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DayUgtt Savings Urns Ends
Don't forget to set your clock back
% one hour before you retire Saturday
evening. Time changes at 2 a.m.
,8 7 4 M
7-1-02
GEORGIA NEWSPAPER
( UNIV. OFGA I’x
ATHENS GA 30602
Serving
Peach County cP r
Since 1888 50<
T P* r
copy
V*■
1
flu m i 4 < I TS
has begun its annual flu campaign. Please
calf for an appointment Monday through
Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Flu shots are
$5.00 and Pneumonia shots are $10.00.
Fort Vafley CMc, 406 E Church St, 625-
6939. Byron Clinic, 200 Mosaly Road,
956-7679.
Fort Valtoy Adult literacy Center
searching tor Tutors of English, Math &
Reading. Located at 700 Spruce Street
Fort Valley. Call Mrs. Jefferson at 825
9072 lor more information.
Ml
Pre-Ktor4yaar
olds at Little People Learning Center.
ChNdron are eflgtde for tide few Ga lot
tery lunoea limrfn rl program atMkaMM 1 n M may j were a« - — 4 A years
1,2000. Whole day
lor 2 and 3 year aids. Cal Kaltiy English or
Undo Smith tor more information at 825-
7122.
V rH FgmwM
The run — - -tt vmi --- | urns ■__ mh
j
rae rt&sviwai la is uoan — 1 TUU in® ---- year Hi uw ■ tBSuvai In nth ml
wltehaU on HaRoween night October 3
1. Downtown merchants will give out
candy from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. FaR Festival
will start at 6 p.m. Anyone wishing to
nave a mm sooufa contact rmm spinks
at 825-2903 (a nominal fee of $10.00 wM
be charged for each booth). There wi be
food, games, ton and more. So got your
costumes reaoy now tor a good time m
awinoan -■----* ----U»- rofi -• tl-M--- vaiwyi 1
m mmumf
The of the
a “Halloween" Bake Mid Elephant
Sale on Friday October 27th in the front
tabby from 1ft00 am to 2d» pm For
more Information, contact Sylvia I.
Malone, President at 825-6675.
to baa Or,
ton on a Saturday? Come join utter
a in
music on
28,2000,9 am. - 5 pm
11,2000,9 am-5 pm in 8to
f Building, Fort Valley
cede at 826-8544
Bike - The Fort Valley Polk*
Kkto ef Boorgie In County wi be
a bom 650-730
p.m. diming the carnival downtown,
October 31, 2000. First 25 chftdreo to
People Perspectives and Places - Sports ► Trojans Pages whip 1B, Columbus 2B& 3B Legals/Classifieds Religion/Obits - - 6B-11B 4B, 5B
4
Former RAF cadets visit
Royal Air Force Cadets who befriended
m local folks visited to rekindle memories
I and enjoy fellowship.
uPageSA
Theft ring closed
By Emily
The Leader-Tribune
► Peach
TVfO arrested, ^ Department
one still on down a theft ring
the loose in September
thefts of 2000. Two
$300,000 in were made.
merchandise Johnson, age 28,
Fort Valley
Dexter Davis, age 24, of
Valley. A third party, Williams
Davis, Jr., who was also
with the thefts, is still on the run.
At first the arrestees denied
knowing anything, but soon they
came around and confessed every
thing. It all began about ten
months ago. The thieves would
tell their wives that they were
going to work, at around dark,
every night, according to the sher
iffs report. They worked in pairs
canvassing neighborhoods for any
thing of value. From fishing tackle
to foui-wheelers they had no par
ticular prey. Over the course of ten
months they managed to steal
around $300,000 worth of mer¬
chandise, said Major Tarry Deese,
of the Peach County Sheriffs
_ . _ , _
° 6 / >Ur
wmeeiers, wrncn were stolen f , nave
b^ recwe^ for and llttle were f 8 J sold 400 by to
$2,500. T wo trailers which were
also — stolen hinwtaNL i ecovered,
w
Sheriff Becham with one
of the guns. Inset photo
shows wide assortment of
other guns recovered.
Bottom photo is many
four-wheelers.
i
i
one of which belongs to Mayor
John Stumbo.
The beginning of the end for
these crooks came when they were
caught on camera, trying to fence
some of the stolen goods, at
Wellston Pawn in Warner Robins.
The arrestees will be charged
with Burglary, theft by taking,
and will have charges brought
a g a j n8 t them by surrounding
counties such as Taylor, Macon,
Crawford, and Houston.
Not only were these men steal
j n g f rom the residents of these
counties but they were also lurk
mg around their homes when the
residents were at home. One of
the thieves told a sheriffs deputy
that he wou ld pet the dogs to
m ake sure they did not bark. They
a j 80 destroyed property such as
the chains which they cut to
rem0V e the four-wheelers. The
people responsible for bringing
these criminals to justice are
Major Xerry Deese sheriff
Johnnie Becham, Lt. Ricky
yining, and Sgt, Cordell Jackson
The Peach County Sheriff’s
make any more arrests fn^mni in connec- 0
tion with this case, stated Major
The Sheriffs Department
askB that anyo ne who may have
purchased merchandise from
these men come forward and
re t U m the items to their rightful
owners. No charges wifi be filed
jj |j Business Businesses atmosphere open/re-open flourishing in Peach
County. One new business opens, one has
LA j [a grand re-opening.
► Page 3A
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n
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ONE OF THESE LADIES FROM PEACH COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL
will be crowned Homecoming Queen Friday night at the ball game. From left
front row, the homecoming court consists of Haley Doles, Kayci Alligood,
Jessica womack, Donnia McCrary, Wilshon Williams. In back from left, Kota
Clark, Tanesha Homer, Chanika Lockhart and Lucilla Lee. Ashley Thomas was
in an auto accident and is not pictured.
County’s decision on health
insurance brings questions
By Vicky Whitehead - The Leader-Tnbune
............ . ..... . ....... .. " — ' ' ■ .......
Rising costs of health insurance is hit
M Snor ^ ^ t ting businesses throughout
il Georgia, but closer to home
County chose in Pteach County, one entity
IUIIW In effort has taken a step which has
to provide caused some controver sy bu t
'benefits and has allowed them tonot
not have tax- raise the millage rate to fund
payers pay lor
employee County employees have
benefits. received a letter and card
welcoming them as a member of the
International Union of Industrial and
Independent Workers. This does not mean
the county is a member of a union, nor the
door is open for a union to invade Peach
County, however. The letter, according to
insurance agent, Martin Bosworth is a
blanket letter which everyone gets,
whether they are a full union member or
just a beneficiary member as county
employees.
During the budgeting session for the
upcoming year Peach County
Commissioners were faced with a crisis sit
uation concerning health insurance cover¬
age. If they stayed with the same provider,
Blue Cross/Blue Shield, insurance premi¬
ums would increase by $20,000 per month,
representing a 60% increase. They contact¬
ed insurance agents, including local ones,
to see if they could get lower premiums in
an effort to try and continue providing sim¬
ilar coverage at not such a steep cost to the
county or its employees. The county pro
vides insurance for each employee but if
the employee desires spouse or family cov
erage that employee must pay that portion
of the cost
Some insurance carriers would not
even touch the county because the claim
ratio was 100% and claims have been high,
Bosworth of Macon, who represents
many companies, was one of those contact¬
ed and he found International Union of
Industrial and Independent Workers. The
county even got an estimate from Blue
Cross/Blue Shield dropping some benefits
and putting caps on some areas of liability
limitation. Still, IUIIW came in with the
lowest premium for the best possible bene
fits to employees.
Before the rate increase, the county was
paying $236 per month per employee,
Going with the new company increased
that rate to $247 only an $11 increase and
the coverage is about the same, according
to county bookkeeping.
When the time for commissioners to
came, Dr. Ira Hicks and Matt Mullis
voted no but the motion to with IUIIW
passed 3-2. Commissioners want to contin
ue providing this benefit for employees and
do not want to have to raise the millage
rate to pay for employees to have health
insurance, says Commissioner James
Khoury.
Through International Union of
Industrial and Independent Workers, there
are several variations of “members". Some
do become union affiliates others are only
what is called beneficiary members which
means they are provided major medical,
dental, life and disability insurance.
Bosworth says county employees are just
benefitting from being able to get health
insurance coverage. They have no voting
rights, he said and the company is not
obligated in any way, to represent any
county employee should they become dis
grunted. Bosworth added that he had
been an insurance agent for 35 years and
would not suggest something which would
put his reputation on the line. He feels the
company will pay claims promptly, saying
there is a 30-day turn around. Enough
time has not passed for the county to
determine the company’s promptness in
paying claims or how easy or hard it will
be to work with the company.
County Attorney Jeff Liipfert said there
were no arbitration or collective bargain¬
ing agreements signed with the company,
only contracts for health insurance cover
age through the trust fund.
The county was pushed against the wall
and had to make a decision in a short span
of time, said Khoury. He added this was
not an easy decision for the county and
though it is not perfect, the county was
seeking the most coverage for the most
people at the most reasonable rate possi
ble. When the insurance contract expires
the county could choose to go with a differ
e nt company,
Peach Regional Medical Center also con¬
sidered going with the same company
since they are also facing a substantial
increase in premiums. They first decided
to go with it because they felt it was that
rou te or close the hopsital. then after a
meeting was called by Mayor John Stumbo
a member of the hospital authority who
was out of town at the time the hospital
first considered the company, to review the
paperwork and sit down with insurance
agents, the decision was made to pay one
month’s premium and consider other
options and then re-evaluate at the end of
the month. Nancy Heed, hospital adminis¬
trator, said the hospital wants to try and
keep costs to a minimum for employees.