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Column
By Frank
Gillespie
The Madison County Journal
June 7, 2000
Frankly
Speaking
 More Dogsboro traffic
improvements needed
Efforts to improve highway safety in the
Dogsboro area are appreciated by area residents. The latest welcome
addition is the turn arrows on the Hwy. 29 sides of the traffic
light. Now we can make a left turn without being run over by
oncoming traffic.
However, another developing problem has not been addressed: the
growing amount of traffic on Glenn Carrie Road. Homes and churches
line the entire two-mile length of the street. Side streets lead
to a series of subdivisions, making Glenn Carrie the most heavily
populated part of unincorporated Madison County.
Additional traffic on Glenn Carrie comes from shoppers going
to the retail stores and restaurants located in the Dogsboro
Intersection. The Dollar General Store, CVS Drug Store and the
new Ingles MegaMarket are drawing customers from the Winterville
area. Winterville shoppers find easier access and less traffic
in the Hull/Dogsboro area than on the Lexington Highway in Clarke
County. All of this new traffic uses Glenn Carrie Road.
The danger on Glenn Carrie is greatly increased by a steady stream
of pedestrians. Housing along Glenn Carrie and its side roads
includes a number of mobile home parks and duplexes that serve
lower income people. These people, walking from the subdivisions
to the intersection, must use the shoulders of the road because
of the lack of sidewalks. With the end of the school year, an
increasing number of children and teens are joining the hikers.
Glenn Carrie clearly needs to be upgraded. That would be an expensive
proposition. Both sides of the street are filled with underground
utilities. Water lines, gas lines and underground cables would
have to be moved in order to widen the street. Because it is
a county road, the county would have to bear most of the cost.
It would be better for the local residents if a new connector
street could be built parallel to Glenn Carrie, but that would
likely require the removal of several homes or businesses. That
also would be expensive. In either case, county officials need
to start thinking of measures that will improve or divert traffic
on Glenn Carrie.
One thing that can be done fairly easily with minimal expense
is the constriction of sidewalks along key portions of the street.
A sidewalk from Joy Baptist Church to the Dogsboro intersection
would greatly enhance safety of pedestrians.
Turning lanes are badly needed on that section of Glenn Carrie
currently occupied by businesses. This would extend from the
intersection to the back entrance to the Ingles Complex on one
side and to Clarke Glass on the other. Turn lanes on this short
section of the street would go a long way toward improving traffic
flow in the most congested areas.
The expressed goal of many county leaders is to boost retail
sales in the Dogsboro area, creating greater sales tax income
for the county. We all agree with that. But the safety and convenience
of residents along Glenn Carrie Road will have to be addressed
as well.
Frank Gillispie is founder of The Madison County Journal.
His web page can be accessed at www.mcga.net.
Letter To
The Editor
The Madison County Journal
June 7, 2000
Says BOE refused
to obey
law at senior's expense
Dear editor:
Jacob Allen Lee was one of the Madison County High School graduates
who was listed as "not pictured" in last week's Madison
County Journal. I don't know why the other students were not
pictured, but Jacob was on that list because Madison County's
Board of Education refused to obey the law until past time for
Jacob to be included in most senior activities.
Jacob was one of the students caught by Madison County's attendance
policy that refused credits to students who were absent more
than 10 days per semester whether those absences were excused
or not. Georgia state policy allows that children cannot be refused
credits in the case of excused absences and lists reasonable
excuses. All of Jacob's absences were excused. He was denied
credits in two classes. Jacob contacted a lawyer to find out
if he had any rights as a student.
In the April 14, 1999 issue of this paper in the "Raider
Weekly" section, a writer questioned the attendance policy.
The answer given indicated that MCHS has established its policy
in line with the state's policy because the state "sets
up rules and regulations that school systems have to comply with."
The following week the paper announced that Jacob was suing the
school board, claiming that the attendance policy was "unlawful."
Another family challenged the legality of Madison County's policy.
With a lawyer's assistance they were given the hearing they requested
and were then able to take their complaint to the state board.
The state board upheld the state attendance policy. So, apparently,
Madison County's attendance policy was never in line with state
policy.
Forced to accept the truth and comply with state board policy,
the Madison County school board decided to settle with Jacob.
He was moved to a senior homeroom. He was allowed to order his
cap and gown. It was too late for his picture to go in the yearbook
as a senior. He was not asked if he had a picture to put in the
paper.
Jacob's settlement with the board of education also required
that the board change its attendance policy to comply with the
state's policy and that credits be restored to all students whose
credits had been illegally withheld.
Jacob's family is proud that Jacob persevered and received his
diploma. We have the utmost respect for this young man who fought
not only for his rights, but also for the rights of his fellow
students.
Congratulations, Jacob!
Submitted by the family and friends of Jacob Allen Lee.
Sincerely, Charles Allen Lee, Hull
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Column
By Zach
Mitcham
The Madison County Journal
June 7, 2000
My Pop
It's a vague memory, but I still recall years ago my dad telling
me, "You can call me Pop."
So Judson Cofield Mitcham, who will turn 52 Monday, is Pop to
me and the older I get the more thankful I am for that.
Pop is many things. He is the master of the knuckle ball. And
as a kid I became better with a glove learning to snag the dancing
baseball that lacked rotation when it left his fingers.
My father was a hot shot basketball player, Monroe High School's
leading scorer his junior year, who missed most of his senior
year after an ankle injury against Cauthan Westbrook and Madison
County. But the story Pop tells most about his high school basketball
days was when he slipped and fell down as he led the team through
the line of cheerleaders before a tournament game.
Pop can pick tunes on his Martin guitar, using the "Travis"
and "Carter" picking styles to play old songs. But
he rarely shows off his skill. Rather, give him a guitar and
without fail he'll put his ring finger on the D note on the guitar's
B string and bend the note while making a horribly pained face.
It's both sad and funny.
Pop is a jokester. And I am one of only three people who has
seen his dinosaur routine, when he pulls the waist of his green
sweat pants up near his chest, his arms held close to his side
like useless appendages as he crouches and makes a high shrieking
sound, then hops around the room. My sister and I laugh, but
Mom is not impressed.
My father has been a psychology professor at Fort Valley State
College for over 20 years. In recent years, he has also taught
creative writing at the University of Georgia and Emory.
The latter positions came after his success as a writer. He has
published two collections of poetry, "Notes for a Prayer
in June," and the longer "Somewhere in Ecclesiastes,"
before winning Georgia's Townsend Prize for fiction for his first
novel, "The Sweet Everlasting." He is nearly done with
another novel, but he is cautious about sharing any of his work,
even with his family, until it's done.
Pop's distant relative, Terry Tannen, wrote a screenplay based
on "The Sweet Everlasting" and is currently trying
to secure funding for the film.
If a movie is ever made based on his book, Pop plans to be like
James Dickey on the set of "Deliverance," wearing a
big hat and bossing people around.
"I ordered both sides blackened!" he'll yell when his
toast doesn't have the familiar look of charcoal.
Unfortunately, I have inherited some of Pop's less spectacular
traits, such as snoring. Asleep in his recliner - with a book
on his chest and newspapers stacked high next to his chair -
my dad sounds like a wounded beast. And I wake myself up sometimes
startled that someone has let a hog loose in my room. Pop can
sweat through the knot in his tie, while I can work up a substantial
sweat in a fast food line. Mom will add that Pop moves like continental
drift when we're in a hurry. And I've been known to do the same.
But I hope I can be like my father in many ways. Pop is wise.
He recognizes angles where most see straight lines. My father
is also a comforter. He clearly cares about my mother, my sister
and me and wants to spend time with us all. My sister and I can
count on one question from Pop every time we call, "When
are you coming home?"
One weekend recently at my parents' house in Macon I looked in
the refrigerator before leaving and saw one can of Coke.
"Can I have this?" I asked.
"You can have anything," Pop said in a matter-of-fact
way.
But I knew he meant it, because that's how he's always been,
willing to do anything for his family.
Except let them sit in his recliner. That's off-limits.
Zach Mitcham is editor of The Madison County Journal.
Letter To
The Editor
The Madison County Journal
June 7, 2000
Says Fouche needs
more
reason, simple ethics
Dear editor:
I realize that your young reporter Adam Fouche is trying very
hard to be funny each week when he writes about what interests
him and about his opinions. But in all honesty I feel this young
man needs to really learn more reason and simple ethics in his
writing.
His most recent attempt at humor implied that cows are preferable
to any woman's company.
I'm sure Adam has a beloved mother? Probably sisters or other
female relatives and co-workers? Maybe even a lady friend? Not
just a girlfriend, a lady who is a friend and not a girl friend?
Surely this young man is capable of reading literature that is
written by females, about females, but not just for females?
I think Adam has a slight communication problem and his self-esteem
is not as steady as it should be.
Ladies, please try to help this poor young man.
Sincerely, Jo Anne P. White, Danielsville
Read
Adam Fouche's column
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