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PAGE 10A PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS THURSDAY. MARCH 5. 2015
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Letters to the Editor
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Dear Editor:
Ten years ago I heard those
words from the school that every
parent might fear, “We may want
to have your child tested to make
sme there isn’t something going
on.” A short time later we had
our diagnosis. My son has As
perger’s Disorder. This was hard
for me to swallow; however, I
would not have been able to
swallow this without the superior
service of Pickens County
schools and the special education
department. My son was reading
far below grade level and his so
cial skills were lacking. Every
year a team of teachers, special
educators, administration, grand
parents and staff would meet
with me and my husband to de
termine the best course of action
for the following year. Some
times the goal would be getting
my son to observe personal
space. Other times it would be to
help him become better organ
ized.
As a parent, it was hard to
give up some of the control that
I wanted to have, especially since
I had a child with special needs.
I knew my child, but I had to re
alize that the teachers and staff at
the schools knew him as well. I
loved my child, but so did they.
It is hard when you are with
someone day after day to see the
enormous progress that person is
making. My son was making that
progress. As I mentioned previ
ously, my son was reading two
grades below grade level in third
grade. He was served in special
education for various classes.
Last year he got a perfect CRCT
reading score. He makes good
grades and he feels good about
himself. None of this would have
been possible without the collab
oration of the special education
Staff reports
The groom who was charged
with a wreck that killed his bride
on the night of their wedding was
in Cherokee court Tuesday to
likely enter a plea deal. The
wreck occurred in Ball Ground
and captured national media at
tention in December 2013.
Attorneys Ross Grisham and
Scott Poole, who represent Ryan
Quinton, told the Progress prior
to the hearing that they felt a plea
would be coming that day, but
weren’t going to release details
until it had gone through. The
court case was continuing late
Tuesday evening with sentencing
being discussed.
Addressing the court, Quinton
said Tuesday, “I know I have
done wrong. I’m truly sorry to
the family. I take full responsibil
ity for actions of what I have
done, but I need help.”
See frill details later this week
on our website or in next week’s
edition.
Quinton of Jasper was
charged for a fatal wreck that
killed his bride on the night of
their wedding in December of
2013.
Quinton faced DUI and first-
degree vehicular homicide
charges among other traffic in
fractions for a December 29th
single car crash on Highway 5,
which claimed the life of Kali
Shay Quinton as they were leav
ing the wedding reception.
At the hearing Tuesday, Scott
Poole told the court some imme
diate members of Kali’s family
weren’t there as watching it
would have been too emotional.
He said the family in their impact
department, the staff, administra
tion and caring people at Pickens
County schools.
Sincerely,
Chris & Amy Denney, Parents
Becky Denney, Grandparent
Dear Editor:
I am a senior who disagrees
with Pickens Seniors for Change.
I should not be exempt from pay
ing school taxes.
My children went to public
schools for 13 years. My total
property taxes never exceeded
$1,400 a year. This is far less
than it cost the county to educate
my two children. Someone was
overpaying so I could afford to
pay my taxes. I am now paying
so my grandchildren can be
schooled without an unafford
able burden on my children.
The Pickens Seniors for
Change point out many problems
with our tax system. However,
exempting seniors will not fix
any problem.
Sincerely,
Bill Slaugenhop
Dear Editor:
As I was reading about the
Future Farmers of America
(FFA) in this week’s Pickens
Progress, it reminded me of one
of my “Poppa’s Stories” I’ve
written for my grandchildren.
There was one memorable
class at my high school, Bradley
High School in Bradley,
Arkansas, town population about
500.
All the boys at Bradley High
took four years of Agriculture
statements indicated they wanted
Quinton to be sent home, rather
than serving additional jail time.
A niece of Kali’s also spoke on
Quinton’s behalf.
In May of 2014 Quinton was
arrested for driving under the in
fluence again in Jasper. Quinton
By M. Beth Finley
Vice Regent
Sequoyah Chapter DAR
At the February meeting of
the Sequoyah Chapter, Daugh
ters of the American Revolution,
members signed Valentine’s Day
cards for the many Veterans in
assisted living, nursing home and
domiciliary care facilities in
classes, basically learning the
skills necessary to be a farmer.
One generally accepted require
ment in Agriculture was to join
the school chapter of the national
organization. Future Farmers of
America, which I did, of course!
We didn’t have high school fra
ternities but the FFA was our fra
ternity, with an initiation and all.
On the night of the initiation
we didn’t get hazed or paddled or
anything like that, but we were
required to swallow a pill of “un
known origin.” It was actually a
stomach dye that, by the next day
after it was taken, it had passed
through your system and made
your urine red, or blue, or green,
depending on the color of the
dye-pill that you happened to
take. Big whoop!
There were three major activ
ities in FFA I vividly remember.
To advance in FFA there were
some very practical require
ments. For instance, to be ele
vated to the rank of “Chapter
Farmer,” one of the things you
had to do was to raise your own
crop for a complete growing sea
son, and/or raise some livestock
for sale, keeping detailed records
of all sales and expenses to learn
the business side of agriculture.
Well, since we actually lived
in town 11 miles from the farm,
raising livestock would be al
most impossible. My Dad as
signed me a 10-acre plot at the
farm and gave me the seed to
raise a crop called “maize.” It’s
not “Indian maize,” often known
as com. The grains of maize
were small with grains about the
size of BB’s, and grew as a loose
head on the end of the stalk; the
head looked sort of like a cat-tail
made from grain. I used our Far-
mall B tractor to disk the ground,
build up the rows with a plow,
was initially released from the
Pickens jail on bond and entered
a treatment program, but his
bond was later revoked.
Quinton has remained in
custody at the Cherokee Adult
Detention Center since his bond
was revoked in May.
Pickens County. The cards,
along with individual red carna
tions, were delivered to each Vet
eran thanking them for their
service and letting them know
they are not forgotten. Valen
tine’s Day cards were also sent to
residents of the Florida Cottage
at Tamassee DAR School,
Tamassee, SC.
A Georgia Day Program and
Luncheon was attended and en
joyed by seven members and one
spouse of Sequoyah Chapter.
The Program & Luncheon was
hosted by the Hightower Trail
Chapter DAR, Canton on Satur
day, February 7.
Upcoming events of DAR
The Sequoyah Chapter Amer
ican History Essay winners from
participating Jasper area public
& private schools’ fifth, sixth,
seventh and eighth grades will be
our special guests at this meet
ing.
On Saturday, March 7, at
11:00 am., Sequoyah Chapter
members, along with anyone
who would like to attend, are in
vited to the special Vietnam Vet
eran Recognition Day 50th
Anniversary at the Ceremonial
Wall Assembly Area, Georgia
National Cemetery, Canton, GA.
Sequoyah Chapter is a Com
memorative Partner of The
United States of America Viet
nam War Commemoration Pro
gram. This Program is designed
to thank & recognize our Viet
nam Veterans and their families’
service, valor and sacrifice.
and plant the maize. That part
was relatively easy. The hard
part was when I, by myself, was
directed by my Dad to chop the
weeds out of the 10 acres of
maize — twice. Well, darn!
That was really when I learned
how lonely the life of an indi
vidual farmer can be, and I ac
quired a real sense of respect and
accomplishment for all my for-
bearers who had tilled the soil by
hand to earn their livelihood and
support their families. And I re
ally learned how large 10 acres
is, especially when working it
alone and by hand! I earned my
Chapter Farmer designation the
hard way.
BG (ret) Joseph W. Camp, Jr.
Dear Editor:
[In last week’s letters] I was
surprised at Mr. Reitz’s negative
comments regarding President
Obama’s talk at the National
Prayer Breakfast. So, I reread
the President’s talk.
The talk was 2,856 words of
which the first 491 words simply
thanked everyone for coming.
Reflecting on his own faith he
said: “He’s [God] certainly
strengthened me “with the power
through his Spirit,” as I’ve
sought His guidance not just in
my own life but in the life of our
nation.”
He said: “What I want to
touch on today is the degree to
which we've seen professions of
faith used both as an instrument
of great good, but also twisted
and misused in the name of
evil....As we speak, around the
world, we see faith inspiring peo
ple to lift up one another - to
feed the hungry and care for the
poor, and comfort the afflicted
and make peace where there is
strife. But we also see faith being
twisted and distorted, used as a
wedge - or, worse, sometimes
used as a weapon.... From a
school in Pakistan to the streets
of Paris, we have seen violence
Ryan Quinton conferring
with attorney Scott Poole at
court Tuesday evening.
and terror perpetrated by those
who profess to stand up for faith,
their faith, professed to stand up
for Islam, but, in fact, are betray
ing it. “
The President used 891 words
of his speech to develop this
theme. Yes, 52 of these words
mentioned Christianity: “And
lest we get on our high horse and
think this is unique to some other
place, remember that dining the
Crusades and the Inquisition,
people committed terrible deeds
in the name of Christ. In our
home country, slavery and Jim
Crow all too often was justified
in the name of Christ.” I believe
the President was simply sug
gesting that Christians are people
and not perfect. These com
ments seemed to disturb Mr.
Reitz.
The President then took up
the need for humility: “Our job is
not to ask that God respond to
our notion of truth - our job is to
be true to Him.... And that
means we have to speak up
against those who would misuse
His name to justify oppression,
or violence, or hatred with that
fierce certainty. No God con
dones terror. President Obama
used 1,011 words of his speech
to develop the theme of humility.
Mr. Reitz stated in his letter
that President Obama still be
lieves that Christians and Jews
are evil. I do not see that state
ment or inference in the Presi
dent’s Prayer Breakfast talk. I
saw a plea against using God as
an excuse for evil and develop
the humility that Christ so often
described in his ministry.
John Freeh
Letters Welcomed
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the Progress.
Pickens
Arts &
Cultural
Alliance
PACA Annual Meeting
Join your neighbors at the
Pickens Arts and Cultural
Alliance Annual Meeting on
March 5th to hear from many
different voices in the com
munity. Art, music, theater,
literature, history, natural his
tory, culinary, dance, fiber
arts, photography, pottery,
and more - PACA loves it all.
Learn what local individuals
and organizations did in
2014, and what is in the
works for 2015.
For the sake of time, in
meeting reports will be from
5 pre-selected representa
tives, each of different
aspects of art and culture.
However, video reporting
will be available for anyone
wishing to report on their
group or activity.
The video will be edit
ed and placed online:
www.nacageorgia.org
and www.voutube.com
after the meeting.
PACA will also present to
the membership the Board of
Directors nominees. You do
not have to be a member to
attend and participate in the
PACA Annual Meeting.
However, if you would like to
participate in the vote and are
not already a member, mem
berships will be available
5:00-5:30PM and are only $5
annually.
The Thursday, March 5th
meeting will start at 5:00PM
with refreshments and social
time. At 5:30PM, the meet
ing will be called to order and
then end promptly at 6:30PM.
Held in the Pickens Room
inside the Pickens County
Government Building, it is
located at 1266 East Church
Street in Jasper. You may
enter from the lower level on
the outside or through the
front door and down the ele
vator (signs will be posted to
guide you). (Note this is the
postponement date from Feb
ruary 26th due to weather).
South Cherokee/Jasper
Driver Improvement
Clinic #2102
1623B E. Church St. - Jasper, GA 30143
(706) 692-1632
JASPER CLASSES
New Driver Training # 555 $400
30 hrs. classroom/6 hrs. Behind-the-Wheel
March 28 Saturday 9:00a - 4:00p
March 30 Monday 8:30a - 5:30p
March 31 Tuesday 8:30a -5:30p
April 1 Wednesday 8:30a - 5:30p
“Special classes can be arranged with 5 students or more"
Defensive Driving #2102 *95 (i day/6 hr course)
Mar. 28 Sat. 9am - 4pm
* DU I/Risk Reduction #10053 $ 355 (3 day/20 hr course)
March 21
Sat. 9am - 6pm
March 22
Sun. 9am - 6pm
March 23
Mon. 6pm-10pm
‘DUI/Risk Reduction students required to pre-register & take NEEDS
ASSESSMENT prior to attendance. Assessments & Registration
every Thursday 3p-8p or by appointment.
Call or Go Online to Pre-Registrer
or for more lnformation(706) 692-1632
www.SouthCherokee.com
Other convenient location to serve you: Woodstock.
w
Victor LfaiCs &? Tan
29 N. Main St., Jasper, GA 706-692-6526
• Gel Color • Pink and White Acrylic
• Massage • Hair • Facial
30% off
Tanning
Service
Additional
50% off
j Tanning Lotion j
10% off
for students
under 18
Bring this coupon and get 10% off.
1 1
Pickens County School System
Kindergarten Round-Up
★ 2015-2016 School Year ★
lents must be 5 years old on or before September 1, 201
When’. Saturday, March 14, 2015
9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.
Children must register for Kindergarten at the school in the district in
which they live. To find out at which school you will need to register,
please call one of the schools below:
Where: Jasper Elementary 706-253-1730
Harmony Elementary 706-253-1840
Hill City Elementary 706-253-1880
Tate Elementary 706-253-1860
What to bring:
-Your child
-Two proofs of residence
(Utility bill. Tax Bill,
driver's license, etc.)
-Child's Birth Certificate
-Child's Social Security Card (optional)
-Georgia Immunization Certificate
-Any pre-completed school
registration forms
Registration Forms are available at all elementary
schools St www.pickenscountyschools.org
Groom in court over fatal wedding day crash
DAR has busy February