Newspaper Page Text
If you think you're too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito.
Anita Roddick
Wednesday, September 6,2017
ASHBURN,GA, 31714
VOL 109 - No. 36 • 500
www.thewiregrassfarmer.com
^Around Town ^
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Call 567-3655
Boiled peanuts
Turner County Young
Farmers has cases of boiled
peanuts for sale. Each case
has 24 quart cans and is
available for a $45 dona
tion. Leave a message at
(706) 452-4906 and a mem
ber will be in touch to
arrange pick up or delivery.
You can also visit
www.facebook.com/turner-
countyyoungfarmers for
more information.
Tools for
Schools
Tools for Schools "Sani
tize September" Help get
classrooms ready for cold &
flu season! Donate any of
the following items during
September: Lysol or Clorox
Wipes, Wet Wipes and Tis
sues, Hand Sanitizer. Items
may be dropped off at the
Turner County Chamber of
Commerce office located at
238 E. College Ave., Ash-
burn.
Animal control
Anyone who needs the
Ashburn Animal Control
department should call 567-
0313. All calls routed
through the dispatch center.
This applies to Ashburn res
idents as well.
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.
Siren tests
The Turner County
weather warning siren is
tested the first Wednesday
of the month, good weather
permitting, at noon. If
weather is bad, the system
will be tested on noon on
the next clear day.
Obituaries
Willie Mae Braziel, 95,
Rebecca
Dr. J. C. “Jack” Greene,
Jr., 89, Ashburn
Jason "Cry Baby"
Douglas, 44, Ashburn
Genette Tison, 81, Oakfield
Complete obituary
l information Page 5 ,
Serving Turner County Since 1902
Hold
the
line
No tax increase
The County Commissioners
discussed a pretty much un
changed mil rate for the
county.
The Commissioners voted
on the mil rate Tuesday night.
The discussion was last week.
The Board is expected to
approve 16.004 mills and for
the maintenance and operation
of public schools in Turner
County at 15.985 mills, total of
31.989 mills.
The mil rate combined with
the sales taxes are projected to
bring in about $286,000 more
than the Commissioners bud
geted.
“We could give strong con
sideration to rolling the millage
back one mil,” said Commis
sioner Daryl Hall.
One mil brings in about
$210,000.
“That’s not a very big cush
ion,” Chairman Sam McCard
said. “This will continue to de
crease.”
The decrease he referred to
is a drop in the value of taxable
property across the county. It
went down this year and eco
nomic indicators predict a con
tinuing slow slide.
Chairman McCard said this
year the county undergoes a re-
evaluation of real property as
well.
“It could be less than what
we currently have. I wouldn’t
recommend changing at this
point,” Mr. McCard said. “I
recommend wait and see.
See MIL Page 2)
Getting straight information on the Social Security program at a Lunch & learn
at the Chamber of Commerce last week.
Dispelling some myths
What a lot of people think they know about Social Security is wrong.
Heather Reed and Rene Flowers, from the Tifton Social Security Office,
spoke last week at a Chamber of Commerce lunch & learn meeting to set
the record straight.
Supplemental income
Social Security was never meant to be a re
tired person’s sole means of income. It is
meant to supplement retirement.
Lifetime credits
For a person to receive full Social Security
Benefits at the regular retirement age, the per
son must have 40 credits in the system.
A credit is $1,300 in Social Security-taxable
earnings in three months. That is $5,200 a year
in gross income. You can earn up to four cred
its per year.
It takes 10 years of working full time to
earn 40 credits.
Lifetime earnings
A person’s Social Security earnings are
based on up to 35 years of the highest earn
ings, no matter when those years were. Ms.
Reed said past years are adjusted for inflation.
Benefits are not based on the last years of
work. (See SOCIAL Page 2)
No more letters
Social Security no longer sends letters to
people telling them about their potential retire
ment benefits. People under 60 get this infor
mation online by creating a person account at
www.SocialSecurity.gov/myaccount .
Creating the account is free.
Ms. Reed said the Social Security computer
system has never been successfully hacked.
She recommended people do set a password
for account access, but that is not required.
“It is a fraud prevention tool,” she said.
Earnings will vary
How much a person can get in benefits is
directly related to how much they earned
working, with a cap of $127,200. If you earn
more than that, you do not pay Social Security
taxes on the over amount, nor can you collect
benefits based on the over amount.
Benefits also vary based on any pension
you may have.
“There are so many variables. It is a con
troversial topic,” Ms. Reed said.
The Elemen
tary School re
cently had
Breakfast With
Dad. Here are
just a few of the
smiling faces
that partici
pated.
Photos Trish
Mathes
A
| *V- t jll
* 1
l JpWI
Skeeters
bringing
diseases
The Georgia Department of
Public Health has confirmed a
resident tested positive for West
Nile Virus (WNV) in Ben Hill
County and a horse tested positive
for Eastern Equine Encephalitis
(EEE) in Lowndes County. Public
Health Officials in South Georgia
encourage everyone to guard
against exposure to mosquitoes.
Last month, a horse tested posi
tive for EEE in Brooks County
also.
“Mosquito-borne illnesses are
spread through the bite of an in
fected mosquito,” states William
Grow, MD, FACP, district health
director. “The more time someone
is outdoors, the more time the per
son is at risk of being bitten by an
infected mosquito; that is why we
encourage everyone to take all
precautions against mosquito
bites.”
People are urged to take the
following precautions:
• Use insect repellent contain
ing DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, or
PMD. Be sure to follow the in
structions on the label.
• Any containers that can col
lect water should be discarded or
dumped daily.
• Wear long-sleeved shirts,
long pants, and socks when out
doors, especially at dawn and
dusk to reduce the amount of ex
posed skin, as weather permits.
• Avoid being outdoors from
dusk to dawn, peak mosquito bit
ing times, if possible.
• Set up outdoor fans to keep
mosquitoes from flying near you.
“While most people infected
with West Nile Virus show no
symptoms of the illness and pass
it on their own, even healthy peo-
(See SKEETER Page 2)
No council
election for
Sycamore
When Sycamore voters hit the
polls in early November, the only
city race on the ballot is for
mayor.
Last week qualifying was ex
tended because only two people
qualified for three open seats on
the City Council.
Former councilman Scotty
Wilkerson came in during the ex
tended qualifying and was the
only person to do so. He and in
cumbents Jim Galt-Brown and the
Rev. Fred Eister will take office
by acclamation.
Incumbent mayor Wayne
Woodruff will face former mayor
Larry Youngblood in a race for
mayor.
In the Special Called Election
to replace J.C. Harris, who passed
away, his son Clay Harris was the
only person to qualify.
Rebecca also has a two-way
race for mayor pitting Don
Collins against Charles Hutton II.
Mr. Hutton was listed as Paul
in last week’s paper. He requested
he be identified as Charles.
8 66670 00023
500 - tax included
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