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Hacksaw regress-Argus Volume 103 Number 51 Judging of Christmas Lights To Be Held on December 20 Homes and businesses in Jackson and Butts County are good evidence that the holiday season is here as owners begin to decorate for Christmas and for the 1976 Christmas lighting contest which will involve jwth residences and businesses. This year’s contest will be judged Monday evening, December 20, beginning at 7:00 p.m. Judging will be continued until final deci sions have been made on the winners. The judges for this year’s event will be Mr. and Mrs. Bill Craig, Mr. and Mrs. Jim Jones of Forsyth, Peggy Foye, Home Service Super visor, Georgia Power Com pany and Macon and Emily Alexander, retired from the Home Service Department of Georgia Power Company of Forsyth. Mr. Craig is Commercial Marketing Engineer with Georgia Power Company of Progress-Argus Wins National Weekly Honors The Jackson Progress- Argus has been designated a Blue Ribbon Newspaper for 1977 by the National Editorial Association. Mrs. Martha G. Jones, publisher of the Progress- Argus, is in receipt of a letter from Paul D. Coffman, president of the National Editorial Association, an nouncing that the local paper had qualified /or the presti gious award. The letter, in part read: “Congratulations. Your newspaper is one of only 332 in the entire United States to earn the coveted designation of “National Blue Ribbon Newspaper” for 1977. This award indicates that you publish an alert and progres sive community-minded newspaper.” To qualify for the award, a newspaper must meet twenty-five criteria, which measure the paper’s service to its community against a national standard. The designation is the first to be accorded a Butts County newspaper in the 103-year history of weekly newspaper publications with in the County. 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. 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. Artis Knowles Wins Highest Masonic Honor Artis Clinton Knowles of 527 Franklin Street has been awarded the designation of Knight of the York Cross of Honour. This honorary de gree, highest in the York Rite of Freemasonry, is conferred only on those who have held the highest office in each of the four bodies of the rite. Mr. Knowles becomes one of the comparative handful of .about 400 of the over four and a quarter million Free masons in North America, the Philippines and Australia County's 1976 Tax Digest Is Rejected By State As Too Low The 1976 Butts County tax digest has been, rejected by the State Revenue Depart ment as not meeting the requirement that property be assessed at 40 per cent of its fair market value. The action will necessitate that the 1976 digest be increased, or factored, either by the local board of assessors or the State Revenue Department. It also will mean a lengthy delay in the mailing of 1976 tax bills, as the factor will have to be determined, anew tax levy set based on the new digest, and the required 20-day period for assessment challenges will all have to be accomplished before a final determination of individual tax bills can be made. Judge Hugh D. Sosebee, in a temporary order issued last Friday, authorized the Butts County Tax Commis sioner to accept payments of 1976 taxes from any taxpayer Jac 1 Georgia 30233, Thursday, December 16, 1976 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. 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. Homes on the Barnesville highway will be judged as far west as the American Mills plant. to qualify this year. Mr. Knowles served as Master of St. John’s Lodge of Masons in 1967; High Priest of Jackson Chapter, Royal Arch Masons in 1969; Master of Ocmulgee Council, Royal and Select Masters in 1974; Commander of Alexius Com mandery, Knight Templar, in 1975. He was elected to member ship in Cherokee Rose Priory and his election confirmed by Convent General of the Order on December 6. A certificate of membership has been mailed to him. There are sixty-eight Priories of the Order with a present mem bership of 10,000. who might wish to make a payment on their 1976 tax bills prior to the actual determination of the amount due. The letter to the chairman of the Butts County Board of Tax Assessors, dated Dec. 7th, from Revenue Commis sioner Nick D. Chilivis, is as follows: “Your 1976 county tax digest has been received by this office and examined in accordance with the require ments of Georgia Laws 1966, pp. 45, 47, as amended, particularly by Georgia Laws 1972, p. 174. I have determined that your digest, as submitted, does not meet the require ments of Georgia law that property be returned at fair market value and assessed at 40 per cent of fair market value; and therefore, I am not authorized to approve your digest as submitted. It appears, after investigation and inquiry thereof, that, in the aggregate, the tangible property appearing on your 1976 digest, except bank shares and motor vehicles, is assessed at less than 40 percent of fair market value contrary to the requirement of Georgia law. Pursuant to Georgia Laws 1972, p. 174, Section 1, Subsection (c), I am return ing your 1976 digest in order that you may make adjust ments in the valuations of the properties so as to insure that the properties are assessed at 40 percent of fair market value and that the values are equalized. After you have made the necessary adjustments in the valuations of the properties to achieve the 40 percent assessment for all proper- Local Chamber To Sponsor Open House Jackson’s nine major in dustries are holding open house on Monday, December 20th. between the hours of 12:20 to 4:30 p.m. The tour of the City’s industrial facilities is spon sored and coordinated by the Butts County Chamber of Commerce, Inc. and the public is cordially invited to visit any or all of the industries during these hours. Avondale Mills, Inc.-12:30- 1:45; Delta Tank Corpora tion, Fabral Corporation, The Kym Company and Quality Products-1:30-3:00; American Mill, Inc., Fashion Pillows and Fashion Wicker, Inc., and Plantation Fash ions-3:00-4:15; Addison- Jackson Plant-3:00-4:30. Advance Fabricators will not be participating since the industry will be opening at a new location on Alabama Boulevard after the first of the year. JACKSON GIRL WINS (>.\. COLLEGE HONOR Miss June Maddox, daugh ter of Mr. and Mrs. Rebon 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, lead ership. and campus involve ment . • Editor’s Note: In last week's paper the newspaper incorrectly listed Miss Mad dox as the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Levi Maddox. We regret this error and are glad to make the correction.) ties, and the appropriate 10- and 20-day assessment notice periods have expired, it will be necessary, by operation of law, as contain ed in Section 1, Subsection (c), Georgia Laws 1972, p. 174, that the millage levy, as submitted with your 1976 digest, be adjusted so as to insure that the adjusted county digest will produce an amount of revenue reason ably equivalent to that amount of revenue which would have been produced had no necessary adjust ments been made to the county valuations. It will also be necessary that the governing authority of the county submit the total adjusted county millage levy established for the county for the current year at the time the adjusted 1976 county tax digest is resubmitted for approval. We will be in a position to consider your digest for approval upon its resubmis sion to this office with the necessary accompanying do cuments. The Property Tax Unit will be pleased to furnish addi tional information at your request." , Very truly yours Nick P. Chilivis Commissioner 7 .mK Judge Says 1976 Tax Levy Illegal ; Hearing Dec. 20 Flint Superior Court Judge Hugh D. Sosebee ruled the 1976 Butts County tax levy illegal at a hearing Friday afternoon in open court on a petition for a temporary restraining order. Judge Sosebee cited the law which requires that tax levies be specific as to the allocation of millage and requested the Board of County Commissioners to prepare a levy in compliance with the law. The action was taken before a courtroom almost filled with taxpayers anxious to hear the Court’s ruling on a petition request for a temporary injunction to stop Bloodmobile Visits County; Donors Contribute 92 Pints The Red Cross Bloodmo bile program in Butts County continued to move at a slow pace on Monday, December 6th. when 92 pints were collected on a quota of 110 pints. Inclement weather, the swine flu vaccinations and other factors possibly influ enced the disappointingly low turn out of donors. The County, however, has failed to meet its goal in the last several visits of the Blood mobile and local sponsors are concerned about the future of the program. Among those offering a pint of blood Monday at the Bloodmobile's visit to the National Armory were: Charlene W. Woodruff. Richard H. Britton. Martha W. Cochran. Janice L. Thaxton. Lannie W. Smith. Frank Fountain. Daftner Fincher. Lucille J. Tyson. Peggy H. Tingle. Hugh M. Glidewell, Jr., William P. Glidewell. Thomas M. Glide well. R. Grady Brooks, Maria B. Brannan. Patricia E. Peek. Jackie L. Burford. Ronald Tingle, James O. Browning. John L. Hall, Cheryl P. Long. Linda B. Johnson. Charlene B. Wise. Terrie Mae Morgan. Merrell Price. David P. Ridgeway, John E. Heil. George W. Washington. Ryland Smith. Terry Waits. Deborah Parrish. Terri Dod son, Sherry Lynn Barnes, Layne T. Williamson, Bonnie C. Cook. Vivian E. Patterson, Robbie F. Powell, Stanley Maddox. Larry Lunsford. Priscilla T. Thurmond. Darrell Pippin, Richard Beauchamp, Carrie Davis, Marsha S. McKibben, Jill T. Williamson, Mary T. Davis. Winona Cook. Kenny L. Smith. Luke Weaver, Norma ADDRESS SANTA LETTERS H to 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. In order to assure publication in the December 23rd issue, all Santa Claus letters must be received by the newspaper not later than noon, Monday, December 20th. the County Commissioners from making rebates on 1975 tax bills. Judge Sosebee earlier had granted a restraining order prohibiting the County Com missioners from making payments to Butts County taxpayers as a rebate on their 1975 tax bills. The action to make such rebates was taken by the County Commissioners at a called meeting and passed as a resolution of the Board. Several taxpayers, acting as plaintiffs, had filed a petition for a temporary' injunction against the com mission members and the Tax Commissioner and, following his ruling that the D. Evans, Gary Michael Thompson. G. Lawrence Morgan, Henry F. Bagby, Joel A. Kelso, Robert C. Evans. Clifford L. Sanvidge, Scott Coleman. Cornelious Williams, Sara Anne Webb. Mary M. Carr. Marsha Stewart. Cathy Reasor, Car rie S. Dupree, Eugene F. Varner. Diane F. Cook. Curtis Gave, Albert Dupree. David P Ridgeway. Jr.. Vera T. Douglas. Elaine W. Watson. Shirley I. Gay. Donnie L. Gay, Joe H. Brown. Jr.. Bobby W. Hendrick. Bessie C. McKinn. Newton Mayfield. Dan Fears. Jr.. Vicki W. Johns ton. Ellis P. Cook. Melinda A. Cook. Donald L. Cook. Alton Patterson. Naomi H. Duffey. Walter F. Maugham. Samuel L. Head. Marvin W. Singley. Donald L Folsom. Douglas R. Brooks. A. Jack Long, Guy H Howard, Patricia A. Smith. Alva T. Colbert. Clifford Johnson. Southern Bell Raises Rates On Business and Home Phones The Georgia Public Ser vice Commission today ap proved new rate schedules for Southern Bell Telephone customers in Georgia. New rates became effective December 9. 1976. According to Southern Bell District Manager Barry Mansell, monthly charges for single-party residence sub scribers in Jackson will increase from $6.25 to $7.25. In Atlanta rates will increase from $9.75 to $11.30 per month, and in Macon rates will go from $7.95 to $9.25. Single party business lines in Jackson will go from $12.40 $6.24 Per Year In Advance status quo be maintained until a later hearing, Judge Sosebee set the hearing on the petition for 2 p.m. on Friday. The Commissioners may continue to receive applica tions for refunds on 1975 taxes, the refunds may be processed, but no credits or rebates may be issued until another hearing on the entire matter is held on Monday, December 20th, at 9:30 a.m. In an effort to permit taxpayers to make payments during the current calendar year. Judge Sosebee instruct ed Mrs. Mary Will Hearn. Butts County Tax Commis sioner. to receive payments on 1976 tax bills, give proper Weda C. Wilcox, Hilda G. Maddox. Mildred .Alexander, Jesse L. Duffey. Andrea K. Maddox. Sara C. Craig Lurlene Brown, Doyle Mc- Mullen. Leila P. Smith. George C. Johnson. Thelma C. Miller. Bobby R. Tyus. Edna M. Long. Donald Thaxton. Ralph E. Alex ander. Among the 4-H'ers assist ing at the Bloodmobile were Bobby Pinckney, Greg O'Neal. Rose Campbell. Alice Potts. Laura Thaxton. Pam English. Janet English. Renne Kinard. \\KPCHAPTER TO MEET MONDAY \T 2ND BAPTIST The Butts County Chapter oi AARP will meet Monday. December 20th. at 2:30 o'clock at the Van Deventer Youth Center. Please bring a wrapped gift marked "man” ci woman ' for the nursing home. to $14.40 a month. Several statewide rate changes were also approved. Connection of a single-line residence telephone which now costs from $24 to S3O will cost from $22 to $35. Business service connec tion of a single line telephone which now costs from $32 to S4O will cost from $29 to $46.50. New rates for service connection are part of the Company’s continuing effort to place the cost of service on those customers who actual ly use it. Despite the general increase in this charge, the new charge reflects an actual reduction of two dollars in the basic rate, in some cases. The reduction will affect those businesses or resi dences where equipment has been left in from previous service. Residence extension tele phone sets which now carry a monthly rate of $1.40 each will cost $1.65. Touchtone service will go from $1.75-a --month to $2.05-a-month for residence subscribers. Trim line telephone sets which are now $1.20 will increase to $1 40-a-month for residences and businesses. Southern Bell filed its request for a $lO3 million rate adjustment last June. After five months of hearings, the PSC granted $62 million on November 24 and allowed the Company a 9.38 per cent overall rate of return, less than the 10.3 per cent the Company had sought. The Commission also denied the Company's request for a 25 cent coin telephone call. receipts to the taxpayer and give credit on such payments when the 1976 tax bills are finally computed The Judge said he would permit such collections as a benefit to those who would use their tax payments as credit on their 1976 state and federal income taxes. It now seems almost certain that 1976 tax bills will not be computed and mailed in time to reach most taxpayers before the end of the calendar year. Judge Sosebee's ruling will permit partial payment of 1976 taxes, however, even if the final tax bill has not been received. Taxpayers Group Meets On Thursday Members of the Butts County Taxpayer's Protec tive Association will meet Thursday night, December 16th. at 7:00 p.m. in the Butts County courtroom. In a letter mailed to members of the TPA this week. E D. Briscoe, chair man. announced that he will resign his post. He has served as chairman of the group since its organization some 15 months ago. Briscoe will assume office as a member of the County- Commission in January The chairman urged a full attendance at the meeting, as reports will be made and the future course of the associa tion charted. MACON BALLET GUILD PRESENT NUTCRACKER Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without "The Nutcracker." Tchaikovsky’s beautiful holiday ballet. The Macon Ballet guild will present two performances of "The Nutcracker" Decem ber 18th and 19th at the Grand Opera House in Macon Ballet Guild members from Macon and several central Georgia counties will dance in this fairy tale ballet. The December 18th per formance begins at 8 p.m. and the December 19th performance at 3 p.m. Advance tickets are $3 and $4 50. w ith children under 12 at half price, and tickets at the door 50 cents more. JOE. THE HOBO. SEZ: A# A good reputation is one of the most difficult things in life to gain and one of the easiest to lose.