This is Viewpoints for Friday, April 14, 2017

Who knew?

Wow! What were they thinking when someone associated with the Cherry Blossom board suggested bringing back the street party? Who knew the weather would cooperate? Who knew George Clinton’s Funkadelic/Parliament band would bring out so many diverse people? Who knew moving the street party to First Ftreet, Popular Street and Cotton Avenue would make a difference? Who knew this would appear to be one of the most successful street parties ever? The answer is, unless we give it a try, we will never know. Kudos to all those who played a role in this year’s Cherry Blossom Festival.

The truth is, consolidation has motivated so many to take risks and chances this community has not seen in years. I am proud to be pro business, pro development and pro community. Our community partners are on the move, inspiring and encouraging entrepreneurs, students and stakeholders to lead and help plan their community’s future. Personally, I welcome everyone’s input.

Walker’s Pond

I recently visited Walker’s Pond and the new greenspace that is being created in Warner Robins and am very impressed with the progress. I grew up nearby and fished in that pond as a young boy and have many memories there. It is nice to see residents in the neighborhood out walking, jogging, riding bikes and just enjoying themselves on the trail that surrounds the pond. I encourage the city to continue efforts in projects like this that add to the quality of life in the community.

This teacher made a difference

My name is Damácia Howard. I live in Union City and am the National American 2016 Miss Georgia Pre-Teen Queen. Teacher Appreciation Week is the first week in May and I’d like to recognize my Georgia Cyber Academy teacher, who has made a difference in my life this school year, Charissa Ondovic.

Ondovic is my social studies and homeroom teacher and she stands out to me because she makes sure her students learn effectively. She contributes to my educational success by sharing helpful online resources that aid me in understanding class lessons. She always follows up to make sure I’m able to find a solution to my problems.

I’m often busy traveling to pageants, advocating for literacy and volunteering in my community. In April, I was honored to win the 2017 National Youth Activist Award for donating more than 10,000 locally contributed books to Books for Africa. Ondovic supports my extracurricular activities and encourages me to follow my dreams.

Ondovic is a role model because she shows passion in her teaching. This helps me to have more passion for what I love to do which is helping others. She helped me realize that a dream must have passion behind it to make it a reality. Ondovic dedicates her life to excellence in online learning. Without school choice in education, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to learn from someone as great as Ondovic.

What does he know?

Here we go again, an out-going executive director of the 21st Century Partnership, the cry wolf people, is talking out of his south-end mouth with his north-bound mule. I’d bet the only reason he knows Tom Scott is by what the kicked out ex-union officers told him. I am retired and a past steward and I still believe Tom did a great job. Who is Penny to judge anybody. He could not even stay a year as head of the 21st Century Partnership. Since he’s leaving what business is it of his anyway? Penny doesn’t pay dues or know the bylaws or any other things about AFGE Local 987. He should shut up and drive back up Interstate-75.

Under served area

As my neighbors and I sit and marvel at the blinding speed of the construction on Forest Hill Road, we wonder how things could possibly get better. I mean, after all, we have more orange barrels than anyone could possibly wish for, and traffic delays leave us plenty of time to catch up on the news and listen to the latest pop music.

However, there was one way in which our area was under served. The intersection of Northside Drive and Forest Hill Road has only two convenience stores. Oh, the drugstore tries to pick up some of the slack, but they can only do so much. We tried to accept our situation, but we felt deprived. Imagine our joy to read that Circle K is coming to our rescue and opening a new store on the fourth corner. Finally, there will be someone to meet all of our cigarette, beer and chips needs. Life is good.

Alcohol Awareness Month

While Alcohol Awareness Month is a good time for people to reflect on their alcohol consumption, responsible drinking should be practiced year-round.

The 2016 Surgeon General’s Report on alcohol states, “the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans indicate that moderate alcohol use can be part of a healthy diet, but only when used by adults of legal drinking age.”

According to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, moderate alcohol consumption is defined as up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men. The Guidelines define a drink-equivalent as 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits , 5 ounces of wine and 12 ounces of regular beer . Most recently, a study of 1.9 million adults published March 22 in the British Medical Journal concludes that moderate alcohol consumption (beer, spirits or wine) is associated with a reduction in the risk of several cardiovascular diseases compared to non-drinkers or heavy drinkers. This finding is supported by four decades of studies with similar results.

It is not recommended that anyone drink alcohol products for potential health benefits. Alcohol abuse can cause serious health and other problems, and even drinking in moderation may pose health risks for some people.

If you have questions regarding alcohol and health, discuss the potential risks and potential benefits of consuming alcohol with a physician.

This story was originally published April 13, 2017 at 9:00 PM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Friday, April 14, 2017."