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THE COMMERCE (GA) NEWS, WEDNESDAY. TULY 9, 2008 - PAGE 5A
Blood Drive Exceeds Expectations
Turnout was so heavy for the blood drive in honor of Todd
Booth that a second has been scheduled for Friday.
By Mark Beardsley
While Nicholson resident Todd
Booth recovers from a bone mar
row transplant a week ago, he can
take comfort in the fact that he
has a lot of friends.
So many of them showed up
for a blood drive in his honor last
Thursday that the American Red
Cross had to send folks home and
rescheduled another blood drive
Friday July 18.
Booth received the bone mar
row transplant as a treatment for
myleodysplasia, a disease that will
lead to leukemia. As part of his
treatment, he’s received dozens of
pints of blood.
The Rev. Mike Stowers, pastor of
New Hope Baptist Church, which
Booth attends, put together the
blood drive. He had hoped 50
donors might sign up.
“We got 52 pints of blood and
had 106 people show up," said
Stowers. “That made me feel excit
ed. I was just thrilled.’’
Some people waited more than
two hours to give blood, but the
Red Cross ultimately had to start
turning people away.
“The Red Cross said they were
overwhelmed,’’ said Stowers, who
added that some 30 people signed
up for the national bone marrow
registry.
“To me, there’s no better gift than
blood or bone marrow,’’ he said.
“It’s the most sacrificial gift any
body could give. People turned
out and waited over two hours to
give. It was amazing, and I want
to thank the people in the area for
their support.’’
Stowers himself was unable to
give blood — he let others go in
front of him so they could get
done more quickly and wound up
being among those asked to come
back July 18.
“Maybe I’ll get to give then,’’
he said of the upcoming second
blood drive.
The “to be continued’’ blood drive
will be held from 2:00 to 7:00, but
the location will be changed to the
First Baptist Church of Nicholson
because it has more space.
Booth Recuperating
Meanwhile, Stowers says Booth
is “doing fairly well’’ at Emory
University Hospital after getting
the bone marrow transplant July
2.
“They don’t know anything defi
nite yet, but he seems to be keep
ing his strength pretty good and
has a fairly good appetite,’’ his
pastor said.
Booth will stay at Emory for
a few weeks, then stay in close
proximity for several weeks so
doctors can monitor his progress
and keep an eye out for infec
tion.
— A Shining Star Of Hospitality
Cont. from Page 4A
total strangers’ house and slept
there? What if they were serial kill
ers or members of a cult?’’
'They weren’t, and we thorough
ly enjoyed our stay. In fact, we’ve
invited them to come see us this
fall.’’
Hard to believe, isn’t it? You
are probably guessing that this
incident took place 30 years ago
when people didn’t fear some
one trying to do something nice.
It actually happened eight years
ago.
When was the last time you were
hospitable to a stranger, a friend
or even a relative? Our country
has become so polarized that it
seems we quickly try to find our
differences rather than trying to
recognize what our similarities
might be. We are quick to judge,
hard to understand and jealous of
what we don’t have.
Let’s sing the Olive Garden
“Hospitaliano’’ song a few times
and start being a little more hos
pitable. Take it from Carolyn
Massey; she knows how to sing
the song!
Tricia Massey is a stay-at-
home mom, a member of
the Commerce Downtown
Development Authority and
chairs the Commerce Public
Library's capital campaign. She
lives in Commerce.
Tackson County Board of Commissioners
County To Replace Transfer Station
By Angela Gary
The Jackson County Board of
Commissioners approved plans
for a $1.06 million solid waste
facility Monday night.
The new facility will replace
the transfer station that has
been in place since 1994. The
cost will include the design of
a scale house and transfer sta
tion, as well as the construction
fees.
“It has served its purpose over
the years, but we have a capac
ity issue and structure issues,’’
finance director John Hulsey
said. “It’s a safety issue and a
safety concern. Something has
to be done.’’
Hulsey said the project would
be funded through the county’s
enterprise fund. He added that
it would not affect the general
fund budget.
Solid waste superintendent
Tom Page, who has worked for
the county for 20 years, said
the facility was built to handle
50 tons of garbage per day. He
said the average collected is
80 tons per day, and 160 tons
were dropped off one day last
week. Page also pointed out
the transfer station has had
three fires and been damaged
by fire.
“But we’ve kept on trucking,’’
he said. "... We are running out
of land... I feel this is needed not
only for safety, but for aesthetic
reasons.’’
Chairman Pat Bell said: “My
concern has been the safety
issue ... We have been fixing this
building for 12 years.’’
Commissioner Dwain Smith
said: “That place is an accident
waiting to happen. Tom has done
an excellent job with what he has
to work with out there.’’
The long-range plans include
a recycling center and class
room. They were not included
in the first phase of the proj
ect approved Monday. Adding
the recycling center would have
increased the $1.06 million cost
to $1.8 million.
“Environmentally, we have to
start thinking recycling,’’ Page
said. “We are running out of land
... Instead of being reactive, we
need to be proactive.’’
Thompson Objects To DA's Comments
By Angela Gary
Comments made by dis
trict attorney Rick Bridgeman
about the delay in prosecut
ing the Nicholson animal cru
elty case apparently angered
Commissioner Jody Thompson.
Thompson addressed com
ments Monday night that
Bridgeman made at earlier politi
cal forums about the case in
which he attributed the delay in
the county firing animal control
officer, Rhonda Stebbins.
“I know for a fact that this
county has worked very hard
and put a lot of staff hours into
this,’’ Thompson said of the
L&D Kennel case. "... Our staff
has worked long hours to get this
going and then I hear this in an
open forum.’’
County manager Darrell
Hampton said he heard the same
comments at a Jefferson forum.
“Chief (Eugene) Grogan has
the same position and the same
responsibilities (animal control),’’
Hampton said. “Just because Ms.
Stebbins is no longer associated
with the animal control depart
ment of Jackson County doesn’t
mean the case can’t go before
the grand jury. The evidence that
would be presented to the grand
jury would be the same as what
was presented to the judge at the
forfeiture hearing. It is already in
the public domain.’’
L&D Kennel in Nicholson was
shut down in March after more
than 300 puppies were removed
following the arrests of the own
ers after allegations of abuse and
neglect.
Other Business
In other business Monday
night:
• The BOC heard finance direc
tor John Hulsey and county audi
tor Duane Schlereth on the coun
ty’s tax abatements program. The
total abatement amount is $1.3
million.
•The BOC tabled a recom
mendation that ECS Southeast
provide an environmental ser
vices study of the historic court
house. Bell said she had some
concerns about per day monitor
ing costs, which she said leaves
the final price for the project
undetermined. Bell asked for a
“price not to exceed’’ to be given
before any action is taken.
•The board voted 3-2 after
a 30-minute closed session for
county attorney Jane Range
to “negotiate a settlement with
Bryceland Manor.’’ The county
has been involved in a lawsuit
with the subdivision developer.
Commissioners Tom Crow and
Dwain Smith voted against this
motion, while Jody Thompson
and Bruce Yates voted in favor of
it. Bell broke the tie and voted to
proceed with the negotiations.
LEADERSHIP WITH
SOLID EXPERIENCE
COMMITTED TO
JUSTICE
TOUGH ON CRIME
RESTORE INTEGRITY
TO DA S OFFICE
PROTECT AND SERVE
ALL CITIZENS
*
VOTE
TUESDAY
Return Integrity
and Justice to
the Piedmont
Judicial Circuit
With over eleven years experience as our
Assistant DA, Brad knows how to run the
DA's Office efficiently and effectively.
As our DA, Brad Smith will work to:
^ Ensure that the rights of crime victims
remain superior to the rights of criminals.
^ Eradicate all crimes against children
- whether it is sexual abuse, physical abuse
or criminal neglect.
^ Wage war against domestic violence
and spousal abuse.
^ Rid our homes, work places and public
areas of the sale and use of illegal drugs.
Brad Smith is committed
to protecting our families
and our community.
ELECT i . i
Brad Smith
DISTRICT ATTORNEY
www.BradSmithforDA.com
Endorsed by the
Police Benevolent Association of Georgia
Paid for by The Committee to Elect Brad Smith District Attorney
LIFELONG
RESIDENT
REPUBLICAN
TONY BEATTY
has served Jackson County on various boards and
committees in his 59 years as a resident of Jackson County.
His dedication and experience definitely make him the
MOST QUALIFIED CANDIDATE
for Board of Commissioners Chairman
THINK who has the most experience and qualifications for the position.
THINK who helped bring Toyota, Haverty’s and numerous other industries to
Jackson County which added over $100 million dollars to the
industrial tax base and also new jobs.
THINK who has made the trips to Atlanta and worked with DOT to procure
funding for road projects.
THINK who has helped protect the rural character of Jackson County, which is
the main attraction for most of our new citizens.
THINK who helped complete the Hoschton Recreation Park and start the East
Jackson Park.
THINK who helped establish the Lanier Tech facility and relocate the
Commerce Health Department to it’s new state-of-the-art facility.
THINK who will not have promises to keep and strings attached.
THINK who has raised a family in Jackson County and is proud of our county.
MAKE THE WISE CHOICE AND VOTE
FOR TONY BEATTY ON JULY 15.
Tony Beatty
Candidate #2
Candidate #3
THE FIRST CHOICE ON THE BALLOT
IS DEFINITELY THE RIGHT CHOICE.
Paid for by the candidate. 706-367-9074, 165 Standridge Rd., Jefferson, GA 30549