Newspaper Page Text
October 15, 2008
^Reporter
PAGE 3A
Local News
Monroe County Opinion Poll
Do you mind the animal shelter being built
at the rec department?
Culloden teen goes
missing for five hours
No, the county owns the land
and the dogs will be inside.
Yes, there has to be another
place for it away from the
kids.
37 votes
28 percent
94 votes
72 percent
This week: Vote at www.mymcr.net.
BY LAURA
THACKSTON
Estelle Cason says she’s
relieved to have her 15-
year-old grandson, Kevin
Champagne, safely home
after he went
missing in
Culloden on
Thursday, Oct. 9.
Champagne, who
is autistic and can
barely speak, was
playing outside
with his dog when
he wandered off
into the woods. His
mother became
concerned when
Kevin didn’t come
back and called
Cason about his
disappearance.
“He’s a gentle kid
who loves animals,
but he’s a runner,”
Cason said. “We can usual
ly find him, but he must
have gotten turned around
that day.”
Lynn Miller,
Champagne’s therapist,
said well over 100 people
participated in the five
hour search. Grace Parker
was one of the people
searching for Kevin that
A massive five hour
search ensued
when 15-year-old
Kevin Champagne
went missing in
Culloden.
night and went to neigh
bors’ homes asking them to
turn on their flood lights.
Rescuers were hoping
Kevin would see the flood
lights and walk up to one
of the houses.
Parker also left a
contact number
for the neighbors
to call in case he
was found.
Around 10:40
p.m., Champagne
walked up to a
house with his
dog and asked
for two glasses of
Coke and a
shower. The
house was 3-4
miles from where
he had gone
missing. “He was
scared, scratched
all over, bloody
from barbed wire and had
splinters - but was other
wise okay,” Cason said. “He
must have fallen into a
pond, because his jeans
were soaking wet. All he
wanted to do was lay in a
hot tub.” Champagne was
examined at his house and
turned over to family mem
bers. Cason said they did
n’t want to take him to the
hospital because they were
afraid it would traumatize
him even more. “I’m so
grateful to everyone who
helped search for Kevin. I
don’t know how we would
have made it through with
out them,” Cason said.
While Kevin is safely
home, his grandmother
said he’s still in shock and
wakes up in the middle of
the night to check his sur
roundings. “We’re going to
see if we can get some
autism experts to try and
figure out what happened.
We feel like he needs to
talk about it,” Cason said.
Cason said she and her
family would like to extend
their deepest appreciation
to Bennett Norris, Grace
Parker, the Piersons, Chief
Ronald Norris, Maj. Matt
Perry, Officer Gregg
Phillips, Charles Miller,
Kevin Hawkins, Chief
Hester, Crawford County
Sheriff’s Department, the
Georgia State Patrol,
Gloria Touchton, the
Howell family, a helicopter
pilot from Perry, everyone
in Culloden and anyone
else who participated in
the search.
Fundraiser
Mary Persons Main Campus CTAE Department Pesents:
Family Dinner Night
&
Silent Auction featuring Sports, Movie, NASCAR, and
Rock & Rock Memorabilia
with
r
^ ITALIAN GRILL ^
Please join us at the MP Main Campus
Thursday, October 30, 2008
4:00-6:30
Tickets are $10.00 and must be purchased by October 22nd
MENU
Chicken Marsala • Caeser Salad • Penne Pasta with Cream Sauce
Carrabba’s Famous Bread • Olive Oil and Herb Mix • Tea
Find a special Christmas gift!
Tickets can be delivered! Call Susan Childs at 994-2812 ext 5022
and leave a message or email your request to:
Tax bills
in the mail
next week?
Deputy tax commissioner
Lori Andrews says proper
ty tax bills are expected to
be mailed out some time
after Oct. 20. That’s
because the board of com
missioners will not set its
final millage rate until
after two public hearings
on Oct. 16. Then the tax
digest will have to be final
ized and approved by the
state before tax bills can be
processed. That means the
due date for taxes will not
be Dec. 20 as in previous
years. By law the due date
must be at least 60 days
after the bills are mailed.
Most property owners will
see a higher bill than last
year. Although the millage
rate will be lower, most
valuations went up signifi
cantly.
BY QRIZZARD/EVANS FLOOR SANDING, INC.
4T 1
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FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED SINCE 1962
CALL 478 993 7409 DAY
478-994-6307 EVENINGS
Personal Loan
Student Loan
Consolidation Loan
Home Owner Loan
109 Patrol Road
Forsyth, GA. 31029
Behind Big Chic & Car Wash
Don’t let
Money Problems
Stop by today &
let us show you
how we can help
get rid of your
money nightmares!
* All loans subject to our liberal
credit policies and limitations if any.
Franklin
Financial
Swing Ov ttetKhbvn Wno L Ifi!
478-994-9911
Susan. Childs @ monroe.kl2.ga.us
or
Rosalyn.Sparks@monroe.kl2.ga.us
Please make checks payable to MPHS
★ ★ for DISTRICT ATTORNEY ★ ★
0 LEADERSHIP
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r 7 am available to wwr questions from tow enforcement officers
daily Helping tow enjfyrcetf&nt officers prepare their eases for
court is a large part of the District Attorney'sjob. This partnership
is vital to the safety of our mmmwttiy attd our continued success
in prosecuting criminals. I appreciate the support my office
receives from the men and women in law enforcement throughout
the Towaliga Judicial Circuit. " lUchard Milam, District Attorney
4-f VOTE NOVEMBER 4^4
to Re-Elect
Richard Milam* District Attorney
Please show your support by displaying a campaign yard Sign,
if you need a sign, call (770) 775-5753.
Early voting NOW through October 31
Psid faf uy Mi am. Ua