Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 12, 2009 — PAGE 5A Opinions Concerned about Madison County’s stray animal population Dear Editor: We are writing to you with very serious concerns about our dangerously uncontrolled stray animal population right here in Madison County. As Madison County business owners and residents, we are embarrassed by the poor, out dated animal care and control standards that are compromis ing child and family safety, ani mal safety, and animal welfare daily in our community. It was recently brought to our attention that Madison County’s Animal Control is in danger of being shut down as a result of proposed govermental budget cuts. Animal Control is grossly underfunded and understaffed (many are unaware that there is only one full-time, swom-in officer for our entire county, encompassing Hull, Colbert, Comer, Danielsville, Ila, etc.). Eliminating the Madison County Animal Control pro gram would leave even more animals (particularly stray, fer- ile, diseased, injured, and even healthy, adoptable dogs, cats. puppies, and kittens) openly wandering the intersections and family yards of Madison County. Further, who will address local incidents involv ing animals? Our police officers are also spread very thin and cannot be expected to pick up the duties already assigned to animal control. Animal control must continue combating these problems if Madison County is to be considered a humane, responsible community, active ly addressing our own safety and overpopulation issues. We find ourselves as unof ficial advocates of public safe ty, regularly needing to stop dangerous "too close" vehicle wrecks involving strays from injuring passengers and dogs in front of our stores. We also see too many pets wandering with and without collars on. We have personally picked up injured and dead dogs in the road. Even more disturbing is the horrific awareness that felony dog fighting is rampant in residential areas, with little or no consequence to the people engaging in this violent illegal activity. Cats and dogs (both healthy pet quality, and ferile, rabid, sick) wander often into private backyards, attacking livestock and family pets who are properly cared for and are simply playing in their own yards. Child safety is dangerously compromised each time an unfamiliar animal — whether someone else’s pet, or a wild animal — runs onto public or private property. Because of the unique position we are in to witness these problems rou tinely, we are writing to appeal to the entire Madison County community to help us create positive changes to keep our animals, adults, and children safe. We invite Madison County residents to exercise renewed vigilance in keeping pets safely contained on owner property, properly vaccinated, and legal ly tagged on the collar to show rabies compliance and owner contact information, should the pet accidentally get loose. We also invite judicial and law enforcement personnel to vig orously support pet leash and rabies tag enforcement. Please join us in signing the animal action petition, advocating for greater enforcement power for animal control to imple ment laws and consequences for those unabiding citizens who continue to put their own animals, our animals, and our children at great risk. We invite every Madison County resi dent who cares about animal and child safety to stop by our storefronts during regular busi ness hours to sign the peti tion in favor of positive change. After all, these laws are already in place ...we are simply urging our community to uphold them, both on the private citizen and public servant levels. Sincerely, Samantha Willard, owner of The Dog House, Too Grooming, 19 North Main Street, Ila; and Jennifer Abeles, Faeryland Emporium Gifts & Jewelry, 5300 Commerce Street, Ila Hats off to volunteer fire depts Dear Editor: It can be so devastating to come home and find your house burned. How would we respond to our family, friends, neighbors? Think on this for just a moment. I would say as a friend of Howard and Cody Goss, this was so horrible, yet there were volunteer firemen from Danielsville, Colbert, Comer, 40 or more firemen working hard to keep the fire contained. They were so glad to see Howard; they thought he might have been in the house. Their concern and hugs were worth more than words could ever say. They were continually watching where it flamed up. They kept one after another checking on Howard. Family and friends had gath ered to let Howard know about their love and concern for he and Cody and the family. These firemen worked so hard, with out a thought about themselves; they had a job to do. These volunteer firemen could have been watching the Super Bowl, but their dedication for the job they do lead them to the sight to do this job. The volunteer firemen work with no pay. Just to get the sat isfaction of doing the best they can do. To help their friends, neighbors, people they don't even know. They are called out all hours of the day and night. They don’t complain; they just jump out of bed and go. As I see cut backs in fire EMTS departments in Atlanta, I feel truly blessed to be in Madison County where our volunteer firemen work hard to save lives as well as trying to put the fire out to save as much as they can because they cate about the communities and sun'ounding towns. Hats off to volunteer fire departments and EMTs. God bless you all and continue the wonderful work you do. Sincerely, Linda Collier Support the president’s stimulus plan Dear Editor: I don’t believe you can sim ply spend your way out of a recession, but we do have to spend money to create jobs and reinvigorate the economy. This letter to the editor was provided by MoveOn.org. It is based on facts and sources, not words and empty rhetoric. President Obama’s eco nomic stimulus plan is a very, very good bill. As The Nation writes, "If enacted, the eco nomic revovery plan will be one of the biggest and boldest pieces of legislation in the past forty years." Here are some facts about what the bill really does: cre ates or saves three to four mil- colder spots reported eight or nine degrees. Only a few snow flurries accompanied this cold outbreak, except in mountain areas which enjoyed a couple of inches on the 18th. We had a two-week stretch in the middle of the month that brought below average temperatures, but warm spells at the beginning and end of the month kept January from being way below nonnal. lion jobs in the next two years, averts “literally hundreds of thousands of teacher layoffs” — and doubles funding for the Department of Education, cre ates 500,000 green jobs and doubles our clean energy pro duction, immediately helps unemployed folks get afford able health insurance. Some folks are arguing that it should be bigger, and they’re probably right, but this is the best down payment on eco nomic recovery we have seen, and it needs to be passed. The stuff that’s being sin gled out for criticism amounts to a tiny faction of the bill — like anti-smoking programs that make up less than one- Jenkins Rainfall started off good for the month, but the persistent cold, dry air from Canada shut off the mois ture for most of the rest of January. Very heavy rains of four to six inches fell north of Cedartown to Toccoa during the first week, helping raise river and lake levels a little. Dry weather since then, however, has erased most of the good done. Lake Hartwell continues into ten-thousandth of the spending. They would have you believe that this is the centerpiece of the bill. It is not. This kind of nit-picking is pure politics. If it doesn’t pass, we’re in deep trouble. Even John McCain’s economic adviser estimates that without the stim ulus, unemployment would top 11 percent by 2010, the highest level since the Great Depression. Last week alone, 100,000 people lost their jobs in this country. So we need to make sure the Senate takes action quickly. Nearly 200 economists from across the political spec trum wrote to Congress, agree ing: “We do not have the luxury ..cont’dfrom 1A record low levels not seen since the lake was built in the late 50’s. Long-term, it appears our drier than average trend will continue for a while longer. A lingering La Nina (colder water) in the Pacific generally means north Georgia is on the cusp of dryness, while just 200 miles northwest of here wetter than average is forecast through the spring. If more neutral water temperatures begin to return in the of a lengthy debate over the best course of action. This leg islation may not be enough to solve all the economy’s prob lems, but it is urgently needed and an important step in the right direction.” But with so much rhetoric and demagoguery surrounding the bill, it won't pass unless we can get the real facts out to a wide audience. Call your senator in Washington, D.C., and ask him to support the economic stimu lus plan. “Those who fail to act are doomed to failure.” Sincerely, Victor Johnson Danielsville spring or early summer as fore cast, we may see more abundant rainfall return as well. Averages for January, 2009: Avg. low: 32. Avg. high: 51. Mean: 41.5 (-0.9). Lowest: 13. Highest: 70. Total rainfall: 3.65" (-1.18"). Mark Jenkins is the cooperative weather observer for Madison Count}’. He provides a monthly weather column to The Madison County Journal. MADISON COUNTY LIMITED HISTORICAL EDITION RIFLE Only $399.99, Only 25 Will Be MadeP Artwork Engraved Here Order your rifle today, www.historicalarmory.com Enter this edition code madison-ga-xtg9 Or call us toll free at 1-877-484-0179 Produced on the affordable, American-made Henry .22 LR rifle (Model #H001), the Madison County Georgia Historical Edition Rifle combines meticulous research, original artwork, and finely detailed engraving to celebrate the history of Madison County. The edition is limited to 25 rifles. Personalization and layaway available. For more information please e-mail us at info@historicalarmory.com Child passenger restraints are a must By David Larkins The other day I sat in my car waiting for my fiancee, who had gone inside the store to make a quick purchase. In the five minutes I sat there watching traffic go by, I saw three cars with small children riding unre strained and bouncing around inside. My blood began to boil. I’m sorry, but this is one of my pet peeves. In 11 years of law enforce ment. I have worked thousands of accidents. Many of these accidents resulted in people being injured or killed, and on occasion those victims were children. But not once have I worked an accident where a small child was injured or killed, who was properly restrained in a child safety seat. George code 40-8-76 requires that all children under six years of age being transported in a passenger automobile, van or pickup truck shall be in a child passenger restraining system (a.k.a. child safety seat) appropri ate for such child’s height and weight. That the child shall be restrained in the rear seat of the motor vehicle if it is equipped with a rear seat. And that the child passenger restraining system shall be installed and used in accordance with the manufacturer's directions. There are very few excep tions to this law. What does this mean? This means that until your child turns six, he must be in a child passenger restraining system, or “child safety seat." That the child must meet the height and weight requirements for that restraining system, and that it must be installed in accordance with the manufacturers directions. Would you allow your child to jump from a speeding automobile? Or ran across the road in front of oncoming traffic? Allowing your child to ride in a vehicle unrestrained can be just as deadly. Nobody knows when the next traffic accident will happen, or who will be involved. I have often heard the excuses, "my child hates car seats and won't stay in one," or "we’re only going just right up the road.” To that. I respond that the vast majority of automobile accidents occur within a few miles of home, or "just right up the road,” and that children don’t get a say in whether or not they are restrained. If your child wanted to drive, you would let him or her? No, that wouldn’t be safe, they might be killed. So why allow a small child to decide whether or not he/she rides in a “safety seat," when the stakes are just as high? There is a reason we don’t allow children to make decisions that might involve life or death. They are incapable of understanding the consequences of their actions, or of weighing risk and making an informed decision. I know that it is unpleasant to listen to a child cry because he or she is strapped in a "safety seat” when they would rather freely roam the automobile. As a parent of five children, I have had to listen to those cries many times in the past. But I would rather listen to the cries of an uncomfortable child than the wailing of parents mourning the loss of that same child. All across this country there are many thousands of parents who can no longer hear their children cry, and who wish that they had been more concerned for the safety of their children as they were "only going right up the road." David Larkins is a Madison County resident, a former lieutenant with the Madison County Sheriff's Department and current employee of the Jackson Count}' Sheriff's Department. Socialism on the rise in America Dear Editor: This country was founded on the dream of democracy for its citizens in a republic-style of government to escape the totalitarian rule of another government where the working citizens had no voice. For hundreds of years America as we call it, has flourished and become the strongest freedom loving country in the known universe. This is where hardworking people could improve their way of life, which kept our country strong and free. Let the history books of other countries show the decline — See “Skinner” on 6A Admissions Open House Monday, February 16, 2009 8:45 a.m. Reservations Required (706) 754-0400 • Fully accredited college prep program • Growing day program with morning and afternoon hus service in surrounding counties • Music, arts, drama and sports • 3 and 7-day hoarding programs • National leader in providing need-hased financial aid • Class of 2008 - 100% college acceptance Faculty and admissions representatives will be on hand to conduct tours and answer any questions. Students will be able to attend classes and tour the campus. Day program grades 6-12 Boarding program grades 7-12 www. tallulalif alls. orgf ^ Office of Admissions • (706) 754-0400 alls Sckool 7^</</rrr/ttty /00 fyt/eaMi of 0*arc/ZcHcr Tallulah Falls School is an equal opportunity institution and admits students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin.