This week, Georgia House of Representatives passes bill for cannabis oil, now it's headed to the state! Is your child prepared for the Georgia Milestone coming later this school year? We have all the answers in this week's issue of The News
T he Georgia House of Representa- tives approved of a bill that will legalize cannabis oil that can be used to treat sei- zures and a number of other medical disorders. Haleigh’s Hope Act, H.B. 1, passed the House with a 158-2 vote, with only state Rep. Darrel Ealum, D-Albany, and state Rep. Darlene Tay- lor, R-Thomasville, voted against the bill. The bill still needs to be approved by the Georgia Senate and Gov. Nathan Deal’s signature before it becomes law. The measure would al- low users to legally pos- sess up to 20 fluid ounces of the THC oil as long as the individual has a med- ical prescription from a physician. A physician can only write a prescription if a patient has is suffering from seizures, cancer, Crohn’s disease, Parkin- son’s disease and others. State Rep. Pam Dickerson, D-Co- nyers, says that that house believed it was “good decision” to pass the help its citi- zens. “We have to start somewhere with help- ing these individuals suffering from these diseases,” she said. Another condition allowed to be treated under the bill is sick- le-cell anemia, which also contributed to Dickerson giving ap- proval of the bill. “(Sickle-cell) af- fects a lot of Afri- can-American wom- en and this oil could help,” she said. State Rep. Tom Kir- by, R-Loganville, also voted yes for the bill and says that by the House passing the bill is a good step in the right direction to helping people af- flicted with one of the medical conditions rockdalenews.com Serving Rockdale County and Conyers The word “assessment” might make students, parents and even some teachers nervous. With the new Georgia Milestones Assessment System underway this year, many parents and students may wonder what the end-of-the-year tests mean and how they can prepare for them. The Georgia Milestones is designed to give students information about their own achievement. It’s also an “accountability tool” for parents and the public to measure the quality of local schools. The assessment is also a way for the state to consolidate its account- ability measures. “We test so much,” said Melissa Fincher, deputy superintendent for as- sessment and accountability. Fincher spoke at a symposium Jan. 9 hosted by the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education. “One of the things we NEWS Feb. 28, 2015 Volume 6, Issue 46 $1 Like us at facebook.com/ rockdalenews Follow us @rockdalenews By Michelle Kim, Kristen Oliver [email protected]the What’s in store with the Georgia Milestones Parents can prepare their chil- dren for the examination at home by taking online practice exams: • Online exams at learnoas.ctb.com/GA/ • Parents can also find guides for each grade and more practice questions at http://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-In- struction-and-Assessment/Assessment/ Pages/Georgia-Milestones-End-of- Grade-Assessment-Guides.aspx • The RCPS Page with links http://por- tal.rockdale.k12.ga.us/parents/Pages/ GeorgiaMilestones.aspx Page 3 See LEGISLATION on PAGE 8 See MILESTONES PAGE 3 Safe Zone RCSO area for Craigslist meetup transactions, PAGE 2 STAR STUDENTS By Martin Rand III [email protected]A HIGHER PURPOSE The Georgia House of Representatives has passed a bill for medical cannabis oil, and it’s now headed to the Senate OP-ED: Being pro-life means being pro- cannabis oil Page 5
Transcript
The Georgia House of Representa-tives approved of a bill that will
legalize cannabis oil that can be used to treat sei-zures and a number of other medical disorders.
Haleigh’s Hope Act, H.B. 1, passed the House with a 158-2 vote, with only state Rep. Darrel Ealum, D-Albany, and state Rep. Darlene Tay-lor, R-Thomasville, voted against the bill.
The bill still needs to be approved by the Georgia Senate and Gov. Nathan Deal’s signature before it becomes law.
The measure would al-low users to legally pos-sess up to 20 fluid ounces of the THC oil as long as the individual has a med-ical prescription from a physician.
A physician can only write a prescription if a patient has is suffering from seizures, cancer, Crohn’s disease, Parkin-son’s disease and others.
State Rep. Pam Dickerson, D-Co-nyers, says that that house believed it was “good decision” to pass the help its citi-zens.
“We have to start somewhere with help-ing these individuals suffering from these diseases,” she said.
Another condition allowed to be treated under the bill is sick-le-cell anemia, which also contributed to Dickerson giving ap-proval of the bill.
“(Sickle-cell) af-fects a lot of Afri-can-American wom-en and this oil could help,” she said.
State Rep. Tom Kir-by, R-Loganville, also voted yes for the bill and says that by the House passing the bill is a good step in the right direction to helping people af-flicted with one of the medical conditions
rockdalenews.com Serving Rockdale County and Conyers
The word “assessment” might make students, parents and even some teachers nervous.
With the new Georgia Milestones Assessment System underway this year, many parents and students may wonder what the end-of-the-year tests mean and how they can prepare for them.
The Georgia Milestones is designed to give students information about their own achievement. It’s also an
“accountability tool” for parents and the public to measure the quality of local schools.
The assessment is also a way for the state to consolidate its account-ability measures.
“We test so much,” said Melissa Fincher, deputy superintendent for as-sessment and accountability. Fincher spoke at a symposium Jan. 9 hosted by the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education. “One of the things we
What’s in store with the Georgia MilestonesParents can prepare their chil-dren for the examination at home by taking online practice exams:
• Online exams at learnoas.ctb.com/GA/• Parents can also find guides for each grade and more practice questions at http://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-In-struction-and-Assessment/Assessment/Pages/Georgia-Milestones-End-of-Grade-Assessment-Guides.aspx• The RCPS Page with links http://por-tal.rockdale.k12.ga.us/parents/Pages/GeorgiaMilestones.aspx
A HigHER PURPoSEThe Georgia House of Representatives has passed a bill for medical cannabis oil, and it’s now headed to the Senate
OP-ED: Being pro-life means
being pro-cannabis oil
Page 5
The Georgia House of Representa-tives approved of a bill that will
legalize cannabis oil that can be used to treat sei-zures and a number of other medical disorders.
Haleigh’s Hope Act, H.B. 1, passed the House with a 158-2 vote, with only state Rep. Darrel Ealum, D-Albany, and state Rep. Darlene Tay-lor, R-Thomasville, voted against the bill.
The bill still needs to be approved by the Georgia Senate and Gov. Nathan Deal’s signature before it becomes law.
The measure would al-low users to legally pos-sess up to 20 fluid ounces of the THC oil as long as the individual has a med-ical prescription from a physician.
A physician can only write a prescription if a patient has is suffering from seizures, cancer, Crohn’s disease, Parkin-son’s disease and others.
State Rep. Pam Dickerson, D-Co-nyers, says that that house believed it was “good decision” to pass the help its citi-zens.
“We have to start somewhere with help-ing these individuals suffering from these diseases,” she said.
Another condition allowed to be treated under the bill is sick-le-cell anemia, which also contributed to Dickerson giving ap-proval of the bill.
“(Sickle-cell) af-fects a lot of Afri-can-American wom-en and this oil could help,” she said.
State Rep. Tom Kir-by, R-Loganville, also voted yes for the bill and says that by the House passing the bill is a good step in the right direction to helping people af-flicted with one of the medical conditions
rockdalenews.com Serving Rockdale County and Conyers
The word “assessment” might make students, parents and even some teachers nervous.
With the new Georgia Milestones Assessment System underway this year, many parents and students may wonder what the end-of-the-year tests mean and how they can prepare for them.
The Georgia Milestones is designed to give students information about their own achievement. It’s also an
“accountability tool” for parents and the public to measure the quality of local schools.The assessment is also a way for
the state to consolidate its account-ability measures.
“We test so much,” said Melissa Fincher, deputy superintendent for as-sessment and accountability. Fincher spoke at a symposium Jan. 9 hosted by the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education. “One of the things we
What’s in store with the Georgia MilestonesParents can prepare their chil-dren for the examination at home by taking online practice exams:
• Online exams at learnoas.ctb.com/GA/• Parents can also find guides for each grade and more practice questions at http://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-In-struction-and-Assessment/Assessment/Pages/Georgia-Milestones-End-of-Grade-Assessment-Guides.aspx• The RCPS Page with links http://por-tal.rockdale.k12.ga.us/parents/Pages/GeorgiaMilestones.aspx
A HigHER PURPoSEThe Georgia House of Representatives has passed a bill for medical cannabis oil, and it’s now headed to the Senate
OP-ED: Being pro-life means
being pro-cannabis oil
Page 5
The Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office is offering the use of its headquarters parking lot and lobby for residents looking for safe places to conduct transac-tions arranged online.
The dangers of robberies increase on these transac-tions because most transac-tions are “cash only.” The other inherent danger with online transaction is the meeting of unfamiliar peo-ple in unfamiliar locations.
Citizens are encouraged to utilize the parking lot or
• Rockdale County Jail- 2385 Sigman Industrial Court-24 hours daily
• RCSO Southside pre-cinct- 3552 Hwy 20- 8:00 am to 5:00 pm daily
While deputies will not be available to watch over per-sonal business transactions, the intent is to offer a known safe location in an attempt to enhance personal safety during such transactions.
The News2 • Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015
Board of Comissioners work session, Tuesday, Mar. 3, 10 a.m., Assembly Hall, 901 Main St.
Conyers City Council meeting, Wednesday, Mar. 4, 7p.m., City Hall, 1194 Scott St.
State of the County Breakfast, Thursday, Mar. 5, 8 a.m., Springfield Baptist Church atrium, 1877 Iris Drive
Commissioner Doreen Williams and state Sen. Ronald Ramsey hosted an Intergov-ernmental Town Hall and agency fair at Edwards Middle School on Jan. 31, attended by representatives from the city, county, Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office, Rockdale Fire Rescue, Rockdale Senior Services, Oakhurst Medical Clinic, Rockdale Water Resources, Rockdale Planning and Zoning, Rockdale NAACP, local businesses, and more.
(Bottom) RCSO Explorers Gabe Finger, Armoni Quello, Makalia Parker, Michelle Boone, Cierra Boone, Amber Milton-Dates with state Sen. Ronald Ramsey and Sgt. Amanda Pilgrim.
Learning about county, city, state agencies at Jan. 31
Intergovernmental Town Hall
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The milestones not only consol-idate assessments for grades 3-12, but they will replace the high school graduation test as well.
Here are some things to know about the milestone tests:
Milestones do not affect grades or retention this year.
Students in grades 3 through 12 will be tested this spring on Com-mon Core standards in English lan-guage arts and math, and on Georgia performance standards in science and social studies.
In the future, the results of the assessment will determine approxi-mately 20 percent of a high school student’s grade, and whether a stu-dent in any grade level can move on to the next grade. This year, it will not. “They waived it for one year, which is this school year, be-cause it’s the first year of the Georgia Milestones test,” said Matt Cardoza, director of communications for the state Department of Education.
Furthermore, scores this year might dip from those of previous assessments, a result that does not necessarily indicate students are per-forming worse.
The assessment can be done with-out calculators, but the state allows their use during the computerized math test. There is a drop-down menu with a calculator on the exam.
Students and parents can prepare for the assessment.
One of the new aspects of the as-sessment is that it is offered online. The state is requiring 30 percent of students in a district take the test on-line this year, and in three years, all students across all grades will be re-quired to take it online.
In Rockdale County Public Schools, certain pilot classes in grades 4, 5, 6, 7 are taking the test on-line. In order to practice and become more comfortable with taking an on-line test, those classes are taking their upcoming March benchmark assess-ments online.
The Rockdale and Conyers Rotary clubs honored the student in the top 10 percent of their grade with the highest SAT score from each high school and an influential teacher named by each of the students in a ceremony Feb. 26 at Cameron Hall. The STAR Students and Teachers for 2015 are: Heritage High School - Elizabeth Caitlin Butler, AP Language and Composition teacher Jennifer Howell; Salem High School - Jorge Castro, chemistry teacher Stephen Bare; Rockdale County High School - Kaegan Gregory, language and composition teacher Hei-di Smith; Rockdale Magnet School for Science and Technology - Alex Norwood, Davis Middle science teacher Coley Houseworth, who as a new teacher taught Alex in fourth grade at Shoal Creek Elementary. Norwood was named the Rockdale County STAR student and Houseworth the Rockdale County STAR Teacher for 2015. Being the STAR student runs in the family for Norwood, whose older sister Carson was named the STAR student for the Rockdale Magnet School last year.
Pictured left to right: Front row: HHS Elizabeth Caitlin Butler, RCHS Kaegan Gregory, RMSST Alex Norwood, SHS Jorge Castro. Back Row: Conyers Rotary President Thua Barlay, Earl Wise with Bank of North Georgia, HHS teacher Jennifer Howell, RCHS teacher Heidi Smith, teacher Coley Housworth (Davis Middle teacher, selected for RMSST STAR teacher), SHS teacher Stephen Bare, Conyers Rotary Youth Director Diane Adoma, Rockdale school board Chairman Jim McBrayer, RCPS Community Relations Director Cindy Ball.
The News Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015 • 3
See full story at rockdalenews.com
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We welcome letters to the editor. Letters must be 350 words or less. They should be limited to issues of public interest and may be edited for content, grammar, spelling and length. • Mail: Editor, The News, 1009 Milstead Ave., Suite 200, Conyers, GA 30012 • Email: [email protected]
give a pat on the back to our local students for their accomplish-ments we are glad to do it.
This past week, both local Ro-taries co-hosted a special awards lunch that honored four students who in their own words told us that they excelled way past what their own expectations called for.
Each of the four had the high-est SAT score in their school test-ing.
The Bank of Georgia spon-sored the awards for these bright young students who will no doubt be future leaders of our community.
The winner from Heritage High was Elizabeth Catlin But-ler. Jorge Castro represented Sa-lem High and Kaegan Gregory hailed from Rockdale High. Alex Norwood represented Rockdale Magnet School of Science and Technology.
All four of these students hon-ored a teacher and impressed us with their poise and determina-tion to succeed.
Alex Norwood was also recog-nized as being chosen as the best of the best.
We hardly know how anyone could make that judgment. As far as we are concerned, all four are the best of the best.
We want to give special thanks to the two rotary clubs and the Bank of Georgia for their contin-ued efforts to support the young scholars of our community.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Carol Morris Laird: If Jose’s pizza is a large and Ella’s pizza is a medium then Jose did eat more.... Yep our kids will use this in life...but it’s called common sense not math!
Amy Arnold Bowen: Such a simple problem gone so wrong. Some kids have no problem getting the answer but having to explain how they got the answer is a whole different story for them. I don’t think a child should be punished for getting the correct answer but not being able to explain the reasoning behind it correctly. It will be interesting to see how the new testing goes.
Shannon Michelle Power: Jose’s pizza is bigger than Ella’s.
Al Smith: This is what education
should really be, teaching our kids to apply the basic knowledge to real life situations. At the end we don’t all need calculus. I’m with Carol Laird’s answer except that it is math applied not just common sense.
Kenny Wilson: This make no sense other than an assumption that JOSE had eaten half of a larger pizza. The focus should be on the basic fundamentals of education at this level. Subjectivity teaches nothing!
Susan Parks Cooper: I ate the most. I finished the rest of both their pizzas.
Dana Barksdale: I teach first grade in RCPS, and this was a question we addressed while learning about fractions.
It was interesting to hear them trying to figure out how this situation could be possible. Ultimately, they did an awesome job coming up with a solution. I was impressed, but with the right guidance, they were able to think critically about parts of a whole.
Terry Godfrey: It’s a simple problem requiring the student to think and analyze, as opposed to only recalling rote memorization.
Fiona Crocker Golden: This is that core curriculum nightmare!!! Hate it!!!
Destiny Williams: Vandeweghe Eye for an eye. Poor girl. Rest In Paradise.getting into trouble for years and needed help. Like I said it’s all just sad for the mom and the children. I feel for all
Your reaction to a question third graders might see on the Ga. Milestones test: “Jose ate 1/2 of a pizza. Ella ate 1/2 of another pizza. Jose said that he ate more pizza than Ella, but Ella said they both ate the same amount. Use words and pictures to show that Jose could be right.”
Can you take a moment to think about why people think Republicans are heartless hypocrites? As a Republican I often wonder why people think of my party in this fash-ion. Are we really a bunch of people that favor the wealthy over regular everyday people?
House Bill 1, the medical cannabis oil bill, has shown me why some people think of the Republican Party in the way that they do. It is hard to line up what the Republican Party claims to be and what we see going on with HB1. We, as conservatives, find our-selves in a tight spot when we say one thing and do another.
As far as why many in our state are proud to be Repub-licans is the realization that we have a two-party system in which one says that it favors the individual over the collec-tive. I am a Republican be-cause I support the idea that individual rights supersede the rights of the collective.
With all that being said, we see that Republicans here
in Georgia are not acting as though they favor the ideals that they campaign on. With HB1, we see that the rhetoric and the actions seem opposed to one another.
Most Republicans at the Legislature say that they are pro-life. While HB1 has nothing to do with abortion, it does provide a way for those who have medical conditions to have a better life. If one child can have a better life as a result of using medical cannabis oil, shouldn’t we that claim to be pro-life also consider that life is just as much about life outside of the womb? Shouldn’t we fight to make life, in general, less painful and better for those that have conditions that could be helped by this bill? I am pro-life, and my opinion is that this bill will help those that could use the most help in our society to have a better life.
We as Republicans claim to pro-family. If there was one bill in the legislature
that would assist families in Georgia let me assure you that this is the one. There are many strains that a family with children that have special needs experience when their children need constant care as a result of their situation. How can we hold the banner of be-ing pro-family and then turn around and not help these parents that have children that could see their family life improved by passage of this bill?
Finally, we as Republicans continuously tout our party as being the party that is good for business. With those in the party that oppose HB1, with in state cultivation, this does not seem to be the case. If the legislature were to pass the bill in its original form, we would see a new industry start up in our state. As a result, it would bring many jobs to satisfy the demand that we see from families that need this medical cannabis oil. The original bill has many safeguards to prevent abuse
of the cannabis that will be necessary in order to produce the oil that will help these children and families.
These are just some of the issues that I see on the politics seen with HB1 during this session. I would ask that those in the state legislature remem-ber that they are looked upon as products of the Republican Party. Please stop hurting our brand at the state level and begin to prove that what you say is what you will do when elected. Our party’s future depends on those who claim to be Republican to act as Re-publicans should. If we ever hope to be effective as a party, we must realize that our actions as Republicans should line up with our promises. If we don’t start now, don’t be surprised if we move closer to an America that we as conser-vatives won’t like.
Aaron BrooksNewton Conservative
Liberty Alliance
Republican’s actions should match stance
6 • Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015 The News
February is National Heart Month and Chi Tau Omega
Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. turned their
Pink into Red that weekend with two events that were
open to the public.
Steppin’ for Stroke was held on Friday, Feb. 6, the of-
ficial “Go Red Day” at Marshall Sports Bar and Grill in Co-
nyers. Terronce “TJ” Estell of One Step Above provided
line dancing classes to get participants moving for heart
health while learning new line dances
that they can use later on the dance floor.
There was a $5 fee, with all proceeds
going to the American Heart Association
and the chapter raised $560 from this
event.
On Saturday, Feb. 7, “Pink Goes Red”
Weekend continued with an “AKA Goes
Red for Heart Health” event at The Mall
at Stonecrest Macy’s Indoor Entrance.
Ladies from the chapter and their
mentees modeled red fashions from
Macy’s and Phoebe’s Boutique on the
runway while representatives from the
American Heart Association educated
participants on important heart health
facts and the SNPha Chapter of Mercer
University provided blood pressure
checks. Door prizes were given away
and Darryl Madison of Chair-A-Cise
shared easy chair exercises that can be done at home.
Fox 5 News Reporter and Alpha Kappa Alpha member
Aungelique Proctor served as guest commentator.
Chi Tau Omega Chapter is the first Greek letter or-
ganization chartered in Newton and Rockdale Counties
in 2004. The chapter, whose celebrating her 10 year
anniversary has over 150 members who provide numer-
ous hours of service to this community. For more infor-
mation on their community service and other activities,
please visit www.chitauomega.com.
PINK RED
Upcoming EvEnts:
Financial FitnEss
ForUm
Saturday, March 28, 2015
10am-2pm
Saint Paul AME Church
13108 Brown Bridge
Road Covington, GA
30016
The topics will include
Finance, Nutrition,
Couponing, Budgeting,
Home Ownership, and
Mental Health.
goes
The News Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015 • 7
Bald Rock Baptist Church of Conyers and the Rockdale County chapter of the NAACP will host a Community Black History Month Program on Feb. 28, 5 p.m.
Pastor Chris Shipp of Bald Rock Baptist Church described the event as one that promises to be both educational and entertaining. Pastor Shipp said, “All youth are invited to participate and join the Youth Council” which is under the leadership of Brian Jen-
kins.The Community Black History Month Program
takes place on Saturday, Feb. 28, 5 p.m. at Bald Rock Baptist Church. The church is located at 2284 Old Covington Highway, Conyers, GA 30013.
The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Deborah Anderson
at 678-458-0968.
Black History Month at Peeks Chapel Elementary
On Feb. 24, the third grade teachers at Peeks Chapel Elementary sponsored a Black History Month program. Students learned African American history and culture and featured a segment of “Who Am I” in which students had to guess which person from Black History that various staff and students had dressed up as and presented facts from their lives. The keynote address for the program included Shirley Reese of Rust Chapel United Methodist Church and Ora Cody who presented students with artifacts such as ice picks and discussed how African Americans utilized these artifacts during slavery and after.
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Proud RCFR GraduateOn Friday, Loriel Price became Rockdale County Fire and Rescue’s first African American female firefighter. The ceremony at JP Carr Center honored 44 new RCFR recruit graduates; for more pictures, go to www.rockdalenews.comLook for video on Price and Rockdale’s female firefighters in the March 4 Wednesday’s Digital Edition
Darrell Everidge/The News
Advanced Gynecology Asso-ciates recently welcomed a new doctor to the Center for Women’s Care and Reproductive Surgery at the Conyers office, Dr. Thom-as Lyons.
Dr. Lyons has received nu-merous awards for his break-throughs in gynecologic surgery since 1980; he authored the LSH procedure, or Laparoscopic Su-pracervical Hysterectomy. He also developed the Laparoscopic Burch procedure for stress uri-nary incontinence. His areas of research include both alpha and beta site activities involving sur-gical devices and procedures, multiple activities in the area of adhesion prevention, endome-triosis, tissue removal, vascular occlusion, dysfunctional uterine bleeding, managing menopausal symptomology, and female surgi-cal sterilization.
In the last three decades, Dr. Lyons has also become known as an expert in the diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis. He has dedicated his career not only to women’s healthcare but to the education and training of gyne-cologists, particularly in the area of minimally invasive surgery. He has been a participant in numer-ous academic and clinical stud-ies and authored more than 150 scholarly publications, and is the author of “What to Do When the Doctor Says It’s Endometriosis: Everything You Need to Know to Stop the Pain and Heal Your Fer-tility.”
Raised and currently living in Atlanta, Dr. Lyons graduated from Georgia Military Academy, now Woodward Academy, before attending University of Georgia. While playing football and wres-tling for the Bulldogs, he earned his bachelor’s and master’s de-grees in clinical bio-psychology. He received the NCAA post grad-uate scholarship and was a Na-tional Football Foundation Hall
of Fame Scholar athlete in 1971. He played six seasons for the Denver Broncos, from 1971-1976 and simultaneously attended the University of Colorado medical school full time. He worked in Athens from 1981-1993 as an OB/GYN. During this time he was the team physician for the Lady Dogs athletic teams and re-ceived the Glada Gunnells Award for service in 1991.
He is currently Adjunct As-
sistant Professor at University of Georgia School of Veterinary Medicine, Clinical Associate Pro-fessor at Emory University Med-ical School, Honorary Professor of Kulakov Institute for Perina-tology and Gynecology Moscow, Russia, Director Southeastern In-stitute for Endoscopic Laser Sur-gery, Atlanta, and Director from 1997-present of AAGL/ SRS fel-lowship in endoscopic pelvic and reconstructive surgery.
listed in the bill.Kirby says his biggest concern
was at least making the product available to the public as a phar-maceutical grade product.
If the bill is approved by the Senate and Deal, the bill would allow people to obtain registra-tion cards for the oil by Sept. 1,
2015. According the National Con-
ference of State Legislatures, 23 states, including Washington D.C., allow for comprehensive public medical marijuana and cannabis programs.
Three states, Colorado, Wash-ington and Alaska, now allow full use of marijuana recreation-ally.
*Most vehicles. One coupon per customer. Not to be combined with any other offer. Present at time of sale.
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LET US CHECK YOUR TRanSmiSSiOn
FREE!Before any transmission is repaired a thorough
transmission diagnosis must be preformed. over 70% of the vehicles we check do not need
transmission rebuild.
The News Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015• 9
9
DR. THOMAS L. LYONSPIONEER IN GYNECOLOGIC SURGERY
Providing care for problems including:
• Endometriosis• Ovarian cysts or masses• Urinary stress incontinence or loss of
bladder control, in addition to other pelvic relaxation problems
• Pelvic Infl ammatory diseases (P.I.D.)• Uterine fi broids or benign fi broid tumors• Ovarian or uterine cancer• Infertility or reproductive disorders• Adhesive Diseases• Developed Laparoscopic
Supracervical Hysterectomy
You may email Dr. Lyons directly at [email protected] For Further information on Dr. Lyons, please visit his web-site,
www.thomasllyons.com
WELCOME!
Globally renowned gynecologic surgeon,Thomas L. Lyons, MD, now with
Advanced Gynecology Associates.
An Affiliate of Rockdale Medical Center
1380 Milstead Avenue NE,Suite E, Conyers, GA 30012
678-609-4913
Holly Imlach, MDGynecology &
Gynecologic Surgery
Erin Mayfi eld, DOGynecology
5154 Cook Street Northeast, Covington
770-788-1778
ADVANCED GYNECOLOGYASSOCIATES
We seek to provide the highest level of patient care through our state-of-the-art
technologies.
1380 Milstead Avenue NE,Suite E, Conyers, GA 30012678-609-4913
www.advgynassoc.com
When more than 2 billion Christians around the world begin observing Lent next week, they will do so in a variety of ways.
Ash Wednesday, which falls on Feb. 18 this year, marks the beginning of the Lenten season, which consists of the 40 days leading up to Easter.
Traditionally, Lent is seen as a time of reflection in the Christian community. Those who observe the season must alter themselves and their habits to reflect on the true meaning of Easter and the promise of Christ’s rebirth.
In the Episcopal denomination, Lent actually begins the day before Ash Wednesday, with the observance of Shrove Tuesday.
“Shrove Tuesday is typically a persevered day of preparation for entry into self-denial or self-discipline,” said Covington First United Methodist Church Pastor Douglas Gilreath.
The Imposition of Ashes is observed across several denominations of Christianity and has its roots in Genesis 3:19. It reminds mankind “For dust you are and to dust you shall return.”
After Ash Wednesday, Episcopalians, similar to many other Christians, may embark on a series of tasks or patterns of altered behavior intended to help them
better contemplate the meaning of Easter.
In the Catholic church, abstinence from meat is observed on Ash Wednesday and on Good Friday (the Friday before Easter Sunday) by all Catholics ages 14 and older.
“Lent is a season for prayer, fasting and almsgiving,” said Patricia DeJarnett, an official in charge of ceremonies with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta, in a bulletin to priests
and deacons. “In order to see that our preparation for Easter has a communal, and not just an individual dimension, the church gives us certain norms for a common Lenten observance.”
In 2011, more than 50 percent of the world’s Christian population identified as Catholic, according to the Pew Research Center.
According to the Archdiocese of Atlanta, fasting is to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday by all Catholics between 18 and 59 years of age, except for those who are “sick, pregnant, or nursing, or whose health would be adversely affected by fasting or abstinence.”
In the Episcopal church, parishioners aren’t required to fast, but they are encouraged to either remove something from their lives or take something on in Lent’s 40-day course.
The Methodist church recommends “introspection, meditation” and “disciplines like fasting and prayer” to help people prepare spiritually for Easter Sunday.
Whether it is observed through meditation, fasting or contemplation, the Lenten season is a time to get back to the true basics of life.
When to choose urgent careWhen sudden illness or injury strikes, it can be
frightening – especially if your regular doctor isn’t available or can’t see you on short notice. In the midst of your panic, you have to decide where to go for the medical attention you or your loved one need.
The good news is that there’s somewhere else you can turn, as long as your illness or injury is not life-threatening. Urgent care centers offer walk-in medical treatment for injuries or illnesses requiring immediate care, but not serious enough to require an ER visit. Additionally, most urgent care facilities offer extended hours, compared to regular doctor’s offices, so you can visit during early morning, late evening or on the weekend. When to choose urgent care
Urgent care centers do not treat major medical traumas or conditions, but they can provide treatment for most health issues when your primary care doctor is not available or cannot see you on short notice. Often, the wait time to be seen at an urgent care center is less than 30 minutes, compared with the possibility of waiting for hours at a hospital emergency room to be seen for illnesses or injuries that are not life-threatening. Keep in mind that many health care plans may not pay for a visit to the ER for what they consider to be “non-emergency” care. For these reasons, it can be more efficient to use urgent care services than an
emergency room in terms of both money and time. General guidelines for choosing Urgent Care or Emergency Room:
• Urgent care centers can treat minor illness such as coughs, body aches, earache, sore throat, allergic reactions, urinary tract infection, lacerations, sprains, minor cuts, sutures, and suture removal. Some can also handle sports physicals and DOT physicals and Worker’s Comp visits.
• A good urgent care clinic will have relationships with specialists in the community as well as hospitals, as a safety net for patients, so they can refer you if additional care is needed.
• If you’re having serious symptoms and you think you need hospitalization or surgery, go to the emergency room; for example, an intense pain, which could indicate appendicitis or a kidney stone.
• Always in the case of crushing chest pain, severe bleeding, trouble breathing, or signs of stroke call 9-1-1 immediately.
If you need immediate, non-emergency care, and live in Rockdale, Newton, or surrounding areas, Georgia Primary & Urgent Care now has two locations: 1301 Sigman Road NE, Conyers, 678-609-4912, Monday – Friday 8 a.m.-7p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m.- noon and 7138 Highway 212, Suite A, Covington, 678-625-4441, Monday – Friday, noon-8 p.m.
Jessica Smith
Man on
the Street
What are you giving up for
Lent?
Arlene Anderson is giving up fish since she normally does
not eat meat.
Arlene Anderson
Joshua HudsonConyers First United
Methodist’s youth min-ister the Rev. Joshua Hudson, son Jackson, and wife Jennifer are embarking on a three
day juice fast and trying to ween out any pro-
cessed foods and fast foods.
Joseph Kaparampil
Joseph is giving up meat.
Andy Hudgens
Andy Hudgens is giving up bread and adding an additional daily medi-tation
“Take The Step”to
Antioch AME Church1790 Ebenezer Road, Conyers, GA
770-761-0006
Sunday School 8:45 amSunday Worship 10:00 am
Rev. Dr. Stafford J.N. Wicker, Sr. Pastor
The News Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015• 11
11
NowOpen
Most Insurance AcceptedNo Insurance, No Problem, Self-Pay Pricing
Our Other Location1301 Sigman Road NE, Suite 230, Conyers • 678-609-4912
Affi liate of Rockdale Medical Center
Brown Bridge Medical Plaza7138 Highway 212, Suite A, Covington, GA 30016678-625-4441 offi ce • 770-787-9521 fax
Our practitioners can diagnose, treat,and prescribe medication for thefollowing healthcare problemsand much more:
No Appointment Necessary
12 • Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015 The News
12
Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015Page 13
rockdalenews.com SportS
Basketball season’s top
photos
Heritage/Salem earn All-region honorsAnother year in the books for Region 8-AAAAA and
now it's time to honor some of the best players to grace the floor this season, as well as the coaches. Heritage players Isaiah Banks, Rashad Jones and Asia Caldwell headline the teams, along with Heritage boys' head coach Vernon Denmark. Standouts Ayanna Mitchell, Shay Tarver and Austin Samuel represent Salem on the list.
Region 8-AAAAA Boys All-region Team
Alantae Billings - Apalachee
Kent Knowles - Apalachee
D'Andre Mahaffey - Cedar Shoals
Philandorus Fleming - Cedar Shoals
William Howard - Clark Central
Taylor Bourdage - Flowery Branch
DMarcus Simonds - Gainesville
Rashad Jones - Heritage
Isaiah Banks - Heritage
Adrian Martin - Lanier
Austin Samuel - Salem
Player of the Year - Kamar Baldwin - Apalachee
Coach Of The Year - Vernon Denmark - Heritage
Region 8-AAAAA Girls All-region Team
Daishai Almond (Fr.) - Cedar Shoals
Schekinah Bimpa (Jr.) - Loganville
Aryanna Gerald (So.) - Loganville
Asia Caldwell (So.) - Heritage
Taylor Hawks (So.) - Gainesville
Markia Lester (Sr.) - Clarke Central
Olivia Nelson-Ododa (Fr.) - Winder-Barrow
Lexie Sengkhammee (Fr.) - Flowery Branch
Juliann Sutton (So.) - Flowery Branch
Shay Tarver (Sr.) - Salem
Region Player of the Year: Ayanna Mitchell (Sr.) - Sa-lem
Coach of the Year: John Zorn - Loganville High School
Rockdale Cares board members prepare to dazzle guests at their 37th Annual Fundraiser “Luck of the Irish” Variety Show on Saturday, March 14, at 6:30 p.m. at Epiphany Lutheran Church, 2375 Ga. Hwy 20 SE, to benefit Haven House Respite Home, which provides respite services for developmentally challenged individuals and families. The event will feature dinner, entertainment and the reliably solid stable of items for silent auction. “May your pockets be heavy and your hearts be light!” Dress is casual and green; tickets are $40. To RSVP, call Barbara Kirkpatrick at 770-922-7272. Jessica Smith/The Rockdale News
The News Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015 • 15
Items for Sale
General Merchandise2014 FrIdIGaIre Gallery refrigerator. 30in stainless steel, smudge proof, top freezer, used less than 4 months, perfect. $700. 678-625-9724.
Pets & animals
PetsFree KIttenS to a good home. Ten weeks old, litter box trained and eating kitten food. Please call at 770-722-8284 or 678-722-1596. Please help me find homes for these sweet kittens. I’m keeping the mom but can’t keep her kittens.
Jobs
drivers WantedLocaL trucKInG Company looking to hire. Must pass drug/background and have experience. Send resume to [email protected] or fax to 678-342-9038.
Help Wanted
dIe Setter: Automotive Supplier
in Covington is looking for Metal
Stamping Die Setters. Mechanical
troubleshooting skills are required.
Willingness to work around
large types of machinery. Forklift
experience necessary We are
only willing to hire safety minded
individuals who operate carefully
and mindfully with attention to
detail. Direct hire 1st shift position,
paid vacation, high level benefits,
competitive compensation.
Please mail resumes to P.O.
Box 427 Covington, GA 30015
exPerIenced LandScaPe
maintenance technician. Must have
good driving record and references.
Good pay. Year round work. Conyers/
Covington area. 404-732-5764
FuLL tIMe landscape help
wanted. Experience and GA drivers
license a must. Pay according
to experience. 770-787-7898.
ProductIon oPeratorS: Automotive supplier in Covington is seeking Operators for 2nd and 3rd shifts. Attention to detail and quality is a must. Ability to stand on feet for 8 hours and able to lift up to 30 lbs. Background check, drug screen, HS diploma required. Direct Hire, shift work position with paid vacation, high level benefits, and competitive compensation. Please mail resumes to P.O. Box 427 Covington, GA 30015.
real estate
Land/Lots For SaleGreat deaL- 1/3 acre building lot in CIty of Covington (Linwood DR.). Good lot for house with basement. Priced to sale $12,500.00. Phone 678-313-3511.
For rent1 or 2 bedroom apartment.
All utilities included. Jackson Lake. Access to lake and pool. 770-775-0215 or 770-584-5885
commercial Property For rent
For LeaSe- 800 to 2800 sqft. The best value in Covington. Retail or office space across from Walmart right off I-20. Call Vic 678-371-0402.
House For rent
3 bedrooM 1 bath brick home in Oxford area. Large fenced in back yard. $700/month with deposit and credit application. Call Eastside Properties 770-784-1515
HouSe For Rent Covington2 ba / 1 bath, stove,refrigerator, and lawn care incuded. Brick with carport and screened back porch in quiet neighborhood. In town. $700 a month. 770-786-3304
MuSt See! Two bdrm, 1 bath,
newly renovated, Covington,
very nice location, CHA, all
appliances included. $750/
rent+deposit. 770-354-7774.
Very nIce neighborhood. 3 bedroom, 2 bath. CHA. Appliances included. Very nice. Preferably a nice couple. No pets. $850 rent/deposit. 770-787-3113.
“Big Red,” a 1999 Ford Explorer Sport (2 door),has 240,000 good, “just broken in” miles, has been well
maintained and his body is in very good condition.The price for this loyal guy is $1,500.
FOR SALE: An 11 Year Family Member
If you decide to purchase “Big Red” you mustbring the owner a box of Hankies.
Please call 678-357-2401 to make arrangements to view.
Liquid bulk trucking company is expandinginto the Georgia market and we are seeking
company drivers and owner operators. All drivers must have two years tractor trailer experience,
good driving record, and tank/hazmat endorsements. Company drivers will earn great pay. Owner operators will
get paid among the best in the industry. Our average1099 for owner operators 2014 was $215,000.
For more information please call 1-877-543-4173.
MARKETPLACEB u y • S e l l • Tr a d e • S e r v i c e s
Online @ marketplace.rockdalenews.com
Joe Willie Teague, 41, Co-nyers, Feb 16, Probation Viola-tion
Christopher John Corless, 35, Conyers, Feb 16, Possession of Marijuana, Poss of Drug Re-lated Objects
Shawn Ty Cleveland, 45, Sa-vannah, Feb 16, Theft by Con-version
Lasharita Nicole Gotel, 24, Covington, Feb 16, Theft by Conversion
Theresa Evette Roberts, 35, Conyers, Feb 16, Driving Under the Influence
Shauntrell Jancea Mark-
land, 35, Conyers, Feb 17, Forgery
Ivany Cobos, 21, Conyers, Feb 17, Disorderly Conduct
Melissa Leigh Loggins, 34, Conyers, Feb 17, Battery
Devin Letrell Swims, 27, Covington, Feb 17, Simple As-sault
Wesley Keith Moss, 46, Co-nyers, Feb 18, Possession of Marijuana
Angela Jillian Johnson, 37, Conyers, Feb 18, Open Con-tainer
James Antonio Collins, 37, Conyers, Feb 18, Possession of
MethamphetamineDandruma Ralph Kossally,
25, Covington, Feb 18, Posses-sion of Marijuana
Timothy Scott Garner, 50, Conyers, Feb 19, Operating a Motor Vehicle While License Suspended
Taylor Murphy, 18, Coving-ton, Feb 19, Theft by Shoplift-ing
Crystal Nicole Addie, 17, Conyers, Feb 19, Theft by Shoplifting
Justin Louis Frazier, 18, Covington, Feb 19, Theft by Shoplifting
Taylor Breana Wheeler, 18, Conyers, Feb 19, Theft by Shoplifting
Natalya Watson, 28, Destin, Feb 20, Driving Under the In-fluence, Open Container
Rashid Fredrick Williams, 22, Lithonia, Feb 20, Possession of Marijuana
Tyson Louis Perryman, 25, Lithonia, Feb 20, Armed Rob-bery
Shondra Denise Sumlin, 34, Decatur, Feb 20, Burglary
Shandon Deshon Connell, 22, Ellenwood, Feb 20, Posses-sion of Marijuana
Adam Thomas Black, 34, Conyers, Feb 20, Driving Under the Influence
Michael Homer Tillery, 45, Conyers, Feb 21, Simple Bat-tery
Yuehao Wu, 25, Duluth, Feb 21, Reckless Driving
Alexander Jarod Baker, 23, Conyers, Feb 21, Disorderly Conduct, Criminal Damage to Property
Travis Quinn Holland, 23, Loganville, Feb 22, Theft by Shoplifting
