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October 12, 2011
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^Reporter
Opinion
Declare among the nations,
and publish, and set up a standard;
publish, and conceal not;
Jeremiah 50:2
OPINION POLL
OUR VIEW
What are your thoughts about prayer?
I pray often and see lots of an- 25 votes
swers to prayer. 66 percent
I’m a busy person and prayer 1 votes
doesn’t come easy to me. 3 percent
I want to pray more but I never 6 votes
make the time. 16 percent
I pray small prayers throughout 6 votes
the day but find long periods of 16 percent
prayer difficult.
Polls found at www.mymcr.net
KNOW YOUR NEIGHBOR
Name: Freddy Butts
Age: 54
Education: Upson Lee
High
Gordon College
Family: Angie (wife),
Jonathan (29), Jennifer
(27), Christy (26), Chris
(24)
Your job: Owner
of Prime Palate
What was your
first job: Feed
and Seed salesper
son
Your passion:
Word working
and riding motor
cycles when I have time
Your favorite posses
sion: Picture of my par
ents at their 50th wed
ding anniversary
Favorite movie:
“Young Frankenst.ien”
Favorite book: Handy
Man Magazine
What kind of car do
you drive and what
was your first car? I
drive a F150. My first car
was a F100 Ford Pickup
Explorer
Your hometown:
Thomaston
Something you are
considering doing:
Opening up a restaurant
on the beach called “Butts
on the Beach”
Words you live by:
Integrity
Something you can’t
live without: My wife
Thing you are most
proud of: Young uns and
grand young uns
What keeps you
awake at night:
Thinking about what I
have to do the next day
Name something
you will never
do again: Septic
tank work- It’s real
crappy
What’s your
favorite web
site: Google and
Allrecipes.com
If your life had
a themesong
what would it be? “Be
young, be foolish, but be
happy”
If you could start
your life over what
would you change? I
would take better care of
my health
What food could you
eat everyday? Good
BBQ
Something people don’t
know about you: I don’t
want to tell
What’s the worst idea
you’ve ever had? Opening
up a feed and seed
What’s the best thing
about living in Monroe
Co? The people
If you could change
one thing about
Monroe Co what would
it be? I really like it the
way it is
Writer a letter to the editor. E-mail to publisher@
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Forsyth, GA 31029, or drop by our office. Join the
free and open debate that makes America great.
is published every week by
The Monroe County Reporter Inc.
Will Davis, president
Robert M. Williams Jr., vice president
Cheryl S. Williams, secretary-treasurer
www.mymcr.net
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THE MONROE COUNTY REPORTER
P.O. Box 795, Forsyth, GA 31029
Official Organ of Monroe County
and the City of Forsyth
Phone: 478-994-2358 • FAX 478-994-2359
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The comments featured on the opinion pages
are the sole creations of the writers they do
not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Re
porter management.
Publication No. USPS 997-840)
Rhymes with absurd?
O ne of Monroe County’s
leading sheriffs depu
ties has been taken off
the road for uttering the
“T” word. For the safety
and welfare of the county, we hope
it won’t be for long.
Monroe County sheriffs deputy
Sgt. Randy Grindstaff has been
reprimanded and transferred to jail
duty for describing two burglars he
captured as “turds” in last week’s
Reporter. That after the pair was
sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Grindstaff captured the suspects
after they burglarized the city of
Forsyth’s dormant Boxankle Water
Treatment Plant on Jan. 19. Upon
arrival, Grindstaff spotted one
suspect and gave chase, climbing
a tall fence in pursuit. But then,
with characteristically quick think
ing, even while 16 feet in the air,
Grindstaff spotted another suspect
back inside the fence. So he jumped
back to the ground to surprise the
second suspect and make an arrest.
That arrest led to the capture of the
other suspect at home in bed hours
later. An investigation showed that,
the suspects had repeatedly burglar
ized the plant and done thousands
of dollars in damage. One suspect
also had outstanding warrants for
aggravated assault, and the other
had a conviction for bashing 50
mailboxes around High Falls.
It was typical work for Grindstaff.
Since this newspaper scours the
reports from the sheriffs office each
week, we are familiar with his work.
A shift supervisor who has about
13 years with the sheriffs office,
Grindstaff s deep knowledge of the
community, the thoroughness of his
police work and his evident street
smarts make him one of the most
valuable deputies on the road.
So it’s no surprise that Grindstaff s
case against the burglars left them
with little choice last Monday but
to plead guilty and take 10 years in
prison.
City councilman Mike Dodd
praised Grindstaff and the sheriffs
office for excellent police work in the
case.
“It’s a great day for law enforce
ment,” agreed Grindstaff, before
uttering that, fateful phrase: “It’s
good to get two more turds off the
streets.”
When it appeared in the paper,
Sheriff John Cary Bittick wasn’t
amused. After convening with his
command staff, Bittick said they
agreed to transfer Grindstaff from
patrol supervisor to jail supervisor
for calling criminals “turds”.
He was also reprimanded for
conduct unbecoming of an officer.
Grindstaff s pay remained the same
but he was required to turn in his
patrol car and assigned to jail duty.
Bittick said they were anguished
trying to figure out the right thing
to do about the quote. The sheriff
said Grindstaff s comments crossed
the line, but he acknowledged that,
no one wanted to hurt Grindstaff.
“He’s a good deputy,” said Bittick.
“He does a good job.”
Indeed.
In addition to his aforementioned
skills, Grindstaff s knowledge of
High Falls makes him a leading and
critical enforcer in that, sometimes
troubled part of the county.
As for the “T” word, we’re confi
dent that, many Monroe Countians
found it refreshing to hear someone
cut through the bull and call two
convicted burglars with a history of
run-ins with law enforcement what
they seem to be. But, we understand
that, others are offended by the
word.
At. this point, there’s no reason to
quibble over the word. The sheriff,
elected by the people of Monroe
County, has had the last. word. So
Grindstaff will have to refrain from
shooting from the hip - verbally of
course -- for a while. Whatever. The
most, important thing for Monroe
County is getting Randy Grindstaff
back on the streets where he can
do what he does best. If you think
that’s important, then ask Sheriff
Bittick to make it happen soon.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Paramedics great after shotgun accident
To the editor:
n Sept. 17, my husband Tim had a severe
accident, with a shotgun and he called
911. The responding paramedics were Mr.
Billinger and Mr. Walton. There was also a
third man who responded, however, I could
not. find out his name, as it was not listed on the report.
I want, to thank these men for responding so quickly and
saving his life. We have two daughters, ages 11 and 7,
still at. home and it would have been devastating had
there been a different outcome. I want, these gentlemen
to know that, my family thanks them from the bottom of
our hearts. It’s people like these three men who make
the world a better place and I am glad they are here in
Monroe County. Please thank a public servant, the next,
time you come across one because I don’t, think they get.
enough recognition.
Tracy Ketchum
Monroe County
Forsyth moves on vulnerable homeowners
To the editor:
I read with concern the
legal ads in the last,
issue of The Reporter
involving the city’s
move against, the struc
tures at. 329 Blount. Street,
and 108 Sharp Street.. It.
seems to me that, the munici
pal government, is attacking
the most, vulnerable and the
most, defenseless in our com
munity.
I wonder why the city has not.
moved against, the property owners
of 274 Indian Springs Drive,
of 95 Railroad Avenue, and
of the Webb residence also
on Railroad Avenue. These
properties have long been
visible eyesores, clearly with
in sight, of a well-traveled
street..
Is it. possible that, the
absentee owners of these
properties, Christina Pirkle,
BASS
the Georgia Trust, for Historic
Preservation, and the Indian Springs
Drive LLC in Alpharetta, are any
less guilty of violating the municipal
ordinance than are Willie and Mary
Lois Hardy who own the property on
Sharp Street, and Mary Ann Willis
and other members of her family
who own the property on Blount.
Street? I hardly think so.
Ralph Bass
Forsyth
Civil War Sesquicentennial
Forsyth boys found retreaters’ flag
O ne hundred and fifty years
ago, an anonymous mem
ber of the Quitman Guard
from Monroe County
helped to give a Federal
unit, the ironic name of “Banner
Regiment” at. the battle of Greenbrier
River.
The Seventh Indiana had a large
flag made of fine silk presented to
the regiment, when it. left, for the war.
It. was common practice in both the
Confederate and Federal states for
patriotic women to make these flags and then to present,
them to the local military unit, in a ceremony before the
unit. left, the town. Such was the banner of the Seventh
Indiana.
Early in the morning of Oct.. 3, 1861, the Seventh
Indiana Infantry moved from its position on Cheat.
Mountain toward the Confederate forces at. Camp
Bartow, now in West. Virginia.
When the Seventh Indiana neared the Confederate
forces on the Greenbrier River, their commander ordered
a halt, to the march to allow the Federal artillery time to
weaken the Confederate defenses.
Taking advantage of the halt., the Indiana color-bearer
carefully placed his flag near him and took a nap.
Later, when startled out. of his sleep by the command to
advance, the color-bearer ran off without, his banner.
After the Confederate troops forced
the Federal soldiers to retreat., a
member of the Quitman Guard
found the beautiful flag of the
Seventh Indiana in a fence corner,
where the Federal standard bearer
had placed it. while he slept..
The member of the Quitman Guard
carried the flag “in triumph to the
camp of the 1st Georgia regiment...
amid the deafening shouts of our
whole army,” recorded Corporal
Nathan S. Pugh of the Walker Light.
Infantry from Augusta.
After the battle, General Henry R. Jackson sent, his
troops a message in which he praised them for their
bravery. He reminded them that, the Federal foe had
retreated, leaving behind them the bodies of their dead
“too numerous to be carried with him.” They had aban
doned their arms and accouterments, even, he said, “the
colors which in the morning he had flaunted so insolent
ly in your front.”
Having suffered the loss of its colors, the Seventh
Indiana soon became known, initially in derision, as the
“Banner Regiment,” although as the war progressed the
infantry unit, took pride in its singular designation stem
ming from the happy find of a member of the Quitman
Guard.