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EARLY DEADLINE
Due to the Memorial Day holiday,
the deadline for all classified and
legal ads for the next edition is
at noon on Thursday, May 27.
NEVER FORGET
The Journal Reporter staff wishes
you a Happy Memorial day to reflect
on the sacrifices of all those who lost
their lives preserving our nation.
PIKE COUNTY
jwjRNAL REPORTER
ONE DOLLAR
www.pikecountygeorgia.com
WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021
if
PIKE'S PEEK
Memorial
Day parade,
program is
May 31
On Monday, May 31,
the Post 197 American
Legion Family will
host the Memorial Day
Observance Parade
and Program at the
courthouse square in
Zebulon. The public
is invited to attend
these special events.
The parade will start
at 10 a.m., followed by
the program. In case of
inclement weather, the
program will be in the
main courtroom. To be
in the parade, contact
Steven Yerkes at 770-
584-3909.
PCHS grads
cross stage at
AMS May 30
The Class of 2021
at Pike County High
School includes 276
students, including
three sets of twins
- Alexis and Alanis
Strickland, Micah and
Miriam Martin and
Cameron and Logan
Wood. The class lost
one member - Jamori
Williams - through a
gun-related accident.
“Our school and
community have suf
fered so many trag
edies this year, and
our students, faculty
and staff were dev
astated. This school
and community loved
and supported one
another through the
hurt, the pain, and
the unknown,” said
PCHS principal Kevin
Huffstetler. “We all feel
blessed to live in such
a special place, where
everyone is a family.
Graduation 2021 will
be a special event!”
Woman stabbed,
According to the Pike
County Sheriff’s Office,
deputies responded
to a call from a citizen
Friday morning at a
house under construc
tion on Tanyard Road.
The complainant had
observed an unknown
person inside the house
on his surveillance
system. Lydell Holmes
was located in the attic
with a female who was
injured.
Holmes also lit a
blanket on fire, for an
unknown reason, while
inside the home. After
Holmes was taken into
custody the extent of
the female victim’s
injuries became more
apparent and emergen
cy medical personnel
responded to the scene.
Several stab wounds
were treated by EMS
personnel and the
victim was air lifted to
Atlanta Medical Center.
The victim also made
rescued
statements to depu
ties that Holmes had
forced her to leave her
own residence with him
while at knifepoint.
Holmes and the vic
tim are familiar with one
another due to an on
going relationship be
tween the two of them.
Investigators are still
working on this case
and criminal charges
maybe updated due to
the findings. Holmes is
currently charged with
aggravated assault,
burglary, possession
of a knife during com
mission of a crime and
arson.
CrossPointe Christian Academy valedictorian
Katie Blackwell
CrossPointe Christian Academy salutatorian
Natalie White
Pike County High School
valedictorian and salutatorian
Caitlyn Foster and Davis Huber
Class of2021 's top students honored
CrossPointe Christian Academy
recently announced the Class of
2021 valedictorian and salutatorian.
CCA VALEDICTORIAN
Katie Blackwell is the CCA vale
dictorian for the Class of 2021 and
she has been a student at the school
for seven years during which she
has been a member of Beta Club, Na
tional Honor Society, literary team,
quiz bowl team, drama and student
council. She has also been a student
athlete who competed in archery,
soccer, track and cross country.
“During my high school years, I’ve
enjoyed pursuing goals and seeing
them happen successfully,” she said.
She plans to attend Mercer Uni
versity and pursue a career in biome
chanics engineering. She is the daugh
ter of Karen and Charles Blackwell.
CCA SALUTATORIAN
Natalie White is the CCA salutatori
an for the Class of 2021. She has been
active in the National Honors Society,
served as Beta Club secretary and
in one act play for drama as well as
being on the student council. She also
was on the varsity girls soccer team.
“During my time at CCA, I’ve
enjoyed spending time with friends
and growing relationships where 1
least expected,” she said.
She plans to attend Baylor Univer
sity and major in economics as she
pursues a career as an attorney.
She is the daughter of Dan and Su
san White and the sister of Bethany
White and Joshua White.
The CCA Class of 2021 includes
Katie Blackwell, Natalie White and Vic
toria Roberson, all graduating Summa
Cum Laude, Aaron Partin graduating
Magna Cum Laude, Cade Steele gradu
ating Cum Laude, Kurt Holtzclaw grad
uating with honors, Jacob Coursey,
Enoch Davis and David Kitchens.
The Pike County High School Class
of 2021 valedictorian and salutatorian
will speak during the commencement
exercises set for Sunday, May 30 at
the Atlanta Motor Speedway.
PCHS VALEDICTORIAN
Caitlyn Foster is the PCHS valedic
torian for the Class of 2021 and she
has been active in both academic
and athletic teams and clubs during
her high school years. She was on
the cheerleading team for four years,
the swim team for three and she also
pole vaulted one year for the track
and field team. She was the FFA presi
dent for the past two years and was
also the founder and vice president
of the PCHS Debate Club. She served
as the spirit chair for the National
Honors Society and was a member of
the Science National Honors Society.
“The most important thing that 1
had to remember throughout high
school is to grow my relationships
with my friends, family and God,” she
said. “My biggest accomplishment
thus far is being recognized as an
UCA All-American Cheerleader.”
She will attend the University of
Georgia this fall and plans to attend
law school and have her own law
firm one day. She is the daughter of
Christy Foster and Bart Foster.
PCHS SALUTATORIAN
Davis Huber is the PCHS salutato
rian for the Class of 2021 and he was
active on the school’s tennis team,
with theater productions and the
Academic Team. He helped the tennis
team win the region championship
in 2019 and advance to round two of
playoffs. He was undefeated in 2020
at 8-0 before the pandemic stopped
play after the PCHS team earned the
win in the Old Wooden Racket match
against Lamar County.
See TOP STUDENTS page 3A
SPECIAL PHOTO
Pictured are Tayla Moreland, Taylor Hampton, Zy Thompson,
Yasmin Davis, and Jada Colbert. The PCHS girls track team
earned fourth place in the state with two state champions.
Track champions
The Pike County
High School girls track
and field team had two
students named state
champions for the first
time since 1982. The girls
team also earned fourth
place overall at the re
cent state meet.
See more about the
PCHS track and field
teams on page 2A.
SPECIAL PHOTO
American Legion Post 197 will have poppies at Ruth’s Restaurant,
McLeRoy Plaza and Freshway on May 28, National Poppy Day.
Post 197 honors National
Poppy Day on May 28
Honor fallen warriors
and contribute to the
continuing needs of local
veterans on National
Poppy Day, May 28 from
6:30 to 8 a.m. at Ruth’s
Restaurant, 11 a.m. to 1
p.m. at McLeRoy Plaza
and 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at
Freshway Market when
members of American Le
gion Auxiliary (ALA) Pike
County Unit 197 distrib
ute bright red poppies in
exchange for a donation.
“Wearing the poppy on
National Poppy Day and
throughout Memorial
Day weekend is one small
way to honor and remem
ber our fallen warriors
who willingly served
our nation and made the
ultimate sacrifice for our
freedom,” said ALA Pike
County Unit 197 Presi
dent Peggi Payton. “We
must never forget.”
See POPPY DAY page 3A
PHOTO BY RACHEL McDANIEL / PIKE COUNTY JOURNAL REPORTER
Chris and Laura Shadrick spearheaded efforts to provide a
Little Free Library outside Georgia Military College in Zebulon.
City of Zebulon gets
Little Free Library
The city of Zebulon has
a new Little Free Library
just outside of the Georgia
Military College Zebulon
campus at the side of the
park. This library is part
of the Pike Family Con
nection Collaborative’s
Pike Literacy Project that
began October 2020 in
partnership with the Pike
County School District.
The goal is to promote
and enhance Literacy in
Pike County. Anyone inter
ested in getting involved
in the literacy project may
contact the Pike Family
Connection Collaborative
by emailing michael@
connectup.info.
This Little Free Library
is a true community ef
fort and was spearhead
ed by the Shadrick family.
Laura Shadrick is a mem
ber of the Pike Family
Connection Collabora
tive board of directors, a
member of the Pike Lit
eracy Project Team, the
director of the Georgia
Military College Zebulon
campus and lifelong Pike
County community mem
ber. After discussing the
literacy project with her
husband, Chris, and son,
Austin, the family wanted
to give back to their com
munity, and plans for the
library began.
See LIBRARY page 3A