Newspaper Page Text
www.mymcr.net • VOL. 38 NO. 10 • USPS 997-840
2 sections, 24 pages • Forsyth, Ga. 31029 • Wednesday, March 11,2009 • 75$
Inside
Auction
raises $7,500
for Kylie
See Page 12A
Sports
Perfect start
for c-team
soccer
See Page 1B
Deaths
Dorothy Louise
Daniel
Arthur F. “Art”
Lewis
Mary Lou (Lamb)
Walker
See Page 6A
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Forsythia: Few showers, but no snow
^PORSYT
Friday
High: 56
Low: 46
Few showers
There's a 30
percent
chance you
will need an
umbrella at
the Forsythia
Festival this
weekend. As
of Monday,
the forecast
called for a
chance of
showers on Friday, Saturay and
Sunday. But, with lows only dip
ping down in the 40s, it is not
expected to snow like last year.
After an overnight low of 49
degrees, it is expected to warm up
to around 64 degrees Saturday
Saturday
High: 64
Low: 49
Few showers
Sunday
High: 61^
Low: 47
Few showers s
See Forsythia schedule, horseshoe pairings, fifige B4
afternoon with a 30 percent
chance of showers.
On Sunday it's more of the
same, with the chance of rain
increasing to 40 percent. The
expected high for Sunday is 61
degrees after a morning low of 47.
Hello yellow?!? New courthouse
lawn has no forsythia bushes
Just in time for the
Forsythia Festival, the new
lawn at the Monroe County
courthouse had eight
antique-looking lamps
installed this week. But it
appears the new landscap
ing will not include any
forsythia, the signature
plant of the city and the
festival.
See FORSYTHIA page 5A
GONE: It appears the signature plant of this
weekend’s festival, and of the city, will no
longer grace the courthouse square.
WAIT: T.G. Scott students wait in the gym for a bus last Thursday as principal Dick Bazemore looks on.
Worst driver shortage in years
Want to drive a bus?
Monroe County schools are in desparate need of good drivers.
Must have clean driving record. Start at $12,000 per year for just a
few hours per day and be eligible for health benefits. Go by the
board of education on Brooklyn Avenue to fill out an application.
BY WILL DAVIS
Some Monroe County students
aren't getting home until almost 6
p.m. on school nights due to a short
age of bus drivers.
Dr. Jeff Turner, transportation
director for Monroe County schools,
admits the bus situation is as bad
as it's been in his nine years on the
job.
Turner said last week 10 of his 62
drivers were out, three with long
term illnesses and others with the
flu. He said he only has three full
time substitute drivers. When there
are more routes than drivers, said
Turner, as there have been in recent
weeks, some drivers have to finish
one route then come back to the
school and drive a second route.
Last Thursday, about 20 kids were
waiting in the T.G. Scott
Elementary gym until at least 4:15
p.m. for their bus. Some kids aren't
getting home until 5:30 p.m., said
Turner.
Parent Daphne Harrison lives just
a mile from T.G. Scott Elementary
School but sometimes her daughters
don't get home until about 5:15 p.m.
See BUS page 6B
Police:
Bank
robber
wanted
drug
money
Police say money to buy
drugs
was the
motive
for a
Florida
man
accused
of rob
bing
eight
banks in
recent
weeks, his
last two being the Forsyth
BB&T and United Bank in
Barnesville on Wednesday
morning.
Lamar County deputies
arrested Leonard William
Willis, 45, of Jacksonville,
Fla. about an hour after he
allegedly robbed the
Barnesville bank on
Wednesday. Lamar County
deputy Lt. Leslie Baines
was the first to spot Willis'
white Chevy S10 truck in
Barnesville and pursued.
That led to a chase at
See BANK page 7A
WILLIS
Monroe shuts lower grades
BY GINA HERRING
Monroe Academy will only
have grades six through 12
next year, the school
announced Thursday. Due to
the school’s dire financial sit
uation over the last several
years, the school’s board of
directors decided that the
elementary section of the
school will not open next
year. Head of school Martha
Krepps says it was an ago
nizing decision but is the
best option under the school’s
present financial circum
stances.
But, there is a bright side,
says Krepps. Monroe
Academy will be partnering
with Rock Springs Christian
Academy in Milner for the
2009-2010 school year. Rock
Springs currently has K-5
through grade three and was
See MONROE page 7A
Alumni president Matt Perry addresses the crowd Thursday.
And the
Grammy
goes to...
J.T. Atkinson (left) and
Woody Gregg wow the crowd
with their rendition of Eric
Clapton’s Grammy winning
song “Tears in Heaven” Feb.
28 as the First Baptist Youth
Choir presented its annual
dinner theater. For more pho
tos from the show, see Page
12A. (Photo/Gina Herring)