The Forsyth County news. (Cumming, Ga.) 19??-current, April 12, 1998, Image 10

The Forsyth County news., April 12, 1998, Page PAGE 10A, Image 10

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Newspaper Page TextPAGE 10A FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS Sunday, April 12,159 S The Forsyth County News Opinion This is a page of opinions-- ours, yours and others. Signed columns and cartoons are the opinions of the writers and artists and may not reflect our views. Qualifying to seek election in July’s primary will be April 27 - May 1 It’s an election year. With the campaigns for governor, lieutenant governor and other statewide campaigns already well under way from the number of campaign ads being seen and heard and candi date visits already being made, it’s not easy to forget. However, locally there has not yet been a whole lot of fanfare about possible candidate’s interest in the two commission seats and the two board of education posts which are up for election. Commissioner John Kieffer has officially announced his intention to run for re-election. But talk of candidates will like be picking up as the April 27-May 1 quali fying dates approach. Both the Democratic and Republican parties will be seeking candidates for the July 21 primary. To participate in the primary, citizens who are not registered to vote can get registered until the deadline, the fifth Monday prior to the election. A change you need to be aware of when you go to vote: Georgia voters are now required to present identification at the polling place prior to casting a ballot. Identification which will be accepted will include: drivers license, government I.D, passport, employee I.D. student I.D. hunting or fishing license, military 1.D., certified birth certificate, certified naturalization docu ment and court certified copies showing adoption, name change or other action. The I.D. requirement was effective Jan. 1. An Easter Sunday sunrise of promise For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. -John 3:16 V k SI I isl in BW /ifWvMKi H isJS* JBB 4 * a&ISi vßh I ■ ZHTMuxB n IIJIW; ImmSb > I 1 JIB cap B „ - ; Letters Youth are making a positive difference DEAR EDITOR, I just wanted to write and let your paper know how much I appreciate the positive articles that you put in your paper, especially those concerning stu dents. As a Youth Minister, I continually search for positive things about youth to relay to our church in order to encourage our youth and let people know that many youth are making a positive difference in our society. Many of your articles high light these youth and the positive influ ence that they are making in Cumming and Forsyth County. Thanks for your con tribution in this area. Our church and I truly appreciate your effort to highlight youth who are making a positive differ ence. Scott Carpenter Minister of Youth and Activities First Baptist Church Commissioners trying to destroy sheriff DEAR EDITOR, I don’t know Sheriff Hendrix. I had one phone conversation with him. Later I thought I had something important to say to him and called six times and never got through to him. T\vice his secretary said he was with one of the commissioners. I still think he is probably the best sheriff we have ever had, of course there are The day will dawn Sunday with the promise He made. Each Easter, there is a cele bration of the life, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ, whom God sent to be the Salvation for a world lost to sin. The dogwood, which is now blooming, is symbolic of the crucifixion - the crown of thorns on Jesus' head is the center of the bloom, while the four petals of the bloom are representative of the cross. The petals are “injured”and stained as if by blood as were Jesus’ hands and feet when he was nailed to the tree. Letter policy Do you agree? Do you disagree? The Forsyth County News welcomes our readers’ opinions on issues of public concern. Letters must be signed and include full address and a daytime and evening phone number for verification. Names and hometowns of letter writers will be included for publica tion, without exception. Telephone numbers will not be published. Letters, which are routinely edited and often condensed, should be limited to 350 words. The same writer or group may only submit one letter per month for consideration for publication. Deadline for submitting a letter to be considered for publication is noon on Wednesday prior to the Sunday publi cation. Letters to the Editor are published only on Sundays. We don’t publish poetry or copies of letters sent elsewhere, and generally don’t publish letters con cerning consumer complaints. Letters should be mailed to: Forsyth County News P. 0. Box 210 Cumming, Ga 30128 or hand deliver letters to the business office, 121 Dahlonega St or fax to: 770-889-6017 Letters unsigned and incorrectly identified will be withheld. some problems and questions. In time I believe they can be worked out if he’s allowed to do his job. That bunch of power crazy commis sioners intend to destroy the man and will use anyone they can to help do it and there are enough people who have to bow and scrape before the throne to accom plish that. Oh well if they can have Denny Hendrix locked away for the rest of his life we can go back to a “Duh” for sheriff and perverts for deputies or maybe each commissioner can take a turn as sheriff. Think about the possibilities. Lillian Gentry Cumming iII i | 1 “Today I know just how you feel, Bessie." Hatching a coup in the legislature The note read like instructions for a fra ternity rush party. It might have been titled “How to Give Love and Understanding to Heartbroken Democrats.” Labeled “highly confidential,” the 800- word memo went out to Republican leg islative leaders March 26, counseling how to induce “conservative Democrats” to join the GOP. And, more important, how to make them feel at home once they took the Republican pledge. “Treat them as Republican incumbents under the party’s incumbent protection pol icy,” said the paper, composed by state Republican Chairman Rusty Paul. “Expend all possible energy in discouraging and preventing primary opposition.... Provide a free CD or computer disk copy of our Victory Suite software which contains dis trict voter files and demographics. ... Intervene with local Republican organiza tions for a smooth transition.” Whether Senate President Pro Tern Sonny Perdue, one of the most influential and disenchanted Democrats in the General Assembly, ever received a free CD is debatable. But he has taken the first steps toward joining up with the Republicans. GOP leaders have lavished him with praise and encouragement and outlined how he and his new Republican friends could take control of the Senate in 1998 elections. It would mark the first time in 130 years that Republicans held a majority in either house of the Georgia General Assembly. The GOP is now just seven members shy of ruling the Senate. Early in the legislative session, Perdue considered discussing his growing dissatis faction with the Democrats with Gov. Zell Miller. He also thought of running for statewide office. Perdue was plainly unhappy with Lt. Tree ordinance, leash law should be passed DEAR EDITOR, One of my concern is the tree ordi nance! Save them. So what if it cost builders more to sell homes. Interest rates are low, they will always find an excuse to raise building costs. I’ll be there to pro mote it May 4. Major topic to be looked at is Forsyth needs a leash law! Not only for human respect its the safety of the dogs. They get in the road. Every time I go for a walk one barks and runs across the road to me. At least four dogs do this during a short two-mile walk. It is time we enforce this. I’m tired of stepping in Bin Shipp Gov. Pierre Howard’s final year as presid ing officer of the Senate. Howard had helped Perdue become the No. 2 man in the Senate all right, but he also had appointed several committee chairs whom Perdue considered unfit. Perdue and Senate Democratic Leader Charles Walker, the Legislature’s highest-ranking African American, addressed each other through clinched teeth for most of the legislative session, barely able to conceal their con tempt for one another. Over in the House, Speaker Tom Murphy, another big-dog Democrat, went out of his way to snub Perdue and make him feel insecure. Perdue carefully nur tured through the Senate a business-spon sored bill to reduce litigation. When it reached the House, trial-lawyer Murphy “stepped on it like a bug,” said one observ er. Murphy simply refused to call the bill up for a vote. Perdue was furious. He started phoning senators, one by one, asking them to consider following him over the hill to the GOP camp. He called such Democratic stalwarts as Hugh Gillis, George Hooks, Sonny Huggins and Jack Hill. According to one source, the Democratic senators were unanimous in their refusal to jump ship. According to another Senate insider, at least two and perhaps three senators agreed to quit the party and plan to announce their my neighbors dog doo on my property. How can we get this on the table for dis cussion? What do you think? Thanks, a first time home owner who takes pride in our community. Julie Brown Cumming Commissioners-sher iff battle needs to end DEAR EDITOR, In response to the Wednesday, April 8, leading article: “D.A. to get report on two commissioners,” a comment by Sheriff Hendrix about Commissioner Suddeth’s dump trucks being registered in Gilmer County to avoid emissions testing is immature, speculative and unprofessional. Dump trucks of the size that Mr. Suddeth owns are not subject to emissions testing. Mr. Hendrix needs to check the law he so religiously proposes to uphold. This observation is not in support for or against Suddeth or Hendrix, This is a call to end this stupid, immature, silly battle between our so called “leaders” of the county who calls attention to these mat ters and who cares! All this is pitiful. It is an election year and, oh how I wish we had any choices; especially to vote out all our present "leaders.” Our leaders seem to be fighting with the city or the sheriff or somebody constantly. How sad it is that we elected such people to lead this coun ty. So much potential exists for our lead- new allegiances in the summer. As for Perdue, he won’t say anything. To understand the significance of Perdue’s possible withdrawal from the party, you have to know that the senator from Bonaire is among the smartest and hardest-working members of the Legislature. He is one of the few lawmak ers who has read and understands the com plicated legislation to deregulate utilities, according to informed lobbyists. The 51- year-old self-employed businessman also is noted for his large and easily bruised ego. He considered running for lieutenant governor several months ago, but latdr decided his middle Georgia base and hrs shortage of telegenic assets would keep him from winning. Even if Perdue decides to remain a Democrat, keep an eye on him. He and like-minded senators, Democrats and Republicans, may take control of the upper house “by consensus” in the next legisla tive session. They could rewrite Senate rules to ensure the next lieutenant govemdt would be little more than a ceremonial rib bon-cutter. Footnote: Before news spread of Perdue’s possible defection, Gov. Miller and Lt. Gov. Howard agreed to sponsor In unusual fund-raiser for his re-election. They plan to stage a skeet-shooting compe tition at the Wolf Creek Olympic range in Fulton County. The caption on the invita tion reads: “Come and out-shoot the sena tor.” Before the cards were mailed, some one drew a line through the “out" in “out shoot.” I Bill Shipp is editor of Bill Shipp 's Georgia, a weekly newsletter on govern ment and business. He can be reached at P. 0. Box 440755, Kennesaw, GA 30144 or by calling (770) 422-2543, {-mail: bshipp @ bellsouth, net. ers to be an example for the rest of the country. Our leaders can’t seem to mature past the I, Me, them of puberty. Cary Martin Cumming Planning director will be missed DEAR EDITOR, No doubt many local citizens who have regularly dealt with the Forsyth County Planning and Development Office over the past few years were saddened to hear that the former Director Larry Robertson was leaving the county for a new opportunity. My personal experiences with Larry over the last few years were always positive. Even with all the demands on his time, Larry was always accessible and willing to spend some of his valuable time to discuss pressing mat ters. In all instances of my business with Larry, he was fair and was always able to work within the county system to bring about a satisfactory result on issues which were vital to me and the people I work with. I know that I am not alone in remembering these kinds of fond experi ences with Larry Robertson. Our company wishes the best for Larry in his new endeavors. Thanks, Larry ant good luck. Hank Sallivai Walsh & Co. Ine Cumminj i 4