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CCER SCORES
Pike County soccer teams dominate their
opponents all season, win region championships.
See page 5B
PIKE COUNTY
IttdRNAL REPORTER
ONE DOLLAR
www.pikecountygeorgia.com
PIKE'S PEEK
Pike up to 26
deaths from
COVID-19
Another Pike Coun
ty citizen died from
COVID-19 according
to the Georgia Depart
ment of Public Health,
bringing the totals to
26 deaths, 14 probable
deaths, 69 hospitaliza
tions and 1,054 con
firmed cases since the
pandemic started last
March.
The number of
cases in the school
system decreased to
two COVID-19 posi
tive students and one
positive adults as of
April 16.
See COVID-19 page 2A
Foster families
needed in Pike
Foster families for
sibling groups of two
or more children are
needed in Pike County.
Currently, Pike only has
12 caregiver homes.
“No bond is typically
longer, stronger or
more comforting than
that of siblings,” said
Aaliyah Shakir. “Can
you help keep siblings
in our community to
gether by opening your
home?”
For more informa
tion, contact Aaliyah
Shakir, DFCS regional
recruiter at 678-544-
6631, via email at
aaliyah.shakir@dhs.
ga.gov or go to Foster-
Georgia.com to learn
how to become a foster
or adoptive caregiver
and help local children
in need.
More charges filed in teen's death
New information was
recently released on the
incident that claimed the
life of a 14-year-old boy
from Spalding County at a
local business on April 2.
“The facts of the
case have shown that
three juveniles entered
a commercial property
without permission from
the property owner.
While inside the facility,
the juveniles attached a
chain hoist to the bum
per of a truck in order to
lift the front of the truck
off of the ground,” stated
a press release from the
Pike County Sheriff’s
Office.
“The chain was
hooked to the bumper
of the truck, and it was
during this time that the
metal bumper gave way
to the weight that was
placed on it. The truck
then fell and struck the
juvenile.”
The Medical Examin
er’s Office at the Georgia
Bureau of Investigation
has advised investigators
that the manner of the
juvenile’s death is consis
tent with the sequence
of events and evidence
obtained by the PCSO.
The injured teen was
transported from Middle
Georgia Water System in
Zebulon by ambulance
but was pronounced
dead at the hospital.
The two survivors of
the incident are a 12-year-
old and a 14-year-old, one
from Spalding and one
from Pike County. They
were initially charged
with burglary, criminal
damage to property, en
tering auto and reckless
conduct. The criminal
charges were upgraded
on April 15 by investiga
tors with the Department
of Juvenile Justice to
include involuntary man
slaughter for both.
Investigators have
been in contact with
the District Attorney’s
Office as to the progress
of the investigation and
the findings as they are
developed. The case
remains open and under
investigation.
PHOTO BY ANDREW REEVES
Hendrix Beach Bum (above) is one of the photos in the 2021 Dog and Pony Show exhibit at
A Novel Experience in Zebulon. The show will open with an artist reception from 6 to 8 p.m.
Saturday, April 24. Two pictures from Pike County photographers were selected for the show.
Show starts, artist reception is April 24
The annual Dog and
Pony photo show will
open with an artists re
ception from 6 to 8 p.m.
Saturday, April 24.
The show will feature
photos by two local
photographers, includ
ing Stand by Me by Sarah
Neath of Concord and
Hendrix Beach Bum by
Andrew Reeves of Means-
ville.
Photos for the show
were submitted from
across the nation and
31 of them will be part
of the annual show at A
Novel Experience Book
store, including photos
selected from California,
North Carolina and Ten
nessee.
“Thanks to everyone
from across the country
who entered the show -
and made our esteemed
juror Ray Sullivan’s job
really tough - the im
ages were fabulous,” said
Chris Curry of A Novel
Experience. “Please join
our crowd of dog and
horse lovers for the
Opening Reception from
6 to 8 p.m. on Satur
day, April 24. Enjoy our
traditional hot dogs and
beverages, the Coco’s
Cupboard Parade of Dogs
(take one home with
you!), the raffle, and of
course the photographs.
PHOTO BY SARAH NEATH
Stand By Me by Sarah Neath of Concord is one of the photos
that will be on display as part of the Dog and Pony Show.
Meet many of the pho- and observe masks-and-
tographers. We’ll hold social distancing inside
most events outdoors the store.”
Vaccine supply
exceeds demand?
Citizens who are
planning to get the
COVID-19 vaccine may
have an easier
time in the
coming weeks
due to a more
readily avail
able supply.
“We
may have
reached the
point where
supply is
greater than
demand. If
people are
still looking
for vaccine
appointments
we have them available
in all 12 counties this
week or next week,”
said Hayla Folden of
District 4, Georgia
Department of Public
Health. “Anyone still
looking to get vac
cinated can make an
appointment online at
gta-vras.powerapps-
portals.us or by calling
1-888-457-0186.”
Even though the
state of Georgia is
pausing all John
son & Johnson
vaccines until fur
ther notice, there
are still plenty of
opportunities for
citizens to get the
COVID-19 vaccine.
So far, 32 percent
of the state’s popu
lation has received
at least one dose
of the vaccine at
a total of 3,350,205
citizens as of April 19.
In Pike County, more
than 5,000 doses have
been administered with
15 percent of citizens
having at least one
dose and 12 percent
being fully vaccinated.
A total of 5,098 Pike citi
zens have received the
vaccine as of April 19.
County discusses
proposed budget
Pike County commis
sioners were presented
with the Fiscal Year
2021-2022 budget dur
ing their April 14 meet
ing. The general fund
recommended amount
was $12,619,592, com
pared to $12,269,639
the previous year.
The proposed budget
recommends a total of
$14,437,580, compared
to $13,772,477 the previ
ous year.
Public hearings will
be held to give citizens
an opportunity to ad
dress the board about
the proposed budget.
Public hearings will be
held at 1 p.m. Thursday,
April 22 and at 1 p.m.
Tuesday, May 4 which
will be followed by the
first reading. The sec
ond reading of the bud
get will be at 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 20 and
the third reading and
final adoption is set for
5:30 p.m. Tuesday, May
25. All meetings will be
in the main courtroom.
Copies of the pro
posed FY 2021-22 bud
get are available at the
J. Joel Edwards Public
Library at 585 Highway
19 South in Zebulon and
in the commissioner’s
office at 331 Thomaston
Street in Zebulon, GA.
County manager
Brandon Rogers noted
at the April 14 meet
ing that there are three
things not included in
the budget that have not
been decided on yet,
including salaries, insur
ance and retirement.
Rogers recommends
a 3% raise for eligible
employees at a total of
$135,106.57. That would
be added to the total
recommended budget if
the board decides to do
a 3% increase. He said
the county is facing a
lot of turnover due to
salaries, insurance and
retirement.
See BUDGET page 2A
Mattresses for music: Funds from sale to help music department
The second Mattress
Fundraiser will transform
the Pike County High
School cafeteria into
a 25+ bed showroom
filled with mattresses
of all sizes and styles
from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, April 24. Funds
from the sale will help
raise funds for the Pike
County Pirate Regiment
to purchase equipment
such as new instruments,
uniforms and more.
“This event went
well last time
we had it,
and I person
ally bought a
mattress that
I love! The
deals are great, and
the music department
made a nice profit from
the sale,” said director
of bands Lee Ewing. “If
people are in need of
any mattresses for their
house, or if any business
needs mattresses, or if
any charitable organi
zations are looking to
donate to needy families,
this event could help
them support vari
ous groups at once!
The biggest needs
for the Pirate Regi
ment currently are
new instruments,
especially sousaphones
which are about $5,000
each and drum line
equipment which is
about $12,000 total.”
Name brands like
Simmons Beautyrest and
Therapedic will be avail
able for up to 50% off re
tail prices. Delivery and
financing are available.
Keep an eye out for the
students who get to wear
the ‘mattress suit’ while
promoting the sale. COV
ID-19 precautions will be
taken and social distanc
ing observed.
For more information,
go to bit.ly/beds4PikeCo2
or contact Eric Zdano-
wicz at Eric@CFSAtlan-
taSouth.com or 478-787-
9291.
