About The Lee County ledger. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1978-current | View Entire Issue (May 15, 2019)
Page 4A,The Lee County Ledger, Wednesday, May 15, 2019 ■gemgia Forestry Commission Report Cusseta Man Facing Charges Of Serial Arson A Cusseta, Georgia man has been charged with arson in connec tion with a series of fires near Fort Benning span ning two years. Georgia Forestry Commission Law Enforcement led the investigation result ing in the arrest of 63- year old Samuel Lloyd Hudson, who is charged with two counts of arson of lands. The first in a total of 34 suspicious fires began on February 15, 2017. Twenty-one fires took place on Fort Ben ning and 13 on private landowners’ property, burning approximately 500 acres. According to Georgia Forestry Commission Law En forcement Chief Brian Clavier, a joint investi gation by the Georgia Forestry Commission, Fort Benning Criminal Investigation Division and the Chattahoochee County Sheriff’s office led to Hudson’s arrest on March 27. If con victed, Hudson could be sentenced to 10 years in Tom Lambert prison. Clavier said the in vestigation is ongoing and more charges are likely. Hudson has been released on bond. While this crime and last week’s Timber Theft did not occur in Lee County, I feel it is important to bring these events to your attention so that you are aware that it can occur to you or your neigh bor. Knowledge of such crimes are key to Crime Prevention. For more information about timber security, woodland arson and services of the Georgia Forestry Commission please call 759-3011 or 430-5122 or visit www. gatrees.org . Letter To The Editor Dear Readers, An astute subscriber to the Ledger left a prob ing question: “Kate, is there a government requirement for all TV shows and commercials have an interracial and/ or nontraditional sexual component?” My answer, to begin with is, “Whew! There’s a loaded question, to be sure!” Never known for diffi dence, and thin ice being no deterrent, here I go. No, there is no gov ernmental requirement concerning content in programming for TV shows or commercials that I have been able to discover. Quite the opposite, the 1st Amend ment has been broadly interpreted to permit content that many con sider questionable. However, social forces continue to strive to increase exposure to LGBT characters on television and in movies. A modern-day cultural trend-enforcing agency, The Gay and Les bian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), honored FOX televi sion for showing these characters in 42 percent of their programming hours. This earned FOX a “good”, (not excel lent) status. GLAAD has gone on to push the movie industry to meet this same standard. GLAAD went on to bash the History Chan nel for having zero gay characters. These guardians of inclusion even expect period dramas from the Middle Ages to have gay scenes or characters in 42 per cent of their program ming hours. So, to answer the ques tion, there are no gov ernment regulations that require LGBT content to be included in program ming. However, the boneheads who run the media channels or those in Hollywood continue to yield to social pres sures to the point of idiocy. People have a couple of answers to this situation. Turn off the tube. Attend movies with traditional content. Money talks. It’s the only answer that these moguls will hear. Hope this helps. Kate Scarmalis 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. o Printed On Recycled Paper MEMBER OF GEORGIA PRESS ASSOCIATION Sharing the Word Special to the Ledger By Harry R. Martinez, Ph. D ‘Dem Bones, pt. 3 Scriptures uses many symbols when speak ing of the nation Is rael. Perhaps most well known is the phrase “a land flowing with milk and honey,” used by God in speaking to Moses. “So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey” (Ex 3:8a NIV). “Observe the commands Tentative To Board The board of education discussed the tenta tive budget for Fiscal Year 2020 during their meeting May 13th. The proposed rev enue is $67,756,640.71. That amount includes $23,448,790.00 in local funds, $39,885,632.00 in state funds and $4,422,218.71 in fed eral funds. While the proposed revenue is $67,756,640.71, expen ditures are anticipated to be $72,634,020.46. Instructional costs will consume the largest share of the expendi tures at $48,776,655.75. Expenditures will exceed revenue by $4,877,379.77. While it is anticipated that on July 1 of this year, the fund balance will be $8,979,000.00. The proposed fund bal ance for June 1, 2020 will be $4,101,620.23. The board of educa tion will hold two budget hearings for public input on Monday, June 3 at 6:00 p.m. and on Mon day, June 10 at 5:00 p.m. Both public hearings will be held in the board room at the central office located at 126 Starksville Avenue North. The board will adopt the bud get at 6:00 p.m. June 10. The board members were presented a list of administrators and certified staff from each school for their approval during the meeting May 13th. SPLOST collections rebounded in April according to Dr. Jason Miller, Superintendent. During April, SPLOST collections totaled $258,234.63 as com pared to $230,677.30 that was collected in March. January of 2019 saw the highest collection of the year in the amount of $341,333.97 and Febru ary was $298,794.94. During April, free and reduced price meals totaled 52.82 percent of the meals served in the school cafeterias. Free meals were 48.6 percent while reduced price meals were 4.22 percent of the meals served. LCPS had 53 percent of their meals free, KPS has 51 percent of their meals free, LCES had 55 percent of their meals free, TOES had 50 per cent free meals, LCMS E had 50 percent, LCMS W had 47 percent free, 9th Grade had 42 percent of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and revering him. For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land — a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegran ates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills” (Deut 8:6-9 NIV). God fulfilled His prom- free and the high school had 40 percent. The board gave their approval for the school system to apply for state and federal funding in various programs includ ing QBE formula earn ings categorical grants and other resources as they come available. The board approved a revision to the salary guide that would give bus drivers and riders a bonus based on atten dance. Drivers could be eligible for up to $1200 in bonus pay in their June check based on $3.33 per day daily route driven. During their meeting May 13, the members of the board of education approved the employ ment of several staff members. Shaleeia Thompson was approved as a ELA teacher at LCMS-E, Andre’ Ross was approved as a LCHS English teacher, Mary Taylor was approved as a LCPS second grade teacher, Paul Conger was approved as a LCHS 9th Biology teacher, Stacey Haynes was approved as a LCMS W sixth grade ELA teacher, William Cofield was approved as a LCMS E sixth grade math teacher, Sarah Larson was approved as a LCMS W Ag teacher, Carrie Stout was ap proved as a LCMS E Special Education teach er, Lashonda Whitt was approved as a sub bus driver, Nancy McLendon was approved as a LCES paraprofessional, Eliza beth Glass was approved as a LCPS EIP para professional, Stephanie Bachman was approved as a LCMS W Special Education non-instruc- tional aide, and Jamie Thomas was approved as a KPS Special Education paraprofessional. Flor ence Usry, Maggie Tay lor Karly Chandler, Kate Johnson, Mary Reimer, Madison Wilcox, Savan nah Mizell, Rebecca Mc Daniel, Hollyn Richards, Haley Glausier, Gavin Paul, Lakajah Camp bell, Taylor Turoski, and Nathan Smith were approved as adult leaders for the school system. Haley Newberry, Oliva Hunt, Nathan Bush, Caleb Bush and Savanna Paul were approved as student leaders for the school system. Hannah Chapman was approved as LCHS Drama teacher ise to bring them into the land. “They came in and took possession of it, but they did not obey you or follow your law; they did not do what you commanded them to do. So you brought all this disaster upon them” (Jer 32:23 NIV). Over the course of her history, continued failure to obey God resulted in Israel being taken captive by the Assyrians, then the Babylonians and fi nally the Romans. Hosea describes the descent into degeneracy by the Northern Kingdom ... “When I found Israel, it and Jimmy Smith was approved as a mechanic. The board accepted several resignations. Kendal Joyce resigned as the Ag teacher at LCMS W, Barbara Cornett re signed as a LCHS 9 para professional, Lois Adams resigned as a LCMS W custodian, Linda Escobar resigned as a bus driver, Ken Veilands resigned as a KCHS community soccer coach, Amber Colberg resigned as a LCES music teacher, Mandy Cook resigned as Pre k teacher assistant, John Allen Popham, Jr. resigned as a KPS PE teacher. Kelly Futch and Marri Haggerty resigned as LCHS swim coaches, Martha Parker resigned as a bus diver, Greg Byars resigned as the Federal Program Director, Amanda Clark (Knight) resigned as a LCMS W clerical and Jolie Ledger resigned as a LCMS W counselor. Curtis Powell and Gas- par A. Febus-Morales also resigned. It was announced that Amy Shattles, a second grade teacher at LCPS, will retire at the end of the school term. Annie Blackshear, a LCES food assistant, will retire ef fective May 23. Kim Goodson. LCMS E Media Special ist, will be a teacher at LCHS next school term. Melissa Conyers, TOES general educa tion teacher, will be a TOES special education teacher next school year. Nicole Allen, LCMS-E Media Specialist,will be a counselor at TOES. Zariera Boone, LCHS asst, cashier, will be LCHS cafeteria assistant manager, Jackie Hicks, LCHS asst, cashier, will KPS assistant manager. William McPherson, TOES Special Education teacher, will be a LCMS W Special Education teacher and Amy Head, LCMS E math teacher, will be a LCHS Special Education teacher. Jenna Eppley will be a KPS Paraprofessional, Alda Thompson will be a LC- MS-W Special Education Teacher, Jessica Phillips will be a LCES Special Edcucation Teacher, Kelly Garcia will be a KPS Special Education Paraprofessional and Heather Heldenberg will be a LCMS-E Special Education Paraprofes sional. was like finding grapes in the desert; when I saw your fathers, it was like seeing the early fruit on the fig tree. But when they came to Baal Peor, they consecrated them selves to that shameful idol and became as vile as the thing they loved” (Hos 9:10 NIV). The nation reached its peak of rebellion and unbelief when reject ing her Messiah King. “What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them. “Crucify him!” they shouted.” (Mark 15:12-13 NIV). The nation that was to present the Savior to the world called for His death. God would choose another witness, called the Church, to spread the good news ... “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scrip tures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day accord ing to the Scriptures” (1 Co 15:3b NIV). The Church was born and Israel’s opportunity to be God’s mouthpiece would have to await a future day. Ezekiel describes prophetically this interim period in which Israel remains in spiritual unbelief. The land is not said to be flowing with milk and honey but rather depicted as dead bones. “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” (Ezek 37:1 NIV). Nevertheless, note God’s message of hope .. .“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. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD’” (Ezek 37:4-6 NIV). All that God had intended for Israel to become as His chosen people would come to pass. The nation, which during the time of Christ had rejected Him and called for His death, will after Great Tribula tion recognize ... “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniqui ties; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Isa 53:5 NIV). ‘Dem bones will rise again ... “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jeru salem a spirit of grace and supplication” (Zech 12:10a NIV). 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. Budget Presented Of Education
