NEW MEMBER OF THE IDA

AT TUESDAY NIGHT'S MEETING, THE UPSON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS APPOINTED ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY MARK IRVIN TO THE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, AS DR. LARRY DERICO IS STEPPING DOWN AFTER BEING NAMED SCHOOL SUPERINTENDANT.

RETIRING COUNTY COMMISSIONER FRANK SPRAGGINS GOT A BIG SEND-OFF AT THE CLOSE OF THE MEETING—RETIRING AFTER SERVING FOR 20 YEARS. BENJAMIN WATSON WILL ASSUME THE 4TH DISTRICT SEAT IN JANUARY.

THOMASTON MAYOR J.D. STALLINGS READ SPRAGGINS A RESOLUTION OF COMMENDATION FROM THE CITY COUNCIL—AND THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS READ LETTERS FROM U.S. SENATORS JOHNNY ISAKSON AND DAVID PERDUE, GOVERNOR NATHAN DEAL AND STATE REPRESENTATIVE ROBERT DICKEY AND CHAIRMAN NORMAN ALLEN READ A PROCLAMATION FROM THE BOARD

SPRAGGINS SAID A BIG MOVE FOR THE COUNTY IS NOT HAVING TO BORROW MONEY TO OPERATE NEXT YEAR AND HE NOTED CITY COUNTY RELATIONS HAVE IMPROVED.

HIS PARTING GIFT WAS AN ALMOST BILLBOARD-SIZED PHOTO OF THE UPSON COUNTY COURTHOUSE. SPRAGGINS CHAIRED THE EFFORT WHEN IT WAS RENOVATED SEVERAL YEARS BACK.

HE GAVE CREDIT FOR HIS SUCCESS TO HIS WIFE BRENDA, WHO WAS PRESENT.

UL'S TRAVON WALKER STAYING WITH THE GA. BULLDOGS

UPSON-LEE'S TRAVON WALKER IS FEATURED IN A STORY IN THE MACON TELEGRAPH ON A NUMBER OF THE NATION'S TOP PROSPECTS IN ATHENS LAST WEEKEND FOR A FINAL VISIT TO UGA. WALKER WHO WAS IN A WAIT-SEE MODE AFTER DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR MEL TUCKER LEFT TO BE HEAD COACH AT COLORADO LOCKED DOWN HIS PLEDGE TO THE BULLDOGS AND WILL SIGN WITH GEORGIA WEDNESDAY AND ENROLL IN JUNE.

TRAVON—THE 2ND RANKED DEFENSIVE TACKLE IN THE COUNTRY TOLD THE TELEGRAPH—COACH SMART IS A DEFENSIVE COACH SO COACH TUCKER LEAVING MEANT NOTHING EXCEPT THE LOSS OF A RELATIONSHIP. THE DEFENSE WILL FOREVER STAND WITH COACH SMART—I KNOW HE WILL PUT THE RIGHT PERSON IN THAT POSITION.  

THOMASTON-UPSON SCHOOLS BUS BARN BURGLARY

UPSON COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE INVESTIGATING A BREAK-IN AT THE THOMASTON-UPSON SCHOOLS BUS BARN ON 74 EAST DURING THE WEEKEND. SOMEONE BROKE A WINDOW AND ENTERED THE BUILDING, PRIED-OPEN THE DOOR TO THE TRANSPORTATION DIRECTOR'S OFFICE—RIFLED THROUGH SEVERAL CABIENTS AND DRAWERS AND BROKE INTO THE GUM BALL MACHINE IN THE SNACK AREA—BUT NOTHING SEEMS TO BE MISSING FROM THE BUS BARN.

TRAILER HOME FIRE FRANKLIN DRIVE

UPSON S.O. AND NORTHSIDE FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED TO AN UNOCCUPIED SINGLE-WIDE MOBILE HOME FIRE AT 325 FRANKLIN DRIVE WITH VISIBLE FLAMES.

A NEIGHBOR TOLD DEPUTIES NO ONE LIVED THERE BUT RANDOM PEOPLE HAD BEEN GOING IN AND OUT—AND HE SAW A FIRE INSIDE THE UNIT AT NIGHT—SOMEONE APPARENTLY TRYING TO KEEP WARM—A SLIM WHITE MALE LAST SEEN.  

EX-RE LEE COACH MATTHEW ARTHUR PASSED AWAY DEC IST

FUNERAL SERVICES FOR COACH MATTHEW ARTHUR WHO WAS ON THE STAFF OF COACH JIM CAVAN AT RELEE WERE HELD TUESDAY IN WARNER ROBINS. COACH ARTHUR DIED OF COMPLICATIONS OF A STROKE DEC. IST.

COACH ARTHUR STARTED HIS COACHING CAREER AT RE LEE IN 1959 AND WAS HONORED AS THE INTERIM HEAD COACH WHEN THE REBELS WON THE NORTH GA. FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP IN 1961.

HE LEFT TO BECOME HEAD COACH AT NORTHSIDE HIGH IN WARNER ROBINS AND WAS ELECTED SCHOOL SUPERINTENDANT IN HOUSTON COUNTY IN 1980 AND RETIRED IN 1988.

HIS SON MATT ARTHUR JR. IS COMMISSIONER OF THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE SYSTEM OF GEORGIA AND WAS SUPERINTENDANT OF SCHOOLS IN RABUN COUNTY WHEN HE HIRED COACH KIRBY SMARTS FATHER SONNY SMART AS HEAD FOOTBALL COACH.  

STUDENT TAKES SCHOOL BUS FOR JOY RIDE

ACCORDING TO THOMASTON POLICE, A 13 YEAR OLD MALE STOLE A SCHOOL BUS AND TOOK IT FOR A JOY RIDE THE NIGHT OF NOVEMBER 28TH AND LEFT IT PARKED BEHIND FAGAN'S STORE ON ZORN STREET SOUTH OF TOWN.

THE FEMALE BUS DRIVER FOUND IT MISSING AT THE PRE-K NEXT TO THE GOVERNMENT COMPLEX-- WHEN SHE REPORTED FOR DUTY THE NEXT MORNING AND NOTIFIED AUTHORITES.

THE BUS WAS NOT DAMAGED AND THE KEYS WERE IN THE IGNITION WHEN POLICE FOUND IT.

SCHOOL OFFICIALS HAVE NOT COMMENTED BUT THERE'S A REPORT THE STUDENT WAS SENT TO THE ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL. 

GUILTY VERDICT IN PIKE COUNTY TRIAL

Monday morning, Assistant District Attorney Michael Rogers picked three Pike County juries to resolve remaining cases on the trial calendar in front of the Honorable Christopher Edwards. The first case ADA Rogers tried was the State of Georgia vs. Carl Schaneman. Schaneman was charged with multiple misdemeanor counts. Yesterday, the jury found Schaneman guilty of two counts of misdemeanor obstruction. Chief Judge Edwards sentenced the defendant to 12 months to serve in the Pike County Jail. After the verdict and sentence, the remaining two defendants waiting for trial entered guilty pleas.

District Attorney Coker said of the verdict, “thank you to ADA Rogers, my Pike County Office, and the Zebulon Police Department for their hard work this week. Thank you, also, to the police officers in Pike County and across this Circuit who work hard to keep our communities safe. These men and women suit up every day, despite the known dangers to them, just to protect us from those that seek to do us harm. My offices are honored to continue to fight alongside them and for them.”

REWARD IN HOMOCIDE NOW $2000 CASH

THOMASTON POLICE CHIEF MIKE RICHARDSON SAYS THE REWARD IN A VIOLENT HOME INVASION/MURDER CASE HAS BEEN RAISED TO $2000 IN CASH.

67 YEAR OLD STEVEN EARLES OF 4TH AVE. DIED OF INJURIES SUSTAINED IN A BEATING AT HIS HOME LAST WEEK AND HIS WIFE JOYCE EARLES WAS ALSO BEATEN AND REQUIRED A HOSPITAL STAY.

THE CHIEF SAID TWO MEN IN DARK CLOTHING BROKE-IN THE HOUSE IN A ROBBERY ATTEMPT AND BEAT THE COUPLE. MS. EARLES WAS ARRESTED ON DRUG CHARGES RECENTLY AFTER SOME SCHEDULE PILLS WERE FOUND IN HER POSSESSION.

THE CHIEF HAS BEEN GUARDED ABOUT RELEASING MORE DETAILS BUT HE TOLD ZOOM NEWS WEDNESDAY INVESTIGATORS HAVE BEEN POURING OVER LEADS IN AN ATTEMPT TO SOLVE THE CASE.

ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THE CRIME SHOULD CONTACT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND YOUR NAME WILL BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL.  

TWO TRAPPED IN ELEVATOR DURING TUAC EVENT

THOMASTON-UPSON SCHOOLS SPOKES-PERSON KAREN TRUESDALE TOLD ZOOM NEWS—WORKMEN FROM A FLORIDA COMPANY WERE AT THE UL FINE ARTS CENTER WEDNESDAY REPAIRING AN ELEVATOR WHERE A YOUNG WOMAN AND A TODDLER WERE TRAPPED FOR OVER 30 MINUTES DURING A TUAC EVENT , MONDAY EVENING—WHEN IT LOST POWER.

ROCK HILL FIRE DEPARTMENT AND UPSON COUNTY S.O. RESPONDED BUT HAD NO LUCK IN OPENING THE DOOR. FINE ARTS CENTER DIRECTOR GEORGE FLOWERS MANAGED TO LOCATE THE KEY TO OPEN THE DOOR. THE TWO WERE O.K.

MS. TRUESDALE SAID THE ELEVATOR HAD PASSED STATE INSPECTION IN SEPTEMBER.  

GDOT ANNOUNCES 19 NORTH PROJECT BID AWARD

The Georgia Department of Transportation has announced it awarded contracts for road improvements projects in Upson and Talbot Counties in November, 2018.

The Upson County project involves widening the four lanes of US 19/Georgia 3 in the Hannahs Mill area, from County Road 27/East-West County Road to County Road 8/Atwater Road, and also add a raised median. In addition, It will realign Delray Road to intersect with US 19 and Jimmerson Road and install a new signal. The contract was awarded to C.W. Matthews Contracting Company of Marietta, Georgia for $15.1 million. It is anticipated that construction will be complete by the end of 2020.

The Talbot County project involves resurfacing nearly eight miles of Georgia 22 from the Muscogee County line to Georgia 96. The contract was awarded to C.W. Matthews Contracting Company of Marietta, Georgia for $5.4 million. It is anticipated that the construction will be complete by the end of summer, 2019.

Information on schedules, lane closures and detours will be made available in advance of construction activities.

THOMASTON MAYOR & COUNCIL TWO CLOSED DOOR SESSIONS

THE THOMASTON MAYOR AND COUNCIL HELD TWO EXECUTIVE SESSIONS DURING TUESDAY'S MEETING, SOMETHING THAT HAS ALSO HAPPENED RECENTLY.

IN TOTAL THEY SPENT ABOUT A HOUR BEHIND CLOSED DOORS IN THE TWO SESSIONS—THE FIRST INVOLVING POTENTIAL LITIGATION AND PERSONNEL—AND A GBI AGENT MET WITH THEM.

THE 2ND EXECUTIVE SESSION REGARDING THE POTENTIAL SALE OF REAL ESTATE—WAS HELD AT THE END OF THE REGULAR AGENDA.  

THOMASTON GETS MILLION DOLLAR GRANT

State Director for Rural Development Joyce White today announced that USDA is investing $20.5 million to help rebuild and improve rural water infrastructure in three rural Georgia communities.

“Infrastructure investments help create economic prosperity, improve the delivery of safe drinking water, and help safeguard public health in rural communities,” White said. “Under the leadership of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, USDA is partnering with local officials and businesses to make critical investments to help strengthen rural communities.”

USDA announced $1.2 billion today financing 234 water and environmental infrastructure projects through the department’s Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant program. The funding can be used for drinking water, stormwater drainage and waste disposal systems for rural communities with 10,000 or fewer residents.

In Georgia, eligible communities and water districts can apply online on the interactive RD Apply tool, or they can apply through one of our field offices. A directory of the Georgia offices is online at https://www.rd.usda.gov/files/GA_OfficeMapPhones_0.jpg or call the Community Programs Division at (706) 546-2171.

Below are the summaries of the investments USDA is making in Georgia:
In Thomaston, Ga a $1,954,000 loan (and $2,559,000 grant) will be used to improve the city’s wastewater treatment facility. The project includes rehabilitating the two wastewater treatment facilities and the sanitary sewer trunk lines and manholes. The Harborview lift station will be replaced, and several upgrades will be made to the Bell Creek wastewater treatment facility. The City of Thomaston is a small rural community of 9,170 people in Upson County. This project will serve 4,434 residential and commercial users.