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I..Il.il.,..I!..!!..... i.ill„.ll...ll till!< Illl„.ll. ..I..I.I ler-Tribune Snags 1 st Place Awards m l Ail FOP ADC 301 GEORGIA NEWSPAPER PROJECT % UNIV OF GA ATHENS GA 30602-0001 ’ ttor Kulkosky workshops and the annual Trib this special edition made me take ■ cut each 11111 week % The hard News work Editor of the Leader- ____ Company The for Best Leader-Tribune Advertising Special Issue won Contest. and 1 st Place Best a a filled closer good-looking with look moving ... publication, and stories it is not that it just is 1 \ if Tribune staff paid off last weekend Signature Idea. promise ... touched a lot of hearts for tips & with two 1 st Place awards at “At first, I thought 1 was being in Peach County.” the annual Trib Publications influenced by the ‘slick’ appearance "First Ladies of Peach and services Advertising Seminar and Contest. of ‘First Ladies of Peach,”’ wrote Women at Work," published in The annual event brings together contest judge Billy Fleming with Spring 2011, featured a full-color advertising staff from over 34 the Early County News., "But. Sm poga 12 Trib in several states for the comments submitted with Continued to page 3 papers ’4 w \ % l I * fl , rTf IfTr llTrlfTf m far Peach Legal Organ For Peach County ; City of Fort Valley and City Of Byron A Funeral Notices: Albert W. "A.W" Dorsey, Jr. - Moron James Allen "Jimmuy" Doy - Byron Obituary Notices on Page 6 I •Byron City Council: Every 2nd Monday. 6 p.m., 2nd Floor, Byron Municipal Complex. •Ft. Valley City Council: Work Session 5:30 p.m. Tuesday before regular meeting. Mayor’s Office, City Hall; Regular Meeting every third Thursday, 6:30 p.m . Public Meeting Room, City Hall. •County Commissioners: Every 2nd Tuesday, 4 p.m.. Public Meeting Room. County Courthouse Annex. Ft. Valley. •Board of Education. Study Session. Tuesday before Regular Meeting. 5 p.m.. Board Meeting Room; Regular Meeting every 1st Tuesday. Board Meeting Room. 523 Vineville St.. Ft. Valley. •Hospital Authority: Friday after 4th Monday, 9 a m.. Conference Room. Peach Regional Medical Center • Development Authority: Every 3rd Thursday, 8 a m.. Conference Room, Troutman House. Ft. Valley. •Ft. Valley Utility Com-mission: Every 2nd Monday. 6 p.m.. Public Meeting Room, Ft. Valley City Hall. •Water & Sewerage Authority: 3rd Monday of month, 6:15 p.m.. Public Meeting Room, County Courthouse Annex, Ft. Valley, •Tax Assessors: First Thursday of month, 4 p.m.. Public Meeting Room. County Courthouse Annex, Ft. Valley. • Byron Planning & Zoning: Every 4th Thursday of month, 6 p.m •Fort Valley DDA Board: First Tuesday. 6 p.m., Troutman House Conference Room. •Fort Valley Historical Preservation Commission: Second Thursday at 6 p.m,.Troutman House Conference Room Local Weather Forecast Sunny Wednesday, Jan. 18 Hi: 58* Lo: 33* Sunny Thursday. Jan. 19 Hi: 63* Lo: 39* Sunny Friday, Jan. 20 Hi: 65* Lo: 49* Sunny Saturday, Jan. 21 Hi: 65 m Lo: 46* Sunny Sunday, Jan. 22 Hi: 62* Lo: 38* What’s INSIDE Paach Is fr Out 2 Police Beat...... 5 Opinion I . ............... 5 Faith Matter* •••••••••••••••••••a 6 sports ■ , ... .. a a 7 **•*••••aaaaaaaaaeea Ugals HaNMmaNaaamaHttM 8-10 Oaasifiod! 11 Tax Tina. •••••••••••••••••••••••a It i / I / A it ypapet ; V \ A.W. Dorsey: Voice of the Trojans By Billy Powell Editor s Note: This article was written in 2004 by Billy Powell and revised to reflect his passing. A familiar figure roamed the sidelines of Peach County Trojan football games, wearing a black and gold Peach County Trojans cap and team jacket when the weather required it. He blended in perfectly with the coaching stafT and players, making himself as inconspicuous as possible, yet seizing the vantage point to observe every snap of the ball, every pass, every run, every tackle. Sometimes he jotted down a brief note. But mostly he mentally recorded play-by-play of the game so he can report it on the sports pages of The Leader-Tribune. His name was A.W. Dorsey, the Voice of the Trojans. His love of Peach County High School was obvious. He freely gave of his energies, his talents, and his time to provide a sports forum for the community. AW. Dorsey and the Leader Tribune are to be commended for providing a servicS” of which few weekly newspapers can boast. The team appreciated it, the school appreciated it, and the community appreciated it. The privilege of reading about the hometown team not only engendered school pride among fans and supporters but sparked interest in the team throughout the county. A.W. Passed away early Monday Peed Presents Good News About Hospital a' J f |f *5 ' ' .i 4: m An artist's rendering of the front of the new Medical Center of Peach County. The actual building is likely to look different to some degree. Illustration courtesy of Hinson, Miller & Kickirillo By Victor Kulkosky News Editor Nancy Peed began her presentation to the ICiwanis Club of Fort Valley with the well-known quote from Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu: “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step." The image beneath the quote showed a long, winding road snaking its way through semi-and land. But Peed, Chief Executive Officer of Peach Regional Medical Center, was there last Thursday to talk about the end of the road - let’s say PRMC is now on about the 990 1 " mile. “We’ve got good news for you," she said. The evolving partnership between PRMC and the parent company of the Medical Center of Central Georgia is evolving, with expected approval by the state Attorney General just days M ray, groundbreaking set for March 29 ® and construction scheduled to begin May I, Peed said. “We’re engaged,” Peed said, but the partnership is not quite complete. The Medical Center is about as attractive a partner as a small rural hospital could imagine, as Peed explained while showing a slide listing AMIIiOV fliU Submitted Photo morning of complications from diabetes and a stroke. He was 75 years old. Trib Publications President Bob Tribble wrote the following in tribute; A.W. was a very dedicated sports writer and really enjoyed covering Peach County sports and writing his personal opinion column. He will be missed at The Leader Tribune tor his outstanding work.” Peach Publishing Co. General Manager Judy Robinson wrote the following: “My heart is deeply grieved by the loss of not only a wonderful friend but a wonderful employee as well. A.W. Loved Peach County Football. I have seen him get up and go to football the larger hospital’s rare combination of features such as one of 13 neonatal intensive care units out of 189 hospitals in the state, one of five children’s hospitals, one of only four Level I Trauma Centers certified to treat the most severe injuries, one of six teaching hospitals, the only one with an affiliated acute rehabilitation hospital, the largest heart center and the state - and the only hospital in the state with all of those features and more. “They brought resources we could never have brought to bear on our own,” Peed said. PRMC and the Medical center already signed a management agreement in November 2011, which assigns day-to-day management of the Peach County hospital to the MCCG, which has provided about $1 million in short-term loans to PRMC A hearing with representatives of the Georgia Attorney General was held in Macon on Dec. 15,2011. The AG must evaluate the partnership to determine if it will continue to meet the needs of patients in the area. (A decision was expected cither by Friday, Jan. 13, 2012 or Monday, Jan. 16, 2012, but with Monday being a holiday, the decision will likely not be announced games when he could barely walk, Often, 1 would ask A.W. if he was up to going, and he would always say, ‘yes, M’atn, 1 wouldn’t miss it for the world.’ What a great loss. Our hearts are sad and he will surely be missed, A.W. was bom in Fort Valley and graduated from Fort Valley High School in 1956. He moved to Warner Robins and later to Macon and helped raise'his niece, Staci, whose parents are deceased. A.W. remained active in the Fort Valley community. He is a charter member of the Fort Valley Evangelical Church, where he served in various capacities for over 20 years, from Sunday School teacher to Deacon Continued to page 3 until Tuesday, January 17). In the meantime, the partners have move ahead with a 40-year lease on the new hospital. The MCCG, or technically its parents company, Ccntral Georgia Health System, will lease the new hospital, which will remain the property of the Peach County Hospital Authority. The Medical Center has an option to buy the hospital if MCCG provides at least $2 million in indigent care (the equivalent of the value of local SPLOST funds contributed to construction of the new hospital). The MCCG has the option to buy after 10 years regardless. Meanwhile, the Medical Center will spend from $27 million to $30 million to build the new hospital. Updated plans now call for a medical office building to be built on the 20-acre site, to include doctor’s offices, space for outpatient physical therapy and IV therapy. Peed said the medical office building would cost about $1 million to SI.5 million. “We felt it was more than fair to give them the buy option after ail they’d contributed,” Peed said. Peed also thanked the Peach County Board of Commissioners for their Continued to 3 County Enacts Off-Road Vehicle Law fib i l > V : mL ■ssa By Victor Kulkosky News Editor Ah, the thrill of the four-wheeler; the open air, the wind rushing in your face, the mud flinging in wide arcs, the rush ongoing airborne over a hump. If this is a description of how you spend your leisure time in Peach County, you are hereby notified thal the Board of Commissioners has laid down some rules relating to your beloved off¬ road vehicle. After urging from Public Works, the Peach County Sheriff’s Office and property owners, the Peach County Board of Commissioners passed an Oft-Road Vehicles Ordinance at last Tuesday’s regular meeting. The ordinance went into effect immediately upon signing. At a public hearing. Public Works Director Paul Schwindler said damage to public roads and ditches from off¬ road vehicles has been a constant problem and expense. He also said several foundations of roads ready for paving had been damaged by ORV’s, requiring $1,000 - $2,000 in repairs each time. Commissioner Martin Moseley added that farmers regularly complain about ORV’s on their property. “It’s just relentless,” Moseley said. Schwindler said state law on ORV’s only requires that they be equipped with mufflers and lights, but allows local government to add further restrictions. Continued to page 3 Commissioners Okay $30M Hospital Bond Issue No Liability for County By Victor Kulkosky News Editor One of the last remaining pieces of the new Peach County hospital puzzle is in place after commissioners approved a resolution concerning a bond issue to finance construction of the hospital. The Macon-Bibb County Hospital Autltority plans to issue $30,000,000 in revenue anticipation bonds to finance the new hospital planned for the intersection of John E. Sullivan Road and 247 Connector in Byron. Peach Regional Medical Center has formed a partnership with the company that operates the Medical Center of Georgia in Macon (the partnership is awaiting approval by the Georgia Attorney General). Agreements between PRMC, the Peach County Hospital Authority and the MCCG call for the Macon to