Newspaper Page Text
Thursday, November 11, 2021
UPSON
BEACON
Page 3A
Sponsored by West Central Georgia Bank
Community banking means better banking.
VETERANS DAY... Let us pause to reflect on the
courage, dedication, and loyalty of our nation’s men
and women in uniform, both past and present...
Throughout history, their hard work and sacrifice have
kept us safe and protected the freedom we all cherish...
We owe them a debt of gratitude that can never be re
paid... We salute their patriotism, courage, hard work,
loyalty, and dedication, and are forever thankful for all
the sacrifices each one of them have made for all of us.
TWO VIPS RETIRE... Officer Mark Poore with
the Thomaston Police Department, who has
served our community for almost 28 years, an
nounced he would be retiring... he had surgery
and some other health issues and said he didn’t
think he could come hack... Mark has been an
asset to our community, an officer most looked
up to and admired... thanks, Mark, you will be
missed... Kenny Gulledge retired at the end of
October from the U.S. Postal Service after 37
years of service... Kenny is another great guy
and will also be missed... Thanks for your serv
ice, guys. We appreciate all you’ve done and
hope your retirement years are everything you
want them to be.
• ••••••••••••••••A
HAPPY BIRTHDAY WISHES ARE EXTENDED
TO... Kaley Bates, Hannah Baucom, Jassime Villegas,
Kalil Kendrik, Jerica Wyatt, Smart Web, Shannon An
thony, Jesse Dallas, Nov. 11... Mark Howard, Kent
Posey, Heather Stilwell, Richard Colbert, Jimmy Glan-
ton, Charley Roan, Alexiss Pascal, Nov. 12... Jannis
Hickmon, Ken Felton, Tomy Mixon, Dr. Ben Williams,
Melissa Guy, Jessica Traylor, Aadrian Little, Crystal
Parham, Nov. 13... Dr. Hugh Smith, Kaye Rogers, Mor
gan Hardeman, Bethann Green, Sarah Clemons, Ans-
ley Powers, Katie McClain, Carrie Watson, Nov. 14...
Emma Brannon, Tommy Mimbs, Sloan Grammar,
Jesse Peadon, Alyson Ford, Stephen Holmes, Brig
Newman, Tommy Johnson, Madge Wise, Houston
Hurt, Cherry Coker, Presley Green, M.P. Johnson, Jo
nathan Scruggs, Nov. 15... Dick Barnes, Mary Gibson,
Russell Gulley, Wes Weaver, Louie Musslewhite,
Meredith Maddox, Jonathan Hemphill, Kelli Cham-
bley, Vicki Helms, Darcy Fuller, Jkia Hampton, Jade
Bohanon, Emily Gahagan, Timothy Nicholson, Nov.
16... Margaret Sheets, Linda Jones, Tracy Myer, Will
Beeland, Dianne Wainwright, Nov. 17... We wish for all
celebrating birthdays, many more happy and healthy
ones.
HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY TO... Ronald
Barfield, Bill Singh, and Skyler Webb Bunn.
HOME IS WHERE THE BEST SHOPPING IS...
this Christmas season and all year... when you shop lo
cally this Christmas, the gifts you give keep on giving...
that’s because dollars spent here at home can be rein
vested by local businesses that support economic ac
tivity in our community, pay salaries, and contribute
to our local tax base... In fact, studies show that spend
ing at independent retailers generates more than three
times the local economic return than spending at chain
competitors... What’s more, shopping locally nurtures
a sense of community because we all know, our locals
support everything good that goes on here... so go
ahead and splurge this season on feel-good local shop
ping that makes a difference in our community.
SMART
PHONE
SMART
BANKING
Talk with us today
about Mobile Banking.
WEST CENTRAL
GEORGIA BANK
Financial strength. ..in local hands.
Thomaston North “jji"
Shopping Center FDIC ---
(706) 6182226 www.wcgb.com
1
Georgia Courts to Receive ARPA Funds
to Address Backlog of Serious Felonies
Supreme Court of Geor
gia Chief Justice David E.
Nahmias has announced
that Gov. Brian P. Kemp has
allocated up to $110 million
in federal American Rescue
Plan Act funds to address
backlogs of court cases, par
ticularly cases involving se
rious violent felonies.
“Most of our state’s gov
ernment agencies and busi
nesses slowed down or
stopped during the COVID
pandemic,” said Chief Jus
tice Nahmias, who is also
chair of the Judicial Council
of Georgia. “The meals that
restaurants did not serve
will never be served, and the
airline flights that were can
celed have not been re
scheduled. But the court
cases that could not be de
cided, particularly when
jury trials could not be held
safely, remain pending and
must be resolved, along
with all the new cases being
filed. So we greatly appreci
ate the governor’s allocation
of ARPA funds to help the
judicial system work
through the case backlogs
and get the courts on which
our citizens and businesses
depend back on track.”
ARPA Funds, 5A
District Attorney
Marie Broder
Four Promoted at West Central Georgia Bank
Eddie Rogers, president
of West Central Georgia
Bank, recently announced
the promotion of four long-
Sharon Van Houten
A native of Atlanta, Van
Houten grew up in Thomas
ton and is a 1977 graduate of
Upson High School. She at
tended Upson Tech and
began her career with a local
finance company prior to
joining West Central Geor
gia Bank in 1994.
During her tenure at the
bank, she has worked as a
teller, loan processor, and
loan department supervisor.
Prior to being promoted to
assistant vice president in
August, she had been named
an assistant banking officer
in February 2019.
She and her husband,
Terry, have been married for
36 years and her hobbies in
clude gardening.
Cindy Marshall
A native of Upson
County, Marshall is a 1978
graduate of Upson High
School and attended Gor
don College. She joined
West Central Georgia Bank
in 1993 and has served as a
teller, head teller, customer
service representative, and
customer relations officer
prior to her recent promo
tion.
She and her husband,
Wade, have been married
for 29 years and reside in
the Pike County area. They
have four children and
seven grandchildren and are
members of Mt. Gilead Bap
tist Church. In her free time,
Marshall enjoys gardening
and has “a caregiver’s
heart.”
time employees. Rogers said
Sharon Van Houten, Kyle
Stonecipher, and Cindy
Marshall have been named
Kyle Stonecipher
A native of Augusta,
Stonecipher moved to
Thomaston in 2004 and
graduated from Upson-Lee
High School in 2010. He
completed studies at
Shorter College in 2013,
having earned his bachelor’s
degree in business admin
istration. He began his ca
reer at West Central Georgia
Bank in 2014, serving as a
teller and, subsequently, as
a consumer loan officer.
He and his wife, Anna,
have two children and live
in Meansville, where they
attend Christ Chapel.
Melissa Thomas
A native of Ft. Stewart,
Thomas was raised in
Upson County and is a 1996
graduate of Upson-Lee High
School. She attended Gor
don College and joined
West Central Georgia Bank
in 2017 with more than 19
years of banking experience.
During her career, Ms.
Thomas spent 14 years in
branch management and
two years in bank auditing.
She and her husband,
Eric, have been married for
22 years and have one child.
They are members of Valley
Grove Baptist Church, and
she counts photography to
be among her favorite
hobbies.
assistant vice presidents,
while Melissa Thomas was
promoted to assistant bank
ing officer.
“In our role as a true
community bank, it’s always
a pleasure to announce the
promotions of professionals
who have built their lives
and careers here,” Rogers
said. “To a person, each of
these four individuals has
distinguished herself or
himself for many years, and
our customers have been
the beneficiaries of their
work and expertise.
“They are also active in
the community, investing
their time and resources in
civic, charitable, church,
and economic development
efforts,” Rogers concluded.
“I commend Sharon, Kyle,
Cindy, and Melissa on these
well-deserved promotions.”
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706-646-3171
By: Rev. Dean Hemphill
Clarks Chapel
Baptist Church
176 Mathis Lake Rd.
Thomaston, GA 30286
The number six played a role
in the support for package
stores for Thomaston on Nov.
2. In the Bible, this number
usually has an intensely evil significance, standing for
the manifestation of sin. We read in Revelation 13:18,
that 666 is the number of the beast: for it is the number
of a man; and his number is six hundred threescore and
six.
We know for sure that God did not have His way on
Nov. 2, but man did. I have no doubt that the county
will pass the vote for bars and package stores as soon
as they can. Once again, we’ll see that man will win and
man will get his way.
The excitement from those who want alcohol to flow
through Thomaston will be short lived. It breaks my
heart to say this, but bad things are coming. I believe
the saddest part in all of this is the lack of concern from
those that claim to be a Christian that voted for more
alcohol or didn’t vote at all, for preachers and churches
that did not say one single word to oppose what the
Word of God says is wrong.
Do not believe for one moment that we lost for the
stand that we take. We won on Nov. 2, because we did
what the Holy Spirit led us to do. When the county
takes its turn, we’ll stand against alcohol again. Keep
in your memory the number 666.
Clarkschapelchurch.com
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN
BECOMING A TEACHER?
Saturday, November 20,10 A.M. ■ 4 P.M.
323 N Church St.
OUTDOOR VARIETY MARKET
[LAZY J MERCANTILE]
Email Lazyjstudio@gmail.com for vendor information
On Tuesday, November 30th, at 6:00 p.m. the Griffin Regional
Educational Service Agency will conduct the South Metro Atlanta
GaTAPP (Georgia Teacher Academy for Preparation and Pedagogy)
Information Session hosted by Griffin RESA virtually via Zoom.
The GaTAPP program is designed to attract highly motivated
professionals outside the teaching profession who hold a Bachelors
degree or higher from a regionally accredited college/university
and are interested in pursuing a teaching career. Human Resources
Directors from Butts, Fayette, Henry, Lamar, Newton, Pike,
Griffin-Spalding and Thomaston-Upson School Systems will be in
attendance at this event to virtually provide information on
prospective employment opportunities for the remainder of
the 2021-2022 school year and for the 2022-2023 school year.
Space will be limited and only those with reservations
will be admitted.
To reserve your space, please RSVP to TAPP at
TAPP@griffinresa.
To register, please send an
email to
TAPP@griffinresa.net