About The Lee County ledger. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1978-current | View Entire Issue (March 20, 2019)
Page 4A,The Lee County Ledger, Wednesday, March 20, 2019 Keorgif Forestry lelminission deport When to Issue a Permit There are many factors that determine whether a burn permit is issued for outdoor burning such as the weather condi tions on a given day, the location of the burn, the type of burn and the burners ability to maintain control of the burn. The name of an individual does not in fluence whether a permit is issued or not unless it is an individual that has a history of being unable to maintain control of their outdoor burn. The weather condi tions are the biggest determining factor used in deciding whether to issue burn permits. The weather condi tions should be unstable enough to ensure that the smoke will lift and disburse into the atmo sphere while also being stable enough so that the burner can maintain control of the burn. The location of the burn is also a factor in determining whether to issue a burn permit. A yard debris pile should be located at least fifty feet from the roadway and the nearest oc cupied resident. EPD regulations stipulate that land-clearing brush piles should be much further from any occupied resi dent. If a burn is adja cent to a smoke sensitive area such as a hospital or school, the wind direc tion should be such as to guide the smoke away from the sensitive area. Whether the control burn is a residential burn, a land-clearing, a silviculture burn or an agriculture burn can determine if a permit is issued. Greater caution is used when deciding whether to issue permits for residential burns due to the increase poten tial of loss of personal property such as a home or outbuilding. Often times equipment such as crawler tractors are still on land-clearing sites and the fuels have been removed from the entire site except the bush pile being burned. Therefore, a permit may be issued for a land-clear ing site due to their increase ability to keep the fire under control but not issued for a residential burn because of the grassy fuels that would allow the fire to quickly spread if the weather conditions were to un stable to easily contain the burn. Sometimes sil viculture burns require a little more wind to push the fire into dense thick canopy areas. Anyone wishing to receive a burn permit should have some means of containing the fire. The garden hose should reach the entire burn area and firebreaks, man-made or natural barriers, should encircle the entire burn. An adult should be present from the time that the burn is ignited to the time that the burn is completely out to ensure the fire does not escape. There are many fac tors used to determine whether to issue a burn permit. You and your property’s safety is the Georgia Forestry Com mission’s main concern when deciding whether to or not to issue burn permits. Anyone having ques tions about burning or burn permits please contact the Georgia Forestry Commission at 759-3011 or 430-5122. We welcome your ques tions, suggestions and comments. Sharing the Word Special to the Ledger By Harry R. Martinez, Ph. D Good News, pt. 2 Who does not like to hear good news? “Good news” is certainly lack ing in today’s media reporting. How refresh ing to read a newspaper that presents the en couraging things in life. Such notable publica tions include the Good News concerning God’s love mercy and grace. Of course, the reader always has two options, to accept or reject that which he or she reads. While the writing of men is vulnerable to error, God’s Word stands infal lible and inerrant from eternity past to eternity future. Only God’s Word defines Truth for that is its very essence. The Apostle Peter adamantly affirmed ... “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scrip ture came about by the prophet’s own interpreta tion. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:19-21 NIV). Peter’s mentor, the Apostle Paul wrote ... “All Scripture is God- breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim 3:15-17 NIV). Scripture then is the sole, accurate and complete revelation of God to mankind. Its accuracy is equal to His essence. As always there were those who rejected that truth even among so-called followers of Jesus during His earthly ministry. Speaking of Himself as the Word that became flesh, Jesus said ... “The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him.” From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, “Ford, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God” (John 6:68-69 NIV). In his letter to the churches in Rome, Paul acknowledges that God’s revelation to man concerning Himself is divinely embedded in the think ing of every person born into human history. Yet, many people have chosen to squelch that innate knowledge of God. Instead, they have chosen to retain in their minds that which is false. Paul warned that false teaching would even find its way even into the Church ... “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiv ing spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron” (1 Tim 4:1-2 NIV). Thus, the rejection of truth results in the ac ceptance of the lie. Jesus condemned the religious leaders who rejected His message ... “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not hold ing to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his na tive language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me” (John 8:44-45 NIV)! Paul warns that... “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godless ness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wicked ness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible quali ties — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse” (Rom 1:18-20 NIV). Truth suppressed is exchanged for the lie. However, that thinking can be altered by believ ing the Good News that Christ is the Savior and through faith in Him is eternal life. Editor’s note: Dr. Mar tinez is an ordained min ister and was a professor and head of the music department at Florida State University School from 1975 to 2003. He is the father of five adult children and resides in Fee County with his wife, Sara. Harry R. Martinez Week Nine Update from the Gold Dome Special to the Ledger By: Sen. Greg Kirk (R - Americus) We just wrapped up week nine under the Gold Dome and have only eight legislative days remaining in the 2019 session. This week, the Senate convened for three legislative days and designated Tuesday as a committee work day. Throughout the week several appropriations sub committees con vened to hear from vari ous state departments and agencies on the House’s amendments to the Governor’s proposed 2020 Fiscal Year Budget. Though we only heard and passed six pieces of legislation this week, one bill will have a direct impact on all Georgians. On Wednesday the Senate heard House Bill 316 on the Senate floor, where several hours were devoted to debate from both sides of the aisle. HB 316 would allow for the impTemen- new machines will not The Lee County Ledger Established August 24,1978 lcledger@bellsouth.net P.0. Box 715 (126 4th Street) (229) 759-2413 Leesburg, Georgia 31763 USPS 470-310 Official Organ of Lee County SUBSCRIPTION RATES Lee and surrounding counties $20.00 year Elsewhere $25.00 year Publisher Derryl Quinn Editor Jim Quinn Layout and Design Zan Twiggs Advertising Manager Tina Maples (USPS 470-310), is published weekly for $20.00 per year in Lee and surrounding counties, and $25.00 per year else where by its offices at the May Office Building, 124 - 4th Street, Leesburg, Georgia 31763. Periodicals postage paid at Leesburg, GA. POST MASTER: Send address changes on Form 3579 to, P.O. 715, Leesburg, GA 31763. tSp) Printed On member of Georgia Recycled Paper press association Sen. Greg Kirk tation of a new voting system throughout the state. First, the bill lays out the foundation of the machines themselves. When cast ing a vote, citizens would use a touch screen monitor to vote on their elect ed officials and choose their answers to consti tutional amend ments. The machine would then print off a paper ballot for the voter to verify that the answers are accurate depictions of their votes. After confirming, the voter would then scan the paper ballot into the machine where it would electronically tally votes. I am a firm believer in this process as it is the most secure and accu rate option for our state. There is argument from the minority party that a paper ballot system would be the most secure and accurate system for Georgians, and I believe that this hypothesis is severely flawed. Not only is there a problem with having to rely on people, rather than an unbiased tally ing machine, to count votes, but there have been problems time and time again with stray marks or incorrect selec tion of an intended vote because a voter doesn’t know how they need to mark their vote. These be connected to the in ternet at any time, which is another argument that people are making to try and point out vulner abilities. In addi tion to the machines and process of voting itself, the bill addresses several other concerns vot ers have men tioned. This bill would increase access for individuals with disabili ties, increase access to polling places and update the review process for provisional ballots and audits. Overall, I believe that this is the best system for all Georgians mov ing forward, as it is the most secure, accurate and thorough election process to date. We are the United States of America. We help other countries ensure secure elections around the world. We certainly don’t want to have one day of voting where everyone places their thumb on a purple ink pad so we know who voted and who didn’t. I am convinced that that electronic marking devices are more secure than paper ballots and more accurate. This legislation passed on the Senate floor and is now in the hands of the Gov ernor for final approval. Another piece of legislation that was sent to the Senate, but has not yet been taken up on the Senate floor, is House Bill 481, or the “Heartbeat Bill.” This is pro-life legislation that would prevent a fetus from being aborted once the heart has been formed and has a pulse. I have always been an advocate for pro-life legislation and I believe it’s fair to say that once a fetus has a beating heart, they are no longer just a bunch of jumbled up cells, rather, they are a life - and further, a life that we need to protect. I will be sure to keep you updated as these bills move through the legislature. In these final few weeks of the session, the Senate will be hearing a number of bills as we are now taking up all of the bills that have passed in the House and were sent to the Senate. Please feel free to reach out to my office with any questions or concerns you have on any of the legislation we have heard, or will be hearing, in the Senate. After all, I am here to serve you. #### Sen. Greg Kirk serves as Chairman of the State and Local Governmental Operations Commit tee. He represents the 13th Senate District which includes Crisp, Dooly, Lee, Tift, Turner, and Worth counties, and portions of Sumter and Wilcox counties. He may be reached at 229.854.9706 or by email at greg.kirk@senate. ga.gov. Photo by Kristin Caso Albany Fire Department Chief Cedric Scott was a special guest at the February 18 meeting of the Kiwanis Club of Dougherty County. Chief Scott succeeded Ron Rowe, who retired at the end of 2017. Scott became chief in Albany last June after serving for five years in Suffolk, VA. He has also headed fire departments in Waycross, College Park, and Rockdale County in Georgia. Scott is pictured with club president David Shivers.
