About The Forest-blade. (Swainsboro, Ga.) 1996-current | View Entire Issue (April 29, 2020)
iuson Check out our website: cebook www.customfurnitureflooring.com CHEVROLET • BUICK • GMC TRUCKS I ^^w.widanielscffev.'comf U.S. Hwy. 80 East at SR #56, Swainsboro, GA 478.237.4111 • 1.800.424.8721 We're here and ready to help. We know that these are uncertain and challenging times, and your vehicle should be the least of your worries. That’s why Chevrolet, your Chevrolet dealer and GM Financial are here and committed to helping you in any way we can - from answering your questions to servicing your vehicle and everything in-between. The Forest-Blade EMANUEL COUNTY / ©2019 Emanuel County Nezvspapers Inc. All rights reserved. VOLUME 161, NO. 18 Swainsboro, Georgia • April 29 2020 ONE DOLLAR EGSC to host virtual spring commencement ceremony East Georgia State College will hold its spring commencement ceremony virtually on Friday, May 8, 2020 at 6 p.m. The ceremony will be held virtually because of the recent COVID-19 pandem ic. The ceremony can be viewed in a watch party on the EGSC Facebook page, the col lege's YouTube channel and on the EGSC web site at http://zvzvzv.ega. ed.il/2020-Spring-Com- mencement. Candidates for the 2020 spring gradua tion can choose to par ticipate in the virtual graduation, and they have been asked to come back in the fall to take part in the fall commencement cere mony. For the virtual ceremony, graduating candidates have been asked to provide pho tos of themselves to be included in the video when their name is called. The virtual ceremony will also feature special messages from student and guest speakers who were scheduled to speak at the grad uation. The presi dent of EGSC, Dr. Bob Boehmer, will welcome all viewers to the virtu al ceremony, followed by Morgan Bryant and Megan Bryant, who will perform "God Bless America." The reflection will be given by graduating student Susanna Hall. The alumni speaker for the ceremony is Deon Craig, and the stu dent a is Bruce Bass Jr. Col. George Fredrick will deliver special remarks to the stu dents, followed by Dr. Sandra Sharman, Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs, who will present the degrees to the graduat ing students. Please join your fel low students and invite friends, relatives, and others to participate in your virtual ceremony. Parade for EMC Nursing Home taking place today Today, April 29, beginning at 2 p.m., Emanuel Medical Center Nursing Home will host a family/ community parade for its residents. Line-up will begin in the parking lot of Swainsboro-Emanuel County Auditorium. Family and community members will be escorted through the front parking lot of Emanuel Medical Center, where nursing home residents will be waiting, 6 feet apart, to watch the parade. Participants are allowed to decorate their vehi cles, but no individuals will be allowed to get out of vehicles. WE APPRECIATE OUR MILITARY AND ALL YOU DO FOR OUR COUNTRY! ATTORNEY SHEPHERD Sixty years of practicing law for local by HALEI LAMB Sid Shepherd could have retired twice by now, but the long-time attorney says he won't quit until he is toted out of his East Moring Street office. His passion is undeniable, given he reached the 60-year mark of practicing law on April 1, 2020, and the longevity of his career lends to an interesting story. Though he's been in attorney Swainsboro long enough to call it home, his life story and the profes sional one attached to it starts in North Carolina. Ask him where he's from and he'll proudly repeat a catchphrase about his birthplace taught to him by his father: Elizabeth City is his hometown, and it's nestled in the County of "Pasquotank, where the bullfrogs jump (Continued on page 2A) ATAP Fundamentals: One man's passion for basketball is kids' lives by HALEI LAMB Quan McKinney, also known as "Coach Q," started dribbling a bas ketball when he was a kid and developed a seri ous love for the game, but he had no idea just how significant that pas sion would become. He grew up in the Black and Gold, played at the colle giate level, worked with changing an NBA manager, came home, started a family, and began coaching. Yet, his greatest accomplish ment is still in the mak ing. ATAP Fundamentals, his basketball training service, is hot on the rise with some 400 players coming to him for game- skills polishing—and he's making them better (Continued on page 2C) COACH Q GIVING INSTRUCTION FROM THE SIDELINES OF THE SWAINSBORO TIGERS' FINAL 4 GAME AGAINST GLENN HILLS IN 2020 AS CED SEABROUGH LOOKS ON Twenty-one cases of COVID-19 in Emanuel by HALEI LAMB According to the coun ty commissioners' noon update before press time Tuesday, April 27, the total confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Emanuel has now reached 21. Of those 21 cases, eight are active. Twelve cases have recovered, and one patient has died. Nine cases are await ing results. A total of 257 patients have been tested. The Emanuel County Board of Commissioners remains the go-to for the most current, cumulative list of local coronavi- rus cases. The commis sion works jointly with Emanuel Medical Center, East Georgia Healthcare Center, and the health department to provide an update everyday Monday through Friday at noon on Facebook. To receive these updates, fol low the Emanuel County Board of Commissioners and turn on your notifi cations. COLEMAN FUTCH ECSO calling for public's help locating Coleman, Futch Due to felony war rants in an ongoing investigation, Emanuel County Sheriff's Office is looking to the pub lic for leads on the whereabouts of Justin Coleman and Steven Futch, two individu als who are allegedly involved in a series of thefts. Sheriff Tyson Stephens says the two men are a danger to persons and property in the coun ty. Anyone with infor mation should call Lt. Matt Lamb or Lt. David McVey at 478-237-7526. Futch and Coleman, along with two other men, are accused of being involved in the theft of several off-road recreational vehicles. Throughout the course of the investigation, officials named four suspects and sought warrants. Among those were Coleman and Futch, as well as JayJay Cody Pace and Leon Timothy Bush. Futch is charged with theft by taking and bond revocation. Coleman is charged with theft by taking as well. QAAat’g inside... Obituaries 4A Church Page 4B Sports News....C Section Editorial Columns 4C Crime Blotter 3C Classified Listings 2D Legal Notices 3D Today's Forecast I