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Vol. 142, No. 28 - Waynesboro, Ga. 30830 Established in 1882 Wednesday, August 31,2022 - $1.00
Facing the prospect of global famine
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetuecitizen.shelliel@gmail.com
Many local farmers believe the
world is heading toward a time of
unprecedented food insecurity.
To help address what some see as
a potential for future crisis, farmers,
community leaders, students, gov
ernment officials, representatives
from state agencies and educators
gathered for a Farmer’s Town Flail
Meeting August 25 at the Burke
County Teaching and Learning
Center.
In spite of the fact that Burke
County’s coastal plain soils make it
difficult for farmers to build carbon
in the soil, Burke ranks in the top
10 Georgia counties in production
agriculture. Local farmers boasted
a farm-gate income of over $143
million in 2021. Georgia’s Farm
Bureau reports one in seven working
Georgians has an agriculture-related
job. However, as baby boomers age,
the farming industry predicts ap
proximately 3.5 million producers
nationally will soon reach retirement
status, increasing the need to educate
and inspire younger farmers.
“In our schools we try to ensure
that our students have an understand
ing of (agriculture) and an appre
ciation for it,” said Superintendent
Angela Williams.
Besides inspiring young minds to
pursue careers in agriculture, pan
elists recognized food supply as a
national security issue. Discussion
during the meeting painted a grim
picture of what food in
security could look like ® ^ ^
in the near future. Pre- FAMINE,
dictions include mass 12
Superintendent Angela Williams poses with FFA students during the
Farmer’s Town Hall Meeting August 25.
Local dairy loses barn
in Wednesday fire
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
Some days don't go as planned.
The morning of Wednesday,
August 24 was one of those
days for Harmony Grove Dairy
Farm as a straw barn caught on
fire. The dairy farm lost a year’s
worth of baby calf bedding and
dry cow straw, in addition to
the destruction of the building.
Employees faced extreme heat as
they scurried to move equipment
from the building next door to
prevent further loss. The Burke
County EMA Fire Department
arrived on scene to prevent it
from spreading. Before the day
was over, various friends and
local farmers showed up with
straw after seeing photos of the
fire posted on Facebook.
No people or animals sustained
injury from the fire which started
around 10 a.m.
The fire spread so quickly
that firefighters elected to let it
“bum out” on its own, while they
implemented efforts to contain
it and keep it from spreading to
nearby structures.
The source of the fire is still
undetermined, although moisture
content is known to be a main
factor that causes hay and straw
to spontaneously combust
“The fire department’s inves
tigator said it could be from wet
straw,” spokesman Joel Coble
said.
An inventory is still being
taken to determine the dairy
farm’s financial loss. However,
the building sustained signifi
cant structural damage, enough
to require construction of a new
building.
“It will have to be replaced,”
Coble said
Two qualify to
fill Tinley's seat
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
Two candidates representing Gen
eration X and the Millennial genera
tion are vying for Bill Tinley’s vacant
City Council seat during the upcom
ing November election.
Lacey Hillis Zorn, 36, works at
Burke Health in public relations. She
has no prior experience in politics
but feels that adds to the value of
her mnning for the local government
position. She said she is not in it for
shaking hands behind the scenes.
Her decision to mn was influenced
in part by the fact that her dad, Roy
Hillis, and Tinley formerly worked
together at the Georgia Department
of Agriculture.
“When I found out that Mr. Billy
was stepping down and taking the
mayorship, I knew that it was going
to take a special person to fill his
seat after 30 years,” she said. “I care
about our community and I can sit on
the sidelines and complain or I can
jump in and get my hands dirty and
try to put in some work.”
C. Britt Herrington, 45, works at
Plant Vogtle as a control room super
visor. He feels that he would bring
leadership and management abilities
to the city council table. While he
was in college, he assisted George
DeLoach with his State Representa
tive campaign. Although DeLoach
suggested that Herrington should
run for public office, Herrington’s
mother, Faye Herrington, advised
him not to run against Tinley.
“It’s something I have often
thought about,” Herrington said.
“It is something that I have thought
about off-and on for years. I live
here. I should try to improve things
and make things better and now the
opportunity has presented itself.”
Both candidates feel that they
will set an example for younger
people to step up and replace aging
Lacey Hillis Zorn
C. Britt Herrington
Baby Boomers in local government
positions, adding to the leadership
pipeline.
“I think seeing somebody my age
already involved in local govern
ment will inspire others to evaluate
their situation and how they can get
involved,” Zorn
said and pointed SEE
out that she main- CANDIDATES,
tains friendships 11
County to decide roller rink/bowling alley future
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
The Burke County Planning Com
mission must decide if a church, an
event venue and family fun center
can co-exist.
Another Burke County High
School graduate is attempting to
live out her dream and give back to
the community. Jacquelyne Telgren,
who graduated in 1999, said her
middle school years inspired her to
enter the world of entrepreneurship.
She and another student were chosen
to represent Burke County in Wash
ington DC during an entrepreneur
competition. The experience gave
her confidence that she could live
out her dreams.
“That had a great impact on me,”
Jacquelyne said. “A kid coming
from a low-income area got picked
to go and represent Burke County.
I believed that I could do the same
things that other people can do.”
Jacquelyne currently teaches at
Jenkins-White Elementary School
in Augusta. Her husband Scott works
in construction. The couple also en
gages in event planning for clients
who hire them to decorate at other
locations. Their goal is to secure their
retirement years with the revenue
generated from a family fun center.
“It’s hard to put money away in a
401k and try to build a business at
the same time,” Scott said. “We are
trying to build this
event venue and SEE
the skating rink FUN CENTER,
for our retirement ■* ■*
The Planning Commission is contemplating whether an event venue, a
church and a family fun center can co exist on this property located on
Woodlands Road.