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PAGE 14A FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS WadnMday, Novwnbw 29, 1998 Opinion Keep safety in mind this holiday season The official holiday shopping season has arrived. But, unfortunately, that s not the only season that’s here. Along with the holidays also comes the season for crime. Although local law enforcement officials will be keeping extra watch on busi nesses and residences during the holidays, it’s also important for individuals to know what to do to keep themselves safe at home and while shopping. Here are some suggestions on what you can do to keep yourself and your family safe. -When shopping, shop with a friend. Park close to lighted areas. And, if you don’t want to walk out of a shopping mall or department store alone, ask for a secu rity person to escort you. Extra security is usually hired during the holidays for this purpose. -Be aware of your surroundings. So many times, people are busy talking or putting the kids in the stroller, or trying to handle too many packages at one time. Remember to take your time and be aware. Watch the persons walking out of the store with you. Be aware if there are strange cars traveling in your neighborhood. Pay attention to where your children are when visiting a store. Don’t let them run around a store unsupervised. Unfortunately, this is also the season when the opportu nity for abducting children presents itself. -Take care of your home, too. Burglars are just looking to do their Christmas shopping at someone’s home instead of in a store. Leave lights on and cars in the driveway, even when you’re away. Have neighbors keep a watchful eye on your home if you’re going to a party for the evening or visiting relatives for the holidays. The bottom line over this holiday season is that although this is supposed to be a time of giving, some people see it as the opportune time to take. Don t let yourself and your family be a victim. Take the extra precautions and the extra time to be safe. On Your Payroll CITY COUNCIL Mayor, H. Ford Gravitt, 212 Kelly Mill Road, Cumming, Ga. 30130 Mayor Pro-Tern, Ralph Perry, 1420 Pilgrim Road, Cumming, Ga. 30130 Lewis Ledbetter, 205 Mountain Brook Drive, Cumming, Ga. 30130 Quincy Holton, 312 Samaritan Drive, Cumming, Ga. 30130 Rupert Sexton, 705 Pine Lake Drive, Cumming, Ga. 30130 John Pugh, 108 13th Street, Cumming, Ga. 30130 COUNTY COMMISSIONERS David Sexton, 5330 Dahlonega Hwy., Cumming, Ga. 30103 Ron Seder, 6355 Barberry Hill Place, Gainesville, Ga. 30506 James Harrington, P.O. Box 305, Cumming, Ga. 30130 John Kieffer, 4403 Pine Tree Close, Cumming, Ga. 30130 Lamar Suddeth, 3145 Pleasant Grove Rd., Cumming, Ga. 30130 BOARD OF EDUCATION Eddie Taylor, 4195 Morningside Drive, Cumming, Ga. 30130. 404-887-4405. Sherry Sagemiller, 1460 Squire Lane, Cumming, Ga. 30130. 404-887-8388. Arthur Wright, 4200 Oaktree Lane, Cumming, Ga. 30130. 404-887-6883. Ben Benson, 1265 Dahlonega Highway, Cumming, Ga. 30130. 404-889-9892. Don Hendricks, 5985 Polo Drive, Cumming, Ga. 30130. 404-889-2909. NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVES •U.S. Senator Sam Nunn 303 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510. Telephone: 1-202-224-3521, Atlanta 404-331-4811 Fax: Washington, 202-224-0072; Atlanta, 404-331-5439 •U.S. Senator Paul Coverdell 200 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510 Atlanta: 100 Colony Square, Suite 300, 1175 Peachtree St., Atlanta, Ga. 30361 Telephone: 202-224-3643;Atlanta 404-347-2202 Fax: Washington, 202-228-3875; Atlanta. 404-347-2243 •U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal, 9th District 1406 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515 Gainesville: P.O. Box 1015, Gainesville, Ga. 30503 Telephone: 202-225-521 l;Gainesville, 770-535-2592 Fax: 202-225-5211; Gainesville, 770-535-2765 STATE REPRESENTATIVES • Senator Clint Day, 48th District 121-1 State Capitol, Atlanta, Ga. 30334 Telephone: 404-656-0048 (office) or 770-446-1500 •Senator Casey Cagle, 49th District 303-B Legislative Office Building, Atlanta, Ga. 30334 Telephone: 404-656-7580 (office) or 770-532-2768 or 770-287-0374 •Rep. Mike Evans, 28th District 18 Capitol Square, Legislative Office Building, Room 604, Atlanta, Ga. 30334 Telephone: 404-656-0250 (office) or 770-889-4512 •Rep. Keith Breedlove, 85th District Legislative Office Building. Suite 412, Atlanta, Ga. 30334 Telephone: 404-656-0137 (office) or 770-945-1579 Gov. Zell Miller 203 State Capital, Atlanta, Ga. 30334 Telephone: 1-404-656-1776 Street talk Do you think Christmas is too commercialized? MF' i wSKik. Michael Cleveland I think it is. Most people have forgotten the true meaning of Christmas and that is giv ing. Tilly Hester Yes I do. They have taken Christ out of it. " "Po^tU~ "I don't mind the chase, but what do we do if we catch up with it?" Coach Ray Goff’s goodbye gift Attorney General Mike Bowers doesn’t understand much about college football. At least not the way it is administered at the University of Georgia, his law-school alma mater. Bowers is the first to admit it. That is why he has ordered UGA President Charles Knapp to submit to him every scrap of paper involved in the firing and rewarding of Coach Ray Goff. He wants to scrutinize the agreement for a better understanding of the arcane business of football. Goff, you may recall, is the 40-year-old head coach who will receive roughly $70,000 a year for life for a seven-year career that produced only four Georgia vic tories against its football peers. “I hate to think what they would have paid him if he had won six games against Florida, Alabama, Tennessee and Auburn. This is the epitome of the good old-boy deal,” says Bowers. He wonders why Dr. Knapp and Athletic Director Vince Dooley did not have the university’s lawyer present when Goff’s severance pay was worked out. Bowers is the university’s attorney. Another leading alumnus of UGA tried to explain the arrangement to Bowers: “This was not the University of Georgia’s doings. This was the athletic associations decision. These are not public monies being paid to Coach Goff. These are athletic association funds.” Bowers is not impressed. “It doesn’t matter. The imprimatur of the University of Georgia is on this agreement. Chuck Knapp is the president of the university. He agreed to this. It sends the wrong message.” Goff may have come up short in the Angie Rigney I think it is what you make it. In your own house it is only as commercial as you let it be. | ; f Q-|| football-coaching department. But he is a likeable cuss. Goes hunting and fishing with the right people. House Speaker Tom Murphy made a couple of phone calls to try to save Goff’s job. House Majority Leader Larry Walker, D- Perry, was Goff’s lawyer in the goodbye negotiations. “I represented him because he is my friend,” says Walker. He adds that press accounts of the severance pay are not quite accurate. He declines to specify the errors, and finally concedes: “We are satisfied that the terms were very equitable.” Come to think of it, Walker and Murphy may be the unsung heroes of this affair. Murphy could have saved Goff’s job by simply ordering that he be kept on the pay roll. To his credit, the speaker restrained himself. Walker could have demanded SIOO,OOO a year or even $150,000 and Dr. Knapp and Mr. Dooley would have agreed. The speaker and the majority leader have nearly life-and-death powers over the bud get of the University System of Georgia, Cynthia Darnell In a way I guess it is. it should be more towards Jesus' birth. including UGA. Does anyone believe that Knapp would have stamped his foot and said, “Nuts!” to lawyer Walker’s proposed goodbye gift for Goff? Of course not. Knapp has problems beyond football. The university is slipping in its commitment to research. Not enough money. Enrollment is exploding. A legal challenge to the school’s minority-enroll ment practices is waiting in the wings. He needs the help and goodwill of both Murphy and Walker. Securing the future of a fired football coach is a small price to pay for help in keeping UGA moving in acade mics and research. Knapp, however, has offended other political powers. Bowers, a likely candidate for governor in 1998, is angry and dis mayed. Lt. Gov. Pierre Howard, once a ten nis star at UGA, also is upset. As Knapp and Dooley were giving away the store to Goff, they were giving the bum’s rush to retiring Coach Dan Magill, who built Georgia into a tennis powerhouse. Howard, another possi bility for governor, has harsh words for the way his old coach was treated. Postscript: Goff may not have won many football games, but he succeeded in raising markedly the grades and scholastic achieve ments of his players. He certainly deserves recognition for that. Still, $70,000 a year for not coaching seems a bit much. As for Walker, he is an accomplished lawmaker and probably the next speaker of the House. Even so, his role in the Goff affair raises questions of propriety. Bill Shipp is editor of Bill Shipp’s Georgia, a weekly newsletter on government and business. He can be reached at P. 0. Box 440755, Kennesaw, GA 30144 or by calling (770) 422-2543. Leo Nahllk I think it is too commercialized. People are too greedy.