Newspaper Page Text
VOL. 106, NO. 11, SEPTEMBER 30, 2009 LEGAL ORGAN OF JENKINS COUNTY
MILLEN, GEORGIA • 75 CENTS
Fields of green
Most local crops, like this field of soybeans, appear to be better than they have
in years thanks to the plentiful rainfall that was received throughout the growing
season. (Staff photo by Deborah Bennett)
Final plans announced for Fair-on-the-Square
The annual Fair-on-the-
Square, sponsored by Millen
Better Hometown (MBH),
will kick off this Saturday,
Oct. 3. at 9 a.m. and will end
at 4 p.m. at the Jenkins
County Elementary school
athletic field. It is anticipated
that the fair will be as big a
success as in the past with the
only change being the loca
tion which was necessary due
to construction on the Jenkins
County Courthouse.
There will be a variety of
items for sale along with
games and rides for the chil
dren as well as a large selec
tion of foods from which to
choose.
Everyone is encouraged to
come out and enjoy the day
shopping and visiting.
For the safety and enjoy
ment of all, pets, silly string,
shaving cream battles, wres
tling and playing ball in the
fair area during the fair will
not be allowed.
MBH expresses their ap
preciation for the participa
tion and support of the com
munity. For additional infor
mation, contact Art Johnson
at (478) 982-5595.
ENTERTAINMENT
The following performances scheduled:
10:30 a.m. - Chosen
11:00 a.m. - Jenkins County High School band
11:30 a.m.-Will Gay
12:00 p.m.-Sylvia Gay
12:30 p.m. - Ashley Becton
1:00 p.m. - open
1:30 p.m. - Keith Kelly and the Harmonizers
2:00 p.m. - Millen Baptist Men's Quartet featuring Joe Sasser,
Joey McBride, Tim Fields and Robert Gunn
2:30 p.m. - Jeff Gibson
3:00 p.m. - Helping Hands International Prayer Group
System-wide ‘Teacher of the Year’ named
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News Editor
Jean Gay, mathematics
teacher at Jenkins County High
School (JCHS),
JEAN GAY
was recently
named
Jenkins
County’s sys-
t e m - w i d e
“Teacher of
the Year.”
Gay has
been em
ployed by the
local school
system since
1994. She has participated in
Learning Focused, Writing to
Win, Thinking Maps, Geogebra
and the T3 Technology Grant.
She was chosen STAR teacher
at David Emanuel Academy and
has received the honor twice
during her 14 years at JCHS.
She has also had the school
yearbooks dedicated to her at
David Emanuel Academy and
JCHS. She is a member of
PAGE.
She holds a bachelor of sci
ence degree in Computer Sci
ence from the University of
Georgia and received her Level
T-4 teaching certification in
Middle Grades Education and
Secondary Math Education
from Georgia Southern Univer
sity.
“I do not want our young
adults to leave my classroom
with merely a working knowl
edge of mathematics; instead, I
want them to possess the abil
ity to meet a problem, and have
the motivation, knowledge and
work ethic to find a solution.
This statement is by no means
limited to the mathematical
world, but to their everyday
problems that they will inevita
bly encounter,” Gay com
mented.
“I firmly believe that teach
ing should come more from the
heart than the head. It is truly a
blessing that I do not take for
granted that I am in a profession
where I am genuinely excited to
come to school and exhume my
enthusiasm towards my stu
dents,” she added.
Jean and her husband, John
B., have two children, Branham
and Tiller.
Georgians called to serve during ‘Hands on Georgia Week’
Governor Sonny Perdue
challenged the citizens and
businesses of Georgia to serve
and enhance their communi
ties during “Hands On Geor
gia Week,” which will take
place from Saturday, Sept. 26,
through Saturday, Oct. 3.
“As we’ve watched commu
nities impacted by the storms
come together during the past
week, we’ve been reminded
that nothing is as powerful as
neighbors helping neighbors,”
said Gov. Perdue. “Next week,
I challenge each Georgian to
volunteer for a local commu
nity service project with your
family, friends or co-workers
during Hands On Georgia
Week. Every Georgian can
find something they are pas
sionate about, whether it’s
helping those affected by a
natural disaster, working with
children or senior citizens,
cleaning up and preserving our
state’s natural resources, or
supporting fine arts pro
grams.”
According to the Volunteer
ing in America Report by the
Corporation for National and
Community Service, Geor
gians volunteered for nearly
213.6 million hours of service
from 2006 to 2008, worth an
estimated $4.3 billion.
Hands On Georgia is the
first statewide network in the
nation that is dedicated to vol
unteer service and civic en
gagement, acting as a central
organizing body for all of
Georgia’s 159 counties to mo
bilize citizens to address com
munity needs. Hands On
Georgia Week is the
organization’s signature event,
which mobilized over 32,000
volunteers in 2008 with an
economic impact of almost $1
million.
“It is truly amazing to see
thousands of Georgians volun
teer their time to support their
local communities,” said
Laurie Grant Nichols, Chief
Executive Officer of Hands
On Georgia. “It’s a great feel
ing to work alongside your
friends and neighbors to pro
mote seat belt safety or paint
a senior center, to help land
scape your town squares or
pick up litter from our parks
and roadways. But it is awe
inspiring to look back and see
what your fellow Georgians
were doing at the same time
around the state, and the col
lective difference that we all
have made. We are grateful to
Georgia’s electric membership
corporations (EMC) for spon
soring this year’s event and for
leading service projects across
the state.”
Hands On Georgia has 15
affiliates across the state that
include the communities of
Athens, Atlanta, Brunswick,
Columbus, Covington, Dalton,
Dooly County, Forsyth
County, Harlem, Macon,
Milledgeville, Savannah,
Statesboro, Wayne County and
Thomas County.
Citizens interested in par
ticipating in Hands On Geor
gia Week are encouraged to
visit Hands On Georgia at
www.handsongeorgia.org or
e-mail Michelle Nelson
Hawkins at mnelson-
hawkins@handsongeorgia.org.
Registration
deadline for city
election is Oct. 5
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News Editor
City of Millen residents who are not already registered to
vote must do so by Monday, Oct. 5, in order to be eligible to
cast their ballots in the Nov. 3 City of Millen General Election.
Registration will take place in the office of the Jenkins County
Registrar at the Jenkins County Courthouse.
Millen City Council seats up for election are Ward #1 to
succeed Walter Thomas; Ward #2 to succeed Ivey McMillan
and Ward #3 to succeed James Ford.
Candidates for those positions are Ward #1, Walter Thomas
and Walter Herrington; Ward #2, Jane Johnson; and Ward #3,
James Ford. No election will be held in Wards #2 and #3 since
those candidates are unopposed.
Registered voters in the City of Millen may vote only for
those candidates seeking election in their respective ward. In
the case of a Run-off Election, it will be held Dec. 1.
For additional information, contact Wanda Burke, election
superintendent, at 982-5581.
BOE discusses
‘Census in Schools’
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News Editor
Not completing the 2010 Census was likened to “putting money
in the trash” in remarks made by Henry R. Armstrong III as he
addressed the Monday, Sept. 21, meeting of the Jenkins County
Board of Education (BOE).
Mr. Armstrong, a worker with the U.S. Census Bureau, in
formed the BOE of materials now available to local school sys
tems through the “Census in Schools” program which teaches
students and their families about demography, civics and the value
of being counted.
Mr. Armstrong noted that the completion rate for the 2000
Census was 67 percent nationwide, 65 percent in Georgia and
only 59 percent for Jenkins County.
“There is a lot of work to be done, and we don’t have a lot of
time to do it. We want to increase those rates to 72 percent,” he
said.
He also stressed the fact that federal money allocated to states
and communities was based in part on census data. Census data
could also affect redistricting of state legislatures, county and
city councils and voting districts
In other matters, Jenkins County School Superintendent Mel
issa Williams reported enrollment in the schools as follows:
Jenkins County High School, 424 students; Jenkins County
Middle School, 319; and Jenkins County Elementary School,
771. Total enrollment was reported at 1,514 students as of Sept.
14. This compared to a total enrollment of 1,541 students at the
end of May.
Superintendent Williams reported on ACT/SAT scores, noting
that Jenkins County students taking the ACT last year during
their senior year achieved a composite score of 18.3. SAT scores
were reported as follows: reading, 446; math, 464; and writing,
446. She also noted that the post secondary enrollment rate for
Jenkins County students from 2000-2008 was 53.1 percent.
Talmadge Fries, bus coordinator, reported fuel usage for the
month of August at 369 gallons of gas and 3,838 gallons of die
sel. It was also reported that two bus routes had been eliminated
with there now being 19 regular routes and three special needs
routes.
It was reported that Turning Leaf had withdrawn its proposal
to purchase the old Primary School property due to the current
economic climate. The organization had previously proposed
purchasing and renovating the property for an assisted living fa
cility.
Other actions taken by the BOE included the following.
• Approved the 2009-2010 millage rate at 12.901 mils;
• Approved Regional Educational Service Agency (RESA)
membership contract at $44,126;
• Approved club advisors and supplements;
• Approved amended bank resolutions establishing line of
credit;
• Approved several fundraising activities;
• Approved the employment of Charles Anfield Jr. as a substi
tute bus driver; and
• Approved the employment of Pam Brown as Prekindergarten
Resource Coordinator.
JCFEC to sponsor
Town Meeting Oct. 1
The annual town meeting, sponsored by Jenkins County
Family Enrichment Center (JCFEC), will be held 6 p.m.
this Thursday, Oct. 1, at the Jenkins County Agriculture
Center.
The spotlight for this year’s event will be on “workforce
development.”
Area vendors will attend to provide educational and job
resources. Vendors expected to be present include: Geor
gia Southern University, Southeastern Technical College,
Georgia Power, Queensborough National Bank and Trust,
One Stop - ECGC, Georgia Department of Labor and the
U.S. Census Bureau.
Door prizes will be given away, and refreshments will
be provided by the Millen Woman’s Club.
For more information, call the Resource Center at (478)
982-8004.