Newspaper Page Text
Page 6 - Wednesday, December 22, 2021
The Millen News
themillennews .com
The way I remember it
■Carmen Bennett
Truest Columnist
Every Christmas night since
brever. I’ve always been
blessed enough to sit around a
ireplace. After the whirlwind of
gifts are opened and I’ve almost
caught the house afire burning
cardboard boxes and wrapping
Daper in the fireplace. After
he kids have retreated to their
ooms to tinker with their Santa
oot. I always find something
jood to drink. What I drink
iepends on how many folks
’ve had go in and out of my
louse during the holidays, how
nany political conversations
’ve endured, how many times
’ve had to get out the mop
3 uckct or how loud the TV has
icon blaring all day because
lonestly nobody on this farm
:an hear it thunder. A few years
igo we had about fifty eleven
leople here for Christmas. Our
lousekeeper who was far more
han a housekeeper to us had
alien on difficult times and
she was living with us along
vith her two small children.
Ve had in total about 13 people
sleeping here that Christmas
Eve. As many as 18 had been
lere in the days before. That
/ear, Russian tea didn’t cover
1.1 needed a nip of peppermint
schnapps in my wassail and
some Bailey’s in the egg nog!
t was a wonderful Christmas
hough. It’s funny how hard
ve try to buy things to create
Ehristmas memories for kids,
vhen the things kids remember
ire very seldom things at all.
Vly most vivid Christmas
nemories are these:
When I was a little girl
ny daddy owned a lumber
/aid. He also sold Christmas
rees there, or I guess he did.
\nyhow. when my teacher
isked if anyone could donate a
Ehristmas tree to the classroom
! shot out of my chair at the
due square table so fast I’m
sure it scared the chalk off
he blackboard. Several kids
/olunteered and the teacher
said whoever brought one first.
Texting Your Season’s Greetings and
Gratitude this Holiday Season
-Staff Reports
When it comes to season’s
greetings and giving thanks,
sending a traditional letter or
holiday card doesn’t have to
be the only way to do it. In
fact, you can show you care
just as impactfully by send
ing a simple text.
New research from The
Journal of Positive Psychol
ogy shows that expressing
gratitude via text message
is nearly as impactful as
a face-to-face thank you.
Sending a text might be even
more effective for expressing
your appreciation when you
feel embarrassed or awkward about thanking someone in person. Also, research shows that
sending that simple text message can help us feel more connected to loved ones and boost
feelings of well-being.
Recent data suggests many of us may already be performing acts of smartphone kindness.
As more people turn to texts for the holidays, leading cellphone carriers such as Verizon and
TMobile found a 20% increase in texting during the Christmas holiday and a 5% increase at
New Year’s. Expectations are that those numbers will only increase this year.
If sending holiday notes via snail mail sounds daunting, don’t let pen and paper stand in
your way of making someone else, and yourself feel appreciated. Your best recipe for holi
day success could simply be to send a thank you text.
However, if you are someone who prefers something more tactile than a text, you can still
use your smartphone to send season’s greetings and gratitude with a handwritten note via
services like Handwrytten and Postable. Simply type your message and the receiver’s ad
dress, and the apps will generate a handwritten letter or holiday card and take care of mail
ing it for you.
And if you’re ever unsure of when it’s appropriate to communicate over text, digital eti
quette expert Elaine Swann’s advice can steer you in the right direction:
When sharing logistics: For information, like addresses or event arrival and departure de
tails, texting is the easiest and most accurate way to receive the information needed, espe
cially for guests coming into town for the holidays.
When asking for requests and favors: Sending a simple request, such as asking a loved one
to pick up a forgotten item for Christmas dinner, is an acceptable thing to do.
When you can’t talk: Sending a text message letting the person know you’ll return their
call when you have a free moment is perfectly acceptable.
With these tools in your back pocket, you won’t have to hesitate before using your smart
phone to spread cheer to loved ones near and far this holiday season.
I don’t even know what my
daddy had to do to get that tree
to my elementary classroom
early the next morning but he
did and I have never forgotten
it. I thought I was something
else and I ranked my Daddy
right up under the sweet baby
Jesus. I’m 45 years old and I
still do.
I think I was in 2nd grade
when our house burned
on Christmas Eve. I don’t
remember being sad about
presents at all. What I do
remember is that Ms Gay
Martorell, my 2nd grade teacher
brought me a blue sweater
vest and a plaid shirt. I can tell
you exactly what that sweater
looked like. If I was any kind of
artist I could draw you the exact
stitching. That’s how vividly I
remember it.
Daddy used to load up our
whole family, extended family
too, in his big blue lumber
delivery tmek. He covered
the floor with hay and we all
caroled around Hartwell. Even
on my tiptoes, I could barely
see over the side rails but I can
remember being so cold in the
north Georgia night, I’d burrow
myself in the hay listening to
everyone sing, drifting off to
sleep with visions of Santa,
reindeer, and Hershey kisses in
my head.
I remember Gail Brown
singing Watchman
Tell Us of the Night at
The First Presbyterian
Church on Christmas
Eve so beautifully
that it captivated the
attention of a kid who
was delirious with Santa
excitement. I still have
every single church
ornament the church
ladies made for us kids
growing up.
I remember Ms Beverly
Dove and Ms Hope
Williams teaching our
antsy 4th grade class to sing
What Child is This for our
Christmas program at Airline
Elementary School. I still have
the mimeographed copy in Ms
Dove’s handwriting.
I don’t know how far back
in my daddy’s family the
tradition goes but when he
was a kid he got stockings
from Santa in REAL nylons.
Like real panty hose weighted
down to the floor with oranges
and cracker jacks. My brother
and I used to drag those
things around clear through
January. We always got them
growing up and now my kids
look forward to their “Cooper
stockings” each year even
though they’re weighted down
with Reese’s cups and snickers
bars now.
When your family income
depends on construction and
agriculture it’s always feast or
famine. And even in the times
of feast, you’re still cautious
because you know a famine
could be lurking around the
comer. Mama says back
then some Christmases were
plentiful and some were tight.
It’s remarkable how as a child
I honestly couldn’t tell the
difference. I’m more thankful
this season for good Christmas
memories than I am for any
material thing I had then or
have now.If this past year has
taught me anything, it’s that
the most important things in
life aren’t things. It’s family.
It’s loving each other through
a tough year. It’s the precious
gift of the Christ child. Merry
Christmas, y’all. May you
make magical memories this
Christmas.
Georgia DDS and DOR plan system
upgrade during holidays
The Georgia Department of
Driver Services and Department
of Revenue are planning to per
form system upgrades during
a portion of the holiday break.
During this system upgrade, the
DRIVES (Driver Record and
Integrated Vehicle Enterprise
System), including DDS Online
Services and DRIVES e-Servic-
es, will be unavailable begin
ning Thursday, December 30,
2021 at 7:00 pm for DOR and
at 5:00 pm for DDS through
Monday, January 3, 2022.
According to DDS Commis
sioner Spencer Moore and DOR
Commissioner Robyn Critten
den, “This upgrade will result in
significant cost savings, while
optimizing system performance
and ensuring that DRIVES is
always running on modem,
state-of-the-art hardware. Both
agencies will be well positioned
to pursue future innovations
because of this improvement to
the underlying technology that
powers Georgia DRIVES.”
Both agenciesand all 159
County Tax Commissioners en
courage those with late Decem
ber and early January renewal
dates to plan ahead and renew
early.
In person, online, and kiosk
services will be unavailable to
customers. Please note all DDS
Customer Service Centers will
be closed on Saturday, January
1, 2022, and all state offices will
be closed on Monday, January
3, 2022 in observance of the
New Year’s Day holiday. Both
agencies will be open and fully
operational on Tuesday, January
4, 2022. “We apologize for
the inconvenience and ask for
patience as we perfomi this
necessary system upgrade.”
Portion of Williams Cemetery
Road to close
-Joe Brady
Millen News Editor
The County Commission held a public hearing last week to close a portion of
Williams Cemetery Road, there was no opposition. In the September 14, 2021 County
Commission meeting property owner, Jamie Calhoun requested the County look into
closing a portion of Williams Cemetery Road. “The county stopped maintaining that
road years ago and since no one lived beyond Mr. Calhoun’s property, the Board
entertained his request,” Grady Saxon, County Manager explained.
Since no objections were heard at the Public Hearing, Williams Cemetery Road will
now deadend at Mr. Calhoun’s property. Williams Cemetery Road is located in the
south end of the county off of Elam Road across from Woodland Way.
Georgia students to get an
electric vehicle career pathway
-Meghan Frick
The Georgia Department of Education is creating a Career Pathway that will equip
students with the skills to enter the electric vehicle industry, State School Superin
tendent Richard Woods announced today.
The Electric Vehicle Career Pathway comes in response to Governor Brian
Kemp’s announcement of the largest economic development project in Georgia his
tory, a $5 billion, 7,500-job investment by electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian Inc.
“As educators, it is our responsibility to prepare students for successful futures - so
it’s essential that we mount a rapid response to emerging workforce needs within
the state of Georgia,” Superintendent Woods said. “The development of a new
Electric Vehicle Career Pathway will continue to expand the career pipeline and
ensure Georgia students have the opportunity to benefit from Rivian’s investment in
our state.”
Ga DOE’s Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) staff will work
with industry representatives and educators to develop a pathway of courses that
will prepare students for careers in the electric vehicle industry. The pathway will
include EV-specific coursework along with instruction in engineering, manufactur
ing, drafting/design, and automotive technology.
“Developing an EV Pathway for Georgia high school students through our CTAE
programs will help strengthen the career pipeline and help meet the needs of in
dustry,” Ga DOE CTAE Director Dr. Barbara Wall said. “To assist with meeting
the workforce needs of Rivian, creating the high school EV pathway will be only
the beginning. We are also considering ways to provide early exposure to careers
provided at Rivian for our middle and elementary schoolers.”
Local superintendents and CTAE directors in the school districts most immediate
ly impacted by the Rivian announcement - Jasper County, Morgan County, New
ton County, Walton County, and Social Circle City - are working to ensure a close
partnership that will expand opportunities for students.
“With the exciting news released regarding the Rivian plant coming to our area,
our school system is looking forward to working with economic development to
meet the needs of workforce training through our CTAE programs here in Jasper
County,” Jasper County Schools Superintendent Kenny Garland said. “With 7,500
jobs expected to be located in the facility, our school system is excited to learn
more about workforce expectations in terms of training and development in order to
meet the labor demands.”
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