The Grip March 15

MAR 16 - 29, 2012

VOL. 02 NO. 06

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BOE reduces an additional $2.4 million from the 2012-13 projected budget shortfall
JESSICA W. GREGORY
Publisher, [email protected]

'stache studio is sharing free art - not by clicking a button on the computer, but by "sneaking" it into the real world for people to happen upon. Turn to page 2 to find out what you can win just by finding the art ------->

After a four-month long process of employee and community members weighing in with ideas and recommendations, the Griffin-Spalding County Board of Education reduced the FY13 projected general operating budget deficit by $2.4 million at its board meeting on Tues. March 6. Among the cost reduction solutions were: • Reduction of five assistant principle positions; four at the middle school level took early retirement incentives; A.Z. Kelsey and Taylor Street Achievement will share a position • Reduction of five counselor postions - three at the elementary level and two at the high school level • Elimination of the media center paraprofessional postion • Elimination of the position of academic

coordinator at the middle school level and reduce travel funding for middle school athletics • Development of a system of centralized, neighborhood bus stops while still transporting students living within one and half miles of school • Adjustment to the local supplement line on the teacher’s salary schedule to neutralize the effect of step increases • Reduction of one specials positions allocated at the elementary school level • Elimination of fund allocation for the 20-day instructional extension program • Expansion of the cluster model for providing services to elementary gifted students while continuing to operate Program Challenge at the Elementary Enrichment Center • Reduction of the number of licenses purchased annually for the Odysseyware and NovaNet
CONT, BOE, pg 2 »

Overview of pending bills for the 2011-12 regular legislative session
COMPILED BY SHEILA A. MARSHALL Staff Writer; [email protected]

SB 292 – Social Responsibility and Accountability Act Provides that the Department of Human Services will create an established drug test to be administered to each applicant for temporary assistance for needy families or Medicaid benefits. This would require that each person who applies for benefits submit to a drug test, and would deny benefits to applicants who fail such test. Passed Senate vote March 7. SB 438 Provides that no health insurance plan for employees for the state of Georgia will offer coverage for abortion services. Passed Senate vote March 7. SB 87 – Georgia Educational Freedom Act Relating to the scholarship for special needs students, so as to expand eligibility for the program. Senate tabled March 7. SB 469 Provides that certain provisions prohibiting mass picketing will apply to certain private residences; provides action to enjoin unlawful mass picketing; provides punishments and penalties and injunctive relief; and provides public policy concerning refusal or decision to withdraw from a labor union or employee organization. Senate passed and adopted March 7. HB 1114 An Act to repeal certain provisions regarding offering to assist in the commission of a suicide; to prohibit assisted suicide; to provide for certain reporting requirements with respect to being convicted of assisting in a suicide; and to provide civil liability for wrongful death caused by assisted suicide.
CONT, LEgISLATION, pg 7 »

Safehouse shown love from across Atlantic
JESSICA W. GREGORY
Publisher, [email protected]

ALSO INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

When fire destroyed the building that housed Safehouse Coffee and Tea on Hill Street in downtown

Griffin last month, the local community rallied behind the Slade and Safehouse family, freely giving support and monetary donations to meet the insurance deductible and

rebuild. Individuals whose lives had been touched by programs and internships at Safehouse stepped forward, organizing fund raisers, showing up the morning after the fire to serve coffee, and to salvage what they could from the wreckage. There were also some who stepped forward to help, even though they live across the Atlantic Ocean. “I have known the guys at Safehouse for a couple of years now but only through the world of quality independent coffee,” said John Gordon of Square Mile Coffee Roasters in London. “I first started watching and following their video
CONT, SAFEHOUSE, pg 2 »

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Mar. 15 - 29, 2012

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« Safehouse, cont.
blog, DirtyCup.com, and loved that they were doing something a little different in the world wide interweb of coffee,” said Gordon, who was the 2010 and 2011 UK Barista Champion. Gordon put together an unusual fundraiser on Feb. 29 at the Prufrock Cafe in London to raise money for the Safehouse Comeback project - a thumb wrestling competition. (A promo trailer for the event with a soundtrack of “Eye of the

Ga. lawmakers examine cheaper options than prison
Proponents of reform say the state's billion-dollar corrections system has two strikes against it: It costs too much, and it often doesn't work
SHEILA A. MARSHALL
Staff Writer; [email protected]

WHAT PROGRAMS COST

The average cost per person per day of various corrections programs in Georgia:

AND WHICH WORKS BEST?
Recidivism (repeating criminal behavior) rates after various programs:

and Parole. To meet that need, proposals have been discussed that would invest a portion of these savings to support probation and parole supervision.

am surrounded by is by far the most awe-inspiring thing. So I try my best to give back what many of whom are now very close friends have given to me.” The UK fundraiser raised almost $5,000 U.S. dollars. Four UK coffee roasting companies participated, and everyone had a good time drinking beer and coffee, playing various games and participating in the thumb war championship, said Gordon. “We also have a little surprise coming their way too for the new shop.”

State prison $51.19 Probation detention center $43.10 Drug court $20 Day reporting center $16.39 Probation $1.33

Drug court 7% Probation 15% Probation detention center 18% Probation substance abuse treatment center 22% State prison 29%

How will local facilities be impacted by reform?
Although the Spalding County Jail is not part of the state prison system, Spalding County Sheriff Wendell Beam, whose office oversees the local facility, said the proposed reform might potentially impact the jail. “If people would still be required to make bond, it wouldn’t affect us,” he explained. “As far as the initial charges, if it remains a bondable offense, we would still have to house them. If it’s issued like a traffic citation and they’re simply told when to appear in court, it would have an affect on us, as far as the number of people we hold in our facility.” Beam said until lawmakers complete revisions to the criminal justice reform legislation, he will be unable to prepare for any potential changes, but did say that local offenders often do meet the criteria being discussed for diversionary programs.

We have to decide who we are afraid of and who we are mad at. This is what Georgia Governor Nathan Deal says lawmakers must determine in order to enact sweeping reform of the state’s criminal justice system. According to Deal, reform is crucial in light of the $1.2 billion currently spent each year on the system he believes is not meeting the needs of Georgia taxpayers. “We can’t afford to continue locking everyone up, while at the same time not jeopardizing the safety of law abiding citizens,” Brian Robinson, Deal’s chief of staff for communications, said. “At the end of the day, what we’re looking at is saving tax dollars and saving lives.” While there are no quick or easy fixes for the current conditions of the prison system, the Special Council on Criminal Justice Reform for Georgians (SCCJR), created in 2011 by the legislature, has been tasked with establishing guidelines for the system’s overhaul. The SCCJR reports that over the past 20 years, Georgia’s prison population has more than doubled to 56,000 inmates, with a recidivism rate that has remain unchanged at 30 percent. Its analysis indicated that under current policies, that population will increase by an additional eight percent by 2016. This would necessitate the expenditure of an additional $264 million to expand prison capacity. Officials now say sentencing decisions have in large part contributed to the prison population growth, with drug and property crime offenders representing almost 60 percent of the imprisoned. Statistics show that in 2010, more than 5,000 individuals classified as lower-risk drug and property offenders were incarcerated for the first time, a number that

Note: Based on the two-year rate of felony reconvictions as of August 2009. Sources: Georgia Department of Audits, Department of Corrections, Administrative Office of the Courts.

accounts for 25 percent of new admissions that year. Of particular interest to the governor are the roughly 3,200 lower-risk defendants admitted to prison each year after being convicted of drug possession charges. Deal believes diverting these nonviolent drug offenders to alternative programs rather than continuing to incarcerate them within the state penal system is one reform measure that will serve both of his goals of saving taxpayer money, as well as lives. “Society would be better served if we get them into a really tough Drug Court program,” Robinson said. There are now fewer than 15 such programs statewide – including one in Griffin – but that number is set to increase with $10 million in funding earmarked by Deal. “Their (Drug Court) track record at stopping recidivism is phenomenal,” Robinson said. “But if we put people convicted of minor crimes in the prison system, we teach them how to be worse criminals – we harden them.” Officials stress that while the Drug Court system has a proven track record of success, it has been and will continue to be reserved for those who are convicted only of possession charges. “The intent of this is not to help distributors, but to help addicts,” Robinson said. In addition to saving tax

dollars by diverting these offenders from the penal system, Robinson said the measure will also has the potential to alleviate overcrowding. “We’re going to have more beds and more money to put away the violent, hardened criminals that we need to put away – that we want to put away,” he said. “If you hurt someone, you’re going to prison.” While these diversionary tactics may serve to alleviate the financial burden of incarceration, it will increase the burden on Georgia’s already stressed probation and parole system. “Most inmates are eligible for (parole) consideration after serving one third of their sentence,” said Steve Hayes, of the Department of Pardons and Parole Public Affairs Office. While there are exceptions to that formulation, such as those convicted of violent crimes, the result of early release is a postincarceration monitoring system that is also overburdened. “There are provisions in the proposed reform legislation that were either filed or discussed that would require supervision of all offenders,” Hayes said. “Our caseload now already averages 85 per officer.” Although the cost of parole supervision is significantly lower than incarceration – approximately $4.65 per day as opposed to $51.19 -- lawmakers are also preparing for anticipated budgetary needs for the Department of Pardons

UK Barista Champion John Gordon put together a fundraiser featuring a thumb wrestling championship for the "Safehouse Comeback Project" in London. (Screenshot from the promo video at dirtycup.com) Tiger” can still be viewed at dirtycup.com.) Though Jacob Orr, manager of Safehouse, says nailing down a date for the opening of the “new” shop (they’re planning to rebuild in the same location that burned) is impossible at this point due to insurance red tape, they remain as optimistic as their temporary sign reads: “We’ll be right back.” Until then, you can visit them just down the street in the old Corner Cafe Building on the corner of Solomon and Hill. Ω

“The fundraiser was a chance to help Hunt, Amanda and Jacob in any “There are a lot of misdemeanor drug charges little way we could, show where they are brought to the world what a generous jail and have to post bond, community of coffee and most of them are able professionals, geeks and to do so,” he said. “For those consumers we have in the UK,” said Gordon. who can’t afford bond, though, they’re housed here until their court date.” “See, our side of the coffee industry is actually very, As for the proposed reform very small. The calibre of measures, Beam remains genuine, generous and optimistic, yet realistic, that caring people that I myself the intended savings will come to fruition. “Hopefully they’ll put a lot of careful thought into this before they make these changes. Hopefully they’ll protect the law abiding citizens,” he said. “I would have to say the only immediate relief it would give is that it may delay imprisonment. In most cases, the stricter penalties require serving some time and for the repeat offenders, they typically end up in prison. For probation, parole or any type of supervision to succeed, they’ve got to be willing to work for it, or it will not have any positive effect. For some people, to deter criminal behavior, they have to know they will eventually have to pay with some time out of their lives.” Ω

« BOE, cont.

software programs • Consolidation of A.Z. Kelsey Academy and Taylor Street Achievement Center into one location using the A.Z. Kelsey Academy building while continuing to serve the populations separately • Reduction in the number of school resources officers to one each at GHS, SHS, and A.Z. Kelsey Academy/ Taylor Street Achievement Center (as combined) and two school resources to be shared among the four middle schools • Implement a plan to provide centralized registration services. Assistant Superintendent and CFO Jim Smith said, “The board of education made some hard decisions tonight in cutting costs for

next school year. I want to thank them for approving the superintendent’s recommendations along with the 55 stakeholders who participated on our cost-reduction teams. The team members did the research that ultimately led to the recommendations presented to the board of education the first of February.” Dr. Jones told board members that beginning with school year 2013-14 there should be a plan to do away with the 10 work schedule adjustment days for employees in place to help meet the budget deficit for 2012-13. Ω For more detailed information regarding the cuts, visit spalding.k12.ga.us.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Mar. 15 - 29, 2012

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Sneakylove.com: Hidden art in downtown Griffin
The premise:
“Go ahead, we dare you get sneaky,” the founders of sneakylove.com challenge people across the world.

Pictured above: When you register at sneakylove.com, they send you a super sneaky package that includes a mustache disguise, instructions, sneaky stickers and a handwritten note.

Sneaky Love is a selfproclaimed “social experiment” designed to get people to create pieces of art, big or small, and share it. “Not 'share it' by clicking on a button, but by actually going outside and getting art out into the real world. We’re talkin’ hand-drawn sketches tied to trees in parks, photographs hanging on street signs, and poetry left on coffee shop tables. Stuff like that,” reads their website. The idea is to create any type of art, place a “sneaky sticker” on it and place it in the real world for someone to happen upon. Sneaky stickers can be requested at

their website, where you’re also asked to register the location of your artwork. The sticker will have a code on it that will associate your piece of art to an interweb profile where you will be able to see whether anyone has picked up and re-sneaked your creations, or left any comments about how great it is. “Maybe your art gets thrown away and never seen again. But maybe, just maybe, it gets picked up and dropped in some far away land like the Isles of Fiji where someone visiting from Beijing scoops it up, and leaves it for someone else to find. That person may be a dapper Australian gentleman who drops it in a taxi cab, where your future crush/love of your life ends up picking it up. Then you two meet for the first time while discussing your art project. It would be pretty sweet, right?” say the founders of Sneaky Love. Ω

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The sneak:

We climb high to remove your liability, one tree at a time.

The reward: The first person to find this

Coleman Tatum 770.228.0760

piece of art, take a picture of themselves with it and send it to jessica@ the-grip.net will receive a free painting class of their choice at 'stache studio (www.stachestudio.net). Then we hope that whoever finds it will re-sneak it to a new location and put it's new address on the map at sneakylove.com!

TAX MONEY ALL GONE?

KATHRYN BROWER

Thrifting 101: How to snag a great find

All credit scores acceptable*

Here’s the deal. I’m a thrifter. I mean straight-up, to my bones, nothingmore-thrilling – that kind of thrifter. Perhaps you’ve never even considered thrifting – you’ve never experienced the insane high that comes with getting a charactersmothered chair for five dollars, or you’ve never walked away with the exact pair of shoes you almost paid $150 for by pulling a measly $6 out of your pocket. Maybe you look at your dishes and think, “Geez, I paid an arm and a leg for something that we literally eat our food off of.” Maybe you look at your purses (laaadies!), or your belts, or your ties, or your picture frames and think, “I take back spending a fortune on all of these things. I mean, they are things.” And after all – where do you like your money? Me? I like it in my bank account. I like seeing it pay for a spur-of-the-moment vacation. I like seeing it pay for my first 5k. I don’t want to look around my home and see dollar signs on my curtains. I want to see love, character, and reminders of what makes us, us.

bunch of cats – of course (hopefully) you don’t want that in your home! But think about it. The picture can be removed, and the frame can be spray painted. And it probably costs about 10 cents. Don’t assume that you aren’t going to have to work for these deals – they’re deals for a reason. The beauty? They are 100% one-of-a-kind, 100% yours. Two: While you’re grabbing your imagination, go ahead and throw in some patience. You’re not going to walk in and out of a thrift store. It takes time. I may stare at a skirt for 5 minutes – imagining how I may hem it, how I may change out a button, wondering if it’s worth the work (it almost always is). That patience is also going to really come into play when the smell of mothballs are getting you down and that baby that won’t stop screaming is making you pull your hair out. Block out the world. It’s just you, a bunch of cool stuff, and a million possibilities. I have about a million more tips that space won’t allow. If you want to see how I thrift to quench my thirst for fashion, check out my blog Penny Threads www. pennythreads.wordpress.com.

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Kathryn snagged everything in this look for a grand total of $27.63. Image credit: Eric Bailey

So, here, I’m offering up the two most important things to remember when embarking on a thrifting experience. Follow these, and you just might walk away with a jewel or ten.

One: Don’t forget to take some serious imagination with you. You can’t look at things on the surface level. Instead, arm yourself with some critical thinking. That picture frame – the one with the picture of Santa Claus playing with a

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A group of girls came up as I did the last staple. “What's that about?” one asked, pointing. “Every March is Women's History Month where we learn about the importance of our mothers and grandmothers. We learn about the contributions women have given to our society. We didn't have the right to vote, ladies,” I began, only to be interrupted by a groan from the girls because I was known to go on historical tangents. “Did you always think we had rights? Rights to vote? Rights to plan how many babies we could have? Rights to own land or divorce bad husbands?” I got very bold. And the girls stopped rolling their eyes and listened. Many years later I still hope they learned a little something from my tangent and why it's important to "remember the ladies" every March and every month, day, and year, especially during an election year. I have many suggestions as a feminist to tout ways we can “Remember the Ladies” on a national, state and local scale. We need a national holiday to celebrate suffrage for women. We are coming up to the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment and so far there hasn't been anything planned that I have heard of. When I get on my tangent about how important this is, I am constantly asked, “What is suffrage?” One hundred years ago that question would never have been asked. Suffrage is the right to vote, which women obtained in 1920 when Tennessee was the 36th state to ratify it, allowing the amendment to take effect. Georgia did not ratify the 19th Amendment until Feb. 20, 1970. To take it a step further, I nominate several fine ladies whom we can honor with a national holiday Abigail Adams, Susan B. Anthony, Harriet Tubman, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Alice Paul, and Barbara Jordan. On a state scale, we need a women's studies course required for middle school or high school. As a former educator, I see too many young women actually ignorant (and I use that word with fervent anger) about where we have been in womens' rights and where we further need to go. I am not necessarily talking about reproduction rights (personally, I am prolife) but the sheer right to own land, gain custody of children, suffrage, divorce rights – all of which did not exist until the 20th century and was enabled by the 19th Amendment. Third, on a community level, each March we need to take part in Women's History Month in every library, school, and community center to focus on the contributions women have given to our society. We are more than mothers; we are editors, teachers, lawyers, doctors, politicians, a future president, and engineers. Our girls need to know that they can be more than just mothers and housewives —it's all a matter of choice. But they have gotten the choice through the hard work of our feminist sisters who fought for the right to hold occupations and gain an education. As I type this, I glance at my framed picture of Isabella Combs Hedger, my great grandmother, who was a suffragette. She got out and marched for the right to vote in the early 1900s and swore she would vote, sick and on a deathbed if necessary, before any man would stop her. She never missed an election. And neither have I. We stand on the shoulders of Abigail Adams and the other great women of the past when we go to the ballet box in November 2012. Do me a favor—take your daughters. Tell them never to forget where we have been and where we are going. Ω

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Remember the Ladies—Celebrating Suffrage and Women's History Month
ANNE HENDRICKS
“I desire you would remember the ladies and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors,” wrote Abigail Adams to her husband, John Adams, on March 31, 1776. It was months before an elite group of gentlemen signed a document that stated, “All men are created equal.” Fast forward to 2005. I was doing a bulletin board on my wall with the title, “REMEMBER THE LADIES.”

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in one day (he still gained delegates in states where he lost because of the “proportional” rule of awarding delegates). Total, Romney is estimated to have about 405 delegates, but a candidate needs 1144 delegates to secure the nomination. Remember, the Republican Party changed its process for awarding delegates so this election season is dragging on, making each primary far more important than the last. Romney didn’t win Georgia, which was a little surprising since he and his wife spent some time here right before the election. Santorum did surprisingly well in Super Tuesday. He had been lagging in the polls since the Republican election process began, but over the past couple of weeks has he soared to the top. Santorum took North Dakota, Tennessee, and Oklahoma giving him about 75 delegates. He only has about 170 delegates total, which means he’s still pretty far behind. He isn’t likely to win big states like New Jersey or California – states that have a lot of delegates and award them with a winner-take-all strategy. Santorum wins over evangelical Christians, but in order to win the general election, Republicans are going to need Moderates and Independents. Santorum’s social agenda just won’t appeal to that constituency. In fact, there has been a fair amount of crossover voting by Democrats in open primaries for Santorum precisely because he is seen as the weakest candidate who would lose to Obama in the general election. Republicans need

Last week's poll results: Have you or someone you know been affected by gang violence or activity? YES NO
63% 37%

to keep that in mind. Yes, your vote counts – vote for the person who appeals to you. But remember, elections are a strategy and there are plenty of people working against you to put their candidate in the president’s seat. The other two Republican candidates, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul did very poorly in Super Tuesday. Gingrich only won Georgia and gained only 72 delegates. In my opinion, Gingrich probably would’ve won Virginia, but since he and Santorum failed to complete the application correctly, neither was able to appear on the ballot.

his nomination, he needs to remember this election is “about the economy, stupid.” And to take a bit of advice we were all taught as children - “think before you speak.” Ω

Ron Paul still has a chance
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Reflections on Super Tuesday
at

where there’s plenty of room!

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tness

JENNA HOWARD
With 419 delegates up for grabs across 10 states, Super Tuesday was anything but boring. A week before Super Tuesday, Rick Santorum was creeping up in the polls making Mitt Romney sweat. As if that wasn’t bad enough for Romney, he had a few linguistic blunders like, admitting his wife owns two Cadillacs, and that, while he doesn’t pay attention to NASCAR, his friends own NASCAR teams. It almost appeared that Romney was too out of touch with reality and voters were beginning to see that. Yet, Romney didn’t fare too badly. He won Virginia, Vermont, Ohio, Massachusetts, Alaska, and Idaho giving him about 200 delegates

Mondays @ 6:30 PM

Could the year 2012 not only be the end of the world, but also the end of the Republican Party? I personally don’t think so. However, I feel this could be the year the Republican Party corrects Although Paul did not its course. The American win any states, he still people have grown weary gained some delegates of being sold lies from where he got enough our own candidates. votes to be awarded some Limited government,  less delegates. In total he still government intrusion in only received 21 delegates. to our lives, more personal Alabama and Mississippi liberties, constitutional will be crucial states for values, freedom... These are both Gingrich and Paul in the stances in which we, the order for them to sustain in Republican voters, believe this race. Paul is probably our party represents. the only candidate who has And yet, our candidates tried desperately to attract continue to disappoint us. young voters, moderates, and independents needed And then there was Paul. A for the Republicans to win shining light in the growing the general election. Yet, darkness of our political empirical studies show that process. A man who has these constituencies just decimated his opponents in don’t come out for primary the demographic of 18-30 elections. years of age. Obviously this

the debate table that were missing, such as: our fiat currency crisis, auditing the Federal Reserve, fresh ideas for foreign policy, reigning in the out of control government debt, eliminating several unnecessary government departments, and returning states rights, just to name a few. Now many of these ideas are being echoed by the frontrunners. The fact is, Paul has already achieved victory in most of his battles. But the biggest victory Paul has achieved so far is the awakening and education of Americans. Paul singlehandily revived America's curiosity.  By bringing forth these notions that our Constitution was being undermined, millions of people set forth a journey to discover the truth. Some to prove him wrong, many to prove him right,  all to become informed.  That’s Victory!

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Immediately following the results of Super Tuesday, many mainstream media personalities counted the results as a loss for Paul. The truth couldn’t be more to the contrary. Paul’s numbers have continually doubled in most every state compared to his 2008 candidacy. By those in his campaign,  although we certainly had hoped for higher doesn’t seem to be a victory turn out at the polls,  the At this point, Romney still results were as expected. considering he hasn’t won seems to be the winner In many states where Paul the first caucus or primary. in this election because did not campaign, such as However, victory can be Republican voters still see Georgia, he still received defined many ways. him as the candidate who a percentage of the vote has a chance at beating tally. It seems the message Victory for Paul would be Obama in the general of freedom and personal winning the presidency of elections. Plus, he has the the United States. However, liberty still resonates with most delegates needed to there are many more battles many Americans. mathematically win at this outside of the presidency. point. If Santorum wants to Paul has managed to In conclusion,  to those who win, he has to win the big are left not sure if Paul is wake up a demographic states and that means he your candidate, ask yourself of our population that is needs to lay off his social this, “Who else running has generally unaware and agenda and start appealing uninterested about the a proven 30-year consistent to other constituencies. track record of voting to political process. He has limit government?“ Ω also brought subjects to If Romney wants to secure

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The three parts of marriage: part two, emotional
DUSTY TAKLE
Whitney Houston sang it like no other. “I get so emotional baby, every time I think of you-hoo hoo, I get so emotional baby. Ain’t it shocking what love can do.” I must confess. I like to pretend I can belt it out like Whitney did. No doubt. I cannot. But, I can make sure I’m emotionally investing in my spouse. And, my emotional investments are much better received sans the poor Whitney Houston tune attempts. In the last issue, I introduced the three parts of marriage. This issue, I address the emotional part of marriage. Merriam-Webster Online defines emotion as: a: the affective aspect of consciousness: feeling b: a state of feeling c: a conscious mental reaction (as anger or fear) subjectively experienced as strong feeling usually directed toward a specific object and typically accompanied by physiological and behavioral changes in the body I like the “conscious” mental reaction description. Because, to avoid having to sing, “You’ve lost that loving feeling,” I believe it takes a conscious effort. The first thing we need to reconcile is the fact that we are never going to have another first kiss again. And, we all know, there is nothing like that first kiss. But, if we can come to terms with this, we will be much better off. Here are ways that Kris and I keep the home fire burning. And, I’m not referencing sex….that is next issue’s topic. We make time for each other away from the children. During these precious moments, we don’t talk about finances or other “house business.” We simply enjoy each other. We make a conscious effort to communicate the right way. We don’t address issues in the form of an attack. And, we make sure the other knows we value what they are saying or feeling. We avoid situations that would make us vulnerable to directing our emotions away from each other to something or someone else. We make ourselves accountable to one another. We take time daily, even if it’s just five minutes, to connect with one another. This might include praising each other, discussing our day, making the other laugh or just holding each other’s hand. Even when Kris is on a trip, we make good use of the phone. When he is looking hot, I tell him! When I’m looking hot, he better tell me! And, when he forgets, I prompt him with an, “Ahem. Notice anything nice?” And, like it or not ladies, sometimes, men need prompting. Along the lines of communication, do everything within your power to never criticize each other. Girls, if you want your husband to fight like a warrior for you and the family, then treat him like one. Every time I make a jab a Kris, I emasculate him. But, when I praise him and assure him that he is appreciated, he draws back his bow and aims precisely. This goes both ways. Our words are powerful. They speak life or death – blessing or cursing. If you’ve ever read The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman, then you know that we all receive and give love differently. To keep the emotional part of marriage working, I think it’s important to know how your partner receives love. How we give love is usually how we receive it. There is no right or wrong way. It’s why we are all fearfully and wonderfully made. And, the greatest way to emotionally invest in our marriage is to live out 1 Corinthians 13:
4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

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Give Your Portfolio a "Spring Cleaning"
SUBMITTED BY AMY DUNHAM
Springtime is almost here. If you’re like many people, the arrival of spring means it’s time to spruce up your home. But why stop there? This year, consider applying some of those same springcleaning techniques to your investment portfolio. Here are some ideas you may want to put to work: Get rid of clutter. You probably don’t have to look too far around your home to find things that are broken or simply no longer useful to you. If you poke around your portfolio, you might make similar discoveries: an investment that has chronically underperformed, duplicates another investment or met your needs in the past but is less relevant to your current situation and goals. Consolidate. Over the years, you may have accumulated multiple versions of common household items — brooms, mops, hammers — which pop up mysteriously in various parts of your home. You might find it more efficient, and even less expensive, if you consolidated all these things in one centralized location. As an investor, you also might find that consolidation can offer you some benefits. By consolidating all accounts in one place, you can cut down on paperwork, reduce fees and, most importantly, unite your investment dollars so that it’s easier for you to see what you have and then follow a single, coherent investment strategy. Prepare for turbulent weather. As you know, springtime can bring heavy rains, hail, strong winds and other threats to your home. Just as you need to safeguard your home, you’ll want to protect the lifestyles of those who live in that home — namely, your family. You can help accomplish this by reviewing your life and disability insurance to make sure it’s still sufficient for your needs.

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Back injury can be a pain in the… sacroiliac
Dr. Bob: I recently hurt my back while lifting my child from the backseat of my car. The pain is mostly in the back of my pelvis about 2 inches to the right of the base of my spine. What is the likely source of this pain, and how can I treat it? The location of your pain sounds like a sacroiliac joint. This is very common. While 80% of the population suffers from low back pain at some time in their lives, sacroiliac joint dysfunction (SJD) accounts for likely 15 to 25% of these cases. SJD can be painful, bothersome, and debilitating, but it is usually easily treated conservatively and does not require surgical intervention. The sacroiliac joints are the largest joints in the spine. If you look at someone’s back, you will find two small dimples on each side of the lower back at about the level of the belt. This is the location of the sacroiliac joint. As the name implies, it is the joint between the sacrum, that triangular bone on which you sit, and the Ilium, the large bone on each side of the sacrum that hold up your pants and contains the hip joint lower down. These joints are richly supplied with nerves and supported by large, broad ligaments that provide stability. The joint is designed to move in a way that absorbs shock as you walk, which relieves stress on the spine and hips with weight-bearing. examination that includes orthopedic and neurological testing, gait analysis, and sometimes imaging to rule out any serious pathology. It is usually successfully treated by adjusting the sacroiliac joint or joints. Occasionally the adjustment is augmented with physiotherapy, such as ultrasound, to decrease swelling of the sacroiliac ligaments, or electrotherapy to control reactive muscle spasms. During the acute phase (first 72 hours), ice compresses are better than heat, and will ease the soreness. Your chiropractor may also suggest some stretches to keep these joints moving and supple. Occasionally, SJD is stubborn. There is a special belt, a trochanteric belt, that can be used to augment the adjustment. It holds the sacroiliac joints together by applying pressure just above the hips. I have used them on occasion with good results. I have also had significant success in correcting the underlying cause of SJD with customized orthotics, which I use to correct gait problems and leg length inequality. The sooner you get appropriate care for your SJD, the better your prognosis. Don’t wait and let it become chronic, because it might be harder to treat. However, for the vast majority of people, while it is a pain in the “sacroiliac,” it is easy to control. Ω

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SJD presents with low back pain, typically at the belt line, sometimes radiating into the buttock or thigh. It is most common in adults, but can happen in teenagers with athletic activity. It is sometimes associated with leg length inequality, abnormalities in the gait, prolonged exercise, or more serious conditions, such as fracture, dislocation, infection, or inflammatory arthritis. This condition is very common in pregnancy because there are hormone induced changes in the sacroiliac ligaments during the third trimester which caused this joint to loosen in preparation for childbirth. My experience with SJD is that the frequent cause is unknown. There are minor movements that can be very stressful to this joint, such as getting into or out of your car, which involves placing all of your weight on one foot, twisting, and leaning as you aim yourself to a car seat. Certainly, bending and twisting to lift a child is enough to cause SJD. Diagnosis of SJD is made with a combination of a good history, a physical

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Get professional help. You may find that you can’t do all your spring cleaning by yourself. For example, if your carpets and rugs are heavily soiled, you may need to call in a professional cleaner. Similarly, when you decide to “tidy up” your portfolio, you’ll need some assistance from a financial professional — someone who can study your current mix of investments and recommend changes, as needed, to help ensure your holdings are suitable for your risk tolerance, time horizon and short- and long-term goals. Spring cleaning can reinvigorate your home and your overall outlook. And by tidying up your investment portfolio, you can help gain some of that same optimism — for your future. Ω

6

Mar. 15 - 29, 2012

COMMUNITY

CALENDAR
March 16; Friday; Flint River Regional Library Book Club; "The Garner Files"; 6 p.m. in the library conference room For more information call (770) 4124770. March 16; Friday; Spalding County Democratic Party; Spalding County Courthouse Annex; 7 p.m; meeting is open to the public.

March 17; Saturday; Hollonville Opry House; featuring The Four Fathers; Blue Jam; Blue Harvest; Klassic Kuntry; music starts at 6:30 p.m. March 17; Saturday; Griffin Bicycle Club; 8:30 a.m; 40-mile group ride; leaves from First United Methodist Church, 1401 Maple St. March 19; Monday; Griffin Business and Professional Women’s Club; 6 p.m. at J. Henry’s.

March 20; Tuesday; The Exchange Club of Griffin; Meets at noon at the Griffin Country Club. March 20; Tuesday; Ceramics classes. From 5 to 9:30 p.m. at the Spalding County Parks and Recreation main office. For additional information call 770-4674750. March 23 - 25; Friday through Sunday; "All Shook Up" presented by Camelot

Theatre, directed by Brad Fowler; a tomboy girl falls in love with a roustabout man and must figure out how to win his attention; set to an Elvis soundtrack; for more information visit www.camelottheatre.com or call (770) 227-0869. Our community calendar is sponsored by UGA Griffin Campus & 92.5 FM The Bear

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The Grip seeks qualified intern
The Grip is seeking an intern who is looking for experience in the newspaper publishing industry. The position's responsibilities include writing two to three articles per week on local news for print and web; maintaining a calendar of events; scheduling columnists' submissions for print and web; and various other office duties. If intern has interest in graphic design or photography, opportunities to build a portfolio in those areas will also be available. Excellent writing and communication skills is a must. News writing experience and knowledge of AP Style is preferred, but not required. Seven to 10 hours per week in the office, but hours are flexible. Position is unpaid, but may become a full-time position after three months. Send resumes to jessica@ the-grip.net; no calls please. Ω

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Spalding County steps closer to being removed from the Atlanta Ozone Nonattainment Area
SUBMITTED
770-228-1979 136 S. HILL STREET DOWNTOWN GRIFFIN Spalding County took steps in January this year to be removed from the ozone air quality nonattainment area of Metro Atlanta. Spalding County was designated to be one of 20 counties in the Metro Atlanta nonattainment area several years ago by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) and by the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). This designation was because the state and federal air quality standard for ozone was not being met in large parts of the region. Designation of a nonattainment area carries a stigma with it that makes it harder for a county to attract new industries, and harder to obtain federal highway funds for road projects. Periodically the USEPA updates the nonattainment areas due to increases or decreases in air quality. In Dec. 2011, the State of Georgia was given the opportunity by USEPA to propose a smaller nonattainment area. Spalding County contracted with Joe Tanner & Associates, a governmental affairs consulting firm with environmental expertise, to help the County make the case to EPD and USEPA that it should come off the nonattainment list. This is possible since Spalding County contributes only a very small portion of the pollutants that form ozone in the region. Chairman Gwen FlowersTaylor, with the consultant’s assistance, wrote to EPD on February 17, 2012 making a number of technical points as to why Spalding County should not be included in the nonattainment area. That effort paid off: EPD sent a proposed nonattainment area list to USEPA on February 29, 2012, excluding Spalding and several other suburban counties. “The first hurdle has now been crossed,” said County Manager William Wilson. “Now EPD and our consultants will work to convince USEPA to drop Spalding County from the nonattainment area list.” The federal decision will be made by May 29, 2012. “We are optimistic about our chances,” said FlowersTaylor. “We have good air quality here in Spalding County.” Ω

GSCS recognizes Most Valuable Parents
SUBMITTED
The Griffin-Spalding County School System is proud to announce the Most Valuable Parents for January and February 2012. These individuals were nominated by their school for notable volunteer service at the school. Thank you and congratulations to these volunteers: January 2012 Anne Street Elementary Sonya Colquitt Beaverbrook Elementary Maria Zepeda Cowan Rd. Elementary Tasha Smith Futral Rd. Elementary Missy Wyatt and Wanda “YaYa” Putnam Jackson Rd. Elementary Monica Hart Jordan Hill Elementary Jolene Hensley Carver Road Middle - Linda Reagin Kennedy Road Middle Carla Watkins Rehoboth Road Middle Janice Hamilton Spalding High School Larry Foster February 2012 Anne Street Elementary Sonya Colquitt Crescent Elementary - Stacy Ballard Cowan Road Elementary Reba Gaston Futral Road Elementary Fran Stacey Jackson Road Elementary Rae Botts Jordan Hill Elementary Linda McDowell Moreland Road Elementary - Linda Birath Orrs Elementary - Joanna Carpenter Rehoboth Road Middle Dana Moore Griffin High - Marsha Ivy Each month, one volunteer is selected as the districtlevel volunteer of the month. Congratulations to January’s district-level MVP, Ms. Maria Zepeda from Beaverbrook Elementary School. Ms. Zepeda visits the library daily to help the media specialist and paraprofessional. She truly enjoys helping the teachers and students. We would also like to congratulate the February district-level MVP, Ms. Sonya Colquitt from Anne Street Elementary School. Ms. Colquitt makes time nearly every day to help out the students and staff at Anne Street. February marked the sixth month this program has been in effect and we have recognized over 70 parents so far. Thank you to all of the volunteers within the Griffin-Spalding County School System. Your support is truly appreciated! Ω

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gOVERNMENT & EDUCATION
'Just closing' the airport could cost millions
SHEILA A. MARSHALL
Staff Writer; [email protected]

Mar. 15 - 29, 2012

7

« legislation, cont.
House immediately transferred bill to the Senate March 7. HB 797 Would revise funding for state chartered special schools; provide for submittal of charter petitions to the Charter Committee of the State Board of Education; and provide for resubmittal of a charter petition to a local Board of Education upon expiration of the charter term of a state chartered special school. Passed House vote March 7.

The Griffin-Spalding County Airport is one of those subjects that stirs deep emotion among local residents. “People either love the airport or they hate it,” said Airport Manager Robert Mohl. The primary reason the airport generates such a deeply negative public opinion, he said, is that it consistently operates at a loss. “That’s because of the airfield’s age. As with anything, as it ages, it will require more and more repair,” Mohl said. In its current Zebulon Road location, he added that options that would put it in the black are limited. “The only way to make it so we are covering our depreciation is to put in more hangars and a new taxiway. That would require infrastructure on the east side of the airfield,” he said. “It would take a very, very long time and a major infusion of capital. We could be the best little airport in Griffin, though, but the operative word is little.” Even if city and county officials elected to invest in those infrastructure changes, Mohl said the airport would remain unable to significantly contribute to the local tax base. “We could bring in enough to benefit the airport, but not everyone else,” he said. Mohl said that just as the city of Griffin, Spalding County and the GriffinSpalding County School System receive ad valorum fees for locally owned vehicles, aircraft are another potential revenue source. “Planes do the same thing, but we don’t have the larger corporate jets that pay the higher ad valorum rates. Right now, all the aircraft in the hangars pay a whopping $110,000,” he said. “But if you apply the Spalding County tax rate to only four middle of the road, run of the mill corporate jets, those jets would bring in $1.3 million.” That revenue does not cost local officials anything other than operational cost, he said, with much fartherreaching benefits. “We would be contributing to the city and the county instead of being a drain. Even so, at its current operating costs, each taxpayer only pays a dollar or two for the airfield,” Mohl said. “We’ve significantly streamlined operations for years and years now. The deficit, according to the 2013 budget that I just got Monday is less than $100,000, and it hasn’t been less than $100,000 in many, many years.” After comparing options, as well as local development needs, Mohl is certain the optimal choice is to “scrap it all and start from scratch.” For those who argue that Griffin and Spalding County should not

A longer runway than the current one, pictured above, could allow for larger jets and potentially bring Spalding County $1 million more in ad valorum taxes, says Airport Manager Robert Mohl.
operate an airport, the counterargument is that the current facility should simply be closed. However, Mohl said that if that were to happen, the pair would be financially liable to the federal government for potentially many millions of dollars. “I don’t have any hard numbers, but as it was explained to me, the city and county would be required to pay 95 percent of the airport’s current market value,” he said, estimating that would be in the ballpark of $5 to $8 million. “In addition, an audit would have to be conducted to determine how much money has been spent locally from federal grants. We do an audit every year, but nobody’s ever done a specific audit to find out what the costs would be to close down the airport and repay the federal government.” That audit would be extensive, as repayment for airport grant monies would not be limited to recently utilized funds, but some dating back several decades. “If you add all that up, you’re going to exceed the costs of building a new airport,” Mohl said. “It’s cheaper, instead of closing down the old airport, to build a new one.” While Mohl is unable to definitively state the amount of federal and state financial assistance that would be contributed to a new airport’s costs, he said for $6 or $7 million in local funds, the federal government “is going to hand down some $55 million to build a local airport.” Not only would this increase the tax base, he said, it would also be a boon to local industrial development. “The site for the new airport is right off Highway 16, which is minutes from I-75. The new industrial part the county has built is also in its vicinity – we’re going to be opposite it on the north side of Highway 16, he said. With local services including a premiere state award winning recycling program and sufficient water and electrical supplies, Mohl said development is within reach. “We’re going to be what everybody else is looking for and no one else in the region has that,” he said. “That is jobs and opportunity right there. The economy is going to turn around, and those communities that invest in transportation are going to be the ones reaping the benefit.”

HB 872 An act to provide for the Mohl said that in addition to comprehensive revision the future growth potential of provisions regarding secondary metal recyclers, a new airport would relating to cancellation of create, the current airport’s business would continue to certificate of title for scrap, dismantled or demolished flourish. vehicles. “Of the current 95 General Passed House vote March 7. Aviation Airports in the state of Georgia, Griffin is HB 1198 ranked 10th with regard An Act relating to general to business and industry. provisions for parent We’re in good shape now. and child relationships But, if I had the runway, generally, so as to modify these businesses could provisions relating to expand. Right now, we’re just geographically limited,” grandparent visitation rights; to provide for he said. “The payroll on the an opportunity to seek airfield now is $7 million, grandparent visitation in and it provides $21 million cases where the parent is in local economic impact. deceased, incapacitated, For every one dollar spent, three dollars is returned to incarcerated or otherwise the local economy. If I had unable to exercise his or a larger airport and it had her discretion regarding everything in place, we a decision to permit wouldn’t just be housing grandparent visitation. the larger corporate jets. We Passed House vote March 7. would be bringing about 50 current tenants with us, so HB 954 we’ll be ahead of the game and prepared for growth, as An Act that would change certain provisions relating well.” Ω to criminal abortion and to change certain provisions relating to when abortion State and federal is legal. This bill would legislators' contact require the determination of gestational age prior to information abortion and require certain reporting requirements Georgia House of Reps with respect to John Yates, District 73 performance of abortions. 217 State Capitol This bill would effectively Building ban abortions after 20 Atlanta, GA 30334 weeks of gestation, other 404-656-5126 than to “avert the death of the pregnant woman David Knight, District 126 or avert serious risk of substantial and irreversible 613 Coverdell Legislative physical impairment of Office Building a major bodily function Atlanta, GA 30334 of the pregnant woman. 404-656-3904 No such condition shall be deemed to exist if it is based on a diagnosis State Senate or claim of a mental or Ronnie Chance, District 16 emotional condition of the 109 Georgia State Capitol pregnant woman or that Atlanta, GA 30334 the pregnant woman will 404-651-5795 purposefully engage in conduct which she intends to result in her death or in substantial and irreversible U.S. House of Reps physical impairment of Lynn Westmoreland, District 3 a major bodily function 2433 Rayburn House or preserve the life of an Office Building unborn child.” Washington, D.C. 20515 House immediately 202-225-5901 transferred to Senate Feb. 29, and Senate immediately read and referred March 5.

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