Newspaper Page Text
Page 4 — Wednesday, October 20, 2010, TheTrue Citizen
inions
★ ★★ * ★ ★
The Pledge Of Allegiance
I pledge allegiance to the flag
of the United States of America
and to the Republic for which
jit stands, one Nation under
God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all.
★ -A'’*’*- ★ ★ ★ ★
TELL,,,
RFD
By Bonnie K. Taylor
General Manager The True Citizen
It is fair time!
Gates open 5:45 p.m. Wednesday-Friday and at 3 p.m. on Sat
urday at the Waynesboro Exchange Club Fair
grounds. Gate admission is $3 for all ages and
armbands at $15 every day.
There will be food, live entertainment and
games. Have your photo made with Dale
Earnhardt Jr.’s #88 AMP Energy Race Car.
On Thursday there will be a Jade Tigers
f k Karate show at 7 p.m. You could be the win-
1 ner of the $50 Karaoke and Best Dance con
test winner.
! On Saturday, Levi Walker and the New Im-
palas will perform.
Wednesday is Military Appreciation Night. Anyone with a
military ID will get in free and receive $5 off armband for un-
Don Lively
limited rides.
Proceeds from the fair benefit numerous community projects
including their scholarship program.
Thanks, Exchangites for another great Fair and all you do for
our community!
If you are one of those diehard Nascar race fans, I encourage
you to watch "Petty Blue” on the CMT channel.
I found while channel surfing and stopped to look because of
the name. I am always looking at colors and names of colors. My
favorite names come from OPI nail polish.
Petty Blue is about the four generations of the Lee Petty fam
ily starting with his career in the moonshine running days on up
to the death of his great grandson, Adam Petty.
If you are not a race fan and enjoy documentaries about real
-See RFD, Page5
I’M IN
High tech crime fighting
The fact that crime is down in Pecan Grove is cer
tainly good news. But, it remains to be seen how
long the formerly troubled neighborhood remains
peaceful.
The improvement came after developer Gary
Hammond hired a management company, Hediger
enterprises, to assess the situation and come up with
an action plan. Off-duty policemen were hired and
police dogs were utilized to keep intruders out of
the subdivision. The efforts were obviously success
ful since the Waynesboro Police Department re
ported that incidents in the community were down
by about ninety percent.
In addition, residents are actively involved in
monitoring activity in the area. An aggressive
neighborhood watch program has been developed,
and residents are on notice that eviction will follow
unacceptable behavior by renters or their visitors.
We hope the ceasefire continues indefinitely, but
it will take a lot of cooperation by public agencies
and private citizens. We have long advocated the
use of surveillance cameras in trouble spots through
out the city. Video surveillance is in wide use in cit
ies in the United States and around the world. It is
efficient and effective in both preventing and solv
ing crimes. Neighborhoods all over the city, espe
cially those with a high incidence of crime, can be
monitored 24 hours a day from police headquarters,
with a video record of activity available for review
by police or court officials.
Pecan Grove is a private community, so any video
surveillance efforts there would have to be done by
the owner. But we believe that computer based video
is the only way to affordably maintain the level of
surveillance necessary to have a long term positive
effect on neighborhoods like Pecan Grove. We urge
the city to consider the possible use of this valuable
crime-fighting tool in other troubled neighborhoods
in the near future.
Looking Back
10 years ago: Oct. 18, 2000
Game Warden Glenn Whitaker retired after 25 years of service
with the state.
Mario Labran and Nan Palmer were named the 2000 Home
coming King and Queen at Burke County High School.
More than 9,000 people attended the Exchange Club Fair.
Spokesman Richard Bailey said that even though attendance was
only 32 less than the previous year, Friday night’s attendance
was hurt by EBA and BCHS home football games.
25 years ago: Oct. 17,1985
Dr. Alan Bolnick delivered the first baby born at the Burke
County Hospital since 1970.
Georgia Power Company moved a step closer to obtaining an
operating license for Plant Vogtle with the dismissal of charges
that the quality assurance program was inadequate.
Merla Dukes and Angela Thompson were named Homecom
ing Queens at Waynesboro High School. Ashley Harper was the
new queen for Edmund Burke Academy.
50 years ago: Oct. 20,1960
Porter W. Carswell was named county chairman for the
Kennedy-Johnson presidential campaign. Judson Thompson was
first district chairman of “Dollars for Democrats,” and A.J.
Dolinsky was county chairman.
The Rev. Robert Knox was named vicar of St. Michael’s Epis
copal Church.
More than 160 Burke County Masons planned to attend First
Baptist Church for their annual Religions Affirmation Day.
Citing safety concerns, Waynesboro High School principal M.W.
Sessions announced the closure of the alley between the gram
mar school and the gymnasium.
75 years ago: Oct. 18,1935
Paving was being completed on a nine-mile stretch of the
Waynesboro-Louisville Road and on five miles of the
Waynesboro-Millen Road.
Members of the new local tennis club included the Rev. Walter
Moore, president; J.B. Scogins; J.W. Borom; Mary Clark; Frances
Benton; Whit Blount; Sidney Cox; Nell Brown; and Nat
Steadman. Waynesboro High School chalked up its third straight
football victory with a 19-6 win over Millen.
(True Cttmnt
P.O. Box 948 • 601 E. 6th Street
Waynesboro, Georgia 30830
Telephone: (706) 554-2111 • Fax: (706) 554-2437
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The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of
the newspaper in which they appear.
In fact, they might even be diametrically
opposed for all I know, cause I’ve never dis
cussed any of the following issues with the
bosses.
So, my views are mine alone, and, you know
what I think?
I think it’s the silly season again.
Idiotic season might be more accurate.
I’m referring to election year.
In a few weeks we will be electing folks to
fill all kinds of political offices. The same
people who it seems have been inundating us with inane, offen
sive TV and newspaper ads since Adam felt a breeze and realized
he was naked.
Aren’t you tired of it?
Sick of it?
Just want it to be over?
Well, that’s too bad cause I’m here to declare that I’m throw
ing my eleventh hour hat into the ring.
I want your vote.
I already know that I will win cause I’m the only one run
ning.
Unopposed.
Today I am declaring my candidacy for a newly created (by
me) position.
The Emperor of East Dixie.
Think of it as a combination of crowned royalty and duly elected
autocrat.
Upon election my empire will include all parts of the Blessed
South east of the Mississippi.
I wouldn’t even think of trying to rule Texas and the only
difference between them and Louisiana is the Sabine River. So,
they can continue to govern themselves.
Any registered Southerner is eligible to vote for me, and only
me, regardless of party affiliation, creed, race, religion or neck
color.
Once I’m firmly ensconced I’ll put a few rules in place for any
future elections.
I’ll decree that electioneering and all the bovine fertilizer that
accompanies it be limited to one month before election day.
Anybody caught politicking before that month will have their
Sam’s Club membership revoked.
Another election rule will be a version of one we all learned
from our Southern Mamas.
If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything.
Negative ads (Yes, I’m aware that they work, but still...) on TV
or radio will result in the candidate being sent to his or her room
and not allowed out till after election day. Or maybe Judgment
Day.
Once an election is over, candidates are responsible for remov
ing every one of their campaign signs from public view instead
of waiting for them to get bush-hogged the next Spring. The
winners will have one week to get rid of all their eyesores. The
losers get two weeks since they’ve most likely been abandoned
by most of their loyal base and will have to rely on just family
for help.
An aide has suggested that I also outlaw lying during elections
but I had to leave that one be. I’m vying for Emperor, not miracle
worker.
Like any dictator worth his taters I have a few ideas in mind
for making the South an even better place to live.
I propose that it become the law of the land below the Mason-
Dixon line that anybody caught playing their car stereo so loud
you can hear it in the next county be arrested. No lawyers, no
courtroom and no trial. Offenders will be sentenced, by me, to
eight straight hours listening to Slim Whitman or Barry Manilow
music. Repeat offenders get sixteen hours of Taylor Swift.
As some of my kinfolk used to say:
“ That oughta learn ‘em
Furthermore, I propose that not another inch of Southern dirt
roads be paved. There’s more than enough asphalt already.
Anybody who chooses to live out in the country and then de
mands that his road be paved can move to town.
See how easy this is?
Here are a few more ideas.
Whiney, unhappy transplanted Yankees will be required to go
back Up North for two weeks every year just to be reminded of
how good they have it down here.
The first person to come up with a foolproof fire ant killer can
become Co-Emperor. I’ll happily share my throne.
No NASCAR races will take place north of Richmond or west
of Texas Motor Speedway, provided whoever’s in charge in Texas
cooperates, otherwise, the westernmost race will be Talladega.
The Summer Olympic Committee will be petitioned to in
clude belly flopping as a sanctioned competition in the games.
Consequently, peach cobbler and sweet tea will be declared the
official food and drink of the East Dixie Olympic belly flop
team.
Southernese will be declared our official language.
Jimmy Buffett will be our goodwill ambassador.
As a gesture of my sincerity in this endeavor I vow to only
serve the rest of my life and not seek re-election thereafter.
Vote early, vote often.
Thank you.
Don Lively is a retired police officer and freelance writer.
He lives in Shell Bluff. Email Don at Livelvcolo @ aol.com.
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