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PAGE 4A -- THE COMMERCE (GA) NEWS, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2007
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Editorial Views
Somebody Has To Uphold
The Zoning Ordinance
Probably the primary requirement for a member of
any planning commission is the ability to say "No”
to a request for a zoning change or a variance. That's
an oversimplification, but often saying "no” is the
best way for the government to uphold the integrity
of its zoning ordinance, the purpose of which is to
maintain the community's quality of living.
Thus, there are prohibitions against putting mobile
homes in single-family housing districts, heavy
industry in agricultural areas and convenience stores
in residential neighborhoods.
That being said, those regulations are under con
stant challenge. Someone's mother needs to be
looked after in her old age, so a dutiful son or
daughter seeks a zoning change to put a trailer for
Mom in the side yard of a large R-1 lot. There's a
need to be met and economic hardship if the excep
tion isn't granted just this one time.
But in zoning, it's never just a single occurrence.
What a planning commission and city do for
one person with special circumstances, they'll be
expected to do in the next case. That's one reason
the Commerce Planning Commission voted unani
mously to recommend that Ingles' request for a third
large sign at its new store south of town be rejected.
Not many Commerce residents would be offended if
Ingles got that extra sign, but when the next compa
ny located closer into town demanded to be treated
the same on a much smaller tract, another bit of
clutter would be created to diminish the appearance
of the community.
You can't blame Ingles for trying, and the folks in
its corporate headquarters are doubtlessly worried
that people near Commerce won't be able to find
their new store properly without a third large sign.
We know that's not the case; everyone in Commerce
already knows where the new store is — it really
doesn't need any signs at all, considering that the
building itself will carry huge letters spelling out its
name for all but the blind. Nonetheless, sometimes
it's difficult to say "no” to well-intentioned people.
Fortunately, the city planning commission doesn't
have that problem and it made the right call again.
Telling people "no” seldom wins friends, so serving
on any planning commission is a thankless job. It's
difficult to make decisions that hurt one person or
a small group of people for the good of the commu
nity at large. But if there are to be any regulations at
all, somebody must be able to say "no” when some
one wants to violate the zoning ordinance. That's the
job of the planning commission.
The Democrats Get A Gift
The Democratic Party got a Christmas gift last
week when former Rep. Cynthia McKinney officially
announced that she will run for president — with the
Green Party. McKinney used her announcement to
criticize both the Democrat and Republican parties.
Her defection leaves the Democratic Party without
one of its most liberal lightning rods, and the party
faithful are likely glad to see her move on. Even
before her famous altercation with a security guard
on Capitol Hill, McKinney was the poster child for
what's amiss with Democrats. Smart and articulate,
McKinney nonetheless had a penchant for the out
rageous, such as alleging that President Bush had
advance warning of the 9-11 terrorist attacks but let
them happen so he could increase defense spend
ing. She became so isolated that she was unable
to achieve anything meaningful in Congress and
was an embarrassment to a party not easily embar
rassed.
The Green Party's gain is definitely not the
Democratic Party's loss.
Editorials, unless otherwise noted, are written by Mark
Beardsley. He can be reached by e-mail at mark@main-
streetnews.com.
The Commerce News
ESTABLISHED IN 1875
USPS 125-320
1672 South Broad Street
Commerce, Georgia 30529
MIKE BUFFINGTON Co-Publisher
SCOTT BUFFINGTON Co-Publisher
MARK BEARDSFEY Editor/General Manager
BRANDON REED Sports Editor
TERESA MARSHAFF Office Manager
MERRIFF BAGWEFF Cartoonist
THE COMMERCE NEWS is the legal organ of the city
of Commerce and is published every Wednesday by
MainStreet Newspapers Inc. Periodical postage paid at
Commerce, Georgia 30529.
Subscription Rates Per Year: Jackson, Banks
and Madison counties $19.75; State of Georgia
$38.85; out-of-state $44.50. Most rates dis
counted $2 for senior citizens.
POSTMASTER send address changes to THE COMMERCE
NEWS, P.O. Box 908, Jefferson, GA 30549.
I wish people would quit trying to read my mind,,
and just give me cash for Christmas.
Lonely Or Rowdy, It’s Christmas
There is fairly general agree
ment that old age is not for
wimps or wusses, and I think
we could probably rustle up
a similar consensus about
Christmas not being for onlys
and lonelys. We do a good bit
of bustling about to make sure
that no one except McCauley
Culkin is "home alone” for this
particular holiday — and that's
a good thing, because nobody
should be left out unless they
want to be.
But maybe, like me, you
know someone who opts out
— someone who says thanks
but no thanks, I think the dog
and I will be just fine here, I'm
planning to finish my cross
word puzzle book. Or maybe,
like me, you've accidentally
found yourself having a fairly
solitary Yule — just sort of
"lurched into it,” as my dad
says.
For some reason, I'm beset
by the Spirit of Christmas Past
this year. Recollections of vari
ous long-ago Christmases whiz
past like missiles. The year I
knitted my college boyfriend
a sweater, for instance. The
sleeves came down past his
knees, and neither of us knew
what to say. "It's — it's, uh,
magnificent!” he finally, gener
ously exclaimed. Or the year
I was a flight attendant, and I
A Few
Facts, A
Lot Of
Gossip 2
BY SUSAN HARPER
left for Africa on Christmas
night after fighting the driving
winds and blowing snow in my
Volkswagen all the way out to
the airport, only to land, aston
ished, in bleach-your-eyes sun
light and 100-degree weather
the next morning.
I love these odd old memo
ries, and one of my favorites
comes from the year I followed
my navy husband's destroyer
around the Mediterranean. The
wives who do this are called
"seagulls,” although I'd never
heard of such a thing until I
found myself doing it. But we
were far more clumsy than
gulls. Talk about lurching into
things! We never knew for sure
where the ship was going to
be, or when. So while our hus
bands were at sea in one sense,
we were at sea in another.
Christmas was a particular
mystery. The French port of
Nice had been rumored to
be our destination. Then not.
Then we were going to Italy.
Then Marseille. Eventually we
ended up in the little town of
Villefranche, we wives, stand
ing on a rickety dock, not
really believing that a U.S.
naval destroyer would claim
this as a port of call, and peer
ing out to sea like Pocahontas.
I got seasick (yep, on the dock)
and developed an inner-ear
problem that had me reeling
around like a rag doll for days
and sliding out of bed while
trying to stay in it.
The ship's doctor finally gave
me a shot of some sort, and by
Christmas Eve I could walk and
eat. So Charlie and I walked to
a little restaurant in the village
and had onion soup and salad,
and some wine that seemed to
thaw me out, so that only then
did I realize how frightened
I'd been. We went on to the
old stone church up the street
and heard the Christmas Mass
in French. We came out into
a clear, cold, quiet night, and
a sky full of stars that seemed
brilliant but distant, as if we
were alone in the universe.
And I thought — I had room to
think it, and time — "Ah! It's
Christmas!”
Susan Harper is director of the
Commerce Public Library.
Seeking A 'Survivor’ Skill Set
The CBS Reality TV Show,
"Survivor,” is one of the most
watched shows on television.
Since it first aired in the sum
mer of 2000, I have been a
huge fan. Each season I clear
my calendar of events so that
Thursday nights from 8-9 there
are to be no interruptions.
After meeting two of the
previous contestants and quiz
zing them about the show, I
finally convinced my husband
to let me apply for the show. I
completed the application and
submitted it with my video.
Unfortunately, the producers
never called and my dream of
becoming a "Survivor” contes
tant has vanished.
I asked my husband if I could
try "just one more time.” He
hems and haws and doesn't
really give me an emphatic
yes or no. He has mentioned
before that I might embarrass
him or our family; I might say
a few choice words that our
preacher would not appreci
ate, and his final uncertain
question is "Who would take
care of the girls while you are
gone?” I answered all his ques-
Views
In
Rotation
BY TRICIA MASSEY
tions and asked him if I could
apply one more time. He has
agreed, but I need to be more
creative with my application
and video.
What would it take to get
the producer's attention? If I
took "Survivor-attributes” from
local Commerce folks, I just
might have a chance at win
ning. Here is my best attempt
at formulating my Survivor
contestant.
Personality: Dannette Flint.
Dannette is an actress who
performs with the Cold Sassy
Players. She is quick-witted,
smart, cute, glowing and
funny! I would have those
skinny little "Survivor” girls
breaking their bones with gut-
wrenching laughter if I had
Dannette's personality.
Work ethic: Keith Ariail. Not
only does Keith possess a work
ethic we all need to embrace,
but he also he does it without
complaining and with a fabu
lous smile. He compliments
people, he volunteers his time,
he donates to worthy causes. If
I had his work ethic during my
"Survivor” experience, I'd have
a good chance of capturing
everyone's trust.
Charm: One of my friends,
Lori Martin, can charm just
about anyone she meets. She
lights up a room when she
enters it; her southern dialect
and charm would win the
young men's votes!
Physical fitness: Stephanie
McFadden is one-lean
machine! I remember seeing
her picture in The Commerce
News highlighting her track
accomplishments while in
high school. She continues to
stay physically fit and with her
commitment to staying healthy
Please Turn To Page 5A
It's Gospel
According
To Mark
BY MARK BEARDSLEY
Indulge In Fantasy,
Make A New
Year’s Resolution
The sun is setting on 2007 — no
great loss, I'd say. The economy is
sagging, the war in Iraq rolls on like
the Energizer bunny and the state cli
matologist says if we want to see rain
we'd best move out of Georgia.
There's always something nice
about sending one year into his
tory and awaiting a clean, fresh one.
That's why the symbol of a new year
is always a baby; babies are cute and
happy and full of potential. They can
grow into doctors, teachers and sci
entists. Alas, they can also grow into
surly teenagers, crack addicts and
meterologists. A new year is like that
new baby — you have a little time to
enjoy it before it gets old.
The new year is like the first day
of Spring Training, when every team
has a theoretical chance at winning
the division. Anything is possible.
Looking ahead to the new year,
it's possible to give up smoking, get
more exercise and take shorter show
ers. Breaking the inertia of a lifetime
appears feasible in late December as
in "I'll start a new diet Jan. 2.”
To which the rest of us will add,
"and quit it Jan. 4.”
But what good would starting a
new year be without the possibility of
things turning out better? Who would
have guessed on Jan. 1, 1991, that the
Atlanta Braves would win the division,
the pennant and come within a game
of winning the World Series?
Embrace the possibilities. 2008
could be the year that I write the
great American novel or you defeat
kleptomania. It could be the year that
Jefferson beats Commerce in football.
Oh, right, that already happened.
The point is that we enter the new
year undefeated. Savor the possibili
ties with all of the imagination you
employ when you buy a Lotto ticket.
I know. Chances are that 2008 will
turn to mush soon enough, but
between now and the second week in
January, you have license to imagine
things going your way. You'll lose 30
pounds, you'll be made president of
the company and the IRS will notify
you of a huge mistake in your favor.
The problem isn't that New Year's
resolutions aren't kept or that each
year fails to meet expectations;
shoot, we know all that. What's bad
is that we get to harbor these fanta
sies for only a couple of weeks at the
most each year. The other 50 weeks
we have to live with the reality that
nothing has improved. The Falcons
still stink and Dick Cheney wants to
take us hunting.
I propose that we start each year
Feb. 1 and end it Dec. 31. Let January
be a transition month that counts
with neither year so we can delay the
reality of the new year by 31 days.
We'll have shed another gruesome
year but have a month before the
new one starts, 31 days in which to
delude ourselves that "next year is
going to be different.”
(If we don't let Congress or the
General Assembly convene until Feb.
1, we'll get the additional benefit of
protecting our property and liberty
from the machinations of federal and
state governments for 31 days.)
In the meantime, feel free to make
New Year's resolutions wherever you
see room for improvement. Who
knows, someday, someone will keep
one. Just don't tell anyone what
you've resolved to change. It'll save a
lot of grief in 2008. Happy New Year.
Mark Beardsley is editor of The
Commerce News. He can be reached at
mark@mainstreetnews.com.