Newspaper Page Text
THURSDAY. MARCH 3. 2022 PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS PAGE 5A
Letters to the, Editor
Letters welcomed - No letter more than 450 words; Send
to news@pickensprogress.com or Pickens Progress 94 N.
Main, Jasper, Ga. 30143; All letters must have a full name
that will be published, and contact info. (Email Address or
Phone Number), which will not be published.
To the Editor:
The President and Ukraine
War
The question at hand is
not "Is Biden a weak or
strong leader in this crisis."
Playing woulda shoulda
coulda cannot undo where
we are. If you have not ad
vice for right now or the im
mediate future you should
shut up.
Targeted sanctions can
help but it will take months
for them to have an effect.
The leaders of Europe
have followed the wishes of
their people and disarmed.
Europe has relied on the USA
to protect them under our
mighty nuclear weapons and
our relatively large conven
tional forces. Trump was
right to point this out but
nothing really changed on his
watch. He refilled our am
munition cases but that is
about all.
NATO is an entangling al
liance with weak partners.
From a Russian point of view
the dangerous west has
pushed up against Russian
old traditional borders. This
has given Putin an excuse.
The US could put a large
Navy in the area and confront
the air power of Russia over
the Ukraine and try and cover
the Ukrainian army. I do not
think we should do that.
Russia has the inside chord.
Nor do I want the Presi
dent to send troops now be
cause that would likely
trigger a world war. He has
almost no real immediately
effective options.
We should send small
arms, ammo, grenades, anti
tank mines, antipersonnel
mines, claymores , Stingers,
Javelins, and thermite
grenades. Those might help if
we can get them delivered
immediately. Keep in mind
that those weapons can come
back to haunt us if they fall
into the wrong hands. It is a
risk.
It now falls to the Ukraini
ans. They will have to put
their heads down and fight to
the last man or woman. The
will need to make Russian
pay in dead soldiers for every
foot of land. They need a
whole bunch of guys like the
Ukrainians on that island or
lots of citizens with the deter
mination of their defiant
president.
The longer lesson for us
all is to start talking about
how we should defend our
selves over the next ten
years. I do not think we
have a very good plan for the
USA and that is Biden's fault
along with every member of
Congress.
Gary Pichon
To the Editor:
After reading the Febru
ary 10th Pickens Progress
story about the inert landfill
trying to reopen and check
ing the 17th and 24th editions
for any more information
from Pickens County govern-
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger
warns citizens of Ukraine charities scam
Atlanta -Secretary of
State Brad Raffensperger is
warning Georgia citizens to
be way of scam charities
looking to profit off of the
crisis in Ukraine. In times of
crisis and need, Georgians
need to be particularly watch
ful that their donations go to
legitimate organizations and
support the intended recipi
ents.
“As Secretary of State, it
is my duty to warn the people
of Georgia about the scams
and frauds looking to take ad
vantage of their good will
and generosity,” said Raf
fensperger. “I encourage my
fellow Georgians to support
the people of Ukraine in their
fight for freedom. But they
should make sure their sup
port is going to real charities
who will actually send their
dollars to the right cause.”
Before making charitable
contributions this year, please
keep these tips in mind:
■Research Online - If
there is a charitable organiza
tion or cause to which you
would like to donate, re
search online beforehand to
ensure the charity is right for
you. The Better Business Bu
reau, Charity Navigator,
Guidestar, and other websites
provide evaluations of differ
ent charitable organizations.
■Check For Charity Fil
ings - Before making any do
nation, be sure to confirm the
organization you are support
ing is a legitimate 501(c)(3)
charity. Ask for the organiza
tion’s Employer Identifica
tion Number (EIN) and
search it on the IRS website,
or look for the organization’s
990 tax filings.
■Effectiveness Matters -
Take the time to look at an
organization’s financial situ
ation. Tools available online,
such as those mentioned
above, will provide you with
information necessary to as
certain how much of your
contribution will actually go
to those in need versus ad
ministrative or other costs.
Ask what percentage of your
donation will go to relief ef
forts.
■Do not share personal fi
nancial information over the
phone - Do not share your
credit card, debit card, or
bank account information
over the phone. Donate by
check or credit card, rather
than cash. And send the con
tribution directly to the or
ganization rather than
through a third party. If you
donate more than $250, the
organization should send you
a letter confirming the size of
your donation.
■Tax Deductible Dona
tions - If making a tax-de
ductible donation is
important to you, search the
database of tax-exempt or
ganizations available on the
IRS website. Before making
your donation, ensure the
charity you have identified is
in fact tax deductible. Then,
once you have made the do
nation, be sure to get a receipt
for your contribution.
The Charities Division en
courages Georgians to con
tact division staff if they
receive suspicious charitable
solicitations. To report suspi
cious activity, see the Report
a Scam guide.
Freedom to Farm Act passes House committee
By Dave Williams
Bureau Chief
Capitol Beat News Service
ATLANTA - Legislation
aimed at discouraging nui
sance lawsuits against farm
ers in Georgia filed by
neighbors cleared a commit
tee in the state House of Rep
resentatives Thursday on a
voice vote.
The Freedom to Farm Act
would amend a law the Gen
eral Assembly enacted in the
late 1980s governing nui
sance suits against farm oper
ations in areas zoned for
agricultural use.
Additional protections are
needed because nonfarmers
and farmers are living closer
to each other than ever be
fore, Rep. Robert Dickey, R-
Musella , chairman of the
House Agriculture & Con
sumer Affairs Committee and
the bill's chief sponsor, told
committee members.
"When the current law
was passed, [farmers] did not
have neighbors who did not
farm," he said. "Now, urban
encroachment is happening
all over Georgia."
Under the bill, neighbors
who object to noise, smells,
dust or polluted water ema
nating from a farm operation
would have up on one year to
file a lawsuit.
The one-year statute of
limitations would not apply
to any "confined animal
feeding operation" such as a
chicken house, or to a hog
farm.
Supporters said the state's
policy makers need to do
everything they can to protect
farmland from lawsuits at a
time when fewer and fewer
Georgians are pursuing farm
ing as a career while a grow
ing population means
ever-increasing demand for
food.
"We can't go back and re
claim some of this land if we
lose it," said Rep. Dominic
LaRiccia, R-Douglas.
While no one spoke
against the bill at Thursday's
hearing, opponents have ar
gued the current law provides
adequate protection for farm
ers from lawsuits while the
Freedom to Farm Act would
make it too difficult to bring
a nuisance case.
"It opens the door for new,
industrial-scale animal oper
ations and other polluting
agricultural facilities to move
into pre-existing communi
ties, create nuisances, and
face zero consequences," ac
cording to talking points re
leased by the measure's
opponents.
But Dickey said his bill is
to protect family farmers, not
corporate agriculture.
"Ninety-eight percent of
Georgia farms are family
farms," he said. "This bill is
not about big farming but to
keep our small family farms
operating without fear of nui
sance lawsuits."
The bill now moves to the
House Rules Committee to
schedule a floor vote.
This story is available
through a news partnership with
Capitol Beat News Service, a
project of the Georgia Press Ed
ucational Foundation.
METAL ROOFING
DAWSONVILLE
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18 Colors In Stock
Delivery & Contractor Referrals Available
82 Etowah River Road • Dawsonville
706-265-3099 • 800-519-4616
ment and finding none, I
have a few questions. Will
there be any documentation
by an independent contractor
who follows the US EPA’s
Certification of Truth, Accu
racy and Completeness
“CTAC” or the Georgia
equivalent ensuring there is
no household trash remaining
buried in the landfill if it is
not lined? If the Pickens
County commissioners allow
household trash to remain in
the landfill, is there a guaran
tee that there will be no
ground water pollution in the
future to the surrounding
properties? Was there a vio
lation of the Georgia Com
prehensive Solid Waste Act?
If so, will the legal minds in
the district attorney’s office
take action?
In my opinion the time for
negotiations and trying to
“work” with someone who
allowed this pollution is over.
I feel the commissioners
have the legal leverage and
the moral responsibility to
clean this up and make sure
Pickens County’s ground
water is protected for future
generations.
Milton Hunt
Lawson Self Storage
Al Lawson 1188 Talking Rock Rd
Office 706-253-1188 Jasper, GA 30143
Cell 770-893-7221 allawson3@gmail.com
GEORGIA MOUNTAINS HOSPICE VOLUNTEER YARD SALE
Friday - March 11,2022
8:00AM-3:00PM
SATURDAY-March 12,2022
8:00 AM -12:00 PM
yard sale will be held in the Stancil Room of the Georgia
Mountains Hospice Building
70 Caring Way, Jasper, Georgia
Any Donated Items appreciated—No clothes
All proceeds will go to support Georgia Mountains Hospice
For info contact Judy Chance
706-253-4100 1-800-692-7199
GROWING
STRONGER
TOGETHER
Rural Stress Survey
Are you a Georgia farm owner,, farm worker, or
spouse of a farmer? We would like to hear from you.
As a Georgia farmer, we know you have seen your fair
share of challenges. Help us help others by sharing more
about what causes stress in your profession.
TAKE THIS SHORT SURVEY
AND RECEIVE A $10 GIFT CARD
FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION
gafarmsurvey.org
GEORGIA
FOUNDATION
Rural Health
INNOVATION CENTER
Qualifying Fee Notice
Pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 21-2-131; the governing authority has set
qualifying fees for Pickens County to be filled in the 2022 Primary
Election.
County Commissioner, District 1 (West End)- $306.00
Special Election County Commissioner, District 2 (East End)-
$306.00
Board of Education, Post #2- $50.00
Board of Education, Post #3- $50.00
Board of Education, Post #5- $50.00
Qualifying for the offices listed above will begin at 9:00 am on
March 7, 2022 and will end at noon on March 11, 2022.
The General Primary will be held on May 24, 2022, and
the General Election will be held on November 8, 2022.
Pickens County Elections & Registration
83 Pioneer Road
Jasper, GA 30143
Office: (706) 253-8781
Fax: (706) 253-8782
Pickens County Head Start/Pre-
Applications begin Tuesday,
March 1, 2022 for
the 2022-2023 school year.
Children must be 3 or 4 years of age
on or before September 1, 2022.
> ★★★
I ■'... QUALITY"
^CRATED
Office Hours
Monday through Friday 7:00 AM - 3:30
PM
Call 770-735-3434 for more information
and to schedule an appointment.
Free Early Childhood Education
Program