Where in the world is Waynesboro, Georgia

Okay, I don't expect the average American to know where the town of Waynesboro, Georgia is, but I would think that the New York Times and Time magazine should, or at least be able to find it on Google maps. On Tuesday, President Obama made news by announcing a multi-billion dollar loan to the Southern Company to help build two new reactors a the Vogtle plant in Waynesboro, 25 miles south of Augusta. The Georgia location made sense for many reasons, mostly because Georgians are willing to accept the plants and need the jobs.

The New York Times simply referred to Plant Vogtle as being in the Augusta vicinity. Okay, I'll buy that, but they could have been a little more clear in my mind. Time Magazine, however, identified Plant Vogtle as being outside Atlanta. Well, Waynesboro is about 175 miles from Atlanta, so I don't think of it as "outside Atlanta." I have to give them a little cred, however, since they did correctly identify the plant as The Alvin W. Vogtle nuclear power plant.

Vogtle, an Auburn alumni, joined the Army Air Force during World War II and served with the Mighty Eighth. He was shot down over North Africa and spent most of his time trying to escape from various German POW camps. After the war he continued his education, joining Alabama Power after it had formed the Southern Company with 3 other Southeastern power companies. He worked his way through the ranks to become President and eventually, CEO of the Atlanta-based company. Vogtle's claim to fame may elude most people. He was the inspiration for Capt. Hilts "The Cooler King," Steve McQueen's in the movie The Great Escape.

When Forsyth County, Georgia became nationally known for two marches led by Hosea Williams, some people flew to their maps, then erroneously identified the central Georgia city of Forsyth as the location of the marches, not aware that the state had both a city and a county of the same name. All I would say to the people that can't get the geography right is that we are the State of Georgia, not the foreign country, and you really should know better.

A simple "by the way" to Time and the New York Times. Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue has absolutely nothing to do with chickens, except as part of his vet practice.