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VOL.3 NO. 1 January 17, 2024 | LEGAL ORGAN OF SCREVEN COUNTY | Sylvania, Georgia $1.25
Editorials ..11 | Church News ..3 | Sports ..4-5 | Obituaries ..6 | Legals ..7 | Farm & Land.. 10 | Booking Log ..9 | Crossword ..8
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A Brave Journey: Michael
Boswell Triumphs Over Cancer
By Blis Savidge, Special Contributor
for
The Times
Michael “Mikey” Boswell is a
12-year-old boy from Sylvania,
GA who was diagnosed with
osteosarcoma in the right femur
in April of 2023.
Less than two weeks before his
diagnosis, he was playing baseball,
one of his favorite activities, when
he began to limp. His mom also
noticed that his right thigh felt a
little different. Thinking it might
just be a pulled muscle she called
their pediatrician to be safe.
After seeing his MRI and x-ray
results, Michael’s doctor made a
swift decision to refer the family to
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta-
more than 170 miles from home.
After some research
and talking with
their pediatrician,
Michael’s family
were confident that
bringing Michael to
Children's was the
best decision, even
despite the lengthy
drive.
After a biopsy
in April of 2023,
doctors confirmed
the family’s worst
fears- Michael had
cancer.
He immediately
began treatment and
On January 5, 2024, Michael rang the bell signifying the
end of his cancer treatment while everyone, including
Blanche cheered him on. Photo contributed
Michael and Blanche became close during his stay at Children’s
Hospital of Atlanta. Leaving all of his friends back in Sylvania
was made easier by having Blanche. Photo contributed
underwent an 11-hour
surgery to remove the
tumor. Michael was
able to keep his leg,
but still had to endure
another few months
of chemo and intense
physical therapy.
While his journey
wasn’t an easy one,
Michael never had
to endure it alone.
Although he spent a lot
of time away from his
close-knit family and
friends who were back
in Sylvania, he made
many new friends,
including Children’s
facility dog, Blanche.
“Blanche has been
the greatest blessing to Michael,”
said Beth Boswell, Michael’s
mom. “He could be having the
worst day, but Blanche will
always put a smile on his face.
She knows when he’s feeling sad,
and she will snuggle up with him
and provide comfort or give him a
silly kiss when he needs a laugh.”
Blanche also helped Michael
meet his physical goals by
encouraging and pushing him to
regain his mobility and offering
some stability while he regained
his strength.
On January 5th, 2024, Michael
rang the bell signifying the end
of his cancer treatment while his
friends, family, and of course,
Blanche cheered him on!
We are so excited for Michael’s
bright future!
County Commissioners Tackle Key
Issues in Recent Meeting
Will Boyd and JC Warren were re-elected to their positions as Chairman
and Vice Chairman during the January 9 County Commissioners Meeting,
photo by Sarah Saxon.
Bv Sarah Saxon, Reporter
for The Times
The Screven County Commissioners
convened on Tuesday morning, January 9, at
the Courthouse for a session marked by the
re-election of key officials, consideration of
important board positions, and discussions on
pressing community matters.
Following the customary invocation and
pledge of allegiance, Will Boyd secured his
position as Chairman, being re-elected by the
majority of commissioners present. However,
Commissioner Willis dissented, expressing her
disagreement with the decision.
Similarly, the commissioners voted to re-elect
J.C. Warren as the Vice Chairman. Commissioner
Willis also expressed disagreement, stating her
belief that re-election was unwarranted.
The approval of the meeting agenda and the
minutes from the December 12, 2023, commissioners
meeting was passed without major contention.
Rev. Uley Robbins took the opportunity to extend
an invitation for the Martin Luther King, Jr. parade,
scheduled for Saturday, January 13, in downtown
Sylvania, fostering community engagement.
An important consideration was made for the
appointment of James Snow to fill the expiring
term on the Tax Assessors Board. The board also
discussed adopting a resolution that would establish
the terms of office for Tax Assessors Board members,
contingent on no further changes.
Looking ahead, commissioners engaged in a
robust discussion regarding the renewal of the
Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST).
Preliminary discussions centered on identifying
projects for consideration before August 6, with the
aim of placing them on the November ballot.
Another critical issue on the agenda was the
impending expiration of the Request for Proposal
(RFP) for Sanitation Services in June. Concerns were
raised about service interruptions during the holidays,
particularly due to a flu-related staff shortage at All
Greens. Commissioners emphasized the need for
consistent trash pickup, suggesting at least twice a
week to address potential disruptions.
James Wood, the County Street Supervisor,
joined the meeting to address concerns about road
conditions. Numerous complaints were received,
particularly about the Jenk Hill area and the area
around Hurst Church Road. The board acknowledged
the need for swift action in addressing these road-
related challenges.
BUDGETS
FOR Pimm© §©H©©L
Georgia Southern
By Dwayne Grice,
Special Contributor
for
The Times
Wednesday, January 10, 2024,
at the Georgia Chamber of
Commerce’s annual Eggs and
Issues legislative preview event,
Georgia Governor Brian P. Kemp
announced his budget proposal
will include 178 million dollars
for the design and constmction
for a dental school at Georgia
Southern University - the first
school of its kind in our state
since the moon landing in 1969!
"This is a great day for Georgia
and especially for Georgia
Southern University. We are
thrilled to see this included in
Governor Kemp's budget and
we owe a special thanks to
Representative Butch Parrish for
leading the charge on this. The
shortage of dentist in Georgia
is a critical healthcare priority,"
said Senator Billy Hickman,
Chairman of Higher Education
and Appropriations member.
Governor Kemp’s address
celebrated years of record-
breaking economic development
and laying out priorities for
the 2024 legislative session to
continue that success.
The Governor announced his
administration’s priorities to
continue addressing workforce
development challenges,
including in healthcare; reinforce
Georgia's status as a right-to-
work state; address the need for
more information regarding civil
litigation; invest in infrastructure
across the state, including
workforce housing; and establish
new higher education assets.
Below are the Governor’s
prepared remarks in full:
Good morning, thank you for
that introduction. I’m proud to be
here today with the nation’s best
First Lady - Marty Kemp! And
we’re glad to be here with Speaker
Bums, Lt. Governor Jones,
UNIVERSITY
other members of the General
Assembly, Mayor Dickens, and
some of the great local partners
who have helped us keep Georgia
the best state for opportunity. I
also want to thank Chris Clark
and the Georgia Chamber team
for making this yearly event
possible.
It’s thanks to allofthese partners,
and many others throughout
Georgia, that we remain the No.
1 state for business. We’ve seen
over 171,000 new jobs come to
our communities. We’ve brought
in roughly 74.5 billion dollars in
investment to the state, with the
majority going to mral parts of
Georgia. We have more people
working than ever before in our
state. And we have jobs open for
anyone looking for work or a new
career.
That’s a track record everyone
in this room should be proud of.
But that’s where we are today.
What everyone in this room
should consider is where we need
to be in five years, in ten years, in
generations to come and how do
we get there.
My vision for that future
Georgia is one where all people
have opportunity and can
succeed, where job creators and
innovators choose us repeatedly
because we’re the best place to
build the businesses of tomorrow,
and where every community
see DENTAL on page 8
Senator Max Burns Announces
Reelection Bid for State Senate
Sylvania, GA - State Senator
Max Bums announced today
that he will be seeking reelection
for a 3rd term to Georgia’s 23rd
State Senate District. Senator
Bums was first elected to the
Georgia General Assembly as a
State Senator in November 2020
and took office in January 2021.
Senator Bums chairs the Senate
Ethics Committee which oversees
all election legislation in Georgia.
Bums was the author and lead
sponsor of SB 202, The Election
Integrity Act of 2021.
“Today, I am announcing that I
will seek reelection to Georgia’s
23rd State Senate District. While
we have had redistricting of
the State Senate maps since the
last election, the 23rd Senate
District makeup is not changing.
I am committed to serving the
citizens of the 23rd State Senate
District. Conservative values in
Georgia, and the United States as
a whole, are under attack, and we
must support
and protect
Georgia’s
economy,
education,
public safety,
religious
freedoms,
and election
integrity.
I have a proven conservative
track record of results, and I look
forward to continuing to serve
our communities in the 23rd
District and provide leadership
for Georgia in the State Senate.”
The Republican Primary
Election Date is May 21, 2024.
The General Election Date is
November 5, 2024.
The 23rd Senate District is
made up of Burke, Columbia
(portions), Emanuel, Glascock,
Jefferson, Jenkins, McDuffie,
Richmond (portions), Screven,
Taliferro, and Warren counties.
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