Keep your eyes on the roadway
On Aug. 12, Andrews resident Frank Mason was hit by a vehicle on Airport Road while riding his bicycle. Sadly, on Aug. 18, Frank succumbed to the injuries he sustained in the accident.
Frank’s wife and family are devastated. His many friends are understandably shocked and saddened by the loss of their friend and are left wondering why this happened.
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Airport Road is part of a frequently traveled cycling route between Murphy and Andrews. The road has lengthy straight and open sections along with road signs that say, “Share the Road,” which are intended to alert drivers that cyclists are on the road.
Frank was an experienced cyclist. He hugged the right side of the road. He had a rear flashing red light. He wore a helmet. The accident occurred mid-morning on a clear day. Yet, it wasn’t enough.
While awaiting confirmation from the final accident report, the driver who struck Frank allegedly said she looked down for just a minute and there he was. As a result, a life was taken along with the dreams and future plans of Frank and his wife, Edith.
Almost exactly one year ago, I was struck by a van in Brasstown at the intersection of Old Highway 64 and Settawig Road. Fortunately, I only sustained minor injuries. The driver of the van told the police that he didn’t see me in the intersection. It was a bright day. I also had flashing rear lights, yet the driver said he never saw me.
The beauty of our area draws people seeking to escape the hustle and bustle of nearby crowded metro areas. They come here for the respite of our mountains and opportunity to enjoy activities like hiking, kayaking and cycling.
There is the perception that our rural countryside enjoys a slower pace and is a safer place to recreate. Still, it only takes a split second of distracted driving to take a life.
Please, keep your eyes on the road so there is not another cyclist/vehicle accident or, even worse, another fatality.
Rod Fortney , Cherokee County
The writer is president of the Southern Appalachian Bicycle Association.
Be still, my heart
I’ve yacked my entire life; why stop yacking now? It was funny, laying on the table: when someone announced “bad heart,” I honestly thought they were talking about someone else’s.
Thirty years of rheumatoid, and such, had left me with a scabrous heart: literally covered with scabs and unable to be improved or attached to.
Then the inhalation therapist started playing with the gas: half the time I was there on the table; the other half I was in a store room rummaging through cardboard boxes. My most recent out-of-body experience.
Turns out, my heart problem was mostly electrical. Contractions of the ventricles weren’t synced with the upper level plumbing. My Medtronic Pacemaker, with an eight-year battery has, so far, saved me. In a month, an echocardiogram will tell me how much heart function I’ve got left.
For us Baby Boomers, our private earthly demise may coincide with Global Human Calamity. (Go South, young man, as far as possible, ASAP.) It does not look good. Before, I couldn’t conceive of the entire ship going down; but now, considering such, is much easier.
I love Wendell Berry’s approach to describing his relationship with his higher power: he completely respects whoever made our world; and firmly believes we are to do our best to take care of it. I believe this brand of Direct Private Righteousness will always be in style.
On another subject, give Russian President Vladimir Putin Donetsk and Luhansk in exchange for Crimea.
Harry Holdorf, Blairsville, Ga.
Work still to do at VRHS
I appreciate your coverage of the Valley River Humane Society issue. I’m just a volunteer and have no other role, so none of my opinions represent the position of VRHS.
If it’s OK with VRHS management, I’d invite Cherokee County Commissioner Ben Adams to come in and work with me to better understand what goes on. Two mornings a week, I wash dishes, do laundry and clean kitty litter pans. It’s the best unpaid job in the world. (Wear old clothes.)
George Lindsey, Hayesville
Let’s all be a lot more like Jesus
Let’s pretend that Jesus is living in our time period. Jesus and his disciples came into town in a Hummer bus where there were about 5,000 men, plus women and children, who were hungry, but the disciples told Jesus to send them away because it was getting late in the day.
Jesus, who felt compassion for them, told Andrew to get something for the crowd to eat. I can just hear Andrew saying to Jesus. “Well, it’s Sunday and Chick-fil-A is closed, or maybe it’s possible to get KFC to deliver meals to the crowd.”
I can see Jesus chuckling under His breath at Andrew’s remark. One of the disciples found a little boy with five loaves of bread and two fish, and the disciple gave the little boy a gift card to Toyland for his generosity. As Jesus took the loaves and fish, He gave thanks to His heavenly Father above as a miracle took place as the disciples shared an abundance of food and at the end of the feast there were 12 baskets of leftovers.
Next time you go to Walmart, give thanks to God, buy a little extra groceries and drop them off at the nearest food bank. God will bless your gift in ways that bring Him all praise and glory. Amen.
Frank Combs, Blairsville, Ga.