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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 (Email Address or Phone Number), which will not be published.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 ^J^cWmetal products ' ^ Your Metal Roofing Specialist BUY DIRECT in Dawsonville Painted Galvalume Metal Roofing 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