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GEORGIA 7-1-08 UNIV ATHENS OF GA GA NEWSPAPER 30602 PROJECT w* » fuafettvVrfbmt*
School bus driver
resigns after DUI
By DAVID WALENCEUS
L-T Staff Writer
_
A random alcohol and drug
test resulted in the DUI
arrest of a Peach County
school bus driver last week.
George VV. King of Fort
Valley was arrested Friday for
DUI. Mandatory alcohol and
drug tests are performed by
the BOE periodically on all
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invites the public to its wireless inter
net “kickoff” celebration Tuesday,
October 29, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at City Hall
(council chambers). Representatives
will be on hand to demonstrate the
service. Light refreshmetns will be
served.
Fort Valley Historic Preservation
Commission will meet at City Hall, 5:30
P'™' Monday, October 28. This is a
public meeting.
Open House at Kay Center, November
12, 9-11 a.m.
PC Chamber of Commerce, open
house and new member reception,
Thurs., Oct. 24, 4-7 p.m. at the
Troutman House.
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meets
every Monday, Wednesday and Friday
at 7:30 p.m.. 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.
SASANQUA FESTIVAL at Massee
Lane Gardens, Oct. 1-31. Hands on
discussion 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 information on events.
Halloween Carnivals • Thursday,
October 31, downtown Fort Valley
Nightmare on Main, Byron also Oct. 31
Jailhouse Alley Art Show & Sale
Saturday, November 2,2002 at 9:00 a.m.
until 4:00 p.m. Fort Valley United
Methodist Church. Free Admission.
Voting machine demonstration Usher’s
Temj. 9 CME Church, Sunday, Oct 27,
12:45-1:45 p.m.
Fort Valley Area Alumni Chapter of
FVSU National Alumni Association,
launches birthday keepsake caelndar
project. This project enables eligible stu
dents to attend college. For further infor
mation contact 825-8675m 825-8646,
825-7308 or 825-0858. Deadline Is
November 1,2002.
Perspectives 4A Dublin edges PCHS Religion/Obits 8A-9A
- PRMC Golf Tournament
Op-Editorial 5A 1 FVSU football 3B-15B
- ► Pages 1B & 2B Legals/Classifieds -
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turn your clock
back one hour
before retiring
Saturday night.
employees. Shortly after 8
A.M. Friday (Oct. 18th) C.B.
Mathis, acting Transportation
Director, of the BOE called
the Peach County Sheriff’s
(PCS) office notifying them of
King’s condition. King, picked
randomly by computer, tested
positive for alcohol after deliv
ering students to school.
BOE officials left the deci
sion to Sheriff’s
Deputies on whether
charges should be filed
against King according to
Major Terry Deese of
PCSO. After being read
Georgia Implied Consent
laws King was transport
ed to Peach Law
Enforcement _ Center ^
where he teemd officially
a .047. Commercial
It’s official -- taxes to increase
By DAVID WALENCEUS
L-T Staff Writer
In spite of public opinion the
Board of Education (BOE) and
County Commissioners voted to
raise taxes.
Several groups of Peach citizens
voiced concern over recent tax pro
posals by Peach County and BOE
members. Official members of both
groups voted Thursday (Oct. 17th) to
raise taxes to a combined 31 mills,
City officials voted unanimously last
week to keep a 9.3 millage rate,
Thursday ended public hearings for
tax increases and tentative budgets
were adopted by both BOE and
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Driver’s Licenses (CDL) are
subject to a testing rate of
.040 as DUI in Georgia.
Deese also said BOE offi
cials were not willing to toler
ate any infraction of this sort,
Derrel Bryan, School
Superintendent, commented
Tuesday, “The driver resigned
his position after the inci
dent.”
He added, “It scares me to
death to think a driver would
risk our children.”
Reccomendations of termina
tion would have been the
process followed had the dri
ver not resigned on his on
accord,
Such oucn tests test, are are required required for lor
all employees safety of the BOE and
the of our children is a
priority for the school system.
Jennifer Ray, left, received the first Pat
Joiner-Peavy Award at the 30th annual
meeting of the Peach County Chamber
of Commerce last week. Jim McClarnon,
right, received the Durward Gasset
Award. Derrel Bryan was the recipient
of the H. E. Bryant award but was unable
to attend. Chamber Executive Director
Verna Borders is pictured in center. At
far right is Rev. Dennis Stalvey who pro
vided the entertainment. His wife,
Jerita, sang God Bless America. Claybon
Edwards and the Troubadours provided
entertainment prior to the meal.
Byron Middle gets check
Wal-Mart has been quite ge nerous to
Byron Middle School. Find out how much
and for what inside.
■ Page 10A
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Janesa Walker and Michael Johnson were cho
oftno oftrto « Hon.ecom.ng . Queen and ,
King. They were crowned during half tune
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Peach County Commissioners.
Hearings marked the end of sev
eral month’s work trying to balance
budgets and stay within revenues.
The county had received criticism
even as late as 6 p.m.. Thursday
prior to adoption of the 2003 budget,
Several citizens had insinuated
county services were too abundant
and government was oversized and
should be cut back.
BOE officials have received no
less sympathy from taxpayers at
their public hearings. Low tax collec
tion rates and unfunded mandates
from the state have been blamed
partially for the Board’s tax
increase. Officials from both institu-
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Fall Events
3®$
.
to Remember ,
Sat., Oct. 26 - Byron Elementary School PTO, Fall
Festival at the school from noon until 4 p.m. It
will be located near the gym on the back side of
the school. Fun and food for everyone. Costume
contest at 2 p.m.
Thurs., Oct. 31 - Fort Valley Lions Club Fall
Festival downtown, 5*8 p.m. Trick or treat with
merchants from 5-6 p.m. Registration for
Costume Contest begins at 6:30 p.m. in front of
courthouse, judging at 7 p.m. sponsored by
Woman’s Club. Food and fun downtown.
Thurs., Oct. 31 - Nightmare on Main Street inj
Byron Main Street - 6-7:30 safely p.m. trick Kids can go up and down j
or treating. Costume
contest sponsored by Byron Rotary Club begins
at 7:30 in the Jailhouse Park gazebo.
See you there!
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tions have stated their regret at hav
ing to raise taxes, but services being
denied to citizens wasn’t an option.
Shortly after the first meeting for
Thursday Commission Chairman
James Khoury left the public meet
ing in an ambulance suffering chest
pains. Since the meeting Khoury has
reportedly returned home after
surgery and is recovering.
Joe Collins, Vice-Chairman for
the County Commission, then read
the motion to accept the combined
totals for BOE and County taxes
due, and called for a vote, which
passed -'- unanimously. Byron taxpay
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Fall Festival at HE8
Food, fun and frolic was the fare for the day at
the recent Fall Festival held at Hunt Elementary
School. Pictures and story inside.
I Page 7A
Fort Valley
suing PC
BY DAVID WALENCEUS - L-T Staff Writer
Citizens may be beginning to wonder
if Church St. is developing a crack down
the middle dividing city and county court
houses with so many negotiations. The
most recent being Fort Valley seeking an
injunction to stop the county from cutting
off E-911 services.
Fort Valley Mayor John E. Stumbo
assured, “That’s not the case”. Reamt
negotiations on Local Option Sales Tax
(LOST) have put county and city officials
at odds over E-911 obligations. County
Commissioners had set November 15th as
a cutoff date for services if Fort Valley
refused to participate in deficits for the
operation of E-911. Under a prior agree
ment Stumbo says the city’s obligation to
partially fund 911 was over three years
after its inception.
Issues such as these have risen through
out Georgia during LOST negotiations.
Eas , Elijay GA . noa ^ „ uod offi .
H a i s de J s ; mular mu io r rimimstan™** circumstances, The lne
‘
outcome of that court case left municipal!
ties to jointly pay for services. Stumbo feels
that Fort Valley owes nothing to Peach
county for services because a written
agreement exists ending their obligation.
East Elijay had no agreement with county
officials when their suit was filed.
"The suit was filed to protect the city
from the loss of service. My job is to protect
the city’s interest,” said Stumbo.
Commissioner Matt Mullis of Peach
County said, “Legal action was unneces
sary, we had just drafted a letter to hope
^Hy end LOST negotiations.”
Commissioners had agreed to totally fund
E-911 and assume responsibility for
libraries if the county received 68 percent
of *** proceeds- Those terms were dis
cussed during the last session for munici
parties- County officials met last week and
had agreed to accept tentative figures dis
cussed during negotiations and allow
Chairman James Khoury to enter an
agreement between officials.
Recent development of the lawsuit may
h ave hindered further negotiations.