Opinions - Topics from February, 2012
Get out and VOTE!
Next Tuesday, March 6, the Presidential Preference Primary will be held in Georgia. Equally as important to Appling Countians as selecting the nominee for President is a vote on the Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (ESPLOST) for Appling County Schools.
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Dying for peace
On Sunday morning, February 19, 2012, James Dixon III, was shot down in his own front yard by a Georgia State Patrol SWAT team called in to assist our sheriff’s department. He died here at home at the hands of his own countrymen. He should have been safe here as he worked with the VA doctors to overcome the terrors of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. But something went intolerably wrong on that black Sunday.
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A spirited Valentine week
Early Valentine Day morning, B. J. awakened me from a deep sleep. Before I could get the cobwebs out of my eyes and brain, she hit me with a proposal: “Happy Valentine’s Day. Let’s eat breakfast at the King and Prince this morning.”
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What a life
The dry weather has made the otter population gather in the few places where there is still water and fish to be found and the lake behind my home is swarming with them. The shad, roaches as we call them, are bedding in the big lake and the otters are having a field day. I can get right up close to them. They have gotten to where they pay me little attention and it does my heart good to see them. They are the most playful creatures in nature and I would like to tame one. If I could find a den with little ones, I bet I could.
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State education funding reaching a critical status
A presentation given by Superintendent Scarlett Copeland at the Appling County Board of Education work session meeting, held Monday, Feb. 13, was an eye-opener. Copeland showed how state funding for education continues to dwindle.
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And the rains came down
More than two inches of rain fell on the dry, thirsty soil of Pine Grove Saturday night. I lay in my bed under a cozy red blanket and relished the sound of rain on the roof. I’m convinced that is one of the most pleasant sounds known to man. Intent on listening to the musical pelting, I’d forget to read my book for several minutes at a time, and not much makes me forget to read. Even as Larry and I rushed around to unplug the computers when the lightening worsened, we kept grinning like kids on Christmas morning.
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True Justice
We finally got all our gear together and made it to the river by mid-afternoon. Getting the boat launched at the Flat Tub landing was a chore but a liberal application of internal bug repellant took care of the worry and aggravation. Finally, we were underway downriver to a deep hole where we knew there had to be a barrel of catfish waiting. We baited our poles and started the waiting game. Doctor P.U. Nasty, my partner, decided we needed to move up a little ways and put the brand new trolling motor in the water and touched the pedal. Within seconds a Flathead catfish, an invasive species, that weighed at least twenty pounds floated to the surface right by the boat and just lay there, belly up, waiting to be netted. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Doc wasted no time in netting the huge catfish and had no sooner netted the one when another floated up.
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Equitable Division of Marital Property Incident to Divorce
After child custody and support, division of marital property is of utmost concern to my clients who are going through a divorce. In Georgia, this process is called equitable division of property with equitable meaning that which is fair, not necessarily that which is equal. To be sure, not all property is subject to division and the most important consideration is whether the particular property is characterized as separate or marital. Separate property is not subject to division by the Court. The best examples of separate property are those items that were inherited by one party or received as a gift or those items that were owned prior to the marriage. However, to the extent that separate property appreciates in value during the marriage, that increase may be divided by the Court.
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The People’s Business
With the 2012 legislative session well under way, I want to update everyone about what’s going on at the Capitol.
In an effort to improve our state’s education system, I introduced Senate Bill 410. If implemented, this bill will move our schools away from the current AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) system to a system that provides a much more accurate measure of a school’s performance. The current AYP system provides only a “pass” or “fail” grade, meaning it is hard to track progress and incentivize improvements. Many educators and parents also argue that the current system is easily manipulated and difficult to understand. With SB 410, however, I hope to help move to a new, multi-tiered system developed by Georgia School Superintendant John Barge and the Department of Education that will provide true bench marks to track progress and provide accountability. The new criteria will provide a clearer and easier to understand picture of how a school is performing. [Full Story »]
In an effort to improve our state’s education system, I introduced Senate Bill 410. If implemented, this bill will move our schools away from the current AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) system to a system that provides a much more accurate measure of a school’s performance. The current AYP system provides only a “pass” or “fail” grade, meaning it is hard to track progress and incentivize improvements. Many educators and parents also argue that the current system is easily manipulated and difficult to understand. With SB 410, however, I hope to help move to a new, multi-tiered system developed by Georgia School Superintendant John Barge and the Department of Education that will provide true bench marks to track progress and provide accountability. The new criteria will provide a clearer and easier to understand picture of how a school is performing. [Full Story »]
Please run for President
Last week presidential candidate Mitt Romney said to a CNN interviewer, “I’m not concerned about the very poor. We have a safety net there.” As soon as the words fell from Romney’s mouth, great flocks of vultures rose to attack him.
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No free lunch
It was back to the catfish pond for Fox and me. We were having a battle trying to keep the ducks from eating the peanut flavored fish food but the two of us were not going to give up. I assured my neighbor I would kill as many ducks as necessary to ensure his catfish make it through this drought we are in.
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Jacksonville Beach
Traveling is a happy hobby with B. J. and me; it just happens. We started traveling on our honeymoon to St. Simons Island and it has been going on ever since.
During those early traveling years, we rarely made serious plans for a trip nor did we make reservations in a motel. We just winged it. Don’t laugh. Some of the most fun trips we ever had were the impromptu kind.
On our recent trip to Jacksonville, we made no reservations anywhere for anything whatsoever. We recalled the old days and just winged it. [Full Story »]
During those early traveling years, we rarely made serious plans for a trip nor did we make reservations in a motel. We just winged it. Don’t laugh. Some of the most fun trips we ever had were the impromptu kind.
On our recent trip to Jacksonville, we made no reservations anywhere for anything whatsoever. We recalled the old days and just winged it. [Full Story »]
Let’s keep Peaches to the Beaches
Dear Editor,
We are writing this letter with the hope that an annual event that brings thousands of visitors each year to Appling County can be saved.
Since 2005, Golden Isles Parkway Association has sponsored the Annual Peaches to the Beaches Yard Sale the second Saturday of the year with the goal of promoting tourism and economic development to the communities located along Highway 341. Golden Isles Parkway Association (GIPA) utilizes a vast advertising campaign to promote Peaches to the Beaches Yard Sale. This campaign includes print, radio, digital, and direct mail advertisements aimed at tourists across the United States. [Full Story »]
We are writing this letter with the hope that an annual event that brings thousands of visitors each year to Appling County can be saved.
Since 2005, Golden Isles Parkway Association has sponsored the Annual Peaches to the Beaches Yard Sale the second Saturday of the year with the goal of promoting tourism and economic development to the communities located along Highway 341. Golden Isles Parkway Association (GIPA) utilizes a vast advertising campaign to promote Peaches to the Beaches Yard Sale. This campaign includes print, radio, digital, and direct mail advertisements aimed at tourists across the United States. [Full Story »]
Opposed to beauty contests
Dear Editor,
I realize by writing this letter, I am setting myself up to be called an old fogy who’s sticking her nose in where it does not belong. But that’s OK. [Full Story »]
I realize by writing this letter, I am setting myself up to be called an old fogy who’s sticking her nose in where it does not belong. But that’s OK. [Full Story »]
“Wild” Idea$
(Editor’s note: The author of the letter requested that the “$” symbol replacing the letter “s” in words not be corrected or replaced. The writer believes it is relevant to the subject matter of the letter.)
Dear Editor,
A$ a former full-time re$ident of thi$ beautiful flatwood$ country known a$ Appling County, it i$ difficult for me to fathom how a lifelong re$ident and citizen of $aid county could impo$e the horrific idea of a mega-landfill upon the citizen$ of Appling County. [Full Story »]
Dear Editor,
A$ a former full-time re$ident of thi$ beautiful flatwood$ country known a$ Appling County, it i$ difficult for me to fathom how a lifelong re$ident and citizen of $aid county could impo$e the horrific idea of a mega-landfill upon the citizen$ of Appling County. [Full Story »]
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