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VOL. 106, NO. 4, AUGUST 12, 2009 LEGAL ORGAN OF JENKINS COUNTY MILLEN, GEORGIA • 75 CENTS
By Tres Bragg
tresbragg@bellsouth.net
He’s only a third grader, but
he knows how to drive ... and
chip and putt too.
This summer. 8-year-old Vic
Mincey of Millen put these
skills together and captured the
Augusta Junior Golf Champion
ship for the Boys 8-and-under
division.
Vic chipped away at his com
petition by winning five of the
six tournaments in the tour, in
cluding wins at Bartram Trail
Golf Club, North Augusta
Country Club, Jones Creek Golf
Club, West Lake Country Club
and Warrenton Country Club.
Vic’s only second place fin
ish was at the Waynesboro
Country Club where he lost in
a three-hole playoff.
After the season points were
tallied. Vic found himself ahead
of his 10 competitors and nearly
2.000 points in front of the sec
ond-place finisher.
“I felt kind of surprised at
first.” he said as he chipped his
Nike golf ball four feet from the
hole. “Then I was excited be
cause I realized I won the cham
pionship.”
Although this was Vic’s big
gest win since taking up the
game at age 3. he is comfort
able at the top.
He’s already won seven other
golf tournaments in his short
career and numerous trophies
for closest to the pin and put
ting. Vic’s parents, Michael and
Kyla, couldn’t be any prouder.
“We are so excited for him.”
they said while Vic sank his 4-
foot putt. “We just hope this is
something he sticks with and
hope he stays interested in the
game.”
Vic shows no sign of giving
up his favorite sport. He’s al
ready anxious to play on his
school’s golf team in the future
and practices at the Magnolia
Springs County Club on a
weekly basis. “I like practicing
and driving because you get to
hit it as far as you can, and when
it goes straight it makes you
want to just keep playing.” he
said.
Vic, who was chosen as a
member of this year’s all-star
team, will play in the Augusta
Junior Golf summer tour again
next year in the 9 and 10-year-
old division.
City asked to honor former Mayor Fries
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News Editor
Family members of former
City of Millen Mayor Robert
Fries have asked that something
in the city be named in his
honor. The request was made by
Bobby Fries during Millen City
Council’s July meeting.
Mr. Fries explained that his
father who is now deceased had
been mayor of Millen for many
years and had made numerous
contributions to the city. He said
that he and other family mem
bers felt that council should
name something in the city in
honor of his father and sug
gested two possibilities, the
Municipal Building or the train
overpass bridge on Barney Av
enue. Mr. Fries stated that his
father had worked vigorously to
see that both projects were ac
complished. A packet of infor
mation was also provided to
council.
Council agreed to take the re
quest and information provided
under consideration and will
inform the family of their deci
sion at a later date.
In other matters. City Man
ager Lamar Faircloth briefed
council on the inmate medical
program which provides insur
ance coverage through the city’s
liability insurance policy.
Other actions taken by coun
cil included the following:
• Approved a payment plan of
$1,950 monthly to Georgia
Power Company for the new
streetlights on Cotton Avenue;
• Approved a motion to not
allow any additional private
wells to be drilled in the city
limits; and
• Approved a motion to allow
the city manager to sign renewal
contracts with Jenco Industries
for services provided to the city.
Workforce Development applicants needed
Donations of canned goods and monetary contributions
are being solicited to help fill the empty shelves at the
Jenkins County Family Enrichment Center food pantry.
(Staff photo by Deborah Bennett)
JCFEC food
pantry needs
donations
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News Editor
Empty shelves tell the story at the local food pantry oper
ated by the Jenkins County Family Enrichment Center (JCFEC).
“Usage is way up, and donations are down,” said Mandy
Underwood. JCFEC executive director.
However, the fact that donations are down this time of the
year is not surprising.
"People usually donate during the months of November and
December, so it is not unusual.” Underwood explained.
In recent months, the pantry has typically served 10-12 fami
lies monthly with the total number of persons receiving food
varying. Underwood also noted that anyone qualifying for food
stamps receives a bag of food from the pantry, because they
are usually out of food.
Donations are urgently needed to restock the food pantry.
Canned items needed include meats, rice, tomatoes, green
beans, corn and fruits. Peanut butter, jelly and spaghetti items
are also good choices that children enjoy.
Monetary donations, which are used to purchase canned
goods from the Golden Harvest Food Bank at greatly reduced
costs, are also needed. Checks should be made payable to the
JCFEC.
Volunteer Foretta Harris Reynolds, a Communities In Schools
committee member, is working with local citizens, churches,
clubs and other civic organizations to solicit donations for the
food pantry. All donations are tax deductible.
For additional information, contact JCFEC at 982-8004.
Commissioners to
assist with WDP
Unemployed citizens of
Millen and Jenkins County are
being recruited for a Workforce
Development Program (WDP)
that will provide employment
for a 90-day period.
The WDP will be taking ap
plications 9 a.m. until noon
Thursday, Aug. 13, at the City
of Millen Municipal Building
Court Room. Applications will
be taken every Thursday from
9 a.m. until noon until all slots
are filled.
Applicants must be an adult
or dislocated worker, which is
someone who has or is cur
rently receiving unemploy
ment benefits, and be regis
tered with the Selective Service
(males only.)
Applicants should bring the
following items with them:
proof of income, identification
and Social Security card and
copy of DD214 (veterans
only.)
For additional information,
contact Paula Herrington at the
Millen-Jenkins County Cham
ber of Commerce at (478) 982-
5595.
New & Used
store opens
A ribbon cutting ceremony
was recently sponsored by
the Millen-Jenkins County
Chamber of Commerce for
the New & Used Bargain
Store #2 located at 425
Highway 25 South. The
hours of operation for the
business are 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Tuesday-Saturday. The
business features a variety of
items purchased wholesale
from chain stores such as K-
Mart and Wal-Mart that are
sold locally at greatly
reduced prices. Shown are,
from left, Paula Herrington,
chamber executive director;
Clay Boulineau, chamber
director; Ronnie Alexander;
Lillian Priegel, owner; Tim
Alexander; and Lamar
Faircloth, City of Millen
manager. (Staff photo by
Deborah Bennett)
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News Editor
The Jenkins County Commissioners will provide assistance to
the East Central Georgia Consortium (ECGC) in connection with
the Workforce Development Program (WDP) currently being
implemented in the county. Federal stimulus money will provide
funding for program.
During the group’s July 21 meeting. Chairman James Henry
and Commissioner Pam Dwight presented information on the 90-
day work program, noting that it will consist of 15 positions for
high school students and 40 positions for adults. Applicants will be
matched to local businesses that have been approved to participate
in the program. The Millen-Jenkins County Chamber of Commerce
will serve as the contact point for both businesses and applicants.
It was also suggested that the county consider utilizing the WDP
as a means of providing labor to assist with cleaning up the county.
The commissioners agreed to review the work program for further
application.
Commissioners Tommy Fane and Floyd Chance reported that
BB Lane Road was being repaired by the county road department.
Citizens living on the road are to be contacted about adequate drain
age pipes that will be necessary to maintain the road once the re
pairs have been completed.
Chairman Henry updated the commissioners on the
preconstruction meeting regarding repairs to the Jenkins County
Courthouse. It was noted that the heating/air system would be in
stalled as soon as the electrical work had been completed with the
architect having been made aware of the urgency of completing
the project.
Other actions taken by the commissioners included the follow
ing:
• Approved the purchase of two backhoes from low bidder Bor
der Equipment in the amounts of $75,096.96 for machine #1 and
$76,089 for machine #2 with funding to be provided by Special
Purpose Local Option Sales Tax #4 revenue;
• Tabled action on the purchase of an Alamo Boom Cutter until
such time as additional information could be obtained;
• Approved a Beer and Wine license for Highway 25 South Bar
& Grill, owned by Lolita M. Roberts; and
• Approved CSRA Cooperative Agreement for Nutrition Ser
vices Program (Senior Citizen meals program) with the grant pro
viding $38,448 and the local match being $3,951.