StarNews July 2022

StarNews

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

StarNews monthly traditional print publication / StarNews Online daily local news

NEWS REPORTING / NEWS RECAP / NEWS ANALYSIS

JULY 10, 2022 • VOLUME 28 NUMBER 7

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June 21st Runoff results Dugan visits with League of Women Voters: certified by Secretary of State discusses rail port system, possible Carrollton bypass

460,602 votes cast from press release On July 1st, the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office certified the June 21st Primary Runoff election results. 460,602 ballots were cast statewide in the runoff. (Georgia has just over 7 million registered voters.) “The success of the primary and runoff reflects the tremendous work of our county See RUNOFF RESULTS page 4

submitted by Margery Bouris Senator Mike Dugan recently spoke to the League of Women Voters of Carrollton-Carroll County, and answered questions about the Southeast Rail Port system that is relieving transport truck traffic on our Georgia interstate highways. By moving containers out of

the deep ports of Savannah and Brunswick by way of rail, truck traffic in Georgia can begin further inland at the rail ports in the southwest (Cordele), the northwest (Murray County), and the northeast (Hall County). The port in LaGrange will See DUGAN page 4

County commission approves new budget of $67M: 20.63% increase over year that just concluded

FY2021-2022 Budget totaled $55.56M by Janice Daniel increase of 20.63% - $11,463,987 In a 7-0 vote, the Carroll County ($11.4M) - over the budget ending Board of Commissioners approved June 30th. This vote occurred at the the FY2022-2023 Budget of Tuesday, June 7th regular meeting. $67,037,386 ($67M), a steep See $67M page 14

City of Carrollton’s FY2022-2023 budget of $58.17M: 6% increase

by Janice Daniel ing. Council heard from City The Mayor and City Council of Assistant Director of Finance Kevin Carrollton met Monday, June 6, Bush who presented highlights of 2022 for their regular monthly meetSee $58.17M page 15

County school board of education approves new budget: $158.6M 9.3% increase over year that just concluded

FY2021-2022 Budget totaled $145.1M from press release includes a $2,000 teacher raise that The Carroll County Board of was included in the state budget earEducation voted to approve a lier this year, and extends it with $158.6 million FY2022-2023 local funds to other Carroll County budget at its June 23, 2022 board educators who are paid on a teacher meeting. The budget includes salary schedule. Additionally, there employee raises, additional teacher are step raises for all eligible hires, bus purchases, technology employees and a cost of living raise upgrades, additional safety meas- for classified staff. ures, and several facility The budget adds 31 new teaching improvements. positions and 6 non-instructional The budget recommended by positions to start the next school Superintendent Scott Cowart See $13.5M INCREASE page 7

Shown above speaking at the recent “The State of the Cities”, left to right, are Temple Mayor Michael Johnson, Carrollton Mayor Betty Cason, and Villa Rica Mayor Gil McDougal. Photo by Sue Horn

Mayors give consensus view on the state of their cities: steady growth while watching for changes in housing trends

by Wayne J. Reynolds On June 7th, the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce hosted the “State of the Cities” with mayors from three of the county’s seven munipalities. The early morning breakfast meeting was held in the Carroll EMC

ThisDON’T issue is ISSUE! also MISS AN READ DIGITAL MONTHLY posted on over PRINT EDITIONS on 100 Facebook www.starnewsgaonline.com community pages, LIKE US at Twitter, facebook.com/ LinkedIn, StarNewsGaOnline & starnewsgaonline.com PINTEREST Sherryreynolds.StarNews Call 770-722-7227 suehorn.starnews FOLLOW US on TWITTER @starnewswga @gmail.com contact us at: waynereynolds.starnews suehorn.starnews@gmail.com waynereynolds.starnews@ @gmail.comgmail.com

Robert Tisinger Community Center room, Carrollton. The mayor of Carrollton Betty Cason, the mayor of Temple Michael Johnson, and the mayor of Villa Rica Gil McDougal, took turns speaking to the large crowd. See MAYORS page 4

Southwire’s new copper rod plant in Carrollton will house two furnaces: replacing the 40-year-old one furnace operation from press release Southwire broke ground on the construction of its new copper rod manufacturing plant in Carrollton, in August 2021. Construction is progressing at the plant, and the

project should be complete by late 2022. The steel for the furnace bay and most of the equipment have arrived, and pipe work to connect the facility’s important systems conSee TWO FURNACES page 11

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Page 4 July 10, 2022 StarNews www.starnewsgaonline.com DUGAN from front page I-20. Options for heading off this increased facilitate the movement of goods in midwest traffic through downtown Carrollton includes Georgia. LaGrange has been chosen for its easy using 61 to Villa Rica, which is already a fairly access to Interstates 75, 85 and 20, as well as to heavily traveled route. Even this requires the use of 27 as far as the Walmart and the Kroger its proximity to Kia and Hyundai. Given the port in LaGrange, Carrollton can complexes to reach the east Carrollton bypass expect an increase of perhaps 100 fold in con- to access 61 and I-20 at Villa Rica. Senator Dugan suggests another option tainer truck traffic entering the county via would be to bypass Carrollton on the west side, Highway 27. Unless other routes are built, much of this increase in traffic will pass beginning well below Carroll County, perhaps through Carrollton on 27 as it makes its way to close to Heard County. This would bypass Bee Nguyen 84.55% 837 RUNOFF RESULTS from front Dee Dawkins Hagler 15.49% 153 election officials,” said Secretary of State Brad Total votes 990 Raffensperger. “Election officials in all 159 Commissioner of Insurance: Georgia counties worked tirelessly to deliver Janice Laws Robinson 61.22% 592 accurate results and a voting system that works Raphael Baker 37.78% 375 for all Georgians.” Total votes 967 Official results of the local, state, and federal Commissioner of Labor: races are available on the Secretary of State’s William Boddie, Jr 64.10% 632 election night reporting website. Nicole Horn 35.90% 354 Candidates seeking a recount needed to have Total votes 986 requested one within two business days after Carroll County’s Democrat Runoff results certification. Under O.C.G.A. § 21-2-495, a recount can be requested by the second-place mirrored that of the state, in that the local wincandidate if the difference in votes between the ners were also the winners statewide. Facing off in the November 8th 2022 winning candidate and second-place candidate is not more than 0.5% of the total votes cast in General Election are the following candidates: Governor: the race. Brian Kemp (Incumbent) - Republican Locally, less than one thousand voters cast a Stacey Abrahms - Democrat ballot in the June 21st Runoff. There were four Lt. Governor: statewide Democrat runoff races to be decided, Burt Jones - Republican and no local runoff races. Charlie Bailey - Democrat The four Democrat races were for Lt. Secretary of State: Governor, Secretary of State, Commissioner of Brad Raffensperger (Incumbent) - Republican Insurance, and Commissioner of Labor. Bee Nguyen - Democrat The results of Carroll County 28 precincts Commissioner of Insurance: were as follows: John King (Incumbent) - Republican Lt. Governor: Janice Laws Robinson - Democrat Charlie Bailey 75.68% 753 Commisioner of Labor: Kwanza Hall 24.32% 242 Bruce Thompson- Republican Total votes 995 William Boddie, Jr. - Democrat Secretary of State:

Carrollton altogether, decreasing the congestion and the air pollution that would accompany the increased transport truck traffic. This would not be a “truck exclusive” route, but it would be a “truck heavy” route. Senator Dugan, a member of the Senate Transportation Committee, suggests that planning for such a project is a multi-year prospect, “We don’t want to wait until the traffic is here to begin to plan for it.” Senator Dugan deflected questions from members about the location of where such a

MAYORS from front Each were given a roughly ten minute wndow of time, with a lengthy question and answer period following. None revealed any surprises, all spoke on positive growth. Carrollton Mayor Cason, who was elected in 2019, was the first to speak. “I want to recognize our new city manager David Brooks who is proving to be a great asset. Also, Allen English, who has been with us for 27 years, has

west Carrollton by-pass might be built, indicating that he truly does not know, but if he did, he would not be able to tell, due to the complex task of acquiring land for public projects. He considers the use of imminent domain to be avoided if at all possible, noting that this would be a “last case scenario”. He outlined standard procedures for involving the public in the eventual decisions regarding where any Bypass might be built. A video of this presentation is available on the LWVCCC facebook page. taken over as fire chief. He has hit the ground running opening our new station and we have ordered two new engines bought with SPLOST money. “We want to also recognize all our dedicated employees. Together, we are always looking for ways to improve the quality of life for our citizens. Our recreation department has been recognized state and regionally for their innoSee CASON page 6

Tyler Paul Smith

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StarNews July 10, 2022 Page 5

Derick Newton

with Edward Jones Financial advisors at Edward Jones believe in partnering for positive impact to improve the well-being of their clients and colleagues and to better their communities and society. Derick Newton, a financial advisor in Carrollton has embodied that philosophy and is celebrating his 17th anniversary with the firm and with his clients. "Joining Edward Jones 17 years ago was the right decision. There's been nothing more rewarding than working together with my clients over the years and setting the financial path that helps them live their best lives," Newton said. "I've built so many wonderful relationships that inspire me to continue serving my clients and this community." Newton is a long-time member of Carrollton. He is an active member of the community through Kiwanis, Optimists, Pastoring the Last Shall Be First Ministries, and mentoring.. Throughout the years with Edward Jones, Newton has held volunteer roles to make a difference for other financial advisors and their clients. These have included Performance Leader, Recruiting Leader, Client Solutions Leader and Bridge Leader.. Through his limited partnership, Newton is part owner of Edward Jones. Marie Couch, a senior branch office administrator, works side by side with Newton to help make a difference in their clients' lives. Couch has been with Edward Jones for five years, all of them in Carrollton "Marie is an asset to our clients and our firm," said Newton. "I would like to recognize her for the excellent service she provides to our clients." "Most importantly, I would like to thank our clients for the trust they have placed in me over the past 17 years," Newton said. Edward Jones, a FORTUNE 500 firm, provides financial services in the U.S. and through its affiliate in Canada. The firm's nearly 19,000 financial advisors serve more than 8 million clients with a total of $1.7 trillion in client assets under care. Edward Jones' purpose is to partner for a positive impact to improve the lives of its clients and colleagues, and together, better our communities and society. Through the dedication of the firm's 50,000 associates and our branch presence in 68 percent of U.S. counties, the firm is committed to helping more people achieve financially what is most important to them. The Edward Jones website is edwardjones.com and its recruiting website is careers.edwardjones.com. Member SIPC.

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CASON from page 4 in customer service is significant.” Another concern Mayor Johnson addressed vative ideas like for our seniors during covid was the functionality of the water lines due to having parking lot parties. We are also doing renovations at our park at Lake Carroll with a breaks, malfunction, and leaks. The oldest lines playground and new tables. In Phase 2 in are being replaced using the 2021 SPLOST funds and the city is looking September we will be adding a Temple Mayor for other options. boardwalk also using SPLOST Johnson said that with help Michael Johnson, “We, funds.” from State Senator Mike Cason announced that the in Temple, recognize Dugan, Norwalk Railroad is budget for this year is a little the need and value of over 58 million dollars working together with installing a new side track that will increase traffic flow. (FY2022-2023 $58,170,892) an other municipalities and “We are looking for signifiincrease of 6%. The city also was the recipient of 270 acres the chamber. . our city cant industrial development in which will be used to protect the hall expansion is near coordination with Carroll water supply and add a recrea- completion after being County and the chamber. With these changes, I am greatly tion area further improving the delayed . . . purchased encouraged about the future of quality of life. She mentioned the city issued more than 100 nearly a decade ago.” the City of Temple. Thank you for allowing me to share this building permits with 60 more for a new subdivision. They also received a information with you,” Mayor Johnson “Water First” designation for the quality of concluded. Villa Rica Mayor Gil McDougal was elected water. Mayor Cason also mentioned that they in 2019. Mayor McDougal said, “We have received a $550,000 grant from the Justice gone through a lot of changes and we have had Department to have a Mobile Crisis Unit rec- our share of problems. Early in the century, we went through tremendous growth going from ognizing the need in the mental health arena. “It is a cutting edge innovation. In respond- around 4,000 to over 10,000 population. Then ing to over 300 calls, there has been only one in 2008 with the Recession, we were left with a lot of empty lots. We have arrest. It is a great service and The mayors also implemented a year-long procwe will be adding a second ess to prepare the foundation agreed that attitude unit.” for the future and its growth. Cason continued, “We have and desires toward had a great year in our commu- housing is changing . . We have made difficult decinity and look forward to work- home owners/renters sions such as raising our water and sewage rates and increasing with all of you. We have wanting more local ing our millage rates which is been able to continue our service to the citizens despite the amenities in the area. . already paying off. Among our employment shortage. Thank . not wanting to be tied other improvements are the safety of our police departyou!” down with ment investing in new Temple Mayor Michael maintenance and armored vests and vehicles as Johnson was first elected mayor well as improvements at Gold mowing lawns. in 2018, “We, in Temple, recogDust Park.” nize the need and value of The mayor also discussed that, in 2017, they working together with other municipalities and hired their own city engineer, IT specialist, and the chamber. Let me begin by announcing our city hall expansion is near completion after building inspector so they would not have to being delayed for several years and being pur- rely on outside consultants. They also implechased nearly a decade ago. We mostly utilized mented self-funded insurance and secession 2015 SPLOST funds and will house city coun- planning to better retain staffing. The mayor also said current proposed Tax cil chambers and the courtroom as well for general meetings. “Previously, the 2015 SPLOST funds were used on water, sewer, streets and recreation. In a special ceremony, we will dedicate the building as the William Simmons City Administration Building in honor of William Simmons, a local educator who also served on the city council for 30 years. The expansion and upgrades will cost about $780,000.” Mayor Johnson spoke on other capital improvements to ball fields, park, concession area, and fencing utilizing the 2015 SPLOST funds, and the city will continue utilizing the 2021 SPLOST funds. In conjunction with the state Department of Transportation, they have improved streets and the intersection of Highway 78 and Highway 113 was upgraded. They also have improved subdivision streets utilizing a contractor construction fee that maxes out at $2500. “These are improvements you can see. Now let me tell you about improvements you can’t see,” Mayor Johnson remarked. “We have had problems with water meter readings among many problems. Another issue was a 4.6 million dollar balloon note came due, but the city was able to acquire a long term refinancing which will allow the city to move on to other pressing issues, like the long term water meter problems. The city contracted to install modern water meters which are read remotely and should all be in by the end of the year. Although this is out of sight, the improvement

Allocation District (TAD) is a central piece that could allow public infrastructure to enhance private development. Mayor McDougal said in conclusion, “We have a plan for responsible growth and Villa Rica is strong and getting stronger.” In the question and answer session, all three mayors agreed about the need for more housing. The mayors also agreed that people’s atti-

tude and desires toward housing is changing with younger home owners/renters wanting more local amenities in the area and not wanting to be tied down with maintenance and mowing lawns - a new lifestyle so to speak. Each mayor is facing the challenge of responsible growth without losing the hometown feel. For more information: Carrolltonga.com, Villarica.org,and Templega.us

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Georgia law allows senior citizens aged 65 and older to opt out of paying school property tax Citizens may opt out earlier at age 62 with certain criteria

Under authority of the Georgia State Constitution, several different types of homestead exemptions (to paying reduced or no tax) are allowed. In addition, local governments are authorized to provide for increased exemption amounts and several have done so, including Carroll County. Local county exemptions supersede the state exemption amount when the local exemption is greater than the state exemption. Carroll County has such exemptions: homeowners age 65 or older as of January 1st are eligible for a total school tax exemption for their primary residence (with no income requirements) and for an $8,000 exemption on county taxes. To receive the benefit of this exemption, the taxpayer must file an initial application. In Carroll County, the application is filed with the tax assessor. With respect to all of the homestead exemptions, the Board of Tax Assessors makes the final determination as to eligibility. However, if the application is denied, the taxpayer must be notified and an appeal procedure is then available for the taxpayer. There is also a Standard Elderly School Tax Homestead Exemption for homeowners who are 62 years of age by January 1st and the net income of the applicant and spouse does not exceed $10,000 for the preceding year (excluding Social Security and retirement income). The amount of the exemption is up to $10,000 and applies to school tax including taxes levied to retire bond indebtedness. The amount of the exemption is up to $10,000 deducted from the 40% assessed value of the homestead property. There are other types of tx exemptions: Homestead Exemptions: Several types of homestead exemptions have been enacted to reduce the burden of ad valorem taxation for Georgia homeowners. The exemptions apply-to homestead property owned by the taxpayer and occupied as his or her legal residence (some exceptions to this rule apply and your tax csommissioner can explain them to you). Once granted, the homestead exemption is automatically renewed each year and the taxpayer does not have to apply again unless there is a change of ownership, the taxpayer seeks to qualify for a different kind of exemption, if your exemption is based on income, or if you move. Effective June 1, 2005, homestead exemptions may be filed for any time during the year. However, exemptions must be filed for by April 1st to apply to the current tax year. You must still own and occupy the property as of January 1 to be eligible. Disabled Veterans Homestead Exemption is available to certain disabled veterans in an amount up to $50,000. Floating or Varying Homestead Exemption is an exemption which is available to homeowners 62 or older with gross household incomes of $30,000 or less. The exemption applies to state and county ad valorem taxes but it does not apply to school tax. Homeowners Tax Relief Grant was authorized for the first time by the Governor and the General Assembly in 1999. In any year the General Assembly may appropriate funds for a tax relief credit and shall specify the eligible assessed value of each qualified homestead receiving one of the normal homestead exemptions. This tax relief is shown on the property tax bill as a credit against taxes that otherwise would have been due. In addition to the various homestead exemptions that are authorized, the law also provides a Property Tax Deferral Program whereby quali-

fied homestead property owners 62 and older with gross household income of $15,000 or less may defer but not exempt the payment of ad valorem taxes on a part or all of the homestead property.

$13.5M INCREASE from front year. Additional items include enhancements to technology, facilities and equipment. There are plans for HVAC and parking lot improvements on several campuses. The board voted unanimously to approve the FY23 budget after holding two public meetings. In July, the board will review the property digest and will set a tentative millage rate for the next fiscal year.

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www.starnewsgaonline.com tomers in writing before taking any action. Government Imposter Scams: Don’t be fooled by threatening text messages from the from stories on StarNews Online website at www.starnewsgaonline.com IRS, the Social Security Administration, law Georgia Power’s Plant Bowen ash to be enforcement or other government agencies warning that you will be arrested or that your removed and used in concrete blends Social Security account will be suspended Eco Material Technologies, producer of sus- unless you click on a link and provide payment tainable cementitious materials and carbon information immediately. Ignore the message. cement replacement products, announced an Prizes and Reward Points: A scammer agreement with Georgia Power to remove tons posing as a well-known company, such as of landfilled ash from Plant Bowen, a coal- Amazon, Walmart or AT&T, sends out a text fired power plant in Cartersville. message claiming that you have won a prize or Under the agreement, Eco Material will har- that, if you are among the first 100 people to vest approximately 600,000 tons of landfilled click on a link, you will win a prize. If you ash per year from the plant in Cartersville, Ga. click on the link, you will be prompted to enter The effort will remove and beneficially use your bank account so the “prize money” can be more than 9 million tons. directly deposited into your account. In a simiThe ash from Plant Bowen will be used in lar scenario, you receive a text message from a concrete blends to repair and construct bridges, well-known store or online retailer claiming roads, and buildings in Georgia as well as that you have reward points that will expire throughout the Southeast. The material will soon. Again, you are asked to click on a link replace approximately 20% of carbon intensive that will prompt you to enter your financial Portland cement in concrete mixes. Portland and/or account information. Ignore the cement accounts for approximately 8%of message. global carbon emissions. Package Deliveries: These fraudulent text Eco Material is building a new plant onsite messages claim there is a package waiting for to handle the ash. About 20 full-time jobs will you and prompt you to click on a link to conbe created for operation of this facility. firm delivery, set delivery preferences or track KidsPeace elects Carrollton’s Ben the package. If you click on the link, you will Garrett as new chair to directors board be asked to enter your personal information or KidsPeace announces that Ben Garrett of to provide payment information in order to Carrollton, has been elected chair of the non- complete the delivery. Refrain from replying to profit organization’s National Board of or clicking any links in the message. Instead, Directors. Garrett is the president of RA-LIN contact the shipper directly by looking up the and Associates, a construction services com- actual customer service contact information for pany. He joined the KidsPeace Board in March them. Bank Account Suspended: You receive a of 2018. As chair, Garrett succeeds John Moses, who retired from the KidsPeace board. text warning you of fraudulent activity on your Garrett holds a bachelor’s degree in civil account. You are asked to click on a link or call engineering from Auburn University. He began a phone number that prompts you to provide working at RA-LIN part time while in high your debit or credit card, account number school, and joined the firm full-time as a pro- and/or PIN. Again, do not respond to the ject manager in 1991. He was named president sender; do not click on the link. Instead, call the phone number for the financial institution of the company in 2005. that appears on the back of your credit or debit UWG’s student spending in community at $278M; $626.7M to area/state economy card or on your monthly statement. Don’t click on links or reply to texts from A new study shows the University of West unknown or unverified senders. It could downGeorgia contributed more than $626.7 million load malware onto your phone that can infect to the local, regional, and state economy your device, give the scammer access to all of between July 1, 2020, and June 30, 2021. This your data, or lock your phone. represents an increase of nearly $400,000 over the previous year, as the university continues to make a significant economic impact in its communities of service and beyond. The study revealed every dollar spent by UWG in Fiscal Year 2021 generated an additional 61 cents for the regional economy. Student spending also increased significantly, rising to more than $287 million, up from $265 million the previous year. In terms of employment, UWG generated 4,917 full-time jobs, 30% of which were directly on-campus positions, while the balance – 3,444 – were off-campus jobs. This means that for every on-campus job, UWG generated 2.3 jobs off-campus. Beware of text messaging scams Attorney General Chris Carr is warning Georgians to be on the lookout for text message scams, including texts from unknown or unexpected senders with links requesting payment or sensitive information. Common text message s: Driver’s License Scams: You receive a text message claiming to be from the Department of Driver Services informing you that your license has been temporarily suspended. You are then asked to follow a fraudulent link to verify your driver’s license information. This is a scam. The Department of Driver Services never communicates with customers via text message unless the customer contacts them first. If there is an issue with someone’s driver’s license, the agency will contact cus-

Never provide your credit card number, bank account, driver’s license, online account name, password, or PIN to someone who texts you out of the blue. If you want to confirm whether the text message is legitimate, contact the company or agency directly through a verified phone number or website – not the one provided in the text message. Do not respond to a suspicious or unwanted

text message, even if prompted to “text STOP” to end messages. Do not text “STOP”. Block suspicious numbers and delete the associated text messages. Report the message to your phone carrier by forwarding it to 7726. Report scam texts to the Federal Communications Commission online or by calling (888) 225-5322.

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NEWS RECAP from stories on StarNews Online website at www.starnewsgaonline.com New vice president of academic affairs hired at WGTC

West Georgia Technical College President Dr. Julie Post announced that Kristen Buoy has been hired as the new Vice President of Academic Affairs at WGTC. Buoy began her duties at WGTC June 15th. Buoy was most recently the Dean of Health Sciences at Gwinnett Technical College. Her career in education started as an adjunct in the Allied Health science program. In 2011, she was hired as the program director to start a new Cardiovascular Technology program at the college. Carrying the program from inception to national programmatic accreditation; she worked in that program area until 2019 when she was promoted to Dean of Health Sciences. She has a special interest in student engagement, social learning and workforce education. Buoy is a graduate of Gwinnett Technical College and Oglethorpe University. She later earned her Masters of Education in Workforce Education from the University of Georgia. Prior to her educational career, she worked in medicine as a Registered Respiratory Therapist and a Registered Invasive Cardiac Specialist. In the fall of 2014, Buoy was nominated for the Rick Perkins Award for Excellence in Technical Instruction. She has served on committees for the Atlanta Science Fair and the GTC program reviews. She is a member of the American Association of Respiratory Care (AARC), the GA Society of Respiratory Care (GSRC), and the Alliance of Cardiovascular Professionals (ACVP). In addition, she serves as an advisory board member for two high schools in Gwinnett County and on the Healthcare Steering Committee for Alpharetta North Fulton Chamber of Commerce. Carroll EMC named Business Partner of the Year by GACTE In partnership with Carroll County School’s Work Based Learning (WBL) program, Carroll Electric Membership Cooperative (EMC) was recognized by the Georgia Association of Career and Technical Education (GACTE) as this year’s Northwest region Business Partner of the Year for its work-study program. Co-op employee, Tyree Boss, was also named WBL Student of the Year for the region. Carroll EMC’s work-study program offers career development opportunities through paid and unpaid work experience for select, highpotential high school and college students. The program complements the studies of students with an academic focus or career interests related to the electric utility industry and cooperative business. A recent graduate of Bowdon High School and student in the WBL program, Tyree Boss is now pursuing a heavy diesel certification while working part-time in the cooperative’s vehicle shop. Since 2000, more than 70 students have been hired through Carroll EMC’s work-study program, and currently, 25 remain at the cooperative as full-time employees. With a number of fields at their fingertips, including administration, technology, logistics and construction, students are encouraged to explore and cross-train in different departments. “I started my professional career as a student employee here at the cooperative,” said President and CEO for Carroll EMC, Tim Martin. “I left the co-op world for a while but didn’t stay away long, so that’s a testament to the program and the industry itself. It’s a great

starting point for any career path.” As a WBL business partner for over a decade, Carroll EMC supports the program’s mission to prepare students for the world of work through both academic and workplace learning. Student supervisors work closely with WBL coordinators to mentor students as they receive on-the-job training that reinforces their coursework and career goals. To be considered for the business partner of the year award, a WBL coordinator must nominate a business partner who is considered exemplary by hiring, mentoring and supporting students in their school system. GACTE’s leadership board reviews hundreds of nominations including those from more than 30 counties in metro-Atlanta that make up the Northwest region. Award recipients were recognized at GACTE’s summer conference in Jekyll Island mid-June.

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The Rapha Clinic in Temple: providing healthcare and dental care to the uninsured by Wayne J. Reynolds

Development Director Patrick Calvillo of the Rapha Clinic spoke recently to the Kiwanis Club of Carrollton. Calvillo began his presentation by asking the group, “Do you know what the Rapha Clinic is? We are a non-profit healthcare clinic in Temple. My job, working for a non profit, is begging for money, creating fundraisers, and writing grants. As you know, providing high quality medical and dental care to the uninsured is expensive. We are also a spiritually based ministry. The word ‘rapha’ is Hebrew for ‘to heal.’” The goal, according to Calvillo, is to reserve the healthcare gap between the insured and uninsured and low income families by providing high quality medical and dental care. “When you are sick, you are sick, and for so many of these people healthcare is impossible to obtain. It is a blessing what we do, but we must be able to do more.” The clinic started in 2010 and added dental care in 2012. “We provide hope. It is available to the uninsured who are under the 200% federal poverty level. We serve Carroll, Heard, Haralson, and Paulding counties and are trying to expand. “ “My job is to expand our fundraising and event opportunities. Like everyone, we were affected by covid like in the industry in general. In 2019 we saw 2250 people, but dropped to 1600 in 2020, as people stopped taking care of themselves for fear of getting out during the pandemic. In dental care, we saw 339 in 2019, but only 112 in 2020. In 2019, we had 3200 amazing volunteer hours, but only 1000 volunteer hours in 2020.” In Georgia, 14.1 % were uninsured in 2019, in 2020 14% which is down a little but which is third highest percentage in the nation. In rural Georgia by 2026 it is estimated to be 25% 1.6 million Georgians are not insured at the moment. “We just hired a part time dental hygienist which is a big deal. We raised the money for that salary, which is a big deal to help people get the proper dental care. Dental equipment is super extensive. We are looking for different avenues of revenue for dental care In 2022, there will have been 470 visits from just January to May but just 22 for dental care.” According to Calvillo, 2021 individual business donations

was 21%, and fundraisers were 23% of revenues. “We are constantly looking for fundraising opportunities. We received help from many organizations like Community Foundation of West Georgia, Southwire, Sewell Foundation, and Carroll EMC. When writing grants you need focused projects. Everyone at Rapha is part-time - a team of ten with a Board of Directors chaired by Dr. William Calhoun. The clinic director is Robin Rhodes. I’m trying to speak to civic groups, like ours, trying to create awareness and donations. You can sign up on our website (raphaclinic.org) to make monthly donations or to volunteer. I put together monthly events for fundraising and community engagement to bring awareness to what Rapha Clinic is and does.`` They are also looking to partner with other outside organizations— for shared events and collaborate and to create fundraising opportunities including utilizing social media. “We are a small organization, trying to Temple Rapha Clinic Development Director Patrick Calvillo is presented not get drowned out by larger organiza- with a “thank you” mug from Dale Williams, Carrollton Kiwanis Club. tions. Even if you can’t make a donation, Photo courtesy Neil Weathington you might have an idea that would benefit us. We are trying to get our message out. expand our serv- to leave supplies. “ Today we want to leave the message of how ices, and increase our volunteer pool. There are a variety of vol- important Rapha is and what our needs are and how you or unteer needs beyond the medical field, whether clerical or at your organization can help!” The Rapha Clinic is located at 253 Highway 78 East in fundraisers. Grants do look at volunteer hours when making Temple. They are open Tuesday and Wednesday by appointdecisions, seeing how much the community is engaged.” “Our goal, moving forward, is to add a full-time dental ment only . For more information call 770-562-4501 or visit hygienist among many other needs.” With a question from a raphaclinic.org. The Kiwanis Club of Carrollton (http://carrolltonkiwanis Kiwanis member Calvillo explained that yes, they needed supplies as well as money. We also want to add a pantry for people club.org) meets every Friday at noon.

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Southwire spending one billion to update/upgrade facilities; $250M in Carroll County by Wayne J. Reynolds Will Berry, Southwire’s Senior Vice President of Modernization spoke to the Rotary Club of Carrollton about the company’s plan to modernize their plants with the goal of making them stronger and more sustainable. He said production has slowed, they have a suboptimal footprint, and unsubstantial growth. Berry shared that, “The stockholders have challenged us to invest to have a sustainable business position for the next generation. The strategy is to provide new assets, state of the art technology, improve flow of products, better footprint, and have business continuity. Some of our equipment is over 50 years old and must be replaced. We will leverage our large plants in the Carrollton, Florence, Alabama, and Bremen Indiana campuses.” Berry is a Georgia Tech graduate and has been a professional engineer for 34 years with four patents. He has been with Southwire for 42 years. Berry said, “For example, the copper rod plant is 42 years old with increased downtime and is worn out. Southwire has a saying, ‘When the copper rod plant sneezes, Southwire catches the flu.’ It is that important to Southwire operations. And if it goes down, the U.S. can not produce enough copper rods that Southwire needs. Likewise, if the PVC compounding plant goes down and the U.S. can’t supply it either.” Berry says that Southwire will spend around one billion dollars on the modernization which started in 2019 and will continue through 2026. There are 28 program grids built around products. Eight grids have been completed as of June. In the Carrollton and Villa Rica plants,

Berry commented that among the many upgrades the copper rod plant will be installing two new furnaces, while the PVC compounding will increase from one line of production to three. At Columbia Drive, Carrollton, (at the old Sony plant) there will be new equipment in a 130,000 square feet expansion which will be more automated and more accurate. The building wire and utility plants - because they are landlocked - will not expand square footagewise. “It complicates the process. It is like a chess match, where you can put new equipment and where can you move out old equipment. It is a long process.” In Villa Rica, the West Georgia Service Center has been expanded by 250,000 square feet, and includes adding laser guided vehicles. This project should be completed in September. Berry added, “In the Carrollton area alone, not counting equipment, Southwire is spending approximately 250 million dollars with good construction.” Berry explain other additions and improvements in the Bremen, Indiana, where they now use robots, and the Florence and Heflin, Alabama campuses as well as Kentucky, and Texas plants. When asked how Southwire decides where to expand operations, he explained that they consider among other factors where the material is coming from and where the product is being shipped to. “Shipping has become more critical and expensive.” They also look at the talent pool in that area, not just manual labor but also the need for talented people to make the production run efficiently. When asked about materials and machine delays now, Berry commented, “it is why my hair is grey. Every day is a battle. For example, before covid in 2019, equipment arrived in

about eight months, which is also how long For more information on Southwire visit construction typically took, so there was a Southwire.com smooth transition. But since covid, now it Rotary Club of Carrollton meets on takes about 14 months even from the big Tuesdays at noon at Sunset Hills Country companies.” Club. www.carrolltonrotary.com

TWO FURNACES from front tinues. Most of the office areas have been covered in drywall, and both air conditioning and exterior concrete should be completed soon. The new facility will also feature a pedestrian bridge. “Supply chain issues have slowed down the construction progress some, but our contractors have assured me that our planned commissioning time will be on schedule,” said Doug Teate, director of SCR Project Management. “The team is working very hard to achieve this goal.” In 1981, Southwire started the operation of

its current copper rod system in Carrollton, and four decades later, copper continues to be the primary source of metal for the company’s wire and cable operations. The plant will contain an SCR-9000S Copper Rod System and utilize the company’s patented Southwire Continuous Rod technology, which transformed the wire and cable industry in the early 1960s and is still the preferred system around the world. According to Will Berry, senior vice president of Engineering and Modernization, install-

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A brief history of the Tisinger Vance law firm at 100 years old

couldn’t find a job, as he was turned away, according to Dick, because of his size. So, he went to law school and then returned to Carrollton. Harvery opened his practice in the People’s Bank building on Adamson Square where West Georgia Technical College is located now. In 1934, he was called to Atlanta to be the assistant federal district attorney. While there, he had 2500 convictions. Dick continues, “My father, Bob, joined the firm in 1933, and until 1962 was a sole practitioner, with Harvey going to Atlanta. He also went to West Georgia A & M and then went to night school to get his law degree. Although he was a general practitioner, he did a lot of trial work.” Dick continued, “Perhaps his outstanding contributions besides his relationships with clients were his civic endeavors. He had a saying, perhaps plagiarized, ‘Service to others is the rent you pay for your time on earth.’ For example, he had a heavy involvement with the Rural Electrification Project which began in 1936. He believed in government investment like with Watershed Lakes Soil Conservation Service. He used to say that due to his work with the Soil Conservation Service, he brought kudzu to Carroll County.” “We pride ourselves on our Shown above left in this undated photo is Harvey good relationships and great people we have. Our current Tisinger, who stood at 4 foot 3 inches tall. by Wayne J. Reynolds The Tisinger Vance Law Firm celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. Richard “Dick” Tisinger said, “Our firm’s character, I believe, has allowed us to now celebrate 100 years. We were founded in 1922 by Harvey Tisinger. He was joined by his brother, Bob, in 1933. At 4 foot 3 inches tall, Harvey’s character, tenacity, and resolve manifested early.” Harvey grew up on a farm where he worked picking cotton. He later went to West Georgia A&M and then to University of Georgia graduating with a degree in business. He

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staff’s average tenure is 14 years. We try to show our lawyers how much we appreciate them and their contributions.” “Where do we go from here? Let me mention the contributions of others. David Tisinger joined the firm in 1963 He tried 285 cases. He was selected to the American College of Trial lawyers at a time when there were only 100 to 110 selected in the entire country.” Dick joined the firm in 1969 specializing in real estate and rural cooperatives. Dick said, “Tommy Vance joined the firm in 1971, and no one can doubt his resolve overcoming two serious accidents. He represented companies like Southwire, Tanner, and SMI. When the firm decided it needed expertise in family law, Tommy took on the challenge. He has also served on numerous local and state charitable boards.”

The last person Dick mentioned was the late Tommy Greer, attorney. “ Tommy left us to go into practice with his son. But we still claim him as ours and we miss him every day. We joked the firm was the big four: Tisinger, Tisinger, Vance. and Greer. Tommy tried over 150 trial cases as well as serving as a juvenile court judge and an outstanding mediator. His claim to fame was he appeared before the United States Supreme Court at just age 29!” Today, the firm has 25 staff members as well as 16 lawyers. “We are very proud of having a small hand in bringing businesses to Carroll County as well as giving back to the community. And I am proud mentoring we have done with our young lawyers as my father did with me.” For more information visit Tisingervance.com

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Heat stroke is the most serious heat-related illness. It occurs when the body can no longer control its temperature: the body's temperature rises rapidly, the sweating mechanism fails, and the body is unable to cool down. When heat stroke occurs, the body temperature can rise to 106°F or higher within 10 to 15 minutes.

Symptoms Heatstroke signs and symptoms include:

High body temperature. A core body temperature of 104 F (40 C) or higher, obtained with a rectal thermometer, is the main sign of heatstroke. Altered mental state or behavior. Confusion, agitation, slurred speech, irritability, delirium, seizures and coma can all result from heatstroke. Alteration in sweating. In heatstroke brought on by hot weather, your skin will feel hot and dry to the touch. However, in heatstroke brought on by strenuous exercise, your skin may feel dry or slightly moist. Nausea and vomiting. You may feel sick to your stomach or vomit. Flushed skin. Your skin may turn red as your body temperature increases. Rapid breathing. Your breathing may become rapid and shallow. Racing heart rate. Your pulse may significantly increase because heat stress places a tremendous burden on your heart to help cool your body. Headache. Your head may throb.

When to see a doctor

If you think a person may be experiencing heatstroke, seek immediate medical help. Call 911 or your local emergency services number. Take immediate action to cool the overheated person while waiting for emergency treatment. Get the person into shade or indoors. Remove excess clothing. Cool the person with whatever means available — put in a cool tub of water or a cool shower, spray with a garden hose, sponge with cool water, fan while misting with cool water, or place ice packs or cold, wet towels on the person's head, neck, armpits and groin.

Swimming Hazards

In case of drowning, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation(CPR) may be administered as a life-saving measure. Use ear drops for treating infected swimmer’s ears. Avoid inserting cotton-buds. Use running water for burns and cleaning wounds. For nasal bleeding, sit in upright position and pinch the lower nose to stop bleeding. Apply aloe or lavender oil for soothing sunburns. Use emergency medical services for persistence or severity of symptoms in all cases.

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$67M from front page Fiscal years run July 1st through June 30th. In the history of the commission board, no other budget has increased this much from one year to the next. Prior to voting for this historically increased budget, District 5 Commissioner Ernie Reynolds commented on keeping “a lid on future millage rates”. District 2 Commissioner Clint Chance commented on the higher budget due to the “cost of inflation” and taking “care of employees”. The May 2022 Financials Reports shows a cash reserve (fund balance) of $45,839,516 ($45.8M). This represented 82.49% of the 2021-2022FY Budget, or 10 months of operational reserve. (The recommended number of reserve months is three.) At the Thursday, June 2, 2022 for their monthly work session in preparation for the June 7th meeting, Alecia Searcy, Finance Director, gave the Finance Report for the month ended April 30, 2022. Revenues were at $62,439,000, compared to the same period last year of $56,870,000. Expenditures were at $47,895,000, (78% of budget), the Fund Balance was $46,671,000, Cash of $44,588,000 and $6,000,000 committed to capital projects. Searcy also presented the proposed budget for FY2022-2023, as well as budget amendments for FY2022, to be voted on at the regular meeting on June 7th, 2022, which was approved 7-0 at the regular meeting. The balance of the work session time was spent preparing a consent agenda for the June 7th meeting. The following items were approved 7-0 as a single vote at the Tuesday, June 7th regular meeting.: 1. Public Works - Equipment Purchase of three New Holland track loaders from Agrimerica priced at $69,800 per unit for a total cost of $209,400. These compact skid loaders come with a two-year warranty, and any time one breaks down, a rental tractor will be available that day from Agrimerica. 2. Fire Rescue Equipment Purchase of one Sutphen Heavy Duty Custom Pumper with Cummins X12 Powertrain at a cost of $633,424, to replace wrecked firetruck: one Sutphen Heavy Duty Custom SP70 Platform

with Cummins X12 powertain at $1,330,000 (refurbished), which will require nine people to operate for all shifts; and one Sutphen Heavy Duty Custom SL100 Ladder with Cummins X15 Powertrain at a cost of $1,377,397 (new), which will also require nine people to operate for all shifts. All equipment is to be paid for with SPLOST funds. Commissioner Reynolds asked Chief Barnwell where the Fire Department is with employee training and other programs to prevent wrecks. The Chief said driver training started June 1st, and all units will be governed to 60 mph except the three that have to go onto the interstate. He also would like better camera systems on all trucks to monitor accidents. 3. Fire Rescue Equipment Purchase of ten eight-foot sections of Combat Sniper Hose to replace current ones which are 20 years old. The new hoses will cost $31,102.40. 4. Investment Agreements - consideration of engagement of Raymond James to act as the Investment Advisor for the Series 2021 Carroll County General Obligation Bonds, and conduct a competitive bid for such investments, to retain an arbitrage consultant, and to authorize the chairman or designee to execute all agreements related to these bonds upon terms approved by the chairman, and to take all other necessary actions to implement such bonds. Gabe Agan of Raymond James said the bonds are currently earning 0.12% interest, and could earn 2% interest with a laddered portfolio. The fee of $39,000 will be paid by the company that sells the Treasury bonds. 5. Library Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) - one-time payment for capital outlay expenses. This MOU with the West Georgia Regional Library System is for a one-time payment of $34,780 to be used for designated capital outlay expenses for the Carroll County library facilities, and authorize the chairman to execute the Agreement. 6. Library MOU #2 -with the West Georgia Regional Library System of $250,000 payment to be used for the Carroll County library facilities, and authorize the chairman to execute the agreement. These MOUs are the same amount as previous years. 7. Consideration of appointment of Donna Lackey to the Carroll County Development

Commission Chairman Michelle Morgan makes remarks on the new county budget by Wayne J. Reynolds and Sue Horn Carroll County Chairman Michelle Morgan recently spoke to the Rotary Club of Carrollton with the county government’s new budget as her focus for discussion. The chairman and the board approved the FY2022-2023 $67M County Budget with a unanimous vote of 7-0 at the June 7th board of commissioners meeting. The new budget is more than 20% higher than the previous one, which concluded June 30th. Just prior to the new budget beginning July 1st, the commission voted to approve a budget amendment, which added revenue to cover expenses above the July 2021- June 2022 original budgeted amount. The board also had a budget amendment in April, adding $2,898,600 in extra monies to cover expenses above the original budgeted amount. “When I first became county chairman in 2020 during the pandemic, I was new as were three other county commissioners,” Carroll County Chairman Michelle Morgan began. “Along with with the finance director, the county commission went through the budget line by line so every commissioner knew where the money was going. It was tedious and took 16 hours, but was very helpful. We have repeated the process for the last two years.” The chairman position is a paid full time

position, while the district commissioners are part-time. Morgan was elected chairman in a special election in July 2019. Michelle is married to Carrollton native, Jimmy Morgan. They have three children, Patrick, Michael and Elizabeth. The Morgans are members of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church. “Last year was the first year we had an annual published report on the budget to be more transparent and was very helpful and successful. We are publishing it again this year. By state statute, we must have a balanced budget. Interesting that the federal government doesn’t follow that.” Morgan said the county has 17 departments and “12 or 13” elected officials. She said expenditures are reviewed every month by the commission. The sheriff’s department, fire department animal control, and parks and recreation would be in this fund. Property tax is the biggest source of revenue coming in $26.3 million while local option sales tax is $15 million. “Sales tax revenue is coming in strong and I want to thank local citizens for their support,” she said. The biggest expenditure, according to Morgan, is public safety with the sheriff’s department %17 million while the fire departSee $67M BUDGET page 15

Authority. 8. Consideration of appointment of Dr. Nancy Mims to Carroll County Library Board. 9. Consideration of appointments of Chief Allen English and Chief Chuck Barnwell to the Region 4 EMS Council. 10. Consideration of appointment of Pastor Vincent Dortch to the Carroll County Board of Family and Children Services. 11. Consideration of appointment of Jodie Goodman to the Pathways Center Community Service Board. 12. Consideration of entering into an Inmate Work Detail Agreement with the City of Carrollton for the Carrollton Greenbelt and city streets maintenance 13. Consideration of an updated Fire Service Agreement with the City of Carrollton 14. Consideration of Agreement for Appraisal Services for residential property and authorize the chairman to finalize terms and execute same. Hubert Sparks, Chief Appraiser

of the Tax Assessors Office asked the board to enter into a contract with Technical Appraisal Services of Georgia (prepared by County Attorney, Stacy Blackmon), which company will provide qualified appraisers to do the field work only, hearings would still be handled inhouse. 15. Consideration of an Emergency Medical Services Agreement with West Georgia Ambulance, Inc., and approve the proposed assignment to HealthLiant, Inc. (the non-profit holding company for all of the Tanner Health System entities) 16. Consideration of Section 5311 Public Transportation Service Agreement for operation of Three Rivers Regional Transit System for the period beginning July 1, 2022 and ending June 30, 2023 for the annual local match of $70,000 17. Consideration of proposal to purchase Fire Rescue Uniforms from Galls, LLC, in the amount of $150,000

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www.starnewsgaonline.com $58.17M from front page the FY2022-2023 Budget. City is budgeting $58,170,892, a 6% increase over the current year. Bush also presented six budget amendments (taking revenues from another area and adding it to the current budget to cover more expenses than had been budgeted), the largest being $1,584,576, for land purchased $688,704, and building purchases/improvements of $892,872. Of the budget amendments monies, $900,000 came from Sales Tax Revenue and the remainder was taken from the city’s cash reserve (Fund Balance Appropriation). Another amendment was for $105,000 for State Court and Public Defender salaries, taken from current Ad Valorem Tax; $116,532 for employee covid vaccination incentives, taken from ARPA Funds, and $65,000 for additional

legal expenses, taken from building permits/revenues. All six budget amendments were approved unanimously by council. Council also considered Resolution 05-2022, a 2022 Zoning Map Adoption that cleared up zoning discrepancies on properties that had split-zoning codes. Letters were sent to all property-owners involved, and they agreed it was something that needed to be cleaned up, so the resolution was approved unanimously. A rezoning application was approved unanimously for a building at 566 Newnan Road from C-3 (Neighborhood Commercial) to C-2 (General Commercial) for applicant Alma Campos to use the building as a vehicle repair body shop. A rezoning application for a development on Northwinds Blvd. Wisteria Landing Phase II

Southwire’s Heflin, Alabama facility to be upgraded for medium voltage production from press release Southwire has announced the installation of new medium voltage production technology at its manufacturing facility in Heflin, Ala. The upgrades are focused on increasing productivity and velocity, eliminating waste and becoming leaner, which will set the Heflin Plant on course to becoming a world-class medium voltage facility. The Heflin Plant was established in 1996 to increase the company’s medium voltage capacity, as well as high voltage production. It remained Southwire’s only facility devoted to high voltage production until the company purchased the Huntersville facility from ABB in 2015. The modernization efforts involved increasing medium voltage production at the facility

through the expansion of the Continuous Vulcanization (CV) tower. This expansion allowed for the implementation of four CV lines, a Jacket line and a Test Set. These upgrades allow greater flexibility to extrude both cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) and ethylene propylene rubber (EPR) insulation for medium voltage products at the Heflin Plant. “In 2018, funding was approved to modernize and streamline this site for medium voltage production,” said Scott Roulaine, director of Modernization. “This optimization will improve material flow, reduce raw material handling and modernize aging assets.” Roulaine worked with David McLendon, plant manager, and Emory Barber, VP of Engineering, to complete the Heflin modernization effort.

$67M BUDGET page 14 ment comes in $10 million. $8.7 million goes to the judicial system and $8.9 for public works. “Public works also receives money from the SPOST fund,” Morgan adds. Morgan reported that the county’s credit rating is AA and AA2 and that debt is below state statutory requirements at $7,776,350. Morgan acknowledged that the Fund Balance - cash reserve - draws a lot of attention, but she said that money is necessary for the county to operate safely. No specific dollar amount is required by law. Currently, the May 31st County Financials show a $45.8M reserve ($45,839,516) - an almost 10 month operating reserve of cash. Morgan said the county is spending 1/2 million on firefighter training gear and another 1/2 million, in conjunction with the City of Carrollton, for driver training practice for county workers. The chairman also mentioned job opportunities in the county. They have 41 total openings in public safety from the sheriff’s department, animal control, and 911. There are five openings in the tax assessor’s office while two in public works, one waste management, three in recreation, and three in codes. Also, the county government is currently operating without a County Clerk (for many months.) Morgan commented that the county has made strides in employee retention by giving employees a $1 per hour wage last year and they will receive another raise this year. But the chairman did concede that the county is not competitive with other counties and that inflation may erode the pay increase this year. The new state of the art gymnastics center held a state meet and brought in a projected 1/2 million in revenues. They are bidding on two state meets now to bring in additional revenue.

Morgan announced that the City of Villa Rica is getting their new replacement fire station and the county is adding a 100 foot ladder truck. Morgan committed to breaking ground on a new administration building before 2023 with funds that was approved in 2013. An architect has been hired and is evaluating three properties.

was tabled due to needing more information. A third rezoning application for two tracts on Morgan Road to be zoned R-M (Residential Multi-Family) with a list of conditions, for 69 units to be constructed by Smith-Douglas Homes, a reputable private home builder with projects all over Metro Atlanta. Although there was some opposition from residents who were concerned about traffic safety on a portion of Old Airport Road, a dirt road which connects with Morgan Road, the Council voted unanimously to approve the application. Three board appointments were made for the Carrollton Arts Commission: Mimi Gentry, term ending 6/30/25, Dr. Howard Seeman, term ending 6/30/25, and Brett Baxley, term ending 6/30/23. All were approved unanimously. The Mayor recognized the Carrollton Flexettes, coached by Donna Ford, as the 2022 State and Regional Gymnastics champions, and the 2022 Parks & Recreation GRPA State Champions in Track & Field, coached by Ora Chism and Bradley McLester. Mayor and council directed city staff to investigate whether the West Georgia Technical College Foundation, Inc. has failed to meet the requirements set forth in the deed conveying 401 Adamson Square to the Carrollton Payroll Development Authority, and subsequently to West Georgia Technical College Foundation,

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July 10, 2022 Page 15

Inc., resulting in the reversion of the property to the city. The motion passed 3-1 for staff to proceed with investigating, with Mayor Pro Tem Brett Ledbetter voting in opposition and Mayor Betty Cason abstaining, but going on record to state that she is against any action that would damage the relationship that the City of Carrollton has with WGTC. In a Special Called Meeting of the Mayor and City Council of Carrollton on May 5, 2022, a discussion was had regarding the Water Treatment Plant Holding Pond Project. Project Consultant Tim Grizzard (who is also immediate past Carrollton City Manager) and Operations Manager Tony Richardson gave a presentation about the current process for pulling water from the Little Tallapoosa River and the benefits of constructing a holding pond, which would secure an on-site water supply if a drought or water contamination should occur. The project’s estimated cost is $18,000,000, with a $10,000,000 Georgia Environmental Finance Authority loan (interest rate 0.13%) already secured, and an application for $3,200,000 of Congressionally Directed Spending money already applied for. There was a consensus to revisit this project for discussion once the full bid numbers are compiled.

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City of Villa Rica and county commission’s TAD negotiations progress with a 15 point counter-proposal by the county: commission approves latest proposal by Janice Daniel The Carroll County Board of Commissioners held a Special Called Meeting on June 21, 2022 to discuss the City of Villa Rica’s Eastside Tax Allocation District proposal (TAD). The city has proposed that the county government and the county school board enter into a multiple year agreement with the city to help manage the growth the city is currently planning and undergoing. The main point of contention is that the city is asking the county government and school board to forego their share of certain taxes during the TAD agreement. Mayor Gil McDougal of Villa Rica had presented the proposal to the county regarding the TAD several weeks ago. The commission board responded to Villa Rica with the county’s counter-proposal, which generated a counterproposal from Villa Rica. In this meeting, the board came together to discuss the latest version of the TAD proposal a 15 point version generated by District 2 Commissioner Clint Chance. At the end of this Special Called Meeting, the board of commissioners did vote to approve this proposal version, but this was not a vote to approve the TAD. Commissioner Chance presented the following 15 points of revision to the current TAD intergovernmental proposal for consideration of the board. 1. Since the county would have to participate in the complexity of the total TAD and not just selected city nodes (certain designated sections of the city) , the new proposed limit for county participation would be limited to 25 years and a bond amount not to exceed $30 million, and that must be presented by 12/31/2024 or the intergovernmental agreement would be null and void. 2.The City of Villa Rica sent a map of what areas of the Ccounty they propose to possibly annex over the life of the TAD. Chairman Michelle Morgan stated her opinion that the area south of Villa Rica should stay in Carroll County, and if Villa Rica needs to annex land additional to the map prepared by the board, they should have to come back to the county and make another request. There is a portion of the county on the map that Villa Rica may annex without having to come back to the commission board. According to County Attorney Avery Jackson, if agreed to by the City of Villa Rica, it would prevent them from annexing an area not agreed to in the Intergovernmental Agreement. 3. The City of Villa Rica would have to ask for the county commission’s involvement on any additional TADs they may wish to consider. 4. No amendments can be made to the redevelopment plan, which means the county’s tax allocation increments may only be used as currently outlined. 5. A work plan and financial statements for the Eastside TAD must be created by Villa Rica, along with proposed budgets, for years one, three and five, and sixty (60) days prior to the first covered bond issuance, the Plan must be presented to the county for review. The county wants to be a part of management of the process as it moves forward. 6. If the TAD has excess of funds required to provide for debt services, that portion attributable to the county’s share of ad valorem taxes shall revert back to the county’s General Fund. 7. The county shall have a representative on the re-development agency or other governing board with respect to the Eastside TAD. Such representative will have equal voting rights representative of the county’s share of the

provides will make up for not receiving the Rica has already made a significant investment increment in proportion. 8. The City of Villa Rica shall provide increase in property tax. in the Eastside TAD and will have to provide In answer to concerns by some of the com- other information before the bonds are actually annual financial reporting for the Eastside TAD within sixty (60) days of the end of each calen- missioners, County Attorney Avery Jackson, issued and the development begins. stated that Villa dar year. Upon a motion to approve the above 15 Upon a motion to approve Rica will have to point-proposal by Commissioner Chance, with 9. Excess funds provide all docu- a second by Commissioner Steve Fuller, the remaining in the the above 15 point-proposal by mentation to meet proposal was approved by the commission Eastside TAD special Commissioner Chance, with a the standard of the with a 5-1 vote, Commissioner Ernie Reynolds fund, after all re-develsecond by Commissioner Steve bond provisions or opposed. opment costs and covthe bond issuance ered bonds have been There being no further business, the Special Fuller the proposal was approved will be null and paid, will be paid over Called Meeting was adjourned. by the commission with a 5-1 vote, void at the end of to the County in StarNews has been informed that the Carroll Commissioner Ernie Reynolds 2024. The counter- County School Board’s involvement hinges on proportion. opposed. proposal being the decision of the Carroll County Board of 10. No new Urban considered by the Commissioners, in that, if the commissioners Enterprise Zones (UEZ) shall be allowed during the length of the board at this meeting is simply an attempt to vote to participatein the TAD, the school board Eastside TAD. UEZs are additional tax conces- reach agreement with Villa Rica on the IGA. will also vote to participate. Commissioner Chance pointed out that Villa sions, infrastructure incentives, or reduced regulations to attract investments. 11. Regarding Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT)s, the county is asking for an aggregate amount of $6,000,000 to be paid to the county in full prior to 12/31/2024, and the City of Villa Rica shall provide land (approved by the county’s fire chief) within the area of the Eastside TAD, such funds to be used to procure the building and equipment of the county’s choosing for the new fire station. Villa Rica will pay 59.95% of fire insurance premium tax it receives to the county for purposes of providing fire services throughout the duration of the Eastside TAD, and after bond repayment, the 59.95% mentioned above will continue to be paid to the county annually as additional revenue and operating stream to help cover the cost of fire services to Villa Rica. 12. The county will not fund an excess of two (2%) percent of the administration fees for Always VETERANS Discounts “25 YearsandSteelBuilding” the covered bond proceeds. 13. The City of Villa Rica will notify the county of any special Ccondition stipulations or requirements imposed by the city or the county school board. 14. If an Economic Incentive Fund is created by the City of Villa Rica, the city will ensure that those monies are used only for portions of the Eastside TAD which have historically experienced unemployment, poverty, or little to no retail or residential growth. 15. City of Villa Rica will reimburse to the county all reasonable fees not to exceed $25,000 upon successful completion of this Intergovernmental Agreement. Commissioner Chance emphasized to the Voted Best Salon! board that this is not a binding vote, but merely part of the negotiations the county will agree to. In a brief recap, Commissioner Chance explained that this TAD will require the county Tues & Wed: 9am-6pm•Thurs: 9am-8pm Fri. 9am-5pm•Sat: 9am-3pm to forego only the increase in property values, and that the current property taxes will still be •Ball Joints paid to the county throughout the duration. He •Tie Rod also stated that the companies developing and •Wheel Bearing building residential or retail as part of this TAD •Front-End Repair will be paying 100% of their own property taxes, and the county will allow diversion of •Brakes those taxes to go to help pay for government•Shocks controlled infrastructure, such as roadways, •CV Joints water, sewer and such services within the City •Oil Changes of Villa Rica. •Struts Commissioner Chance also said that the 25•Computer Balancing year time period for repayment of the bonds is a conservative time period, and that the repayment of the bonds is made by the generation of new sales tax revenues, and neither the City of Villa Rica, Carroll County or the Carroll County School Board is liable for any repayment shortfall. The favorable economic condi234 Maple Street • Carrollton tions make bonds marketable by giving extra HOURS: Mon.-Fri.-8:00-5:00 • Closed Sat time for repayment, and the services the county

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Villa Rica council and mayor: proposed TAD is still in the works with county commission

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by Janice Daniel On Tuesday, May 24th, 2022, the Mayor and Council of Villa Rica met at 10:00 a.m. for a work session, and at 6:00 p.m. for their regular meeting. During the work session, council prepared a consent agenda to be voted as one item during the regular meeting. There was some discussion by City Manager Tom Barber about the Punkintown Road proposals, but no decision was made at the present time. At the regular meeting at 6:00 p.m., the consent agenda which was prepared during the work session was read and approved as one unanimous vote, consisting of: - Gold Dust Recreation Gym HVAC Project to be installed by KBS, the lowest bidder, at a cost of $219,346 with the balance of the budgeted funds to be used for providing power to the units. - Concrete Material Storage Project was approved for a budgeted amount of $60,000 to build an 80-ft. wide, 20-ft. tall open bay storage area for sand, gravel, etc. - North Plant Modifications Project Change Order for an aerator at a cost of $65,405. - FY2023 Budget Calendar As part of the regular meeting business, two Mayoral appointments were made for the Housing Committee, Rob Smith and Michael Young, both to fill vacant positions. During the Public Comments, Kurt Kraft of 2406 Ridgelake Drive spoke about trust and transparency in the city government, including the Mayor’s comments in a publication that was discussed last meeting, the wasteful and irresponsible government spending on projects such as Butterballs. Kraft also commented that even though VRPD Chief Michael Mansour was voted Police Chief of the Year, that the Safewise publication lists Villa Rica as 36th highest crime rate in the state. The Application Packet for Package Stores and Lottery Process was presented by Nyree Simpson, Licensing & Permitting Specialist. City Attorney David Mecklin stated the packet is complete in the requirements of these application processes and the city will begin receiving applications immediately. Three rezoning requests were presented, discussed, and approved unanimously by the

council as follows: RA-01-22 Inline Communities, LLC proposed rezoning of two vacant properties on Old Stone Road from Single Family AG to a Planned Unit Development for single-family homes, townhomes, and multifamily apartment units. The SF homes and townhomes will have an age requirement of 55 plus, and the multifamily units will have only one and two-bedroom apartments and the developer has agreed to a 15% rental cap. The motion made by Councilman Danny Carter was to approve the proposal with all conditions as stated by staff with a stipulation to no three-bedroom apartments in multi-family section, 100% master bedroom on main floor of single-family and townhomes and a required Property Owners Association who will maintain all the grounds and exteriors of buildings. RA-02-22 Inline Communities, LLC proposed rezoning of 116 Reed Road, where they had planned to build single-family homes, but due to topography issues and solid rock throughout 35 acres of the back side of the property, asked to rezone to Single-Family attached (Townhomes). They will turn over the 35 acres in the back, which has a stream, walking trails, and green space, back over to the city. Tracie Ivey, Director of Parks and Recreation, said “We would never turn down green space, we can do something with it.” RA-03-22 CWD Properties, LLC requested rezoning of 1101 W. Bankhead Highway from AG to C-1 for the purpose of building a training/dispatch/office building. Chris Bell, speaking for CWD Properties, said there will be no commercial trucks on the property, only personal vehicles of people going there for training sessions, an 8-person dispatch team, and possibly three or four office people. The request was approved with the stipulation that the property will not be used for commercial/retail space. As a last order of business before going into Executive Session, Mayor McDougal spoke on the Intergovernmental Agreement proposal sent to Carroll County Commission Board about the proposed TAD and the county’s response to his presentation to that board two weeks prior. He said that the City of Villa Rica See VR TAD page 23

by Janice Daniel The Mayor and City Council of Carrollton held its regular work session meeting on June 23, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. All Councilmembers were present. After discussions held about several zoning and annexation items that will be considered at the Regular July Meeting, the Council presented three voting items. 1. Carroll County Mental Health Advocates (CCMHA) Lease. City Manager David Brooks said that the CCMHA have outgrown their current office space and are in need of a larger space to work in. Brooks said that the CCMHA operates the Carroll County Crisis Response Team which covers all jurisdictions in the County, including the City of Carrollton. He said that the Tracy Stallings Community Center has enough space to allow for the CCMHA to move there, and that Carroll County government will pay for the furniture and office equipment needed, and that the lease will provide for annual renewal. The item was approved unanimously by council. 2. IGA - Carroll County Fire Service Agreement. City Manager Brooks stated that

the City Fire Department serves a portion of Carroll County, and in providing services for this area, an Intergovernmental Agreement is needed. This updated Fire Service Agreement addresses an increase in annual payment to the City for providing fire services to designated areas of the County. The item was approved unanimously by the Council. FDI-1867K-A © 2022 EDWARD D. JONES & CO., L.P. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 3. Resolution 07-2022 Public Alley Rightof-Way Abandonment. Brooks explained that this resolution would abandon approximately Ryan Nelson Chantrice Swint Charles Shiver 1.150 square feet of right-of-way of the Public Financial Advisor Financial Advisor Financial Advisor Alley adjacent to Barkers Alley. He said the 937B Maple Street 801 Old Newnan Rd. Ste. C 102 Trojan Dr Suite B intention of this resolution would be to give the Carrollton, GA. 770-834-4311 Carrollton, GA. 30116 770-834-0570 Carrollton, GA. 770-832-9515 property to the West Georgia Regional Library System. The resolution was approved unanimously by council. There was also a discussion about additional safety measure needed on Maple Street around www.edwardjones.com Member SIPC crosswalks, that adding flashing crosswalk signs at certain intersections may help. Several Bboard appointments were also disFDI-1867K-A © 2022 EDWARD D. JONES & CO., L.P. ALL cussed, but will be handled in the regular meeting. There being no further business, the work session was adjourned.

City of Carrollton council hear of need for larger office space for mental health group

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RIGHTS R

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COMMENTARY

Page 19 July 10, 2022

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“Not just what happened, but what matters”

SUSAN M. HORN

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News deserts continue to grow

SUE

A special thanks is given to the Medill School of Journalism for the information I used here concerning their report on the continuing and growing news deserts in the United States. The EDITOR/ News Desert report can be PUBLISHER found on the Local News Initiative site now through early August. It is an interactive map showing newspaper presence and absence by counties in the United States. According to the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications at Northwestern University, Illinois, America is currently losing newspapers at a rate of two a week. It descibes this loss in the terms that we are becoming a nation that is divided into two parts: one, the wealthier, faster growing part that has access to local news, and the other part as the “dark” struggling areas that do not have access to local news. Please keep in mind that having a newspaper distributed in your area does not neccessarily equate to reading and learning about your local area’s news, such as when we here in Carroll County are informed about crime in Clayton County or details of a government official indicted in Pickens County. More facts from the “State of Local News”: - between the pre-pandemic months of late 2019 and the end of May 2022, more than 360 newspapers closed in the U.S. - since 2005, the U.S. has lost more than one-fourth of its newspapers and is on track to lose a third by 2025 - 70 million residents (one-fifth of the country’s population) either live in an area with no local news organizations or with only one local news outlet - surviving newspapers have cut staff and circulation significantly under financial pressure: so, each edition will contain less local news and fewer editions are distributed - 40 of the largest 100 daily newspapers now deliver a print edition six or fewer times a week; 11 deliver two times a week or less - the three largest news chains, Gannett, Lee Enterprises and Alden Global Capital, control many of the country’s surviving newspapers and continue to close or divest underperformers. The most active buyers in recent years have been privately held regional digital chains, such as Paxton Media Group and CherryRoad Media Here at StarNews, we recognize that we are more fortunate than many other small community newspapers. We have been the alternative newspaper choice in Carroll County since 1995, so we have always operated as “the underdog” - meaning we have grown accustomed to producing more with less: less overhead, less pay. We have been trained through necessity to remain concentrated on product quality with less sparkle. As a whole, we have more strength today through the decades of leaner daily operations. And, if I may boast - we have had, and continue today, to have individually harder working and dedicated people. So, as the economic hits have engulfed us - 9/11, the Great Recession, and The Pandemic - through God’s guidance and unnumerable prayers, we have been able to sustain and continue publishing while enduring these great changes to our industry, and our lives. Most importantly, we at StarNews have worked diligently to earn our large following of loyal readers and advertisers, and we continue, with each edition, to earnestly work at keeping them engaged and interested. It is the subscription dollars and advertisement dollars that keep the next edition scheduled on the press, and then delivered to you. It’s only $20 to subscribe. Please consider subscribing for multiple years. Please consider gift subscribing for someone else who may also enjoy reading about their community. See page 24 for the subscription form to fill out and mail in. Thank you for reading, thank you for subscribing, and thank you to each advertiser!

HORN EVANS

I praise the Good Lord for the overturning of Roe v. Wade

TYLER

The decision handed down by the emergency, rape, or incest. The heartU.S. Supreme Court in the Dobbs v. beat law is currently on appeal to the Jackson Women’s Health OrganizaEleventh Circuit. For now, the law tion has finally overturned Roe v. would allow an abortion up to 20 Wade - a decision in which there was weeks after conception. not an iota of Constitutional ground Moving forward, we must act with (R) STATE REPRESENTATIVE the swiftest diligence to enact law to establish a right to abortion in this District 18 country. I am overjoyed and praise which would prohibit all abortions in 678-378-8177 the Good Lord for this decision. our state. The murder of the unborn, a In essence, the issue is now joined tylerpaulsmith13@gmail.com life made in the image of God, must and politicians can no longer play lip in effect after being ruled unconstitu- be stopped - you cannot draw the line service to being pro-life when Roe tional in SisterSong v. Kemp, would anywhere other than full protection was still the law of the land. We are at for those who cannot protect one of the crossroads in history . . .however, the murder of the unborn themselves. which necessitates us making the I am not one to advocate for a in this great state can still occur up to right decisions - a truly humbling special session for various rea20 weeks after conception. . . I will realization in light of this wonsons; however, the murder of support Governor Kemp should he the unborn in this great state can derful decision by the court. Now, we see who really is pro- decide to call a special session of the still occur up to 20 weeks after life. conception. It is literally a matter General Assembly to enact a total I applaud the court in overof life and death - it is urgent we ban on abortion in this state. turning Roe and the farce of an act to save life. I will support alleged right to murder the unborn. prohibit abortions after fetal cardiac Governor Kemp should he decide to Currently, Georgia law allows a activity (a heartbeat) can be detected - call a special session of the General woman to have an abortion up to 20 usually around or at six weeks. Assembly to enact a total ban on weeks after conception. The It is important to remember, this abortion in this state. Thank you, and Heartbeat Bill, which is currently not legislation had exceptions for medical may God bless and keep y’all.

PAUL SMITH

Roe v. Wade overturned Washington, D.C., June 24, 2022: The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) issued perhaps the most important decision since 1973. The Court overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling which created a women’s constitutional right to abortion. The Court, in a 6-3 ruling upheld a Mississippi law that bans abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The vote was 5-4 to completely overturn Roe, with Chief Justice John Roberts writing separately to say he would have upheld the Mississippi law without taking the additional step of erasing the Roe precedent altogether. The ruling restored the ability of states to ban abortion. 26 states are either certain or considered likely to ban abortion. Mississippi is among 13 states with so-called “trigger laws” to ban abortion with Roe overturned. The justices, in the ruling written by Justice Samuel Alito, held that the

JASON

SWINDLE SWINDLE LAW GROUP, P.C. Roe decision that allowed abortions performed before a fetus would be viable outside the womb, which occurs between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy, was wrongly decided because the “The Constitution makes no reference to abortion, and no such right is implicitly protected by any constitutional provision.” He is correct. Justice Alito went on to say, “Roe was egregiously wrong from the start. Its reasoning was exceptionally weak, and the decision has had damaging consequences. And far from bringing

about a national settlement of the abortion issue, Roe and Casey (a case that supported Roe) have enflamed debate and deepened division.” Justice Brett Kavanaugh, in a concurring opinion, made it clear that the ruling does not let states bar residents from traveling to another state to obtain an abortion, or retroactively punish people for prior abortions. Joseph Biden urged Congress to pass a law protecting abortion rights. However, he did not seem to understand that SCOTUS would simply overturn that law as well. Britain and France called the ruling a step backward. The Vatican praised it, saying it challenged the world to reflect on life issues. However, our judicial system is not based on the opinions of European entities. Additionally, Walt Disney Co., AT&T and Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc. said they will cover See JASON SWINDLE page 27

Roe v. Wade: An historic day, a victory for the pre-born

June 24, 2022 was an historic day! A victory for the preborn child in America! On Friday, June 24, 2022, the United States Supreme Court ruled in Dobbs v. Jackson to uphold a Mississippi law that bans abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy. This returns the question of abortion’s legality to the states. In addressing the 6-3 majority opinion, the justices stated that the Roe decision was egregiously wrong in recognizing a Constitutional right to abortion. What does the Supreme Court Ruling mean for Georgia? The reversal of the Roe v. Wade decision and returning the question of the legality of abortion to the states, will not stop murder by abortion. In each state, including Georgia, the existing state law regarding abortion will prevail. In Georgia, the 2012 Unborn Child Pain Capable Act (H.B.954) is in effect that governs abortion. The 6-week

DUANE

HACK

West Georgia Right to Life PRESIDENT “The Heartbeat of Georgia”

Duanehack46@gmail.com 470-370-2452 Georgia Heartbeat Bill, which was signed into law in 2019, was immediately blocked by a court, and remains blocked today; it has not stopped a single abortion. With Roe overturned, the appeals process on the Georgia law may ultimately bring the law into force. If so, here are several likely scenarios for abortion minded women: - She will still be able to abort in Georgia due to the several exceptions

(rape, incest, life of the mother, defective child, and medical emergency). - She can travel outside of Georgia to an abortion-friendly state to abort. - Some will be unable to abort the child in Georgia due to the six weeks limit/ detectable heartbeat portion inserted into the law - Chemical abortion pill sales will likely rise greatly since there is no explicit restriction on pills. Mail order and tele-med abortions, which are pills prescribed by a physician via a computer session, could skyrocket. What’s the next path to protect all life In Georgia: A Personhood Amendment? Ricardo Davis, president of Georgia Right to Life (GRTL) said, “Friday’s morning’s news of Dobbs opinion paves the way for Georgians to take bold, decisive action and leave no child vulnerable to death by abortion. By enacting See DUANE HACK page 27

Page 20 July 10, 2022

StarNews

COMMENTARY

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A free press is essential to democracy

LEE

HAMILTON PROFESSOR Indiana University Center on Representative Government The value of a free, independent press to representative democracy is incalculable. Our system of government relies on the people knowing what their elected representatives say and do. The best check on every elected official is an active news media looking over their shoulders. Autocrats know this as well as anyone. Witness what happened when Russian President Vladimir Putin launched their brutal war against neighboring Ukraine. One of his first actions was to clamp down on the last vestiges of a free press in Russia, replacing news with propaganda. A week into the fighting, Putin signed a law that effectively criminalized honest reporting about Ukraine. News media couldn’t call the war a “war”; they had to use the Kremlin-approved term “special military operation.” Violators could face 15 years in

Thalweg

SYBIL

ROSEN THOMAS

River Rambles syllabil@aol.com According to the 1987 edition of The Random House Dictionary of the English Language, “thalweg” is defined by Chiefly, International Law as “the middle of the main navigable channel of a waterway that serves as a boundary line between states.” The legal use of the word applies directly to our waterway, the Chattahoochee River. Passing along Carroll County as she moves west, the river takes an abrupt left turn into a linear southerly channel that eventually, inevitably brings her to the Gulf of Mexico. Where for centuries the river there separated the Upper Creek from the Lower Creek

pers or newspapers without a government, I prison. Russia’s independent media, weakened by 22 should not hesitate a moment to prefer the years of Putin’s rule, effectively folded. Upstart latter.” American officials haven’t always lived up radio and TV stations suspended operation. Russia’s last major independent newspaper to those ideals. News organizations and reporters have been censored during wartime. From deleted content about the Sedition Act in Ukraine to protect its I believe we need journalists the 1790s to the staff. By most accounts, Pentagon Papers in the Russian public has looking into every nook and cranny the 1970s, the govbeen kept in the dark. of what government does. ernment has tried to It’s no wonder When we lose that, we lose a lot of block publication of America’s founders, with their distrust of the strength of American democracy. unflattering inforgovernment power Fewer reporters covering local news mation. Fortunately, courts have largely fueled by resentment of upheld the right of the excesses of English means less attention paid to school board and city council meetings, the press to report colonial rule, valued a free press so highly. less oversight of local government the news, provided it’s not false and The First Amendment spending and less accountability. libelous. to the Constitution That’s bad for all of us. Today, America’s enshrined as fundamennews organizations tal freedom of the press, along with freedom of speech, religion and produce outstanding work, and professional assembly and the right to petition the govern- journalists hold elected officials accountable ment. George Washington said that, without every day. At Indiana University, I have been freedom of expression, the public could be led privileged to present public service fellowships “like sheep to the slaughter.” Thomas Jefferson to distinguished journalists like Maggie wrote that, “were it left to me to decide whether Haberman, E.J. Dionne, David Ignatius and we should have a government without newspa- others.

But we have seen an undeniable decline in local news. According to the Pew Research Center, paid circulation of local newspapers has declined by half since a generation ago. Two hundred U.S. counties are “news deserts,” without a daily or weekly newspaper. A decline in local news means a decline in civic engagement. Fewer people run for office, and fewer people vote. Increasingly, local newspapers and radio and TV stations are part of nationwide conglomerates. The people who make decisions about news coverage and the allocation of resources may have sound journalistic values, but they cannot focus on every target. I believe we need journalists looking into every nook and cranny of what government does. When we lose that, we lose a lot of the strength of American democracy. Fewer reporters covering local news means less attention paid to school board and city council meetings, less oversight of local government spending and less accountability. That’s bad for all of us. The decline of local news in the United States is a far cry from what’s happening in Russia, but it’s cause for concern. A dynamic, free press is essential to a free nation. This can’t be emphasized enough.

indigenous nations, she would later define the boundaries of the newly-formed colonial states of Georgia and Alabama. In that long straight southward-bound portion of our naturally winding river, the thalweg marks the middle and, as it happens, the place of greatest depth in the riverbed. It’s a curious word, thalweg. The dictionary gives the original pronunciation täl’veg (soft g) from the German Thal, meaning valley (think: dale), and Weg, meaning way. We Americans take the spelling literally, pronouncing it as it presents phonetically: thal, rhymes with gal; weg, rhymes with leg. Thalweg. And it has other meanings besides its lawful one. A thalweg can be a line on a map that delineates the lowest points of a valley. Geologically, thalweg is the lowest connecting points of successive cross-sections in a valley or river. Thus it can describe - and you may not find this in a dictionary - the deepest part of the curve sculpted out by a bending river, and likewise in a serpentine oxbow of an inlet stream, ones that twist and

turn like the crimped creek in the floodplain below the cabin. For the nineteen years I’ve been sitting by this river, she has flowed in an east-west channel that fits snugly into the geologic bedrock provided by the Brevard Fault Zone. That is not to say her path is fixed. Year after year, I’ve watched hurricanes tear away whole chunks of bank, shortening the distance between water and house. On the far side, her southern bank, the sandy shores are gaining in height and breadth, extending their edge into the river. From my desk, I look out to the west on a graceful river bend that curves beguilingly out of sight. I could swear that over the years the bend has moved slightly northward, pushing the river’s path further into the shore downstream. If you measured the water depth in that bend, you would no doubt find it deepest along that shore. This same pattern is mirrored in the undulating oxbow of the inlet stream where the thalweg makes a deepwater path, eroding the bank on the outside of the

curve, exposing the mingled roots of the sycamores and silverbells leaning over the water. Why do I find this so moving? Is it because I’m in crazy in love with everything I can learn about the Chattahoochee? Or because I’m always, consciously or not, looking out for any teachings the river has to bestow? A Mary Oliver poem, Varanasi, describes a scene in the Ganges River of India: A woman was standing in the river up to her waist; she was lifting handfuls of water and spilling it over her body, slowly and many times, as if until there came some moment of inner satisfaction between her own life and the river’s That inner satisfaction, which feels like a communion, is what I seek in these Rambles. How do I truly connect to the gift of the river and put that experience into words I can share? How do I dispel the artificial thalweg that See RIVER RAMBLES page 27

Hurricane season began June 1st. We need to be mindful that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has predicted an above-normal forecast for the 2022 hurricane season. This includes a range of 14 to 21 named storms, of which six to ten will become hurricanes, including three to six major hurricanes. Businesses can and are affected by weather catastrophes; from short-term power outages to rebuilding their physical structures after a hurricane. The first key question for storm preparation is to ask, am I document ready? Am I aware of what documents I need for insurance or recovery programs? Are my documents safe, either in a digital form I can reach online or printed and stored in a weatherproof location. Are my documents up to date? To be considered for an SBA disaster loan, business owners need several legal documents in place at a minimum including deeds, leases, insurance records, trusts, court orders, and tax returns. Keep these documents readily available and in a digital format whenever possible.

Additionally, ensure up to date contacts for the insurance company; employees; customers; and suppliers. Maintain up to date key information on inventory; machine/equipment; financial systems; and accounts receivable/payable. Having this information available can be the difference between getting funded in a matter of days versus months. The SBA has programs to assist you with recovery after a natural disaster https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/ disaster- assistance. These include programs that provide financing to repair physical damage to businesses and residences, working capital for normal business expenses, mitigation assistance, and shortages due to the military deployment of staff. Keeping a business operational is a key challenge after a hurricane. It is imperative in addition to gaining knowledge; all businesses have a plan in place for when disaster strikes. Businesses should be either preparing or updating their business emergency response plans. If you have not done so, please visit

https://www.ready.gov as your starting point. While we are using a hurricane as an example here, other disasters related to wind, flood, wildfire, earthquake, and hail damage are also covered by SBA disaster assistance. The Small Business Development Center Network, SCORE, Women’s Business Centers, and the Veterans Business Outreach Centers are local resource partners that often offer additional training and technical assistance related to disaster preparedness. Many district offices also host webinars or training sessions on the topic. Make sure to take advantage of these training opportunities whenever they are available. I wish you a wonderful summer of 2022. While we cannot control the weather, we can certainly impact our preparedness and contingency plans to give ourselves the peace of mind to enjoy this great season. Any questions please reach out to us at your state office or the Office of Disaster Recovery at www.sba.gov. All the best.

Hurricane season and small businesses: recovery funding programs

ERIN

TINDELL

Public Affairs Specialist SBA GA District Office US Small Business Administration

erin.tindell@sbagov

The Southeast region is home to millions of small businesses and thousands of miles of pristine coastlines. It is indeed a beautiful place to live and work, however we live in an area prone to hurricanes. Even our inland areas are often impacted by these storms through wind and flooding. Small businesses are the backbone for the American economy, and many are only one disaster away from closing their doors if not properly prepared. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) helps business owners reduce the amount of risk associated with natural disasters in their homes and businesses.

COMMENTARY

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Unfulfilled dreams

StarNews

July 10, 2022 Page 21

who happened to be caught in the crosshairs of conflicting national interests. We saw it in Afghanistan. We now see it in Ukraine. Tragedies keep on piling up, unabated. They are registered in the wrinkles of the grimace of unfortunate victims. AUTHOR Unsightly scenes of death and destruction and nonagenerian appeal to the conscience of those of us living in “The Wood Bracelet” peace, not war. The cry of pain and agony vunc61@gmail.com reverberates the tortured land. Electronics and jet planes have connected In the journey of life, one encounters setbacks that derail his life off the the intended humanity worldwide beyond the imagination course. Such misfortunes tend to befall those of a generation ago. We are all connected,

regardless of whether we recognize it or not. The scene and the sounds awaken longdormant consciousness in me. Had it not been for war in my native land - so long ago on June 25, 1950 - I would probably be pursuing a lifestyle totally different from what I have followed in my life. The same would be true for Ukrainian youth. Someday, they would also be dreaming of the unfulfilled dreams. In their dream, some of them would be construction engineers, helping homeless people live in brand new comfortable houses.

Others would be healthcare providers who care for the sick or injured. Still others would be educators devoting their lives to teaching the next generation. More of them could be involved with the national defense. Many more could be social workers, authors, artists, and homemakers among other noble professions. The possibilities are endless. My fleeting thought ends with a few words of prayer: May our merciful God bring peace to the suffering people of Ukraine sooner than later so that they may fulfill their dreams.

hand, Carroll County’s libraries are funded from three sources. In Carroll County, funding of an individual library starts with that library’s host city, through local tax revenues. The second source is the Carroll County Board of Education. The third source, Carroll County government (the commission board), gives a fixed amount to WGRLS to help fund the county’s six libraries. The WGRLS is the final authority on that distribution. Director Schaefer developed and adopted a more objective formula. This formula was based on the the population of the city that hosted a library. It should be mentioned that Director Schaefer was also trying to make the funding of the WGRLS itself a more objective process. In that area of bookkeeping, he introduced the idea of some sort of flat-fee to be paid by each county that had membership in the WGRLS, presumably relieving future directors of continually negotiating with five counties for the WGRLS operating funds. Schaefer’s new formulas produced a distribution of funds that seemed close to how things had been done in the past. In other words, Director Schaefer had fashioned an objective approach that yielded approximately the same distributions and obligations as before, but without all the palavering. So, now there was a new approach that made managing the accounting more rational, but without a big change in distribution of monies. Not bad. Except, in one case, Whitesburg. That library served the poorest segment of Carroll’s population. Whitesburg’s share of the county’s

funds, based on the population within the city’s boundaries, was insignificant and put that library in danger of being closed. Reports of some private conversations with the director as he implemented his formulas, described Dir. Schaefer as being more interested in closing that one “troublesome” library (out of 18 others in the WGRLS system), rather than working on a refinement that would keep Whitesburg Library’s doors open. The Friends of the Whitesburg Library became very active in trying to save the library. The upshot of it all was that the county made a one-time contribution (above its normal amount) to cover the short-fall. Soon, thereafter, Dir. Schaefer retired, and the new director eventually revised how one counted the population being served by the Whitesburg Library. The new number was enough to keep the doors open, though it was no longer a full-time operation. The Friends of the WPL were instrumental in that change of population-counting, and it should be described, for it involves my belief, that the Whitesburg Public Library is different. (I’m not alone in that belief.) From its inception, from its design, our library was meant to serve a rural and poor community. When we learned of Schaefer’s formula, which was presented at a meeting he had arranged to be in Whitesburg, the Friends and especially the ex-mayor (Bud Hines) immediately reacted, saying that the population the library served was in the Whitesburg area, not just inside the city limits. It has been this kind of consideration that subsequent directors of the WGRLS have recognized, in principle.

The new formula now includes the areas outside the city limits for the population count. Generally, it includes the areas whose children attend Whitesburg Elementary School.The library and the school share the same parking lot, and the library has offered many wellattended programs for those children. Now, there are other issues that threaten the library’s operation. We believe that our library should and could be in full operation again, fully staffed according to current standards of the profession. This needs to be mentioned since, in recent time, all that could be provided was a “director” working at minimum hourly wage, waiting to get to retirement age. The library is past that situation, but still has a long way to go. Whitesburg’s funding problem seems to always involve the city’s tax base, since its population is in decline. I think that Douglas County can provide us with some insight. The Dog River Library was built well outside any city’s limits. It is located off of Highway 5, deep in the woods. It is a beautiful building that had no expense spared. Its budget has to be many times that of Whitesburg’s library. Its site was selected before the Wolf Creek development went bankrupt. In fact, the local director of the Wolf Creek project actually wanted a library in that neighborhood, after he was impressed with what we in Whitesburg were doing to get ours built. He attended our ground-breaking ceremony. I believe he saw that a Wolf Creek library could be a very important but inexpensive element in making See BILL BOURIS page 22

wholesome relationship with my father. At the age of 82, he gave his life to the Lord. Yes, forgiveness is good, which is the initial part of experiencing freedom. The second part is recognizing the fruit sown in your life from feeling rejected all of those years and the results displaying in your attitude and emotions. It’s from the way you think about yourself and how you believe others see you. You know God loves you, but it’s through lenses that have been contaminated by hurt and pain. Once you began to truly believe that God loves you just as you, the process of healing begins. You begin to see yourself as God sees you: as worthy, beautiful, intelligent and valued. You can receive from the Father what you only dreamed of as a child. God’s love is genuinely real and tangible. Scriptures come alive - you are fearfully and wonderfully made. His thoughts of you are more than the sand of the sea. Yes, I’m the apple of His eye. Now you can receive constructive criticism without it lowering your self-esteem. You can seize the opportunity to grow and be the best version of you. You can filter words through a healed heart, and your identity is not shaken by circumstances or expressions of others. I could identify the root cause of my nega-

tive emotions through a relationship with God and by the power of the Holy Spirit. We have to give Him permission to work on our hearts. He is a gentle surgeon and His plan is for us to live an abundant life. The way I spoke to my children, co-workers, and handled situations was due to feeling rejected, but now my outlook is different. Forgiveness is necessary for us to experience the power of God’s love and share the same love with others! Your identity is in Christ, not in your past. You are a new creature in Christ. As we continue to renew our minds, we will be able to overcome anything that comes our way. If your child or loved one is not behaving properly, don’t speak the problem, but speak the desired outcome. You want a well behaved child, then speak that. You get from God what you speak, and believe by faith. Life and death is in the power of the tongue - Proverbs 18:21. Many times, our first reaction to difficult situations is negative. We may want to tell somebody off, or get even. Sometimes we want to give the silent treatment, which is just as bad. But, after the Holy Spirit has revealed the root cause of our negative behavior, we can begin to catch ourselves before those thoughts turn into words. In time. we will not even think

those negative thoughts, but we will train ourselves to look at others with more love, and compassion. It is that love, and compassion for others that that will minimize our problems, and we will begin to want to help others solve theirs, knowing that that have revealing, healing journey to embark on just like we did. God paid for our healing with the precious Blood of His only begotten Son for us to walk around letting the enemy lie to us. You are victorious, not a victim. You are an overcomer, you haven’t been overcome. You are loved, no matter what is said to you. Your finances are healthy, no matter what your bank account says right now. You have strong healthy relationships, even though some seem estranged. You are beautiful, and wonderfully made. You encourage, and not talk about people. You are a peacemaker, not a troublemaker. You embark on new things, and don’t live in the past. Once we realize these truths, the false need to medicate our pain with harmful things that do nothing but make things worse. We can hold our heads high, knowing that the very thing that the enemy tried to use to take us out, is the very thing that we overcame, and now we are marching in victory.

DAN

C. PAK

On funding Carroll County libraries

BILL

BOURIS digi@mindspring.com Though I am deeply involved with the Friends of the Whitesburg Library, the following are my own ideas, and none of this article has been reviewed by any of the Friends. Until West Georgia Regional Library Service (WGRLS) brought in a temporary director (Steve Schaefer), the early years of the Whitesburg Public Library enjoyed full support and could expand the services and programs offered to the community. Its staff were beginning to enjoy new employee benefits. I believe this was the result of regional library policies that recognized that once a branch library was accepted into its system, that library would first receive operating funds in full. Then, distribution of the remaining funds would take place according to the regional authority’s long-term plans and the future needs of each branch. Back when Whitesburg’s library came into the system, the director at WGRLS was conducting complicated negotiations in five counties, each with a different method of library funding. For instance, Douglas County has three libraries and the county funds them directly, whatever their needs. On the other

Life and death is in the power of the tongue

RICHARD

DOZIER

Millennials Christian Ministry (MCM) Have you ever wondered why you reacted negatively to a situation, and later thought that you spent more emotion that was required? I have often found myself reflecting in this manner. But, once I allowed the Holy Spirit to pull back the layers, I realized it was from being rejected and abandoned as a child by my father. I remember being in the 8th grade and my father sitting me down and telling me that he was leaving our family and that I would understand someday. Well, fast forward fifty plus years, I still don’t understand how a man could walk away from his wife and three boys. As I grew older and came to know the Lord Jesus, I realized that forgiveness is possible. It’s a decision that is necessary to really walk in true freedom. I made the decision to forgive, no longer passing judgment and to have a

Page 22 July 10, 2022

StarNews

COMMENTARY

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Preparing for the new fiscal year

J

Greetings from under the Gold Dome! While most Georgia citizens take the opportunity to slow down during the summer months, our state government works frantically to ensure that we are prepared to step into our new fiscal year, which began July 1st. A brandnew fiscal year means we begin anew where government funding is concerned. Fortunately, our economy did not suffer near the blow of many sister states during the pandemic, allowing us to continue our track record of stable economic growth. Despite the many challenges, our unemployment rate remains low, at 3.1%, we experienced record-breaking commerce, trade, and investment numbers and we continue to hold our title as the No. 1 state to do business. Further, our fiscal conservatism has allowed us to put over $1 billion dollars back in the pockets of hardworking Georgians. We were also able to bring much needed relief to Georgia families by suspending the Gas tax. This year’s 2023 fiscal year budget is an estimated $30 billion. Following is a detailed report of how we are working to address issues of importance over the next year through various budget allocations. As always, be on the lookout for my legislative updates. If you need anything at all, please let me know. Thank you for the honor of allowing me to serve you under the Gold Dome. Like previous years, education and healthcare remain at the forefront of budget funding, receiving approximately 73% of the state’s overall budget. Public safety, transportation and general government round out the top spends

collectively taking most of the remaining budget allocations. Below is a highlight of our 2023 Fiscal Year, which goes into effect, July 1. Education Education plays a pivotal role in attracting new businesses as we work to better prepare Georgia’s workforce through various partnerships, opportunities, and initiatives. - $2,000 pay raise to our K-12 teachers, assistant teachers, and pre-k teachers. - $1.4 billion in direct funding for our K-12 schools - Restores $388 million in both fiscal years to eliminate the austerity cuts that were made at the start of the pandemic. - $79 million to fund program growth to allow the HOPE programs to cover at least 90 percent of tuition at the state’s public institutions. - Restores more than $271 million in austerity cuts that were previously made to our higher education systems. - $35 million for the State Commission Charter Schools supplement to recognize a 23.79 percent increase in enrollment at state charter schools. - $85 million to fully fund enrollment growth in our higher education programs. Healthcare Did you know that close to 3.6% of adults in Georgia live with serious mental health conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression? To lessen the impact of mental illness, and provide quality care to all citizens, we have implemented the second largest allotment of budget spending towards healthcare initiatives. - $24 million to implement the state’s reinsurance program and online health insurance portal to keep insurance plans and premiums more affordable. - Adds $85 million for improved provider rates to stabilize the state’s Medicaid system. - $33.5 million to fund the state’s mental

health crisis networks and services that benefit individuals with behavioral and developmental disabilities. - $27.8 million to provide a 10% provider rate increase, which would offset the rising costs of caring for our state’s foster children. - $39.5 million to automatically enroll children in Medicaid services as part of an application for food assistance or TANF benefits to guarantee that more children receive the health benefits for which they are eligible. - $8.5 million for the Georgia Trauma Care Network Commission. Public Safety The only reason our government exists is to protect our citizens. Our commitment to the safety of Georgians is reflected through our public safety budget allocations. - $1.6 million to establish a gang prosecution unit in the attorney general’s office and expand the state’s human trafficking unit. - $5,000 Raise for State Law Enforcement and State Employees - $3.2 Million for an Additional Trooper School Class - Add Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Degrees to High-Demand Career Initiatives - $10.3 million dollars for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s medical examiners and forensic services, which have experienced backlogs in processing criminal evidence. - $600 million to purchase a newer prison facility and build a 3,000 bed facility to house medium and high-security prisoners. Rural Initiatives It was not long ago that the rural areas of our state were thriving, healthy communities. Sadly, in recent years, those areas have been adversely impacted by a changing economic landscape. We have made a commitment to assist our rural communities by ensuring they have the resources and infrastructure needed to grow and prosper. I have no doubt that with

positive policy changes and growth initiatives currently in place and to come, these areas will once again become the beating heart of Georgia. - $1.8 million for the Georgia Agricultural Trust Fund generated through agricultural tax exemption fees to provide funding for the maintenance and operations of state farmers’ markets and marketing and promotion of Georgia agricultural products. - $2.5 million for 136 residency slots - $1 million to Mercer University to address rural physician shortages. - $41 million in our state parks to renovate and expand facilities across Georgia to attract tourism to our wondrous natural resources Infrastructure Few realize the important role sound infrastructure plays within our state. As the economic landscape of Georgia continues to change, so must our efforts to improve the condition of our roadways and infrastructure. Streamlining transportation systems throughout the state is priority when discussing the budget and future projects. Infrastructure is a key component to our state’s success, impacting every citizen which we see magnified through current supply chain issues. To see a detailed report of transportation projects scheduled throughout the state, we encourage you to visit the Department of Transportation website, dot.ga.gov. - $48 million for the Department of Transportation to reflect FY 2021 motor fuel revenue collections. - $20 million for the Transportation Trust Fund for transportation projects. - $8 million for the Georgia Transit Trust Fund for transit projects. - $80 million dollars to complete the renovation and expansion of the Savannah-Georgia Convention Center to continue to attract large convention delegations to the state and further invest in Savannah’s tourism industry.

BILL BOURIS from page 21 the area attractive to potential residents. There were golf-courses in his plans, but they could only be illustrated on paper. By the method of library funding in Carroll County, the Dog River library would not have been built, for it is not within an incorporated city’s limits. Even if the Wolf Creek project had succeeded, Dog River Library would not have been inside any city limit. Yet, Dog River Library is past surviving. It thrives and is of greater service to its community, back there in the woods and hills. Remember, Dog River was built with the anticipation of a superdevelopment, which didn’t happen. Yet, that facility is now so important to the community around it. Although no one in the Whitesburg area has had any doubt as to the importance of our library, the threat of its being shut down has happened twice in its short history. If it hadn’t been for the donation of a oneacre lot that was associated with the rebuilding of Whitesburg Elementary School, the site of Whitesburg’s library could easily have been outside the city’s limits. During those early days, I was involved with several aspects of the library project. Location was one of them. I had decided that the purchase of a lot might be more economical if it were just outside the city limits. At that time I attended a meeting of the Carroll County’s Board of Education, to report to them of our progress. When they learned of how far we were coming along, and that I was about to search for a building site, someone recommended that the “leftover” lot across from the school’s parking area be simply donated to the library project. The Board

quickly approved the donation, primarily cal consideration that I used to use: If the because the library’s location, so close to the population of Whitesburg City stayed the same school, would be very desirable. We took the but the population just outside the city’s limits offer, of course! It turned grew to a million, the ...libraries are not only getting county’s contribution to out to be a perfect match, school and neighborhood the Whitesburg library greater use, but more and library so close to each would be the same, about more, that increased use is other - probably unique for $1,000! from the unincorporated areas. our county. I believe it was this But, what if the library kind of awareness that It makes more sense if the were to have been built just caused subsequent library facilities are seen as outside the city-limits? The WGRLS directors to part of the county as well as reconsider and revise the question goes to the assumption, in Carroll part of the cities they happen to formula for the distribuCounty, that the incorpoof county funds for be in. This is more than a call tion rated cities are a “natural” Whitesburg. The formula for public libraries to be for a change in attitude, for as now takes in the populalocated and that a city’s tion of a much larger some of us have recently taxes would therefore be area, beyond the city’s heard at a Whitesburg City the basis for funding the limits, recognizing a Council Meeting, voice was broader population-base operation. Under these conditions, the county’s role is given, by city officials, to the that is being served in a helpful but passive one. (remote) section of idea that Whitesburg could not this The county government the county. afford a library that caters gives a sum to the WGRLS Along similar lines of to spend how it sees fit. thought, it is getting to be mostly to those who live Until Dir. Schaeffer brought time that the county outside the city limits! a “higher level of accountreconsider its role in ancy” into the WGRLS, the Whitesburg financing its libraries. Compared to the 2010 branch had got its costs covered, one way of Census, the 2020 Census showed that the the other. population of our county grew by 10%. This is a personal opinion: As soon as However, there was a greater increase in Schaeffer’s population-approach became growth for the population outside the incorpooperative, the county’s calculated contribution rated city limits. In 2010, Carroll’s urban to the Whitesburg operation was not adequate. dwellers made up 44% of the county’s populaHowever, the unfairness of the formula was tion. Ten years later, in 2020, it was down to immediately obscured by the justness of the 41%. I do not think that drop happened over “accountant’s approach”. Here’s a hypotheti- the course of 10 years, but it probably has

begun to happen much more recently. That would make it a significant trend. It would signify that the libraries are not only getting greater use, but more and more, that increased use is from the unincorporated areas. It makes more sense if the library facilities are seen as part of the county as well as part of the cities they happen to be in. This is more than a call for a change in attitude, for as some of us have recently heard at a Whitesburg City Council Meeting, voice was given, by city officials, to the idea that Whitesburg could not afford a library that caters mostly to those who live outside the city limits! Such sentiments, with regard to a public library, a member of the Georgia Pines System, would not have any grounds if the county commission simply took a more direct role in the disbursement of its library funds. The county should be the mediator between the cities and WGRLS. Possibly, the commision collects the libraries’ tax funds from the cities, adds to those funds, and passes all that on to WGRLS. That way, it could first see to it that each library got what it absolutely needed and then distributed the remaining funds according to a population statistic. I don’t know where Carroll County is in the Metro-Atlanta scheme of things, but big changes are coming. More and more of us are sensing that. The county should re-examine its comprehensive plan and the form of its intergovernmental agreements with its cities. As we saw with the Wolf Creek people, libraries are an effective way to attract new residents. Even though the project failed, the little library in the woods has succeeded!

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

www.starnewsgaonline.com

Safety in our Independent Schools

independent schools. Although independent school safety plans do not differ significantly from those in the public sector, our smaller size is helpful in mitigating potential problems. Independent schools are, in general, small, tight-knit communities where the staff knows the community well enough to Headmaster quickly identify someone in crisis and this OAK MOUNTAIN knowledge helps reduce safety concerns. ACADEMY Variations in school safety plans are less about Last month, Education Weekly released an whether the institution is public or private and article with statistics on school shootings and more about the size of the school and type of the data in that article is shocking. facility. According to the report, there have been 119 Of course, independent schools are not school shootings since January 2018. During without risk of violence, even if the available the 2021- 2022 academic year alone, a total of evidence suggests it is more rare in independent 34 school shooting occurred which is the schools than in public schools. highest number on record for a single In a 2018 article of the National Threat academic year. Assessment Center (NTAC), several best Since the pandemic began in 2020, we have practices are suggested for identify students of seen an overall increase in school violence and concern, assessing their risk for engaging in the rise of school shootings has brought school violence activities, and identifying intervention safety plans into sharp focus for our strategies to manage that risk.

PATRICK

YURAN

COPPER ROD from page 11 ing a state-of-the-art system with the latest technology that Southwire has developed communicates a commitment to innovation, and having two furnaces in the new Rod Plant - compared to just one in the existing facility - provides the organization with greater dependability. “Replacing our current system, which is 40

years old, improves our business continuity and ensures the longevity of copper rod for Southwire,” said Berry. “It sends a message to the local community that we’re here for the long haul and provides an international showcase for SCR technology. We will be able to welcome customers from around the world and show them a safer, more automated system.”

VR TAD from page 17 would be sending a response, reiterating the scope of the entire project. One of the sticking points is that the commission wants Villa Rica to give up its annexation powers during the life of the bonds, and also that Villa Rica will commit to no other TAD during the life of the bonds. The commission also asked that Villa

Rica pay their legal fees involved in the TAD process. Mayor McDougal said they will agree to reimburse up to $25,000 of these fees subject to the commission’s agreement to the IGA. Councilmember Carter made a motion to adopt these responses to Carroll County, and the motion was approved unanimously. The meeting was adjourned.

Carroll County marriage licenses

marriage licenses continued from Page 25 -

JUNE 1-30, 2022

StarNews

July 10, 2022 Page 23

These suggested best practices include the following: • Create a threat assessment team to oversee a threat assessment process. • Define threatening behaviors that trigger immediate interventions on campus. • Establish a system for individuals to anonymously report concerns about potential threats. • Determine a threshold for when law enforcement intervention should be requested. • Establish threat assessment procedures that will guide investigation into the seriousness of a threat. • Develop risk management options that

schools will take once a threat assessment is complete. • Promote a safe school climate that encourages intervention in student conflicts that empowers students to communicate concerns. • Provide training for all school staff, students, parents, and law enforcement. Regardless of the type of school a student attends, they should always feel safe, and parents should expect school leaders to provide multiple, transparent layers of safety for their children. Independent schools are working hard to ensure the safety of all students, faculty, staff, and community members at all times.

In compliance with O.C.G.A. § 44-12-236 of The Disposition of Unclaimed Property Act, Carroll Electric Membership Corporation (“Carroll EMC”) is attempting to locate former members whose capital credit checks were issued in 2016, but which have been returned by the U. S. Post Office as “undeliverable” or have otherwise been unclaimed. A current list of these members, and a list of their last known addresses and instructions for

claiming these funds, is posted on Carroll EMC’s website at http://www.carrollemc.com. The last possible date to claim these funds is October 1, 2022. Funds which are not claimed by this date will be used for economic development, education or donated for charitable uses, as permitted by O.C.G.A. § 44-12-236. To claim a refund or submit any questions about this notice or the list, please contact 770832-3552.

Last date to claim refunded capital credits from Carroll EMC is October 1, 2022

Driver’s education to be offered as elective class at Carrollton High A Driver’s Education Class will be offered at Carrollton High School next year to help prepare students complete the requirements needed to get behind the wheel. It has been decades since driver’s ed was offered as a course at CHS. The state requires young drivers to complete it before getting their driver’s licenses, so Carrollton High is now offering it as an elective on campus will make the process more convenient for students and families. Last summer, Joshua’s Law, also known as

House Bill 466, was amended to make driver education mandatory for teens under 18 to be able to get a Georgia driver’s license. Prior to the change, the 30 hours of driver’s ed instruction plus six hours of in-car driving lessons was only required for 16-year-olds. Former CHS varsity baseball coach Scott Johnson will be the instructor for the class. He said he is confident the course will be beneficial to students and the community. “I think having the driver’s ed program renewed at CHS is a decision that will benefit not only young drivers but our community as a whole,” he said. “Students taking this class will spend a minimum of 30 classroom hours and six driving hours getting better equipped to drive safely and correctly. Since one of the leading causes of deaths among teenagers is vehicle-related, I am proud of our administration making this opportunity available to our teens at CHS.”

Statewide gasoline tax suspension extended

Gov. Kemp signed executive orders extending temporary suspension of gas tax and supply chain state of emergency

from press release Governor Brian P. Kemp signed two executive orders to alleviate the financial burden placed on Georgians due to the federal government’s gross mishandling of inflation and to renew efforts to address supply chain issues. In Executive Order 07.01.22.02, Governor Kemp has extended the temporary suspension of the state’s excise tax on motor fuel sales through the remainder of the summer. Additionally, this order suspends collection of the state sales tax on locomotive fuel. He also renewed the State of Emergency for Supply Chain Disruptions via Executive Order 07.01.22.01. These orders are in effect until August 13th. Since the temporary suspension was implemented, Georgia’s average gas price has often been the lowest in the nation and is currently roughly 50 cents below the national average for a gallon of regular gas, according to AAA.

OBITUARIES

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F. age Alexander, age 71, Tiffanee Dawne “Tiff” Cook, F. Alexander, age 71,Shirley Tiffanee Dawne “Tiff” Cook, Shirley F. Alexander, Alexander, age 71, Gentry, Tiffanee Dawne “Tiff” Cook, Master Danny Joe Gloria Jones, Jr., Dr. PhilShirley Carroll Astin, III, 67, born September Sybil Jeanette Causey age 81, born July Master Danny Joe6,“Tiff” Jones, Jr., Jerry Scott age 53, Master Danny Joe 53, Jones, Jr., Jerry Scott age Jerry Scott Shirley Shedd, age 53, F. age 71, Tiffanee Dawne Cook, Ann Nabors, ageShedd, 71, bornShedd, January 28, 1951, Master Danny Joe Jones, Jr., born November 27, 1947, died age 45, born October 12, 1973, born November 27, 1947, died age 45, born October 12, 1973, born November 27, 1947, died age 45, born October 12, 1973, age 2 months, born May 16, 2019, age 2 months, born May 16, 2019, died Monday, July 8, 2019 age 2 months, born May 16, 2019, died Monday, July 8, 2019 27, 1954, died June 24,8, 2022 1940,27, died1947, June 21,died 2022 age 45, born October 12, died Monday, July 2019 born November age 2 months, born May 16, 2019, died1973, June 18, 2022 Sunday, July 14, 2019 died Friday, 12, 2019 died Sunday, July 14, 2019 died July Friday, July 12,July 2019 Sunday, 14, 2019 died Friday, July 12, 2019 died July 4, 2019 David died Thursday, 4, 2019 2019 diedThursday, Thursday, JulySimpson, 4,age 2019 age David Ronald Ronald Simpson, David Ronald Simpson, age Sunday, 2019 July 12, Willene Holloway Batchelor, age 80, born on July 14,Teddy Ray Gilliland, age 67, Friday, born JuneThursday, 2,July 1955, died July 4, 2019 Dorothy “Dot” Roberson Nix,Nell age 100, born Dwight Bishop, Jr., age 62, James B. Dean, age 92, Dwight Bishop, Jr., age 62, James B. Dean, age 92, Dwight Bishop, Jr., age 62, James B. Dean, age 92, “Marjorie” Nell Lovvorn, age “Marjorie” Nell Lovvorn, age “Marjorie” Lovvorn, age 70, born July 21, 1948, diedMarch July 70, born July 21, 1948, died July 70, born10, July 21, 1948, died July Dwight Bishop, Jr., age 62, James B. Dean, age 92, “Marjorie” Nell Lovvorn, age February 1942, died June 20, 2022 died June 20, 2022 2, 1922, died June 7, 2022 born September 28, 1956, died born September 02, 1926, died born September 28, 1956, died born September 02, 1926, died born September 28, 1956, died born September 02, 1926, died 86, born August 3, 1932, died 86, born August 3, 1932, died 86, born August 3, 1932, died 09, 2019 09, 2019 09, 2019 born September 28, 1956, died born September 02, 1926, died 86, born August 3, 1932, died Sandra Gail Hutcheson Cantrell, age 68, born Austin age 88, born July 1,July 1933, died Tuesday, July 9,age 2019 Tuesday, July 9,Betty 2019 Wednesday, July Gray, 3, 2019 Wednesday, July10, 3, 2019 Tuesday, July 9, 2019 Wednesday, July 3, 2019 Wednesday, July 10, 2019 Wednesday, July 10, 2019 Wednesday, 2019 Zellie Fred Sprewell, 94, Zellie Fred Sprewell, age 94, Deanna Jane Powell, age 81, born May 25,age 1941, Zellie Fred Sprewell, 94, Tuesday, July 9, 2019 Wednesday, July 3, 2019 Wednesday, July 10, 2019 Donald Brasseal “Don” Bonner, Barry Bushon Dickerson, age Donald Brasseal “Don” Bonner, Barry Bushon Dickerson, age Donald Brasseal “Don” Bonner, Barry Bushon Dickerson, age August 1, 1953, died June 11, 2022 Andra Dixon McGill, age 76, June 24, 2022 Andra Dixon McGill, age 76, Andra Dixon McGill, age 76, born February 28, 1925, died born February 28, 1925, died born February 28, 1925, died Donald Brasseal “Don” Bonner, died June Barry Bushon Dickerson, age3, 2022Andra Dixon McGill, age 76, age 76, born June 05, 1943, died 68, born September 7, 1950, died age 76, born June 05, 1943, died 68, born September 7, 1950, died age 76, born June 05, 1943, died 68, born September 7, 1950, died born October 18, 1941, died born October 18, 1941, died born October 18, 1941, died Saturday, July 27, 2019 Saturday, July 27, 2019 Edna Dublin Dominick Carroll, age 79, born Glenda Fay Hammock, age 65, born August 5, Saturday, July 27, 2019 age 76, born June 05, 1943, died 68, born September 7, 1950, diedEdward bornSchadl, October 18, Master 1941, died Joseph retired Chief Wednesday, July 10, 2019 Friday, July19, 19, 2019 Wednesday, 10, 2019 Friday, July 19, 2019 Wednesday, 10,July Friday, July 19, 2019 Wednesday, July 17, 17, 2019 Wednesday, 17, 2019 Wednesday, July2019 17,July 2019 Daniel Walker, Lance Walker, Daniel Lance age2019 40,age 40, Daniel Lance Walker, age Wednesday, July 10, 2019 July September 28, 1942, July died June2019 4, 202240, 1956, died June 11, 2022 Friday, Wednesday, July Sergeant, age 91, born November 15,18, 1930, died June John D. Brown, Jr., Dodderer, age 53, Bobbie Jean Dodderer, age 84, D. 1978, Brown, Jr.,53,John age 53, Bobbie Jean age 84, John D.John Brown, Jr., age Bobbie Jean Dodderer, age 84, Eugene Parker Mullis, Jr., age Eugene Parker Mullis, Jr., age Eugene Parker Mullis, Jr., age born September 1978, born September 18, 1978, died born September 18, died D. Brown, Jr., age Ivester, 53, ageBobbie Jean Dodderer, age 84, Eugene Parker Mullis, Jr.,died age Jacqueline LaGrange Chandler, ageJuly 88, born April Janice Jackson 82, born June 6, 1940, born August 18, 1965, died July born July 9, 1935, died Monday, 20, 2022 born August 18, 1965, died July born July 9, 1935, died Monday, born August 18, 1965, died born July 9, 1935, died Monday, 70, born December 31, 1948, died 70, born December 31, 1948,Sunday, died 70, born December 31, 1948, died Sunday, July 21, 2019 July 21, 2019 Sunday, July 21, 2019 born August 18, 1965, died July born July 9, 1935, died Monday, 70, born December 31, 1948, died 5, 1934,22, died June 26, 2022 died 22, 2019 July 22, 2019 22, 2019 22,Monday, 2019 June 13, 2022 2019 July 22,July 2019 Monday, July “Debbie” 8,Ann 2019 July 8, 2019 Kenneth Palmer Monday, July 8, 2019 Deborah Ann West, Deborah “Debbie” West, Spearman, age 77, born June 3, Deborah “Debbie” Ann West, 22, 2019 July 22, Monday, 2019 Monday, July 8, 2019 Marie Elizabeth Phillips Bryce, Anna Marsella Fazio, age Marie Elizabeth Phillips Bryce, Anna Marsella Fazio, age Marie Elizabeth Phillips Bryce, Anna Marsella Fazio, age Randy Lee Nichols, age 66, Kathy Lynn Daniel Christopher, age 57, born Lucy Charles “Chuck” William Klug, age 79, born Randy Lee Nichols, age 66, Randy Lee Nichols, age 66, age 58, died July 22, 2019 58,21, died July 22, 2019 age 58, died July 22, 2019 1945, age diedage June 2022 Marie Elizabeth Phillips Bryce, Anna Marsella Fazio, Randy Lee Nichols, age 66, age 89, born September 14, 1929, 85, born on Jan24,1, 1934, died age 89, born21, September 14,89, 1929, 85, on Jan 1, 1934, died age born September 14, age 1929, 85,born born onborn Jan21, 1,1942, 1934, died bornWallace June 24, 1953, died Friday, born June 1953, died Friday, born June 24, 1953, Friday, Allen Worthan, age Wallace Allenage Worthan, age January 23, 89, 1965, died June 2022 August died June85, 6, 2022 Wallace Allen Worthan, age September 14, 1929, born on Jan 1,died 1934, died born June 24, 1953, died Friday, Martha Horton Stapler, 86, born October 22, died Saturday, July 20, 2019 Monday, July 8, 2019 died Saturday, July 20, 2019 Monday, July 8, 2019 died Saturday, July 20, 2019 Monday, July 8, 2019 July 26, 2019 July 26, 2019 July 26, 2019 56, died Monday, July 15, 2019 56, died Monday, July 15, 2019 56,Carol diedSmith Monday, July age 15,77, 2019 Saturday, 20,Louise 2019 Smith McGraw, Monday, 8, 2019 Cleveland, borndied December 28, July Juanita ageJuly 79, died June July 26, 2019 1935, 11,Ara 2022 Earl80, Wayne Carden, age 80, Harris Nell Griffin Jennings, Earl Wayne Carden, age Harris Nell age Griffin Jennings, Earl Wayne Carden,age age55, 80,Earl Harris Nell Griffin Jennings, Bell D. Chapman, Sanders, age 79, D. Sanders, age June 79, Ara BellAra D. Bell Sanders, age 79,died Carol Judith Carol Judith Chapman, age 55,age Carol Judith Chapman, Wayne Carden, 80, Harris Nell Griffin Jennings, Ara Bell D. Sanders, age55, 79, 1944, died June 4, 2022 11,83, 2022 born October 29, 1938, died age 83, died Tuesday, July 2, Ruth Gray Tuggle, age 95, born July 25, 1926, died born October 29, 1938, died age died Tuesday, July 2, born October 29, 1938, died born August 06, 1939, died July age 83, died Tuesday, July 2, born August 06, 1939, died July born August 06, 1939, died July born June 24, 1964, died Sunday, born June 24, 1964, died Sunday, born June 24, 1964, died Sunday, born October 29, 1938, died age 83, died Tuesday, July 2, born August 06, 1939, died July Debbie KayeJune Dewberry, age bornFriday, April2019 19,June Miller, age 2019 80, December 28,Stonecypher 2019 June 28,67, 2019 24, 2019 28, 2019 24, 2019 23, 24,born 2019 July 7, 2019 July 24, 7, 2019 July 2, 2022 July 7,Friday, 2019 Friday, Friday, June2019 28, 2019 2019 2019 1955, died June 8, 2022 1941, died June 23, 2022

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Thisone, summer Disney cruisers will enjoy not one, ThisDisney summer Disneywillcruisers willone, enjoyThis not This summer cruisers enjoy not Disney cruisers will one, butsummer two stops at Castaway Cay!enjoy Whatnot makes but attwoCastaway stops atCay! Castaway Cay! What makes but two stops What makes but two stops at Castaway Cay! What makes Castaway Cay so special? There are uniquely Castaway Cay soThere special? There are uniquely Castaway Cay so special? are uniquely Castaway so for special? There are ***Magical Vacation Planner isfor a professional Vacation is a***Magical professional designedCay areas kids, adults, anduniquely families! ***Magical***Magical Vacation Planner is aPlanner professional designed areas kids, adults, and families! designed areas for kids, adults, and families! Vacation Planner is a professional designed areas for kids, adults, and families! concierge service thatby provides thebike, ultimate Explore the island by bike, choose a new water concierge thattheprovides ultimate concierge service thatservice provides ultimatethe Explore the island by choose a new water Explore the island bike, choose a new water concierge service that provides the ultimate Explore the island by bike, choose awhite new sandy water S tarNewscustomer service experience / StarNews Online for guests adventure, soak up the sun on a customer service experience customer service experience for guests for guests adventure, uponthe sun on a whiteadventure, sandy adventure, soakexperience up thesoak sunfor a white sandy customer service guests soakand upso themuch sun on a white sandy island beach, more! Everything traveling to various Disney destinations, island beach, and so much more! Everything island beach, and so much more! Everything traveling to various Disney destinations, traveling to various Disney destinations, Carroll County Mental WGTC announces LOFCR: Local Option Disney Face Covering Requirement island beach, and so much more! Everything traveling to various destinations, you need for a perfect day at the beach is Health Advocates ask cruiseyou vacations, all-inclusive resorts. youand forday a perfect day at the is need need for a need perfect at the beach is beachyou cruise vacations, and all-inclusive resorts. all-inclusive resorts. cruise new and president the public to cruise help bevacations, www.starnewsgaonline.com for aanperfect thebuffet beachlunch! is vacations, and all-inclusive resorts. included, even all youday canateat their “missing link” included, an alleatyou can lunch! eat buffetincluded, lunch! even included, even an alleven you can buffet an all you can eat buffet lunch! Contact me for your FREE, to subscribe to StarNews, send $20Contact for meContact for your FREE, for yourmeFREE, Contact me for your FREE, no obligation quote no quote obligation quote FULL ONE YEAR subscription! no obligation no obligation quote ($10 for senior citizens) to:

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

NEWS REPORTING / NEWS RECAP / NEWS ANALYSIS

monthly traditional print publication

APRIL 11, 2021 • VOLUME 27 NUMBER 4

by Janice Daniel The Carroll County Mental Health Advocates will be hosting their 2nd annual community event “Miles for Mental Health - Running Over the Hurdles Together” 5K and 1-mile Fun Run on Saturday, May 15th, 2021, at the Greenbelt at Hobbs Farm, 1147 Rome Street, Carrollton, Georgia. Registration begins at 2:00 pm, Fun Run begins at 3:00 pm, and 5K Run begins at 4:00 pm. Proceeds will benefit the Carroll County Mental Health Advocate programs. Additional information can be obtained at the Carroll County Mental Health Advocates office at 306A Bradley Street, Carrollton, Georgia 30117, phone 770830-2048. The story of the CCMHA is one of true commitment to their mission. In 2008, then Carroll County Probate Court Judge, Betty Cason (now Mayor of Carrollton) brought together a group of concerned citizens for a con-

Dr. Julie Post will begin job April 16th from press release Dr. Julie Post, Vice President of Student Affairs at Gwinnett Technical College, has been selected at the next president of West Georgia Technical College (WGTC), as announced by Technical College System of Georgia Commissioner Greg Dozier. She will begin her duties at West Georgia Tech April 16, 2021. Pat Hannon has been interim president of West Georgia Tech since Dr. Scott Rule retired as President December 31, 2020. See WGTC NEW PRESIDENT page 8

daily local news

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Governor removes mask mandate, eliminates ban on large gatherings, reduces social distancing to 42 inches in some cases, moves mask wearing decision to the local levels Effective for time frame of April 1st through April 30th

eliminated (but “strongly encouraged” by the by Sue Horn On Thursday, April 1, 2021, Governor Brian governor) and replaced with a Local Option Face Kemp signed three executive orders, of which Covering Requirement (LOFCR) giving a city, one (temporarily) eliminates the year long CoVid county, or other government entity the authority large gatherings ban and any remaining to continue to impose the requirement of wearing sheltering-in-place for the time period April 8th a mask “when not able to maintain Social though April 30th. And although the mask wear- Distancing from non-cohabitating persons”. Social distancing has been reduced from 6 feet ing requirement has been (temporarily) eliminated at the state level, it was moved to a local to 3.5 feet (42 inches) of separation between level decision. Specifically, for the time period seating/parties at restaurants, bars, and movie April 1-30, 2021, the mask mandate has been See LOCAL OPTION FACE COVERING page 5

Gentry BeckyBecky Gentry STARNEWS

Travel Agent Travel Agent P.O. BOX 680 Carrollton, Ga 30112

Name Address

A scant 0.039% of Carroll County voters participated in SPLOST Referendum

Becky Gentry Gentry Becky Travel Agent Travel Agent

404-291-1187 404-291-1187 404-291-1187 404-291-1187 by Sue Horn The March 16, 2021 Carroll County SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) passed by an 81% margin with only 3,368 citizens participating. Of those,

85,888

Number of Carroll County citizens voted in the Nov. 2020 Election

3,368

b.gentry@magicalvacationplanner.com County commission approves b.gentry@magicalvacationplanner.com b.gentry@magicalvacationplanner.com b.gentry@magicalvacationplanner.com amendment increasing spending by $191,433 to match extra revenue See 0.039% VOTED page 19

Number of Carroll County citizens who voted in the March 2021 SPLOST Referendum

See FUNDRAISER page 7

Georgia Labor Department issued more in unemployment payments in last 12 months than prior 82 years

by Sue Horn At the 3:00 p.m. Thursday, April 1, 2021 Special Called Meeting of the Carroll County Board of Commissioners, an amendment was passed 6-0 (one commissioner was

Zip

1911-2019: $20.024 Billion paid 2020 alone: $20.218 Billion paid

from press release The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) recently surpassed a major milestone in the organization paying claimants more in the past 12 months than in all of the combined years that GDOL has been in existence. Georgians have received $20.218 billion in unemployment insurance (UI) See $20.218 BILLION page 27

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$10 Senior Citizen

Life going forward, and out of the pandemic As pandemic restrictions have eased (3.5 feet now for some social distancing/mask use encouraged but not mandated), civic clubs are returning to more normal functioning, including the Carrollton Kiwanis Club who recently hosted Carroll County’s fire chief Tim Padgett. See story page 6. Photo by Sue Horn

absent) to increase the budget by $191,433 to match increased revenues. Three categories received the bulk of the cash: $53,000 has been assigned to increased “salaries”; See $191,433 page 11

CoVID-19 statistics for Georgia and Carroll County one year: March 23, 2020- April 5, 2021 GEORGIA

As of APRIL 5, 2021: 856,340 total confirmed cases 16,749 total deaths Estimated state population: 10.6M

CARROLL COUNTY

As of APRIL 5, 2021: 7,271 total confirmed cases 129 total deaths Estimated county population: 122,000

Death total represents Death total represents 0.00158% of population 0.001% of population Source: Georgia Department of Public Health dph.georgia.gov/covid-19

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July 10, 2022 Page 25

Carroll County Department of Public Health

To view complete inspection details: dph.georgia.gov/environmental-health 6/17/2022: Burger King 690 Bankhead Hwy Carrollton 95 previous 100 tourist accomodation inspections scores 95 previous 99 6/14/2022: Firehouse Subs 1202 S Park St Carrollton 6/17/2022: Quality Inn 700 S Park St Carrollton 90 previous NA 95 previous 99 Violations: Clean mold, repair leaks, check ventilation fans to help control humidity, 6/03/2022: Kristi’s Southern Eats 422 Newnan St Carrollton and reduce mold spores. 95 previous 97 6/08/2022: Bella Coffee 1141 Bankhead Hwy Carrollton public swimming pool health inspections scores 6/02/2022: Atl Chicken 818 S Park St Carrollton 95 previous 95 6/01/2022: Western Inn 180 Centennial Rd Carrollton 100 Satisfactory 6/24/2022: Wright Way BBQ 1003 Alabama St Carrollton 95 previous 92 6/24/2022: Oakwood Mobile Home Park 1745 Bankhead Hwy Carrollton 100 Satisfactory 6/08/2022: Subway 419 Bankhead Hwy Carrollton 95 previous 85 6/02/2022: Elizabeth Village Mobile Home Park 1065 Alabama St Carrollton 99 Satisfactory 94 previous 97 6/13/2022: Jack’s 91 Hwy 27 S Bremen 98 Satisfactory 6/03/2022: West Woods 1321 Lovvorn Rd Carrollton 94 previous 95 6/09/2022: Zaxby’s 1195 Bankhead Hwy Carrollton 98 Satisfactory 6/23/2022: Magnolia Lake 717 Burns Rd Carrollton 6/07/2022: Pizza Hut 928 S Park St Carrollton 94 previous 94 97 Satisfactory 6/15/2022: Hampton Inn 102 S Cottage Hill Rd Carrollton 94 previous 94 6/24/2022: La Trattoria 120 Alabama St Carrollton 96 Satisfactory 6/07/2022: God’s Farm Tent Pool 284 Chalkley Rd Temple 6/22/2022: Kentucky Fried Chicken 575 Bankhead Hwy Carrollton 94 previous 94 95 Satisfactory 6/15/2022: Arbor Bend 200 Industrial Blvd Villa Rica 93 previous 95 6/07/2022: Marco’s Pizza 528 Newnan Rd Carrollton 6/10/2022: Holiday Inn Express 1545 Hwy 27 S Carrollton 95 Satisfactory 93 previous 94 80 Unsatisfactory 6/16/2022: Domino’s Pizza 821 Bankhead Hwy Carrollton 6/22/2022: Mayfair at Carrollton 92 previous 90 6/15/2022: La Gloria 550 Newnan Rd Carrollton Violations: Emergency phone not working; unable to connect to server. 6/15/2022: Holiday Inn Express 10 Cooley Way Villa Rica 75 Unsatisfactory 6/06/2022: Chopsticks Brothers 120 Cunningham Dr Carrollton 92 previous 87 Violations: Gates need to be self-closing. Emergency phone to be operable. 6/06/2022: AGW Ice Cream 201 Newnan Rd Carrollton 91 previous 95 Chlorine level to be within acceptable range 1-10. Weir doors missing. Someone 6/09/2022: Jimmy John’s 1213 Maple St Carrollton 91 previous 92 needs to be able to test chemicals twice daily, records, and adjust. 6/06/2022: Papa John’s 1182 Hwy 166 E Bowdon 91 previous 90 91 previous 85 6/08/2022: Dunkin Donuts 1202 S Park St Carrollton restaurant health inspections scores 90 previous 100 6/23/2022: Chip’s Burger Bar 301 Adamson Sq Carrollton 6/07/2022: Blue Nomad 1002 College St Bowdon 100 previous 100 90 previous 95 6/07/2022: Mrs. Nomad’s Sweets & Treats 1002 W College St Bowdon 100 previous 100 6/06/2022: Subway 112 Bowdon Center Bowdon 6/28/2022: Backyard Kitchen 130 Baker Industrial Ct Villa Rica 100 previous 100 6/23/2022: Marco’s Pizza 3066 Carrollton Villa Rica Hwy Carrollton 90 previous 90 100 previous 99 6/01/2022: Jerry’s Country Kitchen 328 Bankhead Hwy Carrollton 89 previous 87 6/06/2022: McGee’s Bakery 310 Longview St Carrollton 88 previous 89 6/24/2022: Heaven in Your Home 106 Adamson Sq Carrollton 100 previous NA 6/08/2022: Irish Bred Pub 210 Adamson Sq Carrollton 87 previous 90 6/07/2022: Local Ties Brewing Company 119 Bradley St Carrollton 100 previous NA 6/27/2022: Moe’s Southwest 1765 Hwy 27 S Carrollton 86 previous 100 6/08/2022: Brave Nutrition 1561 Hwy 27 S Carrollton 99 previous 97 6/28/2022: At The Scoop 64 Fairfield Rd Villa Rica 86 previous 94 6/13/2022: Domino’s Pizza 151 Hwy 27 N Bremen 99 previous 96 6/16/2022: Pizza Hut 664 W Bankhead Hwy Villa Rica 85 previous 98 99 previous 95 6/02/2022: Captain D’s 203 Cooley Rd Villa Rica 6/06/2022: Butter’d Udder 207 Adamson Sq Carrollton 85 previous 93 99 previous 95 6/02/2022: Hardee’s 161 Commerce Dr Villa Rica 6/06/2022: Planted Wasted 306 Adamson Sq Carrollton 84 previous NA 6/07/2022: Taco Bell 1690 Hwy 27 S Carrollton 98 previous 99 6/01/2022: Bojangles 102 W Perennial Dr Temple 83 previous 90 6/03/2022: McDonald’s 1101 S Park St Carrollton 98 previous 95 6/06/2022: Starbucks 1355 S Park St Carrollton 83 previous 86 98 previous 91 6/16/2022: Dominio’s Pizza 594 Hwy 61 Villa Rica 6/27/2022: Subway 1561 S Park St Carrollton 83 previous 86 98 previous 86 6/15/2022: Martin’s 612 Bankhead Hwy Carrollton 6/23/2022: American Pie Pizzeria 927 Maple St Carrollton 82 previous 91 6/02/2022: Bojangles 750 Hwy 61 Villa Rica 98 previous NA 6/02/2022: Waffle House 502 Hwy 61 Villa Rica 80 previous 94 6/15/2022: McDonald’s 2001 Alabama Ave Bremen 97 previous 100 6/28/2022: Dyson Seafood/Chicken 68 Fairfield Rd Villa Rica 6/15/2022: Butter’d Udder 205 David Blvd Bremen 6/09/2022: China/Sino Foods 1335 S Park St Carrollton 6/17/2022: Chick-fil-A 1156 Bankhead Hwy Carrollton 6/03/2022: McDonald’s 1303 Maple St Carrollton 6/28/2022: 4am Coffee Roasters 401 Maple St Carrollton 6/06/2022: Wendy’s 139 E College St Bowdon 6/23/2022: Subway 3960 Carrollton Villa Rica Hwy Carrollton 6/15/2022: Subway 120 Price Creek Rd Bremen 6/27/2022: Pelican’s Snoballs 401 Bankhead Hwy Carrollton

97 96 96 96 96 96 96 96 95

previous 97 previous 99 previous 97 previous 96 previous 96 previous 89 previous 87 previous 87 previous 100

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Violations: Mold build-up in ice chute at drive thru and shield on ice machine. Food and grease debris accumulated on equipment throughout facility. Multiple flies throughout facility. Contact pest control. 80 previous 86 6/28/2022: Steak and Shake 1460 Hwy 27 S Carrollton Violations: Prep top coolers holding TCS foods above 41F (raw burger 46F, cheese 47F, cookie dough topping 47F). Rusted shelving present in coolers and freezers. Leak present at prep top unit with drawers underneath. Heavy grease and debris build-up on equipment and under and around equipment. Ice build-up in reach in freezer and walk-in freezer.

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StarNews

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What to expect from a financial advisor

DERICK

NEWTON

FINANCIAL ADVISOR

If you know how important it is to invest for your future, but you’re unsure of the road to follow, you may want to get some guidance and direction from a financial professional. But if you’ve never worked with one before, what can you expect? Here are some things to look for: Assessment: A financial advisor will assess your current financial situation – assets, income, debts and so on – but that’s just the start. These days, advisors recognize the need to view their clients’ lives holistically. Consequently, you will see questions like this: What are your feelings about investing? How

would you judge your risk tolerance? What are your individual financial goals? What hopes and dreams do you have for your family? Recommendations: Only after fully understanding your needs, goals and preferences will a financial advisor recommend any investment moves. There are no “one-sizefits-all” solutions. You may want to steer clear of individuals claiming to be financial advisors who “guarantee” big returns with no risk. In the investment world, there are few guarantees, and every investment carries some type of risk. Communications: Financial professionals communicate with their clients in different ways, but you should always feel free to reach out to an advisor with any questions or concerns. Most financial advisors will want to meet with clients at least once a year, either in person or through an online platform, to

Carroll County marriage licenses

review their investment portfolios. During the review, the financial advisor will help you determine if any changes are needed. But financial advisors won’t wait a full year to contact clients to discuss a particular investment move that might need to be made. Also, depending on the firm you choose, you should be able to go online to review your portfolio at your convenience. Technology: A financial advisor can employ a variety of software programs to help clients. For example, a financial advisor can determine the rate of return you might need to attain specific goals, helping shape your investment strategy. But there are also a lot of “what ifs” in anyone’s life, so an advisor can use hypothetical illustrations to show you where you might end up if you take different paths, such as retiring earlier (or later) than you had planned or putting in more (or less) money toward a specific goal, such as educa-

JUNE 1-30, 2022

tion for your children. Anyone’s plans can change, so the ability to view different potential scenarios can prove valuable. Above all, a financial advisor can help you feel more confident as you pursue your goals. Among investors who work with a financial advisor, 84% said that doing so gave them a greater sense of comfort about their finances during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a survey conducted in 2020 by Age Wave and Edward Jones. And during times of market turbulence, such as we’ve experienced this year, a financial advisor can help you avoid overreacting to downturns. When unexpected events crop up, such as a lapse in employment, a financial advisor can suggest moves that may enable you to avoid major disruptions to your financial strategy. Conversely, when a new opportunity emerges, perhaps from an inheritance or some other windfall, your financial advisor can help you take advantage of it. Navigating the investment landscape can be challenging – but the journey can be a lot smoother if you’ve got the right guide. Derick Newton is financial advisor, 937B Maple Street, Carrollton, GA 770-832-9515

Carroll County pistol permits Number of Weapons Carry Permits applied for: JUNE 1-30, 2022: 149

Concerning Weapons Carry Permits: On April 12, 2022, Governor Brian Kemp signed into law the Georgia Constitutional Carry Senate Bill 319 and the License Reciprocity Measure House Bill 218 which now allows a lawful weapons carrier to carry a concealed weapon without a gun permit requirement. A background check is still required in order to purchase weapon - and the applicant must pass the background check - but a permit to carry is now longer required. Georgia is one of 24 states that now has Constitutional Carry which follows the intent of the Second Amendment of the Constitution allowing the right to bear arms.

Carroll County births June 1-30, 2022: Tanner Medical Center, Carrollton: Girls: 53 Boys: 47 Tanner Medical Center, Villa Rica:� Girls: 21 Boys: 26

Carroll County jail population

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

Total population as of JULY 1, 2022: 486 Males: 416 Females: 70

Carroll County prison population

Total population as of JULY 1, 2022: 237 Capacity: 246 Males: 100%

The Carroll County Correctional Institute is a separate entity from the Carroll County Jail (which houses males and females on a temporary basis)

Carroll County cattle receipts

- see marriage licenses continued on Page 23

Carroll County Sales Barn 225 Sales Barn Road, Carrollton June 13, 2022: 448 June 20, 2022: 321 June 27, 2022: 539

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StarNews

July 10, 2022 Page 27

Master Gardener’s “Buffalo Creek Fall Festival” scheduled for September 10th The Carroll County Master Gardeners will Buffalo Creek Trail by members of the Native be holding the Second Annual Buffalo Creek Plant Society. The Second Annual Buffalo Fall Festival Saturday, September 10, 2022. Creek Fall Festival will be held at the Carroll This year’s event features workshops and sto- County Agricultural Educational Center rytelling for children outside the old one-room located at 900 Newnan Road, Carrollton. schoolhouse, local food trucks, featured speakThe Ag-Ed Center is part of Buffalo Creek ers on gardening topics and over 70 vendors Outdoor Education Center which is a favorite inside and out and a petting zoo. of many Carroll County residents due to its 40 The Master Gardeners will be holding a acres with trails throughout. There are several plant sale and there will be guided tours of the habitats with running streams from the Buffalo JASON SWINDLE from page 19 innocent child. You cannot sugarcoat the proemployees’ expenses if they now have to travel cedure or the fact that a human is dead after a for abortion services. “successful” abortion. As expected, the Court’s three liberal jusAlso, the reasoning behind the Roe decision tices - Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and was a blatant violation of the separation of Elena Kagan issued a jointly authored dissent: powers. The Roe Court “created” a right that “Whatever the exact did not exist in the I am a Goldwater Republican who scope of the coming Constitution. A laws, one result of believes that the government should Constitutional today’s decision is cerleave our guns, money, homes, and Amendment is tain: the curtailment of needed to change the bodies alone. This ruling actually women’s rights, and of plain language in our empowers the federal government their status as free and Founding Document. at the expense of the people. equal citizens,” they 2. However, I am wrote. a Goldwater The government has more control As a result of over half of my fellow citizens than me Republican who Friday’s ruling, “from believes that the govbecause I am a man. the very moment of ernment should leave fertilization, a woman has no rights to speak of. our guns, money, homes, and bodies alone. A state can force her to bring a pregnancy to This ruling actually empowers the federal govterm, even at the steepest personal and familial ernment at the expense of the people. costs,” the liberal justices added. The government has more control over half Current House of Representatives Speaker of my fellow citizens than me because I am a Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, denounced the deci- man. sion, saying that a “Republican-controlled The bottom line is that if a woman wants to Supreme Court” has achieved that party’s abort her child, she can still legally do so. “dark and extreme goal of ripping away While there will be some travel cost, a women women’s right to make their own reproductive can travel to a state that will allow her to get an health decisions.” abortion. Since I was a boy, I have always struggled This decision does not “outlaw” abortion. It with the abortion issue for two reasons. just takes away a right that was never provided 1. I cannot stand the thought of killing an in the Constitution.

DUANE HACK from page 19 ministries whose fundamental purpose is to the foundation to protect all innocent human restore respect and effective legal protection for life, from earliest beginning through natural all innocent human life. Every human life is death - no exceptions.” sacred as we are created in the image of a perDavis continued, “By overturning Roe v. sonal benevolent God. All human life must be Wade, the Supreme Court has cleared the way respected and protected; therefore Georgia for Georgia to become a sanctuary state for all Right to Life and West Georgia Right to Life children in the womb. This is the pivotal oppor- adheres to a strict no exceptions policy regardtunity we’ve been praying and working for - to ing abortion, euthanasia, and assisted suicide. do everything in our power to protect hundreds GRTL/WGRTL has adopted Personhood as of thousands of innocent lives.” the most effective pro-life strategy for the A Personhood twenty-first cenEvery human life is sacred as we are Amendment added tury. Working in created in the image of a personal to the Georgia concert with dozbenevolent God. All human life must be ens of chapters Constitution would grant legal protecacross the state, respected and protected; therefore tions to every innoGeorgia Right to Life and West Georgia we educate our cent human life, grassroots pro-life Right to Life adheres to a strict no from earliest biocommunity, exceptions policy regarding abortion, logical beginning inform governeuthanasia, and assisted suicide. through natural ment officials of death. Such an pro-life policy, and amendment will end the senseless killing in provide resources to other non-governmental Georgia. It will provide protection, equal jus- organizations regarding “What is a person?” tice, and equal rights for all innocent human The year 2021 marked Georgia Right to life at any stage of development, level of Life’s Fiftieth Anniversary of defending the dependency, physical or mental ability, medical sanctity of human life in Georgia. West Georgia prognosis, manner of conception, contributions Right to Life; the local chapter of GRTL servto society, age, or race. ing Carroll, Douglas, Heard and Haralson GRTL President Ricardo Davis concludes: counties; has been in existence for more than “This unspeakable tragedy has gone on for far 20 years, participating and handing out huntoo long. This is our historic opportunity to dreds of thousands of Pro-Life information advance a Personhood Amendment in the State through church presentations, Stand for Life of Georgia to put an end to the scourge of elec- and March for Life functions, Educational tive abortions in this state-and shine a light to luncheons, Parade participations and Mission’s other states across the country and around the Conference throughout the 4 county region! world.” For more information on WGRTL, or to be Who is Georgia Right to Life / West Georgia an active participant in our local chapter, please Right to Life? Georgia Right to Life/West email Chapter President, Duane Hack @ Georgia Right to Life are Christian, non-profit Duanehack46@gmail.com

Creek. One can walk the trails and see wetland areas as well as upland hardwood and pine habitats. Lovely native shade plants can be seen along the trails as well as flora that grow in the sun. These pretty trails are maintained by the West Georgia Chapter of the Native Plant Society. The Carroll County Master Gardeners

also have their gorgeous demonstration gardens at the Ag Center Trailhead. The Forestry Commission has an old sawmill, grist mill and other buildings in the garden area as well. This is a free community event sponsored by the Carroll County Master Gardeners. www.carrollcountymastergardeners.com/eve nts/buffalo-creek-fall-festival

RIVER RAMBLES from page 20 separates science and poetry, so that I can make an offering which takes no sides or falls into constraining categories? That drifting westward bend in the Chattahoochee draws my eye endlessly and never disappoints. The river is most beckoning at the place where she disappears. Now that I know the curve is being shaped by her thalweg - that is to say, the deepest point in the riverbed - I’m compelled to contemplate the container where my life has come to flow. “To thine own

self be true,” wrote Shakespeare. The river reminds us that our most authentic path can only arise from the deepest part of our beings, whatever that is, each of us alone can know. It may be the part that reveals our tangled roots, letting loose the energy and insight of oncehidden places. For me, such authenticity manifests as living in wildness and simplicity. An elemental life eked by light, wood, and water, shaped by the steadfast company of an evolving river, teaching me how to flow within my chosen channel.

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