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THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL. THURSDAY. MARCH 19. 2009 — PAGE 3A Opinions Talking about traffic laws and public safety Over the past couple of months there have been several questions that have come to my attention. One that is asked the most is the Move Over Law of Georgia. The Move Over Law is designed to protect emergency and tow ing vehicles along with highway maintenance vehicle operators from getting injured or killed while on the roadway. This law states that the driver of a vehicle shall use due cau tion in the absence of the direc tion of a law enforcement officer when approaching an emergency vehicle displaying yellow, amber, white, red or blue flashing lights. Due caution can be demonstrated by the following actions. Make a lane change into a lane not adjacent to the authorized vehicle if possible in the existing safety and traffic conditions. If a lane change is impossible, prohibited by law, or unsafe, the driver should reduce the speed of the vehicle to a reasonable speed for the road and traffic condi tions. The speed shall be less than the posted speed limit so that the From the Sheriff’s Desk By Kip Thomas driver will be prepared to stop if needed. The law is there to protect and save the lives of our law enforce ment officers and others that have to work on the roadway. They are there to do a service for the people of this county and state. I have personally seen people hit on the roadway and have had a friend struck and killed while directing traffic. This is a situation that no one wants to find themselves in so I ask that you be careful and be cautious when approaching emergency vehicles. We all want our public safety and road mainte nance workers to go home when their job is done. Another issue of concern that has been brought to my attention is the use of seatbelts. Here are a few statistics for you: 63 percent of people killed in accidents are not wearing their seatbelts. Males between the age of 16-25 are the least likely to buckle up and are the highest risk drivers. This age group has more drunk driving, speeding, and the most amount of accidents of any age group. If 90 percent of Americans would buckle up, we will pre vent more than 5,500 deaths and 132,000 injuries annually. The cost for these unbuckled drivers and passengers goes beyond those killed and the loss to their families. On average the hospital care for an unbuckled driver costs 50 percent more than one that is buckled. You and I bear 85 percent of that cost, not the individual involved. This figure averages out to about $580 a year for every American. If you are in a car or SUV and are in the front seat, you are supposed to wear your seat belt. Children, no matter where they are seated, should be in a seat belt. If the child is under 6 years of age, they are to be in a properly installed child restraint. A rear facing child seat should not be in front of an airbag because of the injury that could occur if the airbag goes off. Pickup trucks are an exception to this law if you are over 18. If you are in a pickup truck and are under 18 years of age, you are required by the law to wear your seat belt. There are other exceptions to this law for certain vehicles and if you would like to know all of them just call my office and we would be more than happy to explain them to you. You may think that seat belts are uncomfortable or you just don’t like them, but they are proven to save lives. If you have any questions that you would like answered or just clarified, feel free to give me a call. Anything I can do to help, I will. Kip C. nomas is sheriff of Madison County. All extremism is detrimental to society Dear Editor: Responding to March 12’s “Frankly Speaking,’’ I must ask, “Where in the world is the middle ground in this country?" The radi cal left is no more damaging and useless than the radical right is. All extremism is detrimental to soci ety. My next question is, “How did we get to this place of entrenched us-against-them mentality?" One possible source: look at how this country has raised our chil dren for the past seven decades or so. There has been an increasing emphasis on pure rivalry. The adults guide the kids in sports and school spirit and all kinds of competitive endeavors. Children get the notion early on that the world is supposed to be adversarial and that “winning” is mostly what matters. That means “beating” someone else. Take “beat ing" literally and it’s quite a negative connotation. Rah, rah! We're the best! We’re going to kill 'em! From T-ball to professional sports, the emphasis is incredibly huge. This carries over to the business world when the kids become adults. The notion of “win ning" has morphed into unprec edented greed in America with no concern whatsoever for those who take a “beating.” They don’t matter; they “lost!” The converse of this is best rep resented by scouting programs (and very little else), but scouting is hardly elevated to the stratospheric level of sports or other competitive endeavors. Children take notice of such things. People coming together to expend time, energy and money to accomplish useful and permanent projects is presented as minor duty or charity. Think what could be accomplished if all that time, energy and money were diverted to involv ing kids in many of the pressing needs of our society. It might not be quite as much fun, but adults would be establishing a far better value system that would benefit our future society. Sincerely, Virginia Moss Hull Misplaced faith always has devastating consequences Dear Editor: A secular economist I read, wrote this week; "I can't tell you the exact moment I lost faith in the system, but I decided to equip myself with the tools necessary to survive whatever politics and history throw at me next." That sounds exactly like something King Ahaz could have said 1,300 years ago, when times got tough and Ahaz turned from God and initi ated an alliance with Assyria instead. Ahaz insisted on main taining his faith in political alliances instead of standing firm in God’s revealed truth to him through prophet Isaiah. (2 Kings 16:7-8, Isaiah 7:3). The economist uses the word “faith" so casually. He has faith, but it is misplaced. He Dear Editor: The Madison County Soccer Boosters wish to thank everyone looks for something to put his faith in. For him, it is "the system." For Ahaz, it was other nations. Misplaced faith always has devastating consequences. What is behind misplaced faith? Fear. The economist guy is fearful of the things coming on the earth. So he has decided to rely upon his own self and sell survival kits, switching his misplaced faith from “the sys tem" to kits. Fear is a powerful emotion. It blinds us. It shifts our focus. It chips away at our faith. It stops us from acting on God's revealed truth. It paralyzed Ahaz. Even when God Himself offered to give Ahaz a sign, Ahaz still refused! We all fear. Acting on God's revealed truth is scary. Even soldiers who win bravery event and by buying tickets for the supper. We would also like to thank medals from terrible battles are fearful of action. Winston Churchill said, “Why, you take the most gallant sailor, the most intrepid airman, the most auda cious soldier, put them together at a table, and what do you get? The sum of their fears." Yet they act. We Christians are soldiers. We go into battle every day with unseen forces. When we act on God's revealed truth we strike a devastating blow to the enemy. If we were to take the most gallant teacher, the most intrepid missionary, the most audacious preacher, and put them together at a table, what would we get? The sum of their fears. Ahaz was paralyzed by his fears to the point of (mis)plac- ing faith in his wrong action. Pantry, Ila Restaurant, Kroger, the Marketplace, Merchants and Farmers Bank and Pizza and Sub with devastating consequences. Faith is not in "the system.” Faith is not in survival kits. Faith is not in political allianc es. Whether times are good or bad, God still reveals truth to us and urges us to act. Admittedly, in today’s times of distress, it is harder to act, to step out in faith. We can have a healthy respect for our fears, but I call upon my brothers and sisters to look through them to the one true God. He is the One whom we can and must properly place our faith. Isaiah said to Ahaz, “If you do not stand firm in your faith, then you will not stand at all." (Is 7:9b). When the Lord returns, let Him find us standing. Sincerely, Elizabeth Prata Comer THE STARTER & ALTERNATOR SHOP • Starter • Alternator • Generator Repair WAYNE, Owner j&g ^ 245-0055 Batteries 1 109 Bowersville St. $28 Royston, GA 30662 HOURS: 8-5:30 M, T, TH, F 8-12 Wed. • 8-11 Sat. Appreciates support of soccer program Jackson EMC thanks county employees for help in power restoration process Dear Editor: (The following letter was sent to County Chairman Anthony Dove.) Jackson EMC would like to take this opportunity to commend the employees of Madison County for their availability and help during last week’s snowstorm restoration process. It has been brought to my attention that the cooperation our crews received from the sher iff’s department and road department was outstanding and very much appreciated. Whether it was holding up traffic or clearing trees from the road, their efforts made access to work sites requiring power restoration more manageable. We at Jackson EMC appreciate the thoughtfulness and care that your employees presented during this stressful time of work progress. Sincerely, Kenneth Beck Jackson EMC District Manager Thanks for restoring roof free of charge Dear Editor: I would like to take this opportunity to thank Wayne Pierre of St. Pierre Roofing, Danielsville, for restoring the roof on my doublewide mobile home in Ila following the snowstorm, free of charge. I am so thankful, grateful and amazed and overwhelmed for the long hours, hard work and all the materials that were used on this doublewide. Words cannot begin to express my appreciation for the job that was done. Thanks also to David Dean, Mr. Pierre’s helper. Your kindness and generosity will never be forgotten. Sincerely, Agnes Bennett Ila Madisonjournal TODAY.com FISH DAY • 4-6” Catfish $39.00 per 100 • 6-8” Catfish $59.00 per 100 • 8-11” Catfish $95.00 per 100 To purchase 8-11” catfish, you must bring your own container and water (Too big to bag). Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Hybrid Blue Gill, Red Ear Sun Perch, Minnows, Grass Carp Thursday, April 2 • 2:30 p.m. ■ 3:30 p.m. Southern States • Winder, GA 770-867-3144 Thursday, April 2 • 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Maddox Feed *1315 Winder Hwy., Jefferson, GA 706-367-9207 Friday, March 27 • 11:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m. Southern Outdoors • 20519 Hwy. 441 l\l., Commerce, GA 706-336-8875 No Pre-Orders Necessary! Just show up! Tommy's Fish Truck • 501-796-6349 • www.tommysfishtruck.net $5°°0FF Ticket Oi s 2(f° Or More. Valid with coupon Mon.-Thurs. only. La Hacienda Commerce La Hacienda Braselton 173 Steven B. Tanger Blvd. 5391 Highway 53 706-335-7458 706-654-0070 I^T/ie Original Mexican Restaurant! Not affiliated with any other restaurant j who participated in the recent successful spaghetti supper fund raiser for the Madison County High School soccer teams. We thank all who participated by making donations, working the our sponsors: Blazers, Bill’s Barbeque, Biscuit Express, Bread Basket, Chicken Express, First Franklin Financial, First Madison Bank and Trust, Flowers Bakery, Fox’s Pizza Den, Golden Express. There support was criti cal to the success of this event. Sincerely, Laurie D. Webster Donations Coordinator, Madison Co. Soccer Boosters PREGNANT? WORRIED? We Can Help! FREE PREGNANCYTEST Strictly Confidential 795-5012 -NEW HOURS - Mondays 9-2:30 p.m. Tuesdays 10-4:30 Wednesdays 10-4:30 Thursdays 9-2:30 p.m. 245 General Daniel Ave. (next door to Danielsville Methodist Church) • • M MADISON CO U U T Y ffknjlvUlffp C ElN T B R % & Madison County Board of Commissioners NOTICE ROAD CLOSING The Road Department will supervise the closing of Booger Hill Road at The Plantation Pipeline crossing area. This work on the pipeline will take place from March 19, 2009 until the work is done. The work may take 7 days. Any questions, please call: 706-795-6260 or 706-795-6300. Charles Temple Madison County Road Department Freshstart Tobacco Cessation Freshstart Tobacco Cessation is a four-session American Cancer Society program designed to help you stop using tobacco products for good. April 6, 13, 20 and 27; 6-7p.m. Jefferson Medical Center $30 deposit required; refunded if all four sessions are attended or donated to ACS. Call Athens Regional Health Education at 706-475-5620 for more information and to register. Athens Regional MEDICAL CENTER i*£jH*- CAfff- For more information, call 706-475-5620. www.armc.org