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±r N r Region Roundup
Octomom Bill
Focus Changed
To Stem Cells
Madison County State
Senator Ralph Hudgens
recently introduced legisla
tion to prevent an “octo-
mom” incident in Georgia,
but the proposed restric
tions on in vitro fertilization
have been dropped from
the legislation, which is
now aimed at outlining how
Georgia will handle stem
cell research.
Hudgens said a Senate
subcommittee voted 7-6
Monday morning — mostly
along party lines — to take
out all language regarding
in vitro fertilization from
Senate Bill 169 (SB 169),
also known as the “Ethical
Treatment of Human
Embryos Act."
“My reason for introduc
ing that (SB 169) was to
eliminate the possibility of
what happened with Nadya
Suleman happening in
Georgia," said Hudgens,
referring to the widely pub
licized case of a California
single mother of six who
gave birth to octuplets with
the help of in vitro fertiliza
tion.
Many were outraged that
Suleman will likely require
government assistance to
raise her children and that
doctors implanted so many
embryos in a single mother
of six.
Hudgens’ legislation was
criticized as over-reach
ing, possibly reducing the
chances of some women to
have just one child.
“The criticism I got is that
it’s more restrictive than
the American Society of
Reproductive Medicine
guidelines and I’m willing
to accept those guidelines,"
said Hudgens Friday. “So I
think that will defang that
argument."
Hudgens also said Friday
that “it’s too early to play
taps" on SB 169 this legisla
tive session, noting that a
committee meeting Monday
morning could give the bill
new life.
After that meeting
Monday, Hudgens said the
committee agreed to elimi
nate language regarding in
vitro fertilization.
However, the amended
bill will address embry
onic stem cell research in
Georgia, prohibiting the
creation of new embryonic
stem cell lines in the state.
The senator said this legisla
tion, if passed, would pro
hibit scientists from taking
a fertilized human egg and
killing it for research pur
poses.
Hudgens said stem cell
lines created in other states
could still be used for
research in Georgia.
The District 47 senator
said the bill also prohibits
cloning and research involv
ing human-animal hybrids.
Brian Kemp
To Run For
Sec. Of State
Former State Sen. Brian
Kemp, Athens, announced
his intention to run for
Georgia’s Secretary of State
in 2010.
Kemp, 45, seeks to replace
Karen Handel who has
announced plans to run for
governor.
Said Kemp, “Karen Handel
has done a great job reform
ing and streamlining this
vital office. I am running
to continue her good work
and to make the Secretary
of State’s office a partner in
efforts to create jobs across
our state."
Kemp served in the
Georgia State Senate from
2002-2006. In 2006, Kemp
sought the Republican
nomination for Agriculture
Commissioner.
A lifelong resident of
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where he earned a bachelor
of science degree in agri
culture.
Group Spending
$75,000 To
Reduce Noise
Neighbors of the Jackson
County Water and Sewerage
Authority shouldn’t be
bothered by the sound of
the generator at the Middle
Oconee Water Reclamation
Facility.
The authority will vote
Thursday night to spend
almost $75,000 to deaden
the sound created by the
emergency generator, which
has already been installed.
Manager Eric Klerk
explained at the March 5
work session that the gen
erator emits 100 decibels of
sound — 30 more than the
maximum level the author
ity allows in projects built
by developers. That’s the
same standard enforced by
the Quad Cities Planning
Commission, under whose
jurisdiction the project falls.
Residents of apartments
across the Winder Highway
from the waste plant have
already complained, Klerk
noted in recommending the
fix.
To deaden the sound,
the authority will have to
enlarge the base upon which
the generator now sits and
bring in a new containment
unit to go over it.
“It is not a simple proce
dure," Klerk noted.
“Shouldn’t we have known
about it before we put it (the
generator) in," asked mem
ber Rob Jordan.
“We’re having discussions
on that at this time," advised
chairman Randall Pugh.
The generator comes on
automatically when the
power to the treatment
plant fails. It also runs for
a half hour every week for
testing.
“I think Eric’s right," Pugh
said. “We’ve got to do this.
If it ever had to run on a
warm, balmy summer night,
that sound will travel a long
way."
Also on the agenda for
Thursday’s meeting, which
will be at 6 p.m. at the
authority’s office on Martin
Futher King Jr. Drive in
Jefferson, is a revision of its
policy concerning deposits.
The effect will be to lower
deposits for some residen
tial customers with good
credit or good payment his
tories; to establish a $200
deposit for commercial and
small industrial customers;
and to establish security
deposits from $100 to $500
for builders and developers.
Some customers who have
a good payment history for
a year will get their depos
its credited back to their
accounts.
75 College
Scholarships
To Be Awarded
The North Georgia
Community Foundation
will award 75 scholarships
to graduating high school
seniors in 2009.
Approximately $165,000
in scholarships is available
for 2009. Each scholar
ship has its own specific
purpose and eligibility cri
teria. Awards vary in size
depending on the amount
designated in each particu
lar fund.
“Our mission is to improve
the quality of life in North
Georgia and one of the best
ways to do so is through
higher education schol
arships," North Georgia
Community Foundation
President Jim Mathis said.
The first scholarship fund
was started in 1985.
Application forms, eligi
bility information and direc
tions for applying for each
scholarship are available on
the Foundation’s website,
www.ngcf.org. Applications
will be accepted through
April 1, unless otherwise
specified.
Founded in 1985 by Fou
Fockele and other business
leaders, the North Georgia
Community Foundation is
dedicated to enhancing the
spirit and quality of life of
the community by build
ing, managing and award
ing charitable grants from
a pool of community funds
valued in excess of $33 mil
lion. To date, more than $35
million in grants have been
awarded. Also, the organi
zation promotes training
and networking among
the region’s nonprofits, in
which about 300 organiza
tions belong.
For more information,
contact the foundation at
www.ngcf.org or call 770-
535-7880, ext. 226.
Work Ready
Tests Offered
To All Seniors
All high schools in
Jackson County will have
the Georgia Work Ready
assessment available to their
senior classes, according to
Gov. Sonny Perdue.
The assessment allows
high school seniors — those
planning to enter the work
force and those on a path to
post-secondary education —
to showcase their skills, and
position Georgia as a state
with the skilled workforce
businesses demand.
Jackson County Compre
hensive High School, East
Jackson Comprehensive
High School, Jefferson High
School and Commerce
High School will all offer
the assessment to seniors.
“Students entering the
job market for the first
time can gain a competitive
advantage by demonstrat
ing mastery of foundational
job skills businesses need,"
Perdue said in a statement.
“Because the job market
today is so competitive,
even those going on to col
lege can benefit because
we are providing a way for
them to match their skills
with the career they want to
pursue."
The Work Ready assess
ment measures both core
skills and work habits.
Core skills assessments
measure skills in applied
mathematics, reading for
information and locating
information, three skills that
are highly important to the
majority of jobs in the work
place.
The work habits assess
ment measures work-relat
ed attitudes and behaviors
in areas such as carefulness,
cooperation, discipline and
drive.
Georgia’s Work Ready ini
tiative is based on a skills
assessment and certifica
tion for job seekers and
a job profiling system for
businesses. By identifying
both the needs of business
and the available skills of
Georgia’s workforce, the
state can more effectively
generate the right talent for
the right jobs. The Certified
Work Ready Community
initiative builds on the
assessments and job profil
ing system to create oppor
tunities for greater econom
ic development.
READ THEN RECYCLE
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