About The Baldwin bulletin. (Milledgeville, GA) ????-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 23, 2017)
Page A4 The Baldwin Bulletin I www.BBnews.today Thursday, November 23,2017 Opinions All letters to the editor must be signed and include a phone number for verification purposes. Send letters to wil@BBnews.today by 1 p.m. Monday. Support small businesses on Saturday The holiday shopping season is here. As you finish up your turkey and watch the final minutes of the football games, many are preparing to hit the various stores throughout Central Georgia for Black Friday sales. We have a better idea. Shop local. In downtown Milledgeville and across Baldwin County, there are a multitude of shops that you can go in and buy items. Also, these stores are quite privy to sales. Since 2010, another shopping day has occurred throughout the nation called Small Business Saturday. The holiday encourages shoppers to patronize mom and pop businesses, which are small and local. This year, the Milledgeville-Baldwin Chamber of Commerce is also helping shoppers know what busi nesses will benefit from the annual shopping day. The organization provided small business owners signage and other items to let customers know they are buying local and supporting our economy. By supporting small businesses, you’re receiving one-on-one service, one-of-a-kind items, access to owners who know the items inside and out and you’re keeping money local. We aren’t saying you can’t get items at the other, larger stores that are throughout our community. We aren’t saying you can’t drive to Macon, Athens or Gwinnett for items at stores we don’t have in Baldwin County. We are just saying that there are a plethora of small businesses downtown that deserve some of your attention as well. We’re also doing our part as a small business in downtown Milledgeville to support our neighbors by letting you, the consumer, know about the day. A recent survey done by the National Federation of Independent Businesses and American Express, show that six in 10 people are aware of the holiday. Of that 60 percent, 82 percent are planning to make efforts to shop at a small business or dine at a local restaurant that day. A bustling downtown is one of the appeals of Milledgeville-Baldwin County, and days like Small Business Saturday ensure that continues. According to the same survey, 65 percent said the main reason they support local, independent ly-owned retailers and restaurants is because they value the contributions small businesses make to the community. When the football games are done and the fami lies have gone back home after the turkey dinner, remember there are small shops that may very well have the items you were desiring to buy. zp!7 Letters to the Editor Concerns about paid parking City Council, Yes, there is a parking problem in downtown Milledgeville. Numerous spaces are used daily by Georgia College students who choose not to use student parking in lieu of an occasional downtown parking ticket. Then, if they get one, they do not pay with no collection reprisal. Also I know I park in one of the two handicap spaces in front of my office for over two hours, and I should not be treated any different than anyone else, be it private citizen or student. Just yesterday at 9 a.m. on South Wayne Street, in front of Baynes and my office, I witnessed two students parking. I was able to confront one who said she has been parking there daily and goes to class returning roughly four to five hours later. She also said she has never been issued a ticket. She moved her car 1 hour and 45 minutes later. The other vehicle was still there when I left my office at 4 p.m. During this time, the ticket lady had not come by once. Here lies part of the problem, the current two-hour law is not enforced. Another problem is why are the unpaid tickets just sitting there in a collection file? They should be collected. At 4 a.m. this morning an idea came to mind, and just might work to benefit the coffers of the city, private citizens like myself, business owners and residents who live in apartments or visiting the hotels in the downtown area. Offer to the long-term parkers, the option of purchasing a quarterly, semi-annual or annual parking sticker for $50, $100, $200... whatever you decide it to be. Those without a sticker, regardless of who they are would be subjected to the meter lady giving a ticket every two or so hours when and if she makes the rounds downtown. When GCSU issues a ticket on GCSU property, the student cannot get their grades unless all tickets are paid. Work out a system with GCSU where, if the student has outstanding tickets with the city, they have to pay them prior to graduation. I would gladly pay the fee to park in front of my office, even though I am in a wheelchair. My employees are instructed to park off street and if they are ticketed, they have to pay the ticket. I would gladly work with you on this or any idea to free up space while adding revenue to the city for a multi story parking lot. E. Culver “Rusty” Kidd 102 S. Wayne St. Milledgeville, GA 1 Baldwin Bulletin Established 2000 President & Publisher A. Mark Smith Sr. Vice President, General Manager Matt Smith Vice President, Advertising Mark Smith Jr. Vice President Michael Smith Vice President Jo Ann Smith Executive Editor Josh Lurie Associate Editor Wil Petty Putnam County Associate Editor Lynn Hobbs Reporter Alaina Minshew Reporter Carrie Moon Sports Reporter Brandon Bush Lakelife Editor Beverly Harvey Lakelife Associate Editor HankSegars Display Advertising Manager Vicki Parker Advertising Representative Brandi Harrison Advertising Representative Amber Reese Advertising Representative Michael Payne Advertising Representative Shannon Thompson Advertising Representative Anjie Brown Advertising Representative Tom Gorman Advertising Representative Daniel Harwell National Advertising Manager Amy Hood Legal Advertising/Circulation Becky Meyer Graphic Artist Lindsay Pilcher Graphic Artist Mark Brill Business Manager Cassandra Fowler One-Year Subscription Rates In Baldwin County $30 Other Georgia counties $36 Out of State $39 Advertising, news and information: 136 S. Wayne St. • Milledgeville, GA 31061 478-452-1777 Advertising email: vicki@bbnews.today News email: wil@bbnews.today The Baldwin Bulletin (USPS 830-400 is published every Thursday by Smith Communications Inc., 100 N. Jefferson Ave., Eatonton, GA 31024. All rights reserved. Reprints by permission of The Baldwin Bulletin and individual writers only. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Baldwin Bulletin, P.0. Box 4027, Eatonton, GA 31024 Periodicals Postage Paid at Milledgeville, GA, 31061 Thanksgiving 2017 Last year marked the 25th anniversary that I have hosted Thanksgiving for family and friends. And, it’s a really big deal for me. There are people like my sister, Louise, or my dear friend, Barbara Dooley, who are effortless at hosting and cooking. I stand in awe. Barbara is flawless in how quickly she can put together supper or a Saturday after-the- game party. She tells delightful stories as she dashes around the kitchen, seemingly never thinking about the food she’s putting together. Louise will host a Sunday dinner for 20 people with cooked-from-scratch food that is abundant. I’m a good cook and I like to do it but entertaining a group of people is not as seamless and as easy for me as it for Barbara and Louise. Let’s just be honest here: Ronda Rich Dixie Divas It takes one full week of non-stop work and plan ning to host Thanksgiving Day supper for 25 to 30 people who will all bring a covered dish. So, I’m not cooking the entire dinner. But since I started this tradition - it began when Louise said, “Here’s what we’ll do: I’ll take Easter, you take Thanksgiving and Mama will have Christmas”—I have used an entire week to get ready. I don’t spring clean. I “Thanksgiving clean.” I also put up Christmas trees, get the china and crystal ready, haul out extra chairs and tables and cook several things including my famous Macaroni and Cheese and homemade Southern biscuits. By 9 p.m. on Thanksgiving night when everyone has left and I’m sweeping the kitchen, I’m worn out. But the house is clean and there’s leftovers enough in the fridge to do through the weekend. On Friday, I pretty much do nothing all day long. Now, in the early days of this tradition, I worked two jobs including a part-time retail job which meant I worked the busiest day of the retail season and usually had to be there by 7:30 a.m. Thank goodness, the Lord delivered me from that. Last year, though, the unexpected happened. It was two days before I started my one week preparation. I was on the elliptical, working out, when Tink walked in with one of those looks. “Oh no,” I groaned. “What now?” He took a sharp breath. One of his family - one of the dearest people ever in his life - was sick and needed several days of intense caregiving. I nodded with sympathy. I loved her, too. ‘You’re going?” “Well, really, it would be better if you did because there’s things you can do for her that I, uh, I...” I understood. We booked my flight for the next day. The chief worry was Thanksgiving preparation but a good friend promised she’d send over her house keeper to clean one day and SEI RICH » A7 State and Federal Elected Officials Gov. Nathan Deal (R) 203 State Capitol Atlanta, GA 30334 (404) 656-1776 Web/e-mail: gagovernor.org Sen. David Perdue (R) B40D Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Phone: 202-224-3521 Rep. Jody Hice (R) 1516 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-4101 Fax: (202) 226-0776 Sen. Burt Jones (R) 407 East Second St., Jackson, GA 30233 Phone: (770) 775-4880 Fax: (770) 234-6752 Sen. Johnny Isakson (R) United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510 (202) 224-3643 Rep. Rick Williams (R) Room 607, Coverdell Legislative Office Building, Atlanta, GA 30334 404-656-0887 Rick.williams@house.ga.gov
