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liar kann^rngreas-Argus Volume 103 Number 12 . •i it |HO Hii m*Mu -11111 • YARD OF THE WEEK WINNER Members of the BCABC committee to select Beauty Spot and Yard of the Week winners have chosen the yard of Mr. and Mrs. Morris E. Williams, at 156 N. Mulberry Street, as the first winner in the 1976 Spring competition. 1975 Retail Sales Show Dramatic Improvement Led by a record-busting Christmas season, retail sales in Butts County zoomed to a total of $31,492,000 in 1975. Showing a $3,352,000 sales increase over the 1974 totals, the County’s gain of 11.9 per cent was one of the best in middle Georgia. Georgia’s retail sales gain for 1975 was only 4.7 per cent above 1974 totals. Fourth quarter gains in Butts County accounted for about 60 per cent of the increased sales. Fourth Rev. David R. Black Accepts Fayette Call At a congregational meet ing Sunday, members of the Jackson Presbyterian Church voted to sever the pastoral relationship be tween the Church and the Rev. David R. Black, in order that Rev. Black might accept a call to the Fayette Presbyterian Church of Fayetteville, Georgia. Rev. Black came to Jackson on January 1,1968 to accept a call from the Jackson and Fellowship Churches. He was ordained into the ministry in the Jackson Church on February 11, 1968 at a joint ordination service with officers from both churches participating. Under his leadership, the Jackson Church became a full-time church on January 1, 1974. Active in civic as well as religious activities within the community, Rev. Black served as president and Lt. Gov. of Kiwanis Interna tional, as Boy Scout troop leader and as president of the Butts County Ministerial Association. He, his wife, Lynn, and daughters, Dawna, 7, andi Susanna, 5, will be moving to Fayetteville in early April. Rev. Black’s last sermon in Jackson will be preached on Sunday, April 4. He will begin his ministry in Fayetteville on the following Sunday. Named to a pulpit commit tee to seek a pastor for the Jackson Church were Jo Ann Manley, Georgia Schroeder, Jackie Scarbrough, Bill Fletcher, Tommy Car michael and Richard Wat kins. quarter sales here were $8,816,000, or 26.7 per cent above the 1974 sales for the same period of $6,957,000. A booming Christmas business and increased buyer confidence in the improving economy probably accounted for the dramatic increase in local sales in the fourth quarter. Adjoining counties did not have it quite so good. Newton County recorded a 9.4 per cent annual gain in its sales from $67,598,000 to $73,963,000 in 1975. Mac Collins Only Candidate In Special Commission Race Through noon Tuesday, only one candidate had qualified for the post of County Commissioner in the special election called for Tuesday, April 13, to fill the unexpired term of Bobby Taylor, who recently resign ed this seat. Probate Judge Luther J. Washington reports that Michael A. (Mac) Collins is the only candidate yet to qualify and pay the $72 entrance fee. Collins is a young Jackson business executive, who operates a ready-mix con crete plant and trucking business. He was a candidate for a County Commission seat in the July 11, 1973 special election called to fill the post vacated by the resignation of Alfred D. Fears. He survived the original four-man election and was defeated by W. A. (Buster) Duke in the August 1, 1973 run-off election. The vote count as was 847 for Duke and 764 for Collins. Candidates have until Monday, March 29 at 4 p.m. to pay the entrance fee of $72 and qualify formally for the vacant post on the Board of Commissioners. In the event a run-off is necessary, it will be held on Tuesday, May 4, in conjunc tion with the state’s presi dential preferential primary. The winning candidate in the April 13th primary will serve for the rest of calendar year 1976, but will have to be a candidate in the August 10th general primary should they desire a full four-year term The sales gain in Henry County was even poorer. Sales there gained only three per cent in 1975, from a 1974 level of $57,123,000 to $58,83,000. Lamar County recorded $23,455,000 sales in 1975, up from $21,612,000 in 1974 and Monroe County had a nice increase from $28,694,000 in 1974 to $32,729,000 in 1975. Retail sales are usually interpreted as a fairly accurate barometer of busi ness activity in a community. Perfect Safety Record Earns Avondale Employees ’Cue Employees of the Indian Springs Plant of Avondale Mills were honored with a barbecue dinner Wednesday, March 10, in recognition of their achieving another acci dent-free year in 1975. Mr. Donald M. Comer, Sr., chairman of the board of the Alabama-based textile giant which now operates 21 plants in Georgia, Alabama and North Carolina, was present for the occasion and express ed his personal appreciation to the employees for their excellent safety record. The Indian Springs Plant has sustained only one time-off accident in the past four years. Bob Betts, superintendent of the Indian Springs Plant, welcomed the employees, their families, retired em ployees and a number of business, civic and political leaders in his opening All organizations and indi viduals working on projects which can be credited on Butts County’s entry in the district and state beautifica tion contests are asked to make before and after photographs of their project. During the initial planning stages of the proposed project, please call Carol Weaver at 775-3205 to arrange for photographs to be taken before the beautifi cation process begins. Jackson, Georgia 30233, Thursday, March 18, 1976 COFFEE BREAK TO BENEFIT NEEDY FAMILY The Butts County CB Club will have a 48-hour coffee break for a needy family beginning on Friday evening. March 19th, at 6:00 o’clock and ending Sunday, March 21. at 6:00 o’clock. Everyone is invited to come out to 1-75 and Highway 16 for a cup of coffee and all kinds of goodies. remarks. Rev. A. L. Price opened the meeting with an invocation. The delicious barbecue brunswick stew meal was catered by employees of Fresh Air Barbecue. In addition to Mr. Comer, other Avondale officials were present to enjoy the hospita lity of Superintendent Betts and employees of the Indian Springs Plant. NOTICE The Progress-Argus staff is making plans to publish a star-studded, All-American issue on July Ist in honor of the nation’s 200th birthday on July 4, 1776. It will be the largest issue of any newspaper ever printed in Butts County. Included will be historical items, feature stories, old pictures of early days in the County, and reproductions from the first newspapers. Those having pictures of churches schools, buildings, persons taken between the years 1875-1925 are asked to submit them for use. Copies of this keepsake edition will be made available to regular subscribers at no extra cost. Citizens Group Asked To Help Select Tax Assessor The Butts County Board of Commissioners on Friday released the names of a steering committee appoint ed to screen applications for a Tax Assessor, following the resignation the same day of Ben H. Dover, Jr. Named as a committee to review and recommend from applications received a person to be named as a member of the Butts County Board of Tax Assessors were the following: M.W. Carmichael and L. W. Moelchert representing business; Dick O’Hara and Bob Betts from industry ; O. L. Weaver, Jr. and George Martin from the farming community, and Frank Mil ler and James McCormick Local Artist Has Toronto Art Exhibit Jackson’s claim to fame as the home of several budding young artists received an other boost this week. Homer Moelchert, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lou W. Moelchert, is to have an exhibit of plant studies on display at the Sisler Gallery of Toronto, Canada from March 14 to 31st. Homer is employed by the Eric-Jensen Greenhouses of Toronto where he serves as a combination salesman, horti culturist and landscape adviser. A graduate of the Univer sity of Georgia, the young artist has been widely acclaimed for his botanical drawings. He joins Scott Coleman. Liz Carmichael Jones, Jerry McLaurin and other promi sing young artists who claim Jackson as their home. MA BELL IS NOW 100 HOLDS OPEN HOUSE IN JACKSON Charles F. Rogers, mana ger of the Griffin office of Southern Bell, and his Jackson staff held an open house in the local office Wednesday in memory of the 100th anniversary of the invention of the telephone. Many well wishers shared in the occasion and enjoyed refreshments while paying homage to Alexander Gra ham Bell for his invention that has so revolutionized modern life. representing home owners. In addition to the above, the Butts County Protective Taxpayers Association has been asked to name two members to serve on this committee. Applications for the posi tion of Tax Assessor will be received until Wednesday, March 24, at noon. An advertisement outlining the qualifications for the position is carried elsewhere in this issue. The committee will make their recommendation to the Board of Commissioners no later than 9:00 a.m. on Monday, March 29th. The position of Tax Assessor in Butts County now carries a salary of $25.00 per day when the Board of Tax Glen Mixon To Walk Again For Mankind The Pied Piper who will lead Jackson’s young in heart and young in the feet to a 20 mile marathon on April 3rd is Glen (walk a mile) Mixon. The (sore footed marathoner) will serve as honorary chairman of the 4th annual Walk for Mankind here, it was announced today by Walk Chairman Frank Forehand. Glen was the first to put his signature on a sponsor sheet at Walk headquarters at American Mills to start the campaign to raise funds through the Walk for 24 medical and dental aid programs maintained by Project Concern in im poverished areas of the United States and six other countries. “This will be a ‘Give as you can and Come as you are’ event," Glen Mixon said. “Come with shoes, without shoes, on foot or in wheelchairs if you’re a walker. Give cash, checks, dimes or dollars if you’re a sponsor. We want everybody in on this. There are sick, hungry kids out there who need us all.” With some 200 cities and towns taking part this year in the national Walk for Mankind. Glen Mixon com mented that he would be disappointed if 199 of them didn't finish behind the Jackson walkers when the records are tallied. He’ll be at the starting point on April 3rd. he promised, to shake hands with the 20 mile walkers starting out “and who knows, I might even be leading the way!” The amazing thing about Glen Mixon is that he is going to walk a mile, just as he did last year, and he is now’ at work soliciting sponsors all over the state. Last year he brought in more than $300.00 for Walk for Mankind singlehanded. Glen Mixon is a quadrap legic and lives at Worthville and does most of his traveling in a wheelchair. In a statement to the Jackson Progress-Argus, Glen said, “I have already issued a challenge to the kids in the schools of Butts County to walk, but my real concern is the adults. Last year the walk was filled with chil dren; I know that they’ll be back this year and I'm proud of them. But I challenge the adults of Butts County to get $6.18 Per Year In Advance Assessors are in session. Allmon Washington and Roy Staples are the two present members of the Tax Asses sors Board. According to W. A. Duke, Jr., member, the County Commission is trying to meet the April Ist deadline, set by the state for filling the tax assessor post. Ben H. Dover. Jr. resigned Friday, March 12, from the twin posts he held, that of member of Butts County Tax Assessors and as Butts County Tax Appraiser. Dover had just recently been named a Tax Assessor, replacing Byron Britt of Indian Springs who served for one year. The Commissioners will ‘i “ . *.'jk -'*• ' —* GLEN MIXON, QI’ADRAPLEGIC. WILL WALK FOR MANKIND sponsors and to come out and enjoy the walk. “Most organizations pro bably know that they can qualify for a share of 40 percent of the money made by the Walk for Mankind by walking as a group, whether they be a garden club, church choir or whatever. This is an excellent way to combine a money making project with helping the community for these organizations. “I am walking a mile for the Georgia Paraplegics Association as a group of one because I am the only one in the group that can walk. I am walking because of the many benefits gained through research. The people at centers such as Warm Springs are specialists and they have gained a know ledge that is exclusive of any other medical centers in the world. They have gained this knowledge as the result of research financed by pro grams such as the Walk for Mankind. Some day you may need the product that the research that these pro grams are financing, can not move to fill the Tax Appraiser vacancy immedi ately, Duke advised. Tax Appraiser jobs have criteria established by the State, which pays approximately 75 per cent of the salary costs, Duke said. Butts County now has an incumbent, James H. Wal lace, Jr. in the Appraiser I slot where the salary range is from $5,646 to $7,434 per year. The Appraiser 111 position, vacated by Dover, carries a salary level of from $9,824 to $13,014 per year. The County Commission will fill the Apraiser 111 job later this year, and will accept applications for it at any time, but is under no compulsion to fill it immedi ately, Duke pointed out. produce. “I would like to ask all those adults that can't walk as an individual or as a group to sponsor me for a mile that I am going to walk. I want to get as many sponsors as possible. Please call me at 775-3664. For further information about the Walk for Mankind contact Joe Brown, Jr., Frank Forehand or Glen Mixon. Ann Landers To Speak Friday At Atlanta Church The First Baptist Church of Atlanta, 754 Peachtree Street, N.E., will have Ann Landers, nationally known columnist, as guest speaker on Friday evening, March 19, at 7:30 p.m. Mrs. Landers is the most widely syndicated columnist in the world, appearing in 812 papers with over 60 million daily readers. The First Baptist Church has a seating capacity of 3,000. The public is cordially invited to attend this service.