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The ADVANCE, August 30, 2023/Page 5A
In the Short Rows:
Planting Your Fall Garden
By Lauren Stanley
Montgomery Co. Agriculture
& Natural Resources/4-H
Youth Development Agent
Despite the warmer-
than-average temperatures
outside, fall is right around
the corner. With fall comes
football games, pumpkin
spice, Halloween, and for
many, tending to their fall
garden. August is the per
fect time to get started on
that!
The first step to pre
paring your fall garden is
site preparation, which
includes performing a rou
tine soil test if you haven’t
yet. It is critical that the
soil has the correct amount
of nutrients and is in the
correct pH range (6.2-6.8
for fall crops) to ensure
success. Collect soil from
several different locations
throughout the entire area,
mix the samples in a plastic
bucket, and take the com
posite sample to your local
extension office. The results
of the soil test will indicate
the amount of fertilizer
needed to reach optimum
pH and nutrient levels.
Decide what crops you
want to grow, when they
need to be planted, and
if they should be planted
from seed or transplanted
as seedlings. To calculate
planting dates, determine
the first frost date and
count back the number of
days to maturity, and add
around 18 days for harvest
of the crop.
Next, till your site to a
depth of 5-6 inches and in
corporate organic matter, if
needed. Add the fertilizers
recommended by your soil
test results. If planting your
crop from seed, plant at the
depth recommended on
the seed package. If plant
ing using transplants, make
sure your transplants are
adequately spaced. Larger
plants (cabbage, broc
coli, cauliflower) should
be spaced 1-2 feet apart
within the row, and rows
should be approximately
3 feet apart. Make sure to
water in your seeds and
transplants at planting to
initiate establishment and
decrease the possibility of
heat stress. Continue to wa
ter daily for the first week.
Once established, water
plants as needed. Your
garden should receive ap
proximately 1-2 inches of
irrigation per week. While
overhead irrigation is an
option, the practice pro
motes the spread of disease
by wetting foliage. Opt for
soaker hoses or drip irriga
tion to decrease your crop’s
disease susceptibility and
direct water to where its
needed most.
Following these tips
will help make your fall gar
den a success. If you have
any questions, please reach
out to your local UGA Ex
tension office.
MCBOE
continued from page 4A
ried she is going to lose her
house. I just say that to say
this: the thing about the
training that bothers me is
that if you call it ‘training,’
it leaves [the citizens] out.
It’s not good to leave citi
zens out,” she shared.
Page referred to her
time as a teacher, as she
explained that she took ev
ery opportunity to attend
training and learn more
about her career. “Almost
everything I ever learned
was a value to me in that
classroom,” she told the
Board. “I just have a prob
lem with you leaving me
out of training that would
help all of us to under
stand this thing. It seems
very secretive. I know the
law - the law says you can
call it ‘training,’ then you
don’t have to invite the
public. I know you can’t
invite everybody, but to
me, you could invite some
people who are there for
the right reasons.”
She continued, “I’m
not here for the wrong
reasons. My great-grand
children are in this school
system because I literally
said to my granddaughter,
‘please, don’t send them
to Vidalia - send them to
where you’re going to live.
Be a part of this commu
nity. Be a part of making it
a better place for us - for
the people who have lived
here a long time and want
to see a better us - not a
better them, not a better
him, not a better her, not a
better you - a better us. I
was not born in this com
munity, I made 27 school
moves by the time I was
in the 10th grade and quit
school. So, I don’t have any
place that was really home
[to me], but I call this
place home, and that says
something for this place.
That says something for
you folks. That says some
thing for these folks.”
“I’m proud to be here,”
Page added. “I want to be a
part of it. I don’t want you
to exclude me. I want to
listen to the training, too.
I want to hear what these
people have to say. Pm not
going to raise a ruckus -
Pll ask questions, but just
think about that. Think
about if you want to begin
to exclude people in a time
when we are - well, at least
some people - in a rut with
each other. I’m along for
the ride; Pll make a little
noise, probably, but that’s
what we should do as good
citizens.”
Page emphasized,
“Thank you for thinking
about what I’m saying.
Thank you for thinking to
include everyone. I will be
part of this because I want
my great-grandchildren to
get a great education. I’ve
been through the cuts. I
got cut to the Director of
Alternative School - best
cut I ever had. Thirteen
kids graduated my first
year, and we had not grad
uated one in years, so they
didn’t cut me far. They cut
me to a happy place.”
Rentz replied to Page’s
concerns, informing her
that the “Whole Board
Training” referred to the
three hours each year re
quired by the Georgia
School Board Association
to train Board members
on the elements of the
school system. He, along
with Chairman Henry
Price, also clarified that
the homestead exemp
tion training which Page
shared she was concerned
about was not a training
conducted by the Board
of Education, but rather
a training that the Mont
gomery County Commis
sioners had invited the
Board to attend.
Price, Rentz, and Page
engaged in a conversation
which encouraged the citi
zens to continue to show
up to meetings, speak their
concerns, and take part in
their local government.
Suggestions were made
to include the public in
future planning and dis
cussion sessions for the
Board, such as the sug
gestion by Board member
Fernando Rodriguez to
provide more information
to the public in a timely
manner during the annual
“Board Planning Retreat,”
so that they may have a
better chance of attending
the event.
During the regular
meeting of the Board,
Amie Vassey again ad
dressed Board members,
asking them if there is
anything that could have
been said during the pub
lic hearings to change
the planned action of the
Board’s budget and mill-
age rate. “Is there any
thing any taxpaying citizen
could have said that would
have mattered?” she em
phasized.
Action Items
The FY24 Budget was
officially approved by the
Board, which has almost
$2 million less of COVID
relief funding than past
years, and is expected to
utilize 14.75 mills of prop
erty taxes. This millage
rate will be voted on in a
called meeting on August
31.
An update to “Board
Policy DIB: Financial Re
ports” was adopted, as rec
ommended by the Board’s
attorney and state officials.
This change includes capi
tal assets, such as land and
school buildings. This
policy update was first pre
sented at last month’s reg
ular meeting of the Board,
and sat on the table for
public review for 30 days
prior to the official vote.
The Board also ap
proved the purchase of a
Ford F-150 pickup truck
to be utilized by the Su
perintendent and staff of
the school system for any
school-related travel. The
vehicle will be bought
from Paul Thigpen Chev
rolet, which provided the
lowest quote on the prod
uct.
Several personnel de
cisions were made, such
as the acceptance of bus
driver Rhonda Edge’s res
ignation, effective on Au
gust 2. Stephanie Peebles
was hired as an elementary
school in-school suspen
sion (ISS) paraprofes-
sional, Kailee Smith was
approved as a second and
third grade paraprofes-
sional, and William Rowe
was hired as an Alternative
School teacher.
Several substitutes
were approved, including
substitute school food and
nutrition workers Teresa
Floyd and Taieisha Reese,
and substitute teachers
Rachea Holliway, Kimber
ly Dees, Terri Griggs, and
Tracy Sailem, Jr. Sailem
will also serve as a vol
unteer middle and high
school basketball coach.
The Board added five
days to high school coun
selor Rebecca Phillips’
contract to fulfill her coun
seling duties, while School
Improvement Specialist
Ginger Morris’ contract
was increased to 220 days
and Director of Commu
nications Michael Lane’s
contract was increased to
200 days. Board members
also agreed to grant Emily
Cartwright a $1,500 sup
plement for serving as an
instructional coach at the
elementary school.
From the Record
THE BLOTTER
These are the reported
arrests from the Toombs
County Sheriff's Office,
the Vidalia and Lyons
police departments,
and the Montgomery
County Sheriff's Office
for the past week,
Incidents are taken
directly from police
files. All suspects are
innocent until proven
guilty.
In Lyons...
• Christina Nich
ole Jackson, of Ly
ons, was arrested on
August 25 and
charged with Theft
by Receiving Stolen
Property.
• David Santiago
Lopez Lopez, of
Doral, FL, was ar
rested on August 27
and charged with
Driving While Unli
censed, Speeding
15 to 24.
• Jay Rhett Ever
ett, of Lyons, was ar
rested on August 27
and charged with
Operate Motor Vehi
cle With No Tags, No
Proof of Insurance.
• Bobby Norman
Rewis, of Lyons, was
arrested on August
24 and charged with
Family Violence Pro
vision Simple Battery,
Willfully Obstruction
of Police Officer Se
vere/Forceful.
• Adam Jerreday
Bailey, of Lyons, was
arrested on August
25 and charged with
Fleeing Attempting
to Elude Felony, Pos
session of a Con
trolled Substance,
Possession of Drug
Related Objects.
• Juan Silva Ro
driguez, of Metter,
was arrested on Au
gust 26 and charged
with Headlight Re
quirements, Driving
While License Sus
pended or Revoked
(First).
• Carlos Damon
Andrews, of Lumber
City, was arrested on
August 28 and
charged with Driving
While License Sus
pended or Revoked
(First), Possession of
Marijuana-Less than
Ounce, Expired Tag,
No Insurance 1st.
In Toombs
County...
No report avail
able.
In Montgomery
County...
No report avail
able.
In Vidalia...
• Tyreon Jack-
son, of Vidalia, was
arrested on August
23 and charged with
Simple Battery.
• Spencer Oneco
Musgrove, of Vidalia,
was arrested on Au
gust 24 and charged
with Driving While Li
cense Suspended or
Revoked 1st, Oper
ating A Vehicle While
Registration is Sus
pended, Canceled
or Revoked.
• Nichole Bron
son, of Vidalia, was
arrested on August
25 and charged with
Criminal Trespass.
In Wheeler
County...
• Ira Daniel
Creamer was ar
rested on August 27
and charged with
Driving Without Li
cense (Unlicensed/
Wrong Class), Ex
pired or No Registra
tion or Title, No Proof
of Insurance-Motor
cycle, Reckless Driv
ing.
• Wanda Denise
Heard was arrested
on August 27 and
charged with Giving
Inmates Liquor,
Drugs, Weapons,
etc., Without Con
sent of Warden.
• Ronald Nelms
was arrested on Au
gust 23 and charged
with Probation Viola
tion (When Proba
tion Terms Are Al
tered) For Finger-
printable Charge.
• Adrian Pea
cock was arrested
on August 26 and
charged with Bur-
glary-lst Degree
(Felony).
• Aaron Colum
bus Roberson was
arrested on August
21 and charged with
Theft by Receiving
Stolen Property Fel
ony.
• Jaron West was
arrested on August
25 and charged with
Probation Violation
(When Probation
Terms Are Altered)
For Fingerprintable
Charge.
• Linda Kaye Hig
ginbotham was ar
rested on August 23
for No Insurance.
Elections
continued from page 1A
oilman Harry Lewis, who
resigned earlier this year,
a special election for that
seat will not be required.
Geoffrey Villegas, a store
manager at South Geor
gia Tools, will fill the post
through the end of the
term in 2025.
“So, there will not be
an election in Alamo for
the City Council,” Wheeler
County Elections Supervi
sor Karen Mercer said Fri
day afternoon. However,
City of Alamo voters will
need to visit the polls to
vote in a countywide refer
endum for a one cent sales
tax referendum.
In Glenwood, it is a
different story. For the first
time in 40 years, business
man and long-time Mayor
G.M. Joiner will have op
position as he tosses his hat
into the political ring one
more time. Ava Bess Jones,
a teacher, is challenging
Joiner for the post.
The five Glenwood
City Council seats are also
up for grabs and two new
comers are challenging
four incumbents for the
positions. One of the long
time Council members,
Winston Powell, will not
seek reelection.
Janaria Bryant, an as
sistant shift supervisor
at Wheeler Correctional
Facility, and Thomas Mat
thew Johnson, a lineman
with Little Ocmulgee
EMC, will be running
against incumbents Cyn
thia Kinchen, Eric Walter
Lee Pearce, Billy Thigpen,
and Wesley Ray Yawn. The
top five vote-getters will
win the at-large posts.
Elections Supervisor
Mercer said further infor
mation on the SPLOST
referendum to be voted on
in November is expected
to be announced early in
September. She reminded
voters of upcoming key
election dates:
• August 21, applica
tion deadline for absentee
ballots
• October 1, early vot
ing begins and first day to
submit absentee ballots
• October 21, Saturday
voting
• October 27, last day
to submit absentee ballots
• October 28, Saturday
voting
• November 7, gener
al/ special election.
Montgomery County
Alley, Mount Vernon,
and Tarrytown will all
have elections for their city
council members and may
ors within the municipali
ties.
For Alley, there will
be no election, as all can
didates are unopposed in
their respective races, as
Post 5 Councilwoman Eri
ca Harrison, Post 6 Coun
cilwoman Mindy Thigpen,
and Mayor James Mitchell
Fulmer Jr. all qualified for
reelection.
Mount Vernon has 3
candidates seeking 3 of the
Council’s at-large seats, as
newcomer Amber Conway
takes on Incumbents Pete
Horton, Jerry M. “Hoppy”
Sikes, and Elizabeth Wil
liams for the positions.
Mayor Joey Fountain also
qualified for reelection un
contested.
Qualifying continued
for Tarrytown until the end
of Tuesday, August 29, as
the municipality struggled
to find candidates for their
City Council. Those quali
fied individuals will be re
vealed in the next edition
of The Advance.
Toombs County
Two Vidalia City
Councilmen are facing
opposition, as incumbent
Councilman At-Large Bob
Dixon goes up against Eliz
abeth Harvill, and Ward 4
Councilman Loyd Mob
ley is contested by Connie
Williams. Mayor Pro-Tern
John Raymond Turner,
who represents Ward 3, is
unopposed in his efforts
for reelection.
The Vidalia City
Schools Board of Educa
tion also have three elec
tions this upcoming No
vember, as Ward 1 Board
Member Andy Blount fac
es Belva R. Franklin, Ward
3 Board Member Bruce
Asberry goes up against
Brittany Black, and Board
Member At-Large Julee
Torrance is opposed by
Gerriell Craig.
Lyons City Council
has mostly uncontested
races, as Ward 3 Council
man William Ivy Toole Jr.
and Mayor Willis D. Ne-
Smith are unopposed in
their quest for reelection.
Jency Jeffers and Dray
ton Oliver will face off for
incumbent Ward 5 City
Councilman Rick Hartley’s
seat. Hartley announced
over the summer that he
would not be seeking re-
election, and wished any
one who desired to run for
the office good luck.
Only the mayor of
Santa Claus will be on the
city’s municipal ballot, as
Donita Brown qualified
for reelection. Because of
the lack of competition be
tween candidates, no elec
tion is necessary.