07.21 Ledger 01 - The Cherokee Ledger-News

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Publisher DAVE CAUGHMAN T H E C H E R O K E E LEDGER-NEWS Managing Editor ERIKA NELDNER ©2010 Lakeside Publishing Inc. All Rights Reserved. Articles and advertisements may not be reprinted in whole or in part without the expressed written consent of Lakeside Publishing Inc. The Cherokee Ledger-News, published weekly on Wednesday by Lakeside Publishing, Inc., 103 E. Main St., Woodstock, GA 30188-4908. Periodicals postage paid at Monroe, GA and additional post offices. USPS 021-137. Postmaster: Please send address changes to The Cherokee Ledger-News 103 E. Main St., Woodstock, GA 30188-4908. Phone (770) 928-0706 • Fax (770) 928-3152 Send e-mail to: editor@ledgernews.com Write us at P.O. Box 2369, Woodstock, GA 30188-1379 Disclaimer: The views expressed on the Opinion page are not necessarily the views of the publisher or the staff of the Cherokee Ledger-News LEDGER-NEWS OPINION 6 THE CHEROKEE LEDGER-NEWS MANAGING EDITOR: ERIKA NELDNER JULY 21, 2010 CHEROKEE VOICE ■ ISSUE: Woodstock and Canton recently received Main Street program designations. QUESTION: What could either city do differently to draw you to their downtowns? “Arts festivals would be great. I go to Roswell’s, and it would be nice to have that in Woodstock.” Bobby Sales Canton “I think Woodstock wasted money doing the roundabout. But I like their plan for an amphitheater where the old city hall was.” Brad Hancock Woodstock “The people are really missing from downtown Canton. Maybe they could do something like what Woodstock’s doing with concerts in the park.” Tammy Videkovich Canton “There’s not a lot of nightlife in Canton, so some bars would be good.” Hayley Medranto Canton “Quaint restaurants in Canton would be a draw.” John Couch Canton “I like the concerts in Woodstock. They can take a lesson from Decatur with all the great shops and bars they have. It’s a nice place to go.” Don Ahrens Holly Springs J ust a little more than two years ago, I headed to my polling place to vote in the 2008 primary election and then went to the hospital for what turned out to be the most difficult two days of my life, leading up to the best day of my life. Just a few days ago, we celebrated my son’s second birthday, and it seems like only yesterday that I brought him into this world. When you find out you’re expecting, it seems like forever until the baby arrives. Before Jackson even made his grand entrance, people were telling me to enjoy the times he sleeps peacefully on you while you watch TV or read a book and enjoy making silly noises and funny faces when you’re trying to get him to smile for the first time. Family, friends and colleagues told me often—and it almost got annoying—to enjoy it now; it’ll fly by. But as sleepless nights, diaper changes and spit-up take over your life, it seems that time is standing still. As I look back over the last two years, I now see what all those folks were talking about. It’s been extremely joyous, and sometimes very frustrating, watching Jackson surpass all these milestones. I remember bringing him home from the hospital all decked out in his University of Tennessee gear (yes, we bleed orange and white, Go Vols!). His first bath at home probably was the most humorous … that is, in hindsight. That night, my husband and I were frantic. He still had his umbilical cord; so I held him in one hand and gently sponged him off. Jackson wanted no part of it. He screamed and screamed. When I went to wash his back, he kicked so hard that he knocked the umbilical stump loose. I cried; my husband was not far from hyperventilation. Our first thought: “We broke the baby.” We called his sister and my sister—both experienced moms. They were in stitches. We didn’t break the baby, they told us. He’s fine. I didn’t think it was very funny … at least until now. Thinking about what all we’ve been through with Jackson over the last two years, good and bad, still makes me smile. The good times, which far outweigh the bad Dear Editor, And the terrible twos begin Perfect Game Baseball is in the area, hosting the 2010 World Wood Bat Association (WWBA) Tournament. They will host and have hosted five different tournaments, for five different age groups, this summer. The 2010 18U WWBA recently was held. There are 192 teams that came from all over the country to compete for the title. The 'Host Field' is at the East Cobb Baseball facility, next to Kell High School. Perfect Game must utilize several other baseball fields to provide such a great tournament. Last year, Perfect Game utilized Cherokee County (or what seemed to be bad at the time), fill my heart with joy. I remember the first time he smiled, the first time he rolled over and the first time he said “mama.” I remember taking walks through the neighborhood as he slept in the stroller, the first time he walked to me and when he learned how to give kisses. I remember the first time he slept through the night, the first time he slept in his crib and when the intermittent sleeping throughout the day turned into a structured schedule. Back in the early days, I prayed for sleep, sleep and more sleep. As we enter the dreaded terrible twos, which I hear are actually ages two through four, I pray for patience. I pray for inner peace; I pray for a 2-year-old who will listen DIALOGUE Erika Neldner (yeah right); and I pray for strength to not give in to his every whim and temper tantrum. The terrible twos actually started about a few months ago. He learned the word no. Jackson, do you want some water? No. How about some crackers? No. It’s time to take a bath. No. Everything is no these days. Also with the terrible twos comes unwanted actions out of what seems to be frustration. When he’s told no or redirected from an unwanted behavior, I find that he’s hitting or biting. A call to the pediatrician from an overwhelmed mom (me) turned out differently than I had hoped. The expert, Jack’s doctor, was supposed to give me some miracle way to stop this unwanted behavior. Instead, she said “You’re doing everything right. Just continue to be consistent.” If I’m doing everything right, then why isn’t it working? I know some of you parents out there with children past the age of 2 are probably shaking your head, ■ ■ ■ LETTERS ■ high school baseball fields to play their many games. This year, no games are being played at the Cherokee County high schools. Why is this? Let me do a little rough math: 192 teams, averaging (conservatively) 18 players per team, three coaches per team, and say that only one-third of the players’ parents travel with the team. That’s: 3,456 players, plus 576 coaches (this does not include their family members), plus 1,150 parents, which equals 5,182 people. If each one of these people eats three meals a day that is 15,546 meals over the week. I'll remind you that Perfect Game is in town for five weeks so that is knowing what we’re going through. (Any advice would be greatly appreciated!) Raising a toddler can be quite stressful, and, with jam-packed days of work and parenting, I was always hoping for a break—a mini-vacation if you will. The week leading up to Jack’s birthday was just that, but I’ve found myself missing my grandma-visiting toddler more than enjoying the peace and quiet. Although, the peace and quiet has been nice. On a Saturday morning I headed up Interstate 85 to South Carolina—I was meeting my mom at the halfway point between her house and mine. As stressful and frantic as the morning was, and the last hour of the drive for that matter, I was dreaming of relaxation and sleep. But as soon as I pulled out of that parking lot in Greenville, S.C., leaving Jackson with my mom, my heart felt like it broke in half. A piece of me had been left behind in South Carolina. I’ve only been away from Jackson for more than just a spendthe-night-out once—during last year’s Georgia Press Association conference, and that was only for two days. I called my husband and cried. I had not even gotten out of Greenville County, and I missed Jackson so much. Despite missing him with all my heart, I followed the unsolicited advice and tried to enjoy the alone time, reconnect with my husband and get done all those pesky little chores that I never seem to have time for. As the baby-free week flew by, I couldn’t wait for the time that I saw my little man’s sweet face and held him in my arms. We celebrated his return and his second birthday with a quaint little summer-themed party at a local park. Happy 2nd Birthday, Jackson! You are the light of my life and the best thing to ever happen to me. As I promised the day you were born, I will cherish every moment with you and devote my life to you and be the best mother I can be. I only hope that I raise you to be a loving, kind, considerate and well-mannered man. And remember, no matter if you’re two, 22, or 52, know that you’ll always be my little boy. Cherokee should host tournaments 77,730 meals. Unfortunately, Cherokee County local businesses, along with our high school concession stands, will not be benefiting from the influx of all of the baseball families. Can someone explain why our high schools’ baseball fields are not being used this year? It would seem, that in this economy, Cherokee County schools and our local businesses would want to generate all the revenue it could get. It is unfortunate that these decisions where made. Holly Gilbert Woodstock
JULY 21, 2010 OPINION THE CHEROKEE LEDGER-NEWS 7 LETTERS ■ Feds need to stay out of businesses Dear Editor, Regarding the recent editorial, "Unemployed need federal help,” by Carolyn Mathews (July 7), I could not help but notice how her family and so many others are falling into the Obama trap of government dependence. My heart goes out to her and her family, but one thing we must never forget is that the federal government does not create private sector jobs. The vibrant economy that she and her husband, as well as millions of Americans, are depending on to lift them back to prosperity requires a strong private sector and the nanny state off of our backs. This scenario of prosperity will never recur until the feds get out of the private sector and off of the backs of small business and out of our pocketbooks. The current administration is growing the federal government at record pace at the expense and destruction of private business and creating and endless dependency on Uncle Sam. This is socialism at its finest. Un- Tell Cherokee what you think. Letters to the Editor may be submitted by fax to (770) 928-3152, by e-mail to editor@ledgernews.com or by regular mail to 103 E. Main St.,Woodstock, GA 30188. All letters must be typed or e-mailed and must include a phone number to verify authenticity. We reserve the right to reject publication.We reserve the right to edit for libel and brevity. ■■■ til the federal government gets out of the private sector and allows it to flourish, she and her husband may never see prosperity again. I know that reality does not immediately help her family situation but the bigger picture must be looked at or this nation will never again grow out of the depths the current socialist chief is taking us. The America you knew is being intentionally destroyed from the inside. Wake up folks. Mark Walters Holly Springs Cherokee schools are fortunate Dear Editor, Recently a letter (“We need collaborative leadership,” July 7) written by the chairman of the Cherokee County Republican party addressed a forum in which Dr. Frank Petruzielo, Cherokee County school superintendent, and State Sen. Chip Rogers participated. The chairman praised Sen. Rogers’ presentation but went into a tirade criticizing Dr. Petruzielo's comments and participation. It seems that the superintendent and Sen. Rogers, as well as other legislators in the Cherokee state delegation have had some disagreements. Sen. Rogers and others postulate that expanded vouchers and charter schools would be good for Cherokee County. Dr. Petruzielo is not in complete agreement and has repeatedly stated as much. Charter school proposals have been evaluated and have not met minimum district requirements. Unfortunately, with support of Sen. Rogers, the state legislature has granted the state the power to usurp local discretion and place charter schools in any district. In addition, the district must provide funding for the default charter school. With a proven record, the management and operation of the Cherokee school system under Dr. Petruzielo has been outstanding, actually remarkable. Obviously that is due to his leadership, competency of staff, teaching excellence and parent involvement. Testing results confirm the school system's outstanding performance. So what is the beef ? Is it ideological? Probably. The party chairman mentions expanding vouchers to foster children and children of military families. Why? These children can be accommodated very well without vouchers in existing schools. Likewise, a charter school that duplicates services already available is a waste of money. With state education funding reductions, it is strange that county legislators would propose adding more costs to local school districts. This, of course, is in addition to the costs that have been previously shifted from the state to local jurisdictions. It is interesting to note that profits from private charter school ownership could leave the state. That money would normally be spent on Cherokee kids. It is my understanding that Dr. Petruzielo is recognized in education circles for his outstanding organizational, management and innovative skills. Whenever school superintendents get together, his consultation is sought on a wide range of topics. Indeed, Cherokee County is truly fortunate. Unnecessary political interference with the operation of school systems can be detrimental to students and parents as well as to the entire state. Jerry Hulshult Canton People wear flag to be patriotic Dear Editor, I am curious if the person writing the letter about the Flag Code (“Revisit the Flag Code,” July 7) and all its specifics and intricate legal wording understands some very basic things like: Do they know how many hundreds of thousands of police, firefighters, sheriff’s deputies, highway patrol officers and the hundreds of thousands of Boy Scouts that wear a flag as part of their uniform? What about the military men and women who wear a U.S. Flag patch and millions of Americans all over the country, who wear T-shirts with a flag on it for the Fourth of July? Furthermore, what about all the politicians who wear a flag pin on the lapel of their jackets? They are not wearing the flag in some manner to break some ethics or legal code; they wear the flag to be patriotic. This person needs to spend time worrying about something of real importance that has a very bad impact on society like crime, corruption in government, badly failing schools, jobs being permanently moved out of the United States, terrorism and the economy in general, instead of looking as deeply as possible into a code that no person really cares about because they are too busy being patriotic. I think if the person who wrote this letter went up to an American service man or woman, or if they had the bad luck of telling a special operation forces person that they can’t wear the American flag on their uniform, they might not be able walk away. Just some food for thought: On Oct. 1, 2005, the U.S. Flag was made a mandatory component of all soldiers uniforms. Geoff Bewley Woodstock Gypsum isn’t the mold problem Dear Editor, As a registered architect in Georgia since 1986, I can assure you that two layers of gypsum board (Sheetrock is a brand name of the USG Corporation for that product, so be sure that is the brand that was used before calling it that) is not by itself a "no, no" and would not cause mold to develop in the Holly Springs Municipal Building. The building inspector should have a set of architectural construction documents on file for the project. A wall or column with multiple layers of gypsum board may be de- signed that way to provide fire protection to the structure based on the required construction type for the building and occupancy, and will have an Underwriters Laboratory (UL) number assigned to its construction. It is also permissible to have three or four layers of gypsum board in order to meet certain fire ratings. Removing layers from a UL design is a code violation. A sound rated wall may also have multiple layers of gypsum board based on the sound transmission class (STC) that was required for partitions in the building. Removing layers will reduce the sound re- duction ability of the wall. Mold will only grow if you find three things present: moisture, a food source (paper on the Sheetrock) and the right temperature. Gypsum board can get wet and then dry out and not grow mold if the moisture source is removed. It might be stained, but that is not mold. They either have an actual water leak, infiltration of humid air through unsealed cracks, or need dehumidification from the air conditioning system. Frank Pudysz Woodstock • To the person who said we need to drug test welfare and the unemployed, do think this is Russia or something? We’re not Communists. • It would be so nice if people were educated when they spoke to the Soapbox. American-made cars are made with foreign parts. Foreign cars are made in America. So whatever you’re talking about, study first before opening your mouth. • If the Cherokee County school system wants to get to where they won’t have furlough days and layoffs, they should cut teachers’ pay by $10,000 a year. They make entirely too much money the way it is now. • If you don’t own an American vehicle, then you’re not American and you should be deported. • I want America back. Let’s adopt the Arizona law. • How about some good news for a change? From the people of Cobblestone, we would like to thank Vivian Phillips for being such a good neighbor. • To the crews who repaired Fate Conn Road and the supervisor who oversaw them: Come back and look again. You missed more holes than you hit. • To the person with the flea problem: My house is seven years old, and I am inundated with fleas this year. Where are they coming from? I have no pets, no kids. They are driving me crazy. I’m elderly and tired … how do I get rid of them? Please help me. • I would like to thank the city of Ball Ground for putting up all the American flags on Main Street. They look good. • Fireworks, we’ve overdone it again. It’s like World War II in the neighborhood. • The question you guys asked about the worst roads in Canton, I wish you had put my picture in the paper. Those people must not have driven on Knox Bridge Highway from Canton to Cartersville. • To the person who asked where the boiled peanuts man at the Chevron is, he has since moved to Eagle Drive and Bells Ferry. • Hey retiree, when you wake up ill, grumpy and crabby, ya’ll come down to the senior center in Woodstock. We’ll have you happy as a lark in no time. • The post office plans on raising stamp prices by 2 cents to make up for revenue lost by less people mailing letters. Yeah, that ought to help. • My heart goes out to the Goforth family. I read in the July 7 issue about the car accident in which the family lost their son, Josh. Having almost lost a daughter in a car accident, we feel very sad for this family. God bless you. • There are usually a couple of Dr. P bashing vents in the Ledger every week; but this last one about his bottled water really got to me. He has a right to get his bottled water delivered to him. Who are these people bashing him? Do they just hide outside his house in the bushes? • Yes I saw the Ledger dated June 23, 2010. I read it every week. If you hate me because I don’t hate people because of what they look like or where they come from, that is your right to do so. • Nobody is saying that people who get government assistance are already doing drugs. However, to get that government check they should be willing to undergo random drug testing just like I do at my job. • I was coming from the cemetery on East Cherokee, and I hit something on the road that caused a flat tire. Within minutes of pulling over, a fire truck stopped and the firefighter changed my SOAPBOX ■ tire. Thank you Ball Ground firefighter from truck No. 2 for changing my tire and being so courteous. • OK all you freeloaders: What one person receives without working for, another person must work for, without receiving. It’s that simple. • I cannot believe how some parents let their kids come snatch the candy right in front of my little girl’s seat at the parade. It’s unbelievable. • How come every time I call the child support office up in Canton it’s always busy? It doesn’t matter what time of day it is. Are they just trying to avoid talking to people? • To the editor, please get rid of Rich and Joyce. I can’t stand their crossword puzzles any longer. • If most of the people believe that our present problems, economic or otherwise, are caused by Obama and the Democrats, what happens when they realize voting in another majority party doesn’t solve the problems overnight? There is no quick fix to these problems at the voting booths. • Seems to me that the people who say "I want my country back" really want to take us backwards. • I lost one to drugs. Please keep these numbers. You may call in drug tips anonymously to (770) 345- 7920, or may speak to an agent by calling (770) 704-2350. • Went to Cherokee County to get my business license and the woman didn’t know how to do it. I asked for the manager, and she said she was the manager. What a joke. • Here we go again with the Woodstock Senior Center. Why can no one stop for a treat when one person doesn’t want to? Majority rules; not one pompous person. • Thank you to the city of Woodstock for the wonderful Independence Day fireworks display and to the police department for monitoring the traffic flow afterward. It was awesome and we thank you. • You can always count on the Ledger-News to print it and publish it for all the world to read about. • If you drive a foreign car made in American by Americans, it still makes you un-American. Try driving an American car. • If children come first at Johnston Elementary, where are they? Why does the principal and PTA have their own pictures in the paper and posted at the school? Let’s see the children. • I don’t think it’s fair people on welfare, food stamps and unemployment can use drugs. I work 10 hours a day and am tested and cannot use drugs. That’s not fair. • The reason why smokers nowadays flick their cigarettes out the window is because car makers don’t put ashtrays in cars anymore. • To the person complaining about the Holly Springs City Council spending $150,000 on bridge enhancements, they have to spend the tax revenue they’re collecting on 575 for something. The Ledger-News reserves the right not to publish Soapbox items based on libel or other considerations the editor and publisher deem valid. Comments may be edited for brevity. Please keep comments as brief as possible. If you have a lengthy opinion, please submit a letter to the editor. To submit a Soapbox, call (770) 928-1055
Page 1 and 2: FREE July 21, 2010 Volume 16, Issue
Page 3 and 4: JULY 21, 2010 NEWS THE CHEROKEE LED
Page 5: JULY 21, 2010 NEWS THE CHEROKEE LED
Page 11 and 12: JULY 21, 2010 COMMUNITY FEATURES TH
Page 13 and 14: JULY 21, 2010 COMMUNITY FEATURES TH
Page 19 and 20: JULY 21, 2010 SPORTS THE CHEROKEE L
Page 21 and 22: JULY 21, 2010 SPORTS THE CHEROKEE L
Page 23 and 24: LEDGER-NEWS CHEROKEELIFE JULY 21, 2
Page 25 and 26: JULY 21, 2010 LIFE THE CHEROKEE LED
Page 27 and 28: JULY 21, 2010 CLASSIFIEDS THE CHERO
Page 29 and 30: JULY 21, 2010 CLASSIFIEDS THE CHERO
Page 31 and 32: JULY 21, 2010 THE CHEROKEE LEDGER-N

07.21 Ledger 01 - The Cherokee Ledger-News

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?