About The Advance. (Vidalia, Ga.) 2003-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 8, 2021)
Christmas In Dixie And More... See Inside The Vidalia Advance Established 1901 net The Lyons Progress Established 1894 Azure’s Peppermint Cake Recipe See Page 11A Vol. 123 No. 49 Your Newspaper - Toombs, Montgomery & Wheeler County, Georgia December 8, 2021 Three phrases that sum up Christmas are: Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Men, and Batteries not Included. -Author Unknown News BYTES A Christmas Tapestry The Vidalia High School Symphonic Band and Percussion Ensemble will perform "A Christmas Tapestry" on Thursday, December 9, at 7:30 p.m. in the VHS Theater, 901 North St., W. Popup Christmas Market The Altama Museum of Art and History is hosting a Popup Christmas Market on Saturday, December 11, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. For more information, visit: www.AltamaMuseum. org. Glenwood Parade The Annual Glenwood Christmas Parade will be held Saturday, December 11 at 11 a.m. The parade lines up at the Civic Center and proceeds downtown. Mount Vernon Parade The 20th Annual Mount Vernon Christmas Parade, "A storybook Christmas," will be held Saturday, December 11 at 4 p.m. The parade lines up at J.M. Fountain Park and proceeds downtown to the Montgomery County Courthouse. Sparkle in the Park Friends of Little Ocmulgee State Park is sponsoring a drive through holiday event, December 17-January 2. There is no fee for the event but the $5 park pass is required. IN THIS ISSUE Editorials Page 5A Obituaries Page 7A From the Record Page 8A Your Mind On Line Page 3A Sports Page 1 B Vidalia Man Charged With Making Bomb Threats By Deborah Clark Regional Editor dclarkadvance@gmail.com Local authorities have charged a Vidalia man in connection with two bomb threats in Toombs County in No vember. Rodney Steven Rodney Weeks Weeks, 44, is being held at the Toombs County Jail as he awaits his first court appearance. A press release is sued last week by Cap tain Jordan Right of the Toombs County Sheriff’s Office reports that an in vestigation linked Weeks to bomb threats at the Toombs County Court house and a Lyons conve nience store. Right said, on November 15 at ap proximately 10:06 a.m., Toombs County 911 Dispatch received a call from the Toombs County Magistrate’s Office stat ing that a caller with a restricted phone number reported a bomb in the Toombs County Court house. The Toombs County Please see Bomb page 11A Two Toombs County Schools Earn Lighthouse Award By Makaylee Randolph Contributing Writer Principals from Lyons Upper Elemen tary School and Toombs Central El ementary School traveled to the Dis ney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, on December 3, to re ceive the highest award given by Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence— the Lighthouse School Award—at the annual conference last week. Fewer than 40 schools across the nation achieve this distinction annually, and this title of “Light- house School” is relevant to the school for three years. The Blue Rib bon Schools of Excellence provides schools with a continu- Please see Awards page 9A James Jemon Mamed Vidalia Police Chief By Makaylee Randolph Contributing Writer Captain James Jer- mon was named Chief of the Vidalia Police De partment during a called Vidalia City Council meeting on December 3. The promotion comes after Jermon spent the last four months as in terim head of the De partment following the departure of Police Commissioner Brian Scott. Jermon was unani mously approved by the Council. Mayor Doug Roper commented, “Chief, let me be the first Please see Jermon page 2A Chief of Police Capfain James Jermon Little Ocmulgee State Park’s New Manager Back in Familiar Territory Photo by Deborah Clark NEW MANAGER - Little Ocmulgee State Park Manager, Brad Smith, center, looks over plans for "The 19th Hole" with general contractor Bill Deaton, left, and cabinetmaker Matt Phipps, right. The new venue un der construction at the Park's Lodge will offer a pub-like atmosphere for guests. Smith assumed the position of Park manager four and a half months ago. By Deborah Clark Regional Editor dclarkadvance@gmail.com As the new general man ager at Little Ocmulgee State Park, Brad Smith is in familiar territory. Smith, who has been at his new post for the past four and half months, grew up in South Georgia. He was born in Atlan ta but, with his parents, moved to Jesup as a young child. His parents are originally from Alma. After he finished col lege, Smith launched a career in the restaurant/hospitality industry that spans 35 years, including a quarter century in Nashville, Tennessee. His ex perience in that arena stood him in good stead for his role at Little Ocmulgee. “Part of the joy of this job is getting to come back to the area where I grew up. A lot of the stories I could tell about myself center on this part of the state,” Smith said. Smith appreciates the unique qualities of “Little O,” as it is called by those who love it most. Situated in the roll ing sand hills and pine woods on the Little Ocmulgee River, the Park was built by the Civil ian Conservation Corps and the National Park Service in the 1930s and opened to the public in 1940; but long before that, the land was an Indian en campment. Smith believes the site retains a certain spirit that harks back to the days when indigenous tribes roamed the land. “A lot of effort has gone into making the Park what it is, and I am fortunate to be on the receiving end of that effort,” Smith said. “There is Please see LOSP page 9A SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE 30% OFF NEWSSTAND IMV Call 537-3131 (or delivery! LETTERS TO §AMTTA Send us your Letters to Santa, and we'll publish them in the December 22 issue of ®I]e Ahuance. We'll make sure Santa receives your letters in plenty of time to fill your Christmas wish list. Deadline is December 13. Mail your letters to: SANTA LETTERS do 01)E Aiutance P.O. Box 669, Vidalia, GA 30475
