About Upson beacon. (Thomaston, Ga.) 2008-current | View Entire Issue (March 20, 2024)
Wednesday, March 20, 2024 UPSON BEACON Page 3A ig IJElil« Ki+pins Watrti rai The Gordy Files The Debbie McClain Version Sponsored by West Central Georgia Bank Community banking means better banking. USPS NOTICE: Due to the situation at the pro cessing facilities in Atlanta, I have provided one of the drop slots INSIDE the post office for THOMASTON and THE ROCK mail ONLY. Here in Thomaston, we appreciate our customers and apologize for the inconveniences being caused elsewhere. Thank you for your patience and un derstanding during this time. THOMASTON’S OWN... Tammy Moreland, a favorite in our postal carrier world, will retire March 29... Tammy, we all love you and thank you for all the sunshine you brought into our lives. Happy retirement a week early. THOMASTON-UPSON INDUSTRIAL DEVEL OPMENT AUTHORITY HAS A NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR... the board hired Slade Gulledge... who was most recently the vice president of eco nomic development at Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce... welcome to Thomaston, Slade... we wish you well and much success. SPREWELL BLUFF'S ANNUAL WIDOWMAKER ULTRA AND WHISKEY STILL 5K RACE... returns March 23 with options to participate in a 5K, 10K, and eight-hour Ultra Trail Run... Presented by Sprewell Bluff Park and Southern Singletrack Trail Series... For more in formation, visit Sprewell Bluff Park on Facebook or visit southernsingletrack.com... this is a fantastic opportunity to explore our amazing park and participate in the great outdoors. HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAYTO... Saralyn Boyt, who celebrated her 75th birthday March 18... to the man, the myth, the legend... Randy “Highway” Harrison, on his 77th birthday... and to Mrs. Judy Brabham, who is 83 years young... and last, hut not least, Janet Raines, who celebrated her 73rd. HAPPY BIRTHDAY WISHES ARE EXTENDED TO THE FOLLOWING FOLKS... Ellyn Gignilliat, Faith Garner, Kaye Adams, Tammy Bridges, Jeri-Lee Ver meer, Todd Smith, Adam Parham, March 20... Joe Quin ton, Crystal Mann, Brenda Bunn, Denise Elliott, Kay King, Angela Blount, Cricket Ramsey, Gwen Fuller, March 21... Steve Mimbs, Danielle Helton, Tom Rogers who is cele brating his 79th birthday, March 22... Michelle Brannon, Debbie Weason, Katie Dallas, Susan McCoy, Barbara Young, March 23... Katy Anderson, Caselynn Allen, John Weatherford, Jonathan Bowers, Payton Bosworth, Shan non Brooks, Lee Stewart, Amanda Searcy, Carolyn Cleve land, Gloria Bruce, March 24... Ally Phillips, Jenny Calvert, Lane Coggins, Larry Curry, Yasia Gray, Brady Joiner, Paul Jones, Mark Sollenberger, Jeff Goodman, Mi chael Daniel, March 25... Sharon Ellerbee, John Michael Bullard, Tina Dover, Tonya Nicholson, Matt Norris, Baylor Elliott, March 26... We wish for all celebrating birthdays, many more happy and healthy ones. WEST VILLAGE ASSISTED LIVING COM MUNITY... It’s been 23 years since they opened the doors... Charlotte Bickley and Jill Nunn Deen saved a beautiful old building and have given joy to countless residents... Jill retired a couple of years ago, and since, it’s been Charlotte and Mary ann Bickley leading West Village... Thanks for all your hard work, ladies. STONEWELL ACADEMY CELEBRATED ITS FIRST BIRTHDAY... congratulations on all your hard work. -LUv Celebrating 50 Great Years! Great local service. Great personal banking. Great Financial Solutions. Main Office • 617 North Church St. • 706.647.8951 Thomaston North Shopping Center • 706.648.2225 WEST CENTRAL MKfiLrM GEORGIA BANK Financial strengthen local hands. member www.wcgb.com nmls #462095 fdkH The Upson Beacon Shining Light & Keeping Watch on Our Community Yearly Subscriptions Mailed to You for Only $35 in Upson, $49 in Georgia, $59 Nationwide 219 Thomas Street in Thomaston. 706-646-2382 upsonbeacon .com High-Speed Chase in Upson Ends with Crash in Barnesville Griffin Man Charged with Felonies Kahlil M. Reviere of Griffin, 28, was arrested and charged with three felonies last week after leading Upson County Sheriffs Office deputies on a high-speed chase that ended with a crash in downtown Barnesville, according to UCSO re ports. Deputy Joseph Porter said he noticed a vehicle parked at a gas pump at the Chevron station on the corner of Highway 19 North and Delray Road. The station was closed so Porter approached the ve hicle, which quickly fled the scene. The driver, later iden tified as Reviere, turned right onto Delray Road, passing UCSO Sgt. Wil liam Reynolds, who joined the chase at speeds up to 100 miles per hour, the report stated. Reviere failed to stop at stop signs and repeatedly drove on the wrong side of the roadway, then turned left onto Barnesville Highway. Lamar County dep uties and Barnesville po lice joined the chase at the intersection of Highway 41, where Reviere turned right, then left onto Col lege Drive. Reviere lost control of the vehicle at the end of College Drive, crashing near railroad tracks. Deputies extracted Reviere from the wrecked vehicle. Two loaded 9mm mag azines were found on Re viere and a Glock 9mm handgun was found under the driver’s seat, accord ing to the report. Sgt. Reynolds said Reviere GMP for School Roofs $2 Million Above Estimates Andrew Carroll Sports Editor acarroll@upsonbeacon.com The Thomaston-Upson Board of Education re ceived disappointing news at the March 12 board meeting when Director of Operations Marc Ellington said the guaranteed maxi mum price for reroofing projects at Upson-Lee Pri mary and U-L Elementary schools came in $2 million above original estimates. The maximum price is set at $5,726,329. Original estimates kept the project in the $3 mil lion range, and capital out lay money from the state was modeled to reflect that estimate. Ellington explained, “The state has not risen their values to today’s marketplace. If they were at $5.5 million, we would have gotten more money out of capital outlay. It’s saving the state money, but it’s costing us.” Ellington added this will serve as a learning ex perience for next time the system goes to the state for capital outlay. With the $5.7 million price tag, the board agreed to a plan to utilize $1.2 million from the state’s capital outlay, $2.9 million Ife Plantation J^roperties LAND INVESTMENTS, LLC ■'W&, s,4S 4x1, * ' ■ - t u kV, s-. fm DOOLY L0NGLEAF TRACT 1:30+/- TRACT 2:32+/- DOOLY COUNTY HQDCHODKEE CREEK LODGE 282+/-STEWART COUNTY % t 11- '• p* i- ' t §-■ Hi® PINE HAVEN FARM 132+/- CRAWFORD COUNTY + v , . • /*• • ? v : fir j LACKEY ROAD 278+/-TALBOT COUNTY Agent: Cade Windham LandandRiVerS.COIIl 912.764.LAND (5263)i Cell: 478.972.9189 1.833.GOT.LAND (468.5263)* traveled through The Rock, a 45-mile-per-hour zone, at 90 miles per hour. Reviere said after he rented the vehicle in De cember 2023 for $56 per day, he lost his job and was “kicked out” of his house. He said he was about $500 behind on rental payments, so he panicked when he saw Deputy Porter pull into the Chevron station. Criminal history showed that Reviere was previously convicted of aggravated assault and burglary, according to the report. Reviere was charged with felony fleeing or at tempting to elude an of ficer, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, felony parole vio lation, and seven misde meanor traffic violations. Other arrests and charges reported by UCSO include the following: Lateef Aliman Harris - false imprisonment and misdemeanors theft by conversion, theft by tak ing, and obstructing or hindering persons making an emergency telephone call. Kayla Lynn Dorminy - possession of meth- amphetamine with intent to distribute, illegal pos session of a controlled substance, and possession of a Schedule II controlled substance. Sandra Dee Pharris - possession of meth with intent to distribute. George Ray Richard son - possession of meth. from the general fund budget, and the remaining $1.6 million to come from the educational special purpose local option sales tax. Member Steve Sadler asked how many bids were received for the project. Ellington stated that three total bids were sub mitted. The project in cludes roofing, metal studs, drywall, painting, and electrical work, with plans to remove skylights at both schools as well as repair work on the skylight above the cafeteria at U-L High School. L.E. Schwartz 8c Son, Inc. of Macon was selected for the project, which is ex pected to start in May and take approximately 10 weeks, weather permit ting. Ellington said the plan is to use gray roofing on the schools because re roofing with the current terracotta or green colors currently on some facilities could add an additional $400,000 to the cost, and he was unwilling to ask for that when the price is al ready $2 million above what was originally antici pated. The board unani mously approved the ex pense. BILL MAHER UPSON COUNTy COMMISSION CHAIRMAN ELI EVE. TUESDAY, MAY 21, 2024 • EARLY VOTING BEGINS APRIL 29 Residential & Commercial • Complete Concrete Work • Clearing & Grading Site Preparation & Demolition • Underbrushing • Landscaping & Lawncare 678.972.4647 thomasbowlinlandservices.com 2023 Ford F-150 1.1 APR 72 mo. with approved credit SOUTHERN 1011 Hwy. 19N • Thomaston • 706-648-2191 • www.southernford.net £ By: Rev. Dean Hemphill Clarks Chapel Baptist Church 176 Mathis Lake Rd. Thomaston, GA 30286 A very important respon sibility is placed upon a father, and this responsibility, carried out correctly, must be based on the Word of God. A son or daughter will need to hear and abide in the wisdom given from a godly parent. We read in Proverbs 13:1, “A wise son heareth his father’s instruction.” A parent cannot give Biblical in struction to a child unless that parent is a Christian that studies the Word of God. A parent may instruct a child in how to make a living, but cannot instruct that same child how to live. My daddy passed away in 1970 after living only 50 years, but every day of my life I’m still influenced by what he stood for, and what he taught me. I am a God- called preacher, but my parents placed so much in my heart that contributes today to the ministry God placed me in 1977. There are so many parents that drink, curse, and live before their children’s lives filled with immorality, lying around on Sunday mornings, when they could be leading their family to church. Many of these children will grow up and never get saved by the grace of God, and what contributed to that is their parents never giv ing the Lordship of Jesus Christ a second thought. Parents, we only get one shot at it. Clarkschapelchurch. com
