Newspaper Page Text
November 4, 2009
PAGE 5A
On the outside looking in
A response on
feral cats, but
not poison spray
BY DONALD JACKSON DANIEL
H ey, did anybody get a response
from the Central Georgia Electric
Membership Corporation in
regards to what kind of defoliant
they used to kill the bushes and
trees on the right-of-ways underneath the
power lines? I really didn’t expect one but I
would like to know what they are using and
what effect it has on our environment.
As a matter of record, the former chairman of
CGEMC and now his son,
a board member, live here
in Monroe County. They
need to come forth and
assure us there is no dan
ger to our streams, ponds
and waterways adjacent to
and flow into. They need
to be asked if the CGEMC
right-of-ways next to their
properties were sprayed
and if they know what
killer was used and if they
will tell.
Obviously a majority of
citizens living close to
where they have sprayed
and killed don’t seem to
care how CGEMC could/would possibly be con
taminating the soil. It is obviously a closed sub
ject and a kept secret. I am sure they are not
using Agent Orange but it would be comforting
for them to tell us they are not.
I GOT a response—e-mail—from Dr. Kevin
Smith in regards to him being a sponsor of the
Forsyth Feline Fund (Go back to last week’s
column if you are not or have forgotten what
the FFF is).
Here’s Dr. Smith’s e-mail: “Forsyth definitely
has a feral cat problem. Forsyth relies on
Monroe County for animal control services and
the county has no facilities to take care of stray
cats. The Forsyth Feline Fund was set up to
assist in sterilizing these cats before being
released. Unfortunately, the funds have been
exhausted. Animal Medical Clinic does loan out
live traps to catch the feral cats. We offer some
discounts with the surgeries and rabies vac
cines. However, the primary problem is proper
City of Forsyth animal control policies. We need
someone to step up and build a new facility for
Animal Control.”
Well, Dr. Smith and all concerned, it is
rumored that the county is negotiating with a
landowner for property for an animal control
shelter. But, the City and County have got to
sit down and talk, which is a hard thing to get
done. Maybe after the city election, talks may
be possible. May not result in any working
agreement, but at least they will talk and not
ignore each other....hopefully.
Wonder why the feral cat problem was not
discussed at the city council candidate forum a
couple of weeks ago and wonder why not a sin
gle one of the candidates brought up their idea
as to how the feral cat problem could be solved?
Could ‘a been a major campaign issue that
could have garnered some votes. Yeah!
ALONG with CGEMC spraying killer defo
liant, our state highway department didn’t use
their killer on the kudzu this year. They have
and are mowing the state right-of-ways, which
do improve the looks of our state roadways.
There’s only one problem when the state and
county mow the right-of-ways: the overgrown
weeds no longer hide trash.
I just wonder if any of our law enforcement
officers have arrested/given a violation ticket to
anyone for throwing
whopperdiddlyDQwendymac trash out of vehi
cles and littering our public roads. Think I’ll
give our High Sheriff a call and attempt to find
out if our anti-littering laws are being enforced
and if any tickets have been issued. Don’t
remember seeing and such reporting in the
Incident Reports in this newspaper.
And, what about beer cans and beer bottles?
They are empty so somebody is drinking and
driving. What is amazing, drivers go to the
liquor stores, fast food stores, buy a six pack,
get in their vehicles, drink it on the way home
and toss the bottles and cans out before they
get home.
UNDERSTAND there is a job opening at the
Monroe County Water Department for a clerk
and over 65 persons have applied for the job.
The commissioners will make the final deci
sion. That’s scary!
IF YOU get this paper on Tuesday afternoon,
why don’t you show up at the Monroe County
Commission meeting, which starts at 6 p.m.,
and then go over to the Forsyth City Hall and
watch them count votes? City council votes
will be counted some time after 7 when the poll
closes. See you there.
Donald Jackson Daniel is the founder and for
mer publisher of The Reporter. He urges you to
e-mail him at tullaybear@bellsouth.net.
Reporter
Around the Bend
Here’s to good
W hile Con
gress hashes
out a health
care
plan
none of them will ever
use, there is still a
healthcare crisis go
ing on in this country
that few talk about. If
the truth was told,
mental illness ef
fects far more
people than heart
disease or cancer.
So many peo
ple are plagued by mental
health problems and most
suffer alone. There are
thousands right here in
Monroe County who suffer
with depression, anger,
suicidal thoughts and
overall feelings of hope
lessness. Those who suffer
may feel like they should
just be able to “get over
it,” but sometimes that is
not possible. But, there is
hope and there is
help from people
right here in
Monroe County.
People who are
equipped to help.
A couple of
weeks ago I spoke
with the
good folks at
River Edge
O Behavioral
Health
Center. Director Vickie
Welker and some of her
staff have offered to share
some wisdom each month
. . . real wisdom from peo
ple who know about men
tal health issues facing
people right here in
Monroe County. Beginning
next week the well-quali-
mental
fied staff at River Edge
will offer up a monthly
article aimed at helping to
educate the public and
offer possible solutions.
RIVER EDGE Behav
ioral Health Center is
located at 168 Old Brent
Road in Forsyth and pro
vides mental health, devel
opmental disability and
addictive disease services.
The center offers counsel
ing to adults, children,
adolescents and families,
group counseling, psychi
atric services, after school
programs, and summer
programs. There are pro
grams for those suffering
from alcoholism, drug
addiction, pregnant
women and mother who
are addicted to drugs.
There is also an addiction
health
education awareness
group. Other services
include crises manage
ment and crises interven
tion services that provide
individual assessment and
immediate stabilization of
severe symptoms of men
tal illness, alcohol and
drug abuse or emotional
distress.
Mental illness is a real
illness just like diabetes,
cancer or heart disease
and it can be treated.
There is no need to live in
the despair of alcoholism
or depression. There is no
need to worry endlessly.
If you think you may
need help, then you proba
bly do and the folks at
River Edge are equipped
to help. For a confidential
evaluation call River Edge
at 994-7600.
Life With Laura
Oh no! At 23, I’m getting old
BY LAURA THACKSTON
A s bad as this may sound
I’ve gotten to the
age where I
dread it when my
birthday rolls
around every year. There
used to be a time (many
years ago) where I looked
forward to birthdays
because it meant presents,
cake and sleepovers. Not
anymore...last year I nearly
cried when I turned
22....and not tears of joy.
I’m not thrilled about
the fact that I will be 23-
years-old this Saturday. I
think I truly realized
just how old I was getting last
spring when I went to Mary Persons
High School to take a picture of an
18-year-old girl signing a scholar
ship and she called me ma’am the
whole time. I’m sure she didn’t
mean anything by it (it’s a southern
thing, after all) but I suddenly real
ized why all the college-age substi
tutes had hated it when my class
mates and I had referred to them as
ma’am or sir in high school. While I
still say it just to be polite, it makes
you feel...old.
“I’m getting gray hair,” I moaned a
few months ago as I looked into the
mirror and saw not one, but five,
gray hairs sprouting from my head.
“Oh, give me a break. I
don’t even want to hear it,”
my older sister said,
rolling her eyes. Not to be
melodramatic, but once
you get some, you might as
well start dying it because
it’s all downhill from there.
When I was a teen, I could
pull all nighters without a
problem. If I were to do
that now, I’d be like a zom
bie the next day. I’m doing
good just to make it until
11 p.m. without falling
asleep. Over the last few
months I’ve noticed my
memory slipping...yes, even at my
age. When I was in college, I could
recall information and people’s
names at the snap of a finger. Not so
much anymore. So don’t take it per
sonally if you come into the
Reporter office and I talk to you but
then can’t remember who you are
when I see you around town.
I think it’s funny that when you’re
young, you get so excited about
things like birthdays and can’t wait
to grow older, but once you hit about
40 (no offense to those who are)
many people do everything they can
to look younger and some even lie
about their age. Ask a small child
how old they are and they won’t
respond with five. It’s usually “I’m
five and a half.” They have to throw
that half in there to let you know
that they are almost a year older
and aren’t as young as they seem.
It’s laughable to us, but they’re so
serious when they say that. Then
you reach the age where you look in
the mirror and say “What the heck
happened?” and start going to plas
tic surgeons and using anti-aging
creams to make you look younger.
I’ve known many people who have
said that age is just a number-that
it’s just a matter of perspective-but
those are usually the very ones who
are doing everything in their power
to change their appearance.
While I may whine about getting
older, that doesn’t mean that I am
not thankful for the 23 healthy
years I’ve had so far. I am privileged
to have had some incredible experi
ences over the years. Granted, not
all of them have been enjoyable, but
the difficulties in life build character
and make us stronger down the
road. I may be dying my hair and
using anti-aging creams a few years
from now, but if I make it at least
another 23 years I’ll be happy.
E-mail Laura Thackston at
forsyth@mymcr. net.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Wilds urges courts to leave cross
To the editor:
I sent this letter to the members
of the U.S. Supreme Court and
would like to share it with
your readers:
This letter is to tell you how I as a
registered and active voter of the
United States of America feel about
the decision you will or are making
concerning the removal of the cross
monument placed in the Mojave
desert in memory of World War I
military persons who fought for our
country, many giving their lives for
the U.S. and its citizens
They fought for our freedom here
in the United States of America that
we still enjoy today. Hopefully this
freedom we live in will continue for
many more years to come and future
generations will be able to live in
the freedom and have the rights to
vote and express themselves as we
This World War I cross memorial in
the Mojave Desert must remain cov
ered while the Supreme Court de
cides whether it can stay. (Christine
Wetzel/Las Vegas Review Journal/AP)
today and not allow the ACLU tell
us what we can and cannot have as
a memorial to our service personnel.
Our history books tell us that
Patrick Henry said “ Give me liberty
or give me death” in the
Revolutionary War and John Paul
Jones said “I have not yet begun to
fight.” We as citizens of the United
States of America need to take a
stand to express and fight for what
is right just as these two men, the
military people of World War I,
World War II and the other wars
many have fought in to protect our
freedom and us. We need to honor
them and recognize their faithful
ness to our country. Keeping this
cross placed in their memory is one
way to say that we appreciate all
they gave and did for us.
So my request as a concerned citi
zen of our country over which you
have the honor and privilege to
judge and pass the decisions you
make, is that you will vote against
the removal of the cross and let it
stand as a memorial to these brave
military personnel.
Louise H. Wilds
Forsyth
Forsyth needs diversions for teens
To the editor:
y name is
Ralph King
I am a for
mer student
at Mary
Persons High School (class
of 2007) and now a busi
ness student at Gordon
College. I would like to
bring to your attention a
major problem in our town
and what can be done to
solve it.
There is a huge problem
with young people being in
gangs, drugs, and getting
in serious trouble with the
law. I have had so many of
my friends and former
classmates ruin their lives
because they join a gang
or started selling or using
drugs. My question to you
is why do we even have
this problem in a small
town like Forsyth? The
answer is because the
young people in my home
town have nothing to do
with their spare time but
be in the street with gang
members and drug dealers
that are going to try influ
ence their mind to sell or
use drugs or join their
gang. If you don't have a
after school job or play a
sport for the school you
have nothing to do but be
on the streets getting into
trouble. How is that we
have a training center for
law enforcement and
police are all over the
place but gang violence I
steady increasing? It
seems like every time I
come to Forsyth for a visit
I hear about someone I
know getting robbed or
beat up or locked up for
something stupid. As for
drugs in the cities there’s
a dealer around every cor
ner. Kids don't even have
to leave their neighbor
hood to get drugs. It’s easy
to get.
My suggestion to solve
these problems is that the
city considers building a
few places teens and kids
can go after school and
enjoy themselves and not
be on the streets. A bowl
ing alley, skate park,
movie theater are a few
suggestions for the city
council to ponder at its
next meeting.
Remember my genera
tion includes the future
leaders and runners of our
city. If we let gangs and
drugs to continue corrupt
the minds of our people
the future for Forsyth
looks very grim. Is that
the future you want you
want for Forsyth?
Ralph King
Forsyth