Published: November 29, 2007 11:43 pm            

Jeers to owners, cable companies for bickering over NFL Network

Jeers to the NFL team owners and cable companies whose bickering left millions of football fans unable to watch the Packers-Cowboys game. While these multi-millionaires continued to fight to make even more millions, the average fan got left in the parking lot. We hope they’ll wake up and realize ultimately that the fans pay the bills. Then they should be able to make a deal that works for owners, cable/satellite providers and those of us left sitting on the couch, chips in hand and forced to watch “Home Alone 4.”



Cheers to all local shoppers who braved the cold rain to start their Christmas shopping the day after Thanksgiving. Local stores reported robust sales during the weekend that keeps many business the next 12 months. It’s important that we shop here in the Orange area.



Cheers to the law enforcement and the media (local and national) that worked together to identify Baby Grace, a 2-year-old whose body was found in Galveston Bay. Diligent police work with the aid of tips from around the nation helped put two suspects in jail.



Cheers to the Orange Jaycees for conducting the 59th annual Christmas parade. This year’s theme is “Songs of Christmas.” It begins 6:30 p.m. tonight, with lighted floats and bands traveling MacArthur Drive down Green Ave. to Fourth St.



Cheers to all the women shoppers (okay, some men, too) who get up at 3 a.m. the day after Thanksgiving to stand in line at stores which open at 5 a.m. These ridiculously early opening times get more outrageous every year. We pity the poor employees who have to be at work before their Thanksgiving turkey has digested. But, we have to admire those wee-hour shoppers. Do they understand that leaving the house at 3:30 a.m. is really meant for fishing and opening day of deer season?



Cheers to the Pinehurst City Council for saying enough is enough and addressing one of the eyesores of the community when they gave the owner of Video Paradise, Shawn Sadaruddin, 30 days to make a plan and to finally follow through on building repairs. The building has been in bad shape for about seven years which is too long. We hope that other cities will follow suit and make Orange a more beautiful place to live.



Cheers to Officer Keith Reneau, of the Pinehurst Police Department, for his quick thinking and using his knowledge of the streets to apprehend a burglary suspect just a short time after the incident occurred. Reneau apprehended the suspect after he allegedly broke into Mathews Jewelers and took about $10,000 in jewelry. Reneau went to the residence of a known burglary suspect who lived near the store and was able to find the him in the attic with the loot.



Jeers to the fine folks who recently made news for publishing a study which shows college students tend to drink more alcoholic beverages during sporting events. We don’t encourage underage or binge drinking, but did we really need research to prove what most people can observe at any college after a ballgame? The time, money and effort should have been better spent, including the media space.

        

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