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& EDITORIALS
Declare among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard;
publish, and conceal not. - Jeremiah 50:2
2019, 2018, 2017, 2016 winner: Editorial Page excellen
2019, 2018 winner: Best Headline Writing
2019 winner: Best Community Service
2019 winner: Best Layout and Design
2019 winner: Best Serious Column - Don Daniel
Fear not, I shall return
This newspaper is 36 pages, bigger
than any in Middle Georgia. Real estate
is very valuable, and scarce, these days,
both in Monroe County and in the Re
porter. For the second straight week, we
still don’t have room for my weekly rant-
ings. Actually, I’m the boss. I could make
the room if I wanted. But I don’t. As one
local politico has suggested, maybe I’m
just lazy. But fear not. I’m saving up. I
will have much to say next week in this
space. See you then!
BLIGHT
Continued from Front
permanently in RVs and campers illegal.
The county may grant an exception, said Vaughn, only
if the person is living in temporary housing while build
ing a new home. Another exception, said Vaughn, is when
residents live in an RV/camper in a properly zoned camp
ground, but even then it’s only for 30 days. Campgrounds
must be zoned commercial as well, said Vaughn.
But District 1 commissioner Lamarcus Davis said he had
real problems with the county’s direction because many
people cannot find affordable housing.
“This is hard for me,” said Davis. “Yes we need to do some
thing. But we as a county need to find a solution. We have
nowhere for people to go. I’m very sentimental about that.. .1
can’t see just kicking people on the street.”
Davis said he’s lost a lot of sleep stewing over the issue.
Greg Menge told commissioners that his tenants who live
in 4 campers on his property on Elbert Jackson Road have
already been served notice by code enforcement officer Jeff
Wilson that they have 30 days to get out. He said the resi
dents are all senior citizens and one has only one leg.
“I ain’t gonna get it done in 30 days,” said Menge. “They
have to find a place to go somewhere.”
Emami asked Menge if he knew his arrangement was
against the law, and he said “not really”. Menge said the 4
campers are tied into one septic tank.
Vaughn said the county’s penalties for violations are $500
per day or 60 days in jail.
District 2 commissioner Eddie Rowland said he doesn’t
see a problem with people living in RVs if they have a large
amount of property or are in a campground or park. He said
he wants to focus on blight, rundown properties.
“Let’s take care of the worst things first,” said Rowland. “We
want to get rid of the blight.”
Davis agreed.
“Campgrounds that are clean, I don’t see going after them,”
said Davis. “Let’s go after the blight first.”
“So you’re not in favor of enforcing the law?” Emami asked.
“We don’t know how long this law has been on the books
and ignored,” said Davis. “Let’s clean up the blight and then
address the others later’
“That’s a recipe for four more years of doing nothing,”
replied Emami.
District 3 commissioner John Ambrose suggested that
commissioners need to change their ordinance to allow retir
ees and others with well-kept RVs to remain. Otherwise, the
county is picking and choosing which laws to enforce.
Rowland then brought in sheriff Brad Freeman to see if he
understood what commissioners want.
“We understand,” said Freeman. “You’re looking at dilapi
dated properties and environmental violations, and then go
after the rest later ’
Rowland said shutting down blighted properties will keep
the county busy for 3-4 years without worrying about the
other.
Emami said he doesn’t want to leave office at the end of the
year without trying to get things cleaned up.
“I love people and try to help people,” said Emami. “But
when you’re up here, you have to make hard decisions some
times.” Emami said even while commissioners have debated
addressing the problem over the past few months, more and
more campers continue to be erected as substandard housing
proliferates.
“You see how silver his hair is?” Ambrose deadpanned of
Emami. “We all had brown or black hair when got here. This
is what this crap does to us. Your time is coming Lamarcus.
You’re gonna be silver topped.”
is published every week by The Monroe County Reporter Inc.
Will Davis, President • Robert M. Williams Jr., Vice President
Cheryl S. Williams, Secretary-T reasurer
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Publication No. USPS 997-840
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1
kri
DRAWING ON THE NEWS by AF Branco
REECE’S PIECES by Steve Reece
The history of Presidents Day
A mong the many things that
Americans have contrib
uted to the world is the
concept of a presidency.
Before the election of George Wash
ington, most countries of the world
were ruled by monarchs. Some with
absolute power, answering only to
God.
There is a myth that our first
president turned down the offer of a
crown during the Revolutionary War.
The myth stems from a letter sent to
Washington from Col. Lewis Nicola
in 1782, who wrote, “I believe strong
argument might be produced for ad
mitting the title of king, which I con
ceive would be attended with some
material advantages.” Nicola had no
crown to offer but the legend persists
because it makes Washington
appear noble.
There are numerous myths,
stories, and legends regarding
this remarkable man. One of
the most enduring is that his
dentures were made of wood.
In truth, they were construct
ed of human teeth and, more
than likely, horse and cow
teeth, ivory, and metal alloys.
It’s possible some thought his chop
pers were wooden due to the brown
ish stains acquired from daily use.
The most well-known legend
pertaining to our first president is the
tale of him admitting to cutting down
his father’s cherry tree. He was given a
hatchet as a gift when he was six years
old, and he used it against the tree. His
father became extremely angry upon
discovery of the ruined tree and con
fronted young George who famously
replied that he did indeed cut down
the tree and could not tell a lie. Even
though the often-repeated tale dem
onstrates Washington’s honesty, the
story itself is a complete lie, invented
by the first Washington biographer,
Mason Locke Weems whose bestsell
er, written immediately after the presi
dent’s death at the age of 64, depicted
Washington’s high virtues intending
to give young people of the United
States stories that would influence
them to achieve high moral standards.
Such as those demonstrated by the
Father of our Country. It didn’t matter
that the stories were false, they
were inspirational.
Although silver dollars
weren’t minted in the United
States until 1794, the claims
that Washington once skipped
one for a mile across the Po
tomac River in his youth con
tinue to this day. This tall tale
probably got its origin from
his step-grandson, George
Washington Parke Custis, who once
related that the General hurled a piece
of slate about the size of a dollar across
the Rappahannock River in Virginia.
This is a bit more believable as the
Rappahannock is a narrow river.
And that powdered wig you thought
he always wore? Nope. That was his
real hair that he kept long, powdered
white, and tied in a ponytail. The im
ages I found of George Washington in
his youth depict him as a redhead.
Even though the six-foot two-inch
general lost more battles in the Revo
lutionary War than he won, his win
ning strategies at the Battle of Trenton
in 1776 and Yorktown in 1781 proved
Washington to be a capable leader.
More places have been named after
him than anyone else in our country’s
history with the Census Bureau listing
94 locations with just his name and
127 including those places which
his name is within a longer name
such as Washingtonburg, Pa. Even
though never a president, Benjamin
Franklin comes in second with 89,
including 31 cities and many coun
ties. 5,000 settlers once created the
State of Franklin, or “Frankland”, in
a wild mountainous area in what is
now eastern Tennessee just after the
Revolutionary War, but the land was
later ceded by the State of Tennessee.
President Abraham Lincoln ranks
third with 70. Cities such as Lincoln,
Neb., and Lincoln, Ala. are named in
his memory.
The anniversary of Washington’s
birthday, Feb. 22,1732, was the first
federal holiday to honor an individu
al’s birth date when in 1885, Congress
voted to give a day off for all federal
workers on Feb. 22. The date was
changed in 1971 when the Uniform
Monday Holiday Law moved it to
the third Monday in February after
an executive order from then-Pres-
ident Richard M. Nixon. The name
“Presidents’ Day” is not an official
moniker but became popular due to
retailers having sales in honor of both
Washington’s and Lincoln’s birthday
which is on the 12th of the month.
Right after Lincoln’s assassination,
there were several attempts to get his
birthday observed as a federal holiday
but all failed. Presidents’ Day is now
recognized as a holiday to honor all
American presidents.
This year Presidents’ Day will be
observed on Monday, Feb. 21. The
banks will be closed, the mail won’t
run, the kids get to stay home from
school, and many federal workers will
be enjoying the last day of a three-day
weekend. Meanwhile, the rest of us
will carry on and go to work like it’s
an ordinary day but with the added
inconvenience of finding someone
to watch the kids and the temporary
absence of several government ser
vices. That’s okay, though. Most of our
presidents deserve such an honor.
Steve Reece is a writer for the Report
er and a known crime fighter. Email
him at stevereece@gmail.com.
CAROLYN S CORNER by Carolyn Martel
Holy Spirit, impersonal force or loving friend?
I t drives me crazy to read an
article or a book where the Holy
Spirit is referred to as some neb
ulous force or energy! The Holy
Spirit is not some nondescript force
or an “it.” An “it” cannot teach you.
An “it” can not comfort
you, sustain you or guide
you into all truth! And
this is what Jesus said the
Holy Spirit would do. The
scriptures reveal one God
in three persons: The Fa
ther, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Each is distinct, yet
inseparable, eter
nally one in essence
and power. The Holy
Spirit is the third
person of the Godhead (Trinity) and
He is the Christian’s primary teacher,
comforter and source of power.
THINK ABOUT it. An “it” can
not be grieved. But the word of God
tells us that we can grieve the Holy
Spirit. Ephesians 4:30 says, “And do
not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by
whom you were sealed for the day of
redemption.” We can grieve the Holy
Spirit by our disobedience, or
when we neglect God. But I
want you to notice something
else this scripture reveals. It
says we are sealed by the Holy
Spirit! When the devil looks
at you, he sees that you are
sealed by the Holy Spirit! In
the natural realm, a seal
bonds two things togeth
er and keeps anything
from coming in between
them! When Christians
are sealed by the Holy Spirit, they are
eternally bonded to God. God seals
us as His own and no devil can break
that eternal union! And praise God, I’ll
take the seal of God any day over the
mark of the Beast that many people
are going to take in the end time, when
the Antichrist comes into power!
That’s a subject I will write about soon.
HERE’S SOMETHING else to
think about. A vague, obscure “it”
cannot baptize you into the Body of
Christ. An “it” cannot fill you with the
life of God, the power of God and the
mind of God! The Holy Spirit ignites
God’s life in us! When we repent of
our sins and make Jesus our Savior
and Lord, our dead spirit is quickened
(made alive) by the Holy Spirit. At that
moment, we are born again and given
eternal life! An “it” cannot do that!
I’m so thankful for the ministry of the
Holy Spirit!
Carolyn Martel is the retired advertis
ing manager of the Reporter. Email her at
carolynmartell @bellsouth. net.