Newspaper Page Text
Page 6A
June 27, 2018
IN LOVING
Peggy Buckner
March 10, 1948 - June 8, 2018
Forsyth - Homegoing services for Mrs. Peggy Ward
Buckner were held Thursday, June 14 at Mt. Gilead
Baptist Church, Forsyth. Pastor McArthur Childs of
ficiated. Burial was in the Forsyth City Cemetery.
Survivors include her husband, Leonard Buckner; son
Leonardo Buckner; daughter Karla Buckner; grand
children, Kendria, Kayla, Cameron Buckner and a host
of relatives and friends.
Freeman Funeral Home in Forsyth had charge of ar
rangements.
Mary Earl Ham Dennis
October 15,1927 - June 25, 2018
Forsyth.... Mary Earl Ham Dennis passed away
Monday, June 25,2018. Services and burial will be
private.
Mary, the daughter of the late James Roy Ham and
Mary Van Houten Ham, was born October 15,1927,
in Forsyth, Georgia. She was a retired bookkeeper and
a member of Forsyth United Methodist Church. Mary
was previously very active with Mary Persons athletics.
Survivors include her son, Randall Dennis (Barbara);
grandchildren, Brittany Rogers (Justin) and Justin
Dennis (Catie); great grandchildren, Harper and Hayes
Rogers, Raelyn and Blakley Dennis; sisters, Juanita
Ham Willingham, Rachel Ham Ayer (Stan) of Forsyth
and Lanette Bullen (Joe) of Oxford, Michigan.
Please visit www.monroecountymemorialchapel.com
to express tributes.
Monroe County Memorial Chapel has charge of ar
rangements.
William Lucear
April 23,1954 - June 10, 2018
Forsyth - Funeral services for Mr. William Kenneth
“Kenny” Lucear were held Friday, June 15 at Tessie
Hall Baptist Church, Forsyth. Burial was in the Church
Cemetery.
The family may be contacted at 500 Cabiness Road,
Apt E-4, Forsyth.
Freeman Funeral Home in Forsyth had charge of ar
rangements.
Lillian Jane
Roquemore Newton
July 1,1932 - June 24, 2018
Forsyth - Lillian Jane Roquemore Newton passed
away Sunday, June 24,2018. Graveside services will be
held at 11 a.m., Wednesday, June 27,2018, at Forsyth
City Cemetery. Rev. J. Wesley Privett will officiate. The
family will greet friends from 6-8 p.m., Tuesday, June
26,2018, at Monroe County Memorial Chapel.
Jane, the daughter of the late Jim and Durant Roque
more, was born July 1,1932, in Forsyth. Her husband,
Charles (Sonny) Leo Newton Jr., her son, Charles
Ronald Newton, her daughter, Sarah Alice Newton and
her grandchild, Demi Collier, preceded her in death.
She was a graduate of Mary Persons High School and
a graduate of Bessie Tiff College, receiving a BS degree
in Home Economics. Jane was employed as a home
economics teacher with Atwater Junior High School,
Upson County, Ga. from 1953-55. She retired from the
Monroe County Tax Assessor as Chief Appraiser, was
a former Deputy Clerk for Monroe County Superior
Court and a former member of Monroe County Jury
Commission. She was a member of Ebenezer United
Methodist Church, a member of Rum Creek Quilters,
a member of United Daughters of the Confederacy, a
member of Monroe Historical Society, a member of
GA Association of Assessing Officials and a member of
Monroe County Board of Assessors. Jane loved geneal
ogy and Mary Persons football.
Survivors include her children, Susan Newton
Samples, Frank Newton (Chasity) and Cherie Ramsey
(Darren); grandchildren, Jessica Sherman (How
ard), Julie Cavanaugh (Josh), Dani Newton, Madison
Bradford and Dusty Ramsey; great grandchildren,
Hunter and Sonny Sherman, Tyler Cavanaugh, Baleigh
Newton, Liam Stamps, Cayden and Cruz Mclendon-
Newton, sisters-in-law, Louise Maddox and Dottie
Newton, brother-in-law, Raymond Newton (Gwin).
Jane loved her caregivers, Mary Ellis, Janice King and
Rynika Howard.
The family may be contacted at the residence of
Frank and Chasity Newton, 191 Lee King Road, For
syth, GA 31029.
The family suggests for the graveside service “Come
as you are”. Please visit www.monroecountymemorial-
chapel.com to express tributes. Monroe County Memo
rial Chapel has charge of arrangements.
Kimberly Smith
March 16.1985 - June 18. 2018
Forsyth - Funeral services for Mrs. Kimberly
La’Keisha Smith were held Thursday, June 21 in the
Freeman Funeral Home Chapel, Forsyth. Burial was in
Rest Haven Cemetery, Forsyth.
The family may be contacted at 98 Keith Drive, For
syth. Freeman Funeral Home in Forsyth had charge of
arrangements.
Cornell Ward
July 12.1959 - June 19. 2018
Forsyth - Funeral services for Mr. Cornell Ward, 58,
were held Monday, June 25 in the Freeman Funeral
Home Chapel, Forsyth.
Freeman Funeral Home in Forsyth had charge of ar
rangements.
tEqporter
UNFAIR AND UNBALANCED by Marilyn Langford
Fear and loathing in the Trump Era
I f you don’t have a problem
with what is going on at the
border and you’re not speak
ing out, then you’re complicit
in Trump’s heinous crime against
humanity. Innocent babies and
children are being snatched from
their parents when all the parents
were doing was trying to find a safe
place for their family. They were
shipped to all parts of the country
and most will never be reunited
with their parents. If reunifica
tion was the intention of Trump,
a plan would have been in place
to carefully track the children and
parents. Or, if Trump gave a tinker
about children, they would never
had been separated in in the first
place.
WE HAVE no idea the condi
tions under which these children
are living because the media are
not allowed in. My question is
why? If they all have the environ
ment of the shelter the First Lady
visited, why not let the American
people see all of them? But you
know what? No matter how well
they may be treated, it doesn’t mat
ter to these children. They want
their Mamas and Daddies, not
strangers who are not allowed to
cuddle and comfort them. They are
terrified.
IF MEN dressed in all grey
snatched your dogs from you and
shipped them to shelters all across
this country, all hell would break
loose. Trump says they are “all
packs of dogs” and says they are
all killers. You know your dog is
sweet and loving. You would be
worried sick about your dog; not
knowing where they are and the
condition of the shelter. You know
your dog won’t eat that cheap food.
And, then Trump announces that
you are not allowed due process to
get your dogs back. Do dogs de
serve more humane treatment than
these children? Do you care?
THIS COUNTRY spent 242
years to build a reputation of the
world leader in human rights. In
the midst of this horrid humani
tarian crisis, Trump pulled out of
the United Nations Human Rights
Council. Coming on the heels of
Trump’s withdrawal
from the Paris Climate
Accord, the Iranian
Deal, and pulling out
of the G-7 Agreement,
trust in America has
taken a big hit. This
speaks volumes to
the world about the
new Trump America.
America’s reputation as
a protector of human
rights is history. At the
rate Trump is mov
ing, America as a great
democracy will soon be
history, too.
IF TRUMP is not throttled on
this border issue, another humani
tarian crisis is brewing. In 2010,
50,000 Haitians were granted
temporary protected status when a
devastating earthquake destroyed
much of their country. Since then,
their country has also been hit by
devastating hurricanes. Their pro
tected status has been revoked and
they must leave the United States
by mid-2019. 27,000 children have
been born in this country and
therefore are U.S. citizens. The
parents of those children will be
sent back to Haiti. However, I fully
expect any immigration bill passed
by Trump and the POT (Party of
Trump), will include the end to
“anchor babies.” Haiti is the third
nationality to have its protected
status terminated in the past three
months. The others were Nicara
guans and Sudanese.
REMEMBER WHEN President
Lyndon Johnson declared WAR
ON POVERTY and created such
programs as Medicaid, Medicare,
and food stamps? Now Trump has
declared WAR ON THE IMPOV
ERISHED. He has submitted his
2019 Budget. There are currently
43.1 million Americans living in
poverty. The budget includes $1
trillion in deep cuts to
programs for the poor,
like Medicaid and food
stamps. Medicaid will
be transformed by
limiting payments or
allowing states to turn
it into a block grant
program. This bill also
adds work require
ments to Medicaid.
The budget bill calls
for passing an Obama
Care replacement
bill. There will be no
subsidies and will NOT
include most pre-existing condi
tions. And senior citizens, don’t
think this won’t affect you! This bill
contains the first step to privatizing
Medicare. Seniors can choose to
enroll in private plans.
THIS IS only a glimpse into the
2019 budget that will be passed
this Fall. It’s scary! The poor and
elderly are the victims of the tax
cuts given to the wealthy. After
all, Trump has to pay for his wall
and anything Scott Pruitt decides
to buy with our tax dollars. Oh,
and don’t forget that we have to
pay for Trump’s rallies. If Trump
wants to prove that he is concerned
about the poor working class in
this country, he should tweet out
a raise to the Federal Minimum
Wage.
Marilyn Langford of High Falls
writes about current events from
the liberal perspective. Email her at
marilynlangford85@gmail. com.
SHERIFF
Continued from Front
resolved.
Meanwhile, Evans’ at
torney Charles Lanford
responded with a letter to
Vaughn saying that the Sec
retary of State said he could
use the badge, but adding
that Evans has discontinued
further use of the badge.
Asked about the letter,
Evans, a retiree from the
sheriff’s office, didn’t have
much to say.
“Ummmmmmmm,” said
Evans. “I’m not going there
Will. I don’t want to get into
the details.”
But he did post on his
Facebook page last Sunday:
“Obviously I was unaware
that this wasn’t permis
sible as I have worn this
badge for over 30 years as
I’ve served each and every
one of you. With that said
I will be taking immedi
ate action to fix each sign
with a sticker or cover to
bring me into compliance.
Please know this was not
my intention when the signs
were designed and will be
corrected immediately. For
those who have signs please
contact me so we can get the
badges covered and if you
would still like one I will
deliver those after they have
been corrected. ...I’ve tried
to be a gentleman about
this but enough is enough.
I guess it’s a problem now
because my signs are pop
ping up all over the county
and my support for running
for office of Sheriff seems
to be growing. You can take
my time, pto, and send me
a letter from an attorney
to cease the passing out of
signs to my supporters. You
can’t take my heart, my hard
work, my experience or my
love for this great county.
Again this just gives me
more fuel to fight harder
and earn the votes of these
great citizens. I will not quit
and I will not back out as
some current officials would
like. Can’t wait to see what
they come up with next.”
And the letter to Evans
wasn’t the only letter flying
in recent days.
Another writer alleg
ing to be a Bibb County
concerned citizen wrote
to Macon-Bibb County
commissioners wondering
how one of their deputies,
Michael Bittick, is spending
so much time running for
office in Monroe County.
“I have lived in Bibb
County my whole life and
have seen [crime] continue
to rise. I understand the
Sheriff is short on Depu
ties and that is sure to have
an impact on law enforce
ment services and the rise
in crime. One thing that
bothers me is I have rela
tives that live just outside
Bibb County in Monroe
County. I noticed one of
your Sheriff’s Captains is
spending a lot of his time on
a daily basis in and around
Monroe County — His
name is Michael Bittick
and I think someone said
he is running for an office
in Monroe County. As a
taxpayer in Bibb and with
all the crime we are having,
how do you allow on [sic]
of your Deputies to spend
much of his time in another
county running for office?
This is just one example
of why the crime rate is so
high in Bibb County and
public officials are wasting
our tax money. - Concerned
Citizen of Bibb County —
pray that your Sheriff gets a
hold on all the problems of
our great County”
Michael Bittick, a distant
cousin of the Bitticks who’ve
held the office of sheriff for
most of the past 100 years,
said the letter didn’t surprise
him.
“It’s not the first time
someone’s tried to throw
some mud my way ’ said
Michael Bittick. “If they’re
throwing mud, they feel that
person is a threat.”
Michael Bittick said the
letter is “just politics” and
he’s not worried about it.
He said he’s talked to his
command staff about his
run for sheriff. He said he’s
a salaried employee and if
he has to use his ample leave
time for the race, he will.
“After 22 years you can
imagine how much leave
time I’ve got to burn,” said
Michael Bittick. “Everything
I do is above-board. I have
no idea if an opponent is
behind the letter. But the
people who received it
know it’s nothing but poli
tics. Hopefully people will
stick to the issues, but some
people can’t.”
Meanwhile, current sheriff
A1 Shackelford said he’s
decided to exempt employ
ees from MCSO policy that
forbids them from running
for office. However, those
employees will have to use
their leave time and turn
in their equipment while
they run. Shackelford said
he’ll allow the candidates
who don’t win to return to
their jobs as long as they
don’t bash the department
in the campaign. However,
with six candidates, the
race likely won’t be decided
until the Dec. 4 runoff. If
a current employee loses
the runoff, he would likely
have to ask his victorious
opponent, the new sheriff
rather than Shackelford, to
get their job back.
Current employees Law-
son Bittick, Stacey Penamon
and Brad Freeman have all
announced runs for sheriff,
as have Troy Copelan,
Michael Bittick and Ronnie
“Jocko” Evans.
Qualifying for the election
is Aug. 6-10 and the fee to
run, set by the state as 3
percent of the salary, will be
$1,779.86. The election is
Nov. 6.
STARR
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