Newspaper Page Text
Tfatk&v in Progress-Argus
Volume 103 Number 50
Christmas Lights To
Be Judged on Dec. 20
The Garden Club Council
and the Jackson Progress-
Argus are sponsors of the
1976 Christmas lighting con
test for both residences and
businesses.
This year’s contest will be
judged on Monday evening,
December 20, beginning at
7:00 p.m. Judging will be
continued until final decis
ions have been made on the
winners. Mrs. Elizabeth
Watkins is in charge of
securing judges and an
nounced this week the judges
will be Mr. and Mrs. Bill
Craig. Mr. and Mrs. Jim
Jones of Forsyth, Peggy
Foye, Home Service Super
visor, Georgia Power Cos.,
Macon and Emily Alexand
er, retired from the Home
Service Department of Geor
gia Power Cos., of Forsyth.
Mr. Craig is Commercial
Marketing Engineer with
Georgia Power Company of
Play Presented
Dec. 10-11 JHS
Auditorium
The mysterious play, Dark
of The Moon, by William
Berry and Howard Richard
son. will be presented at the
Jackson High auditorium
Friday and Saturday, De
cember 10 and 11, at 8
o'clock. Admission is free.
Actor Skip Foster and the
Artists in Residence class
members will present the
play about Witchcraft in the
Smoky Mountains.
Members of the cast
include: Bobby Pinckney as
Marvin Hudgens; Jeff Hurst
-John the Witch Boy ; Glenda
Hardy - Barbara Allen; Jeff
Paget - Conjur Man; Tammi
Franks - Conjur Woman and
Edna Summey; Maurice Ball
- Preacher Haggler; Mike
Radzik - Uncle Smelicue Jed;
Dan Thomas - Mr. Allen;
Kelly Gray - Mrs. Allen; Joey
Meredith v Hank Gudger;
Dee Dee Steverson - Dark
Witch; Marsana White - Fair
Witch; Elaine Upshaw - Mrs.
Bergen; James Butler - Mr.
Bergen; Dana Steverson -
Mrs. Summey; Jed Wall -
Floyd Allen.
TWO BUTTS STUDENTS
ENTER GORDON
Two Butts Countians have
completed their applications
for admission to Gordon
Junior College as new
students this Winter Quarter.
James A. Elliott and
Bobbie Jean Goodman are
among 105 new' students out
of a total of 1,000 expected to
attend classes beginning
January 4th. Applications for
Winter Quarter are still
being accepted. Registration
for classes is scheduled for
January 3rd.
Notice to Subscribers
Due to the spiraling costs of all items
that go into the production of a newspaper,
the Progress-Argus is forced to increase
its subscription rates to out-of-state
subscribers.
Effective January 1, 1977, the
subscription rate for readers outside the
State of Georgia will be raised to $7.28 per
year. The subscription rate for Georgia
residents will remain unchanged.
Renewal subscriptions for out-of-state
subscribers will be accepted at the present
rate of $6.24 a year until the new rate
becomes effective.
Macon. Mr. Jones is owner of
April Flowers in Forsyth and
his wife, Roger Ann Jones, is
Managing Editor of the
Macon News.
The Mimosa and Jenkins
burg Garden Clubs will host a
dinner for the judges at the
Central Georgia EMC at 6:00
o’clock on December 20. The
Cherokee Garden Club will
provide transportation dur
ing the judging process.
The city will be divided into
East and West divisions, with
identical prizes awarded
those homes considered to
have the most attractive
decorations in both divisions.
First prize winners will be
awarded $12.50; second
prize, $10.00; third prize,
$7.50; and fourth prize, $5.00.
In addition, the three best
decorated businesses will be
awarded prizes of SIO.OO,
$7.50, and $5.00, respectively.
GRIFFIN TECH IS
RECEIVING STUDENTS
The winter quarter at
Griffin Tech will begin on
January 4, 1977 and applica
tions are still being taken for
admission to the school.
There are presently open
ings in most day and evening
programs. An aptitude test is
required for students apply
ing for the day program. The
test, which is not required for
evening programs, is given
each Wednesday at 9:00 a.m.
COLLECTIONS OF
ALUMINUM CONTINUE
Butts Countians have
brought in 7,936 pounds of
aluminum to the Flovilla
collection station during the
past seven months and-- at 15
cents a pound -- received
$1,190 for their efforts.
Collections in Flovilla of
scrap aluminum will be held
December Bth and 22nd at the
corner of Lee and Heard
Streets, between the hours of
1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Butts County's 1976 Tax
Bills Will Be Late Arriving
If you haven’t received
your 1976 Butts County tax
bill, don’t fret. No one else
has received theirs, either.
And according to Mrs.
Mary Will Hearn, Butts
County Tax Commissioner, it
may be some time yet before
the 1976 tax notices are
mailed out.
The 1976 tax digest for the
County has been sent to the
State Revenue Department
for approval but, as of
Monday, Mrs. Hearn report
ed that she had received no
word as to the status of the
The same rules that
applied in past years will be
used and include:
No formal entry applica
tion need be made.
Every home within the
confines of the contest
boundaries will be judged
and ribbons placed the same
night. Checks will be mailed
the next day by the
newspaper.
The Garden Club Council
advised that all homes in
Jackson will be judged as
well as those on the Griffin
Road as far as the W. A. Cook
residence. Homes will be
included beyond the city
limits on Brookwood Avenue,
those on the Monticello
Highway to the C. E.
Washington home and those
on Buttrill Road.
Homes on the Barnesville
highway will be judged as far
west as the American Mills
plant.
County Gets
More Praise
On Improving
The chairman of the Butts
County beautification
project, Carol Weaver, has
received a letter from Frank
Craven, chief of forest
eduction with the Georgia
Forestry Commission, con
gratulating the county for
winning first place in the
state beautification contest.
In the letter Craven said he
was personally impressed
with the following activities
and projects: the Queen
Contest; the new Jackson
and Flovilla parks; the
covered dish luncheon; the
total involvement of young
and old. black and white; and
the tour using individual
cars.
Craven also stated that
progressive farm practices
used by Butts County
farmers and the “sprucing”
up of the downtown area
were other points which were
particularly impressive.
County’s digest.
If the digest is approved or
factored, that is, raised or
lowered to meet the State’s
criteria, the tax bills will still
have to be prepared and
mailed out by the Tax
Commissioner’s office.
For this reason, it will be
late December, or even later,
before Butts Countians re
ceive their 1976 tax bills,
Mrs. Hearn said.
Taxpayers will have 60
days from the date their bills
are post marked to pay their
taxes, Mrs. Hearn pointed
out.
Intangible tax bills, that is,
tax on stocks, bonds,
mortgages, money, etc.,
have already been mailed out
and December 20th is the
usual deadline for their
payment.
FARM WORKERS
SUBJECT TO CENSUS
Information about farm
work done for pay during the
past year and about migra
tory farm work will be
collected by the Bureau of
Census in this area, accord
ing to Thomas W. McWhir
ter, Director of the Bureau’s
Regional Office in Atlanta.
Interviewers who will visit
house holds in this area
include Ms Sherri R. Smith.
Jackson, Georgia 30233, Thursday, December 9, 1976
Holiday Season
Brings Parking
Pains to City
Since the Christmas shopp
ing season is here and more
shoppers are obviously going
to be downtown, the mayor,
city council and the police
department arc asking mer
chants and city and business
employees to please observe
parking ordinances.
Mayor C. B. Brown said
city officials are asking
merchants and those who
work in downtown stores and
the courthouse to park off the
square during the Christmas
season to accommodate
customers.
Brown said he would like to
remind everyone there is a
parking lot on Oak street in
which a person can park free
for four hours. “Parking is
really critical and with a
little cooperation we can
alleviate a lot of the
problems,” he added.
Concerning merchants and
employees who may park on
the square, there is a
blaek-and-yellow parking
permit which is issued to one
person in a downtown
business or office. This
permit is good for parking in
the area facing the court
house and in front of “green”
meters. It is never good in
front of a place of business
unless the person is loading
or unloading.
There is also a green and
white parking permit which
is issued to businesses and
offices and is good at green
meters only.
Regarding the need to
observe regulations because
of the parking problem, the
police department has said
parking ordinances will be
strictly enforced this season.
REPORT FROM GRIFFIN
STATE PATROL POST
Sergeant Hugh Taylor of
the Griffin State Patrol Post
announced today that his
post has investigated seven
traffic accidents, made 77
arrests and issued 35
warnings in Butts County
during November, 1976.
Commenting further Sgt.
Taylor said two persons were
injured in the seven ac
cidents.
GOSPEL SINGING AT
SECOND BAPTIST
A gospel singing slated for
Sunday night. December 12,
at the Second Baptist
Church, beginning at 7:30
p.m. The group to be
featured will be the Cava
liers. Rev. Arthur Price and
the congregation extend a
welcome to all who would
like to attend.
JACKSON GIRL WINS
GA. COLLEGE HONOR
Miss June Maddox, daugh
ter of Mr. and Mrs. Levi
Maddox, of Jackson, was one
of 33 Georgia College
students named to “Who’s
Who in American Colleges
and Universities" for 1976.
Students are nominated for
this honor on the basis of
academic achievement,
leadership, and campus
involvement.
13 ‘TM&-
I#^
J 975 Tax Rebates Stopped
Pending Court Hearing
Flint Superior Court Judge
Hugh D. Sosebee on Monday
signed a restraining order
that prohibits the Butts
County Commissioners from
acting on applications for tax
relief on 1975 tax bills.
The order signed by the
Judge temporarily restrains
the Butts County Commis
sioners from granting relief
to those property owners who
were not afforded relief by
legal process on payment of
their 1975 taxes. This group
would include primarily, but
not be limited to, those
taxpayers who were not
members of the Butts County
Westside To
Play for State
Championship
Westside Christian School
recently clinched the North
Georgia Championship by
defeating Emanuel Christian
School 26-20.
This victory assured West
side a championship game
against Derrene Christian
Academy from Savannah for
the state championship at
Milledgeville, December 9 at
11:30 a m.
The game against W’estside
ended dramatically when
Jeffery Kuhn caught a
35-yard touchdown pass from
Larry Moody as time ran
out. This situation had
developed when Emanuel
scored with approximately
four minutes to go in the
game, tying it at 20-20. With
possession of the ball,
Westside failed to make a
first down at the Emanuel 30
and had to turn the ball over.
However, an outstanding
rush by Billy Hester and Ken
Dills forced the Emanuel
quarterback to throw a pass
that was intercepted by
Kevin Youngblood of West
side with one minute and 40
seconds to go and with the
ball on the Emanuel 30 yard
line. Westside then took the
ball in for the final
touchdown.
Gary Grammar was un
able to play in the game due
to an injury received in
practice; however, he is
expected to be able to resume
play in the state champion
ship.game Thursday.
ADDRESS
SANTA LETTERS
t°
PROGRESS-ARGUS
Following a tradition of long standing,
the Progress-Argus will once again
publish letters to Santa Claus from
Butts County children.
Letters should be addressed to Santa
Claus, C-0 The Jackson Progress-
Argus. and either mailed or hand
delivered to the office.
Please keep letters as brief as
possible in order to conserve space.
Every effort will be made to see that all
letters which are received will be
published.
Taxpayers’ Protective Asso
ciation, whose members
received a 38.4 percent
reduction in assessments
through arbitration.
Those plaintiffs in the
injunction petition were
Johnny Colwell, Robert Wil
liams, Grover McKibben,
Robert Lane and John B.
Bystricky. Named as de
fendants were commission
ers D. W. Bailey, W. A. Duke
and Mrs. W’alter J. Bennett,
along with Mrs. Mary Will
Hearn. Tax Commissioner.
Judge Sosebee in his ruling
said the Commissioners may
still receive applications for
NEW POSTAL OFFICIAL —Outgoing postmaster Tom
Webb is shown with Mrs. Martha Peeples who will fill the
vacant post as temporary officer in charge of the Jackson
post office until a permanent replacement is found.
Jackson Youth Injured In
Shooting Incident In City
A Jackson youth was shot
but not injured seriously
during an argument Friday
night at Jackson High School.
Dennis Strickland, 16. of
976 S Mulberry St., a
student at Jackson High, was
shot in the leg. He was
treated at Griffin-Spalding
County Hospital but not
admitted.
Police arrested Wayne
Jester of Route 3. Box 106.
Jackson in the shooting and
charged him with aggravat
ed assault and carrying a
pistol without a license.
Jester was released on bond.
Police reported the inci
dent took place in the parking
lot in front of the high school
auditorium during the time a
school dance was in prog
ress. However, school offi
cials have stressed that even
though the shooting took
place on school property, it
happened outside the area
where the dance was being
held and they believe was not
associated with the dance.
Police detective Denny
O’Neal said the disagree
$6.24 Per Year In Advance
a refund, but shall take no
action on said applications.
The Judge also tempo
rarily restrained the Com
missioners from doing anyth
ing further with respect to
the application of the 1976
miliage.
The plaintiffs in their
petition contended that the
1976 tax levy was illegal and
invalid because it did not
specify the per cent levied for
each specific purpose as
required by law.
Additionally, the plaintiffs
objected to payments being
made to taxpayers who did
not have their assessments
ment had apparently ori
ginated earlier at the high
school gymnasium but that
the confrontation took place
at the school auditorium.
In other news, police
reported a Jackson woman
was struck by an unidentified
automobile Friday night as
she was walking down
McKibben Street. Celest
Lawrence of 144 Court Street
was given emergency treat
ment at Sylvan Grove and
then transferred to Griffin-
Spalding County hospital
where she was admitted.
The incident is still under
investigation according to
the police department.
Public Meeting
To Be Held on
ESAA Funds
A public meeting will be
held December 13 at 7:00
pm at the Board of
Education office to discuss a
proposal by the Butts County
Board of Education to apply
for Emergency School Aid
Act (ESAA) funds.
It approved, these funds
w ould be used to continue the
"highly successful" mathe
matic and reading labora
tories in the schools of the
county
Plans to continue the
project in its present form
will also be discussed at the
meeting.
The following community
members and students were
selected to serve on the
1977 78 advisory committee.
David Cleveland. Oscar
Watkins. Donnie Phillips.
Mrs Jackie Cavender. Jack
Little. Byrd Garland. Mrs.
Zella Mae Taylor, Hal
Latham. Maurice Ball,
Angelia Henderson. Debbie
Varner. Lee Duffey. and
Kicky Long.
The committee will meet
monthly to discuss and
approx e all plans and
operations of the ESAA
project
for taxes for 1975 adjusted
through adequate legal pro
cedures established by
statute.
Judge Sosebee’s order set a
hearing date as follows:
“It is further ordered that
each defendant be served
immediately with copy of
said petition and this order
and each of them is required
to show cause before the
undersigned at the Court
house in Jackson, Georgia, at
2:00 o’clock, p.m. on the 10th
day of December, 1976, why a
temporary' injunction should
not be entered in terms of the
restraint prayed in the
complaint.”
Jackson Post
Office Has New
Postal Official
Tom Webb. Jackson's
postmaster since 1973, has
resigned his position here to
serve as postmaster in
Roswell. Georgia.
Replacing Webb is Martha
Peeples who will be the
temporary officer in charge
of the Jackson post office.
Mrs. Peeples explained
that her position is only
temporary and that a
permanent postmaster will
be selected through the merit
system used by the Postal
Service. This process usually
takes about three months for
the final decision to be made.
Mrs. Peeples, who has
been with the post office for
11 years, also stated that
because she was selected as
officer in charge of the post
office here, she will be
ineligible to fill the perma
nent post. She was previously
in charge of the Sandy
Springs branch office.
Webb has w orked with the
post office for 15 years. He
said he really regrets leaving
Jackson because "the people
here have been really good to
me and my family, but
transferring is the only real
avenue for advancement."
Jenkinsburg
Elects Three
Councilmen
Three seats were filled on
the Jenkinsburg city council
in the election held Decem
ber 4.
Those persons elected to
the council and their vote
totals were Roy Moore, 47;
R A. Allen. 43 and James
Cooper. 37. These council
men will take office January
1. 1977.
The unsuccessful candi
dates were Susan Norton
Street with 16 votes; Lanier
Burford. 15; T. E. Huff. 14;
Walton Burford. 10; and
James Mixon, 10.
JOE. THE HOBO. SEZ:
My memory gets bad as
Christmas nears and the
grandchildren tell me what
good little angels they have
been all during the year.