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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 TODAYI 706-526-8686 Tree A Stump Uemoviil, Trinbinu, Storm Cleanup. Lund Clearing hriKh CnMinV Buih H'jyyint! i Sbld Sifor Wort