About The Jenkins County times. (Millen, Ga.) 2023-current | View Entire Issue (April 28, 2023)
Page 4 - Friday, April 28, 2023 The Jenkins County Times thej enkinsc ountytimes. com JCTimes 4-28-23.indd 4 4/27/2023 10:22:43 AM V END O *tt cut m m m> ^ ^ CF [f£ r & jSSs. '''-if' Ai — AN, CLP <KA (IJi 24 U’ M 22' - Tree & Stump Removal - Tree Triming & Removal - Brush Cutting - Land Clearing T X (478)299-1839 Free Estimates By Joe Brady, Editor for The Times How a community of one grows to include more -Pass it on® Richard is a quiet man with a gentleness that belies his height. He stands a good four inches over six feet but has a friendly- giant smile that embraces everyone around him. He makes a modest living that allows him time for a hobby he is passionate about—raising pigeons. On Saturday mornings, you’ll see his small flock rise out of his backyard and circle the neighborhood. It isn’t long before a group of boys gather on Richard’s front lawn. You see, Richard raises rollers, a breed of pigeon that flutters mid-flight and tumbles downward as if pelted by some unseen projectile. After dropping 10 or so feet, the pigeon regains its bearings, rights its wings, and pulls out of the dive. The acrobatics draw gasps and cheers. Repeatedly the pigeons tumble out of control and then, at the last minute, save themselves. Sometimes a red-tailed hawk will drift in on the summer currents, adding to the drama. The hawk flies in among the pigeons, who daringly escape by keeling over and tumbling toward the ground before flying off to safety. Richard helps some of the boys build their own pigeon coops and shows them how to raise rollers and homing pigeons. Along the way, two boys named Dee and Miles become fast friends. Some days Richard, a group of boys, and a few dads load up the old station wagon with cages and drive out across the desert to release their pigeons. Richard and the group stop for burgers and then drive home to see whose pigeons made it back first. There’s lots of time for conversation, mostly the boys asking Richard questions. But he doesn’t miss the moment to teach them. “There is always a way home,” he says. “You just have to look for it.” Miles listens intently. He struggles in school, hiding his learning disability behind a smirk. But he is the most willing to help Richard clean out the coop and lend a hand to the others as they build their own coops. As the years go by, the other boys go off to college, and Miles takes up a shovel to make a living. He saves his money and buys a backhoe, then a dump tmck, and another, and another. He works h ard, but also drinks hard. His marriage falls apart, even though his business grows. He resists any call to come back to his childhood friends. More years pass. He is lost on a cloudless horizon. The image of pigeons tumbling out of the sky becomes his life. He is in freefall. Hawks circle, waiting for him to hit the ground. But he doesn’t. One friend never gives up. His old friend Dee reaches out over and over until Miles has the strength to right himself. They talk about their love for Richard, who brought them together— the quiet, simple man who made time to teach boys a little something about life. And they talk about how each of them has taken their turn freefalling for a time, tumbling until they could get their bearings. There is always a way home again. I have a confession. I haven’t been to church in the past two weeks. I have taken Holy Comforter Days instead. Sometimes you just need a break from everything. Correction, I can’t speak for y’all, sometimes I just need a break from everything. Why do we mn around like chickens with our necks broken, as Granny used to say. I asked my sweet daughter that just the other day when she said, “you know I enjoy having Sunday dinner but that place just takes so long. I have kids, I need a nap.” My question was, why can’t we just slow down? Stop the madness? Let’s all take some time to enjoy this thing called life. Wow, Letters To The EDITOR I think I might break into a Prince song. How many of y’all just went back sang those last four words? In a conversation with Charlie Rossman the other day he asked me why I was always so busy. My response, “I don’t know, I had to have two heart attacks to really get busy, maybe I’m working on my legacy.” Are we building our legacies? What is more important, enjoying life or working to accomplish something? Nanny always said, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead.” Our preachers will tell us to take time to smell the roses, to concentrate on inner peace and joy. All that sounds good, until you put it into practice. I can almost promise you that Letters to the editor of The Jenkins County Times are welcomed and encour aged. These are pages of opinion, yours and ours. Letters to the editor voice the opinions of the newspaper s readers. The Jenkins County Times reserves the right to edit any and all portions of a letter. Unsigned letters will not be published. Letters must include the signature, address and phone number ofthe writer to allow our staff to authenticate its origin. Letters should be limited to 400 words and should be typewritten and double-spaced or neatly printed by hand. Deadline for letters to the editor is noon on Wednesday. Email Letters to the Editor to: thejenkinscountytimes@gmail.com you get a better sleep from being bone tired than you do from sniffing roses and chanting. Oh, which reminds me, guys, I have discovered Gregorian chants! Oh my, I play it all day on my computer while I’m working on the paper and I must admit, it is relaxing until Snoop Dogg comes on with a commercial. My concentration is totally interrupted. Wait, maybe I just made an argument for the rose sniffing and chanting after all? You know, do what works for you. Who cares? That’s all for now, take care! Kemp signs legislation to support veterans Special to The Times Governor Brian P. Kemp today signed HB 414, SB 21, and HB 175 into law, accompanied by First Lady Marty Kemp, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Veterans Service (GDVS) Colonel Patricia Ross, Major General Tom Carden of the Georgia National Guard, representatives from major veterans’ organizations in the state, and members of the General Assembly. "I am deeply grateful to the Georgia Department of Veterans Service and the members of the General Assembly for their unwavering commitment to those who have served in the Armed Forces,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “This important legislation provides support and resources for the brave men and women who have worn a unifomi for our country, and Georgia is proud to be a state that honors and values its veterans." HB 414, establishes a mental health support program grant for veterans and their families. The GDVS will administer the Veterans Mental Services grant program. “We are thankful for Governor Kemp’s support for our military and veteran communities. Ensuring access to high-quality mental and behavioral healthcare is vital for the continued well being of our military service members, veterans, and their families,” said Patricia Ross, Commissioner of Georgia Department of Veterans Service. “The GDVS is committed to building a strong network of support for our state’s selfless heroes.” Subject to the availability of funding, competitive matching grants will be awarded to nonprofit community behavioral health programs that meet eligibility criteria. To be considered for funding, programs must: • Provide behavioral health services; • Utilize evidence based practices; • Integrate military cultural competency training for staff members; • Connect clients with appropriate community based behavioral health services upon discharge in a timely manner. The application for consideration for grant funds will be available soon and nonprofit community behavioral healthcare providers with experience in treating military service members and veterans are encouraged to apply. SB 21, makes needed changes to the Georgia Veterans Service Foundation to better mobilize its resources for the benefit of those it serves. HB 175 includes provisions championed by the Georgia Department of Veterans Service removing burdensome requirements to our state’s disabled veterans and creating a specialty license plate for Retired Georgia National Guard and Retired Active-Duty Reserve members. .Jenkins County Times Proudly covering Jenkins County’s news, sports, and community events Sam Eades Publisher Joe Brady Editor Sam Eades Advertising Sales Debbie Hearn Admin/Layout and Design Executive Sarah Saxon Admin/Legals/AP Correspondent Brad Asbury Sports Editor Jake Gay Reporter Tyler Busch Podcast Director/Reporter THE JENKINS COUNTY TIMES issue 8 April 2023 is published weekly by on Friday for $35 per year by THE JENKINS COUNTY TIMES, 425 Hwy 25 S • Millen, Ga. 30442. Periodical postage pending at Millen, GA and additional mailing offices. 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