Newspaper Page Text
The ADVANCE, June 14, 2023/Page 2A
(Eift Aiiuancg
Toombs County Schools Bringing
Balance Between Work and Family
Courtesy of Toombs County
Schools
A new daycare is open
ing its doors July 31, 2023,
to provide much-needed
support for the employ
ees of the Toombs County
School District. This initia
tive aims to retain teach
ers and staff members by
alleviating the challenges
they face in balancing their
professional responsibili
ties with the demands of
childcare.
The daycare, named
"Toombs County Kids
Academy," is conveniently
located within Lyons Pri
mary School, ensuring easy
access for employees and
will operate during regular
school hours. The funding
of the daycare is sustained
by the monthly daycare
enrollment fee that is paid
through payroll deduction.
The daycare is equipped to
accommodate children of
staff members from infancy
through preschool age. The
goal is to provide conve
nient, reliable childcare
and foster early learning
and development.
Recognizing the im
portance of supporting the
school district's employ
ees, Superintendent Waller
expressed enthusiasm for
the new venture. "We un
derstand that many of our
staff members face sig
nificant challenges when it
comes to finding childcare.
By establishing Toombs
County Kids Academy, we
aim to create a supportive
environment that allows
our educators and staff to
focus on their work, know
ing their children are in safe
and caring hands."
The launch of the day
care represents a significant
step in prioritizing the well
being and work-life balance
of school district employ
ees.
City of Alamo PD
Gets $259,380 Grant
lllllll! ALAMO POLICE DEPT.
912-568-7153
Photo by Deborah Clark
GRANT RECIPIENT— Chief Karen Zanders stands outside
the City of Alamo Police Department. On June 9, Gov
ernor Brian Kemp announced that $83.5 million in ARPA
funds will be allocated to 118 Georgia locations to boost
law enforcement. Alamo received over $250,000 of
those funds.
By Deborah Clark
Regional Editor
dclarkadvance@gmail. com
The City of Alamo is
among the recipients of
preliminary grant awards
totaling $83.5 million an
nounced June 9 by Gover
nor Brian Kemp. The funds
will go to 118 qualified
projects across the state to
improve community-level
public safety measures
and address law enforce
ment staffing challenges
that arose during the CO-
VID-19 pandemic.
Alamo was awarded
$259,380 for two addition
al police officer positions.
The grant will pay the offi
cers’ salaries for three years.
Over the last few years,
the Alamo Police Depart
ment, like most depart
ments in small commu
nities, has experienced a
consistent and crippling
staff shortage. “We are fo
cused on being competitive
in recruiting and retaining
our officers,” Alamo Police
Chief Karen Zanders said.
“This grant will allow us to
do that.”
The department pro
vides law enforcement for
Wheeler County’s larg
est municipality, a town
of 771 residents, plus the
approximate 2,000-inmate
population of the Wheeler
County Correctional Fa
cility that is located within
the city limits. The Wheel
er County Sheriff’s Office,
also located in the City of
Alamo, the county seat,
provides law enforcement
for the entire county.
Chief Zanders defined
herself as a “working” chief,
meaning she rotates patrols
with her four, full-time staff
members including Sgt.
Jamie Ricks. She said the
funds will enable her to
send one employee, who
is now serving as a night
watchman, to the Geor
gia Public Safety Training
Center to be certified and
to go on duty as a police
officer. He is scheduled to
attend the training center
in July.
A fifth officer will be
hired to round out the
complement of officers and
ensure that the workload
is more effectively distrib
uted. “The extra staff will
allow the department to
be more visible and con
nected in the community,”
Chief Zanders said. The
funds will also allow her
to spend more time in her
office tackling duties tradi
tionally handled by police
chiefs.
The chief credited
Christopher Lowe, a gov
ernment support specialist
with the Heart of Georgia
Regional Commission, for
assisting the City of Alamo
with obtaining the loan.
“He has done an awesome
job. I am truly appreciative
of the work he has done,”
Chief Zanders said.
Governor Kemp said
of the $83.5 million grant,
"Public safety has always
been a top priority of my
administration and will
continue to be. With the in
crease in violent crime seen
in communities across the
country, including here in
our state, we're sending re
inforcements to keep hard
working Georgians and
their neighborhoods safe.
“From tackling staff-
By Makaylee Randolph
Staff Writer
mrandolphadvance@gmail.com
The Georgia State Pa
trol has released the details
of a crash that claimed the
life of a 30-year-old mother
in Montgomery County on
Sunday, May 28.
According to the
agency’s report, Jacob
Burkhalter, 20, of Soper-
ton, was driving south in a
GMC pickup truck on Ray
Thompson Road when he
lost control of the vehicle
because of driving too fast
for the dirt road condi
tions. As a result, the truck
ran off the road and over
turned, coming to a final
uncontrolled rest on the
west shoulder of the road
way, on the vehicle’s top,
facing north.
Burkhalter and one
ing needs to deploying new
equipment and technol
ogy, these funds are being
invested so that our brave
first responders have the
resources they need to fight
back against dangerous
criminals."
In accordance with
grant requirements, award
ed American Rescue Plan
Act (ARPA) funds will
be utilized to supplement
law enforcement staffing,
support violent crime re
duction or community
violence intervention pro
gramming, and invest in
technology and equipment
to address and respond
to the rise in community
violence resulting from the
pandemic.
passenger, Adam Poole, 17,
of Soperton, who was rid
ing in the bed of the truck,
were fully ejected from
the vehicle. The front pas
senger, Heather Todd, 30,
of Brooklet, was partially
ejected from the vehicle,
while a 5-year-old passen
ger remained in the vehicle
throughout the crash.
Burkhalter, Todd, and
the child were all taken to
Memorial Health Mead
ows Hospital by Toombs-
Montgomery EMS. Todd
was pronounced dead
upon arrival at the hospital.
Poole was flown to
Memorial Health Univer
sity Medical Center in Sa
vannah by AirEvac.
A blood alcohol test
was administered for Bur
khalter; the results have
not yet been received.
Details Released in
MoCo Fatal Accident
BPC Adding Several New Majors
for 2023-2024 Academic Year
Courtesy of Brewton-Parker
College
Brewton-Parker Col
lege (BPC) is excited to
announce the addition of
several new majors to its
academic offerings. The
new degrees will meet the
demands of today's job
market and provide stu
dents with the skills and
knowledge they need to
succeed in their chosen ca
reers.
Beginning in the Fall
2023 semester are majors
in Secondary Chemistry
Education, Secondary
English Education, Special
Education, Music Educa
tion, and concentrations in
Forensic Science and Pre-
Athletic Training. Addi
tionally, majors in Market
ing and Sport Management
will be available starting in
Spring 2024.
Students desiring to
earn a degree in any of the
new education degrees
will gain practical experi
ence and develop the re
quired skills to excel in the
classroom. The Secondary
Chemistry and Secondary
English majors will prepare
students to become certi
fied high school teachers
in their respective subjects,
with coursework in ad
vanced topics and teach
ing methods. The Special
Education degree will pre
pare students to work with
those who have diverse
learning needs, offering the
tools and strategies neces
sary to provide exceptional
educational support and
empower students to reach
their full potential. Music
Education will prepare stu
dents to become certified
K-12 teachers while gain
ing the necessary peda
gogical knowledge to teach
music effectively.
BPC understands the
increasing demand for
healthcare professionals.
Thus adding concentra
tions in Pre-Physical Ther
apy and Pre-Athletic Train
ing will provide students
with a strong foundation in
anatomy, physiology, and
therapeutic techniques,
preparing them for future
graduate studies or careers
in the healthcare field.
Beginning with the
Spring 2024 semester, the
new Marketing degree will
give students a solid foun
dation to succeed in the
fast-paced marketing and
advertising world. Students
will study basic marketing
principles, consumer be
havior, digital marketing,
and learn how to conduct
market research. The in
creased popularity of ath
letics as careers, and not
just extracurriculars, gave
rise to the major in Sport
Management. The pro
gram will provide students
with business operations
skills, as well as analytical
training skills, all directed
specifically towards the
sports industry.
"We are thrilled to of
fer these new majors to
our students," said Dr.
Steve Echols, President of
Brewton-Parker College.
"Each of these majors will
prepare students for mean
ingful and fulfilling careers
while equipping them to
be community leaders. We
look forward to welcoming
our first cohort of students
in the fall and seeing the
impact they will make in
the world."
BPC seeks to meet the
evolving needs of students
and prepare them for suc
cess in today's competitive
job market. For more infor
mation, please visit www.
bpc.edu.
About BPC
Brewton-Parker Col
lege is the only accredited
four-year Christian col
lege south of Macon and
north of Jacksonville, FL.
As a comprehensive Geor
gia Baptist institution,
Brewton-Parker College
provides liberal arts and
professional programs in
a learning community of
shared Christian values.
Through the application
of biblical truth in schol
arship and a co-curricular
focus on character, servant
leadership, and cultural
engagement, the college
strives to provide a trans
formational experience
that equips the whole stu
dent for lifelong learning
and service in Christ.
net
The Advance office will be closed
July 3 - July 7, 2023.
Normal office hours will resume on Monday, July 10.
SPECIAL DEADLINE
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JULY 5 EDITION
12:00 noon,
Thursday, June 29
In Observance of
Independence Day