Charter Franchise Is Being Reviewed
Mayor Charlie Fagan said he hopes the new Charter Communications franchise ordinance will soon be accepted by corporate officials, and the long process will be ended.
Presently the company is operating without a valid franchise agreement, as it has for several years.
At a recent council meeting Fagan explained a few of the changes found in the ordinance that has taken over five years to complete.
Changes in personnel within the cable utility caused the delays, he said.
In the past the company made payments to the city on an annual basis. With the new agreement, payments will be made at the end of each quarter.
There should be a significant increase in revenues for the city because the new ordinance calls for payments to be based on the total of the company's gross receipts. Fagan indicated there has been some difference of opinion in the past what figures should be reported to the city.
The agreement also mandates that the city, public buildings, and schools be provided with free cable service. The city can amend this part of the agreement later so that additional services can be added as needed.
The cable company will also be required to upgrade their system to 550 MHz within two years.

Christmas Programs Are Announced By City
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and marks the official beginning of the holiday season. Before filling your date book with shopping, family visits, and company parties, the Christmas Parade Committee invites you to check out the downtown activities planned during the holiday season.
"Proof of Grace," a praise band from Trinity Missionary Baptist Church, will kick off a week long celebration Sunday, Dec. 4 at 6 p.m. in the newly renovated downtown area. Rev. Rodney Ragsdale will be the speaker and Jon Holder of TV 24 will recite the Christmas Story. The program will conclude with the lighting of the new 18-foot Christmas tree.
Monday at 6 p.m. the Spring Garden Elementary Choir will open a program conducted by the First Baptist Church of Piedmont. The church's youth choir, dancers and adult choir will perform and Rev. Ed Coogler will give a brief message.
Tuesday plans at 6 p.m. include singing by the Piedmont Middle School Choir and Rev. Hayward Clark of the Piedmont Congregational Holiness Church delivering the special message.
The hand-bell choir of Trinity Missionary Baptist Church will perform Wednesday Dec. 7 at 6 p.m. Piedmont Church of the Rock will conduct the service and the message will be delivered by Rev. Frank Brooke. This is a community service and all churches are invited to join the old-fashioned service.
The Piedmont Public Library will sponsor "Popcorn and a Movie" featuring the movie "Polar Express" at 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Thursday before the parade begins. Entrants in the annual Christmas parade will begin lining up at 5 p.m. at the old armory building.
Mayor Charlie Fagan will be the Grand Marshall of the annual parade that is sponsored by the City of Piedmont. The parade will leave the old armory, travel south on Main Street and turn onto Ladiga Street. Keith Word will serve as Master of Ceremonies and will be at the gazebo in the middle of town to announce each entrant. Three judges will award ribbons and plaques to the winners of the "Most Original," "Best Theme," and "Best Overall" categories. Over thirty entries are expected and Santa Claus will arrive by fire truck at the end of the parade.
Everyone is asked to furnish their own seating arrangements during the festivities. The Piedmont Welcome Center will be open each night featuring hot apple cider and gingerbread cookies and the Piedmont Senior Citizens will be serving hot chocolate each night in the middle of town.
The Christmas Parade Committee members are Keith Word, Tara Reedy, Craig Russell, Jeff Formby, Sharon Bates, Ben Singleton, Jack Holder, Kelli Bobbitt, and Bryan Folsom. They have worked all year to produce the event and expect it to be the "Best Christmas Program in Piedmont Ever."
For further information, call Keith Word at 447-6734 or Tara Reedy at 447-3564.

Beavers Is No Rookie to Law Enforcement Duties
Twenty-five years of service as a law enforcement officer wasn't enough for Andy Beavers. Only two days after retiring as a sargaent from the Calhoun County Sheriffís Department, Beavers began work Oct. 3 at the Piedmont Police Department as the crime investigator.
Now, instead of patroling an area in a sheriffís vehicle, he sits quietly behind his desk searching for clues to solve local crimes.
"There is plenty to keep me busy around here," he said. "Every morning when I come in, my voice mail has plenty of messages to keep me busy."
According to Beavers, his work load is less than investigators at other agencies but is comparable to them in the number of cases per residents. His position is considered part-time and he works Monday thru Thursday from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Having been in law enforcement for so many years, Beavers has built up a long list of contacts and resources throughout the county that aid him in his work.
Law enforcement is a high-risk occupation and has high rates of suicide, alcohol use, and divorce. These facts donít seem to bother Beavers.
"I don't drink and have a good marriage,"he said.
While working with the Sheriff's Office, Beavers met his wife, Bobbie, during a routine stop at the Piedmont Police Department. She was working second shift as a communications officer at the time.
The couple has been married for nine years and moved to Piedmont about 18 months agao. She now serves as the supervisor of communications and has been working in the police department for 16 years. Bobbie plans to stay with the department until she is eligible for retirement, he said.
"When we worked separately, I used to go home and talk about what happened on the job," he said. "It was nice to have someone who understood the stresses involved in the job. Now when we go home, we don't discuss it as much."

Goat Farm Prospers In Piedmont
When Joe and Cindy Crosby purchased 14 acres located off Old Gnatville Road in 2001 they had a dream to fulfill. It was a dream of using their scenic landscape as a farm. The question remained exactly what type of farming they would do.
The couple explored the numerous possibilities and eliminated cattle farming, but gave raising quail a thought. After attending a goat sale in Georgia in the fall of 2002, the couple said they became "fascinated" with the idea of raising goats for their milk. To gain additional knowledge, they attended seminars at the American Dairy Goat Association Convention in Nashville in Oct. 2003. They were convinced a goat dairy farm was the answer to their farming dilemma.
Joe was raised in DeArmanville and understood the hard work and devotion involved before making his decision to become a dairy farmer. His grandfather, Lloyd Amos Kemp, and his uncle, Earl Kemp, were both dairy farmers. Earl owned several farms in the Cleburne/Calhoun area over the years and often visits Crosby's place to lend a helping hand and offers advice whenever needed.
Dairy farming, on the other hand, is new to her. She was raised on a Mississippi farm, but wasn't very involved in milking chores. "I may have tried to milk a cow once or twice in my life," she said.
The couple knows of only three other goat dairy farms in the state and intends on Mountainview Farms being the first one to produce "grade-A" products. Initially, he said, they will be selling manufacturers' grade that can be used to make cheese and will market their products through direct sales, the Internet, farmers markets and newspaper advertising.
Worldwide, more people drink the goat milk than any other milk. It can be used for drinking, cooking, baking and to make cheese, butter, ice cream, yogurt, candy and soap. Butter and cheese made with goat milk are whiter than that made from cow milk.
Goat milk has a more easily digestible fat and protein content than cow milk, according to the American Dairy Goat Association. It also has a better buffering quality, which is good for the treatment of ulcers and can successfully replace cow milk in diets of people allergic to cow milk
"Goat milk is digested in only 30 minutes," Joe noted, "and it takes cow milk 18 hours. If someone is having a reaction to chemotherapy or radiation, they can benefit from drinking goat milk because their bodies can absorb the nutrients faster."
Out of the 210 different breeds of goats, the couple chose to raise Saanens on their farm. "Saanen goats originated in Switzerland and are heavy producers of high-quality milk," she said. "They compare to the Jersey cow."
Quality and cleanliness are major concerns for him. He has been a USDA inspector for 19 years and knows first-hand what is required in handling the delicate product. "Even the air goats breathe can affect the taste of their milk,"he said.
In Sept 2004, they traveled to Ohio to purchase some equipment, and their stock of eight does. The Crosbys hope the dairy farm will be fully functioning by May and they plan to add males (bucks) sometime in the future. Their goal is to have 50 goats on the farm and include a petting area for the public as well as hosting a spring festival.
"It's an expensive operation. The permit required by ADEM cost $1050 alone," he said.
Both will remain employed at their currents jobs until the dairy has been well established.
The couple is currently renovating a trailer to be used for the milking and processing area. Cindy, an employee of ITC DeltaCom in Anniston, makes regular stops at building supply stores after work and is actively involved every aspect of the operation.
"I get up every morning to milk and feed before going to work," she said. There are two goats, Liza Jane and Emily, currently producing about a gallon of milk per day, and the chores take her approximately 30-45 minutes to complete.
The job of making the feta and chevre cheeses has been taken over by him, but she still pasteurizes the milk, she said. Until the farm is licensed, the products are not available for sale, but milk can be purchased for use as pet milk.
The couple encourages others to research the benefits of goat milk products and are offering samples of their products. Call 447-8628 for more information. The couple rarely finishes their outside work before sundown, so a call in the early evening would be a good idea.
"The taste of our product is very different from that found on the store shelves," he said. "The older generation understands the benefits of goat milk, and we would like to introduce our product to a new generation."

Strictly Personal
Counting Our Blessings...
Dear God, at a time we set aside to give thanks, let us not forget the things You have provided in abundance for which we should be grateful. Amen.
I wanted to open this column with a sincere prayer, because of the many, many things for which we should feel grateful, but accept as everyday life.
A dear friend of mine once said, "Yes, life owes you a living, but you have to go out an collect it." No more prophetic words have ever been spoken. For the better part of four decades I have sat at a typewriter or computer keyboard and pounded out word after word for news stories and columns. There have even been features.
What you didn't see was the rent, utilities, insurance, postage and printing costs for each edition. These, plus other expenses bring a weekly newspaper into the realm of business. It's something you, as a reader, don't think about. You shouldn't. Our job is to deliver a family-oriented weekly newspaper to your home each week.
I mentioned the costs only to make a point about things for which we should be thankful. Sure, it's a job to put out a paper each week, but because of the kindness of our advertisers and our subscribers. I am grateful for these kindnesses, but there are still more.
The people who work beside you day after day are more than just automatons. They are your neighbors and friends. They are your work mates. They share your triumphs and your setbacks. They are beside you in good times and bad.
The neighbors who chat over fences, the friends down the street, the business owner, the hair stylist, the barber, the dentist, doctor or lawyer....in Piedmont they are all your friends and neighbors..
I recently talked with a Birmingham area resident who inquired if I planned to move to the Jefferson County area on my retirement. When I responded in the negative, I was asked why I preferred staying in Piedmont. I could only say that I loved my community and my friends. I didn't mention the horrendous traffic, the higher crime rate or the higher cost of living. Nope, I just think I'll be grateful for the privilege of living among the people of Piedmont.
This community has provided me and my family a living for the better part of four decades. I have tried to provide a service of offering honest editorial opinions on local issues.
No one could have asked for a better job in a better community.
I believe there are a number of business people who would join me in thanking the people of this community for their support. Moreover, I thank each of you for your friendship.
There is so much Piedmont has to offer that is taken for granted, the greatest of which is community friendship.
Yes, I have been through some trying times in the past few weeks, and the only thing that kept me going is the friendship and caring I received from the folks I hold dear.
This is something you need to keep in mind as you carve that Thanksgiving turkey or ham. There is a lot more to living in this community than just an annual feast.
Every time I have needed someone's friendship and support. I have received it...not from one but from many. This love is not just for me, but for anyone in Piedmont who needs it.
This Thanksgiving will be special to me. Yes, there will be one empty chair at the table, and this will not be an easy burden to bear. However, the loving, caring community in which we live makes this season a little easier.
Thank you Piedmont, and everyone should consider themselves privileged to live here.