Another Look At Delvonte Tisdale's Death

In November of 2010 CP penned a blog post on the Delvonte Tisdale event.

My final hypothesis got little traction, but in January a producer from the ABC News Magazine 20/20 contacted me to get some input, and to show the 20/20 crew the site where I believe Tisdale breached the airport perimeter.

But the story was shelved as apparently low interest. Even with the recent stowaway the 20/20 producers saw little need to air the story. So here is the CP take on the tragic events as explained to 20/20 producers.

One of many CP blog posts on Delvonte Tisdale is here.

Applying some teenage logic and general knowledge from a pilot's point of view this is my thinking on how the final hours of Delvonte's life have played out:

If you follow the railroad tracks from Delvonte's home on Whitewood Trail in North Charlotte, the tracks run south along Statesville Avenue heading to North Graham Street, then past The Bank of America Panther's stadium before turning west towards the airport.

Norfolk Southern Rail Road Tracks and North Meck High School

Tisdale Home and Norfolk Southern Tracks Running North and South to Charlotte

Tisdale's Route along the Norfolk Southern Tracks Direct to CDIA

CMPD's missing persons report is here.

The distance from Tisdale's home to CDIA is less than 15 miles, which could be easily walked in 6 hours.

This section of rail is owned by Norfolk Southern, and most trains are slow moving. It is hard to say exactly how Delvonte Tisdale arrived at the airport, but it is a straight run from his home to downtown and then on to the Airport via the tracks. Tisdale could have walked the entire way or jumped aboard a slow moving train. But walking seems to account for the amount of time he was out and about and his arrival after sunset at the airport.

As the track approaches the airport the terrain flattens out, in fact the place where the railroad grade and the transition to Minuteman drive is least severe, almost flat even, just happens to be where the old Carolina's Aviation Museum is located.

From the tracks to the entrance of the aviation museum then over the fence to
Runway 18L   

From the NS tracks it is an easy and welcoming stroll up the hill to where the entrance to the museum was once located. There Tisdale squeezed through the gate and approached the airport perimeter fence where a couple of airport repair stands were chained alongside the fence. The stairs on the stands made for an easy climb over the fence.



This photo taken in April 2010, shows the condition of the fencing.

Once inside the airport perimeter and under the cover of darkness it was an simple 150 yard walk to the runway. There Tisdale found the US Airways flight to Boston waiting in line or at the "hold short" line of runway 18L and made his way into the landing gear wheel well. 

An amazing number of factors made this possible:

In July of 2010 The Carolina's Aviation Museum had relocated further down the runway, but the facility was still being used for storage as it is today, but even in the late afternoon hours there were few if any staff on duty.

The fencing around the Museum was poorly maintained and often unlocked.

During a visit to the area shortly after Delvonte's death CP noted several sections of damaged fencing.

In order to avoid damage from occasional jet blast the maintenance stands were "required" to be chained to the outside of the perimeter fence.

Typical stand that would have been chained to the CDIA fence.

When US Airways Flight 1176 left Gate "C9" at 1802 the aircraft moved along taxiway "M" to the (intersection of Taxiway "C" and "C11" where it remained from 1826 until 1903. From 1903 to 1911 the aircraft moved from the (intersection of taxiway "C" and "C11") to the stop line on runway 18L, and proceeded to take off in a southern direction at 1906. Those 40 minutes where flight 1176 was either stopped or creeping along gave Tisdale ample time to enter the aircraft's wheel well.

A view of KCLT's airport and taxiway layout is here.

The area where the museum is located at the end on runway 18L is very secluded, and the darkness along with cockpit lighting and runway lights would have made it impossible for a flight crew to notice someone approaching the aircraft.

Tisdale was an Air Force Junior ROTC member and reportedly spent a great deal of time involved in ROTC activities and may have had a greater knowledge of aircraft than his parents have admitted or had knowledge. One source tells CP that the North Meck High School made at least two trips to Charlotte's Air National Guard unit at the airport at the start of the 2010-2011 school year.

Finally Delvonte Tisdale, without any close friends was left to his own thinking. The impulsive nature of 16 year boys and the excitement of the airport at night, along with a unimpeded route to the underside of a commercial airliner sealed his fate on takeoff.

Copy of the highly reacted report is here.

The photos below are from time with the 20/20 crew and our visit to the east side of KCLT Runway 18L.

During our time at the old Aviation Museum the 20/20 crew anticipated the arrival of an Airport security team at any moment. In fact someone from the airport did arrive 48 minutes after we started filming, but the CMPD Airport Unit didn't show up until 1 hour and 10 minutes after we setup a tripod and pointed a large video camera at the airliners less than 200 yards away.

Watch Juju Chang's piece on Delvonte Tisdale tonight on WSOC Channel 9 at 10 o'clock.

 

Cedar Posts leading the 20/20 posse to the site of Delvonte Tisdale's entrance to CDIA

The old Carolina's Aviation complex that CP believes Delvonte Tisdale used to access the CDIA

 

20/20 Crew filming departing and arriving aircraft on Runway 18L

While the fence around the old Aviation Museum has been replaced since the Tisdale breach and concertina wire added to the top of the fence that Tisdale crossed over, security is still completely absent.

 

Had we arrived without a motorcade of SUVs and after dark like Delvonte Tisdale we would have been able to enter the airport property and gain access to any US Airways flight we saw undetected.

 

20/20 Producer Jim DuBreuil giving directions for the shoot at CDIA

 

Juju Chang discussing CP's possible scenario on camera with aviation expert J. Joseph

20/20 videographer filming the area that CP suggests Tisdale went over the fence.

 

20/20 Reporter Juju Chang talking with her producer as CDIA staff arrive.

During the course of their investigation 20/20 producers talked to Jerry Orr who refused to go on camera. But he did apparently tell one 20/20 staffer that "there is no real proof that Devlonte Tisdale was ever on the plane."

20/20 producers also reached out to CMPD Chief Rodney Monroe who was preoccupied with the shooting of CMPD Officer Shane Page. Stating that he was spending the day with the Page family.

Soon after the original CP blog post pointed to the non-existent airport perimeter security, CDIA staffers told local Charlotte news media that they had proof that Tisdale entered the airport via the terminal. An apparent effort to deflect blame to the TSA on of Jerry Orr's favorite targets.

It is also interesting to note that the choice of Charlotte for the 2012 DNC was delayed twice following the death of Telvonte Tisdale. Originally set for a year end 2010 announcement, then mid January and announcement came on February 1st, 2011.

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Land O' Lake Iconic or Racist?

In the world of Political Correctness nothing is off limits. 

Iconic Land O Lakes logo is now under fire. The Land O Lakes brand is a co-op of more than 3000 producers founded in 1921.

While the folksy images of Indians and African Americans used by farmers and produce growers have long since been abandoned, LOL still embraces their famous image as America's most recognizable dairy product.

But PC is in vogue, and the Land O Lake kneeling Indian Madien may soon vanish from your grocer's dairy cooler.

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In Search of America - Service Stations

There are exceptions to every rule, so there are probably some gas stations that still have uniformed mechanics on duty and free maps. But for the most part, gas stations today resemble convenience stores more than a one-stop haven for all things automotive. Some changes are for the better, but there are some amenities that are missed.

1. MECHANIC ON DUTY

Gas stations used to properly be called “service stations,” and that’s because the majority of them had at least one service bay equipped with the tools necessary to do everything from oil changes to brake replacements and complete engine overhauls. Such stations often posted a “Mechanic on Duty” sign out front to alert motorists with car trouble that assistance was available.

2. CENTS PER GALLON PUMP PRICES

When gasoline reached the unfathomable price of $1.00 per gallon, station owners had to retro-fit their pumps with a piece of adhesive tape to reflect the increased cost. Pumps at the time only had space for three digits in the price-per-gallon slot, and one of those digits was reserved for the 9/10.

3. UNIFORMED ATTENDANTS

Pump jockeys used to be as well-dressed as police officers and firefighters, right down to the snappy hat and bow tie. The uniform shirt usually had the company logo stitched on one breast pocket and the employee’s embroidered nameplate on the other. The attendant also had a roll of fives and singles in his shirt pocket so that he could make change. That wad of cash made every kid in the family station wagon aspire to work at a gas station one day, because just look at all the money those guys had!

4. DRIVEWAY BELLS

Black rubber hoses used to snake across the pavement at every gas station. They were hooked up to a bell inside the building and the “ding-ding” signaled for an attendant to dash over to the driver’s window and ask, “Fill ‘er up?”

5. ROUTINE MAINTENANCE

Attendants not only pumped gas; part of their regular routine was to also automatically check under the hood (water, battery, oil) and wash the windshield. Every attendant had a huge rag hanging out of his back pocket that he used to wipe the oil dipstick. Then, much like a sommelier proffering a sample of a vintage wine, he’d present the dipstick to the driver for his inspection. He would then wield his squeegee with the skill of a surgeon, carefully cleaning those panoramic windshields of the era with just a few expert swipes. All this whether the customer had purchased 50 cents worth or a tank full of gas.

6. FREE ROAD MAPS

Back before gas station employees were simply cashiers tucked away behind bullet-proof glass, lost motorists could pull into any service station and get detailed, accurate directions. The attendant would often mark on a road map as a visual aid and then let the driver take it with him, free of charge. In fact, it was expected that gas stations in any given area had a rack full of complimentary road maps.

7. LEADED GASOLINE

Prior to 1971, automotive engines were equipped with "soft" valve seats and leaded gasoline acted as a lubricant to prevent excessive wear. Beginning in 1973, however, the Environmental Protection Agency began imposing limits on the lead content in gas and newer model cars were equipped with catalytic converters (which required unleaded fuel) as pollution-control devices. By the mid-1970s, instead of “Regular or Ethyl?,” attendants regularly asked customers, “Leaded or Unleaded?”

8. CREDIT CARD TRAYS

Even before self-service and “pay at the pump” card swipers, customers could still use credit cards to purchase gasoline. The attendant took your card (and most oil companies had their own cards) inside to process it and brought the slip back to your car on a small tray along with a pen for you to sign it. Eventually stations got high-tech and had portable manual imprinting machines that the attendant would “kerchunk” immediately, no waiting necessary.

Cedar's Take: my first job was at Starmount Gulf Archdale Drive and South Boulevard. Hubert Blanton said he'd hire me if I got a haircut. So I rode my bike down the street and went from hippy kid to grease monkey in about ten minutes. I returned to the service station and got a well damn, ok you can start now. That summer I learned about perverts, racists, stealing from your employer, how to mount a set of tires and pretty much fell in love with cars of all makes and models. 

It wasn't a great job, the pay was not even minimum wage and I worked ten hours from 11 a.m. until the 9 p.m. closing. I had Sundays off because we were closed Sundays and Holidays. 

My first experience with a hand gun happened in back of the station. Motor-mouth Carl the station's 6-3 uniformed attendant asked me if I could shoot a gun, pointing to the chrome 38 revolver under the cash register. We took the gun out back and he put a bottle on the fence, stepped back a dozen feet and put six holes in the fence, leaving the bottle standing. Laughing at his poor aim he took a bullet from his pocket and loaded it into the gun handed it to me. I took aim, then lowered the gun and took aim again, I took me nearly a minute to steady myself when I lightly squeezed the trigger and recycled the bottle into a hundred pieces. 

I'm not sure what Carl's instructions were, but I'm sure it included the "N" word and some encouragement for not taking so long to aim.

I suspect Hubert and Motor-mouth Carl, Shemp the mechanic, and Jim who cleaned the bathrooms are all gone now. But they live on in the echoes of gas station bells of long ago.

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Op-Ed

LIBERATION IS COMING

This past year and a half has been quite extraordinary. I know most of you CMPD people don’t particularly care and others are rather smug. But, as interested as you all are in hearing about the latest police shooting, whereby your department utterly threw your fellow coworker to the wolves, you should also be interested in the feeding the wolves get from the airport officers. Who knows, in some way or another, you may be next.

Last year I wrote about the Holocaust of the Airport Police. Has it not come to itsfruition? Ah, yes. The City you work for has utterly broken every federal law possible to accomplish the aforementioned annihilation.  But the Americans, with their Constitution have come to the rescue. The Nazi’s are very nearly defeated. But keep an eye on those pesky Japanese. The quiet ones that say nothing.  They quietly plant rumors of upcoming transfer dates that never happen. The quiet ones that add proverbial relief in the form of old men better suited for shuffleboard than the experienced officer’s onsite. The ones that hold no pep talks or further information on what one can expect of their lifelong careers; the constant stress and anxiety of the ones who are most loyal.  

Hail not to the aggressors but to the ones still standing, doing their jobs as if they were never attacked. Ask any of the occupiers. They will tell you what a raw deal the law abiding citizens have received.  

Do any of you know why the transformation date hasn’t occurred yet? Because a federal judge will not allow it. All of you should educate yourselves on what is happening. Do not judge, ask their experience, which is more that any lieutenant of captain has ever done. Judge after you understand and then brace yourselves from the machine that will attempt in any way to grind you up!

Read what has been filed and understand how a small few is winning against the machine.

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Cliven Bundy Racist or Rancher With Dead Aim?

Before the weekend starts you'll have read or heard these words spoken by Cliven Bundy and reported by the New York Times, that have sparked cries of racism a hundred times:

“I want to tell you one more thing I know about the Negro,” he said. Mr. Bundy recalled driving past a public-housing project in North Las Vegas, “and in front of that government house the door was usually open and the older people and the kids — and there is always at least a half a dozen people sitting on the porch — they didn’t have nothing to do. They didn’t have nothing for their kids to do.

They didn’t have nothing for their young girls to do. “And because they were basically on government subsidy, so now what do they do?” he asked. “They abort their young children, they put their young men in jail, because they never learned how to pick cotton.

And I’ve often wondered, are they better off as slaves, picking cotton and having a family life and doing things, or are they better off under government subsidy? They didn’t get no more freedom. They got less freedom.”

Well Cliven Bundy isn't the most eloquent speaker and on face value he sure does sound like a racist.

But what Mr. Bundy says is not only dead on, he raises the most interesting observation, about abortion and prison. What Bundy should have said is that since the 1960's and the civil right movement, African Americans have sought justice, but all our federal government gave them was a subsidy.

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For a What It Is Worth The Clodfelter Duke Energy Connection

In the back draft of the Patrick Cannon arrest, isn't it convenient that Dan Clodfelter rushed to Charlotte's aid?

 

Maybe more so, maybe not. 

 

We all recognize the conflict of interest with Governor McCrory and Duke Energy's coal ash Pandora's box. 

 

Also of local concern is the massive amount of coal ash at the Mountain Island Steam Station and the extremely close proximity of the toxic waste to Charlotte's main source of drinking water. 

 

But what about Clodfelter's former law firm Moore Van Allen who represents Duke Energy's interest in transferring the coal ash from the Duke property to a landfill located at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CDIA)?

 

Then there is the Jerry Orr factor, his named keeps popping up even though he is no longer associated with the airport he tried to hijack last year.

 

Expect the coal ash transfer issue to get on the fast track, and get pushed to a vote in approval before the issue of a regional airport authority is settled. 

 

Cozy isn't it? 

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18 Brief Thoughts On Why Golf Needs Bubba Watson Right Now

A fun read by former Charlotte Observer columnist Tommy Tomlinson

1. Bubba Watson came to the 15th tee of the Masters on Sunday with a three-shot lead. He hit his drive left, into the trees.

2. The 15th is a par-5 full of temptation and doom. Long hitters can reach the green in two. Gene Sarazen famously holed a double-eagle there on the way to winning the Masters in 1935. But there’s a pond in front of the green, and many a player’s Masters dream has died right there in the water. With a three-shot lead, and your ball in the rough, the only thing it makes sense to do is lay up.

3. Bubba Watson does not lay up.

4. Ask a friend who doesn’t follow golf to name three active golfers. Everybody will get Tiger Woods. Most everybody will get Phil Mickelson. Who’s next? I bet most people who don’t watch golf would say John Daly.

5. Tiger is 38 and basically done. Phil is 43 and fading. John Daly is hanging out at a Hooters somewhere.

6. Yes, Tiger is basically done — at least by his standards. Once he returns from back surgery, he might win some more tournaments, might even rise to No. 1 in the world again. But those things don’t matter much to Tiger. The majors matter. He hasn’t won one in six years. And now he’s facing not just the slow erosion of time but a body that is breaking down like an old Gremlin.  Tiger practiced harder than anybody else, for longer than anybody else, to make it to the top. But now maybe all those hours on the range are catching up to him. Maybe you’ve got only so many golf shots in you. And maybe Tiger’s almost on empty. He needs four majors to catch Jack Nicklaus’ record, five to pass him. I’d say it’s even money that he doesn’t win even one.

The rest of Tommy's list is here 

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Paulina Gretzky Golf Digest Cover Takes Flack

Golf Digest is getting a solid helping of flack from the LPGA for the just out Golf Digest issue which features the maxim hottie and daughter of the hockey great Wayne Gretzky.

 

Paulina's claim to the golf world is that she plays some and is pretty often spotted inside the ropes with her PGA Tour beau.

 

 

Not enough reason so says the LPGA, perhaps since the last time a LPGA tour champion graced the cover of the mag was 2008.  On the other hand why not?

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More Fallout From Charlotte Catholic High School

CP is hearing that certain students, as many as two dozen will not be asked to return to Charlotte Catholic High School next year to finish out their senior year.

Additionally as many as eight rising juniors have also be asked not to return to the school.

The good news is they are not being expelled rather school administration just simply refunded their tuition. Traditionally students removed from school are not offered refunds. Apparently conferences are being held and some students are given warnings while others are just shown the door. There are no reports of students being forced to leave the school before the end of the current school year.

The rumored purge falls on the heels of a number of local Catholic church leaders calling out parents for their actions in response to a controversial presentation by Sr. Jane a couple of weeks ago.

According to one source, this servers as a stark reminder that attending CCHS is a privilege and not a right, even for members of the Catholic faith.

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Dan Clodfelter Takes Over As Charlotte's Mayor

Later this morning Dan Clodfelter will put his feet up on Patrick Cannon's old desk. Maybe a little cigar smoke will help clear the air?

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Former Charlotte City Councilman Mitchell's Ties To CertusBank's Spending Spree

While MSM continued to focus attention on "Cannon Gate" including the request of prayers for Patrick Cannon. Late Friday Charlotte City Manager Ron Carlee went on local television to pled for anyone knowing of wrong doing to come forward, a saying "now is the time".

But little noticed outside of investment and banking circles, shareholders of  a somewhat obscure area bank questioned wild spending amid mounting losses.



CertusBank SouthPark Branch

CertusBank management spent:

• More than $350,000 on private jet flights.
• More than $300,000 on sporting events, including $131,000 on Carolina Panthers tickets.
• More than $100,000 on private club memberships and luxury vacation expenses.
• More than $1.5 million on three corporate apartments. The bank spent $1 million to out fit them.
• More then $30 million to up fit the new Greenville headquarters.
• More than $1 million in art work
• and 300,000 pennies glued to an office ceiling.

But the lavish lifestyle of the management team is nothing compared to the question of more than $11 million in payments to consultants, including large payments to Integrated Capital Strategies, a financial consulting firm owned by bank executives and managed in part by former Charlotte City Council member James “Smuggie” Mitchell.

Apparently a review of financial statements showed that ICS was overbilling the bank for its asset resolution services. The bank said it contracted with the company to help deal with the millions of dollars worth of troubled assets it assumed with the failed banks.

From the Charlotte Business Journal:
In one case, CertusBank paid ICS a total of $537,475 for a year’s work by a contractor, while ICS paid him $150,000, the letter states. CertusBank senior executives were also paid more than $1.5 million in cash between 2011 and 2013 by ICS, the letter states.
ICS chief executive Sammy Hicks III did not respond to requests for comment. CertusBank said it no longer has a contract with ICS.
Listed among the management team is Mitchell, the longtime Former Charlotte City Councilman.

Mitchell said he was hired by ICS in 2011. He was first elected to the City Council in 1999 and lost to Patrick Cannon in the Democratic primary for Charlotte mayor in 2013.

Mitchell works in ICS’ government services division, which represents and lobbies local governments and helps companies secure government business, according to its website. Mitchell said he works with small towns on issues such as setting up tax collection systems. He said he does not work with the city of Charlotte.

Mitchell is one of five executives named as the company’s leaders. He is listed as a managing partner and managing director at ICS, but Mitchell said he characterizes himself as a lower-level “grunt.” He said he is not familiar with ICS’ work with CertusBank.

Is there a CertusBank connection to Patrick Cannon as well as Smuggie Mitchell? Who knows?

But Mitchell's attempt to distance himself from CertusBank claiming "grunt" status ought to perk your ears up.

CP's Take:

There is no one on Charlotte's City Council "clean enough" to assume the role of mayor.

The Cannon scandal is embarrassing, but can you imagine council appointing a mayor from their own ranks only to have that appointee indicted a month from now?

Even if the next mayor is not charged everyone on council is tainted as long as this investigation is on going.

Frankly ask any taxpayer, any citizen, all associated with the current city council and city management are suspect. Given the term of the new mayor a special election is the only option. 

Cedar Posts Bonus:

Interesting how Anthony Foxx quickly distanced himself from Charlotte once he arrived in Washington. His cheerleading efforts for light rail came to a screeching halt. Leaving one to imagine at some point he got word of the FBI's interest in Patrick Cannon and ......

I guess we shall see.

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Charlotte Cathloic High School - Dustup!

I'll let main stream media stir the pot some more, but the dustup caused by Sister Jane Dominic Laurel who is little known outside of "catlick" circles is really kind of funny.

At issue is her "talk" about homosexually during which she reportedly spent about half of her hour-long time speaking about queers, including attributing a correlation between the decline of fatherhood in America and the rise in homosexuality and that masturbation and porn will make you gay.

Oddly enough there is apparently no recording of her making these comments. No recording has surfaced from an audience of more than 200 iPhone carrying High School kids.

CP suspects that the real trouble is that many of the parents and students at Charlotte Catholic High School (CCHS) have a different view of sexual identity than that of the older established Catholic High School Administration.

Add to the fact that some inside the church are convinced that Pope Francis is saying it's all good quoting his comments ”Who am I to Judge” and  “we can not insist only on issues related to abortion, gay marriage and the use of contraceptives methods.”

So the main reason for this "dust-up" is that a good percentage of the student body at Charlotte Catholic are anything but "Roman Catholic", and kids by and large tend to move like a herd of cattle. Everyone wants to fit in and being pro-LGBT is very much in vogue. (Cue Madonna)

Years ago Charlotte Catholic was the school that only "cat licks" went to, this of course began to change with the busing for integration in the mid 1970's and the overall decline in the academic standards of the Charlotte Mecklenburg School System - CMS.

Busing caused an impressive growth in private and parochial schools in North Carolina. Nowhere has this been more evident than in South Charlotte. Campuses of Charlotte Latin, Country Day School, Charlotte Christian and Providence Day School today rival that of many small colleges.

Charlotte Catholic also "cashed in" on this growth by building an impressive high school campus on Pineville Matthews Road. Trouble is in order to do so, they had to allow "outsiders" known as Non-Participating Catholics & Non-Catholics to attend the school.

On the plus side tuition is considerably less for "Non-Catholics", $13,348.00 annually vs $21,760.00 at Charlotte Country Day School. On the down side it is a "Catholic School"!

CP has been unable to find a firm number of Non-Participating Catholics & Non-Catholics vs true Roman Catholics but I'm hearing that the number is nearly 50%. It also appears that much of Sister Jane's comments were taken out of context, as are those of the Holy Father.

Add to the mix the power of social media to report, as well as distort and you get a crazy dust up of biblical proportions.

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