Newspaper Page Text
Vol. 124 No. 51 Your Newspaper - Toombs, Montgomery & Wheeler County, Georgia December 21, 2022
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“Christmas is
the season of joy,
of gift-giving, and
of families united.”
\ The Mother and Child
- Norman Vincent
Peale
News
BYTES
God's
Storehouse
Collecting Toys
God's Storehouse
in Vidalia is collecting
new toys for children
aged 9 and under as
Christmas gifts. Drop
off contributions at
2200 Center Drive, or
send a donation check
to God's Storehouse,
P.O. Box 1214, Vidalia,
GA 30475. For more
information call (912)
538-1730.
MLK Parade
The Annual MLK Pa
rade will be held on
January 16, 2023, at
11:00 a.m. The Grand
Marshall will be Wilson
Johnson. For more in
formation, contact Mi
chael Johnson at 478-
494-8253.
REUNION
By Amber Nagle
Contributing Writer
Even now, nearly two weeks later, tears still
form in the corners of my eyes as I think about
my husband hugging his biological mother for
the first time. Then I pause and wonder if I had
truly witnessed the emotional moment or if I
imagined it. I pinch myself, look at the photos
and videos saved on my phone, and realize that it
wasn’t a dream. It really happened. That embrace
was more than a mother-and-child reunion, 59
years in the making. It was a Christmas miracle,
of sorts.
On December 8, my husband, Gene, and I
boarded a Delta flight from Atlanta to Houston,
Texas. As we buckled our seat belts, I noticed his
knee nervously bouncing up and down.
“Are you okay?” I asked him.
“Well, I’m exhausted because I haven’t slept
in forever, but I’m all right,” he said.
I took his hand in mine and said, “Today’s
the day. In just a few hours, you will meet your
mother.”
Gene had actually met his mother once
before. He was a tiny newborn when his young
mother held him in her arms that first time in
1963. She rocked him lovingly and gazed down
at his face before the nuns came and whisked
AFTER 59 YEARS - Gene Nagle reunited with his biological mother, Margaret, on
Please see Reunion page 14A Thursday, December 8.
Legislative
Luncheon
State Rep. Leesa
Hagan and State Sen.
Blake Tillery are con
firmed speakers for the
Greater Vidalia Cham
ber's annual legislative
luncheon to be held
Thursday, January 5,
1:30 p.m„ at Lyons First
Baptist Church. U.S.
Representative Rick Al
len and U.S. Senator
Raphael Warnock may
also attend. Tickets are
$45. For information,
call 912-537-4466 or
email info@greatervi-
daliachamber.com.
Christmas Toy
Drive
Little Rock House of
Prayer and Alamo
Mayor Pam Lee are
teaming up to collect
contributions of new
toys, clothing or cash
donations for needy
community children,
newborn to age 12,
for Christmas. Drop off
location at City Hall in
Alamo.
IN THIS ISSUE
Editorials Page 6A
Obituaries Page 8A
From the Record Page 5A
Your Mind On Line Page 3A
Sports Page 1 B
Blue Angels
Recognize Vidalia
Onion Festival
Photo By Mike Branch
VIDALIA RECEIVES HIGH HONORS -Vidalia Mayor Doug Roper, 2024 Onion
Chairman Jake Cleghorn, 2022 Onion Chairman Adam Woodruff, and long
time Air Show Chairman Marsha Temples, show off the Site of the Year award
from the Blue Angels.
Georgia Power
Agrees to Cut
Rate Hike
Request by 40%
By Dave Williams
Bureau Chief
Capitol Beat News Service
Georgia Power officials signed off late Wednes
day on an agreement that would lower the utility’s
rate hike request now before the state Public Service
Commission (PSC) by nearly 40%.
The company, the PSC’s Public Interest Advo
cacy Staff, and intervenors in the rate case agreed on
a rate hike that would raise $1.8 billion from Geor
gia Power customers during the next three years. The
proposal will be presented to the PSC’s Energy Com
mittee on Thursday.
Unlike the original proposal the utility submit
ted to the commission in June, the new agreement
would not front-load the rate increase. Instead, it
Please see Rate page 9A
Local Police
Departments Hire
Social Workers
By Makaylee Randolph
Staff Writer
mrandolphadvance@gmail.com
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By Mike Branch
Sports Editor
sports 7 advance@gmail.com
The Vidalia Onion Festival and
the community received a big honor
from the Blue Angels last week at the
International Council of Air Shows
(ICAS) in Las Vegas. The Vidalia
Onion Festival was awarded the Ci
vilian Air Show of the Year.
Committee Members Brian
Frederick and Marsha Temples were
in attendance at ICAS when the
award was presented last Tuesday.
The Blue Angels first gave this award
Please see Angels page 11A
The Police Departments of Lyons and Vidalia have
hired social workers, who will assist law enforcement in
Toombs County when they respond to crises brought
on by mental health diagnoses, substance abuse, or
family crises.
Vidalia Police Department (VPD) Social Worker
Please see Police page 9A