South Metro's News Leader
UPSON S.O. REPORTS INTERIOR SMOKE DAMAGE AND EXTERIOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE AT THE DWELLING OF RONALD SANFORD MCCHARGE. WHEN UNITS ARRIVED SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE ROOF.
NORTHSIDE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS TOLD A FAMLY MEMBER WAS ALERTED THAT THE HOUSE WAS FILLING WITH SMOKE AND GOT THE FAMILY OUTSIDE.
AT TUESDAY’S REGULAR MEETING, THE THOMASTON CITY COUNCIL PASSED A RESOLUTION SETTING A SPECIAL ELECTION, SEPT. 17, TO FILL THE UNEXPIRED TERM OF THE LATE WALLACE RHODES.
QUALIFYING WILL BE HELD JULY 22-24, QUALIFYING FEE IS $72.
COACH RHODES , WHO PASSED AWAY SINCE THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, HAD ALREADY ANNOUNCED HE WOULD NOT RUN AGAIN IN THE NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTION AND DON GREATHOUSE HAD ANNOUNCED HE WOULD QUALIFY FOR THE DISTRICT 4 SEAT.
ACCORDING TO THE DIRECTOR OF UPSON EMA, MARTHA ANN MCCARTY, 30-YEAR OLD RYAN BARFIELD OF MAUK, GA DISAPPEARED JUNE 8 AT THE 36W. BRIDGE.
THE BODY WAS LOCATED BY RESCUE CHIEF BOBBY BOOKER AND A SEARCH TEAM NEAR THE POINT OF A SMALL ISLAND IN THE SECTION OF THE RIVER BETWEEN THE TWO PORTIONS OF YELLOW JACKET SHOALS.
THE UPSON COUNTY CORONER’S OFFICE HAD THE BODY TRANSPORTED TO THE GBI CRIME LAB FOR AN AUTOPSY.
DIRECTOR MCCARTY THANKED STATE AND LOCAL AGENCIES FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE SEARCH AND BUSINESSES THAT PROVIDED MEALS AND SERVICES TO THE SEARCH PARTY.
UPSON EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PIO OFFICER TERESA BOOKER SAID THE GSP DIVE TEAM HAS LEFT THE SITE BUT WILL RETURN IF NEEDED.
RYAN BARFIELD, AGE 30 OF MAUK, GA. HAS BEEN MISSING SINCE HE JUMPED OFF THE 36 WEST BRIDGE LAST SATURDAY NIGHT. A RELATIVE TOLD THE UPSON S.O. HE HAD APPARENTLY BEEN DRINKING ALCOHOL DURING AN OUTING TO CELEBRATE A RELATIVE’S BIRTHDAY. HE HAD JUMPED SEVERAL TIMES, SOME OF THOSE WERE VIDEOED.
ACCORDING TO POST 26 GA. STATE PATROL IN THOMASTON, 55 YEAR OLD RALPH WILLIAM MOORE JR. OF 509 SOUTH GREEN STREET, THOMASTON DIED IN THE TWO VEHICLE ACCIDENT AROUND 7;30AM MONDAY—36 EAST AT OLD YATESVILLE ROAD.
THE GSP REPORT SAID THE OTHER MOTORIST, TRACY JONES, 42 , WAS PULLING OUT OF A PRIVATE DRIVE AT 1724 BARNESVILLE HIGHWAY WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURED. STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION.
ACCORDING TO MARTHA ANNE MCCARTY, DIRECTOR OF UPSON EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, RYAN BARFIELD, 30 OF MAUK, GA. DISAPPEARED AFTER CAMPING AND SWIMMING ON THE FLINT RIVER NEAR THE 36 WEST BRIDGE.
FAMILY AND FRIENDS SAID HE HAD BEEN JUMPING OFF THE BRIDGE INTO THE RIVER, AND JUMPED IN AROUND 8;30PM SATURDAY NIGHT AND DID NOT RESURFACE. HE THREW A FLOATION DEVICE IN THE WATER, BUT MISSED HIS MARK , SUBMERGED ON IMPACT, RESURFACED AND THEN WENT UNDER AGAIN AND HAS NOT BEEN SEEN SINCE.
UPSON EMA’S RESCUE UNIT HAS DEPLOYED SEARCH OPERATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ON-GOING SINCE BARFIELD DISAPPEARED.
THOMASTON CITY COUNCILMAN WALLACE RHODES,77, DIED WEDNESDAY AT URMC.
FUNERAL SERVICES WILL BE HELD SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 11AM AT THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF THOMASTON, BURIAL IN THE MT. HEBRON BAPTIST CHURCH CEMETERY IN RANDOLPH COUNTY, GA. AT 3;30PM.
VISITATION FRIDAY 6 TO 8PM AT PASLEY-FLETCHER FUNERAL HOME.
THE THOMASTON SERTOMA CLUB HAS ANNOUNCED FORMER THOMASTON MAYOR DR. SAM BREWTON IS THIS YEAR’S SELECTION FOR THE SERVICE TO MANKIND AWARD.
DR. BREWTON WILL BE RECOGNIZED FRIDAY AT 7PM AT THE SENIORS CENTER AT THE GOVERNMENT COMPLEX. HE SERVED ON THE THOMASTON CITY COUNCIL, AS MAYOR PRO TEM, AND AS MAYOR FROM 2000 TO 2003.
THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE THOMASTON-UPSON INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, KYLE FLETCHER HAS CONFIRMED TRIUMPH PACKAGING IS SHUTTING DOWN ITS PLANT IN 60 DAYS, A PLANT WITH 57 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES.
TRIUMPH HAS REPORTEDLY LOST ITS BIGGEST CUSTOMER , KRISPY KREME DONUTS, A COMPANY THAT HAS HAD ITS UPS AND DOWNS OVER THE PAST DECADE.
