Newspaper Page Text
ONE DOLLAR
Lady Pirates softball heads to
the next level of state playoffs.
See page 6B
Trick or Treat
on square
Oct. 31
Take your ghosts,
goblins and other
characters Trick
or Treating on the
Square beginning at
6 p.m. on Halloween,
Monday Oct. 31.
Nominate
Veteran of
Year by Nov. 1
American Legion
Post 197 is accepting
applications for its
annual Veteran of the
Year award.
A detailed
essay
explaining
why the
nomina
tion is
deserv-
ing of
the
award
should be
sub
mit
ted to
Todd
Child.
Nominations can be
mailed to him at 11
Leighs Point, Zebulon,
GA 30295 or e-mailed
to tsc933@gmail.com.
Nominations
are judged by sev
eral retired military
personnel outside
the county to insure
a non-biased result.
Nominations should
include the name and
contact information
of the person nomi
nating the candidate.
Nominations should
also include a detailed
account of what the
nominee did during
their time of service
as well as what they
have done since their
discharge from the ser
vice. The deadline for
submissions is Nov. 1.
County, schools to increase taxes
Pike commissioners
discussed rolling back
the county’s millage rate
from 11.98 to 9.6 at the
Wednesday, Oct. 11 meet
ing. The millage rate will
be officially set at 1 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 9 in the
board of commissioners’
conference room. Ac
cording to the five-year
tax digest and history ad
on page 2A, the net tax
increase for 2023 was
11.92%, compared to
11.72% in 2022, 2.17% in
2021 and 6.27% in 2020.
See more details on the
ad on page 2A, includ
ing countywide real and
personal property taxes,
the gross digest, the net
M&O millage rate and the
total M&O taxes levied
for the past five years.
The Pike County board
of education will hold
public hearings on a tax
increase Nov. 1 at 11:30
a.m. and 6 p.m. as well
as Nov. 9 at 10 a.m. The
meetings will be held at
the Ninth Grade Acad
emy and a meeting to
vote on the tax increase
will be held at 10:15 a.m.
The tax digest and tax
levy history ad on page
2B shows that this year’s
net tax percent increase
will be 21.24% compared
to 5.5% in 2022, 2.3% in
2021, 13.2% in 2020 and
1.1% in 2019.
“This tentative in
crease will result in a
millage rate of 14.00
mills, a decrease of 1.74
mills. Without this tenta
tive tax increase, the mill-
age rate will be no more
than 12.559 mills. The
proposed tax increase for
a home with a fair market
value of $150,000 is ap
proximately $86 and the
proposed tax increase for
non-homestead property
with a fair market value
of $200,000 is approxi
mately $115,” says the
notice of property tax
increase ad on page 2B.
See TAXES page 3A
PHOTOS BY CHAD MOORE / BURSTMODE.SMUGMUG.COM
This year’s Freedom Rodeo will be Friday and Saturday, Oct. 27-28 at the Chestnut Oak Arena.
Don't miss the excitement this weekend
Above, a cowgirl skillfully aims her lasso
during last year’s Freedom Rodeo. At left,, a
bucking bronco flies into the sky with a rider
aboard at the Chestnut Oak arena.
This year’s Freedom rodeo will be held
this weekend on Friday and Saturday,
Oct. 27-28. Gates open at 6 p.m. and the
rodeo starts at 7:30 p.m. Several vendors
will be on site as well. Tickets are $20 and
children under 10 get in free.
40 citizens vote so
far in local elections
Early voting for local
elections will continue
Monday through Friday
from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at
the Pike County Elec
tions office at 81 Jack-
son Street in Zebulon
until Nov. 3. Saturday
voting will be available
from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Oct. 28.
At of the end of
Saturday voting on Oct.
21, 40 citizens had cast
their ballots.
“This puts us at a 2%
turnout for the Wil
liamson and Zebulon
elections with about an
equal number of voters
between the two cities,”
said Pike elections su
pervisor David Neyhart.
There are several
contested seats for
Pike’s municipal council
races this Nov. 7, includ
ing three in Williamson
and one in Zebulon.
In Williamson, long
time mayor Steve Fry
is being challenged by
newcomer Andy Wat
son. Incumbent Stephen
Levin faces challenger
Scott Rohde for the
Council Post 1 seat.
Incumbent Steve
Davis will face previous
council member Bunny
Scoggins for Council
Post 5. Carol Berry is
unopposed for Council
Post 4.
Dewey Yarbrough
(incumbent) will face off
against challenger Jeff
Sawyer for the District
2, Council Post 3 seat in
Zebulon. Joe Walter (in
cumbent) was the only
one to qualify as mayor
and incumbent Claude
Hollis was the only can
didate for the District 1,
Council Post 3 seat.
In Concord, none
of the three seats
were contested. Josh
Caldwell qualified for
Council Seat Post #3,
Subrenna Weathers
qualified for Council
Seat Post #4 and Ric
Calhoun qualified for
Council Seat Post #5.
In Molena, incumbent
mayor Joyce Corley is
unopposed, so the cities
of Concord and Molena
will not hold council
elections this year.
Local heroes honored by American Legion
The fourth annual Pike
County First Responder
of the Year Awards Cere
mony was hosted Oct. 11
by American Legion Post
197 with local heroes be
ing honored.
“As we all know, first
responders are essential
for the enforcement of
our laws, security and
protection of our citizens
and property, for the
safety of our public and
for the quick lifesav
ing actions required to
get citizens to medical
facilities,” said Ameri
can Legion Post 197’s
Bryan Richardson. “This
ceremony is dedicated
to recognizing stellar
performances as law
enforcement officers,
firefighters, and emer
gency medical service
members either as a Pike
resident or whose duty
assignment is within Pike
County. We also take this
occasion to thank all our
first responders whose
service is generally taken
for granted.”
LAW ENFORCEMENT
OFFICER OF THE YEAR
William “Bill” Walker
was announced as the
Law Enforcement Officer
of the Year. Deputy Walk
er has been a resident of
Pike since 2009. In 1983,
he graduated from Logan-
ville High School as the
Salutatorian. Bill comes
from a long line of law en
forcement. His father and
grandfather were career
correctional officers and
Bill is a direct descen
dant of the 1849 to 1853
sheriff of Pike County,
Joseph R. Culpepper.
Bill served in the U.S.
Air Force for 23 years and
in 2003, he was selected
as the United States Air
Force Air Mobility Com
mand, Maintenance
Professional of the Year.
In 2009, Bill moved back
to Georgia, and worked
in the landscaping busi
ness. In October 2012, he
started his law enforce
ment career and was
hired by the Pike County
Sheriff’s Office. Prior
to his employment, Bill
already had experience
as an emergency medical
technician, firefighter and
corrections officer. Deputy
Walker works in the PCSO
Civil Division with duties
including serving civil
documents and warrants;
providing courthouse se
curity for the Magistrate,
Superior and Probate
Courts; transporting in
mates, supervising jailers;
and verifying sex offender
addresses. Deputy Walker
sets up and mans the
Sheriff’s Office booth at
community events, pro
viding security or traffic
control at various local
and outside the county
events, and supporting
Post 197 in community
ceremonies.
“Deputy Walker will as
sist in any way possible
and never complains,
and performs above and
beyond his duties,” said
sheriff Jimmy Thomas.
See HEROES page 3A
PHOTO BY STEVE GOLIAS
The Law Enforcement Officer of the Year honor was present
ed to Deputy Bill Walker. Pictured are (l-r) Deputy Bill Walker
and Pike County Sheriff Jimmy Thomas.
