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EARLY COUNTY, GA.
Garden Spot of
GOD’S COUNTRY
VOLUME NO. 113 - NO. 25
Grand Jury Presentments D ™ w "»» Ser,e
January Term, 1972 February Court Terms
EARLY COUNTY SUPERIOR
COURT
JANUARY TERM, 1972
TO THE SUPERIOR COURT OF
SAID COUNTY AND THE
HONORABLE W. I. GEER, JUD
GE OF SAID COURT:
We, the Grand Jury drawn,
sworn and serving at the Regu
lar January, 1972 Term of the
Superior Court of said County,
respectfully make to the Court
the Following recommendations
and presentments, to wit:
(1)
We investigated, as is required
by law, all criminal matters pre
sented to us returning 194 true
bills, and passed 13 warrants
to the next term of said Court.
(2)
Hereto attached, made a part
hereof, and to be published here
with, please find the recommenda
tions of the Committee appointed
to investigate the following
County Matters, to wit:
(1) Roads and Bridges
(2) Department of Family and
Children Services
(3) Public Records in Office
of Clerk of Superior
Court, Ordinary, Sheriff,
and Tax Commissioner
(4) The Public Buildings,
namely, the Courthouse,
Jail, County Office Build
ing, County Health Build
ing and County School Bus
Garage.
(5) Office of County School
Superintendent and Public
Schools
(6) Public Works Camp
(3)
We, recommend the appoint
ment of the following Notaries
Public and Ex Officio Justices
of the Peace for a term of four
years as follows:
G. M. Dist. 1435 - Talmadge
Fincher; G. M. Dist. 430 - Edgar
Tiner; G. M. Dist. 854 - E. L.
Lewis, Jr.; G. M. Dist. 1572 -
Seaborn Woodham; G. M. Dist.
510 - Roy Smith; G. M. Dist.
1140 - J. R. Jarrett; G. M. Dist.
592 - C. E. (Pete) Houston;
G. M. Dist. 1164 - Pete White;
G. M. Dist. 1760 - Joe Owen.
(4)
We, re-elected John Arthur
Brown to succeed himself on the
Early County Board of Education
for a term of five years to start
on May 1, 1972 and end on April
30, 1977.
(5)
We, recommend that the
ballots of the September Prim
ary and the November General
Election of 1970, under seal in
the Office of the Clerk of the
Superior Court, be destroyed as
provided by law.
(6)
We, recommend ethal the
County Commissioners consider
the possibility of a trash col
lection system similar to the
one that has been installed in
Grady County, or some other
appropriate manner of removing
litter and trash.
(7)
We, recommend, for more ef
ficient Grand Jury proceedings
and for the convenience of those
who must appear before the
Grand Jury, that the District
Attorney, the Sheriff and the
Clerk meet before the scheduled
meeting of the Grand Jury and
plan the order of work for the
Grand Jury. They should use
their best judgement to arrange
a full day’s work for the Grand
Jury and issue subpoenas for
prosecutors and witnesses to
appear on specific days. They
should give consideration to
Prosecutors and witnesses who
must come from outside of the
county so that they are not un
necessarily detained.
(8)
We, this Grand Jury, wish to
thank Judge W. I. Geer for his
able advice and instructions, and
for his efficient supervision of
our Court.
(9)
We also thank our District
Attorney, Joe M. Ray, for his
excellent and valuable advise
and assistance in all of our
deliberations.
(10)
We thank our Sheriff, and the
Officers helping him, for their
promptness in furnishing us wit
nesses needed in our investi- ■
gations, and for all other ser- I
(Ear Ip
vices rendered.
(11)
We thank Mrs. Patricia Man
ning, our Court Reporter, for
writing up these presentments
and recommendations for us.
(12)
We recommend and pray that
there presentments and recom
mendations be accepted adopted
and approved by the Court, in so
far as the Court has jurisdiction,
and ordered filed and published
pursuant to law.
Respectfully submitted,
G. C. David, Foreman
Attest:
George Pyle, Clerk
GEORGIA, EARLY COUNTY:
The within and foregoing pre
sentments and recommendations
are hereby accepted, adopted
and approved by the Court, in so
far as the Court has jurisdiction,
and ordered filed and published
pursuant to law.
This the 26 day of January,
1972.
W. 1. GEER, J.S.C.P.C.
GEORGIA, EARLY COUNTY
We, the Committee appointed
by the Grand Jury to investi
gate the Roads and Bridges, find
the following:
We recommend the purchase
of a rotary cutter attachment
on a long side arm to cut brush
and vegetation on the side of
ditches on dirt roads. Calhoun
County has one in operation and
uses it to cut brush and vegeta
tion on both sides of ditches
several weeks ahead of pulling
ditches to avoid pulling wads of
live vegetation into the road.
We recommend that graders
work in opposite directions to
each other so as not to pile
amount of dirt before bridges
causing vehicles to drop on to
bridge ends which extra force
caused excessive wear on this
part of bridges. By grading in
different directions, machines
can keep dirt piles pushed away
from either approach at bridges.
We recommend the road which
begins at T. T. Daniels house
and goes East to Rowena be
built up so that ditches can be
established. The bridge entrance
to Mrs. Timmons house needs
to be larger to accomodate all
water coming down ditch.
The road from Howards Mill
to Saffold School needs slick
hills sanded and culverts put in
exits from road where needed.
Low spots on all dirt roads
be raised by filling and bridges
added where needs, where water
stands during periods of heavy
rains.
That the local officials make
extra effort to enforce the litter
laws on all roads.
We especially recommend that
the County Commissioners use
all possible influence to have the
State Highway Department widen
U. S. 27 from the Clay County
line to Blakely. To the best of
our knowledge this is the only
strip of U. S. 27 in the State of
Georgia not so widened and re
surfaced.
This the 21st day of January,
1972.
John H. Williams, Jr., Chairman
O. Robert Brooks, HI
T. T. Daniels
GEORGIA, EARLY COUNTY
We, the Committee appointed
by the Grand Jury to investigate
the Department of Family and
Children Services, find the fol
lowing:
We commend the Director and
Staff for the efficiency andorder
leness readily apparent in the
organization and procedures es
tablished for handling the affairs
of the Department.
Attached is a report of the
Department showing assistance
and disbursements as of Janu
ary 1, 1972.
This statement is adopted and
made a part of this Committee’s
Report.
This the 21st day of January,
1972.
J. E. Houston, Chairman
Jack Wright
Lindon Brown
The Early County Department
of Family and Children Services
Success to All Who Pay Their Honest Debts - “Be Sure You Are Right, Then Go Ahead”
administers four types of special
public assistance; Old Age As
sitance for those over 65 and in
need; Aid to the Blind for needy
people over age 16; Aid to the
Permanently and Totally Dis
abled for those between 18 and
65 who are unable to work; and
Aid to Families with Dependent
Children for children who are
deprived of parental support.
Payments for these programs
as of January 1, 1972 were as
follows:
Old Age Assistance-37,957.00-
659 recipients; Aid to the Blind
-1,461.00-22 recipients; Aid to
Families with Dependent Child
ren - 48,020.00 - 463 cases with
1,637 persons; Aid to Disabled -
13,763.00 - 209 recipients.
In addition to the above money
payments recipients through
these programs are also eligible
for the majority of their hospi
tal, doctor and drug bills to be
paid through medicaid; they may
enter an approved nursing care
facility and receive a vendor
payment toward this expense (if
this service is needed) and they
are eligible for food stamps if
they wish to receive these.
In addition to the money pay
ments above, our Department
determines eligibility for Food
Stamps. During December, 1971,
there were 913 households con
taining 3,553 individuals certi
fied as eligible for food stamps.
Os this number 885 households
consisting of 3,449 individuals
purchased stamps totalling SB3,
675.00. The households paids3B,
298.00 for the stamps; therefore,
the bonus given by the United
States Department of Agriculture
was $45,377.00.
There is also a small General
Assistance program financed
entirely by the County and is
meant for persons in destitute
circumstances who do not qualify
for Special Public Assistance. Os
necessity, funds and expendi
tures are very limited.
Our Department also adminis
ters the Child Welfare program
providing foster care, protective
services, adoption services, and
services to unmarried parents
to the people of Early County.
The Department of Family and
Children Services provides ser
vices in the area of Family
Planning and acts as a referral
source for the Cancer Program,
Vocational Rehabilitation Ser
vices, Eugene Talmadge Memor
ial, Heart Clinic, local Health
Department, and other agencies
as the need arises.
GEORGIA, EARLY COUNTY
We, the Committee appointed
by the Grand Jury to investigate
the Public Records in the Office
of the Clerk of the Superior
Court, Ordinary, Tax Commis
sioner and Sheriff, find the fol
lowing:
We find the reocrds of all
the offices are neatly kept and
are in order. We would like
to commend the County Clerk,
Norman Alexander, County Ordi
nary, J. J. Hewitt, County Tax
Commissioner W. J. Hammack,
County Sheriff Oree Thompson,
for the manner they are con
ducting the County business and
keeping records thereof. This
Committee also examined the
records of the Justice of the
Peace, Julian J. Moore, and
find them to be in good order.
We recommend the office
space now occupied by the County
School Superintendent be pre
pared and used as the Office
of the Sheriff when it is vacated
upon the completion of the new
County School Superintendent’s
Office Building.
This the 21st day of January,
1972.
J. F. Holman, Chairman
Charlie Houston
George Lewis
S. T. Dunning, Jr.
GEORGIA, EARLY COUNTY
We, the Committee appointed
by the Grand Jury to investigate
Public Buildings, that is the
Courthouse, Jail, County Office
Building, School Bus Stop Build
ing and County Health Building,
find the following:
In the Jail we found that the
bathroom needs minor repairs
done and also a vent needs fix-
CONT ON CLASS.
BLAKELY, GA., THURSDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 10, 1972
Jurors drawn to serve at the
regular February, 1972, term
State Court of Early County,
Georgia - February 23, 1972.
Jack Weaver,R. H. Westbrook,
Roy K. Glover, Herman Smith,
Larry Barbree, Crozier Batche
lor, Harry Mosely, A. Earl
Taylor, George E. Brown, Gor
don Lane, J. O. Brown, P. A.
Pitts, H. C. Mansfield, J. Floyd
Lewis, J. B. King, Jasper D.
Widener, General Johnson,Tom
my Creel, W. R. Middleton, Geor
ge Warrick, J. T. Jordan, Thomas
A. Tye, C. W. Vines, Ralph Eng
lish, Luther Warrick, Charles
Rodney Boyett, Glenn Sirmons,
Gerald Lumpkin, Jack Paul, Jud
son E. Cooper, Lester M. Earn
est, Charles H. Knighton, Jr.,
W. D. Callahan, M. H. Mc-
Clellan, H. A. Walton,
John Harper, A. L. Taylor,
H. R. Johnson, David L. Her
man, Billy Joe Jordan, Jim Bar
ron, Jesse James, John C.
Houston, Bill Hudson, George
A. Keith, David W. Griffin, B.
G. (Bruce) Houston, Hubert Farr,
Lamar Billings, Edd S. Hicks,
Thomas Harvey, Robert L.
Campbell, Bill L. Harrison,
James Hubert Hayes, Robert D.
Hall, Sr., William Whatley, Low
ell S. Daniels, Sherrod Sessions,
Emmitt Smith, George W. Nel-
Lions Club
hears New
Destiny Singers
The New Destiny Singers, a
dozen teen-age boys and girls
selected from the First Baptist
Church of Blakely Youth Choir,
presented "the program at Tues
day’s meeting of the Blakely
Lions Club.
The Singers,under the direct
ion of Larry Scott, First Bap
tist minister of music, gave a
20-minute selection of songs,
which proved a delight to the
Lions and their guests. Mrs.
Scott, the director’s wife ac
companied the group on the piano.
Members of the talented grpup
are Linda Kimbrell, James Kim
brell, Kent Chapman, Joe Jordan,
Scott Houston, Suzanne Pitzing,
Jimmy Blakcom, Cheryl Harvey,
Pam Jordan, June Lisenby, Jane
Knighton and Buddy Bridges,
the latter one of the soloist
and unable to be present because
of illness. Lion Jim Perkins ar
ranged program. President Lo
nnie Chester presided over the
meeting.
It being the Valentine’s Day
CONT ON PAGE 2
Fletcher Thompson Installed
as Potentate of Hasan Temple
HltV
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TRULY A FIRST FOR HASAN TEMPLE - On Wednesday, January 12, 1972 0. Fletcher Thomp
son was elected Potentate of Hasan Temple. The Potentate’s two sons - Linton on the left and
Olin on the right - are shown presenting their Father with a Potentate’s fez from the Blakely
Shrine Club and Drum & Bugle Corps. The Potentate has one daughter, Glyndell. Her husband,
R. Cleve Porter, is also a member of Hasan Temple. Cleve is in the Navy stationed in Japan
and unable to be present.
Past Grand Master of the State of Georgia, Past Potentate of Hasan Temple, Dr. Jack G.
Standifer, assisted by Past Potentate R. C. Coleman, installed Potentate Thompson.
son, Chesley E. Thomas, Julian
Houston, Edward E. Toole, Bill
White, Donald E. Curran, War
ren Hill Chandler, Hilton Wright,
Robert Dan Bynum, George L.
Hutchins, John H. Hayes.
SPECIAL TERM
Jurors drawn to serve at the
Special February 28th, 1972
Term Early Superior Court are
as follows:
John W. Matkin, Thomas S.
Hester, George Harrell, Hollis
Sawyer, J. R. Puckett, B. H.
Thomas, Jr., Charles Bush,
Bernice Mosely, Moses Ford,
J. B. Rice, Foy Martin Wil
liams, C. W. Reed, A. L. Pritc
hett, John E. Fortner, Davis
Pyle, Ike Newberry, Jr., Harvey
Causey, Jr., William Powell, J.
C. Temples, C. L. Taylor, Gor
don Temples, Keatcyi Tiner, A.
J. Moulton, T. P. Sheppard, Wil
liam A. Harris, Wayne Parker,
E. C. Mosely, Nobles Ford, Paul
Turner, Lester Shoemaker, Tony
Rogers, Larry Spann, W. G.
Whiddon, . *
Ted Waller, Melzie Mosely,
Jack G. White, James M. Kitc
hens, Gordon Hall, A. B. Hayes,
Melvin L. JenMns, Curtis Hold
er, John W. Hunter, Jr., Wal
ter E. Ferguson, A. P. Perham,
B. 0. Hodges.
Rotarians given
musical treat
Friday noon
Blakely Rotarians were given
a musical treat at last Friday’s
meeting by three of their mem
bers, plus a recruited bass sin
ger from Colquitt. Rotarian Gene
Brooks, aided by brother Paschal
Brooks and Gerald Bruner, and
the father of the Brooks brothers,
Charlie Brooks, of Colquitt,
staged a short songfest of gospel
songs to the enjoyment of club
members. Mrs. Sue Brooks, wife
of Paschal, accompanied the
group at the piano.
Visitors at the meeting
included Miss Marilyn Snooks,
guest of Ralph Foster; Tommy
Butoer, Albany, guest of Jack
Howell; Jim Hargrove, of Char
leston, S. C., guest of Glenn
Sheppard; Joe Mitchell, of Col
umbus, a guest of James Mur
dock; Maynard Mock, guest of
Joe Brancroft; Bill Stone, a guest
of his father, Lowrey Stone; Mrs.
Gerald Bruner and Mrs. Gene
Brooks, guest of their husbands.
President John Holman pre
sided and Miss Ann Akers gave
a selection of piano music during
the luncheon.
Fatal Collision Kills Two
Thurs. on Ft. Gaines Hiway
Two persons were killed when this car collided head-on with a lumber truck on Highway 39.
Thursday night at 9:45 p.m.,
a car headed toward Ft. Gaines
on Highway 39 collided head-on
with a lumber truck. The col
lision occured about 3 miles
from Blakely.
The Early County Sheriff’s de-
Buddy Williams Named Chairman
of Early County Red Cross Chapter
The 1972 Fund Chairman and
Bloodmobile Chairman of the
Early County Chapter, American
Red Cross were named by Chair
man Ralph Smith at a Board
meeting of the chapter Thurs
day afternoon at the Bank of
Early Conference room. W. C.
(Buddy) Williams is Fund Chair
man and Bobby Tiner, Blood
mobile Chairman.
Fund Chairman Williams sta
ted he was proud to be named
for his second term at this posi
tion, a great deal has been learn
ed from last year’s drive. March
is Red Cross Month; the drive
in Blakely and Early County will
be launched March 1 and expected
to be completed March 15. The
goal for 1972 is $3,000.
“The blood program alone
brings more than twice of the
amount back to the county than
the amount donated. All of you
should remind the public that
Red Cross is more than just
the blood bank. Red Cross pro
vided money for clothing and in
cidentals for families in Early
partment reported that the car,
headed north, crossed the center
line and met the truck head-on.
Killed in the car were Lue
Gene McClain, Rt. 1, Ariton,
Ala. and Ted White, Rt. 2, Clio,
Ala. They were dead on arrival
/OhMFIMIMI
J®
W. C. (Buddy) Williams (left) 1972 Early County Chapter
Fund Chairman for the American Red Cross; Ralph Smith,
Chapter Chairman (center) Mrs. Edith Howard of Columbus,
Red Cross Field Representative (right) and Standing: Robert
E. (Bobby) Tiner, Bloodmobile Chairman.
County whose homes were des
troyed b y fire -last year,” he
said, “Red Cross will provide
assistance in any emergency,
fires, rescue operations, ex
plosions, etc. ”
Districts were assigned to
Bobby Tiner, Jack Slaton, Ker
ber t Hunter, Mrs. John Huds
peth, Mrs. Lester Shoemaker,
and Mrs. A. D. Wilkerson.
Williams displayed posters,
which will be placed in show
windows and stores, he distri
buted Red Cross material to be
used in the 1972 drive. The
drive this year will be in the
business district and residental
sections in Blakely and homes
throughout the county.
Bloodmobile Date Feb. 23
Robert E. (Bobby) Tiner an
nounced the Red Cross Blood
mobile will be in Blakely on
Wednesday, Feb. 23. He stressed
the importance of Early County
Remaining on the Blood program,
recalling the situation last year
when the county was not on the
program three months and the
difficulty many families had se
curing blood needed for mem
bers of their family who were
ill or injured.
Mrs. Edith Howard, of Col
umbus, Ga., Red Cross Field
Representative, spoke to the Bo
ard members on services offered
by the Red Cross. A canteen
truck will be sent to an area
upon request, to provide food
during an emergency. However
if there is an immediate need
Board members may take nec
essary action themselves.
Publicity through newspapers
and radio was reviewed; films
PULL FOR BLAKELY
- OR -
PULL OUT
$3.09 PER ANNUM
at Early Memorial Hospital.
The driver of the lumber truck,
George Phillips of Eufaula, was
treated for minor injuries at
Early Memorial Hospital and re
leased Friday morning.
may be borrowed or purchased
to show to groups or civic clubs;
radio disc have been sent out;
TV kits have been mailed to
television stations and a packet
of newspaper ads have been dis
tributed to all daily and weekly
newspapers.
All funds collected in Early
County may be turned into Ralph
B. Smith at the Bank of Early,
they will be deposited to the
Early County Chapter, American
Red Cross Fund. Mrs. R. W.
Mueller is treasurer.
Mrs. Lester Shoemaker,
Chairman of the ditty bag pro
ject for the boys in Vietnam,
said all Early County boys in
Vietnam received a ditty bag
at Christmas. Other services
of the Red Cross include the Home
Service Department, this service
provides the best means of com
munication in contacting a GI
in the Armed Services. In Early
County, Felix Barham is chair
man of the Home Service De
partment.
Others attending the Board me
eting, besides those already
named were Mrs. Mickey Mer
ritt and Mrs. W. M. Barksdale..
VALENTINE
V.F.W. DANCE
SAT. FEB. 12
MUSIC BY
JESSIE MERCER THE
MUSIC MAKERS
Couples Only