Newspaper Page Text
November 2, 2022
Page 2B
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Reporter
Pictured, left
to right, are
the members
of Mary Per
sons Geor
gia state
champion
ship Land
Judging
team: Kaleb
Landry, Wil
low Wal-
drep, Ethan
Bertram,
London
White.
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MP Land Judging Team
wins State Championship
On Oct. 11 Mary Persons FFA Land Judging Team woke up bright and early during
Fall Break to compete at the State Land Judging Career Development Event (CDE) at the
Georgia National Fairgrounds in Perry. The Senior Team took first place and are the State
Land Judging Champions.
The team will represent the state of Georgia at the National Land Judging Competition
in Oklahoma City next May. Team members are Ethan Bertram, Kaleb Landry, Willow
Waldrep and Landen White. Individually, Ethan was the State High Individual and Wil
low was 6th Overall. Their success represents a lot of hard work.
The Land Judging CDE provides students the opportunity to determine land classifica
tion and the use of treatment practices for selected sites. Students must consider topsoil
texture and thickness, effective depth, the permeability of subsoil, slope, erosion, drainage
and land capability.
Voters decide on a new ESplost on the Nov. 8 ballot
By Diane Glidewell
news@mymcr.net
As well as making their choice
of local and state candidates
Monroe County voters will be
asked to decide on their Nov. 8
ballot whether they will continue
to pay the Education Special Op
tion Local Sales Tax (ESPLOST).
(Early voting started Oct. 17.)
The 1-cent sales tax for Monroe
County schools began in 1999
and has been approved to con
tinue every five years since then.
For the first time ESPLOST
is expected to reach the total
amount it can collect before the
five years (60 months) for which
voters approved it has lapsed. The
cap on the tax approved for 2019-
24 of $24 million is expected to
be reached by early 2023, with
over $18 million already col
lected.
The ESLOST tax allows anyone
who shops in Monroe County,
whether residents or visitors
passing through, to share in
funding education in the county.
The funds enable county schools
to rely less on property tax. By
law, ESPLOST revenue can only
be used for capital projects, like
buildings, furnishings, technol
ogy and buses. It can’t be used
for salaries or administrative
expenses.
Since 1999, Monroe County
has collected over $104.8 mil
lion from the 1-cent ESPLOST.
Projects for which the funds have
been used include classroom ad
ditions at Mary Persons, renova
tion of the Board of Education
building, soccer & softball fields,
building T.G. Scott and K.B.
Sutton Elementary and buy
ing the land for KBS, purchase
of Monroe County Education
Center, classroom additions at
Hubbard Elementary, laptops for
teaching staff, secure vestibules
and security cameras at schools,
freshman campus renovations,
renovations at the Mary Persons
gym and more.
The limitations on the proposed
ESPLOST will be 60 months or
$39.5 million. Plans are to use the
funds to renovate, improve and
equip existing school facilities;
build new facilities, including a
9th-grade campus, field house
& stadium improvement and a
multi-purpose building; buy band
instruments & equipment, text
books and library books, includ
ing electronic media; buy buses,
vehicles and transportation and
maintenance equipment.
If voters vote against the ES
PLOST, Monroe County schools
will be limited in ability to con
struct new buildings, buy tech
nology, install safety upgrades
and other capital projects. Its
other major source of revenue is
property taxes, which would have
to increase 3.3 mills to cover the
anticipated SPLOST collections.
By law, school system employ
ees may not campaign for or
against ESPLOST, but a commit
tee of citizens has organized to
share information about ES
PLOST and to campaign for its
approval. Members of the com
munity have spoken to various
civic groups and organizations.
For more information, call the
school system at 4778-994-2031.
Robins acquires Persons Bank
As of Nov. 1 Robins
Financial Credit Union,
headquartered in Warner
Robins, finalized the acqui
sition of Persons Banking
Company, headquartered
in Forsyth.
Full integration is cur
rently in progress and slat
ed to be completed during
Second Quarter of2023, at
which time Persons branch
locations will become fully
integrated as Robins Finan
cial Credit Union. At this
time, it remains business
as usual for customers and
members of both financial
institutions.
As a result of this ac
quisition, customers
and members will enjoy
expanded product and
service offerings, including
a full suite of commercial
services, as well as in
creased financial assets and
improved technology. This
acquisition will provide the
best of both institutions to
customers and employees
“With shared values and
a commitment to our com
munities, we are excited to
welcome Persons employ
ees and customers,” said
Christina O’Brien, Presi
dent and CEO of Robins
Financial Credit Union.
“We believe this acquisition
will create significant long
term value for everyone.”
About Robins Financial
Credit Union: Robins
Financial Credit Union is
a member-owned, not-for-
profit financial cooperative
with more than $4 billion
in assets and more than
249,000 members world
wide. The credit union is
headquartered in Warner
Robins and operates 22
branch locations through
out the state.
About Persons Banking
Company: Persons Bank
ing Company was formed
in February 2015 as a result
of the merger of The Farm
ers Bank, est. 1910, The
Peoples Bank, Conyers, est.
1910, The Bank of Perry,
Perry, est. 1889, and Spivey
State Bank, Swainsboro, est.
1965. The bank is head
quartered in Forsyth and
operates five full-service
banking offices.
Know Your Options
Medicare • Affordable Healthcare
Deborah Stokelin
GEL Health Advisors
678-492-4913
OPEN ENROLLMENT
DEADLINES
Medicare: December 7
ACA Deadline: January 15
APPLY NOW!
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FACING THE HOLIDAYS AFTER
THE LOSS OF A LOVED ONE
November 15th, 2022
6:30 - 8:00 pm
Vineville Baptist Church
The holidays are often a difficult time for families and
individuals who have lost a loved one through death
or divorce. During this special program, clinicians
from Crossroads Christian Counseling Center will
offer practical tips and insights about understanding
and walking through grief during the Christmas and
Thanksgiving season. Also, there will be a special
session for children ages 5 and up.
To RSVP, please call Crossroads at 478-475-4608
2591 Vineville Avenue | Macon, GA 31204
Remember when...
1992
• The Development Authority
of Monroe County will meet
on Oglethorpe Power’s plan
to refund more than $146
million of previously issued
bonds.
• Sheriff's investigator
Barbara Irby files an equal
pay complaint against
Sheriff John Cary Bittick and
Monroe County saying she is
paid less than several other
investigators.
• Election Superintendent
Ben Spear is predicting a
big voter turnout because
of the number of interesting
items on the ballot.
• Students at all schools in
Monroe County are partici
pating in mock elections.
Forsyth City Council and
Monroe County Board of
Education go on record as
opposing a Georgia lottery
at the request of a group of
students representing church
youth.
• Two Monroe Countians,
Olin Mills and J.H. Ambrose,
join President George Bush
in a reelection train ride
through Georgia and N.C.
• The manager of the Good
Times Tavern on Indian
Springs Drive says that his
ad in The Reporter for
dancers doesn't mean he is
planning nude dancing like
at Cafe Erotica in Byron. He
has already had 30 calls
from potential hires.
• Monroe County Sheriff's
Office uses funds seized by
the Georgia State Patro
to buy bulletproof vests for
deputies and troopers after
troopers have to quell a riot
in Atlanta in May without
them.
• Octobers Vocational Stu
dent of the Month at Mary
Persons is Kristerly Mays,
chosen by G. Barden in the
area of foods.
• Culloden’s Holmes Hotel,
now owned by Jeff and
Roberta Pierson, has housed
five generations of the
Holmes family and countless
school teachers and sales
men.
2002
• A helicopter crashes in the
woods near Boxankle Road
in High Falls. It had been
spraying for saplings; the
pilot didn't appear injured.
• The theme for the Home
town Holidays Parade will be
“Dreaming of ...” There is a
$15 entry fee with all monies
going toward charities in
Monroe County.
• T&S Cycles of Bolingbroke
will kick off its first Monroe
County Toy Run to benefit
the CARE Cottage of Mon
roe County.
• Voters will decide between
Republican Jim Peters and
Democrat Joe Proctor for
the District 4 commissioner's
post and between Democrat
Rueschelle Ambrose and
Republican Mike Bilderback
for the District 3 seat.
• The South Monroe County
Neighborhood Association
hosts a political meeting at
Grace Fellowship Church for
state and local candidates to
talk issues with citizens.
• The American Cancer Soci
ety Relay for Life of Monroe
County is kicking off its 10th
annual Relay for Life.
• Monroe County's Cabaniss
Chapter No. 415, United
Daughters of the Confeder
acy receives the prestigious
Gold Star Banner at the
107th State Convention.
• Local artist Bruce Moore
brings home 11 first place
ribbons from the Georgia
National Fair in Perry.
2012
• West Mane Salon donates
proceeds from the sale of
pink hair extensions to re
search to fight breast cancer.
• Madison Trammell is the
2012 Mary Persons Home
coming Queen. She is
escorted by her dad, Sonny
Trammell.
• Scott Tyree is the new
owner of Castleberry Drug
Company, one of Forsyth's
oldest businesses. Jep Castle
berry will still be the chief
pharmacist, and Castle
berry's famed soda fountain
will remain.
• Monroe County commis
sioner Larry Evans hasn't
resolved $34,000 in unpaid
state income taxes, interest
and penalties dating back
to 1985; the issue was first
reported by the Reporter in
March 2011.
• Candidates for Monroe
County Commission chair
man James Vaughn and
Mike Bilderback speak at
the Chamber of Commerce's
political forum at Alderman
Hall.
• Dell Construction Com
pany begins work on the
new Grits Cafe with the
projection of re-opening the
restaurant, which burned on
March 19, in January.
• Monroe County and For
syth will meet with a former
Supreme Court Chief Justice
to try to resolve ongoing dis
putes over the allocation of
oca option sales tax (LOST)
money.
Monroe County's congress
man Austin Scott visits Forsyth
and says his first two years in
office were very frustrating
because of the administra
tion.
• Monroe County has refi
nanced 2003 bonds on its
water system that will save
taxpayers $2.2 million, ac
cording to commissioners.
• Forsyth is taking action
to clean up unsightly and
unsafe properties, includ
ing taking bids to demolish
three houses that have been
declared nuisances.
• A popular motocross track
in High Falls won’t be able
to offer mud bogging but will
be able to keep the track
open later on Friday nights
starting in February.
• The Rubye James Watts
family hosts a birthday party
for Monroe County citizens
90-plus years old, including
four celebrants over 100.
Katie Sanders, 15, a sopho
more at Mary Persons and a
cancer survivor, plays at the
Annual University of Florida
Proton Therapy Institute Golf
Classic and speaks at the
awards dinner.
Mary Persons Lady Bulldogs
volleyball team advances
to the second round of the
AAAA state playoffs with a
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