Newspaper Page Text
November 25,2009
^Reporter
Life With Laura
PAGE 5A
On the outside looking in
All to no avail
BY DONALD JACKSON DANIEL
f I were elected to a public office, there are
a couple of groups that I would make sure I
worked with, didn’t alienate and would
keep in close contact with as well as com
municate with. For example, of course my
political party affiliation members, church and
church groups, those who supported my getting
elected such as special interest groups, and the
general public I would be representing. Being
elected in essence means you gotta walk a fine
line and hope that your personal beliefs and
interests benefit those who elected you and the
total community.
But, sometimes arrogance, ego and the public-
be-damned attitudes kick-in. Any elected politi
cian who develops any those attitudes will some
day have a day of reckoning. It may not be at the
ballot box but it can be pub
lic perception and not trust
ing.
Now that I have said that,
here’s the reason I went on
that discourse: The
Courthouse Renovation
Committee, along with the
commissioner from District
One, exercised what they
think is their omnipotent
supreme power and totally
ignored two groups—the
Town and Country Garden
Club and the United
Daughters of the
Confederacy—who had
unselfish reasons to make
our courthouse look pretty.
The way these two groups have been treated
epitomizes the second paragraph of this column.
IF YOU missed the Backlot Players perform
ance of “Smoke on the Mountain”, which ended
its run this past weekend, you missed one of the
best performances of local actors and actresses.
Professional actors couldn’t have done a better
job! One actress in particular, Sandy Watson, the
music teacher at K.B. Sutton Elementary and
pianist at Forsyth United Methodist Church,
played her role as “June” obviously having a lot
of experience in her role as an expectant mother.
She was funny.
HELP ME OUT. Did you see the story where a
school principal in Massachusetts banned stu
dents from the saying the word “Meep”? The
story didn’t reveal what the word means but it
has something to do with “The Muppet Show”.
So, e-mail me and tell me what the word means
and how it’s used. I have no idea.
UNATTRIBUTED COMMENTS from the last
county commission meeting
“That’s a long time for my memory”;
“Make sure the mayor heard that. We’re work
ing together”;
“I may go to work at Warner Robins when I
retire”;
“I apologize for accusing you of telling what
goes on in closed sessions”;
“He’s itching to file a law suit”;
“Make’em manual. They could use the exercise”;
“I’m not going to promise you tonight that we
will do it”;
“Mr. Ham is very capable of getting paving
money”;
“The last time we went to Las Vegas was in a
van....”;
“Larry has always wanted to water ski
although he can’t swim”.
And these comments from a visitor speaking to
the commissioners: “Either pave it or don’t
charge us taxes and we will pave it”, followed by
“I’d like everyone to live up to their promises”.
Before going into another executive session to
discuss what they say is either land acquisition
or personnel issues, the commissioners approved
accounts payable checks in the amount of almost
a half-million dollars, $456,628.85.
OVER at the Forsyth City Council, the Forsyth
First Baptist Church has requested the city to
close a portion of Church Street. The council is
going to study the request and surely get public
input before making the decision.
Both the two newly elected “I promise you a
pool” council members were in attendance, taking
notes and observing. With The Reporter’s public
opinion poll, wonder if those two pool advocates
will change their priorities? I doubt it until they
payback those who elected them with a pool.
NO NEED to go Macon looking for a good
steak. The Palm restaurant is on the way to find
ing its niche. I’ve tried their steaks and prime rib
and both were up to five-star quality. Amelia, the
new chef, knows how to fix it like you like it and
Penny Bunn is making sure the steaks are done
to order.
DID YOU know we already have a “public”
health plan here in Monroe County? If you are
indigent or incarcerated in the local barred win
dow establishment, you can get “free” health
care.
We taxpayers pay the Monroe County Hospital
$250,000 a year for those people who show up at
the local hospital with no health care and that
doesn’t include what we pay for the jailbird’s
health care. In addition to the budgeted quarter
million, we pay the bill for doctors who tend to
the incarcerated when they sneeze.
Donald Jackson Daniel is the founder and for
mer publisher of The Reporter. He can be contact
ed at tullyabear@bellsouth.net.
Holiday will bring cousins together
BY LAURA THACKSTON
have been counting down the
days until Thanksgiving. No, I
don't enjoy it just because of
the food (although, my
grandmother makes
the BEST stuffing). I love it
because it means I get to
see my cousins, who live in
Atlanta. While some may
not enjoy spending time
with their relatives, my
cousins and I have always
gotten along and we always
have fun together. When we
were younger my sister
and I spent a week in
Atlanta each summer
with my grandparents
and cousins. We would
go to Six Flags,
Whitewater and Sun Valley Beach
(does that even exist anymore?) We
would spend all day playing and by
the end of the day we were always
so exhausted we could barely move.
When we got older, my aunt and
uncle built a house on Lake Rabun.
We try to go up there a few times
every summer and it's a lot of fun.
There's tubing, skiing, boat rides,
etc. It never gets old.
And, while it may be
unusual, I can honestly
say I don't remember one
time that we have gotten
into a argument, even as
kids.
Sadly, as we've gotten
older our schedules have
gotten busier and we
don't get to see each
other as much as we'd
like. Sure, we spend holi
days together and try to
get together in the sum
mer, but some things have
just changed. And that's
why texting and Facebook are nice.
As much as some of you probably
hate those two things, you have to
admit...it's a good way of keeping
up with people. I didn't use to text
much, but a few months ago I real
ly got into it. Now I'd much rather
text someone than call them. It's
just easier and I don't have to
worry about interrupting them.
Friday the girls—me, my mom,
aunt, grandmother and cousin-are
going to the Fox theatre to see the
Rockette's Christmas show. I'm
usually not the type of person to go
to something like that, but it's the
first time the group has performed
in Atlanta in three years and I'm
sure it will be fun.
Of course, the women in my fami
ly are wonderful cooks and I'm
looking forward to the delicious
food (and maybe some eggnog) but
ultimately it's about family and
spending time with them. So,
whether you're looking forward to
this holiday or not, I hope everyone
has a safe and happy Thanksgiving.
E-mail Laura Thackston, the
Reporter’s editorial assistant, at
forsyth@mymcmr. net.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Parents: Hubbard special ed is tops
To the editor:
A
s we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, my
heart is thankful for so many people, in par
ticular those who educate our children and
who are so often taken for granted.
Those of us who have special needs children have a
particularly difficult time leaving our kids in the care
of others. We fear so many things: Will basic physical
needs be met? What will they learn? Will they be
teased, bullied, or worse? Will they lash back in frus
tration and hurt others or themselves? Life, for both
parents and children alike, is difficult day-to-day and
the future can look dark and ominous. How can we
entrust our severely dependent, uncommunicative chil
dren to a new school, teacher, and principal we don’t
know? It is hard. However, we are now in our fourth
month of the school year and have come to know their
hearts and minds.
Although new to our school system and ways, Ms.
Kay Williams, principal of Hubbard Elementary, has
shown special education parents that she truly wants
what is in the best interest of students, all students,
even special education students. Thank you, Ms.
Williams, for listening to us and helping with our con
cerns. Also new to our system and county are two spe
cial education teachers, Mrs. Johnson and Mrs.
Stephens, who have shown us they truly care and will
do what is best for our kids. We thank both of you from
the bottom of our hearts.
Last, but not least, we thank the wonderful para-
pros, the “unsung heroes”, who show their concern for
our children by doing so much for them everyday. We
thank all of you for the hard work you do daily as you
patiently feed, clean, exercise, teach and love our chil
dren.
We are blessed and thankful.
Steve and Debbie Harbin
Forsyth
Williams created tension, division
To the editor:
A s parents of three children, two of whom are
bi-racial, and one who is African-American,
we believe 100 percent in a diverse school
system. But Hubbard Elementary School
has not been diverse this year. There is a lot
of division this year, and by that I mean "racial divi
sion."
Since when did diversity mean only African-
American and Hispanic cultures? We definitely did not
agree with the Pledge of Allegiance being said in
Spanish, but did not feel the multi-cultural facts of the
day were all that bad. However, we disagreed with the
fact that the facts were limited to only two cultures.
Our two older children also have Asian, Native
American, German and Irish ancestry. I believe those
cultures should be talked about as well.
We have read the previously printed letters about
giving her 100 percent support, but it's hard to be sup
portive when she declares that it's her school and she's
not changing for anyone. How can we be 100 percent
supportive when she will not support us?
If we have a concern or a complaint she will not
agree to meet with us. We were told in the beginning
that Ms. Williams has an open door policy, but you're
always turned away. I have not heard from one parent
who said they were able to meet with her when they
had concerns. Everyone is turned away.
We moved here seven years ago because people
bragged about this small, yet welcoming, town with a
great school system. This year the reputation of
Monroe County School system has been tarnished.
When people find out where we live they ask "Are you
in the school that says the pledge in Spanish?"
There are more parents talking about taking their
kids out of Hubbard than any other year since we've
been here. We have considered removing our children
as well. We pray it doesn't have to come to that. We
believe it can only get better from here. It's time to get
focused once again and restore the school that the chil
dren, faculty, staff and parents deserve to have. We
would like to commend our teachers for doing such a
wonderful job this year, and our assistant principal for
showing concern and compassion to all who enter HES.
Marcie and Jason Jones
Forsyth
Honest clerk at Forsyth McDonald’s
To the editor:
n this day and age most of
what you read in the paper is
depressing. I just wanted to
let residents of Forsyth know
that honesty and integrity are
alive and well at the McDonald’s
located on North Lee Street. I went
into the store on Monday night to
kill a little time before my daugh
ter’s play. While there, I purchased
a cup of tea for myself as well as
my daughter’s best friend who was
with me. The woman at the register
was just as cheerful as she could be
and we chatted while I paid for my
purchase. The total of my order was
$2.14 so I pulled out what I
thought was two ones and then dug
up 14 cents.
Later that night when I went to
pay for admission to my daughters
WONDERFUL high school play, I
realized when I paid for my tea I
used a $10 dollar bill and a $1 dol
lar bill. Ten dollars is not a lot of
money, but to someone who is being
furloughed one day a month, it
adds up. When I called McDonald’s
about this problem, the sweet
woman who waited on me answered
the phone. She immediately closed
her register and counted out her
drawer. She said, “Yes ma’am, that’s
what you did! Come get your
change.”
When I went by after the play, I
formally met the woman who had
been so honest and sincere. Her
name is Shauntay Caslin. The peo
ple at McDonald’s are very luck to
have such a friendly, honest
employee.
Thank you again, Ms. Caslin. You
have reminded me there are still
honest people out there.
Happy Wyatt
Monroe County
Alcohol
Church had told him he was wor
ried about the kids in the neighbor
hood and church being exposed to
nearby alcohol sales. And the pas
tor also allegedly feared that cus
tomers would end up parking at the
church. Jack Barker of nearby Fern
Drive in Betsy Lynn subdivision
said he had been with the highway
patrol for 34 years and was
adamantly opposed. "To say that
I'm against it is wrong," Barker
said. "I am dead set against it."
But Tonia Mays said she should
get the permit because the city
ordinance forbids alcohol sales
within 300 feet of the curb of a
church, and that there is no curb on
Powerhouse Road from which to
measure.
However, city attorney Bobby
Melton read aloud a section that
disputed this claim. Tonia Mays
told council members that she did-
continued from the front page
n't have that section in her packet.
Councilman Lamar Russell polled
audience members to see how many
were opposed and how many
favored. About 13 stood in opposi
tion while only about three stood in
favor, including the Mays and one
time mayoral candidate James
Green. Council then quickly denied
her request, stating that it was not
in the best interest of the public to
grant Mrs. Mays an alcohol license.