Our thoughts and thumbs
This sign on Crawford-Smithonia Road caught our eye. Consider these events of the past few months:
- Massive wildfires in California
- Deadly aircraft crashes
Devastating hurricanes and storms
Middle East and Ukraine wars
School shootings
You could easily add to this list, but the point is clear: Life is fragile, and we should handle it with prayer. Here are some other thoughts and “thumbs” for the week:
Thumbs up for runoff fix
As clearcutting of the forest and site preparation for the Timberland Solar Project got underway, the complaints started pouring in, as did runoff water. Since the beginning, there has been a contentious atmosphere, filled with finger pointing as to who’s to blame for the problem(s) and who is responsible for the solutions.
Enter Jeff Sharp, the county’s director of planning, zoning and compliance, who has been pushing for a resolution. Last week, in the monthly commission meeting, Sharp reported that RWE Clean Energy “has acknowledged” stormwater runoff issue and has agreed to redesign the site to provide protection to adjacent landowners.
While we don’t know all the details, we know this: a step in the right direction is in the making, and for that we give a thumbs up.
Thumbs up for downtown improvements
While Linda Parish is hard at work rehabilitating a strip of store faces on Lexington’s Main Street, she isn’t quite ready to announce her plans. Nonetheless, we are encouraged that the businesswoman is investing her energy and dollars into a building that was past due for a facelift, inside and out.
Downtown Lexington has much potential. Leaders continually discuss how to improve the district in curb appeal and how to create more commerce in the area near the courthouse.
What we see next door to The Oglethorpe Echo gives us hope and encouragement that progress is in the works. We signal a thumbs up to Parish for helping the community to achieve its potential.
Thumbs up for cupcakes
Valentine’s Day is inching closer (hint for those who haven’t made the appropriate plans or purchases), but the annual Valentine’s Red Velvet Bake Sale earned plenty of heart emojis, in addition to the more than $4,000 it raised last weekend.
Every year since 2012, a group of dedicated and selfless volunteers spend all weekend baking cupcakes to raise money for various teams and organizations. Past proceeds have gone to new uniforms for OCHS and OCMS athletic teams, church youth groups, cancer research and the REACH program, among others.
This year’s recipients are the CAYA House and a new scholarship that will be given to an OCHS student on Senior Night.