Newspaper Page Text
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Georgia Nev*p»per Project raduate
UniYeraity of Georgia
Athens, Ga» 30602 2A
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Peach County's best news and advertising source since 1888
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Volume 103, Issue 9 Wednesday, February 27 ,1991 24 pages, 5 inserts 35 cents
Future NFL star Davis honored
Former Tr ojan an example that'Education Counts
by Mike Lovvorn
Editor
The Peach County community look time out Friday
to honor one of its own, and to recognize on of
educational system’s brightest success stories. Antone
Davis Day spotlighted the Fort Valley native,
University of Tennessee graduate, college football All
American and soon-to-be first-round pick in next
month's National Football League draft.
For nearly five months, the Peach County Chamber
of Commerce has been actively involved in a
to increase the awareness of the quality of
here. On Friday, they trotted Antone all over
county as an example of the value of education.
Davis was very nearly an early high school
but he returned to school, eventually excelling both
the classroom and on the football field. A
offensive lineman for the Peach County Trojans,
left Fort Valley after using all his eligibility,
TMI Academy in Sweetwater, Tennessee.
At TMI, Antone really began to develop as an athlete
and as a student. After graduation, he signed a
scholarship with the University of Tennessee.
In Knoxville, he blossomed into one of
football's premier offensive linemen. He also became
scholastic All-American and became heavily involved
in community service work, especially in the area
drug education.
Alter speaking to students throughout the school
system Friday, Antone was honored with a ceremony in
Iront of the Peach County Courthouse. Introducing
him to the assemblage, Education Counts
Chairman Pat Joiner called him "a role model for all
our children."
City wants to pursue
consolidation of building
inspector, co. officer
by Mike Lovvorn
Editor
Council work session, much of the
u,nc was given ,o a discussion of
ihepossibfe consolidation of the
office of city building inspector
with the county's zoning
enforcement officer.
Local electrical contractor Jack
Hunnicutt came before the council
to offer his views on the subject,
since his firm deals with all three
inspectors in the county (Byron also
has a building inspector).
"The citizens in this county are
desirous of some form of
consolidation," said Hunnicutt.
"With the situation at die county, 1
would say that this is an opportune
time to consider combining these
positions.” The "situation" referred
to by Mr. Hunnicutt is the absence
of a county officer. Zoning Officer
William Terrell is critically ill in a
Macon hospital, comatose after a
fall from the roof of a house a
couple of months ago. In his
absence, City Building Inspector
Barbara Hamrick has been filling
in.
It was the genera! feeling that
neither of the two offices separately
generated enough revenue to cover
the cost of having them.
Mayor C.W. Peterson had some
reservations, saying that Ms.
Hamrick already had a heavy
workload with inspections for the
city and Utilities Commission.
"Then, would it be fair to say dial
maybe this office could function
better with an inspector and an
assistant, rather than two
inspectors?" asked Councilman Joe
Evans -
Evans added, ^'Historically, the
problem with consolidation is that
someone has to agree to be the one
to quit.
It was agreed that the possibility
would be discussed with county
officials, at which time City
Administrator Larry Smith noted
that a meeting for such a purpose
County Commission Chairman Dr. Glenwood Hill
said, "Not often do we have the privilege to honor
something this positive, something we can all rally
around."
Hill read a proclamation from the county, Fort
Valley, and Byron, then presented a copy of it to the
honoree.
Byron Mayor James Williams presented Antone with
a plaque from the city of Byron, and Fort Valley Mayor
C.W. Peterson gave him a key to the citv, reminding
him to "always remember where you came from.”
Accepting the accolades, Davis said, "It is such a
great honor to have a day in your name, one of the
biggest things to ever happen to me... and I will never
forget where I came from."
Pat Joinei* also introduced Antone's parents, Milton
and Daisy Davis, saying, "I know they are very proud
of their 'little' boy today."
At the conclusion of the ceremony, a large bag of
balloons, courtesy of Balloons Over Fort Valley, was
opened, releasing a number of multi-colored balloons.
Davis has already completed his degree, graduating
with a degree in City Planning and Real Estate
Development. He now awaits the NFL draft in April.
He has been projected as the first offensive lineman to
be drafted, possibly as high as the second pick, which
likely translates into a multi-year, multi-million-dollar
contract.
Asked if he had a preference of pro teams, he said ho
would-like to play in Denver, but was happy for the
opportunity to play any where. Why Denver?
"1 like to hunt, and I think I’d like living there," he
replied.
Plans proceeding for
C„ u „ci, ,o proceed
with plans to purchase the old Post
Office building from Tim McCord,
remodeling ,, info a police
administrative building.
The city has a contract with
McCord to buy the building by the
end of March, on condition that
some necessary asbestos removal
has been accomplished
satisfactorily,
Smith was contacting an firm
specializing in such removal this
week to do an inspection.
Two options had been discussed,
either using the building for a
police facility or renovating it into a
city hall, in turn renovating the
existing City Hall for expansion by
both the police and fire'
deparunents.
The cost of the latter project was
twice that of using the building for
a [X)lice facility, which Councilman
Wilbur Spillers estimates can be
accomplished for about S350,000
plus the cost of acquiring the
property.
Appeal denied
Plans are to finance the project
through the Fort Valley
Redevelopment Authority.
After hearing evidence in open
session on Tuesday night, then
retiring to closed session on
Thursday night to deliberate, the
Council denied the appeal of three
volunteer firemen who lost their
jobs in an administrative policy
change,
Alan Whittington, Maxie Gray,
and Todd Bryan asked the Council
to reinstate them, despite a policy
made by Fire Chief Letfis Moye
prohibiting city volunteers to work
for any other fire department. All
three are also county volunteer
firemen.
Much discussion was held about
the performance of the three men,
but City Attorney Charlie Adams
pointed out that the only decision
for the Council was whether or not
Ray upset with PSC
decision... 5A
1116 chief had the right to make such
^ he thr g e had been Sta terminated Z
after Oiev reted » the
3 v
Etc....
Three other volunteers affected by
the policy chose to resign from the
county and remain with the city.
A request from Police Chief
Frank Strickland about use of his
cars was tabled for further study.
The chief asked that his officers
who live within the city limits of
Fort Valley be allowed to take their
patrol cars home with them at the
conclusion of their shift.
The city has recently completed
the purchase of a number of state
surplus patrol cars, enabling the
department to assign a car to each
officer.
Rather than have the entire fleet
of cars parked at the PD, Strickland
wants to have the officers drive
them home, but under a strict policy
for their use.
"We think it is a good idea to
have these cars visible in the
neighborhoods," the chief said.
The policy would apply only to
officers who live within the city
limits. The chief asked for the
adoption of a policy copied from
Warner Robins and Macon, one that
restricts the use of the vehicles.
Among its provisions, officers
cannot have passengers in the cars
and must be in uniform and on the
radio when it is in use; in other
words, coming to or from work.
City attorney Charlie Adams
wanted to study the policy and
discuss it with the city's insurance
carrier prior to adoption.
* The Council also discussed
setting a date for a long-range
planning seminar, bringing in
someone from the University of
Georgia to serve as a facilitator. A
tentative date was set for some time
in early April.
11
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Photo by Eric Zetiars
’ Antone Davis Day...
Friday was proclaimed "Antone Davis Day" in Peach County, as well as the cities of Fort Valley and
Byron. A ceremony in front of the courthouse was held early Friday afternoon. Pictured are, left to
right: parents Milton and Daisy Davis, Education Counts Committee Chairman Pat Joiner and the
honoree, Antone Davis.
mm
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Photo by Mike Lovvorn
Suspect Suspects arrested...
Jamie Willis is booked into the Peach County LEC by Deputy Kenny Cameron.
Undercover drug operation
nets 33 22
A three-state undercover drug
operation culminated last week with
hundreds of arrests in Georgia,
Florida and South Carolina,
including 33 by the local drug task
force.
A coordinated effort by
sheriffs associations in the three
states produced a massive drug
sweep. Locally, two GBI
undercover officers worked known
drug areas for several months,
producing some 46 incidents of
drug possession or sale.
At presstime Tuesday, 22
persons had been arrested, two were
previously in custody on other
charges, eight were still at large,
and one case had been dropped.
Officers of the GB1, Peach
County SO, and Fort Valley PD
began rounding up suspects last
Wednesday morning.
Arrested and charged thus far
are:
DeWayne Clark, 23, 103 White
Street, two counts of sale of
cocaine;
f: rian Antonio Robinson, 19,
3(J6 _ Emory Street,
one count of sale
of cocaine;
Larry Lee Davis, 28, 512 State
College Drive, one count of sale of
cocaine;
Marion Harris, 22, 714 Pine
Street, seven counts of sale of
cocaine;
Ronnie Gibson, 34, 209 Miller
Street, three counts of sale of
cocaine;
Trojans, Lady Trojans
eliminated... 6A
Danny McCrary, 28, 1814
Willow Lake Road, possession of
cocaine and obstruction;
Arthur J. Daniels, 30, Laconia
Circle, sale of cocaine and theft by
receiving stolen property;
Benjamin Postell, 19, Indian
Oaks Apartments, sale of
marijuana;
Elizabeth Gibson, 29, 209
Miller Street, two counts of sale of
cocaine;
Patricia Rice, 34, 1004 Maple
Street, sale of cocaine;
Tammy Gibson, 23, 527
Hinton Street, sale of cocaine;
Lonnie Rice, 30, 1004 Maple
Street, sale of cocaine;
Ricky Clark, 20, 114 Delores
Drive, sale of cocaine;
Jamie Lee Willis, 32, 1335
Sunset Drive, possession of cocaine
w Ah intent to distribute, possession
of a firearm during the commission
of a felony, possession of a firearm
with an altered mark;
Gary Heath, 28, 588 Shy Place,
Macon, possession of cocaine;
Charlene George, 39, 204
Emory Street, possession of
cocaine;
Ralph Jerome Mathis, 30, 203
Morris Street, sale of cocaine;
Kim Jones, 25, 518 Hinton
Street, two counts of sale of
cocaine;
Terry Oates, 33, 110 Spalding
Street, two counts of sale of
cocaine, theft by receiving,
possession of a firearm by a
convicted felon, forgery;
Elmer Jay Robinson, Jr., 29,
3506 Tattagon Way, Atlanta,
possession of cocaine;
Danny Hicks, 24, 509 Pine
Street, three counts of sale of
cocaine, possession of cocaine,
possession of drug-related objects;
Theodore Talton, 28, 1024
State College Drive, possession of
cocaine.
Warrants were issued for the
following as well (these had not
been arrested at presstime:
Dexter Lee Williams,
possession of cocaine;
Curtis Harris, possession of
cocaine with intent to distribute;
Calvin Jones, sale of cocaine;
Derrick Mitchell, sale of
cocaine;
Norman Walker, possession of
cocaine, possession of drug-related
object;
Ricky Searcy, sale of cocaine;
Larry Strong, possession of
cocaine;
Arthur J. Moore, possession of
cocaine, possession of drug-related
object
Also charged, but already in
custody on other charges were
Pemell Thomas, five counts of sale
of cocaine; and Winfred Morris,
two counts of sale of cocaine.
During the course of the
investigation, a total of 322 pieces
of crack cocaine worth an estimated
$9890.00 were seized along 6 with
$4232.00 in ’
cash