Newspaper Page Text
Page 2 - The Wiregrass Farmer, December 27,2017
DOT installing higher fences on interstate for deer control
Any driver who's hit a deer
or spotted one standing on the
shoulder of the road should ap
preciate the new fencing along
portions of Interstate 75.
Old fence with a height of
four or five feet has being re
placed with eight-foot game
fence in various locations in
Crisp, Turner, Tift and Lown
des counties through small
Georgia Department of Trans
portation maintenance service
contracts. Fence replacement
just wrapped up in Lowndes
County and must be inspected
by the Department. The other
counties are complete.
Contractors were also asked
to use wire to fill in bottom
gaps at low spots to prevent
deer from getting under. Given
a space of a foot or 18 inches,
deer will "lay on their belly
and scoot right under it.
They’re pretty agile animals,"
said Charlie Killmaster, Geor
gia Department of Natural Re
sources state deer biologist.
Last year 15,479 motor ve
hicle collisions with animals
were reported on all routes
statewide. Those specified as
collisions with deer totaled
8,263. However, not all agen
cies/officers report in the same
manner so some of the 7,216
collisions with "animals" may
also have been deer. The colli
sions resulted in 969 injuries
and 16 fatalities statewide.
Those are just the collisions
that were reported through law
enforcement.
"It’s nothing for a deer to
jump a five foot fence. The
eight foot fence may reduce
the number of deer that get
onto the highway, which can
prevent crashes and injuries to
motorists," Georgia DOT Dis
trict Maintenance Engineer
Scott Chambers said. While
deer can jump eight feet, "they
generally don't unless they're
pressured," Killmaster said.
The fence height also reduces
the chance of a pedestrian ac
cessing the interstate from pri
vate property.
We are at the end of the deer
breeding period, which is when
most collisions occur, Killmas
ter said. Each year he stresses
the importance of paying extra
attention for deer during Octo
ber, November and December.
If you're on the road and spot a
deer, slow down. Don't honk
your horn or do anything to try
and get the deer to cross the
road, Killmaster advised.
Also watch for more than
one deer; it's often the second
deer that gets hit, he said.
BRIEFLY
(Continued from Page 1)
ing sound decision-making, self-discipline and concentration.
Students 7-12th grades can compete on the 4-H team under the
direction of certified volunteer coaches. If you are interested in
participating this upcoming 2018 year, please contact the 4-H Of
fice at 567-3448 so we can get your information. We will have
a meeting in early January to jumpstart the new year.
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.
TIER
(Continued from Page 1)
Authority list.
In order to get the tax credit
a business must fill out paper
work for the state. A copy of
the Notice of Intent for Geor
gia Job Tax Credit is available
at the Chamber and the Depart -
Stray dogs
YEAR
Ashbum residents are reminded that pets must have a collar
and current rabies tag. Animals without tags will be collected by
Animal Control. A copy of the City's animal ordinance is avail
able at City Hall and the Police Department.
BANCORP FINANCE
Ashburn GA. Ph. 567-3436
Loan limit $2,500 on approval
Monday, Jan. 1, 2018
Regular hours resume Tuesday
1^ South Georgia
Banking Company
Member PDIC
Colony
is BANK K
(Continued from Page 1)
Voting no were Sam Brown
and Cornelius Ball. Voting yes
were Ann Kendrick, Phillip
Crawford and Sandra Blue.
Ashburn City Manager
Sedric Carithers wants more
stringent drug testing for City
employees. He says he’s been
having a lot of complaints and
random urine tests ain’t cutting
it.
In basketball, the Lady
Rebels and the Rebels each
take victories over Wilcox
County and Crisp County.
Week 3
City Manager Sedric
Carithers wants Ashburn to get
tougher on rental property,
specifically with inspections.
He urged the City Council to
consider a housing ordinance
that would let a City building
inspector check out a home be
fore a new renter moves in.
City Attorney Tommy Cole
man said it’s not just a matter
of adopting an ordinance.
You’ve got to adopt a building
code. You also have to have
probable cause before doing an
inspection of rental property.
Sycamore Mayor Wayne
Woodruff ripped into the Post
Office system at the last Coun
cil meeting. This time a
SPLOST check was misdeliv
ered, opened and late. After
complaints from the mayor on
previous deliveries the Post
Office promised to look into it
but he has yet to hear back
from them. He’s taking his
complaints to Georgia’s con
gressional delegation. Also in
Sycamore, complaints about
the City’s residential water
bills. The utility billing com
pany is to blame and the City
Clerk is searching for a differ
ent company.
In sports, the Rebels are in
2nd place in the region stand
ings. The Lady Rebels are in
3rd place in the region stand
ings.
Surplus Property Sale
The City of Ashburn will be accepting sealed bids on the following equipment and
vehicles. The vehicles and equipment will be sold individually but bids can be
place in one envelope. The vehicles will be sold to the highest bidder on January
9th 2018 at 10:00 am. The bids for the 2008 Chevy Impala will start at $1500.
The equipment and vehicles are located at the Barn, 243 Mill Street Ashburn, Ga.
All vehicles must be removed within 7 days of acceptance of bid.
Lot to be sold consists of:
1992 Chevrolet Utility Gas Truck
1GCFC24H5NE203232
1993 White Ford F-150
1 FTDF15Y7PNB15793
2008 Burgundy Chevy Impala
2G1WT58K481355296
1998 Grey Crown Victoria
2FAFP71W4WX174199
2007 White Crown Victoria
2FAFP71W07X119945
2009 Black Dodge Charger
2B3KA43T39H640894
Sealed bids can be mailed in to P.O. Box 766 Ashburn, Ga. 31714. The bids can
also be brought in to the physical address 259 East Washington Ave. Ashburn,
Ga. 31714.
ment of Community Affairs
website - www.dca.state.ga.us.
The state groups counties,
and communities in highly
populated areas, into 4 tiers for
job credit taxes. This is an eco
nomic indicator and a ranking.
Tier 1 has the poorest commu
nities and counties in the state.
Tier 4 represents the wealthiest
communities. Turner County
moved from Tier 2 for 2017 to
Tier 1 for 2018.
“Tier 1 counties (are) recog
nized and designated as the
forty least developed coun
ties,” says the CDA report.
“For counties and census tracts
highlighted above, DC A
strongly encourages officials to
contact local industries and en
courage them to file an NOI
before the March 31, 2018
deadline. Any company that
files an NOI will be protected
from reductions in tax credit
benefits for the next three
years.”
The 40 identified counties,
and communities within those
counties, are scattered across
the state.
Week 4
A storm Sunday devastates
the north end of Turner
County. The tornado touched
down in Albany and headed
east, crossing through Worth
and into Turner County. It
moved at 70 miles an hour. In
Turner County it’s estimated
that 23 homes were affected
(16 minor damage, 17 major
damage) and 31 destroyed. The
storm was much worse than
the one that hit Turner County
on Jan. 2. No fatalities, al
though about a dozen people
were injured and transported.
A fire in a downtown used
car dealership gutted the old
service station the business
used and several cars were
damaged. An investigation by
the state fire marshal has
begun.
The new Dollar General
was burglarized last Wednes
day. APD arrived to find the
doors open and money was
taken from the safe. No arrests
but the APD have a number of
leads.
HeBrews and Flash Foods
held a ribbon cutting. Flash
Foods was the best attended
ribbon cutting in the County in
many years.
In basketball, both girls and
boys are victorious in the
weeks games against Crisp,
Irwin and Clinch Counties.
The Rebels are now 16-5 on
the season while the Lady
Rebels have improved to 14-7.
February
Week 1
Recovering from the EF3
tornado, and possibly one or
more smaller tornadoes, in
Turner County will take a
while. Nearly 100 homes were
damaged with 31 destroyed
and 17 with major damage.
Turner County Emergency
Management Director Mark
Robinson said the damage total
does not include barns, sheds
and storage buildings. He also
said he’s overwhelmed by the
response to Turner County’s
worst disaster ever. ‘It was
great. We had people come
from everywhere. It was amaz
ing to see the support. We owe
a great deal to the surrounding
counties. People just showed
up and started to work.”
There’s just too many people,
too many organizations who
pitched in to mention them all
by name.
A convenience store on the
Bussey Road exit was closed
last week by the Georgia De
partment of Agriculture for nu
merous violations for selling
food.
The Chamber of Commerce
banquet is reset for Feb. 23 at
the Civic Center due to the
tragic storms that that ripped
through our community.
J.C. Harris, a longtime
Turner County lawman and
Sycamore City Councilman
died Sunday.
The Ashbum Police Depart
ment is now towing dirt bikes
and four-wheelers. Anyone
caught riding a dirt bike or a 4-
wheeler with no license, no in
surance and no helmet, the
bike will be towed until the
court date. The person will get
a citation,” said Chief Clifford
Jordan.
Week 2
Nearly 6 pounds of sus
pected marijuana and about
$2000 in cash was seized last
week in a bust on the Inter
state. Ashburn PD Sgt. Dylan
Gaines stopped a vehicle after
twice failing to use his indica
tor to change lanes. Driver re
fused consent to search the
vehicle so he brought out the
K9 and it hit on the vehicle.
Financial aid center for dis
aster relief opens at Civic Cen
ter. The various relief agencies
which include the Federal
Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) the Small
Business Administration
(SBA) will be on hand as long
as needed. This declaration
covers the storms that hit on
Jan. 21-22.
The County Commission
was expected to vote to spend
$30,400 on a computer up
grade.
Turner County High School
held a grand signing ceremony
last week in the Civic Center
Gym. Five Rebel football play
ers are headed to the next level.
Brady Wynn and Malik High
are going to Albany State Uni
versity. Deontae Crockett is
going to Eastern Arizona Col
lege. Tamorrion Terry and On
tario Wilson are going to
Florida State University.
Week 3
The remodeling and renova
tion crews at the old Ashburn
Elementary School on E. Col
lege are making progress. The
Board of Education ordered
the work to prepare the old
school to house the Middle
School next year.
A local tornado relief fund
is giving money to people
whose homes were hit by the
Jan. 22 tornado in Turner
County. Sycamore Baptist Pas
tor Brian Jones is the chair of
(See YEAR Page 4)
AFTER
HOURS
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