About The Georgia post. (Knoxville, Crawford County, Ga.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 21, 2013)
Page 2 Thursday, February 21,2013 THE GEORGIA POST &THE BYRON BUZZ 1 - Continued From Front throughout my tenure as your sheriff and throughout my career working under Sher iff Johnnie Becham. Sheriff Becham was seriously injured on several occasions while he was out arresting drug deal ers. Despite our efforts on the local level the drug problem continues to grow. I believe that most of you simply are not aware that drug dealers are not a priority in our Corrections (Prison) System. They some times will only serve one to two months per year of a prison sentence before being paroled and released back into our community. Doing two or three years on a 20 year sentence is just a cost of doing business for them, as their dope busi ness normally continues to run under one of their subordinates. The most effective and valu able tool we in the Georgia law enforcement community have in our arsenal that really affects the drug dealers and other criminals who prey on law- abiding citizens is our seizure and forfeiture laws. These laws enable us, after judicial pro cesses are completed, to take the cars, cash, guns and prop erty of criminals. Taking their ill-gotten gains seems to affect them more than the watered down prison sentences. Our current seizure and forfeiture laws are simple and straight forward on property seized with a value of under $25,000. The laws allow due process for the person to reclaim his property if they are not proceeds from illegal activity. The current seizure and forfeiture laws have held up, time after time thru our Appel lant Courts. The current law clearly out lines how the proceeds can be spent and specifies that it must be spent for law enforcement purposes “at the discretion of the chief officer of the local law enforcement agency”. These seizures have saved you, the tax payer a lot of money. Listed is just a sample of what we have purchased, during my career, with your local dope dealers money: K-9 (dogs), semi-auto pistols, tasers, body armor, undercover vehicles, training, crime scene investigation equipment, radio equipment, expensive covert surveillance equipment, tacti cal equipment for SERT Unit, D.A.R.E. car, cameras, mobile video surveillance system, mobile alarm/panic system, money paid to informants for criminal information used in prosecutions, reward money for information on wanted criminals, money used to make undercover buys of drugs and stolen equipment. Last year our Legislature passed criminal justice reform making numerous felony crimes into misdemeanors, shifting the cost of punishment of these crimes from the state back to the local landowning taxpayers. This was done with out any input from the sheriffs in this state. We all agree that our prisons are overcrowded and something needs to be done but accepting crimes as a way of life is not acceptable here in the Land of Peaches. This year there is an effort being brought before your General Assembly that will make it more difficult and time consuming for us to seize and condemn the money and assets of criminals. It would not be worth the time and effort so the financial rewards of being a criminal would remain in their pockets. It comes in 92 pages of legal mumbo jumbo and it is called House Bill 1, “Forfeiture Reform Bill”. This is nothing more than legislation to help the criminal element and those who profit from their crimes. If this Bill passes it will basically destroy the ability of local law enforcement to combat crimes in our communities. There was a subcommittee Hearing earlier this week and the sponsor of this Bill could not offer any reason for chang ing our current law other than saying that he had heard stories of abuses such as a poor grand mother losing her car because her grandson was arrested for possessing drugs while driving her car. There is a provision in our current laws that protect an innocent owner. Sometimes decisions are made in the Golden Towers of our Capital Cities and I am sure their intentions are good but they don’t always have all the facts and they fail to include the people on the local level that are familiar with what works on our community streets. I don’t know of any law enforcement agency of this state, certainly not the Sheriffs, who were consulted regarding this drastic change in our current laws. We are very fortunate here in Peach County to have Good People representing us in the Legislature, but they need to hear from us on matters that affect OUR Community. If House Bill 1 passes, it will affect us, as well as every other community in this state. I need your help!! I ask that you write, e-mail, call, or con tact your House Representative and your Senator in some man ner and tell them to vote NO on HOUSE BILL 1. Rep. Robert Dickey 607-H Coverdell Legislative Office Bldg. Atlanta, Ga. 303334 (404)656-0287 robert.dickey@house.ga.gov Re. Patty Bentley 607-C Coverdell Legislative Office Bldg. Atlanta, Ga. 30334 (404)656-0287 patty.bentley@house.ga.gov Sen. Cecil Staton 421-A State Capital Atlanta, Ga. 30334 (404)656-5039 Cecil.staton@senate.ga.gov Plain and simple: Our current seizure and forfeiture laws are working. “If it ain’t broke, then don’t fix it!!” I am honored to serve as your Sheriff and thank you for your continued support! Sincerely, Terry W. Deese, Sheriff Peach County (478)825-2507 sheriff-deese@peachcounty. net The ICU Ministry provides hope to others in need. Handmade bags are delivered to area hos pital waiting rooms with toiletry items, magazines, etc. for the family. Items for bags are always needed. If you are interested in volunteering or donating supplies call Para at 214-5560. Icukits. blogspot.com. or icukits@gmail. com. ICU Survival Kits Ministry. Come out and help assemble bags, meets every second and fourth Thursday at the Byron Depot. Times are from 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.. Next meeting date will be February 14th, 2013. Toddler Tales at Byron Public Library, Wednesdays 11 a.m. 18 months to 3 years. Wacky Wednesday every first Wed. of the the month for 4-7 years old. ‘All children 4 years and younger must be accompanied by a care giver, who must remain with the child during their visit. Byron Pub lic Library 105 Church St. Byron, GA 31008 478-956-2200. Free ABE and GED classes ev ery Tuesday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m. and 5:30-8:30 p.m., on Wednesday from 8:30- 11:30 a.m. at the Adult Educa tion Center, 200 Moseley Road, Byron. Orientation is on Monday from 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. For more information call 478-956- 7621. The Comforting Quilters pro vide quilts to those in hospice and others in need. The CQ meets the third Saturday of each month at 200 E. Heritage St., downtown Byron, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. For more information contact Julie at 478- 978-0842 or comfortingquilters@ gmail.com. The Compassionate Friends of Middle Georgia, Supporting Family After a Child Dies, local chapter meets the 4th Thursday of each month at Byron United Methodist Church at 7:00 p.m. For information call Chapter Leader Karla Chidester (478) 954-4592 or visit www.compas- sionatefriends.org Byron Area Historical Society will meet on February 19, 2013, 7 p.m. at the Depot. Lions Club Annual Pancake Breakfast, Sunday, March 17, 7 a.m. -1 p.m., Olkd School Lunch room. Tickets available from Li ons Club member or at the door. Upcoming Photography Class es, Feb. 21 Photoshop Elements Basics, 6:15-8:45 p.m. Cost is $35. Feb. 23rd, Portrait Photog raphy 9:30-12:30. Cost is $35. Feb. 25th, DSLR 2, 6:30-8:30 p.m.. Cost is $25. Contact Bon nie at 478-956-6973 for more information. Battle of Byron Gives Back, Benefit For Lisa Smith Dills, Friday, March 1, Spaghetti Dinner from 4-8 p.m. Dance from 6-10 p.m. Contact Karla Chidester at 478-954-4592 for more information. Tickets at U Save It Pharmacy - Byron, Ooh n Ahh’s - Jailhouse Alley, Byron Fire Dept., Tim’s Total Fitness - See Dianne Holmes, On the Mark, ACE Hardware-Byron. Byron Middle School, A Night at the Living Museum, Thursday, Feb. 28th from 5:30- 6:30 Walk through and see the students dressed in costumes of historical people and characters from time periods studied in Eleven PCHS Band students earned membership through audition in the 2013 Georgia Music Educators Association’s District XI All-Star Honor Band. Hundreds of high school band students from counties in Central Georgia auditioned at Northside High School back in December for membership in the prestigious ensembles. (Pictured above from left to right seated) Chris Poole - tenor sax, Shelby Gant - bass clarinet, Gerkevia Freeman - clarinet, Joshua Jones - baritone sax; (Standing from left to right) Jemuel Ramirez - percussion, Julia Frederick - percussion, Sidney Briscoe - baritone, Ryan Jackson - French horn, Colton Cason - trombone, Brandi Flanders - trumpet, Chris Hill - trum pet. Students who auditioned for the ensembles had to perform scales, solos and play a sight reading test before judges. Students with top scores made the bands. Shelby Gant, Chris Poole, and Joshua Jones made the highest audition score on their instruments therefore earning the rank of first chair in their sections. The students received GMEA State medals for their accomplishment. The District Honor Bands were conducted by Mr. Johnny Folsom, Director of the Abraham Baldwin College Concert Band in Tifton, Ga., and Mr. Kenneth Beard, middle school band director at Woodward Academy in College Park, Ga. The PCHS Band is under the direction of Mr. Darren Johnson. Elizabeth Taylor To Conduct PCHS Symphonic Band Camp The PCHS Symphonic Band will be having a “Symphonic Band Camp” on Saturday, February 23rd 8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. in the PCHS Auditorium in preparation for their upcoming performances at the Peach County Band Showcase on Thursday, Feb ruary 28th at 7:00pm and their State Band Evaluation Perfor mance on Friday, March 8th. Guest clinician for the Band camp will be Mrs. Elizabeth Taylor. According to PCHS Band Director Darren John son, Mrs. Taylor is considered one of the top music educa tors in the Southeast. She is in constant demand for her ex pertise in band pedagogy. We are extremely lucky to have her to come to Peach County and work with our students. It will be an unforgettable experience for our students to study with the renowned Mrs. Taylor. At PCHS, we want our students to experience the Social Studies. There are about 60 or more characters from Na poleon to Abraham Lincoln, and more! Ask the students ques tions and they will answer in character! End the evening with a “Let them eat cake!” reception with cake and coffee served by Marie Antoinette’s Ladies in Waiting. Town Hall meeting concerning Byron-Peach Charter School, Thursday, Feb. 21st, 6:45 p.m., Byron Municipal Complex. Second meeting to be held, Tuesday, March 5th, 6:30 p.m. at the Peach County Courthouse. best and Mrs. Taylor is indeed one of the best, stated Mr. Johnson. Elizabeth E. Taylor is an Assistant Professor of Music at Shorter University in Rome Georgia where she serves as Director of Bands. She conducts the Shorter Univer sity Symphonic Winds and the Marching Hawks. She is the coordinator of the Shorter Independent Winterguard and Percussion Ensemble and also directs the Hill-Top Jazz Band. Her teaching responsi bilities include: Instrumental Conducting, Instrumental Methods & Pedagogy courses and the supervision of student teachers. Prior to joining the Shorter faculty two years ago, Professor Taylor taught both middle and high school band in South Georgia for twenty- four years. She received her Master of Music Education from Northeast Louisiana University and her Bach elor of Music from Georgia Southern University. She currently holds professional membership with College Band Directors National Association, National Band Association, Georgia Music Educators Association, Phi Beta Mu, and Women Band Directors International. She, and her husband Tim, reside in Rome, Georgia along with their beautiful five-year old daughter, Anne-Claire. DUKES OF HAZZARD GEORGIA REUNION CLASSIC CAR SHOW & MUSIC FESTIVAL March 8, 9 & loth Middle Georgia Raceway, Byron Ollow updates on Facebook: DUKES OF HAZZARD GEORGIA REUNION Byron Buzz Sudoku SOLUTION ON PAGE 3 Dukes of Hazzard Georgia Reunion Classic Car Show & Music Festival, March 8, 9 & 10th, Middle Georgia Raceway, Byron. A Light In The Darkness Wom en’s Conference, Saturday, April 6, 2013, Byron Municipal Com plex. Registration at 8:30 a.m. Conference 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Light breakfast and sack lunmch provided. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at Byron Buzz/ Georgia Post office or by calling 478-542-4187. Speakers include Nancy Gibbs, Bobbie Evans and the Heavenly Queens of Com edy, Chef Audrey and Jill Elliott and others. Will also include spe cial music by Tammie Klimma, Paul Carrekerand others. News deadline, Friday, 5 p.m. S L ) D O K U cUsh DISH NETWORK Starting at SAVE! & flsk flbout SflME Dfly LJ LJ installation! ” LWi... . . . 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