Newspaper Page Text
The Upson Beacon
Thursday, April 8, 2021
Page 3A
The Gordy Files
The Debbie McClain Version
Sponsored by West Central Georgia Bank
Community banking means better banking.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW PAR
ENTS... Tyler and Skyler (Webb) Bunn, on the
birth of their son, Greyson Raphael Bunn. Grey-
son was born April 3, weighing seven pounds, 10
ounces, and was 20 inches long.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY WISHES ARE EXTENDED
TO... Susan Phillips, Nikesmia Alston, Rebecca Turner,
Charlotte Morris, Lisa Callahan, Willie Anderson, April
8.. . Ken Pullin, Alicia Etters Maddox, Donna Hoffman,
Emily James Phipps, Chris Paulk, Morgan Lew, Alex
Ward, Hope Napoletano, April 9... Shannon Turner,
Coleman Dumas III, Juanita Driver, Peyton Owens,
Therese Puckett, David Storey, Pariss Nicholson, Tristen
Helms, Abby Boyd,, April 10... Matt Lundy, Jason Ham
mock, Annice smith, Ron Anglin, Christy McCants, April
11.. . Lauri Irvin, Chad Evans, Barbara Farr, Amanda
Martin, Mona Geiniman, April 12... Gary Gill, David
McDonald, Mikey Smith, Pam Campbell, April 13...
Kristen Brooks, Sam Brewton, Benjamin Thiel, albert
McCullough, Sam Baity, David Gilbert, Joann Hamby,
Darryn Judgins, Debbie Dean, Kim Stubbs, Remona
Suddeth, April 14... We wish for all celebrating birthdays
many more happy and healthy ones.
LAST WEEK THE CHAMBER HELD ITS FIRST
EVER CASH MOB... it was a great time for sure...
Lori Smith saw the idea in another town and
thought it was exactly what we needed... A group
of chamber members and shoppers sign up to
“surprise shop” a local store and spend a mini
mum of $20... first store was our very own
downtown Rescue Me... a group of about 20
people shopped... so that’s at least $400 that
went into their register unexpectedly... Love this
idea, Lori... Thanks for working so hard for our
community.
THANK YOU GOV. BRIAN KEMP FOR STAND
ING YOUR GROUND AGAINST BIG BUSI
NESSES WHO ARE TRYING TO BULLY
GEORGIA LEGISLATORS WHO PASSED THE
NEW VOTING LAW LAST WEEK... MLB an
nounced it was moving the All-Star game out of Georgia
in protest... going to cost small businesses in Georgia
millions of dollars... Coke and Delta decided to speak out
against the new law... guess they have become part of the
woke warriors... thought this was worth repeating... rid
ing on the coattails of the MLB... the devil has an
nounced his fiddle contest with Johnny will no longer be
held in Georgia...
AMAZING WHAT DIFFERENCE A PUNCTU
ATION CAN MAKE... An English professor
wrote the words, “A woman without her man is
nothing” on the blackboard and told the stu
dents to punctuate it correctly. The men wrote:
“A woman, without her man, is nothing.” The
women wrote: “A woman: without her, man is
nothing.”
SMART
PHONE I
SMART
BANKING
Talk with us today
about Mobile Banking.
WEST CENTRAL
GEORGIA BANK
Financial strength...in local hands.
Main Office Downtown Office 'Ihomaston North r-rZis-
617 N. Church Sc. 101 W. Gordon Sc. Shopping Center FDK. W
(706)647-8951 (706)647-8958 (706)648-2225 WWW.WCgb.COIH
Settlement Allows Fired Troopers to Return to GSP
The following story by
Christian Boone of the At
lanta Journal-Constitu
tion is reprinted from the
AJC website:
A cheating scandal
later recast as a misunder
standing is nearing its end
after the state reached a
settlement with 26 fired
Georgia State Patrol
troopers. As part of the
deal all but two of the
troopers were offered their
old jobs back.
In a joint statement
with the ex-troopers’ attor
neys, the Georgia Depart
ment of Public Safety
denied any legal liability,
adding it “seeks to move
the Georgia State Patrol
past this dispute and avoid
years of contentious litiga
tion.”
The November 2020
lawsuit claimed the
troopers, whom the GSP
alleged had cheated on a
radar detection exam,
were actually whistle
blowers fired for exposing
breaches in protocol dur
ing their training. Two
months later, Georgia’s
Peace Officer Standards
and Training Council com
pleted an exhaustive audit
of the GSP’s training sys
tem that cleared all but
one of the 32 fired
troopers.
The POST investigation
focused on the troopers’
intent and found they
shared answers and re
ferred to their textbooks
during the exam because
they believed their instruc
tors had asked them to do
so.
“There was no intent to
do anything improper,”
POST Executive Director
Mike Ayers told The At
lanta Journal-Constitution
in February.
The DPS acknowledged
that the POST audit played
a role in their decision to
seek a settlement, reached
after two mediation ses
sions. Their statement,
said the agency, serves as
“public recognition” that
the troopers were entitled
to restitution. The 26 de
fendants will collectively
receive $850,000 and
their offers of reinstate
ment include several
months of credit for future
promotion.
About half of the troopers
are leaning towards re
suming their old jobs,
though that number could
change, said co-counsel
Douglas McMillan.
“When we started this,
we had a bunch of people
with very hard feelings to
wards (the GSP),” he said.
“But I have to say the state
made a real effort to set
things right and (our
clients) took note of it.”
In the end, said McMil-
Tidal Wave Acquires
Colony Bank Building,
Expands Headquarters
Tidal Wave Auto Spa is
expanding its footprint in
downtown Thomaston
with the acquisition of an
additional building,
formerly Colony Bank, lo
cated at 206 North
Church Street.
Tidal Wave’s home of
fice is located at 115 East
Main Street. The refur
bished two-story building
currently houses more
than 40 employees who
manage all aspects of the
car wash business, start
ing with concept, permit
ting, and construction, to
operations, human re
sources, payroll, quality
control, marketing,
supply distribution, ac
counting, and customer
service.
The additional build
ing, situated between
Church and Center
Streets, will provide more
space to expand the sup
port team.
“Being able to build
this business right here in
Thomaston and Upson
County has always been
so important to both
Hope and myself,” Scott
lan, both sides were eager
to put the matter behind
them.
“It is the desire of all
parties involved, that this
joint press statement will
aid in bringing closure and
healing to a stressful, emo
tional, and extremely diffi
cult time,” the joint
statement concluded.
In a recent interview,
one of the fired troopers,
32-year-old Daniel Cord
ell, said he wasn’t sure
whether he’d return to his
old job if offered. He said
he held some lingering re
sentment over the way he
and his classmates were
depicted by the GSP.
“It still stings,” Cordell
said. “It didn’t have to
happen.”
The state patrol pre
viously said the episode
cost the agency $2 million,
including revenue lost
when 133 traffic citations
issued by the troopers
were tossed.
An internal investigation
by the GSP’s Office of Pro
fessional Standards,
launched soon after an ex
girlfriend of one member
of the 106th class told the
agency she had taken her
boyfriend’s test for him,
ultimately concluded that
virtually everyone who
took the exam had
cheated. GSP head Mark
McDonough dismissed
them all and, two weeks
later, announced he was
taking an early retirement,
at Gov. Brian Kemp’s
request.
Blackstock said. “We are
honored to be able to ex
pand and add to local eco
nomic growth. The level
of talent right here in our
hometown is phenome
nal. Thomaston is truly
the best small town in the
best state for business!”
By: Rev. Dean Hemphill
Clarks Chapel
Baptist Church
176 Mathis Lake Rd.
Thomaston, GA 30286
The entire world could be of
fered to me in the place of being
a Christian, and with no hesitation I choose Christianity.
The world experience will only last a few years, but being
a Christian lasts for an eternity. Besides, what would a
world mean to me with leaving on my mind.
Most of the people of this world can’t comprehend
this, but they could if they would allow the Lord Jesus
into their hearts.
I have many family members that were Christians
that have already gone on and it won’t be long until we
are all together forever. There are people that insure ev
erything they have. Parents that make sure their children
have all that the parents can give. But, these same par
ents have never and will never give eternity a second
thought. I guess they feel if they don’t talk that, it might
not be true.
Being born again are words even in the church world
that are not often heard anymore. But Jesus didn’t say
you must join a church, He didn’t say ye must be baptized
in water, He didn’t say that you had to give money. Jesus
said in John 3:3, “verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a
man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
You might be one that has chosen something else be
sides being a Christian, and if this doesn’t change, one
day you will for eternity know that you made the wrong
decision.
Clarkschapelchurch. com
We’re Celebrating 47 Years
Of Service As Your
Hometown Bank.
Through generations of friends and neighbors, West Central
Georgia Bank has invested in the lives of those who rely on
us, and in the community we’re proud to call home. Today,
more than ever before, our independence clearly defines the
difference we can make in your financial life.
From April 12 - 17, we’ll be celebrating our 47th Anniver
sary of service. We invite you to come visit that week and to
register to win one of three prizes, to be given away on Satur
day, April 17.
We thank you for the continuing opportunity to be of serv
ice to you as we inch closer to a half-century of traditions that
set us apart.
NOTICE
from the office of David P. Fieseler, MD, PC
523 West Main Street • Thomaston
706-647-9638 | Fax 706-647-5321
Dear Patients,
We have enjoyed caring for you and your families over the years. It
is with a sad and heavy heart that we must inform you of Dr. Fie-
seler's rapid decline in health which resulted in his passing peace
fully on March 22, 2021. With that being said, this office is officially
closed, however we will remain open until Friday, April 30, 2021 to
give patients time to request their medical records and settle any
outstanding accounts.
By law this practice cannot share your medical information without
your written consent. You may sign this form at our office or you
may complete the necessary paperwork at your first visit with you
new provider. Please be assured that our staff will do everything
possible to make this a smooth transition. We will continue to be
open through the month of April, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m.
to noon, closed for lunch noon to 1 p.m. and reopen 1-5 p.m.
It has been our pleasure meeting and caring for you. We wish you
all continued good health and all the best in the coming years.
Respectively,
The Staff of David P. Fieseler, MD, PC
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WEST CENTRAL
GEORGIA BANK
Main Office
617 N. Church St.
(706) 647-8951
Thomaston North
Shopping Center
(706) 648-2225
Financial strength...in local hands.
www. wegb. com