About Upson beacon. (Thomaston, Ga.) 2008-current | View Entire Issue (June 3, 2021)
The Beacon Has Moved! The Upson Beacon has officially moved into new offices, located at 219 Thomas Street in Thomaston. The new location at the corner of Thomas and South Green Streets offers convenient access and additional parking for customers, according to Beacon management. Upson Newspapers, Inc. and Flint River Media, LLC operations also are housed at the Thomas Street offices. Commission OKs Search for Judicial Center Contractor Allen: ‘This is a need, not a want - Politics has nothing to do with it’ By Bridge Turner bturner@upsonbeacon.com Commissioners voted unanimously last week to engage the services of a general contractor to over see planning stages for a new court facility in Upson County, despite uncer tainty surrounding fund ing for the projected $20 million project. County officials have proposed a continuation of the current one-cent spe cial purpose local option sales tax to service debt as sociated with the venture, but voters will not weigh in on the issue until No vember. “We’re going to hire a general contractor well be fore we even know if the SPLOST is going to be ap proved,” Chairman Nor man Allen told commissioners. “That’s the question I have. Are we putting the cart before the horse?” Commissioners Lo renzo Wilder and James Ellington asked the same question, prompting a re sponse from County Man ager Jason Tinsley. “The more information we bring about what proj ect we’re delivering, I think the better success we’ll have getting our mes sage to the voters to have it approved,” Tinsley said. “In some form or fash ion, we’re going to have to engage someone to look at a site and say, ‘We’d prob ably situate it this way, it should be this many stories, this is what the layout would look like,’ etc.,” he continued. “To me, that’s all something that would help a voter un derstand what the overall project would be.” Allen then asked com missioners for a commit ment. “We’ve started work on property and need to get moving on some due dili gence,” Allen said. “Are we going to do this or not? Like commissioner [Paul] Jones said at the last meet ing, ‘Are we going to kick the can down the road, or Judicial Center, 4A Photo by Kinsley Riggins Upson-Lee Honors Class 0/2021 at Graduation Last Friday evening, Upson Lee High School held graduation for the Class of 2021 at Matthews Field. See the story and additional photos on Page lB. County Business Moratorium Ends 4-1 Vote: No Extension By Bridge Turner bturner@upsonbeacon.com Following a rec ommendation from County Manager Jason Tinsley and Planning Di rector Doug Currier, com missioners voted 4-1 last week to allow a six-month moratorium on specific business development in Upson County to end with out extension. The decision came on the heels of a unanimous city council vote to extend a similar moratorium on specific businesses in Thomaston for an ad ditional six months. “It had almost no effect on the amount of applica tions submitted,” Tinsley told commissioners. “All [applicants] have been un derstanding and patient. My belief is it would be un reasonable to ask people to wait until fall or winter when we would have a meaningful [zoning] revi sion done.” Tinsley said the mora torium prevented “two to three” businesses from ap plying for alcohol licenses Moratorium Ends, jA County Executes Property Options for Court Facility The following state- heard from several distin- torney Marie Broder, ment was released by guished officials at the Sheriff Dan Kilgore, Su- county officials Friday, board meeting on Tues- perior Court Clerk Teresa May 28: day, May 11, 2021. Super- Harper, and Probate The Upson County ior Court Chief Judge Board of Commissioners Fletcher Sams, District At- Property, 5A Photo by Luke Haney Audrey and Bethany Norris (Center) stand with members of the Thomaston Fire Department, Community Ambulance, and Upson County Sheriff's Office. 8 10499 02461 2 Norris Comes Home in Time for Her Sister’s Graduation By Luke Haney lhaney@upsonbeacon.com After more than a week in the hospital, Audrey Norris was able to come home just in time to see her older sister, 2021 Upson Lee valedictorian Lindsay Norris, walk the “big stage” and receive her diploma. She was sur prised to see first re sponders as she entered the graduation field, who gave her and her mother Norris, 5A Photo by Luke Haney The Mary Lizzie Combined Choir provided a selection of songs for the celebration. ‘Looking Back While Moving Forward’ By Luke Haney lhaney@upsonbeacon.com For 156 years, Pres ident Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclama tion has been celebrated in Thomaston and Upson County on or around May 29, noted as one of the longest continual emanci pation celebrations in the country. Participants travel from near and far to enjoy the annual celebratory events in Upson. Through 2019, an annual parade was a part of the celebra tion, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, no parade was held last year or this year. Involved offi cials say they plan to bring the parade back in the fu ture. Last Saturday, partici pants gathered at the Lin coln Park Speaking Grounds to enjoy an event of celebration and remem brance. According to members of the Emanci pation Committee of Upson County, Inc., this year’s event marks the first celebration held on May 29 in several years, rather than holding celebrations on surrounding days. The 2021 Emancipa tion Proclamation Cele bration was themed “Looking Back While Mov ing Forward.” Welcomed by Minister Mia Collier, participants heard an invocation by Evangelist Shakira Johnson, scripture by Dea con Michael Smith, selec- Emancipation, lB (0 Griffin Ob-Gyn NOW SEEING PATIENTS IN THOMASTON CALL TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TODAY: 403 WEST MAIN STREET TUESDAY-THURSDAY 8:30-4:30 (770)227.5505 (706)646.2888 Leigh Ann Story, CNM; Bryan Krepps. HO; Jim Dunaway, MD; Lou Hameli, MO; Holly Harrison, PA*C; Nadine Nolting, CNH; Enid Lofters-Jones, MD; Hegan Potter. HD; Katya Brickman. CNM; Ashley Johnson, PA
