James Taylor is the newly named Albany city manager. We agree whole heartedly with this move by the Albany city Commission.

Taylor is a demonstrated leader.  When the city ran into trouble and fired the downtown manager, Taylor stepped up big time and calmed the stormy waters putting downtown back on track for improvement.

Taylor has already invested 22 years of his life in Albany. Why not invest in a man who sees Albany is more than a job, but also his home … rather than an outsider who may see the Albany city manager job as just a stepping stone to another job.

The Albany form of government requires a part-time mayor and part-time commission setting policy and a city manager to literally run the local government. It is what is known as a strong city manager form of Government. We consider James Taylor a strong city manager well suited for the job.

Cold case: Good

citizens step up

Nine years ago, 32-year-old Willie Gipson, a supervisor at an Albany Wendy’s, was savagely beaten to death in his home.

Investigators worked the case for years, but couldn’t get enough evidence for an arrest in the case. Then, after nearly a decade, Toledo Love was picked up and charged with the homicide.

The same afternoon, officials from the Worth County Sheriff’s Office arrested Anthony “Hoochie” Richardson. Richardson worked as Gibson’s subordinate at an Albany Wendy’s.

Several factors came into play to bring this case to a resolution.

A citizen went to Dougherty District Attorney Greg Edwards with new information needed to make the arrests. Albany investigators moved quickly to apprehend Love, and Worth County deputies moved quickly to collar Richardson.

Both men had been free since the beating death of Gipson, and no doubt figured they’d gotten away with the crime. Now the state will make a murder case against both, and they are behind bars today.

When good citizens work with law enforcement, criminals have a tough time avoiding justice. We commend the forthright citizens who came forward, and all the law enforcement agencies involved with solving this cold case.

The family of Willie Gipson is grateful that they will hopefully have some closure in this terrible crime, and two men the state calls murderers are off the streets.