A FIFTH JUDGE FOR THE GRIFFIN JUDICIAL CIRCUIT

Griffin Judicial Circuit Chief Superior Court Judge Christopher C. Edwards has announced that Fayette, Spalding, Pike, and Upson counties have adequate case count as determined by the State to apply for a fifth Superior Court judgeship. A caseload study conducted by the State shows that the four judges of the circuit are doing the work of 5.6 judges. The Circuit’s legislators are being requested to introduce a bill to add a fifth judgeship. Chief Judge Edwards requests that, “the public, our legislators, and county commissioners, support this historic opportunity to keep pace with the caseload.” The Judicial Council of Georgia is set to consider approving the fifth judgeship on August 8, 2018. If approved, the legislature can create the fifth judgeship in its 2019 legislative session, hopefully for an added judge to start work January 1, 2020.

RUNAWAY LOG TRUCK DAMAGES SHOPPING CENTER

A RUNAWAY LOG TRUCK CROSSED US 19 FROM NORTHSIDE SHELL AND CRASHED INTO A VACANT STORE-FRONT AT THE THOMASTON NORTH SHOPPING CENTER—WEDNESDAY NITE—CAUSING HEAVY DAMAGE NEXT TO THE AARON'S RENTS STORE. THOMASTON POLICE SAID THE LOG TRUCK WAS ALSO DAMAGED—BUT NO ONE WAS INJURED.  

SEE YA AT SMOKE ON THE WATER FRI AND SAT.

THIS WEEKENDS SMOKE ON THE WATER BAR B Q COOK-OFF AND MUSIC FESTIVAL AT BICKLEY'S LAKE GOT A BOOST FROM THE UPSON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AT TUESDAY'S MEETING.

COMMISSIONERS JAMES ELLINGTON AND LORENZO WILDER URGED THE PUBLIC TO GET OUT AND ENJOY IT FRIDAY AND SATURDAY—AND NOTED ITS GREAT FOR THE LOCAL ECONOMY.

NASHVILLE STARS BRENT COBB AND SONIA LEIGH ARE AMONG THE HEADLINERS.  

UPSON SO FIREARMS SAFETY CLASS

THE UPSON COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS OFFERING A FIREARMS SAFETY CLASS AT THE FIRING RANGE ON 74 EAST—TUESDAY JUNE 12TH AT 6PM. ITS FREE AND OPEN TO UPSON COUNTY CITIZENS OVER 21 WITHOUT A FELONY RECORD.

DO NOT BRING A FIREARM—BUT YOU MUST PRE-REGISTER—PHONE 706-646-7900.

THOMASTON MAN SUSPECT IN INFANT'S DEATH IN ALA

A MAN FROM THOMASTON—SUSPECTED IN THE MURDER OF A 6-MONTH OLD BABY IN DOTHAN, ALABAMA—WAS SHOT AND CAPTURED EARLY MONDAY IN BRONSON, FLORIDA.

ACCORDING TO NEWS MEDIA IN DOTHAN—28 YEAR OLD CARLTON JAMES MATHIS WAS SHOT FOUR TIMES BY A SWAT TEAM MEMBER—WHEN HE THREATENED AN SUV DRIVER AT GUNPOINT AT A FLORIDA APARTMENT COMPLEX.

MATHIS OF GAINESVILLE, GA. IS RECOVERING IN A FLORIDA HOSPITAL AND THE INFANT'S MOTHER—AMANDA GAIL OAKS OF MURRAYVILLE, GA. IS ALSO A SUSPECT IN THE DEATH.

OFFICERS CONVERGED ON THE COUPLE AS THEY LEFT THE APARTMENT COMPLEX.

THE DECEASED BABY WAS FOUND WRAPPED IN A BLANKET IN A FREEZER AT A DOTHAN MOTEL ROOM AND AUTHORITIES SAY IT HAD BEEN THERE FOR 4 TO 5 DAYS.

SHERIFF DAN KILGORE TOLD ZOOM NEWS—MATHIS DID PRISON TIME FOR AN ARMED ROBBERY AT NORTHSIDE SHELL IN THOMASTON AROUND 2008. HE IS ALSO WANTED FOR A STICK-UP AT A GAS STATION IN GAINESVILLE LAST MONTH.  

SPRING SEMESTER PRESIDENT'S LIST SCTC-UPSON CO.

Butts County

Brett Bush, Gary Davis, Kristan Droppa, Ivy English, Beverly Harris-Walker, Marcus Hunter, Kathleen King, Michelle Minor, Morgan Morris, Aubrey Pendley, Christopher Trimble, Tyler Turner, Samuel Walker, Dale Washington, Sharion White, Koree Wolfe

Clayton County

Miracle Alexander, Jerrell Bashir, Jeffrey Caulfield, Angela Copeland, Christopher Dawson, Jeffrey Fludd, Katherine Gilbert, Margarita Gonzalez, Joshua Guest, Bennie Hardeman, Joshua Hendrix, Tyrissa Jones, Raelle Konsky, Jahson Myrthil, Joanna Nelson, Jessica Scroggs, Kyetha Sweeting, Shawn Watkins, Vanessa Webb, Trinity Wood

Coweta County

Jessica Addison, Kathryn Camp, Tyler Coltrain, Collin Creel, Samuel Downs, Caryn Heard, Aric Lundy, Kelly Sargent, Brittany Watkins, Erica Willoughby

Fayette County

Morgan Ammons, Taylor Dunham, Alexander Freeman, Shamira Hardy, Amber Harrington, Jason Miller, Willem Neal, , Mollie Norton, Oscar Perez, Alla Postulga, Sarah Ann Stanley

Henry County

Gairy Austin, Jennifer Balance, Timmany Bentley, Hailey Berkowitz, Karen Boddie, Deontai Brown, Randall Callihan, Amber Cameron, Ciarra Campbell, Mayra Castillo-Arreola, George Castro, Tommy Chau, Kerry Cobb, Carolyn Corban, Ryan Crawford, Terry Crisp, Brianna Ewen, Dayaneira Fernandez, Brenda French, Justin Ganes, Dawson Gibbs, Jennifer Green,

Hunter Greer, Lindsey Hammock, Faith Harmon, Kymberly Harris, Kaitlyn Hewell, Roy Hill,

James Holder, Minerva Horsham, Nicole Jenkins, Marchello Jones, , Sarajevo Mabrey, Dikota McClendon, Gabriel McDaniel, Juanita McDonald, Philip McDonald, Diana Medina, Mercedes Messer, Eric Mills, Robinson Monnelus, Jonathan Mullinax, Bryan Munroe, Tiffany Parrott,

De Juria Pettis, Julio Pinero, Avry Pritchett, Nathaniel Reodica, Dean Roberts, Angel Rollins, Sierra Sawyer, Dave Senat, Elijah Smith, Corey Stewart, Alaika Suffrena, Nadine Sutton, Kendall Talley, Jessica Torres, Julia Underwood, Michael Vega, Jordan Whitehead, Mary Williams, David Wilson, Jennifer Woodham

Lamar County

Stephanie Brown, Ashley Caldwell, Hannah Crowder, Tammy Hartsfield, Carolyn McCoy, Alishia Simpson, David Taylor, Lisa Wright

Monroe County

James Evans, Mark Johnston

Pike County

Kirstie Aderhold, Tracy Boswell, Christopher Burrow, Laura Burrow, Alexandria Chatman, Jodi Coffer, Kaleigh Cole, Brad Colquitt, Keri Floyd, Melissa Forbes, Brannen Guest, Jamie Harper, Christin Heatherly, Summer Metts, Hannah Mixon, Hunter Nichols, Macee Nix, Shelby Peters, Dustin Samples, Alan Shepard, Sumer Smith-Doss, Cory Standard, Anne Stansell, Kriston Teal, Gregory Thomas, Samuel Vickery

Spalding County

Keisha Anderson, Velvet Argueta, Christina Artis, Jacob Bohler, Justin Botsford, Jessica Brewer, Rebecca Buckalew, Corey Burden, Lequesha Byrd, Susan Dockery, Kimberly Dominey, Adriana Fajardo, Christian Freeman, Jennifer Goolsby, Katherine Hand, Arnecia Harris, Matthew Hately, Alana Haywood, Marla Higgins, Rechard Hile, Joseph Ingram, Tyrone Matthews, Bobby McCord, Heather McVey, Reyna Melgarejo, Elena Millsaps, Michael Mitchell, Nicholas Moore, Thomas Nelson, Marlon Peoples, Ashley Polk, Richard Poore, Edriria Pope, Laurie Pritchett, Quavala Sheppard, Bret Smith, Ashley Swann, Michelle Thrasher, Rebecca Truitt, Barry White

Talbot County

Vrittney Dunlap, Jalesia Marshall, Ira Sumner

Taylor County

Ladeavious Character, Brooke Taunton

Upson County

Janice Anderson, Megan Barbour, Jazma Boyington, Douglas Brown, Shaniqua DiSola, Kambrecia Durham, Billy Elliott, Jeb Grace, Andrew Hand, Brianna Helton, Stephanie Johnson, Macy Jones, Amanda McCoy, David McCoy, Elizabeth Murray, Cynthia Reyes, Breanna Wildes

MOTORIST HITS BIKE RIDER N. CHURCH MONDAY

ACCORDING TO THOMASTON POLICE A MIDDLE-AGE FEMALE MOTORIST WAS CHARGED WITH RECKLESS DRIVING AFTER SHE STRUCK HER LONG-TIME BOY FRIEND WITH HER CAR AS HE RODE HIS BIKE NORTHBOUND ON CHURCH STREET NEAR INGLES —MONDAY AFTERNOON.

POLICE SAID THE WOMAN WAS ARGUING WITH THE BIKE RIDER AS THEY TRAVELED UP THE STREET—AND THE BIKE FELL OVER WHEN BRUSHED BY THE CAR—BUT HE REFUSED MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR SOME BUMPS AND BRUISES.  

HOUSE FIRE 419 HIGHWAYI ST. MONDAY AM

JUST BEFORE NOONTIME MONDAY, THOMASTON FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED TO A RENTAL HOUSE FIRE AT 419 HIGHWAY STREET ACROSS FROM ZAXBY'S. CAPTAIN LEE BROWN SAID NO ONE WAS AT HOME WITH THE FIRE APPARENTLY STARTED IN THE KITCHEN. DAMAGE TO THE KITCHEN AND CONTENTS AND SOME OTHER AREAS OF THE HOUSE. IT WAS EXTINGUISHED IN ABOUT 30 MINUTES.

A NEIGHBOR NOTICED THE FIRE AND CALLED 911.  

STATE DNR WARNS OF SWOLLEN RIVERS AND CREEKS

STATE DNR SAYS ITS TIRED OF RESCUING SWIMMERS WHO RISK DANGER AFTER THEY BECOME STRANDED AT THE RIVER FALLS AT HIGH FALLS STATE PARK IN MONROE COUNTY.

TWO 17 YEAR OLDS FROM JACKSON WERE RESCUED TUESDAY EVENING BY DIVERS FROM BIBB COUNTY—AND MONROE COUNTY S.O. SAID THE EFFORT COST THOUSANDS—AFTER A COPTER FROM ATLANTA WAS HINDERED BY THE WEATHER. BOTH WERE CHARGED WITH TRESPASSING.

DNR NOTED TWO DROWNED IN THE RIVER LAST YEAR, AND SO ITS POSTING NEW WARNING SIGNS –BRIGHT RED AND WHITE SIGNS AT THE TRAILHEADS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE RIVER NEAR THE FALLS.

ALSO GAME WARDENS WILL RAMP-UP THEIR CHECKS TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE STAY OFF THE ROCKS AND AWAY FROM THE POOL AT THE BASE OF THE FALLS—SOMETHING THAT WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED.

DNR IS WARNING THE PUBLIC TO STAY OFF GEORGIA'S SWOLLEN RIVERS AND CREEKS TILL LEVELS RETURN TO NORMAL.  

RETIREMENT RECEPTION FOR DR. SHOOK WED

RETIREMENT RECEPTION WEDNESDAY 4 TO 6PM FOR RETIRING SUPERINTENDANT OF THE THOMASTON UPSON SCHOOL SYSTEM--- DR. MAGGIE SHOOK AT THE FINE ARTS CENTER. SPECIAL PRESENTATION AT 5.

UPDATE--ULHS GRADUATION FRIDAY 8PM MATTEWS FIELD

ZOOM RADIO NEWS SPOKE WITH THOMASTON UPSON COUNTY SCHOOLS ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDANT DR. MIKE GATLIN SHORTLY AFTER 6PM AND HE REPORTS U L HIGH GRADUATION CEREMONIES ARE ON FRIDAY NIGHT AT 8PM AT MATTEWS FIELD.  

GGM PARK 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION

THE CITY OF THOMASTON IS PLANNING AN INDEPENDANCE DAY CELEBRATION—WEDNESDAY JULY 4TH AT THE GREATEST GENERATION MEMORIAL PARK—COMPLETE WITH A FIREWORKS SHOW.

CITY MANAGER RUSSELL THOMPSON SAID SUMMERVILLE WHERE HE WAS MANAGER BEFORE -- ALWAYS HAD ONE AND HE'S WANTED IT TO HAPPEN IN THOMASTON. THE NEW MAIN STREET COORDINATOR HEATHER BLACKMAN IS CONTACTING THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY FOR DONATIONS TOWARD THE $10,000 COST OF THE FIREWORKS. JACKIE SMITH OF THOMASTON IS A TRAINED FIREWORKS TECH AND WILL DONATE HIS TIME FOR FREE.

MAYOR J.D. STALLLINGS AND MAYOR PRO TEM DOUG HEAD BOTH EXPRESSED EXCITEMENT AND HOPE TO BUILD ON IT IN FUTURE YEARS. PLANS CALL FOR SELECT FOOD VENDORS TO BE INVITED TO THE EVENT AND THE KIDS WATER FEATURE WILL BE OPERATING. IT GOT A GREEN LIGHT FROM WEST VILLAGE ASSISTED LIVING AND THE COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES NEAR-BY ON NORTH CHURCH HAVE AGREED TO ALLOW PARKING.