The County Record, OCTOBER 4, 2006, Page 4



 ^^^^B^ LETTERS iTO TH]ESEDBTOR


Letter to the Editor:
 I would like to share a few
facts about this consolidation
thing here in Calhoun
County. I try to look at
things as it is, not as I would
have it be. Our big brother,
the state, has made it very
plain: We are not going to
rebuild these old buildings,
and we are not going to put
money into them. What we
will do is consolidate. And,
we will be required to come
up with some money.
 The facts are some of our
schools are in dire need of
repair. The estimate for Altha
alone is around $20 million
to get that school in shape. It
costs about $6 million to $8
million to repair the gas dam-
age and everything to the
school.
 Blountstown High School
we spent $1,952,787.19. At
the adult school $31,444.22.
At the middle school,
$1,774,543.37. At Carr,
$1,219,382.12. At Altha,
$3,707,572.72. Blountstown
Elementary, $1,399,791.. 13.
On sidewalks, $700,391.72.
Totaling $10,792,912.47.
 Blountstown High School
and the elementary school
are the newest buildings we
have, and they are over. 21
years old. We have some
buildings at Blountstown
High School that are over 50


years old. I know we've got
buildings all around the
county that are over 50 years
old. Again, the state tells us
what to do because 97 per-
cent of our money that runs
our schools every day comes
from the state.
 For the last 22 years the
 state has been telling us that
 we need to consolidate, but
 because of the political rami-
 fications of it all, our previous
 administrations did not bring
 it up because of upsetting
 some people. Our present
 administration has tried to
 find money to repair these
 schools; again, they have run
 into the state telling them,
 "Listen, we're not going to do
 it!" It has. just come to a
 point now, people, where,
 we're going to have to come
 up to the plate. We talk
 about the general fund and
 everything, and I want to
 commend the administration
 for having money in the bank
 and for carefully spending
 the money. But we're not in
 the banking business. We're
 in the children business. If
we have to pay, we have to
pay for our children! If we
have to pay so much for the
state to kick in, then that's
what we have to do!
 In Calhoun County, the
school system has levied the
least amount of tax than any


K.] I TUARI


MALCOLM "GENE" ATWELL
 Mr. Malcolm "Gene"
Atwell, 68, of Bristol, passed
away Wednesday, September
27, 2006, at his home.
 Mr. Atwell was born in
Malone, and had lived in
Liberty County for the past
47 years; He was retired from
St. Joe Paper "Mill where he
worked for,40 years.: He was,
a member and a Deacon of1
the Bristol First Baptist
Church. -..-
 Surniors include his. wife
of 47 years. Tina Atwell; one
daughter. Tammny Stephens.
of Bristol: one son. Donald
Atwell. of Bristol: four grand-
children, Genia Burke of
Teogia. Jason Hires of
Bristol. Ashley and Mac
Atwell of Tallahassee: three
great -grandchild re. Tommy
Hatcher and Sara Burke of
Telogia. and Peyton Hires of
Bnstol: two brothers. Robert
G. Atwell of Middlebur,.
Florida. and Lamar Atwell of
Sneads. Florida: two sisters-
in-law. Tootsie Hires of
Hosford and Jean Atrell of
Middlebur2: one long and
faithful loving dachshund,
Candy: and a host of church
family and friends.
 Funeral ser-ices were held
at 11:00 EST, Friday.-
September 29, at First
Baptist Church in Bristol


 the t out REcord


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 Publisher/Editor/Advertising
 Sharon Turner
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with Reverend Victor Walsh
and Reverend Aaron Elkins
officiating. Interment fol-
lowed in- Lake Mystic
Cemetery:in Bristol.
 Adams Funeral Home was
 in charge of arrangements,
 ph. 850-643-5410,, obr online
 at www.adamsfh.com.m

 MONROE M. YODER
 Mr. Monroe M. Yoder, 86,
 of the Ocheesee Community,
 passed away Friday, .
 September 29, 2006, at his,
 residence.
 He was a long time mem-
 ber of the zRivertown
 CommunitV Church..a nmem-
 ber of the Rural Letter
 Carriers:.Association,, and a
 former member of the board
 of directors for REA. Mr.
 Yoder enjoyed farming and
 being a mail earner. He will
 be remembered as a people.
 person w\ho dearly loved his
 family.
 RHe was preceded in death
 by his son, Steve Yoder, and
 San infarit, Rhoda Yoder.: "..
 Surxi-ors include his lov-
ing: and, devoted life of 64
years, Naomi .Yoder, of the.
Ocheesee Community: two,
sons, Daniel Yoder and wife,.
Rhonda, and Ben Yoder and
Wife, Carol, -all of Ocheesee;
five dalighters. Carol
Stutzman and husband,
Paul. of Arthur, IL, Sharon
Krabill and husband, Arlin,
of Brownsville. OR. Mary Lou
W\'esselhoeft and husband,
.Paul, of Ocheesee. Lois Ulrich
and husband, Steve,, of
Eureka, IL, and Esther
Stoltzfus ari1d. husband...
Elam, of Ochessee; one
.brother, Martin Yoder and
wife, Mona, of Palm Springs,
CA; two sisters, Ella-
Swartzentruber.. "'of
Greemnwood. DE,arid M-artiha
Byler and husband. Albm. of
Altha: 31 grandchildren and
30 great-grandchildren.
 Funeral services for: Mr.
 Yoder \\-ere held Monday,
 October 2, at 10:00 a.m. at
 Rivertown COmmunity
 Church with Rev. Paul Smith
 and .Jesse Yoder officiating.
 Burial followed in the church
 cemetery.
 Hall Funeral, Home in
 Altha was in charge of the
 arrangements, ph. 8.50-762-
 3965


other county in the state. For
years we levied the least
amount of money that we
could in order to obtain that
money from the state. So, we
kick in $400,000, the state
kicks in $20 million!
 Let's face the facts, people.
Really, for 22 years, the state
has been telling us that we
need to consolidate the
schools. But the previous
administration hasn't
addressed this issue because
of what's going on right now.
And neyer will do anything
about it because of what's
happening up there now.
The room will be filled with
people, from Altha. Some of
them have legitimate reasons
for their thinking. But let's
face it, people. Their main
motivation is they do not
want integration. They do
not want their children going
to school with these black
children. And that's a
shame.
 As a matter of fact, we
spent twice as much money
up there in Altha as we have
in any .other school in the
county, and those people
have raised twice as much
hell.
 I want to take this oppor-
tunity to thank those School
Board members who have the
fortitude to look at all the
children of the county
instead of just a few; all of the
children. Our school super-
intendent who had the
courage to bring it to the
front burner, I want to com-
mend. I think that we as a
people, all of Calhoun County
- should support it. We've got
to look to our future. You see,
our children are our future.
 We need to have a vision,
people, but we don't' need to
have tunnel vision, where
you. can't' see but one way.
Our children have to be pre-
'pared to compete on the
world market. High-tech


schools will improve their
chances for making it out
there in the real world for all
the children of Calhoun
County. I keep mentioning
that: all the children of
Calhoun County. That's
because they're all important
to me.
 We must have a vision for
our children's future.
Without vision, there is no
direction. Without direction,
like the end of a dark forest,
we will roam aimlessly.
 I feel as though for 22
years this entire county has
been held hostage. Held
hostage because of a few peo-
ple who have various reasons
for doing this, that or the
other, but let's face it, preju-
dices, hatred, and we really
can't afford that.
 I'm certainly not saying
that all the people are like
this. I've had calls from peo-
ple from Altha who feel the
same way as I do but they
refrain from speaking out
because they fear they may
upset some people or are
afraid of reprisals.
 We have to stand up, peo-
ple, for our children, because
if you stand up for nothing,
you'll fall for anything. Look
at things as it is. The two
mills that .the state has said
that we will have to come up
with from what I understand
can be offset by a half-cent
surtax on gas, which every-

tVIlf IVIs] VI:1tM0o I 


18-0-64-849'


 Altha Clhurch of God
 www.althachurchofqod.net 850-762-8294
 We are located COME JOIN US FOR OUR
 across from the SIX-WEEK CAMPAIGN TO SPREAD THE WORD OF
 Dollar General: GOD TO OUR AREA
 and the US
 Post SEPTEMBER 24TH-OCTOBER 29LH
 Office in 9/24-FRIEND DAY (BRING A FRIEND TO CHURCH)
 Altha FI 10/1- GOVERNMENT DAY
Sunday School- 10'8-SENIOR ADULT DAY
9:45am .(GUEST SPEAKER: REV. BILLY WALLACE)
Morning 10/15-HOMECOMING
Worship- 10'22-YOUTH DAY
10:30lamn' 10/29-FAMILYDAY
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Heart Rock ,
Cafe- 5:45 COME JOIN US FOR A TIME OF WORSHIP AND
(Wed) FELLOWSHIP
Youth Night-
7:00pm (Wed) "Calhoun County's most Exciting Purpose-Driven Pentecostal
FTH-7:OOpm Worship Center"
(Weo'l


body who comes through
Calhoun County would have
to pay. There are many inno-
vative ways we can come up
with to make this thing work.
But we must keep our eye on
the sparrow.
 This is a note to the School
Board members. You've read
all the reports; you know


exactly what the survey has
said about the different
schools. Can you honestly
look me in the face and tell
me these reasons I have stat-
ed here are false? Are you
doing the best you can for all
the children of Calhoun
 See LETTERS, page 16


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Monument Sales and Service
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 Grief Library




 Serving the families of
Calhoun and Liberty Counties
 for over 30 years


 SniChurtch Diretery
L -- ..[.For Information On Listing Your Church, Call 674-5041


SOUTHSIDE ASSEMBLY OF GOD
. M "/ 15164 SR 71 South, Blountstown, Fla.
 SUNDAY WEDNESDAY
 ndy/ Srhorl 10:00AM 6it..e S.jj, .7:00 PM
 lARR) \%HITE .:..r,r,; \\,.' .-..: 11:00AM' Md: Ir IB.l',.e'Quiz 7:00 PM
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 482-4825 Pf I amdtapps.com/southside/
CHURCH PHONE '.l: 5rd, ..1 '
674-8884 and Church i:- 11r.i,.-....

 + Meaningful Bible Study........................... 9:45 AM
 E:..,:itinrg W, r ihip .................. .......... 11:00 AM
 Bible Study & Worship......................6:00 PM
 Wedresda', Prayer & Bible Study........6:30 PM
 Interim Pastor Dr. David Coggins
 Located two blocks south of the intersection Highway 20
 and Main Street in Blountstown
 First Baptist Church
 Helping people follow' in the footsteps tf Chr i


St. Mary Missionary

 Baptist Church
 16345 SE River Street, Blountstown, FL
 DR. C.L. WILSON. PASTOR
 850-674-8716
 "We Minister To Needs Without Magnifying Faults"
 Sunday School 9:30 AM Morning Worship 11:00 AM
 Prayer and Bible Study Wednesday 6:30 PM
 General Mission & Brotherhood 2nd & 4th Saturday 10 AM


 Gateway Baptist Church
 17667 N Main St., Blountstown, FL 674-7525
 Pastor: Rev. Dave Odum
 .Sunday School...9:30 AM Worship Service...11:00 AM
 Sunday Evening...6:00 Pm
 Wednesday Prayer & Bible Study...6:00 PM
 "At Gateway Baptist Church Everybody Is Somebody
 and Jesus Christ Is Lord"


 &IAA [M=adli14
 WORSHIP SERVICE:
 SUNDAY
 8:30AM & 10:15 AM
 19359 SR 71 North, Blountstown, FL 32424
850-674-5747 email: info@rivertownchurch.info
 Website: www.rivertownchurch.info


 Blountstown First

'AyAssembly of God Church
 Pastor, Charles Royals


 Sunday Services
 Sunday School...9:45 AM
 Morning Worship...ll:00 AM
 Evening Worship...5:00 PM
Wednesday Service...7:00 PM


 Hwy. 20 West
 13th Street
Blountstown, FL
850-674-4331


 Sunday Worship Service... 10:30 AM/CT
 Bible Study.,All Ages...6:00 PM/CT
 Wednesday Devotion & Choir Practice
 6 PM/CT
 Dr. Paul Joyner Pastor
 We Invite you to join us for these services.
 "Warm your heart train your mind"


 REJOICE! RENEW! REACH OUT!


Blountstown United Methodist Church
 A Place Where We,
 REJOICE in God's Grace, RENEW our hearts in God's Love and
 REACH OUT following the example of Christ


20500 Central Ave. West
Blountstown, Florida
 STEVEN D. WARREN, PASTOR


850-674-8254
850-674-3144


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