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PI The Lee County Ledger Volume XXIV - Number 34 your Hometown Source of Cocal flews Leesburg, Georgia -- April 4,2002 Hometown Newspaper of Mark and Laurie Whatley Fifty Cents Insurors Home • Auto • Business • Life/Health P.O.Box 71628 (229)888-2040 Albany, GA 31708-1628 800-628-2040 2301 Dawson Road (31707) Fax (229) 435-3036 www.ddrins.com Lee County Pictured are Viki Mullins and Debra Boatner organizers of the parents’ group in support of Keith Lee. Parents Petition School Board To Keep Principal A group of Lee County parents, upset over the non-renewal of Keith Lee's contract as principal of Lee County Middle School, are collecting signatures on a petition to be presented to the Lee County Board of Education. The group of parents have decided to try to do something about the non-renewal of Mr. Lee’s contract. Debra Boatner, Beth Cheek and Viki Mullins, organizers of the parents' group, contend ‘TOO per cent of the parents we have talked with, who actually know Keith Lee. support him as principal. As to the reason his contract wasn’t renewed - the public doesn't know why and the board isn’t saying why. The situation with Mr. Lee is just one of a string of personnel decisions the Lee County School Board has made recently. And this indicates a questionable pattern.” ‘‘Although the board doesn’t have to comment on personnel Lee County Sheriff Harold Breeden reports that officers with the Lee County Sheriff's Office made arrests during the past week for disorderly conduct and disor derly while intoxicated. Joshua Charles Moore, 22, of 198 Glendale Road, Leesburg, was charged with disorderly con duct on March 25. 2002. Moore was charged with disorderly con duct after officers responded to a call in the 100 bock of Dundee Court. Jerry Edwards, 54, of 115 Leesburg Police Issue Weekly Report matters, there are a lot of parents who need to know more than the fact that it is a personnel decision” said one spokesperson. According to the organizers of the group of concerned parents, they are conducting the petition drive in support of Keith Lee. They hope to convince the school board to reconsider and rescind its decision not to renew Mr. Lee’s contract. The group of parents are col lecting signatures at various lo cations. They have a petition available at the Express Lane Chevron Store located at the cor ner of Highway 19 and Robert B. Lee. The organizers of the petition drive are encouraging all con cerned parents and citizens to at tend the regular business meeting of the Lee County Board of Edu cation at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, April 8 at Kinchafoonee Primary School. Leesburg Police Chief Charles Moore released the department’s most recent police report. Cases worked included larceny, crimi nal trespass, and possession of a dangerous drug. On March 20, a Carolyn Street resident reported that her black and white Australian Shepherd had been stolen. A Westfield Road resident in dicated that an unknown person using an unknown object had scratched the left read door of his 1992 blue/tan Ford Explorer on March 22. Criminal damage to property was reported on March 26. An officer observed damage done to a 1983 Jeep. The windows on the left side and the rear window had been broken. Rocks were found inside the vehicle. Damage was estimated at $600. On March 27, Officer Griffin responded to a call at Lee County High School. A teacher had ob served a 16 year old male crush ing an unknown substance with his watch and begin to roll up a dollar bill. The student indicated that the substance was ritalin he had stolen from a cousin. The ju venile was charged with posses sion of a dangerous drug and re leased to school personnel. Victor Michael Gonzales. 17, of Fayetteville, N.C., was charged with driving without license and obstruction on March 28. Captain Moody was dispatched to check on a suspicious vehicle pulling into a private drive. When he ap proached the vehicle, he asked the driver and passenger for their ID’s. The passenger complied, but the driver refused. The officer advised the driver that he would be placed under arrest. As the of ficer tried to place the handcuffs on Gonzales, he began to struggle. The officer was assisted by the Sheriff’s Department and transported to the Lee County Jail. Shanica Nicole Lewis, 26, of 1625 Highway 195, Leesburg, was charged with traffic viola tions and obstruction of an officer on March 28. While conducting See Police, Page 2A Leesburg Police Captain Monterey Moody and Danny, the police dog, presented a program to the residents of Lee County Health Care. The program was a demonstration of locating illegal drugs and related items. Captain Moody and Danny are pictured with some of the residents at Lee County Health Care. Change Your Clock, Change Your Battery Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John W. Oxendine is urging Georgians Sheriff’s Office Issues Weekly Report Cuanetta Drive, Leesburg, was charged with disorderly while in- toxicated, after officers re sponded to the above incident lo cation in regards to an intoxicated person. The Lee County Chamber of Commerce held a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for R & L Ceramics March 12, 2002. R & L Ceramics is located at 104 East Century Road in Suite F. to change the batteries in their smoke alarms at the same time they change their clocks when daylight saving time begins on Sunday, April 7. In conjunction with the "Change Your Clock, Change Your Battery" fire safety program sponsored by the International Association of Fire Chiefs and the American Burn Association, Commis sioner Oxendine says the annual change to daylight saving time in the spring is a good time to make sure your smoke alarm is functioning properly. "Every year in Georgia we have numerous fire fatalities in homes that didn't have smoke alarms, or where the alarms didn't function," Oxendine said. "If you have a smoke alarm, make sure it's in working order. Changing the battery at least once every year and cleaning dust from the device is an easy way to ensure continued protection of your family and your property. Having a working smoke alarm doubles the chances you will survive a fire in your home." The Commissioner added that families should plan and rehearse an escape route and a meeting place outside the home that they can use in the event of a fire. Daylight saving time starts Sunday, April 7 at 2 a.m., when clocks are set ahead one hour. Doherty Duggan & Rouse Board of Educa tion will meet Monday, April 8 at 6:00 p.m. at Kinchafoonee Primary School in the Media Center Lee County High School students served as poll workers during the SPLOST election recently. Election Board Vice Chairman Ed Rynders pointed out that the high school students were able to witness first hand the election process. Gladys Thrift, Elec tion Board Chairwoman said that this participation by the stu dents helped them understand the importance of voting and will encourage them to be voters in the future. The students ob served the punch card system being used in the SPLOST elec tion. This was the last election that the punch card system will be used. There will no longer be the risk of hanging chads. Lee County will be using the new voting process in August. Mrs. Thrift also thanked LCHS Principal Wes Taylor for allowing the stu dents to participate. Pictured on the front row are: Emily Kitch ens, Ashley Pasteka, Sarah Hallman, Megan Rynders, Chris Hemphill, and Annie Ramirez. Pictured on the back row are: Ed Rynders, Katherine Reeves, Loren Meens, Meghan Duke, Latalia Williams, Kristen Powell, James Belanger and Gladys Thrift. Not pictured are: Jennifer Hammond, Kaitlyn Bagnato and Kelli Miles. BUFFALO ROCK Lee County Board of Commissioners will meet Mon day, April 15 at 6:00 p.m. in the Administration Building OXEND INE RE- MINDS GEOR GIANS: