East Charlotte.

Steeplechase is no stranger to violence, located in CMPD's Independence Division the area receives more than its share of 911 calls for service. Dozens of reports of crime including rape and armed robbery and more than 100 calls for breaking and entering, theft from auto and other less serious crimes have been reported since January 1, 2011.

But then there's the CMPD Connection.

The 30 year old Legrande was the father of five children ages 13-4, was married and worked for Service Master of Charlotte all facts detailed in his obituary.

But it is this curious entry in his obituary that raised some eyebrows,

"..... and a special friend who God chose to bring into his life seven months ago, Kamesha Bridges, Charlotte."

Bridges is a Detective with CMPD's Special Victims Unit. Rumors at CMPD's water cooler are that Bridges and Legrande were dating. Bridges doesn't seem to be concerned about the relationship which is displayed publicly on her facebook.


Legrande and Bridges Photo Taken From Bridges Facebook Page

But CMPD directives are clear about association with known felons.

15. Associations: Employees will avoid associations or dealings with persons who they know, or should know, are under criminal investigation or indictment or who have a criminal record, except as necessary to the performance of official duties or where unavoidable due to family relationships.

Legrande's Facebook Page is here.

Bridges Facebook Page is here.

Cedar's Take: It is a Black/African/American thing, an accepted way of life for those who embrace a culture of drugs and violence. Mikal Legrande was part of that culture.

But when a Charlotte Police Officer chooses to associate with people who live this lifestyle she brings a question of integrity to the entire department. As the title "Officer" implies, there is a tremendous amount of responsibility that comes with the job. Knowing who not to associate with is part of that responsibility.

Props to City News Watch for fact checking and running down much of the details.

CMPD New TASER Fail

Are you shocked, stunned, startled in to compliance? Not unless you are a CMPD Officer trying out the "new" state of the art TASER X2.

There is a reported software problem with the new TASER. The weapon has a button which pressing it causes the weapon to make an arc of electricity without removing the TASER cartridge as you had to do before with the X26 (you could still do what is called a drive stun with the cartridge in place if you wanted to).

The arc could be used to test daily the funcitonality of the TASER, as a warning to a suspect or as a compliance technique.

The arc was supposed to only last 5 seconds but now it is found that it would continue as long as one held the trigger. New software is supposedly on the way to fix the issue.

Major Props and a hat tip to CK and City News Watch for the details.

Cedar Posts Update 11:15 am

It didn't take long for CMPD's Brass to kick out a little spin control.

CMPD Email:

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department continues to move forward with TASER X2 training to issue the new electronic control weapon to our officers. The department is constantly reviewing upgrades to the TASER X2 to satisfy the CMPD’s requirements that the deployment cycle is limited to five seconds for the probes and the Arc Switch. The CMPD requested TASER International upgrade the software in the CMPD TASER X2 to limit the Arc Switch to five seconds.

The software upgrade does not impact classroom instruction on the electronic control weapon, policies and procedures for more than 1,700 CMPD officers. The training is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2011 and the TASER X2 will be distributed to our officers when the software is upgraded.

Deputy Chief Katrina Graue

Administrative Services Group

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department

601 E. Trade Street

Charlotte, NC 28202

704.432.0429
kgraue@cmpd.org

Cedar's Take: I'm not sure why the change to the new and improved TASER, I'd guess newer is better, but what troubles me is that CMPD Officers have been without the TASER for more than six months. Even if Officers complete the training on the new X2, they will still have to wait for the upgrade to the software.

Since neither CMPD or TASER International have given a date for the software upgrade in could be well into 2012 before CMPD Officers have TASERS back in their hands.

And that is just all kind of wrong.

CMPD's 30 Days of Death

The last 30 days have given CMPD Homicide Detectives plenty of work. The official homicide count for November is 8 but Cedar Posts adds up 12 in the last 30 days.

Through September 30, 2011 CMPD reported 40 homicides vs 48 during the same period last year. CMPD's Year end number for December 2010 is 58, so at this point CMPD's bragging rights to lowering the city's homicide rate have vanished.

As for Chief Monroe's promise to personally respond to every homicide, well he's not even close. Cedar Posts finds that of the last 12, Chief Monroe reported to 3. Cedar Posts asked CMPD to provide an official number but nothing but "Crickets" from CMPD. Although they did tell Cedar Posts that they are recording 8 homicides for November. There were 5 homicides in October.

Here's the run down listing by date and victim in reverse chronological order.

November 30, 2011 Jamie Thomas Rea

Detectives with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department A/D/W and Homicide Units are conducting an investigation into a shooting which took place in the parking lot of 3000 East Independence Boulevard in the Providence Division which left Jamie Thomas Rea deceased. The call for service was reported at 11:44 pm. on Wednesday, November 30, 2011.

November 29, 2011 Victim Unknown

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police are investigating a shooting death at the Apartments at Blakeney in south Charlotte near Rea Road and Ardrey Kell Road.

Police were called to the apartment complex just before 5:45 p.m. Monday and found a man suffering from a gunshot wound. Paramedics rushed him to Carolinas Medical Center in Pineville where he died from his injuries.

November 28, 2011 H'Luon Siu

Police said Eric Jonathan Cox was speeding and driving while impaired when he ran a red light at East Sugar Creek Road and The Plaza, hitting a white Nissan driven by H'Luon Siu. Cox has been charged with murder and DWI.

November 24, 2011 Justin Glenn

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police have arrested two men in connection with the Thursday night shooting death of Justin Glenn, who was killed in what police said was a drug deal gone sour.

Glenn, 22, was shot just after 10:30 p.m. on Ambassador Street, near Tuckaseegee and Berryhill Roads. Police arrested Zamario Delandro Blakeney, 20, and Lakeem Roamele Baker, 19, for Glenn's murder.

November 21, 2011 Benjamin Acahua-Itehua

CMPD reported that they received a call for service at 6:45 p.m. on November 21, 2011reporting that victim and another man were missing.

When officers arrived at the residence, they located evidence that was consistent with foul play. Another complainant arrived at the residence to check on his employee who had not shown up for work.

The officers then contacted Missing Persons and Homicide Unit detectives to take the lead on the investigation. Based upon information developed during the course of the investigation Aquilino Tzompaxtle, Dominick Vershon Cole and Efrain Tzompaxtle were arrested and charged with murder.

November 21, 2011 Floriberto Acahua-Itehua

CMPD reported that they received a call for service at 6:45 p.m. on November 21, 2011reporting that victim and another man were missing.

When officers arrived at the residence, they located evidence that was consistent with foul play. Another complainant arrived at the residence to check on his employee who had not shown up for work.

The officers then contacted Missing Persons and Homicide Unit detectives to take the lead on the investigation. Based upon information developed during the course of the investigation Aquilino Tzompaxtle, Dominick Vershon Cole and Efrain Tzompaxtle were arrested and charged with murder.

Novemeber 19, 2011 - Valerire Miranda

The CMPD Major Crash Investigation Unit received information about the driver and vehicle involved in this collision on 11/19/2011. This information led to the arrest of Amber DeJesus. She was subsequently charged with Felony Hit and Run and possession of drug paraphernalia.

CMPD's Homicide Detectives are currently conducting an investigation into a shooting that occurred in the CMPD South Division on Dianthus Court. The victim has been identified and his name will be released once family notification is made.

At 5:43pm, CMPD Officers arrived on scene and located a male subject suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. Medic transported the victim to Carolinas Medical Center-Pineville for treatment. A short time later, the victim succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased by physicians.

The other individual involved has voluntarily been transported to the Law Enforcement Center for questioning and is cooperating fully with detectives. This is not a random act of violence; both parties are known to each other.

November 16, 2011 Bridgette Nicole Evans

Detectives with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Homicide Unit and A/D/W Unit are conducting a homicide investigation at 1018 North Tryon Street in the Metro Division. The call for service was reported at 7:02 pm, on Wednesday, November 16, 2011. The victim has been positively identified as Bridgette Nicole Evans.

November 15, 2011 Mikal Lee Legrande

CMPD Homicide Officers have arrested Jeremiah Lamont Luke charging him with the murder of Mr. Legrande. The victim was shot to death at the Steeplechase Apartments parking lot located off of Wallace Road, in the Independence Division.

November 11, 2011 Leonard Gaskins

Anka Lynne Thompson was arrested and charged with the murder of Mr. Gaskins. The incident took place at 1824 Northcliff Drive in CMPD's Metro Division.

November 10, 2011 Catherine Barca

CMPD Homicide Unit Detectives arrested Kayie Wright and charged him with the murder of Catherine Barca. Additionally Wright has been charged with, Robbery and Auto Theft.

The incident took place in the parking area outside of 8110 Runaway Bay Drive, where the victim was found lying unresponsive in the parking lot, was naked from the waist down and severely beaten over the head.

October 30, 2011 Autum Lynn Soyka

On October 30th around 1:00am, Autumn Lynn Soyka, was attempting to cross the 1900 block of E. 7th Street when she was struck by the left front bumper of a 2004 Cadillac CTS being driven by Stephen Watts.

The collision occurred in the inbound right lane of E. 7th Street. Autumn Soyka was not crossing at an intersection and was not in a marked crosswalk at the time of the collision. The victim was pronounced deceased at the scene of the collision due to injuries sustained during the crash.

Mr. Watts stopped and remained at the scene of the collision until police arrived. Field sobriety tests indicated Mr. Watts was impaired and he was placed under arrest and charged with DWI, Involuntary Manslaughter and License Restriction Violation.

October 30, 2011 Francis Xavier Stewart

The incident took place at 4718 Cinderella Road in the North Tryon Division. The call for service came in at 12:15 am, on Sunday October 30, 2011. North Tryon Division officers received a call for service in reference to a male subject that had been stabbed by his wife. When officers arrived, they located the victim suffering from a stab wound. Medic arrived and pronounced the victim deceased on scene.

NASCAR Hall of Shame What Now?

WFAE aired this report earlier this week:

The NASCAR Hall of Fame was open on Thanksgiving Day this year. But it didn't lure the crowds that some had hoped it would.

The publicly-funded museum has had low attendance and shortfalls since it opened in the spring of 2010. When Hall of Fame officials came before city council a few days before Thanksgiving last year, council member Andy Dulin had a suggestion: stay open on Thanksgiving to lure in the parade crowds.

"It would make sense to me to funnel those folks into that Hall of Fame on Thursday and make that part of the tradition of Thanksgiving in Charlotte," said Dulin. "Let that parade march right through the front doors!"

Neither the parade nor the crowds did that. The Hall of Fame won't release the attendance numbers until January, but it certainly doesn't sound like it was busy.

The rest of WFAE's report is here.

Cedar's Take: I think Dulin had things right, open the thing up anytime there is a chance that someone might be willing to pay a few bucks to tour the place.

The NASCAR Hall is a great idea, and it is a heck of a building.

So now what?

First I think the City of Charlotte needs to accept that they bought a "pig in a poke" and City Council needs to ask NASCAR to step up to the plate, as does everyone else with deep pockets including Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Duke Energy and Burton Smith.

It's one thing to have a money losing business it is a whole new can of worms when the place doesn't have enough cash to keep the place looking sharp. And that issue needs to be addressed pronto.

Corporate and Charity Events are good money, but the Hall of Fame doesn't charge enough and they don't promote the idea very well. Also the lack of a weather protected entrance is a major turn off for upscale events.

Bottom line, it is time to regroup and find a way to make the NASCAR Hall of Fame work or find a way to turn the building into the South's largest aquarium.

Christmas Parade in Lincoln Maine

I often brag about Mrs. Cedar, but every once and a while I can't help but make fun of her Yankee family roots. This year Thanksgiving was spent in Lincoln Maine. The annual Christmas Parade on November 26, 2011 was video taped. The entire prade lasts less than six minutes. Next year I'm going to give them a hand.

CMPD Chief Rodney Monroe's House of Cards

It has long been noted on this blog that CMPD's Chief Monroe has run the city's police department like his own fiefdom. Directives and rules be dammed Rodney Monroe does things his way.

The trouble with this mentality is eventually this sort of operational structure will come back to bite you in the checkbook. The ruling in favor of former CMPD Sgt. Tammy Hatley is just the start.

What the Hatley ruling provides is proof that Chief Monroe is operating a rouge department, doing repeated "end runs" around the City Manager Curt Walton and Charlotte City Council.

From the Court Order:

Major Hat Tip to City News Watch for chasing down the court documents.

"It is undisputed that before Chief Monroe came on board, there were four
ranks in the police departments: sergeant; captain; major; and deputy chief. Chief Monroe attempted to add the rank of lieutenant in 2008-2009, with lieutenants assigned as RACs; however, the downturn in the economy prevented the City of Charlotte from authorizing that rank.

Instead, Chief Monroe created temporary RAC positions and staffed those positions not with lieutenants, but with sergeants already on the payroll, providing each with an additional stripe.

CMPD contends that this temporary special assignment was intended as a stop-gap measure until CMPD could adopt and budget a new rank of lieutenant; however, it was undisputed that nearly three years later, when the court conducted the hearing, the issue of approving and funding lieutenants was only then coming on to be heard by city council."

In short Chief Monroe knew that the city budget wouldn't allow his "lieutenant" idea due to the costs associated, so he "created" a rank of staff sergeant. Which by itself might have been ok, except he also "juiced up" the job beyond just additional responsibilities by adding take home cars and extra pay. The promotion ceremony and formal announcement was the final blow.

Again from the Court:

"In the affidavits of Chief Monroe, (He)concludes that(Hatley) was not promoted and discusses his view of promotions under the City Charter. While the court does not take issue with Chief Monroe’s credibility....

While the courts are not to decide summary judgment based on the credibility of the witnesses or the weight it believes a jury might give such evidence, the court cannot find that the averments of Chief Monroe are sufficient to create a genuine issue as to any material fact."

In other words Monroe's excuse is bull shit, and it is Monroe's own hubris that circled around and latched on to his backside.

So what this means to current CMPD RACs is this your job as RAC, the fourth stripe, the take home car, the extra pay are yours to keep unless the CSB and not Chief Monroe says so.

To those who, were RACs and were demoted, lawyer up the feeding is about to begin. To those who were Sergeant RACs and didn't become Lieutenant RACs lawyer up the feeding is about to begin.

You can read the entire court order here and the original filing which is here.

Cedar's Take: CMPD officers have a right to understand the process for promotion and advancement. Since 2008 the rules have varied from day to day. The promotion process in the past was straight forward with set dates for the process to begin and to conclude.

Under Chief Monroe the rules change almost daily and promotions happen whenever his mood suits.

Case in Point: The Department has a Deputy Chief position that has remained vacant for more than a year. But the Chief refuses to name someone to the position because his favored candidates are unqualified, and the qualified candaites are not to his liking.


Lastly: This is only the tip of the iceberg, Monroe's house of cards is starting to come apart.

Cedar's Bonus: The Charlotte Observer's view on the ruling is here.

In Case You Missed It Former CMPD SGT Hatley Case Goes Forward

WSOC is reporting the following:

A federal judge in Charlotte says the city has to pay a CMPD sergeant who lost her position as a Response Area Commander, the take-home car and 7 percent pay raise that went with it.

The ruling is a victory for Sgt. Tammy Hatley, who sued the department after she lost that position in 2010.
Hatley was one of 39 sergeants who became Response Area Commanders in 2008 and given the extra pay and take-home car in exchange for being on call 24 hours a day for problems in their own districts.

The department said the change was just a "reassignment" and was always meant to be temporary.
But Hatley argued it was a promotion and that she was demoted when she was bumped back to regular sergeant. The judge ruled that Hatley was in fact demoted, and since she did not have a chance to contest the demotion before the Civil Service Board, she is entitled to damages.

Judge Max Cogburn ruled it would be up to a jury to decide how much she gets. He set a hearing for the case for Dec. 5.
His ruling could have implications for 14 other Response Area Commanders who stand to lose their positions because they did not score high enough on a test for a new lieutenant position in the department.

Those promotions are set to become effective on Jan. 7.
In a statement late Monday, CMPD said it is reviewing the judge's ruling and will determine if it has any relevance to the promotion process.

Watch the entire WSOC report here. http://www.wsoctv.com/news/29871263/detail.html

CMPD Missing Document Search Widens

CMPD has apparently hired former Detective Gary McFadden to head a 5 man task force to investigate missing officer finger print cards and other personel documents. CMPD political information director Rob Tufano has repeatedly denied there is any concern or any missing information.

Stay tuned for more.

City Clerks Office Continual Fail

According to the City web site, "City Council minutes are semi-verbatim and are available on the web and for general distribution approximately two to three weeks after a Council meeting date."

So why did it take the City Clerk and City Council 18 weeks to post the July 25, 2011 minutes?

On November 14, 2011 Charlotte City Council approved the minutes for the following dates which where posted on line the following day:

July 25, 2011 Business Meeting
August 22, 2011 Business Meeting
September 6, 2011 Tour and Closed Session
September 12, 2011 Business Meeting
September 19, 2011 Zoning Meeting

That still leaves:

September 26, 2011
October 3, 2011
October 10, 2011
October 17, 2011
November 14, 2011

Which have not been presented, approved and posted. Going on 8 weeks. Wow!

North Carolina law requires that the minutes be "accurate". So does the City Clerk feel that "semi-verbatim" is good enough for "accurate"?

Another interesting point is that all communication with city council members is public record. This includes emails, but more than 1/2 the city council members use as their offical email address, one that is outside the relm of the city computers.

So who insures that emails sent to offsite private email addy's are preserved?

Cedar's Take: North Carolina has some pretty simple sunshine laws. But Charlotte's City Council seems to be of the thinking that they are about the rules.


Cedar Posts has emailed the City Clerks Office for an explaination as to why the delay in posting the Charlotte City Council minutes. So far silence.

Cedar Extra Credit: Explore North Carolina's Open Records Laws here.

Monday's Odds and Ends

How Not to Conduct a Traffic Stop - This Huntersville Police Department Officer needs some rudimentary basic training. Look closely, he is hanging on the passenger side window with both arms and his head stuck inside the car. Felon? Friend? Threat? No Threat? Regardless EVER EVER DO THIS! If you let your guard down the next thing you know is your name is on a memorial plaque. Nuff Said.


Photo Credit The General

Newt Gingrich - Was asked to elaborate on his opinion of the Occupy Wall Street Protester so he quoted Thomas Jefferson and John Smith, the latter particularly telling settlers they could not eat if they did not work, which, to Gingrich, embedded a “deep sense of responsibility” in the American psyche.

In contrast, Gingrich argued that Occupy movement was grounded in entitlement– “all the Occupy movement starts with the premise that we all owe them everything.” With that in mind, Gingrich explained that their point was to “self-righteously explain that they are the paragons of virtue to which we owe everything,” which was indicative of “how the left has collapsed as a moral system.” Gingrich concluded with a flourish that the group needs to “go get a job after you take a bath” to raucous applause, and the praise of federal candidate Herman Cain.

Is Charlotte Ready for DNC 2012? - I can't imagine why any city would want a convention Democrat or Republican.



Panthers - D'Oh!

Andy Dulin - Cedar Posts rarely agrees with Andy Dulin. But as he tells the Charlotte Observer, Duke Energy is taking the city for a ride when it comes to our street lights. I have to agree far too many of our street lights are not working. The contract the city has with Duke Energy offers no incentive whatsoever to insure burned out or broken street lights are fixed in a reasonable amount to time. Duke is paid even if a street light doesn't work.

The Observer story is here.

Cedar's Counter Point: However, I think Andy Dulin is missing one fact. Duke owns the light which means the $10.00 per month is not just for the juice to power the light, it also covers the cost of the bulb, the wires, the pole, the fixture mounted on the pole and the cost of some guy to replace the bulb.

Just a guess, but I'd say the cost to "power" the lamp is about $1.50 per month maybe less. So if you use the high end of CDOT 3% outage number you get 2100 lights out at any given time, times the $1.50 "real" value number you get $3,150.00 per month. Still money but not big enough to get in a rage about.

Speaking of Republicans with Cooksey and Dulin the only republicans on City Council taxpayers need to brace themselves by this time next year the city will be on the skids and they will look to your wallet to fix the problem.

The First Lady Gets Booed at NASCAR Race - Yes that's rude but it is NASCAR! What were they thinking?



Patsy Kinsey Says Charlotte City Council Has The Votes For Domestic Partner Benefits, - and other protections long sought by community advocates

Matt Comer over at QNotes is reporting that City Council member Patsy Kinsey said on Sunday that the council will have the votes to pass a benefits plan for same-sex partners of city employees.

The District 1 council member’s announcement came during an LGBT community memorial service for transgender hate-crime victims.

“We’re almost close enough now that the city council will have the votes to pass domestic partner benefits,” Kinsey told an audience of about 75 gathered at the LGBT Community Center of Charlotte. The rest of Matt's posting is here.

Cedar's Take: I'm in that small percentage of "don't ask - don't tell" people who could care less if you are gay or straight. I don't want you to tell me and I don't need to ask. If we are going to provide "domestic partner benefits" to LGBT partners then I'm going to say that's fine as long as it doesn't cost the taxpayers a penny and long as this applies to unmarried heterosexual partners as well.

With the rate increase the CMPD officers are going to pay for family coverage I don't know how they are going to make ends meet. The last thing we should be doing is giving coverage to an at rick group like LGBT. You know the increase will be on the backs of young officers with families.

A Personal Note - I'm not a prude or a bible waving Christian, but I've grown tired of OMG and even more so of OMFG!

I don't care about your freedom of speech nor do I care that you have personally decided that 3rd of the ten commandments doesn't apply to you. But at the risk of sounding like Andy Rooney I have no idea why kids these days think it is OK to text or tweet Oh My God! It is not and doing so, shows you have a very limited vocabulary.

Uptown's Hooligans at it Again Saturday

Uptown's Hooligans were apparently at it again on Saturday. The warmer temps and a couple of uptown events brought the usual suspects uptown by the bus load.


The video has nothing to do with the reports of violence reported uptown. Except the first 5 seconds. Welcome to Charlotte.

From a couple of reports by 7:30 the "thugs" had taken over uptown, "running up and down the street, jumping on cars" and generally acting up.

These African American juveniles get a kick out of running up to white people and taunting them. They circle in pairs as families try to walk down the street. If they aren't asking for money, they are making lewd comments as they jump, juke and jive around in big loopy circles all the while yammering off at the mouth. When the police are near they tone it down and move in the other direction.

Basically these are the youngest of the thugs, trying to out do each other while their older siblings just "hang out" on corners and alleys.

CMPD Officers run interference when they can but there are not enough bike and foot cops to keep up with the little punks.

Uptown has become a waste land of rude obnoxious juvenile behavior.

Here's the intro to Charlotte that the DNC 2012 folks (insert saccassim font) should start using.

The Charlotte Observer Says Storm Clouds on the Horizon

Protesters at UC Davis shield their faces from Pepper Spray.

The Charlotte Observer editorial staff has finally recognized that epic storm clouds are forming on the horizon and Charlotte is ill prepared.

On Thursday The Observer Editorial Board posted:

Major protests are coming; Charlotte needs a plan

The modest clan of protesters that comprise Occupy Charlotte pose little more than a horticultural threat to our city at this point. There’s just a dozen or two of them now, exercising free speech while tromping on the grass at the Old City Hall and annoying local Republican leaders.

But in less than a year, that handful of overnight campers is sure to become a larger spectacle – and probably in spots beyond uptown. The Democratic National Convention will bring an onslaught of protest next September – not just local Occupiers, but groups from around the country and across the ideological spectrum. Charlotte and Mecklenburg County need a plan for their land.

The rest of the post is here:

The long and short of it is Charlotte doesn't have a plan. In an effort to appease the crazy left Charlotte and Mecklenburg County leaders have looked the other way and the Occupy Charlotte group remains unchallenged. At the same time every other city in the nation has moved against the OWS supporters in one form or another.

DNC 2012 is less than 12 months away and the swarms of nuts cases will descend on Charlotte like hungry locusts. The time for action is now, giving the courts time to work through any legal challenges that might be mounted.

Waiting to see what happens and expecting that throwing money at any problem that arises is not a plan for anything but disaster.

The bottom line is, and I've been saying this since the DNC burdened Charlotte with this gift of a convention:

Chief Monroe doesn't have the skill set to deal with the logistics of a major convention and a subversive insurrection at the same time and his yes men Medlock and Zinkann are nothing more than JV Cheerleaders.

"This business will get out of control. It will get out of control and we'll be lucky to live through it." - USN Admiral Josh Painter

CNN's Jim Acosta Goes Nutty on Delta Flight Attendant

CNN correspondent Jim Acosta was on a Delta flight from Des Moines to Reagan International on Wednesday when a flight attendant made the standard pre-landing announcement: Buckle up, stay out of the lavatory and so on.

Acosta, who happened to be in that bathroom at the time, felt she deliberately singled him out and confronted her in front of other passengers — calling her rude and asking for her name.

“It was an unfortunate situation, and the flight attendant apologized to me,” Acosta said in an email released by CNN.

Cedar's Take: Flight attendants at one time were the greatest thing on earth. Not so much anymore. But I remember hundreds of great flights that were always made better by the flight attendants. They seem to have lost the joy of flying.

But it is not completely their fault.

Passengers have become relentlessly confrontational and rude. I suspect that Acosta was having a bad day and maybe even some bathroom issues. The flight attendant just became a punching bag for Acosta's bathroom fail.

I personally avoid drinking airline coffee and the on board bathroom at all costs.

Happy Travels next week!

Penn State 0 Perverts 100

The piling on of Joe Paterno by the media, and pundits is exhaustive and speaks to how the main stream media has become nothing more than a herd of zombie journalists wandering the barren internet for the next "big story".

To even blog about Penn State's troubles up would be pointless, the facts will come out and hopefully the truth about what Joe Paterno knew and didn't know as well.

But if it wasn't Joe Pa then someone else knew, there is always someone who knew. Maybe they heard, they saw, they suspected, or they through a process of elimination, by removing all of the "no way did I just see what I saw" and the discounting of the in your face facts, came to the realization that Coach Sandusky was not only creepy but also a criminal.

I'm not talking about just adults, but the children who knew as well.

In middle school, my 6th, 7th and 8th grade years were a haze of youth except the very small amount of time I spent with a coach who I knew was creepy and weird. Now 30 years later I realize he was a pervert and more than likely also a pedophile.

I was fortunate he didn't like me, but there were other boys he liked; maybe too much.

30 years is along time but I remember that he took great pleasure in inspecting for athletic supports things we kids called jockstraps, nut nests and ball bags. Today compression shorts are the more attractive answer.

Dressed in our gym uniforms we would line up each day and "Coach" would walk the line and randomly yank down our shorts and underwear. If you forgot your jockstrap, lost it or in my case hated the damn thing and refused to wear it and he got what he called the "wiener surprise" and he'd get down on he's knees and pretend to look for your jockstrap.

Showers, like with Sandusky were also a favorite of the "Coach". He would stand in the shower area fully dressed, while 30 boys hurried around naked. He used a towel to make sure everyone had "showered properly" and to help "motivate" those who were a little slow. For 3 years I don't think I ever took a shower at school that lasted more than 3 seconds. Most of my showers consisted of wetting down my hair at the drinking fountain and sprinting for my locker.

The Coach didn't like me, and never gave me as much as a hello. But he was fond of some of the boys and they were treated special. They had access to his office and he gave them things like soft drinks, and snacks. They always got the best and newest equipment, the best activities and often stood with the coach on the sidelines as the rest of us ran laps. Kids who were perceived to be good at sports went on "special" field trips and overnight "sports camps" that I was never invited.

Over 3 years I saw a lot of abuse, the kind that by today's standards would mean instant termination, but 30 years ago only amounted sick, twisted hazing.

The shower gauntlet, where he encouraged boys to grab each other, and the devils crawl were he selected boys to be striped or their short and spanked by other boys as they crawled between each others legs, which at the time struck me as odd but never so much that I told my parents.

What he did with those special kids when the office door closed I couldn't tell you. But I never really wanted to know either.

Of all the coaches, teachers, boy scout leaders, priests and instructors I've ever meet as a kid, he is the only one that creeped me out to the point of dreading going to gym class almost to the point of being sick.

Jerry Sandusky's interview with Bob Costas gave me that same pit of my stomach uneasy feeling.

I expect that the truth will one day come out.

Crack Heads Among Us - Daryl Hannah Simpson

Not the Daryl Hannah of "Splash" and Hollywood fame, but Daryl Hannah Simpson of Indian Trail. The 27 year old single mother busted on Tuesday for of all things Heroin. Charged with Felony pocession and a misdemeanor for drug paraphernalia. A trip to Ms. Simpson's facebook page shows a pretty normal single mother with a pretty happy family life.

Except she has a dark secret she's another one of middle class white America's "Black Tar" Heroin junkies.





Be warned they live among us and they need intervention. This is not some causal user, making a bad choice on a Saturday night. This is a lifestyle of urban white America not some ghetto rat infested flop house. Wake-up America!

Cedar Posts emailed Ms. Simpson for her side of the story. No reply, but should she speak up we'll let you know. Her facebook page is here

In Case You Missed It Tomb of the Unknowns Guard Silences Crowd

The video posted online last year shows a guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington, Virginia silencing a crowd after laughter is heard.

Usually the guards patrol in silence but will confront those who cross the barrier or are disrespectful.

As the laughter continues, the solder stops and addresses the crowd.

"It is requested that everyone maintains a level of silence and respect," he said as he stopped in stance.

The crowd fell silent.

The guard continued to walk his post.

No other disruptions were reported that day.

Cedar's Take: I just can't get my head around the fact that someone would go to Arlington and our Nation's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and act like an ignorant jerk.

There is something fundamentally wrong with our society.

From parents who let their kids run wild at the local restaurant, to talking in a movie theater, we have become a nation of rude, manner less pigs.

In Case You Missed It Kevin Siers on Roberts and Jones

Cedar's Take: Twilight the final installment.

What's Your's?

Chippy

Being an NFL Coach often means being creative. Coming up with creative plays, and ways to manage your players and even new and creative words. Enter "CHIPPY".



Sunday Panthers Coach Rivera was frustrated with not only the team's effort on the field against the Titans, but also the lack of professional behavior as the game clock ran down.

The Observer's Scott Fowler quoted Rivera as saying:

"Well, I think all the chippiness that went on between both teams. You know when a game is in that situation, just play it out. Don't start talking. If you're winning, great. If you're losing, stop being frustrated. Do your job. And it goes for both teams. And I don't want to speak for coach (Mike) Munchak (of Tennessee), but I think both teams got chippy at the end."

Scott's column is here.

Chippy?

I've never heard a NFL Coach describe players as being Chippy.

Well, let's have a look at a couple of definitions first from Webster's Dictionary:

Chippy: The place where one buys fish and chips. Otherwise known as the Chip Shop.

Chippy: A female prostitute, especially a young and inexpensive one. Watch out for the chippies downtown.

And sure enough:

Chippy: Informal resentful or oversensitive about being perceived as inferior. A chippy miner's son.

And From Wikipedia:

A shop serving the traditional British dish Fish and chips
A slang term for a carpenter
Mrs. Chippy, a cat who accompanied Sir Ernest Shackleton's Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914–17
Zippy Chippy, a racehorse who has lost over 100 races
Chippy (actress), an actress in Indian cinema, mainly Malayalam.
People nicknamed 'Chippy' Liam Brady, Irish footballer
Peter Frilingos, sports journalist
Chippy McGarr, American baseball player
David "Chippy" Robinson, prohibition era gangster
Chippy Simmons, English footballer
William Naughton (born 1868), Scottish footballer

The word "Chippy" is so extraordinary that now if you "Google" "Chippy" it comes up with Ron Rivera.

Excellent wordsmithing Coach now how about coming up with some creative ways to avoid having to use another creative word "shellacking"?

In Case You Missed It Bills Player Gives Ball to Dallas Cheerleader

Buffalo Bills wide receiver David Nelson (86) gives the football to his girlfriend, Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Kelsi Reich, after he scored a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas, on Sunday, Nov. 13, 2011. (AP Photo/The Dallas Morning News, Michael Ainsworth)

Monday's Odds and Ends - The End of the World as we Know It

The End To Occupy Chapel Hill - North Carolina's liberal bastion of academia and open mindedness aka Chapel Hill, put an end to a poorly conceived "Occupy" off-shoot.



According to the Daily Tar Heel protesters occupying the former Chrysler building at 419 W. Franklin St. were arrested by law enforcement officers Sunday evening.

A Chapel Hill Police Department press release stated that police sent a tactical team to break up the protest after learning that known anarchists were present. According to the release, the group had people stationed on the roof and had obstructed the building’s windows.

Based on the risks, police entered and secured the building, arresting eight people for misdemeanor breaking and entering. Those arrested were transported to appear before a magistrate in Hillsborough.

Occupiers said despite rumors that police might ask them to leave, they didn’t expect what they called a “raid.”



Cedars Take: Watch for the bus Chapel Hill Police used. Ironically the bus has a Wachovia is changing to Wells Fargo Ad with the tag line "when you have places to go" on the side. The "Occupy" movement may have some valid points, however occupying an a vacant and not abandoned building wasn't a bright move.

Was the show of force needed? It might seem like overkill but if you have unknowns who have taken over a building and you can't see what is going on that is the tactic you use. So props to Chapel Hill for shutting down these wack jobs.

The Video is also here.

Panthers' World Collapses - Actually they did show up, but it is clear that they spent the bye week thinking it was "Bo Time" as they looked slow, lazy and over fed. The only flashes of brilliance wearing Panther colors came from the Cheerleaders. Even when Cam Newton was on target and connected yellow flags rained on his parade. Effectively the season is over, even the fans began to clear out at the end of the 3rd quarter.

Occupy Charlotte Gears Up For Confrontation - In a recent posting on the Examiner Charlotte's Robert Tifford expands on a Charlotte Biz Journal's story "Occupy Charlotte protest costs and CMPD's intel gathering". The full article is here.

Tifford Notes: "Occupy Charlotte protesters know this is going on and are conducting in some cases elaborate counterintelligence operations that include monitoring police broadcasts and media reports.

Some of the protesters are ex-military, security guards and private investigators. They run the entire gambit of people in society. You also have some civil rights attorneys, pastors and Christians involved in the Occupy Charlotte movement. On the other end of that, you have computer hackers, and suspected members of the autonomous collective Anonymous."

The posting points readers to suggested methods of subverting Police should they try to remove the Occupy Charlotte protesters.

Direct action includes the use of padlocks and chains, which can be put on gates to cause confusion and may hold up work, while they run around looking for the keys and then bolt croppers. Superglue or liquid metal in their padlocks means that they have to cut off their own locks and keep buying new ones. Bicycle D-locks are a classic direct action tool. They fit neatly around pieces of machinery, gates and your neck. It is worth working in pairs when trying to lock on. The person locking on carries the U shaped section, and loops it around both a suitable fixed piece of machine/gate and their neck. Then their "buddy", carrying lock barrel and key, secures the lock, and hides, or runs off with the key.

The entire Pratical Protest flyer is here.

The Battle of Seccesionville - Re-enactors from up and down the East Coast converged on Boone Hall Plantation in Mount Pleasant South Carolinaon for the annual Battle of Secessionville re-enactment.


On the right is South Carolina State Senate President Glenn McConnell. McConnell is an avid volunteer with the Marion Light Artillery re-enactment group and the cannon belongs to him.

More Photos from this weekend's battle can be found here.

Famous Last Words - A story about solar flares that might pose an existential threat to the earth made the rounds last week.

NASA officials said Friday that an upcoming solar flare does not pose an existential threat to the earth. This was in response to reports that sun, which is slated to peak in its 11-year cycle in 2012, would launch a solar flare the size of multiple earths, possibly stripping large portions of the earth’s atmosphere.

"There simply isn’t enough energy in the sun to send a killer fireball 93 million miles to destroy Earth", NASA heliophysicist Alex Young said. More here.

Cedar's Take: I'm not sure what epic disaster film that line is from but it didn't turn out so well.

Snakes errrr Make That "Bugs" On A Plane

WCNC is reporting that a Charlotte couple is suing Air Tran Airways, claiming they saw cockroaches coming out of air vents and storage areas on a recent flight and that attendants ignored their concerns.

The lawsuit stems from a flight that attorney Harry Marsh and his fiancée, Kaitlin Rush, took from Charlotte to Houston with a stop-over in Atlanta on Sept. 15.



In the lawsuit, Marsh and Rush allege that several other passengers became aware of the cockroaches, and that it caused distress to a number of passengers.

The suit also claims the cockroaches made them sick. Marsh said Rush become nauseous and now doesn't want to fly.


Screen shot from WCNC 36

Marsh also said they had to throw away some of their belongings and wash others because of concern that cockroaches got on their clothes and into their luggage.

They're alleging that Air Tran's negligence and failure to provide a clean, pest-free flight caused them mental and emotional distress.



They're suing for more than $100,000, plus the price of their tickets.

Cedar's Take: Marsh needs to look elsewhere to make a living. Lawyers have a bad enough reputation without this sort of shenanigans.

A check of his office web site states:

"Harry Marsh Law is a mid-size law firm that focuses on quality legal counsel. Although we provide the attentive customer service of a small firm, our team of accomplished lawyers is experienced in performing a high volume of complex legal matters. In addition to our experienced attorneys, Harry Marsh Law has a knowledgeable and accommodating support staff that is known for exceptional customer service."

Cedar Posts is not sure what qualifies as "Mid-Sized" but I'd guess 25 or more attorneys? A check of the North Carolina State Bar shows that Mr. Marsh has been licensed about a year in North Carolina.

Cedar Posts contact Mr. Marsh via email asking how many attorneys, and staff the firm employed. Nothing but "crickets" so far. Additionally the firm web site shows no listing for partners, associates or staff.

Cedar Posts Update: Well nice of the UK's Daily Mail to pick up the story. Thanks to Mr. Marsh and his bride to be we have re-confirmed the notion of "Ugly Americans".

Cedar Posts Update: No reply from Harry Marsh about the number of lawyers his firm employs, but the claim stating that Harry Marsh Law is a "mid-size" law firm has been deleted. I expect the suit against AirTran will be withdrawn as well since it speaks volumes as to his ethics.

Thanks to Google the bogus site is still visiable here.

Veterans Day 1971 - 2011

Veterans Day is the day we honor our nation's military veterans, it also marks the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I, that formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918.

But on this day we honor those who have served, it is impossible to not honor those who served and didn't come home.

Truth be told ... the Grateful Dead never spent much time topping the charts. Most of their fans were too broke, too stoned and too poor to buy an album (now days known as a CD) but somehow the "Dead" got a lot of air time on "album rock" stations. If you were a "Dead Head" the concerts and tours were the real attraction ...

In the far reaches of my mind I can tell you about listening to Jerry Garcia and the "Dead"... Very young at the time I remember a second cousin of mine recording songs off the air from one of the few "Stereo" FM stations around. He actually got the station to give him each day's play list in advance, and he would record selected songs on his big brother's reel to reel tape recorder.

Once a week or whenever the reel was full of recorded songs, my aunt would ship it off to a Navy FOB address. This would take the reel to some place called "An Loc" that was near Saigon, were as best I could tell they had another reel-to-reel player that worked just fine in a place called VIETNAM.

I pictured a souped up amplifier, a mess of wires, a tape player and speakers big and loud that would pump music throughout some rain soaked camp like in the MASH TV show. From some letters sent home I figured marines played cards, smoked Marboro cigarettes and drink Budweiser by the case.

I still remember the photo of him, the older cousin I had never met, Marine Dress Blues, the American Flag, and the 2 stripes, on the wall of a farmhouse in rural Illinois. The screen porch, dog house sized well house and farmland that stretched for miles in all directions.

Out there about 80 miles east of St. Louis the sounds of the "Dead", Stephen wolf, and Grand Funk Railroad, Iron Butterfly and even some Motown would echo across the corn fields. Late in the evening the music would compete with the crickets and the dampness of the darkened countryside.

My cousin, maybe two or three years older than I, took to this task with a purpose and dedication that surprised me. At the appointed time he would run to his brother's room with myself trailing close behind, flip the switch to "RECORD" and we'd listen to "I'm Your Captain" or Hendrix "All Along the Watchtower" while the needles jumped in time to the music. Waiting for the song to finish, he would carefully "fad" the input level to zero, stopping the process just in time to avoid any commercial interruptions.



All that summer, the ritual of recording would continue at the appointed time my cousin would sprint to his brother's bedroom. Anytime my grandmother and I would visit, I would "tag" along with my cousin recording and listening, all the while wondering what it must be like to be in Vietnam. That summer I was fascinated by the reel to reel recorder, the war and the music.

But the summer humidity soon gave way to the crisp cool air of fall in the heartland of America. Then one afternoon a blue sedan with yellow stenciled letters that spelled out "US NAVY" on each door kicked up dust on the gravel road that lead to the farm house. As the dust cleared, the two marine officers entered the small farm house, removed their hats and the recording stopped.

I never asked why and they must have thought I was to young to be told. But I understood that the war that was so far away had come to rural America and my cousin would never come home.

To all who served, those who serve today, to those who gave their lives and to all their families, Thank You!

Cedar Posts Footnote: The Realistic Reel to Reel recorder in the photo above has been mine now for a number of years. I've never played the tape, in part because I don't need to, I know what is on it. Funny how we hold on to things for the strangest reasons.

Observer Reports Sex Crime But Why?

From the Charlotte Observer:

A Rock Hill man has been arrested on accusations that he tried multiple times to force a woman to have sex with him in her apartment, police say.

Keon Antoine Huntley, 22, has been charged with criminal sexual conduct, third degree, in connection to the May incident.

The 22-year-old woman claims her roommate had invited a friend of his to hang out at their apartment on May 26, according to a Rock Hill police report. About 3:30 a.m., the friend knocked on her bedroom door, and she allowed him inside. Later, he began touching her and asking her if she wanted to have intercourse with him.

She repeatedly told him no, and he continued touching her and tried to take her clothes off, the report states. She left the room and went to the bathroom, telling him to leave. She then walked outside and called her mother and police.

Officers searched the apartment but did not find the suspect, the report states.

After an investigation, a warrant for criminal sexual conduct was served on Huntley Wednesday.
Cedar's Take: I'm not sure why this is news. This sort of thing goes on all the time, so why did the Charlotte Observer decide this is news? I'm really concerned that our country has become so obsessed with sex crimes that even this "non-event" has become headline news. Clearly the guy was a jerk, and needed a knee to the groin to get him to chill. But come on, if this is a crime then back up the vans with the chain link fence on the inside to Granville Towers everybody goes to jail.

More Than 100 Patriot Guard Riders Honor US Army SSG Christopher Newman

Cedar Posts' wingman "The General" and fellow Patriot Guard Riders

Shelby Star reporter Jordan-Ashley Baker

They wore heavy black pants, vests covered in tattered patches and studded boots — leather-clad reminders of the frailty of human life.

The men and women of the Patriot Guard Riders stood beside the waiting hearse and watched silently as members of the U.S. Army Honor Guard carefully removed a flag-draped coffin.



Those riders whose hands weren’t occupied by large American flags raised their arms to their foreheads or on their hearts in salute to Staff Sgt. Christopher Newman, a fallen soldier. Newman died Oct. 29 in a Kabul, Afghanistan suicide attack that left 12 other Americans dead.

After the Army Honor Guard members carried Newman’s coffin inside Bethel Baptist Church to prepare for his funeral, the Patriot Guard Riders stayed outside — waiting and watching.

Bill Cook of Sherrills Ford, who is the ride captain for the Newman mission, estimated the Patriot Guard Riders brought about 120 bikes and 200 people to Shelby on Wednesday for Newman’s funeral and the seven-mile processional to his burial at Cleveland Memorial Park. The Patriot Guard is a national, Web-driven organization where motorcycle riders attend the funerals of fallen American troops as invited guests of the servicemembers’ families.


Cedar's Ride a Yamaha V-Star

Keith Elledge of Boiling Springs has served in the Patriot Guard for six years. His brother died in the Vietnam War.

“It’s the ultimate sacrifice, as far as I’m concerned,” Elledge said.

The Purple Heart

With the Patriot Guard Riders keeping watch outside the church, hundreds gathered inside for Newman’s funeral service.

His family members walked into the church as the congregation sang “God Bless America.” Some of the family wore yellow ribbons on their lapels, while others waved small American flags. Many dabbed at already-red eyes with crumpled facial tissues.

Newman’s coffin stood before the pulpit, flanked by red, white and blue flower arrangements.

Members of the military, wearing pristine uniforms, were mixed among those seated inside the church. During a military presentation of honors, the Army soldiers presented Newman’s widow, Amanda Newman, and other family members with Newman’s service honors.

Newman received the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star as well as several other service medals. He was also posthumously promoted to staff sergeant.

The servicemembers gripped Amanda Newman’s hands in theirs as they handed her the medals. They bent down to embrace others, sometimes pausing for several moments to whisper words of support and encouragement.

“He was such a bright light,” the Rev. Steve Waters said of Newman, who Waters knew as a young man.

Waters recalled the mischievous, playful Newman laughing and whispering during church services. Newman’s family and friends laughed at Waters’ story, nodding their heads and smiling as if they could imagine Newman whispering into their own ear with a joke to tell.

“He enjoyed life so much that he just couldn’t contain himself,” Waters said.

And although Waters and Newman shared moments of laughter and jokes, they shared a serious moment when Newman returned to church this spring before being deployed.

Waters recalled how he talked with Newman and asked if he had fully committed his life to God and his son, Jesus. Waters said Newman answered firmly that he had.

‘For the sake of our freedoms’

While the service continued inside, Bethel Baptist Church member Mable Shepherd of Shelby stood outside with two American flags grasped in her hands. She had been standing in the same spot for more than two hours.


Just a few of more than 100 Patriot Guard motorcycles

“I just wanted to give honor to the families,” she said.

Shepherd’s sister served in the U.S. Navy for 20 years, so she knows about the sacrifices of servicemembers and their families

“(Soldiers) go and endure a lot for the sake of our freedoms — so I could stand here,” Shepherd said, never lowering the flags waving in her outstretched hands.

She waited solemnly, silently for the processional of Newman’s family to leave the church and down South Dekalb Street. Suddenly, the rumbling of motorcycle engines punctuated the solemn silence.

The Patriot Guard Riders were on the road again.


Cedar Posts and Fellow Patriot Guard Riders

In rows of two, with American flags streaming behind them, more than 100 motorcycles filed out of the church parking lot.

The riders disappeared into the distance toward Cleveland Memorial Park — the final stop on a mission for a fallen soldier.

More of the Shelby Star's extensive coverage is here

Today is the 236th Birthday of the United States Marine Corps

“Ten November 1775. I was born in a bomb crater. My mother was an M16 and my father was the devil.

Each moment that I live is an additional threat upon your life. I eat concertina, piss napalm and I can shoot a round through a flea’s ass at three-hundred meters.

I travel the globe festering on anti-Americans everywhere I go for the love of mom, Chevrolet, baseball, and apple pie.

I’m a grunt. I’m the dirty, nasty, stinky, sweaty, filthy, beautiful little son of a bitch that’s kept the wolf away from the door for over two-hundred and thirty-six years.

I’m a United States Marine. We look like soldiers, talk like sailors, slap the shit out of both of ‘em. We stole the Eagle from the Air Force, the Rope from the Army, and the Anchor from the Navy.

And on the seventh day, when God rested, we overran his perimeter, and we’ve been running the show ever since.

Warrior by day, lover by night, drunkard by choice, Marine by God.

Semper Fidelis.”

Anonymous Marine

SSG Christopher R. Newman

The funeral service for US Army SSG Christopher Newman will be held today at Bethel Baptist Church at 1:00.

After the service an escorted procession with travel from Bethel Baptist Church along Dekalb Street and through College Avenue and down to Cleveland Memorial Park. This includes the area outside Shelby Middle School to Cleveland Memorial Park.

Cedar Posts along with "The General" and other members of the Patriot Guard Riders will escort SSG Newman and his family along the route.

It is an honor to ride for SSG Newman and I hope you will join us in remembering this man who gave everything for our freedom.

More as time permits today via @cedarposts on twitter.

Dems Sweep Mayor and City Council Elections

You saw this coming didn't you? No serious republican candidate for any of the Charlotte City Council races or Mayor. No serious republican support.

Scott Stone - ran a feeble minded campaign and just never got going or make that rolling. Anthony Foxx ran ads with embellished employment and crime numbers and Stone never was able to turn that into voting capital. We all know Mayor Foxx had nothing to do with crime going down, and Charlotte has a higher unemployment rate than Ohio. But who cares?

Stone's message was? Come on you know don't you? Let me get back to you on that. Frankly even his signs were all wrong. Too classy, too stylish like a fine home in Glen Eagles, need I saw more?

Edwin Peacock the III - Even with a Charlotte Observer endorsement lost because he is an "arrogant twit". I'm quoting Mrs. Cedar there, his twitter stream confirms her opinion as pretty much dead on. Cedar Posts years ago worked with his dad Ed Peacock, I found him genuine and the real deal something voters have noticed didn't get passed along to "Edwin".

Cannon, Howard and Barnes - Cannon was a sure bet, Howard rides his coat tails, and even Cedar Posts thinks Barnes does a good job.

LaWana Mayfield - Doesn't have the skill set to tie her own shoes and some have even questioned her literacy. But she had a great web presence and ran a slick campaign.

Claire Fallon - Won on effort and believability and being a democrat.

Beth Pickering - Won simply because she was running as a democrat. Pickering bested Curtis Watkins by 10,000 votes even though he had the Observer's endorsement. Pickering will be nothing more than a ditto for democrats. Seriously is anyone even home?

John Autry - Has a lot to prove in one of Charlotte's most threatened areas, I doubt he is the man to do it, but more about that later.

Which leaves Andy Dulin and Warren Cooksey as the two lone republicans on city council.

Republican leadership in Charlotte is at an all time low. They should be ashamed of themselves. You can't blame McCory for looking for something more, as with Myrick, and Vinroot. But the demographics of Charlotte has changed so much over the last 20 years that unless the republican base gets off their collective butts and starts encouraging some top leaders to step forward and take on city politics our taxes are going to go through the roof.

Greenville Neighborhood Center Still No Real Answers

Charlote Observer: "DNC Security Funds in Limbo"

Franco Ordoñez reports from Washington that officials in Charlotte and North Carolina are growing concerned about whether they'll receive the requested $55 million in federal security funds for the Democratic National Convention.

According to Ordonez, U.S. Rep. David Price, D-N.C., has been pushing for the funds on Charlotte's behalf. He said local officials have a right to be concerned considering the ongoing uncertainty about when and how much of the anticipated funds will be given to convention hosts.

(Remember the money doesn't really exist, they will just print it and add another $55 million to the national debt which will ride on the backs of you and me, the taxpayers.)

"There is no question the governor and the mayor are concerned about this," Price said. "And they let us know that."

The rest of Ordenez' story is here.

Makes you wonder if Charlotte's city council will take steps to reign in CMPD Chief Monroe's spending. If sources talking to Cedar Posts are correct Chief Monroe is spending money like there is no tomorrow, so even if the city gets a grant Monroe will have already squandered most of it.

Given the way things are shaping up, Chief Monroe and his side kick Harold Medlock with have the final responsibility for a department nearly double the size of today's police department. You can just imagine the utter lack of accountability.

Spending like you have never seen before, para military uniforms, riot gear, swat gear, new radios, special tactical response trucks, mobile command centers and let us not forget unmanned drones.

We are in deep you know what.

Stay tuned, for more.