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PAGE 6A
BARROW NEWS-JOURNAL
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2016
The greatness of October
As we begin the greatest month of the
year — for sure, my favorite — there is a
fret at the outset. Why is October only 31
days? Why can’t October last for at least
three months?
October is for rival games in football, the
World Series, the Georgia-Flor-
ida game, Halloween; most of
all, October is the harvest sea
son, turning leaves, invigorating
fires in wood burning fireplac
es, somebody playing “Harvest
Moon" on the piano, fly-fishing
on the Chattahoochee and a time
to be thankful.
The month of October is for
sweet potato hills, pumpkins and
burgers on the grill. October is
for tailgating, homecomings, sta
diums across America filled with
passionate football fans, a love
affair that seems to be tracking upwards
without abatement.
October is when quail hunting begins.
Pheasant hunting season in South Dakota
gets underway in October. Walking the
fields and woods and knocking down a Bob
White quail is a rich experience. Awaken
in the morning with the smell of biscuits
and sizzling bacon from the kitchen while
hearing the barking cacophony of bird
dogs, anxious to start their day with their
keen noses leading eager hunters to a point
— an over the top experience if there ever
was one.
Getting away to South Dakota and testing
your skills with the elusive cock-pheasant,
the prettiest of game birds, is an enriching
experience. The great outdoors brings about
great inspirations. October reminds you
of that.
If the outdoors are for you, you might
become a poet by finding a spot on the
Chattahoochee and casting for an anxious
rainbow.
The stunning Chattahoochee rushing
without strain.
As a riveting cast settles quickly, not in
vain,
Anticipation and hopes restlessly aglow,
A tiny, alluring fly connects with a five
pound rainbow.
Doggerel, no doubt, but a recurring
reminder that nothing is finer than time in
the fields and on the river in October, espe
cially when fall color is peaking, speaking
to your soul. The turning leaves makes one
joyfully weak-kneed. To be immersed into
fall color is to eliminate all troubles and
woe. Standing in the Chattahoochee with a
fly rod in your grasp. Climbing up to the
apex of Amicalola falls outside Dawson-
ville — the colorful leaves drifting
aimlessly to earth.
Vermont has enchanting fall
color. A memory I’ve kept from
going there; finding a bed and
breakfast, with a fireplace in your
bedroom. You drift off to sleep
with an indolent fire providing
balm and peacefulness.... then
starting the day with pancakes and
maple syrup! Makes you pine for
an encore,
I can remember trips to Lex
ington, Kentucky and Nashville,
Tennessee during peak leaf season,
getting there by driving up through the
mountains when every mile seemed seam
less and breathtaking. Autumn leaves at
Keeneland Race Track when the horses
are running in October is a must. Football
travel in the fall has made past Octobers
memorable and fulfilling.
The apple harvest in North Georgia,
not what it once was, but still something
to appreciate about October. Octoberfest.
Never been to Munich for that experience,
but have often wondered what it would be
like.
Anything October is alluring and invit
ing. October is here, so let’s make it last
and last. Build a fire every day. Organize
a hay ride, toast the good things in life
and remember October as George Cooper
described it.
October gave a party,
The leaves by hundreds came.
The ashes, oaks and maples,
And those of every name.
October is enrapturing. If you love Octo
ber, you are in luck. October will love you
back.
Obviously there is more. All I know
is that I can’t get enough of October. Just
can’t wait to enjoy all of the above. There
is plenty of football left.
Loran Smith is a columnist for the Bar-
row News-Journal. He is co-host host of
the University of Georgia football radio
pre-game show.
Random Rants in Rhyme
Introspection
There are some things we try quite hard to hide.
We think we bury them down deep inside
hoping they will never, ever show
and that no one else will ever know.
The problem with that kind of reasoning
is: that things have a way of surfacing
at the very worst time, when we want them hid.
Oops! Too late now to shut that lid!
Now the whole wide world will see and know,
and the gossip-mongers will make it grow.
The very best way to avoid a fate like that
is to set yourself down right “where you are at”
and, with a light that is bright and a mirror that is wide,
take a deep, discerning look at what is inside.
If you should find both selfishness and pride,
submit them to God ‘til you’re certain they both have died.
If you find hatred, anger or bitterness,
ask God to replace them with love, acceptance and kindness.
If slothfulness and evil thoughts are there,
implore our God His strength and mind to share.
At the same breath, look both near and far
to see the closed doors and those that stand ajar.
The Holy Spirit will lead you to the door
that God has called and is making you ready for.
You’ll win the victory if you follow the Spirit’s lead,
though Satan will tell you, you don’t have a chance to succeed.
Don’t be misled, God gave you abilities
and the world is full of great opportunities.
Your very first try may not gain the Holy Grail,
but you must try again each time you fail.
God did not promise us an easy life
that would be free of turmoil, toil and strife.
He gave the Holy Spirit to show us direction
and dwell in us and mold us toward perfection
as we seek His guidance in our lives through introspection.
© 2016, cbs
skelton
Dr. CB Skelton is a retired physician and author of several books. You can reach him
doc2skelton @ gmail. com.
Statham Library hosts upcoming events
The upcoming Statham Library events
include:
•Saturday, Oct. 15, at 10 a.m. - The
Home Depot Kid’s Workshop, coming to
the library to build with the children.
•Tuesday, Oct. 18, at 11 a.m. - Homes-
chool Halloween/Fall story time and craft.
Come enjoy the interactive story time and
craft just for the homeschooled kids, featur
ing Miss Kelli.
•Thursday, Oct. 20, at 5:30 p.m. - Adult
Beginning Technology Class. Reservations
required, please call 770-725-4785.
•Saturday, Oct. 22, from 10 a.m.-l p.m.
- LEGO Extravaganza in the Community
Center with Joe Costello of Winder-Barrow
High School and his huge collection of
Legos.
•Thursday, Oct. 27, at 6 p.m. - Statham
Spooktacular. Join us for not-so-spooky
stories around the campfire with Miss Kelli.
Wear your costumes and join us for stories,
crafts, and candy!
•The Statham Library is raffling off two
tickets to Dollywood. Raffle tickets are
only $1 and can be purchased at the library.
The drawing for the tickets will be held the
night of Oct. 27, during the Spooktacular
and the tickets must be used by Jan. 1,
2017.
Facing the reality
of drug addiction
Drug addiction is a tough image to see,
but it is reality for many people.
A few weeks ago, an online
photo went viral that showed
two adults passed out in the
front seat of a vehicle after they
apparently overdosed on heroin.
Authorities in East Liverpool,
Ohio, posted the photo of
the couple with their bodies
slumped over to the side in an
unnatural posture. They looked
like noodles. Their mouths
were open. A small child was
strapped into his car seat in the
back. It was a disturbing image.
Several days later, a video was posted
online showing a woman who had appar
ently overdosed in the toy aisle of a store.
The woman’s toddler is shown trying to
wake her up.
Similar photos and videos have been
posted in recent weeks showing the
effects of drug use and addiction.
These posts have sparked some con
troversy. Many have been critical, saying
the posts do nothing more than publicly
shame the people involved.
That shame does not help someone
who is struggling with drug addiction and
doesn’t help someone recover. It won’t
help someone “decide” to stop doing
drugs, since a drug addiction is an addic
tion and not something you “decide” to
stop doing.
The posts also don’t tell the full story.
It’s easy to rush to judge someone when
you see such a disturbing image. But a
photo showing someone at their worst
doesn’t show how they got there.
We should all have compassion for
people struggling with a drug addiction.
Any of us could have found ourselves in
a similar situation.
I have never personally been addicted
to heroin, crystal meth, opioids, etc. But if
my life had gone a little differently, who’s
to say I couldn’t have become an addict?
It is easy to quickly find yourself "in over
your head.” It is easy to become addicted.
We should all have compassion for peo
ple who are struggling and battling. They
should feel encouraged, not ashamed, to
seek help. Many argue the act of
public shame against the people in
the images doesn’t help.
But the photos and videos
weren’t posted aimlessly. They
were posted, in part, to show what
officers see. They were posted to
show the reality of drug abuse.
They show real people, whose
bodies and minds have been
manipulated by a substance. They
show a serious, dangerous and
growing problem.
Drug addiction can result in a
couple passing out in their vehicle
while their young grandson is in the back
seat. It can result in a woman passing out
in the toy aisle while her daughter stands
by trying to wake her.
It can cause someone to act erratically,
to become aggressive toward others. It
can cause someone to act in ways they
would not normally act when sober. It can
ruin lives.
Drug addiction is a serious issue, not
just to those using the drug. It affects the
little boy in the car seat in the photo. It
affects us all.
The posts are shocking, but they do show
that there’s a serious problem. Hopefully,
they show a need to improve prevention
and treatment options. Hopefully, they
show the need to educate young people,
adults, physicians, counselors, parents,
etc. And hopefully, they make the country
pause and realize there are many people
who need our help and support in their
fight against addiction.
It’s difficult to look at photos of peo
ple who are clearly struggling with drug
abuse.
It shows people at some of their lowest
moments. But it also shows the reality of
a growing drug problem and the need for
better prevention and treatment options.
That reality cannot be ignored.
Alex Pace is editor of The Braselton
News, a sister paper of the Barrow News-
Journal. You can reach her at alex@
mainstreetnews.com.
Letter to the Editor
Some positive school news
Dear Editor:
Frequently news involving education is
presented in a negative light, but I am writ
ing to you today to pass along information
about a great development in the Barrow
County School System.
At the Barrow County Alternative Edu
cation Program (BCAEP). the PBIS (Pos
itive Behavior Intervention and Support)
system has developed into an all-encom
passing paradigm that reduces discipline
issues from at-risk students, encourages
positive reinforcement, raises morale, and
positively influences the overall school
climate.
The PBIS system is designed to provide
academic and behavioral support for all
students, but is particularly important for
those who are identified as at risk, as well
as those who have demonstrated needs for
intervention in order to improve academic,
social, emotional, and behavior outcomes.
While in attendance at the Barrow
County Alternative Education Program,
students are able to earn “PBIS Dollars”
based upon our three basic expectations
(“Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be
Safe”) along with our dress code require
ment.
With community support we were able
to acquire a multitude of rewards that a
student can purchase on a weekly basis
by writing checks from their “PBIS Bank
Account.”
Stakeholder involvement has become
an integral part of our PBIS program.
Students who show demonstrable growth
in their positive behaviors over the course
of their placement are encouraged to invite
stakeholders (parents, legal guardians,
extended family members, law enforce
ment officers, social workers, counsel
ors. and community leaders like school
board members or local business people)
to informal gatherings wherein food and
drink are offered, followed by group activ
ities and student-led progress conferences.
We provide regular progress reports on
a pre-determined schedule, with on-de
mand progress reports given any time
at stakeholder request. Additionally, we
communicate with community leaders to
acquire rewards for students in the form
of coupons, vouchers and discounts when
patronizing local businesses.
The core of the PBIS frame work is a
commitment to teaching and modeling
expected student behaviors with a focus
on seeking out and encouraging desired
behaviors. At the BCAEP, we have uti
lized this process to significantly reduce
the number of discipline events in what
could easily become a volatile alternative
population. We have seen a continued
positive impact on our students, their
academic success, and their lives outside
of the school. In light of recent negative
presentations of educational news, this
author is happy to provide positive news of
educational growth and success happening
within the community.
Sincerely,
Mitchell Pittman
Middle School Lead Teacher: Math,
Science, Special Education. PBIS Coor
dinator
Barrow County Alternative Education
Program
Clarifying some election items
Dear Editor:
Thank you for publishing the “Special”
to your paper, concerning local Democrats
on the November ballot. It looks like the
local Democrats put together a nice article
for you.
Just to clarify for your readers, no voter
in Barrow County has to register to vote
by political party affiliation. It is not done
that way in Georgia (as other states do).
Those “afraid to run” as Democrats were
more likely aware of the current consis
tent majority Republican vote in Barrow
County.
Until 1996, no Democrats complained
that their primary was “the deciding factor
for almost every office in Barrow Coun
ty.” With the emergence of conservative
Republican competition over 4 election
cycles, the table was turned. Most Barrow
voters rejected the liberal big-government
philosophy of the Democratic Party. And
that is not likely to change soon.
It was a surprise to learn there are more
Democrats running this year “than there
have been in 25 years.” That would be
since 1991. The records show that 5 local
Democrats ran in 2000. and 10 local Dem
ocrats ran in 1996 (there were 18 in their
primary that year). Memories get fuzzy
over time.
Since the local Republican Party was
reorganized in 1994, we have tried our
best to maintain the highest standards.
Unlike the local Democrats, if our chair
man qualifies as a candidate for elected
public office, he (or she) would have to
resign the Party office.
This would be to avoid a conflict of
interest, especially if Party funds and man
power were allocated.
See Young Letter on Page 11A