Newspaper Page Text
Page 4A — Wednesday, February 24, 2021, The True Citizen
OPINIONS
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
The Pledge Of Allegiance
1 pledge, allegiance, to the flag
of the United States of America
and to the Republic for which
*it stands, one Nation under
God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all.
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
LOOKING BACK
{this week in Burke County history}
10 YEARS AGO MARCH 2,20ll
Fuji Seafood, Steak and Sushi Bar opened in Old Waynes-
borough on Seventh Street. The owner was James Liu, former
long-time operator of the Golden China Restaurant next door.
A Visitor Management System was installed in all county
public schools in order to improve visitor control on all
campuses.
Jackson Kicklighter was named BCHS STAR Student as
well as District STAR Student. He selected Mark Flowers as
STAR Teacher. Cody Ashe received the honor for EBA and
for the 20th time, Brenda Durrence was named STAR Teacher.
25 YEARS AGO-FEBRUARY 29,1996
President Bill Clinton was the only name on the Democratic
Presidential Primary ballot, while the GOP had 10 candidates.
They included Lamar Alexander, Pat Buchanan, Bob Dole,
Steve Forbes, Phil Gramm, Richard Lugar and four lesser
known names.
Sardis Police Chief Ed Wilson was bred by the city council.
The action was related to alleged “falsification of records.”
BCHS student Cindy Griffin, daughter of Henry and Kathy
Griffin, met the rigorous requirements for finalist standing in
the 1996 National Merit Scholarship program.
50 YEARS AGO-FEBRUARY 24, 1971
First National Bank announced the promotion of three
employees. Cashier Alan Jones was named vice-president,
J. C. Palmer, III was named cashier and Laura Usher was
promoted to assistant cashier.
Van Ziegler was named STAR Student at SGA High School.
He chose Hugh Bennett as his STAR Teacher. Barbara Tinley
was named STAR Teacher at BCHS by STAR Student Robert
T. Williams, Jr.
Waynesboro Police Officers Robert Lake and Bob Her
rington graduated from a three-week basic police school in
Augusta.
75 YEARS AGO-FEBRUARY 28,1946
The Waynesboro Production Credit Association showed
substantial growth and reported a net worth of $141,860. Dr.
J.M. Byne was president of the association, S.A. Jones was
vice-president and PW. Thompson was treasurer.
James Johnson was discharged from the U.S. Army at Fort
Gordon. He had served overseas for 16 months in the 90th
Division of the Third Army. Sgt. Julian D. Jenkins of Sardis
was also discharged after serving nine months overseas with
the 317th Troop Carrier Group.
The Civitan Club announced plans to erect a plaque com
memorating those Burke Countians killed during the war.
Members of the community were urged to contact the news
paper with any information about fallen service members.
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Waynesboro, Georgia 30830
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BEN ROBERTS
benroberts@bellsouth.net
The Waynesboro City Coun
cil’s Public Safety Commit
tee held a meeting Monday
afternoon that proved to be an
interesting example of govern
ment at, for lack of a better
word, work.
The agenda included two
items for discussion: a possible
merger of the city’s police dis
patchers with the county’s new
911 call center and the possible
hiring of a police consultant.
Before its conclusion, no de
cisions would be made, and the
meeting would devolve into fin
ger pointing and disagreements
over budgets and spending.
What the meeting showed
was a complete failure of lead
ership from the mayor and
some members of council, as
well as a clear lack of a vision
for the city or a path forward to
achieve that vision.
And this time, the city coun
cil has no one to blame but
themselves.
To figure out how Waynes
boro found itself in this posi
tion, you’ve got to go back a
few years.
Council has had its share of
pot-stirrers over the years, peo
ple who seemed to believe their
job wasn’t to govern but instead
to find ways to create drama
at every public meeting. Most
recently, Alberta Anderson has
proudly filled that role with
gusto, voting “no” and dissent
ing on nearly everything while
rarely offering a viable solution
to any of the city’s problems.
Anderson made no attempt to
hide her disdain for long-time
City Administrator Jerry Colson
but had not been able to gamer
the necessary votes to get rid
of him.
Until Mayor Gregory Car-
swell took office.
A political newcomer, Car-
swell had never held public
office before, but his optimism
seemed promising. That idea
fell apart when Carswell was
engulfed in a scandal of his
own creation within the first
few months of his term.
Carswell got himself in hot
water for using his city vehicle
and its fuel for numerous per
sonal errands including trips
outside of Burke County.
He also used city funds to
host a church lunch and travel
to Pennsylvania for a revival but
claimed he was there to meet
with a potential business. In
the end, it was Colson and for
mer city-attorney Chris Dube
who investigated the Mayor’s
misdeeds and reported them to
Council.
Fast forward to the pres
ent. Dube and Colson have
both moved on and Carswell
has formed a coalition with
Anderson, Vice-Mayor James
“Chick” Jones and Vickey
Bates to move forward with an
agenda of their choosing. The
question is just what does this
agenda hope to accomplish?
Before Colson departed for
less-stressful pastures, council
moved control of the police
department back under their
supervision, making the chief
answer directly to council. So,
it was surprising at Monday’s
meeting to hear the shock and
indignation in some of the com
ments regarding issues at the
WPD - as if they weren’t the
very group overseeing that
department.
Speaking of a lack of lead
ership, while Major Cedric
Duncan and Major Gary Jones
attempted to answer some of the
council member’s questions,
and Bates ran roughshod over
both of them, Chief Willie J.
Burley stood in the back of the
room, never once attempting
to defend his department or its
work.
Before unceremoniously
walking out of the meeting,
Anderson made a valid point
to her fellow councilmen: “It
all boils down to money.”
I’ll give her credit for being
half right: Waynesboro doesn’t
get the Plant Vogtle tax revenue
that the county and school
board get, so there needs to be
a plan on how to generate some
revenue for the city.
Generally speaking, that
leaves two choices: raise taxes
continued on page 6A
Don Lively
I was having a philosophi
cal/spiritual discussion with
a friend who is one of those
folks who loves animals more
than she does most humans.
We were debating whether or
not animals go to Heaven. She
seemed certain that they do,
while I was skeptical. Well,
more accurately, I had no idea.
I can't scripturally prove or
disprove that animals will join
believers in the “hereafter” and
I knew that she wouldn't be able
to make a Biblical case either.
So being who I am, I took the
position contrary to hers.
"So, you think that one day
you'll see all of your pets in
Heaven?"
"Of course. Why would God
create a Heaven where the ani
mals we loved on Earth aren't
welcome?"
My response. "So one day I'll
be reunited with my favorite-
of-all-time dog, Gus? And our
farm cat, Tom, who died when
Nixon was president? Or our
broken down old horse, Dusty?"
Her reply was immediate.
"Of course. If we loved them
down here, why wouldn't we
get to be with them in Heaven?"
I couldn't help myself.
"Well, what about all the
chickens that I loved every
Sunday at Mama's dinner table?
Or the cows that provided the
steaks that Daddy grilled up on
Friday nights? And what about
all those pigs that we barbecued
on the Fourth of July? If they all
go to Heaven, do we get to eat
them again “up there”?"
I laid that thought out there,
even though I have no idea
if we'll even eat and drink in
Heaven.
It didn't matter though, be
cause my friend abruptly halted
the conversation and stalked
out. She hasn't spoken ten
words to me since.
Sigh.
Before I go on, let me assure
you that I love animals too. I've
had, and currently have, pets
that I've been very close to.
I've adopted several dogs over
the years and loved every one
of them.
But, animals are not humans.
I prefer humans in most
cases, so I'm always amused at
how far some people will go to
elevate animal worthiness over
that of humans.
For instance, we've been told
forever that dogs’ mouths are
cleaner than human mouths.
I beg to differ.
Every dog I've ever had, has
PETS AND DRUMSTICKS
had the ability to lick their own
butts and to locate and consume
nasty things that they found in
the woods or beside the road.
Neither of those things indicates
the presence of a clean mouth.
I have other examples.
I once read an article that
reported that a "heroic" cat had
jumped in front of a child dur
ing a drive-by shooting. The cat
was struck instead of the child.
The cat survived and became an
instant hero.
Okay, seriously, anybody
who has ever owned a cat, do
you really believe that one
would have the cognizance or
wherewithal to know that a
bullet was about to arrive, and
then have the ability to catch it
in midair?
Please.
The cat just made an ill-timed
leap.
Here's another.
There was a picture of two
dogs "leading" a group of cows
to safety, which had gotten
caught in a flash flood..
I have my doubts.
The dogs were actually out
front in the water with several
cows behind them, but I suspect
that the dogs had also gotten
caught in the current and were
simply better swimmers.
A wildlife writer stated that a
bear's sense of smell is so acute
that they can smell an animal
carcass from 20 miles away.
Seriously?
In the first place, how could
anybody actually prove that
"fact"? Secondly, are we to
believe that with a twenty mile
stretch between the bear and
the carcass, there were no other
odors to interfere with said car
cass' stink?
I remain dubious.
I've been told to stop feeding
the hummingbirds "dangerous"
store-bought nectar because it's
deadly to their delicate little
systems. Well, my humming
birds that return every year, told
me to tell "them" to mind their
own business. They like the
Wal-Mart brand just fine.
Have you ever considered
that if dolphins are more intel
ligent than humans, as some
folks would have us believe,
why are they always beaching
themselves, becoming caught
in fishnets, and otherwise get
ting into all sorts of situations
where they have to be rescued
by...yes...humans?
I already know I'm going to
catch a lot of flak for this week's
scribbling, so I'll go ahead and
tell you that next week, I'll be
revealing to you why I, myself,
am also an animal lover.
And not just for the pork
chops.
See you then.