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May 11, 2022
@Reporter
Spend an evening with the Altos at The Rose Theater
By Connie Copelan
The Backlot Players’ ac
tors have been in rehearsals
for weeks and we are now
taking reservations for our
Spring production of “The
Altos (Like ‘The Sopranos’
only Lower),” an interactive
comic mystery by David
Landau with music and
lyrics by Nikki Stern. This
show is rated PG and has
adult themes.
The Altos have arrived in
Monroe County. The mafia
family takes center stage at
Backlot’s own Rose Theater
presenting a musical spoof
“The Altos, Like the Sopra
nos, Only Lower,” which
opens this week.
The interactive play is
set just before and dur
ing the funeral of Tony
Alto, who was whacked in
his car days earlier. So it’s
Tony Alto’s funeral, and
his wife, Toffee, is sending
out invitations to the wake.
Chris Alto requires visitors
to check their weapons at
the door - if not, he’s got
extras. Uncle Senior has
a rigged dice game going
somewhere, and Tony’s Ma
is just plain crazy.
Tony’s shrink, Dr. Mal
aise, is giving free analysis,
and the priest isn’t sure
what he’s doing there. The
mafia families gather to pay
tribute to Tony while also
trying to figure out who
killed him.
The audience will play a
part in solving the mystery
at the end of an evening
of stories, songs (lyrics by
Nikki Stern) and a few
surprise guests.
Characters include Tony
Alto (Rob Laukaitis),
Tony’s wife, Toffee (Stepha
nie Houseal), his psychia
trist Dr. Malaise (Annie
Vaughan), Uncle Junior
(Jacob McClendon), Tony’s
nephew Chris (Frank
Wilder), Father Flip (Matt
Robichaux), and Direc
tor Kim Ducheneau plays
Nona.
“The Altos (Like ‘The So
pranos’ only Lower)” opens
May 13 and continues May
14,20, 21 (7:30 pm) with
matinee shows on May 15
and 22 (2:30 pm). Show
sponsors are Dennis and
Joy Smith. All performanc
es are at The Rose Theater,
23 West Johnston Street,
Forsyth. Order reserva
tions/tickets online at www.
thebacklotplayers.org/tick-
ets or call the box office at
478-994-0443. Box office
hours are Wednesday and
Thursday (May 11,12,18,
19) from 5:30-7 pm and
two hours prior to perfor
mances.
The Altos (Like ‘The
Sopranos’ only Lower)” is
presented with permission
from Samuel French Inc.,
to whom royalties are paid.
The Backlot Players, Inc.
is a nonprofit community
theater.
Forsyth girl raising birthday money to help shelter pets
By Will Davis
publisher@mymcr.net
A Forsyth girl has
already collected over 552
lbs. of dog food for canine
friends at the Monroe
County Animal Shelter
and Save-A-Pet for her 7th
birthday. Olivia Harris,
the 6-year-old daughter of
Alex and Lindsey Dunn
Harris, won’t celebrate her
7th birthday until May 31
so there’s no telling how
much love she’ll be giving
to local dogs in 3 weeks.
Her mother, Lindsey
Harris, said she asked her
a while back what she
wants for her 7th birthday.
She couldn’t come up with
anything. An animal lover
who has pet rabbits, cats
and two big dogs, Olivia
wondered if she could get
toys for dogs at the county
animal shelter. Her mom
said it might be better to
get them food. “She said
‘I’m gonna do that. I’m
going to give them my
birthday money,” said her
proud mom Lindsey. “It’s
the most incredible selfless
thing.”
Olivia Harris
CALENDAR
Continued from Page 1 B
tion program. The market
will be at the Monroe
County Health Department,
106 MLK Jr. Dr., Forsyth on
Tuesday, May 31 from 8:30
a.m.-l p.m. Fresh fruits and
vegetables will be available
free to WIC participants;
others may purchase them
from vendors.
Coalition of Monroe
County (CICMC) will
again serve lunch meals
to children 18 years
and younger in Monroe
County. The two sites will be
Union Hill Apartment and
Forsyth Gardens Apart
ments. Dates and times are
Monday-Thursday, June
6-30 from 12 noon-12:30
p.m. For more information,
contact CICMC at 478-
394-1089.
June 3
Boys & Girls Clubs of
Central Ga. present
Duck Scavenger Hunts
The Boys & Girls Clubs of
Central Georgia will host its
third and final Duck Scav
enger Hunt on Friday, June
3. A pink rubber duck will
be hidden in a downtown
Forsyth businesse. Clues will
be posted on B&GCCG
Facebook and Instagram
so be sure to check back
frequently. Find the pink
rubber duck, read the clue
attached to it, and follow
the instructions to claim a
prize. Forthe lucky finder of
ther duck, Boys & Girls Club
will enter a duck in your
name in the upcoming Great
Ocmulgee River Duck Race
in Amerson Park Macon on
June 11 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.
June 6-30
Free Summer lunches
for children
Community Improvement
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
ndian 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.
June 13
Meeting on new food
service fee schedule
Monroe County Health
Department, 106 MLK Jr.
Drive, Forsyth will hold a
Public Comment Meeting on
Monday, June 13 at 6 p.m.
The Department's Environ
mental Health Program seeks
public comment regarding
implementation of a revised
food service fee schedule.
Any change is the meeting
will be published on the
North Central Health District
website at NCHD52.org.
June 18
Citizens’ Firearm
Safety Training
Monroe County Sheriff's
Office will hold a Citizens'
Firearms Safety Training
Course on Saturday, June 18
beginning at 8 a.m. for those
21 years of age and up. It
will cover use, proficiency
and safety and is limited to
those who live and/or work
in Monroe County. A back
ground check is required.
The course is free, but par
ticipants must provide their
own legal handgun, belt,
holster, eye & ear safety
equipment and at least 100
rounds of ammunition. There
is a limit of 30 participants.
Deadline to submit applica
tions, which are available at
the Sheriff's Office, is June
3. For more information,
contact Sgt. Kevin Williams
at 478-994-7048.
Oct. 8
High Falls Triathlon
The High Falls Triathlon
sponsored by the Friends
of High Falls State Park will
return this year on Oct. 8.
It will be a three-mile run,
12-mille bike ride and a 1.5
mile kayak paddle to reach
the finish line. The event is
limited to 100 competitors
and benefits High Falls State
Park. The last High Falls
Triathlon was in May 2019.
Sign up at ultrasignup.com/
register.aspx?eid= 15162
On-Going
Forsyth Farmers
Market every Friday
Forsyth Farmers Market is
open for its 2022 season on
Fridays from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. It
will be at 9 North Jackson
Street (the lot behind Persons
Banking Company) each
Friday through October.
Vendors offer locally grown
produce and homemade
goods. For more information,
call 478-994-7717 or email
mcordy@cityofforsyth.com
Monroe County
Lindsey told friends and
family and began taking
donations on her Venmo
and PayPal accounts. That
money has flowed in al
lowing them to make four
trips already to Walmart
and Tractor Supply for
dog food. “She couldn’t
believe people were will
ing to help her,” said her
mom. People can donate
on Venmo to Lindsey-
Harris-81 and on PayPal
to
Lindseyharris0824@
gmail.com. They have
also set up a donation box
for dog food at Old Mill
Market.
Lindsey said her daugh
ter can’t wait to deliver the
food to the animal shel
ter. A first grader at T.G.
Scott Elementary, Olivia’s
birthday isn’t for three
more weeks. One suspects
the dogs at the shelter and
Save-A-Pet will be eating
well a long time thanks to
a caring little 6 year old
from Forsyth.
Remember when...
1992
Terry Johnson of Monroe
County is named Georgia
Conservationist of the Year
by the Georgia Outdoor
Writers Association.
ncumbent Larry Evans misses
the deadline to qualify as a
Democratic candidate for the
post he has held since the
board was expanded to five
members. He says he was
considering a run for sheriff
or probate judge and didn't
realize qualifying ended at
noon.
nterested citizens get to
shoot a few rounds with a
50 mm machine gun during
the National Guard Armory
Open House.
Eight troopers from the
Forsyth Georgia State Patrol
Post are sent to help in the
Atlanta riots; trooper Theresa
Metcalf suffers a severe
ankle injury when officers
clash with protesters.
Permits on all existing docks
at High Falls expire in 1994
and major policy changes
are in place.
Forsyth Oil Company on
Highway 41 south of down
town is being demolished.
It opened in the mid-1930s
and has long been the fuel
ing station for many Monroe
Countians but can no longer
compete with large compa
ny-owned stations according
to Howell Newton.
The Forsyth plant of Bibb
Yarn, Inc. is honored by the
American Yarn Spinners As
sociation for operating a full
calendar year without a lost
time accident. Plant manager
is Gilbert Stroupe.
Enrollment at Mercer Univer
sity's teacher education pro
gram is at an all time high.
Program director is Dr. James
Buff of Monroe County.
Dani Newton, 2, daughter
of Frank & Cindy Newton of
Forsyth, is named state win
ner in the Diamond Patriot
State Pageant and will repre
sent Georgia in the nationa
pageant in Daytona Beach.
Two members of the Mary
Persons track team will
compete in the state Class
AA meet: Will Vedder in pole
vault and Suleman Hill in
discus.
For the second year in a
row Monroe Academy Lady
Mustangs win the GISA
Region 2-AAA championship,
and the school doesn't have
a track.
Monroe Academy's boys
track team finishes 3rd in
the region, behind Tattnall
and Mount de Sales. William
Jones is first in the 120 and
330 hurdles in the region
and at the state qualifier.
The Monroe County Older
Americans Council visits
the State Capitol during
the 1992 session, includ
ing executive director Linda
Hampton, director Melvin
Lawrence and assistant direc-
tor/silver haired legislator
Rubye Watts.
2002
Monroe County Recreation
Department will host the an
nual Ga. High School Rodeo
Association; it is sponsored
by Monroe County Saddle
Club, Forsyth Lions Club
and Forsyth-Monroe County
Chamber of Commerce.
Admission is $5 for adults
and $3 for children.
Forsyth continues to evaluate
candidates for city admin
istrator after one of the top
three candidates asks to be
removed from consideration.
Larry Clark resigned sud
denly in January.
To kick off Georgia Cities
Week, Forsyth council holds
its meeting in the Mary
Person gym in front of civics
classes.
Jimmy Lynn Jones of
Culloden is sentenced to 14
years in prison followed by
36 years of probation after
pleading guilty to aggra
vated child molestation and
related charges.
Forsyth United Methodist
Church is working with other
groups to set up a community
computer lab using donated
computer equipment.
2012
Macon Telegraph names
Mary Persons junior Bran-
nen Greene GHSA Middle
Georgia Player of the Year.
MP senior center Harris
Moore is named Honorable
Mention All Middle Georgia.
For the MP girls: freshmen
Keke Calloway is named
first-team All Middle Geor
gia, and junior forward Aleah
Holden is named Honorable
Mention All Middle Georgia.
Former UGA cheerleader
Megan Trammell of Forsyth
is named head cheerlead
ing coach at the College of
Charleston.
Monroe County BOE recog
nizes three Friends of Educa
tion: Ronnie Daniel, Tiffany
Andrews, Bill Bazemore.
Steve Jackson, VP of power
supply for MEAG tells For
syth Monroe County Kiwanis
about huge multi-year envi
ronmental projects underway
at Plant Scherer as part of a
$3 billion upgrade to comply
with EPA.
Monroe County Schools
superintendent Anthony
Pack is sued by two credit
card companies for more
than $50,000 in credit card
debts.
At least two TV shows have
filmed in Forsyth within the
last month. “The Vampire Dia
ries" and the NBC reality
show “Escape Routes" filmed
at the Ga. Public Safety
Training Center.
Monroe County's Chick
Willis will get a Ga. Music
Legend Award at the 8th
Annual BBQ & Blues Festiva
in Barnesville.
Dr. Stan Hickman opens
Southern Smiles, a new state-
of-the-art dental office.
Holli Shipman offers Zumba
workout classes at T.G. Scott
Elementary gym.
About 300 attend the 26th
annual Hubbard Alumni Ban
quet at the Hubbard Middle
School cafeteria. Karmyn
Moran and Brandon Dumas
are the 2012 Hubbard
Alumni Queen and King.
Mary Persons senior Kim
berly English is the Golden
Eagle Award winner in art.
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