GCS: Red flags everywhere

It was good to see the Rhino ask the question I’ve been asking for weeks about the investigation into alleged recruiting violations at Northern Guilford High School: Exactly why did athletic director Derrell Force and principal Joe Yeager — described as “one of the stars of the school system and, at $132,000 a year, one of its highest paid employees” —- resign under pressure?

Today’s N&R may have uncovered one of the ‘red flags’ that GCS attorney Jill Wilson keeps talking about — but won’t reveal —- that led to the investigation of Northern’s athletic program. Turns out basketball coach Stan Kowalewski — as a ‘man of wealth’ by his adversaries —- bankrolled a trip to New York for Yeager and Force a month before they cleared Kowalewski of recruiting charges in January 2008.

But is this really the red flag (or smoking gun, if you prefer) that everyone’s been looking for? As one commenter points out, did the school system really think the school’s athletic director would blow the whistle on a basketball coach who was building a state championship team, trip or no trip?

What’s also strange about this deal is that Kowalewski’s ‘wealth’ appears to be the driving factor behind the allegations, GCS has found no wrongdoing on Kowalewski’s part, although he did lose his job.

Meanwhile, more ‘red flag’ imagery came up during the school board’s heated budget discussion with Guilford County commissioners:

Commissioner Kay Cashion asked school board Chairman Alan Duncan several times why Hunter Elementary School has been on a list for repairs to its heating and air-conditioning system for eight years, especially during years when the school system had much more for maintenance.

Duncan said the school system has always had more pressing maintenance needs, even when the district had more money.

“That should be the red flag for everybody,” Duncan said.

Red flags everywhere.

Skybus redux

Right after the Skybus debacle, Piedmont Triad International Airpport chairman Henry Isaacson said he’d recruit another low fare-carrier in a heartbeat. So we shouldn’t be surprised that Isaacson is expressing interest in bringing Jet America to PTIA.

At least Isaacson sounds like he’s learned a little something from his experience with Skybus — that if you offer the sky to one airline, other airlines get a bit upset:

Isaacson said he has only one financial incentive to offer — $2.16 for every passenger that an airline generates on a new route. The airline could collect that for three years.

Any airline can claim that incentive.

“We really prefer not to go beyond that with any other incentives,” Isaacson said, “because it wouldn’t be fair to our other airlines.”

You also have to wonder about Jet America president John Weikle’s claim that “city investors” will help insulate Jet America from rising fuel prices. PTIA’s “investment” sure didn’t insulate Skybus from high fuel prices, did it?

All this talk is going on as fuel prices are rising, too. Looks like Skybus redux.