February 2023

StarNews StarNews

Commission Chairman Michelle Morgan presents brief state of the county address at chamber breakfast

120 in attendance for annual address

No questions were taken

story by Wayne J. Reynolds

On January 12, 2023, the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce held its membership breakfast featuring the 2nd Annual “State of the County” by Carroll County Commission Chairman Michelle Morgan, with approximately 120 in attendance.

Chairman Morgan began her thirteen and a half minute presentation by introducing those See CHAIRMAN MORGAN page 7

Three lose property in courthouse steps auction for failure to pay back taxes; each for less than $2,500

170 + county properties went up for public auction at March 2022 FIFA tax lien sale

story by Sue Horn Evans

A Fieri Facias Lien or Notice (FIFA) is the official notification that a tax account has been assigned to a state division for enforcing collection of unpaid and due taxes on property. This is the first step of aggressive collection.

Each year, the Carroll County Tax Office notifies property owners who are past due, and See BACK TAXES page 11

Commission chair schedules and approves purchase of $3,562 for tailored clothing for 26 employees

Tax money spent on jackets for 11 female and 15 male employees

story by Sue Horn Evans

Carroll Commission Chair Michelle Morgan arranged and approved a $3,562 purchase for tailor-fitted jackets for 26 county employees and elected officials. Two elected officials refused the jacket offer: Carroll County Tax Commissioner Vickie Bearden and County District 5 Commissioner Ernie Reynolds. See $3,562 JACKETS page 11

Sheriff’s department offers possible solutions concerning rising anxiety between the law and the citizenry

story and photo by Wayne J. Reynolds

National news reports of traffic stops or the serving of civil papers to the home gone horribly wrong between citizens and law enforcement, has led many - if not most - citizens today experience anxiety or nervousness upon seeing flashing blue lights in your rear view mirror or when there is a knock on your door. “What have I done?!” you may ask yourself. The degree of anxiety certainly will depend on your personal life experiences.

. . .many - if not mostcitizens today experience anxiety or nervousness upon seeing flashing blue lights in your rear view mirror or when there is a knock on your door

StarNews sat down with Major Craig Dodson of the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department to discuss what a citizen should or should not do and what to expect while interacting with law enforcement. Dodson also gave insight on what an officer/deputy faces each work day. Major Dodson’s background with the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department began his career in 1990 having been hired by Sheriff Jack Bell. Over the years, Dodson has worked in K-9, narcotics, court services, and the jail as he was promoted through the ranks under three elected county sheriffs: Bell, Tony Reeves, and Terry Langley. He summed up, “I have done most everything.”

See MAJORCRAIGDODSON page 12

- see page 2

Auditors show county has accumulated $18.1M in revenues over expenses from past five fiscal years

Cash reserve: 6.4 months of operating budget on hand at $39,508,245

When questioned, Rushton CPA auditor opined, “I don’t think that’s too much” extra cash

story by Sue Horn Evans

Carroll County Board of Commissioners met for their annual (overnight) retreat in Callaway Gardens, Pine Mountain, GA on Tuesday, January 31st (full day of meetings) and Wednesday, February 1st (half day of meetings). All six district commissioners and See $18.1M more collected page 5

County auto insurance to rise: $508,568 in claims for fire dept. wrecks

One wrecked 2018 Sutphen Pumper One wrecked 2019 Ford F-150 Pick-up

story by Sue Horn Evans

On the first day of their retreat, Tuesday, January 31st, the Carroll County Board of Commissioners heard from county insurance provider MarshMcLennan Agency, locally J. Smith Lanier,Carrollton. Newton Jennings,

Villa Rica council hear concerns about homeless camp

story by Janice Daniel

The Mayor and Council of Villa Rica recently heard from numerous citizens citing concerns about a homeless camp in the city. During Public Comments of the council’s Tuesday, January 10, 2023 regular meeting, citizens voiced serious concerns about a

Major Craig Dodson of the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department

MARCH 30APRIL 27 I DEPOT ON BRADLEY

DaVinci’s Last Supper. The interactive exhibit is comprised of individual installations and a full-size reproduction of the High Renaissance classic, The Last Supper. The exhibit includes an audio accompaniment, in both English and Spanish, that walks through the creative choices that gave rise to DaVinci’s poignant recreation of Christ’s final meal with his apostles and the announcement of his betrayal.

For a limited time, come and expe rience

Tickets are $20 for adults with reduced pricing for youth and large groups .

carrolltonarts.com/thelastsupper

Senator Dugan now chair of Veterans, Military, and Homeland Security committee; State Rep. Smith now chair of House Judiciary Non-Civil committee

from press release

Sen. Mike Dugan (R - Carrollton) was assigned by the Senate Committee on Assignments to serve as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans, Military, and Homeland Security.

“I am both honored and humbled to have been selected by my Senate colleagues to serve as chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans, Military, and Homeland Security,” said Sen. Dugan. “As a retired veteran myself, I understand first-hand the sacrifice it takes to dedicate yourself to serving this great nation. We have extremely high number of veterans that choose to call Georgia home and our committee responsibility is to ensure we address the needs of those veterans and their families. My fellow committee members and I will not take this responsibility lightly.”

In addition, Sen. Dugan was assigned to serve on the following Senate committees: Economic Development and Tourism – Vice Chair; Appropriations; Public Safety – Ex Officio; Rules. He represents Senate District 30 which includes Carroll, and Haralson Counties and portions of Paulding and Douglas Counties. mike.dugan@senate.ga.gov

The Georgia House of Representatives’ Committee on Assignments named State Representative Tyler Paul Smith (R-Bremen) as the Chairman of the House Judiciary NonCivil Committee.

“I am truly humbled and honored,” said Rep.

Georgia Farm Bureau art contest for middle, high school students

1st place $100 gift card; 2nd place $75 gift card; and 3rd place $50 gift card

Are you a middle school or high school student who likes to draw? If so, then enter the 2023 Georgia Farm Bureau Middle School Bookmark or High School Art Contests for the chance to win some great cash prizes! The Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) Middle School Bookmark Contest is open to all public, private, and home-schooled 6th, 7th, and 8thgrade students statewide. The 10 GFB district winners of the bookmark contest will receive $100 each and compete for the state prize of $150. The 1st place winner of the Carroll County Farm Bureau Middle School Bookmark Contest will receive a $100 gift card; 2nd place will receive a $75 gift card; & 3rd place will receive a $50 gift card.

The GFB High School Art Contest is also open to all public, private, and home-schooled students in 9th-12th grades. The 10 GFB district art contest winners will receive a cash prize of $100. The 10 GFB district art contest winners will compete for the state prize of $250 cash. One state runner-up in the art contest will receive $150 cash. The 1st place winner of the Carroll County Farm Bureau Art Contest will receive a $100 gift card; 2nd place will receive a $75 gift card; & 3rd place will receive a $50 gift card.

Middle school students will be given a blank bookmark and asked to draw a picture that depicts some aspect of Georgia agriculture. Students may use crayons, markers, or colored pencils to create their bookmark that illustrates agriculture.

High schoolers entering the art contest should draw a scene depicting Georgia agriculture. Artwork submitted in the high school art contest must be on 8.5 x 11-inch white paper and should be created in the colors black,

See GFBARTCONTEST page 12

Smith. “This is perhaps the most important committee in in the House as it affects our liberties in every bill we consider. The pursuit of justice in our criminal justice system has and always will be the most important endeavor we face as policy makers.”

The House Committee on Assignments, chaired by House Speaker Jon Burns (RNewington), is charged with making all House committee assignments for the members of the Georgia House of Representatives.

Representative Tyler Paul Smith represents the citizens of District 18, which includes Haralson County and portions of Carroll and Paulding counties. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2020.

Edward Jones

Gerald & Donna Clark

chairman were present as was one hired facilitator ($100/hour), two county attorneys, county clerk, finance director, communications director, and administrative specialist: 14 attendees.

One of the retreat’s numerous meetings was the presentation of the county’s annual audit results Fiscal Year July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2022. Audit was performed by Rushton Certified Public Accountants Clay L. Pilgrim, CPA, CFE, CFF and Julie M. George, CPA. They presented their findings in a series of charts and explanations in two booklets.

The overall financial picture of the county was commented on by CPA Julie George, “Revenues are not only keeping up, they are exceeding expenses. . . this is a positive trend. . . 6.4 months of operating budget on hand.”

District 2 Commissioner Clint Chance asked the accountants what their opinion was on the county having 6.4 months of cash in reserve, was that enough or was it too much? Pilgrim stated that it was a “healthy, but not too healthy” amount. George stated, “I don’t think that’s too much. I’ve seen it as high as, probably, 17 months before. . . six months reserve. . . it’s great to see.”

Rushton’s fees, which was voted on by the board, totaled $102,800 for the Financial Audit and the Single Audit required because of the

level of federal funding the county receives.

Bullet points from the 155 page detailed report and accompanying 13 page booklet:

1. Revenues over expenses have been accumulating since 2018; at FY2022 net position was $18,125,143. (See chart this page)

2. Revenue over expenditures for FY2022: $7,252,161 ($7.25M) (See chart this page)

3. Fund Balance (cash reserve/cash on hand) total: $39,508,245 ($39.5M) of which the vast majority (83%) $32,883,295 ($32.8M) is “Unassigned” (not tagged for any particular expense/ not restricted/ not committed) Specifially, the auditors pointed out: “The County’s unassigned fund balance increased $6,521,229 over the prior year.”

The majority of the General Fund Revenues are from property taxes: 46% for $31,956,622. The Local Option Sales Taxes accounts for 22% of the budget followed by Charges for Services 9%, Insurance Premium Taxes 8%, and other taxes, licenses, permits, fines, etc. (See chart this page.)

The majority of the General Fund Expenditures by Function is Public Safety at 53% for $32,413,440, followed by Public Works 13%, General Government 13%, and Judicial 13%. The remainder expenditures by function were in recreation 5%, housing 2%, debt service 1%, and health and welfare at less than 1%.

GA Tech Betas

Revenues & Expenditures

Last 5 years

FY2022: Revenues over Expenditures

$68,784,721 revenues

- $61,532,560 expenditures

$7,252,161 in excess of budgeted expressed needs

Villa Rica Councilmember Leslie McPherson elected mayor pro tem; city’s cash on hand grows to $33.6M

story by Janice Daniel

The Mayor and Council of Villa Rica conducted a Special Called Meeting prior to their Regular Monthly meeting on 1/10/23 at 6:00 p.m. for the sole purpose of the appointment of members of the Public Facilities Authority. Those appointed and approved unanimously were: Chairman: the Mayor, Gil McDougal; Vice Chairman: the Mayor Pro Tem, Matthew Momtahan; Secretary: City Clerk, Theresa Campbell. Minutes of the meetings of January, 2022 and May 4, 2022 were read and approved.

Special Called Meeting was then adjourned, and the Regular Meeting was called to order by the Mayor. Mayor Gil McDougal performed the swearing-in of Judge Keith Rollins.

During Public Comments, most citizens spoke of the homeless camp located on the corner of Williams Industrial Blvd. and Highway 101. (See front page story.)

The 15-item Consent Agenda was approved unanimously (see story this page) and Councilmember Leslie McPherson was voted Mayor Pro Tem for 2023.

Minutes of the prior month meetings were approved unanimously.

Mayor then called upon city attorney David Meckin to present the first reading of the Ordinance to Redistrict the Council Wards. Mecklin said the city must meet the requirements of the Federal and State Constitutions in the one-person one-vote legal standard. The 2020 Census showed an imbalance in Villa Rica, and had to be revised by the State Reapportionment Office. The revised map is on the city’s website, and the paper map can be viewed at City Hall.

The city must adopt the map through the Home Rule Provisions of Georgia law, which requires that the new map be presented in two

separate council meetings (final reading at February regualr council meeting), and inbetween the two meetings, legal notice must be given to the public.

Currently Ward 1 Councilmember is Shirley Marchman, Ward 2 is Matthew Momtahan, Ward 3 is Leslie McPherson, Ward 4 is Anna McCoy, and Ward 5 is Danny Carter. Once the map is adopted in February, each person can go to the Secretary of State’s website “Your Voter Page” to find your ward. Mecklin made a motion to approve the first reading, which was approved by the Council unanimously.

The convenience center at 157 Commerce Drive, Villa Rica, is under new ownership and

had to apply for a license to offer sale of packaged beer, malt beverages and wine. After approval by the Council, Mr. Mecklin instructed the new owner that the City of Villa Rica strictly enforces the law against selling alcohol to underage persons, and that he should be very careful, himself and his employees, to request ID from everyone, because the VRPD makes random checks for compliance, and failure to comply results in loss of license. The owner confirmed that he understood.

The Financial Update was given by Jennifer Hallman, reporting total cash at 11/30/22 was $33,684,320, compared to $27,587,661 at the same time last year.

Self-funded insurance added $172,070 to the fund for a cash balance of $1,359,042.

There was growth in water taps.

Carter and McCoy asked about the North By-Pass and FUQUA projects. City mamaner Tom Barber said the city started in November with six weeks of cutting down trees, and six weeks of burning the debris, and hope to start grading by the first of March. It is a three-year build started in the fall of 2022 and should be completed by the fall of 2025, including both roundabouts.

Barber stated that Fuqua has closed on the land for a grocery store that he said will be completed later this year.

Villa Rica council hold 1:00 p.m. work session to set multi-item consent agenda

by Janice Daniel

The Mayor and City Council of Villa Rica met for a work session January 10, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. to discuss upcoming business and to prepare the consent agenda for the regular meeting following at 6:00 p.m.

The 15-item Consent Agenda which was prepared is as follows:

1.EPD Mandated Long-Term Water Quality Monitoring at a budgeted cost of $28,676. Staff recommended Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc.

2.Appointment of Lois Gerstenberger as Solicitor for the Municipal Court.

3.Revision of the Hotel/Motel Sales Tax Ordinance to allow the city to begin collecting this tax from entities such as VRBO and Airbnb

4.To approve the annual pledge payment of $75,000 to Carroll Tomorrow.

5.Establishment of the fees for candidates qualifying for Municipal Elections, at 3% of the current salary of the position held. The fee to qualify to run for Mayor is at $342.00 and

for Councilmembers $270.00.

6.Approval of appointment of Doug Lang to the Planning and Zoning Commission Ward 1, for the term of 1/1/23 to 12/31/24.

7.Approval of appointment of Nancy Mims to the Planning and Zoning Commission Ward 5, for the term of 1/1/23 to 12/31/24.

8.Approval of appointment of Carolene Cox to the Main Street Advisory Board for a staggered term of 1/1/23 to 12/31/24.

9.Approval of appointment of Ronda McCullors to the Main Street Advisory Board for a staggered term of 1/1/23 to 12/31/24.

10.Approval to convert part-time IT Technician to full-time IT Technician at a nonbudgeted amount of $22,536 for 20 additional hours per week salary and benefits

11.Approval to implement Armis Vulnerability Management Solution at an annual cost of $46,132

12.Approval to implement ThinkGuard Disaster Recovery Solutions to replace current Barracuda Backup System with a full data protection service. Cost is $37,405.40, which

State Rep J Collins

is a budgeted item including set-up fee, then annual cost will be $31,850.40.

13.Request for Resolution of Support of the application for the 2023 RAISE Grant Program with a 20% match commitment from the City.

If awarded, funds will be used for Punkintown Road,. Grant amount is $15,128,206; city’s match: $3,782,051.

14.Request to authorize mayor to approve Master Services agreement with Lowe Engineers to provide transportation engineering services.

15.Request to authorize mayor to approve Work Order 22.12.05 with Lowe Engineers for an amount not to exceed $54,635, funded by Carroll SPLOST.

Under Public Comments, Michael Young of Villa Rica said that he thinks the RAISE grant, if awarded, will be a sort of “back-up” run at the East By-Pass, and he doesn’t recommend doing that.

With no further business for work session, the meeting was adjourned.

story by Wayne J. Reynolds

Residents in Carroll County and West Georgia have seen businesses come and go, but for the past 61 years Smith Brothers Supply Company, a family business in Carrollton has stood the test of time and that tradition and legacy continues today.

Smith Brothers has certainly evolved over the decades. It was started in 1962 by brothers Ronald and Stuart Smith as a home improvement company and evolved into a supply and appliance company. In 1965, nephew Ray joined the company. Stuart passed away in 1982 and Ronald passed in 2020. Ronald’s daughter, Ashley Smith Hendrix, joined the company in 2014 and manages it today.

StarNews sat down with Ashley, Ray, and Ronald’s widow, Elaine, to find out what has made Smith Brothers so successful over the past 61 years. Ray said, “We started in 1962 and I joined in 1965. About ten years later, we bought the back lot because we were running out of room. It is used as our pipe yard. We have always had the tradition of a deep inventory and supply. We always knew that the customer is our paycheck. That $10 sale of a faucet stem might turn into a $100 sale later on.”

“Personnel wise we have never had much turnover,” Ashley added. “Our strength is our customer service. We have customers not only from Carrollton, but all over West Georgia and East Alabama - and now more and more from Atlanta. People check the internet, but they find we have it. Keeping that deep inventory makes a difference.”

county commissioners who were in attendance, Clint Chance, this year’s Vice Chair Steve Fuller, Ernie Reynolds, and Danny Bailey as well as other county officials in attendance. She thanked Carroll EMC for bringing broadband to Carroll County.

“We represent people not land,” Morgan stated. “After numerous meetings, a hearing, and after eighteen months, the board updated the land ordinance on land division, reflecting the current needs on land division and still protecting rural living, that we all enjoy.

“People come in all the time and say ‘I have looked all over town and they tell us to go to Smith Brothers’,” Ray said. “Inventory and customer service! I have people come in who we helped build their homes and now we are helping their children build a home. And we carry quality products like Moen in faucets.”

“We have evolved as the industry has evolved,” Ashley reflected. “We started out in cast iron but now offer Pegs and pro press fittings. There have been a lot of changes and we have changed with them. For example, Cooper is not just soldered anymore. The plumbers use a pro press which saves them time, and time is money. And with steel pipe, as well.”

“People need to know we are not just here for plumbers and the government, “Elaine remarked. “We are here and open for everyone. And many people don’t realize we have the upstairs with name brand appliances.”

“We have grown as Carrollton has grown,” Ray said. “And people like to know the folks behind the counter. It’s about building relationships.”

Ashley said that covid made for challenges for the seven employee staff, “But, we did not miss a day. We are so grateful for our employees. We treat them like family - no, they ARE family. Ray, Mom, and I really have been lucky to have such great employees! Like everyone elase, we have had supply challenges, but it gets better every day.”

Addressing the challenges of dealing with chains like Home Depot and Lowes, Ashley observed, “For example, our products are not

vative stewardship in business and at home and I bring that outlook to my job as

Carrollton | 119 Maple Street | 770-838-9608

Douglasville | 6670 Church Street | 770-942-5681

“We are thrilled that Glock is building a state of the art training facility for public safety officials from all over the world on 3600 hundred acres of land. 300 acres will be for the training facility, bringing in new increased property tax dollars while 3300 acres will still remain rural.”

Morgan shared that Morgan Oil is celebrating 90 years in business and that her husband, Jimmy, has been leading the company for 40 of those years. “We believe in practicing conser-

meet that need and to help the local economy as well.

like theirs, while our faucets are metal, whereas Home Depot’s is plastic. There are differences in the quality of products.”

Ray said, “They may carry Moen and we carry Moen, but like most manufactures, they make different levels of quality. They are not the same. A lot of difference!”

“Something new we now have is the steel press - like the pro press - on steel pipe. It cuts down the time for plumbers. And we pride ourselves on getting the workers in and out which their foreman really appreciates getting them back on the job.”

“We have Pex, a popular type of pipe, which

we have the fitting so homeowners don’t have to have to buy a tool and they can just use tools in their tool box to finish the job,” Ashley said. “We have women come in about a leaking toilet, and we can offer the knowledge and encouragement to fix the valve themselves.”

Smith Brothers Supply Company, the tradition continues whether you need pipe, plumbing, irrigation, electric, ac/dc, appliances, or tools, its in supply.

Smith Brothers is located at 10 City Hall Avenue in downtown Carrollton. Visit www.smithbrothersupply.com or call 770-8326341 for more information.

Shown above are Ray Smith, Elaine Smith (RonaldSmith’s widow) with her daughter Ashley Smith Hendrix who is manager of Smith Brothers Supply Company.

Smith Brothers Supply shares how the family-owned company has survived - and thrived - through the decades of changes

CHAIRMAN MORGAN from front page

Individualism and the American gun debate

submitted by the League of Women Voters of Carrollton/Carroll County

At the January 23, 2023 Virtual Speaker Series organized by the League of Women Voters of Carrollton/Carroll County, Drs. Dylan McLean and Anthony Fleming of the Department of Civic Engagement and Public Service at the University of West Georgia advanced a convincing argument that research data has proven largely irrelevant to an understanding of the underlying unresolved issues on this controversial topic. Despite a massive amount of data on gun violence, numbers killed, numbers of incidents, etc., persons on either side of the ongoing gun debate seem to be unmoved to change their positions. On an individual level, a person who believes in the God-given right of Americans to hold guns doesn’t seem to question this view following a mass shooting resulting in multiple deaths. Likewise, a person who believes that gun ownership should be curtailed to protect the public, is equally unlikely to be swayed by evidence that a gun-owning civilian saved the day in a particular situation.

and “my family,” while gun control activists focus on “our community,” the “public,” and “our society.” Gun rights advocates believe in powerful individuals and weak governance; their hero is the “rugged individual.” Gun control advocates see themselves as members of society and of their communities and embrace the idea that individual rights must be balanced with consideration for the public good.

Despite a massive amount of data on gun violence, numbers killed, numbers of incidents, etc., persons on either side of the ongoing gun debate seem to be unmoved to change their positions.

The two groups hold very different world views.

Gun rights activists have consistently and successfully framed their argument through the American individualism lens, merging “object” gun and the “symbolic” gun into one. For them, guns are much more than an object. They are a symbol of personal freedom and for what it means to be an American. When there is a threat to the availability of guns, they consider it a threat to their personal freedom as an American.

fact, rev up the appetite of gun rights advocates for securing even more guns.

While the research conducted by Drs. McLean and Fleming focused on the views of these activists rather than a broad cross-section of citizens whose views on the subject may be more nuanced, it is important to note that the responses of the activists are widely expressed and have a significant impact on legislative policy.

The evening’s presentation also tracked the trajectory of legislative policy with regard to firearms. Dr. Fleming reported on a review of every New York Times article between 1960 and 2016 that dealt with interest groups, or the president or congress addressing the issue of firearms. All official statements about this matter from President Kennedy to President Obama were analyzed. This information

included fascinating details from each presidential cycle. In summary, the presidents varied greatly in their public attention to firearms management, as did congressional action. In the 1960s, the mood of the Great Society was influential, with a focus on community issues and gun control. In the highly individualistic 1980s, the Firearm Owner Protection Act was signed into law by Reagan.

Reagan was the first president to speak at an NRA meeting; in 2005 a law was passed that prevents firearms manufacturers from being sued over harm caused by firearms.

Questions from the audience about the gathering of gun violence statistics by the CDC, and the voice of the Supreme Court in the debate, led to additional commentary supporting the presenters’ thesis that, in the gun

Drs. McLean and Fleming have conducted considerable research on this topic, examining the responses of a large cross-section of activists on both sides of the debate who have given very serious thought to questions of gun access and gun control.

In the process, it has become obvious to them that most of the views on both sides are motivated by the issue of “individualism.” Gun rights activists focus on privacy, “my rights,”

Gun Control advocates, on the other hand, have not had the luxury of “one good argument that works.” They continue to believe in the logic of gun bans, as, for example, for assault weapons. For most gun control advocates, a gun is an object - something that is useful in some circumstances, as for hunting - but they see no problem in controlling its access for the protection of the public.

Their strategies have shifted over time, however, from promoting bans to advocating for safe gun storage, education for responsible gun ownership and use, background checks, red flag laws, etc. They have learned that bans of any sort will be highly alienating and will, in

Lake Carroll Lawn

League of Women Voters of Carrollton/Carroll County hosted a presentation by Drs. Dylan McLean and Anthony Fleming of UWG on the league’s Virtual Speaker Series platform

Community invited to help Carrollton Lions Club celebrate its 90th anniversary Saturday, February 18th at UWG

submitted by Tom Jackson

The Carrollton Lions Club will be celebrating nine decades of service to the Carrollton and West Georgia area on Saturday, February 18, 2023, at the University of West Georgia Campus Center Ballroom, 302 West Georgia Drive, at 4:00 p.m. with a program and dinner.

Carrollton Lions President, Dr. Sam Sauls says, “We would be delighted and honored to have our community join us for this celebratory event.”

Tickets are $50 each and may be purchased from any Carrollton Lions member or by contacting Karen Wild by email: karen.wild@carrolltoncityschools.net or cell 678-699-6103.

The 90th Anniversary Committee, chaired by Fred O’Neal has planned the program, dinner, and festivities. Serving on the committee are Doyle Akins, Karen Wild, Debra Land, Dave Knight, Joe Harris, Dwight Hale, and Tom Jackson.

Keynote speaker will be Donna Townsend, internationally known outstanding Lion from Dalton, Georgia, who has spoken and presented at both district and international Lions conventions over the past fifteen years. She was the first female Lion Club member in the state of Georgia.

Entertainment will be provided by Mimi Gentry, pianist.

The Carrollton Lions Club also recognizes

four men who have been members for 50 years or longer: Jimmy Garrett, Doyle Akins, Carl Brack, and Frank Jones.

All community members who are friends and supporters of the Carrollton Lions Club are invited to attend the anniversary event.

According to Lions Clubs International, there are more than 46,000 Lions Clubs with more than million members globally. Formed

Smith Brothers

in 1917 in Illinois, Lions club members are to “reach beyond business issues and address the betterment of their communities”; “promote the principles of good government and good citizenship”; “take an active interest in the civic, cultural, social, and moral welfare of the community”; and “to encourage serviceminded people to serve their community without personal financial reward” among

many aims. The most well known of the Lions Clubs service projects concerns the blind and visually impaired, which began shortly after Helen Keller addressed the club’s international convention in 1925.

Club membership was restricted to males only until 1987 when the Constitution of Lions Club Internationnal were amended to allow a female to join.

The Blue Group

Shown above are the Carrollton Lions Club members who have been a member for 50 years or more. Shown left to right are Jimmy Garrett, Doyle Akins, Carl Brack and Frank Jones. Photo submitted by Tom Jackson

story by Janice Daniel

City of Carrollton mayor and council met on Monday, January 9, 2023, 6:00 p.m. for their first Regular Meeting of 2023.

A Special Recognition Certificate was read for James “Jim” A. Gill for his public service to the city: president/CEO of CB&T/Synovus, chairman, River City Bank, and UWG Foundation Office (retiring 2015). He headed a three-year fund raising campaign that raised over $1,000,000 for the new Tanner Medical Intensive Care Unit, and he was on the Carrollton Payroll Authority for 30 years.

Mayor and Council comments and announcements mostly revolved around the Georgia Dawgs football game, and they wished everyone a Happy New Year.

Council approved minutes of December meetings, and amended the agenda to include the Mayor Pro Tem vote and an Executive

Session for the purpose of discussing litigation.

Mayor named Bob Uglum as the 2023 Mayor Pro Tem, which was approved unanimously.

Erica Studdard presented rezoning requests which were approved by council unanimously. Council also approved the addition of a technology fee for police department fines going through the Municipal Court, at $10.00 per violation, pending the passing of the law by the Georgia Legislature.

The City of Carrollton Payroll Development Authority reappointed Tim Warren and Michelle Morgan and asked for a recommendation to fill Gill’s expired term. Nick Martin was nominated and approved, and all three of these terms are from 1/1/23 through 12/31/25.

Council then went into Executive Session and the Regular Meeting was adjourned.

Recaps of mayor and council meetings: City of Bowdon, City of Mt.Zion, City of Whitesburg

The following mayor and council meeting information by City of Bowdon City Clerk Susan Pierce. Bowdon.net.

BOWDON: Bowdon Mayor and Council met for regular meeting Monday, January 9, 2023. Councilmember Marty Johnson was absent. Downtown Development Authority Board Appointments – council voted to approve the appointments of Cody Shelton, to replace Keith Barker, with a remaining 6-year term which will expire on January 31, 2027, and Eddie Henley, to replace Randy Gentry, with a remaining 4-year term which will expire on January 31, 2025.

Motion by Mayor Pro-tem Jan Johnson to approve the DDA appointments of Cody Shelton and Eddie Henley to the DDA as presented; second by Councilmember Wes McEntyre; motion carried unanimously.

Ephesus Water Contract – City Manager Gary Bullock presented the contract to sell water to the City of Ephesus. A 5-year contract, with rates to be reviewed annually. Connection fee is $10,000 and water fees for the first twelve months: $650 minimum for the first 250,000 gallons and $2.60 per 1000 gallons for water in excess of 250,000 gallons. Motion by Councilmember McEntyre to approve the contract to sell water to the City of Ephesus as presented; second by Councilmember Randy Saxon; motion carried unanimously

Commercial Sanitation Service: Bullock reviewed the fees for commercial garbage service. He presented a fee chart with increases equal to only the dollar amount that GFL is increasing on our invoices. Bullock will send out letters to commercial customers affected by the increase. Motion by Saxon to adopt increased commercial sanitation fees as presented; seconded by McEntyre; motion carried unanimously.

Qualifying Fees set: Council voted to adopt the election qualifying fees, 3% of the annual salary for the offices of mayor and council members. Mayor: $50.40; Council: $43.20. Motion by McEntyre to approve the election qualifying fees as presented; seconded by Saxon; motion carried unanimously.

There are several businesses who did not pay or obtain business licenses for 2022. City is considering publishing those businesses who are non-compliant. Department heads have been instructed that city will not conduct business with any merchant who does not have a license.

Motion by McEntyre to adjourn the council

meeting; seconded by Saxon; motion carried unanimously.

The following mayor and council meeting information provided by Mt. Zion City Clerk Tammy Hyde. cityofmtzion.com

MOUNT ZION: City of Mount Zion held their monthly council meeting on January 10. Councilmember Eric Robinson was absent. A motion was made and seconded that the use of the 2023 LMIG funds will be directed to culvert and patch work on multiple streets and was approved.

A motion was made and seconded that the city council agrees to award Marsh McLennon the 2023 Workers Comp Insurance bid at the 2023 rate of $16,536 and was approved.

A motion was made and seconded that the council agrees to set the qualifying fee for the 2023 Municipal election of the Council Ward 1 and Ward 2 at $54 and 2023 election of Mayor at $75 and was approved.

Resolution 2023—004 was introduced that it is the city’s desire to provide the most balanced and effective representation of the city council for all its citizens. It is be accomplished by establishing four distinct council districts and each council member shall live within those boundaries established and voted on by citizens who live within the legal established boundaries. These district boundaries are memorialized in a map prepared by the Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment Office of the Georgia General Assembly and further identified as “Plan: mtzioncc—2023. During the 2023 Session of the General Assembly, it is requested that local legislation currently identified as LC47 1975 be introduced which would make the necessary revisions to the City of Mount Zion Charter which would establish four distinct districts for the City Council.

The following mayor and council meeting information for The City of Whitesburg is from www.whiteburg-ga.com:

WHITESBURG:

The City of Whitesburg held its monthly council meeting with 1 item on the agenda. They voted on 2023 Municipal Election Qualifying Fees. Councilmember Chris Lewis made a motion to approve the 2023 Mayor Qualifying Fees of $108 and also the City Council Qualifying Fees of $36 per the provided Resolution.

Motion: Councilmember Chris Lewis Second: Councilmember Lucy Gamble. Vote: 3-0 The motion was approved: Yes. Meeting was adjourned.

of Carrollton recognizes citizen Jim Gill for his years of service to the city; approved additional fee for police fines pending passing of law by legislature

The Sewell Companies, Bremen, were hired.Thompson Lewis came to the Historic Courthouse on ed. Nov. 16, 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. for suit jackets fittings for 11 females and 15 males. County logo was then added to each (black) jacket by Oziers Apparel, Carrollton.

The following received a jacket: Carroll County Commission Chair, County Clerk, Administrative Specialist to Commissioners, Finance Director, Human Resource Director, E911 Director, Community Development Director, Tax Assessor, Public Works Director, Incoming Public Works Director, Solid Waste Director, EMA Director, Communications Director, Carroll County Mental Health Advocate Executive Director, Recreation Director, Warden, Animal Services Director, Ag Extension, Parks Manager, IT Director, Court Services Manager, District 1 Commissioner, District 2 Commissioner, District 3 Commissioner, District 4 Commissioner, and District 6 Commissioner.

more clothes or sport coats - and I certainly do not think taxpayers should pay for my clothes. Taxpayers have enough to support in their own, personal budgets - including buying clothes for their own families. They just should not have to pay for a sports coat for any of us.

Commissioner Ernie Reynolds stated, “I cannot support using taxpayers’ money for this. I don’t need any more clothes or sport coats - and I certainly do not think taxpayers should pay for my clothes. . .This runs counter to our Christian culture, which teaches us to be mindful of the needy and to be good stewards of what we have been entrusted with.”

This is, in my opinion, beyond what taxpayers’ money should be used for.

“Yes, there have been times when the chairman’s office has handed out a rain jacket or a shirt with county logo. But, to have a formal and fairly expensive sport coat fitting at the expense of county taxpayers is beyond what I can deem as acceptable or appropriate.

“I don’t need any more sport coats - but my constituents need their money to clothe their own families, not clothe us. I cannot imagine myself dressing up in this sport coat, having a photo taken with all of us in our taxpayer-funded uniforms - saying to the public,’Look at how nice we look in the sport coats you paid for.’ I simply cannot do that.

In an email sent to Chairman Morgan, the other commissioners, and various other recipients of the jackets, District 5 Commissioner Ernie Reynolds stated, “I cannot support using taxpayers’ money for this. I don’t need any

$508,568 IN CLAIMS from front page

CIC, presented. Jennings provided a Claims Summary dated Jan. 23, 2023 for liability for Auto, General, Property, Employment Practices, Cyber, Crime, and Umbrella. Despite there being zero claims for Cyber, Crime and Umbrella, Jennings put forth two major points for the expected higher insurance costs for the county: “Nuclear Verdicts” that had been awarded in the state of Georgia, and fire department vehicle losses/claims for

“This runs counter to our Christian culture, which teaches us to be mindful of the needy and to be good stewards of what we have been entrusted with... Actions exuding from this culture would have us take our own coat and give it to another in need,” Reynolds said.

Carroll County.

The county’s fire department claimed $482,080 for a May 12, 2022 accident involving a 2018 Sutphen Pumper firetruck.; and a $26,488 claim for a February 10, 2022 accident involving a 2019 Ford F150 Pickup.

Jennings stated that the state of Georgia was now number one for “Nuclear Verdicts”; verdicts in which judges award $10 million or higher, and this is causing higher insurance premiums across the state.

05/12/22$482,0802018 Sutphen PumperAge 21

Reason given for accident: “Responding to call, ran off road and crashed firetruck”

02/10/22

$26,4882019 Ford F150 PickupAge 39

Reason given for accident: “Responding to call, truck overturned trying to get out of the way”

HOMELESSCAMP from front page

homeless people’s camp on the corner of Williams Industrial Blvd. and Highway 101. These concerns included bonfires, drug trafficking, loose pitbull dogs, lack of lighting, children being approached for money donations, and pedestrian and traffic safety. Several citizens volunteered to help with a solution.

Connie Wood of 120 Doris Williams Industrial Blvd. said the homeless camp is a problem because of cars being approached and asked for money, the kids leaving the volley ball court after dark and being approached, two pit bull dogs that sometimes run loose and are aggressive, lack of lighting, etc., and asked if the city is looking at some ways to deal with this problem.

Cindy Tolbert, who works at 120 Williams Industrial Drive, said that in addition to what had been mentioned, there were huge bonfires in that camp, and if they got out of control it could go toward the rec center and other places, and could be disastrous. She said she would be happy to work on any volunteer agency to try and resolve the situation.

Polly Olive of 2511 Shoreline Parkway talked about the condition of the road that makes it necessary to stop, and anybody that stops will be approached by homeless people. She said she has heard that Douglas County has

makes attempts to receive payment, working with property owners (homes, land, boats, etc.) to help resolve the debt. If all attempts fail and back taxes are not paid, the property becomes part of a public auction on the Carroll County Courthouse steps with the property sold to the highest bidder. On March 1, 2022, 170 properties went to auction. Of those, three homeowners in Carroll County lost their property, each for taxes totaling less than $2500:

Property #1: $78,957 value property had past due unpaid taxes totaling $2472.89. An investor from Atlanta was high bidder, $55,000

Property #2: $28,748 value property had $1073.45 in unpaid back taxes due. High bid of $20,100 bought the property

Property #3: $64,626 value property had $2097.61 due in back taxes. High bid was $71,000.

Carroll County Tax Commissioner Vickie Bearden said that her office is usually able to work out payments (weekly, sometimes

monthy) with the property owners. She encourages anyone who is having difficulty staying current with their property taxes to please contact her office for options on making arrangements to bring their account up to date.

The tax office mails tax bills October 1st, and taxes are due December 1st. If not received by December 1st, by law, the tax commissioner is allowed to file a FIFA for past due taxes on December 2nd. But, in her 14 years as Carroll County’s tax commissioner, she has not done that. But, by January, Official Deliquent Notices are sent.(Bearden reminds citizens that a Deliquent Notice goes against a person’s credit score.) After that, for all payments not received, those properties are added to the auction list for the courthouse steps sales. In 2022, there were three such sales, totaling around 500 properties.

Carroll County Tax Commissioner Office: 423 College Street, Carrollton. Mon-Fri: 8AM4:30PM. 770-830-5843 or 770-830-5826, or email: taxcomm@carrollcountyga.com

Superior Structures

J Best Hair

come up with some solutions for homelessness.

Tracy Ivey, 646 Industrial Blvd., said this is a dire situation because the rec department people are there every night after dark and spring sports season will be coming up soon which would increase the number of citizens there. Ivey indicated that he also would volunteer to help in any way possible.

Lynette Folsom, 2500 Shoreline Parkway, said that she heard from her own kids that the homeless camp there is a place of drug exchange, and she is concerned for the kids and other people that have to travel through that area, and also the image it gives of Villa Rica.

Councilmember Leslie McPherson said she has had some personal interaction there and it is a real problem. She said that Impact West Georgia does a lot of good works for the homeless, and that Captain Hunter Etheridge of the VRPD heads a non-profit where volunteers can help, but she added that sometimes when help is offered, it is refused.

Mayor McDougal said the city does not have an ordinance regarding homelessness because they had just never had that much of a problem [to this date], but he did say if fires are seen they need to be reported, no matter where they are. He also said that the city is aware of the problem and working on ways to handle it, but it won’t be the way Douglas County handled it.

TAILORED JACKETS from front page

BACK TAXES from front page

Major Dodson said, “When an officer begins a traffic stop, a knock at their door, or even serving civil papers, the officer faces uncertainty each and every time. He doesn’t know what to expect. He can’t know what to expect. He doesn’t know what a citizen’s state of mind is or mental health status. He does not know if they are intoxicated - he just doesn’t know. He must be, and remain, vigilant until he knows that person’s status. This is his biggest challenge. Nothing is routine, and can only be considered after the stop is completed.”

will help keep everyone safe.”

On a traffic stop, Major Dodson says to pull over in a safe place (acknowledging the blue lights), keep your hands visible, and turn down the radio.

“We know there is a certain level of nervousness. I call it citation nervousness. ‘Am I going to get a ticket? Is my wife or mom going to be mad?’ We expect nervousness.”

“We know there is a certain level of nervousness. I call it citation nervousness. ‘Am I going to get a ticket? Is my wife or mom going to be mad?’ We expect nervousness.”

Major Dodson estimates the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department handles approximately 50,000 calls per year. What would the officer hope to expect from a citizen for an ideal situation/interaction?

“It is common sense to a great extent. Unless there is intoxication or a mental health crisis, remain calm. The calmer you are, the calmer the officer will be. But, it starts with the officer being and remaining calm.”

He explained that, in Georgia, each officer must go each year for training in “De-escalation and Community Policing”

“We know it is a big deal. Sometimes, we dictate the direction of the stop or meeting, but sometimes we can’t. In all cases, whether you are right or wrong, please stay calm. And that

GFBARTCONTEST

white, and gray. Contestants may use a variety of media to create their artwork including graphite, charcoal, pastel, chalk, colored pencil, pen-and-ink, ballpoint pen, or mixed media appropriate for printing.

Artwork entered in both contests will be judged on 1) how well the artwork represents modern agriculture found in the artist’s county or Georgia and 2) artistic merit.

Students may enter either contest in the county in which they live or attend school but not both counties. To enter either contest, students should contact their county Farm Bureau for an official entry form and complete contest rules. Multiple entries will be disqualified. Previous state winners are not eligible for either contest.

Interested students or teachers should contact the Carroll County Farm Bureau for an official entry form and contest rules at (770)832-9089. All entries must be received at the Carroll County office by Thursday, March 2, 2023, and the 1st place winner will be submitted by the Carroll County Farm Bureau to the Georgia Farm Bureau contest.

All artwork submitted in both contests must be original and becomes the property of Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) once submitted. GFB may use artwork from both contests on various products distributed or sold by the organization to promote agriculture.

Between the crops Georgia farmers grow and the jobs agriculture creates to harvest, process, and transport these crops, agriculture contributed $69.4 billion to Georgia’s economy in 2020, according to the UGA College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences.

Students and teachers may visit https://gfb.ag/video to view a video about Georgia agriculture and https://gfb.ag/UGA22agsnapshots to access info about Georgia agriculture.

“The purpose of the Farm Bureau Middle School Bookmark and High School Art Contests is to encourage students to creatively explore Georgia agriculture and increase their knowledge of the contributions it makes to our lives,” said Elisabeth Coggins, County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee Chairman. “By

“But while that may be happening and we see it, we are looking for the unusual: why are they so nervous, moving around so much, sweating so much? A situation may be arising. You know it when you see it.”

If law enforcement is at your home knocking on the door, the Major suggests the same; remain calm and cooperate to the level you can. If it is a domestic violence situation, the officer will try to separate the parties, and then interview them separately. Dodson emphasized again to remain calm. If you are calm, you are not sensed as a threat, and the officer will remain calm.

The county, in conjunction with the Carrollton Police Department, now deploys the Crisis Response Team when there is a mental health issue connected with a police call. In the past year, in response to 370 calls there has only been one arrest and that was to a previous outstanding warrant.

asking the students to participate in these contests, we are giving them a chance to learn about the wide variety of crops and livestock produced in Georgia such as, poultry, beef cattle, dairy, cotton, peanuts, timber, pecans, blueberries and many other fruits and vegetables.”

Founded in 1937, Georgia Farm Bureau is the state’s largest general farm organization. Its volunteer members participate in local, state, and national activities to promote agriculture to their non-farming neighbors. GFB also advocates for Georgia farmers and rural communities on legislative issues. GFB offers its members a wide variety of benefits, including insurance, but enrollment in any of the member benefits is optional and not a requirement for membership.

Major Dodson added, “Even in these situations, it still begins with a police officer arriving on the scene and evaluating the situation to call the response team. Our officers nowcompared to 20 years ago - are so much better trained to handle these situations and understand what resources are available.”

He also explained the sheriff’s department does a variety of community outreach pro-

grams including setting up neighborhood watch programs; free citizen firearms courses (March) the Sheriff’s Citizens Academy in the fall, and three youth camps. They also are available to meet with citizens or neighborhoods on issues such as scams, or do security assessments.

“We understand and appreciate the support

See REMAIN CALM page 22

Have you been looking for a chiropractor in Villa Rica? Unlike conventional medicine, which focuses on attempting to treat disease once it occurs, the chiropractic care offered at Lifetime Chiropractic P.C. in Villa Rica emphasizes the importance of improving your health in an effort to reduce the risk of pain and illness in the first place. Given the option, most people would prefer to be healthy and avoid illness if possible, and chiropractic care can help those people achieve their health and wellness goals. For those patients who may already be in pain, chiropractic care offers a unique way to provide pain relief for many types of pain and conditions, including back pain, neck pain and more! Pain relief and pain prevention are two of the reasons that chiropractic services have become so popular, both here in Villa Rica and around the world.

Lifetime Chiropractic

If you have been suffering from back pain in Villa Rica, don't wait another second to begin your road to recovery! At Lifetime Chiropractic P.C., our chiropractic techniques can assist patients with the rediscovery of health and wellness that had been previously known but long lost. For others, the chiropractic journey may offer a new sense of balance and wellness that one has never before experienced. If you want to start living every day pain free, call us at 770-459-5070 to schedule an appointment!

People around the world are recognizing the benefit of seeking an alternative to traditional medicine; one that will help them achieve and maintain optimal health without requiring invasive treatments such as surgery. Please take the time to meet the chiropractor and our network of chiropractic and wellness care professionals dedicated to helping you achieve your wellness objectives. To fully understand the nature of your health, we recommend that you join our free website membership program. As a patient at Lifetime Chiropractic P.C. we will personally tailor a chiropractic and wellness program specifically targeted to your needs using the least invasive yet highly-effective techniques and services.

120 Prospector Drive Villa Rica

770-459-5070

HarryT’s

from page 4

MAJOR CRAIGDODSON front front page

LLEN & COTT McBRAYER

JONES-WYNN FUNERAL HOME

A funeral isn’t a day in one life, but a lifetime in one day.

So many of the funerals we have attended have followed the same order of style or traditional structure. You could also call them “cookie cutter” services. However, you might not realize how many types of services are possible and often desired. We almost think there is some rule that says a funeral must be done in a certain way.

A funeral should fit the person and the family. A funeral can be simple, and more importantly, there are no boundaries or limits to making a service as personal and details as you desire. There is no way to say too much about the person whom we have gathered to remember and honor.

We would like to encourage others to have confidence in making a choice and having a voice to talk about something people are often fearful to talk about. We would like to encourage you to think of this in a slightly different way. Have the talk of a lifetime with your loved ones and remember to make a memory and loving journal about your loved ones to keep with your family tree.

The traditional ceremony can be a healing experience, and many families will find this is what will fit them best. If the loved one appreciated the rituals and ceremonies of a particular faith, then certainly the funeral should reflect that.

Contemporary ceremonies are a growing trend toward more personalization, featuring, music that is meaningful, unique, personal, or a favorite of the deceased. Some families also choose to make the service message so unique that they allow family members, close friends to speak, and sometimes only have a minister to pray, or not even have a minister at all during the service.

We would like to also express that grief is a very emotional and a difficult journey. The different options, details, and decisions are difficult on any day and almost impossible during an unexpected death of a loved one. A funeral should be unique to the person being honored,

GUN DEBATE from page 8

debate, data makes little difference in the beliefs held by persons on either side of this debate. Data gathered both by the CDC and by innumerable other non-biased organizations is available, but generally does not persuade people to change their attitudes. Over time, cultural beliefs and value orientations find their way into our government institutions, including the Supreme Court, making it also a political institution.

At this point, America has more than enough guns in private hands to arm every single American. Moreover, in spite of fluctuations over time, the gun rights side has had the advantage and the country has moved inexorably toward the landscape of today.

These comments provide only a small sampling of the information and analysis covered by Drs. Fleming and McLean. The complete presentation can be heard on YouTube at the LWVCCC Facebook site, or https://you tu.be/RU60RSywpJ8. Watch for their upcoming book, “Guns and Values: Individualism in the American Gun Debate”, to be published by Palgrave MacMillan.

and that can be accomplished in many different ways without the family having to burden themselves with time-consuming thinking or activity when they are already overwhelmed. Please reach out to your trusted funeral director and continue that so that you can continue to gain more understanding about options available. Please check our facebook page for dates and times and attend one of our free “lunch (or dinner) and learns”. We provide these free meals and offer you a moment to ask the questions you may have in a comfortable setting to help increase awareness of the very many options.

Roy’s Tires

49 Year Anniversary

•CV

•Oil

•Struts

•Computer

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Scott & Ellen Wynn McBrayer

Jones-Wynn Funeral Homes & Crematory and Meadowbrook Memory Gardens 770-459-3694 or 770-942-2311

A funeral isn’t a day in one life, but a lifetime in one day

Taking the stress out of unexpected healthcare costs

Are you looking to take some of the stress out of unexpected healthcare costs? If so, a health savings account may be a practical solution for you! It’s no secret that Health Savings Accounts provide many tax advantages for both the employer and employee. These tax advantages are one of the main reasons why HSA’s continue to gain steam in the benefits space, so much so that HSA’s are expected to exceed 30 million by 2023.

While HSA enrollment continues to grow at a rapid pace, most of the focus revolves around individuals and employees. And while those HSA tax benefits are very important, there are less publicized HSA tax advantages for employers that play an equally important role on the employer side.

MARCY HEATH

678-821-3508

marcy@be inoventive.com

So, whether you’re an employer already offering an HSA program to your employees, or if you are simply exploring the viability of an employer sponsored HSA program for your business, you must have a solid understanding of HSA tax benefits for employers.

When it comes to tax advantages, HSA’s have the unique power to be a win-win for both employers and employees. Employees can leverage the triple tax advantage HSA’s offer while employers are also able to benefit from substantial HSA tax advantages.

Employer HSA tax benefits come from a few avenues such as offering your HSA program through a Section 125 (Cafeteria Plan) that allows your employees to make pretax contributions. Having your employees actively participate and contribute to the HSA’s and contributing to your employees’ HSA as their employer.

In order to maximize HSA employer tax benefits, you must have your HSA program set up through a Section 125 (Cafeteria Plan) that allows your employees to make pretax payroll contributions to their HSA’s, this will lower your payroll tax liability. With the setup, as the employer, you also benefit from even lower payroll taxes if you choose to contribute to your employees’ HSA’s, because your HSA contributions are not included in your employee’s income and therefore it isn’t subject to federal income tax, Social Security or Medicare taxes – better known as FICA tax. Your employer HSA contributions are also tax-deductible as a business expense, so as the employer, you benefit on the frontend and the backend.

Specific to FICA tax, it is critical to note that it’s a shared tax expense of 15.3% between the employee and the employer. The FICA tax savings for employers alone can be so substantial that many employers choose to increase their employer HSA contributions in order to maximize their FICA tax savings.

This approach can be a smart strategy for increasing your employee’s total compensation while staying focused on your bottom line.

An employer having 100 employees taking advantage of an HSA under their cafeteria plan can save more than $50,000 every year in FICA savings alone. In two years, that employer would save six figures, money that would otherwise have been paid out as a tax expense.

Offering an HSA program and providing your employees with the opportunity to benefit for all an HSA offers directly benefits your business from both a recruiting and retention standpoint. As HSA’s continue to grow and gain traction, savvy employees and top talent will come to expect a competitive HSA program from their employer of choice.

Employees who choose a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) coupled with an HSA are typically more cost conscious and tend to have lower healthcare expenses than other employees enrolled in a traditional health plan option. Attracting and retaining these types of employees can lead to lower healthcare premiums for your company, which saves you money both short and long term.

The main hook for employees is the HSA’s “triple tax advantage.” An employee can save on taxes in three distinct ways with an HAS:

(1) Their HSA contributions are 100% tax deductible, up to the annual maximum limit. If they contribute pretax, their contributions are not included in their gross income and aren’t subject to income and FICA taxes. If the employee contributes after tax, they can still deduct their contributions on their tax return to lower the overall tax liability.

(2) Employee HSA funds can be used tax-free for any qualified medical expenses.

(3) Employee HSA funds grow tax-free with no restrictions or “use it or lose it” limitations.

When offering HDHP’s to your employees, it is highly recommended to also offer education to employees on ways to be a better healthcare consumer. Many employees typically select options without research, seeking care from the nearest Physician and/or Facility without checking to see if there are better options. The lack of pricing transparency in the market can make this dynamic difficult.

Employers must partner with a knowledgeable Consultant that can provide your employees with resources to choose medical providers with cost effective, high value care – getting the most value for their money.

For more information on HSAs, call Inoventive Benefits Consulting at 678.821.3508.

Jones-Wynn

How It Works

COMMENTARY

Legislative week three foreshadows a promising session

ADVERTISINGDIRECTOR: WAYNE REYNOLDS GRAPHICS DESIGNER: SHERRY REYNOLDS

REPORTERS: JANICE DANIEL WAYNE REYNOLDS

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suehorn.starnews@gmail.com

P.O. Box 680 Carrollton, GA 30112 © 2023 Palindrome Enterprises dba StarNews / StarNews Online

On Monday, January 23, 2023 the Senate reconvened week three of the 2023 Legislative Session. budget proposals were considered last week by the heads of agencies, the Senate returned to its usual work assigning newly introduced bills to committees and several of those committees meeting for the first time to adopt the committee rules for this session.

SENATOR(R)

The Governor’s proposed budget recommends providing an additional $1.9 billion in funds to fully fund the Quality Basic Education formula, a formula that accounts for a large percentage of the state’s budget. You may remember that when Governor Kemp first ran for office, he made a promise to raise teacher and state employee pay by $5,000. Last year, that pledge was fully delivered.

SUE HORN EVANS EDITOR/ PUBLISHER

Butter: $7.00, eggs $5.85, sliced bread $3.25, can of tomato soup $1.19, sliced bologna $6.47. These items (from my regular grocery list) recently totaled $23.76. Two years ago, I paid $12.34 (I keep receipts. My life is so interesting). And a gallon of gas?! Whoa. For us in the publishing industry, costs have risen painfully. My printer raised prices four times last year (just passing on his increased costs) and to mail our newspaper, our cost increased 28% - and hasn’t stopped going up. Don’t know about you, but my income is about the same as two years ago when the pandemic was ongoing.

And, not to sound like an old lady, but ‘Listen, Sonny-boy’ (my 10 year old grandson loves to hear me do the old lady voice - soft, creaky, wavering, almost out of breath with the effort) ‘I remember when a gallon of gas was 31 cents.’ Yes, I remember that, as do many of you. I remember looking out the back side window of the used 1960 red Ford station wagon with my four siblings (no seatbelts required, just lay down in the back of the vehicle and enjoy the 55 mph ride with Dad or Pall Mall-smoking Mom behind the wheel) watching Mr. Stribling, owner of THE gas station, well, Service Station in the true sense of the word, in the Village of Morrisville - as he(village, yes, not a town because the post office closed because Mrs. James didn’t want to do that anymore - side/side note: the post office was located in the painted brick building that her restaurant was also in - you could get a juicy tasty Spaceburger for 19¢ - but the post office was over to the right side of the building with its own entrance and a sign that said MORRISVILLEso, the USPS moved handling everyone’s mail up to Bealeton, you know, like a town, like Beale-town, only it wasn’t pronounced like town, but like ton. Our address changed even though we didn’t move anywhere. In fact, that address changed three times over the years. Wait, where was I?) as he, Mr. Stribling, first, turned the crank located on the right side of the pump around and around and around so the gasoline, next, could come out of the hose on the left and into the wagon’s tank, which was located under where I was lying down in the back. Do you still hear my soft, creaky, wavering old lady voice?: ‘Listen, Sonny-boy, I remember I saw a 3 and a 1 and a 9 on the metal white squares that would flip over when the price changed but that hardly ever happened and that’s why two of the white metal flip squares, the 3 and the 9, were yellowed by the sun so it read 31.9¢. What? what, little man? I can’t hear you. Sonny-boy, oh, no, my Dad didn’t put the gas in the car, only the trained professional did that. And Mr. Stribling liked it. Sometimes it was his son Chester, and Chester greeted every customer with a big big smile. I remember that. I liked going there. And, guess what else, Sonny? Sometimes I would get to go inside the service center and smell the oil and grease and gas and exhaust fumes where trucks and cars were being worked on, and Dad would settle up and pay his tab. What? What’s that? What’s a tab?’

Okay, I get a D-minus for run-on sentences and poor paragraph structure. What’s my point? Yes, today is different than yesterday. Yes, some things are better today and some things are worse. But, right now? We are at a scary place. The bad changes we are experiencing have been real bad and too quick, not sustainable for more than half of us. The financial chasm between the haves and have-nots is stretching like an old, dry rubber band. Here in Carroll County, not only has our county government taxed us for far more than it has shown a need, our government’s specific choices on spending our tax dollars is increasingly showing a great lack of connection, lack of empathy, lack of consideration, to what is happening here and now to the very taxpayers who are funding - MUST fund, no choice - these money decisions.

Please read our front page today. Please reread last month’s front page. There is a great disconnect here. Time for a millage rate reduction. Time for rebate checks to working Carroll Countians. How many of our neighbors are living right now with low-stocked cupboards? Hey, got any cake?

The General Assembly had the pleasure of hearing from Governor Brian Kemp as he delivered his annual State of the State from the House Chamber. Each year, the Governor addresses the members of the General Assembly to outline his legislative and budgetary priorities for the legislative session. The past few years have not come without their set of unique challenges due to the statewide economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, despite those trying times, under Kemp’s leadership, Georgia continues to remain a force to be reckoned with economically. Below I have outlined a few highlights from the Governor’s address:

The education system and the teacher workforce in Georgia remains a constant priority for Governor Kemp and the General Assembly.

This year, Governor Kemp intends to maintain these promises by proposing an additional $2,000 be appropriated for another teacher and state employee pay raise. Georgia’s teachers are at the epicenter of Georgia’s workforce. Without them, we would be unable to provide the highest level of education and resources to young Georgians therefore, I support doing all that is necessary to support our education system in Georgia.

Under the Gold Dome

Greetings from under the Gold Dome! Monday, January 9, marked the first day of the 157th meeting of the Georgia General Assembly and the beginning of a brand-new legislative term. The first order of business was for all elected members to be sworn into office. Soon after our swearing in, we began preparation for the legislative days ahead. Issues such as healthcare, education, public safety initiatives and much more will be up for debate.

We met for the third week of the 2023 legislative session on Monday, January 23. This week brought forth our first legislative floor votes and saw many House committees begin the legislative process. Members of the General Assembly also came together for a joint session to hear Governor Brian Kemp deliver his fifth annual State of the State address.

The governor noted the progress we have made over the last few years and made clear that economic development, education, access to quality healthcare, and public safety are top agenda items for the current legislative term. He said he intends to continue his efforts in bringing quality investments as he recently announced many new economic development projects set to be the largest in Georgia history. These projects will bring more than 20,000 jobs to various regions of the state, most especially in rural areas.

The governor also announced his plans to dedicate an additional $1.9 billion in the current and upcoming budgets solely for educational needs, including fully funding the Quality Basic Education formula.

Governor Kemp went on to outline

With regards to our healthcare system in Georgia, the Governor made a strong point in his address to shed light on the lack of healthcare resources and facilities in rural parts of the state. Currently, there are 67 counties in Georgia with less than 10 physicians in the area. The need for more healthcare professionals in unprecedented. Governor Kemp is proposing a $4.5 million increase to fund loan repayment programs to grow the number of healthcare workers in our state. In addition, he is calling for 102 residency slots through an investment of $1.7 million, exceeding the initial goal of this program. I am fully supportive of these proposals. The need to provide adequate healthcare resources to Georgians should be a top priority and I intend to do all that is necessary to ensure my constituents are receiving the best care.

Perhaps the most significant event of this week occurred on Thursday, when the Senate Majority Caucus held a press conference at the State Capitol to roll out their legislative priorities for the 2023 legislative session. I had the distinct honor of standing alongside Lt. Governor Burt Jones, President Pro Tempore Sen John F. Kennedy (R – Macon),

JCOLLINS

(R) STATE REPRESENTATIVE District 71 770-295-8143

j.collins@house.ga.gov

his healthcare policies which include the proposed allocation of more than $4.5 million in the state budget for loan repayment programs to recruit and retain health care workers in Georgia.

Rounding off top policy agenda items is that of Public Safety where the governor plans to push for legislation that would increase penalties for individuals who work to recruit children into gang violence. If you want to learn more about Governor Kemp’s initiatives for the upcoming session, I encourage to delve further into his full address through the helpful links below.

House Action: A highlight of any given session is having the opportunity to honor groups and individuals within our House chamber. In addition to hearing the State of the State address, my colleagues and I welcomed various special groups to the House Chamber.

On Monday, the Consul General of the Republic of Korea, Yoonjoo Park, joined us to honor of Korean American Day. The consul general noted our strong partnership, highlighting that more than 100 Korean companies are in our state, producing more than 15,000 jobs.

Tuesday was special as we recog-

nized the Georgia National Guard and their service to our community. Georgia’s 15,000 guardsmen are always ready to serve and protect, whenever needed, and it was an honor to pay tribute to these fine men and women.

Committees: Committees within the General Assembly are incredibly important as this is where the legislative rubber meets the road.

In addition to our general floor session, our committee meeting schedule has also picked up. Committees within the General Assembly are incredibly important as this is where the legislative rubber meets the road.

All bills introduced must be properly vetted through the committee process before making it to the House floor for a full vote. If passed, the legislation then moves to the Senate side to begin their committee process.

Committee meetings are live streamed through the General Assembly website. I encourage you to follow along with any issue of which you find of interest. Click here for a full listing of House Committees.

I am thankful to be in service to the following, as I sincerely believe these committees greatly impact our district: Public Safety and Homeland Security - Chairman; Appropriations; Governmental Affairs; Juvenile Justice - Secretary; and Regulated Industries.

Representing your voice is our top priority. As always, if you have questions or concerns regarding legislative matters, we encourage you to contact us anytime. May God bless you and yours, may He continue to bless the great state of Georgia.

Seeking cake in our low-stocked cupboards, or, watching the dark chasm widen between the haves and have-nots

“Not just what happened, but what matters”

SUSAN M. HORN EDITOR/PUBLISHER

See STATE SENATOR page 20

American Immigration for a Strong Economy”, or, was Jesus an immigrant?

TRAVIS PITTMAN GEORGIATECH

Beta Theta Pi

“In 2016, for the first time in American history, the people elected as president someone with no high government experience or was a military general. I believe they did this because they had lost faith in both the competence and the intentions of our

governing class-both parties! Government now takes nearly half of every dollar we earn and bosses us around in almost every aspect of life, yet cannot deliver basic constitutional services effectively.” - U.S. Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton

Both FDR and Ronald Reagan used the phrase “forgotten man” for those who saw their wages stagnate, all while inside the Washington beltway the four richest counties in America came to be. The kids of the working class are those who chiefly fight our seemingly endless wars and police our streets, only to come in for criticism too often from the very elite who sleep under the blanket of security they provide.

One of the obvious concepts that separated Trump from the past four presidents was the MAGA emphasis versus Global Citizenship. Obama really spilled the beans when he declared himself “a citizen of the world”. The globalist mindset is not only foreign to most Americans, it is foreign to American political tradition and the U.S. Constitution. On the global stage the WHO (World Health Organization), WEF (World Economic Forum) and the UN are setting policies for the future that will cripple America. The current crisis is immigration. By many globalists today, immigration is viewed as a humanitarian process for the world.

The only reference to immigration in our

constitution is where it empowers Congress to establish a “Uniform Rule of Naturalization”. In 1790, Madison, while debating the first naturalization law, said, “It is no doubt very desirable that we should hold out as many inducements as possible for the worthy part of mankind to come and settle among us, and throw in their fortunes into a common lot with ours”. The idea being to increase the wealth and strength of the community. Early settlers lived upon their ability and ingenuity or died without it.

American immigration has its ugly chapters like the Chinese Exclusion Act, the natural origins quota in 1924, and indifference to the

See TRAVIS PITTMAN page 23

Illegal immigration, “criminal illegals” and pending state legislation: the good news and bad

much as the wayward politicians. On that, let’s do some “good news, bad news” on illegal immigration in Georgia.

Carroll County: Bad news for the Carroll County Board of Commissioners: The sheriff passed on my 2022 complaints citing clear examples of literally thousands of BOC violations of state law aimed at illegal immigration to the Coweta Judicial Circuit District Attorney.

A reminder: Georgia is home to more illegal aliens than Arizona. More illegals than green card holders live here. That population could be greatly reduced if some of the Republicans elected to represent Americans in Georgia were more concerned about their voters than the Georgia Chamber of Commerce - led special interest lobby. I blame the docile voters as

Good news for the BOC: Despite the documented admissions of those violations by county attorneys, the District Attorney decided that since the policies that created the violations had been slowly corrected, he would not pursue the complaints. The law says that if official agencies are caught violating the laws designed to keep public benefits from illegal aliens, they

can correct those policies in “good faith” (no time limit) without any worries about sanctions. The BOC et al ignored the documented violations for almost a year and only acted to get in compliance when the sheriff got involved. Many thanks to Sheriff Langley and his staff. More good news for the BOC: The District Attorney says that despite the BOC and the county attorneys arrogantly ignoring my warnings of non-compliance for nearly a year, their lazy and uninformed effort to slowly correct the illegal policies counts as a “good faith” effort at correction.

The Carroll County government had been in violation of the laws I cited in my complaints for about a decade. The District Attorney has a very different idea of “good faith” than this

Death, the Almighty, and the American Medical Association

want to explore the subject while others may not wish to think of it at all.

Begin with “life”. With the court overturning “Roe vs, Wade”, a major debate in this country is “how to determine when life begins”. Some say life begins at conception when the male sperm penetrates the female egg. To many, this seems reasonable, but how would one know?

writer. I can’t recommend spending much time looking for laws that allow common citizen voters to get off the prosecution hook if they simply say “oopsie” and finally move to undo a violation to escape punishment.

More good news for the BOC: The office of Attorney General Chris Carr agreed with the District Attorney.

Bad news for open borders Democrat voters and good news for conservative, pro-enforcement voters in Carroll County: As far as I can tell, because of my complaints, scrutiny and education, the Carroll County BOC is now administering public benefits according to the law for the first time. You’re welcome.

Bad news for Georgia: I haven’t heard any

See D.A.KING page 23

The subject of death. Let’s agree up front that both Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and Queen Elizabeth are more knowledgeable on this subject than either the author or any reader as they have experienced death and we have not. But, as this is an event that we all will experience, it is only natural that some may

Others say life begins when a heartbeat is discernable. To many this seems reasonable as it is measurable, but does a heartbeat make a person?

Others say life is evident when the fetus can survive outside the mother’s womb. Should the fetus not have survived the mother’s womb, has it ever lived?

As there is no consensus on the definition of “life”, how can we possibility agree on a defi-

Night life on the Chattahoochee River

SYBIL ROSEN THOMAS

Last month’s River Ramble offered a fictionalized version of a true story depicting an impromptu night spent on the Chattahoochee River: the father and son who floated down the dark water as they slept passed by the cabin where I, no doubt, lay sleeping, too. That got me thinking about my own experience of night on the river - moments I’m awake for, and the ones that wake me up.

There are innumerable nocturnal stirrings I will never see or hear. Only a few leave clues for the next morning: the overturned water

bowl on the porch; opossum pawprints on a sandy beach; coyote scat - twisted at the ends and rife with fur - left in the drive.

Sitting down in January to begin writing the next month’s Ramble, I note that the woods on the riverbank are silent at night, despite the current warm weather. Spring peepers chirp tentatively on balmy evenings which seems too soon, even for Georgia. By the time you read this mid-February, all will be changed. Even if it’s very cold between now and then, the birds pay more attention to the lengthening light, and will be determined to court. Though not much happens in the deep winter night, on Valentine’s Day dawn and dusk will thrum with the lovesongs of cardinals, wood thrushes, and phoebes. By the end of spring, the katydids, crickets, and cicadas will have taken over with a cacophony of rattles, buzzes, and whines that reverberates the darkness, drowns out the plashing river, and dissolves any mind willing to give itself up to the chaos.

nition of “death”?

My definition of life and death is simple. To me, life is a state of “consciousness”, an awareness of your being and environment. If my definition were correct, death would be the lack of consciousness, in other words, a dreamless sleep - not the worst of all options. But, wait. I also believe that there are those who, for whatever reason, cannot communicate so to an onlooker such a condition might be thought to be a “lack of consciousness”, but in reality, the subject may be fully conscious of his or her environment, but just cannot communicate. Given this understanding, can my definition be appropriate?

In 1980, the American Medical Association stated that “An individual who has sustained either: 1. Irreversible cessation of circulatory

And how to describe the otherworldly shriek of a great blue heron fishing off the shore?

The cry has woken me out of a deep sleep. My heart rate goes down once I move past images of wraiths and banshees, and remember the heron. Sometimes an owl - great horned or barred - perches on a limb outside the bedroom, so near I can catch every nuance of croak and garble in the slow complex hoots. One night, I was awakened by a pack of coyotes yipping on the fluvial spit on the other side of the water. The high howls and wails, and the intensity of their shared enthusiam, produces a frequency that goes right through you, invoking atavistic fears and undeniable awe.

The coyotes’ expression of wildness reaches deep into the buried reservoir of primal impulses our bodies harbor, whether we are aware of them or not. Their serenade is a summons to that original dwelling.

Rarely are there human voices on the river at night. Sometimes weekend partyers will land

and respiratory function, or; 2. Irreversible cessation of all functions of the entire brain, including the brain stem is dead.” This definition was accepted by the American Medical Association in 1980 and the American Bar Association in 1981.

This definition of death becomes critical involving organ transplants. Is it ethical to keep someone “alive”, heart beating, to remove their organs? Could this definition be about “the greater good” or about “money for transplants” and who but the Almighty can determine if a condition is “irreversible”? Transferable organs are best preserved when left inside of a braindead living body or a heart-beating cadaver. Do these bodies differ? Does prayer influence an outcome?

See ED WILSON page 21

on the same shoal the coyotes occupied. Like the coyote, their voices carry but not the shape of their words. Once, I heard a motorboat sputter, bump, and stall. From the direction and volume of the voices - one female, the other maleI knew the boat was up against the bank below the cabin. Should I go down with a flashlight and see if they needed help? The cadence of conversation revealed no panic or alarm, but rather amusement and crackles of flirtatious laughter. This wasn’t an emergency - it was a date! Pretty soon the motor roared up and off they went in a wake of lusty warmth.

Humans make their night presence known in other ways. In summer, a fishing boat may come quietly down the Chattahoochee around midnight, announced by a sweeping spotlight that scans the channel off the prow. Does the fisherman know that his light shines through the trees, projecting tangled shadows onto the ceiling and walls around my bed - a phantasmagori-

See RIVERRAMBLES page 23

“Reforming

D.A.

COMMENTARY

A way to say “thank you” in the Key of D

I didn’t set out to be a songwriter or poet. That just happened by circumstance, under the influence of others who gave me gifts of words and how to use them and, later, the gift of music, through the cutting-edge technology of the time, a radio that was taller than me. An

imagination, sense of humor, curiosity, and the motivation to observe and relate stories are also among the first gifts deserving of my thanks. This book is a return gift that I am now unleashing on unsuspecting family and friends. So, I give to you “Paper Plates”; the title chosen in reference to my tendency to snatch up anything with enough clear space to write on. The main meat of the book is a collection of 119 song lyrics, the first written when I was 15 and desperately in love, and the last before the turn of this year. It spans the years 1957 to 2022 and includes only songs for which I am totally responsible for the lyrics; some fact, some fiction, some from sources that I cannot identify as to person or place. Even those I

can’t pin down leave me thinking, “thanks for that.”

In addition to the collection of lyrics, the book begins with a brief introduction that attempts to trace the influences and the steps I followed to get from a toddler turning the dial on that old console radio, looking for music that made me bounce, to the 80-year-old that is blessed to still be able to write and record songs with people I love. I guess some would call it a short memoir based on recollections that are, at best these days, fuzzy with respect to whether I lived them or made them up. It is not an autobiography. Once you wade through the history section and my usual clowning, what you will find between the covers of

“Paper Plates” is a pretty good “bathroom book”. It’s designed to be taken in small doses and actually works in any room you’d like to read it in.

I bet some of you are wondering what the key of D has to do with my ramblings. In part, it is a private joke told by many of my musician friends who know that when left on my own, and if I am writing it to play myself, chances are it is in the key of D with some chords I can’t truly name. Over the ongoing years of learning to be what I’m learning to be, I have decided that music is a team sport, and even though the words in the selected songs are mine alone, all were made richer by

See JIM “Poppy” BOYD page 20

Footrubs and a NYC apartment for $30 month, those were some fine times

operations in the New York area. And. New York City was quite affordable.

BILL BOURIS

digi@mindspring.com

Most people have no idea of the benefits and pleasures of a foot-rub. If you have a friend, especially a partner, then everything positive about the experience is multiplied, especially the strength of its memory. As a matter of fact, the first time, which happened back around 1958, is a solid memory, probably because I’ve recalled it many times.

I was 23 years old and had recently started the first job of my career with computers. At that time there were just two known computer

For instance, I had just signed a lease for two side-by-side apartments, old, built in the 1860s, that I would soon join as one. The combined rent was $30/month. My commuter railroad ticket, from Grand Central Station to where I worked, in White Plains, a suburb 30 miles away, cost about $25/month. I was a student-member of the Museum of Modern Art, which I’d visit about twice a week and meet my friend and former college classmate, Gene, for coffee in the museum restaurant, and a stroll through the galleries and garden: cost, $15/year. I was within 10 minutes’ walk from Central Park, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the wonderful Frick Museum, and the Guggenheim! I even had former classmates doing their residencies at New York Hospital. So, my personal healthcare was just a three minute stroll away. No wonder $80/week felt like good money.

From that perspective, I could never have guessed that I was missing something. I was young and healthy, enjoying things like the daily physical experience of knocking down the wall that was between my two apartments, remodeling, and then leaving that mess to go to work. In every way I felt it was a full life, materially, spiritually, socially, you name it. So, you can understand when I say, I could never have guessed that I was missing something. This is how I learned of what was missing.

One Friday night, I’d taken my girlfriend to Grand Central, for her to get a train to Boston, where the her graduate school was located. This was a sort of farewell. We’d had our party and some drinking. When I got back to my place, I did more drinking and soon flopped down on my bed feeling a bit sorry for myself.

Suddenly, my good friend Gene and his soon-to-be wife arrived, so that we could go to dinner and see a movie. I’d forgotten all about that, and when Gene saw my condition, he

Oak Mountain Academy’s academic journeys

Oak Mountain Academy has an impressive 61-year legacy of overall excellence. This excellence is a direct result of our faith-based educational programming, dynamic opportunities in the arts, athletics and student leadership,

all the while providing a safe, family environment on our 88-acre campus. However, the “crown jewel” in our legacy of excellence is our rigorous academic programming. When asked about The Academy, one of the first things commonly mentioned is our long-standing track record for student academic successes. Our students consistently outscore not only the state average, but also the national average, for ERB, SAT, and ACT testing. Over the past five years our graduating seniors – with an average class size of 12 – have earned over $10 million dollars in academic scholarship offers to colleges and universities of their choice. It is, without a doubt, that our academic program is a

standout for our families on The Mountain. It is this reason that we have recently identified several Personalized Academic Journey opportunities for students to experience at Oak Mountain Academy.

Oak Mountain Academy’s Personalized Academic Journeys are intentional educational structures that include a rigorous academic course of study in addition to authentic contextual learning experiences designed to prepare students for college and beyond. These journeys include the Advanced Placement (AP) Scholar Journey, the Entrepreneur Scholar Journey, the World Language Scholar Journey, and the Customized Academic Scholar Journey.

decided they should leave. I was given a sympathetic peck of a good-bye kiss by his fiancee, and Gene picked up one of my feet and rubbed it through its sock. The foot-rub lasted about 10 seconds for each foot, and then the couple were gone. Almost gone, well, mostly gone, was the sense that I’d been in a drunken stupor. That was gone enough to alert me to the fact that I was actually feeling pretty good. That sense of exhaustion was now changed into a restful state of being.

I was now aware that the simple act of a foot-rub could be a profound restorative. And, what remained, that is permanently remained, is the memory of its goodness. Until this writing, I’ve pretty much kept my enthusiasm for foot-rubs to myself. But, then we received, among our annual holiday cards and letters, a letter from our old friend Mary.

Living alone and getting on in years, Mary decided to challenge herself by trying a trip

See BILL BOURIS page 22

The AP Scholar Journey is designed to provide students with a clearly defined AP curriculum track to earn a series of distinctions upon graduation. The AP Scholar Journey enables academically prepared students to pursue college-level studies while still enrolled at Oak Mountain Academy. The journey consists of college-level courses and corresponding exams that are administered in May of each year, which could also count as college credits.

Currently, OMA offers 17 AP courses in five subject categories. Participating in this journey can help students stand out on college applications. Students participating in the journey

See PATRICK YURAN page 22

Inspiring the curiosity within that many of us lose as we exit the education system

know, it sounds obvious - a college student that loves to learn? Go figure. Regardless, it’s something I always thought was ridiculous when I heard it in high school. I, wrongly, attributed this to a lack of curiosity at the time. However, with the freedom of a college schedule, I’ve come to terms with the fact that I may, in fact, be a nerd.

but I figured that if I really wanted to be the biggest Alex Lawther fan out there, I had to watch it. Tentatively, I began the film.

shocked and wondering as to what else I had never learned.

During our early lives, it’s clear that society has valued one thing above all else: education. Our incredible capacity to learn new things certainly hasn’t gone understated. From all of the years spent in school to applying for a job, education is regarded as fundamental to our growth as not only a society, but also individuals.

I am certainly no exception to this rule. As I continue my journey throughout college, I’ve realized that I actually love to learn. Yes, I

Nevertheless, as we get older, this value for growth diminishes, and we often forego learning for our usual routines. Today, I would like to inspire the curiosity within that many of us lose as we exit the education system. All you need, and all I ask for, is an open mind.

The event that triggered my inquisitive side the most last year was a film by the name of “Carnage: Swallowing the Past”. Admittedly, I had chosen to watch the film because my favorite actor at the time, Alex Lawther, played a small part in it. The film is a mockumentary on how the world goes vegan in 2067. I wasn’t particularly excited once I’d read the summary,

I found it quite funny at first. After all, the premise was quite unrealistic; why would the world have any reason to go vegan, ever? Isn’t it just a fad diet, or lifestyle, that the most extreme animal lovers partake in? However, as the film continued on, it occasionally would reference one of the events that led to the world becoming the way it was. It started out with real information about the animal industry in our past - throughout the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st. Then, it smoothly transitioned into some hypotheticals in future years, such as 2040 and so on. It explained what goes on behind the scenes of the egg and dairy industries, leaving me

. . .we often forego learning for our usual routines. Today, I would like to inspire the curiosity within that many of us lose as we exit the education system. All you need, and all I ask for, is an open mind.

After the end of the film, rather than being disappointed at how few shots Alex showed up in, I couldn’t help but fact check what I had seen. Surely things had just been dramatized - this is a film, after all.

Unfortunately, the footage I had witnessed was taken from real farms and had described standard practices in the industry. Things I would never wish done to my worst enemy were considered “humane” and done daily to animals. I was left pondering a few questions after my research. Why do we eat the way we do? Why do we cringe when we hear the word “vegan”? If I didn’t know such basic information about the dairy and egg industries,

See JAY NEAL page 20

JIM “Poppy” BOYD ATRICK YURAN

Headmaster OAK MOUNTAIN ACADEMY JAY NEAL

Curiosities of a Campus Quester jaynealoff@gmail.com

Medical overtakes surgical as number one method of abortion in America

DUANE HACK

West Georgia Right to Life PRESIDENT

“The Heartbeat of Georgia”

Duanehack46@gmail.com 470-370-2452

Abortion via the mail. It used to be called RU-486, it’s now called Mifepristone, sold under the name “Mifepristone Tablets or Mifiprex” and is fast becoming the way to end the life of the preborn baby in the womb.

Developed overseas in the 1980s and introduced in the early 2000s in the USA, Mifepristone is an anti-progestin that, among other things, blocks nourishment (progesterone) from reaching the child, thereby starving the child within the mother’s womb leading to

musicians joining in. They became ours! So, the title also extends thanks to all my family and friends who played and sang with me on the songs that have been recorded. Some selected have not been recorded, but who knows, if they ever are, the lyrics may get tweaked and refined in the recording process.

I’m getting around to those I want to thank, but I want, first to say something about the continuing driving forces that influence my communicative style and show through every time I open my mouth or pick up a pencil. I’m sure it’s plain my sense of humor has survived both my advanced age and the 65-year run of learning to be a songwriter. I am, by nature and the way I was raised, a dedicated bringer of grins, and that gets reflected nonstop. That is also true of my story telling, but doesn’t mean that the stories are always true. I made up a lot of the stuff in the songs.

Finally, as difficult as it is to identify for someone else, I have tried to share anything in song or prose that rings like truth for me. I do that in hopes that someone may find something

STATESENATOR from page 17

Senate Majority Leader Sen. Steve Gooch (R –Dahlonega), and my fellow majority caucus colleagues to unveil our plans to continue to improve the lives and livelihoods of all Georgians.

The Senate Majority Caucus highlighted four areas we intend to prioritize. These four areas include bolstering opportunity and innovation in Georgia’s economy, cultivating an educated workforce, and creating safer communities as well as supporting the health and well-being of families and at-risk youth.

Through a prudent income tax reform and tax credit review, we will be able to implement new taxpayer and homeowner relief initiatives that will alleviate financial burdens from hardworking Georgians. Increasing literacy rates across the state will benefit our workforce and ensure success for generations to come. Efforts to expand telehealth services for rural and underserved communities is just one of the key initiatives related to improving healthcare across Georgia.

The Senate Majority Caucus is focused and determined to pass legislation that addresses each issue we’ve outlined for the Legislative Session. We believe these proposals are not only needed, but will only improve quality of life for all Georgians.

With newly elected leadership, committee meetings and proposed legislation has had a slow start. This is not indicative of how session will proceed, as we are working diligently to

its death. The procedure also involves taking a second pill, Misoprostol to expel the dead child from the mother.

According to CDC release data, 51% of abortions performed in 2020 were using the 2 pill system of Mifepristone and Misoprostol.

In 2011 Mifepristone was only available through a dcotor’s prescription after an in-person visit and signed agreement form by both patient and doctor. In 2021, the in-person visit was replaced by Telehealth visits, on-line web based meetings between doctor and patient. Certain pharmacies and clinics were approved and made available for use of dispensing Mifepristone. A patient agreement form was no longer necessary. Starting January 3, 2023 any pharmacy that’s been certified by the manufacture with training rules and documentation, approved by the state they are located in, can now distribute the abortion pill.

The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA)

they relate to or learn from. I actively try to teach and hesitate to preach. Please understand also that I am still learning about truth and how to express it. In the long run, and it has been that, my leaning towards being humorous and fun has won out more times than not, and the general lean of the book is positive and light.

So thank you! Thank you to those who lit the light of writing in me, who filled in the places where my musical skill left off and supplied what my hands would not produce, who have followed my music over many years, who have come out to hear and support in other ways, who own obsolete CDs, and those who have shown true interest and have asked to see my lyrics over the years. This one’s for you. If you wind up with a copy or digital rendering of the book, I also want to thank you in advance.

The book is being printed locally in paperback, and it is self-published by our music publishing company, Circle Farm Music.

Actual print copies of the book will be made available at Underground Books and The Vinyl Frontier to help support those valued business resources in Carroll County, and you can also

propose legislation that will benefit every Georgian.

On Thursday, Senate Bill 21, sponsored by my colleague and friend, Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick (R – Marietta), was assigned to be heard in the Senate Committee on Veterans, Military and Homeland Security, a committee I have the privilege of chairing. The bill would amend current law related to the creation of Georgia

guidelines stipulate the drug can only be used during the first 49 days or less from the woman’s last menstrual period. The entire process can take several weeks and must be overseen by licensed personnel.

While the drug is promoted as “safe, effective and more natural,” there is a growing body of evidence that it’s not. While death tops the list of dangers, the following complications and side effects are far too common: bleeding, hemorrhage, blood clots, failure, severe pain, infection, sepsis , and ectopic pregnancy.

What is being done in GA to control the distribution of Mifeprex/Misoprostol? With the passage of the Heartbeat Bill in Georgia in 2022, the abortion pill guidelines are the same for Medical Abortion as they are for Surgical Abortion, no abortions can be performed 6 weeks past gestation or when a heartbeat can be detected. Georgia is only one of eight states that have banned telehealth appointments for

get the book directly from me. I am easy to find at doc_daddyo@bellsouth.net or on Facebook. We also have a reading / Q&A style release and signing event in mind and in the planning stages.

If you are interested, contact me, and I will

what other processes occur to make my food that I was blind to? And finally, what does this mean for me?

The flame, however, had been lit, and my curiosity was piqued. I found myself full of energy, willing to listen to a part of the population that had always been the butt of my jokes before. Without seeing this film, I never would have felt inspired to learn more, especially about something as important as the food we eat every single day.

To this day, I am always seeking out new information about subjects I was previously ignorant to. For example, I’m currently learning about gardening and philosophy, two things I never would have considered if I hadn’t had that spark of wonderment from “Carnage”. My

Veterans Service Foundation, Inc., by repealing conflicting laws and revising language related to purpose, operation, and reporting. I look forward to working with my colleagues on ensuring Georgia’s veterans and serving members of the military are given the respect, care and honor they vehemently deserve.

While the physical legislation for the Senate Majority Caucus’ legislative priorities has yet

doctor/patients interviews concerning abortion pill prescriptions.

The State of Georgia still has in effect and requires the following Georgia Right to Life endorsed bills to be in effect, which are the “Women’s Right to Know Bill”, as well the “24 Hour Waiting Period Bill”, which requires the individual to wait 24 hours after the initial appointment to move forward with the abortion. Unfortunately, Mifeprex/ Misoprostol can still be delivered via UPS/USPS or FEX to individuals after their office or telehealth visit and prescription completed in Georgia.

There is a procedure, an Abortion Pill Reversal (APR) procedure that has been remarkably successful in bringing the pre-born child to full term after women have started the abortion pill procedure.

High percents of progesterone must be take by the woman, no more than 24 hours after taking the Mifeprex pill.

put you on an event invitation list. There will also be digital access to the book on devices that support that, and I’ll figure that out if I get requests. In one format or the other, I strongly suspect that I’ll give away more than I sell as a way of saying thanks!

cooking skills have drastically improved ever since, as I have explored new vegan dishes that I had never considered before. I’ve been inspired to be more creative with my food choices and branch out instead of eating the same products day-in and day-out. It also has driven me to share my knowledge, not only with this piece, but also with the speech topics I chose in public speaking class as well as conversation topics with friends and family.

In short, I think we should challenge ourselves more often and dig a little further behind what we think we know. Whether that means reading a book, watching a documentary, or taking a class on a subject you’ve neglected before, you’ll often be surprised at what might catch your interest. After all, you have nothing to lose, and everything to gain.

to be dropped in the Senate Hopper, we have been working on the ideas behind them for some time. I look forward to working with the bill sponsors to continue to perfect each of these bills and help them advance through the legislative process. If you have any questions, comments or concerns about these bills matter relating to the Georgia Senate, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office.

The 2025 Growth Outlook will highlight many of the city’s current and near future development projects. From private section investment to public infrastructure projects – and the impacts on the city’s population growth. You’ll not want to miss this engaging topic and subsequent discussion session!

Chris Montesinos, Villa Rica Director of Special Projects will be sharing the city’s “2025 Growth Outlook”

JIM “Poppy” BOYD from page 19

JAY NEAL from page 19

Don’t let fear drive investment decisions

RED O’NEAL

FINANCIAL ADVISOR

In the past year, we’ve seen some big swings in the financial markets. This volatility may make you feel as if you have little control over your investment success. But the truth is, you do have more control than you might

ED WILSON from page 18

You can execute legal documents through a competent practicing attorney who gives you, or those you select to speak for you, the right to control treatment pending death. If you have not executed such documents, make an appointment today, bring money or use free forms from the internet or hospitals, but don’t screw them up (laws). If you do not communicate, who will know your wishes? Now is the only time that you are assured that you can communicate and do you understand the cost of the disposal of your remains. What alternatives have you considered? Burial, cremation, composting, memorials, obits? Costs vary, costs about as much to die as to be born.

You may wonder what the people of the world think about what happens after death. Recognize that differences may and do exist in most all churches and cults. A brief summary of my understanding of a few of the major beliefs follows:

1. The Biblical Christians generally believe that they will go to be with Jesus to await the final judgment. Both “saved” and “lost” indi-

think, as long as you don’t let fear guide your decisions. Investment-related fear can manifest itself in a few different ways:

Fear of loss: Some investors may emphasize avoiding losses more than achieving gains. Consequently, they might build portfolios they consider very low in risk, possibly containing a high percentage of certificates of deposit (CDs) and U.S. Treasury securities. Yet, a highly conservative approach carries its own risk — the risk of not achieving enough growth to stay ahead of inflation, much less

viduals will be resurrected. The saved will live with Jesus in Heaven while the lost will suffer torment.

2.Latter Day Saints (Mormons) generally believe that eventually nearly everyone goes to one of three separate heavenly “kingdoms”. Some achieve “godhood” while some go to “outer darkness.”

3.Christian Science “practitioners” believe that death is not real and that Heaven and hell are states of mind.

4.The practitioners of Islam, founded by Muhammad 570-632, believe in the “resurrection of bodies” while the Nation of Islam, founded by Wallace Fard in 1930, but led by Elijah Muhammad (1897-1975) since 1934, believes there is one God, Allah, a black man and that there is no spiritual existence after death. Heaven and Hell are only symbols.

5.Judaism practitioners believe that there will be a physical resurrection and the obedient will live with God and the unrighteous will suffer.

6.Hindus believe in reincarnation and the well-behaved will be rewarded with a better

Carroll County marriage licenses

meet long-term goals such as a comfortable retirement. To reach these goals, you’ll want to construct a diversified portfolio containing different types of assets and investments — each of which may perform differently at different times. Your objective shouldn’t be to avoid all risk - which is impossible - but to create an investment strategy that accommodates your personal risk tolerance and time horizon.

Fear of missing out: You’re probably familiar with the term “herd mentality”, the

status “good karma” while the those who behaved badly will suffer for their past sins “bad karma”.

7.Buddhism (India): People do not have individual souls, but their desires and feelings may be incarnated into another person. Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism (Japan) believe in repeated reincarnation until one “awakens” and enters nirvana. Heaven and hell are two of ten states of existence.

Be assured, whatever your beliefs are, it is so and none should question them.

Added thoughts: One of the blessings of our country is that we are a nation of laws. But a curse upon our country is that we are a nation of laws, and laws, and laws to infinity. You are probably an unindicted felon and don’t even know it.

This is probably a lot more than you wanted to think about today, but perhaps some will find it of interest and as I am older than most, should I find the real meaning of death before you, I won’t tell.

Cut the grass or rake the leaves and have a nice day.

JANUARY 1-31, 2023

idea that people will follow the lead of others for fear of missing out on something. This behavior is responsible for fads or the sudden emergence of “hot” products, and it’s also relevant to investing. In fact, herd mentality may contribute to sharp jumps in the financial markets as investors drive up prices by buying stocks to avoid being left behind. And the same may be true in reverse — when the market starts dropping, skittish investors may accelerate the decline by selling stocks so they, too, can get out before it’s too late. Buying or selling investments should be considered as needed to advance long-term financial strategy, not in response to what others are doing.

Fear of the unknown: Some investors fall victim to “familiarity bias”, the tendency to invest only in what they know, such as local or domestic companies. But this behavior can lead to under-diversified portfolios. If your portfolio is dominated by just a few investments, and these investments are fairly similar to each other, you could experience some losses when the inevitable market downturn occurs. To help reduce the impact of market volatility, it’s a good idea to spread your investment dollars across large and small companies in a range of industries and geographical regions.

Fear of admitting failure: Some individuals don’t like to admit when they’ve been wrong about something, and they may continue the same failed activities, hoping for eventual success. This behavior can be costly. Sometimes, a particular investment or strategy, doesn’t work out, but an investor is determined to stick with it, even if it ultimately means considerable financial loss. Don’t let his happen to you, if it becomes apparent you need to change your investment approach, move on to something better.

Fear can hold us back in many walks of life, but don’t let it keep you from making appropriate investment moves.

Fred O’Neal, financial advisor, 410 College Street, Carrollton, GA 770-832-2141

Carroll County pistol permits

Number of Weapons Carry Permits applied for: JAN. 1-31, 2023: 135

Carroll County births

JANUARY 1-31, 2023:

Tanner Medical Center, Carrollton: Girls: 39 Boys: 51

Tanner Medical Center, Villa Rica:� Girls: 29 Boys: 40

Carroll County cattle receipts

Carroll County Sales Barn 225 Sales Barn Road, Carrollton

January 9, 2023: 636

January 16, 2023: 920

January 23, 2023: 303

January 30, 2023: 588

Carroll County jail population

Total population as of JANUARY 31, 2023: 409

Males: 342 Females: 67

(The Jack T. Bell Detention Center, 1000 Newnan Road,Carrollton)

Carroll County prison population

Total population as of JANUARY 31, 2023: 248

Capacity: 246 Males: 100%

REMAIN CALM from page 12

from the community and we never want to take it for granted!”

Major Dodson stated, again, that the officer is always facing uncertainty - it is a constant and great unknown.

“Be smart - for both you and the officer. Please put in the effort to try to achieve a safe balance for everyone. Most stops don’t end up with the person laying on the ground. This is not Russia! But, let’s not handle it on the side of the road. And don’t run; that will end up escalating the situation. The officer doesn’t know why you are running. And, remember, you can always beat any wrong arrest or unfair situation in court. If the officer is rude, we have a complaint process to handle your problem. And we will listen and consider what you have to say.

“For example, if you have a firearm in the car, you DONOT have to tell him about it, nor do you have to hand it over. Please, just DO NOT reach for it.

“If you are opening the glove compartment to get your license and the gun is in there, you should tell him it’s there. But, once again, we do not have the right to take it.

half-way around the world to Thailand. She did it all solo, and deliberately went to a small city that was off-the-tourist-track, and spent all her time there, a couple of weeks.

One of her hang-outs was a coffee shop owned by an Israeli and manged by a guy from Spain. She describes this manager as “New York gruff”. She refers to him as “Mr. Imperative Voice” who, on the last day of her stay in that city, sort of bullied her to get a massage before she left. She ended up at the massage place that he recommended, decided

PATRICK YURAN from page 19

have an opportunity to earn an AP Scholar Seal which serves as a signal to colleges that a student is prepared to handle the rigor of collegelevel course work and is awarded to seniors at graduation who have completed a series AP courses along with several other accomplishments.

The Entrepreneur Scholar Journey is designed to provide students with a clearly defined curriculum-based track to acquire essential knowledge and skills for success in business and leadership. Critical areas taught along this journey include the following: identifying entrepreneurial characteristics, selecting a value proposition, and business model development; recognizing a business opportunity and starting, operating, and maintaining a business; and analyzing an entrepreneurial venture, strategic planning, expanding product line, and pivoting to improve market shares and revenue streams. Students participating in the journey have an opportunity to earn an Entrepreneur Seal which serves as a signal to colleges that a student is prepared to participate in a businessrelated field of study and is awarded to seniors at graduation who have completed a series of Entrepreneurship courses along with several other accomplishments.

The World Language Scholar Journey is designed to provide students with a clearly defined curriculum-based track to acquire essential knowledge and skills for success in biliteracy fields of study. The successful competition of this journey provides colleges with a method to recognize and give academic credit to applicants seeking admission and to recognize a rigorous foreign language immersion experience for OMA graduates. Students participating in the journey have an opportunity to earn a World Language Scholar Seal (Biliteracy) which serves as a signal to colleges that a student is prepared to participate in an international-related field of study requiring

“In ALL cases, remaining calm is the solution.”

The American Civil Liberties website suggest the following:

- both driver and passengers have the right to remain silent

- stop the car in a safe place as quickly as possible

- turn off the car, turn on the internal light, open the window part way, and place your hands on the wheel

- if you’re in the passenger seat, put your hands on the dashboard; upon request, show police your driver’s license, registration, and proof of insurance; avoid making sudden movements, and keep your hands where the officer can see them.

- if arrested or detained, say you wish to remain silent and ask for a lawyer immediately. Don’t give any explanations or excuses. Don’t say anything, sign anything, or make any decisions without a lawyer.

For more information on the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department, please visit carrollsheriiff.net or call 770-830-5942 or email info@carrollsherrif.com

to get a foot massage, which to her mind would be less of an invasion of her much-valued privacy. This was her first time, for Mary seems to have gone through life with the belief that she’d be more comfortable without too much touching by strangers. Who couldn’t understand that?

What she experienced next, “was amazing”, to quote her, and after an hour, she “floated back to the airbnb on new feet”. I am sure Mary will recall, and even reminisce about that foot-rub many times, the same as I described for myself in the opening paragraph.

bilingual skills and is awarded to seniors at graduation who have completed a series World Language courses along with several other accomplishments.

The Customized Academic Scholar Journey is individually designed in collaboration with the student, parent, and administration to provide students with a personalized, clearly defined, academic track that may earn the student a series of distinctions upon graduation. This journey is just as the name states and is truly customized to the student’s academic and personal goals. The Customized Academic Scholar Journey enables academically driven Oak Mountain Academy’s Academic Journeys

A 61-Year Legacy of Excellence

Oak Mountain Academy has an impressive 61-year legacy of overall excellence. This excellence is a direct result of our faith-based educational programming, dynamic opportunities in the arts, athletics and student leadership, all the while providing a safe, family environment on our 88-acre campus. However, the “crown jewel” in our legacy of excellence is our rigorous academic programming. When asked about The Academy, one of the first things commonly mentioned is our long-standing track record for student academic successes.

Our students consistently outscore not only the state average, but also the national average, for ERB, SAT, & ACT testing. Over the past five years our graduating seniors – with an average class size of 12 – have earned over $10 million dollars in academic scholarship offers to colleges and universities of their choice. It is, without a doubt, that our academic program is a standout for our families on The Mountain. It is this reason that we have recently identified several Personalized Academic Journey opportunities for students to experience at Oak Mountain Academy.

Oak Mountain Academy’s Personalized Academic Journeys are intentional educational

STATEOFTHECOUNTY from page 7

She said that, like Attorney General Chris Carr who had initiated a lawsuit over abuse in opioids with drug stores, the county had also filed. She has been notified that the county will receive a portion of the settlement. She will be meeting with Sheriff Terry Langley and county mental health advocates on how to best utilize the monies. She said she will then make a detailed report to the commission.

At last year’s state of the county, Chairman Morgan reported on the large number of job vacancies. This year has improved with firefighter staffing increases. She explained that the county has 134 firefighters and 13 stations. She also announced a new quick response vehicle for medical emergencies. In 2022, there were 10,508 fire/rescue calls with 6400 being medical emergencies.

She commented that the 1700 acres of parks has had increased attendance as has the recreation department and there was another successful state gymnastic meet in the new state of the art facility bringing in $339,300. In Temple, she said there are two new trash compactors and that citizens have noticed the

Years ago, while finishing her preparation for a new career, that of being an interpreter, our friend Susie was in Washington, D.C. The next stage of her life’s journey would be to relocate to Brussels. So, we traveled to D.C. to see her. She was living in a big house that had a carpeted central grand stairway. We were sitting and talking with Susie in a parlor whose double doors were open, giving us a full view of the fabulous set of stairs. The lady of the house was upstairs with her masseuse. We were downstairs talking with Susie and Susie told us that as soon as the last thing was done, the lady

structures that include a rigorous academic course of study in addition to authentic contextual learning experiences designed to prepare students for college and beyond. These journeys include the Advanced Placement (AP) Scholar Journey, the Entrepreneur Scholar Journey, the World Language Scholar Journey, and the Customized Academic Scholar Journey.

The AP Scholar Journey is designed to provide students with a clearly defined AP curriculum track to earn a series of distinctions upon graduation. The AP Scholar Journey enables academically prepared students to pursue college-level studies while still enrolled at Oak Mountain Academy. The journey consists of college-level courses and corresponding exams that are administered in May of each year, which could also count as college credits.

Currently, OMA offers 17 AP courses in five subject categories. Participating in this journey can help students stand out on college applications. Students participating in the journey have an opportunity to earn an AP Scholar Seal which serves as a signal to colleges that a student is prepared to handle the rigor of collegelevel course work and is awarded to seniors at graduation who have completed a series AP courses along with several other accomplishments.

The Entrepreneur Scholar Journey is designed to provide students with a clearly defined curriculum-based track to acquire essential knowledge and skills for success in business and leadership. Critical areas taught along this journey include the following: identifying entrepreneurial characteristics, selecting a value proposition, and business model development; recognizing a business opportunity and starting, operating, and maintaining a business; and analyzing an entrepreneurial venture, strategic planning, expanding product line, and pivoting to improve market shares and revenue streams. Students participating in the journey have an opportunity to earn an Entrepreneur

improvement.

“2023 will be a building year for Carroll County,” Chairman Morgan exclaimed. “We are building a new fire station on the site of the former state patrol barracks on Highway 78 in Villa Rica. Commissioner Clint Chance was very active in this development.

“We are also proud to announce the location of the new county administration building on College Street where the old administration is now. It will incorporate features of the 1880s historical features of the original building like the clock tower. There will be two front doors as we want citizens always feeling that they are always coming in the front door. There will also be a drive-thru as well. During construction, the departments currently in the old school building will relocate to the old West Georgia Technical College campus. This new building will complement businesses and homes in the neighborhood.”

Chairman Morgan, in closing, thanked the chamber for the opportunity to speak about Carroll County, “the county of opportunity” she said.

The chairman took no questions.

(I forget her name) would be down. She wanted to meet Susie’s friends.

Well, in due time something got our attention and the conversation stopped. We all looked toward the stairs. Already halfway down, that’s how quiet she was, was a beautiful dreamy figure, a woman, in veils it seemed, floating from step to step, descending, extremely relaxed body, who made me feel, as well as the rest of us, that we were dreaming. Possibly that we might be in her dream!

And what was that last thing the masseuse had done? The foot-rub!

Seal which serves as a signal to colleges that a student is prepared to participate in a businessrelated field of study and is awarded to seniors at graduation who have completed a series of Entrepreneurship courses along with several other accomplishments.

The World Language Scholar Journey is designed to provide students with a clearly defined curriculum-based track to acquire essential knowledge and skills for success in biliteracy fields of study. The successful competition of this journey provides colleges with a method to recognize and give academic credit to applicants seeking admission and to recognize a rigorous foreign language immersion experience for OMA graduates. Students participating in the journey have an opportunity to earn a World Language Scholar Seal (Biliteracy) which serves as a signal to colleges that a student is prepared to participate in an international-related field of study requiring bilingual skills and is awarded to seniors at graduation who have completed a series World Language courses along with several other accomplishments.

The Customized Academic Scholar Journey is individually designed in collaboration with the student, parent, and administration to provide students with a personalized, clearly defined, academic track that may earn the student a series of distinctions upon graduation. This journey is just as the name states and is truly customized to the student’s academic and personal goals. The Customized Academic Scholar Journey enables academically driven students to pursue a focused, rigorous course of study that includes the following: dual enrollment, virtual offerings, and off or onsite course options.

Our recently defined Personalized Academic Journeys are a signature at Oak Mountain Academy. If you are interested in learning more, please visit our website www.oakmountain.us or call 770-834-6651.

BILL BOURIS from page19

Jews in 1930s. The Immigration Act of 1965 has no small part in our economy of today, which opened the door to mass migration of unskilled workers, primarily through unlimited family chain migration. This is still in effect today. Ronald Reagan got his “one time” Immigration Amnesty Bill signed in 1986 with the promise from Congress to control the border. 2.7 million were given citizenship without going through the naturalization process.

By 2016, only one in fifteen immigrants came here for employment-based reasons. The vast majority came here simply because they happen to be related to someone already here. In the 50 years prior, over 36 million immigrants (94% of the total) came to America for reasons having nothing to do with employment. There are an estimated 24 million illegal immigrants, the real number is unknown. Question any figures given out by the government.

3 million will cross this year with the power to bring multiple family members through family chain migration.

Our immigration/ naturalization policy should serve the “wealth and strength” of our people, as Madison said in that first Congress. It should not divide our nation. . .

We ought to put the interests of our citizens first and welcome those foreigners best prepared to handle the duties of citizenship and contribute positively to our country.

Under the current regime, border crossingslegal and illegal - are out of control. Executive Orders were used to stop the border wall as was the “remain in Mexico” policy. These were two strategies that had all but gotten immigration under control in the prior regime. There seems to be little desire from the government or media to stop this migration today. December 2022 had 250,000 known crossings of the southern border. Unrecorded crossings are estimated at 1/3 of that number. At that rate,

D.A. KING from page 18

demand for a change in the public benefits laws from voters or any offer to correct the ridiculous loophole in the law by any Carroll County state legislators, or from Gov. Kemp.

The Gold Dome: HB 136: Some good news for pro-enforcement voters on “criminal aliens:” HB 136 has been filed and will go to the House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee soon. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Jesse Petrea (R- Savannah) would require the state Dept. of Corrections to post a quarterly, public report that shows the number of foreign nationals in the state prison system; their immigration status; offenses and home countries. The report would illustrate the percentage of inmates who are not United States citizens in the total prison system population.

In 2016, Tom Cotton introduced legislation to fix our naturalization system called the RAISE Act: Reforming American Immigration for a Strong Economy. The bill has been in committee for over six years, held there by indifferent regimes. The RAISE Act will correct the flaws in the 1965 Act by reorienting our immigration system towards foreigners who have the most to contribute to our country. The bill is still in the Senate Judiciary Committee as S.354 (115th): RAISE Act. Detailed, but worth the read. One of the main proponents of the bill is to evaluate immigrant applications through a point system that admits immigrants who, again, have the most to contribute to the American system. Their immediate families would also be included. Of course, even if passed and our elected officials do not uphold the law, it really will not make much of a difference.

The 14th Amendment allows a child born in America the right to citizenship in most situations. In 1970, My wife and I lived in Laredo, Texas. She was an RN working in Labor and Delivery at Mercy Hospital and cared for many women who crossed the border to have their children. Most women had not had any prenatal care and came on their day of delivery. The children received American Citizenship and assumably a better outcome for the deliv-

“School choice!”: Bad news: Under the banner of “school choice!” many Republicans in and out of government are pushing to reward and encourage illegal immigration into Georgia by passing a bill that would create a state benefit that pays private school tuition for illegal alien K-12 students and families. The simpleand sane - solution to having “school choice” and not cater to the open borders lobby is to make the new state benefit open only to U.S. citizens and green card holders.

Carroll County Republican Rep. J. Collins is a cosponsor of HB 136 and is Chairman of the House Public Safety Committee. He should be thanked for his support.

Carroll County Republican Rep. J. Collins is a cosponsor of HB 136 and is Chairman of the House Public Safety Committee. He should be thanked for his support. You may want to ask him about helping with a bill to correct the holes in the public benefits laws discussed above. I will do both.

HB 136 is bad news for the politicians from both parties that pretend illegal immigration, and “undocumented workers” are somehow not “an issue.” HB 136 will illustrate the inherent dangers and preventable misery illegal immigration and “criminal illegals” inflict on innocent Georgians. And it will offer a method to figure the cost of illegal on our prison budget, if it were to pass.

The same bill was allowed to die in 2019 by the Republicans who controlled the House Rules committee. One Democrat said tracking illegal immigration in Georgia prisons could “start a race war...”

ery. This not a form of naturalization by any stretch of the imagination.

Today, the process takes several years to complete when following the 10 step program and completion of the N-400 form. One needs to meet all the eligibility requirements and requires a medical and mental examination.

Our immigration/naturalization policy should serve the “wealth and strength” of our people, as Madison said in that first Congress. It should not divide our nation, impoverish our workers, or promote hyphenated Americanism. We ought to put the interests of our citizens

ical web of living greenish energy as dazzling, mysterious, and fearsome as any apparition? The first time it happened, I thought I was going mad. Or having a flashback to my callow hallucinogenic days. Over the years I’ve gotten used to it, anticipating the fisherman’s enchantment as if we now share a longheld secret.

Downstream a pile of boulders protrudes from the water at the riverbend, making an enticing spot for people to gather. Some summer nights I’ve seen the rippling flames of a bonfire. One night, a flotilla of small boats was anchored there across the water, each bearing the same glowing orange lantern, creating a tranquil incandescence like enormous fireflies at rest. I can only imagine what it was like to be in the reflections of those magical lamps. But, could they have imagined the beauty they bestowed on one seeing them from afar?

Of all the night stories the river has given

first and welcome those foreigners best prepared to handle the duties of citizenship and contribute positively to our country. Do not be the “dying citizen” who is not informed about issues or the past. Make politicians and the media accountable for their actions. How far will the media go? Just saw a tv ad that said Jesus was an immigrant. I might even buy that in a spiritual sense in that when he came into my life, He was in a foreign country.

Adapted from a speech by Tom Cotton given at the Hillsdale College’s Eight Annual Constitution Day Celebration.

me, one stands out particularly. It’s late summer, after nightfall. I’m in bed reading Suddenly, from no more than thirty feet away, a lone coyote begins to bay under the house, almost directly below me, yapping and yodeling with every cell of her wild being. Captured in the updraft of pure sound and stunned by its proximity, I fall into a stillness in which every cell of my tamed being is opened and attentive (the dog under the covers also does not stir). In my mind the coyote is banded in the slats of light coming through the floorboards of the porch. What has possessed her to stop and speak then and there?

Then, for unknown reasons, the howling stops. Neither I (or the dog) move a muscle for a very long time. At the end has come a momentary vision of the last soft phrase of the coyote’s song: translucent musical notes spilling out of her mouth, fading into the blackness as she lopes down the riverbank for a drink.

Carroll County Department of Public Health

To view complete inspection details: dph.georgia.gov/environmental-health

tourist accomodation inspections scores

1/17/2023: Comfort Inn 104 S Cottage Hill Rd Carrollton 94 previous 81

1/23/2023: Crown Inn 102 Crown CT Carrollton 79 previous 71

Violations: Observed mold buildup on ice machine. Observed mold on showe r curtain in room 112. Observed sheets/pillows with stains, comforters with stains and burn holes in rooms 112, 218, and 201. Observed broken window screen in hallway, can lead to severe injury or death for the various children on property.

restaurant health inspections scores

The national “universal school choice” movement is led by a man named Corey DeAngelis, who refuses to acknowledge the very existence of the raging border crisis or illegal immigration in the U.S. He is also connected to something called the “Cato Institute.” For readers who are not aware of the Cato agenda, you may want to see one of their position papers entitled “Forget the Wall Already, It’s Time for the U.S. to Have Open Borders.”

That may help explain the insistence on including illegal aliens in “school choice for all students!”

HB131: Very bad news from Dalton Republican Kasey Carpenter for struggling college students around the nation who want to attend public colleges in Georgia. Along with a list of Democrat and Republican sponsors, Carpenter’s HB 131 would change state law so that illegal aliens could attend Georgia’s public colleges and technical schools at a much lower tuition rate than American citizens and legal immigrants from other states. The concept is being pushed by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce.

Voters can remain silent on all of this. But silence is consent. This column was written Feb. 1, 2023.

Moe’s Southwest 1765 Hwy 27 S Carrollton 90 previous 87

1/19/2023: Steak N Shake 1460 Hwy 27 S Carrollton 90 previous 80

1/09/2023: Carroll 168 Donuts 928 S Park Street Carrollton 89 previous 90

1/09/2023: Samba Loca 104 Adamson Square Carrollton 87 previous 95

1/09/2023: Jack’s 1109 S Park Street Carrollton 87 previous 91

1/09/2023: Martin’s 612 Bankhead Hwy Carrollton 85 previous 83

1/09/2023: Hardee’s 161 Commerce Drive Villa Rica 82 previous 85

RIVERRAMBLES from page 18