Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2016
BARROW NEWS-JOURNAL
PAGE 5A
Rain, rain, come and stay
Last week, after hearing
my husband announce that
it was raining,
my toddler real
ized her chances
of playing out
side were dwin
dling and began
singing “rain,
rain, go...
My husband
and I looked at
each other in a
panic and both
yelled, “Stop!”
to a bewildered
young person.
After realizing what
we had done we laughed
at ourselves, and Doodle
looked at us like we were
crazy and went about her
business.
However, singing “rain,
rain go away” in the midst
of a drought seems taboo
for our family. My hus
band and I both work
in the state’s agriculture
industry (Hi. I'm your new
Agriculture and Natural
Resources county exten
sion agent, by the way),
and that industry has suf
fered with the ongoing
drought.
Drought has many eco
nomic and environmen
tal consequences for our
state and county. Some
of you may have noticed
your water bill will be
going up because of the
drought, and the smoke
from fires north of us was
hard to miss,
but our local
beef producers
have already
been feeling
the impact of
the drought for
months now.
Because farm
ers did not get
enough rain
during late sum
mer and fall,
what little hay
was produced
was often poor quality.
Talking about the
drought, local Cattlemen’s
Association president
Randy Davis said, “Many
of our Cattlemen’s mem
bers including me have
sold cows recently because
we don’t have enough hay
to make it through the
winter.”
Hay prices are up and
beef prices are down —
way down — and the com
bination of the two are cut
ting into profits, which is a
big deal for our county.
Beef cattle is Barrow
County’s number one
agricultural product with
a Farm Gate value of
$6,091,785 in the latest
report.
Farm Gate value refers
to how much cattle is
worth as it’s leaving the
farm, before processing
occurs.
Randy is hoping the
recent rain will allow for
some winter and early
spring grazing. When I
asked local cattle producer
Donny Davis how he felt
about the recent rainfall he
said, “It’s a relief,” though
he is only expecting about
50-60 percent of the seed
he planted in mid-Septem
ber to germinate.
This rain is a start, but
we still need more. Cur
rently, we are still at an
“extreme drought” level.
Personally, I’m taking it
as a good sign that it is
forecasted to rain for most
of my first full week as
county extension agent.
Hopefully, more is
coming and we can look
forward to a lush green
spring. In the meantime,
get out your rain boots
and splash in the puddles
(which is what Doodle
did), and be grateful for
the rain.
Alicia Holloway is the
Barrow County Agricul
ture and Natural Resourc
es extension agent. She
can be reached by e-mail
at aholloway@uga.edu, by
phone at 770-307-3029, or
by stopping by the Coun
ty Extension Office at 90
Lanthier Street.
Letter to the Editor
On the Electoral College
Dear Editor:
Following this year’s
election and its controver
sial ending, I have looked
into the reasons for the
electoral college as part of
our voting process.
Many people are ques
tioning the need for an
electoral college and
some Congressmen are
talking about encourag
ing legislation to end the
practice and leave deci
sions to only the popular
vote.
This leads to a current
topic of conversation on
turning the votes of the
members of the electoral
college.
The electoral college
was established so that
the election of the pres
ident would not be con
trolled by states with a
large population such as
California, New York,
Texas and Florida.
States with smaller pop
ulations would not have a
voice in the elections.
A compromise was
reached allowing the
popular vote in a state
to determine for which
party the electors would
cast their vote for in the
election.
States received elec
toral votes based on the
number of representatives
from that state.
Therefore, more pop
ulated states have more
electoral college votes.
Based on the people’s, or
popular, vote, the elector
al college members vote
for the majority choice of
the popular vote.
This year, like in the
Bush/Gore election, the
candidate who won the
popular vote did not win
the electoral vote.
Now, people are try
ing to get the electors to
change their vote, which
would change the out
come if enough were per
suaded to make a change.
This would defeat the
process set in place by
our founding fathers in
1789. Yes, it is important
to make amendments to
our Constitution if times
warrant a change, but not
after the election.
The results of this
election should stand,
with electors making the
choice that follows the
wishes of the people of
their states.
If we as a country, no
longer view this as a fair
system, we must make
a change in our election
process before the elec
tion, not when we do not
like the results.
Sincerely,
James Crain
Winder
The ‘Don’s’ contract with America
We may be on the verge of a
seeing a new “Godfather.”
Introducing the new “Don,”
President-elect Donald Trump.
Marlon Brando and A1 Pacino
could only wish to have this role.
If Trump does as well in his ten
ure as president as Brando and
Pacino did in the Godfather mov
ies. we’re off and running.
Regardless of the final vote
count, we have a President elect
ed by a mandate of the people and
for the people. He has a strong
chance of challenging the late Ronald
Reagan as one of America’s most popu
lar presidents.
If he fails, he will become a Barack
Obama or a Jimmy Carter.
Let’s hope for success.
When you look at a map of the Elec
toral College, you can see why our
forefathers created the college. Had we
gone with a popular vote, six or seven
metropolitan areas along the East and
West coasts would have elected Hillary
R. Clinton as president.
Trump went on record saying what
the American people wanted to hear. He
has proposed a contract with America.
We can now see if he stays true to the
course.
The president-elect has said he first
wants “.. .to restore honesty and account
ability, bringing change to Washington.”
I wish him luck. It’s a long time com
ing and it won’t be easy.
Washington, D.C. has become a haven
for the self-righteous, for deal makers
and deal breakers. There may be more
back scratchers in Washington D.C. than
we can find in all of our state capitals
added together, especially on the first
day of each legislative session.
As the first item in his contract, Trump
lists supporting a constitutional amend
ment to impose term limits on all mem
bers of Congress.
Lots of luck on that one. It pays to
be a member of the U.S. congressional
delegation.
Get elected and get a pension. Stay a
term or two and get a job as a lobbyist.
Fly first class. Hire your friends, neigh
bors and supporters. Take junkets around
the world at taxpayer expense.
Of course, Donald can play by a dif
ferent set of rules. Financially, he isn’t
indebted to any particular person or
group. If anyone can compete on this
chess board, the “Don” might just be
able to pull it off.
The second point he emphasized is a
“hiring freeze for all federal employees
and reduce the workforce through attri
tion.”
Not a bad idea at all. The military,
public safety and public health agencies
are exempted.
There are more than 2.8 million
employees collecting government sala
ries. The Cato Institute posted in 2014
that federal employees had an average
wage of $84,153 as compared to the
average private sector wage of $56,350.
The overall compensation
package (wages plus bene
fits) at that time was about
$119,934, 78 percent higher
than the private sector at
$67,246.
I like his third point that
says, “For every new feder
al regulation (created), two
existing regulations must be
eliminated.”
The Environmental Pro
tection Agency will hate
that so that’s a good thing.
Businesses will like it and I see that as a
positive as well.
Some of this can be done by executive
actions so Trump can keep some heat off
of Congress.
The fourth measure would be a five-
year ban that prohibits any White House
or Congressional official from becom
ing a lobbyist after leaving government
service.
Go for it!
Number five is a lifetime ban on White
House officials lobbying on behalf of a
foreign government. Go for this one too!
His sixth and final measure to clean
up government would be to establish a
complete ban on foreign lobbyists rais
ing money for American elections.
If we haven’t learned our lessons with
the Clinton cartel, then we are in more
trouble than we realize. Sounds like a
more than reasonable move to me.
It’s quite possible a number of Demo
crats will cross the aisle on these issues
and throw their support to the new “Don”
and his cabinet. Most of these are com
mon sense issues and for those Dems
facing elections in the next two years,
some cross-over votes make sense.
Trump has also listed in his con
tract five actions to restore security and
the constitutional rule of law. Anything
would be refreshing after the past eight
years but several of these actions are
desperately needed and should draw a
lot of congressional support.
The first priority is to cancel every
unconstitutional executive action, mem
orandum and order issued by Obama
over his eight years in office.
We will see some negotiating here but
his work is cut out for him.
His next move is to find a replacement
for Justice Scalia’s seat on the Supreme
Court and Trump has said more than
once it will be a person who believes in
and supports the U.S. Constitution.
The other three points deal with immi
gration, from sanctuary cities to sus
pending immigration from countries
where we can’t properly vet the immi
grant. There are going to be some tough
calls to make.
As a country we must find some com
mon ground and move forward.
Hopefully, the new “Don” and his
cabinet will be up to the test.
Jimmy Terrell is a retired law enforce
ment official. He can be reached at ejter-
rell@gmail.com.
December 14, 2016 ~ Crossword Puzzle
Brought to you courtesy of: Akins Ford, Winder, Ga.
Headmaster’s
Corner
by
Steve Cummings
THERE IS HOPE! - Many
Christians are now celebrating
the Advent Season. Advent be
gins each year on the 4th Sun
day before Christmas.
The word advent means
“coming” or “arrival.” During
this Season, we celebrate the
birth of Jesus in His First Ad
vent, and the anticipation of
His return as King in His Sec
ond Advent.
We celebrate with great hope
because we know that, when
Christ returns, He will bring
peace and justice to the world.
At times we can grow discour
aged by the great injustices
all around us - Christians per
secuted, innocent lives taken
in random shootings, people
forced to leave their homes.
But this Season is one of hope -
hope in the One who will make
all things new.
ATHENS
CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
“Affordable Quality Education Since 1970”
K3-12TH CALL (706) 549-7586
www.athenschristian.com
Across
1. “Check this out!”
5. Hair groomer
9. Ill-gotten gains
14. Type of palm with healthy
berries
15. Minor
16. A deadly sin
17. Take up and hold
18. “Schindler’s ”
19. Choice
20. Horserace with obstacles
23. Brat
24. Inadequate
28. Carbonium, e.g.
29. Bean counter, for short
31. Lover of Aeneas
32. Play, in a way
35. Chip dip
37. Calendar abbr.
38. Glow-in-the-dark
41. Basic monetary unit of
Romania
42. Broken
43. Handle the food for a party
44. Song and dance, e.g.
46. Cabernet, e.g.
47. Comedian Bill, informally
48. Cut baby incisors
50. Immensely
53. Unruly
57. Eiffel
60. Lengthxwidth,fora
rectangle
61. Big name in sneakers
62. Contemptuous look
63. Bell
64. Small cave
65. Minor
66. The “E” of B.P.O.E.
67. Cast
Down
1. Hail Mary, e.g.
actor
George C.
Eastern wrap
Roman emperor, 14-37 A.D.
Visit (2 wds)
Basket material
Catchall abbr.
Shellacking
Run out, as a subscription
10. Not versed in a specified
subject
11. Computer-generated image
(acronym)
12. “Losing My Religion” rock
group
13. “... he drove out of
sight”
21. Punctual
22. Accumulate
25. Colossal
26. Bring out
27. “Message received and
understood”
29. Gave a fig
30. Argued
Comics sound
“So !” said defiantly
Beat
“ Like It Hot”
Buttonhole
39. Sheik’s bevy
40. Longitudinal grid lines
45. Public road in a city
47. Chocolate trees
49. Potter
50. Sweater style (2 wds)
51. France’s longest river
52. River, flows through
Alaska
54. Diminish
55. -Altaic languages
56. Badger’s burrow
57. Cooking meas.
58. “ moment”
59. Dewy
1
2
3
14
17
20
gjgH.'b
32
33
34
35
36
57
58
59
n
62
65
.I
EST 1966 Winder, GA