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The True Citizen, Wednesday, April 13, 2022 — Page 3
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Local women weigh-in on gun carry law
WHAT’S NEXT?
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Thursday, April 14
Burke County Retired Educators Association will meet at 3
p.m. at Mt. Olive African Methodist Episcopal Church on West
Seventh Street.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
Georgia's state Senate and
House passed the constitution
al carry bill last week that Gov.
Brian Kemp signed Tuesday
April 12.
Georgia is the 25th state in
the country to allow legal gun
owners to carry concealed fire
arms without a gun carry per
mit. The new law will mainly
affect private business owners.
Guns will not be allowed in the
Judicial Center or the historic
courthouse, according to coun
ty attorney Barry Fleming.
Casey Lewis, owner of Posh
Pointer, is not worried about
legal gun owners carrying the
concealed weapons into her
business.
“Fantastic,” she said of the
bill. “If we already legally own
our guns, we should be able to
legally carry our property.”
She feels citizens who abide
by the law and register their
firearms pose the least amount
of threat. Others agree with
Lewis’ point of view.
According to a Sept. 30,
2021, article published by
the firearm trade association
NSSF,” It’s illogical to propose
that gun owners who respect
the law would turn into vio
lent criminals overnight. It’s
so illogical that no one has
presented any evidence it is
true. Even if stolen, firearms
are taken into account.” The
article states that the average
statistic for time-to-crime for
a stolen firearm is over nine
years, according to the FBI.
However, other research
compiled by Mother Jones
magazine indicates that out
of the 114 U.S. mass shoot
ings since 1982, 74% of the
incidences involved guns that
were legally obtained. Lewis
still believes in the integrity
and ability of those who seek
to own guns legally.
“Do you think everyone who
has kids should have them?”
Lewis asked jokingly. “I think
everyone should have the right
to carry a gun lawfully and be
able protect themselves and
know how to protect them
selves correctly. Especially,
in the world we are living in
today.”
Local vendor Lesly Kababik
agrees. She said she enjoys the
confidence that carrying a gun
brings. It changes the way a
female carries herself.
“I know that I can take care
of myself if I need to,” she
said. “It’s hard when you are
scared, to carry yourself with
confidence.”
She doesn’t believe the new
law will change things much.
The most important aspect is
that people be able to carry
their concealed weapons from
state-to-state. She believes that
is important, especially after
a personal experience. As a
resident of Delaware, Kababik
could not carry her firearm over
the state line into Maryland,
where she got robbed one day.
She believes if she had been
carrying her gun, she would
not have experienced as much
fear as she did and would have
been better equipped to handle
the situation.
Local business owner Janice
Schmidt said she is not a big
fan of guns. She doesn’t be
lieve that even in a matter of
self-defense, she could bring
herself to shoot someone. She
has no personal opinion on
changing the concealed weap
on law. However, she believes
it is important for people to
have choices.
“I don’t want guns taken
away from people, because
we live in America and people
should have choices,” she said.
Editor:
I am not sure which is more
insulting to the taxpayers,
the city continuing to pay an
elected official suspended by
the governor, or that same of-
Vidette
hcial accepting the money.
It does suggest that the city
budget can handle this outflow
and that we as a city have no
other issues to address.
Mike Bickley
Continued from front
Burke County realtor is giving away $5,000
A Burke County realtor is
celebrating five years by giving
away $5,000.
For the past six months,
Elizabeth (Billips) Highsmith
has been writing $100 checks
to charities to commemorate
her five-year anniversary with
Blanchard and Calhoun Real
Estate Co.
As part of the celebration,
anyone who has been rep
resented by Elizabeth in a
real estate purchase or sale
can request a $100 check to
his/her favorite non-profit,
including local causes like
churches, schools, clubs and
sports teams.
“I wanted to do something
big,” Elizabeth said, describ
ing the tremendous growth
of her business since its 2016
inception. “This community
has been wonderful to me, and
the people here are a driving
force behind my success. This
felt like the perfect way to say
thank you.”
So far, checks have been sent
to an array of charities, includ
ing Ronald McDonald House,
Wimberly House Ministries,
Augusta Child Advocacy Cen
ter and the BCSO Christmas
Toy Drive.
Old Fella Burke County Ani
mal Rescue has been a favorite
among clients and has received
$300 so far.
According to Elizabeth, the
public reaction has been en
thusiastic and heartfelt. “All
I can say is that it feels good,”
she said. “Really good.”
Elizabeth is a top agent at
Blanchard and Calhoun and a
two-time recipient of the Mili
tary Agent of the Year award.
She is based out of the com
pany’s Downtown Waynesboro
office at 636 Liberty Street.
SAY CHEESE
Elizabeth’s clients can re
ceive $100 for their favorite
charities by texting their photo
with the charity logo or sign to
706-551-0729. Donations will
continue until $5,000 has been
contributed.
WANT MORE?
To see photos of all of the
$100 recipients go to #Eliza-
bethGivesAway5K
includes extensive renovations,
including a new roof. The hope
is that an office can be parti
tioned that will allow for a city
clerk to work at least part time.
The community has not yet
begun the process of accepting
bids for the work.
“We are trying to come up
with funding because it needs
a lot of renovations. We are
a very small community and
the only funding that we have
coming in is what we see from
our water bills. We are hoping
we may be able to get a grant
to help us.” said Mayor Rose
mary Baughman. “We are in the
process of getting up to state
standards.”
As part of the transforma
tion process, the city met with
members of the Burke County
Board of Elections and their
Director Beau Gunn April 7 to
discuss whether the building
can be safely utilized as a poll
ing site during the upcoming
May election. Baughman said
she hopes to keep the City Hall
as a voting place. Gunn said he
intended to bring county work
ers to the building to inspect
the electrical system.
“It will be soon,” Gunn said.
“We have an election coming
up, so probably by next week.”
As part of the compliance
process, the city will hold
regularly scheduled council
meetings that will take place
the third Wednesday of every
month at 7 p.m. at the City
Hall. The next meeting is
scheduled for April 20.
Judging the county’s most
violent crimes: Part II
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
As the criminal justice sys
tem inches closer to conducting
trials stalled by the pandemic,
the Burke County Judicial
Center will soon host some
of the county’s most violent
criminal cases.
The following case is sched
uled on Judge John Flythe’s
April 18 jury trial calendar.
Chasing down criminals
became a family affair for lo
cal law enforcement in August
2021. Kevin Demascus Stone
notified the Waynesboro Police
Department that his vehicle
had been shot at near the in
tersection of Liberty and 11th
streets. Officers spotted the
vehicle carrying the alleged
shooters, driven by Carolina
Marie Stone. Roderick Antonio
Stone rode in the passenger
seat. The stones refused to
pull over when officers at-
Carolina Marie Stone
tempted to stop them, leading
the officers in a pursuit through
Waynesboro and eventually
onto Hwy. 25 at 7th Street and
continuing onto Hwy. 56. The
Burke County Sheriff’s Office
joined in the attempt to appre
hend them. The suspects were
boxed in just South of Hwy 80
and placed into custody.
Carolina Marie Stone is
charged with Fleeing or at
Roderick Antonio Stone
tempting to elude a police
officer, aggravated assault and
influencing a witness. Roderick
Antonio Stone is charged with
aggravated assault, possession
of a firearm by a convicted
felon or first offender and pos
session of a firearm or knife
during the commission of a
crime.
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CROSSWORD
ACROSS
1) Water-to-wine site
5) Beat at chess
10) Propel a dinghy
13) Pioneering DJ Freed
14) "Shoulda listened to me!"
15) Raw rock
16) UFC fighter nicknamed
"Rowdy"
18) Grazing place
19) "Don't panic"
20) Crew member
22) "Bom in the
23) They're verboten
24) Soup base
27) Film charioteer Ben-
28) The munchies, say
31) Berry's Johnny B.
32) Mineral deposits
34) " the ramparts..."
35) Chair designer Charles
36) Work unit
37) Jon of "Pretty in Pink"
39) Baking meas.
40) Beef cut
42) Taxi drivers
43) Blossom support
45) Walk- (minor roles)
46) Skeletal makeup
47) Synagogue leader
49) Feeling blah
50) Sentence ender
52) Doing the Wright thing?
57) Self-image
58) 1972 Michael Jackson hit
60) In the past
61) United in a cause
62) Spydom's Hari
63) Male cat
64) Sub-freezing temperatures
65) Make coffee
FRONT RO SEATS
By Elizabeth C. Gorski
DOWN
1) Alamo rentals
2) Oodles and oodles
3) Granny
4) Roddick of tennis
5) Cash, slangily
6) Reunion attendee
7) QB's scores
8) Weedy lot, e.g.
9) Moshe of Israel
10) British luxury car
11) Three-layered cookie
12) Hold up well
14) Totally destroy
17) Most severe
21) Debtor's letters
23) Gentle jab
24) Blowhard's claim
25) Children's show from 1953 to 1994
26) Work of Sappho
27) Brass section
29) Nerdy types
30) Slips up
31) Fetches
32) Tea of "Madam Secretary"
33) Learned one
38) Sought office
41) 1996 Bill Clinton rival
44) tai cocktail
46) Window shade
48) Sacha Baron Cohen role
49) Dartmouth, Yale, etc.
50) Organic fuel
51) Frozen waffle brand
52) Related (to)
53) Mummy's home
54) Support beam
55) Evening, in an ad
56) Chew like a squirrel
59) The Browns, on scoreboards
ANSWERS ON 8