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The Jenkins County Times
jenkinscountytimes.com
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Proudly covering Jenkins County’s news, sports, and community events
Sam Eades Publisher
Joe Brady Editor
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Sarah Saxon ....Admin/Legals/Reporter/AP Correspondent
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Lori Jones Front Office/Re
THE JENKINS COUNTY TIMES
issue 46 January 2024 is published weekly by on
Wednesday for $24.95 per year by THE JENKINS COUNTY
TIMES, 125 N. Main • Sylvania, Ga. 30467.
Periodical postage pending at Sylvania, GA
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to
THE JENKINS COUNTY TIMES, P.O. Box 1448
Millen GA 30442
Subscription Rates (Includes tax):
1 Year in Jenkins County $24.95
1 Year Online Only $18.00
2 Years In Jenkins County $45.00
1 Year Outside of County $24.95
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1 day online pass $1.99
L A TIT L A TfY I 1 L 1 C John Paul Hearn, Superintendant
J—/xVVJ J—/ J__/ I i V7 A J—/k3 Jenkins County School System
I hope everyone is feeling a little warmer today. Man, this past weekend was cold. But
I guess it is supposed to be cold in the wintertime. I am certain in late summer; we will
wish we had a little dose of the 20-degree weather to go with the 100-degree weather we
will be experiencing then. This week I am going to change things up a little. I am going
to give some updates on what is taking place in our school system.
First, our building addition project. We are in the very final stages of being finished.
The only thing left is for the contractor to finish up the punch list. If you are not
familiar with building terminology, that is the list of things that have been identified
by the architect or the school system that need correcting before we close out with the
contractor. To review what was accomplished in this project, we added some needed
classrooms, a new STEM class for the elementary school, and a new middle school ag
lab and classroom. This project was funded with American Recovery Plan funds from
the federal government in response to COVID-19. The additions look great. My plan
is to have an open house sometime in late March to allow community members to visit
and see the new additions to our building.
Our Growing GREAT Readers program at the elementary school is in full swing. As
I have stated before, early literacy is a problem all across our country. Georgia is putting
an emphasis on improving our literacy rates. Just recently the Georgia Department of
Education hired a Structured Literacy Coaching Coordinator. He is a Georgia educator
and has a proven track record in his school system where he conducted professional
learning based on the science of reading and implemented sound literacy practices that
matched the science of reading. In his role with the GaDOE, he will work to implement
those practices in schools statewide. Our teachers at JCES are already ahead of the game
in that area because they are almost halfway through the LETRS professional learning
program, which is foundational to the brain science behind how a student learns to read.
As parents, grandparents, family members, and community members, I encourage you
to take time each day to read to our children. Start reading to them the day they are bom
and don’t stop. Children develop foundations of language and literacy well before they
even leam to speak. Reading to them and allowing them to read to you 15-20 minutes
per day is probably the single greatest thing you can do to help your child be successful.
Lastly, I want to touch on school attendance. The best way for children to learn is
to be at school each day. I understand that children will be sick, and there is nothing
we can do about that. But I challenge you to make every effort for your child to be in
school every day. So far this year at the elementary school, we have had 144 students
_who have missed ten or more days of school. Forty-five of those have missed over 15
days of school. Tuesday of this week is the 100th day of school. That means those
144 students have missed 10%-15% of our total school days so far this year. It is very
difficult for children to learn when they miss school. It is especially difficult when they
are missing the foundations of learning how to read. Research shows that students who
are not reading on grade level by the end of the third grade are more likely to drop out
of high school than students who are reading on grade level. The same research shows
that school attendance is one of the five main contributing factors towards not reading
on grade level. I encourage you as family and community members to make sure our
students are at school on a daily basis. All of us need to do our part in the journey from
Good To GREAT.
Explaining the Jenkins
County Senior Center
Come and visit 998 College Ave. Millen, GA, where you will find an abundance of experiences
beyond just playing Bingo! As soon as you step through our center's front door, you will be
greeted by smiles and laughter that refresh your spirit. It's astonishing that despite being open
for many years, there are still many people who are unaware of the wonderful offerings we
provide. Our doors are open to all residents aged 60 and above in Jenkins County. Our main
objective is to create a safe and welcoming space for the senior population, where they can
engage in social activities, enjoy nourishing meals, and maintain their physical well-being.
Under the exceptional leadership of Lee and Lisa, our facility excels in various areas such
as health, wellness, education, nutrition, socialization, and emotional support. They take great
pride in celebrating every occasion, whether it's showing support for National Breast Cancer
Awareness Month by wearing pink, hosting monthly birthday celebrations, or acknowledging
almost every holiday. Our ambition is simply to just have fun! We organize outings, both near
and far, so our seniors can experience the joy of exploring new places. Additionally, our seniors
actively participate in various service and community activities. The Jenkins County Senior
Center truly is a cherished place!
Lee and Lisa are invaluable resources to our community. They have created a wami and
enjoyable atmosphere for our seniors, where they can gather with friends who have become
like family. While our primary funding comes from Jenkins County and other government
entities, we are grateful for the additional support we receive from the generous donations and
fundraising efforts of our clients and staff, as well as through grant applications.
We invite you to stop by and experience it for yourself. We are confident that it will leave
a lasting impression on your heart, inspiring you to serve this phenomenal group in any way
possible.
Feel free to reach out to me on any aspects where I can be of help to you, or if you have any
suggestions for enhancing our community. As we look forward to the coming week, let's all take
pride in being residents of Jenkins County. I wish you a wonderful week ahead!
You may email your questions to Commissioner Powell at news@jenkinscountytimes.com
unty
mmissioners
HAT
By Jonathon Powell, Special Contributor
for
The Times
JCRD
Continued from page 1
scheduled to begin in February to April.
A notable addition to the Recreation Department
is the retractable indoor batting cage in the gym.
This innovative feature allows middle and high
school athletes to practice their swings even when
weather conditions are unfavorable, ensuring that
training continues seamlessly. It complements the
existing outdoor batting cage, providing versatility
for athletes in their practice routines.
Wendell Clark expressed his gratitude to
key players from the county and the city Jason
Oglesby and Johnny Thomas, respectively, whose
unwavering support has played a crucial role in
realizing these improvements.
Beyond the facilities, the entire complex has
undergone enhancements, including repaired fences
that now stand as a testament to the commitment
to creating a safe and welcoming environment for
all participants. The transformation is not only
noticeable at the rec center itself. The “Railroad
Fields” have been upgraded as well since the
T-Ball and Coach Pitch teams will now have a new
location to call home. Fields, Dugouts, Concessions,
and Restrooms have all been improved. This signifies not only a physical facelift but also a
renewed spirit of community engagement and shared passion for sports.
As Coach Clark continues to steer the Recreation Department toward new heights, the
community eagerly anticipates the upcoming track season and further developments under
his leadership. The once-quiet gym now echoes with the sounds of bouncing balls, running
feet, and the cheers of excited players—a testament to the power of vision, dedication, and
community support.
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JENKINS
COUNTY
» SCHOOL SYSTEM
By Joe Brady, Editor
for
The Times
You know, life can be interpreted through our favorite movies. Last weekend, as we
were leaving the auction house one of the guys came up to me, “Um, I have something
to tell you.” I could tell he was mighty uncomfortable. So I just said, “out with it young
man!” He looks at me, and says, “I have a past.” Y’all I was immediately reminded of
Steel Magnolia’s. “You are too young to have a past. Not these days, if you can achieve
puberty, you can achieve a past.” Well, obviously the fella has never seen Steel Magnolia’s
because my reference fell on confused ears.
Here's another instance. My surrogate son, who acts more like me than either of us
would care to admit, even down to the same head size has been wanting a newspaper boy
hat. Y'all know the type, they slope down in the front and are flat like a pancake. Anyway,
I asked him if he had ever tried one on to which he replied, “no but the detective on Blue
Bloods wears one and it looks good!” He was astonished when I said, “I’ve been a fan of
Tom Selleck since Magnum PI.” Now, a lot of us remember Tom Selleck from Magnum
PI. Did you know younger folks bom after 1989 have no clue that Tom Selleck played
that part?
I have a knack for remembering punch lines from movies but not punch lines from jokes.
And when speaking with younger people they either think I’m incredibly witty, or crazy.
Of course, since I haven’t seen a movie from beginning to end in 10 years or so. Usually
fifteen minutes in, I’m out like a light. So my references are a bit dated. But then, much
to my family’s chagrin, I have two rolodexes on my desk! That’s all for now, take care.
Letters to the editor of The Jenkins County Times are welcomed
and encouraged. These are pages of opinion, yours and ours.
Letters to the editor voice the opinions of the newspaper’s read
ers. The Jenkins County Times reserves the right to edit any and
all portions of a letter Unsigned letters will not be published.
Letters must include the signature, address and phone number
of the writer to allow our staff to authenticate its origin. Letters
should be limited to 400 words and should be typewritten and
double-spaced or neatly printed by hand. Deadline for letters
to the editor is noon on Wednesday. Email Letters to the Editor
to: thejenkinscountytimes@gmail. com
On behalf of our auxiliary members, we would like to thank the citizens of Screven
and Jenkins Counties for their continuing support of our events this past year. Without
community involvement we would not be able to provide for the needs of our veterans and
their families.
We would like to give a special thanks to those businesses who donated to our basket
raffle: The Times Newspapers, Mary Joyce Florist, O’Reilly’s, Advance Auto Parts, NAPA,
Moats, Sylvania Sportsman, and The Sheppard’s Nook. To SCA, SCES, and SCMS for
supporting our poppy coloring contest with entries from the students. To B&T Markets
and Possum Edy Hardware for their continued support of Poppy Days. Also, to the Screven
Chamber, Jenkins Chamber, and the Observer for sharing and covering our events.
Again, we thank you for your efforts to our organization,
Maureen Scott
President
American Legion Auxiliary Unit 116w
Sylvania, GA.
uetters To The
EDITOR
Dear Editor of The Times Newspapers,