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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 •PEA GRAVEL WILLIAMS SAND 770-967-6501 OR 706-789-3779 Danielsville, GA • www.williamstransportco.com Highway 106 to Jot-em Down Rd. to Young Harris Road to Serenity Lane We Buy All Gold & Silver ''I'M Including: Class Rings • Wedding Bands • Coins • Broken Jewelry • Dental Gold .(jaine.soiKe cT” 770-532-2592 1020 Jesse Jewell Pkwy. • Gainesville, GA Mon. - Thurs. 10-6:30 • Fri. - Sat. 10-7 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 ^Funeral f/(ome, f/nc. “Locally Owned and Operated Since 1905” 47 Franklin Springs St. RoystoryG^066^^^^^^^^(706)24^234 Tord & MADISON CHAPEL^ 963 Hwy. 98 East Danielsville, GA 30630 puberal ifbMfi! 706-795-5116 EAST: WEST: OGLETHORPE CHAPEL 4355 Lexington Road 1211 Jimmy Daniel Road 503 Main Street Athens, GA 30605 Bogart, GA 30622 Crawford, GA 30630 (706)546-1587 (706) 549-3342 (706) 743-5030 I^FAX (706) 548-7984 FAX (706) 549-3499 FAX (706) 743-3994 ^1 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.