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The Kids Are Coming!!! Send Us Your Photos Frances Turns 100 See Page 9A nee The Vidalia Advance Established 1901 The Lyons Progress Established 1894 W~ Vol. 123 No. 9 Your Newspaper - Toombs, Montgomery & Wheeler County, Georgia March 3, 2021 Too often we... enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought. - John F. Kennedy News BYTES Chick-fil-A 6th Annual Road Race March 6 The public is invited to participate in the Chick-fil-A 6th Annual Road Race on Saturday, March 6. The event benefits local charities. For more information visit runvidalia.com. RTCA 21 st Annual School Auction Silent auction early viewing Tuesday, March 9, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. for RTCA families; early viewing for the public, March 10, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; silent auction, 5 p.m., live auction, 7 p.m., Thursday, March 11, RTCA gym. Women's Firearm Safety Course Set The Vidalia Police Department is accepting applications for the Women's Firearm Safety Course scheduled March 13, 20 and 27. Visit the police department or go to the department web site for more information and an application. (Vidaliaga.gov/police/ page/taking-it-streets.) Meadows Offering COVID Vaccinations Meadows Health COVID Vaccine Center is now open dependent on vaccine supply. Vaccine times are made by appointment only. To make an appointment, 912-535-SAFE(7233) or email covid@ meadowsregional.org. IN THIS ISSUE Editorials Page 5A Obituaries Page 7A From the Record Page 10A Your Mind On Line Page 2A Sports Page 1 B Woman Swims to Safety As Truck Plunges into Pond By Deborah Clark Regional Editor dclarkadvance@gmail.com A 34-year-old wom an is lucky to be alive after the truck she was driving plunged into a muddy 10-foot-deep pond last week near Uvalda. A first responder said Angel Lynn Torres es caped her sinking vehicle and swam several yards to shore after veering off of Tillman Riner Road and into a pond swollen by recent rains. She was discovered at the side of the road by a passer-by who called 911. The in cident occurred Wednes day February 24, just af ter 11 a.m. Toombs County Sheriffs Office Photo DRIVER SURVIVES - A 34-year-old woman swam to safety after her truck plunged into a pond at the side of a dirt road near Uvalda last week. Above, the truck is pulled from the pond off of Tillman Riner Road. Torres had already been transported to Meadows Memorial Medical Center for treat ment when a woman who knew the victim told responders that Tor res has two children, said Toombs County Emer gency Management Di rector Lynn Moore, who was at the scene. A search ensued for the children who rescu ers feared might still be inside the sunken truck. Divers who were called in found the truck unoc cupied and authorities later learned the chil dren were safe at school, Moore said. Please see Safe page 3A City Council Candidates Outline Goals and Objectives Carmela Spikes-Williams Voters from Vida- lia’s Ward 2 will go to the polls March 16 to elect a new City Coun cil member. Local business- Jennifer Evans women Carmela Spikes- Williams and Jennifer Evans are vying for the seat previously held by Please see Candidates page 4A Alamo City Council, Mayor Getting Raises By Andrea Towns Contributing Writer A salary increase for Alamo City Council members and the May or was approved during the Council’s session on February 22. Current salaries will be dou- bled-$200 a month for the council members and $600 a month for the mayor. This increase will not go into effect until the next election term. In the Coun cil’s January meeting, Councilwoman and Mayor Pro Tern, Patri cia Woodard, proposed the development of a Strategic Planning Committee to aid the Council in the enhance ment of Alamo City Please see ACC page 4A View from Ground Level Chamber Strategically Targets Six Sites for Meetings in the Field Photo by Deborah Clark DOWN ON THE FARM - Gathered for a photo in front of one of Chris Flopkins' trac tors at his Toombs County farm, are chamber board members and staff, from left: Britt McDade, Michele Johnson, Ross Kelly, Sara Brown, Amber O'Connor, Debbie Evans, Greg Hudgins, Jensie Smith, Steven McComas, Mary Edmonds, Ivette Tor res, Allen Morris, Pat Dixon, Ann Owens, Trent Williams, John Koon, and Michael Johnson. By Deborah Clark Regional Editor dclarkadvance@gmail.com The Toombs-Montgomery Cham ber of Commerce held its February meeting down on the farm. The chamber’s board of directors and members were guests of Chris Hop kins at his farm off of Marvin Church Road in the rolling Toombs County countryside on February 25. It was all part of the chamber’s objective of get ting to know its membership better and fine-tuning its approach to promoting and supporting area business and in dustry. Hopkins shared his story as guests enjoyed lunch in the farm’s Pond House. “My wife and I are transplants, but we took root here,” he quipped as he outlined the journey that brought him to the area. With undergraduate and Please see Chamber page 3A COVID-iq Update Monday, March l Number of Confirmed Cases/Hospitalizations/ Deaths (Cumulative from March 2020) Toombs County. 2781/162/85 Montgomery County. 704/40/19 Treutlen County. 623/51/19 Wheeler County. 453/35/ai Meadows Regional Medical Center COVID-19 Patient Census Monday, March 1:8 COVID patients in-house COVID admissions over the last seven days, 2-22-21 to 2-28-21): 6 SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE 30% OFF NEWSSTAND PRICES! Call 537-3131 lor delivery! # Appling Healthcare Weight Loss & Wellness Weight loss visits starting at $45, every other month! 1702A Meadows Lane | Vidalia, GA | 30474 | (912)705-4905