Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2020
BANKS COUNTY NEWS
PAGE 7 A
A look back at 2020
What a year! I’ve seen more chal
lenges this year than in any other year
of my life.
Still, when looking back. I’ve
learned so many lessons in 2020. and
I plan to us those for years to come.
Over the past few months, my fam
ily has dealt with the loss of two fam
ily members.
God has used this to remind me
that life is precious; I should not get
so busy that I don’t spend time with
my family and closest friends.
This year we have been cautioned
to stay away from people, but I'll use
FaceTime if need be. I want to make
memories while I can.
Also, I have learned the importance
of giving a compliment. For instance,
so many times, I think, “Her hair looks
great!” or “I love that outfit,” and I
don’t express my thoughts.
I know compliments go a long way
in encouraging others. God has al
lowed me to take notice of thoughtful
words that have been spoken to me,
and He has helped me realize the im
portance of kind words.
My niece, Kinsey, reminds me so
much of myself when I was at 19
years-old. She’s in college, and at
times, she feels so overwhelmed.
She mentioned biology II, with ter
ror in her voice.
Thanks to the Lord, she made it, and
she’s talking about
Chemistry II next
semester.
We’ve all faced
seemingly impos
sible situations this
year, but Kinsey’s
story reminds me
that hard work pays
off.
When things get
difficult, persevere
and be strong.
Another important lessons I’ve
learned in 2020, is to appreciate the lit
tle things. There have been times that
I have rejoiced at finding dry beans on
a grocery shelf, and I’ve looked every
where for a pack of toilet tissue.
Fve always found success at one
place or the other. Fve looked in the
meat counter and read the sign. “Limit
2,” and Fve walked and looked at the
empty shelves that once held miles of
cleaning supplies.
I was also reminded that God al
ways sees us through; I haven’t miss
es a meal, and I haven’t ran out of the
essentials I need for everyday living.
Looking back. I find it hard to be
lieve that our churches had to shut
down, and I was quickly reminded that
we can still worship together online.
My greatest blessing came when
I started watching my son. Zach,
teach Sunday school online. When
his church reopened, I just knew this
would end, but no, God had other
plans.
Zach had so many folks asking him
to continue his lessons; I’ve realized
God opened the door for a new min
istry.
Many of the folks who watch the
lesson online are the people who don’t
go to church.
It doesn’t end there. There have
been many times I’ve logged in and
watched my dad lead the singing at his
church.
Oh what a blessing it is when I see
my dad rejoicing in the Lord at 84
years young.
Lastly, Fve learned to be thankful
for good health. If we can see, let us
praise the Lord.
If we can walk, speak, and if our
limbs all work, we should praise the
Lord.
My family and I have walked
through some health issues, but we are
still standing on the solid rock and the
firm foundation.
As we turn the page on a new year,
I pray that we will reflect on God’s
many blessings during 2020 and wait
with anticipation to see what God has
for us in the coming year.
Sherry Lewis is pastor of New Be
ginnings Worship Center
sherry
lewis
Mt. Carmel Brotherhood
breakfast cancelled for January
The Mt. Carmel Baptist Church monthly brotherhood
breakfast for January is cancelled due to the current virus
and CDC recommendations.
“We will be monitoring things and will update every one
concerning the February breakfast.” organizers state.
The brotherhood breakfast is held the second Sunday of
each month and is open to the community.
Mt. Carmel Baptist Church is located at 2405 Hwy 51
S., Lula.
For more information, call the brotherhood coordinator,
Gordon Worley at 770-287-4638.
Community Brotherhood
cancelled for January
The Community Brotherhood, normally held at the Ho
mer United Methodist Church, will not be holding their
monthly breakfast for the month of January.
“Due to the current virus and CDC recommendations,
we have decided to cancel the monthly breakfast for Jan
uary,” organizers state. “We will be monitoring things and
will update every one concerning the February breakfast.”
Baldwin holiday hours listed
Baldwin City Hall will be closed on Friday, January 1
for New Year’s Day.
The Baldwin City Hall will have new operating hours
effective January 1, 2021.
City hall will be open to the public from 8:30 a.m. to
4:30 p.m. each day Mondays through Fridays.
Year in Review
A look back at the headlines from 2020
Continued from Page 5A
•Homer City Hall re
opened to the public, after
a split decision by the city
council with Mayor Doug
Cheek casting the deciding
vote.
•Highway 164 in Banks
County was named the Hoyt
“Dink” Memorial Hwy.
•After only four days of
school, Banks County Mid
dle School sixth graders
returned to virtual learning
due to COVID. Students
were informed to return
to virtual learning through
Sept. 8.
•A Census update was
held with data collected on
line and in person.
•Plans were announced
that Northridge Medical
Center would be closing in
October.
SEPTEMBER
•Rep. Doug Collins said
that some 200 possibly il
legal SK Battery Plant im
migrant workers had been
discovered being secretly
trained in welding skills at
an abandoned chicken farm
in Banks County.
•Banks County coroner
Mark Savage offered sup
port for the regional Med
ical Examiner’s Office to
stay open in Macon.
•The county’s Historic
Courthouse and Jail re
ceived renovations thanks
to efforts of the Historical
Society and board of com
missioners.
•An honorary procession
of public safety vehicles
was held following a pri
vate family funeral service
for Lydia “Lisa” McClure,
who established the Banks
County E-911 Department
and served the county
through community service
for 50 years.
•Patriot Day was held in
Homer with prayer and fel
lowship.
•A request for Harris
Meats to locate in the coun
ty was approved.
•Face masks are now re
quired at Homer Town Hall
following action taken by
the city council.
•A Peace Pole was dedi
cated in downtown Homer
by the Banks County Rota
ry Club as members of the
community gathered around
the lawn in front of the His
toric Courthouse.
•Face masks are now re
quired in the Banks County
Annex Building and Court
house.
•The Banks County
Health Department offered
special clinics for school
immunizations.
OCTOBER
•Early voting started for
the November election.
•Banks County science
and agriculture students are
using technology this school
year provided through a
Tanger grant.
•The annual Maysville
Autumn Leaf Festival was
held.
•The Banks County
Chamber of Commerce
CVB held a golf tournament
fundraiser at Chimney Oaks
Golf Course.
•The Gillsville City
Council discussed building
a deck or screened area on
the back of the building at
the city park.
•The Banks County High
School homecoming court
was named: Paycee Jack-
son, Miss Freshman; Nazli
De La Garza. Miss Soph
Fun By The Numbers
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omore; Georgia Simmons,
Miss Junior; Anslee Bram-
lett, Miss Senior; Payton
Jackson, Homecoming
Queen: Austin Ivey, Home
coming King; and Ronnie
Jones, Mr. Senior.
•The Lula City Council
agreed to spend $91,945 to
repair Victoria Lane, which
was washed out due to
flooding.
•1,547 ballots were cast
during the first week of ear
ly voting in Banks County
for the Nov. 3 election.
•The Homer City Council
is continuing to work out de
tails for a planned residen
tial development at Chim
ney Oaks Golf Course.
•The Banks County Board
of Commissioners received
a $50,000 Homeland Secu
rity Grant. The grant funds
will be used by the BOC to
improve security at county
buildings.
•The four school princi
pals reported at the board of
education meeting that low
numbers of COVID cases
are currently reported at the
schools.
NOVEMBER
•The issue of whether a
tax abatement was prom
ised to the owners of Banks
County Golf LLC was a
point of contention at the
BOC meeting.
•A dozen of concerned
citizens got together at Clas
sic Overlook Park to discuss
safety concerns on Scales
Creek Road and Highway
51.
•Banks County received
$382,869 in grant funds for
road infrastructure work.
•Susan Sorrows of Com
munity Recovery Center in
Banks County received the
Activist of the Year Award
from the Georgia Council
on Substance Abuse.
•After the November
election, a run-off election
will be held in Georgia for
three races: David Perdue
vs. Jon Ossoff for a Senate
seat; Kelly Loeffler vs. Ra
phael Warnock for a Sen
ate; seat; and Lauren “Bub-
ba” McDonald and Daniel
Blackman for a seat on the
Georgia Public Service
Commission.
•A Veterans Day program
was held at the Historic
Train Depot in Lula with
95-year-old World War II
veteran Mordecai Wilson
among those in attendance.
•Homer officials met with
school board leaders to dis
cuss a proposed increase in
water rates.
•Banks County has had
701 COVID cases report
ed since March, with 107
reported in the past two
weeks.
•The BOC approved a
$686,202 bid for a culvert
replacement project at Ste
ven B. Tanger Boulevard.
•The Banks County
Planning Commission rec
ommended denial of two
rezoning requests from a
businessman who wants to
bring industrial develop
ment to the Martin Bridge
area of Banks County.
DECEMBER
•Christmas in Lula was
held at the Train Depot with
virtual visits with Santa and
a parade part of the festivi
ties.
•Keep Banks County
Public Notice Election
Day Polling Place
December 14, 2020
Due to Covid, notice is hereby given
that the January 5, 2021, Runoff General
Election, Special Election will take
place at the Banks County Recreation
Department, located at 607 Thompson
Street, Homer, Georgia, on Tuesday,
January 5, 2021, from 7:00 a.m. until
7:00 p.m.
Andra Phagan
Banks County Election Supervisor
Beautiful received a Gov
ernor’s Circle Award for its
outstanding achievement in
community beautification
and environmental respon
sibility.
•Banks County coroner
Mark Savage was named
president of the Georgia
Coroners Association for
the 2020-21 year. He was
also voted as the Georgia
Coroner Association’s Cor
oner of the Year.
•The Banks County Board
of Commissioners denied
two rezoning requests for
900 acres at the Martin
Bridge area that would have
changed the property to an
industrial designation.
•The Banks County
Sheriff’s Office received
a $45,000 grant from the
Governor’s Office of High
way Safety.
•Christmas in the Park
was held in Maysville with
visits with Santa, local ven
dors and a presentation of
“The Polar Express” part of
the festival.
•The latest data, shows
827 COVID cases have
been reported in the county
since March. Twelve Banks
County students currently
have a positive status.
•A recount of ballots in
Banks County confirmed the
original election results that
President Donald Trump
heavily carried the county
over Democrat Joe Biden.
The machine recount was
completed in the county as
part of a statewide recount
requested by the Trump ad
ministration.
•The Banks County
School System moved to
remove learning on Dec. 16
due to COVID. Superinten
dent Ann Hopkins reported
that the number of cases
among staff made it difficult
to provide personnel to cov
er the school.
•The Baldwin City Coun
cil agreed to hold an elec
tion on March 16 to fill the
vacant Post 4 council seat.
•The latest data from the
Georgia Department of Pub
lic Health shows 227 more
positive cases of COVID in
the past week, for a total of
1.028 since March. There
have been 17 deaths in the
county since March due to
COVID.
•As part of the club ini
tiative to contribute to lit
eracy in the community, the
Banks County Rotary Club
donated books to the local
school system in honor of
guest speakers this year at
the club’s monthly lunch
meetings.
•The Banks County
Emergency Medical Ser
vice workers have been of
fered the COVID vaccine
by Georgia Public Health.
Public health. This includes
EMS front line workers
(EMTs and paramedics) and
fire first responders.
Compiled by Angela Gary
Public Notice Intent
to Tabulate Early
December 14, 2020
Pursuant to O.C.G.A. 21-2-386 notice
is hereby given that the tabulation of the
absentee ballots returned of votes cast
in the January 5, 2021, Runoff General
Election, Special Election will take place
in the Office of the Election Supervisor,
located at 226 Candler Street, Homer,
Georgia, on Tuesday, December 29, 2020
beginning at 9:00 a.m.
Ballots will be scanned but no tabulation
will occur before 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday,
January 5, 2021.
Andra Phagan
Banks County Election Supervisor