Newspaper Page Text
PACK THE JACK
Pack the Jack as the Pirates host the
third round of state playoffs Saturday.
See page 7 A
CHAMPIONS!
The Pike boys track team earned
the region championship title.
See page 7A
PIKE COUNTY
ONE DOLLAR
www.pikecountygeorgia.com
WEDNESDAY, MAY 3, 2023
PIKE'S PEEK
State surplus
means refund
Pike County resi
dents and citizens
across the state have
started receiving Geor
gia surplus tax refund
payments.
Most payments
should be issued by
July 1.
Georgia workers
who paid state income
tax in 2021 and 2022
are eligible.
The refund will
be $500 for married
couples filing jointly,
$375 for single filers
with dependents and
$250 for single filers.
Journal Reporter
office to dose
on Wednesdays
Effective May 3, the
Pike County Journal
Reporter will no longer
be open on Wednes
days. New office hours
are Monday, Tuesday,
Thursday and Friday 9
a.m. - 5 p.m.
Call 770-567-3446
and leave a message
for the next business
day or in case of emer
gency email news@
pikecountygeorgia.
com.
WE’LL NOW BE
CLOSED
WEDNESDAYS
Don't miss monkey racing, music May 5
Event to raise funds for college scholarship for Pike students
The Banana Derby and
Bluegrass Concert by
Jason Hoard and Friends
will be a night of wild
family fun Friday, May 5
with gates opening at 5
p.m.
In addition to live mu
sic, trained monkeys will
ride dogs as tiny jockeys.
The event will be held at
Chestnut Oak Arena at
corner of Sandefur Road
and Highway 19 south in
Meansville.
Tickets are $5 per per
son and a portion of the
proceeds will go towards
establishing a scholar
ship fund for seniors in
Pike County.
The event is hosted by
the Pike County Chamber
of Commerce with pre
senting sponsors First
Bank of Pike and Pike
Pools.
“We are hosting two
Banana Derby races
for the community to
attend,” said Chamber
executive Meredith Mad
dox. “There will be food
trucks and jumpy houses!
You don’t want to miss
this!”
SPECIAL PHOTO
Two Banana Derby races and
a Bluegrass Concert by Jason
Hoard and Friends will be
held Friday, May 5 at Chest
nut Oak Arena. Gates will
open at 5 p.m. and proceeds
will go to establish a local
college scholarship.
PHOTOS BY RACHEL McDANIEL / PIKE COUNTY JOURNAL REPORTER
Members of the late Buddy Brown’s family were part of the ribbon cutting event where Buddy’s
Trail was officially opened in his memory. The trail includes an outdoor classroom, Buddy’s tree, a
hammock chair swing, painted rocks and fairy houses decorated by students. The trail connects
to Jacob’s Way which connects all the schools with three miles of walking paths.
Beloved PCES coach, Brandon Buddy’
Brown celectrated at trail opening
BY RACHEL McDANIEL
news@pikecountygeorgia.com
“It’s all good,” was
his motto as coach at
Pike County Elementary
School and Buddy’s Trail
will mean a lot of good
outdoor time for stu
dents and members of
the public.
“The community has
come together to create
this and God has had his
hand on this since the
start as things have just
fallen into place with so
many people helping in
different ways,” said PCES
teacher Ashley Wright.
She noted that Double
P Grading helped create
the walkway and made
sure not to disturb any
wildlife. Dr. Bethany Har
ris created a list of native
plants for the trail’s but
terfly garden and South
ern Crescent students
helped plant them along
with PCES students.
See BUDDY’S TRAILpage 2A
A large crowd gathered for the grand opening and ribbon cutting
at Pike County Elementary School’s new Buddy’s Trail. Among
those in attendance were family of the late coach Brandon
‘Buddy’ Brown as well as students and others from the commu
nity who helped create the trail in his memory.
The family of Buddy Brown were the first to walk the trail built in
his memory after the April 22 ribbon cutting and grand opening.
See XX Bulls
this weekend
XX Bulls and
Frank’s Filling Sta
tion will present the
Battle at Shadow
Rock Bullriding event
May 5-6.
The gates open at
6 p.m.and the show
starts at 8 p.m. at
Shadow Rock Arena
at 4690 Concord
Road in Concord
with pony rides, food
concessions, face
painting and more.
An invitational cattle
sorting show will
also be held at 11
a.m. May 6.
“Bring the whole
family out for a fun
and exhilarating
time,” said Wayne
White of XX Bulls.
“We can’t wait to see
everyone. It’s going
to be a great show.
Don’t miss out!”
See XX BULLS page 7A
SPECIAL PHOTO
Bullriding and a cattle sorting
show will be held at Shadow
Rock Arena this Friday,
May 5 and Saturday, May 6.
The events are hosted by
Shadow Rock and XX Bulls,
a local family owned busi
ness that trains the future
generation of bull riders.
Foot stompin’ fun at
May 6 square dance
Concord Baptist
Church is hosting a
square dance May 6
with “family, food and
foot stompin’ fellow
ship.”
The event is free for
all and starts at 5:30
p.m. with a dinner of
hamburgers and hot
dogs and square danc
ing starts at 6:30 p.m.
The event will be
held at the R.F. Strick
land Building at 144
Main Street in Concord
and will include a cake
walk and live music.
Support deployed service
members with care packages
In honor of Military
Appreciation Month in
May and Armed Forces
Appreciation Day on
May 20, local citizens are
hoping to send special
care packages to those
deployed overseas. Mary
Cooper and her husband
Wren Cooper are collect
ing supplies and funds
for postage so service
members like their son
Cameron Cooper - who is
currently deployed over
seas - will get a package
during Military Apprecia
tion Month.
Suggested items
include coffee kpods,
zip lock bags, carmex,
hard or chewy candy (no
chocolate), nuts, beef
jerky (no pork), Gatorade
packets, liquid IV pack
ets, trail mix, sunscreen,
dude wipes, double A
batteries, toiletries and
snacks.
Drop off items at
Double P Grading at 3060
Highway 362 in Wil
liamson. Checks can be
mailed to 283 Oak Ridge
Lane in Williamson or
funds sent via CashApp
at $dragonflyl524 or via
Venmo at @marycoo-
per7173. Packages will be
prepared for mailing on
Sunday, May 7.
SPECIAL PHOTO
Airman First Class Cameron
A. Cooper performs a post
flight inspection of a C-17
aircrew member’s helmet.
He is assigned to the 437th
Operation Support Squadron
and is currently deployed
overseas.
