Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 4A
THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS • THE COMMERCE NEWS
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 2016
Editor: Angela Gary
Phone: 706-410-1022
E-mail: AngieEditor@aol.com
Website: www.banksnewsTODAY.com
Opinion
“Where the press is free and every man
able to read, all is safe. ”
— Thomas Jefferson
This is not
the time
to get a DUI
It’s never a good
time for a politician
to get arrested for
driving under the
influence, but it’s
especially bad to
get pulled in by law
enforcement when
the next election is
less than six weeks
away.
But that’s the
situation Rep. Tom
Taylor (R-Dunwoody) was
facing in his campaign to
win reelection to a fourth
term in the Georgia House.
While driving through
Rabun County in northeast
Georgia recently, Taylor was
clocked going 72 mph in a
45 mph zone and pulled
over by Clayton police offi
cer Michael Bennett.
Officer Bennett noted
“an overwhelming odor of
alcohol” while talking to
Taylor and added that “Tay
lor’s face was very red and
his eyes were bloodshot.”
Taylor claimed he had had
nothing to drink, but when
he blew into a breathalyzer,
it was determined he had a
blood alcohol level of .225,
nearly triple the legal limit.
As if that wasn’t bad
enough, Taylor also had
a Glock 36, a .45 caliber
handgun, strapped to his
side and four underage
exchange students riding in
the car with him.
He was charged with
driving under the influence,
speeding, and having an
open alcohol container
in his Hyundai Santa Fe.
There were no charges
related to the firearm,
which Taylor was legally
carrying.
One of the oddest
aspects of the incident was
that Taylor got out of his
SUV as the police officer
was approaching the vehi
cle. When Bennett told
Taylor, who was wearing
his firearm, to return to
the vehicle, Taylor refused.
Only after Bennett ordered
him a second time to get
back in the SUV did Taylor
comply.
There are quite a few
jurisdictions where an
armed suspect who refuses
to obey a police order will
find himself in danger of
being either shot or thrown
flat on the ground and forc
ibly restrained. That didn’t
happen in this instance.
Tom Taylor is a very lucky
man.
There are all sorts of iro
nies here, starting with the
fact that one of the people
entrusted with writing the
laws of this state was him
self charged with breaking
those laws.
You can add to that the
irony of Taylor being arrest
ed just a few weeks after
his Republican colleagues
in the General Assembly
passed a bill that will allow
students attending public
colleges to carry firearms
on campus.
Many college
students, being
young and emo
tionally imma
ture, have a ten
dency to imbibe
large quantities
of alcoholic bev
erages. The pro
posed law passed
by the Legislature
will allow those
hard-drinking college stu
dents to carry firearms like
a Glock 36 as they walk
about their campuses.
As Taylor demonstrat
ed, mature grownups have
no business getting dmnk
when they’re carrying a
handgun, let alone kids.
Taylor is not the first leg
islator to encounter prob
lems from too much of that
demon rum. Generally
speaking, it doesn’t end
well for a politician in that
situation.
About 10 years ago, Rep.
David Graves (R-Macon),
the chairman of the House
committee that oversees
regulation of the liquor
industry, was arrested twice
in 11 months on drunken
driving charges in Cobb
County. He decided not to
run for reelection.
Rep. Kip Smith (R-Colum-
bus) was nailed by Atlan
ta police on a DUI charge
prior to the 2012 primary
elections and was subse
quently defeated by John
Pezold. Rep. Chuck Sims
(R-Ambrose) was popped
twice on DUI charges with
in a four-month period in
2013 and didn’t run again.
Taylor is not some
obscure backbencher. He
chairs the MARTA overview
committee and is a favorite
of Speaker David Ralston.
He has a fairly moderate
voting record - he was one
of the few Republicans,
oddly enough, who didn’t
vote for the campus carry
bill.
Taylor is opposed by
political activist Tom Owens
in the upcoming GOP pri
mary so the arrest comes
at a very inopportune time
for him.
Owens has raised only
$514 in campaign contribu
tions, but the DUI arrest
gives him a potent issue to
use in the campaign — he’s
already sent out a news
release denouncing Taylor
as “unfit to hold the office
of Georgia state represen
tative.”
Taylor so far says he will
stay in the race: “This was
my first run-in with the law
in my life, and it will also be
my last.” Will it also be his
last term in office?
Tom Crawford is editor
of The Georgia Report, an
internet news service at
gareport.com that reports
on state government and
politics. He can be reached
at tcrawford@gareport.
com.
Thanks for help
with fundraiser
Dear Editor:
The Homer Volunteer Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary
would like to thank all those who donated items for their
recent yard sale. We also want to thank all the people who
stopped by and made a purchase. The yard sale was a
great success and all the proceeds will go to the Homer
Volunteer Fire Department.
Sincerely,
Kim Turk
Escape to Pine Mountain
for rejuvenating getaway
Nestled among beautifully
landscaped grounds in Pine
Mountain, Georgia, is a won
derful lodge where you can
get spa treatments, relax at
the pool, enjoy fine dining
and stroll through the nearby
Callaway Gardens. The Lodge
and Spa at Callaway Gardens
is a paradise spot where visi
tors don’t even have to leave
the grounds to have a relaxing
and rejuvenating get-away.
The lodge is the perfect girlfriend
get-away destination for North Georgia
residents, as well as also being a great
place for families and couples. It’s only
a few hours drive away and it offers a
great weekend or week-long get-away.
After checking in on a recent Friday
night, we headed to the Piedmont
Grille, located adjacent to the lobby.
The Piedmont Grille offers fine dining
with the Friday night seafood buffet
being the perfect choice to kick off
your visit.
The highlight of the seafood buffet
is the amazingly succulent and tender
crab legs. We couldn’t stop eating
them, although we also managed to
try the shrimp and grits, grilled fish,
raw oysters and a few more delicacies.
The shrimp and grits were the best I’ve
ever had with scallops adding a nice
touch.
While the seafood buffet was a feast,
we managed to save room for dessert
with the offerings including bread pud
ding, strawberry shortcake
and pecan pie. It was a feast
fit for a king (or a queen, in
this case).
For a more casual eve
ning, the Ironwood Lounge
is also offered near the lobby
area. On Saturday night, we
enjoyed the local band per
forming in the lounge. It’s a
great place to hang out with
friends after your day explor
ing the area.
The grounds are perfectly land
scaped with several waterfalls adding
to the peaceful, serene atmosphere.
The outdoor fire pit was also popular
with groups and couples. You can even
order the fixings for smores and enjoy
them at the fire pit.
The spa at the lodge is an oasis of
relaxation, offering wonderfully sooth
ing services that will leave you rejuve
nated and relaxed. The staff was so
friendly and accommodating. Tami-
ka greeted us at the desk and led
us inside where the attendant, Suzy,
catered to our every need.
The hot stone massage is a great
choice to get rid of all your stress and
tension. My massage therapist, Kath
erine, was wonderful, while my friend
said that Samantha was also amazing.
We both left the spa with a peaceful
smile and feeling very tranquil.
The treatment began with a hot
towel being placed on my back and
then a soothing foot massage. It
was very relaxing and a great way to
unwind. With the soothing oils and
eucalyptus face mask, I was in bliss.
After your treatment, check out the
sauna or head to the relaxation room
where comfy lounge chairs, a fireplace
and snacks make it a wonderful spot to
end your spa day.
As for the accommodations, each of
the rooms has a private balcony over
looking the grounds. It’s a great place
for a cup of coffee in the morning or to
unwind at the end of the day and enjoy
the sunset. The rooms are spacious
and the bedding is so comfortable.
One thing that makes the proper
ty stand out is the warm hospitality
given by the staff. Every employee
you encounter offers a friendly smile
and greeting. The front desk staff, gift
shop employees, room attendants and
restaurant staff all offered top-notch
service.
While you may not want to leave
the lodge, you should plan to spend
some time checking out the nearby
Callaway Gardens, where something is
always blooming. Touring the gardens,
bicycling, boating and fishing, hiking,
golfing and a treetop adventure are
among the options.
To start planning your trip, go to
www.callawaylodgeandspa.com or
call the reservation desk at 1-706-489-
3300.
Angela Gary is an editor with Main-
Street Newspapers Inc. She can be
reached at AngieEditor@aol.com.
Earth Day is still important
People around
the country will cel
ebrate Earth Day on
Friday. This year’s
April 22 holiday
marks the 46th year
of Earth Day in the
United States and
groups throughout
the country (and
world) will be plant
ing trees, picking up
litter and teaching
youngsters about
the importance of taking care
of the Earth.
The holiday started in the
U.S. in 1970 by Senator Gaylord
Nelson, aimed to bring public
and political attention to the
environment. First established
as a teach-in day the holiday
has grown into a day of envi
ronmental service and politi
cal awareness.
Protecting the environment
was important before 1970.
This year marks the 100th year
of the National Park Service,
created to protect the National
Parks, conserve the scenery
and wildlife and “leave them
unimpaired for the enjoyment
of future generations.” The
push for environmental pro
tection and this idea of con
serving the world for future
generations was around long
before Earth Day.
But the holiday has
helped bring political
awareness to mod
ern environmen
tal needs. Climate
change, global
warming, fracking
controversies and
clean power have
all had their time
in the political spot
light over the past
few decades. The
Environmental Protection
Agency was established in
1970. Several new regulations
have been started for national
land conservation, water qual
ity nuclear waste and endan
gered species. A fuel efficiency
program was started in 2012
to increase the fuel econo
my of cars and small trucks.
The Paris Agreement, which
would bind countries to try to
reduce their impact on global
warming and climate change,
is expected to be signed this
Earth Day. The environment
has increasingly played a role
in elections and in politics.
Earth Day is no less import
ant today than it was 46 years
ago. And it’s no less important
to have laws in place that make
us reduce our harm to the
Earth. Those laws will eventu-
POLICY ON
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
The policy for letters to the editor submitted to The
Banks County News is as follows:
•An original copy of all letters must be submitted
for publication. Members of our staff will not type out
or hand-write letters for people who stop by the office
and ask them to do so.
• Letters to the editor must be signed with the
address and phone number of the person who wrote
them. The address and phone number will be for
our verification purposes only and will not be printed
unless the writer requests it.
• E-mailed letters will be accepted but we must
have a phone number and address.
• Letters that are libelous will also not be printed.
Letters may also be edited to meet space require
ments.
Anyone with questions on the policy is asked to
contact editor Angela Gary atAngieEditor@aol.com
or 706-410-1022.
ally trickle down to affect our
daily lives. They influence how
we live, the types of cars we
buy, the types of products we
use. Those effects are often
indirect, but they do change
the way we live.
It’s also important for us to
individually take actions that
help (or at least, don’t hurt)
the Earth. The environment is
important. You don’t have to
be a “hippy” or a “treehugger”
to believe that. You don’t have
to create your own compost
bin. And you don’t have to
support the EPA or necessarily
agree with the environmental
laws that have passed. But con
sidering the limitations of the
Earth and the limited resourc
es on it, humans can collec
tively do a great deal of harm.
And continuing that harm will
likely lead to problems for
future generations.
I’ve contributed my fair share
of harm to the Earth. I let the
water run when I brush my
teeth. I use plastic bags at the
grocery store instead of reus
able totes. I use cleaning prod
ucts that have more chemicals
than I can name. I harm the
Earth more than I really need
to.
It’s easy to justify that since
I’m only one person, my harm
to the Earth is limited. But if a
million other like-minded peo
ple act as I do, that can create
a problem. Most of us don’t
have the ability to individually
make a huge impact on the
Earth, but collectively we do.
As the world celebrates this
year’s Earth Day hopefully it
will bring a renewed interest in
protecting the world in small
ways. Turn the lights off when
you leave a room. Carpool
when you can. Walk when you
can. Plant a tree. (Hug a tree,
if you want.) Form easy habits
that don’t cause unnecessary
harm to the Earth so that future
generations can enjoy it for
years to come.
Alex Pace is the editor ot
The Braselton News. She can
be reached at alex@main-
streetnews.com.
The Banks County News
Founded 1968
The official legal organ
of Banks County, Ga.
142 Old Highway 441 North, Home', GA 30547
Mike Buffington
Scott Buffington
Angela Gary
Cameron Whitlock
Sharon Hogan
Anelia Chambers
Co-Publisher
Co-Publisher
Editor
Sports Editor
Reporter
Receptionist
Phones (all 706 area code):
Angela Gary Phone 706410-1022
Angela Gary Fax 706^214112
Homer Office Phone 706-612-5327
Web www.BanksNewsTODAY.com
(SCED 547160)
Published weekly by
MainStreet Newspapers, Inc,
P.O. Box908, Jefferson, Ga. 30549
Yearly subscription rate: $25
Periodicals postage paid at
Homer, Ga. 30547 (547460)
Postmaster: send address changes to:
MainStreet Newspapers, Inc., PO Box 908,
Jefferson, Georgia 305494)908
Member. Georgia Press Association
Georgia Sports Writers Association