About The Sylvania times. (Sylvania, Ga.) 2022-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 7, 2024)
thesy lvaniatimes. com The Sylvania Times Wednesday, February 7, 2024 - Page 5 Editorials & More ... r n Just because someone’s opinion is dfferent than your own, it DOES NOT mean they are wrong. From the Editor’s Desk By Joe Brady, Editor far The Times thesylvaniatimes@gmail.com During my spiritual life, I have been classified with many different labels. I started life as a 7th Day Adventist, then Methodist, Catholic for a very short time, until the priest made me mad, and now Episcopalian. That hodgepodge of different beliefs and theology has given me some views on religion that seldom probably share. Now, don’t think I was ever a die hard anything. My parents, although my mom grew up in the Pentecostal church, and my father in the Baptist church, became Adventist. Why? I don’t know. Daddy taught Sunday school and Mama baked the bread for communion. What do I remember about that church? I couldn’t watch cartoons on Saturday, and they were vegetarians. Some of those vegan dishes are pretty good. I like a good “K” loaf. It’s a special K cereal meatless meatloaf. Anyway, Mama and Daddy never held vegetarian beliefs. Mama would cook vegan for a church supper but that was it. In fact, she tells a story that at a dinner church dinner and those days we ate on the grounds, as everyone was eating vegan dishes. Mama sat down at the table with me in her arms and opened the jar of baby food. She begins talking with the other good ladies of the church, about what, who knows what ladies talk about while eating vegetables on the grounds, during a church meal. Anyway, one of the ladies looks over at Mama feeding me and gasps. She asked the other ladies to come quick and look at what Mary Alyce was doing. Soon, the men folks came over. This could have been a mob scene from the movie Frankenstein as folks stood around in shocked disbelief. Daddy looks down at Mama busily cramming the food in my little mouth and starts to laugh. My baby spoon was going in and out of a jar of Gerber Flam baby food. Yes y’all, Mary Alyce fed me ham at a vegetarian church! That’s all for now, take care! Shady Lane Tree Service LLC Tree & Stump Removal * Storm Clean-up * Pruning Dustin McMillan Call Today! (912) OSI-SIOO Valentine’s start at the library It’s only a week before Valentine’s Day - are you ready to share your love with your friends and loved ones? Whether you’re looking for a deliciously romantic menu for your special someone, want to make cute Valentines cards with your kids, or are looking for something fun to do with your friends for your “Galentines” celebration, we’ve got you covered! Flow? Well, you know about the books we have available, of course, since that’s the first thing people think of when it comes to libraries. DVDs are available for checkout as well, along with laptops. But did you know that you can borrow a karaoke machine and microphones to sing your hearts out when you’re having that party? Fleck, if you’re having a big bash, we’ve even got portable amplifiers so that the whole block can enjoy the music! If you’re looking for something that’s both fascinating and less raucous, check out Kanopy, our new streaming video service. It’s got award-winning movies, high- quality documentaries and instructional videos, and so much more. Plus there’s a wonderful selection of videos for the kids, everything from Sesame Street to read-along storybooks, Reading Rainbow to Franklin & Friends! Don’t forget our storytime for kids every Tuesday at 3:30 pm, where we read to the kids and show them now to do a fun craft or activity related to the story! We’ve also got weekly in-library craft times, where you can make creative crafts in the library every Wednesday at 3:30 pm. February is Library Lovers Month, so here’s a little poem from Linda Mitchell called “Librarian” that talks about the small wonders of story time at the library: Students arrive In our library Giggly, wiggly Somber, or sweet Sit in a circle In our library I read books Plant story seeds Tend imaginations Growing with each read Want to know more about what’s happening at the library? Plead over to our Facebook page at www. facebook.com/ScrevenCountyLibrary and see what’s new! Well, that’s all for now - see you at the library! Kim Hinely First Congregational Church Sylvania, GA Walking Out Your Journey Every person has a journey but not every journey is easy. You are either coming out of a situation or going into one by the choices you make daily. God’s grace is sufficient to all that believe in Him but what if you did not believe. Where do you find your grace, your hope, your faith? I had written an article for this newspaper on 1/18/2024 where the Holy Spirit spoke to me, and I delivered it on paper. What if I never sent it to the newspaper, no one would be able to read it. I visited a hospital recently where I listened to patients cry out due to physical illnesses, a gentleman who lay in hospital bed hoping his family would come see him, to a wife who didn’t want to leave her husband because she had never left his side in 56 years. Life is tough! Life is hard! Life happens to all of us, whether you are a Christian or not. The difference between being a Christian and not is knowing “our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not tmst the sweetest frame, but holly lean on Jesus’ name.” On Christ the solid rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand”. A fond song I sang as a child and now as an adult. When I awoke on 1/19/2024 to start reading my Bible, only to find that the Holy Spirit spoke to me again in my Bible reading. The same exact thing that God had in His word. Coincidence, no I think not. A “God wink” moment in our house as we call them. The passage of scripture is found in (Romans 5:1-11), Peace with God through Faith and (Romans 5:12-21), Death in Adam, Life in Christ. All this morning I could hear Satan saying you want to get your article in. Why do you think he was saying that cause he only comes to steal, kill and destroy. Listening and trusting in God, I prevailed. Thanks be to God. You see you would have never known that “God wink” moment if I didn’t share. When you have God living inside of you-you have (Philippians 4:5-7), “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” God will never leave you; it is you that leaves Him. Choose well! Your eternity depends on it! A WORD FROM JON BURNS, Ga Speaker of the House of Representatives Cutting Taxes and Supporting the Jewish Community This past week has been an incredibly fulfilling and rewarding one in Atlanta as the House moved forward on several key priorities to improve the lives of Georgians across our great state. I’ve often said my mission as Speaker of the House is to make Georgia the best place to live, work and raise a family for generations to come—and I am certainly proud of the work we did this past week to move toward that goal. On Tuesday, I had the privilege of speaking to the Georgia chapter of the Faith & Freedom Coalition—an outstanding organization that seeks to advance the virtues of faith, hard work, marriage, family, personal responsibility, and helping the most vulnerable among us. My remarks included a powerful quote from one of our greatest Presidents, Ronald Reagan, that still rings true today: “Freedom is a fragile thing and it's never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by way of inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation, for it comes only once to a people.” I will always stand up—and on principle—to defend our God-given rights and the freedoms we enjoy in the greatest state and country in the world. On Wednesday, our House team announced major tax cut proposals that we believe will deliver much-needed relief to Georgians across our state. Joined by colleagues in the House, we unveiled plans to increase the child deduction from $3,000 to $4,000, double the homestead exemption from $2,000 to $4,000, and accelerate the state income tax cut from 5.75 percent to 5.39 percent. Together, these proposals will put more money back into the pockets of Georgia taxpayers and build on our state’s economic success—which stands in stark contrast to the dysfunction of Washington D.C. Thursday was a very important and meaningful day. First, I had the honor of speaking to the Buckhead Coalition—a group of like-minded businesspeople, entrepreneurs, and job creators who live within Buckhead. My message discussed the ways we have worked with our partners at the local level to fight crime and increase public safety in Atlanta and across the state, and appreciated their warm welcome. That afternoon, the House reconvened to vote on final passage of HB 30—which defines antisemitism in our state and provides for criminal penalties if a crime is motivated by this type of hate. It was a priority of the House going back all the way to last year, and its final passage—with overwhelmingly bipartisan support—sent a clear message that hate will not be tolerated in our state. Thanks to Chaimian John Carson and Rep. Esther Panitch for their tireless work to get this critical legislation across the finish line. The House will continue to be about the people’s business—and I’m confident that we will continue to deliver meaningful results just as we did this past week that improve the lives of everyone across our state. My Best, Speaker Jon Bums A WORD FROM Senator Jon Ossoff Sens. Ossoff, Brown, Rubio, Rev. Warnock Urge Increased Tariffs on Imported Chinese Solar Products Heavily subsidized Chinese goods threaten U.S. solar manufacturing, Senators say U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is urging the Biden Administration to increase tariffs on Chinese solar imports threatening American solar manufacturing. Today, Sens. Ossoff, Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) urged President Biden to increase tariffs on Chinese-made solar module, cell, and wafer imports under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. According to a recent study in 2023, the price of a solar panel manufactured in China dropped to 15 cents per watt, more than 60% below the price of a U.S.-made panel. The Senators argued China’s heavily subsidized products are hurting U.S. efforts to reshore domestic solar manufacturing — a key energy security goal. “China’s aggressive subsidies for its own solar manufacturing industry demonstrate its intent to control the industry globally,” the Senators wrote. “By 2026, China will have enough capacity to meet annual global demand for the next ten years. This capacity is an existential threat to the U.S. solar industry and American energy security.” While American solar manufacturing has boomed since passage of Sen. Ossoff’s Solar Energy Manufacturing for America Act — signed into law as part of the Inflation Reduction Act — the Senators say more is needed to strengthen the American manufacturing base. “These heavily subsidized and artificially low prices put U.S. solar manufacturers at an extreme disadvantage during a critical turning point in the development of the domestic solar manufacturing industry,” they continued. “Section 301 tariffs are needed to avoid dire consequences not only for our economic and national security, but also for the thousands of workers employed by these manufacturers.’ Screven County Board of Elections Gathers for Monthly Meeting Bv Sarah Saxon, Reporter far I I11: TIMES The Screven County Board of Elections convened for their monthly meeting on February 1, at the Screven County Courthouse addressing crucial matters and decisions that will impact the electoral landscape of the county. The meeting began by approving the minutes of the January 2024 elections meeting. Following this, the board delved into a discussion surrounding the by-laws that were developed and debated in the preceding month. The members passed a motion affirming that these by-laws could be amended at any time in the future, providing flexibility for potential adjustments. A notable development during the meeting was the nomination and subsequent approval of Veronica Bing as the Vice Chairman, a position she will now hold with the unanimous support of her peers. The board, recognizing the importance of modem communication, discussed the implementation of a dedicated website. Proposed to be integrated into the Screven County Commissioners' website, this platfomi would feature a specific section for the Screven County Board of Elections. The creation of this online space aims to enhance public accessibility, outreach, and serve as a valuable resource for voter education. A decision was made regarding the July meeting, acknowledging that the 4th falls on a Thursday. To accommodate this, the board agreed to reschedule the meeting to July 11, ensuring continued productivity despite the holiday. Screven County Elections Supervisor and Chief Registrar Stacey Scott Mincey explained to the Board that voter records were still inaccurate. Mincey asked the Board for permission to begin a redistricting plan. Looking ahead to November 5, the board addressed the upcoming election mandated by the Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission. Every four years, the ballot must include the re-election of a District Supervisor, and the election board passed a motion empowering Chairman Kemp to sign the agreement on behalf of the Board. The meeting concluded with a reminder of the essential post-election duties, emphasizing that a representative from the board will be stationed at the courthouse to certify the election results. This crucial task involves the meticulous verification of provisional votes and the certification of absentee ballots, ensuring the integrity and accuracy of the electoral process
