fpnav - february 2014

This is an Independently published publication, NOT an Approved nor Official publication of the Fairfield Plantation POA

Find us at www.fpnav.com or Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/fairfieldplantationnewsandviews?fref=ts

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Steve Barden — Fairfield Resi-dents Unite! PG. 2

Women’s Club Spotlight — Brenda Rhodes; Letter from Jeb Brown PG. 5

Fairfield Ladies Travel to Ashville, NC; Letter from Denis Auger; PG 6

Welhelmina Barry — Willy’s Fit-

ness Corner

Kiwanis

Virginia Westlake — Sold in Fair-

field

PG. 9

Market Place PG. 10

Tovey’s World

PG. 11

Dr. Shaw — Do Artificial Sweet-

eners Bear a Cancer Risk?

PG. 8

Casa Sol;

Don Rich Ford

PG. 12

Michelle Nyberg—A Girl Has to Eat

Christina Henggeler— A Deli-cate Problem PG 7

Michael Stone— The Importance of Financial Advice PG. 3

Vicki Anderson—Commissioner’s Corner: Continuation of Golf story PG. 4

January 28, 2014 brought one of two ice

storm that struck the area this season .

Carroll County cancelled classes in advance

but Douglas County, and many other metro-

Atlanta school systems, waited until just

after noon to close. Hundreds of students

were left stranded and many teachers had

to either stay in the schools with the chil-

dren or find shelter nearby. Lisa Carruth,

resident of Fairfield Plantation, was one

Douglas County teacher who took shelter at

the home of a fellow teacher. Those who

did get home had to experience a multi-

hour ordeal on local roads slowed by heavy

traffic. A 12 minute commute took over four

hours for one Douglas County School Sys-

tem employee. Other FP residents were not

so lucky, reporting delays of 8 or more

hours just to get home. Georgia became

the laughing stock of the nation due to the

massive gridlock that resulted from lack of

preparation for this storm.

Then, on Wednesday, February 12, 2014, a

second storm struck. Fortunately, this time

around, GEMA and Governor Deal were

proactive, cancelling all governmental func-

tions and declaring a state of emergency.

Warning citizens to stay in their homes until

this storm passed, businesses closed,

classes were cancelled, and all weathered

the storm. While most were generally safe

in their homes, power outages were com-

mon. Fairfield resident Steven Smith, trav-

elled the roads in his 4-wheel drive vehicle

clearing downed trees that blocked the

roads. The second storm was well handled,

and brought out some of the best of our

neighbors.

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I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :

N E W S A N D V I E W S

F A I R F I E L D , A T A L E O F T W O S T O R M S

W H E R E I S G O L F M E M B E R S H I P O N T H E T A B L E ? At the January 20, 2014 Board Meeting,

POA President Howard Ray stated that the POA Board was looking at needs, not wants, for next year’s budget and that “everything was on the table.” However, when asked about what was being done to increase golf membership, he stated that a member of the Board was beginning to work with the golf pro to develop a marketing plan. “We’re working in that direction, but I wouldn’t say we’re there yet.”

If everything is truly on the table, why hasn’t this Board developed a viable

marketing plan to increase golf member-ship? The losses at the Golf Course/Country Club/Marina have been a major issue since it was purchased from PEGI on December 31, 2005 (See Chart—Source: Each year’s Annual Meeting of the Fairfield Plantation Property Owners Association, Inc.).

Whenever questioned about the golf

course, the standard reply from the Board is that it is important for all of our property val-ues. And, that is true. The golf course does increase property value, but multiple studies show that property value diminishes the far-

ther away the property is from the golf course. Thus, the homes that are immediately adjacent to the golf course will benefit most. A quick look at the Carroll County Tax Records ( http://www.qpublic.net/ga/carroll/ ) demon-

strates this value reduction. For example, homes on Tara Drive that abut the golf course have property valued at $20,000 while values of properties across the same street go down to $10,000. This is fairly standard despite the

value of the home built on these proper-ties. The most significant property val-ues ($80,000) are found on lakeside lots (Carroll County Tax Records).

Why the differences in the property value? It is a function of the “Proximate Principle” which states that “the value of properties located proximate to a park or open space (POS) are frequently higher than comparable properties lo-cated elsewhere.” [http://www.cprs.org/

membersonly/Winter07_PropertyValues.htm

Page 1.] Realtors will often state this as “location, location, location.” In the hierarchy of property values, lakefront property views

See Golf Continued on page 4

F A I R F I E L D R E S I D E N T S U N I T E !

F A I R F I E L D P L A N T A T I O N N E W S A N D V I E W S

For more information, comments, letters to the editor, suggestions and/or complaints. Please ad-dress to Steve Barden at

the following:

Email:

[email protected]

Website: fpnav.com

Phone: 770-827-8542

Deadline for submissions in our next

issue will be:

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Our next issue will deliver:

Saturday, March 22, 2014

“Your Community Newspaper”

Look for us on Facebook

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You can also find a full web edition at:

http://issuu.com/fpnav

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Know more of your neighbors, know more about the POA Board, know more about activi-

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Fairfield Plantation, Georgia”

Find information, Find Activities or…….Find a FRIEND of the best

a break-even point. I believe this can be done, if

we put our priorities into developing a plan to

increase golf membership, get more people play-

ing, sponsor more tournaments, and anything

else necessary to have this entity pay for itself.

The only way we are going to change things here

is to get involved. Come to the POA meeting on

Monday, February 24, 2014 at 7:30 at the Coun-

try Club. Hear directly what is going on and start

thinking about what can be done to solve this

problem. We can resolve this issue if we work

together and not allow emotions to divide us into

the golfer/non-golfer camps. We are all affected

one way or another by what happens to the golf

course, and together we can figure this out. This

is a great community. Let’s prove it by openly

acknowledging the problem and finally finding a

solution.

There are many things this board is doing cor-

rectly, and their attention to the budget is to be

commended. But it truly worried me that they are

bypassing a very important aspect of that budget-

ing process: the need to have the golf course/

country club/marina increase membership. As I

looked at the yearly losses by the GC/CC/Marina,

I was worried that the Board was just accepting

continued losses from this combined entity. I’m

worried that the Board believes that the golf

course is too big to fail and therefore, we, the

property owners, need to get used to paying

higher and higher dues. The golf course is just

too valuable to our property values, goes the

mantra, so we just have to keep paying.

It’s time for ALL FP RESIDENTS, golfers and the

non-golfers alike to come together to solve this

problem. We need to discover a way for the golf

course to stop losing money and to at least get to

K N O W Y O U R C O M M U N I T Y


T H E I M P O R T A N C E O F P R O F E S S I O N A L A D V I C E tors can get tripped up. A financial advisor can help ensure that your rollover is not taxed as an early withdrawal.

8. When saving for college There are many people who do not know how much money they should be saving each year and what the best investment vehicle is. Since tax codes, especially those targeted at saving for college, seem to change each year, working with a financial advisor could prove very beneficial.

9. When planning and managing your retirement Planning your retirement is only half the battle. Managing your retirement is just as important. A good financial advisor can create a plan for you that will help give you a chance to pursue the lifestyle you hope to have during retirement. In addition, they can help you to plan out how best to manage your finances when you are enjoying your retirement. 10. When planning for wealth transfer (e.g., es-tate planning) This area can often be the most complex of all financial matters. Aside from deciding who should receive your wealth, you must decide how much they receive and when they receive it. Other is-sues such as minimizing taxes and dealing with beneficiaries who are minors can become chal-lenging. Excerpted from Understanding Asset Allocation by Scott Frush. Copyright © 2007 by The McGraw-Hill Companies.

Because of the possibility of human or mechanical error by S&P Capital IQ Financial Communications or its sources, neither S&P Capital IQ Financial Communications nor its sources guarantees the accuracy, adequacy, completeness or availability of any information and is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of such information. In no event shall S&P Capital IQ Financial Communications be liable for any indirect, special or consequential damages in connection with subscriber's or others' use of the content.

© 2013 S&P Capital IQ Financial Communications. All rights reserved.

NEWS CONTACT:

Michael L. Stone, AAMS®

CEO & Founder

Milestone Investment

Management, LLC

(770) 830-0063

[email protected]

The Importance of Professional Advice In an endeavor as critical as managing your investments, it is prudent to handle some situations with the help of a competent professional advisor. Many individual inves-tors simply do not have the time, patience, or persistence to deal effectively with their investments over the long term. Many investors have the motivation to put in the required time to fully address their investments at the outset, but become less motivated as time goes by. In addition, there are some very common mistakes that individual investors make that a professional advisor can help to overcome, including:

• Making ad hoc fear-based revisions at the first sign of market weakness

• Omitting the process of drafting an investment policy statement

• Emphasizing individual securities rather than the overall portfolio

• Failing to reevaluate their financial situation at least annually and then revise their investment pol-icy statement

• Getting caught up in the hype of the market and lose investment focus

• Chasing the latest investment fads

When to Seek Professional Advice

There will be times when you can handle most of the management of your financial affairs. However, there will be other times when you should seek the help of an investment pro. The list below examines some of the situations when it makes the most sense to seek the help of a competent investment advisor. 1. When confronted with complicated financial products and strategies Most of us have heard of disability, liability umbrella, and long-term care insurance, but do we really know the basics, let alone what type of coverage to select? Peo-ple with employment stock options or business owners with limited family partnerships can also benefit from the help of an advisor.

2. When getting married Combining your money, and debt, with your spouse can pose significant challenges. These challenges range from deciding to file a joint tax return or single tax re-turns to taking advantage of all child-related tax bene-fits. Financial planning advisors and tax advisors may provide you with the best solutions.

3. When buying and selling a house Although not their traditional work, financial advisors may provide some much needed insights into such is-sues as capital gains, down payment, mortgage alterna-tives, and home sale reinvestment options.

4. When buying or selling a business The complexities of buying or selling a business can be quite significant if not downright grueling. A financial advisor can help with capital gains and proper wealth transfer.

5. When getting divorced Simply dividing assets could be a cumbersome and very problematic issue. In addition, new financial plans such as wills and insurance policies will probably need to be revised.

6. When you inherit money Although coming into a substantial amount of wealth is generally a good thing, people who have little experi-ence managing money may run into challenges. An in-vestment advisor can help you allocate your inheritance to ensure it lasts for a prolonged period of time.

7. When rolling over your 401(k) Although this task is not especially difficult, many inves-

Well, it’s official…I am not seeking re-election. I have been the County Commis-sioner for District 2, which includes Fairfield, for the past 7 years. 2014 will complete my 8th and final year. District 2 is the fast-est growing district in the county. Following the 2010 census, I gave up 6,000 voters due to the growth in the district. If I had not lived in Fairfield, Fairfield would have been removed from District 2 and probably have become a part of Dis-trict 5. I feel it is very im-

portant that someone in Fairfield be elected to fill this

position.

Qualifying to be the next county commissioner is at the end of March. It normally is in May with the primary being in July and runoff, if necessary, in August. To

align with the state and federal elections, the election dates were changed. So I will be a lame duck for sev-eral months. That’s okay! Hopefully, whoever is elected would like to learn as much as possible about

District 2, and I would be willing to help them.

State Senator Mike Dugan represents Carroll County except for Fairfield. We are represented by Senator Mike Crane of Newnan. We are a small piece of Crane’s district and I have never seen him step foot inside Fairfield. Crane was not for Fairfield keeping its voting district. Mike Dugan led the way for Fairfield in the Senate and Dusty Hightower in the House. I be-lieve Crane finally voted for it, but it took some convinc-ing. He has also not supported many of the things we

in Fairfield would be interested in.

I am saying this for you to think about the upcoming election and to think about electing someone for com-missioner from inside Fairfield. No one cares more about you than one of your own. If you are just a small piece of someone’s district and you do not live in Fair-field, forget about the focus being kept on your needs. We are experiencing that in our Senate representation

at this time.

Representing Fairfield is unique due to its private clas-sification and PUD status, planned urban development. It also has REAP status, which allows it to sell alcohol. Fairfield is the only place in the county that can sell alcohol and it is due to that REAP status. REAP has to

do with having resort status.

One thing to consider if leasing the country club is you do not want to give up your liquor license. Fairfield has that license because of REAP status. You would con-tract with someone to manage your facilities. Through contract and liability insurance, that lessee would be responsible for the proper administration and compli-ance of the liquor license. I personally would want a $1 million liability policy. Just because you want some-one else to drive, does not mean you want to give them

the car!

The County overall has been pretty quiet. It is interest-ing that when you do not have money to spend, all is well in the world. That has been the case for the past year. SPLOST dollars have only been available to pave or repair roads and do shoulder repair. I look forward

to having SPLOST funds available again soon.


Vicki Anderson

KEVIN HEAD, AGENT AMERICAN FAMILY INSURANCE 141 N Bay View Dr. Villa Rica, GA 30180 Office: 770.462.1005 Mobile: 678.725.1459 Fax: 770.462.1009 Website: http://insurance-agency.amfam.com/GA/kevin-head/default.aspx

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are the most valued. [http://www.thefreelibrary.com/

The+million+dollar+view%

3A+a+study+of+golf+course,+mountain,+and+lake...-

a0226632588 page 1]

Data show that only 20 - 30% of most golf commu-nities even play golf. So, why do people purchase within such a community? One answer is that “Many buyers in golf communities are not golfers; rather they appreciate the aesthetic qualities of the course, the permanent open space, and the perceived exclusivity of the commu-nity.” [http://agrilifecdn.tamu.edu/cromptonrpts/

files/2011/06/44_9.pdf Page 39]. Fairfield Plantation cer-tainly has the right ingredients.

But, as the studies show, it is not necessarily golf

itself, but the beauty of the open space and other charac-teristics that attract many people and maintains property values. So, should the golf course be changed to become a well-maintained open-space with multi-use paths, trails, fields, gardens, etc., the property values could arguably remain consistent.

While there are other alternatives for the use of FP land that will still maintain property values, repurposing the golf course at this time would cause a major distur-bance to the residents who truly love the game of golf. As stated by past POA president Mary Hale, “We recog-nize the importance of our resident’s support for success-ful golf operation, tennis programs, restaurant operations, and social functions. With the POA ownership of our

course, we can decide what to do with the land if it is not supported by membership play.” [Plantation Press, Decem-

ber 2006, Vol. 232, page 1] “ Our goals for the Club include increased membership, improved quality and good cus-tomer service.” [Plantation Press, Oct. 2006, Vol. 230, P. 2].

In that year, golf membership increased from 85 to 149 members. As a comparison, during the 2013 - 2014 season, the membership is approximately 118.

If everything is truly on the table, then increasing golf membership must be placed at the head of this table if we are to maintain this community as it is now.

G O L F ( C O N T I N U E D F R O M P A G E 1 )


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W O M E N ’ S C L U B S P O T L I G H T — B R E N D A R H O D E S Our January Member Spotlight was

former president and 2001 Women of the Year: Brenda Rhodes! (Current

Garden Club President) Q: What attracted you to Fairfield? A: We had friends who had a weekend home on the lake in Fairfield back in the 70's. They kept trying to get us to buy the lot next to them for $6000, back then it took forever to get here from Smyrna so we didn't. That lot is now worth $ 200,000+ so we really

messed that up. The same couple had a wedding reception in Fair-field and we bought our house here in 1993. Q: When did you join the Planta-

tion Women's Club? A: I joined the summer we moved in, I was invited and met some of the most wonderful ladies. I was hooked and jumped in with both feet! Q: What was the most important event in your life last week? A: Oh that's easy, I've got a good one! 17 of us went on a trip to Asheville TN and us girls had a ball! Saw beau-tiful snow, went shopping, and got a good laugh out of some men at the hotel on our way to the Pj party down the hall. Fun was had by all! Q: What are you most excited about this year in relation to The Plantation Women's Club? A: When I was President our main goal was to get some young ladies involved, with all of us gaining age it was hard to keep up with everything. We decided to start the scholarships in hopes that if your daughter re-

ceived one they would be more likely to join and keep it going. This year our prayers have been answered be-cause we have all these young ladies as members and I am delighted they are here to keep it going. The Plantation Women’s Club meetings are held the first Saturday of the month at the Fairfield Plantation Country Club. Social time is from 11:00-11:30 am, with lunch and a business meeting following. New mem-bers are always welcome and the fee to join is only $15 for the year. If you care to join the ladies for lunch, currently the cost is $10.50. You can reserve your lunch for the meeting by e-mailing Cricket Pinckney at [email protected] or giving her a call at (770) 214-2948. For more info on the Women’s Club, con-tact Michelle Nyberg (President) via e-mail: [email protected]. Jamie Davis, Publicity

Fellow residents:

As a Fairfield property owner for 42 yrs and resident for

22 yrs, I've seen a lot of changes here, some good and

others bad. I've learned that in many cases

changes, which many residents don't like, come from

some board members making decisions based on per-

sonal agendas or simply from lack of knowledge as to

how the community feels. Maybe some of the latter

comes from them not asking, maybe not. Every year,

we elect 3 new board members and get new views or

agendas. Some maybe good, some maybe not so good.

For those who were at the Jan POA meeting, where we

had a packed house, we saw much resident participa-

tion as well as a board which has begun to show us

that they're beginning to listen to US more than in the

past. This includes both new members as well as many

of those already serving. I see as a big reason for this

being more resident involvement by the community,

either by attending meetings, talking with board mem-

bers or writing/e-mailing them.

We all (me too) fuss about Carroll County, Georgia,

national representatives and the administration not

doing what we the people want for our county, state

and country. Well, here in FP we're seeing what our

involvement can produce. Time will tell if it's all going

to be good or bad for us. We saw what can happen

when the county was threatening to close our voting

precinct. We got our state rep Dusty Hightower in-

volved, as well as other politicians, and got this

stopped. Those people listened to us since we had a

large number of people in support of this.

For many years, I was one of us who griped but didn't

do anything. Then, a few years ago, I began to write to

our congressman, state and U.S. senators letting my

views be known. I always get a return contact. from

them. Right now, we're seeing what we can do for FP,

with increased involvement, and the same can be done

in the county, state and nation. We can make our rep-

resentatives listen to us if we let them know in large

numbers what we want and what we won't stand

for. An example is that millions who don't like

Obamacare have written to their legislators, some of

whom supported it, and many of those legislators have

changed their position to keep from being booted out

of office. If enough of us yell loud enough, they'll listen,

Just as they're doing in FP. Even with our problems,

we've got a great community here and it can and will

get better with our involvement in letting those elected

to run it know how we want them to do it.

Thanks to our board members for waking up. And

thanks to our community for the increased involve-

ment.

L-R: Brenda Rhodes &

Christina Henggeler

Tamara Deming

Laura Perry &


L E T T E R F R O M D E N I S A U G E R Dear Fellow Fairfield Residents

My name is Denis Auger, and I feel leasing the club-

house is a poor business decision at this time.

This article is my opinion, and in no way reflects the opinion of the Board, or that of my wife, (a POA board

member).

Why keep control of the clubhouse?

• Fairfield amenities differentiate and define our community. If we lease an amenity, we give up a large part of its control, and the potential for con-trolling revenue (a shared profit lease should

never be considered).

• Amenities and view are two key criteria for driving

property values.

• Most of us purchased here for the amenities, we

all understand that they all have costs.

• The leasing of some of the amenities has been done before with disastrous consequences. This was before my time in Fairfield so I'll let others

speak to that experience.

The clubhouse and the golf course have a mutually

beneficial relationship.

• As a not-for-profit community, with both a golf course and a clubhouse, where both amenities work in collaboration, this synergy should create a business model where we enjoy the best competi-tive advantage in West Georgia for attracting more

customers for both amenities.

• Decisions will be made from a cost perspective by the lessee regarding hours of operations, menu, service, pricing, appearance, etc. Perhaps with little or no consideration for the other user groups

and or the golf course etc.

Clubhouse user groups and function

The clubhouse also serves as a community center. It is currently utilized for bingo, bridge, trivia, and for vary-ing community groups for meetings, special holiday activities, and other uses. If we do not have control, will we still get to use the clubhouse for these events? (I

don’t think so, the lessee will be a” for profit business”)

Summary

I believe leasing the clubhouse will diminish the finan-cial opportunity at the golf course, (at some point in time). The golf course brings in excess of $7,000,000 in property value to the community. Why potentially

jeopardize this equity?

Business decisions have short and long term consequences. I believe the potential consequences have not fully been thought

through.

The clubhouse and golf course must put in place a comprehensive business plan to work together to allow both entities the opportunity of coming to an accept-able sustainable cost. This target # should be identified and given a period of time to be

attained (say 3 years).

We have some tremen-dous employees at these amenities, let’s

build on that.

Let’s allow the POA Board of Directors the opportunity of creating a vision (for the commu-nity as a whole) and a strategic plan. Let’s let them execute that plan, and allow them the opportunity of ensuring the continuity of the plan by electing board members, who going forward, will have, a

similar vision.

I would like to publicly thank my fellow resi-dents (on both sides of

the issue) whose volunteerism makes Fairfield Planta-tion such a great place to live. It can and should be the

community of choice in West Georgia.

Let’s strive to work together to improve this commu-

nity. Thank-you!

On Jan. 21, 2014, eighteen ladies from Fairfield boarded a small bus and headed to Asheville, NC for a wonderful girls' trip! Our first stop was the Bistro res-taurant where we enjoyed lunch and were excited when it started snowing! We spent the rest of the af-ternoon touring the Biltmore House and were delighted to see a winter wonderland on our drive to our hotel! Luckily, the snow covered everything except the roads! We awoke the next morning to beautiful sunshine and cold temperatures - perfect weather for shopping at the Biltmore Village. We went to the Grove Park Inn for lunch where we had excellent food and drinks and a

wonderful view of the mountains. The rest of the after-noon was spent in downtown Asheville checking out the Grove Arcade and the old Woolworth building. That evening most of us relaxed at our pajama/pizza party at the hotel! On the way home on Thursday, we stopped to shop at the outlet shops in Commerce. We all had a great time on our trip thanks to the planning done by Helen Henriques. We will never forget the fun we had, and the staff at the Grove Park Inn will proba-bly never forget the ladies from Fairfield! Marilyn Coulon

F A I R F I E L D L A D I E S T R A V E L T O A S H V I L L E , N C


A G I R L H A S T O E A T Dining out, cooking in,

and everything delish in

between

Michelle Nyberg

There isn’t much better than getting together

with a great group of friends to watch a big game, celebrate a birthday, observe a holiday, or for no other reason than good company. Sure the activi-ties and conversations make it enjoyable but when there is tasty party food it is on another level. A spread of dips, things on toothpicks and in individual cups is perfection for me because you get to taste little bits of lots of things and they are usually packed with cream cheese, ba-con, cheese, or ranch and then you get to dip things into them. Sometimes we have party foods

for dinner just because it is that good and who doesn’t want to feel like they are having a party during a typical Wednesday dinner? I love all of the standard party foods- meatballs in the crock-pot, dill dip in a round rye loaf, cheese plate, wings, stuffed mushrooms, 7-layer dip and so on and on. These standards are always welcomed and devoured but over the years there have been a few party foods that have definitely stood out. Here are a few: Cheesy, ranch and bacon pull apart bread (cut a loaf of French bread into cubes without cutting through the bottom. Stuff squares of cheddar cheese and bacon pieces into the nooks and crannies. Then pour melted butter mixed with dry ranch seasoning all over it. Wrap it in foil and bake for 20 minutes). Pizza dip (cream cheese, mayo, sour cream, moz-zarella, and parmesan topped with pizza sauce and your favorite pizza toppings and baked. Use toasted French bread as dipper).

Sausage and cream cheese stuffed Jalapenos (Mix browned sausage, cream cheese and mozza-rella cheese and then fill halved jalapenos and bake). Hot Ham and Cheese Sliders (make ham and cheese sandwiches on Hawaiian rolls and then pour on top a mixture of melted butter, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, and dried onions. Then bake). BLT dip (sour cream and mayo with dry ranch seasoning mixed with bacon and tomatoes. Top with shredded lettuce. Use toasted French bread as a dipper). There are so many things I love about party foods- the ingredients, the casualness, and the variety but the sharing of such fun food with good com-pany just makes it that much more delicious. I foresee some buffalo chicken dip in my very near future. Hope you get to dipping soon too.

Christina Henggeler

Around this area we have a delicate prob-lem, and people don’t talk about it too much. We have heard about the horrors of people trapped in traffic for 9 hours during “Survive the Ride” commute ear-lier this month, but they

don’t tell what really made it a horror.

Think about it. What really makes a difference, for you personally, between a good road trip and one that is a disaster? Some people would say jamming tunes, and other people would say amia-ble companions, but that isn’t what you really

need. Think basic.

You start the ride with a cola or bottled water, and maybe swing through Starbucks for a Venti White Chocolate Mocha, and I don’t have to tell you what you need next. The state is cutting cor-ners and trimming the budget by closing the women’s room at rest stops. So you start reading the exit signs with full attention until you find a Racetrac or QT, and when you find one you stand in line and hold your breath until you get out of

there.

What you need more than anything is a nice

clean comfort station.

It isn’t fair. Men can find a large shrub or clump of pompass grass and walk back to the car with a look of relief on their faces. Women are hopping from foot to foot and rethinking that last cup of coffee before leaving the house. I think this is something that could be handled by a forward

thinking politician. Every woman would vote for them just for the guarantee of a comfortable road trip, and every man would vote for them so they didn’t have to hear the women complaining dur-ing the ride. If I were running for some big politi-cal office my slogan would be “A commode at every exit.” Of course, I would put a good spin on it, maybe pitch it a way to make people think of

FDR. And give us what we need.

“A pot for every chick.”

A D E L I C A T E P R O B L E M

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Artificial Sweeteners and other Sugar Substitutes----Do they Bear a Carcinogenic Risk?

By Dr. Habiba N. Shaw

If you're trying to reduce the sugar and calories in your diet, you may be turning to artificial

sweeteners or other sugar substitutes. You aren't

alone.

Today artificial sweeteners and other sugar substitutes are found in a variety of food and beverages marketed as "sugar-free" or "diet," including soft drinks, chewing gum, jellies, baked goods, candy, fruit juice, and ice

cream and yogurt.

Just what are all these sweeteners? And what's their role in your diet? Understand the pros and cons to

make an informed choice.

Understanding Artificial Sweeteners and other

Sugar Substitutes

Artificial sweeteners are synthetic sugar substitutes but may be derived from naturally occurring sub-stances, including herbs or sugar itself. Artificial sweet-eners are also known as intense sweeteners because they are many times sweeter than regular sugar. The chart lists some popular sugar substitutes and how

they're commonly categorized.

To date, the FDA has approved the use of five artificial sweeteners; each one is far sweeter

than regular sugar. They include:

Stevia One natural low-calorie sweetener, stevia, has not yet been evaluated by the FDA.

Stevia is a non-caloric sweetener made from the

leaves of a shrub that grows in South and

Central America.

Stevia is about 300 times sweeter than sugar.

A number of major soft drink companies have begun launching stevia-sweetened bev-erages, sometimes combining stevia with

erythritol, a sugar alcohol.

There are no long-term studies of the health ef-

fects of stevia.

The topic of sugar substitutes can be confusing. One problem is that the terminology is often open to inter-pretation. For instance, some manufacturers call their sweeteners "natural" even though they're processed or refined, as is the case with stevia preparations. And some artificial sweeteners are derived from naturally occurring substances — sucralose comes from sugar,

for example.

Regardless of how they're classified, sugar substitutes

aren't magic bullets for weight loss. Take a closer look.

Possible Health Benefits of Artificial Sweeteners

One benefit of artificial sweeteners is that they don't contribute to tooth decay and cavities. They may also

help with the following:

Weight Control. One of the most appealing as-pects of artificial sweeteners is that they are non-nutritive — they have virtually no calories. In contrast, each gram of regular table sugar contains 4 calories. A teaspoon of sugar is about 4 grams. For perspective, consider that one 12-ounce can of a sweetened cola con-tains 8 teaspoons of added sugar, or about 130 calories. If you're trying to lose weight or prevent weight gain, products sweetened with artificial sweeteners rather than with higher calorie table sugar may be an attractive op-tion. On the other hand, some research has suggested that consuming artificial sweeten-ers may be associated with increased weight,

but the cause is not yet known.

Diabetes. Artificial sweeteners may be a good alternative to sugar if you have diabetes. Unlike sugar, artificial sweeteners generally don't raise blood sugar levels because they are not carbohydrates. But because of con-cerns about how sugar substitutes are la-beled and categorized, always check with

your doctor or dietitian about using any sugar

substitutes if you have diabetes.

Possible Health Concerns with Artificial Sweeten-

ers

Artificial sweeteners have been the subject of intense scrutiny for decades. Critics of artificial sweeteners say that they cause a variety of health problems, including cancer. That's largely because of studies dating to the 1970s that linked saccharin to bladder cancer in labo-ratory rats. Because of those studies, saccharin once carried a warning label that it may be hazardous to

your health.

According to the National Cancer Institute and other health agencies, there's no sound scientific evidence that any of the artificial sweeteners approved for use in the U.S. cause cancer or other serious health prob-lems. Numerous research studies also confirm that artificial sweeteners are generally safe in limited quan-tities, even for pregnant women. As a result of the newer studies, the warning label for saccharin was

dropped.

A new research from the University of Adelaide, Austra-lia, has added to the debate about how our bodies respond to artificial sweeteners and whether they are good, bad or have no effect on us. In a study published in this month's Diabetes Care journal, researchers in the University's School of Medicine and the Nerve-Gut Laboratory have found that artificially sweetened drinks produced no different response in the healthy

human gut to a glass of water.

Artificial sweeteners are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as food additives. They must be reviewed and approved by the FDA before being made available for sale. In some cases, the FDA de-clares a substance "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS). These GRAS substances, including highly refined stevia preparations, are deemed by qualified professionals based on scientific data as being safe for their intended use, or they have such a lengthy history of common use in food that they're considered gener-

ally safe and don't require FDA approval before sale.

Following is the FDA approved acceptable daily intake

(ADI) for each artificial sweetener.

As an illustration, for a person weighing 150 pounds (68 kilograms) to exceed the ADIs, he/she would need

to consume:

• 18-19 cans of aspartame-containing diet soda per

day, or

• 9-12 packets of saccharin-containing tabletop sweet-

ener per day, or

• 30-32 cans of Ace-K containing lemon-lime soda per

day

Sources: Mayo Clinic and the American Dietetic Association.

February

D O A R T I F I C I A L S W E E T E R N E R S B E A R A C A N C E R R I S K ?

Artificial Sweet-

ener Brand Names Sweetness as

Compared to

Sugar

Aspartame Equal, Nu-

traSweet, others

180 times sweeter

than sugar

Acesulfame-K Sunet, Sweet One 200 times sweeter

than sugar

Saccharin Sweet’N Low, Necta Sweet,

others

300 times sweeter

than sugar

Sucralose Splenda 600 times sweeter

than sugar

Neotame No brand names 7,000 to 13,000 times sweeter than sugar


RISK FACTORS;

1. High blood pressure.

2. High LDL Cholesterol

3. Smoking

4. About half of Americans (49%) have at

least 1 of these 3 risk factors!!

5. Other risk factors include; Diabetes,

overweight & obesity, poor diet, physical

inactivity and excessive alcohol use.

The American Heart Association is promot-

ing a program they call “ LIFE’S SIMPLE 7”;

1. Lose weight

2. Get Active

3. Control Cholesterol

4. Manage blood pressure

5. Reduce blood sugar

6. Quit smoking

7. Eat better.

Life’s Simple 7 encompasses two basic com-

ponents; ideal health behaviors and ideal health

factors. Modest lifestyle or behavioral changes

can move you in the right direction. For more

information go to www.heartinsight.com

OR, if you need some direction getting

started with your heart health, consider working

with a Certified Personal Trainer (like me!) or you

can join our Fairfield Exercise Class. The FF Ex-

ercise class meets Tuesdays, 10:30-11:30am,

Thursday & Fridays, 9:00-10:00am at the Rec-

reation Center. For more information please

contact Willy Barry at; [email protected] or

770-238-9528.

By Wilhelmina Barry, IFTA Certified Personal

Trainer and Nutritionist

F E B R U A R Y ; A M E R I C A N

H E A R T H E A L T H M O N T H ! ! !

I should have written this last month, but it is

never too late to hear the information so here

goes:

Here are some scary FACTS about Americans

and Heart Disease;

FACTS;

1. Heart disease is the leading cause of

death in the United States, that’s 1 in

every 4 deaths!!

2. Almost two-thirds (64%) of women who

die suddenly of coronary heart disease

have no previous symptoms.

3. Half of men who die suddenly of coro-

nary heart disease have no previous

symptoms.

4. Only 54% of women recognize that heart

disease is their #1 killer!

5. Between 70% and 89% of sudden car-

diac events occur in men.

W I L L Y ’ S F I T N E S S C O R N E R

Fairfield Plantation Blood Drive

Thank you Fairfield Plantation for donating 28 pints despite the

bad weather. That brought us to over 250 pints for our first year of

collecting. Way to go Fairfield Plantation! Special thanks to Darrell

Haley, who generously donated lunch for the Red Cross staff and

as always, a tremendous thanks to all of our donors and volun-

teers that made this year’s blood drives a big success.

Phil O’Brien

K I W A N I S

Kiwanis Division 12 Lt. Governor, Barry Gard-

ner, presents Mike Larson with the Hixson

Award, the second highest award that Ki-

wanis bestows for outstanding service.

Dr. Bob Pinckney presents Betty Williams the

award for the 2013 Kiwanian of the Year for the

Fairfield Plantation Club.

S O L D I N F A I R F I E L D

Additional Sale from December, 2013 1097 Magnolia Dr. for $480,000.

Sales in January, 2014

1004 Lakeview for $91,000; 4110 Essex Dr. for $107,900; 2522 N. Carroll Ct. for $152,850

1162 Monticello Dr. for $93,500. Virginia Westlake Better Homes and Gardens, Metro Brokers Real Estate

P L E A S E S U P P O R T T H E O R G A N I Z A T I O N S A N D B U S I N E S S E S W I T H I N T H I S P U B L I C A T I O N .

T H E I R P A I D A D V E R T I S M E N T S A L L O W F R E E D E L I V E R Y O F T H I S P U B L I C A T I O N T O Y O U .

F A I R F I E L D P L A N T A T I O N N E W S A N D V I E W S Market Place

JAMES OAKES

CPA CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLED

Practice License #ACF001123

Accounting & Bookkeeping Services

Tax Return Preparation Services

Office located at:

Corner of Moss Ferry,

Sandhill Hulett & Fairfield Roads

oakescpa.com

770-838-1115

Tony’s Lawn Care

Very Reasonably Priced

Lawn Mowing, Trimming, Edging,

Hedge/Shrub Maintenance,

General Maintenance

Call: Tony Alvarez

Fairfield Plantation Resident

678-640-8730

Rick Nolan

Construction , Remodeling,

Roofing

Boat Docks, Seawalls and Decks

30 Years Experience


22 years

Phone: 770-328-8106

Al-Anon Meets Tuesdays @12:00 noon.

Carrollton Presbyterian Church 124 Maple St.

Meets Tuesdays @7:00 p.m.

Bethany Christian Church 2862 Carrollton Villa Rica Hwy

For more information, Www.al-anon.alateen.org

Contact: Marge

404-308-2396 This is a

Public Service Announcement

Tony Netherland Long Time Fairfield Resident

With 28 Years Experience Residential and Commercial

Very Reasonably Priced

Call 770-652-4110

Advertisement Fees Classified Ads must be submitted each month prior to deadline

Classified Ads Free for Fairfield Residents - Non-Commercial Use– Call or email for Details

Classified Ads – Help Wanted - Free

*******************************************

Per Issue Prices:

Save 20% for 6 issues!!!

Market Place Ad 1.5 X2.5 in $20

Business Card Ad (Full Color) 2X3.5 in $35

Double Business Card Ad (Full color) 4X3.5 in $55

Quarter Page Ad (Full Color) 6X4.5 in $70

Half Page Ad (Full Color) 6X9.5 in (Only 3 Avail) $120

Full Page Ad (Full Color) 12X9.5 in (only 2 avail) $240

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Prices for Pre-paid 6 issues:

SAVE 20% for 6 issues!!!

Business Card Ad (Full Color) 2X3.5 in $28 x 6=$168

Double Business Card Ad (Full color) 4X3.5 in $44 x 6=$264

Quarter Page Ad (Full Color) 6X4.5 in $56 x 6=$336

Half Page Ad (Full Color) 6X9.5 in (Only 3 Avail) $96 x 6=576

Full Page Ad (Full Color) 12X9.5 in (only 2 avail) $192 x6=$1152

[email protected] or

770-827-8542

George HurstGeorge Hurst

ConstructionConstruction No Job to Big or SmallNo Job to Big or Small

We will Build you a House or a Deck We will Build you a House or a Deck

Free EstimatesFree Estimates

Call TodayCall Today Fairfield Plantation ResidentFairfield Plantation Resident

404404--291291--89308930

770770--830830--76907690

MATH TUTORING SERVICES

Experienced middle/high

school

math tutor, SAT/ACT Prep


Call:

Roger Dumaine

404-394-9976

Get a Market Space Advertisement

for a super deal at $20.00 per issue

Mike Taylor Fairfield Plantation Resident

CONCRETE REPAIR

Waterproofing, Sinking

Concrete Raised,

Basements, Crawl Spaces,

Driveways & Walkways

Free Estimates

404-200-3342

Villa Rica: 2pm-6pm

We will also be at our front gate several times.

Feel free to stop; we’ll have plenty of cookies for you.

If you can’t make it to these locations but would like some

cookies please feel free to reach out to

Michelle Nyberg- [email protected] or

636.485.6457

Miscellaneous

Do you enjoy meeting

PHriendly new

PHolks?

Do you enjoy the

tropical spirit of

Jimmy Buffett's mu-

sic and writing?

Do you enjoy giving back to your commu-

nity by participating in environmental

and community service projects?

Come out an join the West Georgia Par-

rotHead Club, Inc, a social club with a

charity habit.

We meet on the last Wednesday of each

month, 6:30 p.m. at Max and Henry's on

the Square, 108 Adamson Square, Car-

rollton, GA.

For more information go to the club web-

site at www.wgphc.weebly.com or e-mail

IslandTime Bob Abdich, PHounder at pi-

[email protected]

PHinz Up

IslandTime Bob Abdich, PHounder

West Georgia ParrotHead Club

"Just Another Over-Forty Victim of PHate,

Livin' on Island Time"

For Sale

Firewood

1/2 cord seasoned firewood, delivered. $100.00

770-722-8947

Girl Scouts

It is that time of year again- where taste buds are tanta-

lized, resolutions are busted, and little girls are smiling with appreciation. You guessed it- Girl Scout cookie time! Your local Girl Scouts will be out

and about all around our com-munity helping you curb those cravings. Here is where you

can find us: Friday, February 21 – Walmart

in Villa Rica: 6pm-9pm Saturday, February 22 – Wal-mart in Villa Rica: 1pm-5pm Saturday, March 1- Women’s

Club meeting: 10:30am- 11:30am

Saturday, March 1-Bowden Flea Market: 7:30am-4:30pm

Saturday, March 15-Bowden Flea Market: 7:30am-4:30pm Saturday, March 22- Walmart

in Villa Rica: 9am-1pm Sunday, March 23- Walmart in

FREE

CLASSIFIEDS Non Commercial Ads for Fairfield Planta-

tion Residents are FREE , All Help Wanted

Ads are Free. Please visit our website:

fpnav.com or email

[email protected] for details

F A I R F I E L D P L A N T A T I O N N E W S A N D V I E W S Classifieds

Tovey’s World


West Georgia’s Oldest and Most Reliable Ford Dealer. Serving the Area for Over 40

221 East Montgomery St; Villa Rica, GA 30180; 770-459-5132 Visit them at http://www.donrichford.com/

Don’t Forget to Check Out Our AMAZING SERVICE Department

fpnav - february 2014

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