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Page 2B
July 20, 2022
91
Exporter
Forsyth joins believers across
Ga. in reading Bible on July 14
On Thursday, July 14 at 7:14 a.m. at each
of the 159 county courthouses in Georgia,
there was a designated reading of a section
of the Bible. The threat of rain didn't stop a
small group from gathering at the Monroe
County Courthouse.
This is the 4th year the interdenomina
tional gathering was held in Georgia. In
less than an hour the entire Bible was read
over our state. Monroe County's Scripture
portion was Judges 6-10, which included
the exploits of Gideon and God's hand in
national circumstances.
The basis for this statewide reading
is taken from 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If my
people, who are called by my name, will
humble themselves, and pray and seek
my face, and turn from their wicked ways,
then I will hear from heaven, and forgive
their sin and heal their land.”
The Statewide Bible Reading project was
started in 2018 in Iowa. In 2020,16 states
and 57 countries participated. As of2021,
there are now 16 states and 72 countries,
covering 24 of the 26 worldwide time
zones. (Photo courtesy of Allison Jenkins).
Volunteers
at the Mon
roe County
Courthouse
join with
others in all
of Georgia s
159 coun
ties to read
portions of
the Bible at
7:14 a.m.
on July 14
in re
sponse to 2
Chronicles
7:14.
Forsyth department heads Butler, Foster, Herndon retire
Forsyth fire chief David Herndon, shown at right during the
Grits Cafe fire in 2012, plans to retire in September. (File)
Remember when...
By Diane Glidewell
news@mymcr.net
In her report to council
on July 12, city manager
Janice Hall said that the
city of Forsyths longest
serving employee, Steve
Butler, retired April 30. She
said his health problems
have kept the city from
having a reception for him
and asked council to keep
Butler in prayers.
Butler was a city of
Forsyth employee for 39
years. On Oct. 30,2019
he was presented a gift by
the city at an employee ap
preciation lunch for being
the city’s longest serving
employee, which at that
time was 36 years. However
there were four employees
not far behind him who
were recognized in 2019
for reaching the 35-year
milestone: Police Chief
Eddie Harris, Investigator
Alexander Daniels, Major
George Foster and public
works supervisor Steve
Jones. In 1999, at a time
CALENDAR
Continued from Page B1
& fun, too.
Aug. 1
First Day of School for
Monroe County Schools
Oct. 8
High Falls Triathlon
The High Falls Triathlon spon
sored 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
ine. The event is limited to
As part of Atrium Healths
commitment to offering
market competitive com
pensation and benefits pro
grams, the health provider
is investing $2.3 million
into teammate compensa
tion, including an increase
to the minimum wage at
Atrium Health Navicent.
Beginning July 10, the
new minimum wage will
be $13.50 for entry-level
roles at Atrium Health
Navicent, a one dollar per
hour increase over the
current minimum. This is
the second minimum wage
increase in the past year
and third since September
2020, bringing it well above
the federally mandated
$7.25 per hour.
Atrium manages Monroe
when the city reappointed
department heads annually,
Butler was Forsyths main
tenance superintendent.
Hall said Foster has also
retired, and the city will
have a retirement recep
tion for him. Forsyth fire
chief David Herndon has
submitted his retirement
effective Sept. 30. Hall is
accepting letters of interest
100 competitors and ben
efits 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 478-994-7747 or emai
County Hospital.
“Our teammates are our
most important resource
in providing high-quality
health care close to home,”
said Atrium Health Navi
cent President and CEO
Delvecchio Finley. “When
we invest in recruiting and
retaining our workforce,
were making an invest
ment, in the economy and
the health and wellness of
the communities we serve,
that will provide benefit for
years to come.”
Additional teammates
with hourly pay above
$13.50 are also receiving in
creases to maintain pay dif
ferentiation and minimize
pay compression. The new
pay rates will be reflected
on more than 2,000 team-
from current city em
ployees for the fire chief
position.
In addition to his duties
as fire chief Herndon has
been handling environ
mental compliance for the
city, including monitoring
the closed city landfill.
Herndon has also become
the point of contact for
issues with the splash pad
mcordyS'cityofforsyth.com
Story Time at M.C.
Library
Monroe County Library
has Story Time with favorite
books, crafts and surprises
each Wednesday at 11 a.m.
at the library's childrens corn.
Monroe County
Amateur Radio
Monroe County Amateur Ra
dio Society meets the second
Monday of each month at
6:30 p.m. at Monroe County
Fire Station 1, 693 Juliette
Road, Forsyth.
mates’ July 29 paychecks.
“Atrium Health Navicent
works daily to provide
competitive pay and
benefits, and a culture that
attracts and retains team
mates,” said Vishal Bhalla,
Atrium Health Navicent
senior vice president and
chief human resources
officer, who also serves
as Atrium Health’s chief
experience officer. “As a
major employer in central
and south Georgia, this
investment demonstrates
Atrium Health Navicent’s
commitment to invest
in the region’s economy
and is an example of the
economic impact afforded
to the region through our
strategic combination with
Atrium Health.”
at the city’s park. He has
completed a number of
classes and earned certifi
cations to qualify him to
deal with environmental
requirements.
Hall said Forsyth is work
ing to correct deficiencies
on an inspection of the Old
Brent Road Landfill. An
EPD inspector made an
onsite visit the first week of
July and will be sending a
1992
Thomas Fletcher, 76, captures
fugitive James Clanton, 34,
accused of killing an Atlanta
woman and stabbing and
beating a Macon man, at
Fletcher's home near Hwy. 87
One Monroe County com
pany, the Bibb Company in
Juliette, is listed on Georgia’s
1990 Toxic Release Inventory
Report.
Monroe Countys Bargain
House, now known as the
Circle of Care Christian Thrift
Center, has moved to its third
ocation, a vacant warehouse
at the corner of West Adams
and Phelps Streets, where it
has nearly 6,000 sq. ft. to
display items.
Work crews of English Con
struction Company were on
the job the day after a called
Forsyth Council meeting ap
proved a $100,000 remodel
ing loan to renovate a former
clothing store into City Hall
annex.
The Ham family reunion is
held July 4 with 275 family
members present.
Al Burruss chaplain/volunteer
coordinator Rod Callahan
presents Gene Shirey of Jack-
son a certificate as Volunteer
of the Year. There were also
45 other volunteers honored
at Volunteer Appreciation
Night.
The Creative Alternative
Art Center is serving as a
resource center for art lessons
to the students at Sweetpeas
Day Care Center in Forsyth. It
will offer art, music, dance and
dramatic instruction during
summer camps and the regu
lar school year for daycare,
earning center and private
school groups.
The annual Georgia Jersey
Cattle Association field day
is held at the Cabiness Fire
Station with about 80 FFA,
4-H members and guests from
South Carolina participating in
cattle judging.
Construction of the new nine
holes at the Forsyth Golf
Club, which began a year
and a half ago, is nearly
complete and could be ready
by the end of August.
2002
A ceremony to dedicate the
"Heroes of 2001 ” stamp,
which will generate funds to
help victims of the Sept. 11
terrorist attacks, is held at the
Georgia Public Safety Train
ing Center.
letter with his findings.
Hall invited council to
attend the meeting with
the Regional Commission
on the Joint Comprehen
sive Plan on Tuesday, Aug.
2 to hear a summary of
public input received and
to express their ideas. She
said the city department
heads met to discuss the
Fireworks Over Forsyth
event on July 2, deemed it
a success and had only a
Forsyth holds a tax deed
sale in its ongoing effort to
collect unpaid property taxes.
Beginning with 56 properties,
four were sold on July 2 and
six still have unpaid taxes and
could be sold in August.
Residents of W. Johnston,
W. Main, Indian Springs
Drive and Jackson Heights
subdivision are organizing a
neighborhood watch program
in an attempt to combat crime,
especially thefts.
Rep. Curtis Jenkins has
announced he is seeking
reelection to represent all of
Monroe and parts of Jasper,
Jones, Lamar, Butts and Bibb
counties.
Juliette celebrates the 4th of
July with singing hayrides,
food and entertainment for
kids.
The High Falls American Le
gion Ladies Auxiliary will spon
sor a drive-by rabies clinic.
Weekly payments to jobless
workers who file first-time
claims for unemployment
insurance benefits will increase
from $284 to $295 in July.
Dr. Priscilla Doster-Jackson will
serve as president of Caban-
iss Chapter No. 415 UDC
from July 2002-July 2004,
succeeding Barbara Fincher.
Monroe Academy student
Ryan Hearn scores a perfect
800 on the math portion of
the SAT.
Rev. Leroy Michael Barnes
is the new pastor of Brown
Chapel Baptist Church in
Juliette.
Twila Faye’s Tea Room & Old
Fashioned Soda Fountain has
opened in Bolingbroke. The
owners are Mike and Twila
Dunlap, who also own the
adjacent convenience store,
Mike's Mart, and gas station.
The Monroe County Ladies
Farm Bureau Committee
sponsored an event for the
Summer Reading Program
with Melody Wilson of the
Wilson Dairy Farm sharing
interesting facts about cows
and milk, reading three books
and serving ice cream to
about 60 children with help
from Bill & Sarah Waldrep,
Billy Lancaster, Jim Peters and
Sheila King.
The Backlot Players will offer
a week long theater camp for
children 4K-5th grade led by
Sandy Watson, Ann Cummings
and Judy Hunter. Cost is $10
few suggestions to improve
next year’s celebration. Hall
said a lot of people worked
to make it successful.
She asked that a commit
tee be formed for the city’s
bicentennial. She wants to
start it from the commit
tee that picked the city’s
unity art sculpture, with all
from that committee who
are willing to serve on the
bicentennial committee.
per child.
Omani & Sarah Hogan of For
syth will celebrate their 45th
wedding anniversary with
a dinner provided by their
children, Frederick Hogan and
Sarah & Richard Alford.
Areas in Monroe County
hit hard by severe weather
include the Betsy Lynn subdivi
sion, Bunn Road in the Smarr
area and the intersection of
Collier Road and Ensign Road.
The number of horses in
Georgia has climbed to an
estimated 250,000; partici
pants in the 4-H State Horse
Show jumps from 200 in 1997
to 450 in 2002.
2012
Following a motorcycle ride,
a concert at Ellis Field in
Culloden honors the life of
former Monroe Countian
and Atlanta Rhythm Section
ead singer Ronnie Hammond,
who passed away of a heart
attack.
Forsyth Police Dept, acquires
two hybrid vehicles and an
additional Segway persona
transport with a Ga. Dept,
of Transportation Clean Air
Campaign grant.
Forsyth lifts its outdoor water
ing ban after approving
$5,000 to replace a Tobesof-
kee Creek water pump.
The Reporter picks up seven
awards for journalistic excel-
ence from the Ga. Press
Association.
Kaleb Joseph, 22, and Zack
Walker, 24, of Forsyth are
picked for bit parts in the
movie “42" about Jackie
Robinson.
Forsyth council members
complain after Mayor John
Howard takes more than
$500,000 out of the city’s
competitive trust fund to pay
the MEAG electric bill without
getting council approval.
Forsyth-Monroe County
Chamber of Commerce
welcomes tourism coordinator
Deborah Millikan and ad
ministrative assistant Jennifer
Brown.
Monroe County schools won’t
receive a May E-LOST check
and will get a reduced check
in June because of a state
accounting error. The checks
are usually about $385,000
each month and are used for
capital projects.
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
MONROE IN COLLEGE
Brenna Outten of Forsyth gradu
ated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of
Science in Neuroscience and a minor in
Latin American Studies from Furman
University in Greenville, S.C. in May
7 commencement exercises for the class
of2022 at Paladin Stadium. Nearly 630
students graduated in the class of2022.
Outten's parents and/or guardians are
Ms. Kimberly Turkvant and Mr. Stephen
Atrium Health Navicent raises
its minimum wage to $13.50