Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 2016
THE COMMERCE NEWS • THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS
PAGE 5A
North Georgia Folk Potters Festival held
Turpin
Steve Turpin organized the 16th annual North Georgia Folk Potters
Festival. He is shown with the pieces donated by the artists for the
fundraiser for the Banks County Recreation Department. The goal of
the North Georgia Folk Potters Festival is to promote the arts in Banks
County, help support the art department in our local school, and to have
the best pottery festival in the state of Georgia., according to Turpin.
Crocker
Dwayne Crocker is shown speaking about his work with a visitor at his booth
Saturday at the North Georgia Folk Potters Festival.
Photos by Angela Gary
Craven
Corn
Mike Craven, who is the ninth generation in his fam
ily to work in the pottery business, is shown with his
granddaughter, Jade Moye, and fiance, Peggy Parris,
at the North Georgia Folk Potters Festival Saturday.
Roger Corn is shown with some of his work offered
at the annual North Georgia Folk Potters Festival
held Saturday at the Banks County Recreation
Department.
Simmons
Carolyn Simmons of Commerce is shown with some of her work displayed at the North Georgia Folk Potters
Festival in Banks County.
Withrow
Rob Withrow of Brasstown, N.C., is
shown with a piece of his work that he
had Saturday at the North Georgia Folk
Potters Festival.
Letter to the Editor
Monotheists condemn
Orlando shooting
Editor:
In our faith traditions, Jew
ish, Christian and Muslim,
we unanimously condemn
acts of violence and hatred.
The recent tragedy in Orlan
do reminds us that we must
continue to create spaces
of openness, understanding,
and hope.
We know that mass shoot
ings can be avoided on any
number of levels, not the
least of which is reasonable
gun control.
In addition to gun control
advocacy, we must also curb
the violence of words. Our
communities must speak
out against any language
of hate. Any teachings of
division and separation have
no place within our sacred
spaces.
Pulse nightclub was seen
as a safe space for many in
the LGBT community.
Orlando native, Daniel
Leon Davis, said: “There’s
a home that’s gone now.
Gay and trans people get
pushed out of churches all
the time and oftentimes our
safe havens become night
clubs. It’s the place that you
feel safe. And so to have
this happen at a nightclub, a
gay nightclub, is just like — it
hurts. It’s home.”
One of the fundamental
teachings of our religions
is that faith communities
should be the kind of safe
spaces where all can be
their true selves with fullness
and integrity. We must teach
that diversity makes us stron
ger, more thoughtful, and
more understanding. We are
born to be different, and we
need to find peaceful ways
to express our differences.
Diversity helps us draw clos
er to God.
In the last week, we have
heard lots of talk about
prayer. The most effective
prayers are those that we
heed ourselves. Prayer
must motivate us to action,
to doing good in the world.
If prayer does not help us
act with compassion and
holiness, our prayers are
for naught. In other words,
prayer is necessary, but not
sufficient.
As we write this, there is
a seven-hour wait to give
blood in Orlando because
so many want to help. Cities
around the world have held
rallies and marches, remind
ing us that love will always be
stronger than hate. Parents
are having important conver
sations with their children,
such as discussing why the
American flag is being flown
at half-mast in recent days.
Many are lobbying Congress
for reasonable gun control
measures. These acts are
the truest prayers.
We ask you to take the
time to view the pictures
and read the names of those
who lost their lives at the
Pulse nightclub on June
12. May our prayers, our
actions, our advocacy and
our love give honor to them,
their families, and to the God
who created us.
Rabbi Eric Linder
Rev. C. Craig Topple
Imam Dr. Adel Amer
Editor’s note: Rabbi Eric
Linder and Imam Dr. Adel
Amer serve Jewish and
Muslim congregations,
respectively, in Athens. Rev.
C. Craig Topple is interim
pastor of Commerce Presby
terian Church.
NOTICE OF SPECIAL ELECTION
TO THE ELECTORATE OF BANKS COUNTY:
Pursuant to a Resolution of the Board of Commissioners of Banks County
adopted June 14, 2016, and pursuant to a call by the Election Superintendent
issued on June 15, 2016, notice is hereby given that a special election has been
called and will be held on Tuesday, November 8, 2016, for the Board of Com
missioners to permit and regulate package sales by retails of both malt bev
erages and wine on Sundays between the hours of 12:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.
The election will be conducted in all respects in accordance with provisions
of the Georgia Election Code, and the election will be held at the regular poll
ing places in Banks County, Georgia between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00
p.m. on November 8, 2016. The ball shall have written or printed thereon the
following question:
( ) YES Shall the governing authority of Banks County, Georgia be au
thorized to permit and regulate package sales by retailers of
t \ MD both malt beverages and wine on Sundays between the hours of
12:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.?
All persons desiring to vote in favor of the Board of Commissioner's per
mitting and regulating package sales by retailers of both malt beverages and
wine on Sundays between the hours of 12:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. shall vote
"Yes" and all persons desiring to vote against the Board of Commissioner's
permitting and regulating package sales by retailers of both malt beverages
and wine on Sundays between the hours of 12:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. shall
vote "No".
Those residents of Banks County qualified to vote in such Special Election
shall be determined in all respects in accordance with the election laws of the
State of Georgia.
Voting by Mail: shall run from September 24,2016 through November 4,2016.
Early Voting In-Person: October 17, 2016 through November 4, 2016. The last
day to register to vote in this election shall be October 11, 2016.
Andra Phagan, Election Superintendent
Banks County, Georgia
