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PAGE 4A — THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL THURSDAY. OCTOBER 22, 2009
Opinions
Frankly
Speaking
frankgillispie671@msn.com
By Frank Gillispie
Important that we
have underground
communications
Remember CB radio? That became the method
of choice for personal communication a couple of
decades ago. If you wanted to talk to your buddy,
whereever he might be, you just pick up your
microphone and call for him. It was an interesting
thing, people wanted to talk to the world, but they
did not necessarily want the world to know who
was talking. So everybody had a “handle,” an on-
the-air name and identity they used to hide their hue
selves behind. Revealing your "handle” to someone
was an act of trust and friendship.
Well, that desire to express your opinion is still
with us. And the desire to avoid criticism by hid
ing behind a "cyber name” is as strong as ever.
But now we use the Internet as the way to spread
our messages. There are two common ways of
doing this. Most news and opinion web sites have
a “comments” feature where readers can respond
to news and opinion immediately after the article.
Even The Madison County Journal’s electronic
edition has this feature. It can be entertaining and
informative to read some of the comments that fol
low my articles.
The other way this underground communication
system works is based on one word at the top of
your e-mail account. With one click on the word
"forward” you can send any e-mail message you
receive on to friends and acquaintances. If you have
a list of e-mail contacts, you just click "forward all”
and every one on your list will receive the com
munication.
Now, all of my regular readers know that I often
speak my mind on various topics. Some of my read
ers will copy a column they found to be of interest
on to their e-mail and send it out to Mends they feel
will also find it of interest. If they do, they are likely
to "forward” it to their mail list, and those may send
it along. Occasionally, I will hit a nerve with one
group or another and the column gets wide distri-
bution in this manner. As a result, I sometimes get
responses from strange places. Even a few Yankees
have responded to my efforts.
I also often receive such e-mail telling me of
nefarious plans by this government agency, or that
politician. Some of them are actually true. Many are
rumors that someone started. I am sure that those of
you with e-mail accounts get a lot of those as well.
I have a policy of not "forwarding” these e-mails.
I read them, then I do my best to check their sourc
es, if they list any, and if there is something there
that I think deserves comment, then I will make it a
part of a column or include it in a "comments” page
that I am establishing on my web domain.
With the effort by big government to control
everything in our lives, including the press, (the cur
rent attacks on the Fox News Cable is an example,)
it is important that we have an underground com
munications system such as these. Just keep in mind
that you should not believe everything you read, not
even my writings, without checking the information
for yourself.
If you find something I have written to be of value
and want to send it along to your Mends, please feel
free to do so. I enjoy the responses.
Frank Gillispie is founder of The Madison
Countv Journal. His e-mail address is frank@
frankgillispie.com. His website can be accessed
at http://www.frankginispie.com/giUispieonline.
The politics of trash
The politics of landfills will always
be fierce, but that doesn’t eliminate
the need for landfills. We all make
trash. We just like to watch the truck
take it away and forget about it.
But that truck has to go somewhere.
That debris is going to end up near
somebody.
The first picture I ever took for this
newspaper was in 1998 of officials
looking at Adams Clarke Road in
Madison County as one of the many
sites considered for a regional land
fill. Little did I know then, that I’d five
right near that site. In retrospect, I’m
glad it didn’t happen. I wouldn’t want
a dump near me. Who would?
The regional landfill plans hit the
trash can a decade ago because none
of the 10 counties involved in the
planning was willing to draw the
short straw. If you get to ship your
trash to your neighbor, then great. If
your neighbor gets to truck his trash
to you, well, Febreze won’t cover that
stinker of a deal.
As I drove back from my parents’
house in Macon this past weekend, I
passed many "stop-the-landfill” signs
as I neared the town of Madison. A
municipal landfill is being proposed
on Indian Creek Road in Morgan
County.
Then, I learned Monday that a
public hearing was scheduled for
that afternoon in Elbert County for a
separate matter, a “biomass facility,”
In the
Meantime
zach@
mainstreet
news.com
By Zach Mitcham
where solid waste would be burnt by
an incinerator, with steam running
through a turbine generator to create
elecMcity.
The proposed Elbert County
250-acre site is located off an unpaved
road at the "Broad River Stone” sign
three miles from the Madison County
line and the Broad River bridge. I
headed to Elberton to attend the hear
ing. And the Elbert County commis
sioners’ room was packed for the
30-minute meeting. The session was
a "needs assessment” meeting, where
the BOC received comments from
the public on what is needed in Elbert
County. People wanted answers. But
I’d say everyone probably left with
more questions than answers. Will
Elbert County approve a massive
incinerator to bum trash? Would such
a facility be an efficient way to dis
pose of area trash or would it create
harmful pollutants that outweigh any
positive impact it might have? What
about all the trash traffic on Hwy.
72?
I’m not enthused about the idea of
burning massive amounts of trash.
I can’t help but think in simplis
tic terms, recognizing that I’d rather
stand next to a trash pile for a long
time than be exposed to particles
from a burning pile for a short time.
I can’t help but recall the nauseating
smell of burning plastic.
I would be horribly upset about
any such facility locating near me,
no matter how many assurances I
received from officials about its safe
ty. Government environmental agen
cies often rely on major indusMes to
police themselves. But I don’t have
much trust in that. Plus, polluters
have a natural protection against any
claim of sickness. If you think indus-
Mal runoff or air toxins made you
sick, well, try proving it in court. The
burden of proof is on you. And that
can be difficult, given all the possible
genetic, lifestyle and other environ
mental factors that could be intro
duced as cause for sickness. Apart
from the effect on people, I also won
der how a massive “biomass facility”
might impact the nearby Broad River.
That’s a pretty huge matter, too.
All that said, I don’t feel the Elbert
County commissioners are villainous
in considering a new trash proposal.
The fact is, trash has to go somewhere.
But where? If northeast Georgia can’t
agree on a regional landfill site, then
each county must address its needs
on its own. I couldn’t get on board for
an incinerator, particularly one near a
pristine river, but I can hardly blame
Elbert County commissioners for
thinking long-term on an inevitable
need. It’s much easier for leaders to
pass the volatile trash disposal issues
on to the next set of leaders. Talking
trash is never a political winner.
Both Morgan County and Elbert
County are among the 10 north
east Georgia counties that worked
a decade ago to establish a regional
landfill. And now, without a regional
landfill in place, both are looking to
address solid waste needs on their
own.
So what will Madison County do
in the long haul with its trash? Right
now, Madison County transports its
trash to a landfill near Homer.
But county solid waste director
Sandra Webb, who serves as a county
regional solid waste representative,
has repeatedly said that counties in
this area need to put their heads
together and address long-term trash
needs.
Of course, no one wants to think
of trash. It’s the ultimate out-of-sight,
out-of-mind issue. Watch the truck
pick it up and it magically disap
pears.
If only it was that simple.
Zach Mitcham is editor of The
Madison County Journal.
Letters to the Editor
Victim’s family expresses disappointment in ‘not guilty’ verdict
Dear Editor:
An open letter to the members
of the jury and defense attorney
regarding the Christian Oliverio
trial:
He was found "not guilty” even
with the overwhelming evidence
against him. What a travesty of
justice! You chose to ignore the
evidence. He was DUI, he failed to
yield the right of way, two others
were hurt and a young mother lost
her life!
You seemed concerned with
Oliverio having to live with this the
rest of his life. What about HER
family. We have lost a daughter
and sister. More importantly, what
about the 3-year-old who will never
know her mother? Did you con
sider any of this in your verdict?
It seems by your verdict that
drinking and driving is acceptable
in our society. How depraved we
have become that we cannot con
vict the guilty!
We hope and pray that you are
not the next one to meet him on the
highway.
We are disappointed in you-the
jury. Justice was not served. We
struggle to make sense of the ver
dict. Would any of you care to
explain it to us? Would you tell this
beautiful little girl why she has no
mommy?
Sincerely,
Vicki Shenk
and the family of Summer Faith
Shenk
Get on board with the Little League
Dear Editor:
It is that time again when the
Madison County Little League will
hold its annual general member
ship meeting. It is at this meeting
that a new Board of Directors will
be voted in for the 2010 season.
Madison County Little League
is a 501(C)(3 Corporation under
the charter of Little League
International. Every person that is
associated with Madison County
Little League is a volunteer We
are looking for volunteers to be on
the Board of Directors for 2010 as
well as general members that are
willing to volunteer their time to
help our Little League program
so that we can give every child in
Madison County the opportunity
to play Little League baseball and
softball. The general membership
is comprised of all the parents,
coaches, volunteer umpires and any
other citizen of Madison County
that would like to volunteer. The
new Board of Directors for 2010
will then be voted in by the general
membership at this meeting.
It takes a lot of money, time and
energy to run our Little League
program every year. It costs on an
average of $125 per child to play
baseball and softball each year.
Currently we are charging only
$65 per child to play. Therefore,
we as a league must raise the addi
tional $60 per child through fund
raisers and sponsorships. Fund
raisers take the participation of
every player, parent, and coach in
order to make this happen and we
need all the help and participation
we can get. Without everyone’s
participation with our fund-raisers,
we would have to raise our regis
tration fees each year.
I would also like to thank all
of our local business in Madison
County as well as business in sur
rounding counties that have sup
ported our program through spon
sorships last year and in years.
Your support is greatly appreci
ated. If you are interested in being
a general member, a member of
the Board of Directors or are just
curious about how Little League
works, I invite you to come to our
annual meeting. The meeting will
be on Thursday, Oct. 29, at 7 p.m.
at the courthouse in Danielsville
in the commissioner’s meeting
room. If you need more informa
tion or have any questions about
our league and what is involved,
please call me at 706-206-2153. I
look forward to seeing you at our
meeting.
Sincerely,
Chuck Branson
President of MCLL
E-mail — cbranson@collin-
scpa.com
Website — www.madisoncoun-
tylittleleague.com
The Madison
County Journal
(Merged with The Danielsville Monitor
and The Comer News, January 2006)
P.O. Box 658
Hwy. 29 South
Danielsville, Georgia 30633
Phone: 706-795-2567
Fax: 706-795-2765
Email: zach@mainstreetnews.com
ZACH MITCHAM, Editor
MARGIE RICHARDS, Reporter/Office Manager
BEN MUNRO, Reporter/Sports Editor
MIKE BUFFINGTON, Co-publisher
SCOTT BUFFINGTON, Co-publisher
FRANK GILLISPIE, Founder of The Journal.
Jere Ayers (deceased) former owner
of The Danielsville Monitor and The Comer News
Periodical postage paid at Danielsville, Georgia 30633
SUBSCRIPTION RATES:
Madison & surrounding counties $19.75/year
State of Georgia $38.85/year
Out-of-state $44.50/year
Military personnel with APO address $42.50/year
Senior rate $2 off all above rates
College student discount rate $2 off all above
rates
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:
THE MADISON COUNTY JOURNAL
P.O. Box 658, Danielsville, GA 30633
A publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
Thanks to those who helped make fair memorable
By Teresa Dove
As children, we would look for
ward to the fall of the year when the
fair came to town. It would bring the
rides and games we would enjoy;
and, oh boy, the food!
Remember the hot dogs, ham
burgers, candied apples and the cot
ton candy that we would eat until
we were stuffed! It was a place for
families to have fun.
Well, the county fair has not
changed too much since those days;
there is a lot for the family to enjoy
today.
There are still rides that thrill and
chill (though the music is different)
to our funny bones. Games that test
our skill and all manner of food to
enjoy! Yes, we still have the tradi
tional fare: hot dogs, hamburgers,
cotton candy and candied apples.
But now we have in addition to
these, such things as funnel cakes,
sausage dogs, with all the trim
mings, pizza, roasted com on the
cob, fried pies, pork rinds, roasted
and boiled peanuts (just to name a
few). In addition, all of the soda we
can drink provided it does not send
us into a caffeine frenzy.
There are also the livestock shows,
craft exhibits, and club exhibits that
show the thought and hard work put
into them during the previous year.
Yes, these are memories that we
cherish in our lifetime, especially
our children.
This year, as PR chair, I have
gotten to see these memories in the
making, catching these memories
in the pictures. I have gotten to see
friends that I have not seen in a
while, catching up with each oth
er's lives and speaking to complete
strangers for a picture. I enjoyed
hearing the screams and laughter of
children (and children at heart) on
the rides and having a good time. I
have gotten to eat my share of the
“once-a-year” fair food, enjoying
the music and laughter of those
who came to entertain us. I watched
those dedicated young people and
their parents working with their ani
mals in those livestock shows, hop
ing to get first place or better yet.
Grand Champion. I applaud these
young people for their work and
dedication. May they have contin
ued success.
The Comer Lions Club thanks
eveiyone who had taken a part
(whether a small or large one) to
make the fair a place of memories.
You may have been a parent watch
ing your child in a show, a local ven
dor, city police or EMS. You may
have helped with concessions, been
an employee of the James Gang or
entered a craft for exhibit. You may
have been one of the bands that
brought us entertainment and bright
personalities. Whatever you have
done to help make memories, we
say “thank you.”
Again, thanks for supporting the
Comer Lions Club. Enjoy the mem
ories.
Teresa Dove is public relations
chairperson for the Comer Lions
Club.
Thanks for
community support
Dear Editor:
I want to thank each and every
one for all the calls, cards, and
especially all your prayers during
my recent illness. May God richly
bless you all.
Sincerely,
Ralph House