Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 20, JANUARY 5, 2009, THE ISLANDER
’08 not as good as ‘06
and 07; things have
got to get better in ‘09
No time is as slow in the newspa
per business as the two week stretch
between just-before-Christmas and
just-after-New Year’s.
It’s a couple of things I think.
It’s the only time of year when two
major holidays are just a week apart.
And Christmas is the biggest fam
ily holiday, which spills over onto New
Years, so a lot of folks are home for the
holidays and no one is out there mak
ing much news.
Not local news anyway.
Lack of news means lack of things
to write editorials about, which may be
part of my lack of inspiration for edito-
Matthew J. Permar
Publisher
rial topics the last few issues.
As I struggled for a topic for the first
Back Talk of the year, I looked back at
columns I wrote for the first issues of
2006, 2007 and 2008 for inspiration.
In 20061 wrote about what I thought
would be some of the big, local stories
for the upcoming year.
Some of them are still timely and
coming to fruition, like the Golden
Isles Career Academy (GICA) and the
Joint Water and Sewer Commission
(JWSC).
In January of 2007 I reviewed a
laundry list of the many things, most
good, that happened in Glynn in 2006.
And then last year I deviated com
pletely and wrote about a TV documen
tary that exposed the myriad problems
in America’s southern border states
caused by our failed immigration poli
cies.
I think I'll take my inspiration from
2006 and talk about what I think the
big ticket news items will be for the
upcoming year.
The best Christmas present... eveeerrl
St. Simons resident Lea King is completely surprised as her boyfriend Bud
Badyna gives her an engagement ring on Christmas Eve. The proposal
took place near the Mallery ball fields during the Glynn County Fire
Department's Annual St. Simons Island Santa Parade.
Photo by Joe Connolly
After just 10 years, 8 months and 20
days, St. Simons Island resident Lea
King got the best Christmas present
she's ever received - an engagement
ring from her boyfriend Timothy 'Bud'
Badyna, a former Glynn County para
medic.
Badyna, who stills has friends in
the county fire department, arranged
for Santa Claus, who rides around St.
Simons Island every Christmas Eve, to
give him a 'gift' - the ring - which he in
turn gave to Lea with a marriage pro
posal, to which she said "YES!"
Badyna, also known as 'Backwards
Bud', had also arranged for their friends
to be there for the big moment.
Badyna earned the named 'Back
wards Bud' for his proclivity and ability
to run backwards. Don't laugh. At one
time Bud held five Guinness Book of
World Records titles, one of which he
still holds, for running backwards.
He has held the record for running
backwards in the 5K, 10K, 200 meter
sprint, and twice in the 26.2 mile mara
thon. He still holds the 5K record.
Lea, who is now the Marketing
Officer for Southeastern Bank is well
known to locals from the many years
she spent as Public Affairs Coordina
tor for the Coastal Resources Division
of the Dept, of Natural Resources in
Brims wick.
Lea is probably best known for coor
dinating the DNR's hugely popular
CoastFest event.
The Islander says congratulations to
Lea and Bud and wishes them a bright
and happy future together. □
EDITORIAL
Big stories locally will certainly
be the completion and opening of the
GICA and the JWSC completing their
list of 'benchmarks.'
When the GICA opens its doors, it
will also open career paths to students
who may not otherwise be interested in
traditional college.
And once the JWSC benchmarks
are complete, ownership of the city
and county water and sewer systems
will be turned over to the entity. The
systems are currently being operated
by the JWSC under lease agreements
with the two governments.
But, what is certain to be the biggest
story, especially in the first six months
of 2009, will be the controversial down
town, Glynn Comity Detention Center
expansion - an issue over which legal
battle lines have been drawn and in
which many people have taken sides.
Of course, right now everyone is still
waiting on the Georgia Supreme Court
to decide if they will hear the eminent
domain case - a story in itself.
And if they do hear it, we'll wait a
while longer for their ruling.
In addition to the state Supreme
Court aspect of this story, three new
county commissioners will be swom-in
this week and two of them have stated
they are opposed to expanding the jail
Turn to Page 7 - Back Talk
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