Rockdale Citizen

The Citizen Poll is a weekly compilation of reader comments on subjects of local interest. The Citizen publishes as many comments as space allows. Comments, which may be edited for space or content, are published anonymously on Sunday. To submit a comment, call 770-483-7108, ext. 402, email poll@rockdalecitizen.com or complete the online form. The Citizen Poll is not a forum for comments about candidates in political races.

"What is going on at Memorial Middle School? It seems like the inmates and their parents are running the asylum. The administration needs to start supporting the teachers or there will be none left!"

"Thank God the old principal of CMS left the school. She was never going to get a break from you teachers that hold a grudge. She tried. She did what was asked of her for your sake. You never accepted her changes or even gave her a chance. Now at least she is in a place where she can do what needs to be done, and maybe she will finally get some recognition and acceptance for what she does and tries to do. I'm sorry the school that you devoted so much time and energy to gave you such a hard time. Good luck Ms. Nesmith, much success as you move forward."

"Last week in the Citizen Poll a parent stated a school administrator told her child he did not have to obey the policeman at his school. Did you request a meeting with the administrator and try to verify your child's claim? After all, as parents we all know that our children never, ever, never lie."

"Attention all residents that live the subdivision of Bridle Ridge Walk, off Dogwood right before you get to the Diary Queen. My home was burglarized! Cars have been burglarized! Association fees are skyrocketing! We are not safe. If you see any suspicious people walking around the neighborhood, please call the police immediately. I have small children and thank God we were not home! These thugs broke in my home mid-morning during the day when they know that law-abiding citizens are working! I'm a stay-at-home mom and I just thank God that on this particular day my kids and I were out all day. I had electronic devices stolen! My husband works hard to provide us with these things and now they are gone! You are welcome thieves! You will not steal my joy!"

"I applaud all the cancer fundraising efforts but could we please stop all the breast references like save the boobs and save the ta-tas and all that stuff. I will still keep giving money no matter what, but it's a bit much. You don't see the testicular cancer victims saying all the rude things they could say. Or the colon cancer people saying, 'Save the butts!' Everyone knows what breasts are and we don't have to be so coarse about it."

"I would like to thank those who kept the median on Highway 138 between Sigman and Hi Roc/ Dennard cut and all the trash picked up. Now for the rest of Rockdale County, shame on us. The roads have so much trash on them, and in our neighborhoods. Let's do better."----

"I was at the Rockdale/Lovejoy game last Friday and watched a Rockdale football dad come up to the Rockdale band director and complain about us playing when timeout was not called. First of all this is the only time I have ever seen this happen and on top of that if it wasn't for the band and their families coming to the away games there wouldn't be much support for the football team. The band works hard every day just as the football team. Then I found out the son of the dad complaining was not playing as he was injured. I was really wanting to make a comment to him when we ended up losing 41-0 that I was glad we didn't play and make too much noise as we may have really got beat, but unfortunately I wasn't able to do so as the parents that did the complaining left after the third quarter. That is a real good fan! The band and its families cheer for and support the football team, and I find it really sad that they can't do the same. After all, the kids do go to the same school and all of them work hard."

"I also agree that Judge Nation is the type of judge we need in Conyers. He keeps the defendants guessing and refuses to give in to terrible people. He sees right through their excuses and lies. One thing this town does not need is lenient judges right now. I really hope the new judges are tough so criminals will want to stay away from Rockdale. The police are doing pretty good but the judges are the ones who really do the deterring with hard sentences and the truth about what is right and wrong. I want good defense lawyers to give up on Conyers because of our judges. If criminals start telling each other not to go to Conyers, we will be good. A couple of more killings of criminals by police would help out, too. It really bothers me when people get mugged in parking lots and businesses get robbed like Fred's, Subway, and QT."

"The restaurants in Conyers are gradually making it impossible for people to eat there ... actually drink. Those new CocaCola machines that deliver a lot of different flavors are great in theory, but terrible in practice! If you select just one flavor (regular CocaCola for instance) you actually get some strange mix that is a combination of all the flavors, even if you run a lot of water through beforehand (just the plain water picks up tastes). Our family cannot use these machines as one member is highly allergic to strawberries and there's too much chance of enough strawberry being left to cause a life-threatening reaction! When that member isn't with us, we still don't eat at these places on principle. These machines are a bad idea that prevent anyone with allergies to any of the various flavors from using the machines period (and thus the entire establishment)."

"We all want to live in a community with healthy families and a healthy economy, but for many native peoples, this dream remains elusive. Celebrate National American Indian & Alaska Native Heritage Month this November by pledging to support native peoples! Native Americans have the power to maintain the health of their own communities, but often lack the resources to do so. Currently, less than one-half of 1 percent of all private philanthropic dollars goes to American Indian and Alaska Native causes."

"Regarding the new trash can ordinance, it's fine but there are bigger fish to fry. I live in Olde Town and I see several houses that are obeying the trash can law but have junk on the porch and in the front yard. One house on Main Street has the columns braced off like they are going to refurbish them but it has been that way for over six months. That street is sort of the crown jewel of Olde Town as far as exposure and the houses should look good. Most houses are pretty good but check the ancient trash pile by skips printing and some of the porches on Peek and Institute streets. The trash cans are not really an issue unless you are talking about the apartments and duplexes on Lakeview Drive. Those cans are everywhere on that street."

"On Wednesday afternoon around 3:30, a train was stopped and blocking Sigman Road. This is not really a problem, trains have the right of way. However, no one was moving! People, there's a very nice road called Old Covington Highway that you could have used to keep traffic flowing. A few would still have been stuck, but traffic overall wouldn't have been at a deadlock! Thanks to the discourtesy of so many people, I had to backtrack to Turner Hill Road on I-20 then come down Old Covington Highway that way to get around the mess. Most trains won't stop there, but when they do, people really need to use the alternatives they have instead of clogging up traffic!"