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©be ffiea&er-®ribune
Serving the Peach County area since 1888
Volume 97 Issue 39
Extension Director
indicted in theft
by Mikehowom
Peach County Extension Director
J immy Lassiter has been indicted by a
Putnam County grand jury on charges
of theft stemming from the discovery
that some cattle he had leased from a
Texas company were missing from his
farm. Lassiter came to Peach County
August 1 from Putnam County,
replacing retiring Extension Director
Btlly Dick.
According to reports, Lassiter had
leased some 92 cows from a Texas
firm. An inspector for the firm came to
his farm in Putnam County and could
not find the leased cattle. He is
accused of selling them through
outlets in Social Circle and Greensboro
over the past several months. The
cattle had an estimated value erf
around $100,000. Lassiter has been
released after posting a $40,000 bond.
Contacted at his Byron home
$2 million budget approved
The Fort Valley City Council
adopted a 1984-8? budget at their
regular meeting last week. The
amount, totalling over $2 million, was
the largest in the city’s history.
The budget was passed on a
unanimous vote by the council. Not
much disc ussion was raised, as there
had been a budget hearing earlier in
the month. The hearing was held to
clarify to the general public the
amounts of money needed by each
department. of
Salaries constituted the majority
the money requested for the police,
fire and public works departments.
There was no increase in the ad
valorem tax, and the actual miliage
rate cannot be determined until the
a of the Certified
Peach County VICA officers
attend Fall
The officers of Peach County High
School Vocational Industrial Clubs of
America (VICA) attended a very
exciting Leadership Conference. The
conference was held in Atlanta on
September 14, 15, and 16 at the
Radisson Inn and conference center. A
fun-filled weekend, as well as a very
informative time was enjoyed by all in
attendance.
The weekend began with registra¬
tion on Friday afternoon followed by
the first general session. The State
Officers were very enthusiastic and
soon the whole group was buzzing with
energy and being challenged to learn.
The rewards were to gain a Touch of
Knowledge Award at the end of four
training sessions. The crowd was
divided into smaller groups each tided
by the letters VICA. The groups were
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Front row, seated, Tonya Stover, Sissy Deese, Phyllis Mathews. Back row standing, Chanda Watson, Freddie
Jefferson, Pamela McGhee. 4
Fort Valley, Georgia
Tuesday afternoon, Lassiter expressed
concern over the reaction to the news
in Peach County, saying that he felt
the situation would be cleared up by
the courts. He added that he was
unable to give any more information,
upon the advice of his attorneys, John
Wingate and Pete Peterman of Macon.
Melvin Davis, district director for
the Central District of the Georgia
Extension Service, said Tuesday that
Mr. Lassiter has been placed on
administrative leave and relieved of
his duties until such time as the case
can be heard in court and an
investigation by the Extension Service
is completed He added that a decision
as to the future status erf Mr. Lassiter’s
position would not be made until both
those were completed.
Mr. Davis also stressed that,
contrary to rumors, the Extension
Service nor the Peach County
County Digest. No increase is
anticipated,
In other action, the council was
approached with two applications for a
beer license. Bobby’s Minit Mart #3 on
Hwy. 341 S.' submitted a request for a
package beer license It was okayed by
all members except Counci I mad
Hester and Councilman Hamilton, who
both abstained. The second applica
tion was for an over-the-counter
license by Frankie Bowers on Hwy.
341 S. This application was also
approved, with Councilman Hamilton
again abstaining,
Two positions on the Redevelop
ment Authority were filled at the
council meeting. Buddy Reddick and
were each
in competition with each other to see
how- many could earn the award. The
topics ranged from memorization of
the VICA motto and creed to holding a
successful business meeting using all
proper parliamentary procedures.
Friday was rounded off with a disco
provided by American Dream. A grand
time was had by all those attending,
except maybe the advisors, who
probably would have much rather been
in bed.
Saturday started off with breakfast
for all at 7:00 a.m., then back to work.
Back to our training sessions and more
leadership training. Hard work all day
paid off, as we were rewarded with a
trip to Six-Flags on Saturday evening.
Two of our officers from Peach County,
Tonya Stover and Chanda Watson won
The Torch of Knowledge Award.
Thursday, September 27, 1984
Commission had any knowledge of any
wrongdoing by Lassiter prior to his
being named to replace Billy Dick. He
said Lassiter applied for the position
and went through the same process as
all other applicants. He was
recommended to the county com¬
mission by the Extension Service and
the ♦commission accepted that rec¬
ommendation.
At the present time, no one has been
sent here to replace Lassiter, but the
Extension Service is working closely
with County Agent Joe Chapman to
see that the office continues to
function properly and that all needs
are met. Davis added that all the
county commissioners except one had
been contacted and were in agreement
to place Lassiter on temporary
administrative leave until the situation
is resolved one way ot the other.
to ine Authority. The appointments
are for three years.
Southern Agrcgate, an Australian
based firm, submitted a request to
waive a $100 per day penalty caused
by their failure to complete a paving
contract by the agreed-upon date.
Paving of Walden St. was to have been
finished before August 22 Southern
Agrcgate, however, contends that bad
weather and the illness of a supervisor
delayed the completion. Some
members of the council felt that such
delays were allowed for in the
contract, and a decision on the request
was postponed until further investiga¬
tion.
With no other business on the
the was
Our advisors, Faye Craft and Ray
Madden, did not get to relax and rest
while we were working, as they were
attending advisors meetings each time
we had a session. The topics in their
meetings covered club business
procedures, VICA and the handicapp¬
ed student, The teacher’s tool kit for
VICA and occupational organization.
All in all, the weekend was very
informative for all those attending.
We came home all fired up about
VICA and the things we had learned.
We will be putting these ideas to work
in the community and our high school
in the months to come. Look for us!
Officers attending were: Pres.-Sissy
Dcese, Vice Pres.-Tonya Stover,
Sec.-Phyllis Mathews, Treas.-Chanda
Watson, and Junior Club Advisor
Freddie J efferson.
22 pages in 3 sections
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Pictured are the four living mayors of Byron. Seated, left to mayors of Byron dating back to 1905 were honored at a
right, are Robert L. Murdock (1940-53) and W. Edwin Green, reception last Friday at the Public Safety Building.
Jr. (1961-75). Standing, left to right, are Lawrence C. Collins photo by Poto Nichols
(1976-83) and James E. Williams (1984-). These and other
honors
On Friday, September 21, 1984, a
number of Peach County residents
attended a reception at the Public
Safety Building in Byron from 3:00 to
?r00* p.m: to view the portraits
Byron mayors dating back to 1905. The
four living mayors--Robert L. Mur¬
dock, W. Edwin Green, Jr., Lawrence
C. Collins and James E—were in
attendance.
Miss Dora Poole, local historian,
had obtained all of the portraits and
encouraged the city administration to
host the reception. Wives of the city
councilmcn prepared refreshments,
while Poole decorated for the occasion.
On display in addition to portraits of
the mayors were pictures of Betty W.
Gates, first woman alderman, and
Jesse Hall, first black alderman. Other
features were pictures of Cherokee
Chief McIntosh, from whom the land
was purchased for a cow and a calf,
and George Gordon, Lord Byron, for
whom the city was named by Dr. C. H.
Richardson, mayor from 1908-09- The
city was chartered in 1874.
Also featured at the reception was a
Aggravated assault, shooting
Police Department activity
Among the cases reported this week
by the Fort Valley Police Department
was a charge of aggravated assault
against Dana Hill, of Dogwood Circle,
stemming from an incident in which
another man was cut in the face and
required several stitches at the Peach
County Hospital.
According to reports, a Jessie
Parker, of Edwards Street summoned
police at about 2:15 a.m. on Friday,
September 21, after being awakened
by the doorbell to find a young black
man at the door covered with blood.
Investigation of the incident by Det.
Sgt. Judson Montgomery indicated
that an altercation had taken place
between the two men near the A
Building of College Square Apart¬
ments.
At press time, Hill had not yet been
arrested,
SHOOTING VICTIM CHARGED
In a case that produced an
interesting twist, Rosa Lee Pickett, 25,
of Valley Drive, has been charged with
aggravated assault, after she allegedly
pulled a .25 caliber pistol on Robert
Postell at the home of her brother on
Marshallvitie Road last Wednesday
night. Ms. Pickett
According to reports, boyfriend,
and Postell, a former
argued in the yard of the home and she
produced the gun. In the struggle that
ensued, the gun went off and she was
shot in the hand.
She was treated and released at
letter to Poole from Trevor Gatty,
British Consul General who has his
headq Poole's uarte r s in Atlanta. Acknowledg
ing letter to the British
ambassador in which she explained
Richardson’s admiration of Byron as
the origin for the town’s name, Gatty
wrote, “I wish continuing success to
the town of Byron...This reconfirms
the litefJU^ and history ties which bind
our two countries so closely together.' ’
In honor of the occasion U. S.
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These pictures of the Byron mayors are now on display In the Public Safety Budding
In Byron. photos by Poto Nichols
Peach County Hospital and is out on a
$1000 bond.
SUSPECT ARRESTED WITH GUN
Raymond Glover, 25, of Benjamin
Street, faces charges of carrying a
concealed weapon and carrying a
pistol without a license after being
arrested in the rear of the Brown
Derby Lounge on East Mani Street late
Saturday night.
Cpl. Freddie Walker was working
security outside the lounge when he
was approached by a man who told
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Unexpected arrival
This passenger train arrived last week in Fort Valley carrying the president ef
Southern Railway and others who were inspecting the tracks.
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25 cents
Representative Richard Ray had
presented a U. S. flag that was flown
over the U. S. Capitol. A certificate to
that effect was displayed beside the
flag.
In discussing the reception Poole
expressed pleasure over the turnout,
‘‘It was real nice. A nice group came,’’
she said. “Everybody was pleased
with what had been accomplished,
Poole added.
him anotner man was standing behind
a concession stand with a gun under
his shirt and had claimed he was going
to shoot a police officer.
About that time, the man emerged
from behind the stand, and was
recognized as Glover. Ordered to halt,
Glover instead pulled die gun from
under his shirt and tried to get away.
He was run down by Walker and
arrested at the scene. After being
released on city charges, he was to be
arrested Tuesday on state warrants.