Newspaper Page Text
November 30, 2016
PAGE 7B
Reporter
Fire destroys family’s Monroe County home
BY DIANE
GLIDEWELL
news@mymcr.net
Robert Cornett, his
wife, Brittany, and three
young children suddenly
saw their hopes and
plans take a giant step
backward on the eve
ning of Thursday, Nov. 3
when their home caught
fire and quickly burned
with all of their posses
sions. Cornett said he
had planned to buy the
property from his sister-
in-law and had been
working on improve
ments to the mobile
home. He had re-done
the floors and bought a
new washer and dryer
and other furnishings
since moving into the
almost 2,000 sq. ft.
mobile home on nine
acres in about March of
this year.
Cornett said the fire
started in his sons’ bed
room, probably from an
electrical problem in
the wall. Since it was
a school |
night, he
said his
children,
ages 5,
6 and 8,
would
usually
have been
in bed
at 7:30
p.m., but
the fam
ily had
decided to
take some
pictures
outside.
After they
got home,
around
8 p.m., their fire alarm
went off and they
smelled something burn
ing. At first, they could
not see smoke or flames
but could see where the
siding of the home was
melting.
Cornett’s family got
out of the home and
called the fire depart
ment. He went back in
to get his chihuahuas,
but they were all he
could save. Monroe
County Fire Stations
1 and 2 responded to
their call, but the small
smoldering fire quickly
erupted into flames
that engulfed the whole
structure. In about two
hours the flames were
out, but there wasn’t
much left of their
belongings.
“This Thanksgiving
meant the most to me
of any in my 29 years,”
said Cornett. “There was
a reason we were on a
family outing and were
able to walk away safe.”
Cornett did
not have rent
ers’ insurance,
and his sister-
in-law’s home-
owners’ policy
will not cover
his losses. His
five-member
family is now
sharing a
room in his
father-in-law’s
three-bedroom
house.
Cornett said
it is important
to him to stay
in Monroe
County. He
wants to keep
his children
at K.B. Sutton
Elementary.
He said the
staff at K.B.
Sutton has
helped them,
particularly
in providing
clothes for his daughter.
Cornett said their
greatest need right now
1 is a
The structure and all contents of this mobile home on Big Buck
Trail were decimated in a two-hour fire on Nov. 3.
Robert Cornett, center, with sons Elijah,
and 7, and his daughter
wears size 6.
Cornett said the prop
erty where he lived is
beautiful and he would
still like to buy it, but
there is a big issue with
clearing out the debris
from the fire. “You really
need a painter’s mask to
go out there right now,”
he said.
Making matters worse,
Cornett is afraid that he
may lose his construc
tion job. He has been
working for a DOT con
tractor doing concrete
work in Henry County,
but his employer wants
him to go to North
Carolina on a job for
two years. He does not
want to move his family
place
to stay.
If they
find a
home,
they
will
need to
furnish
it. He
said
his
sons
have
limited
cloth
ing.
J They
wear
sizes 8
8, and Aiden, 6
and does not want to be
away from them.
His wife’s mother
passed away last year.
She has had difficulty
dealing with the loss of
her mother and also the
trauma of she and her
little boy
being the
ones who
found her
mother.
Cornett
said he also
does not
want to be
away from
his children
because he
spent time
growing
up under
the care of
DFCS.
“It’s very
important I’m
by their side.
They need both
parents here,”
said Cornett.
“My faith is very
strong. It’s the
only reason I’m
here today.”
Cornett said he
wants his story
told because it
may reach some
one who can help
him right now.
He is thinking
of trying to do
a Go-Fund-Me
account, but is
not sure if that
is the best thing
to do.
“I hope it
reaches someone
willing to help.
I’m a hard work
er. I have a good
family. I do have
a car to drive,” he said.
Anyone who would like
to help can call Robert
Cornett at 478-974-8430
or find him on Facebook.
Brittany Cornett, back, with children Erica,
Elijah and Aiden
John Charles Griffin sees possibilities
in words, music, places and people
BY DIANE GLIDEWELL
news@mymcr.net.
John Charles Griffin is a man of multiple
dimensions. A review of several media sto
ries about him in recent years finds him
called ‘Mr. Macon” and credited with tire
less promotion of his ‘hometown,’ but he
said he has lived in Monroe County for
the last 21 years.
Griffin worked for corporate America,
in commercial sales for Sears, for 30
years. Then he retired Dec. 31, 2012 and
his creative self stretched its wings and
took flight.
Griffin describes himself as a poet and
a photographer. He is at home in front
of an audience, combining his talents
as a musician and storyteller to craft a
message and atmosphere with words and
rhythm.
He found his niche working with the
Allman Brothers Band Museum at The
Big House in Macon, where he is on the
board of trustees and works enthusiasti
cally at promotions. The connections he
developed through the Allman Brothers
Band Museum reached out to support, him
as he published his first book, “After the
Meltdown,” in the summer of 2015.
“After the Meltdown” is a collection of
Griffin’s poetry divided into three sections
and includes some of his favorite photo
graphs to add visual art.. He said the first
section, “Dirt Road Visionary,” is about
growing up on farmland near Hahira in
south Georgia. “Women in Tranquility” is
his observations on relationships.
“’Cars, Money and Telephones’ is about
the first three things you need in the morn
ing. If you’re missing either, you’re at a big
loss,” said Griffin.
The book, which was published by Snake
Nation Press in Valdosta, garnered Griffin
a nomination for 2016 Author of the Year
with the Georgia Writers Association in the
poetry category. Before publishing his own
book, Griffin published numerous poems
Book Signing for ‘After the Melt
down’ as part of Macon Art Alliance
First Friday, Dec. 2 at Gallery West,
447 3rd St. in Macon. Music, in
cluding keyboardist Paul Plornsby.
in anthologies and photographs in various
magazines, from Georgia Music Magazine
to Gritz.
Artist Flournoy Holmes, nominated for
Grammies for at least six classic album
covers, volunteered to design the cover for
“After the Meltdown,” to Griffin’s delight.
Griffin plans a second volume of poems,
vignettes and photographs, but he seems
to be at a point in his life where the time
line lets him wait for inspiring words and
scenes to find him as he enjoys making
music, meeting people and promoting things
he loves, like the Allman Brothers Band
Museum and the creative venues he finds
in Macon. Katherine Walden of the Macon
Telegraph described him at a Sept. 13 event
at Historic Macon Foundation’s Sidney
Lanier Cottage as “a relaxed story teller
with the timing of a seasoned comedian.”
Griffin said he draws on his early experi
ences in rural Georgia, four years active
duty in the U.S. Navy in the late 1970s
that included time in the Middle East,
work on a railroad crew, and the many
people he has met and the many
places he has traveled both working
for Sears and promoting the Allman
Brothers Band Museum.
He earned a degree in English
literature from Valdosta State
University in 1984, was features
editor of the college newspa
per and freelanced for the local
> Valdosta newspaper. But Griffin
says writing his lyrical and:—
rative poetry is quite differ
ent from writing prose.
“I didn’t go into writ
ing to become famous,”
said Griffin. “I did it
because I like to write.”
In an article in
Kudzoo Magazine,
Michael Buffalo
Smith said Griffin
is “one of Macon’s
most interesting
and talented
artists.”
He decided
to stop by
the Reporter
and introduce
himself after he
was rejected for
jury duty at the
Monroe County courthouse
because he reported wearing
shorts.
John Griffin holds a copy of ‘After the Meltdown,’
his book of poetry and poignant photos.
Brice Turner wins FFA Area event, $500 scholarship
Pictured are
Will Free
man, Brice
Turner,
Josh Ble-
shoy, Dan
iel Garrett,
FFA Ag
riculture
Mechanics
Team.
Mary Persons High School
FFA member Brice Turner
won the Area Three FFA
Agricultural Electrification
Career Development Event
that was held at Camp
John Hope in Fort Valley
on Nov. 17. He will par
ticipate in the state com
petition Jan. 14 at Georgia
FFA Center in Covington.
By winning the Area
Three contest Brice won a
$500 scholarship from the
Georgia EMC. Participants
in the FFA Agricultural
Electrification Career
Development Event dem
onstrate the proper use of
electrical tools, present a
speech/demonstration on
an electrical energy-related
topic, answer problem solv
ing questions pertaining to
electrical wiring and rural
electrification and complete
an assigned wiring prob
lem based on The National
Electrical Code.
FFA is a national orga
nization of over 600,000
members preparing for
leadership and careers in
the science, business and
technology of agriculture.
FFA is an integral part of
the agricultural education
program in public schools.
The FFA mission is to
make a positive difference
in the lives of students by
developing their potential
for premier leadership,
personal growth and career
success through agricul
tural education.
The FFA Agricultural
Electrification Career
Development Event is spon
sored by Georgia’s Electric
Membership Corporations
as a special project of the
Georgia FFA Foundation.
Brice was a member of
the Mary Persons FFA
Agriculture Mechanics
Team that placed 3rd in
the state in February. Brice
was the second high indi
vidual in the State.