March 2023

“The Last Supper” Experience March 30th-April 27th at the Depot downtown Carrollton

The Carrollton Center for the Arts, downtown Carrollton, is bringing The Last Supper Experience to the Depot on Bradley, March 30 – April 27. A life-size reproduction of

See “THELASTSUPPER” page 23

Carroll County Extension Agent Paula Burke was guest speaker at Guardians of Liberty February meeting

“Give your farmer a hug”

story by Wayne J. Reynolds

Paula Burke, UGA Extension, Carroll County agent was guest speaker at the Tuesday, February 28, 2023 Guardians of Liberty meeting held at Uncooked on Main, downtown, Villa Rica. Burke, who is origi-

See PAULABURKE page 7

EASTER Messages 2023

- beginning page 8

“The Georgia Prenatal Equal Protection Act”- see Commentary page 18 Where are you eating this week? - see RestaurantInspection Scores page 26

527-acre McIntosh Reserve to expand by 429 acres through a $1.95M grant

2450 feet of frontage on Chattahoochee River; will preserve Creek Native American lands

from press release

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced the selection of

Georgia Centennial Farm application deadline: May 1st

from press release

Farms hold a central role in the heritage of our state, having formed the economic, cultural, and family foundation for generations of Georgians. Some farms have been continuously operating for over 100 years and deserve recognition for their historical importance. This year the Georgia Centennial Farm Program celebrates its 30th year of honoring the contributions of farm families throughout Georgia.

See CENTENNIAL FARMS page 23

the 2022-2023 Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program “Conserve Georgia” grants for conservation and outdoor recreation projects. In this first round of the process, the selections included McIntosh Reserve in Carroll County to receive a grant of $1,950,000 ($1.95M).

Carroll County plans to acquire a 429 acre tract to expand the existing McIntosh Reserve Park area by 81% which includes approximately 2,450 feet of frontage on the Chattahoochee River, and priority habitats. This acquisition will preserve historic Creek Native American lands, and enhance recreational opportunities including camping, hiking and paddling along the Chattahoochee River.

Carroll County Board of Commissioners approved $300,000 toward this acquisition and the Trust for Public Land also secured pri-

See McINTOSH RESERVE page 23

Commission board approves $201,318 to replace excavator destroyed by engine fire due to misuse

Employee did not follow specific instructions on proper use of excavator

story by Janice Daniel

Carroll County Board of Commissioners had their regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, February 7, 2023, with all commissioners and chairman present.

Danny Yates of Public Works presented a request for a new excavator to be purchased from Central Atlanta Tractor for a cost of

See $201,318 MISUSE page 27

Southwire casts first copper bar at new state of the art plant

Carrollton plant to become world’s largest continuous copper rod system

from press release

story and photo by Wayne J. Reynolds

The Holy Spirit (THS) Emergency Shelter’s mission is “To honor God, we serve and assist those who are experiencing homelessness and other critical needs by building bridges that lead to a more abundant life in Jesus Christ.”

Three of the THS Emergency Shelter volunteers: Cheryl Lankenau, Denise Swanson, and Laddie Carter

“The school systems, pre-COVID, identified 1200 children who were homeless,” said Denise Swanson of The Holy Spirir Emergency Shelter, a Resource Bridge. “And now, with the end of COVID assistance, we would think that number has increased more.”

“There are those who are considered sheltered, who are the unseen, and those who are unsheltered, who you may see walking on the side of the road,” explained THS volunteer

THEHOLYSPIRIT SHELTER page 25

On Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023, at 12:45 p.m. (EST), the first copper bar was cast at Southwire’s new, state-of-the-art Copper Rod Plant in Carrollton, Ga. This moment is a key milestone in the start-up of the largest and most sophisticated Southwire Continuous

See FIRSTCOPPERROD page 4

Southwire opens new space at The Battery in Atlanta

23,000 square feet of multi-purpose spaces

from press release Southwire Company celebrated the opening of its new hub in February at The Battery Atlanta in Cobb County adjacent to Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves. Approximately 200 team members, customers, partners and community leaders com-

See SOUTHWIRE page 17

First Baptist of Carrollton

The Holy Spirit Emergency Shelter volunteers work to help homeless have more abundant lives

MARCH 30APRIL 27 I DEPOT ON BRADLEY

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

For a limited time, come and expe rience

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

carrolltonarts.com/thelastsupper

Carrollton Edward Jones associates accept limited partnership offers: 18th offering in 100 year history

Derick T. Newton, Marie Couch, and Judy White accept limited partnerships

Derick T. Newton, an Edward Jones financial advisor in Carrollton, accepted an invitation to increase his current limited partnership holdings, while Marie Couch and Judy White, senior branch office administrators, accepted invitations to become limited partners in The Jones Financial Companies, L.L.L.P., company for the St. Louis-based financial services firm.

Edward Jones currently employs 50,000 associates throughout the United States and through its affiliate in Canada.

This is the firm’s 18th limited partnership offering in its 100year history.

Jones Financial Companies, L.L.L.P. was created in 1987 to enable the firm to expand into new business areas while allowing it to remain a partnership.

Jones Financial Companies, L.L.L.P. owns Edward D. Jones & Companies, L.L.L.P., which operates under the trade name Edward Jones, as well as other affiliates including the Edward Jones Trust Company, Olive Street

Rod (SCR®) system in the world. In 1963, the company patented SCR technology, which transformed the wire and cable industry. More than half of all copper rod in the world has passed through a SCR system in some capacity. 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.

“On December 9th, more than 40 years ago, my dad drove my siblings and I to the existing rod plant. The plant was completed, and we watched it start production that night,” said Lee Richards, Southwire board member and son of the company’s founder, Roy Richards, Sr., during the groundbreaking for the new facility. “My dad always believed that there was a more efficient way to make copper and aluminum rod, and the SCR system development was the result of this belief.”

Through cutting-edge technology and practices, the new rod plant will produce more copper rod than any other SCR® system, while encompassing a smaller environmental footprint.

In support of Southwire’s Carbon Zero initiative to achieve 100% carbon free energy for our operations by 2025, Southwire is partnering with Carroll EMC to utilize all renewable electricity for the facility.

More updates will be shared as the new plant comes online in the coming weeks. The facility plans to celebrate its official grand opening in mid-April.

Investment Advisors, LLC, Edward Jones SBL, LLC, and an international financial services subsidiary in Canada, Edward Jones (an Ontario limited partnership).

The firm’s nearly 19,000 financial advisors serve more than 8 million clients with a total of $1.6 trillion in client assets under care in 2022.

Edward Jones’ purpose is to “partner for positive impact to improve the lives of its clients and colleagues, and together, better our communities and society”. Our branch presence is in 68% of U.S. counties.

The Edward Jones website is at edwardjones.com, and its recruiting website is careers.edwardjones.com. Member SIPC.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Holy Week Schedule

Holy Thursday - April 6 Mass of the Lord’s Supper 7:00 pm

Holy Saturday – April 8

Catholic Church

Good Friday – April 7

Stations of the Cross 3:00 pm Service of the Passion 7:00 pm

Blessing of Easter Baskets 10:00 am

Great Easter Vigil: 8:30 pm

Easter Sunday Masses – April 9 8:30 am, 11:00 am (English) 1:15 pm (Spanish)

Fr. Gaurav Shroff, Pastor

Fr. James Akpan, Vicar

Phone: 770-832-8977

210 Old Center Point Rd. •Carrollton Ga 30117 (www.olphcc.org)

FIRST COPPER ROD from front page

Marie Couch

Judy White

Cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Omar Lattouf speaks on Tanner Health System’s open heart surgery program

Villa Rica MainStreet “Leadership Luncheon” series continues with this presentation

Wayne J. Reynolds

At the February meeting of the Villa Rica MainStreet’s “Leadership Luncheon”, cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Omar Lattouf was guest speaker. He has joined Tanner Heart Care, Tanner Heart & Vascular Specialists and the medical staff of Tanner Health System, where he will perform open-heart and chest surgery in the new program that launched in January.

Lattouf earned his medical degree from Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, completing his internship at Grady Hospital, a residency in general surgery at Emory University Hospital and a residency in cardiothoracic surgery and cardiac transplantation at Emory University af filiated hospitals. Dr. Lattouf has spent more than three decades performing openheart surgery and mentoring countless medical students, residents and fellows at Emory Healthcare. He remains on staff at Emory University School of Medicine as a professor of cardiothoracic surgery, where he is responsible for the online learning program for the university’s cardiothoracic surgery residents.

Dr. Lattouf began his presentation with this bit of humor, “I lived in Atlanta for four to five decades. I then went to the ‘Big Apple’ for three years. Upon returning, it was lunchtime, so I stopped at a Chick-fil-A where the lady behind the counter said, ‘Honey, how can I help you?’ Lord, thank you so much, I said to myself! I haven’t heard a greeting like that in three years. It is wonderful to be back in Georgia. People are kind, courteous, and genuine. People care about one another.”

says he has not seen elsewhere. Also, experienced staff has also been brought in as well to deliver state of the art care.

His first surgery was a complex bypass surgery that, he said, most centers would not have performed. He congratulated the great

A Message from your Tax Commissioner

Carroll County offers several exemptions if you own and occupy your home. Exemptions lowers your tax bill.

S1 “Regular Homestead” allows $4,000 off the value of your homestead property (county and school)

S3 Must be 62 with a total net income of less than $10,000. This exemptions allows an additional $6,000 off of the school portion of your bill.

S4 Must be 65 to receive $8,000 off your county portion and could be total school tax exempt on the homestead dwelling only.

S5, SD SS These are military exemptions and values change each year.

You can read more about exemptions or find out if you qualify on the tax assessor’s website at https://qpublic.net/ga/carroll/ We are glad to answer questions in my office also.

Vickie Bearden

team, the great people. He mentioned head nurse Nancy Harris as a “leader of leaders”.

“She has trained so many of the nurses,” he continued. “She is something else! Everyone looks up to her.”

When Dr. Lattouf arrived at Tanner HeathSystems, Carrollton, he. . . remarked that he felt there is something special here. He said, “Everyone I met from colleagues, nurses, even the business office, they felt Tanner was their home and they acted as if they owned the hospital.”

Dr. Lattouf suggested that if you are experiencing chest pains or shortness of breath, to see a doctor. He said that the team can treat patients with medication, stents, and if necessary, surgery such as bypass. He added that after bypass sur gery, most patients typically return to their regular life after four to five weeks. And as with most medical problems, early detection and treatment is key to a better and quicker recovery.

Carroll County Tax Commissioner 423 College Street Carrollton, Georgia 30117 770-830-5843

The Blue Group

When Dr. Lattouf arrived at Tanner Heath Systems, Carrollton, he met a variety of staff and remarked that he felt there is something special here. He said, “Everyone I met from colleagues, nurses, even the business office, they felt Tanner was their home and they acted as if they owned the hospital.”

He relayed that after he and staff had performed five open heart surgeries and some other general surgeries, the anesthesiologist said that “between me and my father we know all the people we operated on. They are members of my community.”

Dr. Lattouf commented, “It is quite different here, everyone cares for one another! The patients know us.”

He said that Loy Howard, president/ CEO of Tanner Health Systems, had wanted to bring open heart surgery to Tanner for more than twenty years - and he made it happen. Tanner partnered with Emory to make it a reality.

“I have worked with Emory for almost five decades and I know they are committed to excellence.”

He went on to say Howard and the Board of Directors made the “fabulous investment” in two state of the art operating room suites with equipment and technology that Dr. Lattouf

Dr. Lattouf finished his presentation with the following story. In 1985, there was a local girl who needed a heart transplant. A match was found in Phoenix Arizona. The problem was that, back in those days, they only had about a 3 1/2 to 4 hour window to perform the operation, and the flight alone would take 3 1/2 hours to just get to the hospital. So that heart choice could not work Dr. Lattouf said they called the United States Air Force. USAF sent two F-16s to retreve and deliver that heart! And it was done in 90 minutes.

“That is what is so great about our society. That girl was not the daughter of a king or prince, just an ordinary girl who was going to die. That is what is so great about our country, rich or poor, we take care of our own!” he exclaimed.

For more information go to Tanner.org

The Villa Rica MainStreet “Leadership Luncheon” series brings together executives, entrepreneurs, educational leaders and innovators from throughout the region to discuss trends, challenges and opportunities facing their respective fields. The “Leadership Luncheon” series is held bi-monthly on the second Wednesday from 11:30 am in Villa Rica. These luncheons are open to the public. To purchase tickets, or for more information on upcoming speakers: www.villarica.org

story and photo by

Dr. Omar Lattouf, cardiothoracic surgeon, Tanner Heart Care

story by Wayne J. Renolds

“End of Life Doula”. Kim Poer of Grace Transitions and Villa Rica resident, is an end of life doula.

“An End of Life doula [pronounced DUlah] is a trained professional who provides physical, emotional, and spiritual support to individuals and their family who are approaching the end of life,” Kim explained.

The word doula is an ancient Greek term that translates as “a woman who serves”.

Kim said, “We work along hospice and palliative teams to enhance the quality of life for the dying and their loved ones. We assist in planning and coordinating end of life care, providing guidance in navigating the healthcare system, and offer emotional support to the patient and their family.

of any length or on any topic to express a story or memory to a recipient - a welcome to a new grandchild, blessing to a sibling, or an apology to an estranged friend. I might type up a book of Mom’s recipes.

they no longer need to be fed.”

Hospice is covered 100% by Medicare and covered by most Medicaid and commercial insurance plans. Kim and other doulas are private pay, but in some instances, may be paid from families under long term disability.

For more information: gracetransitions.org, email her Kim.poer@gracetransitions.org, or call 770-364-4600.

As of July 31 2020, according to nextavenue.org, there are about 800 end of life doulas in the United States.

Kim Poer

Or a family tree of the family’s finger prints. One gentleman arranged so a birthday card was sent for five future years to a grandchild. I might organize a tea party for the family during the dying process.”

End of Life Doula

“I have been doing this full time for the past year and typically have two or three patients at one time. Each patient’s care is unique for them and their families’ needs offering a range of services.”

Kim says, “There are many things in life that are out of our hands. This Five Wishes

Poer became interested in this profession after her experience with her husband. He started demonstrating odd behaviors in September 2012. As the behavior worsened, he was diagnosed with dementia. Eventually, his symptoms reached a point that Kim was forced to put him in a care facility. He had improved some when Kim called in hospice, but he passed away in May 2015.

Her hospice coordinator asked if she would volunteer for some activities, which Kim did. She increased her activities over the next four to five years. She was then hired as activities director at one care facility where she worked for two years, and then was a volunteer director at a hospice company where her interest in End of Life doula practices began. The hospice company was not interested in her being a doula, so Kim went to school to be a doula and started her own company - Grace Transitions.

“Let me say that hospice and palliative care teams do great work. But, they are limited by their caseload and by the restrictions the government puts on them.

“I am under no such restrictions, so I can offer care that they can’t. For example, suppose Mom is here in a care facility, but you live in another state? Who is getting Mom’s mail or checking on the house?” Kim asked.

Kim offered this all too common scenario: “Mom lives by herself in a nice home, but maybe in a rural setting. She falls, no one knows, and no one is there to help. Eventually, a neighbor finds her and Mom is taken to the hospital. Her only child lives in California and flies in immediately. But, he can’t stay here forever and has to fly back. Things still have to be taken care of. That is where a person like me can fill in. Some variation of this scenario fits so many of my patients.”

A doula provides for three basic types of activities. One: Legacy. “I offer a variety of suggestions for the patient and their family to prepare for the end of life. For example, letters

The second activit: the Vigil. Kim stays with the dying person and the family continuously, using visualization, music, and prayer to help calm everyone and to let go more easily.

Kim said, “The third and final step is the funeral and grief services. Hopefully, I have helped the family pre-plan all the details. There are a variety of services to assist the patient and the family that I can help them with. I am there as long as they need me.”

Kim also suggests filling out a document called “Five Wishes”. End of Life Doula Kim says, “There are many things in life that are out of our hands. This Five Wishes document gives you a way to control something very important: how you are treated if you get seriously ill. Once it is properly signed, it is valid under the laws in most states.” It is valid in Georgia and 41 other states, but not Alabama.

It covers wishes: who makes care decisions when you can’t; the kind of medical treatment you want or don’t want; how comfortable you want to be; how you want people to treat you; and what you want loved ones to know.

“My main purpose is to relieve families of confusion, pain, and guilt. There is a part of the dying process where the patient’s body is shutting down and they no longer need to be fed, but that is difficult for the family to understand, which I try to explain to them on why

document gives you a way to control something very important: how you are treated if you get seriously ill. Once it is properly signed, it is valid under the laws in most states.” .

main purpose is to relieve families of confusion, pain, and guilt.

PAULABURKE from front page nally from upstate New York, has been an Extension agent for 27 years with 11 of those years in Carroll County.

Burke said, “Every county in Georgia has an extension office, but not every county has an ag agent. The extension service has been around for over 100 years and is connected to a land grant university - in our case, the University of Georgia. We share research-based information with the community. We have three departments: Agriculture and Natural Resources, Family and Consumer Services, and 4H Youth Development. We have an agent for each of the three departments. We are supported by both Carroll County and the University of Georgia. Our office is located in the Ag-Ed Center in Carrollton. We serve people from age 6 to 99!”

Speaking on the Family and Consumer Services, Burke said many of us in the “old days” might think of this as Home Economics. Victoria Presnal is the agent for Carroll County, and her job duties may be described as taking care of the inside of the home. She oversees the eduation of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). She handles food preservation like canning classes, shopping on a budget, and the Walk-A-Weight Program. With SNAP she travels to area senior centers and housing authorities to provides classes on how to cook more nutritionally. She also is involved with yoga in the park which she does in conjunction with the county parks. Presnal offers a variety of classes throughout the year.

The 4H program is also part of the extension office. Rebekah Claar heads the program with assistance from Natalie Moncus. Krystal Zenefski is their AmeriCorp member (AmeriCorp is like the Peace Corp, but in the United States) and through a federal grant allows Zenefski to work with 4H here. The team goes into the schools to hold meetings.

Burke said, “Last year we hosted 17 meetings a month, but this year we are holding 40 to 60 club meetings a month. We are in almost every school in the county school system touching over one thousand fourth, fifth, and sixth graders. Dr. Albertus, superintendent of the Carrollton City Schools invited us into all his schools as well.”

They cover topics such as Public Speaking, Science, Judging Teams, Shooting Sports, Critical Thinking, Summer Camp, Leadership, and Community Service. Burke said with a laugh, “Summer camp is serious business in 4H! Agents are required to have kids at camp. There are four or five camps across the state. We also host Heritage Days - a two day event which is free for third graders teaching about our cultural history. It is fantastic!”

Burke handles the Ag and Natural Resources department with assistance from Sheena Gay. “Did you know that Carroll County has the most farms in Georgia? 867 farms averaging 95 acres for a total 85,249 acres according to the last census, and for a farm gate value of 127 million dollars. We grow a little corn and soybeans, but our fields are primarily pastures for livestock.

“Sheena and I focus our programming on providing unbiased research education, information, and resources. We host a number of events for our farmers including an Ag Career Expo, Master Cattlemen, and the SEED program. One of the classes, for example, is ‘I want to grow livestock’. We want to make sure people understand what is involved and what they are getting into.”

Last year, the extension sent off 533 soil samples for testing. This year, Burke said, it will far exceed that number with over 200 samples sent off just last month. She suggests, if you wish to have your soil tested, to collect samples from different areas of the yard, filling

maybe a sandwich bag and bringing it to the Ag-Ed Center. She asks that you include what you are going to grow - grass, fruit, vegetables, etc. She also suggests trying to think six months out. Testing and treatment now would benefit fall growing. Typically, they send off samples for testing once a week and it takes about a week to get back.

Master Gardeners is another program of volunteers. “It is almost a college level class,” she said, “Last year, this group did the work of four full time employees. Sixty-five people volunteered in 2002.”

Burke also highly recommends attending their plant sale the day before Mother’s Day. She encourages people to shop with local farmers, local farm stands, and asking local restaurants to carry more food from area farms.She also suggested eating what is in season for fresh or stored fruits and vegetables. She suggested attending the local farmers markets in Carrollton and Villa Rica.

Supply chain problems included the high price of fertilizer, long lead times for meat processing now up to a year in advance, fuel prices, and, of course, the avian influenza virus that killed chickens, which she said was a cause for egg prices to skyrocket.

“We pay less for food than virtually any other country in the world. Give your farmer a hug!” she said in conclusion.

UGA Extension Carroll County 900 Newnan Road, Carrollton. carroll.extension@uga.edu 770-836-8546. The most up-to-date way to know what classes are open is to follow their Facebook page. They post weekly all of their programs and events there. If folks are interested specifically in ag related events, they can email Paula Burke at pjburke@uga.edu and ask to be added to her Ag-Ed email newsletter called the Farmer’s Feed.

Do this in His memory

and spreading it on the door post.

Derick T. Newton PASTOR

Last Shall Be First Ministries of Villa Rica

113 Commons Way Suite 305

Villa Rica, Georgia 30180

Services: Fridays 7:30 p.m. / streaming

live on Facebook

Every year about this time, many Christians celebrate the season that they call Easter. The origin of this celebration goes back many centuries and is remembered through many various customs such as Easter Egg Hunts, new clothes for children, and additional ceremonies. Others will start the season with remembering Palm Sunday and what is called the triumphant entry into Holy Week which concludes with the Crucifixion of Christ with His Ultimate Resurrection from death to life.

We can search scriptures such as Mark 14 and see that Christ Himself was celebrating the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This was one of three major festivals that believers like Christ and others celebrated in His day by making a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to celebrate. This particular feast was done in remembrance of the pilgrimage that the Israelites made out of Egypt and were delivered from Pharoah as well as the Death Angel by the shedding of blood of the Lamb

To reflect on the meaning of the season, remember first that Christ gave new meaning of the Passover meal. We now celebrate the Seder meal in our new way In Remembrance of Christ being our Passover Lamb. God with us (Emmanuel) who because our sacrificial Lamb who by faith will become the propitiation for our sin. Let’s remember other actions for the season. Remember that Christ took the time to break bread and worship with His friends including one He knew would betray Him. But, He still broke bread and rejoiced. Remember to love your family and friends including those who might be difficult to forgive as well as those who have caused you dread.

. . . oftentimes, we need to endure tribulation to be transformed into a greater version of ourselves.

persecuted and transported to be crucified, one of His dearest friends named Peter disassociated himself apart from Christ. Peter cursed and said, “I don’t know the man”. Always remember that you and I will endure seasons of trials and tribulation that will cause people to separate from us. Don’t allow yourself to be bitter. Go higher in your love for your friends and associates. Be ready to reconnect because, oftentimes, we need to endure tribulation to be transformed into a greater version of ourselves.

Many times our friendships keep us from praying for clarity as we seek answers from those who have not any relatable knowledge

of what we are enduring.

Lastly, Christ died knowing that He gave His life for all to become a ransom for many. His ultimate sacrifice to take victory over the grave and over death itself. To truly carry our cross, remember that our goal is to pay forward a price that many will not understand and other will benefit from what we do. This is the agape love that we demonstrate in remembrance of Him.

Remember that your children will not understand until they have their own. Remember those you impact will not fully know until your legacy is complete. Remember that the love you share is normal to those who receive it and they fully don’t appreciate it until you can’t share it further.

Let’s live and love in His Memory in such a way that we too cannot be forgotten.

Remember during this season, many who called out “Hosanna” were the same who shouted out “Crucify Him”. When people turn on you, remember to pray for them sincerely. It is one of the most challenging activities.

Remember that Christ, the Head of the Church, was also being destroyed by the leaders of the very church He came to redeem. He suffered in silence to bring greater redemption for the world. Remember that our political leaders, our spiritual leaders, even our boss at work are imperfect people. God always has a bigger plan in process than the plan we think is unfolding… Trust the plan and process of GOD anyhow. We are very temporal in our view of life and all of its happenings however God always has a ram in the bush. Remember that as Christ was being

State Senator Mike Dugan

When faith becomes personal

When I was fifteen years old I was confronted with the gospel of Jesus. I accepted Jesus as my personal savior! That next Easter was extremely different.

Justin Richards SENIOR PASTOR

Bowdon Baptist Church

205 Mill Street, Bowdon, GA 30108

www.bowdonbaptist.org

It’s amazing how things change over time! When I was a young person growing up in Villa Rica, Easter was a part of my life, but I honestly couldn’t tell you why. I remember that we would go to the First United Methodist Church every year. My entire family would show up for that one service. The rest of the year we never really talked about church or Jesus or religion for that matter.

I just knew that I would get a new outfit in some pastel color combination (that might explain my love for pastel colors at Easter to this day).

We would stand outside the church to get family pictures made. We would ride to my aunt’s house and get our picture made in front of her azalea bushes. We would ride to my grandmother’s and eat a meal and hunt eggs. As a child, that was what Easter was.

I remember looking at some old pictures with my family and in my teenage years I wasn’t in those pictures at the Methodist Church. I wasn’t in those pictures at my aunt’s house. I began to realize it was because I was at my church worshiping with my church family at Fullerville Baptist Church where I had accepted Jesus and was now serving.

Times had changed. My faith had become personal. Easter was different!

In 1999, I was called to be the pastor at Tyus Baptist Church. Easter changed for me yet again. Now I was the one leading the worship service. I was the one making decisions for an entire congregation of believers.

My prayer for you is that you will know the reason behind Easter. You will understand that there is a God Who knows you personally, that you will know that He loves you so much. . . that the reason we celebrate Easter is that Jesus was resurrected from the dead for you!

I was worshiping the One Who had suffered, bled, died, and was resurrected for mankind. I had the honor of proclaiming Easter to my church family.

Easter becomes more meaningful and rich each passing year.

Now I stand before the church family of Bowdon Baptist Church. I now have six children. We still carry on some of the wonderful traditions that were established by my family. We still get together at my family’s home place for a meal together. I

still get a new pastel colored something, a coat, a tie, some socks, or my wife’s favorite….my “bowling shoes” (you can only imagine what those look like). We still take pictures outside of the church after the service. The change though is the reason why.

Early on, there is no doubt it was merely tradition. It was what we did. Now times have changed. We celebrate a risen Savior Who paid the penalty for our sins.

My prayer for you is that you will know the reason behind Easter. You will understand that there is a God Who knows you personally. You will know that He loves you so much, that He sent His Son Jesus to live and die for you., that you will know that the reason we celebrate Easter is that Jesus was resurrected from the dead for you. The

traditions are great, but when you understand why, that is when the real change will take place. For me it was as a fifteen year old boy. Has anything like that ever happened to you? When it does, you will see these changes in your life!

Happy Easter from the Bowdon Baptist Church Family!

I hope you can join us at Bowdon Baptist Church each Sunday as we investigate the powerful truths that the Lord provides for us in His word. If you can’t join us in person, check us out online at bowdonbaptist.org, Facebook, or YouTube. You can even download the Bowdon Baptist Church App through any of the app stores and join us as we celebrate the work of reconciliation that Jesus has provided for us!

Smith Brothers

Do you believe it?

Catalyst Church

Ben Bonner LEAD PASTOR

1103 N Hwy 113, Carrollton, GA 30117

678-664-1237

ben@iamcatalyst.net

Sunday service 11:00 a.m.

Jesus knew He was gonna die, but He also knew He wouldn’t stay dead. Jesus said, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies. He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead” (Matthew 17:22-23).

Jesus trusted the Father completely. The Scripture teaches us that the same spirit and power that raised Jesus lives in us (Romans 8:11). We preach that and we post that. Most churches double their attendance on Easter to celebrate that, but do you believe it? If you believe this, it changes everything, every day, every season - good, bad and in-between. Do you believe it when you get the diagnosis, the bad news, or when you have to say goodbye too soon and it makes no sense?

Jesus told Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying” (John 11:25-26). Do we believe that or is it just something we say to make ourselves feel better or to make somebody else feel better?

Do you believe that “All things work together for good” (Romans 8:28) and “That our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18)? Do you believe that “The Lord is your shepherd and you lack nothing” when you’re short in the bank account, on your test scores, get cut from the team, or rejected for the job? Do you take Him at His Word that He can open doors no man can close and supply all your needs according to His glorious riches (Revelation 3:8) and (Philippians 4:19)?

Most churches double their attendance on Easter to celebrate that, but do you believe it? If you believe this, it changes everything, every day, every season - good, bad and in-between. . . This is trusting God with your hurt, your scars, and your trauma.

You’ve made mistakes, but do you believe that “There is now no condemnation for those in Christ,” and that you’re a child of God who is “Fearfully and Wonderfully made” (Romans 8:1) and (Psalm 139:14). No matter what happens, doesn’t happen, or how long it takes, do you remain faithful and “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people”? (Colossians). Don’t undermine or fight for attention or acknowledgement from a man, a woman, your parents, your employer, or even your pastor.

Forgive and move forward. Jesus, hanging on the cross, dying slowly while being taunted, cried out, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). He was unguarded and unaggressive toward those who hated Him. This is surrender. This is trusting God with your

hurt, your scars and your trauma. You don’t carry last season’s pain into the next season, the next marriage, or the next job. You don’t project it on your family, friends, people who hurt you, don’t see it like you, or just don’t like you. Jesus said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). Give up your way, your ego, your pride, and your anger. Walk by faith every day, every decision, every disappointment, every win, every loss, every mistake and every tragedy. God is bigger than your past, your present, and your future.

Do you believe that God can raise the dead to life in every area of your life? The angels asked the women at the empty tomb: “Why are you looking for the living among the dead?” (Luke 24:5). They had brought spices for His body and they came to mourn. They didn’t believe it.

Peter wrote this to all of us: “You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy” (1 Peter? ?1?:?8?). ?Jesus promised us: “Blessed are those who believe without seeing me”(??John? ?20?:?29?).

One of my favorite Easter song lyrics goes like this: “The resurrected King is resurrecting me.” God wants to raise some things to life in you today, not just one day, “Here as in Heaven,” and Jesus is asking you the same question He asked Martha: Do you believe it?

Roy’s Tires

DOUGLASVILLE

Grace-filled worship

Luke Milam Doctorate of Theology

New Creations Ministry

newcreationusa.org

I was recently asked the question, “What does worship mean to you?” I had to take a step back when I heard the question. The reason it threw me off is because it is the wrong question. The question should have been, “What is worship?”

According to Bible Hub, worship literally means “to go down on knees, in reverence, to worship.” The most humble position is to bow down at the feet of someone.

Philippians 2:7 says, “Let this mind be in you which is also in Christ Jesus.” People tend to think about what they believe. They believe in what they worship.

God has called us to worship in all of life, not just in church, youth group, or just during the music time of church. God has not called us to segregate our worship to just a few small areas. We are called to “rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice (Philippians 4:4).” In the good times and bad, worship must happen.

one of the thieves as His own. No one would have blamed Him if He had just rested and focused on His pain. His purpose was much bigger than His pain. Jesus also gave one of the most heartfelt prayers that I have read. “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34).” What kind of insanity is this!? He is bleeding to death. He has been brutally beaten. He has a crown of thorns pressing into His head. In this state of mind, He makes a conscious effort to forgive the people who sent Him to the cross. This is truly humbling. Someone cuts me off with their car. Someone borrows something and doesn’t return it. A child doesn’t clean their room. We have a refrigerator and pantry full of food, but not the food that we want. Whatever it may be, it seems to be the smallest things that set us off.

Whatever the outcome, God has not changed. God raises up kings, and He brings kings down. He calms the seas. He changed water into wine. He healed so many people. He fed 5,000 people with a small snack that a boy brought with him. He allowed the children of Israel to cross on dry land. Three men survived a fiery furnace. Over and over again, there is testimony of God’s goodness and grace, even through adversity.

Several weeks ago, I found out that I have a tumor in my right eye. We are not sure if it is cancerous or not. Still working on that. Whatever the outcome, God has not changed. God raises up kings, and He brings kings down. He calms the seas. He changed water into wine. He healed so many people. He fed 5,000 people with a small snack that a boy brought with him. He allowed the children of Israel to cross on dry land. Three men survived a fiery furnace. Over and over again, there is testimony of God’s goodness and grace, even through adversity.

One thing that many people struggle to see is the worship that takes place on Calvary. Jesus is hanging on the cross, and He adopts

We get focused on our earthly desires instead of our heavenly purpose.

A few verses down in Philippians 4 it says that we have a peace that passes all understanding. How can we have a peace and a joy in the middle of trials? We live for eternity. . . not for ourselves.

God, in human form

(John 1:14), laid himself down as the permanent sacrifice. There is no one who can save themselves (Romans 3:10-18). But, God through His grace and mercy, gave us the only way to salvation.

That fact that I am able to sit and write this article is because of God’s grace. It has nothing to with me. We all experience God’s universal grace every single day through rain, sunshine, etc. (Matthew 5:45). As a junior in high school, God showed me His outrageous saving grace to me. It is because of this outrageous grace that I am able to praise God, even when I have a tumor in my right eye. It is because of His grace, that Jesus was able to save the thief on the cross, and offer forgiveness to the soldiers and the crowd.

As we celebrate Easter this year, let’s prayerfully worship Jesus because of His outrageous grace.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

Going forward

Cedrick J. Duncan PASTOR

First Baptist Church of Carrollton

563 Old Bremen Road,Carrollton, GA

770-836-0221

FBC-Carrollton.com

Exodus 14:15 “Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why do you cry out to me? Tell the Israelites to go forward.”

In an act of courage, approximately eight years after the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution, formerly enslaved people united to worship God together in their own space.

As many of us stand at our Red Sea moments, these people stood at a point in time and a place in history of uncertainty. For years, all they knew was one way of life. For generations, they knew how to wear Paul Laurence Dunbar’s mask. For countless Sundays, they sang and prayed to the God who delivered the people of Israel.

In the year 1873, these fearless believers would face a day of reckoning, although they did not have a separatist pastor like John Smyth. It is not known if they knew the trailblazers Roger Williams and John Clarke. Their actions during this pivotal moment makes one consider if they heard of Thomas Helwys’ advocacy of religious liberty. I think

their theology was based on Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart.” Their theology and faith was based on Daniel 3:17, “Our God, whom we serve is able.”

Their theology was based on Psalm 23, “The Lord is my shepherd.” Their theology was based on 2 Corinthians 5:7, “For we walk by faith and not by sight.” In their pivotal decision making moment, they decided to go forward!

In the Biblical narrative, some made the argument to go back or why did you bring us here? They said to Moses, we could have remained in Egypt and served the Egyptians. Staying in Egypt was familiar. The people faced crossing over to an uncertain, unknown, and unchartered life.

you want to go to that land?” and “Guide me o thou Great Jehovah.”

Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart.” . . .Daniel 3:17, “Our God, whom we serve is able.” . . . Psalm 23, “The Lord is my shepherd.” Their theology was based on 2 Corinthians 5:7, “For we walk by faith and not by sight.” In their pivotal decision making moment, they decided to go forward!

Even though the poem was written two years later in 1875, they would prove to be the exemplar of Ernest Henley’s poem “Invictus.” Without names and few records, a people had the audacity to take hold of faith and courage and decided to go forward. In their going forward, it was without an edifice with pews, a lectern, or a roof. Their sanctuary was a brush harbor or hush harbor. This uncultivated terrain would be a common meeting place for preaching, praying, shouting, and singing praises to God.

Their going forward allowed them the freedom to tell their own stories of God delivering and healing.

going forward allowed them to explore business entrepreneurship. Their going forward allowed them to establish their own economy.

In 1873, a body of Baptized believers went forward with a selfless act of faith. Dr. Benjamin E. Mayes would often quote a poem titled, “God’s Minute.” This collective witness of believers in Christ took time to think of more than just themselves. They took a moment to have faith, and it has lasted for 150 years. They took a minute to have a courageous conversation. After 150 years, we are still talking. They took a minute and stepped out on faith.

Now, 150 years later, we are still walking up the king’s highway. They took a minute to consider the generations after them.

Now, 150 years later, we say to them Thank you.

The Biblical narrative moves from the people to Moses. Moses delivers a message that says, “Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the Lord will accomplish for you today.”

The people spoke, Moses spoke, and now God speaks. The Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry out to Me? Tell the Israelites to go forward.”

In the year 1873, that is what the people heard God say to them. “Go Forward.” Without chaos or confusion, they went forward. Carrying the same name, they went forward in love, forgiveness, peace, patience, and joy. They went forward singing, “Don’t

Their going forward created a space for them to create a community based on the Decalogue.

Their going forward provided an opportunity for a healthy relationship with God and humanity. Their going forward allowed them the freedom to express themselves in their praise and worship to God.

Their going forward secured Bible freedom, Soul freedom, Church freedom, and Religious freedom. Their going forward was an opportunity for their children to receive a formal education. Their going forward was a means to establish an economic base. Their

After 150 years, we still seek what Howard Thurman would call “Common Ground.” First Baptist Church of Carrollton has a firm foundation. During a time of uncertainty, our founders launched out into the deep.

The effort and plight of the founders of First Baptist Church of Carrollton are embodied in the following poem by Minnie Louise Haskins: ‘And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year: ‘Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.’

And he replied: ‘Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.’

So I went forth, and finding the Hand of God, trod gladly into the night. And He led me towards the hills and the breaking of day in the lone East.

On a hill, far away

John Lemmings PASTOR

Journey Fellowship Baptist Church

409 Center Point Road

Bremen, GA 30110

770-537-2300

www.journeyfbc.com

johnlemmings316@gmail.com

There is an old church hymn that I love to sing called, “The Old Rugged Cross.” The popular hymn was written in 1912 by American evangelist George Bennard. The lyrics are very powerful and tell the gospel story of Jesus Christ giving His life on Calvary’s Hill. Some of the lyrics are:

“On a hill far away, stood an old rugged cross.

The emblem of suffering and shame.

And I love that old cross where the dearest and best.

For a world of lost sinners was slain.”

The Gospel writer, Mark, calls this hill Golgotha, the place of a skull in Mark 15:22. It is through the death, burial, and resurrection that this world can have hope.

We live in a world of ruins. All around us is death and destruction, crime and pornography, alcohol and drugs, war and famine. There is hope, and that hope lies in the cross of Calvary.

The Cross was a method of execution and Jesus was crucified on a hill called Calvary. The cross is a place of substitution. Jesus Christ loves us and even though you and I have sinned, Jesus took our place on the cross and died for our sins. Jesus is the only One who could satisfy God’s righteous demands of perfection because of His virgin birth. He did not have Adam’s blood running through His veins. Jesus Christ is the virgin born Son of God.

We live in a world of ruins. All around us is death and destruction, crime and pornography, alcohol and drugs, war and famine. There is hope, and that hope lies in the cross of Calvary. . . Jesus is alive, the tomb is empty, and you can give your life to Christ today and have eternal life.

the tomb is empty, and you can give your life to Christ today and have eternal life. The chorus to “The Old Rugged Cross”: “And I’ll cherish the old rugged cross Till my trophies at last I lay down And I will cling to the old rugged cross And exchange it some day for a crown”

adults asked him to try and remember what was near his home. The little boy remembered that near his home was a large church and on top of that church was a cross. He told the policeman and teacher, “If you can take me to the cross, then I can find my way home.”

Jesus said in John 14:6, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man goes to the Father but through me.” Turn your eyes upon Jesus today!

The cross is a place of suffering. Our Savior suffered scourging. This means that He was beaten beyond recognition. He suffered mockery. This means that people laughed at Him. He suffered on the cross. The Roman soldier drove nails into His hands and feet. They platted his head with a crown of thorns. They pierced his side. Jesus would suffer and die on the cross.

Jesus, who knew no sin, took every sin that you and I have committed and died in our place, a suffering death.

Jesus died on the old rugged cross and was buried in a borrowed tomb. The Bible says that three days later He resurrected in power and glory and is alive evermore. He is at the right hand of the Father and will be stepping out on the clouds to call His children home very soon. Jesus said, “I am the Resurrection and the Life” (John 11:25). There is no resurrection apart from Christ, and there is no eternal life apart from Christ. Jesus is alive,

A little boy was lost in a big city. The police and a school teacher found him crying, not knowing how to get home. The caring

This Easter, April 9 th , I would love to invite you to Journey Fellowship Baptist Church located at 409 Centerpoint Rd. Bremen, Ga. 30110. We will have morning services at 9am and 11am.

Children program is at 9am and nursery provided at both services. Come join us!

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2023 Georgia Legislative Session Week Seven

The 2023 Georgia Legislative Session gets busier with each new day as Crossover day is just around the corner. There were 11 items of legislation passed this week with many still being considered within their respective committees. We continue to push for meaningful change here at the State Capitol and look forward to the eighth week of session.

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Hey, 1970s self, it’s gettin’ hip to be holy again

SUE HORN EVANS EDITOR/ PUBLISHER

With this Sunday, March 12, 2023 edition, I am so pleased to be able to publish, once again, our annual “Easter Messages” from area spiritual leaders.

(This is a complement to our annual December “Christmas Messsages”.)

As I pored over these pages during the proofing process, I noticed many Jesus/ God references: “The Last Supper” Exhibit at the Carrollton Arts Center, the 150th Anniversary Celebration of First Baptist Church of Carrollton, Villa Rica Baptist Church’s production of “The Passion Play”, and in articles written by Sybil Rosen Thomas, Kelvin Keith, and Duane Hack. Yes, we are in the Bible belt, so we should expect to hear or read conversations that are more open about individual religions and beliefs, but the topics/references appeared to me to be more than usual.

We can count on hearing “Have a blessed day” at Chick-Fil-A even if you are not in a Bible belt state, and “May God Bless” has been coming across the living room from tv’s public television instructional painters Bob Ross (in reruns, may God bless his soul) and Jerry Yarnell for decades. But, notably on Facebook, there are far more spiritual/religious posts being shared/not blocked. Could it be that Mark Zuckerberg’s 2020 public announcement that he no longer considers himself to be an atheist has influenced the increased flow/sharing of those posts, including “The Lord’s Prayer”? (which he said he never had blocked.) Zuckerberg stated that he has “become more religious” and he thinks “there’s a comfort in knowing and having confidence that there are things bigger than you”. And, it was comforting to hear Governor Kemp close his inaugural speech in January with “God bless you and God bless the great state of Georgia”. Being governed by someone who believes in a higher power is a comfort, and a relief.

There’s a faith-based movie out now “The Jesus Revolution” about a young man’s journey and the lives he touched while on his ‘Jesus Movement’ in the 1970s in California. The June 21, 1971 TIME magazine printed the cover story titled “The Jesus Revolution”. I haven’t seen the movie yet, but I find it amazing that Rotten Tomatoes - tough critics - give it a score of 99% from audiences and 61% from its reviewers. Wow. And, what about the rocket ride to worldwide popularity for the non-Hollywood multi-million dollar multi-season drama “The Chosen”?Like yeast in a loaf of rising bread, interest and support of this seven-season epic about Jesus has been growing exponentially. This well-done production is 100% crowdfunded.

One online source - I can’t find it anywhere else, so it may be made up because it sounds conveniently so cool - claims that “hip, hep, and hepcat” come from the west African Wolof language word “hepicat” which this source states it means “one who has his eyes open”. Merriam-Webster defines “hip” to mean “trendy, aware, being informed about the latest developments, or appreciative of something” The Collins Dictionary says to “get or be hip to” means “to become, or be, informed or knowledgeable about; ‘hip’ means to agree on something, or could be a way to tell a person that they aren’t informed in the latest news”. Are you hip to what I’m sayin’?

One definition of holiness: “Holiness is simply separation. Not separation from the world, but separation from the way the world acts. In an effort to live a holy life, it means that we should be deliberate in being distinct from those who do not know Christ.” Another definition: “When the Bible calls something holy, it is not speaking of purity or righteousness. Rather, it is something ‘set apart’ from everything else in order to do a job.” Be definitive and consistent in your differentness.

I’m feelin’ it, 1970s self, it’s gettin’ hip to be holy again.

Justin Richards, pastor of Bowdon Baptist Church, (page 9) writes about when faith becomes personal, “My prayer for you is that you will know the reason behind Easter. You will understand that there is a God Who knows you personally. . . The traditions are great, but when you understand why, that is when the real change will take place.”

Let’s all get hip, and seek a deeper understanding of the holy.

There are a few bills of note that the Senate deemed worthy of passage this week. Senate Bill 50, sponsored by my colleague Senator Max Burns (R – Sylvania), would allow for each local board of education for grades 9 through 12 to provide instruction for lifeguarding and aquatic safety, beginning in the 2025-2026 school year. Senate Bill 50 does not require that students in grades 9 through 12 need to obtain a certification in lifeguarding and aquatic safety. This measure passed with a vote of 54 to 1 and has been sent to the Georgia

MIKE DUGAN STATE SENATOR(R)

mikedugan@senate.ga.gov

House for consideration.

The Senate also passed House Bill 18, also known as the Amended 2023 Budget. This measure ensures that the state is funded through the end of the fiscal year on June 30th. HB 18 has been sent to the House for final approval before being sent to Governor Brian Kemp’s desk for his signature. I appreciate the General Assembly coming together to ensure that Georgians are set up for success in the coming months.

This week, the halls of our State Capitol welcomed many guests to the

Under the Gold Dome

Our work under the Gold Dome continued as we reconvened Tuesday, February 21st for the seventh week of the legislative session. The longer days in the chamber was well worth it as we were able to pass and send more than 30 House bills to the Senate for consideration.

Tax Reform: Due to our fiscal conservatism, we are pleased to report that under House Bill 162 that $1 billion in undesignated income tax revenue back into the pockets of Georgia taxpayers for a second year in a row. Stipulations of the bill are as follows: Provides a one-time tax refund through the Amended Fiscal Year 2023 budget to every eligible taxpayer for the 2022 tax year. Amounts range from $250 for single filers; $375 for head-of-household filers; $500 for married couples. Given to

JCOLLINS

(R) STATE REPRESENTATIVE

District 71 770-295-8143

j.collins@house.ga.gov

taxpayers who filed income tax returns for both the 2021 and 2022 tax years. Not available to nonresident alien individuals.

Child Support: Currently, Georgia law stipulates that parents who fail to pay their child support will have their driver’s license suspended until receipt of the full outstanding payments. This presents an issue, as those who cannot drive to work have diffi-

Senate chamber. On Tuesday, we celebrated FFA Day at the Capitol. Georgia is the 3rd largest Association within the National FFA Organization and is focused on promoting agricultural education in elementary, middle, and high schools across the state. I was glad to see FFA members from Central Middle School in Carrolton as they visited the Senate chamber, and will continue to support them for years to come.

As we look to legislative days 24 through 27 of the 2023 Georgia Legislative session, I assure you that we are keeping the interest of Georgia’s citizens in mind through each decision that we consider. I look forward to working with my colleagues as this session progresses through the coming weeks.

If you have any questions, comments or concerns about matters relating to the Georgia Senate, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office.

culty earning money to make payments. House Bill 167 would assist these parents by allowing those with a suspended, revoked, or canceled license eligible to apply for a limited driving permit.

The House also passed the following bills and resolutions this week:

House Bill 36, which would update requirements for county boards of equalization, duties, review of assessments and appeals by allowing a taxpayer with tangible personal property valued at more than $200,000 to appeal directly to a hearing officer; this bill would also require the local assessment office to include information on the notice of assessment about how these taxpayers can appeal;

House Bill 80, which would authorize unsworn declarations made

See STATE REP COLLINS page 20

McIntosh Reserve expansion: 429 more beautiful acres

Another beautiful piece of property has been secured for recreational purposes in Carroll County. Under the guidance of The Trust for Public Land, Carroll County submitted a grant application for the expansion of McIntosh Reserve to the Department of Natural Resources Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program to purchase 429 acres along the Chattahoochee River next to McIntosh Reserve. The property is down river from the Reserve. On February 24, 2023, the Department of Natural Resources announced that the grant had been approved in the first level of the grant process.

The Carroll County Board of Commissioners approved $300,000 toward this acquisition and the Trust for Public Land also secured private philanthropy funds to combine with Carroll County dollars to create the required matching funds. In addition, the Friends of McIntosh worked to garner further support for the project. The Trust for Public Land has the property under an option to purchase agreement with the land owner,

DEE PERRY

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

GA Agricultural Land Trust, Inc. 678-977-2574

agtrustga@gmail.com

Muddy Waters LLC.

According to Emily Camargo, project associate at the Trust for Public Land, “the expansion of McIntosh Reserve project was selected by DNR to receive funding, and the appropriated funds were approved by the State. DNR is now working with Carroll County and TPL toward ultimate approval, pending the submission of supplementary documents. We are currently sitting in the gray area between “selected” and “funds in hand.” A signed grant agreement is required to fully confirm funding, and DNR and Carroll County are expected to sign an agreement in summer 2023.”

Carroll County has a long partnership history with the Trust for Public Land. Several local parks exist because of this partnership - Little Tallapoosa Park, Moore’s Bridge Park and an area on Blackjack Mountain (future development). There are other pieces of land that TPL has conserved and placed into the county’s hands. Trust for Public Land has also worked with the Atlanta Regional Commission and private landowners to secure water mitigation easements in Carroll County to protect watershed areas from over development.

Other local citizens have also worked with The Trust for Public Land in conservation efforts as well. Southwire former CEO and current board chair, Roy Richards Jr., served as chair for TPL’s Campaign Committee which raised over $100 million in private and public funds for the Chattahoochee RiverLands Project. The project includes a 100mile multi-modal path from Buford Dam to Chattahoochee Bend State

“Not just what happened, but what matters”

SUSAN M. HORN EDITOR/PUBLISHER

Term limits and yearly net worth statements would minimize “quid pro quo” scenario by elected officials

one time it reportedly had many iterations of the phrase as the “Military-IndustrialCongressional-Academic-Scientific Complex”. How right can one man be?

TRAVIS PITTMAN

“Our military organization today bears little relation to that known by any of my predecessors in peace time, or indeed by the fighting men of World War II or Korea - In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.”President Eisenhower’s Farewell Address (1961)

Eisenhower’s speech has become known for that one phrase he coined as “MilitaryIndustrial Complex” (MIC). He was a prophet in the sense that he could see that the time of turning plowshares into swords was ending. We could no longer wait for Boeing, GM, etc. to turn production lines into war machines. This complex did not exist yet and his warning actually helped create the very system he warned against. This speech went through more than 30 edits over an18 month period. At

The answer to Ike’s warning was to reign in the services with centralization and put controls on the industrial base. The Defense Reorganization Act paved the way for the Planning, Programming, and Budget System (PPBS) and the Truth in Negotiations Act (TINA) which helped the Pentagon and Congress create earmarks and an oversight system that placed barriers on anyone not already a part of the defense industry.

The reliance on the private sector for peacetime weapons was new in U.S. history.

A few of us may remember the Russian surprise of launching the first artificial satellite (1957) and the fright and threat that the country felt. The “missile gap” was pushed by the Air Force and military contractors; the race was on. In 1962, President Kennedy told us we would have a man on the moon by 1970. The result of the civil-military integration was the creation of new weapon systems capabilities that serve as the backbone of U.S. military strength even today - nuclear weapons and submarines, long-range bombers, jet fighters, ballistic missiles and satellites.

By Vietnam, we had bought in on massive spending, increased military involvement, and our destiny as the leader in the world commu-

Rapid judicial changes in West Georgia

appointed by the governor after the retirement of Chief Judge David Emerson;

2. Polk/Haralson - Judge Andrew Roper is elected to the superior court.

3. Coweta Judicial Circuit -

a. Judge Michael Hubbard is appointed by Chief Judge John Simpson to serve as chief magistrate after the untimely passing of Judge Alton P. Johnson.

nity to stop Communism. Sound familiar?

At the end of The Cold War, American defense contractors either had to consolidate or shift to a civilian market. The civilian technology market benefitted from the many innovations of the complex. We use GPS every day. No doubt, American aircraft companies became world leaders in their industry as a result of their accomplishments with the military innovations and public funding.

Crises will continue to occur on their own merit or be created by an entity that will benefit. Rahm Emanuel said it best: “Never let a crisis go to waste”. There is a recurring temptation to feel that some enormous or costly action could become the utopian solution to all current difficulties. A huge increase in elements of our defense or our allies; development of unrealistic programs to cure every ill in health, energy, climate, or agriculture; an expansion of research in exciting possibilities may each be presented as the only solution.

The scramble for public money may be at an all-time high. Washington boasts about 12,000 lobbyists and just under $4B (billion!) in their expenditures. There has been a revolving door created by legislators and regulators with the members of the industries they regulate. Government administrators frequently leave

which should be in the late spring.

Based on our collective decision at the polls, we have placed these public servants into their important roles. We must support them as they find new and efficient ways to dig out of the COVID backlog. While most have given a tremendous amount of their lives to conquering COVID and the backlog, Judge Hubbard has done what few people can carry out.

their posts to take high level jobs in their related fields. The biggest culprits may be in the intelligence/security field.

So what can be done? Our former president did things that were a first: negotiated with Boeing for a lower price on a new Air Force One and got Big Pharma to lower prices for Medicare that would be equal to what was paid by other countries. When the super-elites saw this trend, it put another nail in his coffin. Term limits and yearly net worth statements would minimize the “quid pro quo” scenario by elected officials. Power to fire high level government employees that failed to follow policy is needed. Elect people who act like they are spending their money.

Having retired from the military (10 active, 14 reserve), I am truly grateful for the men and women who sacrificed for our country. Most of us were proud when we saw the jet fighter put a missile through the Jihadi’s front door. Soldiers should not have to die for private interests or political capitol. Measuring from Ike’s speech, it took us over 60 years to get fully entrenched into the Military-IndustrialCongressional-Academic-Scientific Complex, and possibly that long to get out of it, if possible. Elect those who would start the long journey now.

wife. I will never forget the call he made to me as he rushed to the hospital. It will live with me for the rest of my life. I am very pleased to report that Karen is doing well and makes strides every day. Karen and Mike are both lifelong west Georgia residents.

“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” - Socrates

Since COVID attacked the United States, the justice system, and other institutions have been working overtime to fully address the problem. The main objectives are to move cases forward while protecting Constitutional rights, and ensuring that clients are well taken care of. During this time, West Georgia also experienced the largest change in judges in history. Here are some of those changes:

1. Douglas - Judge Deah Warren is

b. Judge Erica Tisinger is elected to the bench in the State Court of Carroll Co.

c. Within just a few months, Tisinger is appointed by the governor to be our 7th superior court justice.

d. The governor asks for nominations to fill the position of state court. Chief Magistrate Court Judge Hubbard is appointed to this position for reasons I will mention below.

e. Now, Judge Simpson must fill the important position of chief magistrate.

f. Last, the Coweta Judicial Circuit will have the 8th superior court judge when the governor decides to make the appointment,

medical or life insurance, charity pitches, legal hucksters (claiming to get you the most) vs. professional attorneys who just give you their name and types of cases they pursue, that interrupt the program that I want to watch.

Fall - 2012 - West Georgia - Karen Hubbard, a 42 year old mother of two, former member of the Douglasville Police Department, and Clerk of the Municipal Court of Douglasville suffers a traumatic brain injury. Doctors termed it an “out of nowhere, unforeseeable, catastrophic injury to the brain.” When Karen arrived at the hospital, she was immediately set for surgery. While she was not expected to survive the surgery, she did so and spent nine months in the hospital, much of which was in ICU. God and medical personnel were able to save her life.

Michael Hubbard was by her side the whole time and continues to express his loyalty to his

if these products were really good would they not be promoted by retail stores, pharmacists or your doctor? Money back guarantee? Guaranteed by whom? When?

Before he became a full time judge, Mike was a successful solo practitioner and, served as the solicitor for the City of Villa Rica for over four years, and served our county as the Municipal Judge of Villa Rica for many years after that. I expect that Judge Hubbard will continue to do what he has always done; the right thing.

What about magistrate court?

Judge Simpson must appoint another judge to fill Hubbard’s magistrate position. There are some very qualified candidates who have the character, experience, and fundraising ability to succeed in the “Peoples’ Court.”

I strongly encourage our community to keep an eye on this appointment. Judge Simpson has

See JASONSWINDLE page 20

Suckered. Let’s first define the term “suckered” as used here. Generally, a sucker is a person that is easily cheated, deceived or fooled. That pretty well describes me and you who are pretty much responsible for the world we have created and now tolerate.

This article was triggered by “in your face” TV advertising for pain relievers, products to add or lose weight, (generally a genetic issue), beauty products (to con females), erectile disfunction products or procedures (to con males),

And, daily, I get letters from some entity that bought my name and address (potential sucker) based upon a purchase or contribution that I previously made. I am sure you get these letters, too. I will not knowingly ever do business with or buy anything from those who antagonize me. Should you? I really dislike these ads and letters.

First, look for intentionally blurred small print disclaimers that you cannot read or those who read words so fast that you cannot understand a word they say. Always avoid these advertisers as these disclaimers are telling you up front that they have limited responsibility, purchasers have varying results and the product has no acceptable certifications. Will you bite? We will pay almost anything to relieve pain, but

Those selling life insurance deceive by not telling you about exclusions and limited coverage and those pushing “Medicare advantage” don’t tell you that you get small dollar benefits while big dollar benefits are limited. Why would insurance companies push Medicare advantage unless they benefit? Does it take a rocket scientist to understand that they only spend money (advertising) to make money? (premiums vs benefits).

The legal hucksters tell you the dollar value of the settlement, but not what the client actually got. One-third to one-half or more of the settlement goes to the attorney and “legal expenses”. Realistically, the threat of legal action will get a bigger settlement and less hassle for the client, but your insurance premiums will go up to cover the costs and we all pay.

Note that most TV attorneys dress much better after a year or so on TV - example: the smiling face in the “one call that’s all” ad. Often, your case is passed on to another attorney and your “advocate” just keeps a referral fee. Currently, some advertisers make an acceptable return on their advertising costs only by referrals of those who call in to those who will take the case and those who refer get a part of any settlement. Everybody wants a part of any payout.

Companies who sell a product and subcontract delivery should be avoided. Generally, the sellers pay the delivery people so little that the delivery people just want to drop it and go. Chairs are sometimes left in carports and mattresses leaned against a bedroom wall. Pay a little more and get better service.

Always look at the disclaimers. They will tell you who to avoid and realistically, there are a few straight forward ads that serve a practical purpose. A little thought will help you spot the

There is a recurring temptation to feel that some enormous or costly action could become the utopian solution to all current difficulties.

ASON SWINDLE SWINDLE LAW GROUP, P.C.

Update from the Capitol

MATT BRASS

matt.brass@senatega.ga.gov

It is hard to believe that the 2023 legislative session is beyond the halfway point. Movement within the General Assembly has increased significantly as we all work to pass legislation prior to our “Crossover Day” deadline, set for day 28. Crossover Day is the last day legislation can pass out of one chamber, with enough time to make it through the full legislative process before Day 40. As we work to protect our citizens, public safety, against foreign and domestic threats has been at the forefront of discussion. Recent days have seen the passage of many bills in the public safety sector.

We continued our efforts to address concerns

over an increase in violent crimes associated with street gangs. These measures, meant to tackle various issues, came in the form of Senate Bill 12, Senate Bill 44 and Senate Bill 42. All bills are now under consideration in the House.

Senate Bill 12, known as the “Protecting Victims and Dismantling Georgia Street Gangs Act,” will revise the punishment for the possession of a firearm by a convicted felon or a domestic violent felon by increasing the mandatory sentencing to 10 years minimum. This is a step in the right direction as studies show that roughly 70 to 90% of all violent crimes in Georgia are committed by violent repeat offenders associated with criminal street gangs.

Senate Bill 44, the “Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act, “would set a mandatory minimum sentence for individuals who participate in gang recruitment of Georgia children.

Senate Bill 42, would increase penalties for failure to comply with the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline. Further, the bill would penalize those who fail to properly report incidents of human trafficking.

In addition, the Senate took up legislation to

address growing concerns with the Communist Chinese Government through Senate Bill 93. SB 93 would ban the use of social media platforms, such as Tik Tok, monitored by foreign adversaries on state issued devices. Numerous cyber security and national intelligence officials have identified TikTok as a significant espionage threat and this commonsense bill would ensure our state’s technological infrastructure is safe and secure. This legislation passed with bipartisan support.

It is always an honor to sponsor and bring forth meaningful legislation before our Senate chamber. One such bill is Senate Bill 27. SB 27 would amend the Noncovered Eye Care Services act. Specifically, this legislation would limit insurers from requiring an ophthalmologist or optometrist to extend any discounts on services that are not covered eye care services to receive increased payments, better reimbursements, preferential treatment, or any other benefit.

I also had the pleasure of introducing Senate Resolution 151, which commends Mrs. Barbara Andrews Landreth on her retirement and service as Georgia’s longest serving

Illegal immigration under the Gold Dome: Republicans in action

PRESIDENT

The Dustin Inman Society 404-316-6712

Dear readers, with the constant reminder that Georgia is home to more illegal aliens than Arizona, here is a sample of a bit of what Republican legislators are up to at the state Capitol as I write on March 1, 2023:

SB 233, Sen. Greg Dolezal, Cumming: A new state benefit for private K-12 school tuition that includes illegal alien families? Dolezal’s bill allows a “a biological parent, legal guardian, custodian, or other person with legal authority to act on behalf of a student” to submit an application for state funding for a new state benefit called a “Promise Scholarship.” The state grant would be in the amount of $6000.00 annually. There is nothing in the bill that excludes illegal alien “parents” from submitting the application.

The eligibility categories for the student includes inadmissible aliens who are here because of an illegal mass declaration of “Humanitarian Parole” at the border by the Biden administration.

To be clear, hundreds of thousands of “migrants” now referred to as “parolees” were inadmissible into the U.S., but were herded in anyway under the illegal Biden ‘future Democrat voter importation’ scheme. Two years ago, they were known as “illegal aliens.” Parole (legally issued or not) does not confer legal immigration status.

This writer’s suggestion that only U.S. citizens and green card holders be allowed to apply and benefit from the scholarship were rejected as too obvious on illegal immigration.

When Dolezal presented his bill to the Senate Education and Youth committee meeting on February 28th, he omitted any mention of illegal immigration. I was the first person to sign up to speak on this bill. The chairman of the committee is Senator Clint Dixon, Republican, Buford. Knowing that I would spill the immigration beans on the bill, Dixon began calling names to speak from the

bottom of the list. When he got up the list to the second person signed up to speak - just before my name - Dixon told the room “the audience isn’t going to like this, but comments are over.” Because I have too much information, I was prevented from speaking and offering an experienced and educated analysis of the absence of illegal immigration part of the legislation. I was “cancelled.”

The Republicans passed out the bill. By now you will likely have heard a lot about “school choice” legislation.

HB 131, Kasey Carpenter, R- Dalton: As mentioned last month, Carpenter’s bill would change Georgia law to lower tuition rates in taxpayer-funded colleges for illegal aliens who are recipients of the illegal 2012 Obama DACA program. The bill would create a new tier of tuition much lower than out-of-state tuition and would not be available to Ameri cans and legal immigrants who attend public colleges in Georgia from other states. Example: An American from Michigan would pay about $7000.00 more in tuition for full time classes than one of Georgia’s illegal aliens from Mexico at KSU per semester. The sponsors are calling it “Opportunity Tuition” the illegal alien students are to be known as “Opportunity Students.” Opposition from angry voters has stalled and perhaps stopped a committee vote on this one.

longstanding state to allow illegal aliens access to Adult Education. This bill was passed by the GOP-ruled senate. Only one Republican voted “no” - Sen. Colton Moore.

. . . House Public Safety and Homeland Security committee chaired by Carroll County Rep. and cosponsor, J. Collins. Chairman Collins runs a tight and fair committee. I extend my sincere and personal apology to him here for nearly losing my temper and being out of order when. . .

HB 313, Rep Ron Stephens, R- Savannah: is a House companion bill to SB 112 above. As I write, the author has not heeded warnings to change the language so as to exclude illegal aliens. We say again: It is illegal to hire illegal aliens, high school diploma or not. Both Chamber of Commerce bills contain language that refers to waiving existing law that is counter to the goal of the measures. The proenforcement bill lives!

HB 136, Rep Jesse Petrea, R- Savannah: As we said last time, this simple bill would require the Georgia Dept. of Corrections to post a quarterly, public report informing Georgia taxpayers of the number of “criminal illegals” in the state prison systemalong with the crimes they committed and home countries.

Through the department’s legislative liaison, it looks like the Kemp administration is striving to dilute or stop the bill in committee. Allowing voters to compute the cost of incarceration of the “undocumented workers”

commemorated the occasion with a ribbon cutting, tours, networking and a special guest appearance by Atlanta Braves mascot, Blooper.

teacher. Mrs. Landreth served as an English teacher for 59 years at Newnan High School in Coweta County, touching the lives of thousands of Georgia students and their families in her community. Georgia’s teachers and education professionals are truly the backbone for the continued growth of successful professionals in our state. It is an honor to have Mrs. Landreth represent Senate District 28 with her leadership.

As we make our way towards our last day, we will see the pace quicken. We expect our Senate Appropriations to present our version of the budget in the next week, so please be on the lookout for further updates. In the meantime, if you need anything at all, please feel free to reach out to me anytime. Thank you for allowing me the honor of serving our home within the General Assembly. May God bless you and may He continue to bless the great state of Georgia.

Sen. Matt Brass serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules. Sen. Brass represents the 28th Senate District, which includes Coweta and Heard, as well as parts of Douglas and Fulton County

in our prisons at the rate of $73.00 a day seems to be regarded as too much information. We know there are many more than 1500 of them. Similar legislation died in the Republican controlled House in 2019. But this bill has passed out of the House Public Safety and Homeland Security committee chaired by Carroll County Rep. and cosponsor, J. Collins. Chairman Collins runs a tight and fair committee. I extend my sincere and personal apology to him here for nearly losing my temper and being out of order when the Dept. of Corrections liaison made an overt effort to camouflage and equivocate on important facts about the law enforcement systems that inform prison officials about the immigration status of inmates.

Bonus facts on Georgia, Gov Brian Kemp, presiding:

-Twenty GOP states are challenging Biden’s illegal border parole hustle in a Texas federal court. Georgia is not one of them.

-Nine Republican states have filed in federal court to shut down Obama’s illegal DACA program. Georgia is not one of them.

-Twenty-five GOP-led states ask SCOTUS to restore the prohibition on encouraging illegal immigration. Georgia is not one of them.

Governor Kemp’s Capitol office phone number is 404-656-1776. We hope you already know how to contact your state legislators.

Silence is consent.

Southwire this year as the company plans to open the largest, most advanced copper rod plant in the world in Carrollton, Ga., in April.

SB 112, Sen Jason Anavitarte, R - Dallas: “Workforce EXCELeration” creates a new “Adult Education” taxpayer-funded benefit being called the “High School Diplomas for Adult Learners” pilot program that would send applicants older than twenty-one to the Technical College System of Georgia for classes that result in a high school diploma. As are most bills ordered up by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, it is aimed at increasing the number of workers in the state (supply and demand: more workers, lower wages). The bill does not exclude illegal aliens. It is a violation of federal law to knowingly hire illegal aliens. It is a violation of

The roughly 23,000 square feet of offices, meeting rooms, workstations and multipurpose space reflects the company’s commitment to service, quality and innovation and will provide team members space and opportunity for connection and collaboration.

While expanding its presence in metro Atlanta provides the company with a competitive edge for talent recruitment and retention and exciting opportunities, Southwire remains committed to its headquarters in the West Georgia area and each of its existing communities as the company continues to drive the electrical industry forward.

More exciting moments are ahead for

About Southwire: Southwire Company, LLC is one of North America’s largest wire and cable producers and an emerging influence in the electrical industry. Southwire and its subsidiaries manufacture building wire and cable, utility products, metal-clad cable, portable and electronic cord products, OEM wire products and engineered products. In addition, Southwire supplies assembled products, components, contractor equipment and hand tools. www.southwire.com

About The Battery Atlanta: 2 million squarefoot mixed-use development is located at the intersection of I-75 and I-285. The Battery Atlanta has the highest-capacity network serving any mixed-use development in the nation.

STATE SENATOR (R)

Majority Caucus VICE CHAIR

SOUTHWIRE from front page

Questioning ‘everything’, or questioning ‘everything’?!

when I face discomfort. It means, to me, that there is something about myself I can improve if only I keep chipping away at the source. The journey is never easy, of course, but the destination makes it all the more worth it once we arrive.

A topic we often overlook questioning is the food we eat.

Question everything. Everyone’s heard the expression, but do we really live by it?

Often, we’re fed answers to questions we didn’t have, especially during school. But, let’s be real: how often do we dig deep and think about habits that have been learned and reinforced our entire lives? Probably not often. We are, after all, creatures of habit. In fact, it makes sense that we don’t question our daily activities. If we really did question everything, we would be lost and unable to live in the moment. However, that doesn’t mean we should continue on autopilot, as many of us may find ourselves doing.

One reason we may shy away from reevaluating ourselves is because it is, understandably, uncomfortable. We don’t want to think that some day, we’ll look back upon our present-day self with contempt. However, I find that the older I get, the more excited I am

I’m not talking about how healthy we are, no - we are frequently reminded that processed food is bad and we should limit how often we eat out. Nevertheless, I find myself wondering why we end up choosing the foods we do: specifically, meat, dairy, and eggs.

it makes sense that we don’t question our daily activities. If we really did question everything, we would be lost and unable to live in the moment. However, that doesn’t mean we should continue on autopilot

Of course, the most obvious answer is habit. It’s what we were raised to do. All our lives, our caretakers have fed us breakfast, lunch, and dinner containing animal products, and we have had no reason to question these habits. We’ve grown up hearing things like “Milk builds strong bones!” and “It’s not a meal without meat!” We’ve even been taught that you must have eggs and milk to bake anything. However, are any of these actually true? Take a moment to consider what your thoughts are before I touch on them.

Milk building strong bones seems intuitive. Milk has a lot of calcium and our bones need

The closed door, just ahead

Government that was established below the 38th parallel in the Korean peninsula persuaded the school administrator to loosen up the restriction.

calcium, right? While this is true, it doesn’t really take the whole picture into account. We can get calcium from healthier sources, like nuts, seeds, and leafy greens. In an observational study based in Sweden, a higher intake of milk was associated with a higher rate of mortality and fractures. Another study revealed that countries with the highest consumption of milk also suffered from the most cases of osteoporosis. While it’s not fool-proof to draw conclusions based on observational studies alone, we might assume that milk does not actually build strong bones like we’ve been led to believe - or, at the very least, that there are better options than just milk.

Clearly, it isn’t hard to conclude that a meal doesn’t require meat. Most of the poorest countries in the world hardly have access to meat, and it is seen as a luxury there. Their diets consist mainly of fruit, vegetables, grains, nuts, and legumes. There are even plenty of meals that us Westerners consume that don’t have meat, such as pasta dishes, fruit bowls, salads, and more.

Finally, baking. I would not blame you if you couldn’t imagine a world of pastries

tent in our community, which was immersed in the Confucian stricture that enforced separating boys from girls and men from women in public.

without dairy and eggs. The question is, though - why do we use eggs and milk when baking?

Do eggs contain some special property that other foods lack? Well, not really. Eggs are a good choice when baking something like cake because they help everything stay togetherthey are binders. However, they aren’t the only food source that can do this. Applesauce, flax or chia eggs (milled flax or chia seed and water), nut butters, and even mashed bananas can all be substituted in place of eggs. And as for milk, the texture isn’t anything that some blended up oats and water couldn’t replace.

Of course, you shouldn’t take my word for it - as is the point of this column, explore your curiosity and take a look for yourself at studies on milk and test out how well your favorite baking recipe works when substituted with plant-based alternatives. In fact, here’s one for you: the next time you make pancakes, try my favorite recipe: self-rising flour, mashed banana, and water. It’s simple, much cheaper than using eggs, and honestly tastes better according to those I’ve served it to.

Hopefully, you’ve been inspired to finally look into that question you’ve been pondering in the shower for the past few days, whatever it is. You never know what benefits the answer might bring you, but one thing is for sure: there’s nothing as satisfying as scratching that itch to know more.

out success. Then, one day, the man traces back his lost memory and opens the door of the cottage where they once lived together. They are reunited with a happy ending.

Soon after the end of the Pacific War in 1945, I was a 15 years old middle school student in a town about seventy miles south of Seoul, Korea. There was only a single theater in town where students were not allowed to go except as a group under the strict supervision of school authorities. The black and white cinema during such an occasion was limited to educational material. The U.S. Military

Georgia

I watched “Random Harvest” under such an arrangement. The 1942 American romantic drama film, directed by Mervyn LeRoy, was a bombshell to this country bumpkin! It was my first exposure to Western culture, which was the exact opposite of what I was accustomed to. I was fixated on handsome Ronald Coleman and beautiful Greer Garson as they portrayed the roles of John Smith/Charles Rainier and Paula Ridgeway/Margaret Hanson, respectively. When the open display of affection between them was on the screen, I heard deep sighs and groans mixed with giggling in the crowded theater. Everyone was mesmerized by the exotic customs. Such a thing was non-exis-

The plot itself was intriguing. The British officer during the First World War becomes a shell-shocked amnesiac in the trench with the lost memory of who he was. He meets the beautiful woman by chance and falls in love with her. The couple is married.

But, the happy marriage does not last long. He goes to Liverpool for a job interview but is involved in a traffic accident, which erases the memory of his recent past. The man picks up the old memory of when he was in the trench. He returns home to carry on the family business. In the meantime, the woman finds him and becomes his secretary. She tries to help him remember their happy marriage, but with-

496: The Georgia Prenatal Equal Protection Act

beyond 63 million abortions since 1973. At every West Georgia Right To Life Outreach where we present our “Pro-Life Message thru Scripture” presentation in local churches, community events, Pro-Life luncheons, one-on-one interviews etc., we are asked the same question: “What can we do to stop abortions in Georgia?”

The movie was based on the 1941 novel by James Hilton. The film turned out to be a tremendous commercial success as it was nominated for seven Academy Awards. Since then, nearly eight decades have passed and the world has turned many times over.

Once a teenager who sustained cultural shock with a throbbing heart has turned into a frail nonagenarian. As his memory takes him back to the innocent day when he watched the film from a Western country for the first time, the tumultuous events that occurred since then have flooded his heart. The protagonist of the “Random Harvest” must have felt the same when he opened the door of the cottage.

Since 1973 there have been over 63 million innocent lives that have been lost to abortion in the United States. In the State of Georgia, since 2000 more the 649,263 innocent lives have been lost to abortion. To put this into perspective: the total combined populations of Carroll, Douglas, Heard and Haralson equals 278,000!

Since 2011, the Georgia Department of Public Health no longer provides the number of abortions performed on women who travel to Georgia from out of state and the numbers for Georgia quoted above do not reflect abortions performed in private doctors offices, hospitals and abortion mills. These facilities are not required to report if they perform less than 50 abortions performed in one year. Therefore, abortions performed in this country is likely far

Georgia Right To Life and WGRTL (a Chapter of GRTL) have worked tirelessly to educate and bring to the residents of Georgia a behind the curtain look at the abortion industry and how we as Pro-Life individuals can finally bring an end to the inhumane killing of the most innocent in our society, the preborn babe in the womb.

First: Positioning a Personhood Amendment into Georgia Law. Personhood is the inalienable right to life possessed by EVERY human being, from the moment of conception to natural death. ALL human beings shall be entitled to the equal protection of persons under the law.

A Personhood Amendment to the Georgia Constitution would state the NO INNOCENT PERSON could be legally killed in Georgia. It will guide laws to provide protection, equal justice, and equal rights for all innocent human life at any stage of development, level of depend-

ency, physical and mental ability, medical prognosis, manner of conception, age or race.

GRTL is engaged with several other ProLife No Exception organizations; End Abortion Now, Take Action for Life and several others to form a coalition-group called “Georgians Ending Abortion” with a like-mind to end abortions in Georgia, with no exceptions!

Secondly: House Bill (HB496) presented in the Georgia House of Representatives 2/23/23. HB496 would remove the abortion exception from our law so that the same laws protecting people after they are born would also protect people before they are born!

This bill does not establish penalties, it removes discriminatory provisions that allow abortions to continue. Either abortion is the unjust killing of a human being or it isn’t. The current Heartbeat Bill fails to protect all innocent pre-born children. Why is that? Because life begins at fertilization, not a heartbeat! Being said, babies from conception until about 6-8 weeks (heartbeat detected) are left unprotected. The fetus in the womb is a human being, a person. Let’s treat the preborn like a person!

Abolishing slavery was the only way to end it. Partial slavery, exceptions for some people to have slaves and not others - didn’t work! It meant that slavery continued. The only way to end slavery was to abolish it, the only way to end abortion is to abolish it.

Thirdly: What role can you play today in abolishing abortion for good in Georgia?

-watch SPECIAL EVENT: Battleground 2023 - YouTube: This moving video presents the ground swell of pro-life activity being seen all across America! The tide is turning for life, and you are a part of it!

- visit: https://openstates.org/find_your_ legislator/ : This sight will assist you in finding your GA State Representative and Senator. The site will give you their address at Capital and phone number. Take two minutes and give them a call. Cordially let your representative know you are in favor of HB 496, and you are watching their vote on HB 496 when this piece of legislation comes to the floor for a vote!

As the decision in the Roe vs Wade case was a historic and hard-fought win for the Pro-Life Movement, the decision was a Battle win-the War continues for Life…in right versus wrong, life over death!

COMMENTARY

Eye of the beholden

SYBIL ROSEN THOMAS

River Rambles syllabil@aol.com

One of the many things my father appreciated about my mother was her propensity for pointing out beautiful sights: a flower opening, a picaresque landscape, her new dress. She did that for us children, too, so that, to this day, beauty, mothering, and the river cleave to my roots like rich floodplain loam, constantly replenished, constantly replenishing.

Is awareness of beauty inherited or nurtured or both? Why am I so greedy for the amazed delight that beauty stirs up in me, a state of being that often feels as necessary as breath? What is beauty anyway? Absolute and relative, beauty is universal and yet subject to conditions of culture and individual nature. Weaving art, philosophy, desire, and the worrisome concept of perfection, it’s too vast a tapestry for one short Ramble, so instead I’ll stick to one simple

ELVIN KEITH

Millennials Christian Ministry (MCM) kkeith@mcmempowered.org

Some of our teenagers and young adults maybe wondering why would they need Jesus the “Big Deal”? Many are healthy and very popular. Adding Christ to his or her life, they may think, could hinder my particular way of enjoying life. This move towards Christ might slow down their popularity. With everything going great, why disturb that flow? The answer can be summedup in one word: consequences.

Unfortunately, many young adults do not have the wisdom found in Pr. 22:3 (NLT): “A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.”

EDWILSON from page 16

Always look at the disclaimers. They will tell you who to avoid and realistically, there are a few straight forward ads that serve a practical purpose. A little thought will help you spot the phonies.

Check the pictures in fast food stores, pizza and sandwich shops. Does what you get look anything like what the advertising pictures looks like? My pizza seems to have less pepperoni than the picture on the wall and it seems that the price is aways more if you don’t ask for a better price. If you don’t ask, you don’t get. Another common rip-off is “downsizing”. The vendor reduces the amount of product in a container, but holds the prior price. In other words, you are charged the same for less product.

Why are we suckered? Proverbs Chapter 22 Verse 7 state: “The rich ruleth over the poor and the borrower is servant to the lender.” That should tell you all you need to know about “buy now, pay later” schemes. Later always

question: Why is the Chattahoochee River beautiful to me (and others as well)?

In “Braiding Sweetgrass”, Robin Wall Kimmerer has the same query about asters and goldenrods: Why are they beautiful in tandem? She wonders at the source of longing for what we call beauty. Writing of early childhood experiences that attune the brain to certain stimuli, which are then processed with speed and certainty - she calls to mind my 1950s suburban mother laying my infant brother down for a nap outside in the summer, so that he might hear the birds and the crickets and feel a cool breeze as he slept. Experienced again and again, these impressions fashion a framework for how we know ourselves. Their imprint is reflected in the way we three kids grew up comfortable in, and comforted by, the outdoors.

The dictionary defines beauty as a quality which gives “intense pleasure or deep satisfaction.” These emotions can be stirred by “sensory manifestations:” The impact of shape and color; a meaningful design; a spiritual sensibility that radiates out to the beholder. The river’s presence is (mostly) deeply pleasing, a testament to the elemental interplay of light, water, earth and air. The curving channel disappearing around the bend calls up a

Let’s make this scripture simpler. Because some of you young people choose to participate in vices that are pleasurable for the moment, you might not see the terrible consequences those actions might play in you not achieving your goals in life. Christ did not come to take away your joy in life, as some might tell you. He stated in St. John 10:10 (NKJV), “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

Let’s look at examples of people not seeing the dangers in the future because they were so caught-up in present moment deceitful pleasures at the time.

Let’s start with Prince Andrew, the second son of Queen Elizabeth II. In a revealing article written in the Jan. 14, 2022 publication of The New York Times International, writer Mark Landler stated that Prince Andrew was stripped of several military titles, prohibited from participating in royal charities, and is no longer allowed to use the title “His Royal Highness”. This is a result of Prince Andrew being accused of raping Virginia Giuffre while she was a teenager. This rape allegedly took place at financier Jeffrey Epstein’s man sion in

comes, and the x% off promotions, % off what? Con job or sucker bait? Some advertisers send you “free stuff” to shame you into making a contribution. Then they “sell your name as they have found out how to pull your string. Who paid for the “free stuff”? Probably a prior Sucker.

Religious con? What is the western Christian representation of the physical appearance Jesus? So far as I can determine, the Bible tells us only that Jesus was a male, but does not really detail his physical appearance. Leonardi da Vinci’s last supper shows a light skinned, long haired Jesus with perhaps blue eyes, and this was picked up by most European churches. More likely, based upon remains found in 1st century Palestine, Jesus was about five and one half feet tall, slim and physically strong as he was a carpenter and walked a lot. He probably had light olive skin, short dark hair, and a trim beard as was the custom in those days and brown or black eyes. This physical appearance was common in that population.

melancholy rapture that poets have tried to capture in words for centuries. Easy enough to recognize, far harder to define, how do we unravel the cause of beauty’s ef fect? Could there be a purpose beyond our fleeting joy and these sincere attempts to mirror that ecstasy in art?

Albert Einstein said, “God doesn’t play dice with the universe.” Meaning, nature is deliberate, constructed for survival, just as we humans are despite all current appearances. Change can feel random and chaotic but the universe’s failures are as instructive as success; energy only wants to grow more energy

Albert Einstein said, “God doesn’t play dice with the universe.” Meaning, nature is deliberate, constructed for survival, just as we humans are despite all current appearances. Change can feel random and chaotic but the universe’s failures are as instructive as success; energy only wants to grow more energy and blindly builds on either. The “flight or fight” reflex embedded in our DNA is there to keep us alive. Pain has the unpleasant purpose of alerting us to harm. Surely, beauty must have some lifesaving benefit to contribute, a reason to succeed in a vast cosmos of possibility.

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” wrote

Manhattan. The ramifications for this act don’t stop here. More than 150 Royal Navy, R.A.F., and Army veterans signed a letter to the Queen (while she was alive), asking her to strip Andrew of his eight British military appointments, which include colonel-in-chief of the Royal Irish Regiment, royal colonel of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, and colonel of the Grenadier Guard.

We can observe another prominent figure to bring this narrative home. Leon Black, one of the principal co-founders of private-equity giant Apollo Global Management Inc., was sued by Cheri Pierson for allegedly raping her, also at, Jeffrey Epstein’s Manhattan mansion in 2002. Writers Miriam Gottfried and Mark Maremont wrote a stirring article for the Nov. 29, 2022 issue of The Wall Street Journal entitled, “Leon Black Accused of Rape at Epstein Home”. In this article, the journalist state that Mr. Black stepped down as Apollo’s chief executive and chairman in March 2021. This action followed a month’s long review by law firm Dechert LLP of Mr. Black’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein died in 2019 in jail while awaiting trial on charges of sex-

Good causes also advertise and there are a lot of them that need funding also. Saint Jude, Shriners Hospital, Wounded Warriors, and many others come to mind., Some pitch “only 63 cents a day.” How much goes to the charity and how much is consumed by the “fund raisers”? Those organized as “non-profits” may be very profitable to the organizers and existing management. If possible, give contributions directly to those in need.

In my view, our governing political leaders, local, state and federal are the biggest con of all. Political candidates will promise you anything before the election, but you generally you cannot talk with them until the next election. Make a list of all the political leaders you know, good and bad, that you would trust to represent your interests. The inside of a match book cover may provide adequate space. Legislative sunsetting of all laws seems to be a reasonable review process, but do you want the politicians to review those laws that benefit you?

Irish novelist Margaret Wolfe Hungerford in her 1878 romance “Molly Bawn”. If beauty exists only in the mind that contemplates it, then that might explain why a river is wondrous to you and not to your Aunt Mavis.

But what of the eye that beholds? Outfitted to receive the light from which color is gleaned, our eyes - yours and Aunt Mavis’ - have banks of specialized receptor cells, retinal rods and cones that absorb wavelengths and pass the info onto the brain’s visual cortex for interpretation. Whatever your opinion of what you see, your eyes provide three specialist cells, two perfectly attuned to red and blue (the hues at either end of the human visual spectrum), and one to purple and yellow combined (which points to Kimmerer’s question about asters and goldenrods).

As any child’s crayon drawing can show you, our planet is made up of three basic

See

RIVER

RAMBLES page 21

trafficking minors.

The scenarios of these two men underline the consequences found in Pr. 13:20 (KJV), “... a companion of fools shall be destroyed.”

What can we take away from these two examples? It’s not Christ’s desire for you to go through the shame and humiliation as a result of choosing the wrong actions in life.

Let me show this with the example of husband-and-wife Don and Jin Sook Chang, founders of Forever 21. After moving to L.A. from South Korea in 1981, they started this trendy clothing store for teens. It exploded in growth at one time. The Changs’ Christian faith played a role in the way they ran the company. Forever 21’s bright yellow shopping bags are stamped with “John 3:16”.

Mr. Chang has said the verse “shows us how much God loves us,” and hoped others would learn of that love. The Changs no longer own the company; but, that doesn’t take away from how God blessed the company while they were in control.

(Articles from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal contributed to the content of this column).

Given that our county had $10,000,000 excess property tax receipts, (recent StarNews front page article) how do you feel about your current home property tax assessment? Do you think that it is fair? Did the assessed value go down when property values dropped? Did you see the appraiser? Did he or she talk to you or did they just “drive by” or did they just adjust the prior value in the office? Do you think that the tax rate should have been adjusted and excess monies returned pro rata to the tax payers? There is always a need for monies to do “good things” and politicians to spend it as they so choose. Do suckers ever consider these things when they vote?

If you have appealed, did you find the Board of Equalization objective and helpful or as some allege is the current Board is just a rubber stamp for aggressive assessments?

Since misleading advertising works and we let bad things happen, what can you say about ourselves except we suckers routinely get “Suckered”.

“I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly”

JASON SWINDLE from page 16

has a history of appointing quality people to important positions who serve the people rather than themselves.

What about the backlog? While everyone is frustrated about the post-COVID rules and procedures, almost every lawyer, judge, clerk, sup-

DEE PERRY from page 15

Park. The path will connect communities, parks and trails along the Chattahoochee. Mr. Richards stated “I like this project because its’ big, and it’s good and it lasts forever. Not often do you get a chance to work on a project that has all those qualities,” in an article written by Pamela Holliday for Sherpa Guides in 2004. Mr. Richard’s sister, Laura Richards currently serves on the TPL Board of Directors.

Thank you to the Carroll County Board of

STATEREP COLLINS from page 15

outside of U.S. boundaries to have the same effect as sworn declarations under certain circumstances; this legislation specifies that knowingly making a false statement in an unsworn declaration would be considered perjury;

House Bill 95, which would amend income tax definitions to include provisions of the federal Inflation Reduction Act and Consolidated Appropriations Act; this bill would allow defined contribution plans to provide participants with an option to receive matching contributions on a Roth basis, a one-time election for a qualified charitable distribution to a split-interest entity and an increase to the IRA charitable distribution limit, as well as cost recovery for green energy properties;

port personnel, and many others are working to ensure that people are not left in jail awaiting trial, left to wait for relief of alimony payments, or just left out. If we focus on building the new with our high quality judiciary, then we can leave the past behind and defeat whatever is in our future.

Commissioners for supporting this project and providing new recreation space to the citizens and visitors of Carroll County and for preserving more of Carroll County for the future. This project is an important piece of the Chattahoochee RiverLands project spearheaded by the Trust for Public Land.

Thank you also to the Friends of McIntosh Reserve for their continued support of the Riverlands Project and the land along the Chattahoochee.

state’s insurance commissioner, or the insurer could specify a later date;

House Bill 222, which would clarify that property insurance service contracts could only be sold or offered to consumers; this bill would specifically extend the probationary insurance license period from 12 to 24 months and allow consumers to reapply between one and five years after denial;

House Bill 242, which would reinstate the additional penalty for a traffic violation under Joshua’s Law, the teen learner’s permit law, at three percent of the original fine;

House Bill 243, which would add an eighth superior court judge in the Coweta Judicial Circuit (which includes Carroll County; this eighth judge would first be appointed for a year and a half, and a nonpartisan successor would be elected in 2024

House Bill 121, which would add definitions for “wakeboarding” and “wakesurfing” to Georgia law, require life vests and place restrictions on these recreational sports at night and in smaller bodies of water to ensure safety and protect personal property;

House Bill 138, which would amend property tax exemptions by updating a homestead exemption for counties with populations between 23,500 and 23,675 on the 2010 U.S. Census to counties with populations between 25,400 and 25,500 on the 2020 U.S. Census;

House Bill 142, which would allow colleges and universities to enter into agreements for shared unified police forces; this legislation would specifically benefit the Atlanta University Center Consortium, known as the oldest and largest contiguous consortium of HBCUs in the country;

House Bill 165, which would exempt the Georgia Department of Natural Resources from public record disclosures that reveal the location or character information of a historic resource that could lead to harm or theft of the historic resource;

House Bill 186, which would update Georgia Code to utilize the “petition for review” appellate procedure instead of the “certiorari” process when appealing from a lower judicatory to a superior or state court; this legislation would apply to any government body exercising judicial or quasi-judicial authority;

House Bill 221, which would require rates, rating plans, rating systems or underwriting rules to be effective 60 days after filing a personal motor vehicle insurance claim if the policy’s limit is above the mandatory minimum; this effective date could be shortened by the

House Bill 243, which would add an eighth superior court judge in the Coweta Judicial Circuit (which includes Carroll County; this eighth judge would first be appointed for a year and a half, and a nonpartisan successor would be elected in 2024;

House Bill 279, which would provide an insurance premium discount or reduction for a home or commercial property that is built to fortified standards to better resist catastrophic wind events, such as hurricanes or tornadoes;

House Bill 280, which would provide exclusions to unfair trade practices and unlawful inducements to allow insurance companies to supply products to policyholders that incentivize behavior changes that could improve their health;

House Bill 285, which would allow the Employees’ Retirement System of Georgia to increase the percentage of assets in alternative investments from 5% to 10%;

House Bill 294, which would clarify the rights and responsibilities of entities involved in the liquidation of reinsurance companies and allow the succeeding entity or the Georgia Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association to continue the contract; this bill also includes instructions for arbitration, handling unpaid premiums and the notification of affected policyholders

House Bill 315, which would allow the state’s insurance commissioner to apply rules and regulations regarding cost-sharing requirements for diagnostic and supplemental breast screenings based on guidelines established by professional medical associations;

House Bill 317, which would allow the Employees’ Retirement System of Georgia members to designate licensed funeral service providers as beneficiaries to pay funeral costs;

House Bill 319, which would abolish the Georgia Higher Education Assistance Corporation and transfer any obligations, liabilities or assets to the Georgia Student Finance Authority

For more than 45 years, West Georgia Ambulance has been saving lives across Carroll County and west Georgia. It’s our honor to be there when you need us most. Emergency medical care is a phone call away.

18,700 dispatches per year

300+ follow-up visits through Tanner’s Paramedic Home Visit program per year

12,300 patient transports per year

6 ambulances on call, 365 days a year

Emergency? Call 911. For non-emergency transport, call 770-832-9689. Learn more about us at WestGeorgiaAmbulance.com

In memory of Bill Chappell by his GT-Betas

Centers of excellence save money, and then some

MARCY HEATH

678-821-3508

marcy@be inoventive.com

As health insurance and healthcare costs continue rising, more employers and health plans are turning to centers of excellence to manage patients with chronic conditions. Centers of excellence focus on containing costs and delivering quality and coordinated care from diagnoses to treatment and recovery for patients with acute or chronic conditions.

These centers will typically offer bundledpayment programs for high-cost procedures in orthopedics, cardiology, oncology and organ transplants.

A study by the Rand Corporation looked at three major surgical procedures and found that centers of excellence with bundled payments reduce the cost of surgeries by more than $16,000 per procedure. Centers of excellence are available in many health plans and more plans are incorporating them into networks, but they do more than just control costs.

The other benefits: Reduced chance of unnecessary operations. Physicians in centers of excellence will not instinctively opt for surgery for their patients. One study published in the medical journal Arthritis & Rheumatology found that one-third of total knee replacement operations were later deemed unnecessary.

As well, medications can be just as effective as inserting stents or conducting a bypass operation in many cases, according to research published in the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Also, they will usually have a single point of contact in the center from the point of first examination, through treatment and recovery. This helps the employee feel like they have an active role in their treatment.

Improved recovery time: One key aspect of centers of excellence is coordinated care, which is often missing in general health care settings. It starts with initial diagnoses through treatment and recovery. And often the post-operation period will be bundled into the costs of treatment.

In many centers, patients will receive assistance in scheduling follow-up appointments

colors: yellow (sun), green (grass), blue (sky and water). Is it an accident these three colors fall right in the center of the human color spectrum? Every child knows that if you put yellow and blue together, you get green - the ubiquitous color of chlorophyll, of spring, of growth. Survival. The color palette for human life on earth; the hues of home. They tell us where we are and who we are. They evoke March days when the sun drops golden swells on the green river and the sky is crystalline blue. Our rainbow of colors is limited compared to that of hawks and turtles, yet seven hues are apparently all we humans need to receive this beautiful river. And fall in love with her.

So is that the purpose of all this beauty?

Love? If the Chattahoochee gives me intense pleasure and deep satisfaction - well, that does sound a lot like love. But what could be the biological benefit? Like the universe, human consciousness keeps expanding.Over time we’ve figured out that as a species we generally tend to take care of what we love. An appetite for beauty may be a hardwired bond that binds us to the river, so that we might become wise guardians of her body and spirit, like a loving mother laying her sleeping baby in a backyard bassinet of a summer afternoon.

and any rehab treatment they require. This close coordination involves patients more in their health care journey. That in turn ensures that they can be on a path to recovery or managing a chronic condition.

The takeaway: Due to demand and the success of centers of excellence, more health plans are including them in their networks. While these programs can reduce costs for the plan and employees, they can greatly improve your employees’ health outcomes and ability to recover from surgery.

say in their health care while dealing with a chronic condition, they will be more productive and, hopefully, more loyal to your organization.

Physicians in centers of excellence will not instinctively opt for surgery for their patients. One study published in the medical journal Arthritis & Rheumatology found that one-third of total knee replacement operations were later deemed unnecessary.

And if your employees feel like they have a

Benefits of less invasive procedures

• The employee benefits from not having to undergo surgery, having to deal with anxiety and pain after the procedure, as well as from lower out-ofpocket costs. They also don’t have to deal with recovery after the fact.

• The employer and/or health plan saves money by not having to shell out thousands for surgery that could have been avoided.

• The employer benefits from not having an employee off work recovering from surgery. Happier employees: If an employee feels like they are getting top-shelf treatment from doctors that are skilled at helping them manage a chronic condition, they’ll be happier. Additionally, employees are demanding more from their health plan, including better tools to help them better manage their health. Centers of excellence also allow patients to skip the processes of comparing different providers and trying to figure out how much they will be paying out of pocket. Since service costs are bundled and preset, they’ll know exactly what they will pay in advance.

For more information, please reach out to Inoventive Benefits Consulting by phone

Edward Jones

RIVER RAMBLES from page 19

City of Villa Rica mayor and council February 2023 meeting: State of the City Address; approves 25 item consent agenda, cash reserve at $34.6M, sales tax collections still increasing

story by Janice Daniel

The Mayor and City Council of Villa Rica had their Regular Monthly Meeting at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 7, 2023. All members were present. Invocation was offered by Discipleship Pastor, Chris Rainey, of the First Baptist Church of Villa Rica. Pastor Rainey is also the Chaplain of the Villa Rica High School Football team. Pledge of Allegiance was led by Villa Rica Police Officer Kimberly Prescott, who graduated from UWG in 2021 and then went to work for the VRPD.

The Mayor gave his State of the City Address at this, the 894th Mayor and Council Meeting for the City of Villa Rica. Mayor McDougal remembered his early days of growing up in Villa Rica that it was a very small and quiet town, compared to the tremendous changes the city has been seeing in the last five or six years, the growth of business and residential developments as well as the revitalization of the Downtown area.

“The City of Villa Rica is strong and getting stronger,” he said, “and we are trying to build a foundation so we will be prepared for the developers across the metro area who are looking westward.”

He listed some of the improvements made in the water and sewer systems, as well as the challenges resulting from the COVID pandemic that caused staff shortages, the inflations that caused skyrocketing prices for materials and equipment, as well as the unsolved problems yet ahead for the city. With approximately $3,000,000 left in the cash fund from the ARPA grant (Federal program to help municipalities survive the pandemic), he said the city’s cash remains healthy, and in spite of COVID, sales tax for both Douglas and Carroll County portions of Villa Rica have even increased over prior years. The number of visitors to the City resulted in a 22% increase for the hotel/motel industry, and the self-funded insurance program has a strong cash balance that otherwise would have been paid out to an insurance administrative firm. The last five years millage rate is lower than it has been in the last 30 years or more.

Mayor McDougal emphasized that the goal is “controlled growth” and making Villa Rica “a fun place to live” . . “I cannot promise that the road ahead will be easy, but Villa Rica will continue to say no to unplanned, poorly managed developments.”

In the Public Comments portion of the meeting, two people brought concerns to the mayor and council:

Little Gaston Stone III of West Point, Georgia is looking to move to Villa Rica, but has a concern is the lack of sidewalks for pedestrian citizens. He said he had to push his mother in her wheelchair on grass because there was no sidewalk, and he wants his grandchildren to have sidewalks to be safe when riding their bikes.

Tony Reeves of 601 Magnolia Street was concerned about the poor shape of Punkintown Road, but he did say he noticed the council addressed this in the work session. He also said the work being proposed needs to go further up, especially at least the northbound lane up to Shoreline. Mayor said that Punkintown will have to be completely reconstructed, and they didn’t want to spend money on paving a road that will have to be torn out in the near future.

The Consent Agenda prepared at the 1:00 p.m. Work Session (see story this page) was presented and approved unanimously.

A Shopping Cart Ordinance was proposed due to the large number of carts being taken out

of parking lots of stores and moved to areas where they shouldn’t be, such as sides of roads, in the woods, in homeless camps, and other various places around the city.

Councilperson Shirley Marchman said she didn’t see how the store owners could keep up with every time somebody took a shopping cart out of their parking lot. Councilperson McPherson said she wanted to seek cooperation from the business owners before making this a law. Councilperson Anna McCoy said maybe it would be a compromise to extend the effective date of the law from March 1st to April 1st.

Mayor McDougal responded by saying that

City of Villa Rica

story by Janice Daniel

the various businesses know the shopping carts are being taken and that it is against the law for people to take them, and the carts are expensive and businesses have to account for the lost ones to their superiors. He said the city needs to be proactive since the businesses acknowledge the problem but haven’t done anything to solve it. The Ordinance was passed 4 to 1, McPherson opposed, with an effective date of April 1, 2023.

The second reading required for the Redistricting of the Voting Wards in the City was made, and the newly drawn map will be sent to the State to be recorded as Appendix B of the City’s Charter. Approved unanimously.

February

The Mayor and City Council of Villa Rica met for work session Tuesday, February 7th, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. All councilmembers were present. Consent Agenda which was prepared is as follows:

1.Adoption of a 2023 Meeting Schedule for the Planning and Zoning Commission.

2.Ordinance naming the new road from Highway 61 to the newly-constructed headquarters for Verida, Inc. to be Steve Adams Drive.

3.Amendment to Special Requirements for Package Distilled Spirits Licenses to delete Section 4-402.(e) and replace the language with (e) for the initial issuance of licenses pursuant to this section and for the issuance of additional licenses pursuant to subsection (c) above or for any districts for which a license may be available, the City shall by resolution establish a date by which applications for the license must be submitted. The application must be complete to be considered for issuance.

4.Approval to authorize the City Manager to receive payments of settlement amounts resulting from the national and regional lawsuits related to the National Opioid Crisis, with the review and consent of the City Attorney and then reporting to the City Council.

5.Adoption of an Urban Camping Ordinance as an additional enforcement mechanism for the City to use in addressing the current problem of homeless people camping on public land or private land without the owner’s permission. This ordinance also attempts to address personal property, debris, or trash left on such property.

6.Request for the Villa Rica Public Facilities Authority to take action with regard to public roads, streets and sidewalks.

7.Approval of a professional services agreement with RCS Productions, Inc. of Dunwoody, Georgia to run six major events during 2023 for concerts at the MILL Amphitheater, such services to include sound and lighting, equipment setup and entertainment, for a cost of $104,600. City has used RCS since 2020 and has had no issues. Councilperson McPherson asked the representative from RCS to consider local talent along with high-end artists. Dates for such events are: West Georgia Jazz Festival on Saturday, April 29th, Summer Concert #1 on Saturday, June 3rd, Thomas A.Dorsey Birthplace Festival, Saturday, June 24th, Summer Concert #2 on Saturday, July 22nd, Summer Concert #3 on Saturday, August 5th, Gold Rush Summer Concert #4 on Friday, September 8th. Dates were set to avoid back-to-back weekend events which, according to Tom Barber, “are a killer” for the Staff working them.

8.Amendment to Wellness Program Agreement expanding the agreement already in

Consideration of Appointment of a new position, Public Works Director, was presented for Hal Burch. Approved unanimously.

Jennifer Hallman presented the Financial Update through December 31, 2022. She said 61% of property taxes have been collected through the end of December. Cash was at $34,639,204, Self-Funded Insurance Cash was $1,359,947 after paying the employees’ incentive bonuses, and both Carroll and Douglas County sales tax amounts are still increasing. Sanitation/Solid Waste was at $20,712, and Water/Sewer was at an almost $600,000 loss. There being no further business to attend, the meeting was adjourned.

work session: 25 item consent agenda

place with Tanner Health Systems to conduct the biometric screenings and health fair for City Employees, at a cost of $16,175. HR Director, Ms. Lena Taylor, also reported that Villa Rica has been named a Great Place to Work according to the employee participation in an anonymous voluntary survey about working conditions; however, the Mayor and Council did acknowledge that they came away from the survey answers realizing some areas they need to work to improve.

9.Replace the Council’s Microsoft Surfaces with Apple iPads at a one-time cost of $3,371.94 and a monthly charge of $227.94. IT Director, Jim Chambers, said the Council’s current system was old when it was originally purchased, and these new iPads will give them much better clarity and connectiveness wherever they may be at a cost less than the purchase of the Microsoft Surfaces.

10.Reappointment of Dennis Brown as a board member of the Villa Rica Recreation Advisory Commission for the term February 8, 2023 to February 7, 2026.

11.Permission to auction on GovDeals.com two older score boards that have been taken down and are no longer used.

12.2022 Budget Amendments #312 - 315 using money available in the Insurance Premium Tax account to cover professional services and attorney fees for the City Manager’s office.

13.2023 Budget Amendments #13 - 148 for capital projects moved to 2023 and rolling over purchase orders for items not received until current year.

14.Write off Customer Receivables accounts from October 2021 through September 2022 for water/sewer/sanitation/solid waste bills considered uncollectible. City Manager Barber commented that there are people who are paying as much as $100.00 per month for water usage due to leaks on their property, because they can’t afford a plumber to find where the leaks are. He assured the Mayor and Council that the City Staff is working with people to try and resolve these issues.

15.Resolution to execute the loan agreement with Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) for $3,000,000 for the North Bypass and Highway 78 and Conners Road roundabout utility relocations. The loan origination fee is $37,500 and the interest rate if 2.42%.

16.Modification #2 of GEFA Loan No. DW2020024 to modify the schedule for Notice to Proceed from February, 2022 to May, 2023, and the schedule for Date of Completion from December, 2022 to April of 2024. There is no cost for this modification.

17.Approve updated Utility Rate Fee Schedule to include tap fees for townhomes

built using a master meter, the fee to be $5,000 plus $1,200 for each unit over three. This is the same fee as the one for apartments but had not been spelled out for townhome developments.

18.Resolution of Support for a separate Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) Planning Grant for the Highway 61 corridor. The amount of the grant, if awarded to Villa Rica, will be $320,000 with $80,000 match by the City.

19.Emergency Drainage Repairs to Mirror Lake Parkway at the Mirror Lake Dam, the purpose of which is to correct the problem of water seeping through the dam coming from roadway drainage catch basins. As an emergency expenditure, the City has secured a quote for performing all labor involved for $99,650, and the City will make the purchase of required materials at a cost of approximately $40,000. The City has run out of time with the Safe Dams Program, and a new dam inspection will be conducted very soon, and even if it’s not finished, at least the work will have begun on the repairs.

20.Approve an addendum to the contract with Carter & Sloope to conduct a rate study for the City’s water and sewer utility at a cost of $34,000.

21.Approve a proposal from Keck & Wood for additional services related to the construction of the North Bypass in order that the City Manager has them to rely on when construction begins and there are questions coming in about the design.

22.Approve a proposal from McIntosh Paving for Punkintown Road repair. Mr. Barber said that, while the work of completely redesigning the road is underway, the road is falling apart in a certain section going up toward Shoreline. The cost of $90,000 to repair the worst area of the road (about 1,400 feet) is necessary because the City can’t wait until the redesign work is finished to make these repairs.

23.Approve a proposal for a Professional Services Agreement with Bobby Elliott at a rate per hour of $150 to provide site plan review services as an independent contractor while the City searches for a full-time City Engineer.

24.Approve a proposal from Falcon Design Consultants to update the concept plan for the Conners Road Park at a cost of $5,000. The land, which was donated to Villa Rica with a requirement that it will be a passive park in perpetuity, but the topography of the area contains rock and very steep slopes.

25.Approve a proposal to create a Master Plan for the Highway 61 Corridor from Falcon Design Consultants at a cost not to exceed $15,000.

Council went into executive session to discuss and deliberate upon employee appointment, compensation, and disciplinary action of employees or public officers; therefore the work session was adjourned.

City of Carrollton Council and Mayor meet to discuss pay raises for police department

The Mayor and City Council of the City of Carrollton met for their Regular Meeting on February 6, 2023. The meeting Agenda was approved.

Councilmember Bob Uglum expressed condolences for the family Sammy Eady, Carroll County coroner for more than two decades.

Councilmember Jaqueline Bridges expressed condolences for the family of Nefretiri A. Boykin, who died Feb. 5, 2023. Bridges also said that February is Black History Month, and each day she is recognizing one of the Civil Rights leaders, today being Harriet Tubman, who helped bring slaves to freedom via the Underground Railroad. In her later life, Tubman fought for women’s suffrage.

Mayor Betty Cason mentioned the first African-American doctor who came to Carrollton, Dr. Samuel D. Thomas, in 1918, and was a major proponent for the hospital. Dr. Thomas was a member of Tanner’s original medical staff in 1949 and served until his death in 1954. She expressed her thanks to the city, which has always strived to continue these relationships.

Mayor Cason also asked for a moment of silence to remember Sam Eady, an icon of the community and the longest running coroner.

“THELASTSUPPER” from front page

Leonardo da Vinci’s masterwork is the centerpiece of this interactive exhibition, which takes the visitor through the creative choices that resulted in the artist’s poignant depiction of Christ’s final meal with his apostles.

The Last Supper Experience features 32 individual installations and an audio accompaniment in both English and Spanish. Curated in Europe, the exhibition breaks down each section of the painting, examines every detail and looks at its impact and legacy. Observers end their journey through the show standing in front of a life-size reproduction of da Vinci’s painting.

Exhibit runs Thursdays through Sundays, March 30–April 27, at The Depot on Bradley at 455 Bradley Street in downtown Carrollton. Tickets are $20 for adults with reduced prices for children ages 12 and younger, large groups. Tickets: carrolltonarts.com/thelastsupper or call 770-838-1083.

CENTENNIAL FARMS from front page

The Georgia Centennial Farm Program was created to draw attention to historic farms and to encourage their preservation. Since 1993, the program has recognized over 600 farms around the state. Nominees must be a working farm with a minimum of 10 acres of the original purchase, actively involved in agricultural production, and must generate at least $1,000 in annual farm-generated income.

In addition, farms must have been continuously farmed by members of the same family for at least 100 years. Qualifying Georgia Centennial Farms are honored each October at an awards ceremony at the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter in Perry.

The Georgia Centennial Farm Program is administered by the Historic Preservation Division of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs; Georgia Farm Bureau Federation; Georgia Department of Agriculture; Georgia EMC; Georgia National Fair and Agricenter; and UGA Cooperative Extension.

For more information: Rose Mayo, Historic Preservation Division Outreach Coordinator, 404-486-6378, rose.mayo@dca.ga.gov

Postmark deadline for applications is May 1st. Applications at: www.dca.ga.gov/georgiahistoric-preservation-division/historicresources/centennial-farms

She also sent her condolences to the members of Boykin’s family, and said “to know her was to love her. She could be radical, but she could also be humble. You never knew what it would be”.

City Manager David Brooks brought before council the Annual Review of the City’s Food Truck Courts. Council voted to approve all the permits, consisting of:

120 North Park Street - Moore’s Chapel

United Methodist Church

401 Bankhead Highway - Pelican SnoBall

1654 Maple Street - Jill Duncan State Farm

302 South Street - Cheers

1101 Alabama Street - Citgo Gas Station

1655 Highway 27 South - Lowe’s

110 North Park Street - Southern Home and Ranch

1111 Bankhead Highway - Lake Carroll Mall

Brooks also brought up the subject of a pay increase for the police department. He said the City of Carrollton needs to be competitive with the other police departments in the county and surrounding areas, and he suggested a $2.00 per hour pay increase for all certified law enforcement officers and captains. Council voted approval unanimously. Councilmember Ledbetter said this pay increase is well deserved and he “would hate to lose any of them because of wages.” Councilmembers Uglum and Bridges echoed his comments, as did Mayor Cason. She urged everyone to look at the Police Department Yearly Report that lists officers and their credentials. With no further business to attend, the meeting was adjourned.

vate philanthropy funds to combine with Carroll County dollars to create the required matching funds. In addition, the Friends of McIntosh worked to garner further support for the project. The Trust for Public Land has the property under an option to purchase agreement with the land owner, Muddy Waters LLC. Selected applicants will now be invited to the second-level application, marking the final level of the application process for their proposals. This cycle will commit $28.7 million in funding to support local parks, trails systems and state-owned lands. Grantees have also committed an estimated $35 million to match grant dollars.

“Since the establishment of the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program, applicants have completed 13 projects totaling $106 million dollars of investment,” said DNR Commissioner Mark Williams. “These projects support parks and trails and protect land critical to wildlife. This year’s project slate will expand these efforts to ensure Georgia’s citizens have greater outdoor recreation access than ever.”

The Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program is Georgia’s first source of dedicated funding for the conservation of priority lands, the stewardship of state parks and wildlife management areas, and the support of local parks and trails.

The competitive 2022-2023 grant cycle produced 55 submissions requesting a total of $107 million dollars in funding. Eligible applicants included local governments, recreation authorities, state agencies and certain nonprofit organizations. The Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund Board of Trustees reviewed all projects and selected a slate of proposals, which was subsequently approved by the Board of Natural Resources and the Appropriations Subcommittees of the State House of Representatives and State Senate over DNR.

Of the 12 selected projects, six are by local

The Mayor and City Council of the City of Carrollton met on January 19, 2023 for their Work Session to discuss upcoming business for the regular February meeting.

Voting items were as follows: Amend the agenda to add Downtown Master Plan and Comprehensive Plan Discussion before the Executive Session, was approved unanimously.

Approve the qualifying fee for Mayor to $180 and for Council Members to $108 for Wards 3 and 4 election positions, was approved unanimously.

They also discussed the 2023 Food Truck Court annual review, the employee recruitment and retention, completed capital projects of 2022 as well as those coming up in 2023, and the Downtown Master Plan and Comprehensive Plan.

The Mayor and Council then went into Executive Session (closed to the publis), and afterward returned to Regular Session. City Manager Brooks stated that city staff would like to move forward with issuing a Request for Proposal for the city-owned Alabama Street block later this year.

Georgia Department of Driver Services: no more multi-state credentials

from press release

State-to-State Verification Service cancels multi-state credentials: the goal is “one customer and one record”. Does the following sound familiar? You drive in Georgia with a valid license, but also spend the summer in Florida with credentials there as well. Florida now checks state-to state verification to prevent anyone from having records in two states. If you have two licenses or a license in one state and an ID Card in another, you will face cancellation.

The Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) is now urging customers to check your license status at dds.georgia.gov if this affects you.

The State-to-State (S2S) Verification Service is a means for a state to electronically check with all other participating states to determine if the applicant currently holds a driver license

governments for the acquisition, development or stewardship of local parks or trail systems. Five proposals are for the acquisition of conservation land by DNR, and one is for a stewardship project on state lands. The full list of Conserve Georgia grant awards is below. For more information about the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program and these grants, visit www.gadnr.org/gosp.

The mission of the Department of Natural Resources is to sustain, enhance, protect and conserve Georgia’s natural, historic and cultural resources for present and future generations, while recognizing the importance of promoting the development of commerce and industry that utilize sound environmental practices. For more information, visit www.gadnr.org.

In addition to Carroll County, the other 2022-2023 Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program Selections are, in brief:

- Green Island Nature Reserve and Recreational Area; $3,000,000 Chatham County plans to acquire approximately 400 acres of upland located on Green Island.

- City of Milton: Milton Greenspace: Trails, Hydrology and Habitat; $1,500,000. The City of Milton proposes to develop passive recreational opportunities on a 130-acre city-owned greenspace. This project will construct approximately one and a quarter mile of trail, as well as bridge, boardwalk and wildlife viewing platform.

Clayton County Water Authority: Huie Group Camping, Outdoor Learning and Archery; $3,000,000. The Clayton County Water Authority (CCWA) is proposing to develop Huie Group Camping to accommodate groups up to 67 persons.

McIntosh County: Fort Barrington / Harper Lake Campground Improvements; $1,190,000. McIntosh County will make major improvements to Harper Lake campground.

Wilkes County: Conserving Georgia’s

or identification card in another state. While this service has been available since 2015, many of Georgia’s neighboring states have now joined including Florida.

This program stops those who are ineligible for a credential in one state to obtain issuance in a neighboring state eliminating unsafe drivers from being on the road.

“The mission of S2S is always highway safety. One record per individual eliminates the opportunity for a suspended driver to be issued in a different state,” said Commissioner Spencer R. Moore. “It is also an identity theft deterrent.”

For complete driver education and issuance information including an easy license status check: www.dds.georgia.gov. For more information on S2S, visit the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) at aamva.org

Revolutionary War Victory; $1,423,990. Wilkes County plans to acquire two parcels of land totaling approximately 178 acres to expand the Kettle Creek Battlefield Park.

Amicalola;: Department of Natural Resources, State Parks & Historic Sites Division, The Conservation Fund Tract Acquisition - Amicalola; $5,100,000. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources plans to acquire 2,077 acres of forested conservation land in Dawson County in order to protect very high priority species and habitats, extend Amicalola Falls State Park’s buffer, and create opportunities for additional fishing, hiking, backcountry camping and wildlife viewing.

Stewart County: Department of Natural Resources, State Parks & Historic Sites Division. Aurum Tract AcquisitionProvidence Canyon; $2,461,350. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources will acquire and conserve approximately 1,493 acres known as Aurum Tract in Stewart County. This acquisition will provide a buffer to the west side of Providence Canyon State Park, which will also double the size of the park.

Marion County: Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division, Chattahoochee Fall Line WMA Expansion; $2,065,000. The Georgia Department o f Natural Resources plans to acquire three tracts totaling 2,345 acres in Marion County to expand Chattahoochee Fall Line Wildlife Management Area.

Also includeds are:

Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division, Dugdown Mountain Corridor; $5,650,000

Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division, Rock and Shoals Outcrop Natural Area Expansion; $570,000

Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division Habitat Restoration on State Lands, Phase 2; $758,965

McINTOSH RESERVE from front page

Should investors go it alone?

ERICK NEWTON

If you’re going to enjoy a comfortable retirement, you should know, among other things, how much money you’ll need. And you may have a much better chance of knowing this if you get some professional help.

THEHOLYSPIRIT SHELTER

explained THS volunteer Laddie Carter. “We provide emergency shelter utilizing five local motels. That is primarily how we spend our money: getting people sheltered. And we do not receive any government money, we depend solely on community support. In 2022, we served approximately 1100 unduplicated individuals, men, women,and children. Most were given financial support. Others may have been given material goods like food, clothing, tents, and items like that. Through our financial benevolence, the shelter paid for 3000 nights of shelter in 2022.”

THS Emergency Shelter provides temporary shelter services,and is not a brick and mortar shelter. It does provide showers, minimal food, and clothing, etc., by appointment only. Established in January 2014, and in November 2014, they were granted 501(c)3 status. Their service area is Carroll County, although they welcome individuals who come to them from surrounding counties, especially if referred by other agencies. They serve men, women, and families.

“There are a variety of reasons why a person is homeless,” added volunteer Cheryl Lankenau. “Yes, some have drug, alcohol, or suffer with mental illness problems, but most I deal with are kind, many are religious, many are highly intelligent, but each has a unique story to tell. But, each one would rather have a roof over their head.”

Cheryl Lankenau, Laddie Carter, and Denise Swanson are also members of the THS Board of Directors.

“We are seeing more seniors, and senior ladies in particular, experiencing homelessness. Also in young people, who finally had to leave their parent’s home for whatever reasons,” said

Consider these findings from a 2021 study by Dalbar, financial services market research firm: Investors who worked with a financial advisor were three times more likely to estimate what they would have saved at retirement than “do-it-yourself” investors.

More than two-thirds of investors with a financial advisor were satisfied with the amount they would have saved at retirement, compared to about 27% of the do-ityourselfers.

How do financial professionals help their

Denise. “As a community we need to work together to find that balancing act between our own interests and those experiencing homelessness and how we can help them! We get tremendous compassion and cooperation from multiple charities and the police department. We are getting great support from West Georgia United Methodist Church, which is a small church, providing this facility to us and doing so much for us.”

Some of you may wonder, why doesn’t a homeless person just get a job?

“Keep in mind,” Denise says, “they no longer have a car, and they can’t even take a shower. There are no mobile shower facilities in our area. And also it is reported that 22% of Carroll County residents live at or below the poverty level. Many are getting kicked out of their apartments. There is simply not enough affordable housing. We have seen landlords evicting residents so they can rent at higher rates - in some instances in violation of renter rights and the law.”

A person would need to earn $14.24 an hour to be able to afford a two-bedroom apartment outside of Georgia’s cities, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition. That’s nearly double Georgia’s minimum wage. “At the moment there is not just one place a person can go to fill out an application, that every organization that a person would need to get that information to they would have to fill out another application. They have to fill out one here, one for food stamps - wherever they need help from. That problem is being worked on, but not solved yet. And that happens even if the person in need and knows of places they can receive help from,” Laddie said. “Carroll County needs a public facility where these people can go during the day to get the basic help they need.” These three dedi-

Carroll County marriage licenses

clients in these ways?

First, consider the issue of determining how much money will be needed for retirement. It’s not always easy for individuals to estimate this amount. But financial professionals can help clients like you arrive at this figure by exploring your hopes and goals. How long do you plan to work? What kind of lifestyle do you anticipate enjoying in retirement? Where would you like to live? How much would you like to travel? Are you open to pursuing earned income opportunities, such as consult-

cated volunteers ask for the public to help provide any of the following items, if they should be so moved to do so:

- prayer

- more volunteers

- monetary gifts

- multi-purpose gift cards (Walmart/ Kroger/ Aldi/Publix, etc., for gas, Rx, cleaning supplies, paper products, etc.

- fast food gift cards (for various places near motels),

- U.S. Forever First Class Postage Stamps

- cases of bottled water

- personal needs: deodorant, men and women’s NEWunderwear

- men and women’s athletic shorts (sizes: MXL), men’s sweatpants (sizes: M-XL), men and women’s boots and tennis shoes (sizes: women 7-10; men 9-12)

- double-edge razors

- tents for tall adults

- sleeping bags for adults

The shelter relies solely on community volunteers to conduct their programs. Volunteers with gifts for skill counseling/guidance, record keeping/data entry, housekeeping, hospitality, spiritual encouragement, etc. are needed at various times. “We hope more churches will help us wherever they can, perhaps with transportation.,” Cheryl says. “Same for businesses. We will know about the housing shortage and higher prices, the homeless problem is not going away.”

Tax deductible donations may be mailed to: The Holy Spirit (THS) Emergency Shelter, Inc., PO BOX 1604, Carrollton, GA 30112. Please text or call 470-729-2390, thsemergencyshelter@gmail.com or www.thsshelter.com.

“I volunteer because I have been given so much, and I needed to give back,” Denise explains. “Maybe you can help, too?”

FEBRUARY 1-28, 2023

ing or working part time?

Next comes the other key question: How much money will be available for retirement? This big question leads to many others: How much do you need to save and invest each year until you retire? About what sort of investment return will you need to reach your retirement income goals? What level of risk are you willing to take to achieve that return? What is the role of other income sources such as Social Security or any pensions you might have?

Having a financial professional help you gain a clear idea of your retirement income picture can certainly be reassuring. But there may be other reasons why “going it alone” as an investor might not be desirable.

For example, when the financial markets are down, as was the case for much of 2022, some investors make decisions based on short-term volatility, such as selling investments to “cut their losses,” even if these same investments still have solid business fundamentals and good prospects for growth. But if you work with a financial professional, you might decide to stick with these investments, especially if they’re still appropriate for your long-term strategy. Other times, of course, the advice may be different — but it will always be advice based on your goals, needs and time horizon.

Furthermore, if you’re investing on your own, you may always be measuring your results against the major market indexes, such as the S&P 500 or the Dow Jones Industrial Average. But in reality, your portfolio should contain a wide range of investments, some of which aren’t contained in these indexes, so you might not be assessing your performance appropriately. A financial professional can help you develop your own, more meaningful benchmarks that can show the progress you’re actually making toward your goals.

Derick Newton is financial advisor, 937B Maple Street, Carrollton, GA 770-832-9515 Article was written by Edward Jones for use by local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

Carroll County pistol permits

Number of Weapons Carry Permits applied for: FEB. 1-28, 2023: 190

Carroll County births

FEBRUARY 1-28, 2023:

Tanner Medical Center, Carrollton: Girls: 60 Boys: 51

Tanner Medical Center, Villa Rica:� Girls: 19 Boys: 24

Carroll County cattle receipts

Carroll County Sales Barn 225 Sales Barn Road, Carrollton

February 27, 2023: 429

February 20, 2023: 644

February 13, 2023: 352

February 6, 2023: 880

Carroll County jail population

Total population as of MARCH 3, 2023: 407

Males: 338 Females: 69

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

Carroll County prison population

Total population as of MARCH 3, 2023: 145

Capacity: 246 Males: 100%

March is Women’s History Month, and I write today to honor this occasion and to celebrate local women who have inspired me in the funeral service industry, both in our own community and personally in my life. Additionally, I would love for you to share with us the women in your lives who have inspired you on our social media pages.

My grandparents started the funeral home in 1950. My grandmother, Shirley Drew Jones, became licensed on August 4, 1964, making her the first woman to be a Licensed Funeral Director in the State of Georgia. My mother, Dana Jones Wynn, followed in her footsteps by also becoming a Licensed Funeral Director, and then, I, Ellen Wynn McBrayer, did the same and followed in their amazing footsteps. During the 1950s and the 1960s, the funeral

industry was overwhelmingly dominated by men. It was very difficult for women to enter into funeral service, let alone became an actual licensed funeral director. During the 50s and 60s, women faced many barriers when they chose to work outside the home, and the funeral industry was no different. It was an industry that was predominantly men only, and still is to a certain degree.

During these early years, many people believed that women were not suited for the funeral industry because of their traditional roles as homemakers and their emotional temperament. As it turns out, these are ironically some of the main reasons our family business and company’s heritage is so unique and meaningful.

Clyde and Shirley had the vision to work together, as a husband and wife, in funeral service and start a funeral service that was different than the “normal” status. They used these very stereotypes as a positive way to serve others as opposed to a standard to hold them back. They started a new tradition and foundation in funeral service this way because

Carroll County Department of Public Health restaurant health inspections scores

they had a calling to go beyond the “norm” and help families in the greatest way that they could both offer together. The term “stronger together” became a way of life that required their vision, their dedication, and a lot of hard work.

Another aspect of our family legacy is that we are founded in three generations of both Husband and Wife teams - including now my husband Scott and me - being licensed Funeral Directors. So many women in history blazed a new trail and a new way of doing life that opened doors for other women, but the generations before me, and in our life’s purpose, also worked tirelessly day in and day out to improve the lives of others, and often at a great personal sacrifice.

So for me, learning from these generations that came before myself means a great deal to me of understanding and valuing the knowledge, wisdom, and experiences of their hard work and incorporating that into our own life and adapting it to our work and service to others in the now. The combination of our family heritage and learning invaluable lessons from

the first two generations has helped us gain a deeper sense of purpose and meaning. Those before us have laid the foundation and groundwork that has helped us expand and adapt our service to others and apply it to the ever-changing needs of today. Also, learning from previous generations can help current and future generations avoid repeating past mistakes and build upon the progress that has been made. It can also provide a sense of community and connection across generations, creating a shared history and a sense of responsibility to continue the work of breaking down barriers and creating opportunities for all.

In summary, learning from the generations that broke the glass ceiling before us is critical for understanding our history, identifying the challenges and opportunities of the present, and paving the way for a more equitable and inclusive future.

As always, we remain “A Family Serving Families®....Since 1950”.

Jones-Wynn Funeral Homes & Crematory and Meadowbrook Memory Gardens

770-459-3694 or 770-942-2311

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

equipment. Observed rusted shelves.

2/08/2023: Tropical Smoothie 1435 S Hwy 27 Carrollton 74 previous 82 Violations: Previous inspection of 82 not posted. Must post most recent score. No thermometers present in prep top coolers including one not holding temperature at 41F or above. Additives in open containers at front store. Cover when not in use. Unopened bags of turkey with a sell date of January 3, 2023 sotred fr use in walkin cooler. Food debris present and built up on coolers, microwave, under and around equipment.

El Tapitio 40 Villa Rosa Road Temple 83 previous 82

2/16/2023: Crafty Crab 800 Bankhead Highway Carrollton 81 previous 95

2/21/2023: Fortune Star 40 Villa Rosa Road Temple 78 previous 90

Violations: Observed raw shelled eggs stored over ready to eat noodles in walk-in cooler. Observed several bottles of employee medicine soted op top of prep table near rice cookers. Observed several buckets of soy sauce, onions, and sauces stored directly on the floor in main kitchen area. Debris present under and around

2/22/2023: Jerry’s Burgers 820 Dallas HighwayVilla Rica

73 previous 87 Violations: Observed raw hamburger meat stored over ready to eat cheese and bell peppers at reach in cooler. Observed no sanitizer present in three compartment sinks. No test strips present. Observed reach in cooler in front of prep top holding TCS foods above 41F, cheese at 51F. Observed heavy grease accumulation on cooking pans, cooking equipment, such as fryer, stove and hand washing sink. Observed heavy ice build up in some freezers. Observed door leading to outside with daylight showing allowing potential pest to enter facility. Observed fly activity in main kitchen.

2/16/2023: Green Tomato Restaurant 1315 S ParkSt Carrollton 43 previous 82 Violations: Observed stored uncovered in walk in cooler: green tomatoes, eggs, beef, and other TCS foods. Observed uncovered ice cream in chest freezer. Observed sausage and eggs casserole cooked to 137F then stored for hot holding. Observed personal medicine bottles stored near food in dry storage area and near food prep area in main kitchen. Observed no thermometers present in multiple coolers in the facility. Observed food contact surfaces not being sanitized. Test strip currently reading at 10ppm. Observed old food debris and old labels left on clean pans and cooking equipment. Observed warmer cabinet in back for hot holding keeping food temps below 135F. Observed many TCS foods in reach in cooler and walk in cooler without a label or propert date marking. Observed leak in A/C around ventilation hood, leaking into bucket placed on floor. Observed multiple in use wiping cloths stored on food prep areas and hand washing sink. Scoop handles in bulk containers found with handles down in food.

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

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

BOWDON: Bowdon City Council met Monday, February 13, 2023. Recognized Bowdon High School Football Team but no one was present to accept the Certificate of Recognition for the football team winning the State Championship.

Public Comments: Ryan Yates, 2156 Victory Church Rd., Bowdon, asked for an update on the gymnastics center addition and the drainage problem. City Manager Gary Bullock stated the civil engineer for the drainage problem was being chosen tonight. Yates asked if the water drainage problem could be addressed at the same time as the building addition. Bullock said the expansion on the building would have to wait until the water drainage issue was corrected. Yates then asked about the air quality report. Bullock said there was nothing needing abatement; just cleaning needs to be done.

Chase Smith, 4683 Stateline Rd., Bowdon, said he thought Allan and the recreation department were going in the wrong direction. He said Allan has done a good job fundraising and getting new scoreboards, but he feels Allan is using favoritism in picking coaches and feels he won’t listen to input from parents. Mayor Jim Chaffin said Bullock would speak with Allan and encourage more communication with parents.

Business Session: Bowdon Housing Authority Board Appointment: council recommended to approve appointment of Roger Landers to replace Blain Ferguson for remainder of his 5-year term which will expire March 9, 2026. Motion was approved.

Board of Trustees of the Bowdon Library met on Tuesday January 10, 2023. The term of Bowdon representative Bill Fordham has expired, and he has decided not to serve a second term. Board voted to nominate Paula Steed. Motion approved.

Survey Grant Application/Funding: Bullock informed council that to remain a Certified Local Government the survey of historic properties needed to be updated. With a grant to pay for the survey, city’s cost with the grant would be 40%. Survey estimated at $17,700, therefore city’s part would be $7,080. Grant request of $10,620 was approved by council.

Selection of Residential Sanitary Collection Service. Bullock recommended Bowdon Disposal Service. Councilmember Wes McEntyre asked if the customer cost had been considered. Bullock proposed a monthly fee of $26.50, which would be $2.50 above what Bowdon Disposal will be charging the city. Motion was approved.

E. Selection of Water Infrastructure Engineering firm: GEFA requires engineering firms be identified. Sloope was first choice, with HRC coming in second out of four total. Bullock also asked for the vote to include pursuing the GEFA loan funding. Total amount of the loan $2,180,000, with $763,000 principal forgiveness, resulting in the actual loan amount being $1,417,000. Motion was approved.

F. Selection of Civil Engineering firm for water abatement: Three firms submitted proposals for the water abatement project at the gymnastics building. Bullock recommended going with HRC. Motion was approved.

G. Library Renovation Participation: West Georgia Regional Library System (WGRLS) submitted a list of renovations with a cost estimate from DCW Construction in the amount of $60,601. City will pay 50% ($30,300.50) and WGRLS will pay 50%. Motion was approved.

City Manager Reports: oft-starts arrived for the pumps at water yreatmentplant and should

be installed this week. Water tower is being painted and will have Bowdon “B” logo on it.

The following mayor and council meeting information provided by Mt. Zion City administrative assistant Jane Widerhold.

MOUNT ZION: City held monthly council meeting Feb 14. Council meeting minutes for January 10, 2023, financial reports, and senior center and library report were all approved.

Resolution #2023-005L: motion was made and secondedto discontinue service with GFL for dumpster service at recreation ball fields and community center. Mayor and council agreed to begin service with GA/AL Rolloff.

Resolution #2023-006 to place a fence at the property line between Turkey Creek Park and 4821 Mt. Zion Rd, for a distance of 300 feet and, price to be determined by material cost at time of construction plus labor.

The following mayor and council meeting information provided by City of Temple City Clerk Kristen Etheredge:.

TEMPLE: The City of Temple held their council meeting January 9, 2023. Council Member Hiley Miller arrived at 4:07 PM. (was not present for items 1-5) There were no public comments.

Election of the Mayor Pro Tern for 2023: Mayor Michael Johnson opened the floor for nominations for Mayor Pro Tern. There was a motion by Council Member Howard Walden to close the nominations and nominate Richard Bracknell, seconded by Council Member Tom Wallace. Vote 3-0. Bracknell abstained.

Adopt a resolution to set the qualifying fees for the 2023 City of Temple election on November 7 for the positions of City Council member from Ward 3, City Council member from Ward 4, and City Council member from Ward 5. City Clerk Kristin Etheredge explained that qualifying fees are 3% of the annual salary, which makes the fee $135. Once this is voted on, the Carroll County Elections Office will be notified as this has to be published by February 1st in legal organ. Motion to approve by Wallace, seconded by Bracknell. Vote 4-0.

Approve the City of Temple’s 2023 updated list of approved vendors and contractors. There was a motion by Bracknell to approve, seconded by alden. Vote 5-0.

Report concerning the annual automatic 1.50% increase in water usage rates and sewer usage rates, and possible action by council to keep this rate change from becoming effective with the start of the next monthly billing cycle.

City Administrator Bill Osborne said council recently took action where we would not do the 1.5% increase on tap fees. Effective with the February billing cycle each year there would be a 1.5% increase in usage rates unless council takes action for it not to become effective. If there is no action by council that would prevent the increase from taking place, the automatic 1.5% increase would beging with February billing cycle. Walden clarified that if no action is taken tonight, the increase is for water usage only. No action taken.

Having received no response to the recent Request for Proposals for renovation work in the Villa Rosa community park, authorize the city administrator and recreation director to obtain two or more quotes from qualified businesses pertaining to each of the different components of this proposed project and then to select to do this particular part of the project that business which submitted the best bid.

Authorize mayor to sign an Expedited Enforcement Compliance Order (Consent Order) with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Protection Division, as the result of exceeding Biochemical Oxygen Demand rules and the city’s permit limitations

on five occasions between November 2019 and October 2022, and authorize payment of a penalty of $2,004.00 by January 14, 2023. Mayor Johnson explained that part A was discussed during the committee meeting. There was a motion by Bracknell to authorize mayor to sign an Expedited Enforcement Compliance Order authorize payment of penalty by January 14, 2023. Seconded by Walden. Vote 5-0.

At 6:30 p.m., hold the public hearing on the application from Bhavika Patel, president of B & J Mart. LLC, doing business as Temple Super Thrift at 182 West Highway 78 in the City of Temple for the retail package sale of alcohol beverages (beer and wine). Mayor Johnson opened the public hearing. Patel, the applicant, stated that this is a current business that they are taking over. There was no one else present to speak for or against this request. Public hearing was closed. Council Member Walden asked if all documentation had been submitted; Osborne confirmed it had. Motion by Walden to approve application, seconded by Bracknell. Vote 5-0.

Walden stated he had complaints about the phones not being answered at City Hall or not getting returned calls when they leave a message. He had names and addresses. Osborne asked for that information so that he could check into this issue.

The following mayor and council meeting information for The City of Whitesburg submitted by Wanice Odell, administrative assistant www.whiteburg-ga.com:

WHITESBURG: Council and and mayor met February 28. No citizen comments.

Mayor Amy Williford stated that Kevin Drummond, City Attorney, suggested a review of Water Department Guidelines/Water Ordinance. “Red” revisions are his suggested changes. Current Reconnect Fee = $50.00

Proposed New Reconnect Fee = $ 75.00 (No $25 Admin Fee) Current Owner Deposit =

Proposed New Renter Deposit = $200.00

Current Tap Fee In-Side City = $1,200.00

Proposed New Tap Fee In-Side City = $2,000.00 Current Tap Fee Out-Side City = $1,500.00 Proposed New Tap Fee In-Side City = $2,500.00

$201,318. A new excavator was needed to replace one that had been operational. District 5 Commissioner Ernie Reynolds stated that for transparency to the public on spending this amount of money, he relayed that it had been loaned out to another department, and the employee who used it did not follow the instructions given by Yates as to where they could operate this excavator, and the engine caught fire resulting in significant damage. The cost to repair the 20 year old excavator was deemed prohibitive.

Central Atlanta Tractor was not the lowest bidder, but the overall opinion was that this company had the best warranty of the eight companies who submitted bids. Board approved request unanimously to purchase a new excavator for $201,318.

District 2 Commissioner Clint Chance read a Proclamation declaring Friday, February 17, 2012 as Charles Pope Day. Pope, Director of Public Works in Carroll County, has announced his plan to retire.

Finance Director Alecia Searcy presented the financial status as of December 31, 2022. She said 64% of budgeted income has been collected, and expenses are at 49.72%. Cash balance is stable with around a six-month cushion of operating funds. Chance stated that

Councilmember Donna Whitley stated council also needs to look at updating the Employee Handbook, last revision was June, 2021. She said, “We need to make sure some of the language as to who does what and who you go to if you have questions regarding certain information, because a lot of it is unclear. The council needs to look at this and make sure it is clear for everyone.”

Council then opened the floor for citizen comments: Imogene Frazier, “So the zoning of the Sammy Duke property, what is it they are wanting in the city?” Mayor Williford, “The mobile home is already in the city, zoning and planning has all the copies.” Imogene Frazier, “Well, what was in the newspaper today just seemed different.” Mayor Williford, “The attorney wrote what was in the newspaper, not us; it may be that the public record just hasn’t been updated yet since they just closed on the property. They want both properties in the city if we zone it the way they are want it.”Imogene Frazier, “So, is the council considering approving it?’ Mayor Williford, “We will need to wait and see what Planning & Zoning recommend, then we will make a final decision at the April Council Meeting.”

Councilmember Chris Lewis, “The tree that needs removing at Kelly Street. I have got one price quote from Rubens. The work is going to require a tall lift, probably like 100 ft. which is pricey because he will have to rent the equipment.” Robert Gamble, “We have to make sure whoever does the work is insured and bonded. We also need to write up an agreement between the Houston’s and the city before we do this tree work.” Councilmember Lewis, “I was going to find out who we will be using as a contractor, and then we will move forward with getting an agreement. Also, McIntosh recommended Rubens Service and Rubens recommended Rodriquez Tree Service. The quote I got was from Rubens and it was for $8,800 this included him renting the lift and all the cleanup work. If we went with someone else who own their own lift, the cost should be a lot less.” Mayor Williford, “Did you find out about replacing the pipe?” Councilmember Lewis, “Yes, McIntosh said it could be done; no problem - it would be replacing pipe past tree, past house, and redo ditch that catches water.”

. . . it had been loaned out to another department, and the employee who used it did not follow the instructions given by Yates as to where they could operate this excavator, and the engine caught fire resulting in significant damage. The cost to repair the 20 year old excavator was deemed prohibitive.

he had asked auditors if this is a healthy reserve amount, and that they replied the ACCG likes counties to have at least three months of operating cash, and some have as much as twelve months, that it’s just according to each county’s budgeted and anticipated income versus expenses.

District 1 Commissioner Montrell McClendon nominated Tiffany Ramsey to the Carroll County Health Board to fill the unexpired term of Cindy Barge who resigned. Approval was unanimous.

Board voted to go into executive session (secret, not open to the public). Chairman Michelle Morgan announced they would adjourn the regular meeting since they would not be conducting any further business after the executive session.

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