Newspaper Page Text
FINAL FOUR!
The Lady Pirates soccer team
will play in the Final Four.
See page 1B
PIKE COUNTY
JOURNAL REPORTER
ONE DOLLAR
www.pikecountygeorgia.com
WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 2021
PIKE'S PEEK
Escaped
inmate
captured
Investigators with
the Pike County Sher
iff’s Office were able
to track down inmate
Jason
Goolsby
the day
after he
walked
away
from his
work de
tail May 6. With the as
sistance of the Monroe
County Sheriff’s Office
K-9 unit, he was located
hiding in a wooded
area behind a residence
in Monroe County.
Stephanie Bell of
Monroe County was
arrested and charged
with aiding the escape
of Goolsby. The inves
tigation showed Bell
traveled to Zebulon
and picked up Goolsby
shortly after he left his
work detail.
See ESCAPEE page 2A
Pike's Got
Talent takes
stage May 14
Pike County middle
and high school
students will take the
stage for Pike’s Got
Talent on Friday, May
14, starting at 6 p.m.
at the Pike Auditorium
with proceeds from
the show benefiting
music students at the
schools. The show
will feature seven
acts from the middle
school and seven acts
from the Ninth Grade
Academy and high
school with perfor
mances varying from
dancing to vocals to
instrumentals.
See TALENT page 3A
County approves first draft of budget
Commissioners ap
proved the first reading
of the Fiscal Year 2021-22
budget and heard that
the county anticipates
revenue increases during
their May 4 meeting. The
second reading will be
May 20 at 6:30 p.m. and
the final adoption of the
budget will be May 25 at
5:30 p.m. Both meetings
will be in the main court
room of the courthouse.
County manager Bran
don Rogers told com
missioners the county’s
auditors report that
available funds may be
able to be used to offset
expenditures. During the
first reading, some of the
changes made were com
bining Department 77,
Economic Development,
with Department 13,
Board of Commissioners.
A fire truck was removed
from the budget. One
of the additional ve
hicles was removed from
Public Works. A $6,000
item was removed from
Department 13, Board of
Commissioners, for the
county manager vehicle.
The budget does
include the requested
amounts for the salaries
and a 5% retirement has
been included in the bud
get. Commissioner Tim
Daniel asked if the addi
tional revenue is $200,000.
Rogers replied it may be
more than $200,000, closer
to $400,000 and as soon as
he finds out what the ex
act number will be, he will
let the board know. Rogers
said he is anticipating
some revenue increases.
The number that deter
mines what will impact
the citizens is the gen
eral property taxes. Last
year it was budgeted at
$6,746,359 and this year it
is budgeted at $7,151,682,
not including the offset
mentioned of around
$350,000 to $400,000. Once
the offset is included, it
will almost balance to
what it was budgeted for
last year. Rogers said if
taxes go up any, it should
be the very minimum. He
said if the board wants no
tax increase, the 5% retire
ment would be the easiest
place to take it from, by
reducing it to 4% or what
ever is needed.
See BUDGET page 3A
PHOTO BY RACHEL McDANIEL / PIKE COUNTY JOURNAL REPORTER
The Pike Chamber of Commerce recently honored the STAR students and teachers, including
(l-r) Pike County High School STAR teacher Garth Potter and STAR student Caitlyn Foster and
CrossPointe Christian Academy STAR student Aaron Partin and STAR teacher Becky White.
STAR students, teachers honored
Pike’s STAR students
and teachers were
recently announced, in
cluding Pike County High
School’s Caitlyn Foster
who selected Garth Pot
ter as her STAR teacher
and CrossPointe Chris
tian Academy’s Aaron
Partin who selected
Becky White as his STAR
teacher.
The PAGE Student
Teacher Achievement
Recognition (STAR)
program, is in its 63rd
year and is locally spon
sored by the Pike County
Chamber of Commerce.
The chamber held an
After Hours event in their
honor recently.
To obtain the 2021
STAR nomination, gradu
ating high school seniors
must have the highest
score on a single test
date on the SAT and be in
the top 10 percent or top
10 students of their class
based on grade point
average.
Find out more about
Pike County’s STAR
students and their STAR
teachers on page 2A.
Literary team earns
top spots at state meet
Five Pike County
High School students
recently competed in
the state Literary com
petition and Anna Ed
wards was named state
champion in Humorous
Interpretation. Other
students who competed
included Riley Deel,
Anna Edwards, William
Gray, Will Pitts and
Hayden Pugh.
William Gray placed
second place in Interna
tional Extemporaneous
Speaking.
Will Pitts and Hayden
Pugh placed third in
Dramatic Interpretation
duo.
“These students
worked tirelessly to
prepare for their events.
Even after winning re-
gionals, the five of them
knew that state would
be a whole new level of
competition, and they
continued to research,
rehearse and perfect
their performances and
strategies throughout a
busy spring,” said Lori
Bush.
See LITERARY page 2A
SPECIAL PHOTO
The PCHS Literary Team did well at state, earning top hon
ors and a state championship title. Pictured are (l-r) Riley
Deel, Will Pitts, state champion Anna Edwards, Hayden
Pugh and William Gray.
Williamson family loses home after lightning strikes May 3
A well-known local
family lost their home
on Shady Creek Trail
May 3 after lightning
struck the house. Own
ers Clay and Debbie Wo-
erner both work for the
Pike County school sys
tem, Clay as a teacher
and coach and Debbie
in the finance depart
ment for the board of
education. They lived
at the home with their
sons Cole and Luke.
“This sweet, beauti
ful family that we have
known for years is in
need. They’ve been
there for so many in
our community. Now
is the time for us to
be there for them,”
said Amber Shoemake.
“They are having to
start completely over.
Even though they have
insurance, that can take
time. They are in imme
diate need now. They
are so humble and kind
that they would never
ask for help themselves.
If you know the Woern-
ers, then you know
what huge hearts they
have.”
Jason Brisendine is
encouraging members
of the community to
support the family.
“Prayers for the
Woerners who lost
everything in a house
fire. They are amazingly
beautiful people. I’m so
glad no one was hurt,”
he said. “They love the
Lord and we know God
is in control. Just please
lift them in prayer right
now because every
thing of their sons’ was
in the house too.”
According to the Pike
County Sheriff’s Of
fice, a Southern Rivers
employee saw light
ning strike the house
when responding to a
power outage call in
the area. He called 911
after he saw smoke was
coming from the roof of
the home.
The Pike County Fire
Department responded
to the scene and the
Spalding County Fire
Department responded
with mutual aid but
the location hindered
water supply and there
are no hydrants in the
vicinity. The home was
a total loss but no one
was hurt.
“The out pouring
of support during
and after the fire has
been very humbling
and so representative
of 2nd Philippians,”
said Debbie Woerner.
“So many of you have
put our family above
yourself. You have been
so gracious and we are
truly humbled by your
grace.”
SPECIAL PHOTOS
The Woerner family (above) lost their home to fire (below) after it was struck by lightning May 3.
They have expressed appreciation for the community’s support during this time.
