About The Advance. (Vidalia, Ga.) 2003-current | View Entire Issue (July 21, 2021)
See Inside nee The Vidalia Advance Established 1901 The Lyons Progress Established 1894 VRD Swim Team Brings Home Medals See Sports Vol. 123 No. 29 Your Newspaper - Toombs, Montgomery & Wheeler County, Georgia July 21, 2021 Society is like a stew. If you don’t stir it up every once in a while then a layer of scum floats to the top. - Edward Abbey News BYTES Treutlen School Supplies Giveaway A drive-through school supply giveaway will be held at the old Treutlen High School (new gym parking lot) in Soperton on Saturday, July 24, 9-11 a.m. Free supplies for K-12 students. Sponsored by Tri-County Family Connection and others. Southeast Citrus Update The University of Georgia Extension is hosting a Southeast Citrus Update at the Vidalia Onion and Vegetable Research Station in Toombs County on July 27 at 11 a.m. Free. To register, call 912-314-3698, 912- 253-3515 or 912-690- 0363. Drive-Through Event in Wheeler A drive-through school supplies giveaway will be held on Saturday, July 31, 9-11 a.m. at Wheeler County Elementary School in Alamo. Sponsored by Tri-County Family Connection and others. Pre-K Orientation at J.D. Dickerson A Pre-K orientation event will be held at J.D. Dickerson Elementary School on Wednesday, August 4, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Parents are invited to meet their child's teacher, learn about the Pre-K program, and enjoy a light supper. IN THIS ISSUE Editorials Page 5A Obituaries Page 7A From the Record Page 8A Your Mind On Line Page 9A Sports Page 1 B Voters Rally, Hagan Wins! By Deborah Clark Regional Editor dclarkadvance@gmail.com Vidalia businesswoman Leesa Hagan will be represent ing District 156 in the Georgia House of Representatives when it reconvenes this Fall. She de feated car dealer Wally Sapp of Baxley in the July 13 runoff that garnered a better turnout than the June 15 election. In unofficial tallies posted online by the Secretary of State’s office on July 16, Hagan ac quired 51% of the total (3,131 votes) District wide, while Sapp amassed 48% with 2,929 across the District. Republicans Hagan and Sapp came within 1 percent age point of each other in the June 15 election, but neither re ceived a majority of the nearly 5,000 votes cast to avoid a run off. Hagan received about 43% of the vote, while Sapp pulled in Leesa Hagan about 42%. The lone Democrat in the race, Wright Gres of Ap pling County, finished third in the contest with nearly 15% of the vote. The battle between the candidates came down to the turnouts in their home coun ties. Toombs County, the most populous county in the Dis trict, had a poor showing in the election, but voters rallied for Please see Hagan page 4A Interstate 16 Reopens Early Highway 86 Closed Pending Bridge Reconstruction By Dave Williams Bureau Chief Capitol Beat News Service Both westbound travel lanes of Interstate 16 in Treutlen County reopened Friday, one day after a bridge over the highway was heavily damaged and two days earlier than ex pected. As of late Friday after noon, crews were working to reopen the eastbound lanes by midnight. The bridge on Georgia Highway 86 over 1-16 was struck by a dump trailer early Thursday morning, forcing the state Depart ment of Transportation to close the highway in both directions between exits 71 and 78. “Georgia DOT en gineers and contractors worked expeditiously through the night to safe ly remove the damaged bridge so that 1-16 could be opened back up to traffic days earlier than expected,” Georgia Commissioner of Transportation Russell Mc- Murry said Friday. “My thanks goes out to the GDOT team mem bers and contractors who worked through the night Please see 1-16 page 3A DOT Photo DAMAGED BRIDGE - A bridge on Georgia Highway 86 over Interstate 16 in Treutlen County was struck by a dump trailer early Thursday morning, forcing the state Department of Transportation to close the highway in both direc tions between exits 71 and 78. Interstate lanes have been reopened, but Georgia 86 remains closed while the DOT plans for the bridge replacement. Wheeler Wood Producer Awarded $2.65 Million for Gas Line Expansion IFZA/IS PSC APPROVES GAS LINE - Tommy Clark and son Blake Clark stand at the edge of the wood yard at T.C. Logging in Alamo. The com pany has been awarded a $2,650 million grant to expand a gas line to increase wood production at the large logging and sawmill operation. The gas line will be used to supply natural gas to the kilns at the woodyard. The expansion is expected to add 50 jobs at the company. By Deborah Clark Regional Editor dclarkadvance@gmail. com The Georgia Public Service Commission has approved a $2,650 million grant to expand a gas line to T.C. Logging in Wheeler County. The money will be used to increase wood production at the large logging and sawmill operation outside of Alamo, and the expansion is expected to create 50 new jobs. The company produces lumber that is shipped domestically and overseas. Installation of gas lines will supply natural gas to the lum ber yard kilns, which are used to dry and preserve the lumber, said company owner Tommy Clark. The funds were part of the annual $15 million in ECON-1 tariff funds allocated to Geor gia economic projects that cre ate jobs and grow the natural gas network. “I’m extremely proud of the economic win for Wheeler County,” said Sen. Blake Til lery, R-Vidalia. “This would not have been possible without the investment by Mr. Clark, Rep. Robert Pruitt, and the assis tance of Public Service Com missioners Tricia Pridemore and Jason Shaw.” The five-member PSC reg ulates utilities across the state and ensures that consumers receive safe, reliable, and rea sonably priced telecommunica tions, electric, and natural gas services. PSC Commissioner Jason Shaw of Lakeland, said, “I am a resident of rural South Geor gia myself and understand the importance of expanding our natural gas capacity in our ru ral communities, particularly in the forest industries with oper- Please see Grant page 3A SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE 30% OFF NEWSSTAND PRICES! Call 537-3131 for delivery! $45 WEIGHT LOSS MANAGEMENT every other month! Ask about OUT $25 Weight lOSS injection! Baxley Blackshear Vidalia (912)367-4122 (912)705-4910 (912)705-4905 # Appling Healthcare
