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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.