Newspaper Page Text
Page 6 - Wednesday, December 29, 2021
The Millen News
themillennews .com
Ag
News
-Wade Parker
Interim County
Extension Coordinator
Recycling Christmas Trees
My last news article detailed
proper techniques and tips
people need to use when
selecting a Christmas tree.
This week’s article will
focus on different ways to
recycle your Christmas tree.
Every year we are always
ready and excited for Christmas
to come, and then we are ready
and excited to see it go. Before
you get ready to throw the tree
in the street for pick-up, think
about a few things that may
be of benefit for your old tree.
Firewood: Christmas trees
make excellent outdoor
firewood. Unfortunately, the
sap is flammable and bums very
hot and fast, making indoor use
very risky. The use of bonfires
in iron made fire pits are
increasingly becoming popular.
Mulch: If you have the means
to mulch, this is probably the best
use. The mulch is excellent for
flowerbeds, erosion control or
as a soil builder in your garden.
Fish Bed Enhancement:
Have you ever been fishing off
a dock and noticed a tree on
the bottom of the pond floor?
That tree more than likely was
sitting in someone’s living room
at some point. Christmas trees
make thriving environments
for fish and provide good
protection from predators.
Air Fresheners: If you still have
green needles, strip them off and
store in plastic bags to freshen up
the air in your house. Use caution
when doing this, as the needles
mature, they can resemble a
real needle and cause injury.
Re-plant: This is only possible
if there are live roots at the base
of the trunk. A few places sell
trees such as these, which are
hard to find. I like replantable
ones because it is fun to watch
them grow and progress from
year to year. If you do have
this option, dig the hole deep
and wide enough for new root
growth and make sure you water.
Another reason to recycle your
tree is environmental. Do we
really need to take up landfill
space with Christmas trees when
recycling is so easy? Ifwe recycle
our tree, the crew does not have
to load, weigh, and handle.
This not only saves money
but also space. I realize it will
decompose in the landfill, but
the mulch can be utilized much
better versus being in the landfill.
Each year there are 25 to 30
million Christmas trees sold
in the U.S. People still prefer
live trees over artificial, as real
trees bring aroma, freshness,
and add atmosphere to holiday
gatherings. Let us continue to
use real trees but at the same time
find good uses for them at the end
of the season. Hope this article
will result in at least one family
recycling their tree. The Jenkins
County Extension Office wishes
each of you a Happy New Year!
Port of Brunswick lands $14.6
million federal grant
The Port of Brunswick is receiving a $14.6 million grant to add a fourth roll-
on/roll-off vessel berth at the Colonel’s Island Terminal, the U.S. Department
of Transportation (DOT) announced
Thursday.
The project will address supply
chain challenges at the nation’s
second busiest Ro-Ro cargo port
and more efficiently accommodate
the larger 7,000-plus-unit vehicle
carrier vessels that are becoming the
industry standard for Ro-Ro ships
calling at U.S. ports.
The grant to Brunswick is among a
$241 million grant package for 25 port improvement projects in 19 states and
one U.S. territory.
“U.S. maritime ports play a critical role in our supply chains,” Secretary of
Transportation Pete Buttigieg said Thursday. “These investments in our na
tion’s ports will help support American jobs, efficient and resilient operations
and faster delivery of goods to the American people.”
The projects are aimed at meeting growing demand for goods brought on by
the reopening of the U.S. economy following the pandemic lockdown. The
Colonel’s Island Terminal has become No.-l in the country for new auto im
ports.
Going forward, federal funding for the nation’s ports will come through the
infrastructure bill Congress passed last month, which will provide $450 mil
lion annually for the next five fiscal years.
That’s roughly the same amount of federal funding provided to ports under
DOT-administered grant programs since the agency began providing funding
to ports in 2009.
Fatal Burke County crash
could have been prevented
-Joe Brady
Millen News Editor
A three year-old child was killed and three other passengers were injured
in a fiery crash Monday, Dec. 20. According to Capt. Randall Norman of the
Burke County Sheriff’s Office, a GMC Yukon traveling south on Highway 25
ran into the rear of a tractor trailer near the Burke County Airport.
Capt. Norman explained, “when the vehicle struck the tractor-trailer it over
turned and burst into flames. Several passing motorists stopped to led as
sistance and extricate the four occupants of the Yukon.” The occupants were
Davvy Overstreet, 30, Amber Overstreet, 28 and two minor children, Grayson
Overstreet, 3, pronounced dead at the scene and Davvy Overstreet, Jr., 4, all of
Millen. The victims were transported to AUMC with serious injuries.
Capt. Norman also says, “the autopsy results aren’t in but the child didn’t
succumb to the fire. The child died as a result of the trauma from the wreck.”
The good Samaritans pulled the family from the wreckage before the flames
grew too large. The father, Davvy Overstreet has been cited on numerous
occassions for child restraint vilations in both Jenkins and Burke counties, a
source with the GSP confirmed.
The accident shut down Highway 25, both North and South bound lanes.
This is still an active investigation and charges may be pending.
Find Lis on
Discover something new at
the library
-Sharon Blank
At the end of the year we
like to look back and reflect
on all of the experiences
we had throughout the
past year. Throughout
the year, we have had
so many individuals
and organizations who
came together to support
our mission to educate,
entertain and enhance our
community. Thank you all
for supporting us, and thank
you as well to the patrons
who come in our doors
every day - without you,
we would have no reason
to exist! We look forward
to serving you all in 2022.
The library will be closed
on Saturday, January 1 and
Monday, January 3 for New far as possible here at the
Years. Now the insanity of library, just waiting for
the holiday season is over, you to check them out.
why not pick up a new Want to know what’s
habit of creating crafts? coming up in the New
Not only do we have free Year? Head over to
‘Crafts to Go’ available at www.facebook.com/
the library, but we
have instructions
on how to do
so many cool
crafts like
woodworking,
sewing, art,
and more.
Or maybe, your
new year’s
resolution is
to tackle your
finances? We
have books for
helping you leam
to make your
money stretch as
Medicaid dominated
federal grants to Georgia
early in pandemic
Medicaid accounted for the
largest share of federal grant
funding to Georgia during the
early stages of the coronavirus
pandemic, with COVID-19 aid
a close second, according to a
new study.
The report from The Pew Chari
table Trusts found that 37% of
the federal grants that went to
Georgia during fiscal 2020 were
to support the joint state-federal
Medicaid program. Another
5% came in the form of other
federal aid for health care.
COVID-19 assistance accounted
for 31% of Georgia’s federal
grants. More than 40 states had
a similar experience, with CO-
VID-19 grants second only to
federal Medicaid assistance.
Overall, the report found a 37%
increase in federal grants to
states during the early months
of the pandemic compared to
fiscal 2019, the largest jump in
federal aid since 2009, when
Congress approved a massive
stimulus package to jolt the
U.S. economy out of the Great
Recession.
Georgia and Hawaii were tied
for 10th lowest among the states
in the share of federal grant dol
lars going to Medicaid in fiscal
2020. The scale ranged from
a low of 12% for Wyoming to
60% for New York and Ken
tucky, according to the study.
Georgia’s Medicaid program
has been a bone of conten
tion between Republicans and
Democrats. GOP Gov. Brian
Kemp submitted a proposal to
the Centers for Medicare and
Medicaid Services last year for
a limited expansion of Medic
aid, which was approved by the
Trump administration.
However, the incoming Biden
administration put that plan on
hold over concerns it would
include a work requirement for
Medicaid recipients.
Georgia Democrats are calling
for a full-blown Medicaid ex
pansion that would cover more
low-income Georgians. All but
12 states have fully expanded
Medicaid.
The Build Back Better bill now
before the U.S. Senate would
allow people in states that have
not approved a full Medicaid
expansion to purchase sub
sidized coverage. However,
opposition from Sen. Joe Man-
chin, D-W.Va., is threatening to
kill the legislation.
LAWTON continued
from page 4
and the grass covered all. The
spring that kept POWs alive at
Camp Lawton became a site for
church picnics and socials. The
stream which brought water,
the occasional fish, and carried
away the night soil of the POWs
became the site of fishing
competitions and church fish
fries. But by the early 1900s,
better roads, cars, and a myriad
of other variables stopped pas
senger travel from Lawton
Station down into Savannah.
Eventually, as the station died,
so too did the town of Lawton.
A whistle-stop, the death of the
railroad brought about the death
of the town. And the grass cov
ered all. Camp, town, and battle
site vanished under the grass,
barely remembered by anyone
outside of historical and ar
chaeological circles, until 2010,
when the grass was stripped off,
and the remnants of the camp
were found. And still the grass
is being removed, as archaeol
ogy helps us tell the story of
Camp Lawton, of the men of the
9th Alabama and their dedica
tion to duty as they desperately
skirmished and retreated across
what are now nature trails and
silent stands of pine. What place
is this might be a question that
floats across the mind of those
using the railroad now, as trains
rollick past what had been the
communication hub, the heart
of a community, the post office
and arrival place, the departure
place—the grass has worked
enough. Peel back the grass,
and we can see this was a town
around Lawton Station, filled
with people and their lives,
and hopes, and dreams. Who
were connected to the wider
world, though that connection
brough war and strife. Peel
back the grass and remember
heat of a battle on a December
day. Peel back the grass, and
remember the POWs who lived
and died, marched and starved,
and left Lawton Station with
hope for exchange. The grass
has worked enough: we should
remember our past to shape our
future.
DDA continued from
page 1
mark.
The DDA is comprised of
7 members, all appointed by
the City Council. To be an el
igible member, the individual
should own property or live
in the downtown area. Those
persons serving besides Mr.
Scott and Mr. Rathbun are
Dale Wiggins, Pam Dwight,
Lee Wilson, Susan Welch,
and Talmadge Fries.
Mandy Underwood contin
ues, “each member serves
a four year term and also
serves as the Main Street
Millen Board. Our primary
function is to buy property
and resale. We are here to
save buildings, not make a
profit.”
Besides the Facade Grant,
the group purchased both the
Cititrends and Mills Drug
Store buildings and has since
transformed them into viable
businesses. If you would like
to leam more about the DDA
please call Ms. Underwood
at 478-982-5595.
Call For A Free
Estimate
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