Brad Curnutt For Circuit Court Clerk

Oct. 19 - Nov. 1, 2012
Brad
Curnutt
For Circuit
Court Clerk
athensnowal.com
E-MAIL: info@athensnowal.com
ADVERTISING: 256-468-9425
By Ali Elizabeth Turner
The Curnutt family
Paula, Brad and Madison
I caught up with Brad Curnutt in Starbuck’s
the other day, and got a detailed update on
the “blessed rigors” of running for Circuit
Court Clerk. His campaign has had to be
considerably longer than other local campaigns because of the fact that Alabama
now goes for the early primary date, and the
position of circuit court clerk is overseen
Continued on pages 15
Get Healthy With Snack
Healthy On October 27th
By Ali Elizabeth Turner
Recently I have had the joy
of getting to know a diverse
group
of
healthy-minded
women who make up a growing team that goes by the name
of Team Snacks ‘n Shakes.
They are part of a direct marketing company called Snack
Healthy, whose products are
gluten free, soy free, non
GMO, and are compatible for
those who are both vegan or
who eat kosher as a part of
their lifestyle.
Continued on page 16
October 19 - November 1, 2012
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Tammy Waddell, left, and Pam Blackburn
of Team Snacks ‘n Shakes
Page 2
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October 19 - November 1, 2012
Publisher’s Point
The “Viral” Courage Of
A 14 Year Old Girl
Publisher / Editor
Ali Turner
Contributing Writers
Shelley Underhill
Janet Hunt
Lynne Hart
Jeanette Dunnavant
Wanda Campbell
Deb Kitchenmaster
Will Anderson
Brian Black
Sarah Chadwell
Publisher’s Point . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
All Things Soldier . . . . . . . . 4
Calendar of Events . . . . . . . . 5
Cooking with Shelley . . . . . . 7
Clean and Green . . . . . . . . 8
Sarah’s Sagas . . . . . . . . . . . 9
How in the world does one
begin to fathom what would
motivate a Taliban gunman to shoot a 14 year old
Pakistani girl in the head
because she wants to go to
school? The simple answer
is evil, something we faced
down routinely in Iraq. On
our camp, which is where
the fledgling Iraqi Special
Forces was formed and
trained, there was an inside job that resulted in the
deaths of more than a dozen
trainees. They were all kidnapped and beheaded, and
the head of one was sent in
a box to his widow.
Insurgents would also control and manipulate whole
neighborhoods through fear,
the worst example being a
“feast” that was thrown by
Al-Qaeda, and the “entrée”
was one family’s nine year
old child, who had been
missing. They roasted him,
and told those present that
the same thing would happen to their children if they
cooperated with the Coalition.
I am not being gratuitous,
here, in my description of
evil. I have no desire to
shock or alarm any reader
of Athens Now. But it is so
easy, (in the current climate
of political correctness that
whining about it, essentially
saying that they are the victims here.
To say that the Taliban has
been exposed once again for
its insane hatred of freedom
and maniacal insistence
upon control is an understatement. The question is,
will we grow weary in welldoing, first of all in resisting those who would usurp
is insisting that FBI training
manuals no longer make
any references to terrorism
and Islamofacism,) to forget what we are really up
against.
Then along comes this gutsy
little girl named Malala
Yousafzai, who does what
teens do throughout the
West: she posts videos of
herself online, and rather
than blather on about what
she is going to do this weekend, makes quite the case
for something we in America take for granted, i.e., the
opportunity for girls, (and
boys, for that matter,) to go
to school.
And what is the response of
the “courageous servants of
Allah?” A plot is hatched to
silence Miss Malala forever
by murdering her in cold
blood. Only, Miss Malala
Tourism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Lifelong Learning . . . . . . . . . 12
What Makes Ronnie Roll . . 13
Cover Stories . . . . . . . . . 15-16
Horse Whispering . . . . . . . 18
Health and Fitness . . . . . . 19
World According to Will . . 21
Medical Update . . . . . . . . . . 22
Security Savvy . . . . . . . . . . 23
October 19 - November 1, 2012
survives, the Brits spirit her
out of Pakistan and back to
the UK where she gets the
best of care, and surgeons
say she is not only going to
survive, she is going to recover.
And the Taliban’s response?
They vow that they will
hunt her down, no matter
where in the world she is
hiding, and they will not rest
until they have completed
their mission and stilled
her voice. That might take
some doing, though, because throughout Pakistan
there have been demonstrations, and little Malala and
her plight has gone “viral”
on the Internet. Muslims,
Christians, Jews and secularists everywhere are denouncing the Taliban’s actions, and as unbelievable
as it sounds, the Taliban is
our own Constitution and
replace it with something
else, as well supporting
those in other lands whose
freedoms are so routinely
quashed through fear? At
the end of the day, I believe
evil springs from fear, and
the only thing that casts it
out is love. May God have
mercy on both little Malala
and her malevolent maurader, and may justice, true
justice spring out of this assault on a child.
Ali Elizabeth Turner
Athens Now
Information & Inspiration
256-468-9425
ali@athensnowal.com
Website:
www.athensnowal.com
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Page 3
All Things Soldier
Veterans’ Day Parades, Why
Should We Bother?
by Ali Elizabeth Turner
The 5th annual Veterans’
Day Parade is set to be held
on the 3rd of November at
11 am. This year the Grand
Marshall is going to be a
WWII POW by the name
of Dempsey McLemore,
and Dempsey has quite the
story to tell. He was part
of the 82nd Airborne, and
parachuted into France behind enemy lines. His mission was to blow up bridges, destroy power grids
and communications systems, and in general,
wreak havoc upon
and cause mayhem
for the Germans.
He was captured
and held in a German prisoner of war
camp. Ultimately he
was rescued by the
Russians, returned
to the States, built
a life, and became
part of the Greatest
Generation. He lives
here with his wife,
Virginia.
disconnected from the
whole meaning of the day,
as is the case with many, I
am afraid.
Another participant in the
parade will be Lt. General Richard Formica, who
is the Commander of the
U.S. Army Space and Missile Command/Army Forces Strategic Command at
Redstone Arsenal.
tor Tom Hanks has said so
famously, “It’s time to say
thank you.” The Veterans
of WWII are not getting
any younger, and these
treasures need to be treasured before they are gone
forever. Same for Veterans
of the Korean War, often
referred to as the “Forgotten War.” I had the experience of saying “thank you”
to a Korean War vet who
I mentioned that this is the
5th Annual Veterans’ Day
Parade, and the fact that it
is only the 5th one makes
me wonder, why? I know
it’s football season, people
are busy, and no one needs
any more guilt dished on
them. I also know that for
most of my life I looked
upon Veterans’ Day as a
time when there would
be good sales being held,
it would be a three day
weekend, and the banks
would be closed. I was
Page 4
Why should we bother
to take a little more than
an hour out of our day to
stand in what could be really chilly weather and
watch some floats, marching bands and horse riders go by while we wave
at them? So many reasons,
the first being that, as ac-
is the father of a
friend a few years
back, and he said
I was the FIRST
one in his entire
life to do so! What
a shame.
ally do mean that without
an ounce of snark, take the
time to come out on November 3rd You can reflect for a moment on the
courage of those who have
put themselves in harm’s
way, either long ago or just
recently, so that you and
people you’ll never meet
can be free to go to a parade in the first place.
In wouldn’t hurt
to take the time to
thank those who fought in
Vietnam, either. In a “former life,” people like me
made life hell for people
like them, and while being vilified is incredibly
tough, I think that it is actually worse to be ignored,
which is something I am
afraid is going to happen
to those who have served
in Iraq and Afghanistan.
So, if you can, and I re-
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October 19 - November 1, 2012
Calendar of Events
Fall Festival
Oct 21 at 3:00 - 6:00 PM
Join Spirit of Athens and T.R.A.I.L. for movie nigh. We will be
screening “The Goonies” in the Storytelling Tent on Marion Street.
Admission is $3. THE GOONIES starring Sean Astin, Josh Brolin
Rated PG; 111 minutes; 1985. THE GOONIES are a group of seven
young friends from a small Northwest town who find themselves
on a thrilling underground adventure filled with humor and heartpounding peril as they seek the secrets behind the treasure of the
notorious pirate, One-Eyed Willie.
of Dan Havely, will present a Halloween Concert on Monday in the
Carter Gymnasium on the Athens State campus. The event, sponsored by the Livingston Concert Lecture Series, is free and open to
the public. This is the first year the band will offer an autumn concert
with a focus on music that thrills and chills. Band members will be in
costume and they will welcome any costumed attendees! “We believe
this concert will be great fun for all ages,” states Director Dan Havely.
“The music we have picked ranges from the macabre to those tunes
sure to bring back memories of Halloweens past.” Havely continues,
“The band is really having fun with this. They will be in costume
for the performance, they are arranging refreshments for those attending, and there may be a few other surprises up their sleeves.”
The Athens State Community Band is open to anyone with an instrument, the ability to play it, and the desire to have fun while playing
good music. The Community Band plays both spring and Christmas
concerts each year, performs at Singing on the Square, and provides
musical accompaniment for Athens State University events.
Haunts Walks (all sold out)
Oct 23 & 30 at 6:30 PM & 7:00 PM
Athens Veterans Day Parade
Nov 3 at 11:00 AM
Join the fun with food, games, hay ride and cake walk at 7 Mile Post
Road Church. Free to the community!
Movie - “The Goonies”
Oct 23 at 7:00 PM
For a fun night with family and friends, join us for our annual
“Haunts Walks”. Tour guides will tell you some of the ghosts’ stories
of homes and buildings in Athens. It’s about a mile walk and takes
between 1½ - 2 hours. Tickets are $5.00 each. You must purchase
your tickets in advance. Contact: 256-232-5411/256-867-1438.
Rails to Trails Fall Color Ride or Walk
Oct 26 & 27
This is the perfect time to see the fall colors on the Rails to Trails.
You can start at Veto Methodist Church north entrance or Mitchell
Coffman Park on Piney Chapel Road at the south entrance. You
can also park in downtown Elkmont and enjoy the beauty of the
trail. Contact: 256-732-4211. Free
Athens Storytelling Festival
Oct 25, 26 & 27
It’s going to be an exciting weekend. Thursday night will feature
John McCutcheon. McCutcheon has been described by the Washington Post as “folk music’s rustic renaissance man.” Storytellers
include Bobby Norfolk, Carmen Deedy, Donald Davis, Dolores Hydock, Kevin Kling and Sherry Norfolk. Check out the website www.athensstorytellingfestival.com – for more information. Tickets
are now on sale in Athens at the ASU Bookstore on Marion Street on
the square. Contact: 256-232-0400.
Pancake Breakfast
Oct 27 at 7:00 AM - 11:00 AM
The American Legion Post 49 invite you to their breakfast at 124
Cloverleaf Drive, Athens, AL. The menu will be pancakes, juice,
coffee or milk, sausage or bacon. Takeouts are available. $5.00 per
plate. Support this worthy cause.
Halloween Concert
Oct 29 at 7:00 PM
Its Parade Time!! Join us in honoring our Grand Marshall WWII
Paratrooper and POW Dempsey McLemore. McLemore was part of
the 82nd Airborne and one of Company A who jumped in behind enemy lines in Normandy, France to capture the village of Ste. Mere
Eglise, destroy rivers, blow up bridges and disrupt communications,
he was captured and taken as a POW and then liberated by the Russians!! Also joining us will be special guests Lt. Gen & Mrs. Richard
P. Formica, Commander of the US Army Space and Missile Defense
Command/Army Forces Strategic Command. If you would like to
participate in the parade, please contact Roxanne Haggermaker at
256-374-2073 or Sandy Thompson at 256-771-7578.
Elkmont’s 1st Hilltop Arts Festival
Nov 3
Over 30 booths of Tennessee Valley Artist’s arts and crafts including
paintings, photography, handmade jewelry, henna, pottery, candles
and much more. Art Market is free to the public. Musical guests
include Taylor McLain, Mary Crowell, The Mothership Connection,
Bonner Black, The Barnstormers, Mary Justice Lucas, Jim Parker
and more. Open Mic Poetry Reading at 6:00 PM inside the Red Caboose. Admission is $10.00. Special guests include Karolina Manko
and more. Visit www.facebook.com/hilltoparts.
Athens Limestone Hospital Sherry Lovell Adams Pink Ribbon 5-K Race
Nov 3 at 9:00 AM
5-K will be at The Waddell Center. Fee is charged. Call 233-9122.
Alabama Veterans Museum Coffee Call
Nov 3 at 8:00 AM
All veterans are invited to the museum for breakfast and a time of fellowship with fellow veterans. Contact 256-771-7578.
The Athens State University Community Band, under the director
October 19 - November 1, 2012
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Page 5
A Giant Midway
of Fun...
Inflatable Games!
Kiddie Train!
“Trunk
“Trunk--n-Treat”
Carnival Games
Prize Drawings
Costume Contest
Happy Costumes Please!
Hamburgers & Hot Dogs
Popcorn & Cotton Candy
Much, Much More!
201 East Hobbs Street * Athens, Alabama
Especially for Ages 4-12 Years
Page 6
256-232-0602
www.FBCAthens.org
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October 19 - November 1, 2012
Cooking with Shelley
Calling All Broccoli Fans
by Shelley Underhill
If you like cornbread and a hint of broccoli, then this is
a must try for you and your family. When the weather
started getting cool, I had a serious craving for some
really good broccoli-cornbread. I found myself on a
mission for just the right recipe...
The recipe that follows will please your tastebuds
and keep your friends and family coming back
for more. And it’s really easy too! Let me know
if you try it or if you have any recipes for this
type of bread. Enjoy!
Email your questions
shelleysdesk@gmail.com
and
recipes
to
What you will need:
2 Boxes Jiffy cornbread mix
4 Beaten eggs
3 Sticks melted butter
1 Cup cottage cheese
1 Cup chopped onion
1 10oz box of frozen broccoli - thawed
9x13 baking pan or dish ~ well greased
Preheat oven to 400. Mix together all ingredients, place in baking dish.
Bake at 400 until golden brown. You should be able to test bread with
a toothpick; ready when pick comes out clean.
October 19 - November 1, 2012
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Page 7
Clean and Green
Fun Halloween Ideas Your
Goblins Will Love!
by Lynne Hart
Decorating for the holidays
can be fun. It can also be
expensive!
Here are a few ideas using
items you may already have
at home. Save some green
while being green and have
a Happy Halloween!
Milk Jug Ghosts
Collect some empty milk
jugs. You can use gallon
or half-gallon containers. Make sure
you wash them thoroughly.
On the opposite side
from the label, use
black paint or a black
Sharpie marker to
create funny or scary
ghost faces. Leave
caps on while you do
this so the jugs won’t dent.
If you have white paint, use
it to color the caps white.
You can also use your paint
or marker to paint the caps
black.
Cut a 2”-3” hole in the back
of the jugs (this is an adult
job).
Line up your ghosts. Place
portions of a string of 50
clear low-wattage holiday
lights into each jug. Plug
them in and they’ll brighten
your holiday!
Window Critters
Use large pieces of cardboard or other material you
have available that will fit in
the windows you have selected to decorate.
Draw the outline of your
critter and cut out (let an
adult do the cutting).
Paint the critter black.
Ghosts Suckers
Here’s a great idea to dress
up your Halloween sucker
treats!
Use whatever size suckers
you like.
Cut out squares of white
fabric or tissue paper large
enough to cover the sucker
leaving enough to cover
most of the sucker stick.
the sucker. You can dress it
up a bit by using orange or
colorful ribbon if you have
it available.
Add ghost faces using a
black marker.
Enjoy the smiles as you give
these to your guests!
Using black string or ribbon,
tie a bow tightly just under
(256) 233-8728
KeepALBeautiful@att.net
Become a Fan
www.KeepAthensLimestoneBeautiful.com
Use cellophane to cover
mouth, eyes, and other
openings as shown in the
picture. Attach to the back
of your critter. You can use
light colored markers to add
accents to the cellophane.
Make sure the lights are on
in the room so your critters
can be clearly seen from
outside!
Page 8
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October 19 - November 1, 2012
Sarah’s Sagas
Aussies Appreciate Athens
by Sarah Chadwell
lucky we are to live in a
place where the people, the
landscape, and the spirit of
kindness combine to make it
a home as “good as it gets”
no matter how far and wide
you should travel!
enjoy the weekend. Her
chronicles pick up below:
What a great impression
Athens made on our Australian friends!
I haven’t seen Jacinta and
her hubby in 23 years, and
was nervous about what we
could do to entertain them
while providing the best of
southern hospitality.
Jacinta is a journalist for the
Australian
Broadcasting
Service, (like our PBS,) and
she was sending chronicles
to her friends on each day’s
highlights. Including Athens
in the tales of their travels
provided details for the fast
growing list of each new adventure; from Los Angeles,
New York, and to Ohio for
harness racing.
As luck would have it, they
arrived the day before the
Fiddlers’ Convention. The
leaves were turning with the
first nip of cool, and everyone seemed to be ready to
“Like lots of towns at
home, Athens downtown
is capturing some tourism and day-tripper trade.
There are plenty of craftytype places, a few up
market-looking cafes, and
a great historic hardware
and outdoor clothing store.
It’s a really pleasant-looking town! We are introduced to various shopkeepers, the mayor, the county
commissioner, the clerk of
courts and the gals that run
the diner beside her office.
All are impressed that some
Aussies are visiting Athens
and are all enormously
polite and welcoming.
Invariably it’s “Welcome
to the States” and beaming
smiles, with questions ranging from where we live to
whether English is our first
language! But particularly
in the south we are finding
people just love the chance
to chat. Our next stop,
the Bean Day event. Anyone who is anyone in the
town is at bean day, which
was great fun. We call by
a friend’s house (Cherry
Ann & Bill) who live in a
gorgeous home in Athens.
They give us a tour of their
home...the architecture is
grand and they are a lovely
couple. After a visit to
Lynchburg, we headed back
to our next appointment
-- the Fiddlers’ Convention. It is a very traditional
southern event, and obviously a huge deal on the
The Miles Blackwell
local calendar. There was
a guest band (Riders in the
Sky) but the drawcard was
clearly the competitions.
Hundreds of entrants from
a wide area of Tennessee,
Alabama, Virginia, were
there and not a dud among
the finalists.
Has been a HUGE day...
didn’t take much nodding
off tonight!”
The following day was cool
and we decided rest was the
best item for the agenda.
During her visit, we were
constantly reminded how
Our Athens home and
more importantly our Athens families will be the
focus of a ZUMBA event
on Saturday, October 20th
at 10:00 AM at the Athens
City Recreation Center.
This event is hosted by the
Miles Blackwell Foundation, the Family Resource
Center, and is sponsored by
the Athens City Recreation
Center. We provide a good
Saturday workout for you
that will help us provide
funding to families in need
of rent, utilities, or whatever
it takes to help them through
a tough time. We have an expert ZUMBA teacher ready
to lead the group. Just put
on your “gear” and hope to
see you there!
Foundation The Family Resource Center
Church & Senior Discounts
Emergency number 256-777-9698
October 19 - November 1, 2012
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Page 9
Tourism
Wrapping Up An Outstanding
Year Of Tourism
By Jeanette Dunnavant, President, Athens-Limestone County Tourism Association
As our 2011-2012 year
came to an end, I looked
back over the past 12
months and I am amazed
to see how many new
events and successful
events we had this year.
It has been a fantastic year
for our tourism industry.
I predict that 2012-2013
will be an even bigger and
better year.
Our new tourism year
began October 1st with a
bang. The Haunts Walks
sold out, Bean Day had
a great turn out, Wacky
Quacky Ducky Derby had
a record number of ducks
adopted, and the 46th Annual Tennessee Valley Old
Time Fiddlers’ Convention had a record crowd
on Friday night. If
the rain had held off
on Saturday, I think
Saturday would have
also been a record
breaking crowd.
at their peak. It’s the
perfect time to bring
the kids and enjoy the
10 mile walk. If you
prefer, bring your bicycles and horses and
enjoy the trail. No motorized vehicles are allowed.
We will wrap up October with the 6th Annual Athens Storytelling
Festival on October
25th – 27th. The school
children will get to
attend free again on
October 24th& 25th
thanks to our local legislators. Athens State
University is bringing
John McCutheon and
his folk music to the
tent on October 25th.
This man will amaze
you with his talent as
he plays numerous instruments.
The Spirit of Athens
will use the Storytelling Tent October 22nd
and will be showing
the movie “The Goonies.” Admission is
only $3.00. Bring the
entire family and enjoy
the movie.
All that is behind us
and there is so much
to look forward to
attending in this fiscal year. On October
20th Chick-fil-A will
have their Fall Festival with lots of great
games and food. The
annual Rails to Trails
Fall Walk/Ride will
be Oct 27th& 28th
and leaves should be
November events will
begin with the Annual
Athens Veterans’ Day
Parade on November
3rd at 11:00 AM. On
November 10th the Alabama Veterans Museum
will celebrate their 10th
anniversary and have a
rededication
ceremony.
The annual Athens and
Ardmore Veterans’ Day
Ceremonies will be on
November 11th. We all
look forward to the Annual Christmas Open House
downtown
November
17th& 18th. Open House
is the perfect time of year
to find that special Christmas gift.
As you can see, even
though the weather is getting chilly, there’s still
plenty to do in Athens and
Limestone County. We
are all looking forward to
more events for 2013.
For information about the
above events and other
Athens-Limestone County events call 256-2325 4 11 / 2 5 6 - 8 6 7 - 1 4 3 8 o r
visit our website www.
VisitAthensAL.com.
Page 10
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October 19 - November 1, 2012
October 19 - November 1, 2012
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Page 11
Learning As A Lifestyle
What Is A “Snollygoster?”
by Wanda Campbell
tives lost.
I am not a big fan of YouTube, and most of the
time I ignore the posts in
my Facebook or email account. I was of the group
that thinks most of the
YouTube postings were
silliness or family pictures.
I am not interested in silliness, and I don’t feel right
viewing anonymous family pictures.
My son, Ben, is an avid
viewer. He recently told
me I could subscribe to
cooking, lectures, and other
interesting how-to videos.
He also told me about the
TED Talks that are posted
on YouTube. TED Talks
are speeches from the annual TED (Technology Entertainment Design) Conference. The TED website
boasts riveting talks by
remarkable people, free to
the world.
To make sure I would be
really interested, he sent
me a clip - Mark Forsyth:
What is a snollygoster? A
Lesson in Political Speak.
Page 12
In his conclusion, Forsyth
said that politicians try to
use words to shape the reality they hope to create,
but reality changes words
far more than words can
change reality.
DEFINITION
According to Encarta New
World Dictionary, 2009, a
snollygoster is a “(U.S.)
self-seeker: somebody, especially a politician, whose
actions are motivated by
self-interest rather than
by high principles (slang)
[Mid-19th century.]”
There were two reasons
to watch. One is the word
– snollygoster. What a
great word! I had to know
more. The second reason
to watch was the “Lesson in Political Speak.”
As we get ready to elect
a new president, I thought
I should know even more
about political speak.
In his talk, Forsyth tells us
that a snollygoster is a dis-
honest politician, someone
who seeks office regardless of party, platform or
principles. He said that
words were at the very
center of politics, because
it allows politicians to
control the language. And
then, he tells of the discussion about naming George
Washington’s position as
leader of the country. It
seems the House of Representatives did not want
George to get a big head,
and they suggested a lowly
title – President. President,
at the time, meant someone
who presides over a meeting. The Senate wanted
a great title, like King or
Magistrate, that would be
accepted in international
events. After three weeks
of debate, the House of
www.athensnowal.com
Representatives agreed to
use the title of President
as a temporary measure.
According to Forsyth, the
Senate has never formally
endorsed the title of President.
Forsyth said there were
three things to come away
with from his discussion.
The first was that President Obama is living on
borrowed time – any minute they will take away
his title of President. The
second thing is a “government temporary measure”
is really a permanent thing.
The third thing is that the
President of the US is not
that humble these days.
There are 147 countries
that use that title now, so
in the end the Senate won,
and House of Representa-
Mark Forsyth
Mark Forsyth is a passionate, self-described
pedant when it comes to
the English language -but his detailed knowledge of history has
given him a commonsense approach to its
“proper” use. He is an
author, blogger, journalist, proofreader and
ghostwriter. He can be
found dispelling the
grammar myths we
were all taught in his
popular blog, the Inky
Fool. His book The Etymologicon takes “a circular stroll through the
hidden connections of
the English language”
by history of one word
or phrase with each
chapter.
October 19 - November 1, 2012
What Makes Ronnie Roll
Leaves Or Roots?
I had the chance to speak
with Mayor Ronnie just
on the heels of Governor
Bentley’s visit to Athens
on Monday, October 15th.
Mayor Marks attended the
event, which was held at
the Center for Lifelong
Learning, and sponsored
by the Chamber of Commerce. The purpose of
the Governor’s visit was
to discuss the importance
of passing Amendment
2 in the upcoming election. Amendment 2 would
change Alabama’s constitution so that if interest
rates go down, debts carried by the state could be
refinanced at a lower rate,
much like one’s personal
mortgage. Amendment 2
would free up revenue for
economic development.
Yesterday was the day our
Mayor had us “Paint The
Town Pink.” He made a
proclamation setting October 18th as the date we
would all wear pink, say
the word pink, or mention
the Pink Elephant Mammogram Scholarships to
show support for those
who have been afflicted by
breast cancer. By doing so
when we went to Chickfil-a, the franchise on Hwy
72 donated part of its proceeds to help in the fight.
There was also a Pink Elephant Day luncheon held
at the Limestone County
Event Center, and in all,
Athens is turning out in
force all year long to fight
cancer.
Most folks are aware that
Mayor Ronnie is a Vietnam
veteran, and active in the
local veterans’ community. He is hoping that there
will be a solid showing of
support for our vets of all
branches by attending the
Veterans’ Day parade to be
held on Saturday, November 3rd.
Most often when we get
together every two weeks
for his interview, he tells
me about something that
inspired him at church, or
a book, scripture or devotional that spoke to him in
his ongoing quest to become a better man and a
better Mayor. This time he
had two things. One had to
do with the concept of interdependence. It says the
following:
“Interdependence is a
choice only independent
people can make. Dependent people cannot choose
to become interdependent. They don’t have the
character to do it; they
don’t own enough of themselves.”
by Ali Elizabeth Turner
then we concluded that if
you don’t have yourself in
the first place, there’s no
way you can give yourself
away in the right way for
your own good or the good
of others.
Then he moved to another
reflection on pg 31 from
the same book. Ironically,
at the root.”
Covey went on to
comment on Thoreau’s statement by
saying:
“We can only
achieve quantum
improvements in
our lives as we quit hacking at the leaves of attitude and behavior, and get
to work on the root, the
paradigms from which our
attitudes and behaviors
flow.”
Whether the “leaves” are
the evil of cancer, or effects of our immaturity or
lower nature, I for one am
glad that we have a Mayor
who wants to go for the
root, and that is one of the
many things that makes
Ronnie roll.
it was a quote by Thoreau,
and a good one, no less. It
said:
“For every thousand
hacking at the leaves of
evil, there is one striking
Daily Reflections for
Highly Effective People,
pg 290
I thought about that for
a while, and normally I
would think that owning oneself would stand
in the way of moving toward interdependence, but
October 19 - November 1, 2012
www.athensnowal.com
Page 13
Local Experts Warn
Residents, Business
Owners Of The Risks Of
Halloween Fires
PuroClean Property Rescue’s Paramedics Of
Property Damage Assist Insurance Companies,
Property Owners After Fire Damage
Athens, AL (Grassroots Newswire)
October 12,2012 -- From 1999 - 2002,
decorations for special events accounted for an estimated 1,100 reported
home structure fires per year, the majority involving candles, according to the
National Fire Protection Association.
Halloween is no exception to these statistics, as open flame fires increase by
50 percent around the Halloween holiday due to increased use of candles.
PuroClean, known as “The Paramedics of Property Damage,” is a professional mitigation company specializing
in property remediation after a home
or commercial structure has been damaged by fire and smoke. Dave Cowan,
owner of PuroClean Property Rescue
serving North Alabama, says, “We experience an increased number of fire
mitigation calls beginning in September. The source of many of these fires is
typically attributed to seasonal decorations.”
To help reduce the risk of fire and prepare homeowners if a Halloween fire
were to ignite, Cowan provides local
property owners with the following
tips:
- Use glow sticks or battery operated
candles inside jack-o-lanterns instead of open flame candles
- Keep all candles, pumpkins with
candles, matches and lighters out of
children’s reach
- If using a candle in a jack-o-lantern,
never leave it unattended
- Remove obstacles from lawns, steps
and porches when expecting trickor-treaters
- If using candles and jack-o-lanterns
indoors, keep them away from curtains, decorations and other combus-
PuroClean
tibles that could be ignited
- Never overload extension cords and
power strips
If property is damaged by a fire, it is important to call a restoration professional
immediately. Cowan said the faster the
response, the greater the chance of saving
property and possessions.
About PuroClean
PuroClean is a property damage restoration company that offers emergency clean
up, restoration, and repair services including fire and smoke damage restoration,
water damage restoration, flood water
removal, and mold and mildew removal.
PuroClean has earned the trust of property
owners, insurance professionals and home
service providers throughout the United
States and Canada since 2001. Backed
by a comprehensive network of 300 franchise offices and a national training and
business support center, each PuroClean
office responds promptly to property
emergencies, demonstrating a high degree
of professionalism and compassion. PuroClean certified technicians are thoroughly
screened, insured and trained in utilizing
the latest in mitigation technology and
procedures throughout the remediation
process while operating under a strict
code of ethics. In addition to serving the
needs of property owners, PuroClean offers hundreds of continuing education
classes each year to insurance professionals and property service providers nationwide. In 2011, PuroClean trained over
10,089 insurance professionals nationwide, helping them earn their continuing
education credits. For more information
on PuroClean, please contact 800-775PURO or visit www.puroclean.com. For
more information on PuroClean, please
contact Dave Cowan at 256-729-5067 or
visit www.PuroClean.com/ppr-al.
Property Rescue
Office: 256-729-5067 Cell: 256-509-8376
8468 US Hwy 72 • Athens, AL 35611
dcowan@puroclean.com • www.puroclean.com/ppr-al
Page 14
www.athensnowal.com
October 19 - November 1, 2012
Cover Story
Brad Curnutt For Circuit Court Clerk
by Ali Elizabeth Turner
continued from page 1
by the state. He is understandably looking forward
to the successful conclusion of the election on
November 6th, and hopefully getting on to serving
residents of Limestone
County in a new capacity
come January.
For those of you who don’t
know him well, Brad’s
history certainly is the
kind that citizens would
like to see when choosing
a circuit court clerk. He is
from Limestone County,
and graduated from Athens High in 1987. He majored in Police Science
at Calhoun and received
his Associate’s degree in
1992. He worked for several years at United Technologies Advanced Systems Division, and began
to move toward a career
in law enforcement, serving in the beginning as a
reserve officer, then as
a corrections officer. He
became a deputy
sheriff, graduated
from the Alabama
Police Academy,
and first served as
a patrolman. His
job descriptions
as a Sheriff’s department officer
have included being on the road
as a patrolman,
four years with
D.A.R.E, (where
the kids called him
“Deputy Brad,”) a
stint as the School
Resource Officer at Clements High, being trained
as an investigator and interrogator, and being promoted to the rank of Lt.
Investigator. All in all he
has worked for the Sheriff’s department for 18
years, and has been the recipient of several law en-
forcement related awards,
including Sheriff’s Office
Deputy of the Year and
VFW Law Enforcement
Officer of the Year.
Brad is married to Paula
Bates Curnutt, and is the
father of Madison, their
daughter. The Curnutts
reside in Clements, and
live close to Paula’s parents, Randy and Charlotte. Brad’s folks, Walter
and Betty, live in Athens.
Brad is on the deacon
board of Seven Mile Post
Church of Christ, and has
served on the board of the
Athens-Limestone Child
Advocacy Center, as well
as the Multi-Disciplinary
Child Protection Team.
What has impressed me
about Brad is the lengths
to which he has gone to
put himself in a position
where he can serve us. In
order to support his family while the long election
season has been in full
swing, Investigator Cur-
who are out in triple
digit heat day after
day to take care of us,
whether it’s been cutting lawns, resurfacing roads or working
on power lines. “It’s
been humbling,” he
said with a chuckle.
Many days he has finished up doing lawns,
dashed home to get a
shower, and then attended local events of
all kinds in order to do
the hard work of campaigning. He is one
determined fellow!
Brad demonstrated to
me long ago that he
already has a solid as
well as unique idea
of what is involved
in functioning as the
circuit court clerk,
because as a law enforcement officer he
was there in that office often, only on
“the other side of the
counter.” The circuit
court clerk wears a
perwork,” he says,
and also orients
jurors to the experience of being
on jury duty. He
deals with divorces, child support
modifications, and
issues the checks
to jurors for their
service.
nutt has been running his
own lawn service. “Man,
that has been an education,” he said, and added,
“it’s been tough.” As a
result of his “unexpected
and temporary career,”
he has gained a greater
appreciation for people
October 19 - November 1, 2012
number of hats, including
issuing criminal warrants
for misdemeanors and
felonies, collecting traffic and hunting fines, processing domestic protection from abuse petitions,
overseeing applications
for passports and absentee
voting, “does lots of pa-
www.athensnowal.com
Brad has always
said that he is the
best candidate for circuit court clerk because
of his law enforcement
background, and, I would
add, the fact that he is not
afraid of hard work that at
times can be thankless.
“I have had to know the
court system, the law and
the changes to the law.”
He also made it clear that
there would be no adjustment to having to be on
call 24/7, “because that is
what I have been doing for
the past 18 years.” He has
had training with Homeland Security, something
helpful in the passport department, has had to manage cases, learn decision
making skills, and numerous ways to help victims.
“People should vote for
me because I want to continue to serve and have
the experience to do it
well,” he told me. If you
agree, you need to be sure
to vote for Brad. In any
case, see you at the polls
on November 6th!
Page 15
Cover Story
Get Healthy With Snack Healthy
On October 27th
Ali Elizabeth Turner
continued from page 1
Before I tell you about
the products and the upcoming Snack Healthy
event to be held at the
Senior Center on the
27th of October, I would
like to tell you more
about the crew.
Pam Blackburn is the
team leader, and comes
from
a
background
of corporate involvement and management
in the telecommunications industry. She was
the owner of a cellular
phone franchise store,
and found she needed
to look for a new line of
work when the economy
went sideways. She is
passionate about health,
loves to go walking and
running, and daily faces
the challenges of caring
for loved ones who
have severe health
problems.
Pam’s
“other job” is caring
for her mom, (who
has
Alzheimer’s,)
and other family
members are dealing
with such diseases
as cystic fibrosis,
diabetes and cancer.
She is understandably highly motivated both to be healthy
and to build a healthy
business.
Suzanne Rainey is
the Vice President of
the Boys’ and Girls’
Clubs of Northern
Alabama, and, her
part of the “why” for
being on this team
Page 16
is the pain of the loss of
several family members
to cancer; the most recent
being her sister, who succumbed to breast cancer
in 2010. In addition, her
father died of a heart attack at the age of 48.
Her “message,” when it
comes to cancer, is that
“prevention is the cure.”
Snack Healthy is whole
food, the consumption of
which is one of the most
powerful tools in the fight
against cancer, and Suzanne wants to get those
tools into the hands of everyone. “What sold me on
Snack Healthy products
is that they are whole, and
the sweetener is stevia,”
she added.
Cynthia Cross is a fitness
trainer/instructor,
and
successful in her trade by
any definition. She
has more than 200
clients enrolled in her
Fitness Camp, and the
name of her business
is Life Changing Fitness. She is passionate about fitness, and
this includes eating
healthy. She states,
“Snack Healthy provides on-the-go parents and kids the opportunity to snack
healthfully, and the
products are portion
controlled.” Cynthia
is slated to be one of
the speakers at the
October 27th breakfast event.
Tammy Waddell is a
Lt. in the Limestone
County Sheriff’s Department, and has
worked there since
Suzanne Rainey
Cynthia Cross of Life Changing
Fitness, one of the scheduled
speakers for the Get Healthy
With Snack Healthy event
www.athensnowal.com
1998. Her reason for
becoming
involved
with Snack Healthy
centers around the desire to change her own
lifestyle and improve
her health. She is eating healthy, working out with Cynthia
Cross, has lost weight,
and is having an impact on the health of
our law enforcement
personnel in the Sheriff’s Department by
encouraging her colleagues,
including
Sheriff Blakely, to in-
corporate Snack Healthy
snacks and shakes into
their daily eating plan.
These gals have pooled
their resources to put
on an event called “Get
Healthy With Snack
Healthy,” and it will be
held on Saturday, October 27th at the Athens Limestone Senior
Center at 8 am. The Senior Center is located at
912 Pryor Street. The
purpose of the event is
three fold: to educate
our community on the
importance of a healthy
October 19 - November 1, 2012
lifestyle, make samples
and information on Snack
Healthy available for
those who are interested
in the product, and introduce those who may
be interested in a home
based direct marketing
business to the Snack
Healthy team.
Other speakers for Get
Healthy
With
Snack
Healthy get together will
be Kathy West, Co-Owner of Snack Healthy, and
Jim Kenney, the company’s top earner.
Snack Healthy’s products
are delicious, as I will
freely attest. They have an
energy drink called Zing
that gives a burst of energy, “but without the jitters.” Zing has about the
same amount of caffeine
as a cup of coffee, and no
artificial colors, flavors,
or sweeteners. Crispy
Fruit comes in a pack,
with your choice of dried
fuji apples, pineapple or
bananas. Real Fruit is dehydrated as well, but a bit
softer. The fruit choices
for Real Fruit are similar
as those of Crispy Fruit,
but with the addition of
mango and apricot. There
are also fruit bars, pretzels, popcorn and shakes,
all whole food, tasty and
nutritious. There will be
samples of Snack Healthy
products at the event.
Team Snacks ‘n Shakes is
also serving a healthy and
complimentary breakfast
for those who register for
the event by October 25th.
To register, call Tammy at
256-434-0663, or email
Pam at supermimi236@
gmail.com.
Be sure to mark your calendar for Get Healthy
With Snack Healthy, and
come to an event that
will be sure to build your
health and your community.
October 19 - November 1, 2012
www.athensnowal.com
Page 17
Horse Whispering
Haunted Horse
A long time ago, a rider saddled up her Palomino Quarter Horse to go for a lovely,
peaceful ride out in the prairie near her homestead. In
preparation for her ride, she
securely tied a gray Arabmixed gelding with a long
rope to a concrete block
so the horse could gently
graze the hillside, while she
and the gelding’s friend, the
Palomino, left the vicinity.
Having traveled across a
sizable mass of land, faint
sounds were echoing to
her. She and the Palomino
paused, and continued to
hear muffled sounds that
sounded like someone hollering. Turning her horse
around, she saw her son and
husband waving their arms
and shouting.
Coming
straight towards her and the
Palomino at full speed was
the gray gelding. He had a
flying concrete block trailing behind, and it looked
like a malfunctioning flying
saucer repeatedly soaring in
the air, and then crashing to
earth!
People and horses are social
animals, and horses simply do NOT do well when
a partner is removed from
their presence. The horse is
more interested in partnering than digesting food! For
example, the Morgan breed
came into being simply be-
by Deb Kitchenmaster
to Springfield, Massachusetts to collect some money he
had loaned to an old
neighbor by the name
of Farmer Beane.
Justin was a singing
cause a man by the name
of Justin Morgan walked
from Randolph, Vermont
schoolmaster, and wanted
to buy a harpsichord for his
singing class.
Not having the money,
Farmer Beane asked,
“Would you take a colt
instead of cash?” After
some time, a decision
was made to take the
larger colt by the name
on vet bills. Or perhaps
start a new breed!
of Ebenezer. After all, the
little colt by the name of
Bub was only a pint measure, and in the Vermont
hills of lumberjacking, a
strong horse was desired.
Leading the larger colt
down the road, Justin began
his 100 mile journey home.
Little Bub would not have
this nonsense! He jumped
the fence to partner with his
friend Ebenezer. Farmer
Beane waved his arms and
hollered, “Take both of
em.”
This little horse became
the father of the American
breed known as the Morgan
horse. His willingness became an American legend.
Justin re-named Bub “Figure.” Go figure, this runt
that didn’t look like it would
amount to anything could
walk faster, trot faster, run
faster, and pull heavier logs
than any other horse in all
Vermont!
Remember, when you are
separating one horse from
another, secure the horse
in a safe place. You might
save yourself some pennies
Page 18
www.athensnowal.com
As the gray gelding was
quickly closing the gap
between himself and his
Palomino friend, a solution
to the danger of the flying
cement block was quickly
needed. “Face and position” became the strategy
of the rider. She would face
the potentially deadly object, and position her horse
and herself to use her foot
and the bottom of her stirrup to stop the cement block
from touching her horse.
WHAM! Mission accomplished! Now she was on
the back of a runaway horse!
Losing centeredness from
the jolt of the impact and
the response of the horse,
she knew she was coming
off. As the ground was getting closer and closer to her
body, a thought occurred,
‘relax.’ She chose to relax,
and draping over the side of
the horse, she was able to
get in sync with the rhythm
of her horse. In doing so,
she was able to recover, recenter and bring her horse
safely to a halt. No injuries
accept a swollen ankle on
the human.
The moral of the story is
this: humans need to understand the horse. In doing so, there will be less
“haunting stories” between
horses and humans!
Your NEIGHbor,
Deb Kitchenmaster
Corral Connections:
Connecting with LIFE
through a horse
Animal B.E.S.T practitioner
dkitchenmaster@mchsi.com
October 19 - November 1, 2012
Health and Fitness
How Many Calories Do I Need?
by Janet Hunt
Janet Hunt is a Certified Personal Trainer and can be reached at 256-614-3530 to schedule an appointment.
The question I am asked
most often by my training
clients and participants in
my weight management
classes is: how many calories should I eat? Well,
this is a very complicated
question. This depends on
your activity level, your
metabolism, your age,
your gender, your muscle
mass, and more. Below
are some VERY GENERAL ideas for calorie
consumption to maintain
your current weight. To
actually determine what
is true for you, maintain
a daily food diary with
an accurate calorie count
and weigh daily to confirm your weight is not
changing.
If you are inactive, you
should eat about 20 calories per kilogram of body
weight. For those that
are somewhat active, 25
and divide by 2.2. Then
take this number and
multiply by 20, 25 or 30
to 35 depending on your
activity level. Below are
some results.
Somewhat Very
Active
Active
Weight
Inactive
125lbs
1140
1420
1700 – 2000
150lbs
1360
1700
2040 - 2400
200lbs
1820
2270
2730 - 3200
calories per kilogram is
recommended.
And if
you are very active, you
may be able to eat up to
30-35 calories per kilogram.
To calculate this, take
your weight in pounds
Then, to lose about one
pound per week,(which
is a safe, healthy goal for
weight loss,) you need
to reduce your food intake about 3500 calories
per week (500 calories
per day) or increase your
activity level without increasing your calorie intake.
If you decide to drop
your calories to less than
1200 calories per day,
October 19 - November 1, 2012
www.athensnowal.com
you should talk to your
physician first. If you are
going to increase your activity level, you may want
to consult your physician
first.
To find out more about
healthy weight management programs and successful activity programs,
contact Janet Hunt at 256614-3530.
Page 19
WE NOW HAVE EVERYTHING FOR WELDING!
J&G can now exchange customer owned
cylinders right here at the store!
• Welding Rods • Mig Wire
• Tig Rods • Torch Outfits
You name it, if it’s for welding or
cutting, we’ll have it!
Winchester
Gun Cleaner
$
550 Braid Paracord
40+ Colors to choose from
7.99
$
299.95
Game Scale
0-440 lbs.
$
19.95
TARPS
All
Sizes
$
Yellow
Marking
Paint - can
$
1.60
Kool Seal
Elastomeric
Roof Coating
$
4995
Paracord
Bracelet Clips
For making your
own bracelets
10/$
3.50
Aluma-Kote
Silver Roof
Coating
$
38
Gun Holsters &
Magazine Pouches
Good Selection
$
8.99
Steele Generators
1200 watt in camo case - $299.95
2000 watt - $275.00
3250 watt - $399.00
6000 watt - $650.00
7500 watt (electric start) - $750.00
10,000 wat (electric start) - $1,000
Reciprocating Saw
$49.99
Angle Grinder
4.5 inch
$22.99
Palm Sander
18Volt
Cordless
Drill
$22.99
$32.99
Jig Saw
$22.99
Circular Saw
$47.99
3/8 inch
Electric
Drill
Heat Gun
$15.99
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Red Rock Assault Pack
Gun Stickers!
Bottled
Water - case
3.29-$9.95 $2.99
Oxygen - Acetylene
Argon - Argon/Co2
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$
TUNDRA BRAND HAND TOOLS
Winch 9500
19.95$29.95
$
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9.95
Gun Cleaning KIts
WELDING
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46 guns to choose from!
Build your “family”!
3.99-$6.99
Moltrie Game Camera
Color in Daylight
Infrared at night!
$
75
Electric
Hoists
200/400
400/600
660/1320
$
29.95-$39.95
$149.95
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14535 US Hwy 72 • Athens • 256-232-6695
HOURS: 9am-5pm Mon-Sat. CLOSED SUNDAY
*ALL PICTURES ARE REPRESENTATIONS ONLY, ACTUAL ITEMS IN STOCK MAY VARY
Limited quantities, more specials throughout the store
J and G Variety would like to thank you for supporting your local small businesses!
For more information email: info@jandgvariety.com
Page 20
www.athensnowal.com
October 19 - November 1, 2012
The World According to Will
The Will Anderson Show M-F 6pm-8pm on 800 and 1230AM and 106.5FM WBHP
Obama’s Election Reality, As Exposed By The Debates
by Will Anderson
If the election is to be
decided by independents
(as I hypothesized in my
last column), Romney
continues to hold the advantage after this week’s
debate. Obama’s job
this time around was to
give his base something
to be fired up about. If
Chris Matthews and
the rest of the MSNBC
crowd is any indication,
he delivered. His problem is that the governor
showed up and didn’t
disappoint
conservatives. His other problem—and it’s distinctly
his, not Romney’s—is
that the tone of the debate didn’t win over any
undecided voters.
To be fair to the President, his was an impossible task. In order for
him to win, Romney needed
to be so over that top that
those on the fence were unambiguously repulsed.
It
isn’t unlike counting on your
opponent to scratch on the
eight ball; Obama really had
no control over how he would
be perceived. Had he been
the impotent guy who showed
up a couple of weeks ago, it
would have been over. Had
he mirrored Biden’s spectacle, he would have lost the
vote of anyone who went his
way based on his amicability.
So what to do? Smile more,
interrupt felicitously, and
vaguely maintain the mantra
that Romney is a pathological
liar with the hope that at some
point the governor will snap.
Obama did what he could,
and Romney, more than once,
was caught off guard. But he
didn’t blow his top.
The two first butted heads on
energy. Romney pointed out
that oil extraction on public
land was down 14 percent
on Obama’s watch, to which
Obama replied (as he would
throughout the debate), “that’s
not true.” Rather than sound
irritated, Romney, striking
the same balance between
assertiveness and grace that
October 19 - November 1, 2012
served him well the first time
around, insisted that it was
true. And so it went with taxes and trade, immigration and
gun control, and every other
topic randomly covered.
Jonathan Alter, a reliable
Leftist, said that “Romney
www.athensnowal.com
didn’t operate well when
challenged.” Andrew Sullivan, another liberal acolyte,
remarked that he was “almost
disoriented by what happened
last time,” and that it was
about time we saw the real
Obama.
The real Obama, of
course, will do or say
whatever it takes to
win re-election. The
bad news for the incumbent is that he’s
done all he can do.
Two debates into the
game (with only one
left), he has, in the
order that it’s played
out, left the nation
limp, re-invigorated
his base, and given independents no reason
to vote for him.
In 2008, the independent vote was divided
between McCain and
Obama. The senator
from Arizona, an honorable man, was seen
as competent and over
the hill. He lost because the senator from
Chicago’s energetic
campaign of hope and change
was contagious. This year,
there’s no such hope (pardon
the pun). Romney will win
because his down-to-earth approach to what ails us trumps
Obama’s unrealistic utopian
ambitions.
Page 21
Medical Update
How Diabetes Affects Vision
And Dental Health
courtesy ARA content
It’s no secret that diabetes
often goes hand-in-hand
with other chronic conditions, like heart disease, and
can cause a range of serious complications including nerve damage and limb
amputation. When it comes
to understanding how diabetes can affect oral and visual health, however, many
people may feel they are in
the dark.
Gum disease can make it hard
to control blood sugar levels, and high or uncontrolled
levels of glucose in the body
can worsen mouth infections.
This cycle can cause painful
gums and tissue that can
eventually result in tooth
loss. In fact, gum disease
may be a first indicator
that a person may not have
control of his or her blood
sugar level.
The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention
(CDC) recently found that
one out of every two Americans 30 years or older has
periodontal (gum) disease.
Gum diseases are infections
of the mouth that affect the
tissue and bone that hold a
person’s teeth in place and
can lead to bad breath, abscesses and tooth loss. The
risk for gum disease is even
higher for the 26 million
Americans living with diabetes.
Primary care physicians,
dental and eye care specialists are teaming up to
urge those living with the
disease to schedule regular
checkups. These visits can
help regulate the disease’s
impact on oral, vision and
overall health. For people
who are not aware that
they might have diabetes,
certain signs and symptoms
can actually help diagnose
the disease.
“Good dental and vision
health - and well-controlled
blood sugar - are critical to
managing diabetes and preventing serious complications
that could affect the mouth
and eyes,” says Dr. Michael
D. Weitzner, vice president
of National Clinical Operations for UnitedHealthcare’s
dental business.
“Diabetes has the potential to
weaken one’s ability to fight
bacteria in the mouth and
throughout the body. Unmanaged blood sugar can lead to
difficulty fighting infection
effectively, paving the way
for serious gum disease,” says
Dr. John Luther, chief dental
officer at UnitedHealthcare.
“Because periodontal disease often is painless, people
might not know they have it
until the damage has already
been done.”
In addition to affecting oral
health, diabetes also can have
a negative impact on vision
health.
Diabetic retinopathy, which
occurs when the disease damages the tiny blood vessels
that nourish the retina, is the
leading cause of blindness in
the United States among people between 20 and 74 years
of age. People with either
type 1 or type 2 diabetes are
at risk of developing diabetic
retinopathy; the National Eye
Institute estimates that between 40 and 45 percent of
Americans diagnosed with
diabetes have some form of
retinopathy. Vision complications related to diabetes
extend beyond retinopathy to
include increased risk of developing glaucoma and cataracts.
“Eye examinations play a
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significant role in diagnosing, monitoring and managing diabetes,” says Dr. Linda
Chous, chief eye care officer
at UnitedHealthcare. “According to the CDC, recent
studies show that keeping
one’s blood glucose levels
close to normal can help
prevent or delay the onset of diabetes-related eye
disease. All patients with
diabetes should receive a
comprehensive dilated eye
exam at least once a year.”
Changes in vision such as
blurriness, seeing spots or
persistent redness can be
symptomatic of the disease. Other vision-related
complications of diabetes that can serve as early
indicators of the disease
include double vision, dry
eyes and lid infection.
This National Diabetes
Month, Dr. Luther recommends patients with diabetes take the following four
precautions to stay healthy:
1. Check your blood sugar
often to ensure you are managing your levels effectively.
2. Schedule regular dental
and vision checkups and
alert your dentist and eye
care professional if you have
diabetes.
3. Maintain an oral health
care regimen of regular
flossing and brushing using toothpaste with an antiplaque or antibacterial ingredient and preferably with
an electric toothbrush.
4. Make sure to take normal
medications prior to dental
and vision visits unless your
dentist or doctor instructs
otherwise.
For diabetes managementrelated tips, programs and
more, visit www.unitedhealthgroup.com/diabetes.
October 19 - November 1, 2012
Security Savvy
The Holiday Season Is
Here, So Are The Thieves
by Jim Doyle, owner of Madison Security Group
Do not ever leave the
purse on a restaurant
table, even for a moment.
We are all looking forward to the holiday season, getting together
with loved ones and
close friends. People
will be filling the malls,
shopping for that special
person and for family.
Unfortunately, thieves
will be “shopping,” as
well, and taking advantage of people who are
not aware of their surroundings. So, what can
one do to keep the holidays fun for all?
Please do not ask your
child to watch your
purse. A child cannot
stop a purse snatch.
Always keep your
purse closed, and beware of pickpockets.
If possible, do not carry a
purse.
If you are using a purse,
please do the following:
Keep it close to your body,
and hold on to it firmly.
Keep the straps short, as it
will keep it close to you.
If being followed, go to an
area that is busy, and has
several other patrons present.
Now, as far as children
who are with you while
you are shopping, be on
the alert for predators. I
know that getting distracted while shopping is easy
to do, but please keep your
kids close. It only takes a
moment, (especially in a
crowded mall,) and they
are gone.
Make the effort to insure your shopping security and the safety of
your children, and your
holiday will be truly
blessed.
If you are having lunch,
place your purse under the
table, not looped on the
chair.
October 19 - November 1, 2012
If you become a victim of
a purse snatching, do not
fight the person, as they
could have a weapon. Try
to get a good description
of their appearance and
which direction they ran.
Remember, your purse is
not worth your getting injured.
If possible, have someone watch them while
you shop, as you will
feel better knowing
where they are, and your
shopping experience will
be more enjoyable.
First, do not carry any
more money or charge
cards than you need.
If using the ATM, stand
close to it to block your
transactions from view.
If you notice someone lurking around who
seems to be looking for
opportunities, report it to
Security.
www.athensnowal.com
Page 23
Register Now!
at the Church/League where you wish to participate.
First Baptist Athens
Boys & Girls Kindergarten – 6th Grade
201 East Hobbs Street, Athens, Alabama 35611
Contact: David Carter
256-232-0602
dcarter@fbcathens.org
Isom’s Chapel United Methodist
Boys: Kindergarten – 10th Grade & Girls: Kindergarten – 8th Grade
16230 Mooresville Road, Athens, Alabama 35613
Contact: Jerry Green
256-714-4378
isomsupward@bellsouth.net
Lindsay Lane Baptist
Boys: Kindergarten – 10th Grade & Girls: Kindergarten – 8th Grade
1300 Lindsay Lane, Athens, Alabama 35613
Contact: Receptionist
256-232-0020
Registration Cost: $65
fred@arisecommunication.com
Late Fee: $70 after November 4
Bring This Ad When You Register To Receive $5 Off!
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October 19 - November 1, 2012
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October 19 - November 1, 2012