About The Banks County news. (Homer, Banks County, Ga.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (April 23, 2008)
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23, 2008 THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS PAGE 5B Down the Stretch Preach on, Brother Pearson, preach on REGION EVENT Gabrielle Foster com petes in the long jump last Friday for Banks County High School at the Region 8-AA meet. The region competition was hosted by East Jackson High School. Photo by Brandon Reed High School Track Lady Leopards compete at BCHS boys set for 8-AA event Friday, Monday BY CHRIS BRIDGES A season of improvement culmi nated at the Region 8-AA for the Banks County High School Lady Leopard track team. The BCHS girls, competing at East Jackson High School Friday and Monday, improved in several areas from the previous season’s region meet, coach Rob Moffett said. Jessica Newell made the finals in the 300-meter hurdles and finished sixth overall. Vanessa Hurtado was also sixth in the 3,200-meter run. Charledra Jennings made the finals in both the shot put and discus finishing seventh in both events. Jennings had personal best throws of 89-6 in the discus and 29-0 in the shot put. Other top finishers for the BCHS girls at region included: •Kim Pass, ninth, 400-meter dash, personal best time of 1:08. •Dee Dee Cannon, ninth, 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash. •Tiffany Sims, ninth, 800-meter run, personal best time of 2:50. RUNNING SPECIALIST Chris Parks is expected to do well in the distance events for BCHS at the upcoming Region 8-AA meet. Photo by Chris Bridges •Jessica Newell, ninth, 100-meter hurdles. •Jayda Richey, ninth, 300-meter hurdles and 10th, 100-meter hur dles. region meet “The girls had a very good region meet and we only have one senior on the team so we should continue to improve,” Moffett said. The BCHS boys will begin region Friday with field events and con tinue Monday afternoon with the running events. Moffett said several BCHS ath letes should have opportunities to qualify for the finals including: •Lyn Hester, shot put and discus. •Justin Beasley, long jump, 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash. •Jamail Jennings, long jump, 200-meter dash and 400-meter dash. •Adam Garcia, hurdles. •4x100-meter relay team. a 4x400-meter relay team. Moffett also expects Chris Parks to do well in the 1,600-meter run and the 3,200-meter run as well as Jorge Diaz in the 1,600-meter and Ivan Diaz in the 3,200-meter. “We are looking for a good show ing in all events and we are excited in the progress the boys have made this year. We only have three seniors on the boys team so their future is also bright.” I t was about time somebody of real stature stood up and said exactly what millions of others have been thinking about the current NASCAR scene. The moment occurred dur ing what was supposed to be a grand PR opportunity to tie “old school” NASCAR to the “Car of Tomorrow” racers at Darlington Raceway. Darlington’s all-time winner, David Pearson, who picked up 10 victories and 12 poles at the track that’s been called “Too Tough To Tame,” brought one of his winning #21 racers out of Darlington’s Joe Weatherly muse um to take laps around the track alongside current NASCAR star Carl Edwards. The two chatted amiably about the differences between the two cars, and took laps around the venerable old speedway while photographers snapped several promotional photos. Towards the end of the day, Pearson and Edwards were slated to make an appearance on ESPN’s “NASCAR Now” program. During the segment, the host asked Pearson what he thought of the direction NASCAR has taken in the last 40 years. The three-time Cup champion, wearing an open collared shirt and chewing on gum, looked away from the camera for a min ute, then stared right into the camera and spoke to millions of people watching. “I don’t like it,” he said gestur ing at Carl Edwards. “But he might.” Doubtless, several NASCAR officials watching had the same reaction Carl Edwards had. Nervous laughter, and some stammering as he tried to think of what to say while Pearson continued with his thoughts. “To tell you the truth, NASCAR ain’t doing noth ing I like right now,” the winner of 105 NASCAR Cup events said matter of factly. “I don’t like the rules they’re doing. The least little old thing...you can say something wrong, or bump somebody, and they want to fine you for it. It seems to me that they’re going to run you crazy.” There stood poor Carl Edwards, with nothing he could say. Pearson realized this, and bailed the young driver out. “He can’t say nothing,” Pearson said. “If he says anything, he’ll get fined, or.. .he won’t get past inspection on the next race. I understand why he can’t say nothing.” Around the country, millions of fans could be heard saying “Hallelujah! Preach, Brother Pearson, preach!” Finally, somebody that the NASCAR PR machine cannot just blow off stood up and voiced the concerns that millions of fans have had for the last few years. As a three time Cup champion, and the driver second only to Richard Petty on the all-time wins list, there’s no way anybody can say David Pearson doesn’t know what he’s talking about when it comes to racing. His point of view is shared by a lot of fans that feel NASCAR has moved away from them. The “core fans,” as some like to call them, remember a time when you could actually talk to most of the competitors. They would actually hang around after a race, sign auto graphs, and interact with their fans. The NASCAR of old was always mindful of giving the fans the best show, and making sure their stars were accessible. Now they seem to feel simply saying “NASCAR” should make the masses drool like Pavlov’s dog, and that everyone will fall in line to shell out big bucks for tickets, or to spend most of a Sunday afternoon watching a race wedged in-between hours of pre and post race coverage that plays more like a rock concert than a sporting event. Few people on the scene really seem to have the guts to stand up and say what many were thinking, which was simply “This is not the NASCAR I grew up watching.” Never let it be said David Pearson doesn’t have guts. Towards the end of the seg ment, Pearson was asked how he thought he would do in today’s NASCAR. “I really don’t know,” he said. “Today, they make a whole lot more money than we did, but they don’t have any time to spend it.” Pearson went on to say that rac ers had a lot more fun in the old days. David, many of the fans had a lot more fun back in the old days too. Brandon Reed is a reporter for MainStreet Newspapers. E-mail comments about this column to brandon@mainstreetnews.com. www.mainstreetnews.com brandon reed “ROOF DOCTOR" Roofing & Repair - Metal - Shingles - Flat Roofs - Flashing - Maintenance - Inspections HOMER CARVER www.cspeedforsheriff.com Email: cspeed@cspeedforsheriff.com A VOTE FOR THE FUTURE" Your patronage helps provide for those in need. 8 ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS 8 Leslie M. Pitts, DMD Pediatric Dentistry 706-335-7793 215 Mercer Place, P. O. Box 1241 Commerce, GA 30529 Website: drlpitts.com Email: drlpitts@drlpitts.com J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J l TOWN OF ALTO PUBLIC NOTICE The Town of Alto will be having a public hearing prior to their regular scheduled meeting in the Alto City Hall on May 13, 2008 at 6:45 p.m. The Town of Alto’s Police Department will be discussing obtaining federal funds from the United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) for the purpose of vehicle acquisition. Banks County Commissioners PUBLIC NOTICE The Georgia EPD (GEPD) has required the Banks County Commissioners to prepare a Corrective Action Plan Part- A to investigate and/or clean up contamination at the Banks County Candler St. Jail located at 226 Candler Street, Homer, GA. This plan will be submitted to the GEPD on or before May 15, 2008. If you want to examine a copy of the plan, a public display copy is available for review at the Banks County Library at Hwy. 51, Homer, GA, or if you contact Banks County Commissioners Office at (706) 677-6200, a copy will be mailed at a nominal fee. Comments to the plan will be accepted until June 30, 2008 and should be directed to the GEPD at (404) 362 2687. Mailing address: GEPD USTMP, 4244 International Parkway, Suite 104, Atlanta, GA 30354. Any questions for Banks County Commissioners should be directed to Environmental Monitoring LLC, in care of J. Britt Myers at (706) 376-5000. 321 Pottery Factory Drive, Commerce ~ across from OUTBACK STEAK House
