UPDATE : RETIRED SHERIFF MOUNTAIN GREENE

To: wtga@fun101fm.com

Mr. Mountain A. Greene, retired Upson County Sheriff and retired Georgia State Patrol Captain, died Thursday, October 29th, 2015 at his home in Thomaston.
Funeral services for Mr. Greene will be held on Saturday, October 31st, 2015 at 11:00 AM at Mountain View Baptist Church. Burial will follow in South View Cemetery.
The family of Mr. Greene will receive friends at Fletcher-Day Funeral Home on Friday from 5 until 7 pm.
Fletcher-Day Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

UPSON EMC ANNUAL MEETING TUESDAY

ATTENDEES WERE TOLD IT WAS THE BIGGEST TURNOUT IN THE HISTORY OF UPSON EMC ANNUAL MEETINGS --- TUESDAY AT THE CIVIC CENTER IN THOMASTON—WITH A HOTLY CONTESTED RACE FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

FUNERAL DIRECTOR KENNY COGGINS WAS ELECTED TO THE BOARD FROM UPSON COUNTY—HE WAS OPPOSED BY BUSINESSMAN MARCUS SOUTH.

IN TALBOT COUNTY—BOARD MEMBER RONNIE HENDRICKS WAS UNOPPOSED .

TWO ARRESTED WITH METH

Press Release

On October 20, 2015 at approximately 3:20 PM  Zachary Ryan Spraggins, 23 of 978 Gordon School Road Thomaston, Georgia and Drell Donald Goodman, 34 of 203 Olivia Lane Barnesville,  

Georgia were arrested at Wilson's Store located on Highway 74 West in Upson County during a drug investigation  and charged with Methamphetamine charges .  

A clear plastic bag that had approximately 28.6 grams of Methamphetamine was recovered during this investigation.

Both Zachary Ryan Spraggins and Drell Donald Goodman were arrested and charged with Possession of Methamphetamine and Trafficking Methamphetamine. Both are held in the Upson County Jail without bond.

Dan Kilgore, Sheriff

URMC SMOKE-FREE

Upson to go Smoke-Free

A tobacco-free campus since 2006, Upson Regional Medical Center is expanding its tobacco use policy to include areas in and around the hospital.

Effective December 1, tobacco use of any kind, including electronic cigarettes, will be prohibited on all hospital property, including outside hospital and medical office building entrances, in off-campus buildings owned and leased by the hospital, on green spaces and parking lots, in hospital vehicles, and in cars parked in parking lots. This new policy applies to everyone, including patients, employees and visitors.

While Upson has been smoke free for all employees since 2006, visitors have been able to smoke in designated smoking areas. However, as of December 1, designated areas, such as the gazebo, will no longer be.

According to Upson's CEO David Castleberry, “A tobacco free campus fits with our mission as advocates for the health of our patients, their families and our employees.”  The expansion of our tobacco-free policy is another way our hospital is demonstrating its commitment to making our community healthier. Our hope is that this policy will help safeguard the health of our patients, employees and visitors.”

With the expansion of its tobacco-free policy, Upson joins national and state efforts to reduce the negative health effects of tobacco use on the community. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States. Nearly 500,000 Americans die of illnesses related to tobacco use each year.

“This decision was made with support from our governing board, physicians and hospital staff, and we are thankful for their exemplary leadership and dedication to this important initiative. We ask for our community’s full support in adhering to our tobacco-free policy as we work to create a healthier hospital environment," said Castleberry.

MEET THE CANDIDATES OCT. 26, 7PM

MEET THE CANDIDATES NIGHT AT MACEDONIA BAPTIST CHURCH ON NORTH HIGHTOWER STREET IN THOMASTON MONDAY, OCT. 26TH 7PM. COME AND HEAR FROM CANDIDATES IN THE NOV. 3RD CITY OF THOMASTON MUNICIPAL ELECTION.

GA HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATES 2014

ACCORDING TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION------ GEORGIA HAD THE 6TH LOWEST GRADUATION RATE IN THE U.S. IN 2014— UP FROM 5TH LOWEST---72.5%--BUT SEVERAL AREA HIGH SCHOOLS SCORED MUCH BETTER.

LAMAR COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOL HIGHEST IN THIS AREA —89.2%, MARY PERSONS HIGH 82.9, PIKE COUNTY 82.1, MANCHESTER HIGH 80.3, JACKSON HIGH SCHOOL 79.4, SPALDING HIGH 77.8, GREENVILLE HIGH 75%, TAYLOR COUNTY HIGH 74.8, UPSON LEE HIGH 69.8, GRIFFIN HIGH 65.5, CRAWFORD COUNTY HIGH 56.4, CENTRAL OF TALBOTTON 46.2.

IN HENRY COUNTY—ALL SCHOOLS 78.1 -UNION GROVE HIGH 94%, OLA 91.4, DUTCHTOWN 86. LOCUS GROVE 82.4, WOODLAND 80.3

LUELLA 74.9, EAGLE'S LANDING 74.6, STOCKBRIDGE HIGH 72.6, HENRY COUNTY HIGH 69.3

ALL HIGH SCHOOLS IN FAYETTE COUNTY 89.5 AND ALL IN COWETA COUNTY 82%.

IOWA SCHOOLS HAD THE HIGHEST GRADUATION RATE IN THE COUNTRY 90.5%. NEBRASKA NEXT AT 89.

CORRECTION ON THOMASTON CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO RACE

CORRECTION; A CANDIDATE WHO HAS DROPPED OUT OF THE 2ND DISTRICT THOMASTON CITY COUNCIL RACE IS CARL MCKINNEY. HE INFORMED CITY HALL FRIDAY HE WAS LEAVING THE R ACE FOR HEALTH REASONS. WE REGRET THE ERROR.

INCUMBENT PATSY PERDUE IS CHALLENGED BY JEFF MIDDLEBROOKS.

CARL CLEVELAND NOT RUNNING

A CHALLENGER FOR DISTRICT TWO THOMASTON CITY COUNCIL HAS DROPPED OUT OF THE RACE. CARL CLEVELAND INFORMED CITY HALL FRIDAY, HE IS NOT RUNNING DUE TO HEALTH REASONS.

INCUMBENT PATSY PERDUE IS OPPOSED BY JEFF MIDDLEBROOKS IN THE NOV. 3RD ELECTION.

D.A. REPORT ON TOBIN PROBE EXPECTED SOON

THE REPORT FROM GRIFFIN CIRCUIT DISTRICT ATTORNEY SCOTT BALLARD ON THE OFFICER PHILLIP TOBIN INVESTIGATION IS EXPECTED TO BE RELEASED BY THE END OF THE MONTH.

THE THOMASTON POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS PROVIDED ALL ITS DOCUMENTATION TO THE D.A. RELATED TO OVER 70 COMPLAINTS AGAINST INVESTIGATOR TOBIN—WHO HAS BEEN ON PAID ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE FOR OVER A YEAR.

THE GBI WAS BROUGHT-IN TO INVESTIGATE THE COMPLAINTS AND TURNED ITS FINDINGS OVER TO THE D.A. SEVERAL MONTHS AGO.

MOST OF THE COMPLAINTS AGAINST TOBIN INVOLVE HIS POLICING TACTICS—THAT SOME CITIZENS CLAIM ARE OVER THE TOP.

THREE PERSONS WERE INDICTED BY THE UPSON COUNTY GRAND JURY AS A RESULT OF THE GBI INVESTIGATION, BETTY SNIPES AND HER DAUGHTER TAMMY DAWSON FOR AN OBSTRUCTION INCIDENT OUTSIDE THE POLICE STATION AND CONVICTED DRUG DEALER KELCEY ROCKEMORE.

THE INCIDENT THAT FIRST DREW PUBLIC PROTESTS WAS THE TASING AND ARREST OF ROCKEMORE IN THE PARKING LOT OF HANDY MART ON EAST WALKER STREET. A VIDEO OF THAT ARREST WAS AIRED ON ATLANTA AND MACON TV NEWSCASTS.

TOP BRASS IN THE P.D. HAVE BEEN CRITICAL OF THAT VIDEO—THEY CLAIM THE TV EDIT DOES NOT SHOW ROCKEMORE ATTEMPTING TO KICK TOBIN DURING THE ARREST—AND AFTER HE WAS HANDCUFFED—THEY SAY ROCKEMORE TWICE LOWERED HIS HEAD AND TRIED TO BULL RUSH TOBIN .

ROCKEMORE HAS FILED A MILLION DOLLAR LAW SUIT SEEKING DAMAGES FOR THE INCIDENT FROM THE CITY OF THOMASTON.

BOMB THREAT DEFENDANT ENTERS GUILTY PLEA

IN PIKE COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT, TUESDAY, A DEFENDANT CHARGED WITH PHONING IN BOMB THREATS TO THE UPSON COUNTY COURTHOUSE AND UPSON AND PIKE COUNTY SCHOOLS, LAST SCHOOL YEAR, WAS SENT TO PRISON.

ACCORDING TO ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY BEN COKER, THOMAS CLIFFORD MONTGOMERY, IN HIS 30'S WAS SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS, 10 YEARS TO SERVE IN PRISON BY JUDGE FLETCHER SAMS.

MONTOMERY ENTERED A GUILTY PLEA TO 9 COUNTS, INCLUDING ONE OF IMPERSONATING A FIRE COUNTY FIRE FIGHTER AT A WRECK SCENE ON HIGHWAY 109.

PROSECUTOR COKER SAID MONTOMERY HAS SERVED TIME PREVIOUSLY FOR MAKING BOMB THREATS.

CANDIDATE FORUM OCT. 19TH 6PM

105-9/101-1 WTGA—INVITING ALL CANDIDATES IN THE NOV. 3RD CITY OF THOMASTON MUNICIPAL ELECTION AND SPECIAL ELECTION TO APPEAR LIVE ON THE AIR AT 6PM, MONDAY OCTOBER 19. EACH CANDIDATE WILL BE GIVEN FIVE MINUTES TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES TO THE VOTERS AND GIVE A BRIEF OUTLINE OF THEIR PLATFORMS

SKY DIVING ACCIDENT IN UPSON COUNTY

A MONROE COUNTY SKY DIVER RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES IN AN ACCIDENT DURING THE WEEKEND AT THE THOMASTON-UPSON COUNTY AIRPORT.

ACCORDING TO THE UPSON COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, DANIEL EDWARD JEFFERS OF FORSYTH SUFFERED TWO BROKEN LEGS AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE MACON MEDICAL CENTER. JEFFERS TOLD THE S.O. A WIND GUST BLEW HIM INTO A TREE.

UL ATHLETIC DIRECTOR STEPHEN BOYD RESPONDS TO COMMENTS FROM A PARENT

The following is information in response to a Mrs. Wendy Fallin's accusation that her son said that "half of the {football} team" was "high" while playing a game when he was a member of the ULHS football team. Our game day procedures for the football team are very structured, and are as follows: On Friday after school, football team members are held in the field house under the supervision of the coaching staff. They are not allowed to go home or to wander around. The staff sits with the athletes in the locker room, and then they are marched down as a team to the cafeteria (again with staff members). The team and staff eat together and march back to the weight room. They are held in the weight room for a quick talk and then loaded onto a bus, which takes them to Matthews Field or to the away-game destination. These players are well supervised at all times, and I do not see a real chance for them take drugs or anything like that. I am not able to say that this could never happen, but I am saying our staff is proactive and does everything possible to prevent drug use among athletes (and among all students, for that matter). I also want to add the following personal observation regarding our ULHS athletes: These students are members of a team, and they are comitted to the success of their team. A team relies on the strength of each and every member, and to be less than your very best self is to let your team down. I believe in the character of these young athletes, and I personally believe that these athletes would not risk "playing high" and letting their team down

T-U SCHOOL BOARD MEETING TUESDAY

A PARENT BROUGHT COMPLAINTS TO THE THOMASTON-UPSON BOARD OF EDUCATION AT TUESDAY'S OCTOBER MEETING.

WENDY FALLIN—AN E.R. NURSE SAID STUDENTS ARE NOT BEING CHALLENGED IN THE CLASSROOM, THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE CELL PHONES IN CLASS, AND MARIJUANA IS BEING SOLD BY STUDENTS IN RESTROOMS AND IN THE PARKING LOT. MRS. FALLIN PRESENTED SIGNATURES OF 20 OTHER PARENTS WHO SUPPORT HER— AND SAID SHE GOT NO SATISFACTION WHEN SHE WENT TO SEE THE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL—AND IF SHE DOESN'T GET ANSWERS FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD SHE IS GOING TO THE STATE.

MS. FALLIN –WHO SAID SHE HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH SCHOOL SYSTEMS IN OTHER STATES AND IN GERMANY--- IS THE SISTER-IN-LAW OF GOVERNOR DEAL'S DAUGHTER-IN-LAW DENISE FALLIN 

RABIES ALERT ISSUED BY UPSON CO ANIMAL CONTROL

UPSON COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL DIRECTOR ADRIAN RELEFORD HAS ISSUED A POSSIBLE RABIES ALERT.

A RESIDENT NEAR THE 1100 BLOCK OF HICKMON FORK ROAD WAS BITTEN ON THE ANKLE BY A RACCOON WHO ESCAPED INTO THE WOODS AND HAS NOT BEEN FOUND.

THE BITE VICTIM HAS STARTED RABIES SHOTS AS A PRECAUTION—BUT PET OWNERS ARE ADVISED TO GET ALL PETS—DOGS AND CATS -- VACCINATED ANNUALLY—AND KEEP ALL FEED BOWLS INSIDE.

A RACCOON ON HARRELL ROAD TESTED POSITIVE FOR RABIES A FEW MONTHS BACK. IF YOU SPOT ANY SUSPICIOUS-ACTING ANIMALS CALL UPSON COUNTY 911 OR ANIMAL CONTROL

ROCK RANCH CLOSED SAT OCT 3 DUE TO WEATHER CONCERNS

MRS. DOROTHY ELLERBEE "DOT" WELCH

sher101@gmail.com

Mrs. Dorothy Ellerbee "Dot" Welch age 83 of Thomaston Ga, died Thursday October 1, 2015 at West Village Assistant Living Center. 

Mrs. Welch was born on January 19, 1932 in Thomaston Ga, to the late Ernest and Lucy Daniel Ellerbee. She worked in car sales for many years. Mrs. Welch was a member of The Gathering Church. She was preceded in death by her father Ernest Ellerbee, mother Lucy Daniel Ellerbee, husband James Welch.

Survivors include her daughters Mrs. Gail (Jeff) Stribling of Thomaston Ga, Mrs. Cindy (Rick) Harden of Thomaston Ga, Mrs. Lisa (David) Ellington of Thomaston Ga. 5 Grandchildren. 6 Great Grandchildren.

Funeral Services will be held on Saturday October 3, 2015 at 4:00 p.m. from the Chapel of Coggins Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Crystal Hill Cemetery. The family will receive friends at Coggins Funeral Home on Friday October 2, 2015 from 5-7 p.m.

 

Coggins Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements!!!!!!!!!!

A DROWNING AND A TRAFFIC DEATH WED. IN UPSON CO.

UPSON COUNTY SHERIFF DAN KILGORE REPORTS A DROWNING AND A TRAFFIC DEATH WEDNESDAY.

ON PALLET MILL ROAD AROUND 4;30PM DEPUTIES RESPONDED TO A MAN FACE DOWN IN A POND. ROBERT PAUL COX, 59 OF 68 PALLET MILL ROAD WAS PROUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE. WITNESSES SAID HE HAD BEEN SWIMMING IN THE POND. THE BODY WAS BEEN SENT TO THE GBI CRIME LAB TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF DEATH.

ON DELRAY ROAD NEAR ROCKY BOTTOM ROAD WEDNESDAY AROUND 6;30PM, FREDDIE CRANE, AGE 59 OF UPSON COUNTY WAS KILLED WHEN HIS 1987 TOYOTA TRUCK CROSSED OVER THE CENTER LINE AND STRUCK A 2011 NISSAN.

THE NISSAN WAS DRIVEN BY A 36 YEAR OLD FEMALE AND HER THREE CHILDREN WERE PASSENGERS. OCCUPANTS OF THE NISSAN HAD MINOR INJURIES AND WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE E.R. BY EMS. THE GA. STATE PATROL IS INVESTIGATING THE ACCIDENT.