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The ADVANCE, Februory 24,2021/Page 2A 51ie Aiiuancg Toombs Commission Hears Report on Plant Hatch By Rebekah Arnold Contributing Writer A Nuclear Regulatory Commission inspector updated Toombs County commissioners about op erations at Southern Nu clear Plant Hatch during the commission’s regular session on February 16. Richard Smith has served as Nuclear Regula tory Commission’s (NRC) Senior Resident Inspector (Rl) since October 2020 at Southern Nuclear’s Hatch power plant near Baxley. Smith, along with the other RI at Plant Hatch, John Hickman, is not an employee of Southern Nuclear, but of the federal government. RIs serve as the agen cy’s “eyes and ears at the facility, conducting inspec tions, monitoring major work projects and inter acting with plant workers and the public.” (www.nrc. org). Smith described his work as the nuclear police: he issues violation tickets on activities that, if left unchecked, could result in more serious public safe ty issues. The inspectors with the NRC represent the American people who do not have the technical knowledge, nor can they observe at the plants, to as sess nuclear operations. Smith reported that an inspection assess ment completed in 2020 found seven violations at Plant Hatch. These viola tions were not severe and Please see TCC page 10A Bill to block defunding police in Georgia advances in state House By Beau Evans Staff Writer Capitol Beat News Service A bill aimed at pre venting Georgia city and county governments from making deep cuts in the budgets of their local po lice agencies advanced in the Georgia House of Rep resentatives Tuesday. Sponsored by state Rep. Houston Gaines, R- Athens, the bill would limit local governments from reducing funds for police by more than 5% over a 10- year span. It includes ex emptions for smaller juris dictions and for spending on equipment purchases. Gaines highlighted recent failed attempts by some Athens and Atlanta elected officials to slice millions of dollars from their police budgets amid protests over police brutal ity and racial injustice that swept across Georgia and the country last summer. “These efforts are un derway in our state and certainly something I think we need to fight against,” Gaines said. “We all rec ognize that supporting law enforcement is of the ut most importance and, in my opinion, the most im portant role that our local governments have.” Gaines’ bill cleared the House Governmental Af fairs General Government Subcommittee on a party line vote. It heads to the full committee for another vote before potentially moving to the House floor. The bill comes after last summer’s protests fol lowing high-profile killings of Black men by police of ficers, including the deaths of George Floyd in Minne sota and Rayshard Brooks in Atlanta. Property destruction and violence at some of those protests sparked a backlash from conservative leaders over a push by some progressive officials to curb police funding, dubbed “defund the police.” The subject took center stage as an issue for both political parties in the 2020 election cycle. Opposition to the bill came Tuesday from the Georgia Municipal Asso ciation and the Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG), which represent city and county governments. Decisions on police funding should be left to local officials, said Todd Edwards, ACCG’s deputy legislative director. “Police power is one of our inherent or supple mental powers under the constitution,” Edwards said. “We’d like to main tain our flexibility to fund and manage police forces how our local elected offi cials — those accountable to the public — feel is the best use of taxpayer dol lars.” tveTeo.ckcx.ble MorvieKfc Why is “TheMuppet Show”getting a content disclaimer on Disney+ ? Disney-t has added a content disclaimer to the beginning of 18 episodes of “The Muppet Show,” which started streaming on the platform on Friday. The disclaimer appears at the beginning of the epi sodes for 12 seconds and reads: “This pro gram includes nega tive depictions and/ or mistreatment of people or cultures. These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. Rath er than remove this content, we want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it and spark conversa tion to create a more inclusive fu ture together.” The label has been added to each episode for a different reason; for example, during Johnny Cash’s episode, he sings in front of a con federate flag. The disclaimer has been added to a total of 18 episodes throughout the show’s five seasons, including those guest hosted by Jim Nabors, Joel Grey, Steve Martin, Pe ter Sellers, Cleo Laine, James Coco, Spike Milligan, Crystal Gayle, Kenny Rogers, Beverly Sills, Jona than Winters, Alan Arkin, James Coburn, Joan Baez, Johnny Cash, Debbie Harry, Wally Boag and Marty Feldman. A statement on Disney’s website says: “As part of our ongo ing commitment to di versity and inclusion, we are in the process of reviewing our library and adding advisories to content that includes negative depictions or mistreatment of people or cultures. Rather than removing this content, we see an opportunity to spark con versation and open dialogue on his tory that affects us all. We also want to acknowledge that some commu nities have been erased or forgotten altogether, and we’re committed to giving voice to their stories as well.” LIBRARY EXPANSION FUNDS RECEIVED FROM DOT - The Vidalia branch of the Ohoopee Regional Library System is currently in a 3-year project to expand the building on Jack- son Street and to incorporate the Ladson Genealogy Library into that location. The Renovation Committee received $3500 for the project from DOT Foods, Inc., given by DOT Fluman Resources Manager Gaylon Ryan, Pictured with Ryan, left to right, are Toombs County Library Board members Rebekah Arnold, Ryan, Carol Rice and Lisa Chesser. “We are ONE team with ONE mission, to serve you! Contact Johnson & Johnson Transport at 912-594-1812 fora ride above the rest!” Johnson “When Life Calls for an EMT, We will Get You Through.” Licensed & Approved by the State of Georgia (912) 594-1812 Johnson Transport, LLC 210 S. 1st Street, Uvalda, GA 30473 -