Newspaper Page Text
Thursday, December 23, 2021
UPSON
BEACON
Page 7A
Allie Parnbll/Upson Beacon
Ribbon Cutting Held at Victoria’s Porch
The Thomaston-Upson Chamber of Commerce recently held a ribbon cutting at Victoria’s
Porch, located at 200 N. Bethel St. in Thomaston. Open Wednesday through Friday from 10:30
a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Victoria’s Porch sells Dixie Bell paints,
antiques, and is home to several local vendors.
Fish Donated at GGMP
Submitted
The City of Thomaston received a donation
offish at the pond of Greatest Generation Me
morial Park. Due to the city’s annual kid and
senior fishing derbies, the city is eligible to re
ceive free fish restocking donations from the
Georgia Department of Natural Resources. A
restocking video is available on the City of
Thomaston’s Facebook page.
Economic Development Coordinator Taylor Smith
Economic Development
Coordinator Visits SERTOMA
Luke Haney
Lifestyles Editor
lhaney@upsonbeacon.com
Thomaston Economic Development
Coordinator Taylor Smith visited the
Thomaston SERTOMA Club to provide
updates on development in the city.
Topics discussed include:
•Rural Zone Designation within
downtown
•The new city logo and branding ini
tiative, recently approved by the city
council
•HGTV Hometown Kickstarter televi
sion show, which will feature Thomaston,
among six cities chosen across America
•DDA Facade Program
•The Christmas Light Parade and
Market, scheduled for Dec. 17
•New developments appearing on the
north side of Highway 19
•New alcohol ordinances in the city
2021 Holiday Safety Tips
Thomaston Fire Depart
ment has provided the fol
lowing tips to ensure a safe
holiday season:
HOLIDAY THEFT:
Theft overall tends to
rise in the months of No
vember and December. The
best thing you can do is se
cure as much as you can.
Lock cars, trucks and
homes.
LEAVE THE LIGHTS ON:
Thieves usually do not
approach homes that appear
to be occupied. Leave on
outside lights at night (or set
timer) and when you leave
the house during the day,
leave on some of the lights
inside the home to give the
appearance someone is
home.
PACKAGE DELIVERY:
More and more people
are purchasing gifts online
and more people are having
packages stolen right off
their front porch. If you’re
expecting packages, request
signature confirmation or
have a trusted neighbor hold
on to your packages for you.
COOKING HAZARDS:
A fried turkey is deli
cious. A fried house due to a
deep fryer accident is not.
Make sure you read the in
structions on how to prepare
your turkey safely and use
your deep fryer OUTSIDE!
CREATIVE DISPOSAL:
Dispose of your present
boxes creatively. Placing
that 60” TV box outside on
trash day after Christmas is
just asking for trouble. Try
and break down those boxes
to discard.
DECORATION
HAZARDS:
Christmas tree fires can
be devastating during the
holidays for you and your
family. Make sure that your
live trees are watered daily
and check your lights to en
sure there are no breaks or
exposed wires. Some lights
are for indoor or outdoor
use, but not both. Read
manufacturer’s instructions
for number of light strands
to connect.
Keep Your Family Safe
By Locking Up &
Disposing Medication!
Secure Drug
Drop-Off Boxes
are located at the
Thomaston Police
Office and
Upson County
Sheriff's Office.
Concerned Parents Address Board of Education
Luke Haney
Lifestyles Editor
lhaney@upsonbeacon.com
During the Dec. 14
meeting of the Thomas-
ton-Upson Board of Edu
cation, several individuals
contributed to the public
participation section of the
meeting, including one
concerned mother who
shared her “heavy heart”
related to her daughter
being “assaulted” at
Upson-Lee Middle School.
On Oct. 27, a 14-year-
old eighth-grade girl was
“jumped on” in the school
bathroom and her head
was repeatedly hit against
the wall as she was
punched until someone
broke them up, according
to a report released by the
Upson County Sheriff s Of
fice.
According to the re
port, the student was at
tacked by another girl,
who was defending her
friend, because “[the vic
tim] liked her boyfriend,”
and the friend filmed the
altercation on a cell phone.
The mother claims she
brought this to the board
because she wants her
children to enjoy going to
school, her daughter will
have to live with this for
the rest of her life, and she
does not think the situ
ation was handled cor
rectly.
The attacked student
was sent to Upson Re
gional Medical Center and
after testing, no severe in
juries were found. The in
cident was cleared by
juvenile referral to Upson
County Juvenile Court, ac
cording to the report.
Charmaine Johnson, a
substitute teacher for the
school system, was the
next to speak to the board,
stating that she was asked
to leave the middle school
after becoming a regular
substitute, because her
daughter attends the
school and she has been
going through a “divorce
and custody battle that
should not be a part of the
school system,” com
mented Johnson.
Johnson claims that
she has all legal rights to
her daughter and does not
understand why she can
not work at the same facil
ity that her daughter
attends. She was asked to
leave the facility following
complaints from her ex-
husband. She has asked
for a letter explaining why
she can no longer work at
the middle school or
would like to return to her
job.
“I feel like... [I have
been] adult bullied... It’s
not the school system, but
I don’t know the laws and
I feel violated,” com
mented Johnson. “I either
want my job back at the
middle school [substitute
teaching], or I would like a
letter [explaining] why.”
Samantha Milton and
William Evans concluded
the public participation
section, stating that Milton
recently arrived at the ele
mentary school to pick up
her son and daughter, and
her daughter was not
there. After waiting
through the pickup pro
cess, she was informed
that her daughter had
boarded a school bus, but
Milton claims that she
never gave her daughter a
note to get on a bus and
she normally is a car-rider.
“Eve asked questions,
talked to the principal...
[my daughter] knows
better, to an extent, but
she’s 10,” commented Mil-
ton. “In this time that we
live in right now, that is
not okay, because any
thing could have happened
to her.”
c # B,lL
Scncttce
Lee Bray
706 648 3747 (Office)
706 975 6896 (Cell)
509 N. Center Street
Thomaston. GA 30286
Fire and Water Damage Restoration
Carpet & Oriental Rug Cleaning
VCT & Ceramic Tile Cleaning
Upholstery Cleaning
Odor Control
Construction/Move Out/ Move In Clean-Up
.. I I C R C Insured
9 9 •if and Rett or el ion Certification
Certification #223063 & Bonded
Homecare, Inc.
Bringing Healthcare Home.
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706-648-6001
ACHC Accredited
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hospital Beds-Enteral Feedings
C-Pap/bi-Pap Supplies
For More Information about Drug Drop Boxes and
Personal Medication Lock Boxes, Email Shannon at
slawson@livedrugfree.org
,C,°UN C/
Generation Rx Project
DBHDD
https://stoprxabuseinga.org/prescription-drug-disposal/
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4178 Crest Hwy (74W), Thomaston, GA 30286
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