StarNews October 2020

StarNews

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

NEWS REPORTING / NEWS RECAP / NEWS ANALYSIS

OCTOBER 11, 2020 • VOLUME 26 NUMBER 10

STATE OF CARROLL 2020 ANNUAL SPECIAL on how we are doing as a county and community, including stats on our quality of life in West Georgia PART ONE OF THREE beginning on page 9

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

Solving the ‘Digital Divide’: bringing the internet November General Election Carroll County: State to more of rural West Georgia and East Alabama in Senate District 30 and State

Carroll EMC, SyncGlobal, with the help of a $12.5M USDA grant, continue to push forward to bring internet service to cover 125 square miles

Representative District 18

Tuesday, November 3, 2020 General Election

Early Voting Dates and Locations • Carroll County Elections Office 423 College Street, Carrollton Oct. 12-23: Mon- Fri 8 am - 5 pm Sat. Oct. 24: 9 am - 4 pm Oct. 26-30: Mon -Fri. 8 am-7 pm • Bonner Recreation Gym

story and photos by Daniel Jackson In August of 1936, after the Rural Electrification Administration (REA) was established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt the prior year, the Carroll Rural Electric Association was formed in Carroll County (later the Carroll Electric Membership) a novel and innovative organization that brought electricity - and elecTim Martin tric lights - for the CEO first time to vast rural Carroll EMC areas of west Georgia. This life changing modernization

was made possible through an initial 117 miles of wire, and a $118,000 loan from the REA. Now, eight decades later, Carroll EMC will, once again, help bring about another life changing modernization to rural residents in West Georgia and East Alabama: bringing the world into homes and business through the Internet. Carroll EMC and SyncGlobal, a telecommunications service provider located in Bremen, along with the assistance of a $12.5M grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, will string 125 square miles of fiber cable to bring broadband internet to 7,300 residents, roughly 121 farms, 15 businesses, several fire stations, and an elementary school (see map page 2.)

Tim Martin, President/CEO of Carroll

Update driver’s license now to ensure proper ID for General Election

Carrollton Mayor Betty Cason: governing during CoVID

from press release To ensure a smooth process when casting a ballot on November 3rd, now is the time to ensure you have proper photo identification.

“Don’t wait until Election Day to realize your driver’s license or identification card is missing,” said DDS Commissioner Spencer R. Moore. “Photo identification is required at the polls, so please secure yours now.”

DDS has continued to serve customers at significant rates even during the earliest days of the Pandemic. It took less than two weeks (3/20/2020-3/30/2020) for DDS to reopen with COVID-19 safety precautions after the Emergency Declaration. In addition, DDS remote services have been available online and via the DDS free mobile app continuously 24/7.

See UPDATE DRIVER’s LICENSE page 5 DON’T MISS AN ISSUE! READ DIGITAL MONTHLY PRINT EDITIONS on

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See SOLVING DIGITAL DIVIDE page 2

The State Senate Race

by Daniel Jackson As both the country and Georgia prepare for the Tuesday, November 3, 2020 General Election, Georgia’s Senate District 30 will be on the ballot for voters in the counties of Carroll, Douglas and Paulding (this district covers portions in all three counties). The two candidates See STATE SENATE RACE page 4

The State Representative Race

by Daniel Jackson When the Georgia House of Representatives, District 18 Representative Kevin Cooke retired this year to make his run for Congress, the race was on to fill his seat. Cooke’s previous Democratic challenger Patricia A.

226 West Avenue, Carrollton

Oct. 12-23: Mon- Fri 8 am - 5 pm Oct. 16-23: Mon- Fri 8 am - 5 pm Oct. 26-30: Mon- Fri 8 am - 6 pm

• Powell Park Recreation Center 524 Leslie Drive, Villa Rica

Oct. 26-30: Mon- Fri 8 am - 6 pm

Rhudy is on the ballot for the November 3, 2020 General Election. Rhudy will face Republican Tyler P. Smith, who defeated Cason Hightower (R) gaining 51.3% of the vote to Hightower’s 48.7% in the August 11, 2020 runoff held by the See STATE REP RACE page 5

photo and story by Sue Horn When former Carroll County probate judge Betty Cason was elected mayor of Carrollton with a strong 60.63% vote win in November 2019, she made history as becoming the first female mayor for the almost one hundred year old city (chartered 1826; incorporated 1829).

She took office in January 2020.

More history would follow in the spring, as she became the first City of Carrollton mayor to govern during a pandemic. The novel coronavirus, soon to be dubbed CoVID-19, swept across the country like a steady, unrelenting tsunamic wave. Governors’ hands were forced into declaring sheltering-in-place orders, including the state of Georgia, leaving local officials in charge of enforcements. “We started the year with great plans,” Mayor Cason said, “But, then, CoVID happened.”

Betty Cason is the City of Carrollton’s first female mayor

The soul of our democracy depends on a leader that will fight for you. I am the clear choice for Georgia's Senate District 30 as I am ready to take a stand for our West Georgia community.

I need your vote in the

MONTENIA EDWARDS

General Election Tuesday, November 3, 2020 Montenia Edwards

See MAYOR CASON page 7

"We are stronger together!"

Page 2 October 11, 2020

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SOLVING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE from the front page

Electric Membership Cooperative, and Jim Clotfelter, SyncGlobal Telecom’s VP of Sales and Business Development spoke on the team effort between the two business entities at a detailed and interesting presentation on Friday, September 18th at the weekly meeting of the Carrollton Kiwanis Club.

Carroll EMC and SyncGlobal Telecom have a “great relationship” and have “worked together for 14 or so years,” Clotfelter stated.

About three years ago, Martin and Clotfelter began discussing how to solve the issue of rural broadband access asking, “What would it take to truly eliminate the broadband gap in Carroll EMC territory not just put a band-aid on it?” stated Clotfelter.

In 2018, with the passing of Senate Bill 2 by the Georgia General Assembly and Governor Brian Kemp, electric membership corporations and their affiliates were authorized to provide broadband services.

In March of 2020, the Bremen based SyncGlobal Telecom was awarded a $12.5 million grant from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Broadband ReConnect Program, along with funds matched

by Carroll EMC, bringing the initial investment to almost $20 million for the initial stages of implementation.

The grant will cover approximately 125 square miles of fiber, able to service about 7,300 residents, roughly 121 farms, 15 businesses, several fire stations, and an elementary school. Although the project will also Carroll EMC President/CEO Tim Martin, left, and SyncGlobal Telecom Vice President of Sales and Business Development connect businesses, “Primarily we’re Jim Clotfelter, right, are shown above in front of the breakdown of what each of these companies will provide towards the focused on this being a residential service success of bringing internet service to more areas of West Georgia and East Alabama. offering” Clotfelter said.

At a June 25, 2020 celebratory event project. Smart Grid and Smart Meter tech- sit has been somewhat unreliable in the past. hosted by SyncGlobal Telecom and Carroll the third offering 1 GB speeds.

Clotfelter said the broadband project that According to Clotfelter, the packages will nologies enable digital communication EMC, Carroll EMC’s Tim Martin pledged to Carroll EMC and SyncGlobal Telecom have have what other major service providers between consumer utility equipment and continue “to solve the digital divide one offer including, man- service providers. Some of the benefits of set out to create “is for the long haul, not a community at a time”.

Carroll EMC’s Tim Martin aged firewalling with Smart Grid and Smart Meter technology are: quick solution, there is no quick solution for The event was supported content controls such pledged to continue “to solve - quicker restoration of electricity after this”. He pointed out that “It’s really about and attended by several both groups looking far ahead” and doing prominent figures such as the digital divide one community as content filtering, power disturbances the best thing for the customers. parental controls, manreduced operations and management Governor Brian Kemp, at a time”. The event was Insofar as the current progress of this aged Wi-Fi, as well as costs for utilities, and ultimately lower National Secretary of supported and attended by major endeavor, Clotfelter said he feels they home phone service power costs for consumers Agriculture and former - reduced peak demand, which will also are, “at the end of the beginning” of the proGovernor Sonny Perdue, several prominent figures such for those that want it. ject and are moving steadily forward.

With so many peo- help lower electricity rates Georg i a Agriculture as Governor Brian Kemp, From the initial 334 meters in 1936, ple working from increased integration of large-scale Commissioner Gary National Secretary of Carroll EMC now serves 52,000 meters in home, “a lot of our renewable energy systems Black, SyncGlobal Agriculture and former business voice prod- better integration of customer-owner seven counties. More than 5,457 miles of Telecom CEO Kyle Governor Sonny Perdue. . . ucts can be managed power generation systems, including renew- power in a service area covering approxiWilliams and American mately 1,100 square over the same net- able energy systems Farm Bureau Federation Addressing the cost of miles in Carroll, work” Clotfelter said. improved security President Zippy Duvall. Duvall alluded to Addressing the cost of residential service, Additionally, custom- residential service, Clotfelter Haralson, Heard, the importance of rural broadband saying, Paulding, Polk, Troup “What electricity was to our grandfather is Clotfelter said “We’ve got to do it afforda- ers who use Smart Grid said “We’ve got to do it and Floyd counties. bly” and “I’m doing everything I can to and Smart Meter technolwhat broadband is to us”. affordably” and “I’m doing 94% of these are resiWanting to get service to customers as keep it under $100, it’s probably going to be ogy can monitor their everything I can to keep it dential and 6% are around $85, or somewhere around there”. electrical usage from quickly as possible, Clotfelter said he anticicommercial and indusunder $100, it’s probably pates construction to begin “early to mid- This estimate is the monthly recurring cost their personal computer, trial accounts. quarter next year”. By construction, he and based on the basic package without giving them instant going to be around $85, or The Carrollton phone service included, which he estimated access to real-time data. clarified that it would mean the hanging of somewhere around there”. Kiwanis Club meets at If a customer experiactual fiber cable on Carroll EMC’s existing to be an additional nine dollars monthly. the Courtyard by He went on to say, “our goal is to make ences a service outage, infrastructure of electrical poles. However, the monthly recurring cost as affordable as restoration of service will be a “joint effort” Marriot hotel, downtown Carrollton. In the “there will be no physical offices,” he said.

Most of the fiber will be on overhead possible”. Sales, network and service instal- Martin and Clotfelter explained. Depending interest of safety due to Covid-19, the club power lines, this is “in order to get to the lation and billing will be handled by on the issue, each organization has experts will continue through the end of this year to most folks possible, as fast as possible,” SyncGlobal Telecom, while the distribution to respond to and solve the problem, alternate meetings every other Friday at Clotfelter explained. He went on to say that infrastructure, the poles and lines, would be whether electrical or broadband service noon, between socially distanced luncheons like this one and virtual meetings held over related. they hope to have their “first customers hav- primarily handled by Carroll EMC. Clotfelter asserted that “Connecting “We’re going to be the service provider the “Zoom” platform. ing service the latter half of next year”.

For more information on becoming a SyncGlobal Telecom plans to offer serv- Carroll EMC substations, and, over time, for the service” Clotfelter said. However, to ice packages in three tiers. The basic pack- developing the infrastructure needed to sup- reduce the instances of broadband outages Carrollton Kiwanis Club member, contact age, with internet speeds of up to 150 Mbps, port Smart Grid and Smart Meter” would “we want to use 100% fiber transit” Club President Cathy Farley at a middle tier, offering around 300 Mbps and also be a huge benefit of the cooperative Clotfelter said, describing how wireless tran- cathyp1919@gmail.com

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StarNews October 11, 2020 Page 3

General Election Tuesday, November 3, 2020

Experience Matters PRO-GOD, PRO-LIFE PRO-2ND AMENDMENT PRO-TRUMP & PRO-BUSINESS KEEP THE 18TH HOUSE DISTRICT GREAT!

VOTE November 3rd

Page 4 October 11, 2020

StarNews

STATE SENATE RACE from page 4

www.starnewsgaonline.com

are Montenia Edwards, Democrat, and incumbent Mike Dugan, Republican.

After a tightly contested, but undecided June 9, 2020 primary, the Georgia General Assembly held its August 11, 2020 runoff, which included this seat. Democratic candidate for Senate District 30, Montenia Edwards defeated Triana Arnold James (D), gaining 54.47% of the vote to James’s 45.63%. Edwards now faces Dugan in the November 3, 2020 General election.

Montenia Edwards, a clinical researcher within the biopharmaceutical industry, experienced in working with a wide variety of diseases from Covid-19 to heart health studies, resides in Powder Springs, Georgia, and says, “I believe a leader should be a visible servant in the community. With my foundation built on volunteerism, I will always remain ‘in touch’ with the affairs of our community”.

The foundation she alludes to includes her volunteer work with the following agencies: - Safe House Homeless Shelter - Open Hands food pantry - Midway Church food pantry - Helping Hands food pantry - Up & Go Overcoming Mission food pantry In addition to her volunteerism, she either supports, or is a member of the Junior League of Atlanta, Up & Go Overcoming Church, Word of Faith Family Worship Cathedral and the Carroll County chapter of the NAACP. Edwards said she is the right choice for her district, avowing, “I have a deep compassion for the people of our community and want to bring hope to State Senate District 30 and all Georgia families. I am the right choice to engage the community and create a partnership of accountability and transparency. We must take complacency out of politics and dare to do different. If the people of SD30 walk with me on this journey we will greatly improve our district together. My platform is most inclusive in advocating for better health and wellness, education, and jobs.”

If elected, her plans for the first 100 days are as follows: - “Create a disaster relief reserve fund for farmers to use when natural disasters occur”.

- “Build a solid public health infrastructure to include having a stock-pile of PPE in SD30 and the State of Georgia”.

- “To remove the taxation from military retirement pay in Georgia”.

In 2018, Carroll County had roughly 5.9 thousand military veterans, 6.7% of its population, a number that has, and will continue to grow as our nation’s military veterans leave service.

Edwards addressed her commitment to those veterans saying, “Serving in the military is demanding, dangerous, and tough.

According to the Pew Research Center, 27% of veterans find it difficult to re-adjust to civilian life after serving. This can cause unfavorable outcomes such as homelessness among our servicemen and servicewomen.

The most important legislation I plan to support is allocating resources to have a statewide program aimed to help military personnel transition back into civilian life. This program will be a benefit to both active duty military and veterans by ensuring that it is 80% employed by veterans. This will give experienced veterans the opportunity to help their fellow service members that are getting ready to end their duty or who recently ended their duty to find employment and

obtain the VA benefits they deserve”.

If elected in November, Edwards says she would be interested in serving on the Senate Committees of Health and Human Services, Education and Youth, Veterans, Military, Homeland Security and Economic Development and Tourism.

Edwards has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Morris Brown College and a Master of Public Health in Behavioral Science and Health Education from Saint Louis University. She says that aside from her professional life she is “a committed and proud mother”, with two children “a beautiful daughter and son, ages eight and three”.

Her hobbies and interests include being an avid classical and gospel singer, while she also enjoys sewing.

Incumbent Mike Dugan (R), a resident of Carrollton and the current Senate Majority Leader, is a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel and veteran, conservative businessman. He was sworn into the Senate in January 2013 and elected as Majority Leader in 2018.

Dugan also serves as a business development contractor for the local general construction and contracting company RA-LIN. Founded in 1972, RA-LIN has been involved with many office and corporate building projects, cultural and civic buildings, medical office buildings and surgical centers, hospitality and multi-family and student projects, K-12 and higher education projects, athletic facilities, as well as manufacturing and industrial projects throughout the southeast region of the country.

Active in his community, the senator served as Former President of the Carrollton Kiwanis Club and is currently a member of Bowdon Kiwanis Club, working proactively with local school systems. He is also a former member of the Carrollton Housing Authority, former member of the University of West Georgia Athletic Foundation, and a Friend of the West Georgia Autism Foundation.

In addition to his volunteerism, Dugan also supports Keep Carroll Beautiful, while continuing to support the Advocates for Remarkable Citizens and the Carroll County Training Center.

Dugan pledged that, if re-elected, “My first 100 days in office will be spent acting on legislative priorities for the Senate chamber. As the Majority Leader, I set forth the efforts of the Republican caucus. This upcoming year, we’re looking to correct state revenues and expenditures, further develop a robust business environment in the state, continue to improve educational outcomes for our students, ensure we provide affordable, accessible, and quality healthcare for all of our citizens by creating more coverage opportunities and continue our work to improve the Infant-Maternal health care rates and ensure the safety and welfare of our residents”.

Over this past summer, Dugan partnered with 18 other Carroll County community leaders to create a Racial Reform Task Force, meant to create positive change within communities. After a study committee in the Georgia Senate involving Senator Matt Brass of Newnan was scrapped due to budget limitations, Senator Dugan discussed and agreed with Brass that a social issue of this size could not be rectified by only a handful of senators. While the task force is still in a planning phase, the relationship between law enforcement and the community is a large part of its focus.

See DISTRICT 30 RACE page 6

Edward Jones

Fred O’Neal, AAMS® Financial Advisor 410 College Street Carrollton, GA. 770-832-2141

Derick T. Newton, AAMS® Dennis Brightman, CLU® Financial Advisor Financial Advisor 937B Maple Street 801 Old Newnan Road Suite C Carrollton, GA. 770-832-9515 Carrollton, Ga 770-834-0570

Joey L. Key, CHFC®, CLU® Financial Advisor 105 Somerset Pl,Suite A Carrollton, GA. 678-890-1067

Charles Shiver Financial Advisor 102 Trojan Dr Suite B Carrollton, GA. 770-834-4311 www.edwardjones.com Member SIPC

www.starnewsgaonline.com STATE REP RACE from front page by the Georgia General Assembly.

Candidate Patricia Ann Loose Rhudy (D), known by most as “Pat”, lives in Carrollton, Georgia. This will be her fifth run for this office. Rhudy has worked part-time for the last 15 years as a field representative for the U.S. Census Bureau on the American Community Survey.

Rhudy volunteers with Moving Forward, which she says is “a really great team of county citizens focused on keeping life fair for all of our citizens and helping good candidates get elected”. She’s also been an active member of the Carroll County Democrats since 2003.

“I am interested in government,” she says.

Rhudy said it’s the questions like “how policy affects the lives of real people, what motivates elected officials when they form policies which impact real people and why voters vote the way they do?”, that interests her. “My politics are important to me but are also fun for me” Rhudy said.

Rhudy’s message to voters as to what makes her the better candidate is, “I possess the life experience that comes with maturity.

Past political campaigns and working as a field rep for the American Community Survey has introduced me to the citizens of Carroll and Haralson County. Since Tom Murphy and Tracy Stallings were defeated

by Republicans in 2002, we have been represented by young Republican men, who seem

UPDATE DRIVER’s LICENSE from front page

Renewing, replacing and updating a license or ID Card can easily be done via DDS Online Services or the free mobile app, DDS 2 GO. This includes an efficient process for updating an address and requesting that an updated card be mailed to you.

If you must visit in person, please make an appointment for License/ID Counter S e r v i c e a t https://gaddsnqa.nemoqappointment.com/B ooking/Booking/Index/jst3d93jhe. This ensures that each customer receives the most efficient and safe customer service.

Many centers have appointments available the same week. However, the high traffic centers may be scheduled further out.

Those that arrive without an appointment will not be turned away but should expect an extended wait. COVID-19 Safety Precautions require DDS to monitor the number of people inside each center, so those without appointments may prefer to make an appointment and return another day.

Poll workers will accept a valid or an expired Georgia driver’s license or State Identification Card (provided it’s expired no more than one year). For a list of other acceptable voter photo identification accepted at the polls visit the Secretary of S t a t e w e b s i t e . https://sos.ga.gov/index.php/elections/georg ia_voter_identification_requirements2.

DDS can issue a Voter Identification Card for Voting Purposes. Customers must apply in person and present documentation to prove identity, residency and proof of voter registration. To check the DDS requirements for issuance of a Voter ID please go to https://dds.georgia.gov/voterid. An appointment is recommended for this service as well.

Each county registrar’s office also provides a free ID Card. To learn more about this process please contact the county registrar in your area.

to have little real care for the district, except as a stepping-stone to higher office”.

Furthermore, she said, “This is a beautiful area populated by really nice people. They deserve to have a representative who understands what it means that there is no reliable way for Haralson County to store and process water to serve its population, that jobs come to areas with adequate infrastructure, representation that understands what it feels like to worry about the cost of healthcare and representation that understands the financial dilemma of groceries versus rent or a car repair”.

“Carroll and Haralson are beautiful counties populated by really good people. I would like to represent them, helping to craft government policies that make their lives better”, she said.

When asked what she would work towards getting done in her first 100 days if

elected, she replied, “It is often the question asked of candidates, what would you do in the first 100 days. When one is elected, one becomes a part of a larger group, so what one may hope to do and actually does, may be very different”.

Rhudy further asserted, “I, as most Democrats being elected to the Georgia Legislature, would want to revisit the costly decision of an earlier Georgia Legislature that chose not to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. That decision has cost the state billions of Federal dollars and has resulted in the closure of several rural hospitals”.

If elected, Rhudy elaborated on two other key issues she would address, stating, “Not much is being said about redistricting, which the state legislature of Georgia and most other states will be doing immediately after the 2020 Census. It is the Georgia

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October 11, 2020 Page 5

Legislature, which will be in charge of changing districts of elected officials from the U.S. Congress down to city council and to represent changes in population based on the new census”.

Continuing, Rhudy posited, “Political parties in power have, forever, drawn districts to keep themselves and their party in power.

The advent of very good tools for identifying types of voters and mapping has resulted in do nothing legislators, all ideology and no action; there is no longer compromise which creates good policy. I really want to be among the legislators trying to create districts which elect more moderate legislators” Secondly, Rhudy said, “The hate crime law is low hanging fruit. It is actually of little value in preventing a crime, such as the murder of Ahmaud Arbery in Brunswick, GA. The laws which must be repealed are the See DISTRICT 18 page 6

Page 6 October 11, 2020

StarNews

www.starnewsgaonline.com

DISTRICT 18 from page 5

Georgia and would help veterans too. I would welcome discussions with them (veterans) and all other residents of the district about needs that I did not address. I may not know about them”.

Rhudy expressed her affection for Carroll County, calling it “A really lovely place to live... It is beautiful geographically, is well located, has many great outdoor days, has a good mix of opportunities and entertainment, is not crowded and is affordable. It also has the very nicest people” she said.

Rhudy enjoys reading, as well as attending and listening to music at popular Carroll

DISTRICT 30 RACE from page 4

- Veterans, Military Affairs, and Homeland Security In reference to how he would help Georgia veterans, Senator Dugan asserted, “Over the past few years, Georgia has taken great strides to accommodate our nation’s heroes. We have added education benefits, housing opportunities, work opportunities, and other financial incentives for soldiers both active duty and retired. We have needs that transcend the current financial and education benefits Georgia provides. Right now, mental health services are one of the leading needs in the military community. I want to expand the service scope of current healthcare services to allow veterans to receive counseling benefits”.

On a personal note, Senator Dugan said, “I enjoy reading, hanging out at the beach, and spending time with my family”, that family being his wife Missy, kids Meghan and Beau and his daughter-in-law Sarah.

Senator Dugan has a B.A. in History, his M.A. in Psychology and a Post Graduate certification in Public Policy from Harvard University.

Citizens Arrest Law and the Stand Your Ground Law. We must work on criminal justice reform, too. The news of the past two years have clearly shown us that we have some serious problems to solve if we are to be equal under the law”.

Asked how she could ensure support for Georgia military veterans and their families, Rhudy replied, “These policies which I would help enact, if elected to the Georgia House to represent District 18 (north west Carroll and the southern half of Haralson counties) would support the families of In addressing why voters should re-elect him, he stated that, “Being a product of this community, I feel that I am most in touch with the wants and needs of Senate District 30. I’ve seen the development of the west Georgia area for the better part of my life, making my family and I major stakeholders of our community. I firmly believe my role is to act as an extension of the area I represent, having been immersed in Douglas, Paulding, and Carroll counties for decades, I feel like I am best prepared to do so”.

With multiple committees on which a state senator can serve, Dugan serves on the following eleven: - Administrative Affairs - Assignments - Appropriations - Banking and Financial Institutions - Economic Development and Tourism - Ethics -Public Safety - Reapportionment and Redistricting - Rules - Transportation

County venues, “I have missed the shows at the Amp, The Mill in Villa Rica and plays at the Cultural Arts Center this summer” she said.

Rhudy graduated from high school in Jacksonville, Florida in 1969. Rhudy was married to her late husband, a native of Carroll County for 28 years, before losing him to a tragic traffic accident in 2000. She has four children, two boys and two girls, all of which have grown up and given her eight grandchildren.

Candidate Tyler Paul Smith (R) is an Associate Attorney with the Law Office of Julie C. Moore L.L.C., in Bremen, Georgia.

Smith is a native and lifelong resident of Bremen, Haralson County. While earning his Juris Doctorate from Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, Smith worked as a Legislative Aide for several State House

Representatives, providing insight and advice during three legislative sessions.

Smith also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Pre-Law and Legal Studies from The Citadel: The Military College of South Carolina.

Smith volunteers with the Walk to End Alzheimer’s Disease and supports local food banks. In addition, he is also a member of Ducks Unlimited, Delta Waterfowl, The Federalist Society, the National Rifle Association and Georgia Carry.

If elected, Smith’s first 100 days in office would include the following actions: - “Vote to protect Religious Liberty” - “Vote to protect our 2nd Amendment Right to have and bear arms” - “Vote against liberal legislation” Smith wants voters to know, “I have supSee TYLER PAUL SMITH page 8

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www.starnewsgaonline.com MAYOR CASON from front page By mid-March, Governor Brian Kemp had issued the first of several State-ofEmergency orders, under which the massive closing of public schools, almost all businesses, and lobbies of government entities, was to help provide a stop gap in the spread of the potentially fatal new illness.

“CoVID was certainly a new challenge,” the mayor said. She was a member of the governor’s CoVID Task Force that met each week from March through July.

Mayor Cason was a recent guest speaker at the Carrollton noon Rotary Club, Sunset Hills Country Club, Carrollton, presenting to a large room of about twenty+ socially distanced members (four to a table that usually seats eight ).

Cason was city clerk for the City of Bowdon for 17 years before being elected as Carroll County Probate Judge in 1997, a position she held through several elections, retiring in December 2018.

One of her campaign platforms as mayor was beautification of the city.

“We get to make a positive first impression once,” she said.

A blighted house ordinance was passed in March, the adoption of the International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) in which local governments can choose to adopt to provide additional regulations for exterior maintenance of buildings. The City had already adopted the following codes at various times between 1975 and 2002: in 2014, the city adopted an Unsafe Buildings Ordinance; in 2016, the city amended the Unsafe Buildings Ordinance Since 2014, the city has taken down 39 structures for Carrollton property owners. (The property owner retains the property in their name and

benefits from removal of a vacant and dilapidated structure, and a reduction in property taxes.)

City Manager Tim Grizzard, City Community Develpment Director Erica Studdard, and Councilman Ward 2 Brett Ledbetter meet on a regular basis to review any properties that may need attention.

Suggestions sometimes are offered by members of the police department as they travel daily all areas of the city.

Cason is a founding member of the Carroll County Mental Health Advocacy Board. Awareness from being on this board (founded 2008) has helped the mayor understand the challenges of trying to find living arrangements for Carrollton’s homeless: that some are homeless by choice.

Until recently, the city had three “tent cities”: one was located behind Walmart and Lowe’s; one in the woods behind Chick-filA; and one behind the extended stay motel on Bankhead Highway. Now, through the determined efforts of the city’s police officers, almost all of the roughly one hundred people - minors, too - have suitable places to live. Police officers helped with the search for lodging and were able to obtain some financial assistance for the homeless, too.

Rotary Club member Charles Griffin, who is the executive director of the Carrollton Housing Authority, shared that a “point in time” count was done of “sheltered” and “unsheltered” persons by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, and that in Carroll County on one day in 2018, the results were that a total of 42 people were unsheltered (homeless).

On the topic of the cities’ police force, she said, “I feel we have the best first responders See BETTY CASON page 8

StarNews

October 11, 2020 Page 7

Time For A Change!

DEM

CRATIC

CANDIDATES

Carroll County, Ga

EARLY VOTING 10/12 - 10/30

Pat Rhudy

Election Office 423 College Street Carrollton, Ga 30117 Monday 10/12- Friday 10/23 8:00am - 5:00pm Saturday 10/24 9:00am - 4:00pm Monday 10/26 - Friday 10/30 8:00am - 7:00pm

Powell Park Recreation Center 524 Leslie Drive Villa Rica, Ga. 30180

Monday 10/26- Friday 10/30 8:00am - 6:00pm

US SENATE

Raphael Warnock

Banner Recreation Gym 226 West Ave Carrollton, Ga. 30117

Monday 10/12- Friday 10/23 8:00am - 5:00pm Monday 10/26 - Friday 10/30 8:30am - 6:00pm

Questions?

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Page 8 October 11, 2020

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BETTY CASON from page 7 in the country” complimenting the fire department, too, specifically Chief Jimmy Bearden, whom she said is in the 40th year of his career. “We are blessed to have the leadership that we have” citing also Bearden’s two assistants: supervisors Tim Spratlin and Bill Messer.

The mayor said she was “very proud of the recreation programs we offer”, but that she and others were looking at ways to improve, to see what trends might interest young people in addition to soccer and lacrosse, perhaps pickleball.

In a later interview while discussing improving amenties the city could offer in the future, she mused, “What to do on a rainy day?” Perhaps bowling? She mentioned another city that has an “Urban Air” entertainment: indoor activities such as trampolines, and zip lines. As mayor, she is actively seeking ways to improve quality of life for the citizens.

She said although the city is “blessed with the industry it has” she would like the

TYLER PAUL SMITH from page 6 ported Conservative republican causes all of my life - my family has supported conservatives and conservative principles for generations. I have the experience from having worked at the Georgia State Capitol as a legislative aide to make sure our voice is heard effectively, as the next District 18 State House Representative. My experience in the legal field will give our district an advantage by having someone who understands theory vs. application in the real world. Experience matters now more than ever” he said.

Three committees Smith would seek to serve on and affect change during the Legislative Session are: - Agriculture: “Protecting our Farmers and their right to farm.

We must continue to bolster and promote our agricultural products in West Georgia and the state as a whole. Roughly 1 in 7 jobs are tied to agriculture and we must help better market these products, as well as provide the resources to help our farmers continue to stay ahead in better crop/product/ cattle management”, said Smith.

- Education: “Ensuring our teachers and students have the resources they need to continue our status as the district offering the best education for students and the best environment in which to teach in all the state” he said.

- Small Business Development: “To help protect our small businesses and promote legislation to cut red tape hindering small business growth - one way is to eliminate the state income tax entirely” said Smith.

Smith had a lot to say about how to best serve Georgia’s active and retired military veterans and their families. “Continuing to provide more economic opportunities in our job force here in Georgia for our active duty and retired Georgia veterans is key. Hiring initiatives for our veterans have continued to be good for both our veterans seeking employment, as well as the employers. I believe we can provide more incentives for our veterans and active duty service members who are transitioning, by offering vocational, technical and college educations that are tied to jobs here in our State” he said.

Additionally, said Smith, “The University of West Georgia and West Georgia Technical College offer our veterans and active service members the skills and train-

city to be able to offer higher paying jobs to encourage young people to stay, and grow their careers and families here. She would also like more affordable housing to be developed with a strong look at the amenities.

Cason offered that Carrollton has the lowest water and sewer rates in the county, the lowest millage rate, and the city “is very financially sound”.

Mayor Cason said that she, and others, have met with the University of West Georgia new president Dr. Brendan Kelly, and a positive discussion was held on enhancing the partnership between the city and the university. About fifteen years ago, Carroll Tomorrow established an official “arts and entertainment zone” on the section of Maple Street that runs from Adamson Square to UWG. Not much has happened in that zone since its inception, but the excitement seems to have begun again for a corridor development such as that.

During the later in-person interview with See CITY of CARROLLTON page 32

ing they need, as they transition and continue to be the bright spot in our workforce.

We must encourage hiring veterans and provide access for active duty service members who are looking in our district and state to locate here. Tax incentives and better marketing of these opportunities to our veterans and soon to be veterans must be a priority for our state. This is only one of the many ways we can support and benefit our active duty and retired Georgia veterans”.

Smith went on to say, “The Veterans Authority has made tremendous headway over the last several years, compared to what it had been in years past. There is still much more progress to be made. PostTraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is something our veterans are experiencing more and more after nearly two decades at war in the Middle East. We must do everything we can to assist them, not only in transition, but in their continuing life as civilians. Too many of our veterans are committing suicide. We have to let them know we are here for them and we will always have their back, during and after service. Our VA clinic in Carrollton is a resource we must continue to support any way we can and to help as a community where they cannot”.

Smith praised State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler, stating “His hiring initiatives with veterans in our state has made a great difference - as a legislator I fully intend to make sure the budget allocates the recourses he needs to continue the great work at the Georgia Department of Labor for these initiatives”.

Going yet further Smith asserted, “We must continue to fund our still relatively new Veteran Court programs in the West Georgia areas. Locking veterans up for problems they need medical and mental health treatment for, is only exacerbating the problem. We must continue to find ways to treat the problems veterans face with compassion and constructive solutions, instead of trying to treat symptoms with only a band-aid”.

“I will always stand behind our active duty service members as well as our veterans to do everything in our power to reward them for the sacrifices they have made in keeping America free”, said Smith.

Smith says outside the political arena, he enjoys hunting, golf and working on his family’s 5th generation farm.

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STATE OF CARROLL 2020

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The State of the State Labor Department Mark Butler LABOR COMMISSIONER STATE OF GEORGIA Atlanta, GA - The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) recently announced the state unemployment rate was 5.6% in Georgia, down 2 percentage points for the month of August. Georgia was recognized with the seventh lowest unemployment rate in the nation. The six states with a lower unemployment rate (Nebraska, Utah, Idaho, South Dakota, Vermont, and North Dakota) have a combined labor force of 4.7 million, less than Georgia’s total of 4.9 million.

As we continue to rebound from the economic devastation of COVID-19, we have seen our unemployment rate plummet the past several months on the statewide level and across Georgia in all of our cities and communities. With one of the nation’s lowest unemployment rates, we will continue to support Georgians with unemployment and now re-employment services.

Today, over 171,000 jobs are listed online at EmployGeorgia.com for Georgians to access. This is the largest number of jobs ever listed on our site. Jobs range from nurses paying $10 - $55 per hour to welders earning up to $36 per hour to business analysts paying $14 to $20 per hour. Annual salaries listed on the site reflect jobs earning

$50k to over $155k for plumbers, cyber security managers, and software developers.

We offer online resources for finding a job, building a resume, and assisting with other reemployment needs. Our GDOL Employment Services staff has made direct contact with employers asking them to clearly indicate on their job order if a position can be worked remotely, even if partially remote, to help meet their workforce needs. Adding this level of detail to their job order could significantly increase their job seeker candidate pool.

We have to remember that these listings sometimes represent multiple positions for the same job posting meaning hundreds of thousands of jobs for Georgians. We have highly experienced staff to help get Georgians back into the workforce and business owners are looking for employees to fill critical positions as we continue to recover from the pandemic.

We have paid Georgians over $14.5 billion in state and federal unemployment insurance benefits since the beginning of the pandemic in March of this year. Last week (Sept. 20-26) the GDOL issued $669 million in benefits, which included regular unemployment and federally funded Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) supplements, Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC), and State Extended Benefits.

LWA is the most recent program announced by President Trump and funded by the Federal Emergency Management Administration’s (FEMA) Disaster Relief Fund. LWA allowed distribution of an addi-

tional $300 weekly supplement to eligible individuals receiving UI benefits from state and federal unemployment insurance programs for weeks ending August 1st through September 5th. GDOL has issued LWA benefit payments to 642,945 claimants totaling $1,002,407,100.

From week ending 3/21/2020 through 9/26/2020, 3,781,891 regular UI initial claims have been processed, more than the last eight years combined (3.3 million). The sectors with the most regular UI initial claims processed included Accommodation

StarNews October 11, 2020

Page 9

and Food Services, 906,985, Health Care and Social Assistance, 438,821, Retail Trade, 402,299, Administrative and Support Services, 322,336, and Manufacturing, 292,856.

We have also seen an incredible amount of fraud during this pandemic. To combat these fraudsters, the GDOL has implemented a set of new tools. The GDOL formed a partnership with the nationally recognized program ID.me to provide a complete identity platform for online identity verification.

See COMMISSIONER BUTLER page 30

CARROLL COUNTY, GA. MAJOR EMPLOYERS

2019 LIST plus DATA Company # Employed Southwire 3,400 Tanner Health System 2,800 Carroll County Schools 1,800 University of West Georgia 1,200 Decostar/Magna 830 Greenway Health 730 Pilgrim’s Pride 730 Carroll County Government 650 Carrollton City Schools 564 Bremen Bowdon Investment 560 Printpack 550 Flowers Baking Co. 494 Sugar Foods 390 Wal-Mart.com 386 Janus International 360 OFS Brightwave 350 City of Carrollton 308 Systems and Methods 273 Aubrey Silvey 250 Die-Tech 230 Yachiyo of America 230

2020 LIST TOP 25 EMPLOYERS in alphabetical order with no data available

Aubrey Silvey Enterprises, Inc. Brad Cole Construction Co, Inc. Bremen-Bowdon Investment Co, Inc. Carroll County Carroll County Schools Carrollton City School System Carrollton-City Decostar Industries, Inc. Elwood Staffing Services, Inc. Flowers Baking Co of Villa Rica, LLC Home Depot Ingles Markets, Inc. Janus International Group PPC McDonalds Paragon Systems, Inc. Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation Printpack, Inc. Royal Metal Products Sage Software Healthcare, Inc. Southwire Company Sugar Foods Corp Tanner Medical Center, Inc. The Kroger Company University of West Georgia Walmart

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Page 10 October 11, 2020

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The State of the Carroll County Coroner’s Office Keith Hancock CORONER CARROLL COUNTY As I am in the midst of my fourth year serving as Carroll County Coroner, I would like to take the time to provide you with current stats concerning Carroll County.

In 2019, my office worked 251 cases with 150 natural deaths, 78 accidental deaths 19 suicide deaths, 2 homicide deaths and 2 undetermined deaths. As of September 2020, my office has worked 201 cases: 120 natural deaths, 50 accidental deaths, 15 suicide deaths, 4 homicide deaths, one undetermined death and 11 cases pending GBI results.

As you can see, natural deaths are the most common cases we work. One manner of death I am glad to see a decline again this

year is suicide deaths.

Since September has come to a close and it was suicide awareness during the month, I would like to help bring awareness and share some information about suicide from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Someone dies from suicide every 12 minutes - and over the past two decades, suicide rates have increased in every state across the country. For the first time in recent generations, life expectancy is decreasing due to suicide. According to the latest research: • There were 1.4 million attempts and more than 47,000 deaths from suicide • Suicide is at its highest level and is still rising • Rural counties are being hit the hardest with suicide rates double the rate in urban counties • There has been an alarming 50% increase of suicide rates among women Suicide touches whole communities. Each person who dies by suicide leaves behind 135 people who knew that person-and the impact of suicide and the bereavement that follow.

Carroll County CORONER CASES DEATH CAUSES / TOTALS

Natural death 61% Accidental death 22% Suicide death 11% Homicide death 3% Undetermined death 2% Total cases: 249

2018

151 55 27 8 7

STATE OF CARROLL 2020

You Can Help Prevent Suicide imminent Suicide can touch anyone, anywhere, and • Ask them if they are thinking about killat any time. But, it is not inevitable. There is ing themselves. This will NOT put the idea hope. By starting the conversation and proSee KEITH HANCOCK page 26 viding support to those who need it, we all Statement from the Carroll County can help prevent suicide and save lives. If Coroner on CoVID-19 related you or someone you know is thinking about deaths and his 2020 statistics: suicide-whether you are in crisis or not-call “You will note that for 2020 I have or live chat the National Suicide Prevention nothing on COVID. As far as coroner Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). office, we have not worked a death from Help for You Talking with someone about your COVID. I have had very few bodies that had thoughts and feelings can save your life. family expressed the person symptoms and I did test for COVID but There are steps you can take to keep yourself safe through a crisis. Call any time or con- all came back negative. All COVID nect online with the National Suicide deaths in the county have been in a Prevention Lifeline to get support. You can medical facility or skilled facility not requiring the services of the Coroner.” also find resources on: Keith Hancock, Carroll County Coroner - finding a therapist/support group.

- building and using a support network.

Georgia Dept. of Health statistics on o Making a safety plan for yourself CoVID-19/ Influenza related deaths Help for Someone You Know Total InfluenzaTotal CoVID-19Learn how to recognize the warning signs related deaths related deaths when someone’s at risk-and what you can do in Carroll County in Carroll County to help. If you believe someone may be in as of Oct. 3, 2020: 2019-20 flu season: danger of suicide: 69 83 • Call 911, if danger for self-harm seems SOURCE: dph.georgia.gov

Carroll County CORONER CASES

Carroll County CORONER CASES DEATH CAUSES / TOTALS

Natural death 60% Accidental death 31% Suicide death 7.5% Homicide death 0.8% Undetermined death 0.8% Total cases: 251

DEATH CAUSES / 9 months 2020 Natural death 60% 120 Accidental death 25% 50 Suicide death 7.5% 15 Homicide death 2% 4 Undetermined death n/a 1

2019

150 78 19 2 2

Pending GBI results

n/a

Total cases in 9 months: 201

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Committees Appropriations - Member Governmental Affairs - Member Juvenile Justice - Secretary Public Safety and Homeland Security - Vice Chairman Regulated Industries - Vice Chairman Special Committee on Access to the Civil Justice System - Member Special Committee on Economic Growth - Member

State Representative District 68 J. Collins (R)

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STATE OF CARROLL 2020

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October 11, 2020 Page 11

The State of the Carroll County Water Authority Matt Windom EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CARROLL COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY The year 2020 has been one for the history books. As I reflect back over this year, I think about how suddenly our lives can change with little or no warning.

As we continue to navigate the COVID19 pandemic that has deeply impacted our lives, it is clear that it will take some time for our communities and the nation to fully adjust and recover.

The pandemic has underscored the importance of being strategically prepared to the best of our ability for unforeseen events not an easy task or one to be taken lightly. I am thankful that the Carroll County Water Authority historically has and continues to place a high priority on strategic planning.

Throughout the remainder of this article, I want to touch on some of my observations during the pandemic and recent activities undertaken by CCWA that strengthen our water and wastewater systems and the essential services we provide to our customers.

Can you imagine dealing with this pandemic without a clean and reliable source of water? Two of the CDC’s top guidelines for protecting yourself and others from

COVID-19 are washing your hands and cleaning surfaces frequently. Both require a source of clean water.

People often take water service for granted, and it is easy to do so with the highly regulated and reliable water systems that deliver water to our homes. Customers turn the tap on and clean, safe water flows out… we are so blessed! That is certainly not the case around the world, and the pandemic has highlighted the importance of basic water service to meet our daily hygiene and household needs.

I hope this pandemic has taught us to not take this fundamental service for granted. I further hope you will support your local water utility and its leaders when water system investments are required to improve service and enhance reliability.These investments often impact the rates that customers pay, but failing to take the necessary steps could lead to less reliable systems and interruptions in service when they can least be afforded.

Even though this year has had a number of challenges, there have been a lot of shining successes. The one that I am most proud of is the manner in which CCWA’s staff handled these uncertain times. I am fortunate to work alongside such an outstanding group of service-oriented team members. They have seamlessly navigated changes to our workplace, schedules, operating procedures and safety guidelines.

With all the changes, they have remained steadfast in performing the essential duties required to provide water and wastewater services to our customers.

CCWA has a great group of dedicated and

SNAKE CREEK WATER TREATMENT PLANT EXPANSION

• First major upgrade of this facility in 15 years • Will increase treatment capacity from 8 to 12 million gallons per day • Construction of the expanded facility is on schedule • Project cost: $32M • Completion date mid-2022 skilled employees, and the experiences of this year have highlighted this fact. I could not be more proud of them and the job that they do.

I want to also thank our customers for being receptive and adaptive to changes in our day to day business operations. One of the adjustments we made at the onset of the pandemic was closing our lobby to the public due to safety concerns. With the lobby closed, our drive-thru window became the conduit for the vast majority of face-toface customer interactions. This protected our critical front line workers and customers by limiting physical contact while providing a means to effectively conduct business. The lobby still remains closed to the public, but appointments with office staff may be made if needed. We will continue to evaluate the needs of our customers and staff and make any necessary changes going forward.

During this time of uncertainty, it would have been understandable to only focus on day to day operations, but I am pleased that we kept pursuing long-term projects knowing that we will overcome the current challenges. Maintaining our course on longterm projects prevented delays and will yield benefits to our customers in the months and years ahead.

Construction on the Snake Creek Water Treatment Plant (SCWTP) Expansion

Project was just getting started as COVID-19 was gaining traction locally. This project is one of the largest in CCWA’s history, estimated at $32M, and the first major upgrade of this facility in 15 years. Once completed, it will increase the treatment capacity of the plant from 8 to 12 million gallons per day. The expanded SCWTP will have more robust processes allowing treatment of a wider range of raw water qualities and considerably more critical infrastructure redundancy. Construction of the expanded facility is on schedule to be completed in mid-2022.

There are a number of other projects, either recently completed or under construction, which will benefit CCWA and its customers through infrastructure improvements. Construction of a second Rainey Road Storage Tank, located at the intersection of Rainey Road and Morgan Road north of Temple, is nearing completion. The second tank, which will be located on the same property as the existing Rainey Road Tank, will increase water storage in this distribution area from 500,000 gallons to 1,000,000 gallons. The second tank will allow normal service to continue when one tank is taken out of service for maintenance and will provide increased fire protection capacity with both tanks in See MATT WINDOM page 30

Carroll County Schools

Page 12 October 11, 2020

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The State of the City of Temple Michael Johnson

MAYOR CITY OF TEMPLE In the City of Temple, the early weeks of calendar year 2020 were a continuation of the momentum which had increased almost monthly during the previous year. New construction was occurring in every part of this municipality, especially in residential communities. Plans were moving forward on several significant local government projects.

All of this was jolted, of course, by the start of the spread of a coronavirus (COVID - 19) in the United States. Plans were put on hold, meetings and events were postponed or cancelled, some city employees had to selfisolate due to exposure to the virus, and uncertainty overshadowed the daily operations of the City of Temple government just as it did our community, families, and businesses. 2020 rather quickly became a very unusual year.

I am proud of the way our citizens, our city employees and elected officials, our businesses, and our institutions acted and reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic. Rather quickly and willingly, most people in Temple began practicing social distancing, avoiding large crowds, and being careful not

to expose others when a particular person was contagious or was aware of contact with someone who had tested positive for the virus. And while our recreation programs and our Senior Center curtailed their activities, and while our local public and private schools shifted primarily to remote learning, some things continued after modifications.

Interestingly, our local construction industry remained vibrant.

I think the City of Temple, local businesses and residents, and our governmental and educational institutions met the major challenges of this pandemic. People found a way to adjust. While many things changed and may not return to their former ways of operating until some point in the future, I believe virtually every segment of Temple found a way generally to overcome the broad impact of COVID-19. And in this report, I will highlight some examples of “moving ahead” in these unusual times.

Most of the unfinished residential communities dating back to the major economic downturn 15-or-more years ago now are being completed. This new and expanded single-family residential construction has occurred in virtually every part of Temple.

All of these subdivisions - which after a number of years still were only around 25% to 30% built out - now have been completed, or likely soon will be so.

An upgrade of the ballfields, playgrounds, and other facilities in the City Park continues. While the coronavirus caused the city to suspend virtually all athletic league and other group recreation activities for a few months, the city used this time to move forward with various ballfield improvements

STATE OF CARROLL 2020 and some field lighting changes. Also, three industrial purposes. This document should restroom and concession buildings adjacent guide Temple’s growth and development for to these ballfields were renovated. An the next decade. upgrade was completed of that section of the The second project is expansion of City walking trail near the Hall. Basically, the I am proud of the way our gym and the plan is to take the ballfields. citizens, our city employees and roofed area that In the Temple elected officials, our businesses, once was the driveSenior Center, the thru facility in the and our institutions acted and women’s and men’s branch bank now reacted to the COVID-19 restrooms were renoconverted into City vated. The building’s pandemic. Rather quickly and Hall and to transold air conditioning willingly, most people in Temple form it into a comsystem was replaced. began practicing social distancing, bination space to And although the serve as the Senior Center’s regu- avoiding large crowds, and being Municipal Court’s careful not to expose others lar schedule was suscourtroom and the pended for part of the City Council’s year due to the coronavirus, the din- meeting room. (Architectural and engineering/assembly room was used to hold meet- ing plans are being completed, and construcings of the city council and some other city tion is expected to start at the first of 2021. government functions in order to meet in a Once completed, the City Council can return room larger than the usual space at City Hall, its meetings to City Hall from the Senior in order to enhance social distancing.

Center; and the Municipal Court no longer Three multi-year projects progressed dur- will need to use the largest room in the ing 2020. One of these was an updating of Gymnasium adjacent to the basketball the city’s Future Land Use Plan and Map, on court.) Having adequate facilities for municiwhich the mayor, city council, several staff pal court operations and city council meetmembers, and the citizen Temple Planning ings has been an important goal of Temple’s Commission worked for almost two years. “city fathers” for a long time.

With its adoption by the city council, this Then, the third project is to upgrade the local government has a specific plan in place city’s water meters, in order to have meters to guide decisions on what use is recom- which can be read remotely instead of the mended to be made on the future use of spe- labor-intensive current process of hand readcific tracts of land throughout Temple. In ing each meter after first cleaning mud and addition to maintaining its principal residen- other debris from the meter’s face prior to tial areas within this local government’s manually recording the current reading. boundaries, the updated plan includes some Once the new system of water meters has additional acreage for commercial and See MICHAEL JOHNSON page 24

Jones-Wynn

www.starnewsgaonline.com

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Page 14 November 8, 2020

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STATE OF CARROLL 2020

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The State of Carroll County Council on Aging/ West Georgia Council on Aging Sandra Morris EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Carroll County Council on Aging I can’t wait for the 2020 Census numbers to be published. I look around and I know there are a lot of us senior citizens in the West Georgia Area. Unfortunately, I like most other senior citizens, have stayed home for the last seven months. If you know me, I could not just stay at home and forget about the many needs in our senior communities.

Talking to other Council on Aging members we knew food or lack of food or inability to secure affordable food was a problem.

Fortunately, our Community Foundation of West Georgia recognized the problem and was able to provide funding for many nonprofits including the Council on Aging. The Carroll County Council on Aging/West Georgia Council on Aging received funding from the Community Foundation, the Carrollton Rotary Club and Modern Woodmen Insurance Company to provide hot meals to elderly at risk seniors in our area.

Under normal conditions, I could have purchased the meals and delivered them, but being a senior citizen myself, I had to get creative and devise a plan.

First, we needed to know who was at risk.

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Many seniors participated in the Senior meal service daily before COVID-19. All the Senior Centers were closed due to COVID19. As you remember, seniors were warned to quarantine themselves. It’s hard to grocery shop if you can’t get to the grocery store.

Food delivery was available if you ordered on line and used a debit or credit card. Meals at the centers are free or very affordable, so it gets expensive when you have to purchase all your meals.

The Senior Centers provide so much more than just a hot meal. The daily activities, the educational program, the exercise program and the basic socialization is vital to the health of the elderly. How could the Council on Aging possibly help with such a great loss? The seniors who were attending the daily program needed some attention and food.

With the donated funds, the Council on Aging secured bids from local restaurants to prepare and package hot meals for at risk elderly. A local restaurant needed to keep his employees working, and a contract allowed him to prepare 100 to 120 meals per day.

Meal delivery was a major hurdle. The Council on Aging has no employees. We are volunteers. The Carrollton Police Department’s SNAP program came to the rescue! If you don’t know how the Carrollton Police Department loves the elderly you need to know. Local volunteers along with the Police Officers and the Senior Center staff delivered the meals in Carrollton to elderly who had been identified by the Senior Center.

About 2500 hot meals were delivered to the elderly in Carrollton. At the same time

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Carrollton elderly residents were receiving lation, or at-risk elderly. hot meals the Temple Senior Center had a The Council on Aging receives an average similar need so the Council on Aging pro- of 12 calls per week from seniors in need. vided about 3000 hot packaged meals for the These calls for information or services range elderly in the Temple Senior Center area. from housing, transportation, prescription Sandra Stillwell, DURING CoVID SHUTDOWN: drug assistance, menTemple Senior Center tal health issues, help Director, stepped up and • 3000 hot meals to the elderly with grandchildren, in Temple Senior Center area organized a great bunch of utility assistance, volunteers who diligently • 2500 hot meals to the elderly community service delivered the meals in in Carrollton Senior Center area and food. The Council their area. This program is listed with United • 6,000 meals through the provided so much more Way, and we try to “A Hot Meal with a Smile and than a hot meal because help as many people many of these elderly resias possible. The a Wave” program dents had no relatives who • 8,300 pounds of donated food Pandemic has made it visited during this time. difficult, but we are The food program is fondly called “A Hot diligent at keeping up with resources to share Meal with a Smile and a Wave”. A total of with our special population. close to 6,000 hot meals were provided!

Depression is at an all-time high now with During this period of time, it was discov- COVID-19 requiring so much isolation. We ered that many of the elderly also needed have had conversations with the Carroll additional food, so I started contacting food County Mental Health Advocates to partner ministries in the area. The Council partnered with them for some mental Health programwith Action Ministries, the Atlanta ming. We know that is a great need commuCommunity Food Bank, and Royal Produce nity wide. We will continue to look for more /Farmer to Table Program who provided resources for senior population. boxes of food monthly and also produce The Council was fortunate to receive boxes semimonthly. Deliveries were made to funding from the Power of The Purse to proelderly residents at Carrollton Club vide Art Classes for the elderly. These Apartments and Temple Senior Center par- classes will be very simple basic classes and ticipants. Approximately 8,300 pounds of held outside. Social distancing will be donated food including dairy products and observed but it will give a great opportunity produce was delivered during the last 6 to 8 to get out and have some fun. months to the elderly.

I must acknowledge the great community Remember the Council on Aging has no where we live. We have citizens with hearts employees. Volunteers are essential to pro- of gold who help by volunteering their time vide these services to our most needy popuSee SANDRA MORRIS page 26

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STATE OF CARROLL 2020

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StarNews October 11, 2020

Page 15

The State of the University of West Georgia Dr. Brendan Kelly PRESIDENT UNIVERSITY OF WEST GEORGIA By its very nature, taking on the role as president of a university is a challenge under any circumstances. When I began my administration at the University of West Georgia in March at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, I was presented with an entirely new set of challenges.

I began my tenure as the eighth president of UWG in late March - 10 days before my original start date because I wanted the UWG community to be successful in charting the future of the institution, and I knew there had never been a more important time to have leadership in place.

Regardless of obstacles or conditions, as the seventh-largest public university in Georgia, we must continuously strive to empower students to make the most of their education through academic engagement, supportive services and professional development.

I am proud to say we have a $604.6 million economic impact on the region and state and offer 92 programs of study at the bachelor’s, master’s, doctorate, certificate and specialist levels on our 645-acre campus

in Carrollton, at our locations in Newnan and Douglasville and online. In addition, we have earned national ranking by U.S. News & World Report for excellence in online programming and are ranked in the top 15 for alumni salaries by Best Colleges in Georgia.We also offer more than 150 student organizations, including professional, academic, and faith-based groups along with 24 fraternity and sorority life organizations.

At UWG, we are not only committed to academic excellence but to community engagement, as well, and we were recently recognized for our efforts through a prestigious designation by the Carnegie Foundation as a community-engaged institution.

Soon after my arrival to the university, having served as chancellor of the University of South Carolina Upstate, I was joined by two colleagues: Dr. Meredith N. Brunen, UWG’s vice president of University Advancement, and Dr. André L. Fortune, UWG’s vice president of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management. Later, in August, John S. Haven III came on board as the vice president of Business and Financial Services.

We have been faced with difficult circumstances this year, but our focus, as always, has been on the wellbeing and success of our students. I knew we had to work unremittingly and be forward-thinking and adaptive to take on this variable series of challenges.

Following the direction of the University System of Georgia, we moved all instruction online for the remainder of the spring

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semester and for all of the summer semester. thing for our students was to offer face-toFortunately for UWG and our students, we face instruction. While online instruction is have been a leader in online education for effective and important to maintain as an years, and the robust offerings we had in option, a holistic, dynamic university place as a university created tremendous experience is what they expected from opportunities for students UWG, and we wanted to to continue their degree . . . a record 1,415 degrees be sure we delivered on to our largest-ever programs amidst an that promise. irregular set of conditions. graduating class during a All along the way Our students proved consulting with officials, virtual commencement their strength and pliancy, we worked for months to ceremony. . . percent of and I was honored to see ensure the safety of them t h r o u g h undergraduate letter grades students, faculty, staff and of “A” increased from 40.7 visitors. Protocols commencement celebrations for spring percent in fall 2019 to 46.7 i m p l e m e n t e d this and summer. Despite the academic year include percent in spring 2020 pandemic, we conferred a dual-modality delivery record 1,415 degrees to our largest-ever for most in-person classes; the requirement graduating class during a virtual for everyone to wear a face-covering while commencement ceremony at the close of inside campus facilities/buildings where 6 spring semester and 685 degrees at the end feet of physical distancing may not always of summer semester. Additionally, the be possible; and the altering of academic and percent of undergraduate letter grades of “A” student life programming and added increased from 40.7 percent in fall 2019 to engineering controls to encourage physical 46.7 percent in spring 2020. distancing.

These successes would not have been Now, as our campus has returned to possible without our world-class faculty and operations under evolving circumstances, staff. They truly rose to the occasion, UWG has entered a new phase of growth ensuring the university’s operations our institutional Becoming. continued and that students were in the best Our new, stakeholder-based strategic possible positions to succeed. Their work planning process, titled “Becoming UWG,” continues to be a testament to the is rooted in confronting the university’s commitment they have to the university. present to create its future. The process will Above all, we are excited to have our fuel and guide the institution’s path forward faculty, staff and students back on campus in a ceaseless pursuit of excellence and will this fall. As we prepared for fall semester, we be the central focus of everything we do in followed the guidance of the University our daily work.

System of Georgia, which held that the best See DR. BRENDAN KELLY page 24

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The State of Tanner Health System Loy Howard CEO TANNER HEALTH SYSTEM As a nonprofit community health system, responding to threats to our region’s health is a key part of our mission. Whether that threat is heart disease, cancer or a global pandemic, our obligation to be ready to respond remains.

This year has tested us in unprecedented ways. I have seldom been prouder to be part of the team at Tanner. Our team of healthcare professionals responded with dedication, innovation and compassion at every level of our organization.

Just as awe-inspiring was our community’s response. You turned out with supplies, meals and prayers. We gathered at our windows to watch the parking lot vigils and accepted with gratitude the boxed lunches for our exhausted front-line staff. We cannot begin to fully express our gratitude for everyone’s support and generosity.

Now, these months later, we realize that we’re not moving forward from the pandemic, but with it.

We’ve reopened our services throughout the system, with special protocols in place everywhere to keep patients and their loved ones safe. And we continue to urge you to do

everything possible to limit the spread of COVID-19 in our communities: wear a mask, wash your hands, maintain social distance, avoid those who are sick and, if you become sick yourself, stay home and call your healthcare provider.

We’re also continuing to develop the services and facilities that are going to be vital to effectively serve our region going forward.

The Birches at Villa Rica In Villa Rica, work is underway on The Birches — our first Tanner-owned senior living development.

Built on an almost six-acre site along Permian Way in Villa Rica — next to the Tanner at Mirror Lake medical office building — the single-level development will feature 61 total apartments, including 36 assisted-living apartments and 25 memory care apartments. Construction should be finished by Summer 2021. Leasing of the units will begin later this fall.

The project is a unique venture for a health system, expanding seamless health and wellness services to people looking to live longer, more active lives. Most senior living communities are stand-alone developments, but The Birches will be fully incorporated into the health system, overcoming one of the greatest challenges for senior living residents: access to medical care.

Everything our residents need — primary care, heart care, cancer care, wellness and access to our full breadth of services — will be available to them. This distinguishes The Birches from other senior living options: we seamlessly connect our residents with whatever medical services they need.

The community will also leverage our

STATE OF CARROLL 2020 integrated care offerings and leading-edge The program is just the latest step in our infection-prevention expertise — which has growing heart care program. We began offerbecome even more vital in the age of ing interventional cardiology — including COVID-19. The coronaviangioplasty and stenting Our community has a rus is going to be with us — in Carrollton in 2006. for a while; we’ll bring the In 2008, we opened the higher rate of same expertise in infection four-story Tanner Heart cardiovascular disease prevention we’ve applied and Vascular Center on to our hospitals and clinics than the rest of the nation. the campus of Tanner . . Late last year, we to The Birches. Every preMedical caution will be taken for earned state approval to Center/Carrollton. And our residents’ safety. we expanded intervendevelop open-heart Open-heart surgery heart services to surgical services at Tanner tional coming to Carrollton Ta n n e r Medical Late last year, we Medical Center/Carrollton. Center/Villa Rica in earned state approval to 2015. Both Tanner develop open-heart surgical services at Medical Center/Carrollton and Tanner Tanner Medical Center/Carrollton.

Medical Center/Villa Rica are accredited Our community has a higher rate of car- chest pain centers, with streamlined practices diovascular disease than the rest of the to ensure the fastest clinical response to heart nation. We’re addressing that with programs attack treatment possible. to prevent chronic disease, encourage more The expansion of services will require physical activity and improve access to building out a new operating suite at Tanner healthier diets. But for many of those we Medical Center/Carrollton designed for the serve, heart disease is already a reality and procedure and recruiting cardiothoracic suraccess to comprehensive heart care isn’t just geons to our medical staff to perform the sura matter of convenience — but of life or geries. Additional staff — in both clinical death. and non-clinical roles — will also be needed With open-heart surgery, residents will be for the program, creating career opportuniable to receive services — like coronary ties for many in our region. artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery — withImproving access to care out having to travel out of the area. More in Haralson County than 200,000 CABG procedures are per- For years, we’ve worked to facilitate betformed nationally each year. ter access to care in Haralson County — a Open-heart surgery is a hallmark of a designated medically-underserved part of major medical center. Rather than leaving our state. our region for care, open-heart surgery will We’ve made many improvements to be a reason people are coming into west Higgins General Hospital in Bremen, includGeorgia.

See LOY HOWARD page 26

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STATE OF CARROLL 2020

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The State of Carrollton City School System Dr. Mark Albertus

Superintendent CARROLLTON CITY SCHOOLS SYSTEM Different. That’s the best word to describe how much our local community – the world for that matter – has become in the past six months. While everyone would like to “get back to normal,” there is a great possibility that won’t happen – at least not 100 percent.

History has proven there have been many other crises that changed the cultural trajectory forever. We are living this shift right now as we all adapt to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Every facet of our lives has experienced the results – schools shutting their doors and moving to remote learning, churches holding services via social media, babies being born with no extended family waiting in the hospital wings to welcome them to the world.

The silver lining to all of this is change isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Complacency can’t survive in the midst of a challenge.

People are forced to evaluate circumstances, make decisions to adapt, and come up with solutions that many times prove to be better than the “normal” way.

For Carrollton City Schools, this was true on many fronts, but most significantly in

teaching. Last spring, the district was able to transition to at-home learning with a strong plan the Teaching and Learning team had created to address anticipated short-term closings, such as for weather events.

While it wasn’t perfect, the plan did allow our district to move forward with a more deliberate approach rather than the reactionary one most other districts faced.

Yet we continued to learn, adapt, and implement strategies to make it even better.

This experience led to an all-out effort to take advantage of tools we’ve had for a long time but had not fully extended to everyday use. While in-person instruction is still the best way for a student-teacher relationship to thrive and learning to occur, this wasn’t possible last spring.

Math instruction, in particular, was frustrating for students and their parents. A plan to create videos using our own teachers filled this void and now supports about 1,000 students who are continuing as athome learners with the next best thing to inperson instruction with their teacher.

The videos also are available to all students – and their parents – who may need an occasional tutorial to build confidence or understanding.

Director of School Improvement Karen Wild said it best: “This is a great way to bring the school into the home, develop relationships, and keep students connected with ‘real’ Carrollton City Schools teachers.”

The success of the math video project means it will not go away. When the day comes when we’re all back to in-person learning, this resource will continue to be available as another means of support. Yes, it

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is different, but also is needed and appreciated. It is a change for the better.

Brainstorming sessions in developing a new theme for this school year didn’t focus on the pandemic. But it was obvious it was in the back of our minds. The decision to go with “Be the Difference” easily won consensus and is driving our actions this school year.

StarNews October 11, 2020

Page 17

It will push us away from complacency, motivate us to lead the charge, to be flexible when needed, and gives us the courage to veer away from the status quo if it’s best for kids. We are committed to believe bigger, aim higher, and be the difference in everything we do.

Dr. Albertus has been superintendent of Carrollton City Schools since 2016

CARROLLTON CITY SCHOOLS COVID-19 WEEKLY UPDATE (Data as of September 25, 2020 as posted to the schools website) These are reported positive COVID-19 cases for Carrollton City Schools. A reported case does not mean that the individual was physically at school or on campus while positive. When a school has a confirmed case of COVID-19, the district notifies the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) and works quickly to identify “close contacts.” Students or staff who have a confirmed case of COVID-19 cannot return to school until they have met the requirements established by DPH. The term “quarantined” refers to someone who has been sent home due to possible exposure to a positive COVID-19 case or who is awaiting test results of their own. Not all quarantined individuals were in close contact with someone at their school; they may be quarantined due to close contact with a family member or outside contact with a positive case.

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StarNews

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The State of the Carroll County School System Scott Cowart Superintendent CARROLL COUNTY SCHOOLS SYSTEM Overview The Carroll County School System is thriving even in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Our schools have received local, state, and national recognition for innovative learning practices, all five high schools earned graduation rates above 90%, the district was named Best Employer in Carroll County for the second consecutive year, and one of the Best Places to Work in the metroAtlanta area.

Total enrollment for the district is approximately 15,000 students, and the Carroll County School system employs nearly 1,900 staff members.

21st-Century Learning In Carroll County, innovation and creativity drive academic instruction at all grade levels. By integrating science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) into hands-on, real world experiences we are preparing students to excel upon graduation.

The district is one of only three school systems in Georgia to have a District STEM certification process and the only system in the state with a STEAM certification

process.

We currently have twelve District STEM certified campuses, eight National STEM certified campuses, and one International STEM certified campus.

Graduation Pathways Offering multiple graduation pathways has proven successful in our historic graduation rates. The district’s graduation rate has been over 90% for three consecutive years, and the Class of 2020 earned a combined graduation rate of 93.4%.

Students have the opportunity to participate in dual enrollment through partnerships with the University of West Georgia and West Georgia Technical College, award-winning College and Career pathways at our two College and Career academies, work-based learning with businesses in our community, and more.

Positively Changing Lives Being voted a Best Employer locally for the second year in a row and being recognized by the Atlanta Business Chronicle is testament to the premier culture we strive for throughout the district. We believe strongly in professional development opportunities and cultivating leaders who serve as role models and as lead learners for our students and community.

Our people and their commitment to our purpose of positively changing lives makes us incredibly proud every day. Carroll County teachers, leaders, and staff have not only provided premier opportunities in academics, arts, activities, and athletics, but they have also worked together to serve our families during the pandemic in a variety of

STATE OF CARROLL 2020

ways. We have countless stories about students succeeding in the classroom and beyond because our 24STRONG team is dedicated to making a difference. Our transportation department and school nutrition staff have joined efforts to serve more than 700,000 meals to children in need since March and to distribute pallets of boxed produce weekly throughout the communities we serve.

Educating the Whole Child The district’s social emotional wellness priority has been well received and much needed during this year’s most challenging times. Our schools are implemented Capturing Kids’ Hearts, a program used nationwide to elevate academic and behavioral standards for students of all ages.

We have seen a positive impact from the

See SCOTT COWART page 26 CARROLL COUNTY SCHOOLS COVID-19 WEEKLY UPDATE (Data as of September 25, 2020 as posted to the schools website)

Every Monday, the school district will post a weekly snapshot of COVID-19 cases in Carroll County Schools. When a school has a confirmed case of COVID-19, the district notifies the Department of Public Health and works quickly to identify “close contacts.”

Students or staff who are confirmed cases of COVID-19 and any close contacts cannot return to school until they have met the requirements established by DPH. The term “quarantined” refers to someone who has been sent home due to possible exposure to a positive COVID-19 case or who is awaiting test results of their own. There are many reasons (another illness, an injury, family emergency) that could cause an absence of 24 hours or multiple days. For these cases, students and staff are not considered “quarantined”.

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STATE OF CARROLL 2020

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The State of Oak Mountain Academy Patrick Yuran HEADMASTER OAK MOUNTAIN ACADEMY In the late 1950s, a Carrollton minister, The Reverend Mr. Richard Flinn, envisioned a school that would offer students a challenging curriculum while adhering to strong moral values in a family-style setting.

In articulating his vision, The Reverend Mr. Flinn wrote, “Sound learning must be joined with high morality and spiritual commitment to produce an excellent person, the useful and responsible citizen, and a noble human being.”

Joining forces with Roy Richards, Sr., and Lynn W. Holmes, two prominent businessmen who shared his vision, the Reverend Mr. Flinn took action to make his dream a reality. Thus, in 1962 the Children’s School was born in the basement of the Carrollton Presbyterian Church on Maple Street. Two years later, Oak Mountain Academy opened its doors with fifty students in kindergarten through eighth grades, attending classes in a renovated house and cottage. In 1968, the school had its first class of graduating seniors. In 1997, the school moved to the current location on Cross Plains Road.

Today, Oak Mountain Academy is a thriving independent, faith-based academy with approximately 200 students from 50 feeder schools in 9 counties enrolling in Pre-K3 through 12th grades. The campus offers a beautiful, sprawling, 88-acres which offers a calm and serene atmosphere for learning.

Oak Mountain Academy continues its vision to be an innovative school of academic

excellence where students receive a personalized, faith-based, college-preparatory education on a vibrant campus that offers dynamic opportunities, empowering them to become leaders committed to living lives of service and integrity.

After completing several surveys within our community over the past few years, we have identified the four main reasons Oak Mountain Academy is the right school choice for our current families.

Academic Excellence – In all standardized tests, Oak Mountain Academy students outscore national averages. Oak Mountain Academy’s 5-year average ERB score is 600 compared to the 5-year national average of 500. Oak Mountain Academy’s 5-year average ACT score is 26 compared to the 5-year national average of 20.9.

Oak Mountain Academy’s 5-year average SAT score is 1808 compared to the 5-year national average of 1479. Over the past 5 years Oak Mountain Academy students have received over $12.5 million in scholarship offers. In addition to the outstanding students at the Academy, we also have an amazing faculty. Over 74% of the academic staff at Oak Mountain Academy have advanced degrees compared to the national average of 55%. The average years of experience for the academic staff at Oak Mountain Academy is 23 years compared to the national average of 14 years. Our teacher turnover at the Academy is less than 12% compared to the state average of 25% and the national average of 45%.

Recent additions to our academic programming include an increased usage of instructional technology as part of our curriculum. These new technologies include video blogging, virtual reality tools, video editing, computer coding, and instructional cameras for remote learning. With a 100% graduation and college acceptance rate, an average class size of 12 students, 14 Advanced Placement course offerings, and

100% of the student body participating in those AP courses, Oak Mountain Academy continues to deliver on academic excellence!

Faith-Based Education – Many people ask me what is a faith-based school? So here goes... A faith-based school strongly believes that a true education is the ability to think, reason, and create from a moral perspective.

Over 92% of Oak Mountain Academy families practice faith with a commitment in a specific belief system.

The benefits of receiving a faith-based education includes encouraging a global worldview, being rooted in compassion and empathy, and historically having strong academic programs. In terms of encouraging a global worldview, a well-taught faith-based education will give students a broader, healthier perspective on life than their peers.

This is part of the mission of a faith-based school, where all are welcome, because faith organizations seek to bring stability and compassion into an uncertain world.

With regards to being rooted in compassion and empathy, there is no greater princi-

StarNews October 11, 2020

Page 19

ple that a person can develop than compassion with an empathetic spirit. It will serve us all well in every single aspect of the human experience leading students to longterm relational and professional success. The evidence of historically strong academics is outlined in the previous paragraph.

The correlation between a faith-based education and long-term academic success is strong. According to USA Today, studies have found that students attending faithbased schools have higher reading and math scores and higher graduation rates than students who attend other schools. According to The Council for American Private Education (CAPE), students attending faith-based schools have significant academic advantage over students attending other school options.

Even though the Oak Mountain Academy families make a personal choice to follow various belief systems, all being grounded in one like-minded moral foundation is vital for the success of our students.

Dynamic Opportunities - Oak Mountain See PATRICK YURAN page 30

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StarNews www.starnewsgaonline.com

COMMENTARY

Page 21 October 11, 2020

StarNews / StarNews Online www.starnewsgaonline.com

“Not just what happened, but what matters”

SUSAN M. HORN EDITOR/PUBLISHER

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: WAYNE REYNOLDS

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Our goal is to produce a quality newspaper, locally oriented and designed with the readers’ interest in mind. Letters to the editor are welcomed and should include a signature, address/email addrees, phone number. Liability for an error will not exceed the cost of the space occupied by the error. We welcome reader input, ideas and criticisms. Your right to read this newspaper is protected by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.

Published monthly. Periodical postage paid permit #16154 Carrollton GA. Delivery mail/carrier $20 per year. $30 out of county. Send address changes: P.O. Box 680, Carrollton, GA 30112.

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Carroll Countians who have had CoVID: 2.38% Carroll County Deaths from CoVID: 0.06% Or, moving forward with, and despite, CoVID-19

We are now seven months in on the COronaVirus Disease 2019, (CoVID-19). For most of us, the first impact was on Friday, March 13th, when Carroll County’s public and private school systems closed for an initial two week period that became EDITOR/ permanent until fall.

PUBLISHER Our first documented CoVID-19 case here wasn’t one case but eight: eight people tested postive on the same day in mid-March, with our first death March 29th. By July 2nd, we had notice through the Georgia Public Health Department website of 741 people testing positive, with 40 deaths. As of October 6th, we now have 2882 testing positive and 70 deaths. Comparing those two sets of dated numbers, Carroll County shows 741:40 and 2882:70. Carroll County’s ratio of sick/recovered to sick/dying dropped dramatically: July 2nd showed a 5.3% fatality rate; by October 6th, our fatality rate dropped to 2.43%.

Now, I am someone who firmly believes that “figures don’t lie, but liars can figure”, so the above numbers can have different outcomes when other facts are factored in, such as the fact that CoVID testing can produce false negatives. Also, not everyone who has had CoVID-19 took a test (myself included: I had all the symptoms, but did not see a physician). So, it is very probable that more people have had it than are recorded. That would skew the death ratio to a lower figure. Also, there could be deaths caused, for example, by heart, lung, or kidney failure that were worsened by CoVID, but the CoVID test came back negative. This would skew the death ratio higher.

In March - before data was available - our local health officials predicted a “worse case scenario” of 67,000+ county residents contracting CoVID. Seven months later, thank God, we have had around only 3,000. (And a huge and grateful thank you to the Tanner Health System, our public board of health, and U.S. Government funds, which together, enabled a solid system of preparedness.) The numbers are 2882 sick : total county population of 121,000+ and 70 deaths : 121,000+. This shows that 2.38% of us in Carroll County have become sickened with it, and 0.06% of us have died from it.

These numbers, again, could be off due to other circumstances, but the facts, to me - to me - move me to a different place of caution now: less.

Yes, I will continue to wear my mask where required, but not everywhere.

I attended an outdoor concert this past weekend where masks were optional.

I opted to not wear the mask within the grounds of the concert, but I put it back on as I exited the event and walked to my car. I will continue to be respectful of other person’s wishes. I will wear my mask if I am around anyone with underlying health issues or anyone who is caring for someone who does. I carry three masks with me at all times, ready for use.

My opinion is that we, here in Carroll County are positioned to begin dropping the extreme cautions, and move into a place of blending back into the wonderful social and business networks that we had prior to March 13th.

But, be responsible and evaluate your own situation, and those in your close circle.

It’s as if we suffered a serious broken leg, and the healing has begun. Be careful with each step, but it’s time to start walking, and moving forward.

SUE

HORN

Carroll County COVID19 numbers as of OCTOBER 6, 2020 Total county population of 121,000 +: 2882 testing positive Total county population of 121,000+ : 70 deaths Carroll County residents who have contracted CoVID 2.38% Carroll County Deaths from CoVID: 0.06%

This newspaper: no simplistic sound bites; no exaggerated news

true, but was of a personal, sensaFor more than 25 years, my tional nature, and did not affect professional career has been in the running of any local business newspaper/publication business. or government - and was rejected Many remember me from

by Sue immediately! With each Community Connection, which I issue, our integrity is on the line. owned with my wife Sherry for So, why read a newspaper? over two decades. After we Please keep reading. retired, Sue Horn, publisher of the Stanton Communications (a StarNews, asked us to join the national public relations firm) staff: first Sherry, and then me.

Because we enjoyed an excellent of a locally owned newspaper in writes: “Newspapers deliver the professional relationship with her, our West Georgia communities. If world each day with an immediwe didn’t hesitate to join her staff. there is an issue that might be ate and powerful impact. Print The format with Community borderline, we discuss what is the newspapers guide the reader toward the important and Connection was paid business “What would happen. . . if necessary news while online articles which allowed Sherry newspapers became a lost only allows readers to pick and I to control the narrative.

With StarNews, it is the purpiece of history? We hope the what is important and what suit of local news - wherever print version, however, is never isn’t. The newspaper is a daily snapshot of history and that may lead. So, for Sherry lost. It informs us in a manner is accessible to everyone. and me, it has been an adjustno amount of pixels ever can.

Newspapers are documents ment getting used to topics we might feel a little uncomfortable value to the readers. For example, of history, and they capture all of with. we had information on a story the big events worldwide and But, we understand the value which we knew was probably See WAYNE REYNOLDS page 24

WAYNE

REYNOLDS

West Georgia United: working to improve democracy West Georgia United is a community organization working to improve democracy and build a more caring and inclusive Georgia. We began in January of 2017 when a group of people gathered to discuss the recent election of Donald Trump as President. We wanted to do something to protect American democracy from the damage we could see coming.

During a series of organizing meetings that winter, we decided we would not focus on the partisan divide that was tearing apart the country. Instead, we would focus on the issues that affect our lives while promoting a greater sense of engagement in our community. We agreed that America must keep becoming a better country for all its people.

We started a Facebook group to stay in touch, and organized a

BRYAN

HAGER Farmer and group organizer

series of task forces.

Our local community task force discussed a variety of ways to help people live more sustainably. The task force had a big success when it recruited Solar Crowdsource to come to Carrollton to install solar panels on area homes. The Solarize Carrollton program used discounts received from bulk purchasing to make the panels more affordable. The program led to installing 36 solar power systems.

- 32 residential systems- 228

total Kw - 3 commercial systems-142 total Kw - 35 total solar energy systems371 total Kw - 16 battery systems- 161 total kwh - a donated system to Open Hands : 5.9 Kw The state policy task force met with local legislators and tracked state legislation. We also put on a public forum on health care in America to answer the questions: Why is it so expensive and how do we compare with the rest of the world? In 2018, we got involved in the elections.

The health forum found that the United States spends 50% more per person on health care than the average of other developed countries. And our health outcomes are below average for See BRYAN HAGER page 32

Honoring Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

“We disagreed now and then, but even so, we were best buddies.” United States Supreme Court (SCOTUS) Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg speaking of her friend and colleague, Justice Antonin Scalia at his funeral.

The above quote is perhaps a mild one. Justices Ginsburg and Scalia almost always disagreed on legal philosophy and the cases that came before the Court. Yet, she shared a strong personal relationship with Scalia.

That is pure class.

I disagreed with the liberal justice on many issues, too. But, I had the utmost respect for the 5’1” jurist from the tough streets of Brooklyn, New York. She was fearless.

Ginsburg died from complications of pancreatic cancer September 18th at age 87, and was interred in Arlington National

JASON

SWINDLE SWINDLE LAW GROUP, P.C. Cemetery next to her husband Martin D. Ginsburg.

Early in her career, she earned her bachelor’s degree at Cornell University and married Martin, becoming a mother before starting law school at Harvard, where she was one of the few women in her class. Ginsburg transferred to Columbia, where she graduated first in her class.

Before becoming a justice, she co-founded the ACLU, fought for equal justice for women, and advocated for liberal causes.

Ginsburg was nominated by President Jimmy Carter on April 14, 1980, to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit; a springboard to SCOTUS. She was confirmed by the United States Senate on June 18, 1980, and received her commission later that day. Her service terminated in 1993 due to her elevation to SCOTUS by President Bill Clinton.

At the time of her nomination, Ginsburg was viewed as a moderate. Clinton was reportedly looking to increase the court’s diversity, which Ginsburg did as the first Jewish justice since the 1969 resignation of Justice Abe Fortas.

She was the second female and the first Jewish female justice of the Supreme Court. She was confirmed by the Senate by a vote of

See BADER GINSBURG page 24

Page 22 october 11, 2020

StarNews

It is time for a change Healthcare is an important need. A lump, a fall, sudden pain, shortness of breath, fever, PAT bleeding are scary events for all of us. How RHUDY

CANDIDATE State Representative District 18 (D)

Dear Voter, How will you vote in this election? What is important to you? How do you think your vote will help you, and the ones you love.

How is your health? How is your personal economy? Are you sure, you will be treated fairly by law enforcement?

How you answer these questions is likely to determine how you will vote.

would a sudden medical emergency affect your life? your economy? Has a loved one died this year because treatment was too late?

Have you got a job? Does it pay enough for you to live; to pay for housing; to pay for food; to be able to get to work? What happens if you get sick or get hurt?

Have you dealt with law enforcement?

Were you treated fairly? Are you very afraid of interaction with law enforcement?

Republicans in the Georgia Legislature voted not to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. This has resulted in closing of rural hospitals and the limiting of

emergency and maternity care in rural Georgia Haralson County still has no reliable water treatment or storage. Are the Haralson County Schools still on a four day schedule to mitigate the cost of transportation?

The Republicans in the Georgia Legislature allowed a hate crimes bill to pass.

Would a hate crime bill have prevented the murder of Ahmaud Arbery? Repealing the stand your ground law and citizens arrest law are the next necessary steps to prevent such murders.

The young Republican seeking your vote favors jobs ( don’t we all ), but seems not to notice that jobs come where there is infrastructure to support growth, good access to a healthy, a well educated workforce,

the poor were very poor. But, when Castro took over, the money left and poor stayed.

For 50 years, Cuba has been in a time warp.

Nothing new, just streets full of late 1950s American autos.

I was in Moscow after the USSR broke up. The USSR was the world’s second largest economy prior to their invasion of Afghanistan. I bought KBG hats, five for a dollar. Dollars had value, KBG hats did not.

Trump is right to get us out of Afghanistan, which is known as the graveyard of empires.

We have no economic interest there.

Eisenhower warned about the militaryindustrial complex. Prior to Trump, both political parties were quick to get us into war and slow to get us out.

Have you been taught or told that the Democrat attempts to pass another 3 trillion stimulus spending to bail out failing Democratic cities and states is necessary or wise? Consider Turkey. Istanbul is one of the world’s most beautiful cities, very much like our west coast, but under the spending of President Erdegan, Turkey’s debt has been downgraded to junk and their bonds yield about half of 1%. Should Biden be elected, can we be far behind?

The political class cannot spend their way to success. Promises come due and reckoning will come. Let failing entities fail, for if you bail them out, they will do it again.

There is no fixing ineptness, greed or stupidity. Do we have a wealth imbalance? Sure do, who needs multimillions of dollars?

Some sort of “wealth tax” is eventually likely as is some control over our “social media” less we have the best politicians that excess money can buy.

Were you taught that just a few years ago Venezuela was one of the richest countries in South America? They had about 20% of the world’s proven oil reserves, and after just a few years of Socialism, the last oil well in country was shut down in August as the starving populace was stealing parts off the pumping station for scrap metal. I was in Venezuela when the guide was telling us that “everything was free, but the producers were leaving the country because taxes were so high”. Now the producers are gone and their money has little value.

Question: What backs our dollar? Not gold, not silver, not anything tangible. Our dollars are only worth whatever someone will trade for them, and so it is for most of the fiat currency governments put into circulation.

Given that the main street media tends to

protect the Democrats, have you ever read in to me that the public would be better served the main street media that Jimmy Carter’s if all student funding followed the student son smoked pot with How many teachers made such that each family could Willie Nelson on the have school choice and White House roof? To a difference in your life? How send their children to the his credit, the former much did you learn because public, private, or religious president confirmed it you had to versus how much schools that best meets the in a recent documenneeds of the student as did you learn because tary. And for those of determined by the parents. you had a thirst for specific you that may be a day Trump has pledged to knowledge? . . . are you late and a dollar short, make school choice a priare you aware that aware that Warren Buffett, ority in a second Trump Warren Buffett, multi- multi-billionaire, made most administration. It definitely billionaire, made most will not happen in any of his money after age of his money after age 65? Democrat administration He understands 65? He understands and I believe that this issue “compound interest”. “compound interest” will affect some thoughtful Were you taught votes in those areas that have failing public that many career politicians and/or their schools. families acquire considerable wealth in If you support the Second Amendment or office? (Biden, 47 years, Pelosi, 34 years, you support the right to life, or you support and many others come to mind) Why would freedom of religion, or if you support a lawa reasonable person spend considerably ful and peaceful society, free of mob rule more monies to gain an office than that posi- and looting, then help Trump clean out the tion paid? Is it about “public service” or Washington, D.C. swamp. The White House about “personal power”? The Minority and the Senate are needed to avoid liberal leader in the Senate and leader of the Supreme Court Justices.

Democrat caucus, Schumer, has been in pubIn fairness, you should question the bias lic office since 1975. of all writings, my bias: Other than how to do what you were told I did not have a graduation from grammar (how to be an employee) what did you really school. I was president of my senior class in learn in public school? Basic math, good. high school, and six of the seven of us in the Advanced math, problematic, but algebra very small senior class graduated. I hold no does teach one to think through a process. earned college degree, but I have a Were you told that math is the universal California Junior College Teaching language of mankind? It is. You are taught Credential. I also possess a PhD from the writing, how to print, but currently not how Universal Life Church: I bought it. to write cursive. Simple grammar, like senI have earned, by examination (the hard tence structure, good. Advanced grammar way), A Life and Disability Insurance like the improper use of a “dangling partici- License, Personal and Corporate Real Estate ple” or ending a sentence with a preposition Brokerage Licenses, an Over the Counter is, in my view, mostly useless.

Securities Broker/Dealer License and an Reading is invaluable, but read only what Enrolled Agent Credential (entitled to pracinterests you, not necessarily the “classics” tice before the Treasury Courts) from the that the teacher was required to learn and IRS. With an attorney friend, we held now requires you to regurgitate. Were you numerous Estate Planning seminars, as a encouraged to “think creatively” or “to think Loaned Executive I raised funds for the for yourself”? Probably not, for that does not United Way, and as a member of a top secret enhance your worth as an employee. “black” program, I had more adventures How many teachers made a difference in than I can share and I sat on the governing your life? How many do you remember? boards of a major credit union, The How much did you learn because you had to Lockheed Management Association and a versus how much did you learn because you Better Business Bureau, in California. I had a thirst for specific knowledge? have written and published two books that Now, given the questions above, I will would have been much better had I been exercise caution, less my car be keyed or more proficient in English grammar. Yep, I tires slashed by those who disagree. Make have been over my head most all my life, no mistake, teaching is a special calling and so, what you see is what you get. all teachers are to be treasured, but it seems Cedwilson587@yahoo.com

Were you taught.....

ED

WILSON Thoughts While Shaving cedwilson587 @yahoo.com Were you taught? And if you were taught, do you remember: Newton’s Laws of Motion? While all three are basic to physical mechanics, I see his third law as very applicable to the political world we now live in. If you are not familiar with some of these subjects, “google” them.

Knowledge is power.

Were you taught the seven ways to lie with statistics? If so, do you see them used every day in commercial promotions and political ads to mislead you? If you are going to vote, you should know when you are being “conned”.

Were you taught the “rule of 72” as it applies to accumulating economic freedom? If you have some savings, how can you apply this rule? Can you apply the principles of “ratio and proportion”? What is an income property really worth?

Were you taught about Andrew Carnegie and his application of “compound interest” and his attitude towards philanthropy? You may recall that he was a small guy, about 5’3” tall and was considered a “robber baron” by the media of his time, but you may recall he also said that “he who dies rich, dies disgraced”. He funded many public libraries.

Were you taught that to buy something for “6 months with no interest”, unless you really needed it, is no bargain as the bill will be due in 6 months, period, and you must be prepared to pay?

Were you taught how to balance a checkbook? How to balance wants and needs?

How to judge the utility (value) of a new vehicle versus the utility (value) of a 3 or 4 year old vehicle?

Were you taught the principles of Capitalism, Socialism, Marxism, Fascism, The sayings of Mao, The Federalist Papers, Our Constitution, Bill of Rights and so many other principles of various forms of government?

Were you taught that Cuba, prior to Castro, was extreme capitalist, very bad, and had only two classes: “haves” and “have nots”? True, I was there in 1954, and

COMMENTARY

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good internet, and fairness.

He also advocates getting rid of taxes, which is what state and local governments use to improve infrastructure to encourage good job growth.

How is your economy?

We Democrats have not been much present in the governing of Georgia for the past 18 years or so. Maybe it is time to give us a chance again.

Maturity has been a missing characteristic of the representation of District 18 since Tracy Stallings and Tom Murphy were replaced by Republicans in 2002. Life experience is important to understanding how decisions made by the government affect real lives.

It is time for a change.

COMMENTARY

Floodgate

SYBIL

THOMAS

River Rambles syllabil@aol.com You can’t predict what a river-flood will do, any more than you can predict the zigzag of a hurricane. Storms and floods have their own rules, with no regard for boundaries, least of all their own. A hurricane can turn my decent neighbor, the Chattahoochee River, into an unmanageable monstrous being: swollen with power, orange-faced, churning with destruction.

Surging to 30 feet with a distended width of half-a-mile, her engorged waters roar past the cabin at what feels like eye-level. Whole

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trees, couches, even a dead cow, are carried along her indifferent tide. The relentlessness of raw energy stirs up primal awe, a sense of powerlessness. Before her might, I go weak in the knees, with a persistent desire to fall down on them, a gesture of terror joined to a sudden need for prayer.

Any season can host a flood; summer and autumn, hurricane season opens the floodgates. Over the years I’ve lived beside the river, her lethal red-ringed floods have taken on the names of their creators: Frances, Ivan, Katrina, Irma. Irma - demoted to tropical storm by the time she reached Carroll County - tore off a sizeable chunk of our shoreline and felled at least three 80-foot loblollies in nearby woods.

Other unnamed floods are memorable despite their anonymity. The highest - still referred to around here as the Five-HundredYear Flood - came up so close to the house that for the first time in anyone’s memory, floodwaters surrounded the rock supporting

Two scenarios: which will you choose?

KELVIN KEITH

Millennials Christian Ministry (MCM) kkeith@mcm empowered.org

We’re about to look at the decision making of two youth. One made wise choices and the other, unfortunately, made poor choices in life. Tom and Shelia grew-up together in the same modest community (a poor neighborhood in the fourth ward of Atlanta).

Tom was an exceptional athlete. In middle school and high school, he was the starting quarterback for the football team. The popularity that surrounded Tom was magnetic.

Almost every week during the football season, a sports reporter would write glowing reviews about his Friday night’s performance in the local newspaper. Throwing two

or three touchdown passes, rushing for 100 yards per game was common for Tom in high school. As you can imagine, the number of people who wanted to become friends with Tom grew rapidly. This was a very vulnerable time for Tom. He was meeting people who could influence him to make good choices concerning his future, or influence him to make horrible choices.

There were friends in Tom’s life who were encouraging him to make choices that would build his character: such as consider joining groups such as The Fellowship of Christian Athletes; start going to church; read the Bible; and start planning goals for your life. The other group of friends were encouraging Tom to make some choices that would destroy his future. They wanted Tom to go party on Saturday nights, indulge in drugs and alcohol, have many relationships with several girls that could result in some unwanted pregnancies, and to not worry about setting goals for your future, but live for the moment. Tom had a wise high school teacher who tried to warn him that if he took the wrong path at this early age, it could be

The Atomic Bomb of Love

DAN

PAK

vunc61@gmail.com An extraordinary time produced an extraordinary spiritual leader in South Korea. His name was Sohn Yang-won, a Presbyterian Church minister. During the Communist insurgent uprising in South Korea prior to the Korean War, two of his sons were shot and killed by a proCommunist rioter. The perpetrator was none other than a boyhood friend who had grown up with them.

When the South Korean government authorities arrested the killer and were about to execute him for the crime, Reverend Sohn appealed and asked that the killer’s life be spared. When the fellow was released from

police custody, the Reverend brought him to his home and adopted him as his son! This story is known as “The Atomic Bomb of Love” among the South Korean people.

The government of the Republic of Korea (ROK) was established in Seoul in August 1948. From 1945 when Korea was liberated from Japan’s colonial rule at the end of World War II to 1950 when North Korea launched a surprise attack against the young republic, there were widespread proCommunist uprisings throughout the southern half of the 38th parallel.

Particularly vicious and highly destructive anti-government riots were centered around the southernmost towns of Yo-soo and Sooncheon.

On October 20, 1948, a group of armed Communist mobs surrounded the house in Soon-cheon where Reverend Sohn’s children were staying. They were students of the local school at the time. Dohng-in was the eldest son who was forced out of the house first. The rioters taunted him as “a friend of America, therefore, an enemy of the people.” Dohng-shin, the second son,

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October 11, 2020 Page 23

the pillar that holds up one end of the back porch. The water had never been so near.

Another year, a deluge turned the floodplain into an edgeless swamp and floated the small deck of the outdoor shower, braced on a granite outcropping, out into the middle of it. My husband had to swim into the swamp, lasso the deck and bring it back home, before ebbing waters beached it on a hillside like Noah’s Ark on Mount Ararat, or carried it in pieces down to the sea.

A pillaging flood sweeps things away. In every notable surge there is always a logjam.

Caught within the river’s channel, a ragtag line of debris -10 feet thick and jammed together from shore-to-shore - charges by on her broadened back.

Once, a mailbox atop its wooden post, torn from its job at the end of someone’s driveway, stuck up amongst the garbage like the remaining prow of a shipwreck, its tiny letter-flag still flying.

The accumulation of plastic jugs and

Styrofoam is shocking, regrettable and, you’d think, preventable, but the primary ingredient of each logjam is balls: basketballs, soccer balls, volleyballs, beach balls, kick balls, exercise balls - balls, balls, balls. I suppose this is the unavoidable karma of being round: you tend to go downhill. And since you’re filled with nothing but air, you’re empty enough to float.

Floods sweep away lives, too. During the Five-Hundred-Year Flood an infant was lost when a flash flood on Snake Creek broke her family’s trailer in half. It’s painful and costly to live with a being that can turn on you in a heartbeat, with no thought for your life, with only its storm-driven karma to fulfill.

At these times we must do everything we can to protect ourselves, all the while yearning for the return of our more peaceful neighbor, and a saner, more compassionate world.

devastating to his future. Sadly, Tom chose the wrong path.

Because of his athletic skills, a major university asked Tom to try out for the team. He made the team; but, his activity off the field gradually destroyed his life. Tom had accepted the advice of his friends who earlier in his life encouraged him to make bad choices. He had three kids out-of-wedlock by three different young ladies, had developed a passion for alcohol, and felt everyone owed him special treatment or favors because he was a star athlete. Well, the three young mothers took him to court for past due child support, but the alcohol he was consuming was taking his money and his health, and the favors he felt he should be receiving from the university teachers to pass him (even though he was failing in class) was not as accommodating as those in high school. He eventually dropped out of college. He could have had a golden future with an NFL team, a family, and a relationship with God. Shelia had goals in life; and, she was not going to allow weak excuses (for not achiev-

ing) stop her from reaching those goals.

Shelia studied hard in middle school and high school. Making honor roll was a way of life for this hard working young lady. The beautiful part about this story was that she always gave credit to God for her high marks in school. She would tell her friends that she found a lot of wisdom from reading the Bible. It was this wisdom that guided her to set goals early in life.

When she was 12 years old, she saw an episode on the 60 Minutes television broadcast of people receiving ridiculous amounts of jail time for misdemeanor offenses. After seeing that broadcast, Shelia was determined to become a lawyer to help give competent legal assistance to these people. She witnessed how most of those people getting high jail time sentences were poor minorities. Shelia graduated at the top of her class in high school. She did very well in college, and she was accepted in a prominent law school.

Because Shelia loved reading books, she came across some great books that taught

rushed out to protect his brother. The rioters easily overpowered them both. Then, one of the mobsters summarily shot and killed the helpless young men on the spot. It was a cold-blooded murder. The brothers were said to have cried out the name of Jesus in their last moments.

The ROK troops restored law and order in the area in less than a week. An investigation was launched to determine those who were responsible for the dastardly act of violence.

Among those apprehended for the murder was a man named In Jae-sun who was later identified as a friend of the victims.

At the time, Reverend Sohn was living at the town of Yo-soo where he was looking after the patients at a leprosy sanatorium called Ay-yang-won as a part of his ministry.

Devastated by the tragic news of the death of his sons, he contacted ROK government officials immediately. The Reverend pleaded for mercy and asked the authority to spare the life of In Jae-sun. After being released from police custody, the bewildered young man was puzzled when brought to the home of Reverend Sohn. The Reverend told him

that he had not only forgiven his misdeed but also decided to adopt him as his son.

Deeply touched by such an unusual act of forgiveness and benevolence, the once violent pro-Communist activist came to realize how awful it was for him to commit such an act of violence, particularly against his friends.

In Jae-sun accepted Jesus Christ as his personal savior as a result of the Reverend’s persuasive teachings. Within two years of his release, he went to the Bible Institute of Korea to study theology, and he was ordained as a minister upon graduation.

In July 1950, two months following the outbreak of the Korean War, North Korean troops were about to occupy the town of Yosoo. Despite the imminent danger, Reverend Sohn decided to stay put to care for the patients and refused to escape the danger. On September 13, he was arrested by the Communist invaders and on September 29, he was executed. The Reverend Sohn Yangwon, the legendary spiritual leader of South Korea, was only 49 years old when he died, but his exemplary endeavors lived on.

See KELVIN KEITH page 24

Page 24 October 11, 2020

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Now is the time to elect a leader who is ready to serve on Day 1

MONTENIA

EDWARDS CANDIDATE State Senator District 30 (D)

The time is now to elect a leader who deeply cares about the community; a leader who will be visible and ready to serve on Day 1. That leader is me, Montenia Edwards. As the next State Senator for Georgia’s 30th District, I am ready to take a firm stand for the West Georgia region.

On my agenda, I am going to fight for our veterans to eliminate the VA benefits backlog and fully fund the VA in Georgia; transform an antiquated system to a modernized structure that provides ease in navigating programs and services; eliminate the taxation of military retirement pay; and work tirelessly to end homelessness among our veterans.

I will partner with the VA to implement

WAYNE REYNOLDS from page 21

local. Also, they are provided to everyone for anyone to read.

“What would happen to the people who are dependent on newspapers if newspapers became a lost piece of history?

“We hope the print version, however, is never lost. It informs us in a manner no amount of pixels ever can. Reading [news] off of a screen is not as easily remembered.

And news needs to be remembered in the form of newspapers, which become historical documents.”

I think we can all agree we live in a very divisive time - maybe the most divisive in my 68-year-old lifetime, certainly at least comparable to the late 60s / early 70s of the Vietnam war and the civil rights era. But, now, it is further complicated by TV and

JUDGE RUTH BADER GINSBURG from page 21

96-3. During her tenure on SCOTUS, she moved further to the left on a number of issues.

For many years, the Court comprised of four conservatives, four liberals, and Sandra Day O’Connor as the moderate “swing vote.”

During this time, Justice Ginsburg became the leader of the four left wing justices.

Ginsburg’s death created a vacancy on the Supreme Court less than six weeks before a highly charged presidential election, during a time of civil strife, and a tough virus to defeat. America will truly be tested in the fall of 2020.

She also becomes the third SCOTUS justice that President Trump will replace with a justice of his choice.

Trump has vowed to replace Ginsburg with a woman. “It will be a woman -- a very talented, very brilliant woman,” Trump said of his potential choice.

Justice Ginsburg, thank you for your service to our country and your display of class. Perhaps one day, your friendship with the late Justice Scalia, like that of conservative President Reagan and liberal Speaker of the House Tip O’Neal, will become the norm rather than the exception.

aggressive measures to protect and care for our veterans during these times of COVID19.

There are over 400,000 uninsured Georgians. In SD30, there are 13.8% of Carroll county residents uninsured; 14.4% of Douglas county residents uninsured; and 11.6% of Paulding county residents uninsured (from the 2017 datausa report).

Thus, expanding Medicaid is high on my agenda as a state legislator. We must realize the benefits of expanding this program to include increased health coverage, better access to health care, better outcomes which means fewer premature deaths, more financial security and opportunity for economic mobility.

Finally, some people say expanding Medicaid will raise their taxes. In actuality, the expansion can increase revenue in Georgia due to increased economic activity it will trigger. People are healthier to work and keep a job. Researchers found that Medicaid expansion generates savings and new revenue that offset a state’s shared cost.

Expanding Medicaid offers multiple benefits to individuals, their families, and the

state. If elected, I plan to fight for Medicaid expansion for all Georgia families.

Additionally, it is imperative that our public health infrastructure is strengthened in the State of Georgia. With COVID-19, it showed how much improvement is needed within the state system. We must remove bureaucrats and politics out of issues surrounding pandemics. This is not a political party issue; it is about humanity and how to effectively keep everyone safe. If we maintain what we have, we will not come out of this in 2021 but if we dare to do differently, it is a 99% chance we will come out of this quicker.

My skillset as a public health professional will enable me to create efficacious policies around keeping Georgians safe. I plan to build a solid research infrastructure to identify, track, trace and contain public health threats, from contaminants to epidemics. I will partner with Congressional leaders in Washington and lend my hand to ensure the people of Carroll, Douglas, and Paulding counties are safe and healthy.

I will support additional funding to the CDC and the Department of Public Health

and reform accountability measures to ensure timely and accurate information is disseminated to the public.

We must work together as a community to solve this problem. Wearing a mask not only helps our fellow man, but it helps you as well. Some people do not think it will hit their homes but I have read countless articles and spoken to people who had the same thought process before someone they knew became ill with coronavirus with some resulting in death. I care about you too much; let’s remember to wash our hands, wear your mask, and watch our distance.

In addition, I honor the work that healthcare professionals do across Georgia. I will partner with private and federal entities to increase supply capacity for healthcare workers and public health experts. This includes funding for microbiologists, virologists, immunologists and clinical research teams who prioritize and dedicate services to public health in the state of Georgia. My goal is to build comprehensive public health system throughout the district and state in order for Georgia to become the

radio hosts whose format is to exaggerate the news, generally using simplistic sound bites. Their job is to inflame and that makes good ratings. Our job at StarNews is to inform and explain about local issues and news (emphasizing local). If Editor Sue and our staff are doing our job properly, you should not be able to detect what our personal political views are!

With each issue, Sue invites anywhere from 10 to 16 diverse guest columnists to write on the topic of their choice - whether political, religious, medical, or personal.

Only Sue’s column reflects the opinion of StarNews.

Yes, certainly there will be times when you disagree with a certain article and even times when you have no opinion. That is how it should be. Keep in mind that local

news is personal. You may know and like many people mentioned in articles. Our job is to report and ask questions. You can then decide how you feel. It may be hard for many of us to get comfortable again reading detailed explanations of topics. We have gotten used to topics being reduced to easy to understand sound bites on Twitter, Facebook, talking heads, and obscure websites. Perhaps it is time to return to getting more information, rather than less.

I believe there is a thirst for knowledge and we will return to reading newspapers and magazines regularily - and getting facts, not fairy tales. Perhaps on a local level, it is time to experience StarNews and discover what today’s StarNews brings to the table.

Be warned, you may go from experiencing StarNews to SAVORING StarNews.

“Savor” the renaissance of the StarNews!

Sue has made it easier than ever to either experience StarNews or try it again.

Subscriptions for one year are still only $20 and just $10 for old people like me. This is the SAME price every year since 1999! And the entire paper is posted online free at over 70 Facebook pages including mine, Sherry’s, and Sue’s, plus on Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn and our website www.starnewsgaonline.com - NO pay walls.

Try us today.

Please share your thoughts with me at waynereynolds.starnews@gmail.com One final thought: I am a mask wearer and I say to those opposed to wearing masks. I hope you are right, but you must pray I am wrong!

From the bright side of the road - Wayne

MICHAEL JOHNSON from page 12 been installed, readings will be recorded quicker, easier, and more accurately than through the current system.

KELVIN KEITH from page 23

her financial literacy as well. One of those books “The Richest Man in Babylon,” taught her to pay herself first. She started saving 10% of her income when she was 16 years old, and she gave 10% to her church.

This would prove to be a major step in her plan to retire comfortably with her husband in the future.

With hard work and determination and God’s help, Shelia reached all of her goals.

Shelia was instrumental in helping minorities receive lighter sentences for minor offenses. She married a doctor who loved her and God dearly. With her self-taught discipline to gain financial literacy, she and her husband retired as millionaires: by investing in individual stocks, indexes, real estate, and fine art. After many years of helping and serving others, Shelia was very happy to thank God for all of her blessings at her retirement dinner.

Tom and Shelia were fictional characters and the details in their scenarios were not based on any actual facts. This column was purely written as an example of what could happen from the choices we make.

See MONTENIA EDWARDS page 31

In closing, it should be noted that transportation has been a major topic in Temple in 2020. The Georgia Department of Transportation’s big project in this part of the state is the widening and upgrading of Interstate 20 through the City of Temple, from the Georgia 61 interchange in Villa Rica to the U. S. 27 interchange in Bremen.

While this section of I-20 currently can be very frustrating, the completed project will be a significant improvement for interstate travel through this community.

Having three lanes of highway going eastbound toward Atlanta and three lanes going westbound into Alabama will be of

significant value to the Temple community, the State of Georgia, and our neighbors.

Now, from the perspective of the State of Georgia and the adjacent states, the longawaited completion of the intersection improvement project on U. S. Highway 78 and Georgia Highway 113 is not an important achievement.

But, to the City of Temple, this is the completion of an important project to reduce traffic congestion and to improve highway safety.

It has been long-awaited, and now is serving as a daily reminder that patience and diligence can have their rewards.

DR. BRENDAN KELLY from page 15

continuous learning. The ability to learn and adapt to a changing world is critical for students now more than ever, and UWG is well-positioned to provide the types of varied learning experiences and modes of instruction that mark a 21st-century university.

Yes, we are living in a time of new challenges, but it is also an era of extraordinary opportunity. Adversity is a stepping stone to positive change, personal development and new possibilities. Together, we will continue to climb higher and write a new chapter for UWG, enlightened by our circumstances and committed to excellence and enduring perseverance.

With three pillars - relevance, competitiveness and placemaking - as fenceposts around the process, UWG will be positioned to confidently proceed and perpetually adapt to meet the needs and expectations of its stakeholders. Because of the critical work that will follow the release of our next strategic plan, we are running toward this process, with a completed strategic plan to be shared around the new year. For updates, you may visit our website, westga.edu/becominguwg.

The very foundation of our job is to offer a place of opportunity and hope that provides students equipment for living through

STATE OF CARROLL 2020

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StarNews

October 11, 2020 Page 25

The State of the Carroll County Board of Commissioners: District 2 Clint Chance COMMISSIONER District 2 CARROLL COUNTY BOARD of COMMISSIONERS Carroll County Government continues to fare positively well overall during this time of the World Wide Coronavirus Pandemic.

While there have been many months of uncertainty and sales tax revenues have not been exactly where we would like to see them with respect to individual month comparisons, consumer confidence in spending trends continues to prove surprisingly steady to strong in my opinion.

Given all the extenuating circumstances, county revenues closed above budget projections during the height of the coronavirus last fiscal year ending on July 30th. While many citizens have been economically affected in an adverse manner including the loss of employment or reduced/altered hours, the economy and our community have proven resilient in so many ways.

On August 27th, the Board of Commissioners voted for a “full roll back” of the millage rate that will be levied toward your 2020 property taxes. This means that the property tax digest will remain constant for Carroll County as last year (excluding new builds, etc.) and the average household property tax amount will either remain roughly the same for your county commission portion or may actually decrease your line item tax bill on any property where you have a, “floating homestead exemption” (may exclude new additions / major renovations to property and commercial, etc.).

Remember, there are multiple aspects to your tax bill: In summary, the Tax Assessors Office assigns a value to your property and each local government entity must determine what their portion of total projected tax proceeds will be with expert analysis from the tax commissioner. Then, the ultimate decision of either rolling back the rate fully, partially, leaving the same or increasing it is made by that particular governing body.

Some property owners may have as many as three separate portions: county commission, school board, and city municipalities with each elected body making its own individual decision based on their financial picture and level of services to be provided.

Thanks to our Public Works Department under the impeccable leadership of Director Mr. Charles Pope, several roads have been resurfaced so far in District 2, as described during my social media updates referred to as the, “Summer Series”. In addition to these roadways being resurfaced which have included in the northern most end of the district - North Van Wert, Harlan Lane and McCurdy - we are also applying the line marking system called “thermoplastic” to roads from now on. This process, also called hot melt, is a kind of powder paint. When applied as road surface markings, a hot kettle is used to heat it to nearly 400 degrees F to melt the powder, after which it is sprayed onto road surfaces. The coating then becomes a hard, polymer line after cooling.

This process is superior to traditional road spray paint and the durability is expected to last beyond a decade in comparison to inferior applications.

Fairfield Plantation continues to be a vital part of District 2 and I’m pleased that two positive transactions have taken place in recent months that will both directly and indirectly support this specific community.

Over the summer, we were able to provide with the assistance of EMA Director and Fire Chief Tim Padgett, the dedication and delivery of a quality used fire truck from our fleet to the Fairfield Fire Department. This was done as a gesture of good faith to support Fairfield Plantation and the tremendous effort the Fairfield Fire Department puts forth to serve their residents and our County citizens.

In other positive news, I am thankful for local developer Jeff Matthews who recently signed over development rights and donated a sizeable piece of property to Carroll County that adjoins both Moss Ferry Road and Fairfield Plantation. The piece of property will be protected as a natural land preservation project and utilized as a passive park in the future. There are many guidelines that must be followed to adhere to land management requirements such as the initial limitations of only allowing ten parking spaces on the actual property. This land donation will not only serve to provide a park on the Northern End of Carroll County for citizens, but it will help to slow rapid traffic growth to a minimum on an already busy Moss Ferry Road. The property, before its donation and surrendering of development rights could have seen as many as 300+ new homes.

The upcoming SPLOST referendum will be placed before voters in March of 2021.

This is considered as a “renewal” or “continuation” by many, but, however you identity this SPLOST vote, it is NOT a new tax.

SPLOST is a consumption based tax and On October 1st, Carroll County hosted a therefore I feel is the fairest and allows for farewell gathering of both active and retired the general fund to operlaw enforcement, driver Given all the extenuating services personnel includate modestly by keeping circumstances, county property tax millage rates ing license examiners, lower in comparison radio dispatchers and secrevenues closed above without a SPLOST. retaries at the old Georgia budget projections during While there are many the height of the coronavirus State Patrol Post #4 areas throughout all located on Highway 78 in last fiscal year ending on departments of Carroll Villa Rica. This was a July 30th. While many County that would benetribute to not only the citizens have been fit from a continued iconic facility that was SPLOST, I want to focus economically affected in an known throughout all of specifically on the major adverse manner including West Georgia but to the project I will be proposmen and women who the loss of employment or ing for District 2. proudly served the citiVilla Rica Fire Station reduced/altered hours, the zens for decades out of economy and our #9 located at the intersecthis building. tion of Highway 78 and community have proven The old GSP Post #4 Highway 61 is the busiest resilient in so many ways. will be demolished the of all stations within week of October 5th.

Carroll County. In fact, both stations that While this county owned property will no serve Villa Rica addresses have responded to longer specifically serve as a law enforceover 2,000 - 911 calls so far this year.

See CLINT CHANCE page 26

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Page 26 October 11, 2020

StarNews

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CLINT CHANCE from page 25 responder site. property is ideally sized and located to host lective board will continue to positively ment location, I am hopeful it will be able to After speaking with Fire Chief Padgett an updated fire station to serve the immedi- impact all of Carroll County. continue its legacy of service as a first and other members of administration, this ate growing needs of the Villa Rica commuIf I can be of any assistance to you or any nity. I will be working with the chairman, member of our community, please do not SANDRA MORRIS from page 14 Carroll County Council on Aging/West communications director, fire chief and city hesitate to contact me at 404-313-4990 or and their money to help improve our com- Georgia Council on Aging I can be conleaders to host a series of town hall meetings email cchance@carrollcountyga.com munity. The many civic clubs like Rotary, tacted at sandraamorris4590@gmail.com Last, but certainly not least, I want to in the coming months to not only educate the Kiwanis, Lions, Optimists and local minisThe Council desperately needs funds to citizens about the proposed project but to lis- thank ALL Carroll County staff who work so tries of the churches all come together to continue its mission of finding the unmet hard to carry out the wishes of the board of ten and gather their insight as well. supply so much love for our community. needs of the elderly and finding a solution to There are many ongoing and exciting pro- commissioners and are dedicated to serve The Council on Aging is best known for that unmet need. Donations can be sent to jects yet to come for our community. As the community they love - we appreciate it’s grand Fellowships. The May Spring the Community Foundation with a note desalways, I remain humbled and honored to you! May God Bless you and your family, Fling Fellowship was cancelled and we ignated for the West Georgia Council on serve the citizens of not only District 2 but Carroll County and may God Bless aren’t sure about the Annual Thanksgiving Aging. If you would like to be part of our am hopeful the decisions we make as a col- America!

Fellowship. The Council on Aging is still community of volunteers and sponsors who very much active and willing to help our help our aging friends and neighbors, I senior citizen population.

GOVERNMENT TAXING ENTITIES would love to hear from you. I love you all I want to especially express my thanks to and hope to be able to see you in person and COST PER MONTH TO OPERATE 2020-2021 our Governor, Brian Kemp for his care and hug you in the near future. A quote I heard GOVERNMENT 2020-2021 COST PER services he has provided during the difficult on the radio yesterday expresses my feelings MONTH to TAXING ENTITY BUDGET times of the Pandemic for the elderly. during these difficult times: “Be a Fountain OPERATE If you have ideas or questions about the not a Drain”!

SCOTT COWART from page 18 program in strengthening relationships, connectedness, and academic performance. We recognize that there is a direct correlation between emotional well-being and academic success, and our district is providing the resources necessary to ensure our students have every opportunity to be their best.

Health and Safety Safety is always a top priority in our schools. We have enhanced safety protocols in place to help prevent the spread of illness and protect the health and well-being of our students and staff. Additionally, we have continued our district safety efforts with the

KEITH HANCOCK from page 10

into their head or make it more likely that they will attempt suicide • Listen without judging and show you care • Stay with the person or make sure the person is in a private, secure place with another caring person until you can get further help • Remove any objects that could be used in a suicide attempt You don’t have to be suicidal or in crisis to call the Lifeline. People call to talk about lots of things: substance abuse, economic worries, relationships, sexual identity, illness, getting over abuse, depression mental and

LOY HOWARD from page 16

ing most recently a new, state-of-the-art surgical care center and renovated diagnostic imaging center.

In recent years, we’ve expanded the range of services available in Haralson County and opened Tanner Urgent Care/Bremen, offering care for minor medical emergencies on a walk-in basis, with weekday, evening and weekend hours.

Earlier this year, we opened a new office for Buchanan Medical Clinic, with additional parking, more exam rooms and other improvements to facilitate better access to care.

Expanding behavioral health services Mental health is essential to overall health.

That’s long been key to our commitment to ensuring care for the whole person.

This year, Willowbrooke at Tanner expanded its line of services with two new ways to receive care: the Willowbrooke Counseling Center and the Willowbrooke Psychiatric Center.

The Willowbrooke Counseling Center, with locations in Carrollton, Villa Rica and Cartersville, offers counseling services with a team of licensed practicing therapists. Our

Carroll County School System

installation of the Centegix Crisis Alert system. Centegix is a leader in safety and security for K-12 schools, and the Crisis Alert system equips all of our staff members with badges that can be used to alert administrators and safety personnel in the event of a health or safety emergency.

It is our privilege to serve Carroll County families, and we look forward to continuing to positively change lives by providing all students with access to premier teachers, premier leaders, and premier schools.

For more information about Carroll County School System, please visit carrollcountyschools.com physical illness, and loneliness.

Please know that your life matters and there are people here to help you. Carroll County citizens are blessed to have the local Carroll County Mental Health Advocates.

They offer different support groups with one being Survivors of Suicide Loss. It is a support group that meets the first and third Tuesday of each month. For more information you can contact the Carroll County Mental Health Advocates at (770) 830-2048.

I am thankful for the work they do!

I along with my Deputy Coroners am honored to serve the citizens of Carroll County.

Our continued thoughts and prayers are with each family we have served. therapists listen to patients’ concerns and provide therapeutic interventions to help people through a range of issues, from anger management to anxiety, grief, substance abuse, trauma and more.

The counseling center offers individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy, couples therapy, substance abuse services, diagnostic assessment and recommendation, psychiatric evaluation and medication management and case management, as well as treatment planning.

The Willowbrooke Psychiatric Center is staffed by a team of experienced psychiatrists — physicians who specialize in mental health. The center has separate offices in Villa Rica for children and adults, providing comprehensive psychiatric and medication management services to help patients of all ages find their way back to a healthy mind, life and body. These services include psychiatric evaluations, psychotherapeutic intervention and medication management.

I encourage you to keep up with the latest news and information from Tanner as we continue to move forward, together. You can sign up for our free weekly e-newsletter, Live Well, online at tanner.org/livewell.

$173,001,833 $14,416,819

Carroll County Board of Commissioners $55,569,500

$4,630,792

Carrollton City School System

$46,945,734

$3,912,145

City of Villa Rica

$34,994,365

$2,916,197

City of Carrollton

$28,572,494

$2,381,041

City of Bowdon

$3,574,317

$297,860

City of Temple

$3,541,992

$295,166

City of Mount Zion

$1,449,025

$120,752

City of Whitesburg

$606,300

$50,525

(City of Roopville/no taxes/no millage rate) The love between a Mother and Daughter is forever.

We share a special bond That spans the years.

Through the laughter & through the tears, nothing can ever compare to the love there is between us and the precious MEMORIES we share.

We love you, Phyllis, Susan, Sherry and Ellen

Sherry’s mother’s birthday Becky Reeps AD

90th Birthday October 17

Since we cannot have a party for her big day due to Covid-19, please help us in wishing our Mother Happy Birthday!

Please email birthday wishes to: sherryreynolds.starnews@gmail.com

STATE OF CARROLL 2020

www.starnewsgaonline.com

The State of the Carroll County Tax Commissioner’s Office Vickie Bearden TAX COMMISSIONER CARROLL COUNTY I always appreciate Publisher Sue giving me the chance to address the dealings that go on within my office.

2020 has been a challenging year for everyone with the COVID-19 epidemic going on. This was the same for my office. We were closed to the public from March 18th to May 4th, 2020. Everyone was trying to social distance, so we had a limited number of staff working each day. But, we were here and doing business - not as usual I would say, but we were still here to assist customers over the phone. The state motor vehicle office was closed also, so, we were limited to the things we could do at that time.

We began taking payments over the phone during this time only. We do not have enough employees to do this on a daily basis

so we processed phone payments through May 4th. During this time, we processed tax payments, tag renewals, cancelled tags, worked the mail along with titles that had been mailed in from dealers and web renewals. The governor mandated that all tags would not be due until after the county offices could reopen, so if your tag went delinquent during the closure, you should not have received a citation for an expired tag. I have spoken with Carroll County Sheriff Terry Langley and the City of Carrollton Chief of Police Joel Richards, and they verified that they were not pulling anyone over for a tag violation until we could reopen and process tags and titles again.

When we reopened, we had to get creative helping customers while maintaining state mandated guidelines. We were only allowing 10 people in the building at a time, hand sanitizer was and still is available, and masks had to be worn. If someone did not have a mask, then we provided one for them. We are happy to report that we are now fully open and operational again.

We have 15 people who work in our office and we process approximately 135,000 motor vehicle transactions and 60,000 tax transactions yearly. There are also approximately 128,931 customers who come

into the office each year.

The state changed over to a new system May 27, 2019 called DRIVES (Driver Record and Integrated Vehicle Enterprise System). This new system will show the address that Driver Services has on record so we can compare the address on the motor vehicle record So, if you move then you should change the address on your driver’s license before coming in to change the address on your registration. In the future, we may not be able to process transactions until the address records match.

There is a kiosk located in the Kroger Market Place, Highway 27, Carrollton, where you can pay insurance fines and renew your tags. The decals print at the kiosk so you are ready to put it on your vehicle. If you live in another county that participates in kiosk services, you can renew at the kiosk here in Carroll County. For example, if there is a college student living here, they would be able to renew their tags at the kiosk and not have to go to the county where they live to renew.

The state has a website www.eservices. drives.ga.gov where you can do many things. You can renew your registration, pay insurance fines, and change your address.

When changing your address it will be

The State of the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office

StarNews

October 11, 2020 Page 27

reviewed by the local office before the address changes in the system so, if you change your address and then go back to renew, the decal will be mailed to the old address because it has not had enough time to be reviewed by the county.

You can also cancel and uncancel your registration, process commercial registrations which are usually tractor trucks and trailers that go out of state. These are called IRP (international registration plan).

There is also a fleet registration for companies with 100 vehicles or more. They can cancel, add or renew all motorized vehicles.

If you are out looking a vehicle to purchase, you can go to this website and look at the TAVT (title ad valorem tax) estimator to look up the vehicle ID number and it will give you an estimate of the title taxes you will pay on the vehicle. Please visit the website since there are so many other services available.

The state is always happy to delegate work to the county offices, so now we are scanning all title documents for the state.

This means the state does not review titles any longer so we are responsible if titles are not signed correctly or have the correct papers attached to them. This is something that protects you, the owner of the vehicle.

face lift. By using inmate labor, the entire jail of our investigator’s primary duty. many crimes from drive by shootings, to Fortunately, through the latest investiga- theft rings and even three homicides in 2020 was painted, saving thousands of tax dollars.

This project took several weeks and was tive techniques, we have been able to solve See SHERIFF LANGLEY page 30 closely supervised by our maintenance officers. We were glad to have this accomplished and are proud of the way it looks.

The Sheriff’s Office gives the public CHIEF DEPUTY access to view the current inmate population through the internet. This can easily be CARROLL COUNTY found by going on our website at carrollsherSHERIFF’s OFFICE iff.info and clicking on “Carroll County Jail Population Report”.

Terry E. Langley has had the honor to The Carroll County Sheriff’s Office Court serve as your Sheriff of Carroll County since Services Division has twenty positions. The January 2001. He instills customer service division is responsible for securing the qualities in the employees at the Office. His Courthouse, transporting inmates from goal, then and now, is to continue to seek a prison/jail to the appropriate court, civil higher degree of professional excellence. process service, and warrant service. The Year 2020, has truly been a very challeng- Court Services Division screens approxiing year for most all of us. That reigns very mately 10,000 citizens a month entering the true for the law enforcement family as well. Courthouse for weapons and contraband.

Covid-19 has forced some changes to the The Courthouse contains the following way we must operate in response to calls for courts/offices, Superior Court, District service as well as procedures within the Attorney’s Office, State Court, Drug Court, operation of the jail.

Mediation, Probate Court, Clerk of Court, Nationwide, actions of only a few law and Juvenile Court. The Magistrate Court is enforcement officers has caused civil unrest located behind the Carroll County Jail and is and put officers under a microscope; being also secured by Court Services. constantly scrutinized and criticized. We are In addition to securing these very fortunate to have the support from the courts/offices, the division is also responsicommunity in Carroll County who obvi- ble for securing the Historic Courthouse ously see the need for law enforcement and which contains the county administration value the work we do. offices.

I sincerely want to thank you all, and we In 2019 the Court Services Division don’t take our positive relationship we have served 258 warrants, attempted to serve for granted.

10,898 civil papers, spent a combined total The Sheriff’s Office Jail is the largest divi- of 20,880 hours in court, transported 9,680 sion at our Office with 84 assigned person- inmates to court, and combined 2,438 hours nel. The jail is staffed and in full operation out of the county transporting inmates.

365 days a year. The last 12 months statistics In today’s world, technology is far more shows 5,421 people arrested and brought to advanced than ever. Our current society has jail. We have averaged around 15 new become electronically dependent. Virtually arrests daily. The breakdown by sex has every case that we investigate involves the shown 3,907 males to 1,514 females. Our integration of phones and computers. We current population is 410. currently have investigators that are specially Hard to believe that the jail is now nine- trained in dealing with computer and phone Inmate labor was used to give the 19-year-old Jack T. Bell Detention Center (the teen years old and it was definitely time for a forensics, with technology alone being one Carroll County jail, erected 2001) a new coat of paint.

Brad Robinson

Page 28 October 11, 2020

StarNews

NEWS RECAP from stories on StarNews Online website at www.starnewsgaonline.com Georgia ranked number one in film production by Business Facilities Magazine

On the heels of the news that multiple Georgia-lensed productions have received nearly fifty total 2020 Emmy Award nominations, Governor Brian P. Kemp announced on July 30, 2020 that Georgia has been ranked the number one Film Production Leader by Business Facilities Magazine and prior to the global COVID-19 pandemic, was on pace for another record-setting year.

This top ranking is featured in the publication’s annual 2020 Rankings Report.

Prior to the worldwide COVID-19 response, which brought film and television production activity to a virtual standstill worldwide, Georgia set a new record for film during fiscal year 2019. The 391 film and television productions that filmed in Georgia spent $2.9 billion in the state, supported 3,040 motion picture and television industry businesses, and delivered $9.2 billion in total wages.

“Thank you to Business Facilities Magazine for featuring Georgia in their 2020 Rankings Report,” said Governor Kemp. “Our production numbers show Georgia was on pace for another record year for film before COVID-19, and they confirm that Georgia continues to lead the way in film production.”

Despite film production shutdowns in Georgia and around the world during COVID-19, the 234 film and television productions that filmed in Georgia during fiscal year 2020 spent $2.2 billion in the state, putting it on pace for another record-setting year before the COVID-19 response paused productions. In June, Governor Kemp announced that major motion picture, television, and streaming companies would begin to resume production activity in Georgia, planning to bring back and hire an estimated 40,000 production workers, who will be employed on an expected seventy-five production projects that will invest over $2 billion into the Georgia economy during the next eighteen months.

WGTC Foundation delays “Black Tie & Boots” fundraiser until 2021

In light of the continuing public health emergency, the West Georgia Technical College Foundation is postponing its annual Black Tie & Boots event until 2021.

WGTC Foundation Executive Director Kelsey Jones said the decision was made to help ensure the safety of partners and guests.

“Our first priority is the safety and security of our partners and guests, and we certainly won’t do anything that would either make them uncomfortable or endanger them,” Jones said. “The Board of Trustees has decided the safest course of action is to postpone to next year and make the event bigger and better than ever when we are able to hold it again.”

Jones said the intent is to hold the event in Carrollton at West Georgia Tech’s new campus site inside the Buffalo Creek Technology Park, as was originally planned for October.

Black Tie & Boots, the WGTC Foundation’s biggest fundraiser, has been held annually since 2002. Proceeds benefit student scholarships, facility enhancements and other Foundation projects.

For more information, email Jones at kelsey.jones@westgatech.edu

www.starnewsgaonline.com New statewide public library e-card provides access to state’s digital library resources

The Georgia Public Library Service is launching an e-card for all PINES public libraries, which represent 300 locations including branch libraries, bookmobiles, special collections, and more covering 146 counties. The e-card provides immediate access to all digital resources offered at your local public library, such as eRead Kids, Mango Languages, Learning Express, and much more.

The e-card service reduces barriers to getting a library card when many libraries may be closed or not offering full services due to COVID-19. As an added incentive, you can also receive information about how to register to vote using the e-card application.

“We are so pleased to offer this service in a time when access to the information and resources in public libraries is more vital than ever. Services and programs at our libraries are so important to students, job seekers, families, and communities, and the e-card allows 24/7 access from anywhere,” said Julie Walker, State Librarian and Associate Vice Chancellor for Libraries.

Anyone in Georgia can register for a PINES e-card regardless of whether their local library is a part of the PINES network.

To apply, visit georgialibraries.org/discoverpines.

City of Carrollton receives GMA grant of $10,000 to promote health and well being

The City of Carrollton has been selected to receive a $10,000 Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) Employee Health Promotion and Wellbeing Incentive Grant to promote worksite programs designed to enhance the health of city employees and their families.

Awards are made to members of the GMA Georgia Municipal Employee Benefit System (GMEBS) Life and Health Insurance Fund, underwritten by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia, based on a city’s commitment to employee health and demonstrated collaboration with other community health promotion groups and organizations.

“This grant will help us provide new programs to our staff and their families,” said Carrollton Human Resource Director Faith Pullen. “We’d like to thank GMA for recognizing and supporting our efforts to promote employee health and manage health care costs.” As part of the grant process, the city designated a health promotion champion to develop a workplace health promotion action plan and to attend Local Government Risk Management Services’ (LGRMS) High Impact Health Promotion Champion training session.

Workplace wellbeing programs have a demonstrated track record of improving employee health and quality of life while reducing medical claims and improving workplace morale. GMA offers wellbeing services to all member cities through LGRMS, a not- for-profit agency operated jointly with the Association County Commissioners of Georgia.

Southwire hires new executive vice president of Human Resources

Southwire has hired Fernando Edquivel as the company’s new Executive Vice President of Human Resources.

“We are thrilled that Fernando will be joining Southwire to lead our Human Resources efforts,” said Rich Stinson, Southwire president and CEO. “He brings a

wealth of experience and knowledge that will further build on our strong culture of empowerment, trust, consistency and inclusion.”

Esquivel holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical and electrical engineering and a Master of Business Administration degree from Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey. At the beginning of his career, Esquivel worked at Procter & Gamble in Mexico City and has consistently moved up into leadership positions in organizations including Clorox, Microsoft, Eaton Corporation and more.

Most recently, he has served in senior executive roles at companies in the United States such as ANSYS and Mylan Inc. He is currently the Senior Vice President of People and Culture, Group & Transformation at Aristocrat Technologies.

Beyond work, Fernando enjoys spending time with his family and has a passion to work with organizations that support kids and families. He enjoys watching his daughter play volleyball and is an avid pickleball player.

Esquivel stated, “As a private company, Southwire has a long-term approach that fits well with my background, experience and values, and I am incredibly excited to be joining the Southwire team,” said Esquivel. “I have always been moved by Southwire’s strong culture, its people and the company’s emphasis on sustainability, notably its Giving Back efforts. I know that by choosing to work at Southwire, and having the opportunity to lead these efforts, I will be able to align with both my personal and professional values and goals.”

Tanner’s Higgins General Hospital earns “Pinnacle of Excellence” award for sixth time

Higgins General Hospital in Bremen, a 25bed critical access hospital, has earned the 2020 Press Ganey Pinnacle of Excellence Award for achieving and maintaining consistently high levels of excellence over three years in patient experience.

This year marks the sixth consecutive year that Higgins General Hospital has earned this award. To qualify for the award, a hospital must have exhibited excellent patient experience standards for the three previous years (May 2017 – April 2020).

“This award represents the culture of Higgins General Hospital and how intentional our staff members are when engaging our patients and families,” said Jerry Morris, administrator of Higgins General Hospital. “It takes every department at Higgins working together to achieve this level of service, and our team is very proud to be recognized as a Press Ganey Pinnacle of Excellence facility again for 2020.”

Press Ganey is an independent firm that provides patient experience measurement, performance analytics and strategic advisory solutions for more than 22,000 healthcare organizations. The company partners with healthcare facilities to measure and improve the quality of their care.

The Pinnacle of Excellence Award recognizes top-performing healthcare organizations for achieving and maintaining consistently high levels of excellence over three years in patient experience, employee engagement, physician engagement, or clinical quality performance. This award is given to only four client partners in each category. These organizations represent the leading edge of patientcentered care.

Higgins General Hospital is part of Tanner Health System, which also operates Tanner Medical Center/Carrollton, Tanner Medical

Center/Villa Rica, Tanner Medical Center/East Alabama, the inpatient behavioral health facility Willowbrooke at Tanner in Villa Rica and Tanner Medical Group, one of metro Atlanta’s largest multi-specialty physician groups.

More information on Higgins General Hospital and Tanner Health System is available at tanner.org.

Carrollton High’s students score a composite 23 points higher than national average on SATs

Carrollton High School students once again topped the national average and outpaced the state in SAT performance while also increasing the percentage of students who took the popular college entrance exam, bucking state and national results that showed a decrease in both performance and participation. Carrollton’s Class of 2020 posted a composite score of 1053, 23 points higher than the national average of 1030 and 10 points higher than the state’s 1043.

And despite the coronavirus pandemic that halted SAT testing last spring, CHS increased its participation rate by 4 points to 71%, exceeding the state average of 64% and well above the national percentage of test takers, which the College Board reported to be down slightly from the previous year.

The SAT scores reported by the state reflect a comparison of public school performances. CHS students, however, also exceeded the national average of 1051 that includes private school participation.

“We are proud of our student performance on the SAT, but we also acknowledge with pride that a large number of our students take this assessment,” said CHS Principal David Brooks. “I give credit to our teachers and counseling department for emphasizing the importance of college readiness and doing whatever it takes to ensure our students are prepared for that next step.”

Historically, schools with a high participation rate many times compromise their mean scores because students of all performance levels take the exam. With this in mind, the College Board, the administering organization for the SAT, further calculates past the overall mean score by percentile ranks to further demonstrate a school’s effectiveness.

For the CHS Class of 2020, the top 25 percent of the class scored an average of 1180, 30 points higher than the previous year. At the 50th percentile, the class posted an average of 1040, 10 points higher than 2019.

“Our philosophy has always been to encourage all students to take the SAT and ACT to ensure they are prepared even if they think they won’t go to college,” said CHS Assistant Principal Susan Gordy. “This fact is demonstrated in our percentile rank data. When you break down the scores by rank, you see our top-performing students are quite competitive with their academically aggressive peers across the nation, while our lower-ranking students are still posting performances well above their state and national peers. This gives them an advantage in being accepted by a post-secondary institution.”

Carrollton City Schools Supt. Dr. Mark Albertus said, “This most recent performance indicator demonstrates the district’s commitment to ensure our students leave CHS college-and-career ready with a high school diploma in hand. The Class of 2020 is proof of this continued focus as 74% of these graduates are continuing their education at the next level.”

wsgaonline.com

T GEORGIA AREA FUNERAL HOMES -

ul place for memories”

perpetual care memorial park d to serve this area now and for ons to come.West Georgia Park is divided into beautiful uding our traditional up-right ion in the Garden of Memories r flat bronze memorial section Mausoleum in the Garden d our Family Estates Garden.

EORGIA MEMORIAL

llton-Villa Rica Highway 321 Carrollton, Georgia

0.836.1336

OBITUARIES

Page 29 October 11, SStar ews www.starnewsgaonline.com Page 16 August 11,2020 2019 tar N ews www.starnewsgaonline.com Page 16 August 11, 2019 SNN tar News www.starnewsgaonline.com Page August 2019 tar N ews www.starnewsgaonline.com Page 1616 August 11,11, 2019 SStar ews www.starnewsgaonline.com

Hoyt homas Hoyt homas Hoyt homas J. J. J. TT FUNERAL HOME FUNERAL HOME FUNERAL HOME FUNERAL HOME Those we love don’t go away

Those we love don’t go away Those love don’t away Those wewelove don’t gogoaway They walk beside every day, They walk beside us every They walk beside usevery every day,day, They walk beside usus day, Unseen, unheard, but always Unseen, unheard, but always Unseen, unheard, butalways always Unseen, unheard, but near, still LOVED, STILL MISSED near, still LOVED, STILL MISSED near, stillLOVED, LOVED, STILL MISSED near, still STILL MISSED and VERY DEAR! VERY DEAR! andand VERY DEAR! and VERY DEAR!

1011 Topaz Lane Villa Rica 1011 Topaz Lane 1011 Topaz Lane VillaVilla RicaRica GaGa 1011 Topaz Lane Villa Rica GaGa Villa Rica Chapel Douglas Chapel

Page 16 August 11, 2019

OO O BITUARIES

StarNews www.starnewsgaonline.com BITUARIES BITUARIES BITUARIES

-- WEST GEORGIA AREA FUNERAL HOMES - WEST GEORGIA AREA FUNERAL HOMES WEST GEORGIA AREA FUNERAL HOMES - WEST GEORGIA AREA FUNERAL HOMES -- -

“A beautiful place for for memories” “A beautiful place memories” beautiful place memories” “A“A beautiful place forfor memories”

J. Collins

Our Our 26-acre perpetual carecare memorial parkpark 26-acre perpetual memorial Our 26-acre perpetual care memorial park Our perpetual care memorial park was26-acre developed to serve this area now and for for was developed to this serve this area now developed to serve this area now and for waswas developed to serve area now and forand generations to come.West Georgia generations to come.West Georgia generations to come.West Georgia generations to come.West Georgia Memorial ParkPark is divided into into beautiful is SERVICE divided beautiful Memorial Park is divided beautiful Memorial Park is divided intointo beautiful & Memorial CREMATION gardens including our traditional up-right gardens including our traditional up-right gardens including our traditional up-right gardens including our traditional up-right Funeral Directors & Undertakers headstone section in the of Memories headstone section in Garden the Garden of Memories headstone section in the Garden of Memories headstone section in the Garden of Memories as well as our at bronze memorial section asaswell asatflour at bronze memorial section as well as our flbronze at flbronze memorial section as well memorial section and our our flMausoleum in the Garden and our Mausoleum in the Garden and our Mausoleum in the Garden and our Mausoleum in the Garden of Cross and and our Family Estates Garden. of and Cross our Family Estates Garden. of Cross and Family Estates Garden. of Cross ourour Family Estates Garden.

FUNERAL HOME

J. Hoyt Thomas FUNERAL HOME

Those we love don’t go away They walk beside us every day, Unseen, unheard, but always near, still LOVED, STILL MISSED and VERY DEAR!

- WEST GEORGIA AREA FUNERAL HOMES -

Collins Collins Collins J.J.J.J. Collins

“A beautiful place for memories”

Our 26-acre perpetual care memorial park was developed to serve this area now and for generations to come.West Georgia & CREMATION SERVICE Memorial Park is divided into beautiful & CREMATION SERVICE & CREMATION SERVICE & CREMATION Funeral Directors &SERVICE Undertakers gardens including our traditional Funeral Directors & Undertakers Funeral Directors & Undertakers up-right Funeral Directors & Undertakers headstone section in the Garden of Memories as well as our flat bronze memorial section and our Mausoleum in the Garden of Cross and our Family Estates Garden.

HOM UNERAL HOM UNERAL HOM HOM FUNERAL EE E FFUNERAL

PERSONALIZED FUNERAL & CREMATION SERVICES PERSONALIZED FUNERAL & CREMATION SERVICES 1011Rica TopazChapel Lane Villa RicaChapel GaChapel PERSONALIZED WEST GEORGIA MEMORIAL PERSONALIZED FUNERAL & CREMATION SERVICES PERSONALIZED FUNERAL &&CREMATION SERVICES FUNERAL & CREMATION SERVICES WEST GEORGIA MEMORIAL WEST GEORGIA MEMORIAL LOCALLY OWNED OPERATED Douglas WEST GEORGIA MEMORIAL LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED Villa WEST GEORGIA MEMORIAL Douglas LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED Villa Rica Chapel Dougla Villa Rica Chapel LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED Douglas Chapel Douglas Chapel Villa Rica Chapel Villa Rica Chapel 206 South Carroll Road Villa Rica, Ga 30180 4194 Carrollton-Villa Rica Highway 4194 Carrollton-Villa Rica Highway 206 South Carroll Road Villa Rica, Ga 30180 4194 Carrollton-Villa Rica Highway 206 South Carroll Road VillaRica Rica, GaGeorgia 30180 SouthCarroll CarrollRoad RoadVillaVillaRica, Rica,GaGa30180 30180 4194 Carrollton-Villa Rica Highway 206206South 4194 Highway P.O.Carrollton-Villa BoxBox 1321 Carrollton, 770-942-2311 P.O. 1321 Carrollton, Georgia 770-459-3694 770-942-2311 P.O. Box 1321 Carrollton, Georgia 770-459-3694 770-94 770-459-3694 P.O. Box 1321 Carrollton, Georgia P.O. Box 1321 Carrollton, Georgia 770-942-2311 770-942-2311 770-459-3694 770-459-3694

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Dawne “Tiff” Cook, rn October 12, 1973, July 12, 2019 B. Dean, age 92, mber 02, 1926, died y, July 3, 2019 ushon Dickerson, age ptember 7, 1950, died 19, 2019 ean Dodderer, age 84, , 1935, died Monday, 19 Marsella Fazio, age n Jan 1, 1934, died ly 8, 2019 Nell Griffin Jennings, ed Tuesday, July 2,

dose of fun?…..YES!

Shirley F. Alexander, ageage 71,71, Tiffanee Dawne “Tiff” Cook, Master Danny JoeJoe Jones, Jr., Jerry Scott Shedd, ageage 53,53, Master Danny Joe J Shirley F. Alexander, age 71, Tiffanee Dawne “Tiff” Shirley F. Alexander, Tiffanee Dawne “Tiff” Cook,Horsley, Master Jones, Jerry Scott Jerry Rayford Shoemake, ageShedd, 70, born Peggy Jeanette Wade age 75,Danny born Shirley F.Alexander, Alexander, age71, 71, Tiffanee Tiffanee Dawne “Tiff” Cook, Shirley age Dawne “Tiff” Cook, Master Danny Joe80,Jones, Jr., Jerry Scott Shedd, age 53, Master Danny JoeJones, Jones, Jr.,Jr., Jerry Scott Shedd, ageCook, 53, Master Danny Joe Jr., Jerry Scott Shedd, age 53, Alvin H.F.Capes, age born November 1,45, born born November 27, 1947, died age October 12, 1973, age 2 months, born May 16, 2019, died Monday, July 8, 2019 born November 27, 1947, died age 45, born October 12, 1973, born November 27, 1947, died age 45, born October 12, 1973, age 2 months, born May 16, 2019, died Monday, July 8, 2019 born November 27, 1947, died age 45, born October 12, 1973, January 20, 1950, died Thursday, September 17, age 2 months, born May born November 27, 1947, died age 45, born October 12, 1973, age 2 months, born May 16, 2019, died Monday, July 8, 2019 May 23, 1945, died Tuesday, September 29, 2020 age 2 months, born May 16, 2019, died Monday, July 8, 2019 age 2 months, born May 16, 2019, died Monday, July 8, 2019 1939, diedJuly Friday, October 2, 2020 Sunday, 14,14, 2019 died Friday, July 12,12, 2019 died Thursday, July 4, 2019 David Ronald Simpson, age Sunday, July 14, 2019 died Friday, July 12, 2019 Sunday, July 2019 died Friday, July 2019 died Thursday, July 4, 2019 David Ronald Simpson, age died Thursday, July 4, 2 Sunday, July 14, 2019 died Friday, July 12, 2019 Sunday, July 14, 2019 died Friday, July 12, 2019 died Thursday, July 4, 80, 2019 Ronald Simpson, age died Thursday, July 2019 2020 DavidRonald RonaldSimpson, Simpson,age age died Thursday, July 4,4, 2019 David Judine Hutton, age 70, born on October Jo Ann Kay Carr, age born December 23, Dwight Bishop, Jr.,Jr., age 62,62, David James B. B.Francis Dean, ageage 92,92, “Marjorie” Nell Lovvorn, age 70, born July 21, 1948, died July Dwight Bishop, Jr., age 62, James B. Dean, age 92, Dwight Bishop, age James Dean, “Marjorie” Nell Lovv “Marjorie” Nell Lovvorn, age 70, born July 21, 1948, died July Dwight Bishop, Jr., age 62, James B. Dean, age 92, Dwight Bishop, age 62, James B. 10, Dean, age 92, “Marjorie” Nell Jr., Lovvorn, age 70, born July 21, 1948, died July September “Marjorie” NellLovvorn, Lovvorn,age age70, 70,born born July21, 21,1948, 1948, died July “Marjorie” Nell July died July Martha Hall Stallings, age 91, born July 18, 1949, died Monday, 14, 2020 born September 1956, died born September 02,02, 1926, died 1939, died Thursday,28, September 24, 2020 86, born August 3, 3, 1932, died 09, 2019 born September 28, 1956, died born September 02, 1926, died born September 28, 1956, died born September 1926, died 86, born August 3, 1 86, born August 1932, died 09, 2019 born September 28, 1956, died born September 02, 1926, died born September Travis 02, 1926, died 86, 86, September born August28,3, 1956, 1932,died died born 09, 2019 86,63, born August 1932, died 09, 2019September 7, 2020 born August 3,3,1932, died 09, 2019 1929, died Monday, Clay Jackson, age born November Tuesday, July 9, 2019 Wednesday, July 3, 2019 Wednesday, July 10,10, 2019 Zellie Fred Sprewell, age 94, James Steven Curtis, age 64, born December Tuesday, July 9, 2019 Wednesday, July 3, 2019 Tuesday, July 9, 2019 Wednesday, July 3, 2019 Wednesday, July 10, 20 Wednesday, July 2019 Zellie Fred Sprewell, age 94, Tuesday, July 9, 2019 Wednesday, July 3, 2019 Tuesday, July 9, 2019 Wednesday, JulySprewell, 3, 2019 age 94, Wednesday, Wednesday, July 10, 2019 Zellie Fred Wednesday, July 10, 2019 Virgil Paul Zellie Fred Sprewell, age94, 94, July 10, 2019 Zellie Fred Sprewell, age Snow, Jr., age 89, born November Donald Brasseal “Don” Bonner, Barry Bushon Dickerson, ageageSeptember 21, 1956, died Thursday, 10, 2020 Andra Dixon McGill, age 76,76,born February 28, 1925, died Donald Brasseal “Don” Bonner, Barry Bushon Dickerson, age Donald Brasseal “Don” Bonner, Barry Bushon Dickerson, 24,Donald 1955, died Monday, September 7, 2020 Andra Dixon McGill Andra Dixon McGill, age born February 28, 1925, died Donald Brasseal “Don” Bonner, Barry Bushon Dickerson, age “Don” Bonner, BarryFebruary Bushon Dickerson, age Andra Brasseal Dixon McGill, age 76, born 28, 7,1925, died AndraDixon DixonMcGill, McGill,age age 76,born bornFebruary February28, 28,1925, 1925,died died Andra age 76,76, born June 05,05, 1943, died 68, born September 1950, died 13, 76, 1930, died Monday, September 7,1950, 2020 died born October 18, 19 born October 18, 1941, died Saturday, July 27, 2019 Mildred Ruth Jiles, age 95, born October 1, age 76, born June 05, 1943, died 68, born September 7, age born June 1943, died 68, born September 7, 1950, died born October 18, 1941, died Saturday, July 27, 2019 Joseph E. Favors, age 79, born March 8, 1941, age 76, born June 05, 1943, died 68, born September 7, 1950, died age 76, born June 05, 1943, died 68, born September 7, 1950, died born October 18, 1941, died Saturday, July 27, 2019 born October October 18, 18, 1941, 1941, died diedSaturday, Saturday, July 27, 2019 born July 27, 2019 Wednesday, July 10,10, 2019 Friday, July 19, 2019 Wednesday, July 17, 2019 Daniel Lance Walker, 40,40, Wednesday, July 17, 20 Waters, age 60,Walker, bornageage Wednesday, July 10, 2019 Friday, July 19, 2019 Wednesday, July 2019 Friday, July 19, 2019 1925, died Monday, October 5, 2020 July Wednesday, July 17, 2019Helen Gregory Daniel Lance Wednesday, July 10, 2019 Friday, July 19, 2019 died Wednesday, September 23, 2020 Friday, Wednesday, July 10, 2019 July 19, 2019 Wednesday, July 17, 2019 Daniel Lance Walker, age 40, Wednesday, July 17, 2019 Daniel Lance Walker, age40, 40, Wednesday, 17, 2019 Daniel Lance Walker, age John D. D. Brown, Jr.,Jr., ageage 53,53, Bobbie Jean Dodderer, age 84, Eugene Parker Mullis, Jr., age born September 18, 1978, died John D. Brown, Jr., age 53, Bobbie Jean Dodderer, age 84, John Brown, Bobbie Jean Dodderer, age 84, December 20, 1959, died Saturday, September 5, Eugene Parker Mulli Eugene Mullis, Jr., age David Lee Lands, born June 6,Parker 1951, born September 18, 1978, died JohnD. D.Brown, Brown, Jr.,age age 53, Bobbie Jean Dodderer, age 84,age 69, John Jr., age 53, Bobbie Jean Dodderer, age 84, Eugene Parker Mullis, Jr., age born September 18, 1978, died Eugene Parker Mullis, Jr., age Nancy Driver Gladney, 92, born July 30, born September 18, 1978, died Eugene Parker Mullis, Jr., age born September 18, 1978, died born August 18,18, 1965, died July born July 9, 1935, died Monday, 70, born December 31, 1948, died Sunday, July 21, 2019 born August 18, 1965, died July born July 9, 1935, died Monday, born August 1965, died July born July 9, 1935, died Monday, 70, born December 31, 1 70, born December 31, 1948, died Sunday, July 21, 2019 2020 died Sunday, September 27, 2020 born August 18, 1965, died July born July 9, 1935, died Monday, born August 18, 1965, died July born July 9, 1935, died Monday, 70, born December 31, 1948, died Sunday, July 21, 2019 70, born December 31, 1948, died Sunday, July 21, 2019 70, born December 31, 1948, died Sunday, July 21, 2019 1928, died Thursday, October 1, 2020 July 22, 2019 22,22, 2019 Monday, July 8, 2019 Deborah “Debbie” Ann West, 22, 2019 July 22, 2019 2019 July 22, 2019 Monday, July 8, 2019 Monday, July 8, 2019 Deborah “Debbie” Ann West, 22, 2019 July 22, 2019 Deborah Louise “Debbie” Webster, age 22, 2019 July 22, 2019 Monday, July 8, 2019 Jon “Paul” Miller, age 66, born February 6, Deborah “Debbie” Ann West, Monday, July 8, 2019 Deborah “Debbie” Ann West, Monday, July 8, 2019 Deborah “Debbie” Ann West, Joyce Carol Gross,Phillips agePhillips 71, born JanuaryAnna 21,AnnaMarsella Marie Elizabeth Bryce, Fazio, ageage Randy LeeLee Nichols, age 66,66,age 58,58, died July 22,22, 2019 Marie Elizabeth Phillips Bryce, Anna Marsella Fazio, age Marie Elizabeth Bryce, Marsella Fazio, Randy Lee Nichols Randy Nichols, age age died July 2019 Marie Elizabeth Phillips Bryce, Anna Marsella Fazio, age Marie Elizabeth Phillips Bryce, Anna Marsella Fazio, age Randy Lee Nichols, age 66, age 58, died July 22, 2019 Randy Lee Nichols, age 66, 65, born December 11, 1954, died Thursday, age 58, died July 22, 2019 Randy Lee Nichols, age 66, age 58, died July 22, 2019 1954, died Thursday, October 1,June 2020 1949, died Tuesday, September 29,1929, 202085,85, ageage 89, born September 14,14, 1929, born on on JanJan 1, 1, 1934, died born 24,September 1953, died Friday, Worthan, ageage born June 24, 1953, di age 89, born 14, 1929, 85,Wallace born onAllen Jan 1, Worthan, 1934, died 89, born September born 1934, died born June 24, 1953, died Friday, Wallace Allen age 89, born September 14, 1929, 85,Wallace born Jan 1, 1934, died age 89, born September 14, 1929, 85, born ononAllen Jan 1, 1934, died born June 24, 1953, died Friday, Worthan, age born June 24, 1953, died Friday, Wallace Allen Worthan, age born June 24, 1953, died Friday, Wallace Allen Worthan, age September 56, 10, 2020 Monday, Ann Myers Philpot, age 75, born died Saturday, July 20,20, 2019 Monday, July 8, Elizabeth 2019 “Jay” Gerald Ray Gross, Jr., age 52, born July 26, 2019 died July 15,15, 2019 died Saturday, Monday, July 8, 2019 died Saturday, July 2019 Monday, July 8, 2019 July 26, 2019July 20, 2019 56, died Monday, July 2019 July 26, 2019 died Saturday, July 20, 2019 Monday, July 8, 2019 died Saturday, 20, 2019 Monday, 8,March 2019 July 26, 2019 July 56, diedJuly Monday, July 15, 2019 July 26, 2019 56, died Monday, July 15, 2019 July 26, 2019 56, died Monday, July 15, 2019 Zella Lenea Uncapher, age 76, born 7, 1945, died Friday, October 2, 2020 Earl Wayne Carden, age 80, Harris Nell Griffin Jennings, Ara Bell D. Sanders, age 79, Carol Judith Chapman, age 55,55, Ara Bell D. Sanders November 4, 1967, died Monday, September Earl Wayne Carden, age 80, Harris Nell Griffin Jennings, Earl Wayne Carden, age 80, Harris Nell Griffin Jennings, Ara Bell D. Sanders, age 79, Carol Judith Chapman, age EarlWayne Wayne Carden,age 80, Harris HarrisJudith NellGriffin GriffinJennings, Jennings, Earl Nell Ara Bell D. Carden, Sanders, age80, 79, Carol Chapman, age 55, Ara Bell D.Sanders, Sanders, age79, 79, 31, Carol Judith Chapman, age 55, Ara Bell D. age Carol Judith Chapman, age 55, December 1943, died Friday September 18, born October 29,29, 1938, died age 83,83, died Tuesday, July 2,age James V. Sample, 80, born on August 16,1939, born August 06, 1939, died July born June 24, 1964, died Sunday, born October 29, 1938, died age 83, died Tuesday, July 2, born August 06, 1939, born October 1938, died age died Tuesday, July 2, 21, 2020 Madge Riddle Hendrix, age 88, born born August 06, died July born June 24, 1964, died Sunday, born October October 29, 1938, died age age83, 83,died died Tuesday, July2,2, born born 29, 1938, Tuesday, July born August 06, 1939, dieddied July born June 24, 1964, died Sunday, born August 06, 1939, died July born June 24, 1964, died Sunday, August 06, 1939, died July born June 24, 1964, died Sunday, Friday, June 28, 2019 2019 2020 24, 2019 July 7, 2019 1940, died Monday, September 21, 2020 Friday, June 28, 2019 2019 Friday, June 28, 2019 2019 24, 2019 24, 2019 July 7, 2019 October 26, 1931, died Monday, September 21, Friday, June 28, 2019 2019 Friday, June 28, 2019 2019 24, 2019 July 7, 2019 24, 2019 July 2019 24, 2019 July 7,7, 2019 Reverend Jeptha “Jep., Jr.” Alvin Vaughn, age William T. Simons (Ted), age 87, born January 2020 88, born June 22, 1932, died Sunday, October 4, 30, 1933, died Thursday, September 24, 2020 2020

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The lower school opportunities include: of Commerce. The co-curricular options Statistics report showed that private schools PATRICK YURAN from page 19 Academy has over 42 co-curricular TOT (Teams of Tomorrow), Lego Club only scratch the surface of the many other were more than twice as safe as public opportunities for students in the lower, Junior, Lego Club, First Lego League, Junior dynamic opportunities afforded to our schools. Tied into this, is the general students through leadership of peers, experience that teachers themselves have Master Gardeners, and K-Kids. middle, and upper divisions.

The middle school opportunities include: learning executive function, and practicing reported when teaching at a private SHERIFF LANGLEY from page 27 institution. Physical and emotional safety of Volleyball, Cross Country, Basketball, soft skills.

Family Environment – The warm, our students, faculty, and staff remains a alone. There are countless ways the criminal Swimming, Soccer, Tennis, Chess Club, STEAM Club, Newspaper Club, Lego welcoming, family environment is one of the priority and ever-changing conversation due minds use technology to victimize citizens.

Through scams, counterfeiting, internet League, Builder’s Club, National Junior hallmarks of the Oak Mountain Academy to the world around us.

However, we are proud and thankful to be fraud, identity theft, and many other ways; Honor Society, Academic Team, Literary community. The small student to teacher be careful and protect what is yours. If it Competition, One Act Play and House ratio is one of the primary elements that able to provide a physically and emotionally allows for the development of our family- safe, family environment for our school sounds too good to be true, that is usually Membership. community.

The upper school opportunities include: style culture. the case. This year; 2020, the most repetiOak Mountain Academy provides a We rarely have physical or emotional tive scam seems to be the “missed jury” Volleyball, Cross Country, Basketball, scam. This is where a citizen receives a call Swimming, Soccer, Golf, Track, Tennis, Key altercations and the peer mentor/tutor challenging college-preparatory education in from someone indicating they are from the Club, Environmental Club, International program aids in the relationship building of a safe family environment. The school Young Republicans, Young our students between division-levels. In the nurtures the ethical, spiritual, and physical Sheriff’s Office and if money is not paid Club, immediately, via prepaid credit card, they Democrats, Literary Competition, One Act rare occasion of conflicts within our student development of students as they become will be arrested for missing jury duty. This Play, Academic Team/Quiz Bowl, Model population, they are treated as learning confident leaders inspired to serve, this is our is absolutely a scam! We will not threaten UN, & National Honor Society, Student opportunities and the parents are respected as mission. The mission and tradition of excellence continues here “On the your arrest over the phone for missing jury Government Association, Rotary Youth our collaborative partners in education.

In 2015, the National Center for Education Mountain.”

Leadership Academy, and Junior Chamber duty.

If a group from your church, community, COMMISSIONER BUTLER from page 9 GDOL encourages individuals to report realize this is very frustrating, but we must or an organization that you belong to want This solution when combined with other fraud and abuse on the agency’s homepage ensure we are issuing payments to the us to come talk to you about ways to protect fraud prevention methods provides a u n d e r Online Services a t correct person to protect both the claimant yourself, please contact us at 770-830-5916. multifactor authentication that is critical to www.dol.state.ga.us. The link offers options and the integrity of the entire UI program.

In closing, we sincerely appreciate the At this time, GDOL career centers are claimant security. for reporting several different types of fraud, partnership that we have with the commuremaining closed to the public. All online Fraud is something this agency takes very including: nity and owe our successes to you, and the seriously, and we have formed a task force - Individuals receiving UI and not services are still available as the staff loyal and dedicated employees at this office. with several state and federal agencies to reporting earnings, not searching for work, continues to answer calls, process claims, work together to tackle individual and currently incarcerated, or not able to look respond to customer inquiries, and provide MATT WINDOM from page 11 assistance to applicants. organized crime. for or accept work service. Tank construction is scheduled to be The GDOL will reopen offices to the These chaotic times have provided a - Individuals offered a job and refusing the completed by the end of 2020. public as soon as social distancing can be golden opportunity for bad actors to try to job CCWA recently installed a booster pump manipulate the system. However, those - Individuals using someone else’s social effectively implemented to protect both staff station along Highway 100 that allows a and customers. individuals need to understand that we will security number second feed to the High Point Tank which Information on filing an unemployment investigate each case of fraud, track down The most common situation we are seeing serves the northwestern portion of Carroll those who are cheating the program, and right now is when a claimant begins to claim, details on how employers can file County. This booster pump station provides prosecute them to the fullest extent of the receive funds for a few weeks and then partial claims, and resources for other increased capacity to the tank and serves as law. benefits stop when another claim is filed reemployment assistance can be found on a backup should the primary pump station To help identify potential fraud, the using their social security number. We the agency’s webpage at dol.georgia.gov serving this area have an operational problem. An emergency power generator was installed with the Highway 100 booster pump station to allow operation during Irrigation Repair & Install times of power outages. An emergency Drainage Work - Sod power generator was also installed at one of Irrigation Service Drainage the two booster pump stations that feed the Driveway Boring Sinkhole Rainey Road Tank site. These two backup Restoration An Irrigation Winterizations generators position CCWA to better deal with any power service interruptions, infrequent as they may be due to our competent and well-prepared power supply partners.

CCWA continues to look for opportunities to expand water service to areas that are currently unserved, and I am Owner: Paul Barnett pleased that we have installed over six miles 404-787-3960 of new water mains along 15 different roads under our 2018 Demand Services Waterline Installation Contract. Most of these new water lines were installed to supply residents in need of clean and reliable drinking water, and I am thankful that these water lines were able to assist residents during the pandemic.

We plan to continue this contract for the next year and to install additional water mains where feasible from a construction and operational standpoint.

Make your holiday CCWA will continue to make advances in appointments now our water and wastewater systems and remains committed to meeting and exceeding the present and future needs of all CCWA customers. This year has reinforced the need to prepare strategically and to be adaptable.

I am thankful that these Westover Square 933 Maple Street principles are not new to CCWA, and I Carrollton know the above projects will only better equip CCWA to handle challenges in the 770-834-7307 years ahead. www.cooksjewelry.com I pray that everyone stays safe and well Tues & Wed: 9am-6pm•Thurs: 9am-8pm Fri. 9am-5pm•Sat: 9am-3pm during this time, and please contact CCWA if we can be of any assistance to you.

Drainage Problems?

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October 11, 2020 Page 31

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

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will use funds being made available from the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Charter Act and CARES Act to support row crops, livestock, specialty crops, dairy, aquaculture and many additional commodities. USDA has incorporated improvements in CFAP 2 based from stakeholder engagement and public feedback to better meet the needs of impacted farmers and ranchers.

Producers can apply for CFAP 2 at USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) county offices. This program provides financial assistance that gives producers the ability to

absorb increased marketing costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Producers will be compensated for ongoing market disruptions and assisted with the associated marketing costs. CFAP 2 payments will be made for three categories of commodities – Price Trigger Commodities, Flat-rate Crops and Sales Commodities.

Price Trigger Commodities Price trigger commodities are major commodities that meet a minimum 5% price decline over a specified period of time.

Eligible price trigger crops include barley, corn, sorghum, soybeans, sunflowers, upland cotton, and all classes of wheat. Payments will be based on 2020 planted acres of the crop, excluding prevented planting and experimental acres.

Payments for price trigger crops will be the greater of: 1) the eligible acres multiplied by a payment rate of $15 per acre; or 2) the eligible acres multiplied by a nationwide crop marketing percentage, multiplied by a

Much needed videos on Common Core Math fill at-home learning need Carrollton math teachers, in anticipation of from press release got busy Last spring, the coronavirus pandemic continued at-home learning, forced schools to close buildings and creating online videos their students could transition to virtual learning, placing the review as many times as needed to help burden on students and parents who were them with understanding math concepts. accustomed to depending on the guidance of Once the year started, 19 percent of students a teacher in the classroom to help them in the district did just that – decided to stay home, at least for the short navigate toward Added to the difficulty, is term. competency.

Wild said teachers in Added to the difficulty, that students today are grades K-8 and all high is that students today are learning Common Core school math courses have learning Common Core Math, a completely produced video support Math, a completely different way of arriving at different way of arriving at for math lessons that review the math content, mathematical answers, and mathematical answers, skills, and practice most parents assisting their and most parents sessions each week, plus children at home were additional taught traditional math. assisting their children at two instructional support Traditional math provides home were taught videos each week. The correct answers, but traditional math. videos are organized to Common Core requires showing a different path to Traditional math provides align with the curriculum pacing of the classroom the correct answer. correct answers, but and the at-home learning Karen Wild, director of Common Core requires work.

School Improvement for “This optimizes use for Carrollton City Schools, showing a different path all those connected to said the district recognized to the correct answer.

Carrollton City Schools,” this challenge as at-home said Wild, who noted the learning continued to the end of the school year. She also noted videos are available on the district’s website research backs this up. According to a recent to be accessed as needed by at-home article in the trade magazine Education students, in-person learners, and even Week, math anxiety has been linked to parents who may need additional support.

Wild said that while teachers have tapped avoidance of the subject and worse math performance over time. In a survey of into videos provided by highly acclaimed teachers the magazine’s research center providers, they are also recording videos conducted, 67 percent of teachers said that themselves.

“This is a great way to bring the school math anxiety was a challenge for their into the home, develop relationships, and students.

“As a response to the needs of students keep students connected with ‘real’ and families we learned from the spring at- Carrollton City Schools teachers,” she said.

Wild said the beauty of the math video home learning experience, we decided to be proactive in math instructional support,” she project is that not only does it serve at-home said. “While in-person teaching is effective learners in the district, it has developed into a in making students successful, a teacher may supplemental resource for all students.

“There aren’t many silver linings have to give individual attention to students beyond the classroom group setting to ensure associated with the pandemic, but in this understanding is achieved. Without this extra case, it forced us to address an immediate support, emotions can create learning blocks need that will become an additional standard in our approach to teaching math that will that are difficult to overcome.”

When it became clear the pandemic would benefit all students into the foreseeable continue into the new school year, Wild said future,” she said.

crop-specific payment rate, and then by the ships may qualify for additional payment producer’s weighted 2020 Actual Production limits when members actively provide perHistory (APH) approved yield. If the APH is sonal labor or personal management for the not available, 85% of the 2019 Agriculture farming operation. In addition, this special Risk Coverage-County Option (ARC-CO) payment limitation provision has been expanded to include trusts benchmark yield for that USDA announced up to and estates for both CFAP crop will be used.

For broilers and eggs, an additional $14 billion for 1 and 2.

Producers will also payments will be based on agricultural producers who have to certify they meet 75% of the producers’ 2019 continue to face market the Adjusted Gross production. disruptions and Income limitation of Dairy (cow’s milk) payments will be based on associated costs because $900,000 unless at least actual milk production from of COVID-19. Signup for 75% or more of their income is derived from April 1 to August 31, 2020. the Coronavirus Food farming, ranching or The milk production for Assistance Program forestry-related activities.

September 1, 2020, to Producers must also be in December 31, 2020, will be (CFAP 2) began compliance with Highly estimated by FSA. September 21st and Erodible Land and Eligible beef cattle, hogs runs through Wetland Conservation and pigs, and lambs and December 11, 2020. provisions. sheep payments will be Applying for Assistance based on the maximum Applications will be accepted through owned inventory of eligible livestock, excluding breeding stock, on a date selected December 11, 2020.

Additional information and application by the producer, between April 16, 2020, and forms can be found at farmers.gov/cfap.

Aug. 31, 2020.

Documentation to support the producer’s Flat-rate Crops Crops that either do not meet the 5% price application and certification may be decline trigger or do not have data available requested. All other eligibility forms, such as to calculate a price change will have pay- those related to adjusted gross income and ments calculated based on eligible 2020 payment information, can be downloaded acres multiplied by $15 per acre. These crops from farmers.gov/cfap/apply. For existing include alfalfa, extra long staple (ELS) cot- FSA customers, including those who particiton, oats, peanuts, rice, hemp, millet, mus- pated in CFAP 1, many documents are likely tard, safflower, sesame, triticale, rapeseed, already on file. Producers should check with FSA county office to see if any of the forms and several others. need to be updated.

Sales Commodities Customers seeking one-on-one support Sales commodities include specialty crops; aquaculture; nursery crops and flori- with the CFAP 2 application process can call culture; other commodities not included in 877-508-8364 to speak directly with a the price trigger and flat-rate categories, USDA employee ready to offer assistance. including tobacco; goat milk; mink (inclu- This is a recommended first step before a ding pelts); mohair; wool; and other live- producer engages with the team at the FSA stock (excluding breeding stock) not county office.

All USDA Service Centers are open for included under the price trigger category that were grown for food, fiber, fur, or feathers. business, including some that are open to Payment calculations will use a sales-based visitors to conduct business in person by approach, where producers are paid based on appointment only. All Service Center visitors five payment gradations associated with their wishing to conduct business with FSA, Natural Resources Conservation Service or 2019 sales.

Additional commodities are eligible in any other Service Center agency should call CFAP 2 that weren’t eligible in the first itera- ahead and schedule an appointment. Service tion of the program. If your agricultural Centers that are open for appointments will operation has been impacted by the pan- pre-screen visitors based on health concerns demic since April 2020, we encourage you to or recent travel, and visitors must adhere to apply for CFAP 2. A complete list of eligible social distancing guidelines. Visitors are also commodities, payment rates and calculations required to wear a face covering during their appointment. Our program delivery staff will can be found on farmers.gov/cfap. be in the office, and they will be working Eligibility There is a payment limitation of $250,000 with our producers in the office, by phone per person or entity for all commodities and using online tools.

More information can be found at farmcombined. Applicants who are corporations, limited liability companies, limited partner- ers.gov/coronavirus

MONTENIA EDWARDS from page 24

gold standard across the United States.

My agenda also includes farmers, who are the backbone of state. This is how we get our food and raw materials. Farmers get up early in the freezing rain and out in the searing heat.

Farming also provides job opportunities to the area. There is farmland throughout Senate District 30 in parts of Carroll, Douglas, and Paulding counties. I will foster a statewide initiative to address immediate needs of farmers. Also, I plan to promulgate legislation to create a disaster reserve fund to help alleviate the stress and burden on farmers during natural disasters.

My platform is most inclusive and the most realistic. I am trying to advance the needs of the people. The preamble begins with ‘We the People’; the power of the people is always greater than the people in power.

When the people do not have a fighting voice working for them then we become weakened.

For us to stand strong together, I need your support at the ballot box. In the November General Election, I am asking for your vote for the clear choice to lead District 30; Vote Montenia Edwards for State Senate.

Early voting begins October 12, 2020 and election day is November 3, 2020.

Page 32 October 11, 2020

StarNews

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bonus, visitors would be spending their tourthe mayor, this reporter made the suggestion ism dollars in the city. The mayor remarked that the city could invest in two or three trol- that idea might be worth investigating.

While other government entities, includleys, run on natural gas, that would be a free ing the City of Villa Rica in Carroll County, short trip transportation to issued mask orders (the the public with limited While other government requirement of wearing a stops around the city. entities, including the City protective mask in that city’s Passengers would get and public buildings and on city of Villa Rica in Carroll off at will in the open air property that had fines assoCounty, issued mask trolley - suitable for ciated with violations) CoVID travel - that would orders . ..Mayor Cason Mayor Cason did not pursue cut down on downtown did not pursue that for that for Carrollton, simply traffic and provide rides up and down Maple Street Carrollton, simply stating stating that “everyone should just wear a mask”. that “everyone should to the university, Rome In mid-July, Governor Street to the library, just wear a mask”.

Kemp also urged citizens to Newnan Street down Bankhead to the post office, and Alabama wear protective masks, stating he would not Street to other points of interest. Visitors to mandate it. In conclusion, Mayor Cason said, the city would be able to discover much “I am honored to serve.” The mayor may be more than a foot tour would offer. As a reached at: bcason@carrollton-ga.gov

CITY of CARROLLTON from page 8

Photo right: Carrollton Mayor Betty Cason, right, is shown with Carrollton Rotary Club President Ben Butler at a September in-person meeting in which Cason presented the program. (Cason and Butler removed their masks for this socially distanced photo.) Photo by Sue Horn BRYAN HAGER from page 21

these countries. There are many reasons for the higher cost and worse outcomes including: higher rates of poverty and food insecurity, high cost of health insurance, and poor

distribution of health care services. And fundamentally our “health care system” is not designed to keep people healthy, it is designed to sell medical services. The Affordable Care Act included several pro-

posals to improve health outcomes which may help over time.

It was a busy first two years and many of us took some time off in 2019. In 2020 we have come back together to share information on what’s going on in the community and try to connect people with actions that they can take to make the world a better place.

Membership on our Facebook page has doubled this year. The current foci of interest are responding to the covid-19 pandemic, supporting improvements in racial justice and working to elect people who are willing

to talk about these issues and work to solve them. West Georgia United are progressive citizens of Carroll, Douglas, Heard, Haralson, Paulding and other counties in the western region of Georgia who value community and improving democracy in the United States through education, training, local advocacy and outreach, and through state and national level engagement. We value community, a clean environment, equal rights, access to health care and reconciliation among people.

People who share our values are invited to join us on Facebook at West Georgia United.

First Baptist Church of Carrollton hosting coin drive October 11- March 11 The coronavirus pandemic has forced many to adjust our lives in many ways to adapt to a “new normal”. The effects have been far and wide ranging from meetings to work to the availability of vital elements to our daily sustainability. One casualty of the pandemic has been the shortage of coins or what we would normally refer to as ‘pocket change’. The First Baptist Church of Carrollton, under the leadership of Dr. Woodrow Johnson, Jr., will host a coin drive as part of their annual Men’s Day weekend celebration.

Deacon Charlie Rouse is the chairman of this year’s events and has planned a number of exciting events culminating with our

Carrollton “Rotarian of the Year 2020” accepts award three months late due to contracting CoVID-19

The Carrollton Rotary Club selected member Scott Robison, shown above left, as “Rotarian of the Year 2020” in June. At that time, Robsison was recovering from contracting CoVID-19 which included a hospital stay. He finally received his award in person at the September 15th in-person meeting by Sandra Morris who was the club president in June. (The president makes the annual selection; the president’s year of service concludes in the month of June). The award goes to a club member who has gone above and beyond the usual club duties.

The Carrollton Rotary Club, established in 1939, usually meets weekly on Tuesdays at noon (except for certain holidays) but due to the pandemic is currently meeting twice a month at the Sunset Hills Country Club, Carrollton, seated at socially distanced tables (usually 8, now 4 persons to a table). Photo by Sue Horn

parking lot worship service Sunday October 11th at 10:00 a.m. featuring the Morehouse Glee Club and guest speaker Minister Mercedes Broadwater. The celebratory events will take place from October 10-11, with the coin drive officially kicking of on Sunday October 11, 2020 and running through Thursday March 11, 2021.

Coins may be dropped off at the church located at 563 Old Bremen Road each Monday and Wednesday from 10am – 2pm.

Additional drop off locations during their normal business hours include West Georgia Cardiology, 129 Bankhead Highway Carrollton, and Edward Jones, 410 College Street, Carrollton.

NEW location open year round !

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Chuck

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Primitive weapons deer hunting seasons opens

from press release Deer hunters, the week-long primitive weapons deer hunting season opened Saturday, Oct. 10. Last year, almost 30,000 hunters took to the woods with muzzleloaders, bringing in more than 6,000 deer, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division (WRD).

“Fall is here and it’s time to zero in your muzzleloader, because primitive weapons season is just around the corner,” said Charlie Killmaster, state deer biologist with the WRD Game Management Section. “So few hunters take advantage of hunting with muzzleloaders compared to firearms, but it is like the calm before the storm. And, If you do head to the woods during this week-long season, be sure to take a kid hunting with you, and remember they can use any modern rifle during the primitive weapons season.”

Over one million acres of public hunting land is available to hunters in Georgia, including more than 100 state-operated wildlife management areas. Many areas offer special hunts throughout the season, including primitive weapons hunts. Dates and locations for hunts are available in the 2020-

2021 Georgia Hunting Seasons and Regulations guide www.eregulations.com/georgia/hunting.

Youth, under 16 years of age, may hunt deer with any legal deer firearm during Primitive Weapons Season, including during any wildlife management area primitive weapons hunts.

During the primitive weapons season, hunters may use archery equipment, muzzleloading shotguns (20 gauge and larger) and muzzleloading firearms (.44 caliber or larger). The season bag limit is 10 antlerless deer and two antlered deer (one of the antlered deer must have at least four points, one inch or longer, on one side of the antlers).

Special regulations apply to archery-only counties and extended archery season areas.

All deer hunters, including archers, are required to wear a minimum of 500 square inches of daylight fluorescent orange above the waist during primitive weapons season.

Scopes and other optical sighting devices are legal for muzzleloading firearms and archery equipment.

To pursue deer in Georgia, hunters must have a valid hunting license, a big game license and a current deer harvest record

Carroll County Department of Public Health

restaurant health inspections scores 9/2/2020: Renegade Chef, Carrollton

100 previous 100

9/8/2020: Regal Cinemas, 2235 Bankhead Hwy Carrollton 100 previous 100

(available in the Outdoors GA app or as a paper copy printable from your license account). Licenses can be purchased online at www.GoOutdoorsGeorgia.com, by phone at 1-800-366-2661, or at a license agent (list of agents available online).

Once you harvest a deer, you must report it within 24 hours through Georgia Game Check. Deer can be checked on the Outdoors GA app (useable with or without cell service), at gooutdoorsgeorgia.com, or by calling 1-800-366-2661. For more information, visit https://georgiawildlife.com/hunting/hunterresources. Following are recommendations to ensure a safe experience: - All hunters, including archers, must wear at least 500 square inches of daylight fluorescent orange above the waist during the primitive weapons season - Handle every gun as if it was loaded - Never smoke in the proximity of a muzzleloader - Use an intermediate device, such as a measure, to pour powder into a barrel - Keep flask and powder containers away from flames and sparks to prevent an accidental explosion - Use only powders specific to each muz-

StarNews

October 11, 2020 Page 33

zleloader and recommended by that firearms manufacturer - Place percussion cap on nipple only when ready to shoot - The gun is safely unloaded only after removing the bullet, powder and percussion cap. If using a flintlock muzzleloader, remove the bullet and powder, and un-prime the flash pan - Use the recommended loading materials, the correct powder charge, the right diameter and weight bullet and the correct lead material - Treat a misfire as though the gun could fire at any moment - Make sure the projectile is firmly seated on the powder before capping and firing - Never blow down the barrel of a muzzleloader to clear or extinguish sparks - Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction - Read the owner’s manual and be familiar with its operation before using a muzzleloading firearm - Make sure the gun is unloaded before attempting to clean it - Do not use alcohol or drugs while handling a firearm.

To view complete restaurant inspection details, go to: dph.georgia.gov/environmental-health 9/14/2020: Corner Cafe, 304 Adamson Sq Carrollton

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9/3/2020: Barefoot Barbecue, 778 Duncan Rd Carrollton

96 previous 78 95 previous 100

9/25/2020: The Blue Bistro, 706 Dixie St Carrollton

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9/14/2020: Marco’s Pizza, 828 Newnan Rd Carrollton

9/23/2020: Shuckers, 481 Rome St Carrollton

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9/9/2020: Shane’s Rib Shack,1141 Bankhead Hwy Carrollton 95 previous 99

9/21/2020: Oak Mountain Golf, 409 Birkdale Carrollton

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9/25/2020: Waffle House #958, 821 S Park St Carrollton

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9/11/2020: Gypsy Rabbit, 9 W Street B Temple

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9/22/2020: Wright Way BBQ, 1003 Alabama St Bremen

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9/14/2020: Venue on Cedar, 809 Cedar St Carrollton

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9/21/2020: Pita Mediterranean, 1435 Hwy 27 Carrollton

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9/4/2020: Johnny Ice Cream, 194 Rachel Blvd, Temple

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9/29/2020: Dunkin Donuts, 1202 S Park St Carrollton

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9/14/2020: Gallery Row, 309 Adamson Sq Carrollton

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9/18/2020: La Fiesta, 201 Bradley St Carrollton

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9/11/2020: IHOP, 1615 S 27 Hwy Carrollton

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9/2/2020: Applebee’s, 1105 S Park St Carrollton

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9/16/2020: Domino’s Pizza, 1209 Maple St Carrollton

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9/11/2020: Waffle House #974, 1202 Bankhead Hwy Carrollton 99 previous 98 9/23/2020: Lazy Donkey, 334 Bankhead Hwy Carrollton

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9/18/2020: Sol Sisters Cantina, 139 City Hall Ave Bowdon

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9/17/2020: Rosie’s Cafe, 819 Bankhead Hwy Carrollton

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9/21/2020: Hacienda, 1004 Bankhead Hwy Carrollton

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9/16/2020: G-Town Wings, 1302 Maple St Carrollton

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9/9/2020: Irish Bred Pub, 210 Adamson Sq Carrollton

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9/17/2020: La Finca Mexican, 727 Bankhead Hwy Carrollton

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9/25/2020: Around Town Pizza, 375 B Hwy 78 Temple

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9/1/2020: Alley Cat Cafe, 120 Newnan St Carrollton

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9/28/2020: Lee’s Kitchen, 819 S Park St Carrollton

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9/2/2020: Nick’s House,108 Alabama St Carrollton

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9/15/2020: Longhorn, 1155 Bankhead Hwy Carrollton

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9/23/2020: Courthouse Cafe, 312 Newnan St Carrollton

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9/14/2020: Samba Loca, 104 Adamson Sq Carrollton

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9/17/2020: Bankhead Grill, 1202 Bankhead Hwy Carrollton 97 previous 99

9/28/2020: Captain D’s, 913 S Park St Carrollton

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9/28/2020: Big Chic, 910C S Park St Carrollton

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9/28/2020: Stix, 660 W Bankhead Hwy Villa Rica

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9/25/2020: Arby’s #7428, 1322 S Park St Carrollton

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9/17/2020: Waffle House #2046, 1122 Maple St Carrollton 89 previous 100

9/18/2020: Mustard Seed Cafe, 2155 Maple St Carrollton

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9/10/2020: The Border, 1210 Maple St Carrollton

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9/8/2020: Hibachi Express, 530 Bankhead Hwy Carrollton

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9/9/2020: The Olive Garden, 1379 S Park St Carrollton

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9/23/2020: Steak N Shake, 1460 S Hwy 27 Carrollton

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9/14/2020: Carroll County Sales Barn, 225 Sales Barn Rd Carrollton 96 previous 97 9/25/2020: Shot Spot, 970 Hays Mill Rd Bldg 200 Carrollton 96 previous 96

Page 34 October 11, 2020

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Avoid financial mistakes during retirement

JOEY L. KEY

FINANCIAL ADVISOR

When you retire, you’ve learned a lot about all sorts of things, helping you avoid some of the mistakes you made earlier in life.

However, you may still be susceptible to financial missteps specifically related to your retirement years. How can you dodge these errors? Consider these suggestions: Manage your withdrawal rate carefully.

You will likely need to tap into your retirement accounts – your IRA and 401(k) or similar employer-sponsored plan. But you

should establish an annual withdrawal rate that’s appropriate for your situation. By withdrawing too much each year, especially in the early years of your retirement, you risk outliving your resources.

You may want to consult with a financial professional to determine the withdrawal amount that’s right for you. (Keep in mind, though, that once you turn 72, you will be required to take out at least a certain amount each year – based on your age and account balance – from your traditional IRA and 401(k) or similar plan.)

Don’t underestimate health care costs.

Once you turn 65, you will be eligible for Medicare, but you may still need a Medicare supplement plan and will probably also incur other expenses. In fact, A healthy 65-yearold couple who retired in 2019 will need

Carroll County marriage licenses

nearly $390,000 over their remaining years just to pay for health care, according to HealthView Services, which produces health-care cost projection software. Other estimates show different amounts, but they all amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

So, when calculating your expenses during your retirement years, reserve a big space for health care.

Don’t take Social Security too early. You can start receiving monthly Social Security checks when you reach age 62, but your payments will generally be significantly larger if you wait until your “full” retirement age, which will probably be between 66 and 67. (The size of your payments will “max out” at age 70.)

Of course, if you need the money at 62,

SEPTEMBER 1-30, 2020

MARRIAGES CHART

you may have to take it, but if you believe you have longevity working in your favor, and you can afford to wait, you may be better off by delaying Social Security as long as possible.)

Don’t invest too conservatively. Once you’re retired, you might think that you should take as few chances as possible with your investments – after all, you simply have less time for them to bounce back from a downturn than you did during your working years.

Nonetheless, it’s important to own a reasonable percentage of growth-oriented investments to help keep you ahead of inflation. Even at a low rate, which we’ve experience recently, inflation can erode your purchasing power over time.

Don’t be more generous than you can afford. If you have grown children who need financial help, or grandchildren heading to college someday, you’d no doubt like to do whatever you can to provide assistance.

However, the hard truth is they simply have more time than you do to find workable financial solutions, whereas if you deplete your funds through your generosity, you could put yourself in a precarious position.

So, be as giving as you can afford – but don’t go beyond that. By preserving your financial independence, you’ll end up benefiting your family, as well.

Retirement can be a wonderful time of your life – and you may enjoy it more by doing what you can to avoid costly financial mistakes.

Joey L. Key is a financial advisor, Edward Jones, 105 Somerset Pl, Suite A, Suite C, Carrollton, GA 678-890-1067

Carroll County pistol permits Number of Firearm Permits applied for (carry permit) September 1-30, 2020: 335

Carroll County cattle receipts Carroll County Sale Barn 225 Sale Barn Road, Carrollton September 28, 2020: September 21, 2020: September 14, 2020: September 7, 2020:

647 631 583 1,075

Carroll County births August 1-September 30, 2020: Tanner Medical Center, Carrollton: Girls: 492 Boys: 121 Tanner Medical Center, Villa Rica:� Girls: 48 Boys: 69

Carroll County jail population (The Jack T. Bell Detention Center)

Total population as of September 30, 2020: 389 Males: 330 Females: 59

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StarNews October 11, 2020 Page 35

ROBOTS MAY RUN THE FUTURE, BUT WHO’S GOING TO RUN THE ROBOTS? The future of manufacturing is robotics. You can lead the revolution with a surprisingly affordable two-year degree.

With a 99% career placement rate and more than 120 programs to choose from, West Georgia Technical College is where you'll succeed sooner.

SUCCEED SOONER W E S T G AT E C H . E D U A UNIT OF THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE SYSTEM OF GEORGIA

As set forth in its student catalog, West Georgia Technical College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national or ethnic origin, sex, religion, disability, age, political affiliation or belief, genetic information, veteran status, or citizenship status (except in those special circumstances permitted or mandated by law). The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Equity (Title IX) coordinator is Dean of Students, 176 Murphy Campus Blvd, Waco, GA 30182. ADA (Section 504) coordinator is V.P. of Administrative Services, 401 Adamson Square, Carrollton, GA 30117. 678.664.0400

Page 36 October 11, 2020

StarNews www.starnewsgaonline.com

Re-Elect General Election Tuesday, November 3, 2020

State Senator Mike Dugan Senate District 30 Republican

CAPITOL OFFICE 236 State Capitol Atlanta, GA 30334 Phone: (404) 656-7872

GEORGIA SENATE MAJORITY LEADER

CONSERVATIVE . PROVEN . LEADER.

Majority Leader Mike Dugan, an Army veteran and conservative businessman, representing the 30th District in the State Senate. As a conservative, pro-business leader, Mike has consistently led to keep government effective and our communities vibrant Lets do our part in helping with COVID-19 Virus!

Wear a mask Cover coughs & sneezes Stay home if you feel sick 6 feet apart Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds frequently and disinfect touched surfaces daily.

Make it happen starting with you!

PAID FOR BY DUGAN FOR STATE SENATE