Tribute to my editor: I received the sad news last week that Sonya Kurth, editor for the Coastal Courier, is moving back to her home state of Texas. Her last day at the Courier is today. I’ve subscribed to the Courier the entire 15 years I’ve lived in Liberty County and when Sonya first worked for the Courier, as Sonya Campbell, reporter, she brought great stories and life to the paper. It was another sad day when she left. Upon returning, now married, she became editor and has completely breathed new life into our newspaper. The format, allowing guest columnists to write great stories about our local history and heritage, redesigning the way the paper is laid out, all have made the Courier a must-have. Sonya’s compassion, dedication and fairness will be missed. I wish her the very best in her new job and just hope we’ll hear from her from time to time.
Apply now for coupon: The U.S. Government will issue 33.5 million TV converter box coupons to those of us who don’t have digital TVs. I’ve already called and applied, as has my mom. Converter boxes will be available at Best Buy, Circuit City, Radio Shack, Sears, Target and Wal-Mart. This coupon will save you money toward the purchase of a box. Call this number 888-388-2009. You will most likely get a recording, just follow the instructions and your application will be processed. Online you can go to www.dtv2009.gov. Or you can write to TV Converter, box Coupon Program, P.O. Box 2000, Portland, OR 97208. Coupons won’t be mailed out until the above mentioned stores receive the converter boxes. Each household is entitled to two $40 coupons toward the price of a converter box costing $59.95 to $69.95. Coupons will expire 90 days after issue.
Important community meeting: The Lake George POA Board will host a community awareness meeting at the community center on at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. A representative from the Ogeechee-Canoochee Riverkeeper office will be here to educate us on water quality and other issues pertaining to our well-being. Volunteers will be trained in how to take water samples from the Jerico and Medway Rivers, as well as Lake Jerico, Lake Arrow and Lake George. Representative Dianna Wedincamp is working with us in assuring our community that we will maintain clean waterways, lakes and streams. Our groundwater in this area is already contaminated and I don’t know if all of you with shallow wells have had your wells tested. We need to bring all of this to Dianna’s attention. Please try to attend this important meeting.
People doing stupid things: On Tuesday, while watching a show called “World’s Most Amazing Videos” I couldn’t help but remember other incidents where people do stupid things that puts their rescuers in danger of losing their lives. Three hikers got stranded in a canyon and two helicopters flew to try and rescue them. Suddenly one helicopter began to lose power and crashed into the canyon wall below. The copter burst into flames. One man crawled out safely, but the other man was trapped under the burning copter. Their radio still worked and they called for help. The trapped man, ultimately lost one of his legs, the copter was destroyed, all because three people “stupidly” challenged this canyon. I’ve watched where people climb mountains and get lost, are in boating accidents, you name it and the rescuers, who have families, put themselves at risk to rescue these people.
Code enforcement in the county: I started several months ago, naming “eyesores” of the week in my column. You won’t believe the response I’ve gotten from my neighbors. On Wednesday of this week, I rode around with our county Code Enforcer Tony Mullis and pointed out eight different sites that need cleaning up. The first one is across the street from my house. Please be my guest and take a ride past this “dump.” Many of my neighbors have new homes that are being devalued because of the condition of some people’s property. The couple who own this lot live in Georgetown. I understand if you live on a piece of property that you have certain rights to have things on that property. However, these people do not live on it. They purchased it three years ago and have steadily brought their “junk” down here and dumped it. I thought it was the law that if your neighbor’s property gets so out of shape and causes you mental anguish every time you look at it, they can be made to clean it up. Doesn’t that exist here in Liberty County? I truly hope these people will be notified to stop bringing stuff and dumping it on this property and that they will be asked to take all their “junk” back to Savannah. Do I hear an AMEN?
Need a tree? Jan. 5 was the designated day to bring your Christmas tree to be chipped up for mulch, however, many of you are still bringing them to the old hospital site. If you have a pond or lake that you would like to have some of these trees as fish drops, please call Sara Swida, director of Keep Liberty County Beautiful, and she’ll see that you get these left over trees. Call her at 368-4888.
Apply now for coupon: The U.S. Government will issue 33.5 million TV converter box coupons to those of us who don’t have digital TVs. I’ve already called and applied, as has my mom. Converter boxes will be available at Best Buy, Circuit City, Radio Shack, Sears, Target and Wal-Mart. This coupon will save you money toward the purchase of a box. Call this number 888-388-2009. You will most likely get a recording, just follow the instructions and your application will be processed. Online you can go to www.dtv2009.gov. Or you can write to TV Converter, box Coupon Program, P.O. Box 2000, Portland, OR 97208. Coupons won’t be mailed out until the above mentioned stores receive the converter boxes. Each household is entitled to two $40 coupons toward the price of a converter box costing $59.95 to $69.95. Coupons will expire 90 days after issue.
Important community meeting: The Lake George POA Board will host a community awareness meeting at the community center on at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. A representative from the Ogeechee-Canoochee Riverkeeper office will be here to educate us on water quality and other issues pertaining to our well-being. Volunteers will be trained in how to take water samples from the Jerico and Medway Rivers, as well as Lake Jerico, Lake Arrow and Lake George. Representative Dianna Wedincamp is working with us in assuring our community that we will maintain clean waterways, lakes and streams. Our groundwater in this area is already contaminated and I don’t know if all of you with shallow wells have had your wells tested. We need to bring all of this to Dianna’s attention. Please try to attend this important meeting.
People doing stupid things: On Tuesday, while watching a show called “World’s Most Amazing Videos” I couldn’t help but remember other incidents where people do stupid things that puts their rescuers in danger of losing their lives. Three hikers got stranded in a canyon and two helicopters flew to try and rescue them. Suddenly one helicopter began to lose power and crashed into the canyon wall below. The copter burst into flames. One man crawled out safely, but the other man was trapped under the burning copter. Their radio still worked and they called for help. The trapped man, ultimately lost one of his legs, the copter was destroyed, all because three people “stupidly” challenged this canyon. I’ve watched where people climb mountains and get lost, are in boating accidents, you name it and the rescuers, who have families, put themselves at risk to rescue these people.
Code enforcement in the county: I started several months ago, naming “eyesores” of the week in my column. You won’t believe the response I’ve gotten from my neighbors. On Wednesday of this week, I rode around with our county Code Enforcer Tony Mullis and pointed out eight different sites that need cleaning up. The first one is across the street from my house. Please be my guest and take a ride past this “dump.” Many of my neighbors have new homes that are being devalued because of the condition of some people’s property. The couple who own this lot live in Georgetown. I understand if you live on a piece of property that you have certain rights to have things on that property. However, these people do not live on it. They purchased it three years ago and have steadily brought their “junk” down here and dumped it. I thought it was the law that if your neighbor’s property gets so out of shape and causes you mental anguish every time you look at it, they can be made to clean it up. Doesn’t that exist here in Liberty County? I truly hope these people will be notified to stop bringing stuff and dumping it on this property and that they will be asked to take all their “junk” back to Savannah. Do I hear an AMEN?
Need a tree? Jan. 5 was the designated day to bring your Christmas tree to be chipped up for mulch, however, many of you are still bringing them to the old hospital site. If you have a pond or lake that you would like to have some of these trees as fish drops, please call Sara Swida, director of Keep Liberty County Beautiful, and she’ll see that you get these left over trees. Call her at 368-4888.