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- Tuesday, May 21, 2013 DAWSONVILLE, GA
Archive By Section - Opinion: Letters/Columns
College dean earned a lifetime of respect
In one of my favorite Merle Haggard songs, "Okie From Muskogee," Haggard writes about the local college saying "Football's still the roughest thing on campus and the kids there still respect the college dean." Herbert Robinson was the first dean of what was then Gainesville Junior College. They didn't have football, but I am quite confident the kids truly respected the college dean.
Some things I will miss
And others I won't. As the community recently paid respects and said final farewell to beloved members Charles Finley and Dr. Herbert Robinson, many were aware of what they personally would miss with these two gone.
Strengthen the S.T.E.M.
I knew the adults were upset again. I had first seen it when I was very young living in Cuba. The Castro revolution had advanced to the Navy base perimeter and the adults were tense. Military families left Cuba shortly thereafter.
Recent trip a reminder to take nothing for granted
I have just returned from a memorable trip to Valdosta. I went there to speak to the Rotary Club. The members laughed in all the right places, which not only was memorable, but downright remarkable. What made the trip even more special were two visits I made while there. I dropped by to see my beloved college professor, Dr. Raymond Cook on his 93rd birthday. My detractors will find little comfort in this but I ...
Airport authority necessary?
One of the most contentious issues facing Dawson County has been the conversion of Elliott Field to a regional airport. All studies have concluded this is not a suitable location for such a facility and the vast majority of the areas residents are opposed to such a drastic transformation.
Officials wasteful with tax dollars
The courthouse is beautiful, right? Most agree that it is. Just like a large diamond ring, it is beautiful to see. But in these strained economic times neither is practical. In 2007 (economic boom times) the voters approved SPLOST V by a large percentage of those few who voted.
I am now certified
Would you allow an unlicensed electrician to install a bug zapper in your living room? Would you let an unlicensed plumber unclog the throne in your reading room?
Correct decisions made for government center
I saw a candidate sign that seemed to me to say that our new county courthouse was wasteful government spending and that the county could have gotten along just fine with what we had. People that used our old building or tried to keep it going know that the now gone courthouse was too small and at the end of its useful life and that it had no architectural value that warranted preservation.
The other side of what health care decision means to Georgia
Last week Rep. Amos Amerson (Republican, 9th District) wrote about the Supreme Court Decision to uphold the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, or ObamaCare as the Republicans like to call it. He called it a tax that would fall primarily on young people and the poor people who can't afford it.
Everybody is talking about …
Of course, everyone talks about the weather, although we can't control it. Records substantiate our complaints about the heat: It really hadn't been that hot on any other Independence Day - all over the country.
Plum Nelly Pitts: Higgs boson won’t fix stupid
News bulletin: Scientists working at the world's biggest atom smasher near Geneva have announced the discovery of a new subatomic particle that looks remarkably like the long-sought Higgs boson. Sometimes called the "God particle" because its existence is fundamental to the creation of the universe, the hunt for the Higgs involved thousands of scientists from all over the world.
What the Supreme Court decisions mean to Georgia
Recently the United States Supreme Court issued rulings and then ran for cover. Not all of the rulings were generally acceptable to ordinary citizens, particularly to those living in the 28 states which had opposed "The Affordable Care Act," commonly referred to as ObamaCare.
Safe boating needs a priority for Lanier
In boating vernacular, "setting a course" means to plot one's journey before raising the sails in hopes of arriving at one's destination safely. As the chairman of the board for Islands Management Company, the entity responsible for the operations of Lake Lanier Islands Resort, I feel it is high time we - as a cohesive community -proactively set our course for a safer Lake Sidney Lanier together. The recent tragedy on the lake that resulted ...
Congratulations Judge Gosselin
On behalf of the State Bar of Georgia, I am writing to congratulate Northeastern Judicial Circuit Superior Court Judge Kathlene F. Gosselin on her appointment by Chief Justice George H. Carley of the Supreme Court of Georgia to serve on the newly formed Accountability Court Funding Committee. Judge Gosselin will have the opportunity to have a positive, lasting impact on Georgia's justice system through her service on the committee, which is part of the state's ...
We don’t find lobby reform ‘silly’
Everyone seems comfortable with the relationship between lawmakers and lizard-loafered lobbyists except We the Unwashed. But, then, what do we know? Rep. Don Parsons, R-Cobb County, a seven-term member of the House, views the fuss over trying to curb unlimited lobbying expenditures as "silly." Parsons has some serious competition in the Republican primary. I would have suggested he employ a more appropriate term. Most of us don't find this matter to be silly.
Articles by Section - Opinion: Letters/Columns
Knocking down the silos
I stood on an oil rig miles off the coast of Africa as the final pipe joints were pulled from a just completed well. The mood was somber because we had not found oil. The following week I sat in an uncomfortable meeting where our corporate vice president declared my efforts had resulted in the driest well in years. Back in my office overlooking the beautiful San Francisco hills I pondered what to do next with the project.
Skeeter not impressed with reform
When the phone rang, I knew who was on the other end: Skeeter Skates, owner of Skeeter's Tree Stump Removal and Plow Repair in Greater Metropolitan Pooler. I can't tell you exactly why but the phone always sounds more urgent when Skeeter calls. One thing about Skeeter Skates. He gets right to the point. Niceties aren't his style.
The final countdown
In January, the Georgia State Senate started the first term of the 152nd legislative session of the Georgia General Assembly with a challenging task list. We were asked to find a way to fill a large anticipated Medicaid shortfall, evaluate the ethical behavior of elected officials, do more with less in the state budget, revamp the state's juvenile justice system, clarify points from 2012's tax code overhaul and find ways to expand access to higher ...
Some more learnings to share
In my last column, I shared some observations about current happenings and promised some more. So here they are. As Christians observed Holy Week leading to Easter, one of the emphases has been on service and sacrifice.
Honoring District 51
One of the best parts about serving in the Georgia State Senate is the ability to honor groups and individuals in the Senate chamber. I am proud to represent District 51 at the State Capitol, and I am even more proud of the efforts that keep our district one of the best places to work and raise a family in Georgia. While the work we do in the Senate is great, it pales in comparison to the way each of you represents the pride and labors of our communities.
Some things I have been learning
It is IRS time and I've been putting together information to take to the CPS who has figured Taylor taxes for decades (one thing I have not completely learned). Surprisingly, I admit my gratitude that, even with a limited income, I usually must pay some extra dollars. That means that I have had money to live well enough and have something left. Fortunately, I don't have huge medical bills or credit interest payments and I ...
From the mountains to the ocean
It is a theological fact that God really likes Georgia. That is why He put mountains in north Georgia and the Golden Isles smack up against the Atlantic Ocean and added a bunch of lakes and parks and historical sites in between. Otherwise, we could have been Iran. Or Detroit. I stopped by last week to visit the man who is entrusted with these assets, Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources Mark Williams, to ...
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