Nov 21 the Grip

NOV 21 - DEC 5, 2013 VOL. 03 NO. 23

County Citizen's Gov't Academy to be formed in lieu of citizen's budget review
[email protected]

www.the-grip.net ::: free

SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Editor;
During a recent workshop, county commissioners considered what level of citizen involvement in the budget review would be constructive while also providing a deeper

knowledge of the county’s operations and budget process. The Budget Review Committee (BRC) is currently comprised of county employees appointed by County Manager William Wilson.
coNt, bUDGeT ReVIeW, P. 7 »

Griffin students prepare for regional robotic competition
ALEXANDER CAIN :::
Staff writer; [email protected]

Closest air quality monitoring site located in Forest Park
Spalding County air quality is not directly monitored, but expected to meet state and federal standards
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Editor; [email protected]

the air in Spalding County is not directly monitored. “There are six air pollutants that the federal government has designated as necessary to monitor. Those six pollutants are carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, lead and particulate matter,” said Susan Zimmer-Dauphinee, project manager for the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) Ambient Monitoring Program. “For coNt, AIR QUALITY, P. 7 »

Amandate standards that must be met and maintained,
lthough many federal and state air quality regulations

ALEXANDER CAIN/THE GRIP

Fifth graders Ansley Potter and Kennedy Evans get their LEGO robot ready to perform for the judges in the local preliminary to the "Nature's Fury" FIRST LEGO robotics challenge.

GPD works to replace outdated patrol car video, audio with digital equipment
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Editor;
[email protected]

digital cameras in five police cars, replacing the systems currently in use. The city Board of Commissioners has unanimously approved the use of $15,125 – $14,139 in Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) funds along with $986 which will be transferred from the Federal Asset Forfeiture cash account to the General Operating Fund – for the purchase of the systems, which will

Twill soon be installing new

he Griffin Police Department

be obtained from Digital-Ally. The new systems will replace some of the 20 units purchased in 2011 from Harris County for approximately $3,000. “What they (Harris County) was getting rid of is what the Griffin Police Department was using,” said Lt. Darrell Dix, of the GPD’s Office of Professional Standards. “Out of those 20, we were able to get 17 functioning units because we pieced together parts we had with what we got from them, so we were able to maximize their use.” Those Motorola cameras are outdated, no longer being

manufactured or corporately supported. “Right now, we have a mix of those Motorola cameras and cameras from a company called DigitalAlly. Where we are now is as we’re getting new cars, we are budgeting to have new cameras put in. We also get a JAG grant every year, so we’re gradually phasing out the Motorola cameras,” Dix said. “We then have parts that we can use on to repair the ones still in use until we can completely go to DigitalAlly.” He said the new digital camera system is an upgrade that is less

expensive while also being more compact and offering features that fit the PD’s needs. Chief Frank Strickland favors having cameras in patrol cars, as they benefit both his officers and the community. “As long as you (officers) do what’s right, it helps,” Strickland said. Dix elaborated, saying the camera systems are a helpful tool when a resident files a complaint of wrongdoing against an officer. “It cuts down on complaints on police officers, and enhances evidence from traffic stops and citizen coNt, CAMERAS, P. 2 »

grader Ansley has been studying robotics, both at home and at school. “My brother wants to grow up to be an engineer, and with him building all these things at home, it got me interested in it as well,” Potter said. “He got a robot for Christmas and I’ve actually been helping him to program it.” Potter was recently able to put her knowledge to use in front of judges at Crescent Elementary School in preparation for the FIRST LEGO League team regional competition that will take place on December 7th at Carver Road Middle School with teammate Kennedy Evans. The theme of this year’s competition is ‘Nature’s Fury,” where students must come up with come up with new inventions or take something and enhance that already exists to help save lives in catastrophic storms. Potter and Evans demonstrated how a programmed robot could push a miniature ambulance into a “safe zone” on a table similar to the size of a pool table. The robot had to first reach the ambulance, push it into the safe zone, then return back to its original location. Along the way,
coNt, ROBOTICS, P. 2 »

FPotter
ifth

COMMUNITY

GOVERNMENT

CONTACT US

Smart Snacks for GSCS students in 2014
eginning next school year, Griffin-Spalding County System will implement "Smart Snacks in School” standards, which will offer healthier snack options for students during the school day. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 required USDA to establish nutrition standards for all foods sold in schools -- beyond the federally-supported meals programs. The "Smart Snacks in School" rule is a set of nutrition standards for foods and beverages sold in schools. Once implemented, the guidelines will ensure that snacks in all vending machines, school stores, a la carte lines, and snack bars are healthy. In compliance with the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, Griffin-Spalding County schools began coNt, sNAcKs, P. 6 »

STAFF REPORTS :::

BSchool

County officials set daily meal reimbursement for employees undergoing training at $60.
« Read the full story & vote on whether you agree with the figure online at www.the-grip.net »

PO Box 2251, Griffin GA 30224

THE GRIP 770-229-3559

Hours: Tuesday - Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Grip strives for accuracy in all its editorial content. If you have a question, comment, or concern about articles or photos published in The Grip, please do not hesitate to call or e-mail us.

Jessica W. Gregory Publisher [email protected] Sheila A. Mathews Editor & Ad Executive [email protected]

FOLLOW: FACEBOOK.COM/ THEGRIPNEWS THEGRIPNEWS

Our website has a brand-new look and we have rededicated ourselves to updating quality content more regularly! Check us out at www.the-grip.net.

116 S. Sixth Street, Griffin ::: 770-229-6599

www.stachestudio.net

GET A GRIP AND GET THE GOOD STUFF





THE GRIP

NOV 21 - DEC 5, 2013

2 TOP STORIES

STAFF REPORTS :::

UGA studies revitalization of Fairmont community
year. Students, from the landscape architecture and historic preservation programs, have been building upon the citizen input gathered through the Educational Prosperity Initiative – a partnership lead by the Griffin Housing Authority which includes the UGA Griffin Campus, the City of Griffin, Spalding County, the Spalding Collaborative, the Griffin Branch of the NAACP, Spalding County Cooperative Extension, Griffin Spalding County Schools, Southern Crescent Technical College, GriffinSpalding Chamber of Commerce, Spalding Regional Hospital and others, as well as residents from the adjacent neighborhoods. The study envisions reuse of the school as a community center and sees opportunity for returning the Fairmount area to the active and proud neighborhood it was historically. For further information, please contact: Dr. Ellen Bauske, Program Coordinator with the Center for Urban Agriculture, at 770-233-5558 or via email at ebauske@uga. edu. Ω

« cameras, cont.
encounters,” Dix said. “It’s our policy that on any citizen contact, like a call for service, getting out with suspicious people or a traffic stop – any citizen encounter in the course of their duty – that the officer have the audio and video going on their cameras. If there’s an allegation of wrongdoing, it’s very easy to go back and listen to the audio and view the video.” He said that while citizen encounters may not always take place in view of the camera, per policy, the audio is recorded on the officer’s person, providing an accurate account of the contact. “It ensures the integrity of our officers. It protects the officers and our citizens,” Dix said. “It pretty much paints the picture of what happened.” As an example, Dix cited a recent call involving a motorist who complained of an officer’s alleged wrongdoing on a traffic stop. He said the citizen reported that when she attempted to ask the officer a question, he lost control. “(The complainant) said he basically came unglued,” Dix said, adding that the complaint included an accusation that the officer began screaming at and berating the driver. Dix said he then pulled the recording of the traffic stop and played the tape over the phone for the resident. “The officer never raised his voice. Not even one time,” Dix said. Despite the recorded account of the

S

tudents from UGA’s College of Environment and Design have been addressing issues of affordable housing in Georgia this semester. One of their targeted projects is the Fairmont Neighborhood and Historic Rosenwald School in Griffin. Over the weekend of October 25-27, 2013, they and their professors spent three days in the neighborhood talking with residents and community leaders. On Dec. 5 they will return to Griffin to present options for reuse of the school, improvements at Fairmont Homes and in the surrounding area at the monthly meeting of the Educational Prosperity Initiative. The public is invited to attend the meeting, in the Resource Room at A. Z. Kelsey Academy, from 10:00 -11:30 a.m. to explore the conceptual ideas and give feedback. The study will be finalized based on input gathered at the meeting. The final report will be available to housing authority officials and community leaders shortly after the first of the

PHOTO COURTESY OF GPD The new Digital-Ally video recorders are integrated into the patrol cars' rearview mirrors. Although some officer-citizen contact occurs outside the video frame, all officers assigned to the Uniform Patrol Division wear recorders on their uniforms that enable audio recordings to be captured remotely away from their vehicles. incident, Dix said complainant maintained their position, claiming that berating behavior can be defined by individual standards. In circumstances such as this, the audio and video recordings are crucial in establishing professional and proper officer conduct. In other instances, the cameras have served the desired intent of protecting the public. “There have also been cases when a complaint has been made against an officer for something said or done and the video has shown that the officer did what they were accused of doing,” Dix said. “Corrective action has been taken against those officers.” The new Digital-Ally systems also provide an additional layer of security in that the footage cannot be altered. Officers can review the video in their patrol cars, which enables them to provide the most accurate description possible for suspects that elude arrest, but there is no way to edit either the audio or video. “All of the recordings are digital – we don’t deal with discs or tapes anymore – so you can’t go back in and edit it at all. It’s all or nothing. You would have to be a genius to do that. They’re very secure,” Dix said. “The officers can’t go back and edit the audio. They don’t have that capability in their patrol cars. It’s off, on and record – that’s it.” Ω

« robotics, cont.
obstacles included a plastic tree, a truck, and a LEGO house. Potter and Evans were two of 14 students from Crescent Elementary were participating in possible scenarios, but only seven will go on to compete at the competition, according to Crescent Elementary School First LEGO League Coach Debi Hancock. “They demonstrated their plans on Wednesday and had only been working for about two hours over two days to create them. It’s been rushed, but the students stepped up to the plate and have done their best,” Hancock said. Students will be judged in three categories: Project, where they will be watched and judged as they demonstrate their ideas; Core Values, where the judges will watch for teamwork activity and core values and Technical, where the teams will be interviewed and judged based on their designs and methods of approaching a problem. Scenarios for the FIRST LEGO challenge include having the robot vehicle move an ambulance to safety; moving a supply truck to safety; picking up and moving miniature people and pets to safety; lifting a house to a higher point to avoid flooding; and moving supplies and equipment to a safe distance from an affected area. Carver Road Middle, Atkinson Elementary, Jackson Road Elementary, Crescent

Thomas Smith and Mat Fluker demonstrate their robotic programming to the judges. Elementary, Kennedy Road Middle and Cowan Road Middle will all be competing in this year’s LEGO challenge. The robotics lessons and hands-on experience learned by students at schools such as Crescent Elementary come from the STEM program, or Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Last year, the National Science Foundation awarded the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Griffin-Spalding County School System a five-year, $7.3 million grant for the program. Led by Georgia Tech’s George W. Woodruff

School of Mechanical Engineering in collaboration with the Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics and Computing (CEISMC) – the program’s goal was to provide about 5,100 GriffinSpalding County students in advanced manufacturing learning experiences, such as working with robots and creating items using computer design and 3-D printers. “For example, at Carver Road Middle School, we targeted the STEM program and a program called “AMP-IT-UP” through our eighth grade math and science classes,” said Pamela Davis, Event Coordinator for Carver Road Middle School. “What STEM and Georgia Tech want to do is target students who otherwise not know that they have this gift for science and math.” “We start at the beginning of the school year to prepare. At the moment, we have 27 teams that will be participating in our Nature’s Competition this year. At Carver Road, the students in the STEM program rotate out at the end of each semester.” Advanced Manufacturing and Prototyping Integrated to Unlock Potential, or AMPIT-UP, aims to inspire students to study STEM topics, particularly manufacturing, by exploring their creativity and watching their creations come to life. Mat Fluker was another student who demonstrated with partner Thomas Smith to three judges as part of the minicompetition within Crescent Elementary. “We worked on getting one person to a certain spot and had to make an arm for the robot to be able to do that. It was

pretty hard,” Fluker admitted. “The program is as simple as possible but it can be tough. We tried to get the robot over to where it needed to be and my partner and I had to test it over and over again. I think we did well. I always like to build things and when I grow up I want to be an inventor.” Excitement shone on the faces of Smith and Fluker as their robot finally did as the two had hoped it would after multiple attempts. “We decided that it would be easier that instead of having the exact size angle, that we would go at it as a straight angle,” Smith explained to the judges after rewriting the program to get the operation to work. At Crescent Elementary School, the STEM program – including the robotics studies and creation that come as a result of the program – is successful for both students and the school system, according to Crescent Elementary Principal Beth Gaff. Last year when the LEGO competition came to the Griffin-Spalding County School System, Crescent was among the schools that competed. “It was something new to all of us last year. Our teachers are looking for those students who show great mathematical skills and problem solving skills. Teamwork is a big part of it as well. The students are given a problem and have to solve that problem. It is a great event that reaches out to those students who are interested in robotics and programming the robots, and it is a great extension and enrichment activity and a great challenge to our students.” Ω

25% off storewide discounts on layaways for Christmas. Choose your gifts now, take time to pay and pick them up when you’re ready! Layaway must be picked up by Dec. 24 at 6 p.m. Don’t forget to shop on Small Business Saturday Nov. 30!

EXTENDED HOLIDAY HOURS BEGIN NOV. 30 Monday - Friday 9am-6pm Saturday 9am - 5pm
CORNER OF 10TH & SOLOMON ST | 770-227-7715

NOV 21 - DEC 5, 2013

THE GRIP



GET A GRIP AND GET THE GOOD STUFF

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 3

City Archives offering Oak Hill Cemetery tour
ALEXANDER CAIN :::
Editorial Assistant; [email protected]

the history and heritage of Oak Hill Cemetery when the Archives division of the City of Griffin hosts a guided walking tour of the property on December 5th. Archivist Cynthia Barton will provide a one-hour tour of the older sections of the cemetery. The walking tour will feature names buried within the property and provide information on the more unique headstones at the site. “It is a collaboration between the Flint River Library and the Archives. It’s something that we have been talking about doing for awhile,” Barton said. “In the past, there have been cemetery walks, or cemetery rambles, that were well-attended. This will be a small, guided walk through a small section of the cemetery. It will be very respectful of those who are buried there and respectful to the families of those who are buried on the property.” Some names may be familiar to local residents while others may have been known through local history but not immediately recognizable by everyone, according to Barton. Names like John McIntosh Kell, who was famous for his activities before and after the Civil War, or Sam Bailey, whose name identifies a building on the former Taylor Street Middle School campus in downtown Griffin. “When I first started, I would ask people ‘Who was Sam Bailey?’ or ‘Why is the building named after Sam Bailey?’ and no one could tell me,” Barton said. Since accepting the position as Archivist, Barton has spoken to local residents, combed through multiple newspaper articles, birth certificates and old documents in an attempt to both update and improve upon the many archives of information available within the Griffin-Spalding County area. Barton has had an interest in archiving for years, and has also walked through and examined cemeteries in other cities for both information and

Lopportunity to learn more about
ocal residents will have an

Don’t let a grinch steal your property or your family’s peace of mind.

www.495Alarm.com
Call today for a professional consultation

∙ Critical information sent to you immediately ∙ Full system control online or mobile ∙ Video with secure off-site recording ∙ Lighting and thermostat control ∙ Change alarm codes instantly online ∙ View video online or smartphone

770-412-1150

ALEXANDER CAIN/THE GRIP City of Griffin Archivist Cynthia Barton will host the cemetery tour, which will include histories of some of Griffin's former residents as well as information regarding the cemetery and headstones themelves. exercise purposes. She will sometimes providing a respectful and reverent walk through a property like Oak Hill distance to the family members who Cemetery to experience both the may have relatives or ancestors buried peacefulness and history of the site at on the property. the same time. “I hope that the people see the “The cemetery is full of stories, and beauty in it and take pride in their there are a lot of symbols on the local history and pride in this property. headstones which people may not There are many people who would know about. I would like to recognize never think to enter a cemetery for families that have contributed to historic information. I think many of Griffin but might not be too well the cemetery walks in the past have known. This will be a very respectful been a way to get the word out that stroll through the property, but I’m cemeteries like Oak Hill should be not going to tell you everything that revered and respected.” we will focus on just yet,” Barton said The Griffin Spalding Archives in a recent interview with The Grip. guided walk through historic Oak Hill “This is coming about because I was Cemetery will take place on Thursday, finding out about all the stories as I December 5th, from 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. went through my research. I know The event is a free event, but tickets about these cemetery rambles in the are limited for participation. Tickets past and I have hopes to carry them will be available beginning Tuesday, on.” November 26th. Barton stated that she did not create For more information, contact the the cemetery walk for publicity City of Griffin Archives Department purposes, but rather as an event at (770) 233-4130 extension 398 or to provide history and heritage e-mail [email protected]. Ω information to the public while

Christmas with Griffin Choral Arts
SUBMITTED :::
Choral Arts, the direction of Dr. Stephen J. Mulder, will present “Christmas With Griffin Choral Arts” at 7:30 p.m. at Griffin First Baptist Church (106 W. Taylor St.). This seventh annual Christmas concert continues the Griffin-area

Gunder
riffin

tradition with music for choir, organ, brass, and percussion and includes audience carols to begin the holiday season in a festive way! The Barrister Brass Quintet joins us for this Christmas celebration. This is typically a sell-out, so plan early! Tickets are $10 general admission (all ages) at the door or in advance

in Griffin at Safehouse Coffee Roasters and at Artistic Flowers and Gifts; in Barnesville at Goggans Florist; in Zebulon at A Novel Experience bookstore; and in Thomaston at the TUAC Gallery. Tickets will also be sold at Griffin First Baptist Church (enter through Hill Street doors) on Dec. 4 and 5 from 10 a.m. - noon & 2 - 4 p.m.

Griffin Choral Arts is composed of 50 singers from all over the region, many of whom are music teachers at the elementary, middle, secondary, or college level. For more information about Griffin Choral Arts call 888-SING188 (888-746-4188) or visit the GCA website: www. griffinchoralarts.org. Ω

We can help you check off the Christmas Wish List:
Cataract Surgery ::: Cosmetic Eyelid Surgery Laser Eye Surgery Macular Degeneration Injections
Leiv M. Takle Sr. MD Leiv M. Takle Jr. MD • Thomas S. Rowe MD Blaine Cribbs MD • Brett S. Bordner OD

A Full-service Eye Clinic

www.griffineyeclinicoptical.com | 646 S. 8th Street | 770.228.3826

646 S. 8th Street, Griffin | 770.228.3826

www.griffineyeclinic.com

GET A GRIP AND GET THE GOOD STUFF





THE GRIP

NOV 21 - DEC 5, 2013

4

LIFESTYLES
oday’s resume-writing techniques

you’ve been mailing out because of ATS – applicant tracking systems. Companies now use these systems to wade through the hundreds of resumes they get for every job they advertise and there are no human beings involved in this process! This is sad but true. Understanding how these systems work can make the difference between your resume getting selected to take you to the next step…..or getting “scanned out” in the 30 seconds that most of these ATS systems take to review resumes. An effective resume is tightly focused and targeted to the job available. This targeting includes keywords to improve search rates by the robots doing the online search. The best way to pass this scanning process is by using “keywords” that are relevant to the position you want. How do you find the right keywords to use? You’ll need to do some homework. Review a number of ads looking for applicants in your field and see what keywords they use in their job descriptions. Pick out the most frequently listed words you see these ads. Also, look for certain jargon and job-specific buzzwords used in your industry that will get picked up in the scanning process. Keep the keywords simple. Some “skills keywords” could be: computer skills, management, multitasking, public speaking, teaching, outside sales, verbal/ written communication skills and organizational skills. “Experience keywords” might include: quality improvement, project management, accounts receivable and payable. If your resume doesn’t have the right keywords, it might get rejected even if you have great experience and other related qualifications. The keywords are for the computer software scanning, but the written content is for your human readers. Make sure your resume is not just a laundry list of duties but is one that features your

Thave to differ from traditional resumes

Keys to successful online resumes Change the way you look at things
W“If
ayne Dyer wrote, you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” This is not some theory in my life. It has become a principle that has changed my life and how I view it. I can remember when we first moved back from Oklahoma, and I put my kids in public school for the first time. I had the hardest time seeing anything good about the school. I criticized every little thing I didn’t think lined up with my belief systems about what their educational experience should look like. I’m not sure at what point I changed the way I viewed the school, but I do know that when I did, the school suddenly became the one of the greatest blessings in my children’s lives. The greatest teachers. The greatest experiences. Did the school itself change? No. The way I viewed the school did. We will find and get whatever we are looking for. We can either see ourselves as a victim in our world or as a creator in it. And, the truth is that we are creators of our world. That thing or things that is wrong with my house. The underwear my husband dropped on the floor only two feet from the laundry basket. That list that isn’t getting done. That commitment I wish I had not made. The longer drive into the office. Small things? Yes. It’s the little foxes that spoil the vine. And, it’s these thoughts that do not produce life in me. But, when I begin to redirect my thoughts to what is good…. A house that is warm, providing shelter for my family and memories for my children. A husband who works hard and loves his family with every fiber of his being. The list of things that are done. The opportunity to do things for others and serve. A reliable car that is paid for and gets me where I need to be. Then, I create a world that is happy, content, and full of life. And, those other things I view as not right, somehow, magically, just fix themselves. Or, perhaps, I see them differently. And, I see truth instead. Ω

GALE BROWN SANDLER
GRIFFIN RESUME SERVICE

DUSTY TAKLE
EAGLE'S WAY ASSOCIATE PASTOR

CAREER & RESUME
achievements and demonstrates that you can be a major contributor and add to the bottom line. Use bullet points to give the descriptions of what you did more impact. Don’t just talk about what you did, but rather what you achieved as a result of what you did. Be specific and use numbers (i.e.) increased sales $1.2 million dollars over the previous year; increased productivity in the plant 15%, decreased safety incidents in my department from 85 to 10 last year. Finally, make sure your resume is well formatted with enough white space and that you’ve used Spell Check to proofread and correct spelling and grammar. Use Microsoft Word since most businesses use that software over other word-processing programs. Don’t be afraid to continue your job search at this time of year. Many employers are looking for candidates now because they have 2014 budgets set up and know exactly how much they can afford to spend on new hires. So take advantage of the timing and good luck to you in your job search. Ω Gale Brown Sandler is the founder of Griffin Resume Service and can be reached at [email protected].

RELIGION/RELATIONSHIPS
Every once in a while, I find myself sinking into the habit of allowing things to frustrate me. I focus on what I think is wrong with my world. I become a victim to what’s wrong in my world. The only way to overcome this and change the way I look at my world is to do what Paul said in 2 Corinthians 10:5: Take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. If a thought is not producing life in you, acknowledge it, and replace it with a thought that does produce life. I have to do this in big things as well as little things. For example, little thoughts that do not produce life in my life:

The columnists on these pages are local business owners and church leaders. These columns reflect their opinions, which are not necessarily those of The Grip or Grip staff. We welcome responses to these columns, or any Grip article. Please send responses in writing as a signed letter to the editor to sheila@ the-grip.net or post to PO Box 2251, Griffin, GA 30224.

Get your car or truck dressed up for the holidays
with top-quality chrome accessories from

Presented by the Griffin Daybreak Rotary Club SUNDAY DEC 8, 2013 1-6pm
Gloria Treadway 1021 Waverly Drive of Flint Mill Estates Beck Brown 1115 Pine Valley Road Break - Elks Lodge at Broad Street Mill 324 E. Broad Street Break - The Shoppes at Broad Street Mill
We take multiple insurance plans, including VSP, Eyemed, Spectera, Superior Vision, and Medicare

Holly & Bill Murray 809 Maple Drive Wayne English at Artistic Flowers 601 W. Solomon St. Kenneth & Marie Tarpley 175 Lenox Circle

770-468-9813

[email protected]
no seein clearl i drai .

GRIFFIN WELCOME CENTER | LIBERTY TECHNOLOGY REEVES CLEANERS | FROM ANY GRIFFIN DAYBREAK ROTARIAN OR AT THE HOMES ON THE DAY OF TOUR

PURCHASE AT THESE LOCATIONS:

for more information visit griffintourofhomes.com

Dr. Terry H. Wynne 112 W Oak St. Griffin, GA 30224 (770) 227-2924

NOV 21 - DEC 5, 2013

THE GRIP







GET A GRIP AND GET THE GOOD STUFF

LIFESTYLES 5

Sciatica is a pain in the... Well, seat.
How now, which of your hips has the most profound sciatica?
--William Shakespeare, Measure for Measure

Question: I drive a fair amount as I commute to work and live in a rural area. After just a few miles, I get serious pain from under my wallet that goes down my thigh into my leg. It is more than just aggravating. Sometimes I have to pull over and walk it off. What is causing this? Is there a treatment? o answer the last question first, there is very likely a conservative non-surgical treatment for this condition that is easy and inexpensive. The treatment, as always, depends on the cause. Now let’s discuss the first part of the question. We need to do a physical exam with neurological and orthopedic testing to really see the source of your pain. Sometimes x-ray or other imaging is necessary. Together, the history, exam, and imaging gives us a fairly complete picture with a high degree of accuracy. The sciatic nerve is composed of several nerve roots that arise from the lower part of the spine. It is about the size of your thumb, and it is the longest and widest nerve in the body. This nerve exits the pelvis next to a notch carved into the pelvic bones, appropriately called the sciatic notch, before going through or under a muscle called the piriformis. Pain from this nerve is called “sciatica,” or “sciatic pain,” a term dating back to 1586, when it appeared in a Shakespearean play. The piriformis muscle connects from the sacrum, that triangular bond on which you are likely sitting, to the top of the femur. When you contract it, the femur, or thigh bone, is turned outward. You need this muscle to walk as well as to drive. When it goes into a spasm, it causes deep burning pain under your wallet. Since the sciatic nerve goes under or through

DR. BOB HAYDEN
DC, PhD, FICC

T

HEALTH & WELLNESS
this muscle, when the piriformis is in a spasm, you might have sciatic pain without anything going wrong from the spine itself. We would look here first to see if your problem is coming from this area. By the way, look at the thickness of your wallet. Many of us clean out those receipts, coupons, ticket stubs, etc., every five years, so the wallet gets fat. If you are driving with that in your pocket, it is pressurizing this nerve as you sit. That alone can give you sciatic pain. Consider a thin wallet as a replacement. Sometimes the source of the sciatic pain is in the spine. A good history and physical exam can pinpoint the cause in the majority of cases. You might be feeling the result of a simple misalignment in the pelvis or vertebrae of the lower part of the spine, or both. In that case, an adjustment of the spine might do the trick. In other cases, there is a spinal disc that has a bulge in it that hits an adjacent nerve. When that happens, you may feel pain, numbness, and tingling wherever that nerve goes. That’s why you might feel pain in the leg when the problem is in the spine. In some cases, muscles served by that nerve may become weak compared to the other side. That is a more serious

problem and warrants more timely attention. When a disc is involved, we can reduce the bulge either with a decompression table or a decompression manipulation technique. Using the table, we can decompress multiple discs at once with a gentle, comfortable stretch. The manipulation technique is used to treat specific discs in the spine. With both of these, you will feel a gentle stretching motion, sometimes with electrotherapy, ultrasound, or laser therapy to increase your comfort. The goal here is to literally pull the bulge back into the proper position so that it is away form the nerve. Not everyone responds positively to conservative care, although most do. If you do not respond to treatment with at least 50 percent improvement (subjective and objective) in the first one to four weeks of care, we typically get more aggressive. Further imaging, change of technique, referral, or comanagement may be considered, depending on your case specifics. There is a subset of sciatica sufferers with more ominous causes of sciatic pain that require discussion. I have seen fractures, spinal tumors, pelvic tumors, and even pregnancies that cause sciatic pain. Obviously, some of these require referral to appropriate providers. Sciatica, then, can have a cause that is simple or complex. If it persists, move your wallet and see if that fixes the problem. If it does not, see someone who specializes in musculoskeletal diagnosis (a chiropractor) and get it checked out. Don’t ignore it, because you might be one of those for whom the cause is more serious. Either way, it is still a pain in the...well, seat. Ask Shakespeare. For this and other columns by Dr. Bob, visit www.IrisCityChiro.com.

National Hospice & Pallative Care Month “Hope, Dignity, Love... It must be hospice”
“It reminds us that the care we provide brings hope to help people live life as fully as possible, offers dignity when there is not a cure, and surrounds families with love at one of life’s most challenging times.”

Lic. # 126-226-H

3247 Newnan Rd, Griffin www.brightmoorhospice.com

GET READY FOR THE HOLIDAYS WITH

pole dancing parties

bachelorette parties, girls night out & holiday parties for up to 30 women! The classes have a fun, disco atmosphere with club lighting.

POLE DANCE PARTIES ARE PERFECT FOR
BOOK YOUR PARTY NOW

aerial yoga/silks | pilate reformer spinning & zumba

WE ALSO OFFER:

ON THE SQUARE IN JACKSON

We break our necks to give you quality representation.
We understand first hand how an injury can devastate your life and your family. We want to help you get your life back. Let us focus on the insurance company and you worry about your recovery. Workers Comp & Social Security Disability Car Wrecks & Tractor Trailer Accidents Medical Malpractice Personal Injury

Have you started taking your RMDs?
hroughout your career, you have been working hard to save in one or more retirement accounts. Then, once you retire, you’ll have some new decisions to make. But one choice has already been made for you: the age at which you must start taking withdrawals, or “distributions.” It’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with these distribution rules because they can have a big impact on your retirement income. And you may even want to take action before the end of the year. Here, in a nutshell, is the story: Once you reach age 70½, you must begin taking taxable withdrawals — known as “required minimum distributions,” or RMDS — from your traditional IRA and most other retirement plans, such as a 401(k) plan, a 403(b) plan or a 457(b) plan. A Roth IRA, however, is not subject to RMDs. If you turned 70½ in 2013, you may want to take your first RMD no later than Dec. 31. You could wait until April 1, 2014, to take your initial distribution, but you’d then have to take your next one by Dec. 31, 2014 — and two distributions in one year could have a sizable impact on your taxes. After you’ve taken your first RMD, you’ll have to take one by Dec.31 of each calendar year for the rest of your life — or

Humane Society Adoptable Pet: Jessup
Jessup is a fun loving dog who gets along with everyone. He has his doggy friends he lives with and always is mannerly when we are at adoptions. He is a sweet boy who wants to be your lap puppy. If you would like to meet Jessup please contact us at catsanddogs4you@yahoo. com. Adoption Fees are $125 and include all vaccinations, rabies shot, spay/neuter and heartworm checks.

T

AMY DUNHAM

770-227-5300 www.singletonandsingleton.com

EDWARD JONES

FINANCIAL ADVISOR
until your account balance is zero. These minimum distributions are calculated annually based on your age, account balance at the end of the previous year, marital status and spouse's age. If you do not meet the annual minimum distribution, you may be subject to a 50% penalty on your underpayment, plus ordinary income tax as the funds are withdrawn. Of course, while you have to take at least the minimum distribution from your retirement plans, you can always take more — but should you? There’s no one “right answer” for everyone. Obviously, if you need the money, you may have to go beyond the minimum when taking distributions. But if you have enough income from other sources — such as investments in other accounts, Social Security and even earnings from a part-time job — you may want to stick with the

SPALDING COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER ADOPTIONS

There are also many "last chance pets" available for adoption at the Spalding County Animal Shelter located at 208 Justice Boulevard in Griffin. Adoption fees are $30 for Spalding County residents and $35 for nonresidents. This does not include spay/neuter or shots. To view those animals, visit www.spaldingcountyanimalshelter.com. amount from any one — or more — of your IRAs. And if you have more than one 401(k), you must calculate your RMDs separately for each plan. To help ensure you’re doing things “by the book,” consult with your tax and financial advisors before you start taking your RMDs. You work hard to build your retirement plans. So, when it’s time to start tapping into them, you’ll want to make the right moves. Ω
This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

Christmas Day Camp
Make & wrap Christmas gifts for family Christmas crafts Christmas movie with snacks Face painting Letter to Santa

minimum distributions and leave your retirement accounts as intact as possible for as long as possible, thereby allowing them to potentially continue growing on a taxdeferred basis. Whatever your decision, you’ll want to allow sufficient time to determine the size and timing of your RMDs, because if you have several retirement accounts, you may need to make some choices. For example, if you have more than one IRA, you can add the RMDS and take the combined distribution

KINDERGARTEN-5th GRADE
www.brainworkslearninglab.com 678-408-0205 410 E. Taylor Street, Griffin Suite G inside the Old Coke Building

6 COMMUNITY

GET A GRIP AND GET THE GOOD STUFF



THE GRIP

NOV 21 - DEC 5, 2013

calendar :::
Trust us for all of your transmission and auto repair needs.
MISC: Griffin, Jackson, and Zebulon libraries have dropoff boxes for the USMC's annual "Toys for Tots" collection drive. Patrons may donate new, unwrapped toys for children through age 12. In addition, we will also have "token" appreciation coupons, which will allow a $2 waiver for the patron's overdue fines. Saturday, November 23; Fayette Photography Club presents "Fall Colors"; 5-7 p.m. ; A Novel Experience on the square in Zebulon. Saturday, November 23; The Caring House Women's Resource Center will host an

Open House; 10 a.m. - noon; come by to learn about Caring House's programs and meet the new executive director; 127 N. 13th Street. Tuesday, November 26; Festival of Lights; Airport Road Park; free festivities begin at 6 p.m.; children will enjoy a visit with Santa, Elf School, Frosty’s Flurries, Chick-Fil-A Cow Train, Penguin Pass and Santa Zone; All parking will be at Roses Shopping Center and shuttle busses will be provided; Airport Road will be closed to all vehicle and foot traffic at 5 p.m. November 29-Dec 1; The Nutcracker presented by Griffin Ballet Theatre; Tickets are available at Griffin Ballet Theatre at 111 N. Hill St. and

the Griffin Auditorium Box Office or charge tickets at 770-228-1306 or more info at griffinballettheatre.org. Sunday, December 1; Pictures with Santa in the Garden; UGA Research and Education Garden on W. Ellis Road; 1-4 p.m.; photo packages from a professional photographer for only $25 Thursday, December 5; Christmas with Griffin Choral Arts; Griffin First Baptist Church; $10 admission; for more information visit www.griffinchoralarts.org. Thursday, December 5; Educational Prosperity Initiative; discussion of reuse of Fairmont school; Resource Room at A. Z. Kelsey Academy,

from 10:00 -11:30 a.m. Saturday, December 7; A Downtown Christmas; photos with Santa, and free old fashioned mule cart rides; the Griffin Welcome Center; Noon – 4:00 p.m. Saturday, December 7; 51st Annual Griffin-Spalding Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade; “A Time for Peace”; 6 p.m.; holiday music, hot chocolate and more downtown following parade; Downtown Christmas Tree Lighting; 8 p.m. For more events, visit The Grip's calendar at www.the-grip.net/ community-calendar.

• We care about your family’s safety • 279A Wilson Rd, Griffin • 770-227-4580

Trees for Troops GET A GRIP :::
E"Trees for Troops," a program of the Christmas SPIRIT
vergreen Christmas Tree Farm is participating in

conner-westburyfuneralhome.com

Foundation, provides farm-grown Christmas Trees to armed forces members and their families in the U.S. and County officials reached a consensus to set daily meal stationed overseas. reimbursement for county employees undergoing training This year, Trees for Troops hopes to deliver more than at $60. Do you agree with this figure? 17,000 trees in total with a majority of those going to - Yes it's reasonable for breakfast, lunch & dinner. military families stationed at military installations across - No, too high - No, too low the U.S. The deliveries will take place at more than 60 bases, covering every branch of the armed services. Anyone wishing to donate a tree to a military member or family may do so Thanksgiving day through Dec. 8 by visiting Evergreen Christmas Tree Farm, located at 484 Baptist Camp Road in Griffin. For more information call 770- Should the 2014 SPLOST proposal 13% 228-5344 or visit http://www.christmasspiritfoundation. include only essential infrastruc13% org. Ω ture and transportation projects, roads other or include recreational projects as well? Answers in the "other" category in- 26% voting SUBMIT YOUR ARTICLE FOR THIS PAGE cluded: Times are tough...govt should no either If you would like to submit your article or press release for 48% add run their finances like the citizens have way our printed or online community pages, please email an AP to!; Add aquatic center; We need a pool recreation

poll of the week
VOTE NOW AT WWW.THE-GRIP.NET

Last week's results:

Style press release to [email protected]. Inclusion is subject to space availability and content review. We reserve the right to edit all submitted articles for content , grammar, and punctuation.

for our kids to lead a healthy lifestyle; Stop the splost!; Recreational projects only!; Public Library

NEW LOCATION ON TAYLOR ST.
We assist clients with a wide variety of legal needs including: personal injury, wrongful death, criminal defense, divorce, child custody and child support, collections, local government issues, ATTORNEYS wills and estates, education law, Timothy N. Shepherd contract disputes and other civil litigation. Patrick M. Shepherd
612 West Taylor Street, Griffin | 770-229-1882

« snacks, cont.
serving healthier school lunches this year. The "Smart Snacks in School" standards will build on those healthy advancements to ensure that students are only offered nutritious foods during the school day. “Parents work hard to ensure their students grow up healthy and these efforts should not be undone when they go to school. By providing healthy options throughout our cafeterias,

vending machines, and snack bars we are supporting parents’ efforts and ensuring that our children grow to reach their fullest potential,” said Laura Youmans, school nutrition director. Highlights of the "Smart Snacks in School" nutrition standards include: Requiring more of the foods we should encourage such as whole grains, low fat dairy, fruits, vegetables and leaner protein and providing food items that are lower in fat, sugar, and sodium.

Parents are still able to send their students to school with homemade lunches or treats for activities such as birthday parties, holidays, and other celebrations and schools can continue traditions like fundraisers and bake sales. Foods sold at afterschool sporting events or other activities will not be subject to these requirements. The intent of the standard is not to limit or eliminate snack items but instead provide snack foods for students that are healthier. Chips can be replaced

with baked or reduced-fat chips, light popcorn, nuts or 100-calorie snack mixes; regular sodas replaced with zero calorie soda or flavored water; candy bars adn ice creams can be replaced with granola bars and frozen yogurt and fruit smoothies. “By working together and supporting “Smart Snacks in School” we are instilling healthy habits in our students and building a better future for them and our community,” stated Dr. Jones, school superintendent. Ω

www.shepherdslaw.com

109 E. Taylor Street, Griffin
Grand Opening & Open House ANTIQUES | VINTAGE | COLLECTIBLES
404-510-3862

NEW LOCATION!
December 7

Monday - Saturday 10AM - 5PM Wednesday 10AM - NOON

STATE CERT. 0790 & 0755

Risk Reduction Program Defensive Driving Drug Possession

770-412-0727

604 W. POPLAR ST. GRIFFIN

NOV 21 - DEC 5, 2013

THE GRIP





GET A GRIP AND GET THE GOOD STUFF

GOVERNMENT & EDUCATION 7
« air quality, cont.
each of these, they (the federal Environmental Protection Division – EPA), have done health-based studies and made certain recommendations that levels don’t rise above those health-based standards.” The process for monitoring the various types of air pollutants varies, utilizing different analytical techniques. For lead, a detection machine similar to a vacuum cleaner is used to draw air through a filter that is later evaluated for its chemical analysis in a laboratory setting. For the remaining five classified pollutants, instruments are used in the field, providing an immediate on-site analysis that give minuteby-minute readings on levels of sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone and particulate matter. “All the states are required to do monitoring by a number of rules the EPA has put out, but we don’t do it in every county in the state,” Zimmer-Dauphinee said. “We do it in designated areas where there’s a large population. That data is then sent to the EPA.” However, none of those analytic resources are used to monitor local air quality as it is not one of the EPD’s designated areas. According to Harold Reheis, executive vice-president of Joe Tanner & Associates, the environmental consulting firm representing Spalding County in its attempt to obtain designation as a PM 2.5 (particulate matter) attainment district, air quality monitoring sites are limited due to restricted resources. “Nobody’s got enough resources to measure air quality in every county in America, so what the EPA and EPD and fellow agencies in all states nationwide do is pick out places where it’s most important to monitor, according to where the population centers are located and which way the prevailing winds blow,” Reheis said. “Those sites are chosen carefully to be representative of the area.” He said there are currently ten monitoring sites in the 20-county metropolitan Atlanta area. “Those monitoring sites were chosen by the state with the assistance of the EPA,” he said. “The closest one to Spalding County is in Forest Park, in Clayton County. You try to get the closest areas that are going to have similar quality air.” Although he acknowledged a number of differences between Forest Park and Spalding County including the population, concentration of businesses and industries, number of vehicles in use on local roadways and Forest Park’s proximity to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, a number of other factors are considered when applying Forest Park’s air pollutant analyses to Spalding County. “By looking at as many monitors as you can in the area, knowing where the sources of pollution are and which way the prevailing winds blow, you can make a pretty good assessment of an area that doesn’t have a monitor,” Reheis said. “Spalding County tends to be downwind of Clayton County. In other words, in this part of the state, winds tend to be out of the west or the south, so you would tend to think if the air quality is meeting its standards in Clayton County, Spalding County will be meeting those standards, too. Despite the differences in the two areas, a place like Spalding County is going to be less affected by those pollution sources being on the downwind side of the metropolitan area.” He said that puts Spalding County in a good position, as 2012 Forest Park monitoring analyses indicated the air quality was meeting federal and state standards. Asked if the local impact would automatically be negative if the standards were not being met in Forest Park, Reheis said, “It wouldn’t necessarily be applied that way. You can certainly get a very good idea of it. You have to make extrapolations, but they can be made based on a lot of facts and common sense. From that, you can deduce whether your air quality is meeting standards and can be expected to continue to meet standards.” Ω

« budget review, cont.
While desiring citizen input, officials agreed that it did not need to be structured in such a way that would require the expenses involved with publicizing the meetings in compliance with Sunshine Laws. Flowers-Taylor addressed Wilson, citing concern that only employees currently serve on the BRC. “The people who are on the Budget Review Committee work for you. If I was on the Budget Review Committee, I wouldn’t be saying anything that was going to make you mad,” she said to Wilson. “I’m not saying that you don’t need to be there, but you’re the boss. The whole purpose of the Citizen Review Committee is that they aren’t tied to you.” Parks and Recreation Parks Supervisor TJ Imberger took exception to the suggestion that county employees were stymied from expressing constructive input, even if it may displease Wilson. Addressing Flowers-Taylor, Imberger shook his head and said, “I think you need to come to a meeting.” It was then explained that Commissioner Raymond Ray and State Court Judge Sid Esary are also members of the Budget Review Committee, serving as a type of check-and-balance system. Ray said the first step that should be addressed is identifying the purpose and intent of the citizen involvement. “You have all these people who do this every day and have all this knowledge, and that’s what the citizens will bring,” FlowersTaylor said. Ray said he does not oppose the involvement, but that without some form of training, residents who are unfamiliar with the county’s complex budget process would be limited in the productive input they could provide. Gardner said his original intent in suggesting citizen involvement was to help residents become better connected to the

process, which would provide a deeper understanding of the intricacies involved in setting the county’s budget. Wilson said he thought the commissioners’ goals could be accomplished by establishing a Citizen’s Government Academy along the same vein as the city of Griffin’s. “I think that’s kind of a combination that will make everyone happy,” he said. Commissioner Rita Johnson said she would also like to see a better utilization of social media to inform the public. “How are we getting it out there now?” she asked. “Social media is a big thing now, so what can we do?” Wilson said information is disseminated via the county’s website, but said he can also make it available on the county’s Facebook page. He also suggested later considering installing a fixed camera system that would allow BoC meetings to be recorded and posted online. Flowers-Taylor agreed to these ideas, but also added that they feel residents would prefer to be involved in the budget process from its earliest phases. Commissioner Bart Miller concurred, saying, “If they’re not going to be able to do that, they don’t want to be involved. They want to be a part of it. They want to be able to state their opinion after they’ve heard what you have to say.” Gardner said he remains committed to increasing citizen involvement, but that the responsibility ultimately falls to the county commissioners. “I think one thing we need to be cognizant of is we are the citizens’ representatives. We were elected to make these decisions,” he said. Ω

We’ll make it oh-sew-easy! Ages 10+
the first in a series of collectible ornaments celebrating Griffin, its history, and the place we call home.
Limited Edition Custom Design Hand Painted Made in the USA

Join our sewing classes

770-229-2077 | 108 N. Hill Street, Downtown Griffin

Birds of a Feather

available exclusively at

www.chickenhouseconfitures.com
Tuesday - Friday 11-5:30 | Saturday 10-4

Inside the Broad Street Mill | Mon-Sat 9:30-5:30

don’t ruffle any feathers this Christmas... we’ll help you find them a unique gift! GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE

135 S. Hill Street, Griffin ◆ 678-603-2115

Weekend
Treasures
thank you
everyone who has helped us make it to our 8th year in business!

SALES • SERVICE • PARTS Large bike inventory • Apparel & Shoes • Accessories • Friendly staff Gift Certificates are available! 678-692-8175 • 116 E. College St.

Road • Mountain • Hybrid

770-227-2595 • 124 W. SOLOMON ST • DOWNTOWN GRIFFIN

HOLIDAY HOURS THURS - FRI: 9am-6pm • SATURDAY: 9am-4pm • DECEMBER 23&24: 9am-6pm

COMING SOON Call 770-229-3559
find us on facebook

EXTENDED CHRISTMAS HOURS

$50 for 25 issues

to have each edition mailed to your door

125 S. Hill Street

GRIFFIN SPALDING CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

PRESENTS ITS ANNUAL

“Christmas, a Time for Peace”
Saturday, December 7 at 6 p.m.
To participate, register at the Chamber, 143 N. Hill Street or call 770-228-8200. This will be a candy-free event. Registration is $20 per entry, due by Dec. 6 at 3 p.m.