Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

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.