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Happy almost December!  I am so excited for this month.  I love all the parades in and around Sylvester especially the ones at night when the lights are shining brightly.  I love going in the different shops too!  I also love the lighting of the tree at Phoebe Worth.  That happens this week too!  And I love to watch the tree lighting at Rockerfeller Plaza.  Eeeek I love this time of year....

There are so many GREAT things coming up so be sure to check out each week's edition of The Martin News for all the great information.  We hope to see you out and about....

Thank you for all of your support to The Martin News.  We appreciate you all.  Be sure to check out this week's edition of The Martin News and check out all the great things coming up in around Sylvester!

  Georgia's Move Over Law

Georgia’s Move Over Law says motorists travelling in the lane adjacent to the shoulder must move-over one lane when emergency and utility vehicles are stopped on the side of the highway and operating in an official capacity. Vehicles included in the law include all first responders (law enforcement, fire, EMS), utility vehicles, DOT vehicles, HERO Units and wreckers tending to an accident. The law is meant to keep officers AND traffic violators safe from crashes with passing cars. The Move Over Law was passed in the aftermath of growing numbers of police, emergency technicians and DOT workers being killed during routine traffic stops, crash responses and highway construction projects around the nation. Right now, more than thirty states have Move Over Laws on the books, with fines that range as high as a thousand dollars or more in some jurisdictions. The Move Over fine in Georgia can be up to $500. Failure to obey the Move Over Law can lead to consequences far more serious than fines. According to FBI statistics, traffic crashes claim the lives of more police personnel than any other cause of death in the line of duty, including shootings. Reports show emergency vehicles of all types have been struck while parked beside Georgia highways, even while their emergency lights were flashing. The Georgia Move Over Law requires drivers to move-over one lane when possible if an emergency vehicle with flashing lights is parked on the shoulder of the highway. And if traffic is too heavy to move-over safely, the law requires drivers to slow down below the posted speed limit instead AND to be prepared to stop.

Source: Georgia Highway Safety 

 The Light Shines In His Cards

I know I have said all the great things I love about Christmas. Let me tell you another favorite of mine. I LOVE Christmas cards! I love, love them so much. Reading Christmas cards from everyone is the neatest thing. They are made with all designs and precious words. I received one recently that was a Thomas Kinkade card. It was very beautiful. I love his art. I am at loss for words over his paintings. According to his biography, in the very beginning of his artistic career, Thomas Kinkade put his entire life savings into the printing of his first lithograph. Though at the time he was already an acclaimed illustrator, Thom found that he was inspired not by fame and fortune, but by the simple act of painting straight from the heart, putting on canvas the natural wonders and images that moved him most. It was this dedication and singular-minded focus on the ultimate goal of Sharing the Light™ that made Thomas Kinkade, a simple boy with a brush from the small country town of Placerville, California the most-collected living artist of his time. Throughout his life Thomas Kinkade shared his joy and used his paints in support of hospitals, schools, and humanitarian relief. Though the recipient of countless awards and honors, it was Thom’s profound sense of purpose that his art was not just an accessory, but also a ministry, that continues on as his legacy. From custom images that were sold for The Salvation Army, Hurricane Katrina relief, Rotary International, to donations that now grace the halls of St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, the White House, The Vatican, and Britain’s Tate Museum, Thom raised hundreds of thousands of dollars over his lifetime for charity. The artist was also a devout and loving family man. It was this devotion for his family that inspired him to add symbols of his love to his artwork. Numerous paintings contain hidden “N’s” representing Thom’s lovely wife Nanette and many other paintings include the numbers 5282 as tribute to their wedding date May 2, 1982. Thom’s four daughters were also included in his artistic process- after the birth of each of his daughters, Thom painted adoring images in each of their namesake; Evening at Merritt’s Cottage, Chandler’s Cottage, Winsor Manor and Everett’s Cottage. Thomas Kinkade, the Painter of Light™, emphasized simple pleasures and inspirational messages through his art – and the branded products created from that art. From textiles, to collectibles, to music and books, Thom gave credit to a higher power for both the ability and the inspiration to create his paintings. His goal as an artist, who was Christian, was to touch people of all faiths, to bring peace and joy into their lives through the images he had created. Thom’s dearest wish had always been that his artwork would be a messenger of hope and inspiration to others – a message to slow down, appreciate the little details in life, and to look for beauty in the world around us. As millions of collectors around the world sit back and enjoy his artwork in their homes, there is no doubt that Thomas Kinkade had indeed achieved his goal of Sharing the Light™. I hope everyone enjoys this Christmas Season and thank you to everyone that I have received cards from. I absolutely love them all!