Newspaper Page Text
Inside
School’s out
for good for
teaching duo
SEE PAGE 6A
Snorts
Kids have a
variety of
camps to
choose from
this summer
SEE PAGES 1B&3B
Deaths
George P. “Tony” Antonio
Wayne C. Leffler
Frances Hanson Davis
SEE OBITUARIES
PAGE 2A
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These ’Dawgs are done
Amid the gnats, extreme humidity and air horns, 227 proud Mary Persons seniors became high school graduates at Dan Pitts Stadi
um at Mitchell Field Friday night. The ceremony, which ran just under 90 minutes, featured speeches from the valedictorian and
salutatorian, as well as principal Jim Finch and the largest graduation crowd ever. However, a swarm of small bugs sent most spec
tators toward the door half-way through the issuing of diplomas. For more gradaution photos, see pages 14-15A. An excerpt from
Jordan Harris’ valedictory speech is featured on page 5A. (Photo/Gina Herring)
44
I can’t believe it’s
finally over.
- Jo Shipman
Wal-Mart
deal is
signed
After more than two
years of waiting, property
owners along Indian
Springs Drive finally
signed papers last
Wednesday to sell their
land to Wal-Mart. At pres-
time Monday they were
waiting for Wal-Mart to
wire the money into their
accounts on Tuesday.
One of the landowners,
Jo Shipman, said she’s
breathing a huge sigh of
relief.
“I can’t believe it’s finally
See WALMART page 7A
Political
forum is
July 10
The Monroe County Reporter
and Forsyth-Monroe County
Chamber of Commerce will host
a candidates forum at 6:30 p.m.
on Thursday, July 10. The pub
lic is welcome.
The debate is designed to give
Monroe County voters a chance
to hear the candidates speak
and answer questions before
they cast ballots in the party
primaries on Tuesday, July 15.
The session will be held in the
auditorium of the Monroe
County Board of Education on
Brooklyn Avenue.
Only candidates in races that
are contested within a particu
lar party will be invited. Those
include:
TAX COMMISSIONER:
• Lori Andrews (D)
• Joy Phillips (D)
COMMISSION CHAIRMAN:
• Harold Carlisle (R) inc.
• James Green (R)
SHERIFF:
• John Cary Bittick (D) inc.
• John Waldrop (D)
DISTRICT ATTORNEY:
• George Hartwig (R)
• Richard Milam (R) inc.
U.S. CONGRESS:
• Jim Marshall (D) inc.
• Robert Nowack (D)
Editor Will Davis said he
hopes by having the forum right
before the primary, lots of vot
ers will be paying attention and
be on hand to ask questions of
the candidates. He said he
hopes voters take advantage of
the opportunity to become
informed about the candidates
before they head to the voting
booth.
The newspaper and chamber
are expected to host another
forum in the fall before the gen
eral election for local races that
remain contested.
Among those on hand for the ribbon cutting are Chris Hewett, Ronnie Kinnas, Mike Dodd, Cheryl Treadwell, Tristan and Ans-
ley Hunt, Jimmy Pace, Jim Peters, Tatrabian Charles, Eric Wilson, Florence Pace, Barbara Baswell, Tiffany Andrews, Bill
Bazemore, Tye Howard, Bill Myers, Barry Peters, Linda Sosebee, Lori Andrews, Rosemary Walker, Melvin Lawrence and
Doris Ogletree. (Photos/Will Davis)
‘Open for
BY WILL DAVIS
More than 200 locals celebrated the opening of a
sparkling yet historic Welcome Center on North Lee
Street Thursday with a clear message for visitors to
Monroe County: “When commercial...prospects come
to our community they can walk through the front
door and they can see that, by God, we’re open for
business!” said Barry Peters, chairman of the
Monroe County Development Authority.
Tiffany Andrews, executive director of the Forsyth-
Monroe County Chamber of Commerce and develop
ment authority, even choked back tears as she
relayed a second message the immaculate Welcome
Center sends.
“Some people say folks in Forsyth and Monroe
County can’t get along, but this proves we can work
together,” said Andrews.
It was a festive occasion as a larger-than-expected
crowd, many of them decked in their Sunday best,
went “oohing” and “aahing” their way around the
splendid re-constitution of the 111-year-old building.
“This is really something,” said a smiling Forsyth
police chief Art Phillips, who spent 30 years in the
building when it was home to the city police depart
ment. “It was like a rat’s den when we were here. It
was really bad.”
Phillips said the city police department was very
happy to leave the building in 2005 when the city
opened its public safety facility, and figured the old
building would fall in when they left. When it
business’
I
Brian Owens, left, assistant commissioner for the Depart
ment of Corrections, and T.G. Scott Elementary principal Dick
Bazemore talk in the new Aldermen Room at the Welcome
Center. Two Linda Sosebee murals of Monroe County scenes
are showcased in the back.
rained, city workers would have to put out buckets
because of the porous roof, and the building had no
air conditioning. But Thursday, he didn’t even rec
ognize the old structure.
The building’s history goes back more than just
Phillips’ 30 years. Forsyth residents Shirley Moore
and Louise Wilson were recognized because their
grandfather used to own part of the building and
See WELCOME CENTER PAGE 7A