Newspaper Page Text
congratulation:
CLASS OF 2023!
Pike graduates were honored at the primary,
elementary and middle school before graduation.
See page 2A
PIKE COUNTY
L REPORTER
www.pikecountygeorgia.com
No peaches
in Pike due to
March frost
Pike County’s peach
crop did not survive
the frost and frigid
temperatures that
hit the area in mid to
late March. According
to the UGA weather
station in William
son, the temperature
dropped to 30 degrees
March 14, 25 degrees
on March 15 and 31
degrees March 16.
The temperature was
recorded at 24 degrees
on March 20 and 27
degrees on March 21.
According to the
biggest local peach
producer,
V Gregg
Farms,
their or
chard is
basically
a total
loss and
the farm will not open
this summer.
“There are hardly
any peaches in the
whole orchard. The
ones that are there
are frost damaged.
The plums and other
produce were killed
by the frost as well,”
said a social media
post. “With that being
said, we will not be
open this summer. We
appreciate everyone’s
support and we hope
that next summer we
can be open again!”
A field of sunflowers
has been planted at
the farm and details on
how to enjoy that will
be released soon.
Other farms, includ
ing Cochran Farms
in Meansville experi
enced loss due to the
severe cold as well.
Glenn Cochran said
several of the vines in
his 3-acre muscadine
vineyard died because
of the cold. He said the
surviving vines look
like they should have
fruit this fall, however.
Assessments: This is not a bill'
During the May 23
commission meeting
to approve the second
reading of the county’s
proposed budget, county
manager Brandon Rogers
noted that assessment
notices will be delivered
to citizens this week.
“Assessment notices
will be very misleading
this year and a lot of
people are going to be
very upset when they see
them. But keep in mind,
this is not a bill and there
have been changes in the
standard rate of assessed
value. It’s increased
from $60 per square foot
to $91 per square foot
which is more represen
tative of the value of your
home,” he said. “When
you get your notice,
remember, this is not a
bill. If the assessed value
of your home is what you
could expect to sell it for
in the current market,
that is what is important
to note.”
Rogers stated that
the notice will include
tax estimates based on
last year’s millage rate of
11.9 but he expects the
millage rate to drop to
around 9 so that estimate
will be decreased by the
time bills are mailed.
“This does not mean
that there will not be
increases on your tax bill
but the board is going to
roll back the millage rate
to eliminate as much of
that as possible,” he said,
noting that they would
rollback the rate beyond
the minimum required by
the state.
Commissioner Tim
Guy was absent from
the meeting but other
commissioners voted
unanimously to approve
the second reading of the
2023-24 budget.
County manager Rog
ers noted that there were
still several items that
negatively impacted the
budget, including a 2 %
Cost-of-Living Adjust
ment (COLA) increase
for employees’ social
security.
He also noted that the
insurance company got
back with them on insur
ances costs and there
will be a 39% increase.
“With this insurance
group, we are getting
penalized for other coun
ties in our group,” Rogers
said. “We only have 4 or
5 claims a year and they
are very small except
for one big claim in 2017
that’s the only big hit on
our claims. The company
is taking a big loss from
bigger counties in the
group and we are having
to pay more.
He said he will look
into other insurance op
tions for employees and
the county has until July
to make that decision.
“We are doing our due
diligence to keep this
budget as tight as pos
sible,” he said.
SPECIAL PHOTO
Pike County resident Steve McDaniel (left) and the rest of the officiating crew for the AAAA state championship game (l-r) Van
Lewsader, Gilbert Mayfield Randall Flowers stand at home plate at Cool Ray Field in Gwinnett County.
Pike's Steve McDaniel officiates championship
BY RACHEL MCDANIEL
news@pikecountygeorgia.com
An umpire from Pike
County was part of the
officiating crew at Cool
Ray Field for the AAAA
state championship
series featuring LaGrange
and North Oconee. Steve
McDaniel of M&M Of
fice Supply in Pike was
selected to be on the
crew after nearly 40 years
of umpiring. He started
making calls behind the
plate and the field when
his sons Adam McDaniel
and Travis McDaniel were
small and played at the
Pike recreation fields. His
daughter Tammy Hatch
ett also played in Pike.
“1 started umpiring
when my boys started
playing baseball, which
was around 1984-85.
That was back when we
would actually volunteer
to umpire. We’d coach a
game and then we would
go umpire a game for an
other coach and then they
would return the favor,”
said McDaniel. “1 coached
and umpired for many
years and have enjoyed it.
It’s something you have
to love doing. You don’t
get rich doing it. 1 just love
ball. 1 keep telling my wife
I’m going to grow up one
day but until then, I’m go
ing to keep it up.”
When the Pike County
Umpires Association was
started he and other lo
cals umpired Pike County
High School games and
other area schools in La
mar County. He umpired
with the Diamond Group
for around 30 years and
has been with the Central
Georgia Officials Associa
tion for a few years.
A few years ago, he
volunteered again to get
behind the plate and
this time it was to help a
family support a young
mother going through a
battle with brain cancer.
“1 just reached out to
guys who I umpired with
back when we started
like Joe Parks and Bobby
Harrison.”
He has umpired many
semi-final and playoff
games but this was his
first state championship.
“North Oconee won
the championship in three
games. It was a great expe
rience,” he said.
Even though it was his
first state championship,
he was well prepared as
he and other umpires
are required to complete
training camps and
playoff camps each year
where they are evaluated
and considered for post
season umpiring jobs.
See CHAMPIONSHIP page 3A
No tax
increase
expected
from Pike
schools
The Pike County
school board discussed
the 2024 proposed
budget at May 24 and
May 30 public hearings
and will consider the
$38 million budget for
final adoption at 6 p.m.
Tuesday, June 6 at the
Pike County School
Memorial Annex at
7454 Highway 19 south
in Zebulon.
The state will fund
$25.3 million of the
budget and $12.5
million comes from
local sources, includ
ing $10.6 million in
M&O tax revenues,
$1.5 million in Title
Ad Valorem tax and
$400,000 in additional
taxes. Fund reserves
will provide $351,909
for the balance.
The proposed
budget calls for $25
million for instruction,
$2.3 million for pupil
services, $851,000 for
general administra
tion, $2.3 million for
school administration,
$2.4 million for main
tenance and operation
and $2.3 million for
student transportation.
“A tax rate increase
is not anticipated,”
said school finance
director Debbie Wo-
erner.
See TAX INCREASE page 3A
Sign up now for the Summer Reading Program
L . N/i
PHOTO BY RACHEL McDANIEL / PIKE COUNTY JOURNAL REPORTER
Robin Pressley of Animal Adventures of Georgia shows a
summer reading club member a green iguana and gives her a
chance to touch his side during a previous year’s program.
Online registration
for this year’s summer
reading program at the
J. Joel Edwards Public
Library is now open at
frrls.beanstack.com.
Children can track their
reading hours by logging
in to frrls.beanstack.com
as they strive to earn
badges and prizes.
Following the national
theme, “All Together
Now,” the library offers
programs to accommo
date all ages, from tod
dlers to adults through
out June and July.
On Saturday, June 3,
at 1 p.m., special guest
Dave Holland of Beatin’
Path Rhythm will kick
off the summer pro
gramming with a show
that will appeal to the
whole family. A dynamic
performer, interactive
rhythm facilitator, and
author, Holland will also
be signing his new book,
The Llama Who Rocks
in Her Polka Dot Socks,
at the conclusion of his
program.
Mondays are dedicat
ed to teens, as they par
ticipate in some creative
food fusion, puzzle pan
demonium, and much,
munch more. Special
guest, comedy magician
Arthur Atsma will pro
vide a special program
for teens on Thursday,
June 22, including one-
on-one instruction in his
magical arts.
Preschool children
ages 3-5 are invited to
join Ms. Rieka each
Tuesday at 11 a.m. for
friendship themed sto
ries, songs and crafts,
while toddlers ages 24-26
months can enjoy story
time at 11 a.m. every
Thursday.
Make and take crafts
will be offered to chil
dren ages 6 and up at the
library every Wednesday
from 1 to 4 p.m.
Programs for children
ages 6-12 will be held at
the library each Thurs
day at 1 p.m. and will
feature ventriloquists,
magicians, jugglers
and even hula dancers!
Because record numbers
are expected each week
and space is limited, the
children will be given
priority admittance to
in Zebulon
these programs. Parents
and younger siblings
will discover a plethora
of activities in the main
area of the library.
Adult/family programs
will be presented on
Thursdays at 5:30 p.m.
Some of the highlights
include a series of author
presentations and book
signings, appropriately
dubbed Books ‘n Bites.
All programs and
events are free and open
to the public.
For more information
and a full calendar of all
events, follow the J. Joel
Edwards Public Library
on Facebook or visit the
library during regular
business hours Monday,
Wednesday and Friday
from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
Tuesday and Thursday
from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
and Saturday from 10
a.m. to 3 p.m.
