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Letters To The Editor
Angry About Home Burning
Dear Editor:
I !lavoN been a faithful customer ('i)efn Tht; gum
merville News and a v good resident of Sum
merville. We tried to hz% all the businesses and
people in the Summerville area and our
ll:eighbors also by doing whatever it takes to
elp.
Qf someone asked us for a donation or buy
a raffle ticket for anything that was going we
alwws bought some.
e also donated to the Fire D?artment
when they came around solicitingr?r onations.
Yet, when our home caught fire (arson) (was
set) and proven by the insurance co:eng)any. and
when the fire department’s responded, they sat
and watched our beautiful home burn to the
ground and not a drop of water was put on to
ry and stop the fire.
I am mortified, and to add insult to injury,
after the burglary and fire . . . all our sheds were
stripped and everything taken.
Keep Sole Commissioner Form
Dear Editor:
The people who are working for a five-man
board have not told us how expensive it will be.
The five elected members will have to be
paid very well. No one works for nothing.
Their salary alone will be more than we are
paying our present commissioner.
How much will it cost to have a county
Critical Of Report On Mayor
Dear Editor:
I would like to write in response to the arti
cle in the Jan. 2 paper headlined, ‘‘Mayor
Williams Seeks Votes in Bonus Notice.”
I believe this mofi&&x&u&’éfiébfi’}}i{o sent
the cogly of the letter aror illiams handed
9< to Town of Trion employees had the wrong
idea.
I am a part-time employee of the Town of
Trion and I can’t vote in the city election
because I don’t live in the city of Trion, but I
fift a bonus and the same letter everyone else
id. Mine wasn’t any different, so I know
Mayor Williams was not trying to buy votes
as this article suggested.
Personally I took this as an insult to the
Mayor. I've known Hoyt Williams 30 some odd
years. He's a kind and honest man.
I don't understand why this anonymous per
son felt impelled to make such a big deal of the
fact the bonus was handed out instead of be
ing mailed. To me it's much more personal and
sincere; I know I appreciated it very much.
Count Blessings For 1992
Dear Editor:
Christmas has passed, and the new year is
nearby. I would like to count my many bless
ings over the year.
First there is “Tomxni\\'l,;!’l who prints most
of the articles I send to him. S
There are the two ‘“‘Jim’s,”’ one a minister,
the other a county official.
There are the two, ‘Ralph’s,” one a city of
ficial, the other a county official.
Santa Is Watching You!
Dear Editor:
This Christmas season we were blessed —
Our families were well. We had no serious pro
blems. We heard some homes were burglariz
ed, some mailboxes damaged and flowers were
stolen from some graves that had been put
there in memoré of loved ones in this countY.
There are good Christmas grograms for creop e
to attend offered through Christmas and fami
ly %therings in our county.
o cars, objects, brush or gersons are s%?-
posed to be around our mailboxes, and “No
thieves in homes and cemeteries.”
We put a pot of flowers in vur church at Dry
Valley for a flower service in memory, or in
honor, of loved ones the Sunday before
Christmas.
A yellow Star was put on a tree for every
dollar that was given to the Lottie Moon offer
ing. (There were a lot of Stars). @~
- Buckets of fruit were taken to disabled and
elderly members of the church.
Lay-Away Plans Needed
Mr. Toles:
How many times have we heard the follow
ing statement? “Do ly;our trading at home!”
Now this holds true when you only have $5-$lO
to spend. Yet if you are a “‘senior citizen” like
me, you may not have the $25 to SSO the arti
cle you want may cost. Few of us do.
'i:his is my beef! Some of the stores do not
have a lay-awa¥ plan! and when asked why they
do not have a lay-away plan, here is the regly
— “Things are cheap enough as they stand!”
Does this make sense to you? It sure does
Julie Griffis oo pg
to Paulina was an offer to annul their mar
riage. (But didn’t he say he loved her)?
On “As The World Turns,” Jessica was
stunned when Blake, whom she thought
was dead, turned up in New York. The rest
is boring.
On “The Bold and the Beautiful,”
Margo told Taylor about Blake’s visit to
Bill, and the newspaper article she found
about Caroline’s twin sister who was kid
napped as an infant. Blake came back to
see Faith who told him her father died
when she was a child and she’d been rais
ed on a farm in Boise. (It could have been
worse Faith).
* * * ;
ON “DAY OF Our Lives,” John
became’ more estranged from Isabella
when he realized the piece of gold from the
satchel seemed to make up a wedding ring,
which meant he might be married. (That
must have been some hangover)! Carley
returned the painting to Lawrence, who
was pleased it evoked such a passionate
response from her.
On “The Guiding Light,” as Ava and
This was really a nice holiday for us, and law
enforcement did nothing, absolutely nothing,
To this day, no one has contacted us. They
don’t care.
Christians? They call themselves Christians.
This is Christianity?
Where is law enforcement? What are they
doing chasing some kid with a joint? This is
nonsense, absolute nonsense.
How can geople stand up and ask for re
election and do notlnng. Are the good people
of Summerville being duped?
Where is justice? Are we safe??? What the
hell do we pay taxes for??? Also, the Lyerly Fire
Department had the gall to charge us $l4O for
responding after we donated to them. Thanks
for nothing. (Don’t look for further donations).
Ha! Ha!
Please respond. I would like some imput.
George W. Crisp
Summerville
manafer? ’.l‘he% won’t work for free either.
“If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.”
Our Commissioner is doing a good Lob, as
the one before him did, so let’s keep what we
have. It doesn’t need fixin’.
Beatrice Minor
Trion Rte. 1
Also, if I held an office and was running for re
election I would have asked my employees to
vote for me.
I don’t consider that trying to ‘‘buy’’ votes.
Sounds to me like this anonymous person has
a personal vendetta.
I don’t blame him or her for remaining
anon[\;mous. I would too.
The Bible says, “Do unto others as you
would have them do unto you.” Read your Bi
ble and ‘%et a GRIP.
Jan Warnock
Summerville
* * *
Editor’s Note: The article neither stated nor
suggested that Mayor Williams was trying to
‘“buy votes” with the letter. It reported that
he had handed out a letter written on official
Town of Trion stationery that asked for sup
port in his re-election bid, and that the letter
also included employee bonuses. Those are fac
tual statements, based not on an anonymous
person, but on the mayor’s own letter.
There are the two nice “ladies” at church,
“Patti,” and ‘“‘Karen.” They both sing like an
angel.
There are “Charles’ and ‘‘Holly”’ who have
always been nice and friendly to me. To all my
friends all over the county, may you have a hap
py and prosperous New Year!
Your friend,
Hugh ““Peter” Gunn
Summerville
And, sacks of fruit were ‘fiiven on ‘“‘Santa”
night after the smaller children’s program.
Much good and goodness was happening in
our county but some were naughty and not
nice.
I liked the Santa check on WGTA and the
beautiful Christmas music.
‘““Santa Claus is watching you.”
That son%was played a ?od bit. I smiled
at that. You'd be surprised who is checking on
you and watching you. I have been surprised
myself. - Sole s g i
People need to stay in line and go straight.
Maybe set some new standards and rules for
their own personal life in 1992.
I hope the churches who fixed food for in
mates will be blessed.
New goals must be set.
Ninety-two is just around the corner.
A New Year will be born.
Mary Childers
Summerville
not to me. Most of the lay-aways are for 60 to
90 days, and ly]'ou lose no money. Just put it
back on the shelf when not paid for on time.
Dear people, please consider the lay-away plan
if you don’t already have it in your store.
I am not going to tell you tiat I will buy
everything at home; yet I will buy more if you
make it easier to do so.
Sincerelp
Hugh ‘““Peter”” Gunn
Summerville
Paul prepared for their wedding, Carly ar
rived to ask Paul to help her find Michael,
who had run away. She also just happen
ed to confess to Paul that she never had
the abortion and that Michael is their son.
Paul left Ava while he searched with Car
ly. (Foiled again).
ON “SANTA BARBARA,” with her
baby far along, Gina brought Lionel’s in
jured dog to the vet and went into labor.
Later, when C. C. tried to see the baby at
the vet’s, Gina had him locked into a cage
with a dangerous animal. (Give me a
break)!
On “The Young and the Restless,” Rex
was upset to see Kay and Edward
together, but was more upset when Kay
told him she won’t miss him when he
moves out. (Works every time). Lauren
reassured Paul that she won't expect him
to assume any responsibility for the child
she hoped to have when she got him drunk
and seduced him.
Who's on first? I'm exhausted. I think
I'll take a nap.
R
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“From My Point Of View The President's Trip
To Japan Was A Great Success.
Of Course, I'm A Democrat...”
Don’t Forgive
Or Forget
This nation is often too quick to forget
what it should not forgive.
Time and time again, its citizens have
been insulted, abused, mistreated at the
hands of foreign elements who see the kill
ing or kidnapping of Americans as a con
venient way to gain publicity for their
cause.
The recent burial of two Americans
who died at the hands of Lebanese captors
should serve only as a jarring reminder of
how long the list of unavenged atrocities
has become. From the shooting down of
the South Korean jetliner carrying U. S.
Rep. Larry McDonald to the desecration
of the American embassy in Tehran to the
blowing up of a jetliner over Scotland,
there has been incident after incident
where the perpetrators have been known
but never punished.
The U. S. has become better at turning
the other cheek than evoking an eye for an
eye.
With all the American hostages in
Lebanon now freed — or their bodies
returned — there is a tendency to say this
sad chapter of history is closed. It should
not be. Gt ; :
At the services for Marine Col. William
R. Higgins, who was serving with a United
Nations peacekeeping force when he was
seized and later executed, his wife said it
very well — perhaps because she, too, is
a Marine.
Maj. Robin Higgins urged the nation
not to forgive the hostage takers:
“While I do not want to diminish the
joy of the families of the live hostages who
have come home, I want to remind the
American public that I and my family are
not sharing in that joy.
“The filthy hostage fabric has spit out
the bones of my husband.”
“If we forgive, if we forget, if we thank
these savages, then we are merely inviting
them, at a time and place they will select,
to kill again. Shame on us if we do.”
The widowed Maj. Higgins is not as
likely to forget as other Americans will be
as this situation drops out of daily news
coverage and onto the pages of history
books as a footnote. She is certainly not
as willing to forgive as is government,
which trades past crisis for present oppor
tunity with alarming regularity.
Americans traveling or working
anywhere overseas have become targets
simply because of their nationality. They
continue to be targets because those who
take aim at them know the risk is small.
That is an unacceptable situation. A
nation that can drop a smart bomb down
the ventilator shaft of a fortified enemy
bunker certainly has the ability to wipe
out a nest of vipers.
As long as those who kidnap and kill
Americans can do so with impunity, more
Americans will be kidnapped and killed.
The vicious cycle must be broken, even if
it takes a vicious response to break it.
If such action is not taken then, as Maj.
Higgins said, ‘“shame on us.”
— Rome News-Tribune
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“WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 1992, STATE DINNER, TOKYO, Jmmm“" R
Guest Column
Deregulate Health Care Law
GEORGIA’S HEALTH care system is
in crisis. Total state health spending top
ped $13.6 billion in 1990, an increase of
more than 183 percent in the past 10
years. The next 10 years are expected to
be even worse. If current trends continue,
state health care spending will increase
more than 680 percent by the year 2000.
Yet, at the same time, nearly 17 percent
of Georgians lack health insurance. One
out of every four Georgia children is not
covered by health insurance. In addition,
Georgia has the nation’s highest infant
mortality rates with 12.6 infant deaths for
every 1,000 births. The Medicaid program
is one of the fastest growing items in the
state’s budget, costing more than $2.1
billion. At least 86 rural counties lack suf
ficient health care services and
professionals.
Obviously reform is needed. However,
before we yield to the temptation of new
taxpayer-funded programs, additional
mandates on business, or other common
ly discussed proposals for greater govern
ment involvement in the health care
marketplace, there should be greater ex
amination of the extent to which govern
ment policies are responsible for rising
health care costs and the unavailability of
health care services.
For example, having decided that peo
ple are not smart enough to choose their
own health insurance benefits, Georgia has
a dozen laws that mandate that all health
insurance contracts in the state provide
for coverage of specific disabilities/
diseases and the provision of specific
health care services. These mandates add
significantly to the cost of health in
surance. Most people without health in
surance are employed, or are dependents
of employees. Of these, nearly two-thirds
work for businesses with less than 100
employees, nearly half for businesses with
less than 25 employees. Surveys of small
businesses have repeatedly shown that the
cost of health insurance is the number one
reason why these businesses do not offer
health benefits. By making insurance more
expensive, mandated benefits are con
tributing directly to the number of
uninsured.
In addition, Georgia continues to main
tain regulatory restrictions on health care
services that act as a barrier to competi
tion. For example, not only does the state
continue its outdated Certificate-of-Need
(CON) program, but last year the
legislature extended the program to cover
all new services offered by non-hospital
based diagnostic treatment, and
rehabilitation centers, wishing to perform
radiation therapy, biliary lithotripsy or
cardiac catherization. These centers must
also receive a CON for the purchase or
lease of new equipment. In addition, CON
requirements were extended to most non
hospital facilities that perform surgery or
obstetrical treatment. Facilities used by
private physicians or a single specialty re
quire a CON if development, construction
or other costs exceed $1 million. All
facilities used by multi-physician groups
must obtain a CON.
Certificate-of-Need is based on the
bizarre economic theory that greater supp
ly and increased competition will lead to
higher prices. However, studies have
repeatedly demonstrated that CON pro
grams not only fail to contain costs, but
may actually lead to increased costs, while
Cord of Thanks |
Words cannot express the
love and appreciation to all of
our many friends for all of the
kindness and sympathy shown
to us during t%e deatz of our
son and brother. May you have
such friends in your time of
need.
The family of Dennis R.
Hawkins
We sincerely appreciate all
acts of kindness sfown during
the extended illness and
bereavement I\7 our dearly
beloved one. May God bless
each oé}z'ou.
e family of Mrs. Annie
FEugenia Brown
The family of Margaret
Pierce wishes to thank
everyone for their
thoughtfulness in bringing
food, sending flowers and
remembering us in your
prayers in our time of grief. We
would also like to especially
thank the Rutledge family for
the sor;gs, Rev. John Mann and
Rev. Willie Bearden for the
words of comfort, and the
Erwin-Petitt Funeral Home
Staff for their kindness and
understanding. Thank you all.
The chifiren of Myargaret
Pierce
The Summerville News, Thursday, January 16, 1992
By Michael D. Tanner
Vinyl Siding and Gutter Co.
Free Estimates - 857-1851
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Car Wrecked, Stolen, Disabled?
— CALL —
D
AVA!LABLE AT
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Phone 857-1325 Hwy. 27 N. - Summerville
limiting the availability of medical ser
vices, particularly in rural areas. The
Federal Trade Commission has concluded
that, on a national basis, ‘‘Hospital costs
would decline by $1.3 billion per year if
states would deregulate their CON pro
grams.”’ Since 1983, 17 states have follow
ed the FTC's advice and repealed their
hospital CON programs; 11 states have
repealed CON outright. But, Georgia's
health care bureaucrats continue to cling
to outmoded Eastern Europe-style central
planning.
The lure of state control can also be
seen in recent proposals to create a
hospital rate setting commission. As
almost anyone with even a rudimentary
knowledge of economics should know,
price controls have only one significant ef
fect: they create shortages. In Canada,
where the government sets hospital rates
and budgets, you can wait up to five
months for a simple pap smear. Some
serious surgeries have waiting lists of
more than two years. But, perhaps deny
ing people access to health care is a small
price to pay if the bureaucrats can increase
their power.
Nor should we forget that unnecessari
ly restrictive licensing regulations prevent
low-cost alternatives to more costly health
care services. Recently, for example,
Georgia banned most midwives. Although
midwifery has been practiced safely for
thousands of years, and is standard prac
tice in most countries, including Western
Europe, Georgians are to be denied this in
expensive alternative to costly obstetric
services. Georgians are also being ‘‘pro
tected” from inexpensive contact lenses.
Until last year, it was possible to replace
your contact lenses at the local pharmacy
or through mail-order services. However,
in the final days of the last legislative ses
sion, the legislature slipped through an
amendment allowing only optometrists,
opticians, and opthalmologists to dispense
contact lenses. The change could double
the cost of contact lenses.
Finally, the state’s regulation of utiliza
tion review programs limits the ability of
the private sector to hold down health care
costs. Managed care and utilization review
are among the most promising approaches
to health care cost control. But, Georgia
lags severely behind the rest of the nation
in adopting such an approach. Less than
5 percent of Georgians are enrolled in
HMO's, for example, compared to nearly
15 percent nationwide. The state’s
regulatory climate is partially responsible
for this, and all barriers to managed care
and utilization review should be removed.
In Georgia's health care crisis there is
plenty of blame to go around. Insurers,
providers, and consumers all share respon
sibility. But, before the state government
starts casting stones, it should look to its
own sins. Deregulation is the first step on
the road to health care reform.
Michael D. Tanner is director of
Research for the Georgia Public Policy
Foundation, an independent, non-partisan
research and education organization bas
ed in Atlanta. Permission is hereby given
to reprint this article.
VERY FEW
He who falls in love with himself has
no rivals. — Wall Street Journal.
5-A