UL RUNNING KNIGHTS ELIMATED

A THREE-PEAT AS STATE CHAMPIONS WON'T HAPPEN FOR THE UL RUNNING KNIGHTS—LOSING TO AMERICUS-SUMTER 59-53 THURSDAY NIGHT ON ZOOM RADIO —BUT THEY COMPILED A RECORD OF 107 WITH ONLY 3 LOSSES SINCE THE 2015-16 SEASON.

AMERICUS-SUMTER MOVES ON TO PLAY AT ST. PIUS THE TEAM THE UL KNIGHTS BEAT TWICE FOR THE STATE TITLE.

THE GRIFFIN LADY BEARS AND STATE CHAMPS SPALDING LADY JAGS BOTH ADVANCE TO THE QUARTERFINALS NEXT WEEK.  

EARLY VOTING T-SPLOST AND E-SPLOST BEGINS FEB. 25

EARLY VOTING BEGINS THIS MONDAY FEB. 25TH FOR THE MARCH 19TH CITY OF THOMASTON, CITY OF YATESVILLE, COUNTY OF UPSON TRANSPORTATION SPLOST AND THE MARCH 19TH EDUCATION SPLOST OF THE THOMASTON-UPSON SCHOOL SYSTEM.

EARLY VOTING MONDAY - FRIDAY 8;30AM TILL 4;30 PM AT THE CIVIC CENTER THROUGH MARCH 15TH BOTH ITEMS WILL BE ON THE SAME BALLOT.

A 5 YEAR $17 MILLION T- SPLOST AND A 5 YEAR $15 MILLION CONTINUANCE OF THE CURRENT E-SPLOST.

GORDON STATE SENIOR HONORED

Gordon State College senior and English major Angela Knight was recognized Tuesday by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia during the annual Academic Recognition Day.

Academic Recognition Day began in 1987 to celebrate individual academic achievement of outstanding scholars in the University System of Georgia.

“I am surprised and humbled by this recognition,” Knight said. “I worked very hard to make A’s and to prove to myself that I could get into college and graduate.”

Knight decided to attend Gordon after prodding by her daughter, Ashley Smith, who graduated the Early Childhood Education program in 2016.

“In fact, she filled out the application for me,” Knight said. “We even had two classes together.”

Knight admits that being in a classroom with students her daughter’s age was, at first, terrifying.

“I felt awkward at first, a little out of place,” she said. “But I found the Honors Program, made some friends and began to feel more comfortable.”

Knight, a veteran of the U.S. Army who also owns a business in Griffin, is so comfortable in a classroom that she plans to continue her education, earning a Master’s degree and then a Ph.D. in English. She wants to teach and in her spare time tending to the orchids she likes to grow.

“Students like Angela personify what the Highlander EDGE is all about - Engaged innovators, Dedicated scholars, Gifted communicators, and Ethical leaders,” said GSC President Kirk A. Nooks. “We salute Angela’s commitment to completing her education and pursing a teaching career.”

Dr. David Janssen, professor of English and Honors Program Coordinator, calls Knight an exemplary student.

“I am thrilled that Angela was chosen as this year’s GSC Outstanding Scholar,” Janssen said. “She is truly exemplary. Angela was a student in two of my English classes, and she is also a member of our Honors Program. She developed one of her papers from my ENGL 2121 class on John Milton’s Paradise Lost and presented it at the Gordon Collegiate Honors Council Conference and our own Undergraduate Research Symposium in 2017.”

“I know she is considering graduate school in English, and if she chooses to go that route, I know she will become an outstanding professor,” Janssen continued. “I am proud that

I have had the opportunity to work with and get to know her.

JQC HEARING FOR JUDGE CRAWFORD MONDAY 9AM

AN ETHICS HEARING FOR SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE ROBERT MACK CRAWFORD BY THE STATE JUDICIAL QUALIFICATIONS COMMISSION POSTPONED TWICE -- HAS BEEN RE-SET FOR MONDAY AT 9AM AT THE HENRY COUNTY JUDICIAL COMPLEX.

A THREE MEMBER PANEL SUSPENDED JUDGE CRAWFORD IN DECEMBER AND MONDAY'S HEARING IS AIMED AT REMOVING CRAWFORD FROM OFFICE AFTER HE WAS INDICTED BY THE PIKE COUNTY GRAND JURY FOR THEFT OF $15,000 FROM THE REGISTRY OF PIKE SUPERIOR COURT—FUNDS JUDGE CRAWFORD CLAIMS WERE HIS LEGAL FEES FROM A REAL ESTATE CASE WHEN HE WAS A PRACTICING ATTORNEY.  

UPSON S.O. MOTORCYCLE CHASE

A MAN OUT OF JAIL ON BOND FOR DISTRIBUTION OF METH IS BACK IN THE GRAY BAR MOTEL—AFTER A CHASE WITH THE UPSON S.O. WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.

A MOTORCYCLE RIDER, 35 YEAR OLD JAMES BUD RICE OF FLINT RIDGE ROAD IN UPSON COUNTY FACES NUMEROUS TRAFFIC CHARGES INCLUDING ATTEMPTING TO ELUDE PLUS HE HAD A SUSPECTED 8 BALL OF METH ON HIS PERSON.

SHERIFF DAN KILGORE SAID RICE WAS OBSERVED SPEEDING ON THE WOODLAND ROAD AND A DEPUTY GAVE CHASE. ONCE IN TOWN RICE TURNED ONTO THURSTON AVE. LAID HIS BIKE DOWN AND TRIED TO FLEE ON FOOT, BUT WAS CAPTURED.

ACCORDING TO THE SHERIFF , RICE IS IN JAIL ALSO CHARGED WITH THEFT BY RECEIVING---THE MOTORCYCLE WAS REPORTED STOLEN OUT OF HENRY COUNTY, PLUS IT HAD A STOLEN TAG.

FORMAL CHARGES FILED FOR ANIMAL CRUELTY

UPSON COUNTY SHERIFF DAN KILGORE SAYS FORMAL CHARGES OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS HAVE BEEN LODGED AGAINST A MOTHER AND DAUGHTER WHO HAD OVER TWO DOZEN DOGS AND CATS AT 1178 ATWATER ROAD—MANY LIVING IN THE HOUSE.

19 COUNTS AGAINST THE MOTHER, 62 YEAR OLD SUSAN F. COLEY AND 8 COUNTS AGAINST THE DAUGHTER JAMIE N. COLEY, AGE 30.

BOND SET AT $28,000 FOR SUSAN COLEY, $12,000 BOND FOR JAMIE COLEY—BOTH SURRENDERED AT THE JAIL AND WERE BOOKED.

THE HOUSE REPORTEDLY HAS BEEN CONDEMNED AS UNLIVEABLE BY UPSON'S BUILDING OFFICIAL BECAUSE THE FLOOR IS COVERED WITH ANIMAL WASTE.

T-U SPORTS HALL OF FAME BANQUET

The Thomaston- Upson Sports Hall of Fame will hold their 15th annual induction banquet Saturday night, 6PM, at the Upson-Lee High School cafeteria.

Five individuals will be inducted - Ben Daniel, Danny Kelly, Helen Smith, Rick Rawlins, and Tommy Parks - and one team - the 1979 Upson High Boys basketball team.

Tickets are $20 and can be purchased from any board member or at the door.

THOMASTON, UPSON T-SPLOST TOWN HALL MEETING

THE UPSON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS AND THOMASTON MAYOR AND COUNCIL HELD A TOWN HALL MEETING ON THE MARCH 19TH VOTE ON A $17 MILLION TRANSPORTATION SALES TAX MEASURE, WEDNESDAY—BUT ON A DAMP, CHILLY NIGHT—MOST OF THE TOWN STAYED HOME.

THERE WERE MORE ELECTED OFFICIALS AT THE MEETING THAN CITIZENS BUT THE 5 OR 6 WHO DID ATTEND GOT A HOUR'S WORTH OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE T-SPLOST.

CITY AND COUNTY OFFICIALS MADE A POINT THAT CURRENT REVENUES FROM THE STATE AND WHAT THEY GENERATE FALLS WAY SHORT OF WHAT'S NEEDED TO KEEP UP WITH PAVING WORK.

IF IT PASSES, THE COUNTY OF UPSON WILL GET $9.5 MILLION, THE CITY OF THOMASTON $7.3 MILLION AND CITY OF YATESVILLE $170,000. THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ARE ALSO SEEKING APPROVAL ON THE BALLOT FOR A $6 MILLION BOND TO GET MONEY UP FRONT TO BEGIN PAVING ROADS.

THE CITY OF THOMASTON WILL GET ITS MONEY—PAY AS YOU GO—AND YATESVILLE WILL GET THE FIRST $170,000—THAT COULD BE USED FOR SIDEWALKS.

IF VOTERS APPROVE THE PENNY SALES TAX MEASURE COLLECTIONS WILL BEGIN JULY IST.

OFFICIALS POINTED OUT THAT OUT OF COUNTY SHOPPERS WILL HELP TO PAY THE SALES TAX—FOR SMALLER REGIONAL SHOPPING HUBS LIKE THOMASTON THAT USUALLY IS ABOUT 35%.

EARLY VOTING FOR THE T-SPLOST AND AN EDUCATION SPLOST ALSO ON THE BALLOT FOR THE THOMASTON-UPSON SCHOOLS

BEGINS MONDAY-THROUGH FRIDAY AT THE CIVIC CENTER 8;30 TO 4;30 ENDING MARCH 15TH. 

SPALDING HIGH HAS A NEW HEAD FOOTBALL COACH

The Griffin-Spalding County Board of Education voted 4-0 to approve the recommendation of Jeffery Hammond as head football coach of Spalding High School during a special called meeting February 21. Board Member Barbara Jo Cook was not present to vote during the meeting.

Hammond is currently the offensive coordinator at Colquitt County High School in Moultrie, GA and a certified math and physical education teacher. Under his leadership, the team went to the GHSA 7A semifinals playoffs in 2018 with a 43 point scoring average. Hammonds’ has had six semifinal appearances along with two final appearances during his 14 years as an offensive coordinator with three different schools. Previously, Hammond served as a coordinator at Early County High School, Foley High School and twice at Colquitt County High School. He has also served as a head coach in baseball, golf, weightlifting, and track in Alabama, Florida and Georgia public schools, as well as a football restrictive earnings coach junior varsity defensive coordinator at Troy State University.

Hammond holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Troy State University, a master’s degree in Integrating Technology Into the Classroom and a specialist degree in Educational Technology from Walden University.

“I am excited about the experience and energy Coach Jeff Hammond will be bring to our program at Spalding High School. I feel confident in the knowledge, ability, and skills that he possesses,” said Spalding High School Principal Lindy Pruitt. “I feel certain he will work hard with our students, parents and staff to enhance and sustain the football program and overall athletic program at Spalding. I am ready for spring football and to see what the future holds!”

Nick Davis resigned as head football coach at Spalding High School last month to accept the head football coach position at Fayette County High School.

UPSON SO--POSSIBLE RABID FOX ON THOMPSON LANE

ON THOMPSON LANE---THE UPSON COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT HAD TO PUT DOWN A POSSIBLE RABID FOX THAT WAS HANGING AROUND A POSTAL VEHICLE—AND DIDN'T SEEM TO BE AFRAID OF HUMANS.

THE REPORT FROM SGT. NEILL SANDERS SAID THE FOX WAS ACTING UNNATURALLY AND ITS REMAINS WERE REMOVED BY ANIMAL CONTROL TO BE SENT OFF FOR TESTING.

UPDATE; OVER 3 DOZEN DOGS AND CATS ON ATWATER RD.

UPSON COUNTY SHERIFF DAN KILGORE SAYS HIS DEPARTMENT HAS AN ON-GOING INVESTIGATION INTO THE MOTHER AND DAUGHTER RESIDENTS AT 1178 ATWATER ROAD—THAT HAD OVER THREE DOZEN DOGS AND CATS, MANY LIVING INSIDE THE HOUSE—A DWELLING THAT HAS REPORTEDLY BEEN CONDEMNED AS UNLIVEABLE BY UPSON COUNTY BUILDING OFFICIAL PHIL ELLERBEE -- AS THE ENTIRE RESIDENCE WAS COVERED WITH ANIMAL POOP.

SHERIFF KILGORE TOLD ZOOM NEWS HIS OFFICE IS PREPARING CRIMINAL WARRANTS AGAINST THE TWO WOMEN WHO ARE LIVING ELSEWHERE AND CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER JEREMY BLOUNT SAYS HE CITED THEM FOR CARE OF PREMSIS AND HAVING 4 OR 5 JUNK VEHICLES AT THE HOUSE.

WE WERE TOLD, AN UPSON COUNTY DEPUTY AND AN ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER WORE HAZMAT SUITS AS A PRECAUTION WHEN THEY ENTERED THE RESIDENCE TO CHECK IT OUT.

THE DOGS AND CATS , LIVING IN SQUALID CONDITIONS WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE ANIMAL SHELTER WHEN AUTHORITIES DISCOVERED THE HOUSE LAST THURSDAY.

HEAD FOOTBALL COACH ANTONIO ANDREWS LEAVING GRIFFIN HIGH

Coach Antonio Andrews, head coach of the Griffin High School Football program and Griffin High School have mutually agreed to part ways effective February 19, 2019.

“We truly appreciate Coach Andrews’ hard work and efforts toward our football program during his tenure as an assistant coach and head coach,” stated Griffin High School Athletic Director Kennedy Holt

Griffin High School Principal Dr. Darrell Evans stated, “We appreciate the leadership and commitment Coach Andrews has dedicated to our student athletes at Griffin High School. However, our goal is to continue to put students first by providing new leadership that focuses on academics, discipline, accountability and cultivating community partnerships.”

Evans added the recruitment process for a new head football coach will take place over the next few weeks.