July 19, 2024 | Vol. 3 Iss. 24
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Fighting cancer
MORGAN COUNTY NEWS
No One Fights Alone helps local families page 4
Covering Your Community Since 1929
Camp Freedom teaches youth about the origins of freedom By Verlene Johnson
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GEORGE WASHINGTON, who visited twice during the camp taught the campers the Battle of Trenton and the crossing of the Delaware.
hat started out as a family activity in 2020 organized by Debbie Taylor and Pamela Smith for their grandchildren to learn about the founding of America has now turned into a camp in Mountain Green called Camp Freedom. “Since we both have a deep and abiding love of liberty, we wanted to instill that in the hearts of our grandkids,” commented Smith. She said word got around and others wanted to participate with them getting bigger and bigger every year with 175 kids joining in the five-day event this year that was held July 8-12. Each day brought a special
guest from American History to teach youth, ages five to 12, along with youth leaders ages 13-18, about important events that helped bring freedom to America. On the first day, they were visited by Henry Knox, Lydia Darragh, William Bradford and George Washington; with each of them talking about the role they played in American history during the Revolutionary War. During craft time the kids learned about John McCrae, who wrote the now famed poem, “In Flanders Field,” after witnessing the tragedy of war. The campers were also encouraged to look for members of the armed forces and thank them for the freedom their service provides. Day two brought James Armistead Lafayette, Betsy Ross and John Hancock. They also learned about Fort McHenry, where the British launched an attack for 25 hours in an attempt to get to Baltimore. They learned that it was this battle where Francis Scott Key penned "The Star Spangled Banner." After learning about the inspiration behind our National Anthem, they got to shoot off some bottle rockets to represent the rocket red glare. Day three brought a visit from Abigail Adams and Catherine Littlefield Greene. In addition, a visitor came to tell the group about Ellis Island and the process the
CAMP on page 3 A SMALL REPLICA of the Mayflower. Campers learned from William Bradford, who came to America on the Mayflower. He was the first Governor of Plymouth that established free enterprise in America prior to the American Revolution.
Courtesy photos
Morgan City increases utility fees, implements short-term rentals business license By Linda Petersen
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organ City has increased customer service charges on some utilities. The city did a power rate study in 2022 and initiated a new base rate. It is now increasing by about 50 percent, City Manager Ty Bailey told the city council at their July 9 meeting. The residential customer service charge for electricity, both city and county and commercial non-demand increased to $7.50 from $5. “We're working our way up to $10 instead of hitting $10 at the same time as the rate,” Bailey said. “[This] is an incremental change, but because we did both that and the power rate last year, this is a lot more tolerable, but it still heads in the right direction.” Small commercial, both city and county, went to $15 from $10 and large commercial, both city and county, to $75 from $50. The city has also increased the cost of yard lights from $1 to $2 per light. “I know you've gotten a lot of pushback on our power rates, but the reality is we just didn't have any fund balance to
absorb the losses, and that tide's turning now,” Bailey told the city council. “Even Rocky Mountain Power is proposing a 30 percent increase to the Public Service Commission. In evaluating the last year we're good with the rate so we're only proposing to adopt that change in the base charge based on our rate study.” The pump rate has increased to $7.50 from $5 and the net metering residential and small commercial customer service charge, both city and county, to $9 from $8. The city has also increased its base water fees by 10 percent in line with the recommendations of the city’s water rate study. For a residential ¾ inch connection with 8,000 gallons that would be a new base fee of $38.19 (county $52.05; Mahogany Ridge $48.36). That study had planned for a new city water tank in 2029, but that’s not going to happen, Bailey said. “There’s no possible way we're going to get there so we are building a little bit of a fund balance.” The water fee increases are necessary to build up some reserve funds, something the city hadn’t been doing
for some time, Power Foreman Clark Crook told the city council. “The recommendations are that you have adequate reserves. They recommend at least six months because if you went into a multimonth power increase like we had in one month [last year] you'd be a little more sheltered.” Morgan also is now requiring a business license for those who operate short-term rentals (for under 30 days) in the city. The new fee is $50. If needed, building inspection and fire inspection fees will be $50 each. These facilities will not qualify for a primary residence tax exemption. “This ordinance does two things; one, it requires a business license … the other thing it does is for those that are trying to do short-term rentals it gives them a legitimate path forward so if they do have a complaint or a bad-stay experience they have a business license to say ‘I went to the city and I checked all the boxes and I'm running a legitimate operation here because I complied with all of the requirements,’” Bailey said.l
NEWS BREAK Attempted assassination on Donald Trump
In a shocking turn of events, former president Donald Trump narrowly avoided being killed by an assailant’s bullet which whizzed by his head at a rally in Pennsylvania over the weekend. Trump’s ear was grazed by the bullet but was otherwise unharmed. The attack left two critically injured, and killed one, Corey Comperatore, a local firefighter. The shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was killed on the scene. The attack garnered a huge response from both home and abroad, condemning violence in the political world. The attempt also raised many questions of safety for Trump as he continues his campaign for the presidency, and why the building from which the shooter fired was not cleared preceding and during the event.
Classified documents case against Trump dismissed
In another landmark political victory for the former president, the classified documents case against Donald Trump was just thrown out by Judge Aileen Cannon. Judge Cannon dismissed the case saying that the prosecution’s appointment of special counsel Jack Smith was unconstitutional. The reasoning behind Judge Cannon’s decision was that an appointment from the Justice Department, part of the executive branch, excludes important input from Congress. Detractors have cited previous, and similar cases with the same conditions which were not dismissed.
Salvage voyage returns to Titanic
For the first time in 14 years, RMS Titanic Inc., the only company with salvage rights to the wreck of the famous ship, is returning to the site for a different kind of mission. The organization will be using sophisticated technology to digitally map the wreck in its current condition. This will also be the first significant voyage to the wreck since the deadly implosion of a submarine in June of last year. The imaging mission will be an important landmark in comparison to the 2010 imaging mission, to see the current state of deterioration of the wreck. Although deep in the Northern Atlantic, the Titanic is being slowly consumed by microbial organisms that eat iron and steel, forming the now iconic “rusticals” that encase the wreck.
Cave on the moon
250 miles from the landing site of Apollo 11, scientists have just proved the existence of a fascinating aspect of Earth’s moon. A large cave, estimated to be over 100 feet wide, and 100 feet long was discovered at the Sea of Tranquility. It is theorized that the cave is one of many, and a collapsed ancient lava tube from the days of the moon’s formation. The significance of this find comes into play when considering the eventual return to the moon, and establishment of semi-permanent colonies there. Scientists believe that astronauts could use the natural protection of these caves to keep them safe from cosmic rays, solar radiation, and micrometeorites without having to construct from scratch time-consuming and costly shelters.