NOV 1-15, 2012 ::: VOL. 02 NO.

22

Last week in pictures:

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Clockwise starting above: Winners of the inaugural Rotary Club Duathlon held on October 13; Tina Renew with a downtown trick or treater on Halloween; the junior's float during the Griffin High homecoming parade on October 18.

'Get a Grip' photo contest results: City, county Female entrepreneurs driving growth in Georgia & Griffin to study
need for bus system
SHEILA A. MARSHALL ::: SHEILA A. MARSHALL :::
Staff writer; sheila@the-grip.net Staff writer; sheila@the-grip.net

inner: Jacqueline Barber, who submitted a picture of her daughter on a horse in front of Jan's This and That (located at 117 E. Solomon Street in downtown Griffin) with the caption, " you never know what you'll find at Jan's! My daughter's smile is a big enough sign in my book!" Grip staff also felt that a horse parked in front of the "parking in rear" sign was pretty funny, so we overlooked the lack of official signage. Jacqueline, call us at 770-229-3559 to claim your $50 gift certificate to Jan's.

riffin-Spalding C o u n t y Transpor tation Planner Anthony Dukes said a study to determine local public transportation needs a project that is several years in the works should soon be underway. The study may not kick off until early next year. The scope of work this is what we are looking at, Dukes said. We will identify all the activity points in the city and county, all the employment in the city and county, retail shopping and housing density that would support public transit. We haven't identified the needs. We want a consultant to come in and tell us that, to look at everything in the community and hold public meetings. Dukes said local officials have already heard from
CONT. BUS STUDY, P.4

lthough the United States economy continues to struggle, small businesses are leading the way to recovery. According to the United States Small Business Administration (SBA), the most recent Census data shows continued growth, with 902,694 small businesses in operation in Georgia, representing 97.7 percent of all employers and employing 45 percent of the workforce. (SBA categorizes all businesses that have under 500 employees as small businesses). In addition, women are making great strides in small business ownership, with growth rates doubling those of men 7.8 million, which is a 44 percent increase from 1997 to 2007. Griffin is a prime example of that trend, with a number of local women-owned small businesses opening downtown over the past two years. Stacey Hallman, owner of Birds of a Feather, is just one example of a woman who is working to bring new life to town. My hope is that my business, being so big, can help revitalize a small downtown that is growing and begin to thrive again. I'm so excited to see the way it's coming back to life, she said. So much has changed in the last year. I love the downtown area! Griffin is a great place to live and I'm happy that I can do something to help make it thrive, at least that what I hope I'm doing.

Griffin Downtown Development Authority Director Adam Causey works closely with many of these small business owners, and says their value is not confined to economic development. They're the life of our economy here, as far as I'm concerned. Not only do they bring in money essentially to the local economy with they business by employing people and generating revenue, but because small business owners also tend to be the ones involved here, whether it's church functions or civic activities, he said. It's impressive to me that they own a small business and they have families, but they also realize they need to be a bigger part of the community. They take extra time out to be involved in the civic arena. It's equally impressive to owning a business. According to Causey, this high level of community involvement is crucial not only to maintaining their own businesses, but also to the area's future development. Development doesn't just happen because people in government sit in their offices and take phone calls. It happens because the people who live here and have business here are very helpful, he said. They know that for their businesses to thrive, they can't just sit in their shops. They also have to be a proponent of our city. To read more about a number of local women who are changing the downtown scene, one business at a time, turn to page two.

Multiple investigations involving SCFD personnel ongoing

SHEILA A. MARSHALL :::
Staff writer; sheila@the-grip.net

The Spalding County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday voted unanimously to draft a letter to Sheriff Wendell Beam requesting his office investigate allegations of criminal activity Runners up: (l) Samuel Renew in front of Slice's Pizzeria that have been levied against personnel of at 136 W. Solomon Street and (r) Elisha Sariah in front of the Spalding County Fire Department. Marnee Shoes at 1454 Old Atlanta Road in north Griffin. Also forwarded to Beam were documents obtained from the Hometown News of Spalding County and Beyond, most Thank you for submitting commonly known as the Griffin Journal, an photos and helping us promote online media outlet owned and operated locally-owned small businesses! by current Spalding County Commissioner Bob Gilreath.

The letter states, in part, These documents state several allegations of misconduct with regards to an employee(s) at the Spalding County Fire Department. Due to the severity of these allegations, we hereby request the Spalding County Sheriff's Department investigate the allegations as they deem necessary and prosecute any crimes discovered to the full extent of the law. According to Special Agent in Charge Wayne Smith, of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Region 2 office, a separate investigation involving one SCFD firefighter is already underway, but it has not received a request to assist in the
CONT. INVESTIGATION, P.4

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GSCSS officials implement assistance for students in wake of KRMS grade changing
SHEILA A. MARSHALL :::
Staff writer; sheila@the-grip.net

FOLLOWING UP :::

Griffin-Spalding County School System (GSCSS) administrators say steps have been taken to both notify parents of Kennedy Road Middle School students whose grades are believed to have been changed during the tenure of Dr. Brenda

Ford, the school's former principal, as well as to put measures in place to offer those students additional assistance. Superintendent Curtis Jones said officials would contact parents after administrator assessed the data necessary to correlate the suspected changed grades with CRCT results, which he said would give

educators a clearer idea of which students may have been adversely affected. Shelia Mincey, GSCSS Director of Special Education, Data and Assessment and Program Evaluation, who served as interim principal upon Ford's retirement, said upon completion of that analysis, letters were written to parents whose

children were identified as having potentially had grades changed and subsequently scored within 10 points of failing the CRCT. A total of 32 meetings then conducted at KRMS. The meetings took place beginning the second week of school, Mincey said. I didn't want the school year to get going

and for me not to have done what I was suppose to do. They (the parents) were very receptive and glad someone was working on this, she said, adding that she did not have any parents call and complain about the grade changing at KRMS. Most of them had heard about it, but didn't know all the facts. They may
CONT. KRMS P.9

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THE GRIP NOV 1-15, 2012

2 FEATURE STORIES

Five local female entrepreneurs share business insights

The roundtable group:
Melanie Toland, co-owner of 'stache studio and The Makers' Market, is no novice at small business ownership, as she has founded five businesses over the last 10 years, three of which are still in operation. She now gives others an outlet to express their own creativity at 'stache, and others an opportunity to sale their unique wares at TMM. 'stache
studio and TMM are located at 116 S. Sixth Street.

An experienced businesswoman, Stacy Hallman and her husband have owned four businesses that they successfully sold. She has now ventured out with her fifth endeavor, Birds of a Feather, which offers local artisans an outlet to sell their goods. Along with her own success, she is using her business to teach her children the art of entrepreneurship. Birds of a Feather is located at 135 S. Hill Street. Downtown Griffin female entrepreneurs clockwise, from top left: Melanie Toland, of 'stachestudio and The Makers' Market; Stacy Hallman of Birds of a Feather; Kay Landham of Shop@11th; Michelle Bethune of Blissjunky Yoga and Massage; Meredith Graves of Hill Street Market and Gourmet Pops. Kay Landham is finally living her lifelong dream as the owner of Shop at 11th. Business is her passion, and she's known from the age of two that she would one day be a shopkeeper. Her love of Griffin makes her work harder yet to bring revitalization to the area. Shop@11th is located at 212
S. 11th Street.

located at 129 N. Hill Street.

Michelle Bethune, the owner of Bliss Junky, knows firsthand the life-changing benefit yoga can bring about. Having experienced its effects, she was determined to share that with others. She now strives to pass on her knowledge to bring peace and holistic health to others' lives. Blissjunky is Meredith Graves, co-owner of Hill Street Market, says her passion for living a healthy and sustainable lifestyle grew with the birth of her daughter, Zadee. She now provides local farmers with a place to sale their crops,while offering residents high quality foods. Hill Street Market is located at 106
N. Hill Street.

Is this what you wanted to be when you were a little girl or did your education and early career take you along a different path? Michelle As a little girl, I wanted to be a veterinarian or horse trainer. When I was in high school, my best friend's mother was going to massage school and told me about the energetics of the human body. It sounded like interesting stuff and I said, If that's what massage therapists learn, then I want to be a massage therapist. After high school, I became interested in yoga. I picked up a book on yoga and after reading about all the benefits, i decided that this was it....I want to be a yogi too. Of course, its never that simple, but after obtaining a back injury at the age of 20, I started taking a six week yoga course and after five weeks, the pain was gone. I knew this was good stuff and wanted to keep learning more. Kay Yes, most definitely. I have played store since I was two! Its all about sharing things I love with everyone else. Plus, I am a

junker, collector, hoarder at heart. How did you develop your business plan? Stacy A wing and a prayer. I don't know if I necessarily went into it with a business plan. We went in with a great idea and tweaked it as we went. Meredith [I asked myself ] is there a viable market here in the Griffin area for what I want to offer? I researched other markets in different areas. I thought of how my market could be a positive benefit to the community by offering healthy and organic food and also help the local farmers by selling their produce. I asked myself, What will it require to get this thing started? Michelle As crazy as it seems, I never actually developed a business plan. I just took a leap of faith and knew that it would work. Kay I wrote it down on a cocktail napkin at 6th Street Pier with the help of friends and encouragers. But really I have had a plan for 20 years same plan. I just carried it out.

Melanie For Scoop, I actually developed a business plan. All of my other businesses were started in a way that is more fly-bythe-seat-of-your-pants than crunching numbers and analyzing competition in a formal way. I definitely think about those things and rough things out on scrap paper, but in a physical plan? No. At what point did your passion become your business? What triggered that moment when you said, I'm gonna do it? Stacy Honestly, a lot of support from my husband. He had such a strong belief in me as a businesswoman. This isn't our first business. We've had others before and they were successful we sold them. They were in the trade industry, though, and he wanted me to do something I loved, and this fell into place. Meredith My daughter, Zadee, led me to become involved in finding out everything I could about eating good food, farming and what it takes to ward of allergies by changing your diet and eating good food.

She has allergies to wheat and dairy, and even some fruits and vegetables. After all the research to help her, I became passionate. Michelle The massage business has shown me miracles and introduced me to many interesting people. Being in this business for myself has allowed me the freedom to experience these things in a more enriching way than if I worked for someone else. Because yoga had such a huge influence on the way I felt about myself and others, I naturally wanted to somehow combine the two. After I started school to further my yoga education at Peachtree Yoga Center in Sandy Springs, a friend of mine gave me a book called Think and Grow Rich. It was this book, and the advice taken from the book The Secret, that my inspiration to get out and make it happen came from. Kay Business is my passion. I knew I was going to do it, just didnt know when. I knew when a girlfriend of mine said you cant just step into it...you

have jump with both feet! Melanie I'm passionate about anything that allows me to be creative and promises to offer new experiences. The only reason I was able to pick a major in college was because I knew in mass communications/ journalism, I wouldn't get bored. In that field, you're always hearing new stories, meeting new people, crafting text that tells stories or producing photographs that add beauty and depth to stories. But working for someone else has always been hard for me. Even as a kid, I had a really difficult time with someone trying to control my schedule, my activities, my interactions with others. I bet every kid has that to a certain extent, but I think I had it worse than most. I guess that's what has drawn me to entrepreneurship; it allows me freedom and control. I've never been scared to do it. I'm impulsive and creative and curious. I'm a hopeless dreamer. And I don't worry about making a fool out of myself. I'm just doing what I want to do and living in my own

world. That looks like crazy to some people, I know. So, I guess my point is, I'm passionate about creativity and infinite potential, and I didn't decide to do it, I just did it. What obstacles did you face in making your dream a reality? Meredith Early on, I had partners that pulled out before the grand opening. Worrying about the financial end of things is always an obstacle. What would I do with Zadee when both me and my husband worked? Michelle There were two main obstacles that kept getting in the way when I was ready to set out on this venture: the lack of money, and the people who believed it couldn't be accomplished due to lack of money. It was hard not to listen to them. After all, they were only looking out for my best interest. I had some money I had saved up for this, and thought it might be enough to get it started, but I honestly had no idea.
CONTINUED ON NExT PAGE

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FEATURE STORIES
continued from page 2
Melanie People are naysayers. Some of them are trying to protect you from failure and some of them don't want to see you succeed. So, people that are close to you are often your biggest obstacles. And there's always money, I guess. I've never had money and I've never let the lack thereof stop me. If you read entrepreneurial magazines and books and treat them as gospel, you won't ever start a business because chances are you won't secure loans, find venture capitalists, raise money from family and friends, etc. It just isn't going to happen. How about just sticking your neck on the line, being resourceful and scrounging pennies all at the same time until you've got something that resembles a business? I'm not saying that you should go off half-cocked you should look professional in everything you do and know your stuff but you don't absolutely need a lump sum of money, I promise. For instance, you don't have to hire a graphic designer to make your logo, but you DO need branding, so learn all you can about good design and the skills to create it. Take your time. What was the time frame? Stacy It was whirlwind, if you want to be honest. We signed our lease in August last year, and the Saturday after Thanksgiving was our grand opening. We're getting ready to celebrate our first anniversary, and we've already expanded twice. The third building opened about nine months after the first one, so we just pushed hard and grew fast because i'd rather struggle and get the business going because I feel like sacrifice and hard work, in the end, pays off. Meredith About two months no joke. Opened up on Aug. 14, 2012. Michelle From the time I thought this was what I wanted to do to the date I opened was approximately five months. I started looking at spaces in November of last year, signed the lease in January and opened in March. It was all very impulsive but I just rolled with it. Kay I said I think I am going to do it! That was in September and I opened in November. I was ready. What type of encouragement did you get along the way? Stacy Friends and family I have an amazing support group. My husband, my parents, my in-laws and our close friends all helped out along the way, and of course, my mentor. Meredith My husband, Dustin, is all about being positive and living life to its fullest! Family and friends were also very encouraging. Michelle The most encouraging bit about this venture was how everything just fell into place. That was my way of knowing that I was doing exactly what I was suppose to do. Every time I got discouraged, something else would happen in my favor to show me I was on the right path, along with the people in my life that would keep me moving, and still do. Kay Gosh, I have always gotten encouragement from friends and family all through my life. Do it Do ityou can do itI can hear them now. Melanie In my experience, most people are not encouraging. Don't expect anyone to light your fire for you. How did you deal with anyone who may have tried to rain on your parade by discouraging you from following your dream? Michelle It was very hard to not believe the negativity that was thrown my way from time to time, but I kept remembering that if it didn't sound crazy, then its already been done. And how can they possibly know it would never work if they've never done it. Kay I am sorry but I dont understand that question. I dont let people rain on my parade I win. No one rains on my parade. Melanie If you really want to do the business and you feel strongly enough about it, you'll press on. I think if you let it really get to you, then something's off. You need absolute resolve to succeed. It shouldn't be that easy to knock you down. What's your vision for the future? Stacy I just plan to keep growing, become more solid than we already are, and we're pretty solid. It's hard to say what the future holds, but we want to keep growing where we can. Meredith Supporting local farmers and promoting a healthy and sustainable lifestyle for my own family, as well as the community and surroundings in which I live. Michelle I'm hoping that Blissjunky will be the first name that comes to peoples' minds when they think about destressing, relaxing, and personal growth and awareness in the future. Plans for expansion are in mind, with room for more instructors, massage therapist and other holistic therapist. Kay To keep enjoying what I am doing. Where do you see yourself fitting into the big picture of being a business owner in the downtown area of a smaller town? Stacy My hope is that my business, being so big, can help revitalize a small downtown that is growing and beginning to thrive again. I'm so excited to see the way it's coming back to life! So much has changed in the last year. I love the downtown area! Griffin is a great place to live and I'm happy that I can do something to help make it thrive, at least that what I hope I'm doing. Meredith I enjoy being a part of it all watching Griffin with all it has going for it now with the new restaurants, lofts, antique shops, etc. I enjoy meeting and speaking with other shop owners, as well as all my customers. Everybody is so nice! Michelle As a business owner, being in the downtown area of a small town, I see myself fitting into the big picture. Kay I think that I am already in the big picture I love Griffin and have always been interested in the betterment of Griffins business. I am not going to stop now. Griffin is going to make it. What do your kids, especially daughters, think about mom being the boss? Do they help out around the shop? Stacy I only have boys, but they love it. The have their own little space. We call it the chicken coop. They really love it and seem to be proud. I love hearing them say, My mom owns a store! They have a lemonade stand, so I'm trying to encourage that entrepreneurial spirit. My youngest son is quite the little salesman! Meredith My daughter is going on three-years-old and doesn't fully understand, but in answer to helping around the shop, she loves to arrange and rearrange. She even goes out to the sidewalk and asks the passersby, Do you want to come into my popsicle shop? Michelle I have two awesome little boys who think that it's pretty cool that I'm my own boss. They enjoy coming to work with me so they can zoom around the yoga room floor in the rollie chair and build things out of yoga blocks. They rarely come to work with me during business hours, though, because.....well, they're boys. What's the most surprising thing you've learned by being in business for yourself? Meredith I now work lots of jobs instead of one food preparer, dish washer, buyer, stock clerk, accountant, janitor, marketer, etc! Kay Really??? Nothing surprises me anymore. You think when you have heard it all, another one comes around the corner. I actually have been in business for over 30 years. Gosh, that makes me old. Melanie It's really hard to put down at the end of the day. In fact, I don't. And one thing I've learned...be careful about making your hobby your work. You need that thing that you enjoy to keep giving you that room to decompress. You might feel very empty when the high stakes of doing it as a business make it not so much fun anymore. Another thing, business is business. I don't care what you see yourself doing on a day-to-day basis as a business the paper work, the red tape, the marketing, the advertising all those things that aren't what you want to be getting paid to do, you have to do. For instance, if you're a photographer, don't be so deluded as to think that all you'll be doing is attending glamorous events and taking beautiful pictures. You'll find out sooner rather than later that you'll be spending at least 80 percent of your time doing things that have nothing to do with actual photography. And if you don't, you'll be out of business in no time.

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4 TOP STORIES
bus study, cont.
some that the need for public transit exists. Well, I mean, we've heard it throughout when we did the transportation plan, he said. People have asked why we don't have a bus system. Dukes said with the approval of both the Griffin Board of Commissioners and the Spalding County Commission, a letter was submitted months ago to the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC), which is set to act as the recipient of federal funds that will be utilized for the study. It was basically just a letter requesting that the ARC act as the recipient of the funds and disperse them to the county for the sake of conducting the transit feasibility study, Dukes said. That was just a technicality, so that they would have something to pass on to the FTA (Federal Transit Authority). This is something that's been in the works for three or four years. The ARC is in the process of entering the information into the FTA system. The information being submitted is only a scope of work draft, as the final report will be obtained during the pending study. The request is for $150,000, with a 20 percent match required, which leaves the city of Griffin and Spalding County each contributing $15,000 to determine what public transit needs are. A public transportation system does currently serve the area a 5311 Rural Transit System said Three Rivers Regional Commission Government Services Director Robert Hiett. It's basically a demandresponse type system based on where the people are and where they need to go, he said, adding that riders must call in to schedule their pick up time and location and designation. We check the availability of the bus based on other calls and other routes we have. Hiett said the fare $2 one way has remain unchanged since the system's 1998 incorporation, designed to serve a five-county region including Spalding, Butts, Pike, Lamar and Upson counties. The system provides approximately 82,000 annual rides throughout the region, with Griffin-Spalding County accounting for 25,000 to 30,000 of them. Hiett said historically, approximately half the trips are for employment purposes, meaning people are riding either to their jobs or to job training programs. Another heavy use demographic is seniors. A lot of the people that we service are on fixed or low incomes. If our fee box goes higher than $3, it really affects peoples' ability to ride, he said. Although the fares are insufficient to cover the transit system's operating costs, Hiett said each of the five counties served, as well as the city of Griffin, contribute funding that is in addition to federal subsidies. This has allowed the system to operate without losses to the affiliated governments. People complain about subsidies, but virtually all transportation is subsidized in some manner, Hiett said. We're able to reach our budget. I haven't had to go to any government to ask for more money. We develop a budget and try to make sure we do enough trips to cover it. Hiett welcomes the pending transit study and said if it determines an urbanized system is needed, the existing 5311 Rural Transit Service may eventually work in conjunction with it. I certainly want to do everything we can to coordinate with that effort, he said. If they're able to establish urban transit in Griffin and Spalding County, we certainly want to work with that. We could feed into an urban system, perhaps at bus stops, he said. A lot of it's theoretical because this is their first urban transit study. Dukes said the possibility exists that the current system could feed into an urban system, should the study determine it is actually necessary. It could tie into the current system by offering some set routes, but also allowing people to call in to request response, he said. One will be call in and one will have the potential to be fixed route, he said. It's going to be customized to this community. It doesn't have to be a grand system. It could be a basic north, south, east, west system. The study will determine the needs. You don't want to put something in place if it's going to be a financial drain on the city and county. We're a growing community, though. I'm sure everyone would support some type of public transportation here in the community.

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investigation, cont.
incident outlined in the commissioners' letter to Beam. However, Smith said his office has discussed the most recent allegations with officials of Beam's office. It (the letter of request) mainly refers to a blog operated by one of the county commissioners. The Griffin Journal basically says they have unnamed sources who have related information to them that there are drugs being sold by firefighters to other firefighters, and the theft and sale of personal property, Smith said. We're discussing it with the Sheriff's Office the proper way to proceed. Smith said to the best of his knowledge, Gilreath's unnamed sources have not come forward to file a report with any law enforcement agencies. He then stated that the ongoing investigation being conducted by his office began the week of Nov. 22, and thus

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far, investigators have received conflicting statements from those interviewed. What we're looking at could be a criminal act, if the elements of the crime are there. It's still a little too early to say, Smith said. We have two different versions one would indicate a crime and the other would not. At this point, we're doing what's called a preliminary review. That's an investigation to determine if it's plausible that a crime has occurred. There are a lot of allegations right now, and that's not unusual in this type of situation. In addition to the commissioners' letter requesting Beam's office investigate the criminal allegations, a 4-1 vote also approved the hiring of Atlanta attorney John Lowery, of Pursley, Lowery & Meeks, who will conduct yet another investigation involving the SCFD and allegations of a hostile work environment. Spalding County Manager William Wilson said Lowery's compensation will be capped at $10,000, and he is being required to remain within the original scope of his investigation.

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ounty Manager William Wilson has drawn fire for a comment made during a Kiwanis Club state of the county address, when he referred to a 2010 investigation as a witch hunt. He later clarified that comment by saying, witch hunt, meaning that it (the 2010 investigation) may have started as a single issue, but it broadened into so much more. I misspoke. What I should have said is the investigation that's going on now in very narrow in scope. We are not now asking for an investigation of the Fire Department. We are asking for an investigation of individuals within the Fire Department who may be involved in criminal activity. The 2010 investigation Wilson referenced was conducted by Christopher

Balch, also an Atlanta attorney. Balch was retained to investigate an incident in which a video of a July 17 wreck scene including the body of Dayna KempsonSchacht, who was killed in the collision was filmed and subsequently circulated. Kempson-Schacht's parents ultimately learned of the video when it was forwarded to a relative via cell phone. Balch's investigation eventually broadened in scope to include not only the video, but the overall culture of the SCFD, and resulted in the termination of Firefighter Terrence Reid, and lesser disciplinary action against six additional SCFD personnel. In no way, shape, form or fashion was I trying to make light of the tragic incident that took a young woman's life, or the horrible behavior of Terrence Reid, Wilson said. My comments were only directed at the part of the investigation dealing with the Fire Department and its culture, not the incident involving Firefighter Reid the investigation as it expanded beyond the initial incident and the misconduct of Reid.

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LIFESTYLES
and begged him, Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all. 27Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt. 28But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment.29His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. Be patient with me, and I will pay it, he pleaded. 30 But his creditor wouldnt wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full. Matthew 18:23-30 The nerve. Right? Is that what youre thinking? Yeah, me, too. Yet, we can be that ungrateful, you owe me servant. Someone wrongs us. Hurts us. They uncover us or tell something that isnt true about us. We expect retribution. We demand them to take ownership in how they have mistreated or offended us. We tell them to pay up! And, we make sure everyone else around us knows they owe us, too. Ive done it. Youve done it. We have a huge capacity to be that slimy servant who was forgiven of an even larger debt than the one owed him. Havent we been forgiven of a huge debt? I dont know. The debt of sin? Replaced with a gift of salvation? Eternal life? Yeah, that big debt. And, really. Arent all debts smaller than the one we owe our Creator? The only logical response is forgiveness. Its in forgiveness that we not only release the one who hurt us, but we free ourselves from the bondage of the hurt. We free ourselves from the bondage of our own sin. We allow the peace of God to rule our hearts. And, we all know we cant put a price on peace. Indeed, the most self-loving thing we can do is forgive. Because, all good things flow from forgiveness. And, this was made evident when a man hung on a cross whispering, Forgive them, Father. f youre a smallbusiness owner, with no full-time employees (except possibly your spouse or business partner), youre probably used to taking care of just about everything on your own. So, if youre thinking of establishing a retirement plan and you should you might also be attracted to going solo with an Owner-only 401(k). An Owner-only 401(k), sometimes known as an Individual 401(k), has been around for a few years now, and has proven quite popular and with good reason. This plan is easy to establish, easy to administer and, most importantly, gives you many of the same benefits enjoyed by employees of a company that offers a traditional 401(k) plan. These benefits include the following: Tax deferred earnings Your earnings arent taxed as they accumulate. Tax deductible contributions An Owneronly 401(k) consists of two

Good things come from forgiveness

There's still time to set up owner-only 401(k) for 2012 I

components salary deferral and profit sharing contributions, both of which are generally 100 percent tax deductible. If you choose to make Roth salary deferrals to your Owner-only 401(k), your contributions arent deductible, but you won't pay taxes on your earnings, provided you dont take withdrawals until youre 591/2 and it's been five years since your first year of Roth deferral. Variety of investment choices You can choose to fund your Owner-only 401(k) with a wide range of investments. And you can construct an investment mix thats appropriate for your risk tolerance and long-term goals. Furthermore, an Owneronly 401(k) can potentially allow you to make greater contributions, at an identical income level, than other small-business retirement plans, such as a SEP IRA. In 2012, you can defer up to $17,000, or $22,500 if youre 50 or older (as long as you dont exceed 100 percent

DUSTY TAKLE
EAGLE'S WAY ASSOCIATE PASTOR

AMY DUNHAM

EDWARD JONES

RELIGION/RELATIONSHIPS
fter months of planning and preparing for an Eagles Way Church Womens Event, it finally came and went. Two of my dear friends from Oklahoma, who also happen to be phenomenal writers and speakers, shared their stories of redemption with several women on Saturday. Cindy Beall and Kim Heinecke both have similar stories of a devastated marriage with two very different endings. However, both have stories of hope. Both herald stories of a redemptive God who continues to redeem their lives. Because, there is no expiration on the redemption of God. One of the most profound things I heard Cindy say was, Forgiveness is the most self-loving thing you can do. Matthew 6:14-15 tells us If you forgive others for their sins, your Father in heaven will also forgive you for your sins. But if you dont forgive others, your Father in heaven will not forgive your sins. Im always reminded of this story when I consider withholding forgiveness from someone who has hurt me: 23 Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. 24In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. 25 He couldnt pay, so his master ordered that he be sold along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned to pay the debt. 26But the man fell down before his master

FINANCIAL ADVISOR
of your income). Then, in addition, you can make a profit-sharing contribution equal to 25 percent of your income (slightly less if you are unincorporated). So, by combining the salary deferral and profit-sharing components, you can potentially contribute up to $50,000 to your Owneronly 401(k) in 2012, or $55,000 if youre 50 or older. And these figures are doubled if your spouse also contributes to the Owneronly 401(k). However, youre not obligated to contribute anything to your plan. So, if your business is slow one

year, you might scale back your contributions, or put in nothing at all. Then, when business picks up again, you can get back toward contributing whatever you can afford, up to the maximum. Clearly, the Owner-only 401(k) can offer you some key advantages in building resources for retirement. But its not the only smallbusiness retirement plan on the market, so, before you make a decision, you may want to consult with your tax and financial advisors to determine if an Owner-only 401(k) is indeed the right plan for you. But dont wait too long. Youll have to establish your Owner-only 401(k) by Dec. 31 if you want to receive any tax deductions for 2012. And in any case, the sooner you start putting money away, the faster the progress you will make toward the retirement lifestyle youve envisioned.
This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

Griffin-Spalding Humane Society pet of the week

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

Adoption fee is $125 and includes all vaccinations, rabies shot, spay/neuter, heartworm checks for dogs, and combo tests for cats. Contact catsanddogs4 you@yahoo.com Oh this is the most adorable little fellow. He is full of energy, loves to play, loves people and other dogs. He will be a great addition to any family. He needs work on housetraining but will learn quickly. Vince is about 6 months old now. He was born into our system. His mom is a shih-tzu mix and he is too but he seems to have an assortment of other mixes, maybe dachshund and sheltie.

Griffin Directory.com
Griffin, Georgias online community since 2000 Griffin News, Weather, Jobs, Events & Free Links to Every Local Business

LOST BIRD Small green parrot, 7

reward offered

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Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. Philippians 2:3-4

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Boarding & Grooming
Whether a short visit or extended stay, our four-legged friends will always have a place to hang their collars.
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Nov. 15, 6:30 pm 210 East Solomon St.

Need to clear out that basement, garage or storage? Lets auction it! For more information contact Vickie Wilson 678-247-3760

Consigners welcome!

Championship Martial Arts, next door to courthouse

The Ole Mill Auction House

visit our website or facebook for monthly specials!

Robert Hayden DC, PhD, FICC

www.IrisCityChiro.com

I built this, Barry.

770-412-0005

210 Rock Street, Gri n

NOV 1-15, 2012 THE GRIP

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LIFESTYLE

The right to paper

he election looms. We are being bombarded on paper, on television, on radio, and maybe in personal visits with ideas, pleas, promises, slogans, talking points, etc. Its like a movie that you would like to fast-forward to the end to get past the slow, laborious parts to see how it ends. The health care issue is not the driver of this election, but it is a point of concern to the main issue, the economy. I have written on related topics a couple of times already, but I read a survey of doctors opinions that deserves repetition and amplification. Please bear with me one more time. After the election, maybe this awful subject will be less relevant, and I can move back to something clinical. If the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA, or Obamacare) stands, it will have tremendous impact on the economy. I am not an economist, so I will leave that to pundits. PPACA will have huge impact on health care itself. The Doctor Patient Medical Association (DPMA) has released a survey of about 700 doctors that

DR. BOB HAYDEN

DC, PhD, FICC

HEALTHCARE ISSUES
sought to find the impact of PPACA on their practices and plans to cope with it. In this survey, 83 percent of the docs said they would contemplate leaving the industry if PPACA were fully implemented. About half (49 percent) in the survey said that under PPACA, they would stop accepting Medicaid patients, which is where patients would find their coverage. Almost three quarters (74 percent) said they would stop taking Medicare patients or leave Medicare completely. About half said they would consider treating some Medicare/Medicaid patients free rather than deal with the government. I know personally that this already happens. Two-thirds of physicians surveyed currently state they are just getting by or are operating in the red. I know of one local physician who orders medications for patients and administers them in his clinic, but Medicare does not even

reimburse his cost for the drugs. What choices does he have? How long he can hold out under the existing circumstances? What happens to the patients he serves when he reaches his ultimate limit as a small business? I wrote not too long ago about the trend of business interests gobbling private primary care clinics. The norm is that family medicine doctors, for example, are being bought out by hospitals in preparation for the Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) that are incorporated into PPACA. In the DPMA survey, 95 percent of doctors reported being concerned that they are being swallowed by corporate medicine. This is related to other issues in the survey, such as the feeling among 85 percent that the patient-physician relationship is in a tailspin, and 65 percent say government involvement is most to blame for current problems. Interestingly, the American Medical Association supported PPACA against the will of their membership. In the DPMA survey, 57 percent say the AMA has let them down. Evidence of this is the membership hemorrhage of the AMA as it loses its base of support, even as two-thirds of the delegates of this now irrelevant organization

voted to support PPACA. What does PPACA grant to patients? In a blog at Benefitspro.com, Kathryn Serkes, DPMA Chairman, says, Doctors on the front lines clearly understand what Washington does not. Government-mandated 'coverage' is not the same thing as actual medical care. Whether the mandate is overturned or stands, whether the Medicaid expansion is overturned or stand, we'll still have millions who need medical care. Then, Serkes hits it on the head: What PPACA does is increase patients access to a piece of paperthat says they are covered by insurance or enrolled in Medicaid or Medicare, she says. But paper promises dont translate to actual medical care when doctors cant afford to see patients at the lowball payments, and patients have to jump through bureaucratic hoops set up by the government. And so we have gone through this very painful process of reinventing health care in the political process. We have polarized America. We have spent millions, if not billions, on lobbyists and lawyers, who are the clearest winners so far. And those who are beneficiaries of PPACA will get a piece of paper.

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SUBMITTED

Think of your job search as a job

recently went to a charity luncheon and got a ticket for one of the door prizes. The luncheon was great, the food delicious and the company delightful. As the organization started drawing tickets for the door prizes and, one by one, people went up to the stage to get theirs, I just about gave up hope of winning anything. Then the last drawing came up just before we all left and, lo and behold, it was my number! Thats how you feel today when you go after a job. If you get a call, youve won the door prize. Thats because there are so many people going after each and every job today and the chances of winning are slim to none. In this case, it was sheer luck. In the case of getting a job it takes hard work, organization and persistence! You cannot just wait for the phone to ring after youve sent out your resume and cover letter. You must consider your job search a job. By this I mean you need to organize a plan of attach, get together your own lists and persistently go through these lists with phone calls, snail mail and emails to find your own opportunity. You need to find that one unadvertised opportunity out there and that isnt going to happen by replying to an ad in the newspaper or online. Your hard work and organization will help you do that. Competition is fierce. With 23 Americans out of work today, figure there are literally hundreds of applicants for every

1551 North Expressway Beside Marshalls & Dollar Tree 770-233-2885

n November 11 and 26, the HELP Spay/Neuter Clinics transport van, The Snip Ship will be meeting residents of Spalding County, and surrounding areas, in the parking lot at Spalding County Animal Shelter, 208 Justice Boulevard, Griffin, GA 30224, to transport pets to the surgical hospital in Newnan. Animals need to be at the shelter no later than 9 a.m. The cost for dogs is $7595 depending upon weight. Female cats are $55 and male cats are $45. There is no additional charge for pets who are in heat or pregnant. Pets will be returned Spalding County Animal Shelter at Noon on the day after surgery. Appointments are required. H.E.L.P. accepts cash or credit card, payment is due at time of drop off. Each pet must have a rabies vaccination, or bring proof showing they have received one within the 12 months. If not current on rabies, the pet may receive the vaccine on the day of surgery. Additional Vaccinations are available for $10 each. To schedule an appointment, or if you have any questions, please contact our office at (770) 304.7911.

job. A friend of mine works at a local college that was looking for an administrative assistant. She got 150 responses to an ad the first week, many of whom had masters degrees and some even had doctorate degrees. Even with superior administrative skills, who do you think will get called first? So whats the answer? A great resume, a targeted cover letter and a job search campaign to uncover the unadvertised job. And a great deal of thought about what you might do if you changed careers! As my friend and motivational speaker Anthony Robbins says, If youre going in one direction consistently and its not working, stop and go in another direction! Try something else. That is exactly the way you must think today because of all the competition out there. One way you can do that is to carefully craft your resume with functional, transferable skills. What does that mean? It means that throughout your career, volunteer activities and activities as a homemaker or in the military, you have learned skills that are transferable to many different kinds of work. You need to think about those skills and craft a resume in a different direction if your old one is not working for you. Or perhaps you just need to have a professional resume crafted for you. As we grow up, we are taught to be humble and not boastful and bragging. While Im not

GALE BROWN
RESUME & SALES LEAD EXPERT

CAREERS & RESUMES

telling you to boast or brag but rather, to think about your accomplishments throughout your career and your life. And thats what needs to be focused on in your resume. You also need to have a strong objective line. If you dont know what kind of job you want to do, how is the prospective employer supposed to know? You also need a section about your capabilities for that objective. Among todays buzzwords is a new one core competencies. Do you know what your are and how they relate to your job objectives? Then set up an appointment with a professional resume service and let them pull this information out of your background and determine the best style for you to use no matter what kind of job you want to do. Gale Brown Sandler is the founder of Griffin Resume Service. For more information call 678-6032844 or email galerbrown@ gmail.com.

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

770-228-0760

Stuart Ogletree & Staff 629 W. Taylor Street Griffin, Ga 30224 770-227-3204

8 VIEWPOINTS

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NOV 1-15, 2012

Family Owned & Operated for 30 Years Call us for all your transmission & auto repair needs! 279A Wilson Rd, Griffin 770-227-4580

Why I love my job, and how that's synonymous with loving Griffin
JESSICA GREGORY, PUBLISHER
jessica@the-grip.net One thing that I really love about my job is hearing peoples' stories. So many people in Griffin are doing big, inspiring things and I feel lucky that my paycheck, in part, comes from just listening and retelling their story. Nothing makes me happier than when someone tells me, "I heard about that new shop through The Grip," or when I get a call from someone who read and article and wants to know how to find more information. Some people view the role of journalism and newspapers as an impartial third party that simply relays information. That's not what The Grip is about. While we report news without bias (we try really, really hard - feel free to call us out if you ever feel like we're leaning) and we may report on issues that don't show Griffin's best side, I feel like it's our job to create interest in the community and champion the people who are working with all their might to make Griffin a better place to live. The part of my job that I'm not so crazy about is being exposed to constant negativity about our not-so-small town. The part that depresses me is that there have been many more like me, fighting against this negativity for years, and have given up after not making much headway. I suppose I'm meandering to my point: the only way to make Griffin a better place is if we all get involved. If we all stop sitting back, thinking its someone else's problem to fix; someone else's fight to fight. It's our town - and it's only as good as we make it. Attend that community event that's just a bit out of your comfort zone to show support for the sponsoring organization. Go to government meetings to let your voice be heard. Shop at the local businesses that are trying to offer something different from big-box product. Eat at the new restaurant that opened downtown. There are a few, and they all have great food, I promise. People often ask me how I find the stories we write about. In fact, it's probably the most common question I get. I've never really been able to answer it, because there's no clear methodology. I just listen. And read. But there is a secret to what stories we wind up retelling-- passion. Every person we've ever featured in The Grip is passionate about what he or she is doing. And that passion they have while telling their story or doing what they do - it's infectious. It's what makes me passionate about what I do and the reason I love Griffin. Won't you let yourself catch the passion?

poll of the week Last Week's Poll:::

Are presidential debates a helpful part of an election cycle?
-- yes, it helped me make a decision -- no, I already knew for whom I was voting -- no, it simply entrenches people deeper into their respective views

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YES ::: 42% NO ::: 23% ENTRENCHES ::: 35% This Week's Poll:::
Do you think student loan repayments should be reduced/forgiven?
The Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 cut the monthly student loan payments under incomebased repayment from 15 percent of discretionary income to 10 percent of discretionary income and accelerated loan forgiveness from 25 years to 20 years and will be available only to new borrowers of new loans made on or after July 1, 2014. However, President Obama announced a proposal in October 2011 to make the new incomebased repayment plan available to those who took out student loans this year.

Military, Law Enforcement, Public Safety Supplies & Apparel, Boots, Air Soft, Hunting Supplies Camo for Children & Adults
Mon - Sat 9:30-6 Closed Sun 1424 Hwy. 16 Gri n

1559 Williamson Road (770) 227-5050

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invites you to join

a Grief Share Group

Celebrate the life of your loved one through the art of painting
Saturday, December 1 :: 10am - 12:30pm
at stache studio - 116 S. Sixth Street

To register, call Susie at Eternal Hope Hospice 770-229-4673 Contact Everett Park : 678-920-8520, everett@eternalhopehospice.com

Have something on your SUPPORT YOUR mind you want to share COMMUNITY & with Grip readers? Submit LOCAL PRESS signed letters to the editor by emailing jessica@thegrip.net or posting to PO Box 2251, Griffin, Georgia 30224. We reserve the right to edit for space, grammar and content.

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830 E. Broadway Street, Grifn, GA 30223

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Every Fri & Sat 8a - 7:30p Free prizes including store vouchers Wednesdays are Senior Citizen Appreciation Day! Folks 55+ (ID with D.O.B)

NOV 1-15, 2012 THE GRIP

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

JESSICA GREGORY :::
Publisher; jessica@the-grip.net

NaNoWriMo - Write your own novel Main Street Players aims to tell Griffin's stories
writing a novel too; begin writing your novel. The goal is to write a 50,000 word novel by midnight on Nov. 30. Does signing up for the event suddenly create more time for you to write? No, but it creates a concretelydefined goal. 50,000 words in 30 days. It also relieves the pressure of having to create something "absolutely perfect," because the project can be whimsical and fun. Writers can find other participants through the website and schedule write-ins at coffeeshops or libraries, share encouragement, or procrastinate on the site. For more information about NaNoWriMo or its nonprofit host, Office of Letters and Light, visit www. NaNoWriMo.org.

For those who have always dreamed of writing a novel, but find excuses such as lack of time or just don't know how to get started, NaNoWriMo can be a catalyst to finally embrace the Nike slogan and "just do it." This November marks the 12th annual NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), meaning an estimated 300,000 people in America will be feverishly trying to reach 50,000 words by the stroke of midnight on November 30. Almost 40,000 people will reach that goal. Here's how NaNoWriMo works - sign up a NaNoWriMo.org (it's free); check out their cool website that has good advice from experienced NaNoWriMoers; wrangle a friend into

Main Street Players calls for Griffinites to share their stories to be included in a folk-life production
JESSICA GREGORY :::
Publisher; jessica@the-grip.net

orma Richardson, director of Main Street Players, wants help in telling Griffin's story. She says for years, she has thought about producing a folk-life performance piece that weaves the stories of individuals' lives into a performance piece about Griffin. Weve all got lots of stories, Richardson said. Im inclined to take it to a heritage piece; weve got a rich history here in Griffin, with roots in the mills and

Im sure there are young people here that dont know what a loom or a mill is! The industry for which Griffin is known inspired the working title of the piece, which is Mill Town. Richardson specifically mentioned interest in older generations' stories about the mills or Griffin that have been passed down generation to generation, but she is also interested tales of the small details of life, such as a special Christmas memories, local ghost stories, a life changing event, or simply what it was like growing up in Griffin. One-on-one interviews and story circles will be set up to facilitate storyline development. Story circles are roundtable groups with multiple participants in

which general topics are thrown out for everyone to share their personal story that relates to that topic. After story circles are complete, writers will condense, tweak or combine the stories into a performance piece. This will be an ongoing project and theatre piece that will change every year, Richardson said. Its not a single story. It will be woven together in a performance piece, but its not a single story. Richardson has watched the small town of Colquitt, Georgia, bring its community together with the development of Swamp Gravy. Swamp Gravy began in 1992 when the founders decided to revive a dying town by collecting and performing the stories of the inhabitants.

Swamp Gravy is now considered Georgias Official Folk-Life Theatre, sells out every show, and performs all over the United States and South America. Richardson says of Colquitt and Swamp Gravy, Its a great model. But every community has its own stories and its own vision. Were driven by other peoples stories, Richardson said. A story connects people and empowers communities. Anyone who would like to share his or her story should call Main Street Players at 770-229-or email Richardson at norma. richardson41@gmail.com. For more information about Swamp Gravy, visit www. swampgravy.com.

On the road & in the kitchen with Gypsy Gourmet

Hogfatherz BBQ sits snuggled in next to the Chevron station on Hwy 16 at I-75. Thomas Yates is the owner of both the BBQ stand and the produce stand that sits alongside of it. The BBQ stand was established about two years ago, moving from Jackson to Butts County after Thomas inherited the fruit stand. He is a largerthan-life personality with a winning smile that makes you want to stay awhile for both the food and the company. Not only does he have his own signature BBQ sauce, mouthwatering pulled pork, and ribs, but a new item for the lighter side; chicken sausages. Thomas is a diehard foodie like me, but over the years has seen the need for healthier options to add to the menu. He continues to make all of his own coleslaw and potato salad from scratch. On a day when I thought Id have to settle for a quick granola bar, Hogfatherz fit the bill and made my belly a happy camper. The produce stand has been in Butts County for 24 years, and boasts Butts Countys Finest Hot Boiled Peanuts. They are really good, but I was slap out of room for any more food before I got into them. Thomas sells shell-on pecans, local wild flower honeycomb, and a varied assortment of seasonal fruits and vegetables. I had the opportunity to sample some tomatoes, and they were fantastic. Thomas and I chatted for a while about the importance he places on purchasing Georgia products both locally and throughout the state. Ninety-nine percent of his products are Georgia grown. Trying to keep money in our backyard as much as possible is a long standing mission for him. As a small business owner he likes to patronize others like him, such as Hardy Farms for his peanuts, Dickies out of Musella, and Piersons in Fort Valley for peaches. Thats about the time I knew I would keep coming back. Not only for the delicious pulled pork sandwiches, and the amazing slab ribs, but because I love that philosophy and adhere to it myself. You can find Hogfatherz on Facebook, or by calling (404) 984-6589, for Mr. Yates; or call his lovely on site manager, Linda Adams (404) 246-9054, for more information about hours of operation and catering. Until next time folks, eat well, laugh often, be free, & be you. Right: Hogfatherz BBQ and fruit stand. Below: Camille with Hogfatherz BBQ owner Thomas Yates.

GYPSY GOURMET
AKA CAMILLE PASK

FOODIE & TRUCKER

The Gypsy Gourmet calls Griffin her home, having been a "Damn Yankee" transplant for over a year in our little community. She is a chef, a truck driver, a blogger, a freelance writer, and a renegade foodie scouring the country in search of the perfect bite.

ometimes we find little gems right in our own backyard. Such is the case one beautiful afternoon, as I had been running errands and found myself starving and on the verge of a headache. How many of us have breezed by the Chevron station on Hwy 16 and gotten on the freeway without ever stopping long enough to see the little BBQ and produce stand right next door? Ill bet its more than just me.

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Backpacks of food sent Swordplay classes now offered by Spalding County Parks & Rec home with students Sword, a school whose JESSICA GREGORY ::: who have little food mission is to promote Publisher; jessica@the-grip.net the study and practice of over the weekend palding County Renaissance and medieval
JESSICA GREGORY :::
Publisher; jessica@the-grip.net

S
SPONSORED BY GRIFFIN FIRST UNITED METHODIST WOMEN

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eventy-one children received backpacks filled with nutritional food to take home for the weekend of October 26. Parents of first and second grade students at Ann Street, Atkinson, Jackson Road, and Moore Elementary schools received letters asking if they needed assistance providing food for their children over the weekend. Seventy-five percent of Spalding County elementary school students receive free or reduced lunches, leading the founders of GriffinSpalding Backpack Food for Kids program to question if children were getting enough to eat on the weekends. "Teachers noticed that some children were coming sleeping through classes on Mondays and begging extra food from other students at lunch time, and were some of the brightest and most engaged students Tuesday through Friday," said Carl Pruett, one of the founders of the Backpack Food program. The program is a collaborative effort of the

following organizations: Spalding Collaborative, University of Georgia Griffin Campus, First Assembly of God, GriffinSpalding Chamber of Commerce, Fun 101 FM, Eagles Way Church, Kroger (Griffin) and Five Loaves Two Fish Food Pantry Snacks are packed in backpacks every Thursday at Five Loaves, Two Fish food pantry and are distributed to students on Fridays. Donations to Backpack Food For Kids can be mailed to Spalding Collaborative, P.O. Box 701, Griffin, GA 30224. For more information call 678-764-6297, email spaldingcollaborative@ gmail.com, or visit www. spaldingcollaborative. com.

Parks and Recreation will begin offering classes on the art of Renaissance and Medieval swordplay. The classes will begin Tuesday, November 13 at 6:30 in the City Park and will be taught by Justin Roland, who has studied Western Martial Arts for many years. "I've always been interested in [swordplay]," Roland said. "I got involved with the Society of Creative Anachronism (SCA) right after high school." Members of the SCA study and recreate the arts and skills of pre17th-century Europe, such as combat, archery, equestrian activities, costuming, cooking, and metalwork. Through this organization, Roland found a mentor who trained him in sword fighting. Roland recently moved to Pike County and started Dickson Academy of the

swordsmanship. According to Roland, Western Martial Arts is a growing martial study of European fighting techniques following the period manuscripts including those of Ridolfo Capo Ferro, Fabris Salvator, George Silver and Joachim Meyer. "All countries and time periods have their own style that includes different weapons, stances, and technique," Roalnd said. His classes will teach participants techniques and how to spar using rapier, sword and buckler, and long swords. For more information, contact the Spalding County Parks and Recreation at 770-467-4750 or visit www. spaldingparksandrec.com. Roland will also be teaching classes in Zebulon on Wednesdays at 6:30. For more information contact him at (916)370-5589 or email jbdickson@live.com.

Right: A swordplay match at an Society of Creative Anachronism (SCA) regional championship in Columbus, Georgia. For more information on the SCA, visit www.sca.org.

KRMS, cont.
have had some concerns, but they didn't share them with me. I told them what I know about it and what we're going to be doing for these students, and they

were very receptive. Mincey said the parents who were notified included those having students at KRMS who scored 810 or lower on the CriterionReferenced Competency Test. The cutoff on the CRCT is 800, but we wanted to extend it to 810 to make sure those students had the help they needed to meet the requirements, Mincey said. We included these students because they could have guessed and bubbled in the correct answer, but didn't know it. We wanted to reach out to them, also, to make sure they had any help they may need to meet the requirements. She said moving forward, a multi-prong approach will be taken to assist the students in question. I was very prescriptive in sitting down and trying to figure out what these children need and how to help them, Mincey said. I explained they would get a double dose of math instruction. We have a regular math class, but we also have a math focus class and that's the extra help they'll get, she said. Secondly, we also have a program called ALEKS (Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces). It provides them a visual of what they need to work on. She went on to explain that the ALEKS program provides students a visual of what they need to work

on by providing examples of problems. The GSCSS has purchased licenses for ALEKS that remain with the assigned students for the licensing period, which ends in 2013. ALEKS can also be used during math focus class, as well as at home, Mincey said. It's available 24/7, so the students' parents can use it with their children. In addition to these steps being undertaken at KRMS, the math coach will also be involved to oversee the students ongoing needs. The math coach will also sit down with the math teachers and let them know what specific help the students need, Mincey said. In addition to the 32 current KRMS students, two others transferred to other Spalding County middle schools and ten were promoted to the high schools. I also sat down with the assistant principal of the high schools and gave them the same letter, Mincey said, adding that these students will also receive assistance at their relative schools. Asked why the primary focus is being placed on the subject of math, Mincey said, The area I was supposed to look at was math and that's all I did. I wanted to make sure they had the math support they needed. I just concentrated in the area of math. However, she said that

does not mean only math grades were changed at KRMS, nor that the affected students will not receive assistance in other subject areas. When the coach meets with the students, she's not going to look only at math. She's going to look at everything to see what else they may need, Mincey said. She said students may receive additional help in the form of individual group time, where children with similar learning needs may be grouped together for additional help. Flexible grouping and additional tutoring are other methods the students' needs will be addressed, with data meetings conducted involving teachers and coaches, who will determine any other possible assistance that may be provided. We don't dictate that, Mincey said. We let those decisions be made in the individual schools. Editor's note - The Grip will continue to follow developments in the KRMS grade changing incident, and will report the Professional Standards Commission findings as related to the complaint filed against Dr. Brenda Ford, the former principal, when the investigation has been completed.

NOV 1-15, 2012

THE GRIP

GET A GRIP AND GET THE GOOD STUFF

COMMUNITY 11
calendar:::
Saturday; November 3; Zumbathon to benefit Cancer Warriors Support Organization; First United Methodist Church; 4-6 p.m.; for more information visit www.thecancerwarriors.org Saturday, November 3; Holiday Wreath Making; UGA Research Garden; 10 a.m -1 p.m; cost is $35; for more information email barbaraharris69@ gmail.com Tuesday, November 6; election day; GET OUT AND VOTE. Tuesday, November 6; Power Lunch; Oak Hill Baptist Church; 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m.; $10 includes lunch; "Understanding the Mind of Islam," presented by Dr. Ergun Caner. Saturday, November 10; Veteran's Day Celebration; Candler Field in Williamson; for more information visit www.peachstateaero.com. Sunday, November 11; "Playmate" presented by the Main Street Players, written by Griffin's own Sande Cropsey, followed by a talk back for an invited audience; Main Street Players, 115 North Hill Street, for more information visit www. mainstreetplayers.org or call 770-229-9916. Saturday, November 17; A Downtown Christmas; shopping and dining specials at Shop@11th, Birds of a Feather, The Makers' Market, Antique Griffin, Slice's Pizzeria, and Bank Street Cafe. Sunday, November 18; Yana Reznik presented by the Griffin Area Concert Association; 2 p.m; Griffin's First United Methodist Church; born in Moscow, Reznik holds a bachelors from the Manhattan school of Music, a master of music degree from the University of Southern California, and studied at the Rachmaninoff School Moscow; for more information call 770228-3229 or visit www. griffinconcerts.com.

Spalding County Ferst Foundation provides free books to children under 5

JESSICA GREGORY :::
Publisher; jessica@the-grip.net

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As of October 1, Spalding County has a Ferst Foundation chapter that will work to provide free books to children under the age of five. "We started the Spalding County Chapter of the Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy because we concerned with the number of children entering Pre-K and kindergarten in Spalding County with poor literacy skills," said Louisa Melton, one of the founders of the Spalding County chapter. "Research has shown that children who come from literacy-poor homes, those without rich conversation and reading, begin school five years behind children who have been talked with and read to from birth. These are the children who become struggling readers and lack academic success." The Spalding County Ferst Foundation is the 70th county chapter in Georgia. Other counties have shown tremendous growth in the literacy preparedness for children entering kindergarten when they have been enrolled in the program for just three years. The cost to sponsor a child to receive 12 books per year, which are mailed directly to their home, is just $28. Donation and registration forms are being placed around town. Information is also available on the Spalding County Ferst Foundation Facebook page and will soon be available on spaldingcountyferstfoundation@wordpress. com. Donations may also be made online at www. ferstfoundation.org. Click donate now and select Spalding County from the drop down menu. To request for a registration brochure or donation brochure may also be mailed to the Spalding County Ferst Foundation P.O. Box 2092 Griffin, GA 30224. Ferst Foundation is a non-profit, 501 ( C ) (3) organization, so all contributions are tax deductible. For more information on the Ferst Foundation, visit www.ferstfoundation.org.

The Mission of the Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy is to provide books for children in Georgia from birth to age 5 to help them become prepared for learning success.

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REASONS TO READ:
Children must hear language and learn what words mean to develop vocabulary and background knowledge. The larger the childs vocabulary and background knowledge, the more prepared he or she is to learn. If a child is read to for 30 minutes a day from birth until age five, he or she will receive 900 hours of literacy preparation. Take that away and the child has five years of literacy skills to catch up on before he or she can begin learning to read. No matter how good teachers are, it is almost impossible for a child who begins school unprepared for learning to equal the academic success of a child who enters school prepared. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED 3247 Newnan Road Gri n 770-467-9930

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REASONS TO DONATE:
To be read to there must be books in the home. Approximately 61% of lowincome families do not have reading material suitable for a child in their home. For $28 per year, a child can receive: . One book each month from birth to age 5. . A monthly community newsletter . A Parents Guide which gives them tips for reading with their child . A suggested age-appropriate book list - many of which are available in our Flint River Regional Library.

Members of the Spalding County Ferst Foundation Community Action Team displaying some of the free books that will be sent each month to Spalding County children between the ages of birth and five years old. Parents must sign up their children to receive the free books. Top row L to R: Sandra Sanders, Joyce Oetting, Ramona Lunsford, Denise Quick, Dianne Faulkner. Bottom Row L to R: Shelly Melton, Betsy Harris, Debby Daniel-Bryant,Joann Powers, Diane Pruett. Bottom center: Louisa Melton. CAT members not pictured include: Sirena Conway, Cathy Moore, Regins Abbott, and Quimby Melton.

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