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Albany Man Charged With Drug Trafficking
High Speed Chase Ends in Arrest
After a high-speed vehicle
chase and ensuing foot pur
suit March 2, Ricci Dennard,
41, of Albany was arrested and
charged with trafficking in co
caine, according to Upson
County Sheriff Dan Kilgore.
Officers confiscated 4.1
pounds of cocaine in both
powder and crack form with a
street value of more than
$70,000, along with $3,000
in cash, Kilgore said.
Dennard initially was
stopped on Highway 19 North
near the Pike County line by
Upson Sgt. Mario Cromer and
Meriwether County Sgt. Jay
Rogers for traffic violations.
During questioning, Dennard
fled into Pike County and was
pursued by deputies at speeds
over 100 miles per hour, ac
cording to the report.
After meeting an oncom
ing Pike Sheriff s Office dep
uty, Dennard abruptly pulled
down an embankment south
of Zebulon and fled on foot.
Drug Trafficking, 4A
Commissioners
Start ‘Conversation’
About Increasing
Exemptions
Property Owners Could
Net Tax Savings
By Bridge Turner
Managing Editor
Upson County Commissioners opened
talks last week about the possibility of in
creasing exemptions for local property
owners, which could result in reduced
bills for many taxpayers.
County Manager Jason Tinsley used a
senior exemption as an example, for
Commissioners, 4A
Council Considers
Fate of Vacant Old
Municipal Building
L-R: Superintendent Dr. Larry Derico, Lindsay Norris,
Maddox Jackson, Principal Dr. Jarvis Price.
Norris and Jackson
Awarded Val and Sal
T-U System Announces Top Students
and 2021-22 Teachers of The Year
By Bridge Turner
Managing Editor
With excavation under way at the site
of Thomaston’s new fire department, city
council members discussed the fate of a
municipal structure on the property, pre
viously home to the local pardons and pa
roles office.
The building, built in the 1960s, is in
Council, 4A
By Luke Haney
Lifestyles Editor
Upson Lee High School
recently announced valedic
torian, salutatorian, Knights
of Distinction, and honor
graduates for the graduating
Class of 2021, as well as
Teacher of the Year for
Upson Lee High, Middle,
Elementary, and Primary
Schools.
Lindsay Elisabeth Norris
was selected as valedictorian
for achieving the highest
overall numeric average.
Criteria for valedictorian in
cluded completion of four
honors, dual enrollment,
and/or advanced placement
courses in each of the core
content areas. Valedictorian
must also be enrolled in the
junior year for the second
nine weeks and the entire
senior year to be considered.
Maddox Franklin Jack-
son was selected as salutato
rian for achieving the second
highest overall numeric aver
age and has achieved the
same requirements set for
valedictorian.
Knights of Distinction
Val & Sal, 2B
lady Knights Reach End of the line in Final Four
8 10499 02461 2
Undefeated Season will be
Cemented in History
See additional
photos on Page 8A.
By Jacob Stewart
Sports Editor
A historic season ended
last Saturday when
Greater Atlanta Christian
gave Upson Lee its first
and only loss of the season
by a score of 48-35. The
Lady Knights defeated
Stephens County 66-58 in
the Elite Eight to advance
to the Final Four, but the
Knight Train was halted in
Norcross, just one win
away from the state cham
pionship.
The Elite Eight win was
a team effort in which all
the Lady Knights had to
fight. For the first time all
season, the Lady Knights
trailed at halftime. Upson
Lee continued to push ho
wever and overcame a 30-
24 halftime deficit. Upson
Lee was struggling in half
court offense and was
four-for-io at the free-
throw line through two
quarters.
Stephens County did
what most teams have at
tempted to do with Upson
Lee and tried to keep the
Lady Knights, 5B
See Lady Knights highlights, jB. Photo by Luke Haney.
Educators Receive Vaccinations
Dr. Larry Derico,
Superintendent of the
Thomaston- Upson
School System, and
his wife Vemecia, a
Third Grade Teacher
at ULES, were the
first local educators
to receive their
COVTD-ig vaccine on
March 8.
Murder Suspect
Daniel Arrested
in McIntosh
Jakari Dan
iel, also known
as “Byrd,” who
is wanted in
connection with
the December
2020 murder of
Michael Gates,
was arrested re
cently in McIn
tosh County and
awaits transport
to Upson County, according to an online
statement by Thomaston Police Depart
ment.
Daniel was arrested on multiple unre
lated drug and weapon charges. He is be
lieved to be a shooter in the death of
Gates, who was attacked at a Wellington
Drive apartment in Thomaston.
Jakari Daniel
Chief Hickmon
Wins 2021 Rick
Perkins Award
Richard
Hickmon, chief
of the Thurston
Volunteer Fire
Department,
was recently
awarded the
2021 Rick Per
kins Award, in
addition to
being named a
GOAL winner.
Hickmon was selected as one of two
winners at West Georgia Technical Col
lege, along with Elizabeth Rodrigues.
Quad Plant
Director Jeff
Stribling Retires
Jeff Stribling
Quad’s Thomaston Plant Director Jeff
Stribling has announced his retirement
after almost three decades with the com
pany, effective April 1, according to a re
lease from the Thomaston-Upson
Chamber of Commerce.
“Jeff has been a trusted leader in our
community,” chamber officials said. “He
has served many roles on the chamber
board, including chairman in 2016, and
currently chairs our Industry Roundtable
Stribling, 5A
ft) Griffin Ob-Gyn
NOW SEEING PATIENTS IN THOMASTON
403 WEST MAIN STREET
TUESDAY-THURSDAY 8:30-4:30
CALL TO MAKE AN
APPOINTMENT TODAY:
(770)227.5505
(706)646.2888
Leigh Ann Story, CNV; Bryan Krepps, HO; Jim Dunaway, MD; Lou Hameli, MO; Holly Harrison, PA-C;
Nadine Nolting, CNH; Enid Lofters-Jones, MD; Megan Potter. MD; Katya Brickman. CNM; Ashley Johnson, PA