About The Forest-blade. (Swainsboro, Ga.) 1996-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 17, 2021)
6A The Forest-Blade • ummiEmaniielConntyLive.com • Swainsboro, Georgia • February 17, 2021 EGSC Foundation receives grant The East Georgia State College Foundation recently received two grants from the Mill Creek Foundation to supply honeybees for the EGSC Bobcat Apiary and to establish a wildflower pollinator garden at the main campus. The EGSC Bobcat Apiary was established in 2015 on the college's campus to help educate local school groups, visitors, and EGSC students, faculty, and staff about the importance of pollinators. In 2016, the college was designated as the 14 th Bee Campus USA affiliate in the nation. The current project involves expanding the apiary by purchasing honeybees to set up eight honeybee hives. Five hives will be setup in the apiary on the main campus and the other three hives will be installed at the college's second apiary located off campus. The installation of the honeybees will expand upon the college's efforts to educate the community and the college of the importance of bees in the environment and promote pollinator awareness and habitat protection. The hives will be installed by EGSC students who are interested in working with honeybees and members of the Bobcat Beekeeping Club which was estab lished in the Fall of 2019. This project is hoped to establish self-sustaining apiaries so the stronger hives can be used to boost colonies that have been weakened due to disease, pests, or queen loss. It's also a goal of the project to increase outreach, student involvement, and the interest of beekeeping to the point that more people become beekeepers. The second project receiving a grant involves the purchase of a tiller, topsoil, and wildflower seed to grow a wildflower garden on the EGSC campus. As a Bee Campus affiliate, EGSC committed itself to promote pollinator education and the establishment of and protection of pollinator habitats, both on campus and in the community. The goal for this project is to finish establishing an approximately 200 square foot wildflower garden and the establishment of additional gardens. The pollinator gardens will also help pollinators by providing them with healthy habitats. Each project costs approximately $1,200 and is planned to be completed in the Spring. East Georgia State College, the Bobcat Beekeeping Club, staff, and stu dents would like to thank the Mill Creek Foundation for the opportunity to ob tain these grants to further just one of the many missions of EGSC. for honeybees, pollinator garden HONEYBEES ON EGSC CAMPUS "I would personally like to thank the Mill Creek Foundation's Board of Direc tors for funding these projects," said Dr. Paul Cerpovicz, EGSC professor. "The Foundation has been absolutely wonderful over the years in providing support to EGSC in its efforts to increase the educational and cultural opportunities avail able for its students, faculty and staff, as well as the local community. I am very grateful for their support in helping us to fulfill our Bee Campus USA goals to help promote educational awareness and appreciation of honeybees and other pollinators, and the establishment and protection of their habitats." To learn more about the Bobcat Apiary, visit http:/ / www.ega.edu/bobcat-api ary Summertown Food Pantry announces upcoming date for distribution Summertown Food Pantry will open for February distribution on Thursday, Feb. 25, from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. Please bring con tainers for distribu tion items. Commissioners opt for... (From front page) and February 11, 2021 workshop meet ing were approved as presented. Casting first motion for approval was Commissioners Foskey who was sec onded by Commission er Davis. In reference to new business: • 10 vehicles were ap proved for surplus by board members. They included old county work trucks that have recently been replaced, as well as vehicles from the Emanuel County Sheriff's Office. • Commissioners ap proved the purchase of motor graders, a dis cussion / action held on a regular basis every five years. Having re ceived two bids: John Deere ($367,124.68) and CAT ($375,267.94), commissioners opted for the lowest bid, John Deere. The submitted price includes 10 ma chines with equipment. The prices submitted were annual quotes. The annual difference of submitted quotes was $8,143.26 and the five year difference was $40,716.30. • Board members approved three munic ipal election intergov ernmental agreements submitted by Stillmore, Twin City, and Swains boro for the upcoming election year. • Board members ap proved the purchase of a transfer station truck. County Admin istrator Guy Singletary advised that the semi truck, also referred to as a "spot truck", in mind for purchase is a used truck that fits the needs of the county, with a quote price of $18,000. He further ad vised that the county is currently using a truck loaned by the Sullivans at no charge until a county purchase could be made. Making mo tion for approval was Commissioner Keith Thompson. Commis sioner Desse Davis sec onded and all remain ing board members voted in favor. • Singletary told board members that two bids for a service truck have been re ceived. He explained that the service truck is a critical piece of equip ment used by the coun ty and suggested the ap proval of the lowest bid. Of the two bids, Beck Ford quoted a bid price of $157,000 and Peach State Ford bid $143,876. The bids are for a Ford F550 featuring a service body, crane, and other functions. Board mem bers opted to accept the lowest bid from Peach State Ford. Making first motion was Commis sioner Davis, who was seconded by Commis sioner Canady. • Board members then held a discussion on chairman term for the Board of Commis sioners. In favor that a two-year term will better serve the com missioners than having a one-year term limit for chairman, Commis sioner Thompson made first motion of approv al. Commissioner Fos key seconded this mo tion and all remaining board members voted in favor, except Com missioner Canady who opposed. • Singletary dis cussed an expired term and need for the ap pointment for the tax assessors board. The expired term being Moscoe Dawkins, who has served more than 40 years on the board and is one of the coun ty's longest serving em ployees. Commissioner Thompson commended Dawkins for his com mitment and work per formed for the county. A motion to reappoint Dawkins to his current position was made by Commissioner Davis and seconded by Com missioner Canady, with all remaining board members voting in fa vor. Prior to adjournment of the night's session, Chairman Sherrod read the following letter on behalf of Emanuel County Sheriff Jeffrey Brewer: "On Thursday, Feb. 11, investigators with Emanuel County Sher iff's Office arrested Ethan Chase Strickland in connection with the theft of two stop signs with solar power lights. Cody Shane Williams has outstanding war rants for the same theft. These are the stop signs stolen from Lehman Road on December 22, 2020. The victims in this case are the tax pay ing citizens of Emanu el County. Contrary to an early statement re leased to a news outlet which stated, "We're no closer today finding out who did this than back in late December," is not accurate. Investigator Matt Lamb and Inves tigator Ashley Denney were hot on their trail. Sheriff Brewer states that criminal cases have to be proven and this takes time. With some cases, periodic updates are not given because it could jeopardize the outcome. Investigator Lamb and Investigator Denney discovered the names of these indi viduals in mid-January. Lhey began building their case which led to arrest warrants being issued. Sheriff Brewer commended Lamb and Denney for their inves tigative skills and for those who gave infor mation to begin with." With no other busi ness to discuss, the meeting was adjourned. EMANUEL MEDICAL CENTER With You 2021 Wellness Blood Screening 7:00 am to 9:00 am Emanuel Medical Center Report to Outpatient Lab No order or registration needed! Thursday, February 18,2021 Discounted Rates 1 Test = $15 2 Tests = $30 3 Tests = $40 4Tests = $55 5 Tests = $70 6Tests = $85 Labs: CBC, CMP, LIPID, HGB A1C,TSH, PSA **CASH OR CHECK ONLY** D uke us on & facebook 117 Kite Road • Swainsboro, GA • 478.289.1100 We Are Open! Please utilize rear entrance (from the Boneyard) and please practice social distancing. Enhanced sanitation practices will be in place for customer safety. Alusic Memories Museum See Authentic Clothing Owned by Famous Music Artists... Michael Jackson, George Jones, BB King, Loretta Lynn, Cher, m Frank Sinatra, Elton John, Hank Williams Jr. And Others... Located Inside Main Street Market Antique Mall 215 West Main St. Swainsboro, GA (478)237-0936 www.musicmemoriesmuseum.com Open 6 Days A Week 10am-5pm Monday - Saturday Free Admission Clk face book/ musiememoriesmuseum- I Antiques • Arts • Crafts • Home Decor • Unique Gifts 215 W Main St • Downtown Swainsboro Find us on Facebook 478.237.0936 Open: Mon -Sat • 10 AM - 5 PM Welcome Back! Gilbert Gonzalez, MD 1707 Meadows Lane, Suite F Vidalia, GA 30474 Meadows Health Urology is proud to welcome back Gilbert Gonzalez, MD, to our staff. Dr. Gonzalez received his Doctor of Medicine degree from Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia, and practiced his residency at Emory University Medical Center, Atlanta, Georgia. He is certified by the American Board of Urology, and will be seeing patients at Meadows Health Urology. (912) 537-9481
