By Kathryn McBroom
Staff Writer

Michael Hughes, of Rutledge’s Back to Wellness center, is launching a new line of natural, memory-based mattresses. The mattresses, which are soy-based, are available through Back to Wellness’s “Back 2 Sleep” gallery.
Manufactured in Madison’s Georgia Sleep Shop, the “chiropedic” mattresses are specifically designed to provide maximum comfort and support via three patented processes and all natural materials. 

Back 2 Sleep mattresses are available in three different styles: chiropedic memory foam, chiropedic Belgium latex, and a chiropedic memory foam and latex combination. Each style is comes in a range of sizes, from twin to California king. 

Hughes, a chiropractor, said he created the mattresses in part because he, “wanted patients, and the community, to improve their lifestyles. I thoroughly enjoy ridding patients of their back pain, and it’s phenomenal to be able to present this to them.”

Stiffness, tossing and turning during sleep, and not waking up well-rested in the morning are all signs that a new mattress might be in order, according to Hughes.

“All research shows good, restful sleeping leads to a longer life. Your total well-being is related to sleep, whether it’s heart, lungs, etc.,” said Hughes. "If you don’t sleep well, you don’t heal well.”

Hughes also had the customer in mind when choosing the materials to make the mattress with. The mattresses use Belgium latex foam and a soy base in lieu of the usual petroleum base.

Also gone are the potential toxic materials in regular mattresses. Instead of boric acid and antimony, Back 2 Sleep mattresses are made with an all-natural rayon flame retardant.

by James Faucett • photographic illustration by Angelina Bellebuono

Many people know that Morgan County has a rural character.

What they may not know is that, according to the county tax assessors’ office, it consistently ranks among the highest of all counties in Georgia as far as privately owned property in conservation.

Of Georgia’s 159 counties, Morgan consistently places at or near the top, both in terms of acreage in conservation and the tax savings those properties represent, according to county Chief Appraiser Chuck Anglin.

This year, nearly 63 percent of the county’s total acreage is in conservation, he said, which essentially means those properties can’t be developed. For both acreage in conservation and taxes saved, the county ranked number one in 2007, the latest year for which he has statistics available.

Over the last five years, the number of properties in conservation use has steadily increased.
According to the tax office, there are 142,820 acres in the state program this year, representing $6.7 million in tax savings. That’s up from 140,398 acres last year, for $7,773,932 in savings, and 125,797 acres, for $5,714,768, five years ago. (Tax savings are lower this year over last because of the drop in property values, Anglin said.)
Generally, Anglin said, owners of properties in conservation save 90 percent to 95 percent in taxes.

One reason the number of properties in conservation has increased over the years, Anglin said, is because more people know about the program than when it started, in 1992.

“And those that were aware, they may have been anxious about placing their land in a covenant for 10 years,” he said.

Witch way did she go? Momma! The mail lady’s on the porch! Go see if she brought us our Halloween Package! Yay! It’s here! Open it up with your long witchy fingernails! Scaralicious! These witch outfits are completely oh-so-dark and mysterious! We’re gonna prance all round town lookin’ like sexy scary witches! I can’t wait to scare all of Morgan County into next week! Hey . . . wait just a doggone minute! My outfit is two sizes too small! I’m gonna look like a fat, fool, sausage witch! Now where’s my magic witch wand! Perf! Let’s see if this stick of magic works so I can make this outfit grow a size or two! Now stand back! Impendo Fasto! BARK! POODLE JUMP! PING! BAM! BOOSH! Ding dang it Petey the Poodle! Give me back my wand! It’s ain’t a poodle toy! What the? My nose feels right strange! Where’s the mirror? Moses. Have. Mercy! My nose has done expanded by a ding dang foot! I look like I fell smack out of the ugly tree and hit every limb, leaf, twig and nut on the way down! Well at least I’ll be ready to scare up some fun at Amici Italian Café’s DJ Halloween Dance Party Friday, Oct. 22 startin’ at 10 p.m. in downtown Madison! See you there! In the meantime, let’s check out (or should I say nose around) the destination and shoppin’ scene!   

Momma’s here and I ain’t done cleanin’ up! CRASH! Ding dang it Momma! You done knocked over my vase! Now where’s that broom I just bought at the Madison Hardware located at 174 West Washington in Madison! I swear I just put it over . . . WHOP! How’d that broom just whop me on the head? Uh-Oh y’all! It’s one of them bewitched brooms! It’s flat levitatin’ in my livin’ room! Momma! Get off that broom! And where in the Sam Hill did you get that creepy black witchy cape? Oh. My. Ever. Livin’. Gosh! I reckon I’ll go get my baseball cap on and help you test drive that witch broom! I sure don’t want to mess up the doo I got at Petal’s Salon! Honey, Beth Cathy’d have a flippin’ fit! Ok I’m all set! Scoot on up and let’s fly! FLASH! WHISH! HEEEEEELP! Somebody GET ME OFF THIS BANGIN’ BROOM!   SPLAT!

    Bangin’ Banjos! Momma looks like a Tennessee fan during the final seconds of the LSU game! She’s flat in shock! Quick! Somebody hand me the smellin’ salts! She’s comin’ round . . . Momma! How in the Sam Hill did you break your ding dang nose? Lord Have Mercy on Moses! Everybody knows you can’t be bobbin’ for apples under the influence of White Lightenin’! Let’s get over to the emergency room! Pinocchio never had it so good!  Wow, Momma! You’re as good as new and that splint is hardly noticeable! Let’s go shop!
    Movin’ & Shakin’! What the? Keith Rex is kickin’ up a storm on Main Street in Madison y’all! Keith’s great J&K Fleas An’Tiques at 184 South Main Street in Madison is ‘bout to get a sister shop right smack across the street! That’s right! Keith is movin’ his West Jefferson Street shop, J&K Antiques and Interiors, to Main Street in the old Bulldog Barber building at 159 Main Street! Plus he’s changin’ the shop’s name to J&K Antiques Etc.! Perf! Ok so Keith says the new shop should be open by Nov. 1 if not before! And, he’s gonna expand hours to seven days a week! The best part is that J&K Antiques Etc. will focus on antiques that are really, really affordable! I flat can’t wait!  Keep watchin’ the Buzz for more intel on this story!

    Change is in the wind. I can’t put my finger on it but somethin’ don’t feel right. Come on Momma! It’s a perfect Fall evening so let’s head over to the Madison Chop House Grille and have Faye shake us up a cocktail or two. Maybe that’ll shake us outta this depressin’ disposition! Momma! Stop cryin’ in your martini! I flat can’t believe you’re just now findin’ out ‘bout Dog Ear Books! Calm down! It ain’t the end of the world! Are you gonna eat those olives? Thanks . . . Lord help us! We’re all gonna need a stout nerve pill to get through this one. Well. I reckon y’all know it’s flat official: Dog Ear Books is closin’ its doors after eight years in Madison this Thursday, but will reopen them in October in Athens on up the road a spell at 162 W. Clayton Street next to the Last Resort Grill. Owner Jon Tonge says all gift certificates will be honored and book exchange credits will still be good. Plus Jon says he’s gonna figure somethin’ out ‘bout deliverin’ books to Madison for us once a week so y’all keep watchin’ this column for more intel on that! Jon, I reckon this is goodbye although I know we’ll see you during visits to Athens! Oh well . . . we’ll just have to get glad in the same britches we got sad in!

    This just in! Ding dang! Ella’s Sweet Shoppe located at 191 West Jefferson St., in downtown Madison is gonna be the absolute first retail destination in the entire United States of America to sell Candy Silly Bandz! Honey Alison Tremonti just flat gave me the heads up! Ok so these crazy Candy Silly Bandz will be at Ella’s Thursday! If you think your kids are already crazy, wait till they get a load of CANDY SILLY BANDZ!