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t Sutler Jteralfc
“Your Newspaper Since 1876”
(Publication Number USDS 534-720}
146th YEAR, NO, 20 THURSDAY, MAY 18,2023 1 SECTION, 8 PAGES $1.00 PER COPY
Mrs. Amy Jones Named Taylor County
School District Teacher Of The Year
Please join the Taylor
County School District in con
gratulating Mrs, Amy Jones
on being named the Teacher
of the Year for the Taylor
County School District,
Mrs. Jones earned her
Bachelor’s and Master’s de
grees from Columbus State
University. Later, she at
tended Georgia Southwestern
University, where she earned
her Specialist degree in Early
Childhood, Mrs. Jones is in
her 39th. year as an educator.
She currently teaches 2nd
grade at Thylor County Pri
mary School.
When she is not teaching,
she enjoys riding her bike
w ith the River City Riders bi
cycle group. She participates
annually in the Great Cycle
Challenge to help raise money
and support for the Childhood
Cancer Research Fund. To
date, she has helped raise
over $10,000 to help with this
cause, Mrs. Jones also enjoys
reading and vacationing at
the beach with her family.
Again, please join us in giv
ing her a huge shout out for
this wonderful recognition!
Congratulations, Mrs.
Jones. Taylor County School
District is extremely lucky
and blessed to have you on its
team!
Garbage Rates To Increase In Butler
By VALORI MOORE
The Butler Mayor and City
Council met Tuesday, May 9th,
for the regular monthly meet
ing,
GFL Environmental, the
City’s contractor for trash
pickup, has increased the City’s
rate; therefore, the increase
will be passed on to customers.
Trash pickup rates will in
crease to: $17.50 per month,
per trash cart, for those inside
the City Limit; $19.50 per
month, per cart, for customers
outside the City Limit; and
$21.50 per month, per cart, for
commercial customers. Coun
cil approved the increase, per
the City Attorney reviewing the
terms of the contract with GFL
Environmental, Mayor Barry
Whitley was authorized to sign
the documents,
The Council also approved the
2021 CDBG (Community De
velopment Block Grant) and
ARPA (American Rescue Plan
Act) bids. The CDBG project
will include road resurfacing in
the Bell St,/Gloria St. area.
The low bid from Lakay Enter
prises in Fort Valley, in the
amount of $681,451.50 was ac
cepted. The ARPA project will
include water line rehabilita
tion in the Gloria St ./Venus St.
area, Marshall St./Brown Dr7
Rebecca Bergen Dr. area, and
the Della Lane and Oak St.
area. The ARPA bid, in the
amount of $225,634 .25, was ac
cepted.
Public Works Director David
Windham thanked the Taylor
County Chamber of Commerce
and supporters for promoting
the downtown area with the
Taylor Made Market,
Reporting for the fire depart
ment, Windham said there
were 10 calls in April. Also, the
fire department hosted Live
stock Emergency Response
Training recently, which in
cluded 19 agencies. He thanked
everyone who helped make this
possible.
The Council approved selling
several surplus items on
govdeals.com. The following
will be sold; a generator, Hurst
(Jaws of Life) tools, seven pa
trol cameras, four UTV tires,
and a ventilation fan.
>See Butler Council on page 7
Butler Man Arrested
For Meth At Safety
Checkpoint In Reynolds
May 13th, the Reynolds Police Department conducted a safety
checkpoint. Charles Jacks, a 58 year old male of Butler, went
through the check point. When asked for his driver’s license, Jacks
stated he did not have a license. The officer ran Jacks through
the Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC) and was alerted
that Jacks had an outstanding probation warrant from Taylor
County. Jacks stated that there was a meth pipe in the vehicle.
During a search of the vehicle, crystal methamphetamine, mari
juana, two glass smoking devices, and a handgun were found.
Jacks is a convicted felon; therefore, he is not legally allowed to
possess a firearm. Jacks was taken to the Taylor County Jail,
where he is being held on a probation violation warrant. The
following warrants are pending: Possession of Methamphetamine
(felony); Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon (felony),
Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Crime
(felony), Possession of Marijuana, Less than an Ounce (misde
meanor), and Possession of Drug Related Objects (misdemeanor).
The Bentleys From Reynolds Win
A Car And $41,925 On Family Feud
The Bentley Sisters from
Reynolds, daughters of Rogers
and Mary Bentley, represented
their parents and all of Taylor
County very well, as they ap
peared on Family Feud every
night last week.
Karnetria Bentley Barnett,
Karmishala Bentley-Cuyler,
Kart is ha Bentley, Kar price
Bentley Brown, and Karlesha
Bentley went through the week
undefeated and earned a brand
new car on the final episode,
which aired Friday evening.
The Bentleys took on the De
La Rosa Family Monday night,
the Simboski Family Tuesday
night, the John Family
Wednesday night, the Castro
Family Thursday night, and
the Benjamin Family Friday
night.
Tuesday night, during the
Fast Money Bonus Round,
Karnetria gave ail number one
answers, and host Steve
Harvey commented, “She gave
all the number one answers.
That's never happened beforeT
In addition to the new car, the
Bentleys came home with a to
tal of $ : 41,925.
Way to go, Bentleys! You
made all of Taylor County
proud!
Board Of Education Prepares
As School Year Nears End
By VALORI MOORE
Editor
Rev. Jeff Parmer, pastor of
First Baptist Church of
Reynolds and Chaplain of the
Reynolds Police Department,
opened the May meeting of the
Taylor County Board of Educa
tion with the Invocation. The
meeting was held May 8th,
Preparations are being made
as the 2022-23 school year
comes to a close. The Bacca
laureate Service will be held
Sunday, May 21st, and high
school graduation will be Sat
urday, May 27th, at 9 a.m., on
the football field, weather per
mitting.
Mrs, Amy Jones was an
nounced as the 2023 Taylor
County School District Teacher
of the Year. Mrs. Jones is a sec
ond grade teacher at Taylor
County Primary School, She
was first named Teacher of the
Year at the prim ary school, and
after classroom observation
and an interview, she was
named the District winner.
Mrs, Jones will now move on to
the State Teacher of the Year
Competition. Mrs. Chansie
Hudson was named the Taylor
County Upper Elementary
School Teacher of the Year. The
Taylor County Middle School
Teacher of the Year is Mr. Fred
Worthy, and Mr. Ray Malmgren
was named Taylor County High
School Teacher of the Year. (See
more on this page.)
School Superintendent Jenni
fer Albritton announced that
construction of the new 3-12
school is progressing, and the
completion date of Nov, 7th has
not changed. Plans are to move
into the school in January.
However, the switch gear still
has not arrived, and this could
affect the completion date.
Options are being considered.
Many students participated in
the Georgia Strawberry Festi
val Art Contest. The winners
were: Madison Manning, Best
in Show; Leland Demaso, sec
ond place; Lilia Beth Summers,
third place; and Cal Mathis,
People’s Choice.
The Board has held public
hearings on the tentative bud
get. Although the Board has
not seen the tax digest, no prop
erty tax increase is expected.
The Board approved the tenta
tive budget for fiscal year 2023-
24, and the final budget is ex
pected to be approved in June.
Also, the Board approved con
tinued support of the Pine
Mountain Regional Library, at
>See School Board on page 7
Fern Lloyd Crowned Ms.
Southern Magnolia 2023
Ms. Fern Adrienne Lloyd of Butler recently won the Miss
Southern Magnolia pageant held at Wilcox Auditorium in
Metier, GA She was crowned queen of the 24 and up age
division, receiving the title of Ms. Southern Magnolia 2023,
She is also a reigning 2023 Miss Georgia Strawberry Prin-
cess, most recently seen at the Georgia Strawberry Festival
locally in Reynolds.
Reynolds Police Department Hosts
Bridge The Gap Cookouts
The Reynolds Police Department is holding Bridge the Gap Cookouts to help build trust
and mutual respect between police officers and the community. The cookouts are being
held every Friday through June 2ndThe first one was held May 5th, at the MLKapart
ment complex in Reynolds. (See more on page 5.)