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A Guide to Thanksgiving and Christmas in Monroe County and Middle Georgia (Inside) Inside Top UGA scholars ... from Brent See Page 4A Sports Basketball begins with a bang See Page 1B Deaths David Tooley Benjamin Ralph Edward Powell Annie Lee Tanner Benjamin Zellner See Page 3C CO “O ^ TO O CO S* o> S § S a. « 1 o> *S .* Jr ° > o in 00 R £ n n n tf) O !. V (■ 4 WILLIAMS Controversial first-year HESprincipal c re-assigned toBOE office BY GINA HERRING AND WILL DAVIS Monroe County school board members listened quietly on Monday as about 75 detractors and supporters of former Hubbard Elementary School principal Kay Williams spoke on her transfer to the central office. Williams, the controver sial first-year principal at Hubbard, was transferred to a new central office position by the board last week. Sharon Hopper, the assistant principal at T.G. Scott Elementary, was named the interim princi pal at Hubbard. Williams, who some parents accused of stir ring racial and political strife at the school, was assigned to the new position of coordinator of the 21st Century Learning Center. Her job will be to head up an after- school pro gram for mid dle schoolers that Monroe County had offered last year but had discontinued for 2009-10, sending the grant money back to the Hanwout She has not been completely honest. I think what the board has is the right thing. Parents and interested citizens speak for and against former Hubbard Elementary School principal Kay Williams at a called board of education meeting Monday night. The board re-assigned Williams to the central office on Thursday. (Photo/Gina Herring) state. However, the school system learned in October that it could obtain the $286,000 federal grant to re-start the program at both middle schools. Last Thursday, superintendent Anthony Pack recommended the changes and board members approved them by a 4-0 vote, with board member JP Evans abstaining. Nolen Howard and Eva Bilderback were absent. The board also approved relocating the office of Rayceen King, the director of stu dent services, from the central office to Hubbard. Pack said King will still be the central office some. The moves will not affect any of the administrators' pay, said Pack. Pack and board members refused to give any reasons for the move. On Monday, citizens on both sides of the issue came to a board meeting called to discuss an unre lated student disciplinary matter. About half, includ ing some members of the local Southern Christian Leadership Conference, See WILLIAMS page 6A Hopper named interim principal The new interim principal at Hubbard Elementary School has a long history with the school and plans to put the focus on student achievement. Sharon Hopper, who was named interim principal on Thursday, has 32 years of experience in teaching and administration, almost all of it in Monroe County. "My plans are to make sure that the students at Hubbard are getting everything they need to be aca demically successful," said Hopper. Given the past See HOPPER page 6A HOPPER Giving thanks -- for Christmas Thanksgiving is this Thursday and that means Christmas festivities are about to get under way in Forsyth. At 6 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 30, Forsyth Better Hometown will present the Forsyth Community Christmas Tree Lighting on the downtown Square. Jackson Street entertainment will include Mary Persons High School Band, New Providence Baptist Church Choir, St. Luke AME Church Men's Choir, Robert Ogletree, Encore Dance Studio, CC Performers and a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus. The Christmas tree will be lit by two brave girls recovering from auto accidents, Ivey Weldon and Christina Ligeikis. Then at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 3, Forsyth will host its annual Christmas parade. The theme this year is Holidays Past and Present, and entries will be decorated depicting a theme of a single decade of their choice, past, present, or future. Fi nally, the Bolingbroke Christmas Parade will be Saturday, Dec. 5. (File photo-2008 Christmas parade) Council rejects alcohol license BY LAURA THACKSTON Forsyth's city council bowed to neighbor hood opposition and rejected a request from a Powerhouse Road storeowner that she be allowed to sell beer last Tuesday. Council refused an application for a beer and wine license from Tonia and Walter Mays, owners of Pansy's at 140 Powerhouse Road. A slew of area residents, including many from nearby Betsy Lynn subdivision, voiced their opposition. But before council could begin the public hearing, Tonia Mays withdrew her request to sell wine. She stated she only wanted to sell beer and malt liquor. However, this still did not appease folks like Dohn Bonner, who lives on Lakeside Drive in nearby Betsy Lynn subdivision. Bonner said he had a few concerns, one being that alcohol was going to be sold so close to a church and the second being that there would be neighborhood kids around. Bonner said the pastor of Cathedral of Faith Family See ALCOHOL page 5A