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PAGE 4A BARROW JOURNAL WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2008 Opinions “Private opinion is weak, but public opinion is almost omnipotent. ” - Henry Ward Beecher - Chris Bridges, editor • Email: cbridges@barrowjournal.com our views ‘Change’ was Barrow’s byword in 2008 T HE EARTH moved in Barrow County in 2008. It was a year when everything changed. For most of 2008, politics and the elections dominated the public agenda. There were endless debates and forums; political signs dotted the landscape. And while there was a huge interest in the historic presidential election, there was an even larger interest in several hot local races. When all the dust settled, Barrow County had tossed out its county commission in favor of new faces; it had elected a new sheriff; and Barrow helped elect a new district attorney. Change had come to Barrow County. But there were three other big local stories as well in 2008 that may echo with the word “change” into 2009 and beyond. First, controversy over the local airport led to an organized citizens’ revolt. Over the last few years, many in Barrow’s leadership had focused on building the airport into a focus around which to generate economic growth. The idea was that a larger, more advanced airport would help bring new industries to the county and bring greater balance to the county’s lopsided tax digest. Whether the airport could become a major economic asset is debat able. What isn’t debatable is that many local citizens didn’t want a larger airport. Citizens organized at the grassroots level and waged a campaign against airport expansion plans. But that citizens’ movement morphed and became larger than a single-issue effort. If the airport didn’t become a focus for economic growth, it did become the nexus around which citizens built a powerful political voice. That voice echoed at the polls with a major shakeup in the county’s leadership and it later expanded beyond airport issues to include other county concerns. Those initial anti-airport efforts became a larger political movement of change in Barrow County during 2008. Another big issue in 2008 was the local impact of the economic down turn. Since 2003, Barrow had been booming with a rapid expansion of subdivisions and commercial real estate ventures. It was the 12th fastest growing county in the nation during the housing bubble. But in 2008, all of that came crashing down. From rapid growth to virtually no growth, Barrow was whip-lashed into an economic tailspin. Much of the local economy had been driven by the engine of real estate development and construction. It created thousands of jobs. So when the bubble popped, the impact sent shockwaves throughout the community. Unemployment began to rise. Foreclosures skyrock eted. Government budgets saw revenues drop. Many houses, building lots and commercial property sit empty. In 2008, many of the easy assumptions about Barrow County’s future were called into doubt. The boom became a bust. It was not a welcome change. The final big issue in Barrow County during 2008 wasn’t as overt or dramatic as the airport or housing bust. But during the year, a strong undercurrent that questioned the Barrow County Board of Education began to form. Among the issues in 2008: Controversy over a proposed Mariachi music class at one high school led to an atmosphere of divisiveness; problems with a new sports field house caught BOE members off-guard; computer glitches at the start of the school year frustrated everyone; a study compiled by a private citizen indicated some Barrow County graduates were struggling in college, needing additional remediation; some CRCT results in lower grades were below the state average; and the economic downturn began to hammer the school system’s finances with an increasing amount of pressure. While those issues didn’t explode during 2008, people did began to question some of the BOE’s leadership, perhaps setting the stage for further winds of change in the future. Yes, “change” was the byword for Barrow in 2008. Where that change will lead, however, remains to be seen. Remembering a fallen soldier “Well done, Thou good and faithful servant. ” - Matthew 25:21 On December 25, 2006 while many of us were celebrating Christmas with our families — safe and warm, happy and well-fed — an Army Sergeant 1st Class named Dexter Wheelous fell, the result of wounds he suffered “when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations in Baghdad.” He was 37. He was from Winder. He was assigned to the 842nd Military Training and Transition team, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kansas. I didn’t know this man, but he was apparently quite a guy. Just read some of the quotes about him on a really wonderful, uplifting, incredibly sad Blog, www.remember-the-fallen.blogSDQt.com: “Road Dog! you will never be forgotten; you are a true soldier. I am grateful to have had a friend who made me a better person and leader.” “Wheelous was my soldier in 1987 while stationed in Germany. Although I was the senior, I often found myself learning about patience and ‘not stressing’ from Dexter. We laughed a lot and often shared long conversations about life and the Army. He truly loved the Army and was dedicated to it.” “I can’t believe you are gone. Man, you were a true leader that always kept a positive attitude, no matter what. You made a great impression on me and when I think of a leader I think of you. You live on in all of us whose lives you touched.” “He was truly a great soldier. He was always laughing. If I needed a job done, I could always count on him to do it. He never had any complaints. He always kept a smile on his face no matter what the situation. It was truly a blessing to know him and serve with him.” “My brother, I will always love you. I will for ever miss your laugh, smile and you telling me ‘Everything will be alright.’” The tribute to Sgt. Wheeler on the Blog said he was known by friends and family as, “Byrd.” It said he left behind a “devoted wife, four brothers, four sisters, a host of relatives and a community of friends who loved him dearly.” The photos of him show a tall, proud, serious-looking man replete in full dress uni form. He looks like a guy who could inspire others and get the job done. I am sure he is missed. Thankfully, I have not had any Iraq-Afghanistan veter ans in my circle of family or friends. It’s not that I don’t respect what they do/have done/will continue to do, it’s just that I am weak of constitution. I do not have the bravery in my heart that those soldiers’ mothers, wives, sisters, fiancees, girlfriends, husbands, children, parents, boyfriends, etc. have. I could not stand bravely — as I have seen them do at the airport — and, smile and wave and appear to be okay as they say, “Goodbye.” I would be a wreck, a worried, tear-stained, unsmiling mess of a mother/wife, not the kind that gives you courage and faith as you walk away to face the violent unknown. In my travels, at the airport and the hospital and, as a wedding photographer, I have seen, and, been inspired and touched, by so many moments, sights and stories since this most recent war began. Several years ago, when this war was new, I was at Hartsfield and a group of soldiers headed for Iraq or Afghanistan, marched by. Strong and proud they were, heads held high, faces hopeful and determined-looking. Everyone in the airport stopped as they passed by, looked, then began to clap and cheer. There were tears in many eyes as we watched our brave heroes march by to, at best, an uncertain fate. At the hospital where I work, there have been young wives and nurses with husbands faraway, serving in these conflicts. There have also been mothers in various positions, sending their sons and daughters away. So far, everyone that I’ve known of has come back, haunted, but at least physically okay. In the wedding photo biz, there was the bride whose dad just got back from two tours of duty in Iraq. He was resplendent in his highly decorated dress uniform. He was clearly so happy to be back in his daughter’s life. But at times when he thought no one was looking, he had very sad and distant eyes. At another wedding, the bride’s twin brother not present because his tour of duty in Iraq had been extended. His young wife read his touching toast with more than one crack in her voice and more than several pauses to gulp back her tears. The families on both sides of this wedding had long histories of military service, so each table was deco rated with a picture of a soldier in past or current service. The photo of the bride’s twin, looking very much like Sgt. Wheelous in terms of strength and determination, was my favorite. A Christmas card this year from an old friend, features the phrase, “We choose Hope!” as my friend describes how dedicated her son is to being a Marine and how he will be shipped out to soon serve in Iraq. I hope the people in the airport cheer for him when he leaves, and God-willing, when he comes back. I hope Sgt. Wheelous got cheered for, as well, on one of his many trips through airports going to and from all the places the Army sent him to over the years. We can’t do much, us faint of heart - but, we can remember all the men and women like Dexter Wheelous, who died serving their country. And we can add a prayer of thanks and praise for them as we say grace around our tables this, and every day of the year. Lorin Sinn-Clark is a columnist for the Barrow Journal. She can be reached at lorin@barrowjour- nal.com. A Barrow wish list for 2009 THE RINGING in of a new year brings with it a renewed sense of hope and opti mism. It always seems to be that way. No matter how much we have been disap pointed by the previous 12 months, the arrival of Jan. 1 means a sense of renewed chris bridges enthusiasm, if only for a little while. We all hope the turning of the page to a new year will bring better things, both personally and professionally. For Barrow County, there are sev eral items that would improve things in general during the next year. With that in mind let’s hope before 2009 gives way to 2010, we see at least some improvements in the fol lowing areas: • Traffic. Some significant improve ments are desperately needed for the traffic situation in downtown Winder. A common sense approach would be a good place to start. When you have traffic congestion due to the fact vehicles are trying to travel down a path that was outdated 25 years ago, then you can’t help but have a prob lem. City officials cannot continue to allow more and more businesses into the downtown area with no regard for what it does to traffic. A new business does not have to placed on every available inch of space in the downtown Winder area. Hopefully, the current mayor and council can accomplish something in the area of traffic. It has not received much help in the past. • Owner responsibility. Since I moved to Winder in 1997 I have looked at various buildings in the downtown area and wondered a simple question: “Why in the world are the owners of builders allowed to let their properties deteriorate to such deplorable conditions?” The old Winder motel is a prime example of this, along with the old Peskins build ing, which since its closing, has been decaying and is now on the verge of collapse. With property ownership comes responsibility, although some property owners in the downtown area apparently don’t realize it. • Non-partisan politics. In Barrow County, we have become too con sumed by labels when it comes to politics. In local elections, all it takes to get elected is to have an “R” by your name, as in Republican. Whether you are a Democrat or Republican has little to do with poli tics at the local level. When people go into a voting booth and make their decision based on whether an “R” or a “D” is by a candidate’s name, then it is lazy voting. I say make all local races non-partisan. This would make voters research what candidates really stand for. An informed voter is always the best kind. Besides, what does it matter if a sheriff or a probate judge or a coroner is a Republican or Democrat? • Working together. With several new members on the Barrow County Board of Commissioners, it will be interesting to see just how well this group works together starting in the new year. Let’s hope the group remembers the main goal is to put the needs of Barrow County’s citi zens first. That’s why each member has been elected. Discussion and debate are always needed and are even healthy, but they should never lose sight of the No. 1 goal which is to represent the county and its citi zens’ interests. • Solid-paying jobs. The arrival of some new businesses in Barrow County which offer wages which can support a family, not just new businesses that pay minimum wage. We already have more than enough minimum-wage-paying businesses that shuffle workers through like cat tle. What we need is a solid company (or companies) that offer above pay scale and benefits for those who are loyal and hard-working. Chris Bridges is editor of the Barrow Journal. He can be reached at abridges@ barrowjournal. com.