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LETTERS TOSAMTA Mail your letters to: SANTA LETTERS c/o Ahuance 205 E. 1st Street, Vidalia, GA 30475 Deadline is December 5. The Vidalia Advance Established 1901 The Lyons Progress Established 1894 ncc Vol. 126 No. 48 Your Newspaper - Toombs, Montgomery & Wheeler County, Georgia 75$ November 29, 2023 Progress is man’s ability to complicate simplicity. - Thor Heyerdahl It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas News BYTES 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 & crafts, live music, Santa's train ride, slides, vendors, and more. For more information, contact Wholesale Customs at (912) 537- 8208. Rich's Memory Discussion The Dr. Mark and Tonya Spivey Public Library will reminisce on the past Rich's establishment in Vidalia with a chat with Rich s A Southern Tradition Author Jeff Clemmons at 1 p.m. on Saturday, December 2. Signed copies of the book will be available. For more information, call (912) 537-9283. Mistletoe on Main The Toombs County Schools Special Education Department will host the annual Mistletoe on Main Market from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Toombs County Ag Center on Thursday, December 7. The market will feature several items, including those made by individuals with special needs. For more information, contact Toombs County Schools at (912) 526-3141. IN THIS ISSUE Editorials Page 6A Obituaries Page 8A From the Record Page 5A Your Mind On Line Page 2A Sports Page 1 B SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE 30% OFF NEWSSTAND IMV Call 537-3131 (or delivery! BRINGING CHRISTMAS CHEER TO THE AREA - Kids are sure to see Santa and enjoy all the fun of the holi days with several activities planned throughout the area this month, Parades • The Lyons Lighted Christmas Parade will illumi nate the streets at 6 p.m. on Fri day December 1. The parade Please see Christmas page 5A By Makaylee Randolph & Deborah Clark The Christmas Season has begun, and the air is filled with cheer! As we enter December this week, several events and traditions celebrating the holi days will keep families busy and festive throughout this magical time. Toombs County Toombs County first be gan their kickoff to the season on Tuesday, November 28, as the City of Vidalia held their annual Christmas Tree Light ing at Ronnie A. Dixon City Park. Yet, that event was merely the start to a series of festivities designed to ensure all remain holly and jolly throughout the month. GBI Releases More High Speed Chase Details By Makaylee Randolph Staff Writer mrandolphadvance@gmail. com The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) has released more details about a high-speed chase that began in Laurens County and ended with a crash in Montgomery County. According to the agency, at around 3:45 p.m. on Sunday, Novem ber 19, a Laurens County sheriff’s deputy pulled over Kadeem Amir Wick er, 32, of Wrightsville, on Interstate 16 for reckless driving. Quickly, the rou tine traffic stop escalated when Wicker drove away as the deputy approached the vehicle. This action began a pursuit that continued into Treutlen County, dur ing which the Treutlen County Sheriff’s Office began to assist. Wicker fired multiple rounds of shots at both the Laurens and Treutlen County dep uties as he led the group into Montgomery County, along Georgia Highway 221. According to Mont gomery County Sheriff Doug Maybin, Montgom ery County sheriff’s depu ties were en route to assist with the chase, which end ed before their arrival. Once into Montgom ery County, a Treutlen County deputy performed a PIT maneuver in at tempt to end the chase, which caused Wicker to wreck along the side of the highway just before reach ing Georgia Highway 199. Wicker was injured in the crash and taken to the hospital where he remains. Both drugs and firearms were found in Wicker’s ve hicle. The Georgia State Pa trol is investigating the ac cident, while the GBI is in vestigating the aggravated assault (shots fired) upon the deputies. Anyone with information is asked to contact the GBI Eastman Office at 478-374-6988. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https: //gbi. georgia.gov/ submit-tips- online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app. MoCo Board of Tax Assessors Gives Update By Makaylee Randolph Staff Writer mrandolphadvance@gmail.com The Montgomery County Board of Tax Assessors gave an up date on the county’s search for a Chief Appraiser during a regular monthly meeting on Thursday, No vember 16. According to the Board, no ap plications or resumes have been submitted for the county’s Chief Appraiser position, which was re cently vacated due to former Chief Appraiser Julie Adams’ resignation last month. When discussing this matter, Board member Chad Har rison emphasized the difficulty of finding a Level 4 Appraiser, stating that most of the state offices are struggling to fill these positions be cause of the lack of appraisers with Please see MoCo page 2A Five More Men Restored GRADUATES - The graduation on November 18 marked the 3rd time which Forge has graduated men from the facility, proving the center's success in restoring men to lives of freedom, hope, and purpose. Front, L to R—Whit field Boyd, Jacob Brannon. Back, L to R - Patrick Bowen, Caleb Beasley, Heath Boney. By Makaylee Randolph Staff Writer mrandolphadvance@gmail.com Five more men were restored to a life of freedom, hope, and purpose, thanks to Forge Men’s Recovery Center, who celebrated the men’s graduation from the Center with a ceremony at the Blue Marquee on Saturday, November 18. Jacob Brannon, Patrick Bowen, Whitfield Boyd, Caleb Beasley, and Heath Boney will now utilize the tools and character gained through their time at Forge to reintegrate themselves into a life of sobriety out side of the facility’s walls. This grad- Please see Forge page 2A