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ATTORNEYS AT LAW
Vol. 14, No. 43
UPSON
Thursday, October 28, 2021
BEACON
Shining Light & Keeping Watch on Our Community
upsonbeacon.com
219 Thomas Street, Thomaston, Ga. 30286 • 706.646.2382
50 Cents
Newsline
October 28. 2021
COVID-19 Report
Upson Cases,
Deaths Decline
Upson County reports
5,399 positive COVID-19
cases with 172 deaths as of
noon last Tuesday, accord
ing to the Johns Hopkins
University & Medicine Co-
ronavirus Resource Center.
Numbers reflect 19 new
cases (down from 33
last week) and five new
deaths (down from
seven last week) since
Tuesday one week prior.
During that time, Upson’s
infection rate increased
from 20.5 to 20.6 percent,
COVID-19 Report, 7 A
Opinions 7 4B
•Three Letters to the Editor
•Bridge Turner
•Chris Walter
•B. Waine Kong
Local Libraries
Closed on Friday
Hightower Memorial
Library and Yatesville Pub
lic Library will be closed
Friday, Oct. 29 for a staff
meeting.
Empty Stocking
Fund Team
Seeks Volunteers
The Upson County
Ministerial Association is
currently preparing for the
75th Annual Empty Stock
ing Fund, a program aimed
at providing food and gifts
to families in need during
the holiday season.
The Empty Stocking
Fund was first led by Her
bert Morgan of East Thom
aston Baptist Church and
has become a long-stand
ing tradition in the Upson
area, but this year, pro
gram coordinators are in
“desperate need” of vol
unteers.
For more information
or to volunteer, contact
ESF Director Mandy Jones
at Heritage Pregnancy
Center by calling 706-647-
8602.
8 10499 02461
2
Luke Haney/Upson Beacon
u ifi Were Mayor...”
Student Emme Goen, ivho said her dream job is to be U.S. Secretary of
Education, sat at the helm of the city council last iveelc and read her win
ning “If I Were Mayor” essay from Thomaston Mayor J.D. Stallings’ chair.
The council recognized Goen and other top three essayists Avery Beverly
and Evan Brandi for their compositions.
Banners shoivcasing the top essays have been hung doivntoivn on the
ivest side of the Tidal Wave home office building and can be seen while trav
eling north on Highivay ig.
Man Charged with Aggravated
Assault in Parking Lot Spat
Lamarquez Deon
Walker of Means Road in
Barnesville was charged
with aggravated assault
after reportedly attempt
ing to strike a witness with
his vehicle following a
confrontation in Piggly
Wiggly parking lot last
Saturday night, according
to Thomaston Police De
partment.
A witness said he saw
Walker and a female “yel
ling and cursing at each
other” beside a vehicle
with a child in the back
seat, attempted to inter
vene, then called 911.
Walker put the vehicle in
reverse and attempted to
strike the witness multiple
times, the report stated.
The witness said he
followed Walker traveling
northbound on North
Center Street at speeds
approaching 60 miles per
hour until Upson County
Sheriff s deputies con
ducted a traffic stop on
Jeff Davis Road. Another
witness confirmed the ac
count, adding that Walker
left the parking lot with
out headlights on.
Walker also was
charged with third-degree
cruelty to children (Family
Violence Act) and driving
Aggravated Assault, 7A
Thomaston HPC Approves
Three Certificates of Appropriation
Rendering of Sunny side Tavern, as presented
to the HPC by Jared Huckaby. Submitted
Luke Haney
Lifestyles Editor
lhaney@upsonbeacon.com
During the Oct. 21
meeting of the Thomaston
Historic Preservation
Commission, members
approved Certificates of
Appropriation to Jared
Huckaby of Sunnyside
Tavern, Dave Piper of Fun
101 FM, and Broderick
Foster of Battle City
Games.
Jared Huckaby of Sun
nyside Tavern presented
renderings for a sports
bar-style restaurant he
plans to open in Thomas
ton at 103 E. Gordon
Street. Huckaby, who has
purchased Hometown
Printers and its building,
plans to move the printing
business to another down
town location and ren
ovate the current location
to accommodate a restau
rant with rooftop access.
In addition to reces
sing the front of the first
story, Huckaby’s plans in
clude re-opening closed
windows and doors, add
ing rooftop seating and ac
cessibility, adding rolling
garage doors, resurfacing
the 18-spot parking lot,
and removing metal sid
ing to expose brick struc
turing.
A second COA was ap
proved for a new sign to
be placed on the facade of
Fun 101 FM, located at
208 S. Center Street in
downtown.
The third COA was ap
proved for Broad Street
Games, a new gaming and
venue business at 201 S.
Center Street. Broad
Street Games is located on
the second story of the lo
cation and a representa
tive presented plans for
signage on the front door,
as well as white lettering
HPC Approves COAs, 7A
Council Raises
Rent on Vacant
3-BR City Unit
Reeves Continues Opposition
Bridge Turner
Managing Editor
bturner@upsonbeacon.com
Despite vigorous oppo
sition from District 1 rep
resentative Lakeitha
Reeves, council members
voted 4-1 last week to raise
rent on a vacated three-
bedroom unit in city-
owned housing.
Council voted in Sep
tember, by the same mar
gin, with Reeves opposing,
to raise rent from $350 to
$536 per month for a two-
bedroom unit in the same
complex. The unit was
rented “almost immedi
ately” at the higher rate,
according to city officials.
The three-bedroom
unit, previously $375 to
$400, will be advertised
for $671 per month.
“I don’t think it’s fair.
They can’t afford to pay
the increase,” Reeves said.
“The city never has had to
subsidize [the property]...
Every year, the city makes
a little money on it. There
have been no upgrades
[except air conditioning
units] since 1982.”
City Manager Russell
Thompson presented
three options to council
members for an incremen
tal increase in overall rent
at the city-owned prop
erty, but last week’s vote
will not affect occupied
units. Under the current
arrangement, rent is in
creased $25 per month
every five years for grand
fathered tenants.
“The program is work
ing. The city is not putting
anything into it. It’s taking
Council Raises Rent, 7A
Commissioner Allen
Praises City Council
for Recent Progress
‘You’re Getting it Done’
Bridge Turner
Managing Editor
bturner@upsonbeacon.com
County Commission
Chairman Norman Allen
told members of Thomas
ton City Council last week
that he is “encouraged” by
the recent accomplish
ments of the municipal
governing body.
“It warms my heart
that a lot of things you
have worked toward for
years are coming to fruit
ion,” Allen said in a visit to
council’s Tuesday regular
meeting. “It takes a strong
city to have a strong
county, and a strong
county to have a strong
city.”
Allen noted the city’s
recently updated alcohol
ordinance, Main Street
program, Downtown
Master Plan, and Rural
Zone Designation as posi
tive strides toward devel
opment and revitalization.
He added, “We are fight
ing the workforce battle
every day,” but acknowl
edged steps being taken to
address a local need for
File Photo
Upson County Commission
Chair Norman Allen
adequate workforce hous
ing.
“You’re getting it done,
and I’m encouraged. Keep
doing what you’re doing,”
Allen concluded. “As a cit
izen, I’m thankful. As a
commissioner, I’m grate
ful.”
City and county offi
cials recently inked a joint
agreement for a multi-mil-
lion-dollar sewer system
upgrade which will in
crease capacity to the in
dustrial park and expand
business recruitment to
the area.
Council tabled action
Allen Praises Council, 7A
(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; Megan Potter, MD; Katya Brickman, CNM; Ashley Johnson, PA