Newspaper Page Text
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Recognition breakfast
I oral public safety personnel were
treated to a deluious breakfast
last week,
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GEORGIA NEWSPAPER PROJECT
UNIV OF GA
ATHENS GA 30602
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Peach
Inside &
Out
WALK-A-THON - Fort Valley Chapter of
the Links, Inc. Walk-a-Thon, 7:30 a m.
Saturday, Sept. 28. St Luke’s
Episcopal Church. Dr. Michael Early, is
chairman. This activity supports ser
vice projects and the Older Americans
Council and Peach Regional Hospital.
Register individual or as a team by call
ing: Frances Bell 825-2458, Juanita
Bellamy 825-3884, Robertiena Fletcher.
825-0394 or Brenda Vance 825-3148.
The Fort Valley State University R0TC
Dept, is accepting applications to rthe
2002 Homecoming Parade scheduled
for October 19, 2002 Deadline to regis
ter is Friday, October 11, 2002. All orga
nizations must register to participate.
For more information call 478-825-
6340.
The Byron Bunch Square Dance Club
announces their 18th CURE (research
for Childhood Cancer) fund raiser.
They will host an annual Hobo Dance
on Saturday, Oct. 5th from 6-11 p m at
the Byron Gym There will be a Hobo
dress-up contest Admission is $5 and
all proceeds go to CURE. Hobo stew
and cornbread will be served. Call
Linda Chadwick at 827-0103 for details.
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meets
every Monday, Wednesday and Friday
at 7:30 pm., St. Andrews Episcopal
Church, 309 Central Ave., Fort Valley.
For information call 478-825-8133, 825-
7337 or 825-3498.
BYRON TOPS CHAPTER meets every
Thursday evening. 7 p.m. at Byron
United Methodist Church. For more
information call 956-3935 or 218-2919.
PEACH COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL
CLASS OF 1982 will celebrate their 20th
reunion Saturday, October 19, 2002.
Classmates interested in obtaining
information tor the busy weekend
planned, can call Sue Green Zuniga in
Bonaire at 478-922-8452.
TOWN MEETING, City of Fort Valley, in
reference to drainage, Sept 30, 6 p.m.
City Hall.
SASANQUA FESTIVAL at Massee Lane
Gardens, Oct. 1-31. Hands on discus
sion every Wednesday in October at 1
p.m.; Senior Citizens Day is Oct. 22; fall
fashion show Oct 16. Call 478-967-
2358 for admission fees and informa
tion on events.
MORE INSIDE PAGE 2A
J % Perspectives - 4A j Spo/is & Trojans BMS on cage winning Panthers streak Religion/Obits 3B-4B
Op-Editorial 5A j FVSU plays Clark-Atlanta
- ► Pages 1B & 2B i Legals/Classifieds - 5B-11B
Vol. No. 113 Issue 40 2 Sections, 20 Pages mm mmm ion’t know will hurt them...
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Officers wen* unable to comment on
details of a one-car accident Friday, on
Hwy. 19 outside Byron. One of the four
occupants, living consoled by a friend
above, stated the driver lost control of
the vehicle as they went to pass a slow
er vehicle. The car and passengers
clipped about a six foot section out of
a |x>wer |»oIe liefore coming to rest
behind an embankment. Fortunately,
no one was seriously injured.
2.85 mill increase
in county budget
By DAVID WALENCEUS - L T Staff Writer
< -aunty Commissioners held the first of sev
oral public hearings on their tentative 2003
budget this wseek.
Monday night’s meeting began the process
for adopting the budget and setting millage
rates for a proposed tax increase. Concerns
and questions can In* relayed to County
Commissioners at these public meetings.
Three more meetings will In* held before the
budget can be adopted. A final vote on the
budget and tax increases could come as
early as October 17th. Commissioners have
proposed a tax increase along with the bud
get.
Currently, Peach County residents are
taxed at a rate of 12.15 mills by the county.
Commissioners have faced the tough deci
sion of an increase to closer balance the
2003 budget. The 2003 proposed budget
would have a $1.6 million deficit without a
tax increase. After careful consideration the
commissioners proposed raising taxes 2.85
mills. This would leave a deficit of approxi
amatelv $445,000. A 2.85 tax increase
would affect a $100,000 home by approxi
mately $84 a year.
Peach County started last year with a
deficit but may have a break even year
after final accounting figures are tallied.
Commissioners remarked that their only
redeeming factor was the collection of back
taxes in 2002.
“We can’t keep expecting to operate like
this, <in a deficit) said commissioner Matt.
Mullis. All the commissioners have been
concerned over growing county debts and
expressed concern for the taxpayer.
Citizens with concerns can attend the next
hearing on September 30th at 6 p.m. at the
Peach County Courthouse.
Special trip
Fugenia I’owell represented the local Relay
for Life at the Celebration on the Hill,
Washington, D.C. last week..
q Page 8A
Teen held until court date
By DAVID WALENCEUS
L T Staff Writer
Judge Mathews of Juvenile
Court, has ruled a Fort Valley stu
dent will be detained until her
October 3rd court date.
An arraignment hearing was
held Monday for a youth involved
in a stabbing incident disembark
ing from a school bus Friday. She
is being held at Macon Youth
Detention Center (YDC). Because
of ages, names can not be released.
An alleged week long argument
between the two students escalat
ed into violence when the 14-year
old girl with a kitchen knife cut a
16-year-old after arriving at Peach
County High School (PCHS). The
2 arrested, another expected
By DAVID WALENCEUS
L T Staff Writer
Police arrested one Friday and
and sought two others in Conner
tion with a home invasion inci
dent.
Four days after the investigation
began detectives arrested Tyrell
Davis of Fort Valley for his alleged
part in the robbery of four college
students.
City approves budget, discusses drainage
By DAVID WALENCEUS
1.1' Staff Writer
Fort Valley City Council lias
approved a $3.9 million budget for
fiscal year 2003.
Facing a deficit of almost
$379,000 Fort Valley Council mem
bers voted 3 to 1 Thursday to
approve the city’s proposed budget
with a bottom line of almost $4 mil
lion. Herman Light was the one
dissenting vote. Beth Collins was
out of town due to a death in the
family,
Light stated, “I feel uncomfort
able voting to approve the budget
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HISTORY MADE - The Lady Eagles of Byron Middle School put one in the record hook
Monday afternoon as they captured first place in girls’ fast-pitch softball, the first ever for
*he sc ^°°l * n pitch. Pictured in back are coaches Larry' Damron, David Jackson and
David Evatt. Front row from left, Briggette Manuel (outfield), Kelly Greer (outfield), Trisha
Nixon (outfield), Kayla Mangrum (outfield), Jessica Crowell (catcher/outfield), Casey
Damron (2nd hase/catcher) and manager Shirley Jackson. Second row from left, Mary
Gilmore (outfield), Amber Drew (catcher/outfield), Cally Whitehead (first base), Ashley
Jackson (pitcher/catcher), Crystal Greer (third base), Britta Thomason (short stop), and Allie
Brown <outfieId/2nd base). See Page 2B for winning game story.
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16-year-old received several stitch
es at Peach Regional Hospital and
was released. She returned to
school that same day.
According to Derrel Bryan,
School Superintendent, the two
juveniles had been working with
school officials to end reported
problems between them, It is
unclear what spawned the argu
ment that ended in violence.
“It’s an unfortunate thing that
things like this happen. I’m coll
corned that we don’t over react,”
said Bryan.
Officials and personnel alike ar i*
not taking this incident lightly.
They are currently re-examining
surveillance equipment and imple
menting aggressive measures to
Acting on information received
from an outraged public, evidence
was found linking him to the
erime. Police also arrested Ryan
(’ox of Fort Valley in connection
with the incident on Monday.
A third suspect is expected to be
arrested soon. “Charges of Armed
Robbery and Burglary are ail that
have been brought so far,” said Lt.
Lawrence Spurgeon, “but we
expect rape to ! added after
with revenues si ill unknown " The
2002 budget year ended leaving the
iity with $ 1.J million in reserves,
but most commonly is left alone to
operate under extenuating circum
stances.
Mayor John Stumho cited the
unknown areas that most con
eerned council as Local Option
Sales Tax (LOST) distribution.
assisting the county with the E-911
deficit and insurance premiums for
the city’s health insurance. “No
agreement has been reached on
LOST distributions to date.” said
Stumho. “We will likely enter arbi-
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banqet, Spec ial Page Olympics 3A Georgia.
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help prevent incidents in the
future according to Bryan.
Captain William Richardson, of
the Fort Valley Police Department,
spoke with both sets of parents and
reported neither girl had ever
experienced disciplinary problems
in the past.
Police also plan to charge the
juvenile with aggravated assault,
carrying a concealed weapon and
possession of a weapon on school
property. If convicted on all three
charges the juvenile could be incar
cerated for up to five years.
Final discretion in punishment
is left up to the Juvenile Justice
system and the presiding Judge
according to District Attorney
Clifton Woody.
results of DNA tests come back ”
Spurgeon added. “This was a
heinous crime and the public react
ed helping us apprehend the erim
inais. It also helps in having a
good team of investigators to fol
low-up on leads.”
Police also announced Tuesday
the arrest of Arizona Smith 111 of
Fori Valley in connection with a
separate home invasion which
occurred on September 6th.
(ration soon,” he added. Sales tax
revenues were budgeted at about
$824,000 but could change* pending
arbitration.
St umbo began Thursday’s meet
ing addressing concerned citizens
over water drainage problems
spawned by a storm dumping 4.2
inches in little more than an hour.
Camellia Blvd, Anderson Ave. and
Church St. seemed to have (he
most reported problems.
Stumho suggested a town meet
ing on September 30th at 6 pin to
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