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PAGE 12A — THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL THURSDAY. JULY 16, 2009
Rotary Club
GBI agent speaks
about true-to-life
crime solving
By Ellen Cowne
Correspondent
The television program CSI is hardly realistic said Jeff Rosier to the
Rotary Club on Friday.
Rosier is a GBI agent himself and has to deal with the reality of crime
every day. In the television world, crimes are regularly investigated by
the CSI, and they arrive on a crime scene where evidence is untainted.
But in real life. Rosier says, only a few people can request a GBI inves
tigation and, when they get there, it seems like everybody has already
been there and tainted the site.
Only the sheriff, the chief of police, the mayor and the governor can
request a GBI investigation. And the crime scene will have already had
at it folks like the victim, the person who found the victim, the first
responder, the person who caused the crime and many others.
Often 11 or 12 people have been at the crime scene and contaminated
it before the GBI gets there. It’s hard to tell which evidence was caused
by the crime and what was brought onto the scene by all those people.
Then the investigators begin to ask questions such as if the lights were
on or off. Such questions might seem irrelevant; however, just such
information might help the investigators decide at what time the crime
was committed.
Their intent is to try to replicate the crime scene with answers to these
questions, video and photographs. Sometimes they have to put them
selves mentally in the place of the bad guys to try to ascertain how these
guys have been thinking. Sometimes even the culprit might be the one
who called 911, and it helps to be thinking like he thought.
The investigators often have to keep some information away from
the media in order to ascertain what reports they get are the real thing
and what information was heard on the radio or television. Of course,
evidence like fingerprints, shoe prints, hair and fibers are evidence
important to an investigation.
But it’s not like on television. On CSI, the blood analysis goes into the
computer and a picture pops up with the culprit's identity. Realistically,
however, the blood analysis can take from one to two weeks to get in
and there isn’t a nice picture. Now, especially with reduced employ
ment at the labs, crime labs are really backed up and even more time
is required.
Basically, since the GBI is located in Clarke and covers 11 surround
ing counties, it doesn’t have time to make the idealistic moves seen on
television. It is too busy for this; it has crimes to solve.
Public service announcement
JEMC warns about
new phone scam
Jackson Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) is cautioning
members to be aware of a new phone scam that’s tricked some
Georgia utility consumers into compromising their credit card num
bers in an effort to keep their power on.
Though Jackson EMC customers so far appear unaffected, some
Georgia utility customers are reporting fraudulent phone calls from
persons claiming to be a utility employee and demanding credit card
information to prevent immediate disconnection. In a few instances,
customers have provided the perpetrator with credit card information
that was then used to fraudulently wire money to Alabama.
Though Jackson EMC has yet to receive reports of any similar calls
placed to members, employees were recently advised to remain alert
to suspicious activity and report any similar customer complaints or
inquiries to their supervisors.
“Our members should be aware that Jackson EMC employees
never call customers to ask for a credit card number or make any
similar demand of payment,” said Brent Cochran, Jackson EMC's
director of customer service.
If a Jackson EMC member is past-due and scheduled for discon
nect, they receive a pre-printed notice, and an automated phone call
with a pre-recorded message informing the customer that they are
scheduled for disconnect. The call instructs members to contact their
local office to make payment arrangements.
Cochran said that if a member calls to inquire about or report a sus
picious activity regarding their account, a “fraud alert” can be placed
on their account to help protect them in the future,
“If anyone has a question or concern about their account, or some
thing they’re hearing from someone claiming to represent Jackson
EMC, the best thing they can do it is just contact their local Jackson
EMC office directly for assistance,” Cochran said.
To contact a local Jackson EMC office, visit: www.jacksonemc.
com/contact.
LANDSCAPING & HORSE ARENAS
• RIVER SAND
• TOP SOIL
• RIVER ROCK
• WHITE SAND
• FILL DIRT
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Danielsville, GA • www.williamstransportco.com
Highway 106 to Jot-em Down Rd. to Young Harris Road to Serenity Lane
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Royalty appears at the parade
The Madison/Elbert Forestry Queens participated in the Colbert Fourth of July parade. Pictured (back row, L-R) are
Kourtney McCreary, Miss Forestry Queen; Abby Bagwell, Teen Miss Queen; Cameron Tittle, Miss Hospitality Queen;
Lydia Todd, Little Miss Queen; (front row) Zoe Saavedra, Tiny Miss Queen; and Makena Ginn, Teeny Miss Queen. The
Forestry Queens are sponsored by the Pilot Club of Madison County.
Table Talk
War-torn Table Talk
Farmers’ market succumbs to ‘military’ action
By Susan Casey-Voytik
Correspondent
Last Saturday’s Comer
Farmers' Market began
with a shockwave of action
as vendors scrambled to
ready their battle stations. A
combined effort ensued in a
military manner to fortify the
front lines for the day’s sales.
Determined vendors took no
prisoners in their objective to
satisfy all customers. Table-
talk hinged on improving
the CFM experience while
patrons navigated the tables
admiring and acquiring the
impressive selection du jour.
Marching through the
ranks of depleting supplies,
market-goers found new
produce such as Roma and
Amish tomatoes as well as
sold-out butter beans and
pink-eye purple-hull peas.
Other fresh sell-outs were
okra, pole beans, Juliet toma
toes, eggplant, blueberries,
zucchini and lemon verbena
and foxglove transplants.
New prepared items were
Georgia peach preserves,
sweet corn salsa, Southern
Charm Farm's signature
BBQ sauces, banana crunch
cake and new varieties of
goat's milk soaps. Sell-outs
included blackberry jam.
traditional BBQ sauce, red
velvet cake, lemon-blueberry
walnut loaf cake, apple pies
and sourdough rounds.
The CFM salutes new
vender David Scogin,
Colbert resident, local “bug-
man,” and weekend war
rior from the family garden
homefront. Welcome, David,
and do come again!
Creative demonstrations
spiked art sales calling in
reinforcements from the
Pysanky surplus. Christian
accessories suffered a casu
alty in Bible bookmarks
while Barbara Bendzuna’s
bargain-basement pottery
was reduced to rubble.
Barbara recruited several
trainees for her pottery class
brigade. Gung-ho enthusiasts
may contact claylady46@
gmail.com for details of
basic training.
Most missed was comb
honey. Most popular was
the CFM basket raffle.
Best-kept secret is the
end-of-day trading among
vendors as they divide the
spoils of war.
Yes, the CFM raffle was
an allied victory for both
vendor and recipient. Zoe
Woods, attending the CFM
on her fifth birthday, drew
the winning ticket. A delight
ed Melanie Sigler made
off with the “flotsam and
jetsam”. Congratulations.
Melanie — bask in your
glory!
FARMER’S FEEDBACK:
To bee, or not to bee...
beautiful Beehaven products
are complimented by their
lovely creator and care
taker, Kathryn Miller. This
beekeeping Danielsville
resident has been in cahoots
with bees for two years run
ning. Kathryn exclaims, “No
cows, no pigs, no chickens,
no goats but all the bees
you want — I love beekeep
ing!” This is evident in her
carefully crafted beeswax
creations.
The special properties
of beeswax extend the life
of her candles, deliciously
soften lips and heal over
worked hands. Their superior
quality and affordable price
are a winning combination
for repeat business.
In the vanguard of her
efforts, she stands side-by-
side with Dan Harris of
Booger Hill Bee Company.
Though sometimes they dou
ble-team the western front of
the State Botanical Gardens,
their dedicated claim to fame
is the CFM. Thank you! Your
loyalty is greatly appreciated.
Are you dodging friendly
fire from supermarket
chains? Running for cover
from aggressive sales tactics
and maneuvers? Come join
the resistance at the Comer
Farmers’ Market and catch
homegrown goodness at
point-blank range. See you
there!
Susan Casey-Voytik pro
vides the news for the Comer
Farmers ’ Market.
Call 245-2695
24 Hour Obituary News
Compliments of
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47 Franklin Springs St.
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963 Hwy. 98 East
Danielsville, GA 30630
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4355 Lexington Road
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Athens, GA 30605
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(706)546-1587
(706) 549-3342 (706) 743-5030
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Your Satisfaction is Our Goal!
Mar-Co
Construction Inc.
(706) 713-6142 • Fax (706) 549-6594
mktatum @ bellsouth.net
Fire, Water, and Wind Damage & Remodeling
MARK TATUM • Licensed General Contractors
H • H
Concrete Construction
Residential and Commercial
Serving Madison County
for 66 years
Specializing in all concrete needs:
• Decorative Stamp
• Stain
• Repairs
• All Flatwork and driveways
706-795-5388 • 706-296-0464
Frank Hall
Rev. Jeff Seymour
was called 6/7/09 as Pastor of
Sandy Creek
Baptist Church
160 Bob Holman Road
Athens, GA 30607
706-353-8633
706-224-8494 (Cell)
Sunday School - 9:30 a.m.
Sunday Services - 11:00 a.m. & 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday Service - 7:00 p.m.
EVERYONE IS INVITED TO JOIN
US IN WORSHIP & PRAISE
Directions: Exit off Commerce Road, 441 North, as if going to
Sandy Creek Park, Church on immediate right.