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GEORGIA NEWSPAPER PROJECT
UNIV OF GA
' ATHENS GA 30602-0001
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Vol. 126 Issue No. 16 50(8
Legal Organ For Peach County, City of Fort Valley and City Of Byron
Byron Dies in
Motorcycle Accident
By Victor Kulkosky
News Editor
A missing person report became
family tragedy one day later after
Byron man was found dead last
after an apparent motorcycle accident.
According to a release from
County Sheriff Terry Deese,
Michael Elliot, 26, of 1494 Boy
Road, Byron, was reported
Tuesday evening. May 3. The
said Elliot left his home at 9:30 a.m.
Monday May 2.
A family friend reported
Elliot’s body last Wednesday
about half a mile north of his
Scout Road residence. The
statement says Elliot “apparently
control of the motorcycle and
eled approximately 600 feet into
woods. The statement says
was apparently traveling “at a
high rate of speed” at the time of
accident.
The Georgia State Patrol is
gating the accident, but no foul play
suspected, according to the Sheriffs
statement.
National Day of Prayer Observed
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Attendees bow their heads during an observance of the National Day of
Prayer at Everett Square Park in Fort Valley. Photos by Victor Kulkosky
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Whats
INSIDE
Peach In (V Out 3
Police Beat eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee 3
Opinion ••••a<••••••••« I
Country Living oooeeoooooooo 8
Paith Matters 6
School 7
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Peach County's " Newspaper
Battle of Byron Victorious
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It's Fun to Get Sacked. Children reflect the bouncy spirit of this year's Battle of Byron as they hop their way
the sack one of contests at this Battle. Photo Victor
By Victor Kulkosky
News Editor
The 2011 Battle of Byron returned
to its roots, reviving old challenges and
generally emphasizing the weird and
wonderful contests that make this event
un iq ue
Battle Chair Karla Chidester offered
this summary of the Battle, which was
Pastor Jordon Kersey of Fort Val¬
ley United Methodist Church prays
for local leaders at a celebration
of The National Day of Prayer last
Thursday in Everett Square Park.
Rev. Ted Worley of Fort Valley ob
Presbyterian Church hosted the
servance, which had the theme "A
Mighty Fortress is Our God." The
program also included a prayer
for state leaders from Pastor Bryan
McTherson of Chamlee Memorial
Baptist Church and a prayer for
national leaders by Fort Valley
Mayor John Stumbo, who also of¬
fered remarks on the persecution
of Christians abroad and the free¬
dom to worship and pray in the
U.S. Rev. Worley offered a prayer
for the world, mentioning some ar¬
eas such as Japan, the Middle East
and places in this country stricken
by severe weather and floods.
Several attendees offered prayers.
The program opened with attend¬
ees singing "God Bless America"
and dosed with *America The
Beautiful"
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fought last Saturday in downtown
Byron.
The Patriotic Parade opened
this year’s Battle of Byron with 38
entries, including Sons of Confederate
Veterans, Thomas the lank Engine
carrying 12 Lil Mr. & Lil Miss Battle
Byron participants, foe Byron Fire
Department, the Flag City Mustang
Car Club, Byron Middle School Band,
U Save It Pharmacy, Storage Central
of Byron, Patriotic Motorcycle, Rep.
Robert Dickey, and Middle GA
Antique Car Club to name a few.
Opening Ceremonies included the
Hunt de Elementary Puts Or
C inco Mayo Extravaganza
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The Hunt Elementary School Dance Team does a handstand to music
of Beyonce at last week's Cinco de Mayo program presented by Hunt
Elementary School at the high school auditorium. Photo by Victor
By Victor Kulkosky
News Editor
Cinco de Mayo began as
battle. The holiday
the events of May 5, 1862, when
French forces with imperial
tions attacked the Mexican city
of Puebla de Los Angeles.
Mexican forces were outnumbered
and under-equipped, but routed the
French in a daylong battle.
War was the last thing on any¬
one’s mind last Thursday as Hunt
Elementary School put on a Cinco
de Mayo show at the Peach County
High School Auditorium, The
holiday is actually more significant
in the United States, where Cinco
de Mayo has become a celebration
of heritage and culture for Mexican
Americans and anyone interested in
all things Mexican.
The HES show featured a variety
of traditional and contemporary
music and dance, and foe Miss
Cinco de Mayo/Senorita Cinco de
Mayo pageant, with HES students
competing for foe crown. Each con
testant represented one of Mexico’s
states. Host Vic Marie White
introduced the contestants: Laura
Continued to page 2
Marine Corps League Middle GA
Detachment 970, Byron Elementary
School Choir, Reading of the Battle
of Byron Proclamation, WMAZ TV’s
Ben Jones and Lorra Lynch Jones
introducing and announcing winners
of Children’s Fundraiser. Lil Mr.
Battle of Byron was awarded to Kenny
Cannon, 3, who collected $617.70
and was sponsored by Cedar Green
Landscape and mother Sherri Tennille.
Lil’ Miss Battle of Byron was awarded
to Sophie Hutchinson 3, who collected
$733.99 and was sponsored by Law
Offices of Robert H. Malone III and
Continued to page 14
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M,u/Senorda .. Onco _. de , Mayo .. 2011
« Hunt Elementary student Isabel
Alcantar, daughter of Cristy Meeks
and Alofandro Alcantar.
Photo by Victor Kulkosky
Hay 11,2011
BOE
Passes
Simpler
Dress Code
By Victor Kulkosky
News Editor
Dr. Susan Clark had one principle
in mind in developing a new dress
code for the schools:
“Less is more,” the Superintendent
of Schools told the Peach County
Board of Education at the regular
monthly meeting held last week.
Dr. Clark said complicated policies
are difficult to enforce and the main
issue with the school dress code is
how to enforce it, rather than what
students wear.
With the above issues in mind,
Clark said she developed a draft
policy that is just one page long and
includes clear consequences. She
said what the previous policy lacked
was, “what happens if you don’t
comply?”
She said she borrowed an idea from
Byron Elementary School Principal
Daniely Martin for handling students
who wear sagging pants to school:
They will be issued hot pink Zipties
to hold up their pants for the remain¬
der of the day. She said after the
first time students are caught with
sagging pants, “there aren’t many
second times.
For other violations, the new
policy will require a conference with
parents for the first offense. Drab
green overalls will be issued for the
rest of the school day on the second
offense and for the rest of the school
year for the third offense.
Clark said singling out the offend¬
ing student has proven effective in
much larger school systems.
M If the student is the only one, he
won’t make the same mistake again,”
Clark said. “Students do what’s
expected when they know there will
be consequences and know what they
are.”
She also cited another major factor
in enforcing the dress code.
u It’s imperative that the parents
in our school district assume some
responsibility for how their children
dress,” she said.
After some discussion, the board
unanimously approved the recom¬
mended policy with some changes
for clarification. See page A7 for the
complete policy.
In other business, Assistant
Superintendent Jim O’Shields
addressed the board on a revision
to the policy manual suggested by
school system auditors. The change
will add a sentence requiring “a
physical inventory of capital assets”
every two years. The policies defines
capita] assets as software, machinery
and equipment, and buildings and
buildings improvements that are used
for school system activities, will last
longer than the current fiscal year
and are worth $10,000 or more. The
board unanimously passed the revi¬
sion.
O’Shields also addressed the board
concerning a purchase of three new
school buses for the next school
year. The buses cost $76,292 each,
or $288,876 total. O’Shields said
state-issued bonds will pay for most
of the cost of the buses but the
school system will still have to spend
$25,839, which is included in the next
fiscal year’s draft budget The board
unanimously approved foe purchase.
Director of Finance Susan Perry
presented foe financial report for
March 2011. With 75% erf foe fiscal
year complete, the school system
had taken in revenue of about $24.8
million or 82.64% of the budgeted
amount. Spending of $30.5 million
was 77.52% of budget.
General Fund cash available as
of March 31 was $4.3 million. The
2006 SPLOST account had $2.2
million as of March 31 (the last
deposit was made in January 2011).
The balance in the 2011 SPLOST
account was $550,192.22 as of March
31. Neither SPLOST account had
any spending in March