Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

Page 4A - The Lee County Ledger, Thursday, November 1, 2001 Georgia Forestry Commission Receives National Award The Georgia Forestry Commis sion (GFC) received the national Service Citizen's Award pre sented by the United States De partment of Interior Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for GFC contributions to wildfire prevention and suppression in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. The award was presented to GFC Director Fred Allen at a spe cial GOAL (Greater Okefenokee Association of Landowners) meeting in Fargo, Georgia. The Service Citizen's Award recognizes significant contribu tions to the mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Georgia Forestry Commission was honored for support of GOAL and their fire prevention activities. GFC support included firefighting, establishing Okefenokee Swamp-edge fire breaks, and preparing helicopter dip sites. GFC Director Fred Allen de scribes GOAL as a "unique and outstanding example of federal, multi-state, and private coopera tive activities for wildland fire protection" with the objective to protect and promote forest re sources in and around the Okefenokee Swamp through a stewardship ethic Marshall Jones, Jr., USFWS Acting Director, said the award is an expression of appreciation for the Georgia Forestry Commis sion response to fire suppression needs on the Okefenokee Na tional Wildlife Refuge. "The out standing support of the emer gency wildland fire suppression response is a fine example set by the Georgia Forestry Commis sion," Jones said. "It brings great credit to the organization and to the citizens of the State of Geor gia." "I think I* like II volunteer for less hazardous work... the front lines in Afghanistan!" Oik Let’s Grow Brad Lofton Director of Economic Development 759-2422 “An Important Vote” The University of Georgia • Cooperative Extension Service Sr- -Hi £ JS Early Frost On Cotton Doug Collins, CEA ^ putting knowledge to Work 1 To A Veteran Words can't express our feelings for you, We thank you in every way that is true, We're proud of all the things you did, And our love for you shall not be hid. Thank you for being so bold, We are thankful in ways that cannot be told, We want you to know how proud we are, To know that we are free because you went far. Brave, Patriotic, Courageous, Just a few words that describe Veterans. Written by: Paige Varner Seventh Grade Lee County Middle School Lee County Middle School would like to invite all veterans to their Veterans’ Day Celebration Friday, November 9 at 9:30 a.m. in the middle school gym. Facts About Masonry By J.M. Rhodes Member of Chehaw Lodge 701 Leesburg, Georgia THE LANDMARKS OF MASONRY In the course of the various de grees, Masons are given various instructions on their conduct with regard to Masonry. However, not all of the principle s that ought to be followed are clearly defined. The new Mason is expected to devote some of his time to read ing or otherwise studying and learning the principles of the craft. We were instructed in the Charge following our initiations to adhere to the ancient land marks of the Order. The Charge in the Fellowcraft Degree also makes reference to the Land marks of Masonry. But what are the ancient landmarks? If you read three books on Ma sonry you will find three differ ent answers. List of Landmarks of Masonry run in some cases to twenty-five or even fifty items. The best scholars agree on two essential tests of true landmarks of Masonry. 1. A landmark must have ex isted as long as the memory of man can be traced. 2. A landmark is an element in the form or essence of the Soci ety of such importance that Free masonry would no longer be Free masonry if it were removed. Strict application of these rules decimates most list of landmarks. These are boiled down to five ac ceptable landmarks. They are: 1. That a Mason professes a be lief in God, the Supreme Being, the Great Architect of the Uni verse. 2. That the Volume of the Sa cred Law is an essential and in dispensable part of the Lodge, to be open in full view when the brethren are at labor. 3. A Mason must be male, free born and of mature age. 4. That a Mason, by his tenure, owes allegiance to the Sovereign (or to his Country) and to the Craft. 5. That a Mason believes in the immortality of the soul. The landmarks are not an at tempt to define a code of behav ior for Masons, but adherence to these fundamental concepts leads inevitably to the principles of honor and virtue that are the ide als of Masonry. The Lee County Ledger ‘EstabCisfecC August 24,1978 P.O. Box 715 (124 4th Street) Leesburg, Georgia 31763 (229)759-2413 USPS 470-310 Official Organ of Lee County SUBSCRIPTION RATES Lee and surrounding counties $14. 95 year Elsewhere $19. 95 year Publisher Derryl Quinn Editor Jim Quinn Layout and Design Tricia Quinn (USPS 470-310), is published weekly for $14. 95 per year in Lee and surrounding counties, and $19. 95 per year else where by at its offices at the May Office Building, 126 - 4th Street, Leesburg, Georgia 31763. Periodicals postage paid at Leesburg, GA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes on Form 3579 to, P.O. 715, Leesburg, GA 31763. Printed On Recycled Paper MEMBER OF GEORGIA PRESS ASSOCIATION I want to devote this week's ar ticle to a very important subject that will have a direct impact on each and every taxpayer in the City of Leesburg. On Tuesday, November 6, Leesburg residents will have the opportunity to vote for or against a Referendum to allow Freeport exemption in the City limits of Leesburg. Lee County is currently 100% exempt from the requirement of Freeport, and Smithville has 40% exemption on the books. Let me first explain what Freeport con sists of. The governing authority of any county or municipality may elect, with the approval of the voters, to exempt the following types of tangible personal property: Inventory of goods in the pro cess of being manufactured or produced including raw materials and partly finished goods; Inventory of finished goods manufactured or produced within this State held by the manufac turer or producer for a period not to exceed 12 months: Inventory of finished goods on January 1 that are stored in a warehouse, dock, or wharf which are destined for shipment outside this State for a period not to ex ceed 12 months: The percentage of exemption can be set at 20,40,60, 80 or 100 percent of the inventory value. According to the Georgia Depart ment of Revenue, over sixty per cent of Georgia counties and cit ies have adopted Freeport Ex emption at some level. So, how does this affect homeowners and taxpayers in Leesburg, Georgia? The State of Georgia is becoming a distribu tion epicenter for the entire East ern United States. 2000 people per day move into the states of Georgia and Florida. We enjoy the best transportation grid in the country, and Leesburg sits di rectly between Orlando, Florida and Atlanta. Georgia. This is the second fastest growing corridor in the Country. I believe that there is tremendous economic po tential for job growth and invest ment in distribution in our County. Adding this investment will help to diversify the tax base in the City of Leesburg. Adding this investment will allow the City to decrease the burden of taxation on the homeowners. Without Freeport in place, we will have a hard time attracting manu facturing and distribution compa nies. Adding the exemption will be a gesture of support for busi nesses that employee Lee County citizens. I want to encourage you to help the Development Authority in at tracting industry to Leesburg. Please consider voting for the Freeport Exemption on Tuesday, November 6, 2001. If you have any questions or if you would like further information, please call me at 759-2422. Thanks, and have a great week. Lee County Middle School Seventh Grade Students of the Week for the Week of October 22 - 26 pictured on the front row is Austin Albright. Pictured on the back row is Ashley Viquez and Sam Hinman. Early Frost On Cotton The frost we received this weekend caught some cotton growers with cotton that was not yet defoliated. I've received calls asking me if an application of a defoliant is still appropriate, (For those people not familiar with cotton production, defoliation re fers to the use of a chemical spray to cause leaves to fall off of a cot ton plant and bolts to open.) I consulted with Dr. Steve Brown. Extension Cotton Agronomist. Dr. Brown told me that it would take three or four hours at 28 degrees to damage boils. When bolls are damaged by cold, the smaller bolls will be come mushy and will begin to smell. Of course, it didn't get down to 28 degrees over the weekend. We did, however, have enough frost in certain areas to damage at least some of the leaves to the point that they will more than likely not be dropped by a defo liant. I looked at a couple of fields Monday morning that had vary ing amounts of frost damage within a field. Even on a plant, some leaves might appear dam aged while others seemed OK. If a leaf appears "scalded" or "burned", with the typical curling and browning of frost damage, it will probably "stick" to the plant even after a defoliant is applied. Although this damage is already apparent, it will be even more so in a few days. A light frost can actually set the plant up for defoliation by getting the leaves ready for abscission (the separating of the leaf petiole form the cotton plant.) An appli cation of Def or Folex can finish up the process. An ethephon boll opener, such as Prep, can be used to open bolls. The ethephon product works when it is sprayed on the boll, so leaves are not vital to its work ing. Because of the cool weather, the maturation process may be slowed, so not all hard boils may open. For more information, call the Lee County Extension Office at 759-6025. To submit articles and pictures to The Lee County Ledger, you may e-mail them to leeledger@aol.com or mail items of interest to P.O. Box 715, Leeshurg Georgia. Green bolls can still be opened with ethephon. Lee County Middle School Eighth Grade Students of the Week for the Week of October 22 - 26 pictured on the front row are Paige Bartlett and Ryan Frye. Pictured on the back row are Megan Rexer and Heather Knight.