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THURSDAY. JANUARY 14. 2016 PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS PAGE 15A
Is next Tater Patch production a dog story?
Regardless, part of Sylvia proceeds will go to animal shelter
In rehearsal, Alex Nawrocki, as Greg, and Ellen Painter as his wife, Kate, discuss their
lives now that Sylvia, the dog (Dezarea Brown, sleeping) has arrived.
By Nan Nawrocki
Tater Patch Players
Is the upcoming play, Sylvia
about a dog, or is it about a mar
ried couple? Those of us who
have dogs know what an impact
they have on our lives.
The same is true for Greg and
Kate, played by Alex Nawrocki
and Ellen Painter. Kate is a
woman with an empty nest.
A new nest in upscale New
York City. The kids are in col
lege, the suburbs are behind her.
She has been chosen to imple
ment what is, to her, an innova
tive new program in the inner
city middle schools.
She is a woman on the rise.
Greg's nest is empty too. The
kids are away at school and Kate
is away on her new career path.
His job and his boss are both be
coming unbearable. He is in a
loft apartment surrounded by
modern art and an undefined
"need". This could be a recipe
for a very grim story of marital
loneliness and despair. Instead,
as Greg says "Suddenly, Sylvia!"
Sylvia, the mongrel dog in
search of someone to care for
her, comes up to Greg in the
park. It's truly love at first sight,
at least for Greg and Sylvia.
Kate, on the other hand, is ready
to take wing on her new career
and city life.
She is not ready for the re
sponsibilities of either a dog or
an increasingly starry-eyed hus
band. The way Greg and Kate
cope with the changes brought
by Sylvia are a delightful mish
mash of laughter, anger and
frustration, still more laughter,
and situations with which the au
dience members are sure to iden
tify.
Ellen and Alex have played
opposite each other in four pre
vious and very diverse shows:
Dracula, Almost Maine, Lend
Me A Tenor, and Postmortem.
They are finding their acting
skills challenged once more in
the current production. Ellen de
scribes the character. Kate. "She
is losing control of her life and
her plans".
Ellen once suffered a broken
wrist and says that, while it was
healing, her lack of control of the
everyday things in life - picking
up a package, brushing her hair
- makes her able to "empathize
with Kate, with that feeling of
everyday things being unman
ageable".
Alex reflected on his charac
ter as well. "Greg has success
fully managed family and life for
22 years. Now times have
changed. His job is going to hell,
his home life has evolved, and he
meets the dog whose spirit pro
vides him with the emotional and
mental comfort he needs. Along
the way he finds his new friend
helps him to understand more
about life and himself."
Sylvia, like all dogs, gives
him unconditional love and com
fort and asks only to be fed. She
wants to have the same relation
ship with Kate, but theirs is a
much harder road to travel.
Along the way there are dis
agreements, a little sadness, and
a lot of laughter.
Please be aware that this play,
while funny, is not for children as
there are adult situations and lan
guage. Come join this unusual
family as Sylvia, by A. R. Gur
ney, is performed January 29, 30
and February 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14.
The two Sunday shows are at 2
PM, and the rest are at 7:30 PM.
Tickets are $18 for adults and
$16 for seniors and $14 for stu
dents.
The theater is at 95 Philadel
phia Lane, behind the Wal-Mart
shopping center. Tickets may be
bought online at www.taterpatch-
players.org or at the box office
beginning one hour before each
performance.
Because of the work they do
helping to find forever homes
for the "Sylvias" of our area, a
portion of all box office receipts
for the first weekend's shows will
be donated to the Pickens County
Animal Shelter.
Tater Patch Players' Share
Night, which is the final dress re
hearsal, will be January 28 at
7:30. In this way the troupe
shares with the community
members for whom purchased
tickets are not possible at this
time. In exchange for a opportu
nity to view the dress rehearsal at
no cost, they ask that you bring a
bag of non-perishable food or
toiletry items to the theater to
share with the CARES food
pantry.
If you'd rather give something
that the animal shelter needs that
night, their wish list is on the
Tater Patch Players website and
facebook page.
Report from the Capitol
By State Representative Rick Jasperse
The legislative session will be
underway when you read this. I
thought you might like to see the
top issues and the variety of is
sues that will or could be ad
dressed this year.
It would be easy to say to ex
pect fireworks at the Capitol.
This session may see a new
fireworks bill. Last year, the leg
islature expanded fireworks sales
in Georgia. We all enjoyed the
freedom to buy and celebrate, but
some areas of the State don't ap
preciate it as much as others.
Don't expect a drastic change,
but a little more local control is
in the works.
But the most fireworks may
be around the religious freedom
bill - a concept that has packed
Capitol committee rooms for two
years. Backers say it would pro
tect individuals from being com
pelled to violate their own
religious beliefs. Critics say it's
an anti-gay bill - that would hin
der Georgia's effort to lure new
businesses here.
We expect conservative pres
idential and congressional poli
tics to shape some of the debate.
Georgia's March 1 Presidential
primary will fall midway into the
legislative session, and there will
be an open congressional seat
folks will be working hard to get.
Other bills will sound like a
replay of last year. Backers of
medical marijuana oil want the
state to allow limited cultivation
and production in Georgia. Law
enforcement and Gov. Deal are
opposed. There will be a lot of
debate around this, and by the
time it gets to the end will look
different than it does now.
Craft brewers - and many
legislators - say they need to re
visit a bill that passed last year -
because the state Revenue De
partment won't let craft brewers
do what they thought last year’s
bill allowed. Brewers wanted to
be able to sell take-home cans
and bottles at the brewery. This
area of the economy has created
a lot of jobs and tourism all
across the state.
Some legislative leaders have
also hinted at another pass at
transportation on the heels of
2014's landmark bill to fund
transportation projects. There
may be changes to HB170.
House Speaker David Ralston
is among the Republican leaders
who have made comments that
suggest a potential thaw in the
State's icy relationship with re
gional transportation provider
MARTA.
There is also proposed Pastor
Protection legislation that
would allow clergy members to
refuse to perform marriages for
gay and lesbian couples if
against their beliefs. Probate
judges would still have to do it.
There will be 2nd Amend
ment bills that will restore rights
that were lost in the past. Cam
pus Carry by license holders and
reducing the number of gun free
zones in the state will be looked
at carefully.
Teacher Merit Pay and
School Funding and other rec
ommendations that Governor
Deal’s study committee have de
veloped over the past year will
get me the most emails and calls.
My daughter, Elizabeth, an Eng
lish teacher, has been communi
cating with me at length about
this. We haven’t seen any bills
from the governor, so it is hard to
comment on what will be de
bated.
The budget is always an
issue that is complex and com
petitive between the House and
the Senate; we will spend the en
tire session working on it. Going
into this session, there will be a
surplus of funds due to our im
proving economy, and it is highly
likely the bulk of that amount
will again be pumped into K-12
education funding. Medicaid and
necessary spending will take up
most of the funds. Looking for
ward to see what Governor Deal
is proposing next week.
Tax reform will be looked at
in the form of the “Take Home
More Pay” bill. This would re
arrange taxes so that the State in
come tax would decrease. But
the tax dollars will have to come
from somewhere State sales
tax?, maybe on food?, And oth
ers?
Drivers and cell phones and
drunk driving are still an issue.
We all know it. One out of 4 who
are killed on our roads are due to
drunk driving. The trend is up for
more wrecks, many due to cell
phone use. I have heard of stiffer
penalties being looked at to curb
this.
Some are working to include
university employees who act as
Lobbyists to register and to hav
ing them report spending and
gifts to legislators.
The governor’s election is
looming two years from now,
and there will be people making
moves to be a statewide presence
so they will be a front runner for
the job in a few years. Unusual
bills and speeches will be given
for consideration.
Immigrant resettlement will
be discussed and debated as the
Federal power over the State is
going over what most Georgians
want. Solutions will be sought to
push back the over-reach of the
photo/Misty Watson Wheeler/Dalton State
Rep. Jasperse, left, with State Senator Charlie Bethel at a re
cent meeting between newspapers and state legislators.
Restaurant Report
Inspected: 11/20/15
Starbucks
115 Bill Wigington Parkway
Jasper
Current Score: 96-A
Previous Score: 91-A
Violation: Chemical spray bottle
on counter. Must be stored away
from food and food service
equipment. Bottle was moved.
Peking Garden
28 Bill Wigington Parkway
Jasper
Current Score: 92-A
Previous Score: 92-A
Violations:
1. Chicken @ 68°F cooling in a
large container after 2 hours.
Must cool in a shallow container
to 41 °F, then place in a large con
tainer for storage. The chicken
was placed on a sheet pan to rap
idly cool. Repeat Violation.
2. Used paper napkins in kitchen
in a bag to be used for floor
spills. Used napkins must be dis-
carded.The napkins were thrown
away at time of inspection.
3. The back screen door does not
seal adequately. There is a gap
at the top, and there must be a
self-closer on the door to close
door tightly. Door must be re
paired asap.
Inspected:
12/5/15
Pig Pen Family Mud Park
865 Pig Pen Road
Ball Ground
Current Score: 99-A
Previous Score: 96-A
Violation:
Sponges in kitchen. Sponges are
not allowed for cleaning food
contact surfaces. They were dis
carded.
Inspected: 12/30/15
Speedburger
562 East Church Street
Jasper
Current Score: 99-A
Previous Score: 98-A
Violation:
Hood filters above main grill
laden with grease. Clean filters.
Federal government in this area.
Casino gambling: There will
be a very high-profile debate in
Georgia this year about amend
ing the State Constitution to
allow limited casino gaming in
the state, likely to help support
the HOPE scholarship. Key issue
is that the Board of Regents must
be held in check on tuition in
creases, as they will adsorb all
money raised in this.
College Affordability: The
national debate on tuition in
creases and student loans is be
ginning to echo in Georgia. I
anticipate more vigorous debate
over the subject than has been
seen in years past.
Tobacco: Legislation has
been pre-filed to increase taxes
on tobacco products, putting this
perennial topic on the legisla
ture’s radar once again. The extra
money could be used for tax re
lief for some and for funding
health care for others.
I was recently appointed to be
a committee chairman. As chair
man of the Special Rules com
mittee, I will join the leadership
group in the House. It is quite an
honor to be there.
When I listed this group of
possible bills, I didn't do them in
any order or priority. As the ses
sion gets going, know that any
legislator can create and drop a
bill for consideration no matter
what it is about. Georgia is a very
diverse state with lots of ideas
and passions. Not all bills will
pass if introduced. Last year
about 1,600 bills were introduced
and 312 passed both the House
and the Senate and were signed
by the governor.
I hope by now you know you
can call me and talk with me
about your issues and problem
that we address. The best way to
reach me during the next three
months is at the Capitol at 404
656-7857. If you come to the
Capitol, be sure to give my office
a call, and come by my new of
fice in the Capitol, Room 401.
You can also send me an email at
rick@rickjasperse.org. Please be
sure to give me your name and
address, as the folks for our dis
trict get answers first. Some days
we get 500+ emails from not
only Georgia, but across the
USA.
Please say a prayer for all of
us in the Legislature as we travel
across the state going to the
Capitol for the next few months.
Pray for our families and our
state and country.
Thank you for allowing me to
be your Representative.
ArUYli
Join usjor a relaxing evening in
support o/Pickens County
Nominees
Mila Lane and Jack Dunn
'Wine Tasting an/ligktTfors <f oeuvres
Thursday January 28^
5-7:30pm
Coast 2 Coast Catering
706-253-1052
1052 "East Qburcb. Street
jasper, Georgia 30143
$25j3rej>erson
To buy tickets caft
TVfifaTane 678-294-7713
TenasantTank 678-454-2250
jaspe/DrugStore 770-906-8165