Newspaper Page Text
UI.II..JI..H *
«*2 HIM hlfi Hi!
**AIL FOB ADC 301
GEORGIA NEWSPAPER PROJECT
UNIV OF GA
ATHENS GA 30602
o * * V» *5g •
FORA FORA
CURE SA >jr (O) am> c^ontA vjasices* 1 „ CURc
' i ri £|£ * , i p. riinpMMK
'
#
t ^5r
Vol. 126 Issue No. 32 500 Peach County's « Newspaper OCTOBER 5,2011
Legal Organ For Peach County ; C/fy of Fort Valley and City Of Byron
Avera Drag
£•*7! »
9 t 8
1 ? 4
75 I h i
» 'Zj * A,-A 7 *fev
■hi r \ A
r >
s* V
! i /
3 4
Til
Personnel of Anderson Drug Company (l-r) Homer Avera, co-owner/ Malcolm Taylor, pharmacist; Roy
Rowland, salesman; Clark Grier and Jie Blalock, porters; Marion Haslam, fountaineer. Photo courtesy of
James Khoury
*****
•V
V ,
-
pfe*.
*«r<
#4tai
L* “» -f!
Mi I <
Avera Drugs at the time of its closing late last month. The closing ended the 141-year history of Fort
of
Marching Trojan Band Wins Best
In Class' In Alabama
J a V 2*
* «'
•3a
V u
p. •0 l f
4' ' e ¥
If m/ < y
...
K7
i
40b V
Band Director Darren Johnson and members of the Peach County High School Marching Trojan Band show
off the Best in Class frophy the band won at the 35th Annual Phenix Invitational Marching Festival in Phenix
City, Ala. In addition to the big trophy, the band won trophies for earning Superior ratings in Flags, Drill
Drum Drum line and overall Band. Photo contributed Peach Schools
On Saturday September 24, the
PCHS Marching Trojan Band trav
ekd to Phenix City. Ala. to compete
in the 35th Annual Phenix Invitational
Marching Festival held at Garret-
s t i run; Peach County / or Over 100 Years
Harrison Stadium. The Peach
County Band earned the highest
rating of 'Superior" which denotes
"Outstanding performance; Worthy of
Distinction of being recognized as
among the very Best," in all areas.
including Rags. Drill Team. Drum
Major, Drumline and overall Band,
Continued to page 16
By Claire Houser-Dodd
There is a pale over Fort Valley
as Avera Drugs has filled its last pre¬
scriptions. The latest owner/operator,
Gary Sheffield has given up his val¬
iant fight to find another independent
contractor to keep this 141-year-old
business up and running and carrying
on its singular distinction of being the
oldest business in the Valley plus the
2nd oldest continuous operating phar¬
macy in the State of Georgia. Avera
Drugs was also a bit of a museum,
holding antique containers and some
old apothecary equipment. It is as if
we have lost an old, respected and
beloved friend.
Most of us old guard mainly
remember the thick and delicious
malted milk shakes made by Bill
Hopkins while he was attending Fort
Valley High School. While Bill was
working as a “soda jerk” at Avera
Drugs, he dreamed of the day when
he would become the pharmacist and
owner, too. His dream came true. Bill
sold the business to Gary in 19% and
then retired to Franklin, N.C.
Many young people received
their training and formative years at
this store when it was Avera Drug
' -A --n
M i
■ - ffi
JHWS
• - ■ '’1
Avera Drugs at its last location on Main Street, in between two long
businesses. Photo James
Some City
Offices Contested
Fort Valley to Vote
On Liquor by Drink
By Victor Kulkosky
News Editor
Byron and Fort Valley are holding
elections this year, with challengers
taking on incumbents on both ends of
Peach County.
In Byron, incumbent Mayor Larry
Collins faces a challenge from politi¬
cal newcomer Mike Love. Collins is
seeking a fifth term, with two of his
previous terms coming in the 1980s.
In the Byron City Council's first
term incumbent James Richardson
faces a challenge ram Al Harper,
while Farrell Bass is running unop¬
posed for his second term.
In Fort Valley long-time incum¬
bent Beth Collins is facing a chal¬
lenge from Norman Fitzgerald for one
of two at-large City Council seats.
Fitzgerald previously served as a City
Councilman and Mayor Pro Tern.
East Ward incumbent John Ezell
Jr. faces a challenge from Tony Eric
McGhee, while West Ward incumbent
Jimmy Barnes faces no opposition.
On the Fort Valley Utility
Commission, two incumbents are run-
I Pea / PuMishini* ( V>. \e*espaper
Company. Among them were Malcolm
Taylor. Roy Gilbert, Mary Beck Johns,
Wiley Boudreaux, Charles Cato, Troy
Whatley, Gordon Smith and Pete
Peterson. Some went on to open their
own stores and some worked for other
drug stores, but all had outstanding
careers due to their early training at
the Avera Drug Company.
Let us start at the beginning. With
help from Jane Matthews at the Peach
Public Library, we gleaned some of
the history of this well-known drug¬
store.
The business started out as an
apothecary in 1870; the first owners
were Matthews and Green. In 1885,
W.C. Wright and his son purchased the
business. An interesting side note is
that W.C. Wright's pharmacy license
was signed by the Board of Pharmacy
board member, John S. Pemberton
of Knoxville, Ga. Pemberton was
responsible for the formula for Coca
Cola.
In 1924, the owners were Homer
J. Avera and Ben Anderson. It was
called Anderson Drug Company until
Ben passed away in 1941, when the
store became known as Avera Drug
Continued to page 16
_____
ning unopposed: At-large Commission
Dollie D. Horton and West Ward
Commissioner Robert T. Hunnicutt.
Fort Valley is also holding a special
election to allow voters to decide
if they want to permit liquor by the
drink for on-premises consumption
Byron voters approved liquor by the
drink in 1999. County voters last yeat
approved alcohol sales in unincorpo¬
rated areas of the county. Supporters
of the Fort Valley referendum have
touted it as an opportunity to attract
more big-name restaurants and boost
economic development as well as
increase tax revenue. Fort Valley
already allows package sales of liquor
A Special Election to fill the unex¬
pired term of the late Florine Statham
for the other East Ward seat was
cancelled after only one candidate
qualified. Juanita P. Bryant will auto¬
matically assume the post.
Registration for the November 8
General Election closes at 5 p.m
Oct. 11. 2011. Advance voting is
scheduled for Oct. 31 - Nov. 4, 2011
Polls will be open from 7 am. - 7 pm
Election Day.