The Commerce news. (Commerce, Ga.) 1???-current, March 02, 2016, Image 4

Georgia Historic Newspapers

The Commerce news., March 02, 2016, Image 4

About The Commerce news. (Commerce, Ga.) 1???-current | View Entire Issue (March 2, 2016)

Page of 24

Prev Issue Next Issue

Text PDF JP2 (2.6 MB) Clip/Print Image

Page of 24

Prev Issue Next Issue

Return to Top

Newspaper Page TextPAGE 4A THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS • THE COMMERCE NEWS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2016 Editorial Views Let the city take lead in bringing art to downtown Commerce’s Downtown Develop ment Authority proposes to spiff up the downtown, in part by having artists paint murals on the sides, windows or backs of buildings. Who knows how that will turn out, but here’s a good place to start — city owned buildings. The Commerce Civic Center brings thousands of people into Commerce every year, serving as a venue for everything from wedding receptions to regional meetings, but its exte rior could benefit from some cre ative art, particularly its lower-floor windows facing State Street, which are decorated with what could pass for blackout curtains left over from World War II. The former Oxford building is actually vastly improved from when the city last acquired it, but it’s a blank canvass just crying for something to detract the eye from its obvious state of decay. Turn local artists loose on those buildings — on the boarded up areas and windows. How about painting a historical scene as a backdrop for each of the huge civic cen ter windows now clothed in black, perhaps a scene from Cold Sassy Tree, the Olive Ann Burns novel based on Commerce where Grand pa Blakeslee’s store was modeled after a building that is now part of the civic center? Is there an artist or group of artists who could paint local scenes — or folk art — on the boards covering the front of the Oxford building? The possibilities seem endless. The theory is that art will help make coming to the downtown more fun and more interesting, and the DDA hopes that if a few buildings are so festooned, other property owners will catch onto the idea, helping transform the city. It’s the city’s idea, so let the city get the ball rolling and see if artwork on two historic build ings will encourage other property owners to turn blank, blighted or ugly building exteriors into canvasses for our artistic residents. It will take more than paint, imagi nation and artistic talent to revitalize the downtown, but local art could well be one of the pieces of a trans formation, particularly if artists can find ways to either blend the utility connections, meters, vents, HVAC units and waste containers into their creations — or make them free-stand ing individual works of art. Anyone who attends the fifth annu al Folk to Fine Arts Festival & Expo this Friday and Saturday in the civic center will discover that the area has a lot of artistic talent, and some of those artists would no doubt relish the opportunity to ply their talent on some unusual canvasses. They might be a key resource as the DDA tackles the challenge of reinvigorating the downtown. Unless otherwise noted, all editorials are written by Mark Beardsley. He can be reached at mark@mainstreetnews. com. The Commerce News ESTABLISHED IN 1875 USPS 125-320 P.O. Box 908 Jefferson, GA 30549 MIKE BUFFINGTON CoPublisher SCOTT BUFFINGTON Co-Publisher Mark Beardsley. Editor THE COMMERCE NEWS is the legal or gan of the city of Commerce and is pub lished every Wednesday by MainStreet Newspapers Inc. Periodical postage paid at Jefferson. Georgia 30549. Subscription Rates Per Year: $25 POSTMASTER send address changes to THE COMMERCE NEWS, P.O. Box 908, Jefferson, GA 30549. Better optimism than pessimism I listened (and took notes) last Tuesday as members of Commerce’s Downtown Devel opment Authority waxed enthusiastically about all the things they hope to do to bring some life into the downtown. The key it appears, is to attract millennials, young adults born after 1980, who for some reason are a special demographic that, if attract ed, can revitalize the downtown. But the DDA members floated countless ideas—the “bou tique hotel” for one, but also outdoor concerts, a fall festival, painting murals on the rear of buildings and along alleys, adding (undefined) artwork, and building townhouses and condos on the former McDonald Hardware property... the list went on. To say I am skeptical would be an understate ment. But when I complained to Barbara about what seemed to me to be unreasonable enthu siasm emanating from every DDA member, her response was, “That’s better than listening to a bunch of negative people.” She is right—as usual (there are some exceptions, but I know better than to write about them). It is better and more productive to listen to people who think something can be done than to those who insist it can’t. The latter creates self-fulfilling prophecy while people who try to do the “impossible” sometimes succeed. A look at the center of downtown Com merce tells you two truths: First, there are too many rundown, dilapidated and vacant It's Gospel According To Mark By Mark Beardsley buildings, too many boarded up windows. It is not inviting. Second, those buildings have great bones and, if they were to come into the hands of people able to improve them, they have won derful potential as shops or restaurants. If you can’t take the second perspective, you shouldn’t be on the DDA. So, while I may be doubtful about any one proposal the DDA brings forth to attract new people into the downtown and to make it a good place to do business, I will be enthusiastic about the DDAs enthusiasm. I promise. That enthusiasm emanates in part from new volunteers — particularly younger people — who want Commerce to exhibit some of the char acteristics that make Madison, Greensboro or Washington fun places to visit, hang out with friends and explore. The iPhone generation doesn’t want to meet fellow members at Ryan’s; it wants a unique experience (Don’t ask me what that is, I still use a flip phone) that can’t be found in a strip mall or a shopping center. More power to 'em. When I look at the new parking lot project across from City Hall, I see extra parking. The DDA members see outdoor dining and a venue for gatherings. I see the ugly backside of buildings, boarded up windows, HVAC units, vents, gas and electric services — but they see a blank canvas for murals and the possibility of turning a liability into an asset. Perhaps there are people out there with enough vision and artistic talent to transform a wasteland into a park where millennials, with their mobile devices in hand and their dogs on leashes can drink craft beer and tweet their experiences to their peers while old folks like myself stay inside where there is heat and air, no bugs and no wind. Other small towns have succeeded in reinvig orating their downtowns, so there is no reason why that couldn’t happen here, and those other towns can give us a road map to show us how to get where we want to be. Bring on the WIFI, open the paint cans and unleash the enthusiasm of the DDA and its cadre of eager and excited volunteers. Some of their ideas will certainly flop, but chances are others will work. As they say, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Mark Beardsley is the editor of The Com mace News. He lives in Commerce. My night at the Oscars In case you’re wondering, I didn’t actually manage to be in Hollywood last Sunday for the annual Big Night, although my niece, already a player at the age of 19, attended an after-party with Kelly Ripa sometime in the wee hours, and appeared on television. But she lives out there in La-La Land. For me, it’s enough of an adventure just to gather some friends and hors d’oeuvres and sit still in my living room long enough to watch the entire ceremony. This latest Oscar Night was revelatory for me, though. Our movies being a reflection, and sometimes a prediction, of the American Zeitgeist—the spirit of the times — we can see, in the cinematic mirror, that this is an especially tough and scary time for our whole culture. We face a panoply of crises, and often the world seems on the verge of blowing up or burning up. Our resulting fear and uncertainty inspires movies like “Mad Max: Fury Road,” and “The Revenant,” and “Cartel Land,” to name just three violence-drenched films: one an award-winning documentary one based on a horrific true story from the past, and one based on a truly dire prediction of what could lie ahead. On top of all that, a great many of the Oscar-winners, and more than a few of the presenters, expressed their own concerns about the state of our world. Vice President Joe Biden spoke about the need to end rape and violence on college campuses. The Best Actor A Few Facts, A Lot of Gossip II By Susan Harper honoree said that climate change is “the most urgent threat facing our entire species,” and urged us all to “stop procrastinating” and deal with it. An over-arching concern at the Oscars was persistent racism in America And the Best Picture award went to a film about the real and widespread sexual abuse of children by Catho lic priests in recent years. The producer hopes it will resonate “all the way to the Vatican.” “Mercy me!” my grandmother would’ve exclaimed. But we didn’t need the Oscars to help us see that we are facing tremendous challenges. It’s been the handwriting on the wall — in great big letters—throughout the ongoing presidential-primary campaigns. Even the slo gans say so. One candidate promises to “Make America Great Again!” Another offers “A Future We Can Believe In.” Perhaps most telling of all, a third seems to have no slogan at present, per haps because of the way things keep changing, with a new crisis every day. “Appointment with Destiny” was tried, but probably sounded too ominous to the weary and wary ears of voters. So what do we do? In the face of terrorism, drug wars, poverty climate change, a mounting refugee crisis that adds to our immigration challenges (to name just a few of our worries), whom shall we choose? We’re lucky that any one wants to be president. If you have access to a computer, however, you can go online and type in the following question: “What are Hillary’s (or Trump’s, or Bernie Sanders’s, orwhoever’s) Plans for Amer ica?” You will find answers that can help you decide what you really want for our country and who, in your view, can achieve it. I find Trump’s answers to be less complete but more thorough; he is putting out position papers, one at a time, that outline the steps he would take. But really everybody’s answers are works in progress. And we must bear in mind that our next Pres ident will need the help of Congress to imple ment his or her plans, so let’s instruct Congress to support the person we elect. We clearly can’t afford any more grandstanding or gridlock! Remember Nero? He’s that guy who fiddled while Rome burned. Susan Harpa■ is a retired editor, lecturer, and local library director who currently serves on the Jackson County and Piedmont Regional library boards. How to save an animal's life Life is too short. The lifespan for the average human being is 70 years — and some lucky people can stick around for an entire century. But even so, 100 years hardly seems like enough years to do everything you want to do. But what if someone could extend your lifes pan? What if someone could shelter you from harm, give you love and friendship and ensure your comfort and happiness for the rest of your days? That scenario isn’t always possible in the case of human beings, but for domestic animals, it’s a constant reality. Left in the wild, cats and dogs rarely live to see the age of five. Yet animals with a home typ ically live 12-22 years. There’s a stark difference in the quality of life for an animal left to fend on its own, and one that is set up in a loving home. For the past two months, my girlfriend Dasha and I have been regularly volunteering at the Athens-Area Humane Society. During our shifts, we spend time getting the animals out of their cages and giving them love, leisure and usually a few treats as well. The Athens Humane Society is a no-kill cen ter, so many of their animals have been board ed for months. Day after day they eat, sleep and sometimes play in small cages or pens. But any onlooker can see, these animals are starving for human interaction. You can see it in their eyes, hear it in their cries and you’ll melt when they Writers In Rotation By Cameron Whitlock reach out with paws through the bars of their cages. Due to the constraints of everyday life, I can only volunteer a few hours a week; therefore, I have to choose a limited number of animals to interact with each shift. It’s always a heartbreak ing decision, but I try to give equal time to all the personalities around the shelter. There are some who zealously play and others that just want a head scratch and a warm lap to reside in. I would adopt them all if I could. Unfortu nately that is an unrealistic option. But at least I’m comforted by the fact that the Humane Society will give its lovable residents as long as needed to find a permanent home. Sadly that isn’t par for the course when it comes to most animal shelters. Approximately 2.7 million adoptable cats and dogs are euth anized each year in the United States alone. That’s 2.7 million potentially happy and healthy pets that were just waiting for someone to offer them a home. Most animals do not end up at a shelter because they did anything wrong. In fact, most are there due to a human problem — such as a move, a divorce or a death. I’ve seen, first-hand, the large number of animals that are left at the shelter scared, aban doned and confused. They aren’t wild beasts, they’re pets — most of which are long acclimat ed to domestic life with a human. Most shelter animals are already house- trained, vaccinated, micro chipped and neu tered — fully equipped to put a smile on an own er’s face. But month after month, too many of these animals remain in cages, taking up space for another animal that might need it. And in case “because it’s the right thing to do” isn’t enough reason to adopt a pet, scientific studies have shown the positive effects domestic animals can have on the health and wellbeing of their human hosts. Caring for an animal can increase self esteem, decrease stress and pro vide a sense of purpose and fulfillment. The number of euthanized animals could be drastically reduced if more people adopted from shelters rather than buying from a pet store, so do yourself a favor and adopt an ani mal. What could be better than saving a life? Cameron Whitlock is a reporter for Main- Street Newspapers. Originally from Banks County, he lives in Athens.