About The Sylvania times. (Sylvania, Ga.) 2022-current | View Entire Issue (April 24, 2024)
thesy lvaniatimes. com The Sylvania Times Wednesday, April 24, 2024 - Page 7 -Editorials & More- From the Editor’s Desk Bv Joe Brady, Editor The Times news@sylvaniatimes.com So, let me set the record straight. Our phone rings constantly with tips. Just ask our law enforcement how many times per day we call one another with tips that come into the office. And there was that time in Jenkins County when I was at my desk, writing my editorial when a drunk fellow came in, “Mr. Editor, there should be a law against this!” In his hand was a half- eaten chicken sandwich. “Here taste it! This chicken is hot! You need to do something about it!” Y’all, I kid you not! That was the only tip I did not work! But, last week, we were once again the subject of internet trolls. They were up in arms, cause they gonna be up in arms over something, because we were investigating a tip. Had we ignored the tip that a candidate for office had slapped a child at their place of employment, we would have been accused of covering something up. As it stands, we got accused of trying to make life hard for others. You didn’t read a story because the tip was unfounded. The candidate put it out there, we didn’t. How many times do people call our office or attack us on social media, accusing us of mining their lives? Y’all, contrary to what some might believe, I don’t have a crystal ball on my desk, there isn’t even one in the office, although that might not be a bad thing to have. We could put it at the front door! For our employees who haven’t been in the newspaper business long, it was a shock to have such hate directed at their employer. When I explained to her that I even had someone tell me to pack my blank blank expletive and get out of Screven County, she was shocked. “How do we deal with that?” My answer is because we are doing good for most of the community we serve. You would think we were fired from a job! You would think we caused you to commit the crime that landed you on the front page! Our job is simple, report the news. We don’t make the news, you do. And we thank you immensely. Without the news, we wouldn’t have anything to do. That’s all for now, take care! Sen. Ossoff To Upgrade Water Infrastructure Senator Jon Ossoff U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is delivering new resources to upgrade water infrastructure in Whitfield County. Today Sen. Ossoff announced he is delivering Federal funding to help expand the Whitfield County sewer system to meet the growing residential and business demand in the area. Sen. Ossoff brought Republicans and Democrats together to deliver $1,000,000 for the project through this year’s bipartisan government funding package. “I’m delivering new resources to upgrade water infrastructure for families in Cochran. I will continue working to secure upgrades for Georgia’s infrastructure to keep communities safe and upgrade quality of life,” Sen. Ossoff said. “I thank the Whitfield County Commission for bringing this proposal to my office and for their leadership in the community.” “We deeply appreciate the bipartisan work in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate to fund Whitfield County’s sewer expansion,” said Whitfield County Chairman Jevin Jensen. “The citizens are excited to see this expansion into residential neighborhoods to address our current and future need.” BLANK Sharon Blank, Library News May is just around the corner, and Mother’s Day know it. Do you know what you are giving your mom for her special day? We have lots of ideas for you! From how to make a raised garden bed to make it easier for her to grow and harvest her plants, to delicious meals and desserts, to fun crafts for her to make with her children, there’s a ton of ideas available at the library, just waiting to be checked out! Want something that you don’t have to check out? We’ve gotten lots of donations from folks lately that are now sitting on our sales shelves waiting for you to come and buy them. Many of them are like-new, and by popular authors like James Patterson, Danielle Steel, and more - and they’re only $0.50 per bag! For less than a dollar you get hours of enjoyment, and no worries about overdue fees. Speaking of things to take home for your own enjoyment, don’t forget about our Crafts To Go! These craft kits are totally free for you to take home and make on your own schedule. We have new kits every week for the kids, every two weeks for the teens, and twice a month for the adults. If you’d rather do something here in the library, we’ve got our Teen Craft on Friday, April 26 at 3:45 pm. Teens and older kids are welcome to come to the library and paint some wooden eggs. With summer approaching, a lot of people are looking forward to going on vacation, and we can help! We have a ton of options that will get you free or reduced cost admission to attractions all over Georgia. Heading for Atlanta? The Go Fish Education Center and Shakespeare Tavern are just two of the many options. We’ve also got passes for Macon’s Georgia Sports Hall of Fame, the Chattahoochee Nature Preserve and more. Are you more into camping, hiking and nature? Check out the Georgia Parks Family Pass for free admission to state parks, and the Discovery Backpack, which is not only great for carrying your stuff around but has binoculars and guides that will help you identify all sorts of plants, animals, birds, and more. You can find out more by checking out the GPLS Partnerships page at www.georgialibraries. org/partnerships ! Want to know more about what’s happening at the library? Head to our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/screvencountylibrary or our Instagram at www.instagram.com/screvencountylibrary ! The Screven-Jenkins Regional Library Board will meet on Thursday, April 25 at 4 pm in the Screven County Library. Well, that’s all for now - see you at the library! Pastor Bill Kent, Memorial Baptist Church Sylvania, GA The Spotless Lamb When purchasing cows, goats, sheep, and horses, it is important to have a keen eye to see any problems before etting home and realizing the animal as thmsh in its mouth, worms in its belly, disease in its eyes or is lame in the feet. In other words, buying livestock is a major investment. Farmers and ranchers need to be wise and careful to keep the operation going for a lifetime and to also have a solid, productive business for future generations. If cattle producers don't pay close attention, they could lose everything briefly. In ancient times, most people did not have paper money or coins. Most of their wealth consisted of land and cattle. Therefore, it was not easy to lose livestock from robbers, wild animals, or snake bites. Shepherds fought wolves, bears, lions, and thieves to the death to defend their property. As we read about shepherds, including David, rescuing sheep, we understand the courage and determination of those weary shepherds as they provided for their families and did an important service for their community. When God arranged proper worship in Old Testament times, he commanded the priests to offer the healthiest and best animals as a sacrifice for the sins of the people. Since everyone is a sinner, then every Israelite was expected to offer the blood of their livestock on the altar. Some seven hundred years before Christ came, God showed the Prophet Isaiah a vision of Jesus dying like a sheep on our behalf. "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed," (Isaiah 53:5). As Pilate and Herod heard the testimony about Jesus during his trial, they proclaimed Christ's innocence, and they could not understand the crowd shouting "Crucify him!" Nevertheless, everything happened according to the Heavenly Father's plan because the Spotless Famb must die for our sins. Thus, John the Baptist pointed to Christ as the fulfillment of everything God promised. So, John declared that Jesus is the Savior for anybody who believes when he saw Jesus walking among a crowd. "The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, 'Behold! The Famb of God who takes away the sin of the world!' " (John 1:29). Georgia Governor Kemp Accelerates Historic Income Tax Cut, Signs Sweeping Legislation HB 1015 Signed into Law, Marks Largest State Income Tax Reduction in Georgia's History Governor Brian P. Kemp, flanked by First Lady Marty Kemp and a host of legislative leaders, ceremoniously signed HB 1015 into law in Augusta, ushering in an unprecedented acceleration of the state's income tax cut. The bill, sponsored by Representative Lauren McDonald and co sponsored by several prominent figures including Speaker Pro Tempore Jan Jones and Chairman Shaw Blackmon, signifies a bold move towards economic stimulation and relief for Georgia taxpayers. Building upon the foundation laid by HB 1437, which initiated a gradual reduction in income tax rates starting in 2025, HB 1015 propels this initiative forward by expediting the process. Consequently, the income tax rate for Tax Year 2024 will stand at 5.39 percent, a notable decrease from the previously anticipated 5.49 percent outlined in HB 1437. This substantial reduction of 36 basis points from the Tax Year 2023 rate of 5.75 percent promises significant savings for Georgia taxpayers. The Office of Planning and Budget projects an estimated $1.1 billion in savings for taxpayers in calendar year 2024 alone, attributable to the accelerated tax cut and the reduction outlined in HB 1437. Over the course of the next decade, this figure is expected to soar to approximately $3 billion, signaling a substantial injection of liquidity into the pockets of hardworking Georgians. Governor Kemp emphasized the significance of this legislation in the current national context, stating, "Washington D.C. politicians are currently working to raise taxes on hardworking Americans, but here in Georgia we are keeping to our commitment to grow our economy and opportunity for the people of our state, not government." The Governor attributed this achievement to conservative budgeting practices and the state's pro-growth, business-friendly environment, asserting that these measures prioritize the prosperity of Georgia's citizens over bureaucratic expansion. In addition to HB 1015, Governor Kemp also signed several complementary bills aimed at fortifying Georgia's economic landscape. Notable among these are HB 1023, which lowers the corporate income tax rate to match the individual income tax rate, and HB 581, which enables a constitutional amendment for counties to provide a homestead valuation freeze. HB 1021 increases the state's income tax dependent exemption, while SB 496 expands criteria for historic home certification and extends tax credits for rehabilitation projects. Governor Kemp expressed his gratitude to the collaborative efforts of all involved in crafting and championing these bills, heralding them as transformative milestones in Georgia's economic trajectory. Redistricting Shuffles Seats on State Board of Regents -Dave Williams. Special Contributor The new congressional map the General Assembly drew during last fall’s special redistricting session is forcing Gov. Brian Kemp to shuffle several members of the University System of Georgia Board of Regents to other seats. Regent Tom Bradbury of Vinings is being shifted from representing Georgia’s 11th Congressional District to the 6th District, the governor’s office announced Friday. Kemp appointed David Dove of Cobb County, a former executive counsel to the governor, to the 11th District seat. Regent Richard “Tim” Evans of Alpharetta, who has been representing the 6th Congressional District, will move over to the 7th District seat, succeeding Jose Perez of Peachtree Corners, who is rotating off the board. Regent T. Dallas Smith of Atlanta was named to represent the 5 th Congressional District, moving over from an at-large seat. Smith succeeds Sarah-Elizabeth Langford of Atlanta, whose term expired in January. Besides Dove, Kemp appointed two other new members to the Board of Regents: Dan Murphy of Newton County and Dr. Deep J. Shah of Fulton County. Murphy will represent Georgia’s 13th Congressional District, succeeding Ray Aldridge of Fulton County. Shah will serve as an at-large regent, succeeding Smith.
