Newspaper Page Text
It is not always the same thing to be a good man and a good citizen.
Aristotle
Sample Ballot,
E-SPLOST
explained. Page 10
VOTE
™ E WlREGRASS
Wrestlers take region
Basketball continues
winning ways.
Sports, Page 12
ARMER
Wednesday, February 3,2016
ASHBURN,GA, 31714
VOL 109 - No. 5 • 500
www.thewiregrassfarmer.com
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Call 567-3655 for
information.
Target shoots
The Turner Co. Rec.
Dept, will be having 3-D
Archery Target Shoots the
1st and 3rd Saturday's from
9am-2pm starting Feb. 6.
Targets will be put out dur
ing Feb. March, April and
May. For more info contact
Mike Coker 229-567-5223.
Birth certificates
Need a certified birth
certificate? If you were
bom in the State of Georgia,
the Turner County Probate
Court may be able to pro
vide you with a certified
copy. For more information
call Probate Court Judge
Penny Thomas at 567-2151.
Need Volunteers
Looking for a unique
volunteer opportunity? Do
you have a passion for
Turner County history and
people?
The Historic Crime and
Punishment Museum is
where you need to be! Vol
unteers to lead tours
throughout the jail and
share it’s rich history are
needed. Training will be
provided by the Historical
Preservation Society. Con
tact the Chamber of Com
merce for more
information.
Hamburger
steak plates
JROTC Cadets will start
selling tickets for their
Spring Fundraiser this
week, tickets will be sold
from Jan. 25th-Feb. 8th.
Ticket price is $7.
The Hamburger Steak
Plate includes Au Gratin
Potatoes, Green Beans,
Dessert and Bread.
Funds are used for field
trips and the Ranger, Rifle
and Drill Teams. Thank
you for your support of our
cadets.
Obituaries
Bobby Lee Blaine, 74,
Ashburn
Jennifer Renee' Alberson,
57, Ashburn
Alan Crews Griffin, 60,
Tifton
Complete obituary
information Page 5
Bob Mitchell: Citizen of the Year
Hat Creek Peanut, Gerry Foltz, Delmer Bullington, French Market also honored
Bob Mitchell was named
the Turner County Citizen of
the Year at last week’s Cham
ber of Commerce banquet.
“Thank y’all for this.
Turner County has given me
more than I have ever given
it. It is a real pleasure doing
business in downtown Ash
burn and doing business is a
realy blessing,” he said.
Mr. Mitchell was selected
for the award by past recipi
ents. The Chamber of Com
merce does not select the
winner; it provides a venue
for the announcement.
Wayne Blue read the nom
ination letter and included a
few extra remarks
The “Citizen of the Year”
was born on September 24,
1949, in Jacksonville, North
Carolina. He spent his early
years in Adrian, Georgia be
fore moving to Ashburn.
After graduating from
Turner County High School
in 1967, he began college at
Valdosta State University.
While attending VSU, he met
and married his wife. They
moved to Albany, then
Tampa, Florida, where he was
a General Electric Appliance
Salesman. After their second
daughter was bom, they made
the move to Ashburn to raise
their family. In 1980, he
bought Barnes Electric, the
local GE appliance dealer
ship. They welcomed their
third child, a son, in 1982.
Women have their beauty
shops in Ashburn to pass gos
sip. Men go to Barnes Elec
tric to get the local news. Bill
(See BOB Page 2)
Teresa and Bob Mitchell, daughter Mary Claire Raines and son-in-law Mitch Raines.
Tax office to start taking credit, debit cards
Credit or debit to pay taxes
No cost to County
2.5 perent “convenience fee”
Going into Tuesday
evening’s County Commission
meeting, the Commissioners
seemed poised to approve let
ting the Tax Commissioner’s
office take debit and credit
cards.
As discussed at the work
shop meeting last week, the
contract would not cost the
County anything. As proposed,
the tax office would take debit
and credit cards. The card
holder would be charged a 2.5
percent “convenience fee.”
Putting this practically, re
newing a tag under Georgia’s
current vehicle registration
system is $20 a year, unless
your vehicle was bought before
the new system went into effect.
If that’s the case, you’ll con
tinue to pay taxes each year.
If you pay the $20 fee,
you’ll be charged 500 for the
“convenience fee.”
“Everybody wants to use
credit cards,” said Commis
sion Chairman Brad Calhoun.
Discussion then turned to
who would sign the contract.
County Attorney John Hol
land said the Commissioners
could approve the contract and
authorize the Tax Commis
sioner, Ranee Gregory to sign
it.
Investigation at
Ashburn PD
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation
confirmed last week it is investigating the
Ashburn Police Department, but offered lit
tle else.
The investigation started Dec. 30 at the
request of District Attorney Paul Bowden.
A GBI spokesman said it “involved a cou
ple of things in the evidence room and pur
chasing.”
The matter is still being investigated.
Body found Monday
Sheriff Andy Hester said a body was
found in a pond off Rock House Road on
Monday.
The body was not identified as of press
time. The GBI is handling the investigation.
He thinks it’s a person who ran from
deputies on Jan. 24. On the 24th, deputies
chased a stolen vehicle. When the driver
was pulled over, several passengers got out
and ran.
Four people were caught the same day
they ran.
"We suspended other searches because
we didn't know that there was anybody else
out there. It was about 3 in the morning,"
said Hester.
Deputies started looking on Monday
after officials in Dekalb County told the
sheriff one person was still missing.
"So we went back out (See BODY Page 10)
SHRINERS
E. L. Sprayberry, a member of Hasan Shrine Tem
ple based in Albany, was sworn in as Potentate for
2016. The Shriners are dedicated to helping children.
This is the first invitation for a Potentate in Turner
County since 1981.
County looks for
CDBG project
April 1 is the deadline for applying for a Commu
nity Development Block Grant (CDBG) and right now
the County doesn’t have a project.
County Commission Chairman Brad Calhoun said
the Board needs to create a priority list of projects.
“You don’t have a lot of
time,” said Interim County
Manager Horace Hudgins.
Mr. Calhoun said the
County could reconsider
doing part of Raines Road.
The Commission tried to
pave Raines Road with a
CDBG but that was denied
by the agencies who award
the money. One problem
was property owners at one
end of the road refused to
deed over land to widen the
road.
“We could apply to do
half the road,” Mr. Calhoun
said.
Some discussion was
held about letting the Re
gional Development Center
(RDC) do the application.
“Why are we getting
away from Bob Roberson?”
asked Sam McCard. “Bob
(See CDBG Page 2)
What is a CDBG?
A CDBG is a fed
eral grant. It has to be
used in low to moder
ate income neighbor
hoods.
It has to be used on
capital improvement
projects.
The Commission
has used CDBGs in the
past, Joe Lawrence
Road being one. The
City of Ashburn is
using one now for
water and sewer on the
west side of town.
Sycamore replaced it’s
entire water line sys
tem with two CDBGs.
A CDBG can be
awarded every other
year. It has a maxi
mum award amount
of $500K.
FAF asks County to restore funding for annual event
We’re here to beg for money. We will take
whatever you give us. Gail Walls
The current County budget
does not include support for the
annual Fire Ant Festival (FAF).
FAF Committee members at
tended the County workshop
meeting last week to ask for
help.
“We’re here to beg for
money,” said Gail Walls, a
founding member of the FAF.
“We will take whatever you
give us.”
Fast year the County Com
mission gave $8K. Without that
money this year, one of the fes
tival’s major events will likely
be cut.
“We really struggle to keep it
going every year,” said Sandra
Fumpkin, another long-time
committee member. “That is a
major cut. We will have to cut
something out.”
The FAF has been around for
21 years. It is the largest tourism
draw in the county, bringing in
between 20K and 30K people
over that weekend. Fast year’s
event cost $53K.
“We are one of the highest
rated festivals in the South. This
is something you can be proud
of,” Mrs. Walls said. “The Fire
Ant Festival belongs to the peo
ple of Turner County.”
Commissioner Daryl Hah
asked if the FAF was having a
hard time making ends meet.
That’s not a yes or no ques
tion. (See FAF Page 2)
A4
Farrah Willey
11 Liberty
Tax
ERVICE 0
251 E. Monroe Ave • Ashburn, GA 31714
Phone: (229) 778-9228 • Fax: (229) 778-9230
ptn.liberty@gmail.com
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