Newspaper Page Text
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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
ON THE PORCH by Will Davis
DRAWING ON THE NEWS by AF Branco
Something really
worth celebrating
I told a friend we were celebrating our 50th birthday
last week. He immediately welcomed me to the Half
a Century club.
“Not me, dummy!” I protested. “The Reporter.”
No, personally, I’m just a wee lad at 48. But the newspa
per founded by Don Daniel in 1972 turns 50 this week.
Don is very proud of “his baby”. I sometimes have to re
mind him that after 15 years, I have owned the newspaper
longer than he did. It’s MY baby, now!
Businesses turn 50 all the time, so I guess there’s no
need to break our arms patting ourselves, and you (our
loyal customers and readers) on the backs. But then again
this is no ordinary business. These are hard times for
most newspapers. Bleak. Over 360 newspapers have gone
out of business in the past two years. An increasing num
ber of small towns and even big cities have no newspaper
at all. Who’s watching their local government? Who’s
keeping authorities accountable? Who’s making sure local
heroes are honored?
More and more people are getting
their news from the internet and so
cial media. It’s harder for print news
papers, even those with web sites
and Facebook pages, to compete for
subscriber and advertiser dollars.
But, it IS happening here. I con
stantly remind our advertising
manager Donna Wilson how
important it is that we remind
customers, especially those from
outside the county, that we are
unique in the newspaper industry. Most people aren’t
familiar with a newspaper that is still widely circulated
and read like ours is.
“Making Newspapers Great Again,” was probably our
best motto ever. It reminded people that we were different
than our stodgy, left-wing comrades in the news busi
ness. And it has paid off. The Monroe County Reporter
has held up better than just about any print newspaper
in the country the past 10 years. It really is miraculous.
We just retired our last remaining debt. Our readership
and advertising base is growing. Our team is terrific. Our
community is growing. I would rather be me than, well,
just about anyone, really. I mean if this newspaper wasn’t
profitable, I would have to, heaven forbid, get a real job.
We don’t want that, now, do we?!?
The truth is, newspaper work is mission work.
“Sure the hours are long and the pay is low)’ the old
newspaper joke goes, “but at least everyone hates you.”
To be sure, some hate us. You’re not always going to win
friends and influence people if you’re devoted to printing
the truth no matter what.
“Journalism,” said one wag, “is printing something that
someone doesn’t want printed. Everything else is public
relations.”
While people do get mad at us, don’t kid yourself: we
have a lot of friends and supporters in this community.
We hear it every day in our office. People call to renew
their subscription or because they didn’t get their paper.
It’s so encouraging how many of them make sure to tell
us: “I love my Reporter. And I DO NOT like to miss it.”
We have found that it really works. We make our
readers our priority, aiming to always tell you the truth as
best we can even if it makes others angry. You know what
you call someone who does that? A friend. That’s what we
aim to be to our readers. And after 50 years holding up
a mirror to Monroe County and sharing our good, bad
and ugly, it seems like that’s just how many of you see us:
a friend. We appreciate it! You’re invited to come by our
office at 5:30 pm. on Thursday, Nov. 10 for some tacos
and fellowship to celebrate. No gifts please. All we ask is
that when you get that renewal notice some time during
the year, you return it with payment in kind. That’s the
best gift you can give this ole friend of yours.
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
OUR STAFF
Will Davis
Publisher/Editor
publisher@mymcr.net
Tammy Rafferzeder
Business Manager
business@mymcr.net
Steve Reece
Reporter
stevereece@gmail.com
rj j&v
Donna Wilson
Advertising Manager
ads@mymcr.net
Diane Glidewell
Community Editor
news@mymcr.net
Amy Haisten
Creative Director
mymcrgraphics@gmail.com
Official Organ of Monroe Coun
ty and the City of Forsyth
50 N. Jackson St., PO Box 795 • Forsyth,
GA 31029 • Periodicals Postage Paid at
Forsyth, GA 31029* 994-2358
SUBSCRIPTION RATE: In County: $50 • Out of County: $60 • Single Copy: $2
Deadlines noon on Friday prior to issue. Comments featured on opinion pages are the creation of
the writers, the do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Reporter management.
Publication No. USPS 997-840
m.
Americans for Limited
Government
©2022Creators, com
THANKFULLY,
THIS DOESN'T
?UM ON DIESEL
REECE’S PIECES by Steve Reece
Freedom most certainly isn’t free
W hen the American Rev
olution had been won
and the veterans of the
world’s first army of free
men returned to their families, there
were no parades welcoming them home
on Main Street. No speeches from
courthouse steps praising their bravery
or thanking them for their sacrifices.
A quarter of a million American men
fought against the world’s greatest army
to gain our freedom for little material
gain. Lowly privates were paid $6 a
month, equal to $160 in today’s dollars.
That was considered a lot of money in
those days except that the Continental
dollar was practically worthless. These
men weren’t in it for the money or fame.
Only generals and leading officers be
came famous and honored as heroes.
America’s earliest disabled veterans
received small pensions but those who
survived unscathed received noth
ing. Many reached old age and died
never being recognized for their part
in creating what was to become the
world’s greatest country. Finally, in 1832
Congress voted to award pensions to
most surviving veterans of the Revolu
tion without regard to rank, financial
distress, or physical disability.
Many wars have come and gone since
then. We’ve even had a war with our
selves, leaving more than half a million
Americans dead. Three hundred of
whom are resting forever in our own
city cemetery. While Union
veterans enjoyed federal ben
efits for their military service
during the Civil War, as former
enemies of the United States,
Confederate soldiers were de
nied benefits. In 1958, Congress
at last pardoned all surviv
ing Confederate soldiers
and allowed them benefits.
By then, 93 years after Lee
handed over his sword to
Grant, there was just one remaining:
Walter Washington Green Williams
of Mississippi. Walter, also known as
“Old Reb,” finally received every benefit
Yankee soldiers had enjoyed since 1865.
Unfortunately, he died the following
year, reportedly at the age of 117.
Greater respect was given to returning
soldiers following World War I, known
then as the “Great War!’
On the 11th hour of
the 11th day of the 11th
month in the year 1918,
hostilities were tempo
rarily halted between
Germany and the
Allied nations bringing
the war to a close. The
following year, Presi
dent Woodrow Wilson
declared November 11
to be Armistice Day in the United States
as did many other countries including
Great Britain, France, and even Germa
ny. The last surviving American veteran
of the First World War was Cpl. Frank
Buckles who passed away on February
27,2011, at 110 years old. Buckles was
buried at Arlington National Cemetery
with full military honors and President
Barack Obama paying respects.
A little over two decades after “the
war to end all wars” on December 7,
1941, the United States again entered
a conflict even more terrible than the
previous. Sixteen million Americans an
swered the call to fight for freedom. No
one really knows the exact number, but
it is estimated that there were around
407,000 American military
deaths during World War II.
Veterans from this horrible
war are now in their 90s or
older. There are now less than
167,284 alive today that we will
be able to honor this coming
Veterans Day. Sadly,
around 180 of these
heroes are dying each
day. Private First-Class
Lawrence Brooks, who
was the oldest veteran of World War II
died on Jan. 5,2022, age of 112. Brooks
had been drafted into the Army when
he was 35. After his death, actor Gary
Sinise posted a tribute on Twitter and
President Joe Biden called him “truly
the best of America.” Brooks was known
as the last American man born in the
1900s decade as well as being the oldest
living man in the Unit
ed States at the time of
his death. He was laid
to rest at the Mount
Olivet Cemetery in
New Orleans.
After World War
II, November 11 was
recognized as a day of
tribute to veter
ans of both wars,
then in 1954, the
United States designated the holiday as
Veterans Day to honor veterans of all
U.S. wars.
We now have around 18 million
American veterans in our nation. They
have survived World War II, the Korean
War, the Vietnam War, the Grenada
Invasion, the Gulf War, the War in Af
ghanistan, the Iraq War and numerous
other interventions and conflicts.
War can take a toll on those who
serve. According to some statistics, vet
erans are at a 57% higher risk of suicide
than people who have never served in
the military. Nearly 4 million vets suffer
from PTSD and depression, and 3.8
million have a service-related disability.
About 40,000 homeless veterans are
without a place to sleep on any given
night. You’ve seen them walking the
streets of our cities.
Hopefully, when we pause to think
about those who served our country
this Friday morning at 11 a.m„ we will
remember that many are still sacrificing
and could use a little help. They put
their lives on the line for us.
Steve Reece is a writer for the Reporter
and a known crime fighter. Email him
at stevereece@gmail.com.
Monroe County War Memorial
CAROLYN S CORNER by Carolyn Martel
Bear turns N. Ga. town upside down
L ast week my husband received
an interesting article in the
mail from his sister
and her husband who
live in Rabun County. The
article made front page news
in The Clayton Tribune in
Clayton, Ga. Clayton is the
county seat of Rabun County.
The article was about a
black bear that busted
out a window at the
Reeves Furniture store
in Clayton and made
himself right at home
inside the store.
IT WAS around 12:30 a.m. when the
Clayton Police office received the call
about the bear’s break-in. Sgt. Andy
Beck was immediately dispatched to
Reeves Furniture. When he entered the
store, he observed a black bear sitting
on a couch and looking out the store
window. The black bear, referred to
as “Yogi” by Clayton Police officers,
caused over $6,000 in damages accord
ing to the incident report.
SGT. BECK contacted the
Department of Natural Re
sources and two DNR Rang
ers were dispatched to the
scene. Not wanting to harm
the bear, they were success
ful in getting the bear to exit
the building through
the double doors at the
front of store.
MEGAN BROOME,
News Editor with The
Clayton Tribune commented, “The
bear eventually made its way out of the
store and left to hopefully find a place
to hibernate for the winter - although
maybe not as comfortable as the furni
ture offered by Reeves.”
ALTHOUGH THERE were no
injuries reported in the article, we all
know wild animals can be dangerous
and unpredictable. We’ve all read
about, or heard a news broadcast about
someone being mauled or killed by a
bear.
THANKFULLY, GOD’S word tells
us there is a time is coming, when
all animals will peacefully co-exist
with mankind. During the 1000-year
millennial rule of Christ Jesus, we read
in Isaiah 11:7-9, “The cow will feed
with the bear, their young will lie down
together and the lion will eat straw like
the ox. The nursing child shall play by
the cobra’s hole, and the weaned child
shall put his hand in the viper’s den.
They shall not hurt nor destroy in My
holy mountain (God’s Kingdom).”
Carolyn Martel of Forsyth is the re
tired long-time advertising manager for
the Reporter. Email her at carolynmar-
tell @bellsouth. net.