January 2021

StarNews

CARROLL COUNTY, GEORGIA’s ONLY LOCALLY OWNED LOCALLY OPERATED NEWSPAPER

NEWS REPORTING / NEWS RECAP / NEWS ANALYSIS

JANUARY 17, 2021 • VOLUME 27 NUMBER 1

StarNews 2021 publication dates

StarNews subscribers receive their print copy each month through the United States Post Office on the Saturday prior to publication date.

If you do not receive your StarNews in a timely manner for any of the dates listed below, please contact Sue Horn, publisher at suehorn.starnews@gmail.com StarNews is the only locally owned newspaper in Carroll County, GA, supported by subscribers and local advertisers. If you would like to support your local newspaper, please send $20 (one year subcription price) to: StarNews, PO Box 680, Carrollton, GA 30112. Publication dates for 2021 are: Sunday January 17, 2021 Sunday, February 14, 2021 Sunday, March 14, 2021 Sunday, April 11, 2021 Sunday, May 16, 2021 Sunday, June 13, 2021 Sunday, July 11, 2021 Sunday, August 8, 2021 Sunday, September 12, 2021 Sunday, October 10, 2021 Sunday, November 7, 2021 Sunday, December 12, 2021

Carroll County CoVID-19 stats

120,119 total county population

• As of July 2, 2020: 741 total positive tests * 40 total deaths attributed to CoVID-19 • As of October 6, 2020: 2882 total positive tests * 70 total deaths attributed to CoVID• As of January 4, 2021: 5392 total positive tests * 97 total deaths attributed to CoVID-19 * Note: One person may have been tested more than one time. Total number of positive tests do not necessarily correlate to total number of persons tested.

Source: Georgia Department of Public Health

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2020

The YEAR in

REVIEW

Carroll County’s top news stories of the past year

beginning page 10

w w w. s t a r n e w s g a o n l i n e . c o m StarNews monthly traditional print publication / StarNews Online daily local news

Both of Georgia’s U.S. Senate seats go to Democrats

County commission asks voters to approve newest $119M SPLOST

by Sue Horn The Georgia Secretary of State has reported the results of the Tuesday, January 5, 2021 Runoff Election. The two hotly contested Congressional Georgia seats go to both of the Democrat canJanuary 5, 2021 RUNOFF ELECTION RESULTS didates, unseating the two for GEORGIA SENATE SEATS Republican incubents.

The razor thin margins Jon Ossoff (D) 50.57% David Perdue (R) 49.43% echo the November presidential election in which Raphael Warnock (D) 50.99% Democrat candidate and Kelly Loefflor (R) 49.01%

by Sue Horn The Carroll County Board of Commissioners asked the voters of Carroll County to approve the newest SPLOST with a unanimous board vote during the regular meeting held Tuesday, January 5, 2021.

Item 8.3 was a resolution requesting that the Board of Elections and Registration call for

Democrat Raphael Warnock becomes first black congressman to be elected in history of Georgia 4.4M+ vote in historic runoff

See SENATE page 23

Tuesday, March 16th vote: collections would begin April 1st continuing for six years ceasing at end of March 2027

See NEWEST SPLOST page 17

Longtime chamber president Daniel Jackson to retire from press release Daniel Jackson, president and CEO of Carroll Tomorrow and the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce, has announced that he See RETIRE page 17

Jackson

Carrollton begins new year Carroll County government with new assistant city manager has healthy on-hand cash of Patrick Eidson was Rome, GA’s assistant city manager

by Brandon Kerr Carrollton City Council and Mayor held its first meeting of 2021 on Tuesday, January 4th at the Public Safety Complex on West Center Street in Carrollton. (The meeting was also available online in real time.) Mayor Betty B. Cason called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m., followed shortly by the customary standing and recitation for ‘The Pledge of Allegiance” to the flag. An invocation was led by Council member Jacqulene Bridges where she thanked God for “bringing us out of 2020 into 2021” and prayed for unity both in the community and the world.

During mayor and council announcements, Mayor Cason announced that the Carrollton Water Department was recently

Patrick Edison

$28,356,499; representing a 51.02% “rainy day” reserve 185 days of operating cash on-hand

Other business includes tabling whether to continue to allow Georgia driver services to rent from the county Montrell McClendon, District

by Brandon Kerr The Carroll County Board of 1; Clint Chance, District 2; Commissioners convened on Tommy Lee, District 3; Ernie Tuesday the 5th for their Reynolds, District 5; and January 2021 meeting at the George Chambers, District 6.

Historic Court House on Steve Fuller, District 4, was Newnan Street in Carrollton. In absent due to a death in the attendance were Chairman family. The meeting opened Michelle Morgan, and five of with the customary “Pledge of See CITY OF CARROLLTON page 3 the six district commissioners: See COMMISSION page 7

Continuing the expansion of broadband in rural Georgia areas through reduced pole fees and reverse location auctions

Georgia Public Service Commission approves lowering EMC pole fee to $1 to help spur broadband expansion into unserved areas

Federal Communications Commission hosts location auctions to help 179,455 unserved homes/ businesses in Georgia gain broadband access

Carroll EMC CEO Tim Martin: “This decision. . . creates a pathway. . . to serve those unserved areas”

Carroll County to gain 4,668 locations; Haralson County 4,720; Heard County 614; Coweta County 1,108; Douglas County 412

from press release Efforts to provide broadband in unserved areas of Georgia took another step forward following a Public Service Commission (PSC) decision which determines the fee paid by cable companies to attach wires and cable to electric membership cooperative (EMC) utility poles.

During an administrative session in December, the commission unanimously approved a motion requiring EMCs to lower the pole attachment rate for new attachments in areas of the state that are unserved by broadband to $1, per pole, per year, for six years.

This financial incentive, called the One Buck Deal, will be given to any qualified broadband provider that will agree to deliver new high-speed internet service in an area that is determined to be “unserved” by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Broadband Initiative Maps.

from press releases The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced in December 2020 that an estimated 373,000 rural Georgians will gain access to high-speed broadband through the Commission’s “Rural Digital Opportunity Fund” Phase I reverse auction.

In Georgia, the auction allocated $326,454,112.20 in support to expand broadband to 179,455 unserved homes and businesses over the next 10 years. Nearly all locations in Georgia that were eligible for the auction will be receiving access to broadband with speeds of at least 100/20 Mbps, with an overwhelming majority (85%) getting gigabit-speed broadband. The auction unleashed robust competition that resulted in more locations being awarded at less cost to Americans who pay into the FCC’s Universal Service Fund.

For Carroll County, two companies won location bids: Charter

See REDUCED POLE FEES page 4

See REVERSE LOCATION AUCTIONS page 4

Page 2 January 17, 2021

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Page 3

CITY OF CARROLLTON from front page Council] does have some standards, like the Appointment, which Cason asked to be who spoke on behalf of the property owners, given a “Georgia First” designation, with City Manager Tim Grizzard adding that “if we do take a loan from GEFA (Georgia Environmental Finance Authority), it may be under one percent interest because of that designation.”

Cason introduced and announced the hiring of Patrick Eidson to the position of Assistant City Manager saying, “We all look forward to working with [Eidson] and I know he’s just going to be another feather in our cap when it comes to employees.”

In response to continued citizen concern, Grizzard addressed the issue of affordable housing in Carrollton, pointing out that the council itself has very little control over the price of housing.

“We don’t set the price of building material,” Grizzard noted. “We don’t set the price of labor… This body is in charge of zoning. [

Carrollton’s new assistant city manager was Rome’s assistant city manager

from press release The new year will bring a new face to Carrollton City government when Patrick Eidson steps into the assistant city manager position this January. For the past six years, he was assistant city manager for Rome, Georgia. Eidson has a 16-year local government service career, including 14 years as a local government manager.

Eidson is a graduate of the University of West Georgia with a B.A. in political science and completed his graduate work at the Georgia College & State University in Milledgeville, Georgia, in 2002, earning a Master of Public Administration degree. He is a member of the International City/ County Management Association and the Georgia City/County Management Association.

Eidson and his wife, April, who is a school counselor, have an eight-year-old son named Jack.

size of a house…but we really don’t control the price of housing.”

Grizzard did, however, emphasize that there are opportunities available for home builders, with interest rates currently being around only 2%.

Mayor Cason added to Grizzard’s remarks, stressing that the council recognized the issue of affordable housing and was “working with community partners” to help address the problem.

Among the business brought before the council was the Mayor Pro-Tem

tabled until the next meeting.

A request was brought forward to rezone 202 Brumbelow Road, the site of the old T.C. Rose building from M-1, Light Industry to C-2, General Commercial. In December, the planning commission approved the request with two conditions. One being that a concrete sidewalk with landscape islands and curbing be installed along the Brumbelow Road right-of-way, and that the parking lot in front of the building be reconfigured to remove any existing parking spaces from the right-of-way. Rajvir Khakh,

maintained that they would abide by the conditions adherent to the rezoning. The motion carried unanimously.

An additional rezoning request was placed before the council for 190 Burns Road. The request was to rezone the property from Office Institutional to Residential planning for the purpose of building nine one-bedroom cottages. The cottages are intended to be rental properties. The planning commission recommended approval of the development dependent upon several conditions,

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See NINE COTTAGES page 5

Page 4 January 17, 2021

StarNews

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REDUCED POLE FEES from front page tain and accommodate third-party attachThe Commission also established a costbased pole attachment rate in areas of the state that already have broadband service and for existing attachments in unserved areas. The Commission voted to support reasonable terms and conditions to attach to these poles along with enhancements to require faster repair of safety violations.

Together, these measures will spur the expansion of broadband into rural areas through economic efficiency, certainty, and increased safety and reliability of attachments on EMC poles.

“This decision by the PSC creates a pathway for cable companies, or any broadband provider, to actually expand their infrastructure and serve those unserved areas,” said Tim Martin, CEO of Carroll EMC. “It is important to note that pole attachment rates have historically been a business-to-business, negotiated agreement between a notfor-profit EMC and other privately-owned utilities. EMCs do not make profits from these attachments. They are a pass-thru cost based on real and substantial costs incurred

by EMCs and their Members to own, main-

LOCATION AUCTIONS from front page

Communications and Carroll Space Exploration Technologies. Charter Comunications won 4,638 locations at the reverse auction price (support) of $4,325,612, and Carroll Space Technology won 30 locations at $19,783. Also in the West Georgia area were the following winning bidders: Haralson County: Charter Communications, 4,517 locations, $4,978,558; Space Exploration Technologies, 203, $110,626.

Coweta County: Charter Communications, 1,066, $1,204,104; Space Exploration Technologies Corp., 42 locations, $43,528.

Heard County: Charter Communications, 614 locations, $858,743 Douglas County: Charter Communications, 137 locations, $246,798 Douglas County: Space Exploration Technologies Corp. 275 locations, $160,798 The FCC’s $16 Billion Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I Auction for the United States kicked off August 1, 2020, when the commission adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) proposing to establish the $20.4 billion Rural Digital Opportunity Fund to bring high speed fixed broadband service to rural homes and small businesses that lack it. On January 30, 2020, the FCC adopted the “Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Report and Order”, which established the framework for the fund, building on the success of the CAF Phase II auction by using reverse auctions in two phases. The Phase I auction, which began October 29, 2020, targeted more than six million homes and businesses across America in census blocks that are entirely unserved by voice and broadband with download speeds of at least 25 Mbps. Phase II will cover locations in census blocks that are partially served, as well as locations not funded in Phase I. The Rural Digital Opportunity Fund has the goal to ensure that networks stand the test of time by prioritizing higher network speeds and lower latency, so that those benefitting from these networks will be able to use tomorrow’s Internet applications as well as today’s.

A total of $20.4 billion is to be awarded over the next ten years. Up to $16 billion was made available for Phase I of the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund auction, and the remaining Phase I budget, along with $4.4

ments on EMC poles.”

To monitor the deployment progress, the PSC decision also requires EMCs to report the total number of attachments in served and unserved areas to the Commission every two years.

Long before introducing the One Buck Deal, EMCs were pursuing solutions to help expand broadband to unserved homes and businesses. Systems in northern Georgia like Blue Ridge and Jasper, in southern areas like Sumter, or western areas like Heard and Carroll counties are developing EMC partnerships to expand broadband to rural Georgians.

In June of 2020, Carroll EMC celebrated the announcement of a $20 million broadband project that is the result of an agreement between the cooperative and local broadband provider, SyncGlobal Telecom.

The project, which was the result of a $12.5 million USDA ReConnect grant and matching funds provided by Carroll EMC and SyncGlobal Telecom, will serve more than 7,300 residents in previously unserved areas in West Georgia.

Edward Jones be sure to remove Dennis Brightman

Reverse Auction def: is a type of auction in which the traditional roles of buyer and seller are reversed. There is one buyer and many potential sellers.

In a reverse auction, sellers compete to obtain business from the buyer and prices will typically decrease as the sellers underbid each other billion, will be awarded for Phase II of the auction.

For the winning bidders, the support term is for 10 years of support; support disbursed in equal monthly installments.

Disbursements to winning bidders begin after the winning bidder submits a long-form application and becomes authorized to receive support.

Rural Digital Opportunity Fund support recipients must: - Offer commercially at least one voice and one broadband service meeting the relevant service requirements to all locations within the awarded area in the following timeframe: - 40% of the required number of locations in a state by the end of third year of support and an additional 20% by the end of the fourth and fifth years of support By the end of year six, revised location totals will be announced: If there are fewer locations than originally estimated by the cost model, support recipients must serve the revised number of locations by end of year six. If there are more locations than originally estimated by the cost model, support recipients must serve the cost model-estimated number of locations by the end of year six and must serve the remainder of locations by the end of year eight All support recipients must serve locations newly built after the revised location total but before the end of year eight upon reasonable request.

The exact deployment schedule is determined by the carriers themselves, not the FCC.

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www.starnewsgaonline.com NINE COTTAGES from page 3 including that the number of cottages built be limited to nine. Additional stipulations included adjustments to the original plans for the cottages in regards to details such as building width, roof pitch, rear setback, and density per acre.

The commission also recommended that, should the units be sold individually, an EPD approved public grade lift station and force main be required. However, Community Development Director Erica Studdard maintained that the units would only be used for rental purposes.

Councilman Bob Uglum commented, “I think that this is an exciting development. It will look great on the lake.”

Developer Brian Preston, who applied for the rezoning, spoke before the council and described the cottages as “micro-dwellings” or “micro-units” that can make use of property that is difficult to develop. He expressed his belief that, if approved, the project, “could be one of the first in the whole country”, becoming a “template” for other communities. The council approved the request unanimously.

Further business included a resolution for R-O-W abandonment of a 1.69 acre portion of unopened right of way at the end of Martin Drive. The request was made on behalf of the purchaser of the personal care home on Park Place Way who also purchased the property between the personal care home and the piece of land in question.

Carroll County Sheriff’s Department receives $299,999.98 to buy three new vehicles and pay deputies to work traffic for three years from press release and information from Carroll County’s public relations employee The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) announced in December that Carroll County Sheriff’s Office is one of 21 law enforcement agencies in Georgia to receive a Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic grant for the 2021 grant season. Referred to as a H.E.A.T. grant, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office’s award totaled $299,999.98. H.E.A.T. grants totaled $6.7 million for Georgia in 2021.

According to the Carroll County Commission public relations person Ashley Hulsey, “The grant spans over a three year time period and the sheriff’s office expects to receive reimbursement for three vehicles that will be fully equipped with in-car laptops along with radar and lidar equipment for speed detection in the first year. The H.E.A.T. Unit will submit specific hours worked by for traffic monthly and this grant will reimburse the hours worked back to the county.”

The goal of the H.E.A.T. program is to combat crashes, injuries and fatalities caused by impaired driving and speeding, while also increasing seatbelt use and educating the public about traffic safety and the dangers of DUI. For more information about the H.E.A.T. program or any other GOHS campaign, visit www.gahighwaysafety.org or call 404656-6996.

The property owners wish to include the serving another term.

Director Studdard spoke well of both men, tract of land in the expansion of the personal care home. Having covered the resolution at saying “They’ve been good planning comtheir December Developer Brian Preston, who applied missioners, and they’ve work session, the council adopted it for the rezoning, spoke before the council been assets to the commisand described the cottages as “microunanimously with little discussion. dwellings” or “micro-units” that can make sion. They parA planning com- use of property that is difficult to develop. ticipate and their attenmission reappointis ment was also dis- He expressed his belief that, if approved, d a n c e cussed for the seats the project, “could be one of the first in the great.”

However, of Dr. Peter Balega whole country”, becoming a “template” for and Eddie Duffey, other communities. The council approved council member and Mayor both of whose the request unanimously.

Pro Tem, Jim terms expired in December. Balega had served one full term, Waters made a motion to consider Rich whereas Duffey was approved to serve a par- Weaver, who had expressed interest in the tial term one year ago. Both were eligible for position for Dr. Balega’s seat.

“I think he would be a good addition,” reappointment and both expressed interest in

StarNews

January 17, 2021 Page 5

said Waters, though he also spoke highly of Balega.

The motion was finally passed unanimously to appoint Rich Weaver to Dr. Balega’s seat.

The nomination to reappoint Eddie Duffey to his seat on the Planning Commission was passed as well, also unanimously.

The final act of business was to approve the council meeting schedule for the 2021 calendar year, in which the council would meet the first Monday of every month, unless affected by holidays or other special circumstances. The motion was passed unanimously whereupon the January meeting was adjourned.

All council members were present for this meeting: Jacqulene Bridges – Ward 1; Brett Ledbetter – Ward 2; Jim Watters – Ward 3; and Bob Uglum – Ward 4.

Southwire

StarNews NEWS RECAP -

Page 6 January 17, 2021

www.starnewsgaonline.com

from stories on StarNews Online website at www.starnewsgaonline.com Tanner Health System’s “frontline staff” receive the first round of the two part CoVID-19 vaccines

On December 22, 2020 - nine months after the coronavirus pandemic appeared in Carroll County, Georgia - Tanner Medical Centers in Carrollton and Villa Rica received the first doses of the CoVID-19 vaccine.

Almost 2,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were loaded, enough, the hospital stated, to inoculate their frontline healthcare workers and medical staff. The vaccine must be administered in two doses, 21 days apart, which puts the second dose to have been administered January 12, 2021.

Guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) call for administering the vaccine first to frontline healthcare workers and residents of longterm care facilities - those who are considered to be at the greatest risk of and from contracting the virus.

Doses of the vaccine are allocated by the Georgia Department of Community Health (DPH), which decides when — and how much — of the vaccine will be distributed.

The vaccine is manufactured by PfizerBioNTech and has strict cold-storage requirements. The health system has ordered additional freezers to safely keep the vaccine. To achieve better than 90% efficacy, the vaccine must be administered in two doses, 21 days apart.

“We’re grateful that we can offer this as a means to keep our frontline staff safe,” said Loy Howard, president and CEO of Tanner.

“I’m looking forward to being able to offer this across our region, so everyone has the opportunity to be protected from this worldchanging virus.”

Georgia’s labor force reached an all time high in November 2020: 5.17M employed

The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) announced that Georgia’s labor force reached an all-time high in November of 5.17 million. Additionally, the state saw significant increases in the number of employed residents and jobs. While nearly every metric remained positive, the unemployment rate for November still increased by 1.2% points to 5.7% due to the dramatic increase in the number of citizens returning to the workforce. In November, the number of employed Georgians was up 12,759 to reach a total of 4,872,633, and the number of employed was up by 592,709 since April.

Georgia’s labor force in November saw an increase of 81,278, almost triple the increase from 2018 to 2019. That number is also up 274,436 since the start of the pandemic in April.

“The fact that our labor force is at an alltime high in the midst of a crippling pandemic is pretty remarkable,” said Commissioner Butler. “The unemployment rate will fluctuate, but we will continue to centralize our efforts on keeping our economy stable and filling the thousands of jobs available on Employ Georgia.”

Of the over 162,000 jobs currently listed on EmployGeorgia, over half of them advertise annual salaries over $40,000. In many cases, employers are willing to train quality candidates and assist with attainment of additional credentials. The sectors with

the most over-the-month job gains included Transportation and Warehousing, 13,000, Specialty Trade Contractors, 2,900, Wholesale Trade, 2,100, Retail Trade, 2,100, and Administrative Services, 2,100.

The Georgia Department of Labor has paid nearly $16.5 billion in state and federal benefits since the beginning of the pandemic in March of this year.

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Previously, Lackey was Lackey a director in the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce (12 years) and, prior to that, director of the regional planning commission (10 years).

According to Lackey, the board works to achieve this goal by strengthening rural areas and leveraging public-private partnerships, in addition to creating affordable housing opportunities for low- to moderate-income individuals across the state. As of right now, their focus is on broadband expansion.

The board recently released a new, more accurate map that identifies areas in Georgia that are not served by high-speed internet or broadband service. The new map reflects more than 5 million locations in all 159 Georgia counties. Nearly 70% of these locations are in rural areas. (See front page stories this edition.)

Lackey graduated from UWG with a master’s degree in public administration in 1985. She has been a member of the Georgia Economic Developers Association for more than 30 years. In addition, she represents UWG on the University System of Georgia Board of Regents’ Advisory Committee on Community Engagement and Service and the USG Economic Development Committee.

Georgia State Park passes and travel guide for 2021

The newly published “2021 Guide to Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites” is a helpful resource for planning spring break, retreats and vacations. The booklet is filled with tips on the best hiking trails, fishing spots, pet travel, golf courses, cabins and campsites.

Frequent visitors may also want to purchase new 2021 passes. A $50 Annual ParkPass provides free parking at more than 40 destinations, including Fort Yargo, Tallulah Gorge and Providence Canyon. The separate Historic Site Pass covers admission fees at 15 sites, including Etowah Indian Mounds, Dahlonega Gold Museum and Fort King George. The Historic Site Pass is $25 for students and $50 for families.

Georgia State Parks Director Jeff Cown said, “With a pass, your parking and admission fees are already covered for the whole year.”

The 2021 Travel Guide is available free in park offices or can be viewed on GaStateParks.org. Passes may be purchased online, by calling 770-389-7286 or in park offices as well.

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StarNews

January 17, 2021 Page 7

In other business, a resolution

Allegiance” with the invocation led by was brought forward to elect the Commissioner McClendon.

2021 Vice Chairman of the Carroll Before approval of the Agenda, Chairman Morgan proposed an amendment to remove County Board of Commissioners. . item 9.2, which was the appointment for the .The motion to elect Tommy Lee Board of Elections and Registration. The as Vice Chairman was approved, term of board member, Monica Williams 5-0, minus Commissioner Lee’s Smith expired in December. However, she abstained vote chose not to re-serve for personal reasons. In addition, Commissioner Reynolds made a the Board of Elections motion that a discussion of RFP processes and Registration call for contractors be added to the agenda. The for an election on agenda, with both amendments, was then March 16, 2021 to approved, 6-0, placing the discussion of RFP vote on the continuaprocesses to the end of the meeting at item tion of the SPLOST 9.6. tax, in addition to A motion was made to approve the min- approval of the ballot utes from the December 1 Commission to be used in that elecmeeting. The motion was passed, 6-0, fol- tion. This resolution lowed by public comments, of which there was also approved, 6were none.

0.

Tommy Lee Finance Director, Alecia Searcy presented In other business, a a financial recap of county funds as of the resolution was brought forward to elect the close of November 2020 (the most recent 2021 Vice Chairman of the Board of reports available). Searcy reported revenues Commissioners. Clint Chance made a to date for this fiscal year totaling motion to present Commissioner, Tommy $31,197,816; expenditures to date totaling Lee as Vice Chairman of the Carroll County $22,396,268, showing an excess of Board of Commissioners. $8,801,548 revenues over expenditures.

“I think that everybody on the Board Searcy pointed out that, from November of brings something to the table,” iterated last year, the county’s total revenue was up Chance. “Commissioner Chambers has been about 6.47%, noting the county was seeing our Vice Chairman and has served a lot of “a good increase year over year, also com- dedicated years. On a lot of different boards, pared to our budget”.

I think you see members typically rotate.

Searcy reported that the county has about Commissioner Lee has been on the board for 185 days of operating cash eight years, and I think it on hand, though noting that . . . discussion of a would be great to allow the county is currently in its rental agreement with another member to have an cash growth period while opportunity.” the Georgia State collecting property taxes, The motion to elect and that, after January, that Properties Commission Tommy Lee as Vice number will start to fall off.

Chairman was approved, 5for use of the AMS The county is still seeing a 0, minus Commissioner year-over-year gain “which House on behalf of The Lee’s abstained vote. is really what you want to The next item on the Department of Driver look for, so we’re in good agenda was discussion of a Services. . . in 2004, shape.” rental agreement with the In fact, the county’s cash then Chairman Robert Georgia State Properties reserve (fund balance) is Commission for use of the Barr was able to $28,356,499 ($28.3M) negotiate. . . allowing AMS House on behalf of which represents a 51.02% The Department of Driver reserve of the total annual Driver Services to stay in Services. Chairman Morgan budget. In July the cash Carroll County instead of explained that in 2004, then reserve was $19,544,940.

Chairman Robert Barr was moving to another Georg i a Municipal able to negotiate the rental Association and the county... However, the agreement with the AMS Georg i a County House, allowing Driver item was finally Commissioners Association motioned to be tabled. Services to stay in Carroll recommend a 25% cash County instead of moving to reserve. another county. Stacey Commissioner Reynolds referenced the Blackmon was once again consulted by increase of $9.9 million in the county fund telephone. balance and a jump in revenue over expenses “This is a renewal of the existing rental from negative $1.256 to $8.8 million and agreement,” stated Blackmon, “with the inquired of Searcy if she would attribute exact same terms as the existing agreement”. those gains primarily to property taxes.

Commissioner Reynolds had questions Searcy replied, “Yes, I would associate that regarding the agreement, especially relating with property tax collections”. to liability issues and whether or not it was Items 8.2 and 8.3 on the agenda dealt with fiscally sound for the county to provide a what Chairman Morgan emphasized was Driver Services building (the facility is “the continuation -this is not a new tax” of rented to DDS at a greatly reduced rate) as the county’s 1% SPLOST sales and use tax. opposed to renting the building to another The board was joined via phone by county entity at a higher rate. Reynolds proposed attorney Stacey Blackmon. Blackmon tabling the vote until next meeting, allowing explained that item 8.2 dealt with the inter- time for some of the questions to be governmental agreement that was discussed answered. with cities in Carroll County regarding Attorney Blackmon pointed out that, in SPLOST in May, as well as project lists cov- paragraph 5, the rental agreement states that ered by the Board during two prior work ses- the tenant is responsible for repairs needed sions. A vote was taken and the item passed, for the gross negligence or willful neglect of 6-0. the tenants, occupying agency, or invitees.

Item 8.3 was a resolution requesting that See DRIVERS SERVICES page 8

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Page 8 January 17, 2021

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DRIVERS SERVICES from page7 County Clerk Susan Mabry also put forward that at the time Barr arranged the agreement, he felt that it was “not only a convenience for the citizens to have [the DDS facility] here in Carroll County, it was also an economic issue, because the people who come from other counties into Carroll County buy lunch, or shop, or do whatever they’re doing while they’re here, and that’s why he made that commitment.”

However, the item was finally motioned to be tabled. A vote was taken and the motion passed 5-1, with Commissioner McClendon voting against tabling the decision.

Further business included a public hearing to consider the abandonment of a section of Ringer Road, measuring 1.48 acres, lying in Land Lot 31, District 11 of Carroll County. A staff report showed that there were no staff concerns with the proposed abandonment, and Blackmon stated that the necessary ad had been run in the paper for the public hearing, and notices had been sent to the land owners on the road. The public hearing was called to order and, with no one speaking for or against the abandonment, the hearing was closed and a vote taken. The motion to abandon was passed 6-0.

Also up for discussion was the consideration of a $21,547.62 increase in the county’s share of the purchase price of an Agricultural Conservation Easement of 148.12 Acres located at 520 Bear Creek Road.

County Engineer, Brian Kent spoke before the Board about the easement. “In the closing process, there was a final appraisal done. The property…had an increase in the final appraisal, and the county share went up to $21,547.62. So, before you is the approval to expend that additional amount of SPLOST

. . . consideration of a $21,547.62 increase in the county’s share of the purchase price of an Agricultural Conservation Easement .. .

Commissioner Chambers explained that Carroll was among the first counties in Georgia to adopt such easements, commenting, “If I had to go back and do it over again, we wouldn’t have been the guinea pigs, because I lost money doing it. But that wasn’t the point. The point was we’re trying to preserve agricultural land for future generations.” funds to match what the final appraisal would be for this property.”

Commissioner Tommy Lee questioned “If that value went down, it would actually be a decrease in our part, is that correct?” to which Mr. Kent confirmed.

Commissioner Chance added “We definitely want to do what we can to promote agriculture and its conservation in our community. The only thing I would notate is that this process…is a gamble for the county as well. In other words, if the property values had gone down, then they would have gone down, but let’s say they went up $150,000, you would have been here asking us for $150,000 instead of $21,547.”

Building on Chance’s statements, Commissioner Chambers explained that Carroll was among the first counties in Georgia to adopt such easements, in fact his family’s 100+ year old farm was one of the first three properties to utilitze the Agricultural Conservation Easement in Carroll County.

See CHAMBERS FARM page 18

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Georgia Department of Labor has paid more than $16.8B in state / federal benefits since the beginning of pandemic in March

4,232,291 regular unemployment initial claims have been processed since March, more than the last nine years combined (4.0 million)

Sectors with the most regular unemployment claims: Manufacturing at 7,739 claims; and Accommodation and Food Services at 6,507 claims from press release The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) issued over $130 million last week to Georgians in regular Unemployment Insurance (UI), Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC), State Extended Benefits (SEB), and Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) payments. The total issued included payments to almost 167,000 Georgians as part of the Continued Assistance Act (CAA) included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 providing extended benefits for claimants on PEUC and PUA. Last week, almost 300,000 claimants received an FPUC supplement.

The GDOL is still receiving federal guidance on programming the 11-week extension for over 239,000 claimants who exhausted PEUC and PUA benefits on or before weekending date 12/26/20. Claimants should not file a new claim if they have exhausted bene-

fits, but should continue to request weekly payments. The GDOL will update claimants on next steps as soon as the guidance is received and programming changes are implemented.

“We were able to pay most Georgians without interruption, even with the new guidelines put forth by the new legislation,” said Commissioner of Labor Mark Butler.

“We will be implementing even more changes to pay those individuals who have already exhausted benefits and will also implement some of the new programs that were passed in legislation as quickly as possible. Some of the elements of the new bill are going to require extensive new programming due to how complex the rules were written in the legislation.”

The GDOL encourages claimants to continue to request weekly payments for those who have exhausted benefits or are waiting on determinations on eligibility.

Determinations are continuing to be issued

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2020 YEAR IN REVIEW top stories

The following is a recap of 2020’s top StarNews series on Carroll County Centenarians: Millie Wade turned 102 Carroll County related stories: years old on February 20, 2020 JANUARY 2020 StarNews’ series on Carroll County Carrollton City Council begins new year centenarians - a series begun in November with expected and unexpected changes 2019 - continued in February with 102 year New mayor Betty Cason and new Ward 4 old Millie Wade’s life story. council member Bob Uglum sworn in, The number of centenarians in the United while Ward 1 council member Gerald States (people age 100 and older) is expected Byrd unexpectedly resigns The City of Carrollton began the new year to increase from 180,000 in 2000 to 3.2 2020 with expected and unexpected million by 2050. Statistics point to perhaps changes. A new mayor and new council 24 centenarians may reside in Carroll member, as expected, were in attendance at County, Georgia.

Millie Wade offered this advice, “There is the Monday, January 6th regular meeting.

Absent was long time Ward 1 council mem- always something in life. This is it, we get ber Gerald Bryd who announced his resigna- one life and when something happens you tion from the council on Facebook hours have to choose to pick yourself up and go on.” When asked what the secret to life was after the meeting had ended.

Former Carroll County probate judge Millie replied, “always stay busy and keep Betty Cason and retired business man Bob going. Get plenty of rest, modest living and Uglum were sworn in to office Thursday, stayaway from smoking, alcohol and drugs. .

January 2, 2020 ahead of the Monday, . I never even took over the counter January 6th meeting. Cason become the medications, I never needed them.”

FEBRUARY 2020 newest mayor - and first female mayor - of the county’s largest municipality. Uglum is Chief Judge John Simpson spoke to the now council member for Ward 4. With Brett Carrollton Kiwanis Club about forming Ledbetter having been elected and sworn in a veterans court in Carroll County Chief Judge of the Coweta Judicial Circuit November 2019 to fill the Ward 2 seat vacated by Rory Wojcik, that made three John Simpson, who is now serving in his 24th year as a Superior Court Judge fresh faces for the council.

Ward 3 Council Member Jim Watters was addressed the Carrollton Kiwanis Club on re-elected for his third (four year) term. January 24, 2020. Previously, he served ten Watters was sworn in by Probate Judge Edie years in the Georgia State House of Haney during the early portion of the Representatives. His election rate is 100%, meeting. Ward 1 Council Member Gerald as he has won 13 out of 13 contested Byrd would have begun year three of a four- elections.

As a judge, Simpson stated he leans year term and his fifth full term. Byrd stated on Facebook: Byrd has held the post toward problem solving rather than consistently since 2001, and his current term punishment, finding longer-lasting effects and less recidivism rates. He has presided was set to expire on December 31, 2021 over mental health, drug, family treatment, County commission chairmand parental accountability, domestic violence, Michelle Morgan admonishes and veterans’ courts. He created the first commissioners for asking questioning Parental Accountability Court in Georgia in about finances during a work session The Carroll County Board of 2009. The model is designed for circular Commissioners work session held Thursday, problems that seemingly have no solution.

January 2, 2020, became contentious follow- All of the members receiving help are facing ing questions and comments by District 5 criminal charges.

In 2018, the Parental Accountability Court and 2 Commissioners Ernie Reynolds and Clint Chance about the county’s finances, was recognized and the “most innovative resulting in Chairman Michelle Morgan court program in the nation” by the National admonishing them for asking those ques- Child Support Enforcement Association.

Simpson told the audience about the tions in a public meeting. District 3 Commissioner Tommy Lee immediately fol- Veterans’ Treatment Court in Newnan that lowed with the question to Morgan as to has a 100% success rate, while the national what was the purpose of a work session if average is only 98%. He referred to the not to discuss finances or any other issues on veterans court as an “opportunity” and “the greatest experience” to help veterans; “a the agenda? great bunch of guys” he said.

County schools system has $6M in The judge said, “So many of returning projects left in the current SPLOST; veterans have PTSD, along with other asking voters to decide on newest problems. We reach a resolution to the SPLOST in March referendum Carroll County voters have given their problem through conversation, contract, and stamp of approval on five SPLOSTs (Special agreements,” Simpson explained. “The Local Option Sales Taxes) since 1998, when veteran is assisted in seeking treatment and the first was passed. Another SPLOST is assigned a mentor, who is a volunteer request - number six - will be on this year’s veteran himself. They attend meetings and ballot for Carroll County voters to approve mental health counseling to get to the root of or not. SPLOST is a one cent additional tax the problem. Individual cases require on sales in Carroll County; it helps ease the individual solutions, and each case is tax burden of property owners in paying for different.

“These people have been injured by the ‘brick and mortar’ projects. The last one was passed in 2015—with collections beginning war and the Office of Veterans’ Affairs help in 2018. The collected monies are kept in with the program. I would like this to expand individual accounts. For the county schools into Carrollton and LaGrange,” stated system, there are $6 million worth of pro- Simpson.

Seven member Carroll County School jects left in the current SPLOST. The educational SPLOST was scheduled Board takes three tries to elect a chair: for a March vote, but was delayed until June Board member Donald Nixon nominates 9th due to the governor’s emergency himself, but Bryant Turner prevails The Carroll County Board of Education shutdown orders due to CoVID-19.

elected a chairman and vice-chairman at their work session held Monday, January 13, 2020. Having waited for the arrival of member Clayton Kierbow, Chairman Bart Cater opened the floor for nominations. Member Rob Cleveland nominated Member Bryant Turner; Member Sandra Morris nominated Member Robert Pinckney; and Cater nominated Member Donald Nixon.

With no nominee having a majority of votes, which would have been four for a seven-member board, the votes were thrown out and the floor again opened for nominations. Again, Cleveland nominated Turner, while Morris nominated Pinckney, and Kierbow nominated Cater. Again, no nominee received a majority of votes.

Morris explained her nomination of Pinckney: “I feel each district should have a turn for their representative being chairman.

We’ve had quite a few from the south end of the county.”

Current Chairman Cater represents Bowdon; prior to Cater, Jon Anderson, from the Central District, was board chair. Nixon, from Mt. Zion area, has also taken a turn as chairman in the past.

In the third effort to elect a chairman, Cleveland nominated Turner, Morris nominated Pinckney, and Nixon nominated himself. Bryant Turner garnered four “yes” votes on the first round of votes, and was declared the winner.

Cater passed the gavel to Turner and the meeting was turned over to him.

County commissioners discuss 5 year fire department plan; annual audit; tax assessors; and “old white men” remark at day long work session Also discussed was whether to follow “Roberts Rules of Order” or not?

The Carroll County Board of Commissioners held a day long work session / retreat Friday, January 31, 2020 in the commission room, top floor of the historic Carroll County Courthouse. All commissioners were present, as was the chairman, two county attorneys, county clerk and assistant, finance director, and human resource director. Also present was a paid meeting facilitator, Theron Gay. The productive work session commenced at 8:00 a.m., and including lunch and periodic breaks, concluded almost ten hours later around 5:30 p.m.

Dialog was testy at times.

The session’s highlights included presentations of: - a “5 year Plan” and annual report for Carroll County Fire Rescue Department by Chief Tim Padgett - an in-depth report on the Carroll County Board of Assessors by Board Chair James Fulford - Zoning Ordinances Update by Ben Skipper and Janet Hyde - FY2018-2019 county audit by Julie George with Rushton accountants One off-agenda topic was discussion as to whether the commission board follows Robert’s Rules of Order or not, specifically what was the proper procedure for a district commissioner to put an item onto an agenda? After a bit of testy discussion by district commissioners, facilitator Theron Gay said, “Obviously, this is a point of contention, and we just need to be sure going forward that we follow the rules and we avoid that scenario.”

Chairman Michelle Morgan said, “I think it would be helpful, too, if you want to add something after our Thursday work session,

call me.”

District 2 Commissioner Clint Chance said, “But, you took it off..”

Morgan: “I know, but I sent you an email telling you why.”

Chance: “But Ernie [District 5 Commissioner Ernie Reynolds] wrote back he would like to keep it on there.”

Reynolds: “I just thought we could handle it at the meeting.”

Morgan: “Going forward, if y’all would like to add something, after Thursday, just call me.”

What Chance and Reynolds were referring to occurred at the prior Tuesday regular commission meeting when Reynolds raised his hand to ask about adding an item to the agenda, and Morgan looked at him and said, “No discussion.”

Chance: “Then why did you have a conversation in the back of the room [prior to the Tuesday meeting] that you weren’t going to have it on there? You’re acting like you have no idea -” Morgan: “That was for something else -” Chance; “No it wasn’t, no it wasn’t. You know exactly what happened.”

What Chance was referring to was an comment allegedly said by Chairman Morgan to not have more “old white men” on the boards. (Not adding board appointments to the agenda would prevent any votes for “old white men” or a person of any other age or ethnicity.)

District 3 Commissioner Tommy Lee interjected at this point directing his comment to Morgan: “You and George [District 6 Commissioner George Chambers] and Montrell [District 1 Commissioner Montrell McLendon] had a conversation in the back of the room - “ McLendon: “How would you know what we had?”

Lee: “Because an elected official overheard it -” McLendon: “What elected official?”

Lee: “None of your business.”

McLendon: “Don’t make accusations unless you’re willing to bring it out.”

Lee: “It’s true- it’s true. . . . and I am proud to be an ‘old white man’.”

Morgan; “Let’s move forward. . . if you want to add something, please call me, and I won’t keep you from putting it on there. . .the conversation goes both ways.”

The facilitator said, “Uh, uh, let’s understand what happened.... and follow the rules.”

The conversation ended with discussion on how to handle agenda additions in the future.

There was neither admission or denial from Morgan on the alleged “old white men” comment.

West Georgia Right to Life hosts “Pizza and a Movie”: well-attended free event featured pro-life film “Unplanned” Just over 300 individuals, friends, and family members squeezed into the sanctuary of North Point Baptist Church in Carrollton a sanctuary that has only 325 seats available.

Who rallied these individuals to come? What was the common draw of these ordinary citizens? It was an opportunity to rally and learn from The West Georgia Right to Life group through an evening of fellowship, free pizza, and a movie showing of the pro-life film “Unplanned”. WGRTL president Duane Hack said he had held other showings of the movie last year at other venues, but the See YEAR IN REVIEW page 12

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Page 12 January 17, 2021

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YEAR IN REVIEW from page 10

Saturday, January 25th event in Carrollton was the most successfu so far.

The newest pro-life film “Unplanned”, directed by Cary Solomon and Chuck Konzelman is based on the true story of Abbey Johnson, the youngest clinic director in Planned Parenthood history. She made a radical career change of advocating the prolife movement after witnessing an abortion, and wrote a book titled “Unplanned”.

WGRTL also brought in Robert Thomason, the actor who portrayed Abbey Johnson’s father. Thomason - a “Christian first, actor second” - said he and Hack met at a previous Right to Life conference in North Georgia and remarked that it was an instant connection.

Thomason also told the Saturday, evening crowd that mainstream media outlets remained radio silent on “Unplanned”’s premiere last year. It was a near blackout with zero media coverage from large outlets such as Google, A&E Networks, The Hallmark Channel, and others due to the dramatic scenes and propaganda-like nature. Twitter also suspended the movie’s profile during their opening weekend; however, they ultimately regained their profile with thousands of new followers exceeding Planned Parenthood’s follow count.

Whether due to the “R” rated nature of the film or the country’s political climate, the movie exceeded critics’ expectations.

Projected to only receive $3-$5 million at the box office, “Unplanned” nearly raised that projection on opening day. In total, the film had grossed $21 million by the end of its theatrical run. The DVD is now available for individual sale.

The West Georgia Pregnancy Resource Center (PRC) states their organization is “passionate” about offering “compassionate medical services” and assistance to women in need. Regardless of a woman’s situation, the local group strives to offer “love, hope and practical resources”, it says. One of those resources they offer is their post-abortion healing Bible study. The study’s mission is to help women spiritually and emotionally heal from previous abortions, “find forgiveness”, and “let go of guilt”. The study is open to anyone in the community, regardless of age or if they have been a previous client before.

For more information on the Carroll County Pregnancy Resourse Center, 514 Tanner Street, Carrollton: 770-832-0256, or 734 Bowdon Street, Tallapoosa (located inside the CCC Medical Facility) 678-5733415. www.pregnancyrc.com For more information on the WGRTL, contact chapter president Duane Hack, 470370-2452. www.wgrtl.com StarNews series on Carroll County Centenarians: Mavis Coley Watts turned 105 years old on January 11, 2020 StarNews’ series on Carroll County centenarians - a series begun in November 2019 - continued in February with 105 year old Mavis Coley Watt’s life story.

She was born during World War I, in Ranburne, Alabama, one of eleven children: Ellen (who passed when she was a little over a year old from complications of pneumonia), Lora Lee, Mavis, Burton, Paul, Ray, Lucile, Mary, Dorthy, Joel and Glenda (who also passed from an illness due to a shortage of medication). Mavis recalled that her father was a country preacher and also taught Sunday school on Sundays. The family would hook up the horse and buggy to go to church.

Time for a

www.starnewsgaonline.com Mavis said,”My father always seemed to managed to do for his family despite the Depression, and, back then, times were just simpler.” Upon finishing school, Mavis Coley chose to get her nursing degree from Birmingham Baptist Hospital School of Nursing. She finished nursing school and then made the move to New Orleans, obtaining a job at the Charity Hospital.

Mavis and her husband , Dr. James Watts moved to Bowdon in 1942. The two called a local boarding facility their home for a while. Later, Dr. Watts opened a medical facility in the City of Bowdon.

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Just prior to the coronavirus pandemic shutting down the state, Georgia Labor Department reports record number of people employed: 4,649,900 State population estimate at 10.5M puts unemployment at record low of 3.1% State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler reports that the number of employed Georgians was up 12,060 to almost 5 million, an all-time high. January 2020 labor statistics also revealed a record number of jobs, exceeding 4.5 million.

“Significantly outpacing last year’s numbers, January 2020 labor statistics are reporting record data across the board,” said Georgia Commissioner of Labor Mark Butler. “The number of Georgians employed is the highest ever, the number of unemployed is the lowest since 2001, and EmployGeorgia.com is now listing over 101,000 on-line jobs available for Georgians today.”

The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.1% equaling an all-time low for Georgia. January 2020 came in 0.7% points lower than last January’s rate of 3.8%.

Georgia began 2020 with a record high 4,987,996 employed residents. January showed an increase of 12,060 since December 2019. This number has increased by 89,900 since January of 2019.

Jobs in Georgia were up 9,800 from the end of 2019 and were up 53,100 over the year, reaching an all-time high of 4,649,900.

Several sectors saw an increase in job activity among their industry in January 2020. The state added more than 1,500 jobs in three sectors: Trade, transportation, utilities – 3,100 Leisure, hospitality – 2,000 Education and health services – 1,800 Qualifying was held for the May 19th Primary Elections, ending March 6th Sheltering-in-place began April 1st, postponing May 19th Primary until June 9th Qualifying ended Friday noon March 6, 2020 for the Tuesday, May 19th Primary Election. But, the nationwide coronavirus pandemic caused local schools to close on Friday, March 13th (opening for virtual school for the remainder of the school year) and caused the Primary Election date to be moved to June 9th.

There were 17 open seats in the county; 11 seats went unopposed, including sheriff, commission chair, coroner, tax commissioner, clerk of court, two county commission seats, probate judge, chief magistrate, county surveyor, and solicitor.

A separate special qualifying was held for the City of Carrollton Ward 1 seat Monday, March 2nd and ended Wednesday, March 4th to fill the unexpired term of Gerald Byrd who resigned in January. The special election will be held in all regular polling places in City Council Ward 1.

See YEAR IN REVIEW page 13

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www.starnewsgaonline.com YEAR IN REVIEW from page 10

Coronavirus meeting held at county’s 911 emergency operations center Emergency Management Director Tim Padgett and County Board of Health Chair Dr. Laura Larson spoke on the plans for the county concerning CoVID-19 A Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Summary meeting was held at Carroll County Emergency Operations Center, Newnan Road, Carrollton, on Tuesday, March 3, 2020. Emergency Management Director Tim Padgett addressed the 60 plus members of the audience who had braved a steady downpour to get to the meeting.

“Public health takes the lead as we consider the options of how to deal with an outbreak of COVID-19 in Carroll County,” Padgett stated with assurance. “If we don’t plan, we fail.” He suggested that citizens plan at home by having a 7-day supply of medicines, food, fuel, water, and cash.

“You don’t want to be finding or using an ATM if it can be avoided.” Padgett summarized: “As usual, we are planning for the worst and hoping for the best.”

Padgett stated that the county has a closed Place of Distribution (POD) plan, which can be activated as necessary. The public POD will be University of West Georgia Stadium and the V-Plex on Highway 61 in Villa Rica.

The takeaway from the meeting is that those in charge in Carroll County have plans for any contingency. General plans are already in place for emergencies, and those plans would be adjusted as necessary for this specific emergency. Insofar as closing of schools or public buildings, the county will wait for guidance from the state level.

Dr. Laura Larson, Infectious Control Officer for Tanner Health System and

Chairman of the Carroll County Board of Health, explained the current health crisis.

“First off, our knowledge is increasing hourly. What I tell you now may not be true tomorrow,” she cautioned. Coronaviruses (coV) are a large family of viruses common in people and animals. COVID is not the same as the coVs that commonly infect humans and cause mild illnesses such as a cold. The early epicenter of the disease was in Wuhan, Hubei Provence, China and spread person to person through close (6 feet) contact to one another and through respiratory droplets (coughs, sneezes). The virus can also be spread through contact with infectious (touched by infected persons or droplets) surfaces or objects.

Dr. Bobby Mitchell, Public Safety Medical Director, offered further assurances.

“Infectious Disease is a complicated issue,” he stated, “but these are smart people. The majority of us will be fine.” He said that other medical problems do not go away just because of a pandemic. “The hospital and the ED are the best places to catch the virus.

Next is the church nursery,” he explained.

“There are already plans to quarantine those presenting with symptoms in the ED.” Deborah Matthews, Executive Nurse at Tanner, explained that the screening process starts at patient presentation. Pandemic plans are in place; health professionals know what to do. “The beauty of living in 2020 is that we can connect electronically with the CDC and other necessary facilities. Answers and strategies are more quickly forthcoming through the rapid sharing of information.”

She also declared that the hospital has plenty of supplies and contingency plans for suppliers and sick staff.

The takeaway from the meeting was that

those in charge in Carroll County have plans for any contingency. General plans were already in place for emergencies and they just have to be tweaked for this specific emergency.

Governor Brian Kemp was keynote speaker at Carroll County annual chamber awards dinner 4 weeks prior to declaring the March 14th Public Health Emergency due to CoVID19, the governor greeted / shook hands with dozens of dinner attendees Carroll County Chamber of Commerce hosted their 65th Annual Awards Dinner on Thursday, February 20, 2020 at the University of West Georgia Campus Center Ballroom, Carrollton. A full house greeted the keynote speaker with a standing, long applause: the Honorable Brian P. Kemp, Governor of the State of Georgia. The governor’s presence was arranged by incoming chamber president Kirby Butler. The governor took time prior to his speech to meet with the crowd, posing for candid photos, and engaging in small talk.

Governor Kemp took to the podium and spoke to the 300+ in attendance on the positive direction in which the state, particularly Carroll County, is actively heading. In 2019, 364 jobs representing a revenue of $12 million came to this area; West Georgia Technical School; Tanner is now able to perform open-heart surgery; there is Richards College of Business at the UWG. “It’s exciting to live, work, play, and serve in Carroll County,” stated Kemp enthusiastically. “Just before coming here, I stopped and got a haircut at Little Jim’s, which is the oldest barber shop in Georgia. I love Carroll County and its people.”

After dinner, Chairman of the Carroll

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Tomorrow Board, Loy Howard, presented information on the history and progress of Carroll Tomorrow. “Twenty years ago, the number of plants closing was high, and the number of jobs lost outnumbered the number of jobs filled. We realized we had to take control and develop our own growth plan for Carroll County--Carroll Tomorrow was born.” Carroll Tomorrow is a unique countywide public-private economic development organization that also serves as the staff for Carroll County’s four industrial development authorities. Quality growth is promoted, through cooperation with city and county leaders and the pursuit of the right opportunities for the communities.

Awards were then presented. Last year, the chamber renamed its Horizon Award the James A. Gill Volunteer of the Year Award.

Keith West was the recipient of the first award. The Thomas S. Upchurch Workforce Education Award went to Dr. Kyle Marrero for his accomplishments during his 5-year tenure as president of UWG. The Business of the Year Award went to Mill Town Music Hall and founders Randall and Tena Redding. Gary Bullock was recognized as the Chamber’s Citizen of the Year.

Carroll County’s two public school superintendents made the rounds to help promote tMarch E-SPLOST vote Vote was delayed due to CoVID-19 Carroll County’s two public school superintendents made the rounds in the community at civic clubs and the county commission meeting in the past few weeks discussing and promoting the upcoming E-SPLOST (Educational Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) vote. If passed, the one penny tax would collect $143 million and benefit the

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Page 14 January 17, 2021

StarNews

YEAR IN REVIEW from page 13

Carroll County School System, Carrollton City School System and Bremen City Schools.

Dr. Mark Albertus, superintendent of Carrollton City Schools, and Scott Cowart, superintendent of Carroll County Schools, addressed the Carroll County Board of Commissioners on March 3, 2020 at the regularly scheduled commission meeting.

The superintendents requested the professional and personal support of the commission as a whole and each individual commissioner for the upcoming one penny tax referendum to be held on March 24th, the Presidential Preference Primary. The ESPLOST question is on the same ballot. (Voters will need to scroll down the electronic screen to find the question.)

The proceeds would be divided as follows: Carroll County Schools would receive 71.77% or $102,631,000; Carrollton City Schools would receive 26.23% or $37,508,900; and Bremen City Schools would receive 2.00% or $2,860,000.

Collection would begin January 1, 2023 and continue for five full years ending December 31, 2027.

The first SPLOST went into effect in 1997; there have been five voter approved SPLOSTs since then. “What we are asking for,” explained Cowart, “is another extension.”

APRIL 2020

Hospital began to offer “televisits” to screen for COVID symptoms and limiting in-person visits Tanner Health System expanded testing for COVID-19 to gain a better understanding of how widespread the virus is in the region.

The health system began to offer televisits to make it safer for existing and new patients to be screened for COVID-19 symptoms.

Patients could now speak with and see a Tanner Medical Group provider using a smartphone, tablet or computer. The clinics began offering the service to prevent the spread of COVID-19, limiting in-person visits.

Also, the anticipated overflow of CoVID19 patients at Tanner hospitals did not occur, although Tanner was prepared by setting up tents outside the hospital. Those four white tents remained empty, and were taken down the week of April 19th.

Census 2020 to resume field data activity June 1st, using “social distancing” The 2020 Census is underway with more than 70 million households, around 48% of all households in the U.S., responding to date. The Census Bureau temporarily suspended 2020 Census field data collection activities in March dueto CoVID-19.. Steps were taken to reactivate field offices June 1, 2020, in preparation for the resumption of field data collection operations as quickly as possible following June 1st.

In-person activities, including all interaction with the public, enumeration, office work and processing activities, will incorporate the most current guidance to promote the health and safety of staff and the public.

This will include recommended personal protective equipment (PPE) and social distancing practices.

The Census Bureau sought relief from Congress of 120 additional calendar days to deliver final apportionment counts to extend the window for field data collection and selfresponse to October 31, 2020, which will allow for apportionment counts to be delivered to the President by April 30, 2021, and

www.starnewsgaonline.com redistricting data to be delivered to the states no later than July 31, 2021.

Primary Election date now June 9th combined with the postponed March 24th Presidential Preference Primary and local E-SPLOST referendum The statewide General Primary/ Presidential Preference Primary Election was changed from Tuesday, May 19th to Tuesday, June 9, 2020. Georgia’s Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger made this change pursuant to the authority vested in him by O.C.G.A. § 21-2-50.1. This decision was announced one day after Governor Brian Kemp extended the current public health state of emergency until May 13, 2020.

Economic impact payments known as “stimulus checks” began from the United States Treasury: $1200 per eligible taxpayer plus $500 per child The United States Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service announced that distribution of economic impact payments would begin in April and will be distributed automatically, with no action required for most people.

Tax filers with adjusted gross income up to $75,000 for individuals and up to $150,000 for married couples filing joint returns would receive the full payment. For filers with income above those amounts, the payment amount is reduced by $5 for each $100 above the $75,000/$150,000 thresholds. Single filers with income exceeding $99,000 and $198,000 for joint filers with no children are not eligible. Social Security recipients and railroad retirees who are otherwise not required to file a tax return are also eligible and will not be required to file a return.

Eligible taxpayers who filed tax returns for either 2019 or 2018 will automatically receive an economic impact payment of up to $1,200 for individuals or $2,400 for married couples and up to $500 for each qualifying child.

The IRS calculated and automatically sent the economic impact payment to those eligible.

MAY 2020

Southwire to donate $1M to help counter COVID-19: half will go to combat hunger Southwire Company it will donate $1,000,000 throughout 2020 in response to COVID-19 with a focus on hunger, education and the holidays.

Southwire donated $500,000 to Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, and other similar international organizations in our Giving Back communities; $250,000 provided more than 25,000 bags of free school supplies; and Southwire’s Project GIFT was distributed during November and December.

Early voting began for June 9th Primary Busy ballot: E-SPLOST yay or nay; state rep/state court judge/city council/school board/ party questions and presidential preference Carroll County voters had an unusually busy ballot for the June 9th Primary Election due CoVID-19 delaying earlier elections. In addition to presidential preference choices, there will be a local E-SPLOST Yes/No question; specific Republican/Democrat party questions; and contested races for State Court Judge, Carroll County Commission District 5, State Representative District 18, Carrollton City Council Ward 1, and Carroll County Board of Education Districts 1, 3, 4, and 6.

Due to it being a Priamry, voters must first choose a party ballot. This will determine which and how many of the non-binding party questions you will be asked to consider. All ballots will contain the local ESPLOST question. Three school systems Carrollton City Schools, Carroll County School System, and Bremen City Schools are asking Carroll County voters to approve a one cent tax to raise $143M. The Primary Election Run-off will be held August 11th.

JUNE 2020

June 9th Primary results: 25,347 cast a ballot out of 80,431 active voters: 31.5% participation E-SPLOST passes: 63.72%-36.28% State Court Judge run-off August 11th between Erica Tisinger and Met Lane The results of the Tuesday, June 9, 2020. combined General Primary and Presidential Preference Primary Election are in with 25,347 Carroll Countians having cast a vote out of 80,431 active voters: 31.5%. A record number of mail-in votes (Absentee By Mail) were cast 12,300+ (at press time) with the reason attributed to the continuing presence of CoVID-19 and possible transmission by voting in person.

The local Educational SPLOST to benefit three area school systems passed. 63.72% of voters (13,595) said YES to renewing the one penny tax to begin January 1, 2023 to raise $143M. NO votes were 7,742, or 36,28%.

A runoff will be held for state court judge seat with Erica Tisinger, 11,609 votes (48.71%) and Met Lane 8,467 votes (35.53%) facing off Tuesday, August 11th.

The third candidate in that race was Nathaniel Smith who received 15.76% of the votes, 3,757.

Carroll County incumbent Commissioner for District 5 Ernie Reynolds won hands down avoiding a runoff receiving 55.30% of the vote in a three way race with opponents Lee Powers and James Fulford. Powers received 26.05%, 877 votes, and Fulford received 18.65%, 628 votes.

There will be a runoff for the Republican candidates for State Representative District 18 between Cason Hightower and Tyler Paul Smith. Hightower earned 49.69% of the votes, 3,720 votes, and Smith earned 33.14%, 3,723 votes. The third candidate in that race was Lane Daniel at 17.17%, 1,285 votes. The August 11th runoff winner of District 18 will face Democrat candidate Pat Rhudy in November.

State Senator District 30 Mike Dugan was the only Republican in his race. Of the Democrat candidates, there will be a runoff between Triana Arnold James who earned 41.49% of the vote or 3,278 votes, and Montenia Edwards who earned 38.23% of the votes, or 3,020 votes. The third candidate in that race was Afoma Eguh-Okafor who received 20.28%, 1,602 votes. The winner of the runoff will face Dugan in November.

State Representative District 68 J Collins, Republican, was the only candidate in his race. He had a Democrat challenger, but she was disqualified to run by a judge in April.

The newest member of the Carrollton City Council is Jacqueline Elaine Bridges, earning 297 votes, 52.20%, with her opponents Rodney Ridley at 31.28% or 178 votes, and Danielle Fluck at 16.52% or 94 votes.

Bridges earned more than 50% plus one vote avoiding a runoff.

Results for the four open Carroll County Board of Education seats:

District 1: Bernice Brooks is the winner at 53.07% 1,244 votes edging out incumbent Rob Cleveland by a margin of 144 votes at 46.93% or 1,100 votes.

District 3: Kerry Miller won over incumbent Bob Pinckney by a close 78 votes.

Miller received 51.29% or 1,545 votes; Pinckney at 48.71% or 1,467 votes.

District 4: Incumbent Clayton Kierbow kept his seat with 65.18% of the vote, 1,649 votes, over challenger Jessie Strickland 34,82%, 881 votes.

District 6: Long time incumbent at 20 years on the Carroll County School Board of Education Bart Cater won with 67.17% of the votes, 1,950, against challenger Daivd Smith who earned 32.83% of the votes or 953 votes.

In response to CoVID shutdowns, chamber of commerce forms Blue Ribbon Task Force to “accelerate recovery, identify challenges, offer solutions, and provide resources to promote recovery” In response to the coronavirus shutdowns of the economy and sheltering-in-place, the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce sought to develop policies and strategies for operating in the constantly evolving present business environment being defined by the CoVID-19 pandemic. The chamber’s mission has not changed: to build a stronger business community by engaging progressive leadership and diverse resources. The chamber hosted their first in-person meeting since the onset of the pandemic May 20, 2020, choosing the media for this intitial face-to-face. Seven people were in attendance, including StarNews publisher Sue Horn and StarNew treporter Prissi Sullivan, all masked and all seated the prerequisite 6 feet apart.

Daniel Jackson, chamber president and CEO, spoke on the challenges the chamber has faced since the outbreak of Covid-19.

“We were having an incredible year until mid-March,” he stated. “All of our events were packed to capacity. In the chamber world, people get together! All of a sudden, we couldn’t; frustration was high.”

The chamber had to reconcile two disparate points of view: social distancing and sheltering-in-place versus growing businesses in Carroll County. “Carroll Together for Economic Recovery” is the watchword for 2020. Business leaders throughout the county, known as the Blue-Ribbon Task Force, are coming together to work with the business community to “accelerate recovery, identify challenges, offer solutions, and provide resources to promote recovery.” The Blue-Ribbon Task Force was formed in April.

“Different sectors have been affected differently,” explained Jackson. “The hope is they will form relationships and work together.” Each sector will use their collective experience and knowledge to identify challenges and opportunities for their type of business and formulate plans to enhance their economic recovery. In spite of the setback to the economy caused by Covid-19, Jackson sees a bright future for Carroll County. “There have been inquiries asking for information for proposals for closing on land purchases and for future expansion,” he stated. “Clients are still at the Burson Center, even though it’s by appointment only.

Media representatives in attendance pledged their support for the chamber and promised to participate in the recovery promotion in whatever capacity was needed.

See YEAR IN REVIEW page 15

www.starnewsgaonline.com YEAR IN REVIEW from page 14

County commission adopts 2020-2021 budget: $55.56M / $2.23M increase 22 new positions funded including new 13 firefighters and 5 new sheriff deputies At the June 2, 2020 regular meeting, the Carroll County Board of Commissioners adopted the 2020-2021 Fiscal Budget to become effective July 1st. The $55,569,500 budget is a $2.24M ($2,236,500) increase over the budget adopted August 2019, and a $5.30M increase ($5,306,000) over the budget adopted June 2018. As of July 2020, it will cost $4.63M ($4,630,791) per month to operate Carroll County government. The budget was adopted: 5-2 vote to approve.

The commission meeting was held in the Carroll County Ag Building, Newnan Road, Carrollton, to accommodate the social distancing rules of six feet between attendees.

In attendance in-person were Chairman Michelle Morgan, district commissioner/vice chair George Chambers, and district commissioners Montrell McLendon, Clint Chance, Tommy Lee, Steve Fuller, and Ernie Reynolds. The meeting was live streamed and posted online on you.tube. (Not every commissioner or presenter had a microphone; not all of the recorded meeting is intelligible.)

County comptroller Alecia Searcy presented the financials to the board. At the conclusion of May, revenues had exceeded budget, with the Fund Balance (formerly called Cash Reserve) at $22,729,834 ($22.72M) representing nearly 42% of the total budget. Government entities are recommended keeping 25% of total budget in reserve to be able to operate for three months in the event of a financial crisis.

Searcy also stated that the county’s revenues were just under $4M ahead of last year’s. This amount includes a $700,000 decrease (6%) in Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) that is attributed to the two month+ CoVid-19 crisis shut downs in retail, autos, restaurants, government/courts, etc.

The newly adopted budget includes 22 new full time positions, two part time positions: 13 full time firefighters to staff Stations 17 and 18; 5 full time deputies; one full time captain for the correctional institute; one full time building inspectior codes department; two full time positions, one part time position for the probate court’s mental health program; one part time position for the solid waste department.

Temple City Council meets in-person at senior center to adhere to CoVID-19 social distancing rules Temple City Council and mayor met inperson (as opposed to electronically) on

Monday, June 1, 2020 at the Temple Senior Center in order to allow social distancing for the city officials, press, and public. The mayor, all council members, city attorney, and city clerk were present.

Temple Senior Center was given approval to reopen on Monday, June 15. Director Sandra Stillwell stated that all recommended guidelines for safety from CoVID-19 will be met. During the month of May, 26 congregated meals were served for the staff only, while 1,567 meals were taken to homes. The Council on Aging were served 500 meals, which were prepared by Jones BBQ. Temple recreation department is planning its summer schedule. Liability forms will need to be signed by anyone using the facilities. The waiver also explains that participating in Rec programs could increase the possibility of contracting COVID-19 and the city offers no guarantee that this will not happen. All program participants must agree in order to participate. Playgrounds are looking to open when Phase 2 begins for Carroll County. Registration for summer camps and fall sports will begin mid-June.

Villa Rica City Council and mayor meet CoVID-19 sylte; recreation department issues 600 refund checks due to cancellation of activities due to CoVID-19 Villa Rica City Council met on May 26, 2020 at the Holt-Bishop Justice Center on Main Street in Villa Rica. Officials were distanced 6 feet apart due to CoVID restrictions.

StarNews

January 17, 2021 Page 15

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JULY 2020

Chair of county public health gives update on local impact of CoVID-19 Dr. Laura Larson, chair, Carroll County Board of Health: “This is an amazing scary time” “Wear your masks” Dr. Laura Larson, chair of the Carroll County Board of Health and Infectious Disease Specialist for Tanner Health System, addressed the Carrollton Kiwanis Club on June 19, 2020 at the Courtyard Marriott in Carrollton speaking on the status of the COVID-19 pandemic and how it related to the local community. Larson, medical director of infection prevention for Tanner Health System, is board-certified in both infectious diseases and internal medicine. She earned her medical degree from the Mercer University School of Medicine and completed her residency and fellowship at Shands Hospital at the University of Florida.

She is currently the chair of the Carroll County Board of Health, having been appointed November 13, 2014 by the Carroll County Board of Commissioners.

This was the first in-person meeting for the club since the historic sheltering-in-place

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StarNews

YEAR IN REVIEW from page 15 order was issued by the governor midMarch. The approximate 35 club members were spaced four to a table in the hotel’s large conference room, instead of the usual elbow-to-elbow long table seating at their regular meeting place, Hubbard Room, at the University of West Georgia.

Tanner saw their first cases of COVID-19 at their Carrollton hospital in mid-March of 2020. “This is an amazing, scary time,” Dr. Larson began as she addressed the mostly unmasked audience. “But, there was no patient zero.” She explained, “Eight people came in on the first day, so there was no ‘patient zero’ here. We expected 15 to 20 new cases a day and were anticipating a supply shortage.” Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) was expected to run out in a month. Facilities were broken into and robbed of PPEs. “We had to extend their use,” she explained. “Still, we ran out of gowns and wipes.”

The older section of the Carrollton hospital (built in 1949) was set up as the COVID19 ward, because the air could be vented to the outside. Robots with ultra-violet capacity were used to sterilize the rooms. The twelve ICU beds were increased to eighteen.

Tanner Carrollton has 12 beds in ICU for COVID-19 patients, Villa Rica has six, and Higgins General in Bremen has two. “We can build a new ward if necessary,” said Larson. “It won’t be pretty, but it will be functional. It has been much like building a plane as you’re flying in it.”

On the day of this meeting, Tanner had 584 reported cases,. There had been 34 total reported deaths. According to Larson, everyone who needed a ventilator got one and no surgical ventilators had to be used. The number of cases a day had decreased to five or so, but the number had been rising the previous three weeks, as Georgia entered into Phase 1 out of sheltering-in-place.

Carroll County increased by 100 COVID19 cases from May 25 - June 25, 2020. On this day, Tanner had 90 in-house tests to be used for inpatients. These tests can produce results in an hour. The rest of the testing is done through Lab Corp. About 30% of the tests are showing false negatives, Larson stated. “Most of the infections are appearing in clusters,” explained Larson, “in families and resulting from communal meetings.”

She also stated that health workers are expecting a spike from the recent national and local protests. Most infections seem to be occurring from being out and about in the community without a mask.

“It’s like Russian Roulette,” said Dr. Larson, “We can’t tell who has it and can’t identify who will get it. Everyone should wear a mask when out in public. It stops a lot of the particulates and is certainly better than no protection at all.”

On June 19th, Tanner had 34 active cases.

Most patients have underlying health issues—diabetes, heart condition, lung problems, or high blood pressure. In addition, people in a residential facility are more at risk. Most deaths have occurred in the 70 to 75 year old demographic. Although, Larson said they have had 13 cases in patients 18 years old or younger. Most area nursing home have kept residents in their rooms and have allowed no visitors.

Dr. Larson advised everyone to practice social distancing and to wear a mask. “Social distancing is our vaccine,” she said. “Most of the spread of the virus comes from long exposure to the respiratory droplets. Any grouping can cause spread. Yelling and talk-

www.starnewsgaonline.com ing can aerosolize the droplets, which makes the spread easier.”

Larson said: “Approximately 70% of our positive COVID-19 cases are not admitted.

Approximately 8% of our positive COVID19 cases are admitted to the ICU. Approximately 5% of our positive COVID19 cases require ventilators while in the ICU. The average length of stay for a COVID-19 patient at Tanner is 17.6 days. The longest stay has been 46 days. The average length of stay for COVID-19 patients on the ICU has been 22 days.”

Proposed rock quarry in Whitesburg meets well-organized opposition Quarry can mine, but a rock crusher requires an industrial permit On September 19, 2019, a Conceptual Site Plan was drawn for a 360+- acre rock quarry to be located bordering Black Dirt Road in Whitesburg (near Byers Crossroads) on one side and the Chattahoochee River on another side. The plan was drawn up by Black Rock Consulting, LLC, Dunwoody Park, Atlanta, for Green Rock, LLC, Norcross, Georgia, and was submitted for consideration this past June (2020) along with a DRI Application (Developments of Regional Impact).

A group of Whitesburg area residents formed the group “Citizens Opposed to Carroll County Rock Quarry”. The goal to prevent the quarry from becoming operational, at this time, is to prove environmental danger to the area, perhaps to wildlife, the river, well water supply, or the citizens themselves.

The mining of the quarry cannot be stopped through any zoning laws, as the county is currently operating under 1985 Ordinances in which allows rock quarries to mine. This means that the decision does not have to go before the county commission for approval to mine. In March 2011, a 71 page Zoning Ordinance Draft was prepared by the Carroll County Department of Community Development under the watch of then Chairman Bill Chappell. On page 59 Section 5.4 of the draft is the Permitted Use Table.

Listed at the bottom is “Quarry, Mining, Oil & Gas Extraction” with the change of a “C” for Conditional Use to replace the “P” for Permitted Uses. Another question of interest that was asked and not fully answered concerned zoning and permits. This quarry is within the county’s permitted agricultural zoning. But, a rock crusher - equipment vital to the quarry production- requires an industrial permit.

UWG to return to face-to-face instruction UWG made plans for the full return of students, faculty, and staff to campus in August for in-person instruction for the Fall 2020 semester with directives and guidelines to safeguard students, faculty, staff and visitors and reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 on its campus. Beginning June 15, UWG faculty and staff began a phased return to oncampus operations.

WGTC to move to new campus in 2022 The official architectural renderings of West Georgia Technical College’s new Carroll Campus show two large buildings planned for the Buffalo Creek Technology Park on the Carrollton bypass. The new campus is scheduled to open in 2022 and replace the college’s 52-year-old campus on Newnan Road..

Broadband speed internet to expand into parts of rural West GA thanks to Carroll EMC and SyncGlobal and $12.5M grant Governor Brian Kemp and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture visit Bremen for kick-off event A celebratory event was held at the Mill

Town Music Hall in Bremen Thursday morning, June 25, 2020 to hail the broadband deployment efforts by SyncGlobal and Carroll Electric Membership Cooperative in expanding broadband technology to an area of rural West Georgia and East Alabama.

USDA/RUS grant money of $12.5M had just been awarded that will enable the installation of fiber optic networks and broadband speed internet. The kickoff was attended by the nation’s Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black, American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall, CEO of SyncGlobal Kyle Williams, President/CEO of Carroll EMC Tim Martin.

AUGUST 2020

Schools open for fall semester under various CoVID-19 rules Due to the continuation of the COVID-19, schools opened (delayed) and with learning options: In-Person; Distance Learning; and Virtual Learning. Masks were strongly suggested for in-person, but not required.

Carroll County’s E-911 director and E911 operations manager suddenly exited The county’s E-911 Director Trisha Orr and E-911 Operations Manager Tyler Shadix unexpectedly and simultaneously exited their positions. No other information was given, and the jobs have not been posted as of press time. Carroll County Prison Warden Jeff Richards was appointed interim E-911 director until a new director is hired. Richards will continue with his duties as warden while interim director. The positions remained open and were finally posted January 2021.

Georgia issues more than $1 Billion in unemployment benefits in one week Georgia Department of Labor paid over $1 billion in Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits during the week of July 13th, more than the $922 million issued over the past three years combined. As of July 21, 2020, the trust fund balance was $705,601,822, down $1.842 billion (72% lower) from the March 24, 2020 balance of $2,547,476,454.

U.S Small Business Administration’s “Economic Injury Disaster Loan Advance” Program: $20 Billion to small businesses and non-profits On July 11, the U.S. Small Business Administration announced the conclusion and success of the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Advance program, which provided U.S. small businesses, non-profits and agricultural businesses a total of $20 billion in emergency funding. In order to assist the greatest number of small businesses, the EIDL Advance provided $1,000 per employee up to a maximum of $10,000.

Recipients did not have to be approved for a loan to receive the Advance.

SEPTEMBER 2020

UWG postpones all fall sports until January 2021 due to CoVID-19 UWG has joined the other twelve institutions of the Gulf South Conference (GSC) to postpone fall semester competitions for football, soccer, volleyball, and basketball, UWG and GSC officials announced. Men’s and Women’s Cross-Country will be permitted to compete in a full schedule this fall.

Tanner begins construction of new concept of senior living; The Birches An new concept in senior living is coming to west Georgia: Tanner Health System’s The Birches, Villa Rica. The project is a unique venture, expanding seamless health and wellness services to people looking to live longer, more active lives. Construction should be finished by summer 2021. Leasing of the units

will begin in late Fall 2020. Built on an almost six-acre site along Permian Way in Villa Rica — next to the Tanner at Mirror Lake medical office building — the singlelevel development will feature 61 total apartments, including 36 assisted-living apartments and 25 memory care apartments. The project is unique in that most senior living communities are stand-alone developments, but The Birches will be fully incorporated into a full-service regional health system, overcoming one of the greatest challenges for senior living residents: access to medical care. All residents will enjoy chef-prepared meals each day, activities, outings to shopping and social events, and around-the-clock access to nursing and other healthcare professionals. The Villa Rica project is the first of several anticipated senior living developments Tanner plans to build.

StarNews longtime investigative reporter Prissi Sullivan dies from injuries following a two car collision Marian Elizabeth “Prissi” Sullivan, age 69, Villa Rica, Georgia, died September 3, 2020 at Grady Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia.

She had been on life support for several days following a two car accident that occurred Monday, August 31st, in which she suffered serious and numerous injuries. Immediately following the accident, she was life flighted to Atlanta Medical, a trauma center, then transferred to Grady, also a trauma hospital, where her condition continued to deteriorate. She died surrounded by family.

Sullivan began working for the The Carroll Star News, Carroll County, in 2004, having been hired by then publisher Bill Chappell. She was an investigative reporter covering local school boards, city councils, and the water authority, among other news beats. She continued working for the newspaper, transitioning seemlessly, when her editor, Sue Horn, became publisher in 2007, and, again, when, the newspaper made changes in 2010 becoming the StarNews and StarNews Online.

Her news beat expanded over the years to include political races and candidates.

Mostly limited to local races, she did cover Governor Brian Kemp during his many visits to Carroll Country, including when he visited the StarNews office in Carrollton for a one-on-one campaign interview in Sept.

2017; and covered his inauguration in person Her husband, David Sullivan, died just two months later on Dec. 4th from CoVID-19.

OCTOBER 2020

How-to videos on Common Core Math help those at-home due to CoVID-19 Last spring, the coronavirus pandemic forced schools to close buildings and transition to virtual learning, placing the burden on students and parents to learn.

Added to the difficulty, is that students today are learning Common Core Math, a completely different way of arriving at mathematical answers, and most parents assisting their children at home were taught traditional math. Videos are available on the Carrollton City Schools’ website to be accessed as needed by at-home students, inperson learners, and parents.

USDA provided additional assistance to farmers/ranchers impacted by CoVID-19 USDA announced up to an additional $14 billion for agricultural producers who continue to face market disruptions and associated costs because of COVID-19. Signup for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP 2) began September 21st and ran through December 11, 2020.

See YEAR IN REVIEW page 17

www.starnewsgaonline.com RETIRE from front page will retire at the end of March. Jackson has been with Carroll Tomorrow and the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce since 2001when he was hired as vice president of the newly formed Carroll Tomorrow (April 2001). In October of 2004, he was made president of operations of the chamber and Carroll Tomorrow when then-chamber president Ken O’Neill was moved over to The Burson Center (business incubator) as director. In June of 2008, Jackson’s duties were expanded and he became CEO/president of the chamber and Carroll Tomorrow, with the exit of CEO/president Slater Barr. Jackson stated, “After carefully considering all options over the holidays, I’ve decided that now is a good time to retire. I am confident

NEWEST SPLOST from front page

an election on March 16th to vote on the continuation of the SPLOST tax, in addition to approval of the ballot to be used in that election.

On Tuesday, March 16th, voters will be asked to approve the collection of $119 million in taxes (one penny at a time) with collections beginning the next month April, and continuing for six years ceasing at end of March 2027.

The $119 million would be divided dollarwise as follows, with the county alloted the bulk of the $119M: Carroll County projects: $73,691,000 ($73.7M) Bowdon projects: $2,201,500 ($2.2M) Bremen projects: $600,000 Carrollton projects: $26,263,300 ($26.2M) Mt. Zion projects: $1,820,700 ($1.8M) Roopville projects: $238,000 Temple projects: $4,545,800 ($4.5M Villa Rica projects: $9,008,300 ($9.0M) Whitesburg projects: $630,700

YEAR IN REVIEW from page 16

NOVEMBER 2020

State Senator Mike Dugan (R) wins fifth term; Tyler Paul Smith (R) to go to Gold Dome for first time as State Representative Smith wins with a commanding 75.17% Dugan, also strong, has a 67.65% win The Tuesday, November 3rd, 2020 General Election proved to be a momentous night for Georgia State District 30 incumbent Senator Mike Dugan and newly elected Georgia State House District 18’s Tyler Paul Smith. Dugan won a fifth term by defeating Democratic challenger Montenia Edwards by a large margin. Dugan collected 67.7% of the 85,888 total votes cast, while Edwards won 32.3% with 27,781 votes.

Tyler Paul Smith ended the night with an equally impressive win, collecting 75.2% of the 18,160 votes cast, to Pat Rhudy’s 24.8% and 5,998 votes.

Proposed rock quarry review now moves to Georgia EPD The next step has been reached in the review of a proposed rock quarry in southeastern Carroll County as it now is to be considered by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD). The comment period expired that allowed local residents, governments, and other interested parties to comment to the Three Rivers Commission through the Development of Regional Impact process. The proposed rock quarry would encompass 360 acres bordering Black Dirt Road in Whitesburg (near Byers Crossroads) on one side and the Chattahoochee River on the other side.

Almost 300 responses were received dur-

that this is the right decision at the right time.”

In the two decades since Jackson has been part of the chamber/Carroll Tomorrow, Carroll County has grown and prospered, with it’s population incresing about forty percent from approximately 85,000 in 2001 to 120,000 in 2020, with the number of small businesses increasing not quite double during that same time, despite the 2008 Great Recession and the 2020 CoVID shutdowns.

Loy Howard, co-founder and chair for Carroll Tomorrow, celebrated Jackson’s achievements. “Throughout his tenure, Daniel has put the people and economy of Carroll County first,” said Howard.

“Through the recession, times of economic expansion and the ongoing pandemic, he has According to the adopted resolution: • “The County may fund the County Projects in any order or priority it may deem necessary or convenient, and the Cities may fund the City Projects in any order or priority they may deem necessary or convenient.”

• The County and the Cities are not required to spend the amounts set forth above for the Projects if the Projects can be completed for a lesser amount • Furthermore, the County and the Cities may spend more than the amounts set forth above for the Projects.

• a Project may not be abandoned in its entirety unless the parties agree, and the provisions of the Sales and Use Tax Act are satisfied.

• Raymond James & Associates, Inc. shall be the underwriter or placement agent for the Debt, and Murray Barnes Finister LLP shall be the County’s bond and disclosure counsel for the Debt The last day to register to vote in this election is February 16, 2021. ing the comment period, which was extended three times, ending on September 30. “While the Three Rivers Commission cannot render an opinion, those comments will indicate whether or not this project meets the goals of the county and the commission’s comprehensive plan and future land use goals,” said Dee Perry of the Citizens United for Rural Protection. That group was formed with the goal of stopping the construction of the rock quarry.

The Georgia Environmental Protection Division is responsible for issuing the Mining Land Use Permit for which GreenRock LLC is to apply and before any mining operations can commence, if approved. This process includes information to be provided

by Green-Rock, as well as public comments, concerning air quality and other factors.

“Of particular interest in this quarry review is a new Environmental Protection Division stipulation that Green-Rock must provide documentation from Carroll County that shows the Mining Land Use Permit is consistent with the land use in the area of the mine,” Perry said. “Clearly, this quarry is not consistent with the land use in the area, which is a quiet, agricultural and residential part of the county bordering on the Chattahoochee River near two county parks enjoyed by thousands of people.”

Annual “Empty Stocking” fundraiser sought donors during year of CoVID Carrollton Evening SERTOMA Club took on goal of raising $50,000 The Carrollton Evening SERTOMA Club looked to bring gifts and smiles to children and needy families through their “Empty

worked tirelessly to create career opportunities and expand business and industry throughout our region.”

Jackson was a previously a partner in The Squire Shop, a men’s clothing store in Carrollton, and had also worked with electric cooperative Carroll EMC for about three years prior to coming to the chamber.

“Carroll County has a history of talented, committed people who’ve invested their lives to make Carroll a better place for all,” Jackson said. “Throughout my years in Carroll County, I’ve been blessed to work with outstanding individuals. While I can never properly share my appreciation, I will treasure every friendship and memory.”

“It’s been a great run,” Jackson continued.

“It’s been my privilege to represent you and

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January 17, 2021 Page 17

work with you. I pray for our community, and that the year to come will be full of hope, encouragement, joy and success.”

Howard, who lauded Jackson at last year’s annual chamber dinner (February 2020), said the region owes Jackson a huge debt of gratitude. “Daniel has understood Carroll County in a unique way,” he said. “Millions of dollars in capital investments and thousands of jobs have been created under his watch.

Also, under his leadership we’ve seen advances in workforce development and innovative programs to start and grow small business. His impact on the economic development and quality of life of our community are immeasurable. I’m grateful for his leadership, his professionalism, and his commitment to making this a great place to live.”

The ballots to be used in said election shall have written or printed thereon substantially the following:

Shall a special one percent sales and use tax be continued in Carroll County for a period of time of six years for the raising of approximately $119,000,000 for the purpose of funding capital outlay projects, including facilities and equipment: (a) for Carroll County, Georgia: (i) roads, streets, bridges, sidewalks, and transportation, and public works, (ii) public safety and fire department, (iii) administrative, (iv) recreation and parks, (v) judicial, (vi) community impact and economic development and (vii) agricultural projects and farmland and watershed protection; (b) for the City of Bowdon, Georgia: (i) roads, streets, bridges, and sidewalks, (ii) water, (iii) wastewater, (iv) economic development, (v) public safety, (vi) library, (vii) recreation, (viii) parks, (ix) historic preservation and (x) municipal complex; (c) for the City of Bremen, Georgia: (i) public safety and (ii) sanitary sewer; (d) for the City of Carrollton, Georgia: (i) fire, (ii) parks and recreation, (iii) engineering, (iv) police and (v) information technology; (e) for the City of Mount Zion, Georgia: (i) recreation, (ii) water, (iii) police, (iv) roads, (v) administration and (vi) economic development; (f) for the Town of Roopville, Georgia: (i) administrative, (ii) water and (iii) recreation; (g) for the benefit of the City of Temple, Georgia: (i) senior center, (ii) recreation, (iii) public works, (iv) public safety, (v) sewer, (vi) economic development and (vii) equipment and vehicles; (h) for the City of Villa Rica, Georgia: (i) transportation, (ii) recreation, (iii) economic development and (iv) public safety; and (i) for the City of Whitesburg, Georgia: (i) city hall, (ii) police department, (iii) recreation, (iv) water and (v) streets and sidewalks If imposition of the tax is approved by the voters, such vote shall also constitute approval of the issuance of general obligation debt of Carroll County, Georgia in the principal amount of $40,000,000 for the purposes of funding all or a portion of any of the Projects.

Stocking” fundraiser this Christmas holiday.with the goal of raising $50,000 for local charities. “We’re (SERTOMA) the administrators and manage the Empty Stocking Fund” said Rebecca Smith; long-time Sertoma member and chairman of the fund.

In 1946, the Carrollton Jaycees (Junior Chamber of Commerce) began a project called the Empty Stocking Fund to provide Christmas assistance to needy families. The program has grown over many years from “project” status to its current iteration, as a tax-exempt charitable foundation. It is now known now as the Carrollton Empty Stocking Fund, with Smith as chair.

DECEMBER 2020

WGTC announces interim president while search committee proceeds After nearly 30 years in Georgia’s technical colleges, West Georgia Technical College President Dr. Scott Rule announced his retirement in October, effective date December 31, 2020. With that, the Technical College Sytem of Georgia Commissioner Greg Dozier has announced that Pat Hannon will become interim president. Hannon will serve in this role while a search committee identifies a new President to lead West Georgia Technical College.

CoVID-19 vaccines development and distribution: weekly allocations to state and territorial health departments will be proportionally based on confirmed COVID19 cases in each state and territory The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced on Nov. 23rd plans to distribute initial doses of the drug company Regeneron Pharmaceuticals’ inves-

tigational monoclonal antibody therapeutic, casirivimab and imdevimab, which received emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on November 21, 2020, for treatment of non-hospitalized patients with mild or moderate confirmed cases of COVID-19 at high risk of hospitalization.

Beginning immediately, weekly allocations to state and territorial health departments will be proportionally based on confirmed COVID-19 cases in each state and territory over the previous seven days, based on data hospitals and state health departments. The government-owned doses will be available at no cost to patients, although healthcare facilities could charge.

32 area nonprofits awarded $302,000 from Community Foundation of West GA A total of 32 nonprofit organizations in Carroll, Haralson and Heard counties have received $302,000 from the Community Foundation of West Georgia’s Community Impact Fund and Innovation Grant program.

“These grants are a significant way the Foundation is making a difference in our community,” Kim Jones, president of the Foundation, said. “In this unprecedented time of pandemic, we are fortunate to have so many selfless nonprofit volunteers and leaders who are willing to give so much of their time and who introduce and continue such amazing programs, serving thousands in our community,” she said.

Since the first grants were issued from the Community Impact Fund in 2004, a total of $4.7 million has been distributed to local organizations.

Page 18 January 17, 2021

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www.starnewsgaonline.com

CHAMBERS FARM from page 8

process). Tthe total price to permanently put The Board of Commissioners approved the the 72 acres into conservation proctection purchase in April 2004, with the pur- was $1,380,000, with the county’s share at chase/closing date May 2007 (it is a lengthy $763,358.

$16.8 BILLION from page 9

for claimants awaiting eligibility decisions when a job separation is other than lack of work or includes other potential issues that can affect eligibility, such as receipt of severance or retirement pay, refusal to accept suitable job offers, or failure to return to work.

All eligible payments will be issued when a decision on eligibility is released, including any additional weeks of benefits a claimant could potentially be eligible for with the implementation of the new program extensions.

The GDOL has paid over $16.8 billion in state and federal benefits since the beginning of the pandemic in March of this year. Since week ending March 21, 2020, 4,232,291 regular UI initial claims have been processed, more than the last nine years combined (4.0 million). Last week, regular UI initial claims totaled 31,458, up 12,498 over the week. Since the beginning of the pandemic, 346,494 PUA claims have been processed.

The number of initial unemployment claims filed throughout the United States for the week ending Jan. 2, was 787,000, a decrease of 3,000 from the previous week’s

Carroll EMC $1000 scholarships open to area students

from press release A selection of scholarship opportunities for area high school and undergraduate students are now available from Carroll Electric Membership Cooperative. Eligible applicants may compete for the Walter Harrison, Lineman School and Lerlie and Millard Copeland scholarships.

Graduating high school seniors or undergraduate students could be chosen for one of 12 $1,000 Walter Harrison scholarships.

Carroll EMC selects one semi-finalist from its service area to compete at the state level where applications are judged on financial need and academic ability. This scholarship may be used at any two- or four-year university or technical school. The deadline to apply is Feb. 21, 2021.

The cooperative also supports aspiring linemen by offering the Lineman School Scholarship. Recipients of the scholarship receive funding for the cost of tuition, textbooks and other related fees for their chosen linemen school. Online applications close March 5, 2021.

“As a lifelong student myself, it is a privilege to work for a company invested in easing the financial burden of higher education,” said Taylor Key, Community Relations Specialist for Carroll EMC. “We’re not just an electric company; we’re an advocate for the community.”

Full-time students attending the University of West Georgia are eligible for the Lerlie and Millard Copeland Scholarship. Qualifying students who submit a general scholarship application through the UWG’s Financial Aid website are automatically considered for the $800 award. For more information on this scholarship, visit westga.edu/scholarships.

For more information regarding eligibility, applications or deadlines, please visit carrollemc.com or contact Taylor Key at taylor.key@cemc.com or 770-830-5736.

revised level of 790,000.

The sectors with the most weekly regular UI initial claims processed included Manufacturing, 7,739, Accommodation and Food Services, 6,507, Administrative and Support Services, 3,622, Transportation and Warehousing, 2,031, and Health Care and Social Assistance, 1,989.

Today, over 161,000 jobs are listed online at EmployGeorgia.com for Georgians to access. The GDOL offers online resources for finding a job, building a resume, and assisting with other reemployment needs.

Resources for reemployment assistance along with information on filing an unemployment claim and details on how employers can file partial claims can be found on the agency’s webpage at dol.georgia.gov.

For more information on jobs and current labor force date, visit the Georgia Labor Force Market Explorer at www.explorer.gdol.ga.gov to view a comprehensive report.

Commissioner Chambers said, “If I had to ing committees for specific contracts, using go back and do it over again, we wouldn’t have sealed bids, as well as implementing a more been the guinea pigs, because I lost money random schedule for RFPs, so that contractors doing it. But that wasn’t Commissioner Chance, however, could not plan for price the point. The point was increases when specific we’re trying to preserve gave voice to the sentiment that contracts were known agricultural land for “Monetary value has a value, but to come up for bid. future generations.”

Commissioner there’s a value of ‘how do we work After the discussion, with staff’, ‘what’s our efficiency’.

Chance, however, gave a vote was called for voice to the sentiment So, to me, yes, I want to save and the consideration that “Monetary value money where we can, but the was passed unanihas a value, but there’s a bottom, monetary line is not always value of ‘how do we mously, 6-0.

The final item of necessarily what you’re looking at.” work with staff’, business covered was a ‘what’s our efficiency’.

A consensus was reached discussion of the RFP So, to me, yes, I want to that more discussion on (request for proposal) save money where we RFPs might be warranted process for Carroll can, but the bottom, at future work sessions County, used for acquirmonetary line is not ing bids from contractors for the county. always necessarily what you’re looking at.”

Commissioner Reynolds initiated “We A consensus was reached that more discuswanted to see if we could establish some kind sion on RFPs might be warranted at future of process so that major contracts of the county work sessions, and the suggestion was put forth would be periodically put out for RFP.” that an updated list of contractors be sent out He cited prior issues with the general liability for the commissioners to review. After a brief contract which was not put out for RFP for sev- discussion on upcoming plans to educate the eral years. The commissioners discussed sev- public on SPLOST, the meeting came to eral options for handling RFPs, including form- adjournment.

CARROLLTON EMPTY STOCKING Supporting Needy Children in Carrollton Since 1946

Empty Stocking “Thank You” 7”x 8”

Special Thank You To The Following…..

StarNews Hamilton Foundation Times-Georgian Dr. Randall Pierce Heritage Bank Thomas M & Elizabeth D. Holder Rocky Lipham Peach State Turf Care Martin & Hightower Funeral Home Samantha Hernandez Security Solutions Byron Madden Southwire Dr. Randall Pierce Carroll Realty & Insurance The Whorton Agency, Inc. J. Smith Lanier Samantha Hernandez Barnes Store Jill Duncan John Thornton Cadillac Craig George Southern States Bank Deron & Deborah Brown ProSource Utility Contractors R.K. Redding Construction, Inc. Carroll EMC Ben & Linda Amoson Everyone who purchased tickets Byron Madden

for the cash raffle

Mark your calendars, the 75th annual Empty Stocking event will be held on November 18, 2021! Contact Rebecca Smith 770.830.6600 to get involved.

Hosted by: Carrollton Evening Sertoma Club

11, 2019

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Alexander, ageage 71,71, Tiffanee “Tiff” Cook, Master Danny Joe“Tiff” Jones, Jr., MilesJerry Scott age 53, Shirley F.Dawne Alexander, age 71, Tiffanee Dawne Cook, Master Danny Joe Jones, Jr., Jerry Scott She Mary Robinson, ageShedd, 88, born January Shirley F.Shedd, Alexander, Tiffanee Dawne “Tiff” Cook, William Bobby Green, age 82, died Tuesday, Tiffanee Dawne “Tiff”91, Master Danny Joe Jones, Jerry Shedd, age Master Danny Joe Jones, Jr., Jerry Scott Shedd, age 53, Jr., David Harper Barr, age born 27,born Jerry Scott ageCook, 53,November Shirley F.Scott Alexander, age 71,53,died Tiffanee Dawne born November 27, 1947, died age 45, October 12, 1973, age 2 months, born May 16, 2019, died Monday, July 8, 2019 born November 27, 1947, died age 45, born October 12, 1973, age 2 months, born May 16, 2019, Monday, July 8 born November 27,12,1947, died age 45, born October 12, 1973, age 45, October 1973, 2 months, May29, 16, 2019, died Monday, July 8, 2019 1932, died Wednesday, December 16, 2020 age 2Friday, months, born May 16,2020 2019, diedage Monday, July born 8, 2019 died Monday, July 8,December 2019 December 29, 1929, diedborn Thursday, 24, 2020 born November 27, 1947, died age 45, born Octob Sunday, July 14, 2019 died July 12, 2019 died Thursday, July 4, 2019 David Ronald Simpson, age Sunday, July 14, 2019 died Friday, July 12, 2019 died Thursday, July 4, 2019 David Ronald S Sunday, July 14, 2019 died Friday, July 12, 2019 died Friday, July 12, 2019 died Thursday, July 4, 2019 Davidage Ronald Simpson, age diedJames Thursday, July 4, 2019 David Ronald Simpson, age Holt David Ronald Simpson, age Wanda Rooks, 61, born June 3, Carlton Ronald Harris, age 63, born August 21, Dwight Bishop, Jr., age 62, B. Dean, age 92, Sunday, July 14, 2019 died Friday, July 12, Aaron Q. Cook, age 90, born January 28, 1930, “Marjorie” Nell Lovvorn, age 70, born July 21, 1948, died July Dwight Bishop, Jr., age 62, James B. Dean, age 92, “Marjorie” Nell Lovvorn, age 70, born July 21, 19 Dwight Bishop, Jr., age 62, James B. Dean, age 92, James B.21,Dean, age July 92, “Marjorie” age 70, born July 21, 1948, died July “Marjorie” Nell Lovvorn, age 70, born July 21, Nell 1948,Lovvorn, died July 70, born July 1948, died 1959, died 09, Sunday morning, December 27, 2020 born September 28,28, 1956, died born September 1926, died Dwight Bishop, Jr., age 62, James B. Dea 1957,02, died Wednesday, December 9, August 2020 02, 86,86, born 3, 3, 1932, died 2019 born September 28, 1956, died born September 1926, died died Thursday, January 2021 born born September 1956, born September 02, 1926, died born September 02, 07, 1926, dieddied born August 1932, died86,09, 2019August 3, 1932, died 09, 2019 86, born August 3, 1932, died 09, 2019 09, 2019 Tuesday, July 9, 2019 Wednesday, July 3, 2019 born September 28, 1956, died born September 02 Wednesday, July 10, 2019 Zellie Fred Sprewell, age 94, Kathy Harris Sherrill, age Julyage 6, 94, Zellie Tuesday, July 9,July 2019 3, 2019 Wendy Pope 74, bornFred MayJuly 8, 1946, July70, 10,born 2019 Fred Spre Tuesday, July 9, 2019age Wednesday, 3, 2019Huff, ageWednesday, Gail Ann Palmer Cromey, age94, 74, born Wednesday, July 3, 2019 Wednesday, July 10, 2019 Zellie Fred Sprewell, Wednesday, July 10, 2019 Zellie Sprewell, age 94, Wednesday, Zellie Fred Sprewell, Donald Brasseal “Don” Bonner, Barry Bushon Dickerson, age Andra Dixon McGill, age 76, born February 28, 1925, died Tuesday, July 9, 2019 Wednesday, July 3, Donald Brasseal “Don” Bonner, Barry Bushon Dickerson, age Andra Dixon 11, McGill, age 76, died December 20201925, Donald Brasseal “Don” Bonner, Barry Bushon Dickerson, diedMcGill, Thursday, December 10, 2020 Barry Bushon Dickerson, age Andra Dixon McGill, age 76,Friday, born February 28, diedborn February 28 Andra Dixon age 76,age born February 28, 1925,1950, died November 22, 1946, died Sunday, December 20, born February 28, 1925, died ageage 76, born June 05, 1943, died 68, born September 7, 1950, died born October 18,18, 1941, died Saturday, July 27, 2019 Donald Brasseal “Don” Bonner, Barry Bushon age 76, born June 05, 1943, died 68, born September 7, 1950, died born October 18, 1941, died Saturday, July 27,Di 2 76, born June 05, 1943, died 68, born September 7, 1950, died 68, born September 7, 1950, died born October 1941, died Saturday, July 27, 2019 Helen Marie Smith, age 67, born September born October 18, Richard 1941, Henderson, died Saturday, Jeff age 57,July born27, July2019 9, Saturday, July July 27, 2019 2020 Wednesday, 10, 2019 Friday, July 19, 2019 Wednesday, July 17, 2019 Daniel Lance Walker, age 40, age 76, born June 05, 1943, died 68, born September Wednesday, July 10, 2019 Friday, July 19, 2019 Wednesday, July 17, 2019 Daniel Lance Wa Wednesday, July 10, 2019 Friday, July 19, 2019 Friday, July 19, 2019 Wednesday, July 17, 2019 Daniel Lance Walker, age 40, Wednesday, July 17, 2019 Daniel Lance Walker, age 40, died Tuesday, November 24, 2020 Daniel Lance Walker, age 20, 1953, 1963, died January 2, 2021 John D. Brown, Jr.,Denney, age 40, 53, Jean Dodderer, ageage 84, Cynthia “Cindy” Stone age 58, Bobbie died Eugene Parker Mullis, Jr.,Jr., age born September 18, 1978, John D. Brown, Jr.,Saturday, age 53, Bobbie Jean Dodderer, age 84,ageWednesday, July 10, 2019 July 19, 2019 Eugene Parker Mullis, Jr.,died age born September 18 John D. Brown, Jr., Bobbie Jean Dodderer, 84, Bobbie Jean Dodderer, ageage 84, 53, Eugene Eugene Parker Mullis, born September 18, 1978, diedFriday, Parker Mullis, Jr., age born September 18, 1978, died born September 18, 1978, died Sue Pepper Smith, age 64, born October 18, born August 18, 1965, died July born July 9, 1935, died Monday, Nancy Cramer Jones, age 89, born February 7, 70, born December 31, 1948, died Sunday, July 21, 2019 Friday, Dec. 25, 2020 born August 18, 1965, died July born July 9, 1935, died Monday, John D. Brown, Jr., age 53, Bobbie Jean Dod 70, born December 31, 1948, died Sunday, July 21, 20 born August 18, 1965, died July born July 9, 1935, died Monday, born July 9, 1935, died Monday, 70, born December 31, 1948, died Sunday, July 21, 2019 70, born December 31, 1948, died Sunday, July 21, 2019 Sunday, July 21, 2019 22,Farris 2019 July 22,22, 2019 Monday, July 8, 2019 Deborah Ann West, 1956, died Monday, Friday, December 11, 2020 22,July 2019 22, 2019 1931, died December 18,July 2020 July“Debbie” 8,“Debbie” 2019 August 18, 1965, died July July 9, “Debbie 1935, Deborah Jack“Debbie” Drummond, Jr.,West, age 65, born 22, 2019 July 22,2019 2019 Monday, July 8, 2019 Deborah Ann West,born Monday, July 8, 2019 Deborah “Debbie” Ann West, born Deborah Ann Marie Elizabeth Phillips Bryce, Anna Marsella Fazio, age Randy Lee Nichols, age 66, age 58, died July 22, 2019 Marie Elizabeth Phillips Bryce, Anna Marsella Fazio, age Randy Lee Nichols, age 66, Lee F. Swaney, Jr., age 81, died Wednesday, age 58, died 2019 July 22, 2019July 22 Marie Elizabeth Phillipsage Bryce, AnnaLeeMarsella age ClarenceFazio, Eugene Mills, diedJuly Sunday, Anna Marsella Fazio, Randy Lee22, Nichols, 58, died July 22, 2019 Randy Nichols, age died 66, February 21, 1955, died2019 Thursday, December 17, ageage 58,79, died 2019 age 66,22,age age 58, July 22, ageage 89,died born September 14, 1929, 85, born on Jan 1, 1934, born June 24, 1953, died Friday, Wallace Allen Worthan, age age 89, born September 14, 1929, 85, born on Jan 1, 1934, died born June 24, 1953, died Friday, WallaceMarsella Allen W born September 1929, 85,June born24,on Jan died 1,20,1934, died Wallace Marie Elizabeth Bryce,age Anna 85, born89,on Jan 1, 1934, 14, died born June 24, Worthan, 1953, died Friday,9, 2020 Wallace AllenPhillips Worthan, December born Friday, Allen age December 2020 Wallace Allen Worthan, age 2020 died Saturday, July 20,20, 2019 Monday, July 8,1953, 2019 July 26, 2019 56, died Monday, July 15, 2019 died Saturday, July 20, 2019 Monday, July 8, 2019 July 26, 2019 56, died Monday, died Saturday, July 2019 Monday, July 8, 2019 age 89,died born September 1929, 1 Monday, July 8, 2019 July 26, 2019 56, 15, 2019 85, born on Jan Ju JulyHarris 26, 2019 56, died Monday, July 15, 2019 56, died Monday, July 15, Billy Joe Walker, ageMonday, 75,Chapman, born July June14, 1, 1945, Ray Myers, age 80, 78, born July 3, 1942, died Gloria C. Wayne Emory, age 76, 2019 died Wednesday, Earl Wayne Carden, ageage 80,80, Nell Griffin Jennings, Ara Bell D. Sanders, age 79, Carol Judith age 55, Earl Wayne Carden, age Harris Nell Griffin Jennings, Ara Bell D. Sanders, age 79,55,Monday, Carol Judith Chap Earl Carden, Harris Nell Griffin Jennings, HarrisJudith Nell Chapman, Griffin Jennings, died Saturday, July 20, 2019 July 8, 201 Ara Bell Chapman, D. Sanders, age 79, Carol Judith Chapman, age Ara Bell D. Sanders, age 79, Carol Judith age 55, Carol age 55, died Monday, January 4, 2021 born October 29,29,1938, died age 83, died Tuesday, Julydied 2, 2020 Monday, December 28, born August 06, 1939, died July June 24, 1964, died Sunday, December 23, 2020 born October 1938, age 83, died Tuesday, July 2,Julyborn born August 06, 1939, died July June Nell 24, 1964, born October 1938, age 83, died Tuesday, age 83, died Tuesday, July 2,died born August 06, 1939, died Earl Wayne Carden, age 80, born born June 24, 1964, died Sunday, Harris Griffi born August 06, 29, 1939, died July July 2, born June 24, 1964, died Sunday, born June 24, 28, 1964, died Sunday, Friday, June 2019 2019 24, 2019 July 7, 2019 Alfred Eugene “Gene” Wright, age 86, born Julia Francis Preston Neely, age 91, born on Friday, June 28, 2019 2019 24, 2019 July 7, 2019 Dana Charles Entrekin, age 70, Saturday, Friday, June 28, 2019 2019 2019 24, 2019 JulyOctober 7, 2019 29, 1938, died age 83, died Tues born 24, 2019 July 7, 2019 July 7, 2019 June 6, 1934, died December 12, 2020 August 27, 1929, died Saturday, December 12, December 26, 2020 Friday, June 28, 2019 2019 2020

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Page 21 January 17, 2021

COMMENTARY

StarNews / StarNews Online www.starnewsgaonline.com

Still looking for an answer: do you have any thoughts to share?

that have learned to teach In previous articles I have writthemselves. ten, a question arose and an The basic plot of the documenattempt to find an answer was SUSAN M. HORN tary is this: These “gurus of the made: As with certain individuals, EDITOR/PUBLISHER fly-by” who, for years, have been could a community learn to teach navigating a small space-craft out itself? Can we ordinary folks do ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: GRAPHICS DESIGNER: to the edge of our planetary syssuch a thing today, say here in WAYNE REYNOLDS SHERRY REYNOLDS tem, and then for more years, of Carroll County?

REPORTERS: DANIEL JACKSON BRANDON KERR going beyond, are now faced with It seems that this is a question Our goal is to produce a quality newspaper, locally oriented and designed with the readers’ the question: Will they be able to that has stirred more interest than I interest in mind. Letters to the editor are welcomed and should include a signature, fine-tune the course of the craft to would have thought.

Though an address/email addrees, phone number. Liability for an error will not exceed the cost of the get very close to a bar-bell shaped space occupied by the error. We welcome reader input, ideas and criticisms. Your right to answer has not been obvious, I digi@mindspring.com read this newspaper is protected by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. believe there is evidence of such ganda, advertising in many rock? If they succeed, there will Published monthly. Periodical postage paid permit #16154 Carrollton GA. occurrences in the past. As for the guises. So, if you’re aware that be close-up photos.

Delivery mail/carrier $20 per year. $30 out of county. Send address changes: P.O. This rock is about 20 miles present, I suggest you watch a public and tax-supported organiBox 680, Carrollton, GA 30112. long and four billion miles away NOVA documentary titled “Pluto zations such as the “NASA estabP.O. Box 680 Carrollton, GA 30112 suehorn.starnews@gmail.com and Beyond”. To me, the workers lishment” must occasionally from Earth. Even though commu© 2021 Palindrome Enterprises cell: 770-301-1275 dba StarNews / StarNews Online who are in that documentary show report of its successes, do not be nication is at the speed of light, it a good case for an affirmative cynical about the motives for pro- takes maybe as much as 6 hours answer. ducing such a documentary for for the NASA people to receive But, first, some acknowledg- PBS. If such is your perception, information and the same number ment of the fact that we, as a mod- then be patient. I hope that the of hours for new commands to As we enter the new year of 2021, ern and advanced society, have following will convince you that arrive at the craft. The plot turns, yellow journalism is in full engaging grown to recognize hype, propa- we do in fact have communities See BILL BOURIS page 24 mode with its dangerous tentacles attaching to and infecting minds young and old, pandemically.

With the New Year of 2021 year. Desperate people try to This damaging and libelous form beginning a new decade, I dream defect, but they must pay upwards of writing, scarcely found at one of a unified Korea during this of $12,000. time, contagiously jumped from the coming period. Emerging from EDITOR/ The misery of life in North PUBLISHER pages of printed newspapers as the the Korean War, South Korea’s Korea is not limited to meager modern age of online publishing economic development was pheincome. The Pyongyang regime grew worldwide decades ago, entering directly onto computers screens to nomenal, much to the amazement severely restricts internet access claim more minds ballooning into the form of website “news”. Carrying of the world. In contrast, North for its citizens. There is one untruths as its main viral load, publishers and reporters of both print and Korea has earned the infamous secure internet server in the counonline began to push the boundaries of how far this fever of sensational name as a failed state. try, but not even one percent of writing could go, with online becoming the undisputed champion. The South Korea’s GDP is reported vunc61@gmail.com the population can access it! realization of just how much public control they had was infectious, and as more than $1.6 trillion in 2020. 37.5% in 2000, according to the Instead, citizens are relegated to highly addictive. We are all suffering now from this full blown, out of It places the country with a popu- Global Hunger Index. using a state-controlled, domestic control, yellow journalism. lation of 51 million as the intranet.

As the strict, legal boxes of responsible journalism were overrun by the 11th largest economy in South Korea’s GDP per capita was While average citizens wild west of online “news” websites shooting holes in the legal system’s the world. Its GDP per were suffering, the absomore than $31,700 in 2019. . .

The ability to hold publishers accountable, publishing owners saw the financial capita was more than lute dictator of the Kim benefit these minds, now sickened with the addiction of yellow journalism, $31,700 in 2019. North average worker of North Korea takes dynasty indulges in could provide - and provide it did. Credible reports give digitial advertising Korea is one of the most home less than $2,000 a year. . .The extravaganza. The North an estimate as being a $330 billion dollar global business, most of that secretive countries in the percentage of under nourished North Korean leader Kim Jong revenue going to Google and Facebook. world. As a result, frag- Koreans increased to 43.4% in 2018 Il, father of current leader, Today’s term for yellow journalism has been whittled down to the catchy mentary information is colKim Jong-un, was spendterm “fake news”, that has taken on through yellow journalism - think on the lected from limited sources. The During a famine in the 1990s, ing upwards of $800,000 a year irony of that - political connotations. In other words, if you call a story out as report is dismal: The percentage up to 2 million people died. The on Hennessy, according to US fake news, in some circles, you are identified, oft times with anger, as being of under nourished North Koreans average worker of North Korea News & World Report. The part of a certain political leaning or party. When did truth take a hard turn increased to 43.4% in 2018 from takes home less than $2,000 a See DAN PAK page 24 face down onto a concrete sidewalk by bullies?

Local newspapers across the United States are suffering greatly from the financial effects of the rampant yellow journalism that is widely practiced by raw materials to build the world’s Pundits have been commenting the large, inner city newspapers and cable television “news” shows. Most of strongest economic systems. on the Decline o’f the West since the advertising money goes to them in this great sensational stories chase.

Although the collapse of the the German philosopher Oswald The yellow journalism advertisers follow the minds of those addicted to West has been often predicted, it Spengler published a book by that hearing/reading about another wild, untrue, or exaggerated story. As long as has proved resilient, re-inventing title in 1918. The Western world the majority of people today are tuning in to those cable channels, or logging PROFESSOR itself, and displaying a remarkmay not be as dominant as it once on to those yellow journalism websites, or buying those inner city Indiana University able capacity for survival, even was, but its decline has been newspapers that display a one-sided approach on their front pages, yellow Center on dominance. exaggerated.

Representative journalism grows, suffocating responsible journalism.

The United States began to The West, as we usually refer Government The Communications Decency Act of 1996 grants immunity to internet move to the forefront of the West to it, is more a concept than a publishers of information. Google or Facebook have no legal responsibility around the time of World War I. geographical region. We use the ered part of the West. for misinformation or lies. Facebook’s “community news pages” may, or One face of the West is the G7 After World War II, the internaterm to refer to a group of may not, be reporting the truth. It depends on the individual who is posting. advanced industrial nations, organization, made up of Canada, tional order was set in place for There is no such immunity to publishers of information in physical print. united by shared values including France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the over forty years. The world was We must be certain of what we publish. And what we publish is only what democratic governance, constitu- United Kingdom and the United divided into competing spheres: has happened, or civil commentaries about the news. A conscious effort to be tional norms, the rule of law and States – some of the world’s the Communist Bloc, centered in a responsible news medium is not easy, and is exercised by few in the civil liberties. Usually focused on major economies -- which has the Soviet Union; and the industry due to those who sign their paychecks. Those paycheck signers are the United States, Canada and become a platform to coordinate Western Bloc, led by the United the same publishers who are protected with immunity.

States and committed to free marWestern Europe, the term often economic and trade policies.

The first step to overcoming an addiction is to recognize it. The second Western prominence dates kets and democratic governance. expands to include Eastern step is to stop feeding it. Local newspapers will cease to exist at some point if That bipolar system collapsed Europe, Australia and New back centuries. The climate and this addiction to yellow journalism is not reined in. If the demand slows, the Zealand. Other countries, such as geography of the trans-Atlantic with the breakup of the Soviet supply will slow. This could open up a bit of financial air for local Japan and South Korea, have world provided a lot of advan- Union. New actors emerged to newspapers - the ones who provide the real news of your community. It’s similar values and economic sys- tages: deep-water ports, rich land contend for influence. The West mostly unsensational, but it is the true news and it needs to spread. tems but are not usually consid- for agricultural production and See LEE HAMILTON page 24 “Not just what happened, but what matters”

BILL

BOURIS

Local newspapers will cease to exist if the addiction to yellow journalism is not reined in

SUE

HORN

Dreaming of a unified Korea in the new decade

DAN

PAK

‘Decline of the West’ talk is exaggerated

LEE

HAMILTON

Page 22 January 17, 2021

StarNews

COMMENTARY

www.starnewsgaonline.com

The Universe is ultimately kind

SYBIL

THOMAS

River Rambles syllabil@aol.com I could no more write about the river and not speak of water, than I could write about her water and not speak of light. Lately, I’ve been reflecting on reflections. By that, I mean the collision of light with a refracting surface, sometimes multiple surfaces, as when sunbeams strike the river and bounce off the water, reflecting the motions of her current onto my living-room wall. Light and water make a dazzling combo when decorating old sheetrock.

First thing in the morning - especially in winter when the Sun is due south and low on the horizon and the trees are bare - the long slanted rays of dawn find their way across

the river into the cabin. As the rising Sun brought forth a simmering soup of amino aims its beams at the water, the braided, acids, enzymes, and viruses, early remnants shimmering, ephemeral shapes flung on my of an elemental experiment ignited by a wall are a breathing curtain of light and Divine green fuse. Let there be life.The lure of sunlight pulled fish out shadow, what novelist January now, a new year of the ocean and vegetaWendell Berry calls an eleby the solar calendar. . . The tion out of the land. We ment of living light. owe our life to our Sun. As artful as these reflec- light is already changing.

Imagine a world where tions are, they are more The Universe is ultimately every morning every than ornamental. They kind. . . Just as we go human inhabitant mindnever fail to remind that into the coldest, bleakest fully recognizes that we this elusive beauty is are all, astronomicallybrought to me by starlight nights of winter, the days speaking, living on a teeny that has traveled approxiare already growing speck of rock circling a mately 93 million miles longer and brighter. beloved and ordinary star. across the darkness of What if we could start there, with our comspace to end here, in my home, and in the homes of others around the world lucky mon inheritance from a numinous Universe? enough to live beside a river, a stream, a What kind of world might we make going pond, the sea, even a puddle for an hour. forward from that?

I can no more write about the Sun and not Light sends us messages through water all mention the Moon, the star’s dimmer, day and all night long.

Our planet has been solar-powered since dwarfed, no less wondrous child. What a conception. Let there be light. A primordial generous Creator to provide a Lamp for the collaboration of light, heat, and water Night! That soft wattage is the Sun’s reflec-

A grandmother’s influence After receiving a Bible from a nephew, she began to form a wonderful relationship with KELVIN God. This relationship with God would lead KEITH

Millennials Christian Ministry (MCM) kkeith @mcmempowered .org This is a column containing a lovingly true narrative of a grandmother’s influence on her grandson.

The grandmother is Marie Emmanuel who recently passed away on October 14, 2020 at 97 years of age. She was born in the small town of Anse-Rouge, Haiti, and had lived with her daughter and grandchildren in Villa Rica, Georgia.

Ms. Emmanuel worked at a hospital in Haiti where she supervised the preparation of meals for patients for several years.

Q: What do you remember of your teenage years on how she influenced you?

A: She constantly infused discipline in her to influence her family for Christ for my sister and me. to be up on time forschool, years to come. Marie moved to America in make sure our clothes were crisp for to look the early 1980s after learning about her first decent in school, and to do our chores.

Q: When did you have to start quoting grandchild being born here.

The following is a question and answer Psalm 23 and Pslam 121 before boarding the interview I had with her grandson Max school bus?

A: When we were in kindergarten.

Dubois, who grew up in Villa Rica.

Q: Did you get frustrated with having to Question: Max, can you remember when your grandmother began teaching the Bible quote those two chapters everyday sometimes? to you and your sister?

A: Yes, sometimes I thought to myself that Answer: As far back as 3 or 4 years old in Maryland, my grandmother would go to my other classmates weren’t doing this.

Q: Did you ever see any measurable church, return home, and read the Bible to us. She would review scriptures with us that benefit for doing this while you were a she had learned in church service that teenager?

A: At age 13, I was seeing benefits of morning.

Q: Did you enjoy listening to her read the doing this. It went along with watching Christian television, reading the Bible, and Bible to you guys?

A: We looked forward to her returning going to church.

Q: Did anyone ever ask you about your home and going over what she learned.

tion too, pouring off the muted surface of the Moon.

If the Sun is fiery and alive, the Moon is cold and dead. Only the Sun enlivens her. If sunlight is golden, moonlight is silver.

Where the Moon meets the river, the reflection is like a scattering of new dimes, a thin cloth of silver lamé bobbing on water.

On a clear evening when the Moon is a waxing crescent in the fading west, you can make out the pale disk of a full Moon, the crescent like a shining shelf holding our lone satellite in its nightly place in the sky. That gauzy veil of illumination across the Moon is called Earthshine, the reflection of our light, the Earth’s light, which is also the Sun’s, on the Moon’s craggy face. Leonardo da Vinci figured that out for us.

January now, a new year by the solar calendar. On the horizon the Sun is traveling north again. The light is already changing.

The Universe is ultimately kind. Remember: Just as we go into the coldest, bleakest nights of winter, the days are already growing longer and brighter.

lifestyle of going to church constantly?

A: There were some of my peers who would ask me why did I always have to bring the New Year in at church and not another social gathering outside of church.

Q: How do you believe your training in the Christian Faith help you enroll at Georgia Tech University and pursue a successful career?

A: I believe my nurture in the Christian Faith helped me have the confidence that I could do anything that I put my heart and mind to with Christ’s help. Therefore, I was not intimidated to enroll in G.T. in 2013 and graduate in 2018 with a degree in Industrial Engineering. I am now working for Procter & Gamble as a supply chain manager.

Readers, Tthis is just another great true example of how God can bless a teenager’s life for the better. I truly encourage any teenager to read this with the belief that you can see a similar scenario happen in your life.

“They did not read me my rights” of law…..” Since most people have seen hundreds of arrests like this on television, there is a widespread belief that when a person gets arrested, if the officer does not read a person “their rights”, the case will be dismissed. This may happen in Hollywood.

But, ninety-nine percent of the time, it does not happen in the real world.

SWINDLE The reading of these “rights”, known as LAW GROUP, P.C. the Miranda Warning is required in only one One of the most common questions I hear scenario. It must be read when a person is from clients, potential clients, friends, and currently under arrest, is in the custody of others in the community is, “Since they did law enforcement (usually at the jail), and an not read a person their rights, should a crimi- officer seeks to question the arrestee about nal case be dismissed?” The question is per- the alleged crime. The Miranda Warning fectly reasonable to ask. But, the answer is gets its name from Miranda v. Arizona, a famous U.S. Supreme Court case from almost alway “no.”

This widespread misconception of cases 1966. In this case, the Supreme Court ruled being dismissed because of an officer’s fail- that when the police arrest a person and ure to read an arrestee his rights has been want to interrogate him, they have to remind firmly entrenched into society by television him that he has these two rights: 1. The right to remain silent (the right for years. For example, a crime movie portrays a man getting arrested. The officer against self-incrimination) means that law says, “You are under arrest. You have the enforcement cannot force a person to admit right to remain silent. Everything you say that they committed a crime or make any can and will be used against you in a court other incriminating statements; and

JASON

SWINDLE

2. The right to be represented by an attorney. If a person says that they want a lawyer during police interrogation, they get one.

While many officers read Miranda to an arrestee, there is actually no requirement nor need for these rights to be read under most circumstances.

For example, it is extremely rare in DUI cases for Miranda to be read to a person because after the arrest, the vast majority of evidence, like field sobriety tests, has already been collected. There is no need for law enforcement to conduct any questioning. They have already obtained the information that they believe is needed to prosecute the case.

While the Miranda Warning is not a necessary, routine part of an arrest, it can become very important in many felony cases when someone confesses to a crime or otherwise incriminates themself while being questioned in custody.

A valid confession creates a daunting challenge for the criminal defense attorney.

If the police do not give an arrestee a

proper Miranda Warning before a custodial interrogation, there are consequences that favor the arrestee.

If a person is charged with a crime and part of the evidence the District Attorney wants to use to convict him is his own supposed confession, then it is possible for the defense attorney to file a “motion to suppress” those incriminating statements.

If, under all the circumstances of the custodial interrogation, the defendant did not knowingly, intelligently, and voluntarily waive his rights, the judge can grant the motion and the confession cannot be used in the defendant’s trial. In a case where a defendant’s alleged confession makes up the bulk of the evidence, this can very well mean a reduction in the charges or a dismissal.

Based on questions that I ask potential jurors, a large percentage of Americans watch crime shows like Law and Order, CSI, and Forensic Files. The next time that you see an arrest while watching, ask yourself whether the reading of the arrestee’s “rights” has any impact on the case.

COMMENTARY

www.starnewsgaonline.com

StarNews

January 17, 2021 Page 23

Finding our joy in the New Year

PATRICK

YURAN

Headmaster OAK MOUNTAIN ACADEMY

As we begin a New Year, we are already reflective of the different holiday celebrations held in 2020 from past year’s celebrations. Typically, the Christmas season is a time when we celebrate many family traditions that play a big role in shaping our spirit and joy throughout the season and into the New Year. Given the global pandemic, many of our traditional family celebrations were atypical during 2020. Many of us were forced to change our family traditions, who and even where we gathered, and how we celebrated.

However, among the many frustrations and differences that we faced through the holidays, and 2020 as a whole, it is important that we hold on to our joy as we enter this New Year, the year of 2021.

As we think about this atypical holiday season, let us look back to see ways that comfort and joy were experienced by embracing the simple fact that 2020 was definitely “one for the books.” It is also important to remember that different ways of celebrating do not necessarily equal bad or

terrible.

Feeling a little disappointment due to the loss of “how it has always been,” is really okay. Different also offered opportunities to have fun by trying new and exciting ways to “gather.” By acknowledging that different is just that – different – we give ourselves permission to embrace the necessary changes that were needed to sort our way through this holiday season. And, even in the different, joy was felt by many!

For our family, the 2020 holiday season brought about some additional challenges that we did not anticipate. Just like many of you, family illness was a driving force behind planning and executing our family gatherings.

Challenging? Yes. Unique? Definitely.

Stressful? To say the least.

However, as we are now on the other side of the Christmas season, I can honestly say that joy was always present, I just needed a change of perspective to experience it. I remembered that joy actually comes in the daily moments that, at the time, seem mundane.

Truly valuing every phone call and text message when you aren’t sure if it might be the last one has been a newfound life lesson for our family. We also realized that our focus was away from the gifts and more about the people and the relationships – especially through basic daily interactions.

The joy was there, our perspective just had

DECLINE of the WEST from page 24

of natural resources, including metals and minerals, agricultural land, fisheries and timber. And, not least, Western governments have proven to be stable, able to absorb economic and political shocks better than authoritarian regimes. In just one indicator of wealth and stability, Western currencies, especially the U.S. dollar, continue to be favored by economies around the world.

Perhaps the most important reason for the West’s continued influence is the appeal of its values and norms. Its support for democracy, human rights and the rule of law is a beacon for people everywhere who aspire to a better life. The authoritarian model has its achievements, but while nothing’s preordained, the West’s record of resilience is impressive.

SENATE from front page

14,805 votes.

• Democrat challenger Jon Ossoff unseated Republican Incumbent David Perdue. A total of 4,474,412 votes were cast. The votes divided up as follows: Ossoff 50.57% 2,262,528 votes Perdue 49.43% 2,211,884 votes For Carroll County specifically, the race attracted a total of 47,126 votes: Perdue 69.07%, 32,550 votes; Ossoff 30.93% 14,576 votes.

In the January 5th Runoff Election there was a third contested race: Public Service Commission District 4. Longtime Incumbent Lauren Bubba McDonald, Jr., Republican, won the seat - also by a razor thin margin against Democrat challenger Dnaiel Blackman. A total of 4,426,214 votes were cast. The vote was McDonald 50.42% with 2,317,655 votes, and Blackman at 49.01% with 2,194,559 votes. McDonald won by 42,277 votes.

For Carroll County specifically, the race attracted a total of 46,698 votes; divided as follows: McDonald 69.79% 32,589 votes; Blackman 30.21% 14, 109 votes.

national organizations like the G7, the World Bank and the World Economic Forum, giving them an outsized influence over the global economy. Second, the United States is in a class by itself for military might. The U.S. and its allies account for about 70% of total military spending. Their power is simply unmatched.

China is now emerging as a major power and economy, even with a repressive political system. It has lifted millions out of poverty and seeks to expand its influence, but the combined economic and political strength of the West far outpaces China. The West has the best universities and the most educated people, who are leading the way in research, innovation and technology. It has vast stores

and former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden unseated Republican President Donald Trump. The state of Georgia’s presidential electoral votes have gone to a Democrat candidate in recent history previously for Bill Clinton in 1992, and Plains, Georgia, native Jimmy Carter in 1976 and 1980.

For the January 5, 2021 Runoff Election, there were 2656 precincts statewide in the state’s 159 counties. County elections are run by each county’s election board and election superintendent, overseen by and reporting to the Georgia Secretary of State, and elected position. The current secretary of state for Georgia is Brad Raffensperger, elected in 2018. For the two (statewide) Senate seats: • Democrat challenger Raphael Warnock unseated Republican Incumbent Kelly Loeffler. A total of 4,474,471 votes were cast.

The votes divided up as follows: Warnock 50.99% 2,281,676 votes Loeffler 49.01% 2, 192,795 votes For Carroll County specifically, the race attracted a total of 47,120 votes: Loeffler 68.58%, 32,315 votes; Warnock 31.42%

this year. However, the true magic behind to shift in order to see it.

As our family began searching for new the mailbox is to ultimately express the joy and different ways to celebrate this holiday that comes from the Christmas season. It is season, we found ourselves utilizing our about the anticipation of the Ultimate Gift – the baby Jesus and his freshly fostered “Zoom” gift of joy to all. skills. We sent surprise Truly valuing every I think and remain video messages between phone call and text hopeful that these family members in other youngest members of states and locations, while message when you aren’t sure if it might be the last our family received also enjoying a friendly some of that joy this “Build Your Gingerbread one has been a newfound year as we continued House on Zoom” life lesson for our family. . . with this tradition. competition.

The joy was there, our As we make our way Just being able to maintain some of our “normal” perspective just had to shift into this New Year, let us embrace the chalin order to see it. interactions, even by way lenges, unique opportuof a computer monitor or cell phone proved to spark a resounding nities, and life lessons from 2020. Let us stop and intentionally experience the small amount of joy (and laughter) among us.

We also continued with our annual day-to-day interactions with others. Let us “Magic Mailbox” tradition for the younger find joy in all people and offer joy to others. members of our family in a new creative Let us continue to foster our Zoom skills and way. The mailbox was a fun way to spark encourage others to be creative and continue joy and excitement (and encouraging good learning. And, let us share the magic that is choices) by offering inspirational messages truly the gift of Christmas – not just during a and small prizes at random times throughout specific season, but always.

Happy New Year! May 2021 bring you the holiday season.

Zooming with The Magic Mailbox in the and your family continued blessings and a background was a little more of a challenge joy that is unexplainable!

Page 24 January 17, 2021

StarNews

BILL BOURIS from page 21 on whether the people can fine-tune the course before the craft goes too far wide, which surely will result in crappy photos of the rock.

In the end everything works out and the people are happy and tearful, applauding and hugging each other, celebrating their success. It is that community that I’d like try to describe. I hope you will be able to notice this aspect when viewing the movie. It was during the (accidental) second watching that I began to notice a community that had learned to teach itself.

We all know of the moment when the

DAN PAK from page 21

cognac distiller even said that for two years in the mid-1990s, Kim was the largest buyer of Hennessy Paradis, The World Street Journal reported.

With 46,500 square miles of land, North Korea is a mineral-rich country. According to a report, this includes more than 200 types of mineral deposits such as iron, gold, zinc, copper, graphite, and rare metals used in smartphone production in South Korea. The estimated values range from $6-10 trillion.

The potential is enormous, but the task is daunting. North Korea must open itself up to the outside world. Demilitarization seems the first agenda to follow. Soldiers could return to farms to help produce food crops.

Creating a social environment, suitable for foreign investment by such measures as streamlining banking and other financial institutions, should be carried out simultaneously.

South Korean conglomerates would be competing against one another to set up plants in North Korea once the proper arrangement is made, including improved infrastructure. Intelligent young men and women of North Korea could then be trained to work at the plants which would not only enhance the quality of life for them, but also bring about social stability.

This is a win-win situation. All of this could ultimately bring about a peaceful unification of the country in the long run. But the major obstacle is Kim Jong-un, the dictator. He does not seem to see the light. Kim appears to be obsessed with the nuclear arsenal he assembled as if it is the only tool that guarantees for him to hold onto power. He may succumb to a hereditary stroke sooner than later, or a palace coup although that possibility is remote. Time will tell.

Meantime, I keep dreaming of a unified Korea to come about within this coming decade.

LEE HAMILTON from page 21

contend for influence. The West was challenged by the Islamic State and other forces.

European nations merged to create a single market and a borderless alliance in the European Union, with Germany its most powerful member. Other regional powers like India, Russia, and China stepped up.

But these powers faced challenges, including enormous debt, aging populations and a reliance on immigration to meet economic needs. Frustration arose over limits to its powers, and questions arose about the capitalistic systems as the predominant model of governance.

Even so, power and influence may have shifted from the West, but the United States and its allies still retain powerful positions in the world.

First, the U.S. and Europe dominate interSee DECLINE of the WEST page 23

www.starnewsgaonline.com much-quoted words were spoken, about those first steps on the moon. Ever since, the typical occasion of a NASA success is teams of engineers, scientists, operators, clerks, all huddled at a hundred computer screens, shouting, congratulating and hugging each other. In early days, there were cigars and almost all men. Now, things are different.

We have many women present, the cigars are gone, and suddenly there are glasses filled with bubbly champagne.

It seems that the producers of these documentaries are increasingly interested in the human aspect of such events, since it is more their purpose to have the taxpayer approve of the expenditures. They let the technical and scientific reporting take place in other venues. So, over the years, we do get a growing sense of “personality” and “individual”. With “Pluto and Beyond”, I believe we’re watching people working together who happen to live and breathe the science of outer space. Like I said, we’re getting a glimpse of a community that has learned to teach itself.

This is an unusual community. We have all watched it grow and grow and mature.

My awareness of them goes back to driving with friends to camp-out at Canaveral to witness the moon-shot and coming back to Atlanta to watch the TV broadcast of the moon-landing. Because I worked at a research lab, I think I had an empathetic connection to all those folks who were not astro-

nauts. They comprise the teams who make things happen, so that the first man on the moon could speak an unforgettable message on live-TV. I guess I have unconsciously kept track of them through the decades.

They must be into their third or fourth generation.

These great efforts are based on Teams of team-work, 24/7 for years and years, around the world. Often, teams have to be in remote, even dangerous locations. Their rapport is often developed remotely, via communications whose capacity and thoroughness probably exceed that of most other government and military operations. By watching those TV documentaries, we can see some of that connection, understanding, and rapport.

With the aspect of public funding to the side, here’s my point: A sizable and complicated community, in this case, using Science as a “common language” and “ideal”, survives and thrives. Today, when an important event is about to occur, such as the one documented in “Pluto and Beyond”, this community will gather, not only in their labs, but in theaters that carry the event live.

There, a packed house will watch their fellow workers who are on-duty at the labs.

There is excitement in both venues. And there is tension. If the final transmitted directives are correct, then there will be pictures and some new data about the formation of our planetary system.

Everything does work out, and the live

audience, watching their fellow lab-heroes, break out with waves of cheers and applause, like it was opening night at the Opera and the singing was spectacular. We see lab doors opening and heroes hugging heroes, and then, comes the champagne.

This may feel like a “synthetic” community, but it is a community. We have created and supported it for almost 60 years. The individual workers and families, from technician to PhD, from clerk to highest administrator, all understand that they are deeply involved in scientifically based endeavors.

The rules of scientific inquiry and dialog underlie much of their social exchanges, at and away from work.

But, this is not so unusual. Think of more traditional settings. Couldn’t similar observations be made of a farming community, a mining community, a religious community, or any community that has a common basis?

They each have a special interest and the conversations at the diners and taverns reflect that interest. Probably, the main difference is that we pay the NASA people to explicitly and thoroughly share their knowledge, especially to share among themselves to teach each other.

So, there is evidence of such beneficial community efforts in the past, and I hope you can see something like that with today’s NASA. The question remains, can we ordinary folks do such a thing today, say here in Carroll County?

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January 17, 2021 Page 25

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CARROLL COUNTY, GEORGIA’s ONLY LOCALLY OWNED LOCALLY OPERATED NEWSPAPER

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If you do not receive your StarNews in a timely manner for any of the dates listed below, please contact Sue Horn, publisher at suehorn.starnews@gmail.com StarNews is the only locally owned newspaper in Carroll County, GA, supported by subscribers and local advertisers. If you would like to support your local newspaper, please send $20 (one year subcription price) to: StarNews, PO Box 680, Carrollton, GA 30112. Publication dates for 2021 are: Sunday January 17, 2021 Sunday, February 14, 2021 Sunday, March 14, 2021 Sunday, April 11, 2021 Sunday, May 16, 2021 Sunday, June 13, 2021 Sunday, July 11, 2021 Sunday, August 8, 2021 Sunday, September 12, 2021 Sunday, October 10, 2021 Sunday, November 7, 2021 Sunday, December 12, 2021

beginning page 10

w w w. s t a r n e w s g a o n l i n e . c o m

NEWS REPORTING / NEWS RECAP / NEWS ANALYSIS

StarNews monthly traditional print publication / StarNews Online daily local news

JANUARY 17, 2021 • VOLUME 27 NUMBER 1

StarNews 2021 publication dates

Carroll County’s top news stories of the past year

Both of Georgia’s U.S. Senate seats go to Democrats

County commission asks voters to approve newest $119M SPLOST

by Sue Horn The Georgia Secretary of State has reported the results of the Tuesday, January 5, 2021 Runoff Election. The two hotly contested Congressional Georgia seats go to both of the Democrat canJanuary 5, 2021 RUNOFF ELECTION RESULTS didates, unseating the two for GEORGIA SENATE SEATS Republican incubents.

The razor thin margins Jon Ossoff (D) 50.57% David Perdue (R) 49.43% echo the November presidential election in which Raphael Warnock (D) 50.99% Democrat candidate and Kelly Loefflor (R) 49.01%

by Sue Horn The Carroll County Board of Commissioners asked the voters of Carroll County to approve the newest SPLOST with a unanimous board vote during the regular meeting held Tuesday, January 5, 2021.

Item 8.3 was a resolution requesting that the Board of Elections and Registration call for

Democrat Raphael Warnock becomes first black congressman to be elected in history of Georgia 4.4M+ vote in historic runoff

Tuesday, March 16th vote: collections would begin April 1st continuing for six years ceasing at end of March 2027

Longtime chamber president Daniel Jackson to retire from press release Daniel Jackson, president and CEO of Carroll Tomorrow and the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce, has announced that he See RETIRE page 17

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Carroll County CoVID-19 stats

120,119 total county population

• As of July 2, 2020: 741 total positive tests * 40 total deaths attributed to CoVID-19 • As of October 6, 2020: 2882 total positive tests * 70 total deaths attributed to CoVID• As of January 4, 2021: 5392 total positive tests * 97 total deaths attributed to CoVID-19 * Note: One person may have been tested more than one time. Total number of positive tests do not necessarily correlate to total number of persons tested.

Source: Georgia Department of Public Health

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Carrollton begins new year Carroll County government with new assistant city manager has healthy on-hand cash of Patrick Eidson was Rome, GA’s assistant city manager

by Brandon Kerr Carrollton City Council and Mayor held its first meeting of 2021 on Tuesday, January 4th at the Public Safety Complex on West Center Street in Carrollton. (The meeting was also available online in real time.) Mayor Betty B. Cason called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m., followed shortly by the customary standing and recitation for ‘The Pledge of Allegiance” to the flag. An invocation was led by Council member Jacqulene Bridges where she thanked God for “bringing us out of 2020 into 2021” and prayed for unity both in the community and the world.

During mayor and council announcements, Mayor Cason announced that the Carrollton Water Department was recently

Patrick Edison

$28,356,499; representing a 51.02% “rainy day” reserve

Continuing the expansion of broadband in rural Georgia areas through reduced pole fees and reverse location auctions

Georgia Public Service Commission approves Federal Communications Commission hosts lowering EMC pole fee to $1 to help spur location auctions to help 179,455 unserved homes/ broadband expansion into unserved areas businesses in Georgia gain broadband access

Carroll EMC CEO Tim Martin: “This decision. . . creates a pathway. . . to serve those unserved areas”

Carroll County to gain 4,668 locations; Haralson County 4,720; Heard County 614; Coweta County 1,108; Douglas County 412

from press release Efforts to provide broadband in unserved areas of Georgia took another step forward following a Public Service Commission (PSC) decision which determines the fee paid by cable companies to attach wires and cable to electric membership cooperative (EMC) utility poles.

During an administrative session in December, the commission unanimously approved a motion requiring EMCs to lower the pole attachment rate for new attachments in areas of the state that are unserved by broadband to $1, per pole, per year, for six years.

This financial incentive, called the One Buck Deal, will be given to any qualified broadband provider that will agree to deliver new high-speed internet service in an area that is determined to be “unserved” by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Broadband Initiative Maps.

from press releases The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced in December 2020 that an estimated 373,000 rural Georgians will gain access to high-speed broadband through the Commission’s “Rural Digital Opportunity Fund” Phase I reverse auction.

In Georgia, the auction allocated $326,454,112.20 in support to expand broadband to 179,455 unserved homes and businesses over the next 10 years. Nearly all locations in Georgia that were eligible for the auction will be receiving access to broadband with speeds of at least 100/20 Mbps, with an overwhelming majority (85%) getting gigabit-speed broadband. The auction unleashed robust competition that resulted in more locations being awarded at less cost to Americans who pay into the FCC’s Universal Service Fund.

For Carroll County, two companies won location bids: Charter

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185 days of operating cash on-hand

Other business includes tabling whether to continue to allow Georgia driver services to rent from the county Montrell McClendon, District

by Brandon Kerr The Carroll County Board of 1; Clint Chance, District 2; Commissioners convened on Tommy Lee, District 3; Ernie Tuesday the 5th for their Reynolds, District 5; and January 2021 meeting at the George Chambers, District 6.

Historic Court House on Steve Fuller, District 4, was Newnan Street in Carrollton. In absent due to a death in the attendance were Chairman family. The meeting opened Michelle Morgan, and five of with the customary “Pledge of See CITY OF CARROLLTON page 3 the six district commissioners: See COMMISSION page 7

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Large gap around screen door at back storage / Install weatherstrip around door to prevent pest entry.

Page 26 January 17, 2021

StarNews

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Pre-Retirees: plan now for health care costs

DERICK

NEWTON FINANCIAL ADVISOR If you’re close to retirement, you’ll have several financial issues to consider. But you’ll want to pay attention to one of the most important of these issues: health care costs.

How can you prepare yourself for these expenses? First, get an early start on estimating health care costs.

More than two-thirds of those planning to retire in the next 10 years say they have no idea what their health and long-term care costs will be in retirement, according to the Edward Jones/Age Wave Four Pillars of the New Retirement study. And some people

don’t worry much about these costs, which year, you typically pay 20% of the may be considerable, thinking that Medicare Medicare-approved amount for most doctor’s services. And when you enroll in will pay for most of them.

Part D (prescription drug While Medicare does cover many medical expenses, it You can also work with plan), you will likely also also has its own costs. You a financial professional have to pay a monthly probably won’t pay a to run some “what-if” premium, an annual premium for Part A analyses to see if your deductible and coinsurance or copays. (inpatient/hospital coverage), strategy would be To help pay for the since you likely had this cost deducted from your paycheck derailed by a potential Medicare deductible, long-term care stay. coinsurance and when you were working. copayments, you may want But if you are hospitalized, you’ll have to pay deductibles and to get supplemental insurance, known as coinsurance (the percentage of costs you pay Medigap. Premiums for Medigap vary, after you’ve paid your deductible). Part B depending on the plan you choose.

As an alternative to original Medicare, (doctor’s visits) requires a premium, deducted from your Social Security checks, you could select Medicare Advantage and you must pay an out-of-pocket (sometimes called Part C). Medicare Advantage plans are offered by private deductible.

After you meet this deductible for the companies approved by Medicare, but the

Carroll County marriage licenses

DECEMBER 1-31, 2020

marriages chart

benefits and costs vary by plan. These plans generally will incorporate Medicare Parts A and B and will provide additional medical coverage, such as prescription drugs.

When you incorporate all the above, the annual out-of-pocket costs for traditional medical expenses likely will be about $4,500 to $6,500 per year, per person – not insignificant, but certainly a number that can be addressed by careful planning.

But there’s one more expense to keep in mind: long-term care. The average cost of a private room in a nursing home is more than $100,000 per year, according to the insurance company Genworth. And Medicare typically pays few of these expenses.

Clearly, between regular medical costs associated with Medicare or those not covered by it, and costs resulting from the possible need for long-term care, your health care bills can mount. To meet these costs, you need to plan ahead – and take action.

For example, it’s essential that you incorporate health care expenses into your overall financial strategy. You can also work with a financial professional to run some “what-if” analyses to see if your strategy would be derailed by a potential long-term care stay. And the professional you work with may be able to suggest specific protection vehicles that can help you meet the costs of long-term care.

The best time to prepare for your health care costs during retirement is well before you retire. So, if you haven’t already started, now is the time to do so. When it comes to paying for health care, the fewer surprises, the better.

Derick Newton is a financial advisor, Edward Jones, 937B, Maple Street, Carrollton, GA 770-832-9515

Carroll County pistol permits Number of Firearm Permits applied for (carry permit) December 1-31, 2020: 472

Carroll County jail population (The Jack T. Bell Detention Center, 1000 Newnan Road, Carrollton) Total population as of January 6, 2021: 372 Males: 329 Females: 43

Carroll County cattle receipts Carroll County Sale Barn 225 Sale Barn Road, Carrollton December 28, 2020: CLOSED December 21, 2020: CLOSED December 14, 2020: 657 December 7, 2020: 1219

Carroll County births November 1- December 31, 2020: Tanner Medical Center, Carrollton: Girls: 102 Boys: 98 Tanner Medical Center, Villa Rica:� Girls: 46 Boys: 68

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TurningthePage...

Stepping into

MovingFoward!

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.

In 2021, walk towards your goals and your dreams.”

Derick T. Newton, Edward Jones see page 4 & 26

Thoughts 2021 half page

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Jaime Best, j Best Hair Company see page 27

“2020 was full of challenges.

Pray 2021 is full of new opportunities.”

“When it comes to pain the five most dangerous words are "maybe it will go away". For the best relief for back pain try chiropractic. I have 35 years of experience.”

Ralph Templeton DC Bremen Family Health & Wellness Center

“Carroll County has proved this year that standing strong together has brought about many blessings and together we can weather any storm. Happy New Year!”

-Michelle Morgan, Chairman Carroll County Board of Commissioners

"Today, die to yourself today so that you can give birth to whom you want to become at the end of 2021."

Chris Cook, Herren’s Grove Baptist Church

“Hopeful that 2021 is the year we celebrate overcoming a pandemic with our customers and community.

We are always grateful for your patronage.”

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Ashley Smith Hendrix, Smith Brothers Supply see page 9

"We at West Georgia Balloon & Party are grateful for your business and look forward to serving you in 2021!"

Patricia Williams, West Georgia Balloon & Party

“ I am at a good place in my life in 2021 with a great family, a great firm, good friends, and a wonderful opportunity to continue to enhance the lives of the people who are most important to me!”

Fred O'Neal, Edward Jones see page 4

January 17, 2021 Page 27

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Donna Clark, RWB Tax Service see page 27

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Page 28 January 17, 2021

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