Over the years since the War Between the States ended many people have thought that the Government of the Confederacy surrendered the day General Robert E. Lee surrendered his Army of Northern Virginia. General Lee only surrendered his army not the government of the Confederacy. Here are the exact words to which General Lee and Union General Grant set their hand to on that day in April 1865.
“In accordance with the substance of my letter to you of the 8th inst., I propose to receive the surrender of the Army of N. Va. on the following terms, to wit: Rolls of all the officers and men to be made in duplicate. One copy to be given to an officer designated by me, the other to be retained by such officer or officers as you may designate. The officers to give their individual paroles not to take up arms against the Government of the United States until properly exchanged, and each company or regimental commander sign a like parole for the men of their commands. The arms, artillery and public property to be parked and stacked, and turned over to the officer appointed by me to receive them. This will not embrace the side-arms of the officers, nor their private horses or baggage. This done, each officer and man will be allowed to return to their homes, not to be disturbed by United States authority so long as they observe their paroles and the laws in force where they may reside.”
Richmond had fallen on 2 April and President Jefferson Davis and the Confederate government had evacuated the city. Davis and his cabinet temporarily located themselves in Danville, Virginia but they were soon forced to flee before the advancing Union forces and travel through as yet unoccupied portions of the Carolinas and Georgia.
Following Lee's example, other Confederate generals also began to surrender in the next few weeks. But Davis continued to urge armed resistance right up until he was captured by Union troops on 10 May. On that date, Andrew Johnson, the recently inaugurated American president, declared armed resistance in the South had effectively ended.
Johnson's announcement was a little premature. Confederate troops in Palmito Ranch, Texas launched a successful attack on 12-13 May and it was not until 23 June that Stand Watie became the last Confederate general to surrender his forces at Doaksville, Oklahoma. The American Civil War officially ended on 20 August 1866 via a Presidential declaration.
But you'll notice that while the war did effectively end by the various military capitulations, the Confederate government never formally surrendered. Davis certainly did not and, as far as I can tell, the Confederate Congress was too disbursed by April 1865 to issue a surrender. On August 20, 1866, President Andrew Johnson signed a Proclamation—Declaring that Peace, Order, Tranquillity, and Civil Authority Now Exists in and Throughout the Whole of the United States of America. It cited the end of the insurrection in Texas, and declared
... that the insurrection which heretofore existed in the State of Texas is at an end and is to be henceforth so regarded in that State as in the other States before named in which the said insurrection was proclaimed to be at an end by the aforesaid proclamation of the 2d day of April, 1866.
And I do further proclaim that the said insurrection is at an end and that peace, order, tranquillity, and civil authority now exist in and throughout the whole of the United States of America.
As it says above President Johnson of the United States said that the insurrection was over, but no where does it say the Confederate Government signed any formal surrender. They cannot make it so until a formal surrender is signed since the Confederate Government was a sovereign Government with a Constitution and President with its Congress. No where does it say they relinquished these. President Davis was imprisoned for two years at Fort Monroe as a pure act of vengence.
Because Congress was not sure that white Southerners had really given up slavery or their dreams of Confederate nationalism, a decade-long process known as Reconstruction expelled ex-Confederate leaders from office, enacted civil rights legislation (including the right to vote) that included the freedmen (ex-slaves), and imposed conditions on the readmission of the states to Congress. The war and subsequent Reconstruction left the South economically prostrate, and it remained well below national levels of prosperity until after 1945. The legacy of the Civil War and Reconstruction Era, as seen in thousands of lynchings (mostly from 1880 to 1930), the segregated system of separate schools and public facilities known as "Jim Crow", that lasted until the 1960s, and the widespread use of poll taxes and other methods to frequently deny blacks of the right to vote or hold office until the 1960s. In more modern times, however, the South has become the most integrated region of the country. Since the late 1960s blacks have held and currently hold many high offices, such as mayor and police chief, in many cities such as Atlanta and New Orleans. So, the War Between the States and it’s aftermath lasted at least a hundred years; and it continues to be a factor even in 2014 as the South has had lower percentages of high school graduates, lower housing values, lower household incomes, and lower cost of living than the rest of the United States. These factors, combined with the fact that Southerners have continued to maintain strong loyalty to family ties, has led some sociologists to label white Southerners a "quasi-ethnic regional group". The South in the past 50 years has seen a larger influx of people from the North moving here to live, African American Communities growing and people of other international races moving here especially in the bigger cities. But there is still the strong influence of a separate South in the rural areas.
The Staff of the Henry County Community News
At the Called Meeting of the Stockbridge City Council for September 22nd, it was discussed in the SDS meeting by Mr. Buddy Welch about the Cemeteries in the area. He tried to split the issue of who takes care of which cemetery whether it is the county or city. He spoke of the city taking care of municipal cemeteries and the private cemeteries that are considered abandoned are handled by the juvenile court or the private citizens groups.
This is far from the truth. According to the State Laws of Georgia pertaining to Cemeteries it clearly states that if any cemetery that is abandoned and no one can be found who takes care of said cemetery then the county or municipality is to handle management of the cemetery. If someone is located they can be billed for clean up or eminent domain can be used to take the cemetery and it will be taken care of by the local governments. The Georgia State Laws are specific in this matter and there is no gray area. If these issues continue about the cemeteries in Henry County by people throwing smoke and mirrors on the issue then the next step will be to file a formal complaint with the Georgia Attorney Generals Office and Secretary of State who handle such matters. Then the press will be notified and it will make Henry County and its cities look bad once again. This should not have to happen, but that is something that is on the table as a last resort.
Alfred Britt, Founder of the Cemetery Research Group
The Meeting of the City of Stockbridge on Sept. 22, 2014 was a long 3 hour called session for house keeping purposes. There was a briefing by attorney Buddy Welch on the Service Delivery Strategy (SDS). He told them that they must sign the document in agreement with the county before the end of the year. The Mayor told him that the council had already done so. The measure must be sent to the State General Assembly if not there would be penalties levied by the State on the County and Cities. The items discussed were the following:
Administration
Annexation
Building Permits inspections and impact fees
Opt in or Opt out
Buildings and ground maintenance
Cemeteries
City Prisoners
Code Enforcement
Comprehensive Plan
Coroner Service
Defense for Municipal Courts
Court Security
Animal Control
Detention
Development Authority
Court Authority
Transport of Prisoners
Development Plan Review
Elections
Electricity-Hampton only
911
EMA
EMS
Fire
GIS and Mapping
GBI handling investigations of police
Housing Authority
Library
Park Construction and Maintenance
Planning and Zoning
Police Services
Prisoners Details
Purchase of fleet vehicles and equipment
Roads and Street maintenance
Senior Citizens
Senior Citizens Transportation
Police Precinct
Taking care of grass cutting
Soil Erosion Control and Inspection
Solid Waste
Storm Water Management
Vehicle Equipment Maintenance
Water and Sewer Services with HCWSA
Reported by the Henry County Community News
At a Special Called meeting of the Stockbridge City Council for September 22, 2014, the Council had an executive meeting and returned to note that they are requesting the law firm of Wilson, Morton & Downs to file charges against Councilman Steinberg for violation of the charter. They want charges specific to section 2.17 of the Charter to be invoked and a hearing set accordingly. They also said that the attorneys for Steinberg and Councilwoman Buschman can see the documentation that was received by the council about these actions. Below is the wording of the charter under section 2.17 and 2.16.
Section 2.17. Removal of officers.
(a)
The mayor, a councilmember, or other appointed officers provided for in this charter shall be removed from office for any one or more of the following causes:
(1)
Incompetence, misfeasance, or malfeasance in office;
(2)
Conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude;
(3)
Failure at any time to possess any qualifications of office as provided by this charter or by law;
(4)
Knowingly violating Section 2.16 or any other express prohibition of this charter;
(5)
Abandonment of office or neglect to perform the duties thereof; or
(6)
Failure for any other cause to perform the duties of office as required by this charter or by state law.
(b)
Removal of any officer pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be accomplished by one of the following methods:
(1)
By the vote of three councilmembers after an investigative hearing. In the event an elected officer is sought to be removed by the action of the city council, such officer shall be entitled to a written notice specifying the ground or grounds for removal and to a public hearing which shall be held not less than ten days after the service of such written notice. Any elected officer sought to be removed from office as provided in this section shall have the right of appeal from the decision of the city council to the Superior Court of Henry County. Such appeal shall be governed by the same rules as govern appeals to the superior court from the probate court; or
(2)
By an order of the Superior Court of Henry County following a hearing on a complaint seeking such removal brought by any resident of the City of Stockbridge.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
Section 2.16. Prohibitions.
(a)
No elected official, appointed officer, or employee of the city or any agency or political entity to which this charter applies shall knowingly:
(1)
Engage in any business or transaction or have a financial or other personal interest, direct or indirect, which is incompatible with the proper discharge of his official duties or which would tend to impair the independence of his judgment or action in the performance of his official duties;
(2)
Engage in or accept private employment or render services for private interests when such employment or service is incompatible with the proper discharge of his official duties or would tend to impair the independence of his judgment or action in the performance of his official duties;
(3)
Disclose confidential information concerning the property, government, or affairs of the governmental body by which he is engaged without proper legal authorization or use such information to advance the financial or other private interest of himself or others;
(4)
Accept any valuable gift, whether in the form of service, loan, object, or promise, from any person, firm, or corporation which to his knowledge is interested, directly or indirectly, in any manner whatsoever in business dealings with the governmental body by which he is engaged; provided, however, that an elected official who is a candidate for public office may accept campaign contributions and services in connection with any such campaign;
(5)
Represent other private interests in any action or proceeding against this city or any portion of its government; or
(6)
Vote or otherwise participate in the negotiation or in the making of any contract with any business or entity in which he has a financial interest.
(b)
Any elected official, appointed officer, or employee who has any private financial interest, directly or indirectly, in any contract or matter pending before or within any department of the city shall disclose such private interest to the city council. The mayor or any councilmember who has a private interest in any matter bending before the city council shall disclose such private interest and such disclosure shall be entered on the records of the city council, and he shall disqualify himself from participating in any decision or vote relating thereto. Any elected official, appointed officer, or employee of any agency or political entity to which this charter applies who shall have any private financial interest, directly or indirectly, in any contract or matter pending before or within such entity shall disclose such private interest to the governing body of such agency or entity.
(c)
No elected official, appointed officer, or employee of the city or any agency or entity to which this charter applies shall use property owned by such governmental entity for personal benefit, convenience, or profit, except in accordance with policies promulgated by the city council or the governing body of such agency or entity.
(d)
Any violation of this section which occurs with the knowledge, express or implied, of a party to a contract or sale shall render said contract or sale voidable at the option of the city council.
(e)
Except as authorized by law, no member of the council shall hold any other elective city office or other city employment during the term for which he was elected. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to any person holding employment on the effective date of this Act.
……………………………………………………………………………………..
The Staff of the Henry County Community News
Why does Henry County want to completely destroy any vantage of the rural life here? Many families moved here from the hustle and bustle and wanted a quieter place to live. Destroying the country atmosphere where crops grow, cows graze and chickens crow is a crime against all that is wonderful about country life.
Bringing a Dollar General Store to Old Jackson Road and Leguin Mill Road will only destroy further more and more of that ideal of life. Why continue to strip away at the quiet life for our children. We moved here to raise a family in a quiet setting with fresh air and little noise. Bringing commercial properties to the country is a really stupid idea.
For some strange reason the county leaders are condoning the rape of Henry County by commercial entities. What does this say about those leaders? There are only small pockets of the rural life left in Henry County and more is being encroached upon in the dealings of the backrooms of Atlanta. We didn’t need a Family Dollar on Walt Stephens Road in Stockbridge and we surely don’t need this Dollar General on Old Jackson Road. The farmer made this county what it became and we are letting those in power and in business sweep them under the carpet. They are treated like second class citizens to these people. Just remember if this is allowed by the Zoning Advisory Board and the Board of Commissioners then you know what to do at the polls next time.
Neighbors Trying to Save Old Jackson Road.
NTSOJR
The owner of this blog makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following a link on this site. Any article sent by citizens are their own property.
Hello friends and neighbors. The Henry County Community News Blog has now set a new milestone. There have been 100,123 people to visit the site. Alfred would like to thank everyone for they’re readership. He intends to keep bringing the news to everyone. It is hard sometimes to turn away articles, but some are just too inflammatory to be written. Thank you again and keep them coming.
The Staff at the Henry County Community News
The new list of Title 1 schools has been released and three Henry County Schools are in the top tier of schools with improved learning. Hampton Elementary, Walnut Creek Elementary and Tussahaw Elementary are new on the list for 2014. They join McDonough Elementary which is already on the list. Wait a minute, this is the very school they are wanting to close and bring in the Patrick Henry Alternative school. This looks very bad.
Why take out a school that is doing so well and bringing accolades to the Henry County? What is so important about that property that Patrick Henry High Alternative School resides upon? They tried this same process earlier this year in trying to close Smith-Barnes Elementary on Tye Street in Stockbridge and wanting to move Patrick Henry there. Now it is McDonough Elementary they are trying the same thing with and this school is one of the best elementary schools in the State of Georgia. People need to go to those meeting and ask some serious questions and get to the point and ask what is so urgent about moving Patrick Henry High from Stockbridge.
Concerned Citizens for McDonough Elementary School
The owner of this blog makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following a link on this site. Any article sent by citizens are their own property.
I am sorry for not having this ready before now. I had to locate it in my records from over 30 years ago. The property on Old Jackson Road at Leguin Mill Road has a historical significance to it. This is the site of a camp for the Union Army during the March to the Sea. Below is the record as it was recorded from our Survey of the site.
November 1983—We were notified by a Mrs. Childs of Old Jackson Road at Leguin Mill Road just outside of Locust Grove. There had been some Civil War items found on the property. She contacted the Atlanta Historical Society and were instructed by Dr. Jackson to survey the area with screening methods and metal detection devices. According to records provided by the AHS by the late Wilbur Kurtz this area was a campsite for the 68th Ohio Regt. under Col. Robert K. Scott of the 17th Corps of General Francis Blair. Col. Scott covered the right flank of General Blair who was on Keys Ferry Road. Col. Scott was on Jackson Road. He also commanded the 20th Ohio, the 32nd Ohio, and 78th Ohio who were camped at Philadelphia Church and Philippi Church. These records were compiled by Mr. Kurtz in 1927. The campsite was part of the March to the Sea located here on November 16th –17th, 1864.
The Artifacts that were located:
47 dropped .69 cal. Balls
31 dropped .58 cal minie balls
1 U.S. Box Plate
1 Ohio buckle
1 eagle breastplate
7 eagle buttons
3 brass gromlets
1 bullet mold
broken cook pot
1 picket pin
1 folding knife
1 Jews harp
several pieces of lead
The above items were tagged and sent to the AHS for the Beverly Duboise Collection. The area examined covered a spot 20 feet by 50 feet and items were dug from a depth of from 2 inches to 8 inches.
According to records these brigades of Ohio troops made up a force of just over 1,600 men for Col. Scott. At this site at Old Jackson and Leguin Mill there were approximately 366 men in camp.
This whole area on all corners of the roadway are potential historic areas from the Civil War.
On the opposite side of the road stood an old store which is no longer there today. And according to records that opposite corner where the old store once stood is owned by the Henry County Government for the Tussahaw District. The area is .13 acres. But it is not a good idea to bring this store to this particular area because of the location and the fact that the surrounding neighbors will not support the store. I hope all works out for the best.
Pastor Dr. Mike Moon
Senior Researcher for the Cemetery Research Group and B&M Civil War Research Group.
There is one sure thing in this life and that is the fact we have bills..bills..bills.. and to pay those bills we have to have jobs.. jobs.. jobs.. Then in order to have those jobs..jobs..jobs.. we must work..work..work. And to find work..work..work.. we must allow companies..companies..companies.. to build. If we protest..protest..protest against companies..companies..companies then they won’t come..come..come. There are other localities that will love to have them to help their tax base. Stand alone business is better than strip malls and bars which will come. Then crime..crime..crime will rule the day..day..day. There has been a mistake..mistake..mistake in the northern part of the county and it is because of a child..child..child minded person who wants press..press..press. Ignorance has become a virtue and is growing like a wildfire to the extent that it will only have to burn itself out because no one has sense enough to get a hose.
Watching Henry Move Backward
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The County Manager Might be infringing the 1st Amendment
According to an article in the Henry Daily Herald by Rachel Shirey, the Henry County Manager Mr. Jim Walker, has taken steps to take any requests for a FOIA away from the County Clerk Shay Mathis. He said that any request made to access the records or property of any Commissioner or County employee outside the parameters of the open records must be approved by Walker.
All experts on the 1st Amendment say those records must be made public. Attorney David Hudson, constitutional law expert, says there is nothing inherently wrong with keeping a log of the request or notifying officials, but a policy has to be in place for such action. Hudson said that all emails, letters that concern government matters sent or received by government supplied equipment must be made public.
Georgia Assistant Attorney General Stefan Ritter said that a public document is any kind of information paper, power point, electronic versions, tape recording, video recording, post it notes, texts, email and data in computer servers. Ritter said that if it is government business, then the record is open regardless of the equipment it is on.
County Manager Walker feels there is a shortcoming in the record keeping system, and he is taking steps to strengthen the system for open records requests. He said that the county has not been doing a proper job of keeping track of who requested information, and what information was requested. He said they were not properly notifying the leadership and employees about requests made about them. Mr. Walker told in an email that county officials will remain transparent and in full compliance with open records laws. But when a request is made about a commissioner, county manager, or a high level county leader, they will be notified who made the request and what the request consists. He said that he will check all requests to date and make sure they have a valid open records request attached. If any problems are found he would notify the board.
This is raising red flags in the media. This is where those in power forget that they work for the citizens. Every penny going into a government is from the people and hiding information or giving the appearance thereof only brings about more questions. And lawsuits by the press to gain information will be likely. Thus, this involves the people’s money once again. And if a commissioner or public official goes after a private citizen for asking for information, then not only lawsuits, but possible jail time will ensue. The State of Georgia put into play rules about information and hiding or destroying information has happened in the past. It will happen again and the people only want those they elect to remain honest.
Citizens for a Better Henry County
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It has been 13 years since America was attacked and thousands of her people were murdered and countless affected by the actions of cowards. For me it seems just yesterday that my world turned upside down for ever because it still hurts so much. Sweetheart I dream of the life we would have had together and it cuts my heart like a knife. I think of all the fun and work we had planned on doing in our life with each other and it makes me feel so empty inside when I turn and find you are not there by my side. I feel that sometimes my life has been sucked away from me in the lonely nights and days without you.
I still have nightmares about that day I re-live the moments hour by hour in my mind. They invade my sleep like a devil in the night. I try to keep myself busy to keep from crying. I was part of the team that tried to keep them from building on top of Ground Zero because we feel and know it is a cemetery. But we failed because of greed of money. I have become a watchdog here in Henry County and try to keep the cemeteries here protected but it is a hard fight. I will never give up the fight never. I wanted to let you know that I have never stopped thinking about you and darling I still love you with all my heart and always will.
Alfred.
Its that time of the year when we need to remember an event that changed the lives for everyone in America. The date September 11, 2001 or 9/11 as it is also known has become synonymous with December 7, 1941. Thousands died that day in a time of anxiety over having our nation attacked by an unknown force. We knew the enemy in 1941, but today this enemy works from the shadows.
Today, thirteen years after the day we lost our innocence, our people are showing signs of what usually happens—they are walking further away from the time of the attack. Just as with Pearl Harbor, today it is only a foot note to many.
There are so many loved ones of those who died that are in pain from grief. Many have forgotten those who are still in emotional distress over losing their loved one in one of the most terrible events in United States history. To them it was yesterday. The pain is added upon by the fact that the owners of the property have built another huge skyscraper on what they consider to be the cemetery of their loved ones. They pushed aside the feelings of those still in pain for a dollar. They feel defiled and maligned by a society that forgets so easily as time passes. The hurt is compounded upon when they see their government caress what was once considered evil. This society hasn’t realized the heartache which is part of the daily routine of those left behind. That pain is very real.
As time gets farther from the event, the less it will mean to most in society. The day 9/11 happened will only be a few lines in a book. Even those who teach don’t realize the effect it has on those who lost someone they loved on that day when the sky was so blue and the sun was beautiful. Today much of the pain was turned to anger for so many.
In the beginning, the anger was toward the killers of their loved ones. Now the anger is focused on the uncaring society we live in today. My cousin lost his love of his life on that day, and at the same time a part of him died as well. Most do not realize that sudden pain caused by a tragedy of this magnitude. He has suffered in ways we can not imagine. Grief that is so deep that at times will consume their lives. And the uncaring, thoughtlessness that comes with time only adds to the grief he and so many others feel.
A kind word and a little understanding go a long way to help those who still see the deaths of 9/11 not only those on the planes, but these buildings and the first responders who died doing their jobs without question. They were the heroes who entered those buildings that were a mass of chaos and fear.
As long as there are those who still care, the memories of the dead will remain, but when those minds are silenced by the grave, what will happen next? Those words on pages of text books and computer screens will be just that words. Words in that context and feeling because the authors have long since passed.
Please remember those who died on September 11, 2001 and remember these loved ones left in a world of pain and uncaring. Who only ask for patience and remembrance. Please pray for them, and if you know them give them kind word to let them know you haven’t forgotten. It would mean a lot.
Pastor Dr. Mike Moon
The Henry County BOE is going on the offensive now about the closing of McDonough Elementary School. And they are receiving help from one of the weak minded in the county which is not surprising. Any way back to the BOE. Remember these are the same people who wanted to close Smith-Barnes Elementary in Stockbridge and move Patrick Henry High over there. The local citizens fought it and the BOE found it would be politically in their favor to leave all alone. Now they are proposing the same thing by wanting to close a newly renovated McDonough Elementary by busing those students to other schools and now they are wanting again to move Patrick Henry High to McDonough. The red lights should be flashing here as why do they really want to move Patrick Henry High and who wants the property? Here is the offensive Q &A about the McDonough Elementary. They try to sugar it up good.
1.What is the proposal for McDonough Elementary being proposed by the Board of Education? Their plan is to rezone the school district to move those children to Walnut Creek, Tussahaw, and Wesley Lakes. And then move Patrick Henry High from Stockbridge to McDonough. (The key here is this proposal is by the Superintendent Mr. Bowler and not the BOE. That is why he didn’t get what he wanted at the BOE meeting the other night. There will be two meetings for the people of the area to voice their opinions.)
2. Why is McDonough Elementary’s building being proposed for repurposing? They feel that it would be good to have Patrick Henry High there so the students would have a short walk over to the tech school. (This is again another smoke screen. Patrick Henry Academy as they want to call it is an alternative school for children who have problems and a way to keep them in school to get their diploma. Some go on to tech school and even college, but the majority do not. Again causing hardship for the teachers from both McDonough and Stockbridge.)
3. What if anything, can current students and their families expect different at their new zone school? All functions are part of the cluster school already so little would change according to the BOE. (Anytime you split up a school where children have friends and send them on buses to other facilities will cause problems and friction with the students. And don’t say it can’t happen because it does everyday.)
4. Are any other zones being changed as a result of the proposal? Only McDonough Elementary is involved. (What about Patrick Henry High? Those students will have to travel in many cases much farther which in turn could affect drop out rates. These ideas are being handled much like the BOE tried a few years ago wanting more tax money and the people said no on the ballot.)
5. What does the future hold for McDonough Elementary? The proposal doesn’t mean that this is the end of the school because with the E-Splost that possibly in the future there will be more elementary, middle and high school set ups. (They are reaching on this one. Once this McDonough Elementary School is gone it is gone. Again, trying to bribe the public with something that very likely will never happen in this generation.)
The Board of Education spokesperson is just doing her job by trying to coax the opinion toward them. But here is a novel idea: put it on a special ballot and let the people vote for it because it is about their money and their children. And leave out people who have no clue as to what is really happening behind those walls at the BOE. Money, power, and real estate go a long way in handling where our children will go to school. This is being read and listened to around the nation currently and it is getting bad reviews just as the eminent domain issue in Stockbridge of a few years ago that cast a cloud over that city that remains to this day.
The Citizens Who Want to Keep McDonough Elementary Open
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It looks like the Henry County School Superintendent at the Monday September 8, 2014 spoke of the closing of McDonough Elementary to make way for Patrick Henry High from Stockbridge. He didn’t get what he wanted tonight as he had planned. Instead the Board of Education voted to have a couple of public hearings on the matter. The first will be on Tuesday October 21, 2014 at 7:00pm at 33 N. Zack Hinton Pkwy. Then the second meeting will be on Monday November 3, 2014 at the same address. This is a victory for the citizens so they can truly make their views known. Please keep these dates in your calendar and be prepared to attend the meetings and voice your opinion to keep the McDonough Elementary at McDonough and the Patrick Henry High in Stockbridge.
The Staff at the Henry County Community News
It is getting quite apparent that the people on the council in Stockbridge are very much like those from the Alarcon days. They all talked about those good ole boys and the things they did, yet they are doing the same thing. They might not see it but it shows. They can’t get the video thing to work right one week and the audio thing to work right on another week. Very seldom do they work together. Either they have poor people doing the job or a lousy system. Shows a lack of directive and purpose. People are not always able to show up at those meetings especially when you get off from work at 6:00pm and you try to tape the thing on your machine and you get poor quality. There are many people on my street that wished Mr. Kelley was back. My wife asked me why they can’t get things done at least on a 50/50 basis on their committees. I told her I didn’t really know because it always seems this way.
Roger Mason
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Chick Filet founder Samuel Truett Cathy age 93 died early Monday morning, His family announced at the Jonesboro 1st Baptist Church on Sunday September 7, 2014 that Mr. Cathy was seriously ill.
Mr. Cathy started the business in 1946 on Central Avenue in Hapeville, GA. One of the best places to work and eat, his company has grown across the nation and made him and his family very rich in the process. But Mr. Cathy has given back to the community many times over. His Christian beliefs and lifestyle has kept his restaurant closed on Sundays since its inception. Mr. Cathy turned the company over to his son Dan Cathy to be CEO as his health began to decline. The fast food giant’s funeral will be held Wednesday at First Baptist Church of Jonesboro, where his family has attended church for years.
Stop the Move on our Schools in Henry County
When the voters were asked to vote on the Education SPLOST a list of plans were involved in the plan and the E-SPLOST as it is known is to draw some $7 million for various renovation projects at our county schools. One such project on the list was to do renovations on Patrick Henry High School or Patrick Henry Academy as it is being called now.
Superintendent Rodney Bowler plans to ask the Henry County Board of Education to consider placing a rezoning proposal on the table for public review and comment at its regular meeting on Monday. He said that he feels that the cost to renovate Patrick Henry High School in Stockbridge would be too much because of the aging facility. He wants to close the McDonough Elementary School and move Patrick Henry Academy there. Wait a minute. McDonough Elementary is undergoing a $2.9 million renovation out of that E-SPLOST on a building built in 1954. Patrick Henry High was originally Stockbridge High School and it was built in 1964. McDonough Elementary is 10 years older than Patrick Henry High and it is labeled aging.
They are wanting to send the McDonough Elementary students to Tussahaw Elementary, Walnut Creek Elementary and Wesley Lakes Elementary. Tussahaw is located at 225 Coan Drive. Walnut Creek is located at 3535 McDonough Pkwy. Wesley Lakes is located at 685 McDonough Pkwy. Now many of the students at McDonough Elementary walk to school today because of the closeness. And they are wanting to bus these students off to these other schools. Forced bussing was ended several years ago by an Act of the United States Department of Education.
Here are some good questions the parents of the students need answering:
1. Why are they so bent on moving Patrick Henry High from Stockbridge?
2. They tried this with Smith-Barnes Elementary and found out that they were in trouble there so why do the same with McDonough Elementary?
3. Why are they wanting to change what the voters wanted on the E-SPLOST?
4. Who is wanting to purchase the property where Patrick Henry is today? It is obvious that they are pushing too hard for this one?
5. Why should a child be bused to a school when they can see the McDonough Elementary from their home?
6. Should the parents seek a recall on the Henry County Board Representative for this area?
7. Should the parents of McDonough Elementary and Smith-Barnes Elementary seek a petition to have the School Superintendent replaced?
8. Why are the students being treated this way?
Here are a few things the parents of the students should do before the meeting this Monday.
1. Get in touch with the TV News out of Atlanta to show support for keeping the McDonough Elementary open.
2. Go to the meeting in mass to voice your disapproval for this action.
3. Ask your local Commissioner to be on hand.
4. Ask your local Representative to the Georgia Assembly on hand.
5. Get the students involved with why they want to keep their school.
6. Have representatives from Patrick Henry there to voice their opinion.
7. Possibly seek an injunction against the Board of Education if they proceed with the Superintendent’s plan.
8. Ask why they feel that Patrick Henry High which is a school built ten years after McDonough Elementary should be considered aging.
9. Ask them why they are going against the wishes of the voters about the E-SPLOST that had Patrick Henry listed.
10. Let them know that bussing your students is illegal according to the U.S. Government.
Here are some questions to ask yourselves as parents.
1. Do I want these people being over my child?
2. Are they really acting in the best interest of my child?
3. Why close a school in Stockbridge and move it to McDonough?
Please for the sake of what is right, turn out and stop this madness from continuing. Your child is at stake here. They only see spread sheets and diagrams. We see hearts and minds in those little bodies.
Staff of the Henry County Community News
I am not going to call any names here, but someone has taken a direct attack upon Chairman of the Board of Commissioners Tommy Smith claiming it is his fault that unemployment is 8.1% and that he hasn’t brought in the jobs. Let’s look back to when Chairman Smith took office. When he was sworn into office in January 2013, unemployment at that time was 9.1% which means that the unemployment rate has dropped 1% during that time period.
One year ago at this time, there were 9,556 people unemployed in Henry County. Today, there are 8,503 people unemployed. That means 1,053 people have found work since this time last year. This is due to expansion of work in existing jobs at warehouses, new restaurants, and stores opening. It’s not rocket science believe me. It’s just common sense and knowing how to look at the statistics.
The citizens must remember that the chairman is not the only commissioner sitting on that board. There are five others who must make decisions. We all see how each votes and how they work either to not be in favor of something the chairman wants or not. Just recently he wanted to keep our in house attorney as with any county that has grown to this size we don’t need to out source that position. That can make for manipulation of those involved. It was a 5-1 vote with the chairman casting the no vote.
Most of the problem lies with the Henry County Development Authority. The problem is that they have not sought to bring in the better jobs that everyone would like to see come to our county. But until some new faces are seen on that Authority, then the status quo of up and down unemployment will continue. Also, another factor involved here is that we are still fighting hard times in not only Henry County, but Georgia and the United States as a whole. Sure, some areas are doing fine, but not all areas.
Maybe in the future when someone writes a derogatory blog about someone, they will get the facts together first and then open their mouth. Never walk into a loaded room with a butter knife because it will get mighty ugly in that fight and the loser is usually the one with leaving their cards at home.
Politics is an ugly thing. When you enter that field of attacking a political figure, you must understand, they have friends and were elected by a sizeable amount of folks. Never under estimate a man just because he has a different way of working. They will fool you.
The Staff of the Henry County Community News
Tax and more tax and even more tax…The Tax Man Cometh
Hello to everyone out there in Henry County it is tax time once again. The property tax notices are staring us in the face. Some pay more and some pay less, but the point is we all pay something. Then it is time once again for the 5% increase in water bills coming in November. Also, if you haven’t noticed your homeowners insurance has either gone up or will be soon. Most went up about 19% across the board. Also, automobile insurance has ticked up.
So, the question to ask yourself is this: Has your pay gone up to match these increases? And don’t forget the increases in food, medicines, doctors, and everything else you touch. A rescue inhaler that cost $27.00 in 2005 today cost $256.00 for the same unit. Doctors visits to a pain specialist if you don’t have insurance is $600 for the first visit and $350 for each subsequent visit.
And look how much it costs to die these days. The taxes on burials has doubled and creating a situation where it once cost $100 to open a grave, today it costs between $1000 and $1500 if you are lucky. It cost more to be buried today than it cost my dad to buy a home in 1966. That is ridiculous to say the least. That tax on burials and then inventory of an estate if eating into a person going either to the grave or the cooker and the family can expect to lose a good bit to the man. After you get the bill, you want to throw yourself in the hole first.
But look on the bright side, at least you want have to worry about those blasted taxes anymore. Just think of the irony here. Our ancestors spilled their blood and the blood of so many others to create this country because they didn’t like the high taxes. And now we are doing the same thing all over again and this time folks we are going to lose our nation because of the hurt that high taxation is bringing to America. It is our choice, either fix the problem or die knowing we were cowards.
The Staff of Henry County Community News Blog.
What has happened in America and it’s Labor Day?
Labor Day was a time established for the working segment of our nation to stop for a day and reflect and enjoy what they have accomplished. People labor to endow their life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. They have always seen that their accomplishment has transmitted into a better life for them. The question and endearing issue that the people who labor today want answered is that are they as inspired and appreciated as those of the first Labor Day?
Let’s look at a little history. The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on September 5, 1883.
In 1884 the first Monday in September was selected as the holiday, as originally proposed, and the Central Labor Union urged similar organizations in other cities to follow the example of New York and celebrate a "workingmen's holiday" on that date. The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations, and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country.
In 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed into law the Labor Day holiday to be recognized on the first Monday of September. The form for the celebration of Labor Day was outlined in the first proposal of the holiday: A street parade to exhibit to the public "the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations", followed by a festival for the workers and their families. This became the pattern for Labor Day celebrations. Speeches by prominent men and women were introduced later, as more emphasis was placed upon the civil significance of the holiday. Still later, by a resolution of the American Federation of Labor convention of 1909, the Sunday preceding Labor Day was adopted as Labor Sunday and dedicated to the spiritual and educational aspects of the Labor movement.
The holiday often marks the return to school, although school starting times now vary.
As time went on and Labor relations were handled by various organizations the workers of America worked hard to have what is theirs especially the right to have private property. Those workers saw that if they worked and paid for something that it was theirs and if anyone tried to take it then a fight was to ensue. If a hard working American only had a two room home it was their home. Thus, the term “Home Sweet Home.” But ominous clouds were on the horizon.
In 1909, the U.S. Congress created the Modern Era Income Tax which was ratified as the 16th Amendment in 1913 and implemented beginning in 1914. A previous income tax was implemented in 1861 to pay for the Union war efforts during the Civil War. This tax was continued even up till 1894 when it was repealed. The new income tax of 1914 began taking money that many of the workers needed badly to survive. Many of these workers were in factories making as little as 50 cents a week and up to one dollar a week. a one percent income tax took valuable money from the workers pockets. But many workers saw this as a way for government to have more control over their lives. Some also saw the war clouds looming in Europe and wondered how long it would be before the United States would be involved.
That answer came in 1917 as the United States entered into the War in Europe against Germany and would become known as the great World War, “The war to end all wars.” Many workers at home worked double shifts to turn out war materials. This effort brought more money to the workers, but also more taxes. And in time this would take more from their pockets to keep them from having the dream of a owning their own home.
After the War was over, the American soldier returned home to find what jobs they had before leaving for the war were already taken by those here at home. These soldiers felt they had been deprived and marched on Washington, D.C. and were despersed by the U.S. Army from the grounds of the White House and other areas. Several were killed in the event. The “Bonus Army” was the beginning of the end of a time of rennasance in America. The Roaring Twenties went into the complete collapse of the economic system with the Stock Market Crash of 1929. America was headed for a deep dark Depression. And other horrors were to come. With the workers of America having to work for much less money if they could find a job at all were struggling to survive and feed their families. Then Franklin Roosevelt became President under the idea of the New Deal. Socialism was coming to America under the guise of Democracy. During this time, America suffered the Dust Bowl years when the land of the farm belt of the mid west and west turned to dust and great clouds of nasty dust killed many and even settled as far east as Washington, D.C.
During these years, President Roosevelt created jobs by the government to create an infrastructure for America under the CCC camps. Then he devised the Social Security Tax Bill where a worker would be able to have an income based on what he paid in taxes to the system. And during this time the workers were struggling to keep what homes they had and to retain their private property rights.
Then came the great World War II just 20 years after the first World War. A mad man named Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany with dreams of conquering the world and he did conquer most of Europe, part of the Soviet Union, the Balkan States, into the Aegean Sea Area and North Africa. With the alliance with Italy and then with Japan who held most of the Pacific region after their attacks and movements of December 7, 1941. The workers of America once again went into over drive and created a mechanized force of land equipment and ships like no other has seen in history before. After the victory of the Allies in 1945 over Germany, Italy and Japan, the workers of America remained strong and saw a time of great growth for not only themselves, but the nation as well.
From 1947 till 1965, the American worker saw a time when they could work and have a home and all that is entitled to it. A time when they would see happiness with families and friends and a time with some money in the pocket. Food, Gas and the prices of homes were in reach for about everyone.
Then changes in 1965 in America would start to see a downward trend. The government began taxing for Medicare and for other areas of keeping us under their collective thumb. Taxes began to increase on everyone. Civil Rights marches erupted into violence and a war in Southeast Asia was taking the lives of our young men. Then the early 1970’s came. People were still happy in their homes trying to push themselves to that knowledge that they were private property owners and the government had no right to interfere with them. But a complacency had developed in the time from the 1980’s to the late 1990’s.
Americans were working and being taxed more and more and the people were becoming more and more dependent upon the government for housing, food, electricity, water, transportation, medical care, and even more. Thus, the worker was being taxed even more so as to make it harder to balance the budget. President Reagan had the right ideas, but no one in Congress listened. But as the century ended the workers were still able to have a few dollars in the pocket and they just didn’t realize all that was about to change.
After George W. Bush became President in January 2001, he spoke about the recession America was in. Then companies began laying people off, moving off shore, and just closing shop forever. Then on September 11th America was attacked on its shores for the first time since the War of 1812 by an outside force. America was at war with terror. A war with an enemy with no face. Thus we saw more and more changes in America. The subtle days of the previous 40 years were dead. This time period began showing how the government would enter our lives even more.
The government would not want to stop until they are seeking complete dominance over the workers of America and their families. It is happening nationwide even after the collapse of the economy after 2008 and the election of Barrack Obama as President. If you owned land and property the government feels that it is not private any longer. This is happening across America and it is a frightening trend for those workers who have worked to have something in their lives. For example a man named Eustace Conway of Watauga County, North Carolina worked to have a large area of land in the mountainous area. Here on his property he has cut the trees and milled the wood for his home and buildings. He has gone far and above any code created by the local government. Now after he has been on this land for over 20 years creating a haven for people to come and learn how to become self sufficient without government aid he has come under attack. A developer wants his property to develop a resort area. Mr. Conway does not want to sell. So, an anonymous letter with photo’s goes to the Watauga County Code Department. They contact Mr. Conway to set up a visit to inspect his home and land. They descend on his home and land in a small invasion. They start telling him that nothing he has is up to code and he even must put water, electricity and a sprinkler system in his dog house. They told him that a piece of tin constituted an illegal structure over his firewood. One inspector was appalled to see that his home rested on stone pillars instead of a foundation. Mr. Conway explained that his home is no different than George Washington’s home, Thomas Jefferson’s home or even the White House who all site on stone piers. Mr. Conway called a North Carolina State Inspector to come and inspect his home and he said that his home meets and exceeds any codes of this county. During an interview with the county code enforcement, the reporter was told quote, “the county doesn’t recognize a person’s right to private property.” Yes folks you heard it correctly and it shocked me as well that our government has come so far as to want to control everything about your life and that you are no more than part of a machine they want to see continue running to their benefit not yours. When it comes down to the fact that you must have a drainfield for a water hose then this country is not only sick it is on life support and the plug is half way out.
It is hard for a worker to go out and labor when most of his fruits are taxed and he receives little at the end of the day. Labor Day has a more dark appearance to it. The government has created an air of entitlement. Those who have want more and those who work get less. The late great United States is happening and there are blogs who promote it daily with their blinded ignorance under the guise of its for you. Guess what its for the coffers of the elite and the pockets of the workers have so many holes its pathetic. They walk and leave money to this one and that one. Everywhere you go it is in the air. The stench of unbridled greed for some and poverty for others. And they are all under the thumb of a big brother in Washington, D.C. It doesn’t matter what nationality or color the person is who is in power they become enthralled by the lights, the camera and the money. And the humble worker who tries to provide a roof for the family, food for the table and a doctor for the sick child see all their money go to a bottomless pit. And then they are told they can’t have private property any more. When are the sleeping giants of this land going to awaken or are they just going to be euthanized in their sleep. Think about it as you watch your children play on Labor Day.
The Staff of the Henry County Community News
