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VOL. 105, NO. 35, MARCH 18, 2009 LEGAL ORGAN OF JENKINS COUNTY MILLEN, GEORGIA • 75 CENTS County ranks No. 1 in unemployment By Deborah Bennett Millen News Editor Figures recently released by the Georgia Department of Labor shows that Jenkins County’s un employment rate continues to rank in the top position statewide. For January, the 19.9 rating earned the county the number one position. However, this was down slightly from December 2008’s rate of 20.5, which was also the state’s highest ranking for the month. Approximately 551 persons were unemployed during the month of January as compared to 610 unemployed in December 2008. Initial claims fded in Janu ary numbered 417. Other counties topping the chart for the month of January were: Hancock, 19.8; Warren, 16.8; Irwin, 14.8; Davis, 13.4; Hart, 13.6; Chattahoochee, 13.1; and Screven, 12.8. The nation’s unemployment rate for the month was 8.5, and the state’s rate was 8.6. There is, however, a silver lin ing not revealed by the grim sta tistics. Many of the county’s unem ployed have elected to continue theh education or to get their Gen eral Education Diplomas, which translates into a better trained workforce. Jenkins County is also a pilot community for the Georgia Work Ready Program, an initiative comprised of a skills assessment and certification for job seekers and a job profiling system for businesses. The certificate indi cates that job applicants have the necessary skills to serve as a foun dation for training and that they are willing and able to work and learn. In addition, the county has earned the “Entrepreneur Friendly” designation by the Georgia Department of Economic Development. In connection with this, the Jenkins County Devel opment Authority was recently awarded a $99,000 grant from the USD A Rural Development to construct an entrance to the En trepreneur Park located off Geor gia Hwy. 21. Local leaders state that they are continuing to work on a daily basis to bring jobs to Millen and Jenkins County. A CROWNING MOMENT Winners in the Miss Jenkins County School Pageant are, from left, Camry Meeks, Miss Jenkins County Elementary School; Brittany Johnson, Miss Jenkins County High School; and Kayla Kirkland, Miss Jenkins County Middle School. (Photo contributed) Miss Jenkins County Schools Pageant winners announced The Miss Jenkins County Schools Pageant was held Sat urday, March 7. Miss Jenkins County Elementary winner was Camry Meeks, daughter of Dewayne and Julie Meeks; 1 st runner up, Maggie Searles, daughter of David and Nan Searles: 2 nd runner up, Yasmine Reynolds, daughter of Nicholas and Jasmia Howell; and America’s Choice, Lakeeba Lake, daughter of Anthony Prescott and Tiffany Lake. Miss Jenkins County Middle School winner was Kayla Kirkland, daughter of Joseph and Lisa Kirkland; 1 st runner up, Amanda Harden, daughter of Bobby Harden and Lotice Reed; 2 nd runner up Jonquette Sanders, daughter of John and Patricia Sanders; and America’s Choice, Kayla Hendley, daughter of Ronnie and Rhonda Hendley. Miss Jenkins County High School winner was Brittany Johnson, daughter of Marshall and Alivia Johnson; 1 st runner up, Krislynn Royal, daughter of Henry Royal and Karen Worman, 2 nd runner up and America’s Choice, Margaret Dickens, daughter of David and Lela Dickens; and Miss Con geniality, Voshti Sheppard, daughter of Vincent Robertson and Tamera Sheppard. The pageant committee expressed appreciation to the con testants, parents, and all those who supported, donated, or helped in any way to make the pageant successful. Proceeds will go to help with the 2009 Jenkins County High School Prom. Chamber ‘Gala’ set for March 26 By Deborah Bennett Millen News Editor Tickets are now on sale for the Millen-Jenkins County Cham ber of Commerce’s "Gala” to be held 7 p.m. Thursday, March 26, at the Old Pal Theatre on Cotton Avenue. The cost is $10 per ticket. Dr. Wayne Ates will provide entertainment and hors d’ oeuvres will be served. Dr. Ates is an educator, having taught high school and college levels for 14 years. He is a humorist who believes that people should laugh more if the laughter is appropriate and healthy. He is convinced that humor is good medicine and tries to help people overlook the unbecoming, understand the unconventional, tolerate the unpleasant and outlast the unbear able. He is a professional public speaker who speaks all over the United States and has been doing so for 30 years. He is a gradu ate of Brewton-Parker College; Louisiana College and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He has also studied at LSU and Georgia Southern University. Another highlight of the event will be recognition of local businesses that have made improvements to their properties during the past year. Tickets may be purchased at the chamber office on Cotton Avenue or from any chamber director. Grand Jury hands down indictments DR. WAYNE ATES The Jenkins County Grand Jury convened in Jenkins County Superior Court this month and handed down the following in dictments and accusations. • David Lee Bostic, possession of cocaine. • Bryan Matthew Boings, aggravated battery, family vio lence battery-second or subsequent offense and obstruction of officers-misdemeanor. • James Henry Hardaway, burglary. • Jeffery Ronaldo Cooper, armed robbery, kidnapping, bur glary and four counts of aggravated assault. • Lessie Monike Lee, forgery-first degree and obstruction of officers-misdemeanor. • Michael Paul Pettite, burglary. • Camron Blake Walker, possession of marijuana-more than an ounce, driving under the influence of drugs and speeding. County urges department heads to tighten budgets By Deborah Bennett Millen News Editor “Sliding in under the wire,” was the description Chairman James Henry gave the state of the county’s budget in the Tuesday, March 3, meeting of the Jenkins County Commis sioners. He noted that most county departments were within their budgets, but that special care was needed to remain that way. The commissioners ap proved a letter to department heads and elected officials ad vising them of the importance of staying within their budgets and expressing appreciation for all they had done in the past to accomplish the task. Chairman Henry also re ported that Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) revenues were down the last few months. The one-cent sales tax was previ ously expected to generate up to $6 million over a 6-year period for county and city projects. With current revenue collections, however, it was doubtful if that goal would be met, Chairman Henry re ported. In other matters, Lillian Caraway and Beulah Allen ad dressed the commissioners with two concerns: a tax break for senior citizens and the lo cation of a dumpster in the Barfield Road area of Perkins. The commissioners ex pressed understanding for the need of a tax break by senior citizens but noted that the county was not in a financial position to offer one. Atten tion was also called to the fact that the county has not raised property taxes in several years. The county’s Field Director was instructed to investigate locating a dumpster in the area requested. It was noted, how ever, that landowners are re luctant to allow the county to place a dumpster on their property. Other actions taken by the commissioners included the following: • Tabled appointment of a member to the Jenkins County Tax Assessor Board; • Approved a resolution in favor of changing the name of Landfill Road to Pine Avenue; • Authorized Commissioner Tommy Lane to investigate/ handle complaints concerning stray dogs in the landfill area of the county; • Approved the expenditure of $5,265 to the CSRA Rural Development Center for the 5- year review of the county’s 10-year Comprehensive Plan, as required by the state; and • Appointed Commissioner Domingo Green to serve on the Jenkins County Board of Health. Cong. Barrow announces Recovery Funding for Millen Congressman John Barrow recently announced that the Millen Housing Authority and City of Millen are the first lo cal recipients of the 2009 Re covery Act funding. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will be allocating $166,478 from the 2009 Capi tal Fund Program to the City of Millen for use by the Millen Housing Authority. According to HUD, “Capi tal Fund awards will be used to provide funds to Public Housing Agencies eligible for Capital funding as authorized under Section 9 of the United States Housing Act of 1937, with the exception that funds cannot be used for operations or rental assistance. The funds will be used for capital and management activities, in cluding modernization and development of public hous ing.” “It is great that local com munities like Millen are al ready getting their economic recovery funds,” said Cong. Barrow. “Folks here have been hit hard by the recession, and this money couldn’t get here a minute too soon. These funds will grow the local economy in a lasting way through infrastructure projects that will hold their value in the long run. More importantly, it will be used to put folks to work.” In total, communities in Georgia’s 12 th District will re ceive close to $14.5 million in 2009 Recovery Act grants from HUD. The City of Millen will re ceive $18,702 for law en forcement assistance through the Edward Byrne Justice As sistance Grant (JAG) pro gram. “During times like these, the last thing we need is fewer cops on the streets,” said Cong. Barrow. “But budget cuts could force some of our communities to cut back on the things we need most, like fighting crime. This money will save some jobs and cre ate others, which is critical right now, but it’ll also make our kids and families safer, which is the most important thing we can do now and in the long run.” The JAG program is admin istered by the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, and supports a broad range of activities by state and local governments to prevent and control crime and improve the criminal jus tice system. Georgia’s 12 th Congres sional District will receive close to $2.3 million for law enforcement assistance through the JAG program.