Newspaper Page Text
Page 4 - Wednesday, December 27, 2023
The Jenkins County Times
jenkinscountytimes.com
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l JENKINS
3 COUNTY
“ SCHOOL SYSTEM
EAGLE NOTES
John Paul Heam, Superintendant
Jenkins County School System
I’ve said it before, but I really love Christmas time. It is a time to relax and a time that I
like to not do a whole lot. it is a time to sit around with family and drink hot chocolate and
eat some fancy breakfast dishes that you don’t get to eat often. Frankly because we don’t
take the time in our ordinary lives to fix fancy stuff.
For educators, these two weeks at Christmas are a time to rest and rejuvenate us. We
have an awesome faculty and staff in the Jenkins County School System. They give their
all every day. This break is a welcome time to celebrate one semester down and one to go
for this school year. It really seems like we just started school yesterday. It’s hard to believe
it’s Christmas already.
As I’ve said before, one thing I enjoy especially during this time of year is watching
Christmas movies. One of my all-time favorites is “The Most Wonderful Time of the
Year.” As an added bonus it stars Henry Winkler. The plot of the movie is the family takes
in a stranger stranded at an airport during the holidays. The stranger is a free spirit but
understands the importance of “being where your feet are” and not letting busyness cause
you to miss the joy of those around you.
If there is ever a time that we allow busyness to steal happiness, it’s at Christmas. We think
we have to go to all the parties and visit all the family members and do all the traditions. I
understand the importance of traditions. But I also like to break traditions. I can remember
when Taylor and Anna Kate were little, we would drag them from pillar to post so they
could see all the family and get their presents and at the end of Christmas they were ill and
just wanted to go to sleep.
During the holidays, I encourage you and your family to rest. Don’t think that everything
has to be perfect. Don’t think you have to be everywhere and all things to all people. Instead,
be where your feet are. Don’t think about what you have to do later. Be present with your
family and your loved ones. Put down that dreaded cell phone and quit gawking at what
others got for Christmas. Be thankful for what you have and for those in your presence.
Before you know it, the holidays will be in the rear-view mirror, and you will be wondering
where the time went. You don’t want to look back and think about the missed opportunities
to spend time with loved ones. I hope you all have a Happy New Year!
A WORD FROM
Senator Jon Ossoff
Dear Georgians,
My bipartisan bill to protect children from online
sexual abuse and exploitation has passed the U.S. Senate.
With the help of Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)’s bipartisan
REPORT Act would strengthen the national tipline run by
the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
(NCMEC) to collect reports of online exploitation and would require evidence to
be preserved for a longer period, giving law enforcement more time to investigate
and prosecute crimes.
My bipartisan bill will ensure tech companies are held accountable to report and
remove child sex abuse material and to strengthen protection for kids online, at a
time of such division in Congress, we brought Republicans and Democrats together
to pass this urgent legislation to protect kids on the internet.
“In today’s technological age, children have become increasingly vulnerable to
online sexual exploitation,” said Senator Blackburn. “There is an urgent need to
address loopholes in reporting these crimes and to equip the National Center for
Missing and Exploited Children and law enforcement with the resources they need
to adequately respond. I thank Senator Ossoff for his bipartisan partnership in this
effort, and I look forward to the REPORT Act’s swift passage out of the House and
to the President’s desk.”
The bill would also require websites and social media platforms to report crimes
involving Federal trafficking and enticement of children, which they are not
currently required to do. The legislation would also increase fines for companies
that knowingly and willfully fail to report child sex abuse material on their site. The
tipline received over 32 million reports last year.
“The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) is proud
to celebrate Senate passage of the Revising Existing Procedures on Reporting
via Technology (REPORT) Act today. We thank Senator Blackburn and Senator
Ossoff for their continued leadership on online child safety issues. The passage of
the REPORT Act is a critical step in the right direction as we continue to combat
the rise of online child sexual exploitation,” NCMEC President & CEO Michelle
DeLaune said. “NCMEC applauds the hard work by Senator Blackburn, Senator
Ossoff, and all the Senate co-sponsors to pass the REPORT Act. We look forward
to continuing our work with Senator Blackburn and Senator Ossoff to ensure
the safety of children online, and we
encourage House Leadership to join the
See OSSOFF page 6
Rick
Allen
House of
Representatives
District 12
This week, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 5378, the Lower Costs, More
Transparency Act. This bipartisan package increases price transparency throughout the
health care system, addresses the rising cost of prescription drugs, and supports patients,
health care workers, community health centers, and hospitals.
In nearly every other industry, consumers know the price of a product before purchasing
it. Health care should be no different. H.R. 5378 delivers this much-needed transparency
and ensures Americans have access to timely, quality, and affordable health care that suits
them best.
As a businessman, ensuring my employees had access to affordable health care was always
one of my top priorities. By lowering costs and empowering patients and employers to make
informed decisions, more Americans will have confidence in their coverage, leading to a
healthier future.
On Tuesday, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, of which I am a
Member, advanced H.R. 6655, the bipartisan Stronger Workforce for America Act. H.R.
6655 would make much-needed improvements to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity
Act (WIOA) to ensure WIOA dollars are dedicated to upskilling the workforce and making
the shift to skills-based hiring.
Provisions from my Startup Act were included in H.R. 6655 to support American
See ALLEN page 6
■araiiiaitsiisMlS
By Joe Brady, Editor
for
The Times
This is a busy time for all of us. Some of us are busier than others with Christmas
shopping and attending parties. I remember well having to do all of that. However,
there has reached a time for those of us who don’t have children, that the hustle and
bustle of Christmas becomes a thing of the past.
My family no longer buys gifts and as I told a customer this weekend at the
auction house, we don’t even draw names. In fact, we haven’t gotten together since
the pandemic and now, like so many other things, we have probably gotten out of
the habit.
But Christmas changes as we get older. The magic of Christmas is in the heart of
children. It’s Santa Claus, cookies, Rudolph, and all that. It’s the visions of sugar
plums dancing in the heads of kids. But what about us adults?
It was Ebenezer Scrooge who said, “I will keep Christmas in my heart all year
long. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future.” But how do we do that?
I don’t have those answers. I wish I could be more like Mama when it comes to
Christmas. She has managed to retain childlike enthusiasm during December. How
do we keep Christmas from becoming just “another” day?
Reverands Brad, Joshua, and Larry, would tell us to remember Christ in
Christmas. Ok, a lot of us do that. I’m at church on Christmas Eve, I’m sure there
are more people than just me sitting in those pews. Believe it or not, I think out of
all the holiday movies, The Polar Express gives the best explanation. Adults lose
the magic of Christmas.
We can remember vividly the Christmases of our childhood, the Past. One of the
few times Mama didn’t have to threaten me to get in bed! But, like sister in Polar
Express, eventually the bell no longer rang. The magic was gone.
So, all of these ponderings, and I still don’t know how to recapture that old
Christmas Magic. I think if I had one wish this year, it would be to look at the
holiday with the eyes of a child. In fact, that is my wish for all of you as we embark
on the busiest time of year may we all look on the holiday with the eyes of the
innocent. May you all have the Merriest of Christmases and a joyful New Year!
That’s all for now, take care.
A WORD FROM JON BURNS,
Ga Speaker of the House of Representatives
Dear Friends,
Last week, I was proud to join Congressman Buddy Carter, Chairman
Bill Hitchens and a host of community and business leaders for the
Effingham County Chamber’s Eggs & Issues Legislative Breakfast.
This event allows us to discuss the issues facing our state - both
opportunities and challenges - as we get ready for the legislative
session which will begin on Monday, January 8.
Georgia is the envy of the nation when it comes to our economic
development and financial strength. Our unemployment rate sits at a
near record low, our rainy-day reserve fund is solid and the state enjoys
the highest-available credit rating. New companies continue to seek
out our state for relocations and expansions. From large projects like
Hyundai to smaller businesses, Georgia remains the state that businesses and families want to
call home.
As we look ahead to the 2024 legislative session, we can change Georgia’s future for the better.
We are going to examine how to recruit, retain, and reward our state law enforcement officers to
bolster the ranks of our Georgia State Patrol to keep our highways and our communities safe. We
are going to invest in early childhood education, with a continuing emphasis on literacy, to help
our students be successful throughout their lifetimes - both in school and later in the workplace.
We will continue to work with Governor Kemp to lower income tax rates, ensuring Georgians
keep more of their hard-earned money.
I greatly appreciate the support of the 159 th district as we prepare for another productive
legislative session.
Welcoming Bradshaw Home to the Coastal Empire
In July, Bradshaw Home announced a new distribution center that, when fully operational,
will employ 230 people. Last week, I was proud to join several state and local officials at the
ribbon-cutting ceremony for this 1.2 million square foot facility in Bloomingdale. Bradshaw
Home markets a wide assortment of kitchen tools, gadgets, bakeware, cookware, food storage,
and cleaning products.
I want to thank all the partners who helped make this facility a reality including the Effingham
County Industrial Development Authority, the Georgia Department of Economic Development,
and the Georgia Ports Authority.
Bradshaw Home’s decision to locate in our area reflects our ready workforce, a world-class
logistics infrastructure and a business-friendly regulatory environment.
As Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson said, “Counties
near the Port of Savannah are experiencing unprecedented growth, attracting companies with
national and global footprints like Bradshaw Home. The region around Savannah has an
impressive industry mix, with recent wins ranging from automotive to logistics. Effingham
County and the Georgia Ports Authority have actively pursued a variety of industries to create a
strong local economy.”
Quality well thought out economic growth benefits our citizens today and, in the future,
Brinson’s Tree &
Stump Removal
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Brian Brinson: 706-526-8686
Locally Owned & Operated
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THE JENKINS COUNTY TIMES
issue 42 December 2023 is published weekly by on
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