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The Vidalia Advance Established 1901 The Lyons Progress Established 1894
Why the Left Hates
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4UX
Vol. 126 No. 46
Your Newspaper - Toombs, Montgomery & Wheeler County, Georgia 750 November 15, 2023
“It is not enough
to have a good
mind; the main
thing is to use it
well.”
- Rene Descartes
News
BYTES
Porchfest
Vidalia Porchfest will
celebrate music, art,
and community in the
Jackson Heights
neighborhood in
Vidalia on Saturday,
November 18, from 10
a.m. until 6 p.m. The
event is free and will
feature live music and
artisan crafts. For
more information,
contact the Altama
Museum of Art &
History at (912) 537-
1911.
Book Signing
Teenage Author
Ashton Bland will be
signing copies of his
book, Silent Night
and meeting the
public at Dr. Mark
and Tonya Spivey
Public Library in
Vidalia on Saturday,
November 18,
beginning at 11 a.m.
For more information,
contact the library at
(912) 537-9283.
Christmas
Parade
Applications
Due
Applications for the
Vidalia Christmas
Parade are due by
Friday, November 17,
for all interested in
participating in the
event. The
application is
available online at
downtownvidalia.org.
For more information,
contact Tonya Parker
at (912) 537-8033.
IN THIS ISSUE
Editorials Page 6A
Obituaries Page 8A
From the Record Page 5A
Your Mind On Line Page 11A
Sports Page 1 B
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Saluting Veterans
In Honor of Their Service
Photo by Evan Riekhof
HONORING EVERY BRANCH - The local Veterans of Foreign Wars Post helped to honor veterans of every military
service branch as they presented each branch's flag during the Veterans Day Luncheon.
By Makaylee Randolph
Staff Writer
mrandolphadvance@gmail.com
The spirit of patriotism and
gratitude was in the air on Fri
day, November 10, as the Vidalia
High School SoundTribe and
Downtown Vidalia Association
(DVA) held Veterans Day cer
emonies to honor those who
have served in the United States
Armed Forces.
Vidalia High School held
its ceremony first, as the school
invited members of the commu
nity to celebrate local veterans
through patriotic performances
by the SoundTribe march
ing band and the Vidalia High
School Show Choir. Student
Gregory Huston also joined the
ensemble to lead attendees in
singing “God Bless the USA,”
and local veterans, such as Vida
lia native Fred Godbee, spoke to
Please see Veterans page 13A
The Results Are In
Connie f.
williamsl
^5-
)MW MUNICIPAL ANNEX
ir ci
-
i
Photo by Makaylee Randolph
VYING FOR VOTES - Candidates within the Vidalia municipal elections lined
Highway 280 West on Election Day, as they competed for votes from the
citizens.
By Makaylee Randolph
Staff Writer
mrandolphadvance@gmail.com
Voters took to the polls on Tues
day, November 7, to cast their ballot
for municipal representatives in a
variety of races throughout Toombs,
Montgomery, and Wheeler Coun
ties. Most incumbents seeking re-
Please see Election page 5A
Vidalia Designated
As Rural Zone
Income Tax Incentives for
Vidalia
The Georgia Depart
ment of Community Af
fairs has designated four
cities - Blakely, Sylvania,
Vidalia, and Watkinsville
centives to spur economic
development. These cities
join a total of 43 munici
palities across the state
with this designation.
fifl Georgia® Department of/A 11 U L
Community Affairs
- as the state’s newly es
tablished Rural Zones,
extending the benefits of
three state income tax in-
Effective January 1,
Please see Vidalia page
10A
Kemp Extends
Suspension of
State Gasoline Tax
By Dave Williams
Bureau Chief
Capitol Beat News Service
Gov. Brian Kemp ex
tended the temporary sus
pension of the state sales
tax on gasoline and other
motor fuels Wednesday,
citing ongoing high prices
and uncertain economic
conditions.
Kemp signed an exec
utive order extending the
suspension through Nov.
29, which he said will
help Georgians cope with
high food and travel costs
during the Thanksgiving
holiday.
The state can easily
afford going without the
tax revenue the sales tax
would have brought after
ending the last fiscal year
in June with $5 billion in
“rainy-day” reserves and
Please see Gasoline
page 5A
One Dead in Wednesday
Night Shooting in Vidalia
By Makaylee Randolph
Staff Writer
mrandolphadvance@gmail.com
The Vidalia Police Department
and Georgia Bureau of Investigation
are working together to find the cul
prit in a fatal shooting on Wednesday,
November 8, which took the life of
Ladarius Devonte Cobb, 31, of Vida
lia.
According to Vidalia Police, offi
cers responded to reports of a shoot
ing in the 700 block of Georgia Street
at approximately 7:26 p.m. Upon ar
rival, authorities found Cobb unre
sponsive with a gunshot wound. He
was pronounced dead at the scene.
The GBI was requested to aid in
the investigation and has been help
ing Vidalia officers gain information
from witnesses and family members
to try to solve the case. The situation
is still under active investigation and
Vidalia Police Chief James Jermon
seems hopeful for an arrest soon.
“We are still working through in
formation but are hoping for a break
through soon,” he emphasized.
The Chief and the GBI ask that
anyone who has information about
Please see Shooting page 10A
