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A4 Lake Oconee News Friday, May 5,2017 Start the conversation Send us your opinions by Monday at 1 p.m. news@lakeoconeenews.us Municipal death match part 1: Madison versus Forsyth I had this all worked out at 4 a.m. this morning while I was doing my usual tossing and turning and trying to not to think about things you shouldn’t think about in the wee hours. It all seemed quite clear. I would write about the choices we make each day. Chicken or fish. Bacon or sausage. Budweiser or Miller Lite. A rich Cabernet Sauvi- gnon or banana flavored MD 20/20. I even considered a lengthy analysis of ketchup and mustard and which foods are enhanced by each condiment, includ ing a passionate argument against putting mustard on a hot dog. But then the idea devolved into darker choices like voting for the ruffian Donald Trump or the treacherous hag Hillary Clinton. Criminy, the memories are still too fresh. When I walked into the polling place last November and saw those two names at the top of the ballot, I felt like I had been asked to choose between salmonella salad and a beefy botulism. We all chose. We all had our stomachs pumped. My doctor says the the nausea will pass, but mu nicipal elections are on the Associate Editor horizon, so keep a good supply of Turns on hand. Just saying. The choices we have to make never seem to end do they. Which brings me to the root of this idea about choices. Since I worked as an editor in Monroe County for several years before I migrated up to Morgan County, someone recently asked me which county I would recommend. “If I wanted to move into either county, which one would you endorse?” Well, dadgum, I thought. That’s an interesting question. And one guaranteed to alienate every friend I have in either one if I address it honestly. So, I decided to put the SEE STONE » A5 The body remains erect yet supple, similar to a sleek jaguar that anticipates a deathly fight on the floor of an overgrown jungle in some faraway land. The cloth of the garments hide scars from wounds that would have killed ordinary men. Legs press hard against the trousers, calves and thighs made taught and muscular from years of dusty marches to places with strange sounding names like Antietam, Chan- cellorsville, Fredericks burg, Mechanicsville and Spotsylvania. The ribcage, outlined in a light woolen SEE SEGARS » A6 "Gee, Fred, looks like you and I may be the only ones not running for office next year!" The Sentinel Under the cover of darkness in New Orleans, city workers wearing masks and tactical vests are now dismantling century-old historical monuments. Consequently, I thought this would be a good time to reprint “The Sentinel,” an essay that first appeared in the 2013 spring edition of Lakelife magazine. --A lean- stately figure stands silently on guard, frozen in somber granite from what seems to be from time immemorial. From a lofty pedestal adjacent to the courthouse square, the statue faces neither north ward toward his enemy nor southward toward home; Hank Segars Lakelife Assodate Editor but due East, in a direction without sunsets, toward the rising sun and the antici pated Second Coming of his Eternal Judge and Vindica tor. The form atop this lonely monument is intriguing, even somewhat mysterious. Although chiseled in cold stone, the face is handsome and seemingly content with a downturned mustache, prominent jaw and piercing eyes half-hidden under a brimmed hat, the kind cat tlemen and farmers usually wore. His countenance seems strangely aloof, even detached; yet, there is great strength in the overall demeanor, and a feeling of melancholy that is hard to describe. This man seems young, perhaps in his late 20s or early 30s. He leans on a trusty musket that has been fired much too often. Having a chance to repay a debt owed to alma mater There are few people, places or things for which I have more passion than the University of Georgia and the Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communications there. This love affair goes back decades to when I was an incoming junior at UGA. I walked into Grady on the first day so nervous that I thought seriously of walking back out and going home and getting a job at the General Motors assembly plant like my high school Dick Yarbrough Guest Columnist buddies. Instead of going home, I found a new home. In the intervening years, I have had the privilege of serving as president of the National Alumni As sociation, being named an Outstanding Graduate of UGA, a Fellow of the Grady College and to have had a room named in my honor there. I am glad I decided not to join the assembly line at the GM plant. Getting to this point in my life has been the result of a lot of help from a lot of people who took an interest in me and in my career. Now, it is incumbent on me to offer that help and to show that interest in the next generation. One of my greatest satisfactions is being able to provide funding at Grady College for students to travel to conferences and to network with industry professionals and to provide internships and fellowships to some outstanding young people. Proceeds from this column go toward that effort. I have the best of both worlds. Not only do I get to play a small part in helping young people at a time when they are evalu ating their career choices, I also get to jerk the chains of the humor-impaired and report on politicians acting like — well — politicians. My cup runneth over. There is an ulterior motive, I must confess. The majority of my career has been spent in communica tions, either as an external counselor on the corporate side or, for the past 20 years, tossing opinions around on the media side. Today, I am worried about both sides. The public’s opinion of the news media has never been lower. The credibility of the media has never been under greater suspicion and — in my opinion — the media have never been more clueless as to how to restore our trust in them. Here is hoping the Grady graduates and those who have taught them will have some answers of how to SEE YARBROUGH » A6 , L - Lake Oconee News General Excellence Award Winner 2015-2016 GEORGIA PRESS ASSOCIATION President / Publisher A. Mark Smith Vice President Jo Ann Smith Vice President, General Manager Mark Smith Jr. Vice President, Circulation Matt Smith Vice President Michael Smith Associate Editor T. Michael Stone Sports Editor Justin Hubbard Staff Writer Dave Brown Staff Writer Shannon Sneed Staff Writer Katherine Klimt Display Advertising Manager Vicki Parker Advertising Representative Chelsea Selby Advertising Representative Mary de Guiseppi Advertising Representative Michael Payne Eatonton Messenger Associate Editor Lynn Hobbs Lakelife Editor Beverly Harvey Lakelife Associate Editor Hank Segars National Advertising Manager Amy Hood Legal Advertising/Circulation Becky Meyer Production and Technology Manager Josh Lurie Graphic Artist Ali Henderson Graphic Artist Mark Brill Business Manager Cassandra Fowler DEDICATION Battle B. Smith EDITOR AND PUBLISHER 1956-1988 Micky Smith EDITOR AND PUBLISHER 1989-2003 ADVERTISING, NEWS AND INFORMATION Lake Oconee 1106 MARKET ST. • GREENSBORO 706-454-1290 Fax 706-454-1292 Madison 195 W. JEFFERSON ST. 706-342-9833 Fax 706-342-9839 Call 706-485-3501 for subscription information Subscription Rates One Year Two Years Putnam, Morgan, Greene counties $35 $65 Other Georgia counties $45 $80 Out of Georgia $55 $95 Postmaster: Send address changes to the ,1106 Market St., Greensboro, GA 30642. Periodicals postage paid at Greensboro, GA 30642. The (USPS 024-046) is published every Friday by Smith Communications Inc., 1106 Market St., Greensboro, GA 30642. All rights reserved. Reprints by permission of the and individual writers only. 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 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. Dave Belton (R) 401-B Coverdell Legislative Office Bldg. Atlanta, GA 30334 404.656.0152- Office dc.belton@house.ga.gov Rep. Jody Hice (R) 1516 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-4101 Fax: (202) 226-0776 Rep. Trey Rhodes (R) Room 612-B Coverdell Legislative Office Building Atlanta, GA 30334 404-656-0325 trey.rhodes@house.ga.gov The deadline to submit letters to the editor each week is Monday at 1 p.m. Send letters and other news to news@lakeoconeenews.us
