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Vol. 14, No. 20 Thursday, May 20,2021 .50
County Takes First Step Toward Court Facility
Commission Votes to Pursue Property for Proposed $20 Million Project
By Bridge Turner
bturner@upsonbeacon.com
Following an executive
session last week, Upson
County commissioners
voted unanimously to au
thorize chairman Norman
Allen to “execute options”
to purchase property for a
proposed court facility
projected to cost more
than $20 million.
During the meeting, a
host of area officials voiced
the need for a new facility,
citing reasons ranging
from inadequate parking
downtown to poor acous
tics in the current court
room. But the common
theme among judges and
law enforcement was a
concern for safety and se
curity at the courthouse
for all involved in the judi
cial process.
“This is probably the
most beautiful courthouse
I’ve ever worked in,” Su
perior Court Judge
Fletcher Sams told com
missioners. “I commend
you on the restoration ef
forts and all you’ve done to
preserve it. On the other
hand, it is not a modern
[facility].”
Judge Sams said
Upson has the only court
house in the Griffin Judi
cial Circuit with a single
courtroom, and added that
a second courtroom would
substantially increase pro
ductivity. There is no jury
assembly room, which he
called “essential,” and no
tunnel for bringing pris
oners into and out of the
building, creating a safety
risk, he warned.
Sams called the deficits
“major needs.”
Upson Sheriff Dan Kil
gore’s said his main con
cern is security, citing in
ability to separate inmates
from court officials, jury
members, the public, and
from each other. He told
commissioners the Upson
County Jail currently
houses more than too of-
Court Facility, 6A
Workers Needed:
Jobs Abound in
Upson Area
Kemp to End Federal Supplement
By Bridge Turner
bturner@upsonbeacon.com
In the wake of reports
that there are more avail
able jobs than jobless
workers, Gov. Brian
Kemp announced last
week that Georgia will
THE EMPLOYEE
SHORTAGE IS ,
SO BAD THAT
LONGHAIRED I
FREAKY PEOPLE
CAN NOW APPLY
a
Photo Submitted
opt out of the $300 fed
eral unemployment sup
plement.
Kemp said the sup
plement, part of a pan
demic stimulus package
passed by Congress,
would end in mid to late
June, but the state’s reg
ular unemployment
maximum of $365 will
remain in place. He de
scribed the supplement
as overgenerous, saying
it is “encouraging people
not to get into the work
force.”
“What I’m seeing on
the ground here is that
Workers Needed, yA
Photo by Luke Haney
Smiles for the Summer
The 2020-21 school year is coming to an end and warmer
weather has arrived. Above, Weston takes a break from the
sunshine and water slide to enjoy a slice of watermelon.
Brewton
Sentenced
to 10 Years
in Prison
Sammuel Alton Brewton III was sen
tenced to serve 10 years in prison follow
ing a guilty verdict on four counts of
aggravated assault in Upson Superior
Court last week.
A jury took less than an hour to render
the verdict for shooting near and endan
gering boaters on Flint River off Roland
Road in April 2020. Victims were Russ
McGee of Thomaston and several family
members.
During sentencing, Judge Fletcher
Sams told Brewton he was five feet from
a murder [charge] when he fired several
shots from a rifle near the floating canoes.
In addition to 10 years to serve, 61-year-
old Brewton received 30 years’ probation,
Brewton, 6A
Emancipation Program
to Be Held May 29
City Awarded
$3 Million Loan
for Sewer Upgrade
Photo by Luke Haney
Upson County Probate Judge Danielle McRae.
Judge McRae
Appointed First Vice
President of Probate
Judges Council
EMANcfpATMJilBAn 01 *
Photo by Luke Haney
An Emancipation Celebration sign hangs above Bethel Street.
County Adjusts
Recreation Fees,
Civic Center Hours
The City of Thomaston
was awarded a $3 million
Clean Water State Revolv
ing loan by the Georgia
Environmental Finance
Authority board of direc
tors, according to a state
ment from GEFA.
The loan will finance
upgrading the city’s waste-
water treatment plants.
This project will replace
outdated equipment and
expand the plants to in
clude updated treatment
8 10499 02461 2
capabilities.
The city will pay 1.13
percent interest on the 20-
year loan and is eligible for
principal forgiveness up to
$1.1 million.
“The city is grateful to
our state partners for
funding opportunities to
complete essential infras
tructure projects,” City
Manager Russell Thomp
son said. “This particular
funding layers with USDA
grants/loans and local
SPLOST dollars for sewer
work that will help bolster
industrial growth as well
as mitigate environmental
issues.
“The mayor and city
council have been delib
erate in soliciting funding
that comes in the form of
grants and/or principal
forgiveness loans to offset
local cost,” Thompson
continued. “This approach
Sewer Upgrade, 6A
Upson County Probate
Judge Danielle McRae was
recently appointed as first
vice president of the Coun
cil of Superior Court
Judges of Georgia.
McRae, who serves in
multiple capacities within
the council, has committed
to four years of service and
will become president
elect next year, will serve
as president during the
third year, and immediate
McRae, yA
The Emancipation
Committee of Upson
County will host an eman
cipation program at noon
Wednesday, May 29 at the
Lincoln Park playground,
“The Bottom.” Speaker
will be Rev. McArthur
Based on a presenta
tion May 5 by Recreation
Director Shaka Johnson,
Upson County commis
sioners voted unanimously
last week to adjust the rec
reation department’s fee
schedule, hours of opera
tion, and overall branding.
Johnson explained up-
Childs.
Due to COVID-19 rec
ommendations by the
Centers for Disease Con
trol, there will be no
parade this year. Masks
Emancipation, 6A
dates to the department’s
website, which includes
the Thomaston-Upson
Civic Center and Sprewell
Bluff Park, and displayed
photos of ongoing ren
ovations at the center. Two
renovated rooms will be
named for previous direc-
Recreation, yA
(0 Griffin Ob-Gyn
NOW SEEING PATIENTS IN THOMASTON
403 WEST MAIN STREET
TUESDAY-THURSDAY 8:30-4:30
Leigh Ann Story, CNV; Bryan Krepps, HO; Jim Dunaway, MD; Lou Hameli, MO; Holly Harrison, PA-C;
Nadine Nolting, CNH; Enid Lofters-Jones, MD; Megan Potter. MD; Katya Brickman. CNM; Ashley Johnson, PA
CALL TO MAKE AN
Ti
APPOINTMENT TODAY:
■
y r
(770)227.5505
(706)646.2888
1 4 tt Hj
