The Monroe County reporter. (Forsyth, Ga.) 1972-current, October 26, 2016, Image 1

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Newspaper Page TextTHIS WEEK’S INSIDE DEALS: CVS, SmartSource, Family Dollar, Sears, Ingles, P&G Brandsaver Hay Rides • Farm Tours * Saw Mill • Antique Farm Equipment • Animals ■ Food * Music September 30-October 31 Family Maze $8 • Haunted Maze $15 Inside Dogs can clinch title on Friday See Page 1B Halloween is on the square Mon. Deaths Joyce Carver Venditto Jimmie Edward “Eddie” Gossett Robert Mercer ‘Bobby’ Dews Lee Ann Clarke Nash Irene M. Bentley See Page 6A WELCOME to^thefamily! □saaiCmiffiia] 3 Clayton Haberly Marcia Porcelli Get your name on this list by subscribing today. 52 issues just $35 in Monroe County. Cali 994-2358 or go to www.mymcr.net. 6 06 605 5341b 6 8 ‘Heart-broken* Beloved science teacher Wiggs dead at 26 BY WILL DAVIS publisher@mymcr.net Monroe County parents, students and teachers are still reeling from the loss of a fundoving Monroe County Middle School science teacher who died of complications from pneumonia on Saturday, Oct. 22 at the age of 26. Timothy Wiggs died at home over the weekend after being released from the Houston Medical Center. In his third year at the Sixth Grade Campus at Hubbard, Wiggs had been admitted shortly after Monroe County schools let out for fall break around Oct. 8. He had been coughing up blood which was thought to be a complication from pneumonia. He had hoped to be released on Friday but told friends that they couldn’t stabilize his potassium levels and that his oxygen levels kept decreasing, and said they considered putting him on dialysis. But on Saturday he was released and then passed away at home. Students, parents and teach ers said they were devastat ed to lose a man who had see WIGGS page 7A The Homecoming Court Mary Persons High School is celebrating Homecoming this week, culminating with Friday night’s game against Perry when the Bulldogs can clinch their second straight Region title. At halftime, the Homecoming Queen will be announced. The court includes, standing, from left, sophomores Brianna Morgan and Destiny Middleton, juniors Kiaya Bensink and Reese Thomason and freshmen Abby Gray and Trinity Stokes. Seated are seniors Tiffany Alena Martin, Lydia Grace Harrell, Chloe Alexis Passmore, Hannah Wheeler, Ashley Austin and Krystyn Brianna Major. See profiles on page 4-5C. (PhotoA/Vill Davis) County weighs bigger raises for deputies BY RICHARD DUMAS forsyth@mymcr.net Monroe County Commissioners con cluded they may give bigger raises to sheriffs deputies after an hour- long debate on Tuesday, Oct. 18. The discussion came two weeks after com missioners gave county employees a total of $467,000 in raises after a job re-evaluation study by Sam Perren of the MGRC. Perren appeared before commissioners on Tuesday to explain his findings. Perren told commis sioners he has been working with Monroe County administra tor Anita Cauthen and Monroe County human resources director Janet see RAISES page 3A Local BY WILL DAVIS publisher@rnymcr. net A Monroe County 13 year old wowed coun try star Luke Bryan and 50,000 fans on Saturday night with an impromptu perfor mance in Dallas. Ethan Payne, an eighth grader at Banks Stephens Middle School, was given the chance to meet Bryan before his concert at AT&T Stadium in Dallas on Saturday night as part of the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Payne’s mother Lisa Payne said teen plays with Luke Bryan Ethan and his 19-year- old brother both have cystic fibrosis. While they met in the dressing room, Ethan played his guitar and sang Bryan’s hit “Dirt Road Dairy” for the star. The Leesburg, Ga. native must’ve been impressed — he invited Ethan to come on stage during the concert. Ethan played guitar and sang Bryan’s hit “Do I” as the star joined in with a duet. Bryan seemed impressed. “He’s not even ner vous!” Bryan told the crowd. “How are you not nervous?” he asked. “I’m nervous.” Bryan asked him what he wanted to play next and Ethan responded, “Here’s to the Farmer”. So they played that as well to thunderous applause. They finished their two duets in about seven minutes, and then Bryan looked over at Payne and said: “See that guitar? You just take it on back to Georgia with you!” to another big ovation. Lisa Payne said see DEBUT page 2A Monroe County’s Ethan Payne, left, got to play with Luke Bryan on stage on Saturday night.

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The Monroe County reporter. (Forsyth, Ga.) 1972-current, October 26, 2016, Image 1