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Our Second Century Serving the People of Monticello and Jasper County
VOLUME 149—NUMBER 3 MONTICELLO, GEORGIA 31064, THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 2024
Official Organ
City of Monticello
And Jasper County
PRICE—$1
DRUGS, DRONES. TORACCO ARE SEIZED
Deputies Seize Contraband
On January 15, the Jas
per County Crime Sup
pression Unit conducted a
traffic stop on a 2013 Kia
Optima on Hwy. 212 east.
Upon further investiga
tion, two unmanned aerial
vehicles (drones) were
located in the trunk. They
were outfitted with quick
release payload attach
ments that are consistent
with those used by per
sons who distribute nar
cotics and contraband into
detention facilities and
prisons.
During the investiga
tion two large bundles
were found that were
rigged with rope and ring
attachments for the quick
release system. Inside
of the bundles was ap
proximately three pounds
of suspected marijuana,
a trafficking amount of
suspected ecstasy and 15
packages of tobacco with
lighters and rolling pa
pers.
These items are con
sistent with contraband
commonly found in drops
made at detention facili
ties. Both UAV’s had tape
over the lights as well as
the infrared cameras in
attempt to be undetected
by detention facilities de
tection devices and per
sonnel, which constitutes
a violation of federal
aviation laws. Both of the
drones are capable of car
rying a payload of over 10
pounds.
James Alonza Pleas of
Bibb County and Zacari-
ous Minstrel Sanders of
Thomas County were ar
rested and charged for
the following: traffick
ing schedule 1 controlled
substances, possession of
marijuana with intent to
distribute and use of un
manned aircraft to accom
plish violations.
Meanwhile, as reported
last week, January 10-12,
Jasper, Jones and Putnam
County Sheriff’s Offices
participated in a joint op
eration executing search
warrants at approximate
ly 32 stores in the three
counties. This investiga
tion was a joint undercov
er investigation of shared
personnel and resources
between the sheriffs to
conduct a large-scale op
eration over the last six
months.
It began with the THC
vapes and grew to include
commercial gambling as
the deputies observed il
legal payouts during the
course of the investiga
tion. All of the counties
are still engaged in an ac
tive investigation of these
businesses. They are still
searching for wanted per
sons who were involved
in these cases, and are
securing financial infor
mation begin to the asset
forfeiture process with the
District Attorney’s Office.
This investigation was
initiated approximately
one year ago in Jasper
County in response to an
alarming number of young
Continued on Page 5
THE NEWS ON VACATION
Stan and Nancy Pat
terson, Patricia Rogers,
Marsha Rabitsch, and
Sarah and Robert Mc-
Michael (left to right),
recently took a 10-day
cruise through Turkey
and Greece. They vis
ited Istanbul, Kusada-
si, Bodrum, Mykonos,
Rhodes and Santorini.
The highlight of their
trip was a private dinner
for Windstar passengers
at Ephesus where Mrs.
Patterson celebrated a
“big” birthday! Are you
going on vacation? If so,
take a copy of The News
with you, snap a photo,
and submit to editor@
themonticellonews.com
to be featured in a future
newspaper. Include lots
of info about the trip or
just a little. The News
loves this feature, and
so do our readers. And
it doesn’t matter how
exciting your trip is...all
vacations are great!
County Discusses Many Topics
By KATHY MUDD
The Jasper County
Commissioners met for a
called meeting last Friday
morning, and there was a
full house for the meet
ing that fell just four days
after the regular meeting.
The called meeting was
originally called to dis
cuss what the county fi
nances in the way of non
profits and others who the
county is not obligated to
fund, but chooses to fund.
The agenda filled up to
cover many other items as
well.
Chairman Bruce Henry
began the meeting by re
viewing some rules of
decorum. He said going
forward inappropriate be
havior by commissioners
or members of the public
will not be tolerated. He
said anyone who does not
behave appropriately will
be asked to leave. He spent
considerable time remind
ing those present that the
meetings are documented
and that everyone should
be civil at all times.
Several citizens signed
up to speak, including:
Mary Patrick, who
spoke on the need for code
enforcement and com
mented on green space
which a discussion was
scheduled on the agenda.
Gail Harrell told com
missioners that there is an
opening on the 911 board,
and asked that it be filled
as soon as possible.
David Thompson who
spoke on greenspace.
Cathy Benton who
spoke on greenspace.
Stephanie Puckett
spoke about the need to
advertise properties for
sale and allow Jasperites
the opportunity to bid on
the property. She said the
Development Authority
of Jasper County keeps
making land deals behind
closed doors, and that is
wrong.
Jim Belcher encouraged
the commissioners to sign
the resolution asking the
state for better mental
health resources.
Bill Nash who also
spoke on greenspace.
However, unlike the other
speakers, he is totally in
favor of it, and told how it
protects the properties and
helps maintain the rural
nature of the county.
David McGuire who
mainly had words of en
couragement for the com
missioners and told them
to respect one another,
and remember your oath.
Then the commission
ers heard from Targie
Folds with Family Con
nection about the county
being the fiscal agent for
a grant they are seeking.
She said they will do a
community needs assess
ment to best determine
how to spend the $15,000
grant. She said they are
talking about creating a
resource center for fami
lies, but they first have to
determine the needs.
District 4 Commission
er Asher Gray questioned
Ms. Folds, asking about
the statistics on child
abuse, saying it’s been
four years since Covid,
and asking if the numbers
are still high. She con-
Continued on Page 5
Tim Womack Seeks Council Seat
Robert Timothy “Tim”
Womack has qualified
to be a candidate for the
Monticello City Council
in District II. The elec
tion will be held on March
12. This election is to fill
the term of the late David
Wease.
Born at Jasper Memo
rial Hospital, Mr. Wom
ack has been a life long
resident of Monticello.
Tim is a graduate of Jas
per County Comprehen
sive High School’s Class
of 1980. Following high
school graduation, Tim
attended Griffin Techni
cal College and graduated
with advanced training in
metal work and as an au
tomobile Paint and Body
Technician.
Mr. Womack retired
from Ga. Pacific Corpo
ration in 2022 after close
to 40 years. During the
nearly four decades with
Georgia Pacific, Tim
served as Maintenance
Manager, Boiler Man
ager, and retiring as the
Regional Boiler Manager.
Throughout Tim’s career
with GP, he became fa-
TIM WOMACK
miliar with local, state
and federal government
agencies, including EPA,
EPD, and OSHA, as well
as managing multi-facility
budgets during challeng
ing economic recessions
and global pandemics.
Tim has owned and op
erated multiple small busi
nesses in Monticello over
the past 40 years—with
the last 10 years of busi
nesses operation as T&S
Handyman Services. Fol
lowing retirement from
Georgia Pacific, Tim ac
cepted employment with
the Jasper County School
System’s Transportation
Department.
“Governing with Com
mon Sense” is the main
goal that Tim has for our
great community. That
starts with talking to the
people within District II,
hearing their concerns,
and bringing their input
to the proverbial “table.”
Tim hopes to work with
other city leaders to make
sure that the interests of
the great people of Monti
cello have their needs ad
dressed using a common
sense approach.
Tim is married to his
wife, Stephanie Wom
ack, also a small busi
ness owner in Monticello.
They have five daughters,
one son, and 11 grand
children. Anyone wish
ing to can contact Tim at
Timwomack2024@gmail.
com. He looks forward to
hearing ideas and working
together, using a common
sense approach, to impact
and improve our great
community.
Barbara James Celebrates 90 Years
By KIM JORIS
Born November 13, 1933. Mrs. Bar
bara Louise (Smith) James greeted me
at her front door with manicured deep
red polish on her fingernails and wear
ing a two piece dark purple sweatsuit,
the dark rich purple of the Jasper Coun
ty School System’s (JCCS) Hurricanes.
A lifelong resident of the city of
Monticello, in fact still a resident of
the neighborhood she grew up in, Mrs.
James is starting her 91st year as a resi
dent of Monticello. After a fall last year,
she has not been out and about as much,
spending most of her days at home. “I
might have to walk slow, but I’m still
here,” she quipped.
In a cozy front room with beautiful
pine paneling reminiscent of the days
when real wood was used on interior
walls, Mrs. James surrounds herself
with things she loves. A much loved
and well worn family bible with her
name Barbara Louise James mono-
grannned in gold lettering, given to her
by her brother Walter Smith in 1992,
family photos on the walls and loose
photos and photo albums on end tables.
On one wall of the room sits the tv RARRARA JAMES
stand with a large screen TV. A TV that Mrs. James uses always remember she told
mostly to watch her favorite sports teams and news
shows. On it also sits small statues of her beloved At
lanta Braves and two of her favorite players- Ronald
Acuna, Jr. and Hank Aaron, sharing a shelf with a statue
of another of her favorite baseball players, Jackie Rob
inson.
A gracious host, Mrs. James welcomed me in her
home twice since I mistakenly arrived a day early for
her interview and interrupted her watching a Martin
Luther King Celebration on television. “I remember
Martin Luther King being shot,” something she would
me, telling me she was in
Monticello at the corner
in her neighborhood when
she heard the news.
Seated in her wingback
chair adorned with the
the cursive letter L, cord
less landline phone in its
cradle next to her and her
Continued on Page 4
