Newspaper Page Text
VOL. 105, NO. 37, APRIL 1, 2009
LEGAL ORGAN OF JENKINS COUNTY
MILLEN, GEORGIA • 75 CENTS
Planters EMC grant to help
pay for Hwy. 25 signage
Most travelers don’t even
know what they’re missing.
Drivers flow up and down U.S.
Highway 25 day and night and
don’t realize they’re just blocks
away from some of Millen’s
most prized jewels.
Downtown Development Au
thority (DDA) director Art
Johnson and downtown busi
ness owners aim to change that
trend. Local merchants want
motorists who pass by Millen to
know what lies beyond the four-
lane. So. they are working to
gether to install signs on U.S.
Highway 25 at either end of
town to promote downtown
Millen and its merchants.
“There are so many people
that travel on the highway and
think that is Millen,” Johnson
said. “They don’t realize there
is a town over here with a main
street and shops. Our purpose
for putting the signs out there
is to direct people to downtown.
Our merchants really need this.”
A variety of shops grace the
sidewalks on Cotton Avenue
and surrounding streets, includ
ing florists, gift shops, antique
stores, a gourmet bakery, res
taurants and even an old-fash
ioned soda shop.
Planters Electric Membership
Corporation (EMC) recently
awarded the Millen DDA a
$2,850 grant through the Opera
tion Round Up program to help
pay for the signage along High
way 25.
“By getting the Planters
grant, it makes it more afford
able for the businesses,”
Johnson said, noting that the
Millen-Jenkins County Cham
ber of Commerce and DDA will
pitch in as well.
Aside from directing traffic to
downtown, the signs will in
clude a small advertisement for
each of the businesses there.
Johnson hopes to have the signs
in place in the coming months.
Planters EMC’s Operation
Round Up program awards
grants every three months to
local organizations that work to
better their communities. Mem
bers of Planters EMC provide
the money for the program by
Art Johnson reviews plans for U.S. Highway 25 signage
with Joseph Kirkland, owner of K & K Antiques and Old
Fashioned Soda Shop on Cotton Avenue. (Photo
contributed)
rounding their electric bills up Applications for the next
to the nearest dollar and donat- round of grants are now being
ing the difference through the accepted and must be turned in
grants. More than $23,000 in by Friday, April 10.
funding was provided for area For more information, visit
civic and educational projects in www.plantersemc.com or call
the latest round of awards. (478) 982-4722.
JCHS Army JROTC wins state Championship
The Jenkins County Army
JROTC Precision Drill Team
marched into history Saturday,
March 21, by capturing three first
place trophies at the Georgia
Army State Drill Team Champi
onships, each trophy represent
ing an event State Champion
ship.
“The War Eagle Drill Team
continues to defy all the normal
roads to success, which routinely
takes many years of develop
ment, to build a core of experi
enced varsity team members.
The talent that resides in the
Corps of Cadets at Jenkins
County seems to be endless with
the success the Raider Team had
at both the state and national level
rolling over to the Drill Team, as
well. The little school that would
has become the little school that
could and out performed the best
of the best from all classifications
throughout Georgia. All 35
schools participating in the
championship meet were either
one of the 10 Area Champions
or in the top three/four in their
respective regions that earned a
berth in the Championship
Meet,” commented Col. Kenneth
Wade.
Jenkins County won the State
Championship in the Regulation
Unarmed Squad, Male/Mixed
Division with Ra’Shon Brady,
Tay Taylor, Jared Hackworth,
Anthony Ricks, Chris Hillis,
Lewis Williams and Andres
Jeronimo making up the team.
The State Championship for
Regulation Armed Squad, Male/
Mixed was won by the same
team members with Jerome Tay
lor marching in place of Chris
Hillis. The Regulation Armed
Squad, Female Division State
Championship goes to Brianna
Joiner, Latoria Wimberly,
Cassandra Lake, Keondra Kelly,
Ladeisha Simpkins, Brittany
McKinney and Courtney
Johnson. Jenkins County also
placed second in Regulation Un
armed Platoon with the members
of the three above State Cham
pion team members. In addition,
to the first and second place fin
ishes, the War Eagles captured
fourth in Regulation Armed Pla
toon and Jerome Taylor finished
seventh overall in individual
competition. Cadets Paul Salter,
Trevon Sanders and Willie
Watson round out this years State
Champion War Eagles.
Members of the Jenkins County High School JROTC team shown are, from left, first row: Keondra Kelly, Cassandra
Lake, Brianna Joiner, Brittany McKinney, Tay Taylor, Anthony Ricks, Trevon Sanders and Willie Watson; and
second row: Jared Hackworth, Chris Hillis, Paul Salter, Latoria Wimberly, Courtney Johnson, Ladeshia Simpkins,
Ra’Shon Brady, Jerome Taylor, Lewis Williams and Andres Jeronimo. (Photo contributed)
This photo shows an officer from the Savannah River
Site and her canine partner conducting a search of
lockers at Jenkins County High School. (Photo
contributed)
No drugs found
at JCHS, JCMS
Jenkins County High School and Jenkins County Middle
School were both given the “all clear” for drugs and other con
traband following a March 25 search of the facilities by law en
forcement.
Conducting the search were officers of the Jenkins County
Sheriff’s Office and the Millen Police Department. They were
assisted by deputies and personnel of the Richmond County
Sheriff’s Office, Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, Georgia De
partment of Natural Resources and Department of Energy Po
lice at Savannah River Site.
Jenkins County Sheriff Robert Oglesby said the search was
unannounced and included classrooms, lockers and the parking
areas. Students were removed from the classrooms and the
rooms were searched by K-9’s. Lockers, common areas of the
schools and parking areas were also searched utilizing the K-
9’s.
Sheriff Oglesby commented, “The deputies who handle the
K-9’s, as well as the animals; are specially trained in conducting
school searches for drugs, weapons and explosives. The students
and staff were completely safe during the search. We received
100 percent cooperation from the staff and students, and the op
eration went very smoothly. No chugs, weapons or contraband
were located within the schools.”
BI-LO files Chapter 11
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News Editor
BI-LO, one of the area’s largest grocery store chains, filed a
voluntary petition for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last week in South
Carolina federal court, just before two loans for $360 million
matured. The action allows the 215 stores throughout South Caro
lina, North Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee to remain open as
BI-LO reorganizes its debt in bankruptcy court.
In a press release, Michael Byars, president and CEO of BI-
LO, said, “In a normal credit environment we would have ex
pected to refinance the maturing term loan on reasonable terns
in the ordinary course of business. Unfortunately, the current credit
environment is very challenging. After extensive discussions with
our lenders and careful consideration of all available alternatives,
we determined that in order to maintain business operations and
customer service without interruption while we address this debt
maturity, a court-supervised restructuring is appropriate.”
"Throughout this process, our doors will remain open and our
commitment to our customers will not change,” Byars said.
During this period, the company plans to fund operations
through its cash on hand and cash generated from operations.
The company has also received a commitment for a $100 mil
lion debtor-in-possession facility arranged by GE Capital. Upon
court approval, the financing will be used to support the
company’s operational cash flow to meet its normal business
obligations.
Local Store Manager Buddy Saxon confirmed that it is “busi
ness as usual” at the local grocery store which employs 39 per
sons.
Local businesses honored at chamber “Gala”
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News Editor
Local businesses were the
honorees at the Millen-Jenkins
County Chamber of Commerce
“Gala” held Thursday, March
26, at the old Pal Theatre on
Cotton Avenue.
Business owners recognized
for “Saving Historic Millen”
were Harold Moore, John Ell
Hendley and Angie Lane.
Businesses honored for “New
Construction/Renovation” were:
Thompson’s Comer, Edenfield’s
Feed and Seed, Schwonke’s BP
Station, Karen Johnson, Papa’s
Pizza, Rounds Fishing Hole,
Clubhouse Investments and
McTeer Tire Company.
Recognition for '"Facade and
Landscape Improvements” was
given to Jenkins County Farm
Bureau, Hubert Reeves III, Dr.
Deborah Makerson, Dwelle In
surance Agency, B & J Beauty
Shop and James A. Kirkland
Mortuary.
Those honored for "Consis
tently Attractive Displays” were
Kellwood Manufacturing, The
Charm Barn, Sisters Gifts and
Collectibles, Cindy’s Restaurant
on Cotton and The Flower Cot
tage.
“New Retail Businesses” rec
ognized were K & K Antiques
& Old Fashioned Soda Shop, El
egant Sweets, New and Used
Bargain Store, Stitches Sew
Simple, Sweet Memory’s pho
tography shop, Mary Lee’s
Place, Race Tech, One Body Fit
ness Center, Yesteryear’s Fine
Used Furniture and Rounds
Fishing Hole.
Cavalier Home Builders was
honored in the “Industry” cat
egory.
Dr. Wayne Ates, comedian,
provided entertainment, and re
freshments were provided by lo
cal restaurants and food ven
dors.
From left, are Harold Moore, Gailyn Thompson, Dr. Deborah Makerson, James
“Roundhead” Jackson, Beth Dwelle, Linda Jackson, Joyce Kirkland, Dr. Joey Kirkland,
Hubert Reeves III, Dobbie Gay and Vanessa Parker. (Staff photo by Deborah Bennett)