About The Lee County ledger. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1978-current | View Entire Issue (May 8, 2019)
Page 4A,The Lee County Ledger, Wednesday, May 8, 2019 ■gemgia Forestry Commission Report Sharing the Word Timber Thefts Yield Arrest And More Investigation A Hephzibah man is in the Richmond County jail facing felony charges for tim ber theft. Ryan Casey Price, 23, was arrested after Georgia Forestry Commission investiga tors traced a trail of illegally cut trees to his home. Authorities believe Price stole timber on several nearby prop erties in Rich mond County, then cut, split, and sold it as firewood. He is formally charged with theft of more than 100 tons of timber on Tom Lambert could face a prison sentence of 10- 15 years. To learn more about reporting timber theft and services of the Georgia Forestry Commission, visit www.GaTrees.org. Special to the Ledger By Harry R. Martinez, Ph. D ‘Dem Bones, pt. 2 When writing to the churches in Rome, the Apostle Paul recorded a most phenomenal truth concerning the revela tion of the true God to the entire human race, unhindered by language barriers or physical loca tion. “Since what may be known about God is plain to them [mankind], because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse” (Rom 1:19-20 NIV). At times, such as in the Garden, the pre-in- carnate Christ appeared personally to reveal Himself as the Savior who would provide salvation to mankind. God would promise Abraham that through him all the nations of the earth would be blessed. “I will make you into a great nation Harry R and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and whoever curses you I will curse and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” Gen 12:2-3 NIV). God even used the bones of Joseph, Abra ham’s great grandson, to remind the Jews in slav ery to Egypt that what God had promised would come Martinez come a great nation and be preserved for all gen erations. That was the message given by ‘dem bones of Joseph as the Jews found themselves enslaved in Egypt for Submitted Photos Sundae Party for faculty over four hundred years. God brought deliverance through Moses in the Exodus just as Joseph had said... “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place” (Gen 50:25b NIV). A nation was born, chosen by God to reveal His Word to all mankind, to bring the Savior into the world, to establish His kingdom on earth and rule from the throne of David. The promise of God would be fulfilled as the incarnate Christ came into human his tory through the very nation that God had preserved to accomplish His purpose and plan for mankind. John would write in his gospel ... “The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.” Yet, to all who re ceived him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God (John l:9-12aNIV). Rejection of her Messiah would bring disciple upon Israel and a delay in receiving her Messiah- King as Savior and King over all the earth. God’s prophetic Word given by Balaam had been fulfilled ... “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel” (Num 24:17 NIV). Further prophesy regarding the future res toration of Israel would be given by another prophet. God would speak through ‘dem bones, not those of an individual, but of the nation Israel, who, in her rejection of Christ, was spiritually dead. Ezekiel proph esied ... “the hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said, “O Sovereign LORD, you alone know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life” (Ezek 37:1-6 NIV). It was a message of hope and future bless ing from a faithful God to His chosen people. 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 Lee County with his wife, Sara. to pass. The Jews would have a land and its people would be- one tract. “Our agency was called in by the Hep hzibah Police Depart ment to assist after becoming aware of the thefts,” said Georgia Forestry Commis sion Law Enforce ment Chief Brian Clavier. “Price has been charged with theft by taking and criminal damage to property, both felonies. He is also charged with criminal trespass, a misdemeanor.” Clavier said an inspection conducted by the Georgia For estry Commission determined 144 trees were cut down on one landowner’s property, with 140 of those being merchantable red oak species. The timber has an estimated value of $2,700, with its value as firewood esti mated at $7,600. “This is the first ar rest related to firewood theft,” said Clavier, “and it apparently spanned several years. An investigation into additional thefts is continuing as more landowner victims and possible suspects are contacted.” Cla vier said the value of timber stolen from the other landowners will be determined by stump cruises at later dates. Georgia’s timber theft law was enacted in 2014. If convicted of these charges, Price J 1st Place Bookmark winner - Laura Leigh Allen Honorable Mention Honorable Mention Honorable Mention Bookmark winner - Bookmark winner - Bookmark winner - Jacob Montgomery Chloe Butts Jazlyn Brown LCHS 9th Grade Celebrates School Library Month Special to the Ledger The month of April was School Library Month and LCHS 9th Grade media staff provided a variety of ac tivities for students and 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. Printed On Recycled Paper MEMBER OF GEORGIA PRESS ASSOCIATION teachers in celebration of our school libraries. Earlier in April, the students and faculty participated in “DEAR Time” (Drop Everything and Read). The stu dents also participated in a bookmark contest. Students were asked to create a bookmark with the theme “Ev eryone Belongs @ Our Library”. The students did a great job and the overall winner, Laura Leigh Allen, won a $15 gift card to Chic-Fil-A. Letters Policy The Lee County Ledger welcomes - indeed encourages - letters from our readers on mat ters of interest for the community. Have a complaint? See a problem that needs correct ing? Have the solution to a problem that others haven’t seen yet? Feel some person or group deserves praise and isn’t getting it? Please write us and let everyone share in your view point. We do request that all letters be signed and accompanied by the writer’s street address and telephone number. We reserve the right not to print any letter. Letters not signed will not be printed. Letters may be edited for space. Address your letter to Editor, The Lee County Ledger, P.O. Box 715, Leesburg, Georgia 31763 or bring them by our office. At the end of the month, the media center staff provided a sundae bar for the faculty. The staff enjoyed this delicious treat and it was the me dia staff’s way of saying thank you for supporting the media center. Senior Center Open House Special to the Ledger The R.S. Boney Senior Center will host an OPEN HOUSE Wednesday May 15- 9-11AM, 141 Park Street-759-0909. They are looking forward to your visit. They have a beautiful facility with lots of activities to of fer the Seniors of Lee County The Senior Center is part of The Sowega Council on Aging.
