Newspaper Page Text
Wednesday, January 20, 2021 - Pike County Journal Reporter - Page 5A
Molena council hears about 911 call transmission issues
SPECIAL PHOTO
Molena council members heard from the city’s police chief about spotty radio transmission
from the Molena Police Department radio to the county’s 911 service.
BY DWAIN W. PENN
news@pikecountygeorgia.com
Mayor Joyce Corley
and Molena council
heard details of a dis
turbing incident from
police chief Novin Darsey
at the January 11 meet
ing. It involved a spotty
radio transmission to 911
reporting an emergency
situation in the city.
“Upon observing
smoke rising from a
Grubb Street residence,
1 notified 911,” said chief
Darsey. “The dispatcher
repeated only the details
she heard and under
stood requiring the full
message to be repeated
several times. It was
believed the resident
was smoking and had
fallen asleep on a sofa.”
After entry was made,
thankfully no one was
found but the fire caused
considerable damage.
“1 contacted sheriff
Jimmy Thomas who
agreed to look into the
problem. One immediate
solution that may be ben
eficial is to bring up to
date the software for the
city’s emergency radios.
A more permanent rem
edy would be the instal
lation of a repeater at a
cost of $5,000 to $6,000,”
said Darsey. Meanwhile,
Darsey has been proac
tive to ensure the safety
of residents by conduct
ing test transmissions in
the city to locate dead
spots.
Fortunately, the fire
only resulted in property
damage, but Darsey was
quick to observe, “if we
can’t get help for a dire
situation, it’s going to get
pretty ugly.”
Council agreed and
immediately approved
Darsey’s request for
the addition of another
reserve officer to the
department.
COUNCIL ALSO:
• Approved to allow
T-Mobile to install at no
cost a phone in the po
lice car on a trial basis,
as per a request from the
service provider.
• Held second read
ings and adopted three
amended ordinances
for water deposits,
increased water rate
schedule and court cost
fee.
• Approved to adjust
the new budget to ac
commodate additional
costs.
• Accepted the COV1D
19 personnel policy and
general policy with
respect to spacing,
temperature checks and
requiring masks for all
city municipal activities.
• Approved the
reappointment of 2020
officers for the same jobs
they held in 2021: city
clerk, police chief, city
attorney, city judge, wa
ter employee and mayor
pro tempore.
• Set the fee for zoning
exceptions and rezoning
applications at $50.
SPECIAL PHOTOS
At left, Evelyn Brooks carries the trash
grabber her Papaw Jimmy Cintorino made
for her and a bag of trash that they and her
granny Sandy Cintorino gathered during a
late December walk along Short Cut Road.
Citizens asked to
help Pick Up Pike
Blanche Rossi
and Linda Jackson
Swetmon recently
cleaned up along
Pike County road
sides as part of the
Pick Up Pike initia
tive.
Blanche Rossi is
asking that citizens
pitch in to help
clean up the litter
along the county’s
roads, especially
along Hill Street in
Concord, Reidsboro
Road and Drew Allen
Road.
“Our community
is getting prepared
to welcome the VA
center which means
we will have many
people (doctors
and nurses) pos
sibly moving here,”
said Rossi. “We can
all work together
to keep our com
munities clean and
beautiful!”
To join the local
clean up efforts, find
the Pike Up Pike
(PUP) page on Face-
book. The group
has been around
for four years and
the county provides
bags and equip
ment for picking up
the trash, including
reflective vests as
well as covering the
cost of the trash to
be dropped off at
the transfer station
(with pre-approval).
“My husband and
I are offering two art
prints as an award
for two people who
post before and
after photos of their
cleanup area and
the bags of garbage
on the Pike Up Pike
page for the month
of January,” said
Rossi.
Blanche Rossi (in
red) and Linda
Jackson Swetmon
recently cleaned
up along Pike
County roads as
part of the Pick Up
Pike initiative. They
are encouraging
other citizens in
Pike to join the
efforts to clean
up roadways in
the cities and the
countryside.
QBITUAREE
Harold O. Jennings
Mr. Harold Oscar Jennings, age 93, of Zebulon,
passed away January 11, 2021, at his home. He was
born in Carroll County, GA, son of the late Thomas
Bernard Jennings and Ina Eliza
beth Gray Jennings.
Mr. Jennings was a 10 year vet
eran of the United States Army,
serving during World War II. He
worked for the United States
Postal Service for 26 years. After
retiring, he held several part-time
jobs in retail. He worked at Belk
for 10 years and Roses for 15
years.
He was a long-time member of Fincher United
Methodist Church, now called Life Springs Church,
where he taught a ladies’ Sunday School class. Mr.
Jennings collected old clocks, radios, and stamps. He
was a people person, was always smiling, and en
joyed being with others.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in
death by his wife, Gladys Marguerite Spitler Jennings.
He is survived by his son: Curt W. Jennings; broth
ers: Thomas Jennings, Jr. and Ellis Jennings (Cathy);
sister: Joann Jennings Eidson; niece: Mickey Gibel;
nephews: Mike Jennings and Danny Jennings.
A funeral service was held on Wednesday, January
13 at 3 p.m. in the chapel of Moody-Daniel Funeral
Home with Pastor Alex McGinnis officiating. Burial
followed in Fincher Memorial Cemetery.
Friends visited the family on Wednesday from 1-3
p.m. at the funeral home.
Moody-Daniel Funeral Home is assisting the family
with arrangements.
Melanie Lee
Floyd Massengale
Melanie Lee Floyd Massengale passed away Janu
ary 1, 2021 after an extended illness.
She is survived by her mother Betty Jo Bishop,
brothers John Floyd and Glenn Paul Floyd, daughters
Rebecca Smith and Christy Cosby and six grandchil
dren.
She will be greatly missed by all.
whsHhcRrM dhrnscm,
Tips to help you be the best you can be, to help you
navigate health care reform, to give you everyday health
information.
Health Care professionals - contact us today to place
your ad and submit your article. Do your part to keep
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Call 770-567-3446
or email jeimifer@pikecountygeorgia.com
Public meetings
The next scheduled meetings in Pike County are:
• Pike County commission, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 6:30 p.m. in
the main, upstairs courtroom of the courthouse
• Concord city council, Tuesday, Feb. 9, 7 p.m., city hall
• Meansville council, Monday Feb. 8, 7 p.m., city hall, 6:45
p.m.; workshop on water rates, infrastructure 7 p.m. Jan. 25
• Molena city council, Monday, Feb. 8, 6 p.m., city hall
• Pike County agribusiness authority, Thursday, Jan. 21,
7 p.m., Farm Bureau office.
• Pike County board of appeals, Thursday Jan. 21,6 p.m.
• Pike County board of education, Tuesday, Feb. 9, 6
p.m., at the Board Room in the Pike County Schools Me
morial Annex.
• Pike County library board, Thursday, Feb 11, 4:30
p.m., J. Joel Edwards Public Library.
• Pike planning commission, Thursday, Feb. 11, 6:30 p.m.
• Pike County tax assessors, Tuesday, Feb. 2, meeting at 9
a.m., Pike EMA/Storage Facility, 1132 Twin Oaks Road
• Pike County water authority meeting, Thursday, Jan.
21, 7:30 a.m., authority building.
• Williamson city council, Thursday, Feb. 4, 6:30 p.m.,
workshop on broadband options, 7 p.m. meeting, Wil
liamson city hall.
• Zebulon city council, Tuesday, Feb. 9, 6 p.m.
• Zebulon Downtown Development Authority, Tuesday,
Feb. 16, 7 p.m., A Novel Experience, 426 Thomaston St.
• Board of elections and registration, 4 p.m. Tuesday,
Feb. 16, in the commissioners’ conference room.
• Pike County Parks and Recreation Authority, 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 16, in the PCPRA baseball press box.
Billy Jean Rogers
Mr. Billy Jean Rogers, age 83, of Thomaston, died
Saturday, January 16, 2021, at Upson Regional Medi
cal Center.
Mr. Rogers was born on July
29, 1937, in Concord, to the late
Carl N. Rogers, and the late Grace
Legg Rogers. He worked as a
welder. In addition to his parents
he is preceded in death by his
brothers, Clarence Rogers, and
Lamar Rogers.
Billy loved his family uncon
ditionally, always putting them
first. His wit, charm and humble
ness endeared him to everyone he met. His daily
walk was a reflection of his walk with Jesus Christ.
He was a Navy Veteran who served his country with
honor. He continued to be drawn to the ocean and
beaches to the very end. He was very loved and
respected in this life and for eternity.
Survivors include his wife, Glenda Smith Rogers,
daughters, Angela M. Rogers (Freddy) Butts, Sharon
Rogers (Lee) Oxford, Sheree Rogers (Carl Swails)
Murphy, Cindy H. (Wade) Marshall, Becky S. Mont
gomery, Leisa G. (James) Collins, brother, Bobby
(Sue) Rogers, 11 grandchildren and 31 great-grand
children.
The family held a service on Tuesday, January 19,
2021.
In lieu of flowers,donations can be made to the Mt.
Olive Cemetery Fund at 1177 GAHWY 109, Molena,
GA 30258, or to any charity of your choice.
Coggins Funeral Home, 321 Hannahs Mill Road,
Thomaston, GA 30286, 706-647-9681.
ARREST REPORT
Between Monday, Jan. 11, and Monday, Jan. 18 area
law enforcement agencies made the following arrests:
PIKE COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE:
Jeremy Lynn Matheny, 41, two counts felony theft
by deception;
John Russel Drinnen, 24, disorderly conduct;
Christopher Brandon Martin, 35, theft by taking.
ZEBULON POLICE DEPARTMENT:
Justin Ray Farlow, 41, failure to stop for stop sign
and probation violation;
Alexander Waltayvius Price, 22, defective equip
ment, possession of marijuana less than one ounce
and possession of firearm or knife during commission
or attempt to commit certain crimes;
Newton Fuller, 50, warrant out of Henry County;
Wesley Brian Wright, 35, probation violation (when
probation terms are altered) for fingerprintable
charge and driving without headlights when required.
GEORGIA STATE PATROL:
Kodie Michael Perry, 19, furnishing, purchasing
and possession of alcoholic beverages by persons
below legal age.
Broken Made Beautiful
“He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds. ”
Psalms 147:3
Imagine while shopping, you hear a loud crash. You walk toward the sound
and see a little old lady had hit a shelf and many things fell and broke. She was
kneeling on the floor embarrassed, frantically trying to clean up. Everyone was
just standing there staring at her. So, you go over, kneel beside her and tell her not
to worry as you start helping her pick up the broken pieces. After about a minute,
the store manager comes, kneels beside the both of you and says, “Leave it, we will
clean this up.” The lady, totally embarrassed says, “I need to pay for all this.” The
manager smiles, helps her to her feet and said, “No ma’am, we have insurance for
this, you do not have to pay anything!”
That’s the perfect picture of what Jesus did for each and every one of us. Imag
ine the broken pieces of your mistakes or the pieces of your broken heart from all
the blows life has thrown at you all over the floor and you’re there trying to collect
all of the pieces and fix them yourself. God comes and kneels right down beside
you, smiles and says to you, “Leave it all there, I will clean this up for you.”
God wants to put all of these pieces back together, if you will let Him! With Him
we have this insurance. It’s called GRACE! It’s free! All you have to do is ask Him
to forgive you, help you, and to heal you. He’s ready to pick up all of the broken
pieces of your life and make something beautiful. Written by, Machelle McCoy
(C CHRIST CHAPEL
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770-567-1141
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Serving Middle Georgia For 110 Years
Designers & Manufacturers of
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770-358-1470
124 Railroad St., Barnesville, GA 30204