PAGE 4A - HOGANSVILLE HERALD - THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2013
THE HOGANSVILLE HERALD
USPS 620-040
¢Owne Operale Sy rih liralim s,
ROBERT E. TRIBBLE, President
JOHN KUYKENDALL K~ MITCHELL
PUBLISHER[EDITOR • BUSINESS MANAGER
ANDY KOBER
Assoc~w EDITOR
BRYAN GETER
ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE
Phone (706) 846-3188
Fax: (706) 846-2206
news @ star-mercu ry.com
P. O. Box 426
Manchester, GA 31816
Official Legal Organ for the City of Hogansville
I've been working with
community newspapers for
about 35 years now and dur-
ing that time I've heard how
one day the newspaper will
be a thing of the past.
First it was radio news
casts, then it was television
and today it,s the Internet.
We!l, even the mighty
Internet does not compare to
a community newspaper in
readership and the National
Newspaper Association has
once again proved that.
NNA recently completed
a survey that proves that peo-
ple still prefer their local
newspaper for getting news
and information. While there
is no way I can print the entire
survey in this limited space,
I'm going to share some of
the highlights with our read-
ers and our advertisers.
Simply put, community
newspapers still remain the
center of a community for
information and the best
value for the business person
wanting to grow and invest
in their business.
r Here is what NNA
President Merle Baranczyk
had to say about the survey.
"The numbers are self-
evident. They indicate the
level of connectedness peo-
Ple have with their commu-
nitynewspaper," Baranczyk
said. "From year to year, the
studies have shown that peo-
ple believe in their local
papers, for the news they
need and the advertising they
rely on."
Of those who participat-
ed in the survey, 52 percent
were daily newspaper read-
ers, and 48 percent were non-
daily readers. The circulation
sizes of the newspapers
ranged from 309 to 14,943.
On average, readers of
the 2012 survey spent 39,92
minutes reading local news-
papers, up slightly more than
the 38.95 minutes in 2011 and
37.5 minutes in 2010.
Similar to previous
research, 96 percent of read-
ers paid for their newspaper.
75% read all or most of
their newspaper. Compared
to 73 percent in 2011 and 78
percent in 2010.
43.8% keep their paper
for more than 10 days.
77.4% read the paper for
local news and information.
Respondents who had
children were also asked
whether those children--
between the ages of 11 and
21--would read local news-
papers. Of the households
where there were children in
the age group, 18 percent
read a local newspaper at
least once a week.
The majority of local
readers continued to regard
community r ewspapers as
highly valuable and impor-
tant sources information
about their communities.
92% of readers thought
local newspapers were
informative.
83% agreed that they and
their families relied on the
newspapers for local news
and information.
84% of readers (and their
families) would look forward
to reading the newspapers.
69% thought the newspa-
pers provided valuable local
shopping and adx ertising
information.
75% agreed that local
newspapers entertained
them.
Nearly half of readers (46
percent) used the newspa-
pers for their political and
voting decisions.
Of those who had access
to the Internet, 49 percent
reported that they had
"never" read local news
online, compared to 48 per-
cent in 2011, suggesting that
residents in small towns and
cities still rely on print news-
papers for local news more
than through online plat-
forms.
Consistent with previous
NNA research, readership of
public notices in local news-
papers continued to be solid,
as a combined 51 percent
"often" read the content. This
number is up from previous
years: 46 Percent in 2011, 48
percent in 2010 and 40 per-
cent in 2009.
When asked "Do you
think governments should be
required to publish public
notices in newspapers?" 78
percent said "yes," which is
consistent with past survey
results: 80 percent in 2011
and 75 pei'cer/t in 2010.
71% believe the accura-
cy of their local paper is
either "good" or "excellent."
70% believe the coverage
is either "good" or "excel-
lent."
59% believe the fairness
of their local paper is either
"good" or "excellent."
This showed that the
majority of respondents said
they trust their local news-
paper over other media
sources.
The survey also showed
that 56% of those surveyed
said they read the newspaper
more than they listen to radio,
watch television or use the
Internet for news and to shop.
The bottom line, newspa-
pers are still respected,
appreciated and the best
investment for business.
HO(;ANSWLLE HERALD is published weekly by ]'fib Publications,
Inc. at 3051 Roosevek Highway, Manchester, Georgia 31816. The
Hogansville Herald is published proudly for the citizens of Hogansville
and its goal is to produce quality, profitable, community oriented newspa-
pers that you, our readers, are proud of. We will reach that goal through
hard work, teamwork, loyalty, and a strong dedication toward printing the
truth.
USPS 2-040. Subscription rates by mail: $25 in Troup, Harris or
Meriwether Counties; $32.50 a year in state; $40 out of state. Prices include
all sales taxes. Periodical postage paid at HogansviUe, Georgia 30230.Single
copy 50¢.
FOR SUBSCRIFHONS call (706) 846-3188 or write to Circulation
Manager, Trib Publications, E O. Box 426, Manchester, Georgia 31816.
POSTMASTER' Send address changes to P. O. Box 426, Manchester,
GA31816.
Pre-existing Condition
Insurance Plan (PCIP) is a
stop-gap measure, a product
of the Patient Protection and
Affordable Care Act
(Obamacare), intended to
provide coverage for citizens
who are currently uninsur-
able due to pre-existing con-
ditions. The program will
cease to exist on January 1,
2014 when the law requires
that insurance companies
provide coverage, without a
premium, for those with pre-
existing health conditions,
unless it runs out of money
before then.
Recently the program
stopped enrolling new mem-
bers, and Human Services
official Gary Cohen told a
Senate committee that PCIP
had tO alter benefits in an
effort to keep the program
from running out of money
before the end of the year.
The program was ,funded
with five billion dollars and
has more than 100,000
enrollees. At an average
ann ual co st of $32,108 per par-
ticipant and a monthly cost
that r peaked at over
$180,000,000 last summer,
freezing enrollment and
altering benefits seemed nec-
essary.
Benefits have varied by
state and have ranged from
more than $4,000 to nearly
$172,000 per enrollee per
year. Either some states have
a larger number of sick folks
or the practitioners in some
states have found a way to
profit massively from the
program. The program is
demonstrably unsustainable
even for a few years and even
with five billion dollars
appropriated to provide care
for roughly three out of every
10,000 Americans.
HOWEVER, things will
be better in 2014 when insur-
ance companies will no
longer be permitted to dis-
criminate against those with
pre-existing conditions. One
may view insurance compa-
ny profits as obscene, but the
companies will do everything
possible to maintain those
profits. When they are no
longer permitted to charge
higherpremiums, or refuse
coverage to chronically ill
people they will simply raise
the rates for all of us, there-
fore individuals may be
priced out of the market.
Employers faced with sky
rocketing costs may reduce
the bulk of their employees
to a part time status or opt to
pay a lesser fine rather than
provide more expensive
health coverage for their
workers.
The legislation is an
attempt to expand insurance
coverage to millions of unin-
sured Americans but it could
have the opposite effect. The
government has mandated
more universal coverage, but
expects private insurance
companies to pay for it.
Instead they will pass the cost
along to the rest of us. We
have already seen tax
increases to cover the added
cost of care. We may soon be
subject to the additional bur-
den of a not so hidden new
tax in the form of higher pre-
miums and fewer employer
funded plans.
IN THE END the govern-
ment will throw up its hands
saying that the private sec-
tor was given an opportunity
to participate but cost proved
to uncontrollable so
Washington must step in and
save,the day. That could be
the day:we will see the intro-
ducfioa, of the National
Health Service. On that day
we t.:see fewer unneces-
sary l ocedures performed
but.sometimes life threaten-
hag delays for the necessary
ones. It will be a day when
some doctors will lose inter-
est ha medicine as a career,
as will the brilliant, when the
development of both expen-
sive gadgets of marginal
value and innovative life sav-
hag devices will slow to a
trickle. It will surely bea time
when health care will be
rationed,
A weeks ago the gov-
ernmel t acknowledged that
with five billion dollars it
could not care for 100,000 peo-
ple with pre-existing condi-
tions. It has frozen enroll-
ment at current levels and
altered benefits and we can-
not read that as expanded
coverage.
Government provided
health care can take care of
us all. It has been proved
throughout the industrialized
world. However, it cannot
take care of us the way we
want to be cared for and that
is the problem.
Okay, all you women out
there; here is a good chance
to laugh at the stupidity of
some men.
Earlier this month, Lt.
Alfredo Malespini III, a fed-
eral prison guard, had appar-
ently been consuming a con-
siderable amount of alcoholic
beverages and at some point
began arguing with his wife.
I don't know about
Malespini but in my experi-
ence guys never win an argu-
ment with wives. For you
younger fellows, you never
win an argument with your
girlfriend, either.
I know for a fact that even
if we guys are correct in an
argument, and maybe even
proven to be correct, we still
lose. If you younger guys
think I am wrong, just ask
your dad - but be sure to ask
when your morn is not around.
Officials of the Bradford
Police Department, which is
located in Pennsylvania, indi-
cate that officers had
responded to domestic situa-
tions at the Malespini home
on prior occasions.
During this particular
incident, the argument esca-
lated.
At some point during the
argument, Malespini wanted
to remove his wedding ring.
We can imagine that he
first attempted to simply pull
it off - at least we hope so -
and the effort proved unsuc-
cessful.
WHEN was the last time
any of you married men, or
women, attempted to remove
your wedding ring?
If you are like many peo-
ple, as we grow older we tend
to add a few pounds. Many
areas of the body can thick-
en, including the fingers.
We might not notice the
increase ha size of our fingers,
but it does happen.
That wedding ring that fit
so well when you were 25, can
be a tight fit when you are 40.
In fact, getting it off without
using soap or some other slip-
pew substance can be quite
difficult.
I have even known of peo-
ple having to get wedding
rings cut off their finger.
IN HIS alcohol impaired
state and with anger fueling
his emotions, Malespini came
up with a unique solution - he
used a handgun and attempt-
ed to shoot the wedding ring
off his finger.
While that effort proved
unsuccessful, he did manage
to mangle his finger.
Malespini was taken to a
hospital where the injury was
treated. He was charged with
disorderly conduct, firing a
weapon with city limits, and
reckless endangerment.
DID YOU NOTE earlier
that Malespini is a federal
employee?
As a guard in a federal
prison facility, Malespini is
charged with maintaining
prisoners in an environment
ripe for abuse.
By his actions, Malesphai
is not a person that makes
good decisions.
He is a man that appar-
ently consumes alcoholic
beverages to excess on a reg-
ular basis.
He is a man that chooses
to attempt using a handgun
to shoot off his wedding ring
instead of u "tflizing other less
drastic methods?
Malespiniis definitely not
a person that makes good
decisions.
A spokesperson at the
prison reportedly said that
Malespini remains an
employee at the facility.
Does this really surprise
any of us?
Our senators and con-
gressmen (and women) can-
not balance a federal budget.
They cannot seem to put what
is best for the country ahead
of what is best for them-
selves. .....
Instead• of fun g, our
military and 'dmestm emer-
gency services, our elected
leaders send billions of tax-
payer dollars to unfriendly
governments and call it for-
eign aid.
Our president stops tours
of theWhi'te House, which we
own, but his family continues
to jet around the country - at
taxpayer expense.
In considering all of this,
it is no wonder that people
such as Alfredo Malespini III
canbea federalemployee and
continue being a federal
employee after doing some-
thing so stupid.
But ha truth, we are the
stupid ones as we keep re-
electing the same people and
getting the same results.
That's my opinion.
Itlt
Inthe
Hog s e Herald
• ATTRACTING INDUSTRY - The top story in
the March 22, 1973 Hogansville Herald was
about the high school basketball team finishing
second in a tournament they had previously won
three years in a row. "The Greenies have brought
to a conclusion their 1972-73 basketball sea-
son, but who would have ever figured such a
finale? The Wave finished their regular season
with an impressive record and entered the sub-
region and region tournaments as favorites."
• CINEMA TIME-The Royal Theatre had decid-
ed that spring was a good time for horror and
was continuing a series of gruesome flicks with
scantily-clad women. Showing this week were
Twins of Et41 and Hands of the Ripper.
• BARGAINS OF THE 70S, OR NOT.... The
Goodyear store ran a large ad touting lots of
merchandise, including televisions for what was
by comparison a good price. But the prices look
mundane 40 years later, not to mention the prim-
itive technology. A 23-inch color TV was $499
and 12-inch black and white was $94,95. Also
being offered was a "console stereo" built of
woodand about thesize of a freezer, with an
eight track tape player and built-in turntable for
$269.95.
• OTHER HEADUNES - =Spring Sale Begins
Today;" "Hogansville Youth is President of
Society;" "Bank Week Set for April 8-11 ;"
"Robinson Receives, Lovejoy Scholarship;"
"Birthday Dinner Honors Mrs. H.H. Beall."
