Newspaper Page Text
Page 2B
April 27, 2022
ARfeporter
Aleah Bailey wins medals at dance competitions
Aleah Bailey is a sopho
more at Mary Persons
and contributed to region
and state championships
as a member of the Bull
dogs' Varsity Spirit cheer
leading squad. She has
also been gathering some
personal awards in dance
competition, including
the hip hop category in
which she only began
competing this year.
She received high gold
1st place and received a
6th place gold medal in
the 15 year division Hip
Hop at the Nexster Na
tional Dance Competition
on April 2 at the Clayton
County Performing Arts
Center. Aleah also earned
a 1st place trophy in the
lyrical small group 12 &
up division and 7th over
all in the category.
On March 12-13 Aleah
competed at the Imagine
National Dance Com
petition at the Clayton
County Performing Arts
Center. She received the
4.75 stars award, placed
6th overall and earned
the High Score Banner in
the Hip Hop 15-year-age
division. She received a
1st place award in lyrical
category in the small
group 12-year-age divi
sion, then received the
7th place overall ban
ner. Her dance studio re
ceived a Star Studio award
and sparkle and shine
award for costume and
personality at the Imagine
competition.
On Feb. 13 at the
Showstoppers National
Dance Competition at
the Georgia Convention
Center Aleah received
a 1st place trophy in the
15-year-age division hip
hop category and received
a 10th overall medal. In
the Lyrical small group
age-12-division she re
ceived a 1st place trophy
and placed 7th place out
of her age category.
Aleah competes with
Mrs. Amy’s Dance Studio
of Locust Grove, where
her primary instructor is
her mother, Amy Bailey.
Amy has taught dance
classes for over 30 years,
including classes at Mon
roe County Recreation
Department.
Aleah Bailey
is pictured at
the Nexstar
National
Dance Com
petition in
April where
she earned
medals in
individual
hip hop and
lyrical small
group com
petitions.
Forsyth council rejects ’annexation remorse’ bid
By Diane Glidewell
news@mymcr.net
Apparently it’s easier to
get into Forsyth city limits
than it is to get out of them.
Forsyth said “no take
backs” to Three Oaks Con
struction’s Matt Gilbert on
April 15. Council refused
to allow the developer to
rescind his application to
have 35 acres annexed into
the city.
Council members said
they wanted to hear from
Gilbert why he no longer
wanted the property to
become part of the city, but
apparently he didn’t want
to talk with them any more.
Three Oaks Construc
tion had planned to build
Phase 3 of the Manor on
Montpelier subdivision on
the property. Plans called
for 56 lots on the 35 acres.
As part of the annexation
Three Oaks asked that the
property be zoned R-3, that
is, single family residences
but smaller lots and smaller
homes than allowed in R-l
zoning.
On March 21 council
approved annexing the
property into the city but
did so with R-l zoning and
restrictions on subdivi
sion driveways entering
Montpelier Road. Council
also added a requirement
for curb and gutter in the
subdivision.
Gilbert attended the
March 21 council meet
ing and told council he
intended to build the
same quality of houses as
in Phases 1 and 2 of the
Manor on Montpelier.
However, because of two
creeks and a sewer ease
ment, about 10 acres of the
35-acre tract aren’t suitable
for building and would be
green space. In order to
make Phase 3 financially
feasible, he needed to build
houses on smaller lots. He
told council that it was only
being asked to approve
zoning at this time and
he would have to present
detailed design plans later
before he could build.
On March 23 Gilbert sent
a letter to Forsyth with
drawing his application for
annexation, without giving
specific reasons. City man
ager Janice Hall presented
the letter to council on
April 4, and city attorney
Bobby Melton said Gilbert
was well within the legal
timeline to withdraw his
application. However,
council voted to table
a vote on accepting the
withdrawal until its meet
ing on April 15.
But no one from Three
Oaks Construction at
tended the April 15 meet
ing. Hall said she had
tried to contact Gilbert
but received no response.
Melton said the issue be
fore council was whether
Nominate mom for Mother of the Year
The deadline is 5 p.m.
on Friday, April 29 to
nominate your mom as
Monroe County’s Mother
of the Year for 2022. The
Reporter is sponsoring the
Mother of the Year con
test. Simply write in 400
words or less why your
mom should be Mother
of the Year. The winning
nomination should in
clude specific details about
how mom has sacrificed
to meet her family’s needs.
She must be a Monroe
County resident, but the
nominator doesn’t have to
be. Nominations are due
at 5 p.m. on April 29. The
winner will be featured in
the Reporter just before
Mother’s Day, May 8, in
the May 4 issue. She will
receive gifts from local
businesses. The top nomi
nations will be printed as
well. Nominations should
include the name of the
mother and the person
nominating her and the
author’s phone num
ber. Email to publisher@
mymcr.net, fax to 994-
2359, or mail to P.O. Box
795, Forsyth, GA 31029.
CALENDAR
Continued from Page 1 B
attached to it, and follow
the instructions to claim a
prize. For each lucky pink
duck you find and register,
we will enter a duck in your
name in the upcoming Great
Ocmulgee River Duck Race
in Amerson Park Macon on
June 1 1 where ducks are up
for adoption for $20, or 6 for
$100. On race day, adopted
ducks will be launched onto
the river and first duck to
get across the finish line wins
$10,000. Proceeds for the
event will go to Boys & Girls
Clubs of Central Georgia's
healthy lifestyle initiatives. The
Great Ocmulgee River Duck
Race is a win for all involved.
May 7
Jackson-Butts County
Fine Arts Festival
The Jackson-Butts County
Council for the Arts will pres
ent its 25th Fine Arts Festival
on Saturday, May 7 from 10
a.m.-3 p.m. on the square in
Jackson. Free admission and
parking. The professional
outdoor fine art sale features
award-winning artists in
jewelry, paintings, clay, mixed
media, photography, blown
glass, sculpture, turned wood
and more.
17th Annual Fort
Hawkins Archaeology
Day
Ocmulgee Archaeological
Society (OAS) in partnership
with the Fort Hawkins Board
will hold its 17th Annual Fort
Hawkins Archaeology Day
on Saturday, May 7 from 1 2
-4 p.m. This event is free and
open to the public. There
will be
artifact identification;
pottery making, primitive
skills, and Native American
stories and games sessions,
a Fort Hawkins Tour, and
period reenactors. For more
information, contact OAS at:
ocmarcsoc@gmail.com.
May 9
Monroe County Ama
teur Radio Society to
meet
Monroe County Amateur
Radio Society will meet on
Monday, May 9 at 6:30
p.m. at Monroe County Fire
Station 1,693 Juliette Road,
Forsyth. The group meets
the second Monday of each
month.
May 14
DOC hosts 8th Annual
Fishing Rodeo
The Georgia Department
of Corrections will host its
8th annual Fishing Rodeo
on Saturday, May 1 4 from
9 a.m.-12 noon at State
Offices South at Tift College,
300 Patrol Road, Forsyth to
introduce younger genera
tions to fishing. The event is
open to all children ages
15 and under. There will be
three prize categories: 7 and
under; 8-11; 12-15. Parental
supervision is required for
entrance and participation.
Feel free to bring fishing
gear; however, some will be
available for use. There will
be goodie bags, door prizes
and competition prizes.
Rocky Creek Baptist
Church Motocyde
Ministry Community
Breakfast
The Rocky Creek Motorcycle
Ministry will hold a com
munity wide breakfast on
Saturday May 1 1,2022 at
9 AM, Rocky Creek Baptist
Church 225 Rocky Creek
Rd. Forsyth, to celebrate
Emergency First Respond
ers. All First Responders are
encouraged to attend. The
Motorcycle Ministry hosts a
Men's breakfast every 2nd
Saturday of the month, and
all men are invited to attend.
May 21
Art of the Garden Tour
Jackson-Butts County Counci
for the Arts is hosting an Art
of the Garden Tour on Sat
urday, May 21 from 9 a.m.-3
p.m. It will include six uniquely
beautiful gardens with an
artist featured at each site.
Tickets are $20 each and
benefit the Arts Council. For
tickets or more information,
call Diane Glidewell at 478-
993-1104.
June 10
Teen Safe Driving Camp
Monroe County Sheriff s
Office will offer the 14th
Annual Teen Safe Driv
ing Camp for drivers ages
15-17 at the Georgia Public
Safety Training Center, 1000
Indian Springs Dr., Forsyth on
Saturday, July 9 from 9 a.m.-
4:30 p.m. Cost is $20, which
includes lunch and T-shirt.
Space is limited. Application
deadline is June 10. For more
information, contact M.C.
Sheriff’s Office.
to accept the withdrawal of
the annexation application,
which he said Gilbert could
legally request. When
asked what would happen
if council didn’t accept the
withdrawal, Melton was
not sure.
Council member Stroud
asked what the differ
ence between R-l and R-3
zoning is and Mayor Eric
Willson said R-l is more
restrictive.
“Whatever Gilbert is
planning he will have to
present it to the city or
county’ said Hall. “Both
are concerned with the
number of lots and drive
ways on Montpelier.”
Council member Chris
Hewett made a motion,
seconded by Stroud, to
have the annexation stand
with R-l zoning. Council
member Greg Goolsby
asked what the benefit was
of keeping the annexa
tion, and Hewett said it
would mean that Gilbert
has to come back to city
council with any plans.
Council member Mike
Dodd said that council had
agreed that any property
that wanted city water and
sewer would have to be an
nexed into the city.
“Let’s make a decision,”
said Stroud, and council
voted not to accept the
withdrawal.
There was no consid
eration that Three Oaks
Construction might cancel
construction of the Manor
on Montpelier Phase 3
because of the zoning and
restrictions imposed.
Remember when...
1992
Chris Hewett, a new 7th
grade teacher at Monroe
County Middle School, says
his common ground with
students is music since he is
a former rock-n-roller with a
band, “Grapes of Wrath.’
Forsyth will continue paying
for 1-75 lights but is buying
timers to cut the hours of use.
Approximately 300 people
attend the 3rd annual Cel
ebrate Life banquet at Day
spring Presbyterian Church to
benefit the Pregnancy Center.
Forsyth discusses whether to
continue free electricity to
Community Care's Bargain
House, the Monroe County
Library, Whistle Stop Museum
and Neighborhood Service
Center and $6/month water
to three churches.
Two people are seriously
injured and three suffer minor
injuries in a five-vehicle wreck
on Highway 41 N; a propane
tanker on a tractor-trailer rig
is pulled from a ditch.
After 948 days Monroe
County receives its state
permit for the Strickland Loop
Landfill.
Dr. W.E. Neisler and Monroe
County 4-H Club vaccinate
more than 300 dogs and cats
during Rabies Clinics.
City Clerk Mary Jo Hill and
two other city hall employ
ees resign; city administrator
Doug White says duties will
be shifted to four remaining
employees rather than hiring.
St. James Baptist celebrates
its 126th anniversary and the
44th anniversary of its pastor,
Rev. Adolph Parsons.
Forsyth Monroe County
Kiwanis Club honors Mon
roe Academy senior Sherry
Neal, president of the MA
Key Club, MA STAR student
and runner-up for 8th District
STAR student.
Paul Brown opens Filmore’s
Gospel Music Barn off John-
stonville Road after two years
of hard work.
Evelyn Newberry opens
Wedding Memories Brida
Boutique on the square.
Forsyth's Recreation Complex
hosts the Class E Division
tournament of the Flag City
Shootout, world’s largest
softball tournament; 32 teams
will be in Forsyth for the
weekend.
Lee Willingham, son of Mr.
& Mrs. Lee Willingham II,
arrived in Morocco in June
1990 where he is serving
until June 1992 as U.S. Peace
Corps Volunteer Partner Vet
erinarian in the Middle Atlas
Mountains in Africa.
2002
First Baptist Church of Forsyth
welcomes Darrell Watson as
its new pastor.
Hubbard Alumni celebrate
the 100th anniversary of the
founding of Hubbard schools
with a golf tournament, a fish
fry, barbecues, the annua
parade, a ball and more.
Herbert Gantt is president of
the Hubbard Alumni Associa
tion.
Monroe County Reporter
editor Michael Stone receives
a 1st place award in the
Mid-South Management
Company Journalism Excel
lence Contest.
Forsyth meter reader Steven
Sikes finds an adult copper
head snake in a water meter
box he is reading in an over
grown area. It is the second
adult copperhead Sikes has
found in a meter box, as well
as other snakes.
Taylor Harris Buff receives his
commission as a 2nd lieuten
ant in the U.S. Marine Corps.
His parents, Dr. & Mrs. James
Buff pin on his lieutenant bars.
2012
The Easter Bunny makes her
annual appearance at the
Forsyth UMC pre-schoo
Egg Hunt in Jim and Gaylyn
Cole's backyard.
Douglas Jerkins, 68, of
Highway 341, Culloden dies
in a tragic all-terrain vehicle
accident on his farm when
he crashes into a creek bed.
His passenger, Tom Hall, 71,
is able to jump off and isn’t
seriously injured.
State environmental officials
are pushing back against a
CNN story on a possible link
between Plant Scherer's ash
pond and uranium in well
water and related health
problems in Juliette.
Monroe County is mourn
ing June Eaves of High Falls,
79, the first director of Circle
of Care Thrift Store in Forsyth
and a long-time champion of
the underprivileged.
Dr. Leila Denmark, one of Tift
College's most distinguished
graduates, passes away at
age 1 14. She continued to
practice as a pediatrician un
til she was 103. The infirmary
at Tift was named in honor of
Denmark.
Daniel & Kathy Millican are
sentenced to life plus 90
years after a jury finds the
Monroe County couple guilty
on 15 counts, including child
molestation, of assaulting their
daughter, then 16.
Monroe County grew from
26,460 to 26,625 from July
2010-July 201 1 according to
census estimates.
El Tejado holds “Kermez for
Kids Cancer,” a fiesta with
food and entertainment to
raise funds and awareness of
children’s cancer.
Finances at Monroe County
Hospital are troubling as the
audit shows a loss of just over
$1 million in FY 2011.
Forsyth's Tree Board leads a
day to cut and prune trees in
Forsyth's city parks and along
the city’s right of ways.
Todd West, administrator of
Heritage Healthcare of For
syth, is honored with a Patriot
Award by the U.S. Secretary
of Defense for his support of
employees deployed with the
National Guard.
The congregation of Faith
Family Praise Center, 150
Powerhouse Road, Forsyth
gives up to 250 meals every
Saturday afternoon at its
Hope Community Kitchen.
Mike Roberts of High Falls
catches a 10 lb. large mouth
bass at a private pond near
Forsyth.
Remember When
This look at what Monroe County residents were reading in the
Reporter 30, 20 and 10 years ago this week is brought to you by...
Monroe County
Memorial Chapel
We set the standards
that others follow 1
Harley Ray "Spanky" Beck
86 West Main Street • Forsyth
478-994-4266