About Upson beacon. (Thomaston, Ga.) 2008-current | View Entire Issue (April 24, 2024)
Wednesday, April 24, 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. FOR STUDENTS OF ANY AGE WHO ARE SERVED IN THE EXCEPTIONAL SERVICES PROGRAM... for those who would like to learn skills for track and other sports... Practice is held from 6-7 p.m. on Mondays at the field house behind the high school... Contacts are Trish Hall at trishh925@gmail.com or Lori McSwain at hncswain@upson.k12.ga.us. This is through May 13. COOLING ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE NOW... Middle Georgia Community Action Agency, Inc. has announced that cooling assistance is available for qualifying households in Upson, Butts, Crawford, Houston, Jones, Lamar, Monroe, Peach, Pike, Spalding, and Twiggs counties... Beginning May 1, if funds permit, the general public may contact the scheduling system starting at noon until all appointments have been filled... Required documentation includes a confirmation number, monthly household income, social security card of all in house hold, ID or driver’s license of all in household, recent heating bill, and a recent electric bill... Annual income restrictions apply... For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 478-654-0101 or 770-628-1021 or online at mgcaa.itfront- desk.com... This program is available to all eligible applicants regardless of race, color, national origin, age, sex, political be liefs, or handicap. HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY WISHES ARE EX TENDED TO... Sandra Johnson, who recently turned 80 years young. HAPPY BIRTHDAY GREETINGS ARE EXTENDED TO... Julie Travis, Becky Baggett, Natalie Miller, Andrew Smith, Benjamin Tyler Holland, River Jordan, Philip Nickel, April 24... Lorie Bender, Paige Edenfield, Sharon Paterson, Pandy Baughcum, Rob Geiger, Sara Grimsley, Ellen Bickley, Michael Ritchie, April 25... Ashlyn Clay, Billy Maddox, Tarah Wingard, Janet King, Linda Miles, Colin Williams, April 26... Richard Bishoff, Lee Uphold, Diamond Drake, Tracy Dawson, Janya Bee, Ansley Weeks, Steve Bennett, Bethany Smith, Shawn Bradshaw, John McAbee, Frank Spraggins, Patty Ford, Corey King, James Tidwell, Steven Farmer, George Zeck, Billy Franklin, April 27... Mary Hefton, Macy Huckaby, Tanner Gib son, Ashley Hobbs, Megan Collins, Brent Kilby, Lillie Stoner, Paul Green, Angela Jenkins, Steve Daniel, Scott Malone, Lind sey Campbell, Doug Gordon, Ellie Pasley, Sahara Shultz, Allison Uphold, April 28... Kensie Adams, Jonathan Wolverton, Robyn Johnson, Britney Huffman, Angela Emmett, Karla Blount, Ed Alverson, Josh Akins, Dr. Mark Cotney, Keith Green, Janice Carter, Cathy Wilson, Paula Watson, Patrina Dawson, Willie Foster, Ken Harris, Krana Herriott-Felton, Anthony McCrary, Trade Hawkins, Aprille Oxenford, April 29... John Ivey, Sr., Tyanna Rogers, Shameka Ivey Revels, Tomeka Ivey Mann, Jar- rett Adderton, Katie Salter, Don Voyles, John Gahagan, Joey Winkles, Adam Keadle, RoseAnn Fiesler, Starlynn Shannon, Balie Winkler, Ben Spillers, Brianna Jenkins, Ashton Reviere, April 30... Deanna Helms, Maylyn Hinson, Wilma Heard, Mat thew (Buddy) Raines, Derrick Gray, Valerie Gray... We wish for all celebrating birthdays, many more happy and healthy ones. PARENTS, GRANDS, AUNTS, AND UNCLES... the an nual graduation edition will be coming out soon... it’s been a tradition in Upson County for years and years... this year’s edition will include lots of pictures from graduation evening and fun shots from their senior year... now is your chance to send a message to your graduate... the deadline is May 17... prices vary, de pending on size... call Kensie or Mandi at 706-646- 2382 to participate. ONCE AGAIN, TAYLOR SMITH, CITY OF THOMAS- TON’S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, DID AN EXCELLENT JOB... The festivities last weekend on the square and at Greatest Generation Park were grand... Keep up the good work, Taylor... the annual Art & Soul Fest was a huge success. 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 /HMM WEST CENTRAL MRFikrla GEORGIA BANK Financial strengthen local hands. www.wcgb.com nmls #462095 FDIC City Settles on Solution for Sticks Pickup Option Twice Monthly Bridge Turner Editor in Chief bturner@upsonbeacon.com Council members de cided last week to offer Thomaston residents the option of up to two re quested pickups per month which may be used either for bulk goods or for sticks and limbs, included in the base $20 garbage and trash fee. Leaves, grass clippings, and other inert yard waste must be containerized or bagged, and each residence will receive two containers for the base monthly charge. New requirements will be in effect beginning June 1. Residents must contact the service provider, GFL Environmental, to schedule pickup of brown or white bulk goods (furniture, appli ances, etc.) and/or sticks and limbs. Current size limits on sticks and limbs - maximum six inches in di ameter and five feet in length - will remain in ef fect. Unlimited bags of yard waste may be placed at the curb beside containers. Thomaston Police De partment’s Citizen Police Academy Class of 2024 was spotlighted during the council meeting, and gradu ates were introduced by TPD Chief Mike Richard son. “The academy was de signed to provide citizens with basic information about the police profession and daily operation of TPD,” Richardson said. “The ulti mate objective of the course is to establish and maintain trust and transparency with citizens and develop part nerships between the com munity and PD through interaction, education, un derstanding, and communi cation. “I hope we achieved those objectives,” the chief concluded. City Manager Russell Thompson reminded at tendees that resident input will be sought April 30 dur ing a public hearing to ad dress urban redevelopment plans for the East Thomas ton area, focusing on and around old textile mill buildings. The city initially part nered with Three Rivers Re gional Commission with a goal of revitalizing the area, which has been in economic decline since the mills’ clo sure, Thompson said. The public hearing will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 30, at the Thomaston- Upson Senior Center, lo cated behind the East Lee Street government complex. In other business: •Council approved a $180,342 expense to ESG for engineering services re lated to a Community De velopment Block Grant of as much $1 million for city use. Council also approved an amendment to ESG’s con tract for an increase from $124,841 to $144,603 for chemical costs. •Council approved pub lic safety incentive pay guidelines for police and firefighters whereby em ployees will immediately re ceive pay increases when as many as four certification levels are achieved. Chamber Hosts Political Forum The Thomaston-Upson Chamber of Commerce hosted a political forum at the R.E. Lee auditorium last week, spotlighting 17 candidates facing opposi tion in the May 21 local election. Each candidate was al lowed an introduction, an swered one question from moderator Katie Duvall, and presented a closing statement. Candidates were grouped by the elected position sought, and all statements and an swers were timed by the moderator. Unopposed candidates were allowed a one-time presentation to attendees. “It was a great turnout from citizens in Upson County,” T-U Chamber President Madison Rut- tinger said. “We hope the forum gave them insight and an introduction to each candidate running for office.” The chamber’s political forum committee consisted of board chair Jessica Hud son, vice chair Troy Cha ney, Katie Salter, and Becca Pasley. Upson County Farm Bureau members greeted forum at tendees as they entered the auditorium. Opposed candidates participating included those for BOC chair, in cumbent Norman Allen and challengers Dan Brue, Ed Searcy, and Bill Maher; District 1 commissioner, Chris Biggs and Dominic Terry; chief magistrate, Hannah Arnette, Mia Col lier, Cecil Hutchins, and William Hughley; Superior Court clerk, incumbent Teresa Meier and chal lenger Jessica Jones; tax commissioner, incumbent Andy Chastain and chal lenger Heather Rush; Dis trict 5 school board, incumbent Scott Roberts and challenger Anne Mas- sengale; and District 1 school board incumbent Angie McGill. Moderator Duvall covers issue areas of eco nomic development and taxation, environment, ag riculture and energy, and transportation for the Georgia Chamber govern ment affairs team. Prior to joining the chamber in June 2022, she spent more than six years at Georgia Farm Bureau, where she served as advocacy and policy development coordi nator. She began her career working in development at the University of Georgia and NC State University. An Athens native and life long Bulldog fan, Katie graduated from UGA with a bachelor’s degree in agri cultural communication. She and her husband, Zeb, live on the family farm in Morgan County with a few hundred cows and their dog, Piper. JUST 4.9% APR FOR 72 MONTHS HtW OUTHERN 1 www.southernford.net 1011 Hwy. 19N Thomaston 706-648-2191 * m By: Rev. Dean Hemphill Clarks Chapel Baptist Church 176 Mathis Lake Rd. Thomaston, GA 30286 The freedoms are contin ually being attempted, by the liberals, to be taken from us, especially those they don’t agree with. Those of you that promote alcohol, drink alcohol, sell alcohol, and want more and more of it have that freedom. It’s the leading cause of automobile acci dents, the leading cause of broken families, and chil dren being neglected. You still have the freedom to wade knee deep in the stuff. It is going to be the downfall of a wonderful and safe community, but you still have the freedom to contribute to that downfall. The point I want to make is stop trying to mix God with alcohol. God is nowhere near it, He doesn’t bless it, and He doesn’t lead anyone to sell or drink it. You who are backing alcohol won’t do this, but I would ask you to read Proverbs 20:1, Proverbs 23:29-35, Habak- kuk 2:15, Isaiah 5:11, and I Corinthians 6:10. When it comes to the Word of God, there are people who simply don’t care what His Word says. But these same people talk about how much they love God and how He is leading them in their lives. Tragedies are coming and it seems there is noth ing anyone can do to stop them. Clarkschapelchurch.com (M UPSON Family Physicians Ut JOIN US FOR OUR COMMUNITY FUN DAY In recognition of Autism Awareness & Child Abuse Prevention ( r > 1 h i k M l & # i PINE HAVEN FARM 132+/- CRAWFORD COUNTY LACKEY ROAD 278+/-TALBOT COUNTY Agent: Cade Windham LandandRiVerS.C0m 912.764.LAND (5263)1 Cell: 478.972.9189 1.833.GOT.LAND (468.5263) | SATURDAY, APRIL 27 TH 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM UPSON FAMILY PHYSICIANS 915 WEST GORDON ST. THOMASTON, GA 30286 Svmfo Inflatables, Games, Slushies, Food, Music, and much more!
