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Vol. 143, No. 49 - Waynesboro, Ga. 30830 Established in 1882 Wednesday, January 24, 2024 - $1.00
Local dairy farmer receives high honor award
Burke County dairy farmer
Edward Coble was named the 2024
Bobby Walker Award recipient by
the Georgia Milk Producers, Inc.
The Bobby Walker Award
(formerly named “The Friend of the
Dairy Industry Award”) recognizes
individuals who have advanced
the dairy industry in Georgia. It is
the highest honor awarded by the
trade association for Georgia dairy
farmers.
Coble was born in 1942, while
his dad was stationed in Maryland.
While Coble was still a young child,
his dad died in a farming accident
soon after returning from WWII.
Coble’s mother was a schoolteacher
and raised him the rest of his
boyhood in Simpsonville, SC. He
began milking cows in 1956, while
in high school, but sold his herd to
attend Clemson University where
he majored in Dairy Science. He
graduated in 1964 and returned
to Simpsonville to begin dairying
again.
Coble married in 1968 and he and
his wife, Lana, built a facility of
their own. Their dream was to one
day milk 250 cows. They went on
to have four children, each of whom
are involved in the dairy industry as
adults.
The Coble couple continued to
farm in Simpsonville, SC until 1998,
when they moved to Georgia for
better farming opportunities. Two of
their sons, James and Joel, partnered
to build Harmony Grove Dairy Farm
in 2005. Coble is still a vital part
of the daily operation of the farm,
where three generations are working
together to continue the dream.
In addition to building his dairy
farm over the years, Coble has been
an active member of First Baptist
Church in Waynesboro and a long
time member of the Georgia Milk
Board.
After barely surviving the farming
crisis of the 1980s, he is often a
comforting and reassuring voice to
younger dairy farmers who often
call on him for advice. He has been
through many highs and lows during
his career as a dairy farmer and has
held fast through it all.
Coble, along with Georgian Doyle
Weltzbarker received the award
during the annual awards luncheon
in Savannah January 16.
Edward Coble poses for a photo standing in between his grandsons Lee
Grant (left) and Jiles Coble (right) during the Georgia Milk Producers Inc.
annual luncheon January 16. Also pictured: Granddaughter Reese Graft.
Beta Club project memorializes legendary mayor
This oil painting portrait of the former Waynesboro
mayor, Pauline Jenkins, will hang in the City Hall’s
lobby.
Burke County High School student Ethan Coalson
unveiled the portrait during the City Council’s
meeting Tuesday, January 16.
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
Burke County High School student Ethan
Coalson unveiled the portrait of a local
trailblazer last week to a room full of applause.
The memory of former Mayor Pauline
Jenkins will forever adorn the lobby of
Waynesboro’s City Hall, reminding onlookers
of her enthusiastic service to the community.
The portrait, painted by local artist Coleen
Barnhart, was a service project which landed
the 2022-2023 BCHS Marketing
and Communications Team first ^EE
place during the state Beta Club JENKINS,
annual competition and fourth place 12
After the meeting, members of Pauline Jenkins’ family
posed for a photo with the portrait.
2023 - A Year In Review - Part Four
Compiled by
Roy F. Chalker Jr.
NOV. 1
City Attorney Doug Kidd says
“accountability” is just around the
corner for Keysville Mayor Linda
Wilkes.
“Your open records requests are
perfectly legitimate and should be
responded to and I have told the
mayor that and the city clerks that,”
Kidd said referring to complaints
hied by The True Citizen with the
Attorney General’s Office regarding
the city’s defiance in complying with
open records requests.
Kidd also addressed The True
Citizen’s complaint hied with the AG
that Keysville charged $96 for copies
of the 2018 and 2019 audits that were
witnessed to have taken less than
hfteen minutes to produce, further
violating the open records act.
Obituaries included Mary Knight
“Granny”, Glenda (Geneva) Cowart,
Ricky B. Cooper, Tony Sebastian
Humphrey, William Carter, Bunnie
Prescott, Sr., Shirley Ann Crawford
and Terry Jean Scott.
NOV. 8
Incumbent Bill Tinley and Vice
mayor James “Chick” Jones will vie
for the Waynesboro mayor position
again in a run-off December 5. Early
voting begins the Monday after
Thanksgiving.
Tinley received 324 votes or
46.69% of the total ballots cast.
According to the law, the winner
must receive 50% +1 to be declared
the winner. Jones received 37.61%
or 261 votes. Brenda Lee Lewis
received 83 votes and Tyrek Scott
received 23.
Former Georgia
Bulldogs Coach REVIEW,
12
Judge Craig announces
retirement plans
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
In a January 19 memorandum,
Superior Court Chief Judge Daniel
J. Craig announced his intention to
retire at the end of his existing term.
Craig received his J .D. from Walter
F. George Law School at Mercer
University. He served as District
Attorney for the Augusta Judicial
Circuit beginning in 1993.
After serving 15 years in that role,
he was appointed to the bench in 2008
by former Governor Sonny Perdue,
replacing Judge Neal Dickert. Craig
won election to a full term in 2012.
He won re-elections in 2016 and
2020. His current term ends Dec.
31,2024.
“However, I will not seek
reelection this year, thereby leaving
it for the voters of Burke, Richmond
and Columbia
Counties
to select
new Superior
Court Judge
to replace me
J anuary 1,
2025,” Craig
said in the
memorandum.
“Even though
I hope to
continue
working for the people of the circuit
and the state as a Senior Superior
Court Judge, I take this opportunity
to express my gratitude to the citizens
of Burke, Richmond and Columbia
Counties who gave me the privilege
of serving as their elected District
Attorney and Superior Court judge
over the past 32 years.”
Superior Court Chief
Judge Daniel J. Craig
Cliff Collins introduced himself during the Board of Commissioners
meeting January 9. (seated) Peyton Sapp
New agent ready
to tackle ag issues
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
According to County Extension
Coordinator Peyton Sapp there is
simply no way for one person to
address the agriculture-related needs
in Burke County.
For this reason, 27-year-old
Cliff Collins will begin his role as
Agriculture and Natural Resources
Extension Agent with the Burke
County Extension office February 1.
The office has historically held two
county agent positions to provide
support for the robust agricultural
industry here. The diversity of crops
and farm enterprises play a role in
the demands placed on an extension
program. A common way to measure
the value of a county’s ag-industry
is to use the Farm Gate Survey.
The 2022 survey
placed the value for
Burke County’s at
$190,231,307.
SEE
COLLINS,
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