Newspaper Page Text
September 14, 2022
Page 5A
ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN by Don Daniel
Half of leadership
is just showing up
L ast Tuesday, the Forsyth City Council was
supposed to meet. But lo and behold several
members didn’t show up and a quorum is
necessary to conduct city business. No quo
rum, no meeting, no TV show. Guess those elected
members were recuperat
ing from too much Labor
“Daying.”
To make up for the lack
of enough to vote, a called
meeting was scheduled for
this past Tuesday evening
with the same agenda. If
you didn’t watch it on Face-
book or attend, here are a
few of the items that were
supposed to be discussed
at the no quorum meet
ing but on the agenda for
last night: application by
Old Mill Market Co. to be issued a temporary permit
to sell alcoholic beverages; also a temporary permit by
Friends of National Rifle Association to sell alcoholic
beverages and a “blighted” properties review. Here
is the list of the properties that were to be reviewed.
Wonder if they will get a “blighted delay” like the
senior center: Phillip Lane, 485 West Johnston Street,
321 Hill Circle, 209 Sharp Street, 30 Colvin Drive and
390 Sunset Circle. Take a drive around town and find
these properties and you will see why they should be
determined blighted.
If you think these properties fit the category of
blighted, you should take a ride over the county and
you will see twice if not more properties that could be
determined as blighted.
The winners of the no-show and lack-of-quorum
award goes to the board of the Forsyth Convention
and Visitors Bureau (CVB). Public service is wonder
ful and should be applauded. But if you agree to serve,
then serve daggumit. Assume they still have to pay the
lawyer who is required to be at the meetings.
OVER AT the scheduled and full quorum county
commission meeting you could have experienced the
epitome of micromanaging by the commissioners. I
honestly thought the commissioners had leaped past
micromanaging but as was obvious they reverted to
“old time micromanaging.”
The tone of the meeting was set with the commis
sion chairman commenting “we have a lot of bor
ing stuff to deal with.” Sure enough, the yawns were
controlled. Here are a few unattributed individual
commissioner comments: “I did say out-of-county
people”; “like a bunch of fools”; “If you approve”; “I
won’t deal with surveyors at all”; “Feel free to tweak
it”; “We have had people come in here and walk out
unhappy”; “I don’t have the memory”; “If you were my
client, which you are not”; “It’s one of a domino effect”;
“People call me all the time”; “That doesn’t surprise me
at all”; and these comments by the county manager:
“We’ve been doing data pulls”; “I’ve gone another
route”.
WOW IS the best response to the number of readers
answering last week’s The Question, the answer being
former state representative and now Mercer Athletic
Director Jim Cole’s house where the governor had
lunch. Jeanne Plant was the first with the correct an
swer. She gets a certificate for a Dairy Queen Blizzard,
slice of Shoney’s strawberry pie, Big Peach car wash,
Whistle Stop fried green tomato appetizer, single dip
at Scoops and a dozen Dunkin donuts.
Here’s The Question for this week: What kind of
bags must women (and men) carry into Dan Pitts
Stadium after the BOE voted Tuesday night? First cor
rect answer after 12 noon on Thursday will receive the
“goodie” certificate.
JUSTIN case you forgot, this past Simday was
Grandparents’ Day, the first Simday after Labor Day.
ALTHOUGH NOT a member, I regularly attend
Paran Baptist church up here Blount. On Oct. 2, Paran
members and guests will celebrate the church’s 199th
anniversary. Service begins at 10:30 with what will be
(anticipation) a “pot luck” dinner (lunch). With all
the good cooks who attend Paran, the dinner will be a
feast. Put it on your calendar, to hear a good preacher,
good singing and all- you-can-eat home cooking.
I HAVE been hoping our Sheriff would include
Blount Road as an ideal place for the proposed “tag
readers.” Talking with neighbors we all agreed: either
put the tag readers on the section of Blount Road
from Highway 42 down to Garr Road or rename that
section of Blount Road to Blount Road Raceway. We
have all been surprised no one has been killed on that
section of Blount Road.
YOU MAY consider this as being morbid since
I have enjoyed the history of the funeral of Queen
Elizabeth. I have traveled and toured England and
watched with respect the English have had for their
Queen. From what I have watched on television, the
transition to a “King” form of government is going to
be seamless.
The respect and honor the English had for Queen
Elizabeth could not have been better exemplified as
having her photograph and engraving on their pound
and other denominations of their currency/money.
ON THE lighter side from George Carlin: If you
vote once, you’re considered a good citizen. If you vote
twice, you face four years in jail.
GOT THE answer to The Question or want to make
a publishable comment? Contact Donald Jackson
Daniel at mediadr@bellsouth.net
Don Daniel founded the Reporter in 1972. Email him
at mediadr@bellsouth.net.
^Reporter
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Time for America to wake up, not woke up
To the Editor:
A rizona stood by in November 2020 when Fox
News called Arizona for Joe Biden
before the polls closed. Now it took
them two weeks to count votes for the
governor after polls closed on Election Day. We
must not look back and move ahead. If we drive
we know we have a rear view mirror to see what is
behind us and see what’s in the rear, but we keep
our eyes in front looking ahead.
Let’s come together to defeat the radical left
and make America great again. America is in a
dangerous place in our time. And Democrats are
defraying the good we as Americans have come to
call home. So please everyone get out and vote this
Nov. 8.1 beg you, America.
Wake up, not woke up. Enough of the lies and hate for
this country coming from the liberal left. Most have made a
TURNER
good living while living here claiming they hate it. Bull.
If the liberals don’t like it, by all means leave. If women
want to have an abortion, have one. By having sex
without protection one can expect to get preg
nant. If you are a woman you are pregnant with a
child, period. Wake up, America, not woke up.
There is a quote: They profess to be wise yet they
became as fools. [Romans 1:22]
It was said that 75 million voted for ex-president
Trump and 80 million for Mr. Biden. Why then
are 80 million afraid of 75 million? If the election
was fair and honest, there wouldn’t be a need to
raid a former president’s home or try to convict
him on any charges. Wake up, America, not woke
up.
Al Turner
Monroe County
MURDER
Continued from page 1A
she burned down their Old Zebulon
Road home. The body of her brother,
Gerald Walton, who was 21 at the time
of his death, was found reaching for the
door trying to escape the flames in his
bedroom. The body of her mother, Tasha
Louise Vandiver Walton, 46, was found
in Candace’s bedroom. She died trying to
save the very person who set the fire that
killed her.
Candace Walton pled guilty to kill
ing her mother and brother and was
sentenced to life in prison plus 10 years
in February. She stole $2,300 from her
mom’s tax refund, as well as her brother’s
disability debit card, and her moms
2007 Chevy Malibu, and headed toward
Oregon to be with Pangelinan after set
ting the fire. She got only as far as western
Kentucky before McCracken County
deputies took her into custody. They
found $2,300 in cash on her.
Pangelinan had moved to Monroe
County from Oregon in the summer of
2019 after his mother took a job working
at Plant Scherer. He and Walton met at
Mary Persons High School, which he at
tended for four months before he moved
back to Oregon in late 2019. He had been
a junior and she was a freshman. Pan-
gelinarfs Instagram account, which was
under the name “datboidown”, had as his
bio, “Satan’s left hand man.”
Judge Tommy Wilson on Monday de
nied Pangelinarfs request that he be con
victed under the first offender program.
Assistant district attorney Leslie Tillson
said that Pangelinan could not receive a
more severe punishment than Walton
since she’s the one who set the fire that
killed her mother and brother. Neither
was eligible for the death penalty because
they were under 18 at the time.
The two teens texted at length differ
ent methods of killing her mother and
brother so they could be together. Walton
had tried unsuccessfully to poison her
mother before resorting to arson.
“I’m not smart and never done this be
fore,” Walton, who took special education
classes, texted Pangelinan.
The teens discuss the various meth
ods of murder from breaking necks to
stabbing, and how to dispose of bodies,
whether in a nearby pond or by digging a
grave. At one point Walton says she could
clean the mess with bleach.
At one point Walton suggests that she
could put the bodies in a tractor or per
haps frame the homeowner, but Pange
linan disagrees.
“Babe just cause someone dies on
somebody elses [sic] land or killed
doesn’t mean the owner did it,” writes
Pangelinan.
Later Walton says her mom get her tax
refund check and said her mom sug
gested they could fly to Oregon to see
Pangelinan. But Pangelinan said in that
case, they won’t get any alone time. They
also text about how they can’t wait to be
together and kiss and hug and cuddle.
Then Walton writes that her mom is
going to spend the money on pills and
says she’ll have to act sooner. As they dis
cuss her driving to Oregon, Pangelinan
warns that her mom will find out. Wal
ton responds: “She’s going to be dead.”
Later, Pangelinan tells Walton he’s wor
ried she’s going to blow it: “You need to
tell me exactly what you’re doing because
I think you’re going to make a huge mess
and be sloppy’ He tells her several times
to delete their conversation.
Finally Walton writes that she’s going
to wait until her mom and brother are
asleep then suffocate them, drag their
bodies to the woods, take a bath, go to
Walmart for snacks and then head to
Oregon.
At 4:47 a.m. Walton asks if she can just
leave and not kill them. But Pangelinan
says if she does that, they will report her
missing and she will be caught.
Then Walton shares her concerns that
she’ll get scratched while killing her mom
and brother. At 4:57 am., Walton sends
her last text to Pangelinan, “I love you.”
She then apparently set the fire that
killed her mother and brother.
Later she receives a message from her
surviving brother: “I’m the brother com
ing for your a— and I no [sic] who you
are, kill innocent people, better hope the
police get you before I do.”
Tilson said Pangelinan and Tasha
Walton had arguments and that he was
critical of her parenting style. Walton had
apparently sought a restraining order
against Pangelinan.
Tilson said Candace Walton set the
couch on fire and it spread from there to
their bedrooms, essentially cutting off the
mother and brother from an exit from
the home.
Tasha Walton’s mother Trina House
man suffers from brain cancer and had to
attend Monday’s sentencing by phone.
After Pangelinan was sentenced, he
hugged his mother and sister before be
ing led back to the Monroe County Jail.
Tilson said the case is a good reminder
of the importance of parents checking
their kids’ phones.
District attorney Jonathan Adams said
he hopes the family finds some satisfica-
tion that the case is resolved.
“I’m glad the defendant took respon
sibility for his actions in guiding the
murderer in how to kill her family’ said
Adams. “I hope this provides the victims’
family a measure of peace as they con
tinue to deal with their loss.”
PITT
Continued from page 1A
parking. Mark Dye, who’s also
on the chain gang, told the
BOE he’s OK with most of
the new rules except for kids
on the hill. He called it a great
tradition that has caused no
trouble.
The 6-1 vote came after
30 minutes of debate. Board
member Stuart Pippin said if
they ban unaccompanied kids
on the hill, they will just move
to another spot. BOE member
Greg Head wondered what’s
wrong with letting people go to
their cars and return. Chair
man Priscilla Doster said they
could get alcohol, and Hick
man said maybe a weapon.
Here are the new rules that
were approved:
• No dogs except service
dogs are allowed. No other pets
will be granted entry.
• Clear bag policy: Clear plas
tic, vinyl, that do not exceed
12” x 12” x 6” size are allowed.
A clear gallon size Ziploc is
allowed. No other bags are
allowed. If you arrive with a
bag not meeting the clear bag
policy you will be asked to
return the bag to your vehicle
before entry to the stadium is
granted.
• There will be no re-entry al
lowed. Once patrons leave they
will not be allowed to enter.
• Tickets are available on
the GoFan app only and will
be sold throughout the game.
Patrons arriving in the 3rd or
4th quarter will still have to
pay. Fans are asked to have
their ticket pulled up for entry
before arriving to avoid cellular
or Wifi difficulties.
• Only clear bags will be
allowed in the stadium/Gym.
No large bags, backpacks, or
book bags.
• Sideline access is restricted
to coaches, players, adminis
tration, cheerleaders, media
and statisticians. Fans or other
unauthorized personnel are
not allowed on the sidelines.
• Monroe County Schools
reserve the right to subject fans
to hand wands or metal detec
tion devices for further safety
measures.
• Per GHSA Profan
ity, degrading remarks, and
intimidating actions directed at
officials, competitors, or other
spectators will not be tolerated,
and are grounds for removal
from the event site
Violators are subject to be
removed from any athletic
contest if they do not adhere.
CAMERAS
Continued from page 1A
the nearby corner of Estes and Zebulon
roads captured her car around the same
time. It did capture the tag number
and investigators traced it to a Warner
Robins woman who has numerous
charges for theft-related offenses over the
past two months, said Monroe County
deputy Hannah Hile. Hile took warrants
on Tuesday on Lee Kadan, 60, of Warner
Robins for theft by taking and trespass
ing. She said they would try to serve
the warrants and hopefully reclaim the
stolen items later on Tuesday.
Sheriff Brad Freeman said he was glad
to help a newcomer.
“Welcome to Monroe County’ said
Freeman, “we solve crimes here.”
The Flock cameras also help because
they put Monroe Coimty in a network
with Flock cameras from other coun
ties to solve crimes, even sometimes
inadvertently. For instance on Saturday a
Flock camera in Henry County detected
a stolen U-Haul heading south on 1-75
toward Monroe County. Deputies set
up to wait for its arrival. While waiting,
around 12:45 p.m„ the driver of a stolen
Aston Martin, apparently thinking the
deputies were after him, wrecked into a
tractor trailer near Johnstonville Road.
The car’s estimated value was $150,000.
The driver was later seen on foot. Depu
ties then saw 36-year-old Nathan Vogt
of Cumming walking down the side of
1-75. They took him back to the scene
and Vogt blurted out, “That’s not my
vehicle, someone paid me $100 to drive
it to Walmart in Macon”. He said he only
left the scene because he was scared to
be on the shoulder. Haskins learned the
Aston Martin was reported stolen in
Gwinnett County earlier in the day. The
Aston Martin had damage to the right
side and two blown tires. Vogt was jailed
and charged with receiving stolen prop
erty, leaving the scene of an accident, and
failure to maintain lane.
Also on Saturday, one of the 21 new
Flock cameras in Monroe County, this
one on High Falls Road, alerted deputy
Shania Hawkins that there was a stolen
black 2017 Honda Civic traveling in her
direction.
She stopped the driver, Elliot Parker,
43, of Bonaire and ordered him to put
both hands out of the window and
handcuffed him. Hawkins could smell
marijuana and after putting him in the
back of her patrol car, she found a mari
juana pipe inside the Honda.
Parker acknowledged that he had
reported it stolen but found the vehicle
in an impound lot. He said he never told
Warner Robins police that he had found
it. After confirming it as his vehicle,
Hawkins took Parker out of handcuffs
and released him. She told him he
needed to contact Warner Robins to take
his vehicle off as being stolen.
Sheriff Brad Freeman told the Reporter
last week the cameras cannot determine
speed or if they ran a stop sign. They are
only there to locate suspect vehicles. He
added that the cameras can’t tell who is
in the car. unless their head is hanging
out the window.
Freeman also said if anyone has a con
cern or question about the cameras they
are welcome to call the Monroe County
Sheriff’s Office at any time.
ON THE PORCH
Continued from page 4A
No, suffering people don’t need
lectures or half-baked theology. When
I am suffering, I am most likely to take
comfort from one who has suffered as
much or more than I. When I suffer, I
find hope in the fact that our God, our
maker, suffered the anguish of the death
of His own son, and He did it to save my
soul. And yours.
Our prayers will continue for the Sand
ers family. They have suffered much.
Thanks goes to those who have sought
in small ways to relieve it.