Georgia Sky Watch

Magazine Overview

Title: Georgia Sky Watch
Issue: 19
Volume: Fall 2001
Publisher: MUFON of Georgia
Country: USA
Language: English

State Director's Message

The State Director opens by acknowledging a challenging year but notes that the MUFON of Georgia chapter has investigated several cases, with two involving MUFON personnel as primary witnesses. The director highlights four solid cases from 2001, which are recapped in this issue: a January 3rd glowing object over Fayetteville, March 26th cylinder-shaped objects over Wray and Roswell, Georgia, and mid-June multiple oblong objects over Whitesburg, Georgia. The director encourages members to provide their email addresses for timely updates and notes that case recaps are taken from the MUFONGA Update, of which approximately 75 have been issued since 1998. The Roswell-Wray cylinder case is now posted on WUFOD. The director urges all Field Investigators (FITs) to read completed reports at WUFOD as a primer for investigative procedures and mentions other WUFOD reports, including the Walton County String of Pearls case, Wrightsville Triangle, Douglas Georgia Multiple Orbs, and Polk County Cone Shaped Object.

The message also addresses the lack of large general meetings in the Metro/North Georgia area in 2001, noting a significant decline in attendance from over 100 persons in previous years to around 40. The director attributes this decrease partly to the proliferation of UFO websites on the internet, which may lead people to believe they can find sufficient information online. Consequently, MUFON of Georgia is focusing on smaller regional meetings and Dinner Forums to engage those genuinely interested in UFOs. Discussions are ongoing for meetings in Blue Ridge and east/coastal Georgia. The year will conclude with a Dinner Forum on November 10, 2001, which was tentatively scheduled to feature British ufologist Frank Richards. However, Richards had to return to England due to medical program requirements, prompting a shift in the program to personal security and self-defense, drawing on the State Director's past experience with a similar course.

Georgia Cases

This section details several UFO sightings and encounters reported in Georgia during 2001:

• January 3, 2001 - Fayetteville, GA - Glowing Silver Acorn/Disc: FITs Carl and Helen observed an acorn-shaped object with a yellowish light and mist-like vapor, which slowly descended and appeared to have two jet-like contrails nearby. The object was later seen to perform a zig-zag maneuver.
• January 29, 2001 - Heard County, GA - Gray Triangle: A witness reported seeing a large, weathered gray, slab-like triangle with a darker, possibly concave back moving towards Heard County.
• February 12, 2001 - Buford, GA - 2 Dark Disc-Shaped Objects: A man observed two dark, disk-shaped objects moving southwest at a slow speed. The objects were described as the size of a pencil eraser at arm's length, had no sound, lights, or protuberances, and were dark, showing no reflection.
• March 26, 2001 - Wray & Roswell, GA - Contrail/Disappearing Craft: John Bodin Sr. observed an aircraft's contrail that stopped, after which the aircraft appeared to be wingless and had a 'heat-like' emanation before vanishing. Michael D. Hitt, a Roswell police officer, reported a similar observation of a wingless aircraft with an unusual emanation that disappeared.
• April 30, 2001 - Marietta, GA - Triangle: Two witnesses saw a triangular craft flying very low, with no visible blades, appearing to be a helicopter initially.
• June 11, 2001 - LaGrange, GA - Firey Hoax: A report of a 'long tube shaped object with smoke and flames' was investigated and found to be a hoax, consisting of a plastic bag, wooden frame, and candles.
• June 17, 2001 - Norcross, GA - Silver Acorn/Disc: MUFON member Tony Richards and his family observed a silver or gray, acorn-shaped object hovering over treetops, estimated to be about 3 miles away.
• June 17, 2001 - Lawrenceville, GA - Large Green Meteor: DDI Jim Clifford and his wife observed a blue light, identified as a large meteor.
• June 17, 2001 - LaGrange, GA - Reddish-White Light: John Thompson observed an unusual reddish light with white around it, appearing to bounce.
• Mid-June, 2001 - Whitesburg, GA - Multiple Oblong Craft with Red and White Lights: A family observed an oblong craft with red and white lights hovering over a field, estimated to be about 500 yards away and 150 feet in altitude. The object moved at high speed and was later joined by two additional similar objects, with the family observing seven objects in total for thirty minutes before they vanished.
• June 27, 2001 - LaGrange, GA - White Pyramid: A motorist reported a 'white pyramid' hovering in the sky for about 8 seconds, observed at a 45-60 degree angle and estimated to be about 1 mile away.
• September 11, 2001 - Griffin, GA - Two Discs Change From Blue to Green: During a period of air-flight ban, a witness observed two discs with lights that changed from blue to green, darting around each other.

Calendar of Events

• November 9-11, 2001: Journeys Beyond 2001 in Mobile, Alabama.
• November 10, 2001: MUFON of Georgia Dinner Forum in Norcross, Georgia.
• November 17-18, 2001: MUFON of Georgia sky watch at Fort Mountain, near Dalton.

Personal Security and Self Defense

Due to the cancellation of a scheduled speaker, the MUFON of Georgia meeting on November 10th will feature a program on personal security and self-defense. This course, based on the State Director's past experience, will cover self-defense philosophy, firearms use and safety, pistol range exercises, and 'on the mat' defensive tactics. The director emphasizes that this is a practical, 'down and dirty' overview of techniques for a last-ditch defensive effort.

Sky Watch and Weather Preparedness

The issue mentions the upcoming Leonids meteor shower on November 17-18, predicting a 'REAL storm' with the potential for 2500 meteors per hour. The sky watch will be held at Fort Mountain due to its clear skies and higher altitude. Advice is given on how to dress warmly for the event, recommending layers, a hat, scarf, and snow boots, and suggesting dressing for temperatures 20-30 degrees colder than the actual reading.

MUFONGA Updates and E-mail Addresses

Information is provided on how to receive MUFONGA Updates via email by sending a message to [email protected]. The Georgia Sky Watch newsletter is presented as a forum for exchanging ideas and information, with opinions expressed belonging to the authors and not necessarily reflecting MUFON of Georgia's views.

MUFON HQ and Website Information

Links are provided for the MUFON HQ web page (http://www.mufon.com) and the MUFON of Georgia website (www.geocities.com/mufonga/). Investigated Georgia UFO cases can be found at http://www.isur.com.

Instant UFO Library

An offer is made to sell a lot of 70 paperback UFO books for $200, with an additional $20 for shipping. The seller is also looking for 1950s APRO Bulletins and other 'Saucer 'zines'.

MUFON of Georgia Dinner Forum Details

The details for the MUFON of Georgia Dinner Forum on Saturday, November 10, 2001, are provided, including the time (3:00 PM), location (Norcross, Georgia, I-85/Indian Trail Exit, 5125 Willow Oak Trail at Shoney's Private Dining Room), and agenda (Case Discussions, Open Discussions, Security & Defense). Directions are also included.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are UFO sightings and investigations, with a focus on specific cases within Georgia. There is also an emphasis on the practical aspects of UFO investigation, including the importance of thorough reporting and the challenges of declining public interest in general meetings. The publication promotes a shift towards more focused regional gatherings and events. The editorial stance appears to be one of encouraging critical thinking and investigation, as evidenced by the quote about skeptics being good investigators. The newsletter also highlights the importance of staying informed through updates and encourages reader participation.