Newspaper Page Text
Operation Crystal Web’ Results in 140 Warrants
Upson Sheriff, DA Marie Broder Help Bust Meth Distribution Network
The following story
was submitted by Larry
Stanford of the Rockdale
Citizen:
Butts County Sheriff
Gary Long and officials
from 16 other local, state,
and federal law enforce
ment agencies held a news
conference Friday after
noon to discuss the suc
cess of “Operation Crystal
Web,” a five-month inves
tigation of a methamphe-
tamine distribution
network across middle
Georgia that began in
Butts County and culmi
nated with multiple ar
rests.
More than 140 arrest
warrants were executed
Friday on 70 suspects in 12
counties believed to be
part of the network, and
on 20 more suspects in
Spalding County. More
than 125 deputies and po
lice officers from the dif
ferent agencies took part
in the arrests. As of 2 p.m.
Friday, 45 of 70 suspects
had been taken into cus
tody and brought to Butts
County for booking, and 12
of 20 more suspects were
arrested in Spalding
County.
Long said his office
began the investigation
last August and soon real
ized the enormity of the
operation.
"We were targeting
what we thought was a
small group in our
county," Long said. "It did
n't take long at all to real
ize how big this was going
to be. I made the deter
mination to partner with
numerous other local,
state, and federal agencies
Crystal Web, 8A
Jimmy C. Rogers
English’s Cafe Falls Victim to Vehicle Collision
The entrance of English’s Comer Cafe was destroyed after a Chevrolet Silverado ran into the
building. See the story on Page 5A. Photo submitted.
URMC Offering
COVTD Vaccine to
Ages 65 & Older
First Responders Also Eligible
Rendering of the southeast view of the
proposed new fire department.
City OKs Contract
For $2.38 Million
New Fire Station
‘Revitalization’Consultant Approved
Thomaston City Coun
cil members voted unani
mously last week to
authorize Mayor J.D. Stall
ings to execute contractual
documents with
McWright, LLC for the
construction of a new
$2,382,110 fire station.
Cost includes an added
fifth bay for the new home
8 10499 02461 2
of Thomaston Fire Depart
ment, which will be lo
cated on North Church
Street between West Cen
tral Georgia Bank and
Tidal Wave Auto Spa.
Council members also
approved selection of ELA
Studios, the firm which de
signed the Greatest Gener
ation Park memorial, as
consultant on a local
downtown revitalization
plan.
The revitalization plan
is a step toward Thomas
ton applying for a rural
zone application through
the Department of Com
munity Affairs, according
to City Manager Russell
Thompson. The applica
tion is contingent upon a
feasibility study which is
See Fire Station, 8A
Working in partnership
with the Georgia Depart
ment of Public Health,
Upson Regional Medical
Center began offering
COVID-19 vaccinations
Tuesday, Jan. 12 to indi
viduals eligible under the
CDC/DPH Phase la defini
tions as follows:
•Adults aged 65 and
older
•Law enforcement of
ficers
•Firefighters
•First responders
“Upson Regional is ex
cited to expand our ability
to vaccinate more of our
middle Georgia population
against COVID-19. We all
look forward to the day
when life seems normal
again. Getting vaccinated
is an important first step
in achieving this. I believe
the light at the end of this
long tunnel is beginning to
shine very brightly,” said
URMC CEO Jeff Tarrant.
URMC currently has
supply of only Pfizer
COVID-19 vaccine and, at
this point, does not antici-
See Vaccine, jA
URMC began offering COVTD-ig vaccinations
Tuesday, Jan. 12 to individuals eligible under
the CDC/DPH Phase la definitions.
C@VID-19
Closures & Updates
Upson County
Limiting Public Access
to Gov’t Buildings
After reviewing guid
ance from the Georgia De
partment of Public Health
and Upson Regional Med
ical Center, Upson County
has announced temporary
changes in operations for
public access to city and
county government facil
ities.
Effective last Monday,
county offices are open
and will be available by ap
pointment only. All offices
may be reached by tele
phone or email, according
to local officials. A direc
tory for Upson County can
be found at www.upson-
countyga.org.
It is requested that face
coverings be worn when in
See County, 8A
City Limiting Exposure
in Local Offices
In efforts to mitigate
the potential exposure of
coronavirus, city govern
ment office physical loca
tions are temporary closed
to the general public, ac
cording to an announce
ment from the office of
Thomaston Mayor J.D.
Stallings.
Staff will be available
by telephone or by email to
address any questions or
to provide any information
necessary concerning the
provision of municipal
services. City offices are
open, but will be available
by appointment only. Cit
izens are urged to contact
City Hall to schedule any
such needs.
These closures and re
vised methods of contact
shall remain in effect until
further notice.
See City, 8A
Probate Judge McRae
Continues Calendars
Scheduled for January
Upson County Probate
Court Judge Danielle
McRae released the fol
lowing statement regard
ing the January probate
calendars:
"Due to the rising
number of COVID-19
cases in Upson County, I
feel it best to continue the
court calendars that are
scheduled for the month of
January. This will be for
both the arraignment cal
endar and the contested
calendar. Arraignment,
which was scheduled for
Monday, Jan. 11, will be
continued to Monday, Feb.
8 at 9 a.m. The contested
calendar, which was
scheduled for Monday,
See Probate, 8A
Car Tag and Tax Office
Lobby Closed to Public
Because of a recent
spike in COVID-19 cases,
the Upson County tag and
tax office lobby will remain
closed to the public until
Jan. 19 or until further no
tice, according to Tax
Commissioner Andy Chas
tain.
The office will be
staffed during the closure
to handle all tag, title, and
tax transactions by phone
at 706-647-8931.
Forms and envelopes
needed for title work and
payments are provided on
a table located inside the
doorway, and there is a
drop box on the commis
sioner’s door that may be
used to submit paperwork
and payments. Tag re
newal stickers and plates
will be mailed promptly on
the day of completion. A
See Tag/Tax, 8A
(0 Griffin Ob-Gyn
NOW SEEING PATIENTS IN THOMASTON
CALL TO MAKE AN
APPOINTMENT TODAY:
403 WEST MAIN STREET
TUESDAY-THURSDAY 8:30-4:30
(770)227.5505
(706)646.2888
Leigh Ann Story, CNM; Bryan Krepps. HO; Jim Dunaway, MD; Lou Hameli, MO; Holly Harrison, PA-C;
Nadine Nolting, CNH; Enid Lofters-Jones, MD; Hegan Potter. HD; Katya Brickman. CNM; Ashley Johnson, PA