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VOL. 116 NO. 44 Millen, Ga. 30442 LEGAL ORGAN OF JENKINS COUNTY SINCE 1903 Wednesday, May 3, 2023 • 750
School athletic facility ready for bid
DEBORAH BENNETT
Millen News Editor
The Jenkins County School System’s
athletic facility will be ready for bids this
month, school superintendent Tara Cooper
announced.
Plans for the new facility include a regula
tion track that will allow the school to host
GSSA sanctioned track events, a varsity
baseball held, a varsity softball held and a
middle school held to be shared by baseball
and softball. Currently, school baseball and
softball games take place at the Jenkins
County Recreation Department complex and
the school does not host any track meets, for
lack of a regulation track.
A covered batting cage, including storage
rack for track and held equipment, will be
housed behind the softball held. In the center
of the ball held, a concession stand, restrooms
and upper scoring area will be located, sur
rounded by concrete.
The system is looking at stadium seating
for the stands and bleachers for the track.
“Ample parking will be provided as well
as spaces for buses,” Cooper said.
The facility will be accessed by a drive
off of North Masonic Street, across from
Marolyn Circle.
The project will be funded with monies
derived from the 1-cent sales tax approved
by local voters in November 2022. The tax
was approved for 20 consecutive calendar
quarters (5 years) and for the raising of not
more than $5 million. This was not an addi
tional tax but the continuation of the existing
1-cent sales tax which will expire next year.
However, Cooper predicts that the school
system will pay off the debt from the previ
ous E-SPLOST this year, a year earlier than
required.
"We are so excited that our vision of a
sports facility is coming to life for the Jenkins
County Eagles and we are ready for construc
tion to begin!" Cooper said.
At right, the architectural drawing depicts
the new school atheletic facility for which
project bidding will soon begin.
Jenki» County High School's varsity baseball team will lace Charlton County in
Ike second round of stale ploy*offs 4 p.m. Thursday, May 4, Tn Folkston. The
Eagles secured a place in the play-offs with victories over fteotlen County in two
games last week. (See related arlide elsewhere in this issue.) Team members are
Baker Jenkins, Jackson Lamer, Gavin Underwood, Lane Waters, Vance Garvip,
Gauge Oglesby, Reid Weather sby, lames Allen, Gray Amerson, Jake Bozen ore, iy
Boynton, Thinner Wiggins, Tyler Williams and Blake Aaron. Coaches are Zac Clark,
Lance Griffin, Rusty Ken and William Lanier.
Annual BBQ Boogie
cook-off is Saturday
DEBORAH BENNETT
Millen News Editor
Fire up the grills,
put on your aprons
and get ready for
some good eating
and lots of fun!
The Jenkins
County Chamber of
Commerce is spon
soring the annual
BBQ Boogie cook
off 9 a.m. until 3
p.m. Saturday, May
6, at the Jenkins
County Recreation
Department.
Monetary prizes
will be awarded in
five categories. In
the pork category, first place, $400;
second place, $150 and third place,
$100. In the chicken category, first
place, $100, second place, $50 and
third place, $25. For ribs, first place,
$150; second place, $100; and third
place, $50. Dessert prizes are first
place, $100; second place, $75; and
third place, $50. Sauce winners will
receive $75 for first place and $25 for
second place. A $1,000 grand prize
will also be awarded to the griller with
the most points since over 10 teams
signed up to compete.
As of Monday, May 1, eleven teams
were registered to compete: Hog
Headz & Sons - Parker Bolton, Mil
len; Road Kill Grill - George Saxon
and family, Perkins; Up In Smoke
BBQ - Richard Stidons, Waynesboro;
Bryant Brother BBQ - Bobby Bryant,
Millen, GA
South Carolina; Close Enough BBQ
- Brannon Bush, Garfield; Grandmas
Blessings BBQ - Rozalynn Summers,
Garfield; Floppy Dog BBQ - Chris
Clifton, Statesboro; Papa Rob’s BBQ
- Rob Cope, Statesboro; Butt Naked
BBQ - Luke Morris, Sardis; Hun-
niLovins BBQ - Brandon McElveen,
Brooklet; and Beer & Bones - Chad
Busby, Garfield.
The chamber will be selling chicken
plates with all the trimmings for
$10. The cook-off participants will
be selling barbecue, chicken and rib
plates. All proceeds benefit projects
sponsored by the chamber.
In addition to the cook-off, Chil
dren’s Mental Health Week will be
celebrated with games, music, food
and more. So, be sure to bring the
kids!
Millen band to play for AMBUCS
CAROL McLEOD
Associate Editor
The Hushpuppies Band of Millen
will perform at the Emma Kelly The
ater in Statesboro 7:30 p.m. Saturday,
May 20, to help raise funds for the
Statesboro AMBUCS. All proceeds
will go to Statesboro AMBUCS for
amtrykes.
Amtrykes are adaptive tricycles
for children with special needs. The
amtrykes cost about $1,000 each and
insurance does not pay for them.
AMBUCS, originally American Busi
ness Club, will use the donations to
hopefully purchase 12 amtrykes. The
club already has a few sponsors to
help with the cost.
Audrey Thomas, a 16-year-old with
ties to the band, and her mother, Jodi
Thomas, talked about the upcoming
concert and how hopeful they are that
the concert is a success. Audrey at
tends Southeast Bulloch County High
School and plans to become a special
needs educator. “I do a work-based
learning at Sallie Zetterower Elemen
tary School in Statesboro, which is
actually the elementary school I at
tended,” Audrey said.
“I have to work for seven and a half
hours a week, about an hour and a half
every morning. I love it. As of right
now that is the path I’m on. I have to
give my mom credit for this. She took
me to my first Statesboro AMBUCS
meeting in the fall.”
Jodi thinks this interest goes further
back than that. “She’s always had a
heart for people with special needs,”
she said.
The Hushpuppies, a country rock-n-
roll band, held its first concert in 1998
in Millen for Toys for Tots. Members
of the band are: Todd Cowart (Au
drey’s uncle), lead singer, acoustic
guitar; Matt Thomas (Audrey’s dad),
electric guitar; Mitch Bareheld, bass
guitar; Mitchell Bareheld (Mitch’s
son), electric guitar; and Cary Cooper,
drummer.
All of the sponsors are listed on a
Facebook group called, “The Hush
puppies Band Benefit Concert” and
there will be donation bins at the
concert.
For more information about AM
BUCS, visit ambucs.org.
The Hushpuppies Band of Millen will perform at the Emma Kelly Theater
in Statesboro 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 20, to benefit children with special
needs, AMBUCS for amtrykes. Band members are Todd Cowart, Matt
Thomas, Mitch Barefield, Mitchell Barefield and Cary Cooper.