Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 4A
December 10. 2008
^Reporter
Opinion
Declare among the nations,
and publish, and set up a standard;
publish, and conceal not;
Jeremiah 50:2
OUR VIEW
Keep ‘em close
T he most important job any person or communi
ty has is raising the next generation. And
Monroe County could do a better job of rearing
our youngsters if we had more positive activi
ties to keep them occupied and close to home.
According to a recent survey by Monroe County Family
Connections, many young poeple here say they want
more to do (see story, page 12A). Some would like to see a
bowling alley, like Jackson has. Others want a movie the
ater. Some prefer a skating rink.
Now, the results don’t necessarily mean that local teens
are unhappy with their hometown. The survey asks teens
what they want that they don’t have. Parents know that’s
a dangerous question. It seems teens in all places and in
all times have complained of boredom (perhaps it’s a
byproduct of our blessings - many teens in history have
worked or gone to war.) And, a majority of teens did
express appreciation for our strong school system.
But, it is certainly true that Monroe County could use
more uplifting pasttimes. Thank God for the rec depart
ment, the Backlot Players, and church youth groups. But
there could be more. So, listen up youth ministers, busi
nessmen, coaches and parents: Our teens want more to
do. They don’t need more mindless entertainment. But
they do need some constructive activities. They need
activities that can be vehicles for passing to them time
less values that will serve them well in the next genera
tion. Are you game?
KNOW YOUR NEIGHBOR
Name: Katie Snow
Johnson
Age: 23
Education: Mercer
University, 2007;
Mary Persons High
School, 2003
Family: Husband
(Randy) and dog
(Stevie)
Your Job:
Licensed team mem
ber at State Farm-
Steve Obsorne,
Agent
What was your
first job? My first
official job was a
cashier at Ingles, but
I started helping my
Daddy at the gas station
long before that.
Your passion: Helping
others
Favorite movie: “Steel
Magnolias”
Favorite book: There are
no children here
What kind of car do you
drive and what was your
first car? I drive a 2008
Honda Civic and my first car
was a 1994 Toyota Camry
Your hometown: Forsyth
Something you are con
sidering: Buying a house
Words you live by: “Do
unto others as you would
have them do unto you.”
Something you can’t
live without: Chocolate, I’m
addicted.
The thing you are most
proud of: The wonderful
family that I am a part of.
What keeps you awake
at night? I generally sleep
well, unless my dog decides
to invade my space.
If I could start your life
over, what would you
change? Nothing..I believe
that all things
happen for a rea
son and I would
n’t change any
thing about my
life.
What’s the
worst idea
you’ve ever
had? Cutting my
own hair...it took
months to recov
er.
Name some
thing you will
never do again:
Ski...it was a horrible experi
ence and Ski Patrol told me
I was going to kill myself or
someone else.
What’s your favorite
website: www.facebook.com
What food could you eat
every day? Cheese
Name something people
don’t know about you: I
made an F on my report
card in 6th grade. Thank
goodness I didn’t have to
take spelling in college
because I am still a terrible
speller.
What’s the best thing
about living in Monroe
Co? The small town atmos
phere. I love the fact that
people speak to you at the
grocery store.
If you could change one
thing about Monroe
County, what would it
be? We would have a Chic-
fil-a.
KATIE SNOW
JOHNSON
is published every week by The Monroe County Reporter Inc.
Will Davis, president
Robert M. Williams Jr., vice president
Cheryl S. Williams, secretary-treasurer
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Publication No. USPS 997-840)
On the Porch
Twas the night before...liberalism
BY JOE THE PLUMBER
T was the night
before
Christmas, and
all through the
nation, not a
leader was stirring, before
the Obama coronation.
sprang from my La-Z-Boy,
to see what was the mat
ter.
When what to my won
dering eyes should appear,
but Obama himself, and he
was drinking MY beer.
The economy was
tanking, the mar
kets in free fall.
But Obama was
coming, and he
would fix it all.
The bills
were left on
the counter
with care, for
who needs to
pay them, when Obama
soon will be there?
do it,
fate.”
“Sorry about this,
Joe, but you know
we must share,” he
yelled to the house,
as I pulled out my
hair.
“You see, Joe, it’s
sharing,
that makes
„ America
great. And
if you don’t
well, this is your
The children were nestled
all snug in their bed, while
visions of nationalized day
care danced in their head.
And mamma in her 'ker
chief, and I in my cap, won
dered if Medicare would
soon cover the clap.
When out on the lawn
there arose such a clatter, I
More rapid than eagles
his minons they came, And
he whistled, and shouted,
and called them by name;
“Now Hillary, Now Nancy,
Now Harry and Ted, let’s
seize this man’s stuff and
spread it instead.
“To the top of the porch,
to the top of the wall, this
man’s private property,
belongs to us all.”
So up to the house-top
these liberals they flew, to
fill their IRS bag, one from
EPA too.
They shut down my chim
ney, there’s global warming
you know. (Forget that in
October, there was already
snow!)
Next these ingrates, to
the carport they went.
They stole my SUV, said it
wasn’t their bent.
“Green is the future,
don’t you know that now,
Joe? We’ll get you a bike,
after WE get your dough.”
Next, like a flash, to the
gun case they fled. “Won’t
be needing these!” Hillary
said.
My protests were greeted
with hisses and hoots. You
must be a bigot, Pelosi
sighed in her suit.
But freedom, and liberty,
doesn’t that make us
great? I implored them to
think, to return me my
freight.
Oh no, Nancy said, we’re
all on board now. Let’s all
come together, don’t have a
cow.
But this is not right,
America is free. Our forefa
thers they died, to water
liberty’s tree.
But these libs wouldn’t
listen, to reason or might,
to my billfold they went,
there was almost a fight.
“You’re making too much,
this just will not do,” Ted
Kennedy said, as he gulped
down my brew.
So with my cash in their
sleigh, my car in their
pack, these goons hit the
road, but I feared they’d be
back.
For I heard them
exclaim, ere they drove out
of sight, we liberals are in
charge, who cares what is
right?!?
Email Will Davis at pub-
lisher@mymcr.net.
Guest Column
Plant Scherer committed to cleaner air
By Danny
Morton
A s Georgia con
tinues its
progress as the
economic
engine of the
Southeast, so does Georgia
Power's commit
ment to assuring
our state has
electricity that is
safe, adequate,
affordable and
reliable.
An old Georgia
Power motto, "A
Citizen
Wherever We
Serve," rests on
the premise that
"we live here,
too," and as
Georgia citizens,
we are dedicated
to our state's
environmental and eco
nomic well-being.
Our goal is to meet or
exceed every environmen
tal regulation. Currently,
we are installing emission
controls to remove sulfur
dioxide (S02), nitrogen
oxides (NOx) and mercury
at our coal-fueled generat
ing plants to meet the
stringent standards of the
Clean Air Act.
In 1990, Georgia Power
began what eventually will
become an almost $5 bil
lion investment in environ
mental controls at our
existing power plants.
These controls will reduce
emissions significantly
statewide.
By 2015, emission rates
of sulfur dioxide will be 93
percent lower, nitrogen
oxides 85 percent lower
and mercury 75 percent
lower than 1990
levels.
At Plant
Scherer alone,
the co-owners
are investing
$2.8 billion on
pollution con
trol equipment.
To date, Plant
Scherer has
installed low
nitrogen oxide
burners
andswitched to
lower sulfur
coal, resulting
in a 37 percent
reduction in its S02 emis
sion rates and a
58 percent reduc
tion in its NOx
emission rates.
This means even
cleaner air for res
idents in Macon
and elsewhere in
Georgia.
Additionally,
Georgia Power and
the co-owners will
install scrubbers
on all four units at
Plant Scherer to
remove at least 90
percent of S02
emissions. The
company also will
install Selective
Catalytic Reduction sys
tems (SCRs) at the plant,
which will reduce NOx by
60 percent from current
levels. Together with the
scrubbers, SCRs and the-
mercury-control baghouse,
the plant's mercury emis
sions are expected to fall
by 80 percent from current
rates.
Georgia Power is commit
ted to supplying safe, reli
able electricity to its cus
tomers throughout
Georgia. Thank you for all
you do to support Georgia
Power in the communities
we serve and call home.
Danny Morton is plant
manager of Georgia
Power's Plant Scherer.
Today's AQI (Primary Pollutant)
for Metropolitan Macon
II«i urn
14
Hours
Hoars
17-24
| (PM2.5 >
09
25 (PM25 )
17
20 (PM25 >j
02
30 (PM25 )
10
24 ;PM25 )
IS
IP (PM25 >'
03
|?Q (PM25)
25 (PM 25 )
19
19 (PM25
04
25 (PM25)
2i\
os
28 (PM2S >
u
24 (PM25 )
31
IS (PM25 >
Ori
■21 :PM25 :■
14
23 (PM25)
22
12(PM25j
07
26 (PM25>
15
22 (PM25 )
23
D(PM25 >:■
«&
25 (PM25 )
21 (PMJ5 )
U
L(t(FMZ5>
roi *t n«con on leaves
Even with the largest coal power plant in the U.S., the Macon
area’s air quality index is well within healthy standards set by the
EPA. These air quality index data are updated daily at www.geor-
giaepd.org, go to air program and ambient monitoring program.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Fifth grader likes reading about Habitat
To the editor:
y class and I read the
Reporter every week.
Some people like this
and some like that, but
honestly I have to say
Habitat for Humanity is my favorite. I
like that somebody actually thinks
about the poor more than anything
else. Appreciate the things you have
instead of all the stuff you want. Just
be thankful for what you have
because some people don’t have things
you all do. So help the Habitat for
Humanity build homes for the home
less.
Dalenthius Gaines
Forsyth
Dalenthius Gaines is a fifth grader
in Mrs. Misti To nil’s class at T.G. Scott
Elementary School. Each student in
the class receives a copy of the
Reporter every week through the
Reporter’s Newspapers in Education
NIE) program. Mrs. Tonn’s class is
sponsored by a grant from Georgia
Power.