Newspaper Page Text
Page 2B
•Reporter
October 5, 2022
Charging stations becoming
necessity for travelers
Happy Birthday!
By Diane Glidewell
news@mymcr.net
In presenting possible opportu
nities to promote Forsyth to the
Forsyth Convention & Visitors
Bureau (CVB) board of directors,
Executive Director Gilda Stan-
bery said that as charging stations
for electric vehicles are steadily
becoming more important to
travelers Forsyth should advertise
its charging stations. She said that
Florida, where many of Forsyths
visitors originate, is second
among states in the number of
electric vehicles.
“We need to have our charging
stations on maps and websites,”
said Stanbery.
She said she recently became
aware that not all charging sta
tions can service all electric cars.
A family came to the CVB and
told her they needed to recharge
their vehicle but that their car was
an older version that couldn’t use
the charging stations at the For
syth Walmart or Ingles. Stanbery
directed the family to the City of
Forsyths charging station at the
Public Safety Complex, which
was able to charge the family’s car.
Stanbery said older vehicles
take longer to charge. The posi
tive side of the story is that the
family used the time they needed
to recharge to visit some busi
nesses in Forsyth, contributing to
the local economy, and left with
a positive experience and a good
impression of the community
that will bring them back.
Board member Navid Kapadia
said that Tesla identifies charg
ing station locations but not all
makers of electric vehicles do
so. He said that drivers will plan
their routes and stops around
where they can access stations.
He said he stopped in Metter on
I-16 in order to charge his vehicle
and was impressed with a city he
wouldn’t have visited otherwise.
The Metter charging station was
near a group of shops, and Ka
padia spent about $80 in the 30
minutes it took to charge his car.
Forsyth celebrates the opening of its electric car charging station at
the Public Safety Complex on Oct. 5, 201 7.
He said he was impressed with
how well-lighted the exit was and
how well done the landscaping at
the exit was.
Kapadia, who manages several
hotels including the LaQuinta
Inn in Forsyth, said that recharg
ing for electric vehicles is becom
ing an amenity offered by hotels,
like a complementary breakfast.
However, since it isn’t currently
feasible for Forsyth hotels to
offer, it is important to provide
it through the city and county.
Kapadia said that it can also
directly generate revenue for the
city through the sale of electricity.
“It will sometimes cost as much
as gas [to fill up],” he said.
Board member Tushar Patel,
CEO of the Royal Seven Group
that includes the convenience
store, gas station and three
restaurants in Forsyth, said that
seeing the need for electric charg
ing stations, he is bringing one to
the Forsyth Royal Seven complex.
It will serve all types of electric
vehicles. Plans are to be ready to
charge in November.
Stanbery commended Patel on
his foresight and reiterated that
spreading the news about the
charging stations in the Forsyth
area will help the CVB do its job
of attracting visitors and boost
ing the economy. The amenity is
a good fit with Forsyth’s multiple
exits on 1-75 and its 12 hotels,
KOA campground and other
overnight accommodations.
Stanbery said another service
that is becoming increasingly
sought after by both visitors and
locals is food delivery. She said
there are about 10 eateries in
Forsyth that deliver by using
Door dash, Uber eats and similar
services. Stanbery said it would
be a good service of CVB to learn
what delivery services are avail
able in Forsyth and which local
businesses are using them and
share that information.
Kapadia said he used Door dash
to cater food from Georgia Bob’s
the previous week for House
keeping Appreciation Week and
was pleased with the service.
Board members Amy Knight
and Kerri Swearingen said they
find food delivery service very
useful when they are travel
ing and staying in hotels. They
agreed that it would be helpful to
travelers, locals and businesses to
help share information about the
services available.
Kapadia said that restaurants
and delivery services have the
option to turn the service off and
on; many have the option avail
able during lunch hours only. He
said there is a cost for the service
but many feel it
is worth it.
“The demand
is there,” he said.
Stanbery said
she will contact
local restaurants
to gather infor
mation about
what is available
and will then
share what she
is provided.
igerlily Singletary
Sept. 30,2013
Daughter of Matt & Shannon Singletary
Granddaughter of Dan & Beth Singletary
Bolinqbroke
ig
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Continuedfrom Page 1B
in, Deal called and asked him
to be one of his floor leaders
in the state senate. It’s almost
unheard of for a freshman
politician to be asked to
fill that position. It says a
lot about Kennedy and his
reputation - someone who’s
honest, hardworking, and can
get things done.
I came away from our
meeting feeling good about
the manner in which Ken
nedy represents Bolingbroke
and Monroe County, about
his personal beliefs, his politi
cal philosophy and political
positions. Kennedy is the type
of politician we need more
of - honest, unpretentious,
caring, servant leader. If you’d
like more information about
Senator Kennedy, where he
stands on the issues, or want
to volunteer for his campaign,
visit his website - www.vote-
johnkennedy.com
Remember when...
1992
Forsyth reverses plan
to open parks 24/7
By Diane Glidewell
news@mymcr.net
At its called meeting on Sept. 13 Forsyth
decided to reverse its decision to open city
parks 24/7. Citizens will be welcome to
use the walking/jogging trails at any time,
but the rest of the parks, including pavil
ions, will revert to restricted hours. Those
hours will be 8 a.m.-8 p.m. until April 1
when council will consider adjusting the
park hours when the length of daylight
increases.
On Aug. 15 Forsyth approved a motion
by council member Julius Stroud to keep
all city parks open 24/7 except for areas
subject to vandalism, such as, restrooms,
skate track and splash pad. Stroud said the
guidelines of opening the park from sun
up to sundown were too vague and that
citizens, like himself, wanted to use the
tracks at earlier and later times.
Only the city’s two large parks, Country
Club Drive and Kynette, had been closed
at night. The city’s four small parks do
not have gates or any way to close them.
Stroud said he realized the need to keep
the parks open after the “drama” when
Forsyth police asked two men to leave
Kynette Park after dark. There was dis
cussion about whether the city could, or
should, leave park facilities open while
closing access to restroom facilities.
On Sept. 13 council member Melvin
Fawrence asked to revisit leaving the parks
open because he wasn’t present at the Aug.
15 meeting when the decision was made.
“I don’t go for that. The police depart
ment is understaffed; it will open doors to
havoc,” said Fawrence. “Who’s going to be
walking the track at night?”
Stroud said he had used the track at
5 a.m. and there was also another per
son using it at the time. He said that he
wanted things that couldn’t be locked up
to be considered open. He said people in
Forsyth work shifts and want to use the
track at different times and that lights from
the National Guard Armory help light the
track. He said the city should add lights
with motion sensors.
Council member Mike Dodd said he
has gotten negative feedback from citizens
about leaving the parks open, and Faw
rence said he has had several calls from
citizens saying that leaving the parks open
at night is inviting trouble.
City manager Janice Hall said the city or
dinance currently says the parks are open
from sunup to sundown; previously hours
were set at 8 a.m.-10 p.m. She said there
had been graffiti at the skate track that
week. Mayor Eric Wilson said he heard
from law enforcement that if the parks are
open all night, it makes it more difficult for
them to question people hanging out in
the parks.
“We’re about to spend $5 million on the
parks,” said Dodd. “We need to drop back
and reconsider.”
“People are going to go there anyway and
walk if they want to,” said council member
John Howard. “It’s ridiculous to ask police
to patrol. They have better things to do un
til we have more police to patrol the city”
Wilson asked where people will park if
the city leaves the trails open but closes the
gate to the park. Stroud said there is park
ing just outside the gate that provides good
access to the trails.
After Don Daniel suggested the city
install cameras for security, council mem
ber Greg Goolsby motioned that the city
install cameras and set hours of 8 a.m.-8
p.m. for the parks, including the pavilions,
but allow 24/7 use of the trails, until April
1. The motion was approved unanimously.
Goolsby said the city should tie the cam
eras back to the police department.
“The sign makers are having a good
business out of this one,” said Wilson. “The
skunk problem in the park may solve some
of the problems.”
• Monroe County 6th
grade science teacher
Chuck Randall is 1992 Mon
roe County Teacher of the
Year. Other nominees were
Sharon Hopper of Hubbard,
Julie Bazemore of Mary Per
sons and Carlene Edwards
of Fifth Grade School.
• Monroe County com
missioners vote to ask state
awmakers to give them a
$350/month pay raise. Cur
rently the commissioner chair
receives $200/month and
the four district commissioner
receive $ 150/month.
• Bibb Yarns announces
that Aladdin Mills of Dalton
will buy the Forsyth plant,
including the 220,000 sq. ft.
building and 41 acres.
• Georgia Dept, of Trans
portation plans to widen the
in-town portion of Martin
Luther King Jr. Dr./Hwy. 83
so that it can accommodate
10,000 cars per day.
• Squeeze Play Sports-
cards at 1 3 E. Johnston
Street, Forsyth, owned by
Bobby Lavender, holds its
grand opening.
• Guntram Gudowius
of Hanover, Germany is
traveling around the world
emphasizing environmental
awareness; his trek brought
him to Forsyth where he
stayed with Lee and Deena
Smith.
William Callahan, new
vocational supervisor, is
organizing a Mary Persons
cross country team.
• New additions to the
Mary Persons faculty are Dr.
Joanne Harris, Coach John
Johnston, Anthony Nzegwu,
Coach Steve Patterson, Kem-
uel Ronis and Susie Spencer.
• A quilt made by Ruth
Pomroy of Bolingbroke is one
of 1 3 quilts out of 17,000 en
tries chosen by the Georgia
Arts Council for display in
the ante-room of the gover
nor’s office.
Coop Frazier and the
Southern Riders, a Forsyth-
based country and Southern
rock band that has been
packing the house at a
Warner Robins night spot,
will hold its first hometown
concert at the Juliette Old
Grist Mill Festival.
2012
2002
• Monroe County Hospita
Foundation will host its first
annual dinner on Nov. 1 1 at
the Georgia Public Safety
Training Center to raise
awareness of the Foundation
and its goals. Entertainment
will be by Susan Watts Gib
son and the singing medical
staff of “The Scrub Team”:
Doctors Patton Smith, Craig
Caldwell, J. Robert Fountain,
J. Ray Grant, Lawrence Kirk,
Pat Smith, Stephen Taunton,
Trellis Baker, Jon-Michael
Bruce, Michael Dawson.
• Forsyth-Monroe County
Chamber of Commerce
President/CEO Pam Chris
topher is selected for 2003
Class Leadership Georgia.
• Monroe County Health
Dept, begins its annual flu
($12) and pneumonia ($17)
vaccine campaign.
• Secretary of State Cathy
Cox joins Monroe County
voter education coordinator
Sam Gibson in the kick-off
of the program introducing
Georgia's new touch screen
voting machines.
• The Backlot Players
of Forsyth are forming a
Community Chorale; Glenn
Gregg will direct and Janice
Vea wi I be the accompanist.
• The 1973 Forsyth build
ing on the corner of Johnston
and Lee Streets, which was
once Bramblett Hardware
and is now Ham & Jenkins,
Attorneys, gets a new coat
of paint with part of the cost
reimbursed by the Better
Hometown facade grant
program.
• Jonathan Evans, who
often fishes Lake Juliette,
catches a 35.8 lb. striped
bass.
• Mary Persons improves
its average SAT score by 50
points over 201 1, to 1,397.
• Traffic backs up for miles
on 1-75 South when 1 8 round
hay bales being transported
by a Byron man catch fire.
He lost about $900 worth of
hay but credits the Monroe
County Fire Department with
saving his trailer and truck.
• Commissioners approve
a one-tenth of a mill reduc
tion in property taxes.
• Board of Education
approves a tax increase of
.355 mills, meaning property
owners will owe $14.20
more for each $100,000
worth of property.
• Commissioners approve
splitting the cost of about
$7,000 for a 26-ft. artificial
Christmas tree for the Court
house square with the city of
Forsyth.
• Charles Collins, 83,
thought to be the only man
from Monroe County to run
for president, passes away.
Collins was also known for
the huge number of Christ
mas lights at his Highway
42N home each year.
• Top Christian band
Bluetree will perform live
at New Providence Baptist
after the Mary Persons-
Howard game.
• Because of the popu
larity of its summer camps,
Monroe County Arts Alli
ance is continuing with after
school art clubs for aqes
8-12.
• Kylie Seitz and Katie
Sanders celebrate surviv
ing cancer with family and
friends.
• Sixteen showy great
egrets are seen on the Fall
Migration bird count in
Monroe County.
• The Merry Hearts, a
group of older Monroe
Countians who enjoy meet
ing together, hold a celebra
tion for Margaret Niblett’s
100th birthday.
Remember When
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