About Barrow journal. (Winder, Ga.) 2008-2016 | View Entire Issue (May 18, 2016)
PAGE 2A BARROW JOURNAL WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2016 Winder man saved after going into cardiac arrest at senior center TOM GRIFFITH SAVED AFTER GOING INTO CARDIAC ARREST Winder resident, Tom Griffith, right,went into cardiac arrest on March 22 while he was attending the Barrow County Senior Center. Thanks to center employ ee Pat Griffith, center, no relation to Tom; and retired nurse Brenda Duvall, left, who was attending the center that day; Tom Griffith is alive and back at the center. Pat Griffith and Duvall performed CPR on Tom Griffith until the ambulance arrived to transport him to Saint Mary’s Hospital. Photo by Sharon Hogan By Sli aron Hog'an Journal Reporter To Winder resident Tom Griffith being in the right place at the right time saved his life recently. Griffith went into cardiac arrest on March 22 while attending the Barrow Coun ty Senior Citizens Center. Griffith said he was getting ready to leave the center when the incident occurred. Quick thinking by center employee Pat Griffith, who had just two weeks prior been re-certified in CPR training by Captain Glen Cain with Barrow County Fire and EMS, went to work quickly performing CPR on Tom Griffith. The two Griffiths, who are not related, talked about the incident recently and Pat Griffith said, “You just don’t know until you are put in that position what you will do. I knew I needed to do something.’’ Pat Griffith, with the help of a retired nurse, Bren da Duvall, Bethlehem, who was also visiting at the cen ter that day, performed CPR on Tom Griffith until the Barrow County EMS ambu lance arrived. “I don’t remember any thing from sitting in a chair until I was in the ambulance almost at the hospital,’’ Tom Griffith said. He was trans ported to Saint Mary’s Hos pital in Athens. Tom Griffith said they had to shock him back to life and when he arrived at the hospital they put a defibril lator in him. He said he had a heart valve replaced in September of 2009, but, two years later he started passing out and in February of 2012 a pacemaker was put in to warn him when his heart rate gets too low. Tom Griffith said he had not had any problems with his heart until March when his heart rate went extreme ly high and he went into cardiac arrest. He said his doctors told him he would have died if “Pat and Bren da had not performed CPR on me.” Griffith said the recent cardiac arrest incident has affected his memory. “You have changed,” Pat Griffith said to Tom, “You are more humble now.” Griffith said his neurol ogist told him he was very lucky that most people suffer more lasting dam age. Sometimes with last ing damage to their motor skills, he added. Duvall said when the inci dent first began on March 22 she thought Tom Griffith was having a seizure. “He was making a gur gling sound and he had an awful look on his face,” Duvall said. “His lips were blue.” Duvall said the policy at the senior center is for all patrons to leave the room when an incident of this nature occurs. “But I felt like I needed to help Pat,” Duvall said. “I would deal with the conse quences later.” Pat Griffith, Duvall and Cain were each recognized by the Barrow County Board of Commissioners recently for their excellence in service during this inci dent. “I didn’t do this for all this recognition,” Pat Grif fith said. Primary continued from 1A School system waits for more legal rulings on transgender issue By Alex Pace Journal Reporter Local school districts are responding to a national directive on transgender students. The federal govern ment issued a letter last week addressing discrimination based on student gender identity. Barrow County School System superintendent Chris McMichael said that (as the district reads it) the letter simply restates the interpretations of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. “This is a very controversial issue and one that will ultimately be settled in the courts,” said McMichael. “Courts across the country have made decisions on both sides of this issue. The current legal cases involving North Carolina and this very issue should help to provide some additional clarity. We are following the North Car olina cases closely to see how that decision will affect us. As always we will continue to work very hard to provide an exceptional education to every student in a safe and positive learning environment." ABOUT THE LETTER The letter, issued by the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of Education, says school districts are required to treat transgender students according to their gender identity, even if that is inconsistent with the sex on their school records. Part of that letter describes sex-segregated activities and facilities. Schools can provide separate restrooms/ locker rooms based on sex, but they must allow trans gender students to use the facility of their gender identity. Schools also cannot require transgender students to use facilities inconsistent with their gender identity, or to use individual-user facilities when other students are not required to do so, according to the letter. “A school may, however, make individual-user options available to all students who voluntarily seek additional privacy,” according to the statement. The letter comes amid a court case between the federal government and state of North Carolina. The letter doesn’t indicate any new laws, but it does clarify obligations under Title IX. School districts receive federal funding based on Title IX compliance. Statham mayor to oversee hiring of new administrator By Cliris Bridges Journal Editor In the fall, Democrat Dwight Acey will challenge the win ner of the District 2 Republican primary between Shook and Brown while Michael Pope will be the Democratic nominee for BOC District 3. Brittany Mayweather will be the Democratic candidate for BOE District 6 and will face Republican incumbent Rickey Bailey in the fall. Neither face primary oppostion. State senator Frank Ginn faces primary opposition from Tyler Hollifield and state representative Tom Kirby has drawn a primary challenger in Jonathan Melton. Those races will also be decided in the Republican primary with no Democratic opposition. There are several incumbents who face no primary or gen eral election opposition including Congressman Jody Hice, district attorney Brad Smith, probate judge Tammy Brown, clerk of superior court Regina Brock McIntyre, tax com missioner Melinda Walls, coronor David Crosby, district 1 commissioner Joe Goodman, district 2 BOE member Garey Huff and district 5 BOE member Lynn Stevens. There are various non-partisian races for various local and statewide judgeships, but none have the incumbents facing opposition. After discussing whether to hire a new city admin istrator, Statham officials were reminded by legal counsel Tuesday night that the city’s mayor is the one who makes the hire. After council members discussed the issue at last week’s work session, mayor Robert Bridges said at Tuesday’s May meeting he would like to see funds for a new administrator left in the budget. Statham attorney Ron Bennett said it was the may or’s duties via city charter to do the hiring. The city council has to approve funding for the position. It has been more than a year since Statham’s origi nal administrator, Steve Martin, resigned. Martin was named to the position after serving as police chief. The city is currently working on the details of its new fiscal year budget, which will be approximately $3 million. Some questioned whether spending the money would be wise financially but others, including Perry Barton, were for it, saying it actually saves the city money. Shooting continued from 1A “There are no real leads on the shooting,” said Lt. Chris Cooper of the WPD. “The victim is in stable condition and seems to be doing well. We were able to interview him but did not gain anything to help our investigation” If anyone has information related to this incident they are asked to contact Winder Police Detective Gregg Teatino at 770-867-2156. Anonymous information may also be left on the Winder Police Department’s “Anonymous Tip Submis sion Form” which can be found at www.cityofwinder.com under the public safety section. PAT GRAHAM HAS DELIVERED POSITIVE RESULTS FOR BARROW COUNTY • Refinanced the County's long term debt for a total savings of $6.1 million dollars. Pat advocated to improve economic development efforts in Barrow County. The result: 400+ new jobs and more than^. $40 million in new business Investment. I IF BARROW COUNTY CONSERVATIVE • Pat Graham saved Barrow County $1.8 million dollars on the West Winder Bypass project thru negotiations with the Georgia Department of Transportation • Pat worked to secure $1.1 million in grant funding to pay for essential infrastructure in the Park 53 Industrial Park PAT Graham CHAIRMAN PROVEN Re-Elect Pat Graham, Chairman • Republican primary May 24 678.300.5367 • patriciagraham99@aol.com
