Newspaper Page Text
The Vidalia Advance Established 1901
The Lyons Progress Established 1894
Your Newspaper - Toombs, Montgomery & Wheeler County, Georgia
November 22, 2023
v
t 111
i H
l; H|
■
Porchfest Unites Community
By Makaylee Randolph
Staff Writer
mrandolphadvance@gmail.com
Music and food and vendors - oh my!
Vidalia Porchfest featured all of this and
more, as citizens strolled the streets enjoy
ing fellowship and local talent.
The event featured a book signing at
the Dr. Mark and Tonya Spivey Public Li
brary performances by Franklinia Play
house, over 20 music artists, artisans, food
trucks, and a painting demonstration to
ensure everyone had something that inter
ested them.
The Porchfest committee reflected on
the event and shared their gratitude, as they
said, “’Thank you’ doesn’t seem enough.
We are tired and worn out as volunteers
and porch hosts, but it was all worth it, be
lieve me. It is the goal of the Altama Muse
um of Art & History to heighten awareness
Please see Porchfest page 11A
High-Speed Chase Ends In MoCo Crash
“Give thanks for
a little, and you
will find a lot.”
- Hausa Proverb
News
BYTES
Christmas on
the Circle
The city of Alston will
host its annual
Christmas on the
Circle celebration
from 12 p.m. until 6
p.m. on Saturday,
November 25. This
event will feature
food, vendors, and a
ceremonial tree
lighting, which will
begin at 6 p.m. at the
Caboose. For more
information, call
Kahla Outler at (423)
453-9020.
Christmas
Tree Lighting
The Downtown
Vidalia Association
will host their annual
Christmas Tree
Lighting Ceremony at
6 p.m. on Tuesday,
November 28, at
Ronnie A. Dixon City
Park. Local talent will
perform and Santa
will make an
appearance. For
more information,
contact Tonya Parker
at (912) 537-8033.
Christmas in
Dixie
The annual Christmas
in Dixie celebration
will be held from 10
a.m. until 6 p.m. on
Saturday, December
9, in front of
Wholesale Customs in
Higgston. The event
will feature a car
show, arts 8c crafts,
live music, Santa's
train ride, slides,
vendors, and more.
For more information,
contact Wholesale
Customs at (912) 537-
8208.
IN THIS ISSUE
Editorials Page 6A
Obituaries Page 8A
From the Record Page 5A
Your Mind On Line Page 10A
Sports Page 1 B
Call 537-3131
(or delivery!
NEWSSTAND
SUBSCRIBE
AND SAVE
By Makaylee Randolph
Staff Writer
mrandolphadvance@gmail. com
A high speed chase ended
along Georgia Highway 56 north
of Mount Vernon as the suspect
crashed into a citizens yard on
Sunday, November 19.
According to Montgom
ery County Sheriff Doug May-
bin, the chase began in Laurens
County and traveled through
Treutlen County before com
ing to Montgomery County.
Maybin said he is unsure what
started the pursuit, but was told
that the suspect fired shots at
law enforcement during the in
cident. No Montgomery County
deputies were involved with the
chase, as the car had crashed
upon their arrival.
The incident is being in
vestigated by both the Georgia
Bureau of Investigation because
of the shots fired and the Geor
gia State Patrol because of the
wreck. More information will be
available after the investigation
closes.
The Menu
By Amber Nagle
From The Porch
It seems like just
yesterday, we were in
the throes of a Georgia
heatwave, yet here we
are — planning the last-
minute culinary details
of our Thanksgiving day
feasts. A few years ago,
our family adopted a pot-
luck model for the day
— all of us bringing one
or two covered dishes to
contribute to the table.
Now we coordinate what
everyone is baking and
Amber Nagle
concocting, so that ten
desserts don’t arrive with
no sides to eat with them.
Please see Amber page
12A
Vote Ends MoCo
Homestead Debate
By Makaylee Randolph
Staff Writer
mrandolphadvance@gmail.com
The possibility of
enacting a floating home
stead exemption within
Montgomery County
has been a hot topic
among citizens and the
Commission, as each
party seeks a solution to
the increase of property
taxes. Commissioners
finally made an official
vote on the topic at their
monthly meeting on
Monday, November 13.
Commissioners
agreed to craft their own
suggested county home-
Please see MoCo page
12A
VHS Students Raise $5,000
For Cancer Patients
A STUDENT'S IDEA - The idea to host a Fall Festival to raise money for cancer
awareness came to Vidalia High School Senior Emma Vinson after hearing
that five teachers within the school system were battling the disease. L to R:
Shellie Cleghorn, Anna Helms, Emma Vinson,
Courtesy of Vidalia
High School
Cancer is a cruel
disease that shows no
discrimination in who
it attacks. Over 1.9 mil
lion new cases were pro
jected to be diagnosed
in the United States in
2022 alone. But when
one school system with
a total of just 345 em
ployees has 5 of those
employees diagnosed
with and fighting cancer
to stay alive in the last
year, the reality of the
dreaded disease struck
close to home for the
students, teachers, and
staff of the Vidalia City
School System.
It especially struck
Please see VHS page 13A
