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Issue 11 | April 2022
Local High School Mock Trial Team Going
to State Finals
Winners of the District Competition
March 2022

Photo credit and permission granted by https://www.facebook.com/TheBHSMockTrial/

In a typical week, I can easily spend 30+ hours per week in a courtroom. So, you would think that volunteering to spend more time there would be the last thing that I would want to do. In some cases that might be true, but not when it comes to helping coach the Bremen High School Mock Trial team! 

I have had the privilege of being a part of this program for over three years now, and it is truly one of the best decisions I have ever made. These young adults are so intelligent and interested in trying to solve moral dilemmas that have plagued our legal system for years. It is inspiring to see our future leaders in action at such a young age. 

The Mock Trial extra-curriculum program involves many schools from all over the United States. This gives all of the students who are involved the opportunity to meet peers from different parts of the world, which in turn offers students a glimpse of new cultures and perspectives. Plus it gives these students experience in things like learning to separate fact from opinion, having a better understanding of our legal system, and how to speak publicly. 

Each team goes through the process of a real trial, oftentimes in a real courtroom. The Mock Trial team has to build their case using the provided evidence and witness testimony as if it were a real courtroom trial. It takes the teams months to build their case and prepare for "court" and the level of dedication that the BHS team has shown is very impressive! 

Recently, the team competed in the District Competition at the Douglas County Courthouse, and they won! This means that they will advance to the State Finals, which is such an exciting opportunity for these kids. I couldn't be prouder of all of their hard work and dedication, and cannot wait to see where they go from here! 

If you would like to stay up to date on their progress, feel free to check out their Facebook page at  https://www.facebook.com/TheBHSMockTrial/ and help cheer them on!

Being State Bound is totally worthy of some special donuts! 

Local Events

Reel at The MILL- FREE Movie Night

Springtime in Georgia is such a beautiful time of year, and I love any excuse to be outside. If you are looking for a fun outdoor event that is economical, then this event checks all of those boxes! 

The City of Villa Rica will be hosting the Reel at the MILL on Friday, May 13th. This will be a free event, so bring your lawn chairs or blankets and watch a movie under the stars. 

And there is no need to pack snacks if you don't want to. Popcorn, candy, and drinks will be available for purchase and they are just $1!


The featured movie has not been announced yet, but it will be family-friendly. So add it to your calendar today and I hope to see you out there! Stay up to date on this event by bookmarking this link: http://downtownvillarica.com/event/reel-at-the-mill/
 
Details
Date: May 13
Time: 8:00pm - 11:00pm
Cost: FREE 
Riesling Peach Glazed Ham
This Delicious Ham is Perfect for Easter

Easter will be here soon which means that it is time to start planning our family dinner. Every family has its own traditions, but I love making a spiral ham, it is what I grew up with and makes me think back to childhood Easter meals and the fun we all had. 

What makes this ham recipe so different from many others is the glaze made with Riesling wine and peach preserves. It makes an amazing sweet & savory glaze that I just love. I hope that you enjoy it!

INGREDIENTS: 

  • 1 fully cooked bone-in spiral cut half ham (6-8 pounds)
  • 1 cup Riesling wine
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme plus more for garnish if desired
  • 1 shallot finely chopped
  • 18 ounces peach preserves
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
  • 1/2 cup stone-ground mustard
DIRECTIONS: 
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Line a shallow roasting pan with foil. Place ham on the rack in the roasting pan.
  • Put an ovenproof meat thermometer in the ham so tip is in center of the thickest part of the meat and does not touch bone.
  • In a 1-quart saucepan, heat wine, thyme sprigs, and shallot to boiling over medium-high heat.
  • Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until the wine is reduced to 1/2 cup.
  • Remove from heat and discard thyme sprigs. Stir in peach preserves, brown sugar, and mustard.
  • Brush half of glaze mixture over ham.
  • Bake ham uncovered 1 hour 30 minutes. Baste ham with remaining glaze mixture every 30 minutes.
  • Cover ham loosely with foil, and bake for another 30 minutes, or until thermometer reads 140 degrees F.
  • Remove ham from oven and let stand 15 minutes before serving.

To read more about this recipe, click the link to see the source of it and more photos: https://realhousemoms.com/riesling-peach-glazed-ham/#recipe
Take the Sting out of Painful Gas Prices
Gas Prices are Expected to Stay High for a While, Use These Tips to Save

IMPROVING YOUR GAS MILEAGE

Times are getting tough as fuel prices are skyrocketing. As a result, many of us have stopped traveling as often as we would like and only get out of the house to work or school. It is almost time for Spring Break, and vacation season will soon follow, so here are a few tips that can help extend your gas budget. 

 

Perform routine maintenance 

Your vehicle will often come with a manual describing how best to maintain it. Each one will have spark plugs, sensors, filters, and connections that could affect your fuel efficiency. However, regularly maintaining your vehicle will also reduce emissions, so it's a better decision for the environment and your budget. If this is something that you aren't comfortable doing yourself, ask your mechanic next time you are there to check them for you. 

 

Check your tire pressure and alignment.

Under-inflated tires or ones that are not adequately balanced can result in your car's poor fuel economy. These factors are vital for the vehicle to run smoothly on the road, wearing the tread down evenly. Uneven tires could lead to poor fuel usage and potential mishaps on the road. Refer to your car's owner manual or look at the tire itself for guidance on refilling your tires. Having your tires balanced won't happen near as often as checking the air pressure, but a local tire service technician can help!

 

Don't let your motor idle

Letting your car run when it's not moving, aka idling, is a massive waste of fuel. The average MPG when idling is ZERO! Modern cars have start-stop technology that helps cut down on wasting energy. Vehicles burn more fuel when idling than in motion and release more pollutants into the environment. The wear caused to your car from turning it on and off is about $10 per year or less. That is $60-$500 less than you spend in a year on fuel when you leave your vehicle running. 

 

Clear out the extra weight

You wouldn't think that your gym bag, those extra shoes, or the boxes you forgot to take out last week are wasting your gas, but they could be! Items in your car or attached to the outside can slow it down, taking more effort to get it up to speed when on the road. This extra effort costs you more in fuel. Anything that causes resistance to the vehicle's motion affects its fuel efficiency too. Clean out your back seats once a week, and unload anything that isn't necessary to take with you. Don't forget the luggage racks, trailer attachments, and items on the roof can also slow your car down on the road.

 

Keep to the speed limit

We all have stepped on the gas pedal a little harder at times, just wanting to get home as soon as possible. But have you ever wondered why that speed limit sign only lets you go 55 mph? It's just as much to do with reducing fuel consumption as safety. Driving above 55 mph only reduces fuel efficiency because your car will require more energy to maintain speed. So allow a respectable distance between other drivers and yourself, get up to speed, and set your cruise control to avoid using your accelerator. However, never use cruise control on rain, snow, hail, sleet, or icy roads. This poses a significant danger to you and other drivers around you. 
 

Save Money With Technology

Instead of driving from place to place, there are websites and apps out there that will show you real-time gas prices in your area. One that you can try is called Gas Buddy. Simply enter your zip code into the Gas Price Map and it will show you current prices for all of the stations in the area. https://www.gasbuddy.com/. It also allows you to search by the brand of stations, such as Chevron or BP in case you have a preference. 

Hopefully, this will not be a long-term problem but these are still helpful even if gas prices eventually go back down.

What are you doing to survive these high gas prices? Share with us on our Facebook page. We would love to hear your ideas and maybe it can help us all save some money!
 https://www.facebook.com/TheLawOfficeOfJulieCMoore

Man Steals SUV
to Bail Brother out of Jail
for Stealing SUV

Such an odd example of brotherly love. 

In 2019,  Eric McCracken was stopped in a 2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer for a traffic violation and arrested on the scene due to driving with a suspended license. Shortly after, the authorities learned that the SUV was reported stolen and he was charged with possession of stolen property. Nothing unusual here, car thefts happen every day and luckily he was caught with no one getting hurt.

Here's where it gets unusual

Just a few hours later, Eric's brother Keith McCracken was also arrested. Shortly before 5 a.m., the local sheriff's office said it was alerted of a stolen 2015 Chevy Silverado.  They put a lookout for it and once it was spotted, they began following the SUV to try and stop it. The driver then led the officers on a brief chase, driving through residential yards in an attempt to escape. Keith McCracken eventually left the SUV on foot and was caught shortly thereafter. He was taken into custody and charged with possession of stolen property. Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse said in a news release "It is believed that the younger McCracken was en route to the Jackson County Jail to post bail on his older brother in a stolen vehicle." Seems like there was quite a large flaw in his plan to rescue his brother. 

Keith's arrest led to a family reunion- but probably not the kind that he had in mind. 

Thank You for Reading!
~Julie

Do You Need a Lawyer in Carroll County?
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