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In regard to Gainesville's proposal to annex more of Interstate 985, I say kudos to Hall County Commissioner Bobby Banks for having the guts to call a spade a spade. He will get my vote for any office he wants to run for.
Chief Frank Hooper must think we're a gullible bunch if he thinks we believe protecting citizens is the motivation behind his proposal. If you think the Gainesville police are above running speed traps to line the city's coffer with your backdoor tax money, just frequent the John Morrow Parkway/Dawsonville Highway corridor.
While I'm giving out kudos, I would like to send one out to the rural lawmakers that blocked a seat belt law for pickups. Using seat belts should be common sense but not a law. Again it's about the money that can be collected through yet another backdoor tax, and yes, the Gainesville police are proficient tax collectors in this area, also.
Phil Gilleland
Gainesville
A speed trap in Gainesville? That is common knowledge
Come on, Chief Hooper and Kip Padgett. Everyone around here knows that the Gainesville city police are a big revenue producer. Everyone also knows that they target speeders and stop-sign runners heavily.
One of their favorite spots is to sit on Thompson Bridge Road on Sunday mornings and get churchgoers just as they get into Gainesville city limits. I have seen them stop someone on a bright sunny day with no traffic in sight. This serves the double purpose of getting non-Gainesville residents and generating revenue.
Now they want to get folks going by Gainesville, not even into it. The State Patrol is responsible for the interstate. Why don't you agree to Commissioner Bobby Banks' proposal?
One reason only: You want to stick your nose into the interstate and get some money. Spending more time on gangs and drugs would help our community much more. Kudos to Bobby Banks for calling it was it is and bringing attention to the "problem."
David Long
Gainesville
City has every right to annex land, enforce speeding laws
I have been reading the controversy between Hall County Commissioner Bobby Banks and the "speed trap" issue with great interest. On the front page of Wednesday’s paper the headline was "Banks will drop complaint if city gives up radar." I take this as the next thing to a threat against the police department.
I feel that Mr. Banks should back down on the speed trap issue and incorporate the section of Interstate 985 into the city limits of Gainesville. I cannot believe that our police department would step so low as to use this section as a speed trap. Chief Frank Hooper is above this, and if a person is speeding, then issue a speeding ticket no matter how they were caught.
Johnny H. Godfrey
Gainesville
Plant a fruit tree or vine and reap multiple benefits
Our agriculture man, Billy Skaggs, gave us a good list of shade trees to plant Arbor Day, but if you have the space to plant a tree, why not plant a food-producing tree?
Can you imagine a forest with nothing but large acorn oak, black walnut, pecan, chestnut, mulberry, locust, cherry, etc.?
Can you imagine the sides of country roads full of fruit trees, such as apple, peach, pear, fig, cherry, plum granny melon, etc.?
Let’s don’t forget our food producing vines, either. We could plant all of these food-producing trees and vines and give wildlife as well as humans a field day.
Jimmy David Haynie
Gainesville