Newspaper Page Text
The Upson Beacon
Thursday, March 18, 2021
Page 5A
L-R: John Dowdy and Kloe Myers
Photo Submitted
Two Thomaston Truckers
Named ‘Highway Angels’
Myers, Dowdy Aid Motorists with Vehicle Fire
ICMA Designates Thompson
a Credentialed City Manager
Photo by Luke Haney
Thomaston City Manager Russell Thompson
Kloe Myers and John
Dowdy, both of Thomaston,
recently were named “High
way Angels” by the Truck-
load Carriers Association for
stopping to help motorists
whose vehicle caught fire, ac
cording to a statement by the
organization.
Myers was behind the
wheel as her partner, Dowdy,
was in the sleeper. She had
just passed through a weigh
station off I-20 just outside
Grovetown, Ga. when she
saw people in distress on the
side of the road with the bed
of their pickup on fire.
“There were two males
and a female,” Myers said,
“and only one person had
stopped to help.”
She pulled over and ma
neuvered her truck to force
traffic around the scene, then
awakened Dowdy and
grabbed a fire extinguisher as
Dowdy scurried to get
dressed. Myers was able to
quickly extinguish the flames
as Dowdy helped the others
pull boxes and bags of smol
dering items out of the
pickup bed.
“We were trying to pre
vent the fire from spreading
to the car they were towing,”
Myers said. Dowdy ran to
their truck and handed off
gallon jugs of water they
were carrying. The group
used them to douse every
thing and stomped out smol
dering embers.
“I ruined a pair of shoes,
but it was worth it,” Myers
said.
Myers and Dowdy
learned the three motorists
were in the process of mov
ing.
“We were able to prevent
damage to the car, but they
were pretty upset that they
lost everything they were
moving, mostly personal
items and all their kids’ toys,
but they thanked us for stop
ping,” Myers said. “It all hap
pened so fast.”
First responders arrived
after the fire was extin
guished.
Myers has been driving
for less than two years, and
she and Dowdy have been
driving together for more
than a year. They have come
upon fires in the past and try
to always be prepared.
“I try to help everyone I
can when I see them broken
down on the road,” Myers
said. “If I can’t stop, I feel
bad. The side of the road isn’t
always big enough for me to
pull over.”
Thankfully for the dis
tressed motorists, there was
room on the shoulder that
day.
Thomaston City Man
ager Russell Thompson re
cently received the
“Credentialed Manager”
designation from the Inter
national City/County Man
agement Association,
according to an announce
ment from the organization.
Thompson was recog
nized by Mayor J.D. Stall
ings and the city council
during a recent meeting as
one of more than 1,300 local
government management
professionals currently cre
dentialed through the ICMA
Voluntary Credentialing
Program.
To receive the designa
tion, a member must have
significant experience as a
senior management ex
ecutive in local government,
have earned a degree, pref-
Georgia elementary
classes in third through fifth
grades are being challenged
to put their science, technol
ogy, engineering, and math
(STEM) skills to work to ex
plore the real-world issue
that farmers face of main
taining soil health.
Elementary teachers and
their students may enter the
Soil Health Explorers STEM
Challenge competition be
tween March 1 and May 14
for the chance to win a prize
erably in public administra
tion or a related field, and
have demonstrated a com
mitment to high standards
of integrity and to lifelong
learning and professional
package totaling $350 for
their class. The top grade
winner from the third,
fourth, and fifth grade en
tries will win a prize pack
age. The winners will be
announced via a Zoom pres
entation on May 21.
The Georgia Association
of Conservation Districts, a
non-profit organization that
promotes the conservation
of natural resources, is spon
soring the statewide compe
tition, which is being
coordinated by the Georgia
Ag Experience and Georgia
Foundation for Agriculture.
development.
ICMA’s 13,000
members in 27 countries
also include educators, stu
dents, and other local gov
ernment employees.
Teachers interested in
participating in the Soil
Health Explorers STEM
Challenge may visit
www.gfb.ag/stemchallenge
for more information and to
register for the program.
Once teachers register their
class, they will receive in
stant access to a digital re
source toolkit that equips the
class for participating in the
challenge.
“The Georgia Association
of Conservation Districts is
excited to partner with the
STEM Challenge, yA
TPD Staff Recognized for Years of Service
GACD Sponsors Ga Ag Experience STEM
Challenge for Elementary Schools
Top 3 Grade Winners Receive $350 in Prizes for Exploring Soil Health
The Thomaston Police Department recently recognized em
ployees “for many years of service to the department, City of
Thomaston, and the citizens of our great community,” accord
ing to a TPD announcement. Recognized staff are listed below:
•Cpt. Matt Allen, Candice Chatman, and Lt. Whit Lawrence: 5-
plus years of service
•Major Sidney Corley: 10-plus years of service
•Lt. Brian Hammock: 15-plus years of service
•Cpt. Monica Snipes, Cpt. Tim Ledbetter, Sgt. Andrew Nixon,
Ptl. Mark Poore: 20-plus years of service.
•Lt. Jeff Little: 25-plus years of service
•Wanda Jordan: 30-plus years of service.
L-R: City Manager Russell Thompson, Major Sidney L-R: City Manager Russell Thompson,
Corley, TPD Chief Mike Richardson. Lt. Brian Hammock, TPD Chief Mike Richardson.
L-R: City Manager Russell Thompson, Cpt. Monica Snipes, Cpt. Tim Ledbetter, Sgt. Andrew Nixon,
TPD Chief Mike Richardson. Not pictured: Ptl. Mark Poore.
L-R:
Lt. Jeff Little,
TPD Chief Mike Richardson.
Wanda Jordan, TPD Chief Mike Richardson.
Photos Submitted
Thomaston First Assembly of God
Invites You to Their
^ & HOMECOMING
Come and enjoy a time of
Worship & Fellowship!
Friday, March 19 at 7 p.m
Saturday, March 20 at 7 p.m. and
Sunday, March 21 at 10;45 a.m.
Thomaston/
CT)rst
\w/ ASSEMBLY
205 West County Road
Thomaston
478-697-3910
REGISTER FOR 0URFOR My LIFE s RETREAT
Just
$25
$459 Value
This special offer is valid for our in-person
retreats and online course through 2021 for
residents of the following counties only:
Spalding, Pike, Upson, Lamar, and Butts.
This five-day retreat is presented monthly.
Email: GuestServices@BelnHealth.com for promo code
God Healed Me Just in Time
I had hyperthyroidism, multiple
chemical sensitivities, PTSD, and
many other diseases and anxiety
disorders. I was bedridden and
homebound for about three years
and became very depressed.
Nothing we tried was helping.
When my eldest son got
engaged, I was heartbroken because I didn't think I'd be
able to attend their wedding. Then three weeks before
the wedding, I read Dr. Henry W. Wright's book, A More
Excellent Way, and began practicing what I learned.
The day before the wedding, I had a ministry call with Be
in Health. The next evening I went to my son's wedding,
socialized with everyone there, and even danced!
Since that time, I've attended the For My Life Retreat
and Walk Out® Workshop at Be in Health and have been
completely healed of most of my diseases. God has
also healed my broken heart and many relationships
including my marriage. God is so good! -Julie P.,TX
Read Julie's whole testimony here: bit.lv/iulie-healed
Health
Watch Hope of the
Generations Church
services live on
Sundays at 10:30 am
at BelnHealth.com
Or join us in person!
Be in Health is a ministry of Hope of the Generations Church
4178 Crest Hwy (74W), Thomaston, GA 30286
Need Prayer? Call: 706-646-1488