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Page 4 - Wednesday, July 19, 2023
The Jenkins County Times
j enkinsc ountytimes .com
LANDFILL
Continued from page 1
A word from
Rep. Rick Allen
2024 National Defense
Authorization Act
Paul Hearn, Superintendant
Jenkins County School System
Have you ever known a
person who was referred
to as “hot-headed” or had
a “bad temper?” Have you
ever wondered what made
a person that way? Maybe
the person had a bad day.
Maybe they were very
passionate about the issue
and things weren’t going
their way. Could it be that
the issue is something that
gets on their last nerve?
Possibly even an issue
where they feel a member
of their family has been
done wrong. All of these
may be something to set
off a person’s temper, but
they are not what causes
the outburst. Before I tell
you about that let me tell
you a little about me.
When I told Renee’ I
was thinking about this
topic for my column this
week she kinda gave me
that look and said, “You
gonna talk about yourself?”
I said, “Yes.” Because if
I am honest, my family
has told me I can have a
temper and sometimes I
even “fly off the handle.”
For me, the impetus was
mostly something that gets
on my nerves or relates to
something I am passionate
about. That’s no excuse,
just an honest admission.
It’s even something that I
have worked through with
some of my leadership
mentors. I still have some
growth that needs to
happen in that area, but I
am much better than I used
to be.
One thing that has helped
and continues to help me
tremendously is that I have
a couple of close confidants
I can talk to. I have known
each of them for a long
time and know them to
be trustworthy, wise, and
honest. When I feel like a
situation is calling for me
to “fly off the handle”, I
will simply pick up the
phone and seek advice.
This has always generated
a better result than if I had
lost my temper.
Truthfully, a hot-headed
response is many times
not directed at a specific
person but at the situation.
For instance, when Anna
Kate slid into the ditch on
a slick dirt road driving
very slowly you guessed
it, I “flew off the handle”.
My response was directed
at Anna Kate, but it was
rooted in the fact that I was
thinking about how much
it was going to cost to fix
her car. I am embarrassed
at how I responded. But
you know what, we got it
out without a single scratch.
That’s how it usually ends
up. A hot-headed response
makes you look bad as
it did me and makes the
situation worse. It hurts
people’s feelings and
doesn’t help anything.
Habit 1 of the 7 Habits
of Highly Effective People
is “Be Proactive”. When I
think about being proactive,
I usually think of being
motivated and getting
things done. However,
Dr. Covey says that being
proactive involves each of
us overseeing ourselves
and having the ability
to choose. He says that
between a stimulus and
a response is a space. In
that space, each of us can
choose. If you are a reactive
person, you will ignore that
space and generally “fly
off the handle”. However,
a proactive person pauses
and uses that space to think
about their response.
I will also be the first to
say that when it involves
your kids, it is hard not to
have a passionate response
when you feel they have
been wronged. I have been
there as well. But the same
holds true; no matter the
situation, we all have that
space to choose. So that
means it is not the situation
that causes the response. It
is a choice that each of us
makes. King Solomon is
known as the wisest man
who ever lived. He said, “A
soft word turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up
anger.”
Ok, I don’t mind telling you, I have reached the age where my insurance is calling
every other week reminding me to get a colonoscopy. Finally, tired of the harassing
phone calls, I make an appointment with the surgeon.
Y’all, first of all, when I walk in to the office, there is rap music playing in the
waiting room. It took a moment, while I was completing that mountain of paperwork
they give you, to realize that I couldn’t concentrate because I had snoop dog, white
horse, or whomever, singing in the background. I looked up at the other elderly
patients and asked, “are they trying to aggravate us with this music?” The choice of
music should have warned me.
They call me back and after about 10 minutes in walks Leslie Jordan. Y’all, I kid
you not. A short little man, dressed in white pants and a baby blue sport coat. He
jumps up on the table, because I’m sitting in the chair, and looks at me. He even
sounded like Leslie Jordan when he asked, “so, you need your colonoscopy?” With
his hands crossed under his chin, looking at me intently.
I thought I was looking at brother boy when I said, “according to new data, I’m
like ten years behind.” He then asks, “so why are you on Plavix?” Imagine Leslie
Jordan asking that, okay? After I explain why I take blood thinners and the six stents
he screws up his face, “oh wow, well, we will get you scheduled.” And jumps down
from the table, I’m telling y’all, he’s like 5 foot 4!
As he walks out of the room I ask, “so are you taking me off the blood thinners
for the procedure?” He looks at me and says, “shoot no, I’d rather you bleed a little
from the (you know where) than die on my table with a heart attack.” And he was
out of the room.
I wonder if he stands on a stool in the operating room. Y’all, should I be scared?
Leslie Jordan’s twin brother is doing my colonoscopy. That’s all for now, take care.
Letters to the editor of The Jenkins County Times are welcomed and encouraged.
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 ofa letter. Unsigned letters will not be published. Letters must include the
signature, address and phone number of the 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
By Joe Brady, Editor
for
The Times
revised in 2004.
Each speaker was allowed 10
minutes to voice their concerns.
Vondesa Lee was the first
concerned citizen to speak. “What
is the review process of the solid
waste management plan,” Lee
asked. The draft is available for
anyone to access either through
the County Commission or the
Jenkins County Times website.
Currently, Jenkins County
household waste is transported
to the Screven County transfer
station. Demolition trash is
transported to the Jenkins County
transfer station. The transfer
stations sort the trash, and the
municipal waste is transported
to Chatham County while the
demolition waste is transported
to the Jenkins County landfill.
The proposed landfill site is
1,000 acres adjoining the current landfill. Atlantic Waste has applied for a landfill permit. Lee
also stated, “it is our understanding the EPA must approve a potential landfill site and that
has not yet been done.” Commissioner Weathersby did not know the status of the approval.
Reginald Sapp, a Jenkins County resident, lives approximately 4 miles from the proposed
landfill, expressed concerns over water contamination. Leachate from landfills, a liquid
containing various pollutants from decomposing waste, may contaminate nearby water
sources. The contaminated water may then contain harmful substances such as heavy metals
and pathogens which may cause health problems.
Robert Jenkins, another county resident expressed concern
over potential birth defects and congenital anomalies if
contamination occurs. “With Magnolia Springs currently
pumping 8-10 million gallons of water per day and Millen
permitted to pump 1 million gallons per day, the potential of
landfill contamination just 13 miles from these water sources
is a concern.”
Vice chairperson Hiller Spann explained, “there are
currently two unlined landfills in the county that have been
monitored for the past 12 years. One of these dump sites
has not been used in 50 years. If we move forward with this
landfill proposal the county is looking at roughly $60 million
in revenue over the next 30 years.” Neither of these landfills
show contamination.
A public hearing has been scheduled for August 8 at 3 p.m.
at the Jenkins County Commissioner building. “The citizens
have brought up some valid points and the board will take
these concerns under advisement when we revisit the topic at
the next meeting,” explained Spann.
“House Republicans are delivering on our commitment to a nation that is safe. The
American people should have faith that our defense capabilities and servicemembers have
the funding and resources necessary to counter global threats to our homeland, and this
year’s NDAA accomplishes that goal with great certainty.
“I was proud to support H.R. 2670, which among other things, restores the focus of our
military, combats aggression from the Chinese Community Party, provides the largest pay
raise for servicemembers in over 20 years, and offers a path back to service for military
personnel who were wrongfully discharged for failing to take the COVID-19 vaccine.
Additionally, the NDAA secures critical funding for the operations and missions being
carried out at Fort Gordon and the Savannah River Site—ensuring our area remains a
leader in keeping America safe.
“Those who make up our nation’s Armed Forces are the bravest among us, and I am
proud to support a bill that prioritizes the men and women in uniform and the security of
this great nation.”
More specifically, the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act:
• Authorizes full funding for the design and construction of the U.S. Army Cyber
Center of Excellence’s Signal School at Fort Gordon and provides funding for the first
phase of construction for fiscal year 2024
• Authorizes over $1 billion for missions being carried out at the Savannah River Site
• Provides $886.3 billion in total defense discretionary spending
• Saves $40 billion in taxpayer dollars by eliminating redundant bureaucracy
• Supports a 5.2% increase in servicemember basic pay
• Prohibits funding for the teaching of Critical Race Theory (CRT) in the military
• Aids the 8,000 servicemembers discharged for failing to take the COVID-19
vaccine and gives them a path back to service
• Authorizes over $240 million to reduce servicemember out-of-pocket housing expenses
• Provides capabilities to counter Chinese Communist Party aggression
• Increases oversight and demands accountability from the Biden Administration
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sss Ha
EAGLE
NOTES
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