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Wednesday, January 6, 2021 - Pike County Journal Reporter - Page 3A FCC allocates $326 million to dose rural digital divide The Federal Commu nications Commission announced recently an estimated 373,000 rural Americans living and working in Georgia will gain access to high-speed broadband through the Commission’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction - includ ing residents in Pike County. In Georgia, the auction allocated $326,454,112.20 in support to expand broadband to 179,455 unserved homes and businesses over the next 10 years. The winning bidder to provide broad band access to 3,454 locations in Pike is the Rural Electric Coopera tive Consortium who will receive $1,212,709 over the next 10 years. Nearly all locations in Georgia that were eligible for the auction will be re ceiving access to broad band with speeds of at least 100/20 Mbps, with an overwhelming major ity (85%) getting gigabit- speed broadband. The auction unleashed robust competition that resulted in more locations being awarded at less cost to Americans who pay into the FCC’s Universal Ser vice Fund. “This historic auction is great news for the resi dents of so many rural Georgia communities, who will get access to high-quality broadband service in areas that for too long have been on the wrong side of the digital divide,” said FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. “We structured this innova tive and groundbreak ing auction to prioritize bids for high-speed, low-latency services to deliver the best results for rural Americans, and the results show that this strategy worked. This auction was the Commis sion’s single largest step ever taken toward deliv ering digital opportunity to every American and is another key success in our ongoing commitment to universal service.” The Rural Digital Op portunity Fund Phase I auction is part of a broader effort by the FCC to close the digital divide in rural Ameri ca. In October 2020, the Commission adopted rules creating the 5G Fund for Rural America, which will distribute up to $9 billion over the next decade to bring 5G wireless broadband connectivity to rural America. More information on the Rural Digital Op portunity Fund Phase I Auction is available at fee.gov/auction/904. Recreation baseball, softball registration ongoing Registration for the 2021 spring baseball and softball seasons are underway with Jan. 22 being the last deadline for registration. The baseball divi sions offered are 4U, 6U, 8U, 10U, 12U and 14U and the softball divisions offered are 6U, 8U, 10U, 12U and 16U. The registration fee is $141.97 (4U baseball is $85.10) with credit card or $137 ($82 for 4U baseball if paying by check). The sibling discount is $10 and the out of county fee is $25 per participant. “To remain as con tactless as possible, please mail your check payable to PCPRA to P.O. Box 697 Zebulon, GA 30295,” said Pike County Parks and Recre ation Authority director Kevin Teate. “At this time, we ask that if you need assistance please do not come to the recreation office, but call us at 770-567-2027 and we will be glad to help you over the phone. You may also email me at PHOTO BY RACHEL McDANIEL / PIKE COUNTY JOURNAL REPORTER Registration for the 2021 spring baseball and softball seasons are underway and Jan. 22 is the last day of registration. kteate@pikecoga.com or Larry Moss at lmoss@ pikecoga.com for assis tance.” Practices are sched uled to begin the week of Feb. 8. The season is scheduled to begin Sat urday, March 13. Evalu ations, the Opening Day Parade and the Opening Ceremonies are to be determined. No players will be sized at the office, par ents will instead need to follow a sizing chart to select jersey and pants sizes. “At the present time we are planning to play the 2021 spring season under the same guide lines used for this past fall season,” said Teate. “It is definitely a chal lenge to offer youth sports in the environ ment that we currently live.” Concord council discusses alcohol sales BY DWAIN W. PENN news@pikecountygeorgia.com Minister Rufus Clem mons, an invited guest at the December 8 Con cord council meeting, shared a brief summa tion of ongoing efforts to reduce alcohol and drug abuse in Pike County. The information was timely with a pending agenda item for the second reading and approval of the hours of Sunday Sales of Alcohol by the Drink ordinance. Clemmons, a member of Mount Hope Baptist Church also serves on the council for alcohol and drug abuse pre vention, an affiliate of the Family Connection ministry, supervised by Michael Powell. “We have developed two phases, intervention and prevention, to slow the abuse of alcohol and drugs,” said Clemmons. “Alcohol abuse starts at age 13 and an effort is made to stop the trend by creating factors to change the youth per ception of alcohol. The new pizza restaurant to open in Concord must be held accountable to not serve alcohol to underage customers.” “1 feel guilty,” re sponded mayor John Strickland to the assess ment. “But 1 am gratified to know work is done to keep it from getting out of hand.” Later before council unanimously approved the hours of Sunday sales ordinance, Strick land again invoked his feeling of shame over the situation to put temptation before young customers. Council ab solved the mayor of any embarrassment since lo cal voters approved the referendum for the sale of alcohol by the drink. COUNCIL ALSO: • Heard Strickland express disappointment in water fees income which was lower than anticipated. • Received the monthly report from water supervisor Doug Neath that six leaks were repaired recently. The water tower level control system is going forward awaiting com puters. Four new valves in the system were inspected and approved, reducing areas which are inconvenienced by shut offs for leak repairs. The north wastewater pond job did not turn out as expected. • Heard the city expects to receive the broadband fiber optics by December 15 and be gin test installations of service in pre-selected houses to check recep tion. • Heard a glowing report on the Lighting of Concord event. The signupgenius website was an asset. Ninety reservation slots to see Santa were filled but through cancellations and fill-ins remained robust all afternoon. An estimated 150 to 200 adults and children were elated and grateful for the joyous Christmas spirit, truly a miracle in this year of COV1D-19. PHOTO BY RACHEL McDANIEL / PIKE COUNTY JOURNAL REPORTER The Molena Police Department recently located a missing senior citizen and sought a stolen vehicle in the area. Molena discusses recent police activity BY BWAIN W. PENN news@pikecountygeorgia.com Molena police chief Novin Darsey broke from the routine at the December 14 council meeting and was able to go beyond distributing reports of department activity and share two incidents, one involving a local resident. The other was an important BOLO for a stolen vehicle. “The resident, a care giver, walked off the job,” stated Darsey. “A search began after reports were received he was seen walking east on Highway 109. His daughter lives in north Upson, prompting a call to the county sher iff advising of a possible route he may take to get there. There was nothing else to do but wait.” According to Darsey, a call came in from the Pike dispatcher that the missing man had been found. He was sitting in the carport of the unoc cupied Pilkenton house on Highway 109 outside of Molena. The second inci dent began the second Wednesday of Decem ber with a call from the county advising Molena to be on the lookout for a stolen blue Infinity, last seen in Meansville head ing west on 109. Darsey parked on Spring Road with a couple of stop sticks if needed and soon the motorist was appre hended at Highway 18. The inoperable Dodge Charger police cruiser the city received three years ago from McDonough has been “surplused” but not sold. Chief Jonathan Hemphill of Zebulon has expressed interest in the vehicle to get parts off of it. Council approved to give the car to the city of Zebulon. COUNCIL ALSO: • Learned the long time agenda item of razing the old city shed on 18 has been accom plished. There are no plans yet on how to use the concrete slab. • Held first readings of three amended city ordinances: repealing the $30 court cost fee; ordinance 12, section 1, raising base water rates to $16 and making future adjustments based on cost of construction; and ordinance 37, section 2, increasing water depos its. • Approved zoning requests for: food bank on Depot Street and loft apartment at 36 Spring Road. • Agreed to have city personnel policy amend ed to include COV1D-19 guidelines and protocols perhaps using recom mendations provided by GMA and OSHA. • Approved to hold a goal workshop at 5 p.m. January 11 prior to the regular council meeting. On Call 24-7-365 Rough winter weather can be tough on your roof. We have crews on standby with tarps ready to respond at any time of the day or night and save your belongings if you experience a problem. Call us and talk to a live dispatcher, not a recording! Aicemed & 'Iwuvted OVER 15 YEARS EXPERIENCE! CALL TODAY! 678-521-9747 www.advancedroofingandinteriors.com PRAYER POWER SEEKS NOMINEES We are accepting nominations for the 2021 “Saints in Light Award” which is to be presented to an indi vidual in Pike County who is a non-clergy, but has been a spiritually inspiring, motivating, and encour aging influence in the community. AND Nominations for the 2021 “Prayer Power Faith Award/ Scholarship” which is awarded to graduat ing Pike County Seniors who have displayed growth and maturity in their spiritual life during their high school experience. They many be home schooled or have attended private or public school. All nominations must be received by the first day of April, 2021. For more information and the nomination forms go to; www.prayerpower4u.net or by email; prayerpower4u @ bellsouth.net or by mail’ Prayer Power PO Box 1263 N O M I N A T I O N S Zebulon, GA 30295