Newspaper Page Text
Page 2 - The Wiregrass Farmer, January 8,2014
Busted pipes may be covered by homeowner insurance
With historic low tempera
tures expected for across the
state over the next few days,
Insurance and Safety Fire
Commissioner Ralph Hudgens
wants to remind Georgians that
if their homes are damaged by
the extreme cold, they may get
financial relief through their
homeowners policies.
“Depending on the source
of the property damage, you
may or may not be covered,”
Hudgens said. Here’s what a
typical homeowners policy
may pay for:
■ Repairing damage to inter
nal plumbing caused by freez
ing will generally be covered
by your homeowners policy.
The policy should also pay for
damage to carpeting, furniture,
and other belongings caused
by your own pipes freezing.
■ However, damage from
water entering your home from
an outside source, such as a
broken water main, may not be
covered. Damage from exter
nal waters may be classified as
“flood” or “seepage,” which is
not covered by a standard
homeowners policy.
■ If you live in an apartment
or condominium, and water
from an upstairs neighbor’s
pipes damages your property,
you will be covered under your
own renters (or condo owners)
policy. If you don’t have such
coverage, the neighbor’s liabil
ity policy may pay for your
damage, but only if you can
prove the neighbor was negli
gent.
■ Repairs to frozen pipes on
your property but not in the
home, such as in your yard, are
not covered by standard home
SANTA’S HELPERS
TCES would like to thank So. Ga. Banking Co. and the Primetimers for their help
in "making Christmas brighter" for some of our local boys and girls. Some of Santa's
helpers include Zamora Mitchell, Destiny King, Mia Perez, Natalie Hobbs, Anna Hig
gins, Marquivioun Clark, and Michael Holloway. We love the SPIRIT of CHRISTMAS!
Photo Trish Mathis
Georgia juvenile justice system reformed
After seven years of work,
juvenile justice reform is now
in effect in Georgia and advo
cates say that’s when the real
work begins to help troubled
youth.
Sharon Hill, executive di
rector of the Georgia Apple-
seed Center for Law and
Justice, says the new code
eliminates inconsistencies with
federal law and provides a
greater level of due process for
every child and family who
comes in contact with the juve
nile court.
She says the code also now
reflects understanding the im-
pulsivity of the adolescent
brain and recognizes that many
behaviors of troubled youths
are not serious delinquency.
“We don’t need to throw the
book at those kids doing those
behaviors,” she stresses. “In
stead, we need to figure out
why it is they are doing what
they are doing and get the in
terventions in place, preferably
in the community - less costly,
more effective than lock-up.”
The state currently spends
about $90,000 a year to put a
single youth in a detention cen
ter, and about 65 percent of
those released reoffend within
three years.
Hill says the new law will
improve outcomes for troubled
youth through community-
based treatment programs, and
more mental health and drug
counseling.
Georgia Appleseed is part of
a statewide coalition created in
2006 to advocate for the
changes.
Hill says $5 million of state
money already has been allo
cated to create programs that
will bring less serious offend
ers out of detention and into
community-based interven
tions.
“The idea is that when that
process is put into place and
followed with fidelity, the re
sults will show themselves and
the savings will accumulate
and result in more investments
in less costly, more effective
interventions,” she explains.
According to the Special
Council on Criminal Justice
Reform for Georgians, the new
law will save an estimated $85
million over five years and re
duce recidivism.
owners insurance.
Commissioner Hudgens
also warned that cold tempera
tures sometimes result in dan
gerous fires as a result of
carelessness with home heat
ing devices. For example, if
you use space heaters or wood
stoves in cold weather, remem
ber to keep them away from
combustibles like curtains and
bedding.
■ If you use a kerosene
heater, make sure it has an au
tomatic switch that shuts it off
if it tips over. Never use gaso
line, which can explode.
■ Don’t burn trash or card
board in a fireplace. Make
sure the damper in your chim
ney is open before starting a
fire.
■ Keep matches and lighters
away from children. Don’t let
them play around space
heaters, the fireplace or with
electric blankets.
■ Have your home heating
unit checked annually to be
sure it is working efficiently
and safely. Make sure all fuel
burning appliances and fire
places are properly vented. If
you suspect a gas leak in your
home, leave immediately and
call the gas company from
elsewhere.
■ Install an adequate number
of smoke alarms. Most fatal
fires start between 11 p.m. and
6 a.m., while the family is
asleep. The advance warning
of a smoke alarm may mean
the difference between life and
death. Nine out of 10 fire vic
tims are already dead before
the fire department is even
called, mainly from smoke and
toxic gases.
Low income heating bill help
As the colder winter months
approach, the Department of
Human Services (DHS) will
once again help Georgians
struggling to keep up with the
cost of heating their homes.
DHS's Low Income Home En
ergy Assistance Program (LI-
HEAP) will award an
additional $1,158,388.00 to
Coastal Plain Area Economic
Opportunity Authority, Inc. lo
cated in Valdosta, Georgia.
Beginning Jan. 16 Coastal
Plain Area Economic Opportu
nity Authority, Inc. will be of
fering heating assistance to the
General Public. In most cases,
payments are made directly to
the home energy supplier for
gas, electricity, propane gas,
wood, coal, or kerosene.
To participate in the pro
gram, the family must meet a
yearly income equal to, or less
than 60% of the State median
income. For a one-person
household, that would be
$21,029; for two people,
$27,500, for three people
$33,970; for four people,
$40,441; for five people,
$46,912; for six people;
$53,382, for seven people,
$54,595; for eight people,
$55,809 (for each additional
person, add $1,213 to annual
income.)
To participate in the pro
gram, the family must bring
their most recent fuel or utility
bill, or statement of service
from their provider, State is
sued picture ID (must be cur
rent), Social Security cards and
proof of income for all house
hold members. This may be
paycheck stubs, a letter grant
ing public assistance, Social
Security or unemployment
benefits.
Assistance will be offered
on a first-come, first-serve
basis.
For further information,
please contact the Turner
County CSC - 124 E. College
Street, Ashburn, GA - (229)
567-2844.
FLU
(Continued from Page 1)
or cough or sneeze into the
crook of the elbow or arm.
Avoid touching your face as flu
germs can get into the body
through mucus membranes of
the nose, mouth and eyes.
If you are sick, stay home
from school or work. Flu suf
ferers should be free of a fever
without the use of a fever re
ducer for at least 24 hours be-
TIER
(Continued from Page 1)
Mr. Geoghagan said the
problem is many people have
come off the unemployment
payment rolls. Many have also
stopped looking for a job
through state employment
channels, he said. When people
come off those rolls, they are
not counted at all. That lowers
the unemployment rate.
“They’re not counted, pe
riod,” he said.
fore returning to work or
school.
Peak flu season is usually
the end of January and runs
through late February or early
March. It is important to take
preventative measures now to
minimize the effects of the flu
and stay healthy this flu sea
son.
EUREKA
(Continued from Page 1)
The project brings more than a decade worth of effort to get
housing on that property to an end. The Board of Education sold
the property to an Ashburn Development Authority for $50,000
to be paid at $1,000 a year for 50 years. The development board
in turn is delivering the property to the developer.
Georgia divides the 159
counties into three tiers, 1, 2
and 3. Tier 1 counties are the
most economically strapped;
they are the poorest in the
state. Tier 3 counties are the
wealthiest.
Turner County was No. 38
in the state ranks but recently
jumped to 75.
According to Mayor
Hedges who did a bit of re
search into this, the state uses
four economic measures to de
termine the job tax credits.
They are:
(b) (1) Not later than De
cember 31 of each year, using
the most current data available
from the Department of Labor
and the United States Depart
ment of Commerce, the com
missioner of community affairs
shall rank and designate as less
developed areas all 159 coun
ties in this state using a combi
nation of the following equally
weighted factors:
(A) Highest unemployment
rate for the most recent 36
month period;
(B) Lowest per capita in
come for the most recent 36
month period; and
(C) Highest percentage of
residents whose incomes are
below the poverty level ac
cording to the most recent data
available.
The 10.3 unemployment
rate put Turner County at No.
72 in the state.
Per capita income is listed at
$30,277, putting Turner
County 97 in the state. The in
come is as a three year average
compiled from federal sources.
In years past, this number was
considered skewed because of
farmers. Some farmers listed a
very large income on paper,
which is how this figure is
used. With Turner County’s
very small population base, a
few high income people can
skew the average result toward
a high average income level.
In another, more accurate
indicator of wealth, Turner
County has a poverty level of
24.1 percent, placing Turner at
No. 47 in the state.
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