4A
News
Officials hosted a grand opening on Wednesday for Patriot Pointe, the citys new public housing complex for senior
citizens. The community replaces the old Chapman Homes and offers one- and two-bedroom apartments to
residents 55 years of age and older. The complex includes the demolition of the Booker T. Washington Apartments
and the building of a new public housing complex on the northern end of that land. The southern end, fronting
Victory Drive, Veterans Parkway, Fifth Street and Sixth Avenue is planned to be used for commercial development.
Grand opening celebration for Patriot Pointe senior housing
Patriot Pointe replaces the old Chapman Homes housing
area and offers one- and two-bedroom apartments.
This is the kitchen area of one of the one-bedroom
apartments.
VIDEO
For video from the event, visit ledger-enquirer.com.
FROM PAGE 1A
BUDGET
seum is in Sen. (Ed) Har-
bisons Senate district and
Rep. (Calvin) Smyres
House district, McKoon
said. No. 1, I would be
disappointed if Gov. Deal
tried to punish either of
those legislators by harm-
ing the memory of the
infantry men and women
who served our country.
No. 2, if Rep. Smith had
information that the gov-
ernor was intending to
politicize the National
Infantry Museum, I am
surprised he did not do
anything about it.
Smith said the infantry
museum project is more
important than district
lines.
It may not be in his
district and its not in my
district, either, but it is a
part of Columbus, Smith
said. It is a vital part of
Columbus because of our
emphasis on the military
and economic develop-
ment.
The National Infantry
Museum issued the fol-
lowing statement: The
money really hasnt gone
away. The governor has
given the Department of
Economic Development
authority to spend it on its
highest priority tourism
projects. We will continue
to work with state tourism
officials to convince them
that the planned Global
War on Terrorism memo-
rial and other projects at
the National Infantry
Museum are worthy of
state support.
But for now it is gone
and Smith has contended
it is part of a political
message aimed at
McKoon. During the most
recent General Assembly
session, McKoon intro-
duced legislation to term
limit the speaker of the
House and almost imme-
diately pulled it at the
urging of Senate lead-
ership. He also introduced
a bill that would have
taken away the governors
power to appoint a U.S.
senator in the event of a
midterm vacancy.
In March, Smith out-
lined two high-level meet-
ings in which he was told
that McKoons behavior
was an issue and it was
going to cost the Colum-
bus region funding.
The first meeting hap-
pened in January, Smith
said. The leadership team
of the National Infantry
Museum met with Deal to
ask the state to put up $2
million toward the con-
struction of a memorial
for the Global War on
Terror.
The governor and his rather than to chide elect-
chief of staff made it clear
they were not giving any
money and the reason was
Sen. McKoon, Smith said.
Toward the end of the
legislative session, Ral-
stons Chief of Staff Spiro
Amburn came to Smiths
legislative office and told
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PHOTOS BY MIKE HASKEY mhaskey@ledger-enquirer.com
After the ceremony, officials and residents gathered in
the spacious lobby area for refreshments.
This is a theater on the ground floor, open for use by all
residents.
him the Columbus State
University funding was
coming out of the budget,
Smith said. The reason
given was McKoons ac-
tions in the General As-
sembly, Smith said.
Smith said he never told
McKoon of either meet-
ing.
If Richard Smiths
story is true, I will never
understand why he did not
contact me if he was in-
terested in seeing these
items funded, McKoon
said. Furthermore if it is
true, I would hope the
concern the newspaper
has demonstrated in writ-
ing more stories on this
issue than any other in the
six years I have served in
the Legislature would be
directed at people who see
their stewardship of tax
dollars as an opportunity
to settle political scores
ed officials who stand on
matters of principle.
The opportunity to re-
gain the funding exists
next year, Smith said.
McKoon has said all along
that the CSU funding was
not needed in the new
budget and the projects on
the main campus will
move along as scheduled
in a year.
Columbus leaders need
to bring the governor here
and begin a healing pro-
cess, but there also needs
to be other proactive
moves, Smith said.
If the governor and
Josh have an issue, then
maybe Josh needs to set
up that meeting, Smith
said. Columbus State and
the infantry museum are
too important to let this
drag on. This needs to be
nipped in the bud.
Chuck Williams:
706-571-8510,
@chuckwilliams
THURSDAY MAY 5 2016
Police: Teen charged
in Pollard crash stole
car that morning
BY SARAH ROBINSON
srobinson@ledger-enquirer.com
Columbus police said
the teen charged in the
April 18 wreck that killed
Carver High baseball
coach David Pollard stole
a vehicle about an hour
before the three-vehicle
crash.
Authorities said
19-year-old William C.
Cross stole a 2007 Audi
A8 valued at $9,000 from
the 1800 block of Somer-
set Avenue around 11:30
a.m. He was driving at a
high speed when he ran a
stop light at the intersec-
tion of Buena Vista and
Andrews roads and
crashed into Pollards
vehicle, which then struck
another vehicle.
Police said Cross fled
the scene on foot by the
time they arrived to the
area at 12:53 p.m.
Pollard, 36, died of
blunt-force trauma at 1:52
p.m., said Muscogee
County Chief Deputy
Coroner Freeman Worley.
He was married with a
9-year-old daughter.
Cross was taken into
custody at 12:30 p.m.
Monday at the Value Place
Police: Man wanted
in carjacking held
woman hostage
BY SARAH ROBINSON
srobinson@ledger-enquirer.com
Columbus police said
Wednesday the man want-
ed in the March 15 car-
jacking at the Wal-Mart on
Manchester Expressway
held a woman hostage at
the time of his arrest.
Police said they went to
the 900 block of 42nd
Street Tuesday morning to
apprehend Shawn Poo- March 15 around 10:15
kie Thoman on a felony
count of hijacking a motor
vehicle after receiving tips
concerning his where-
abouts. They announced
their arrival but no one
answered the door, ac-
cording to a police report.
Officials then obtained
a search warrant for the
residence. Police said they
entered the home and
found Thoman holding a
woman against her will
while announcing that he
had a gun.
After about an hour and
a half of negotiating, the
woman was released from
the home and Thoman
was taken into custody
and transported to the
Muscogee County Jail.
LEDGER-ENQUIRER.COM
hotel on
Victory
Drive. He
was
charged
with hom-
Cross icide by
vehicle,
felony murder and theft
by taking auto and trans-
ported to the Muscogee
County Jail.
Cross was enrolled at
Carver, Spencer and Har-
daway high schools, said
Valerie L. Fuller, director
of communications at the
Muscogee County School
District. He attended
Carver from Aug. 13, 2012,
to Aug. 13, 2014, before
attending Spencer from
Aug. 25, 2014, to Sept. 15,
2014. He went on to at-
tend Hardaway from Sept.
23, 2014, to March 19,
2015, Fuller said.
Police said they will not
comment further on the
incident until Cross pre-
liminary hearing, which is
set for 9 a.m. today in
Columbus Recorders
Court.
Sarah Robinson:
706-571-8622,
@sarahR_92
There
was no
mention of
the woman
being in-
jured dur-
ing the
Thoman incident.
Officials
said they issued the origi-
nal arrest warrant for
Thoman after they identi-
fied him as the man who
carjacked a woman on
a.m. The victim told police
that she was trying to
place items in the trunk of
her 2012 Honda Accord
when she heard a male
voice. When she turned
around, the gunman
aimed a gun at her face
before fleeing the scene in
her Honda. She wasnt
harmed, police said.
Thoman is set to appear
in Columbus Recorders
Court at 2 p.m. today to
face one count each of
hijacking a motor vehicle,
false imprisonment and
obstruction.
Sarah Robinson:
706-571-8622,
@sarahR_92