Newspaper Page Text
Volume XXX - Number 47
Leesburg, Georgia - - July 23, 2008
Fifty Cents
Southwest Georgia Public
Health District, Grant said.
Two cases were in Miller,
one in Mitchell and one in
Dougherty counties.
No human cases have
been reported so far this
year in Georgia.
However, more than 20
human cases have been
reported to the National
Centers for Disease Control
The Utilities Authority voted
Thursday to lower the per gallon
rate on consumers with a master
meter. The new rates adopted
last month charge each residence
an $18 charge plus a graduated
charge on the per gallon used.
Customers with master meters
will still pay the per unit charge
but will not be subject to the
increased pay scale.
Authority Member Bill Richter
said that if the county commis
sioners had not forced the pay
ments on the US 82 sewer exten
sion onto the Utilities Authority,
the Authority would not have had
to raise rates. The Utilities Au
thority is having to pay $426,000
a year for the extension that the
County Commission voted on
even though the Authority was
against the extension. The county
is only transferring $400,000 to
the Authority.
Mr. Richter said that the Au
thority could lower their rates if
the Commission would pick up
the shortfall.
Utilities Authority Manager
Chris Boswell asked the board to
begin the process of improving
the Kinchafoonee Creek Waste
Water Treatment Plant. The
Authority will be able to increase
their capacity to two million
gallons a day. They are currently
only using 40 percent of their
current capacity. The added ca
pacity will be needed within the
next 10 years. By starting work
now on improving the plant they
will not have to change to land
application.
cases of West Nile Virus,
including one fatality.
Four cases occurred in the
Utilties Authority Lowers Water Rates on Major Users
and Prevention as of July 8.
Around 80 percent of
those infected with West
Nile show no symptoms;
while up to 20 percent have
symptoms such as fever,
headache, body aches,
nausea, vomiting and some
times swollen lymph glands
or a rash, she said.
“One out of roughly 150
infected with West Nile
virus develop serious symp
toms,’’ Grant said. Those
most at risk of developing
severe symptoms are older
adults, young children and
people with compromised
immune systems.
“Unfortunately, there is
no vaccine available West
Nile Virus,’’ she said.
“There is also no specific
treatment. People with se-
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& Rouse Insurors
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www.ddrins.com
2nd Annual Lee
County Back to
School Bash!
Fri. August 1st
First Baptist
Church of
Leesburg, Family
Life Center
5:30-7:30pm
Call 759-3286
for information
Keep guard
up against
disease-carrying
mosquitoes
Special to the Ledger
With the peak season for
West Nile Virus coming
up, Southwest Georgia
Public Health District
Health Director Dr.
Jacqueline Grant is
reminding resi
dents
to take
precau
tions
against being
bitten by dis
ease-carrying
mosquitoes.
“Traditionally, West Nile
Virus incidences peak in
August, and that’s right
around the corner,’’ Grant
said. “We know mosquitoes
infected with West Nile
breed here, which is why
we recommend to residents
of Southwest Georgia that
they wear repellent and
take other steps to avoid
being bitten. At this time
of year it is especially
important not to drop your
guard.’’
During 2007, Georgia
had 50 confirmed human
vere cases are hospitalized
and receive supportive care
such as intravenous fluids
and respiratory treat
ment. The best way to
protect
yourself
is to avoid
getting bit
ten.’’
Ways to reduce
the risk include:
Avoid out
door activity
when mos
quitoes are most
active - at dawn and dusk
Cover exposed skin if you
must be outside
Use insect repellent with
active ingredients such as
DEET, oil of lemon euca
lyptus or picaridin
Drain standing water
Repair screens
For more information
about West Nile Virus, go
online to www.southwes
tgeorgiapublichealth.org.
Additional information is
available at www.cdc.gov.
Photo by Zan Twiggs
Lee County Probate Judge John Wheaton swore in Jim Quinn as Leesburg’s Mayor last
Wednesday. Pictured with Jim is his wife Tricia and their daughters Sadie and Isabell.
Red Cross Urges Donors To
Find Time To Give Blood
Photo by Tina Maples
George Gill of Leesburg registered at Jenkins
Supermarket for the Pepsi “Four Weeks For
Fathers” celebration and won a 42” LCD Flat
Screen TV. George is pictured here with Todd
Whigham, manager of Jenkins Supermarket.
School System
Adopts Budget
The Lee County Board
of Education adopted their
budget Monday night. The
new budget has a slight
increase in the millage
rate at 15.4. School Board
member Dr. Robert Clay
was the only Board mem
ber to vote against the tax
increase. He said he had
philosophical reasons for
not agreeing with the tax
increase.
The Board was updated
on the progress of the
Ninth Grade Academy.
Construction is continuing,
but should be complete in
time for the school year to
start.
The Board agreed to
participate in a pilot
program. Lee County was
the only system in the state
chosen to participate in the
“Positive Behavior Sup
port Plan’’. The program is
designed to reduce trips to
the office.
The school system will
have 49 new certified per
sonnel this year.
Special to the Ledger
With the annual drop in
summer blood donations,
the American Red Cross
Southern Blood Services
Region is unable to suf
ficiently meet the ongoing
needs of local hospitals.
It urges people to take an
hour to donate right away.
The total blood supply
through
out the
Southern
Region
stands
at just
over a
24-hour
supply.
Supplies
of types
O nega
tive, A
negative
and B
negative blood are below a
day’s supply. The supply
of type O positive blood
- the most common and
most needed blood type
- is down to just a six-hour
supply.
In the LT.S., about four
million people need blood
each year. That’s one
person every two seconds,
and the overwhelming
majority of people who
need it would die without
it. However, while enjoy
ing summer activities with
family and friends, many
people forget that the need
for blood persists.
“Blood donations de
crease during the sum
mer, while demand often
increases, resulting in
severe blood shortages that
can compromise patient
care,” said Randy Edwards,
chief executive officer for
the American Red Cross
Southern Region. “Blood
is needed today for patients
who must receive transfu
sions,
and it
will
be
need
ed to
mor
row
and
the
next
day as
well.
Do
nors
must understand that the
need for blood is constant.
One donation per year is
helpful, but it isn’t enough.”
It is safe for most healthy
people to give blood every
56 days or six times a year.
Donations of platelets, the
component of blood that
enables clotting, can be
made every two weeks,
up to 24 times each year.
Platelets are often needed
by cancer patients receiv
ing chemotherapy.
The American Red Cross
Southern Region needs ap
proximately 1,200 people
to donate blood each
weekday to meet the needs
of hospital patients. Most
people who are age 17 or
older and weigh at least 110
pounds are eligible to give
blood every 56 days. There
is no substitute for blood
and the only source is from
volunteer donors.
There are 14 blood donor
centers across Georgia,
and blood drives are held
daily throughout the
Region. Appointments for
donations can be made by
calling 1-800-GIVE LIFE
(448-3543) or by visiting
www.redcrossblood.org
Aemerls
Bank
2627 Dawson Rd.
229-888-5600
1607 Highway 19 S
229-434-4550
Barry Stewart
Mann
July 25th
Leesburg Library
10:00 AM-“Mr.
Bugaboo’s Bugazoo”
11:00 AM-“It’s a
Buggy, Buggy World”
Free & Open
Sponsored by Lee
County Library
F/M/l 229-759-2369
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