Monday, November 30, 2015

COACH MARK RICHT OUT AT UGA

MARK RICHT IS OUT AS UGA'S HEAD COACH AND SPECULATION IS ON AS TO WHO WILL BE THE BULLDOGS NEXT HEAD COACH.

CHATTER OUT OF ATHENS POINTS TO KIRBY SMART, WHO PLAYED AT GEORGIA, THE DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR AT ALABAMA.

DAN MULLEN HEAD COACH AT MISSISSIPPI STATE—WHO WORKED WITH A.D. GREG MCGARITY WHEN BOTH WERE AT FLORIDA.

TOM HERMAN, HEAD COACH AT HOUSTON

JIMBO FISHER HEAD COACH AT FSU

MIKE BOBO OF COLORADO STATE, WHO WAS RICHT'S OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR TILL HE BECAME A HEAD COACH.


LEONARD FLOYD DEFENSIVE END FOR THE BULLDOGS WHO WAS EXPECTED TO RETURN NEXT SEASON, SAID SUNDAY HE IS LEAVING FOR THE NFL.

D.A. TO RUN AGAINST JUDGE HANKINSON, COKER RUNNING FOR D.A.

THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY    OF   THE GRIFFIN JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SCOTT BALLARD HAS ANNOUNCED HE IS RUNNING AGAINST JUDGE TOMMY HANKINSON FOR SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE IN NEXT YEAR'S ELECTION. HE RECENTLY INFORMED JUDGE HANKINSON HE WILL SEEK THE POST.

D.A. BALLARD WAS PASSED OVER FOR TWO PREVIOUS OPENINGS FOR SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE, WHEN THE GOVERNOR APPOINTED JUDGE FLETCHER SAMS AND JUDGE ROBERT MACK CRAWFORD.


ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY BEN COKER—WHO HEADS-UP THE THOMASTON OFFICE IS RUNNING FOR DISTRICT ATTORNEY SINCE D.A. BALLARD IS VACATING THE POST, AND FAYETTE COUNTY ATTORNEY CINDY MANNING, WHO HAS WORKED FOR THE D.A.'S OFFICE IN THE PAST—IS ALSO SEEKING THE POSITION OF D.A

Friday, November 27, 2015

THOMASTON-UPSON SPORTS HALL OF FAME 2016 CLASS

Thomaston-Upson Sports Hall of Fame

Class of 2016 Radio Profiles

The first member of the 2016 class of the Thomaston-Upson Sports Hall of Fame is Doug Mills.  Mill is a 1971 graduate of Central High School in
Thomasville, Georgia.  He attended the University of Georgia where he was a manager for the Bulldogs' football team.  He began his coaching career in 1975 when he joined the staff at Upson High School.  In 1976 he moved to R.E. Lee Institute where he served as offensive line coach on Coach Tommy Perdue's staff for 16 seasons.  While at Lee he was a part of the 1988 AA State Championship team.  He then coached with Coach Perdue at Upson-Lee High School for three years before becoming the head coach at Upson-Lee for the 1995 season.  After that season he returned to the assistant coaching arena at Warner Robins and Taylor County High Schools before returning to Upson-Lee to finish out his coaching career.  Coach Mills was considered to be one of the most competent and effective assistant coaches in Georgia during his time on the high school sidelines and touched the lives of thousands of young people during his career.

The second member of the 2106 class of the Thomaston-Upson Sports Hall of Fame is Ben Miller, Jr.   Miller is a 1988 graduate of R.E. Lee Institute.  While at Lee he was a member of several championship rifle teams.  He then attended North Georgia College where was a valuable member of the rifle team.  During his career at North Georgia Miller received the Top Gun Award, the Outstanding Shooter of the Year Award, and was named to the NRA All-America team twice.  He also participated in several Junior Olympic qualifying matches.  He was also a member of the 1990 North Georgia team that won the National Championship.

The third member of the 2016 class of the Thomaston-Upson Sports Hall of Fame is Anthony Thornton.   Thornton is a 1989 graduate of R.E. Lee Institute where he was a four-year letterman and starter on the Rebel football team.  He was a starter on three region championship teams, a AA state runner-up team, and the 1988 AA State Championship team.  He received Lee's Best Defensive Lineman Award in 1988 and was selected to the Macon Telegraph's All-Middle Georgia team in 1987 and 1988.   In 1988 he was named to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution AA All-State first team and the Georgia All-Classification All-State team by the Georgia Sports Writers Association.  He was also selected to play in the Georgia-Florida All-Star game in 1989.  He received a football scholarship to Valdosta State University where he lettered in 1990 and 1991.

The fourth member of the 2016 class of the Thomaston-Upson Sports Hall of Fame is Bethel Ingram, Jr.   Ingram was a five-sport athlete at Lee as he Co-Captain of the football team and also was a member of the basketball, baseball, track, and gold teams.  He went on to be a part of the Emory University gold team and later a member of a U.S. Navy golf team.  After returning to Thomaston, Ingram won numerous golf tournaments in a very successful amateur golf career.  He was a consistent winner in the local Labor Day Tournament, Jaycee Tournament, and Peach Belt Tournament.  He also teamed with Dr. Doug Head to win numerous four-ball tournaments in Thomaston, Griffin, and Macon.

The fifth member of the 2016 class of the Thomaston-Upson Sports Hall of Fame is Paul Sheets, Jr.  Sheets is a 1987 graduate of R.E. Lee Institute where he was a consistent champion on the Rebel tennis team.  He was a member of the Macon Telegraph's All-Middle Georgia tennis team for all four years of his high school career.  Sheets' double team won the region championship in 1984, 1985, 1986, and 1987 and captured the AA state title in 1986 and 1987.  After leaving Lee he went  on to play tennis at Valdosta State University.  He also won the Atlanta Lawn Tennis Association singles championship in 1995 and served as the Tennis Pro at Idle Hour Country Club in Macon from 1997-2000.

The team inductee for the 2016 class of the Thomaston-Upson Sports Hall of Fame is the 1972 R.E. Lee rifle team.  This outstanding team, coached by Sergeant Robert Brese, won the Third Army Area Championship.  They were then notified that they had won the National ROTC Interscholastic Indoor Smallbore Rifle Championship.  This was the 5th National Championship for a Brese-coached Lee rifle team.

The Thomaston-Upson Sports Hall of Fame Merit Award for 2016 goes to Russell Oglesbee.  In the mid-1950s Oglesbee began to work with Recreation Director James Dawkins to form a football league for boys from the ages of 8 thru 11.  Once this Pee Wee League got on its feet, Oglesbee started a Grasscutter League for boys ages 7 and 8.  He then served as coordinator and coach of the Grasscutter League for 25 years. He taught the fundamentals and discipline of football to hundreds of youngsters throughout his career and made a positive and immeasurable impact on their lives through football.

This will be 12th induction class of the Thomaston-Upson Sports Hall of Fame.  Induction banquet will be on Saturday, March 5, 2016, at 6:00 at Upson-Lee High School cafeteria.  Tickets are $20 each on sale from any HOF board member.  

 Thomaston-Upson Sports Hall of Fame

Class of 2016 Radio Profiles

The first member of the 2016 class of the Thomaston-Upson Sports Hall of Fame is Doug Mills.  Mill is a 1971 graduate of Central High School in
Thomasville, Georgia.  He attended the University of Georgia where he was a manager for the Bulldogs' football team.  He began his coaching career in 1975 when he joined the staff at Upson High School.  In 1976 he moved to R.E. Lee Institute where he served as offensive line coach on Coach Tommy Perdue's staff for 16 seasons.  While at Lee he was a part of the 1988 AA State Championship team.  He then coached with Coach Perdue at Upson-Lee High School for three years before becoming the head coach at Upson-Lee for the 1995 season.  After that season he returned to the assistant coaching arena at Warner Robins and Taylor County High Schools before returning to Upson-Lee to finish out his coaching career.  Coach Mills was considered to be one of the most competent and effective assistant coaches in Georgia during his time on the high school sidelines and touched the lives of thousands of young people during his career.

The second member of the 2106 class of the Thomaston-Upson Sports Hall of Fame is Ben Miller, Jr.   Miller is a 1988 graduate of R.E. Lee Institute.  While at Lee he was a member of several championship rifle teams.  He then attended North Georgia College where was a valuable member of the rifle team.  During his career at North Georgia Miller received the Top Gun Award, the Outstanding Shooter of the Year Award, and was named to the NRA All-America team twice.  He also participated in several Junior Olympic qualifying matches.  He was also a member of the 1990 North Georgia team that won the National Championship.

The third member of the 2016 class of the Thomaston-Upson Sports Hall of Fame is Anthony Thornton.   Thornton is a 1989 graduate of R.E. Lee Institute where he was a four-year letterman and starter on the Rebel football team.  He was a starter on three region championship teams, a AA state runner-up team, and the 1988 AA State Championship team.  He received Lee's Best Defensive Lineman Award in 1988 and was selected to the Macon Telegraph's All-Middle Georgia team in 1987 and 1988.   In 1988 he was named to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution AA All-State first team and the Georgia All-Classification All-State team by the Georgia Sports Writers Association.  He was also selected to play in the Georgia-Florida All-Star game in 1989.  He received a football scholarship to Valdosta State University where he lettered in 1990 and 1991.

The fourth member of the 2016 class of the Thomaston-Upson Sports Hall of Fame is Bethel Ingram, Jr.   Ingram was a five-sport athlete at Lee as he Co-Captain of the football team and also was a member of the basketball, baseball, track, and gold teams.  He went on to be a part of the Emory University gold team and later a member of a U.S. Navy golf team.  After returning to Thomaston, Ingram won numerous golf tournaments in a very successful amateur golf career.  He was a consistent winner in the local Labor Day Tournament, Jaycee Tournament, and Peach Belt Tournament.  He also teamed with Dr. Doug Head to win numerous four-ball tournaments in Thomaston, Griffin, and Macon.

The fifth member of the 2016 class of the Thomaston-Upson Sports Hall of Fame is Paul Sheets, Jr.  Sheets is a 1987 graduate of R.E. Lee Institute where he was a consistent champion on the Rebel tennis team.  He was a member of the Macon Telegraph's All-Middle Georgia tennis team for all four years of his high school career.  Sheets' double team won the region championship in 1984, 1985, 1986, and 1987 and captured the AA state title in 1986 and 1987.  After leaving Lee he went  on to play tennis at Valdosta State University.  He also won the Atlanta Lawn Tennis Association singles championship in 1995 and served as the Tennis Pro at Idle Hour Country Club in Macon from 1997-2000.

The team inductee for the 2016 class of the Thomaston-Upson Sports Hall of Fame is the 1972 R.E. Lee rifle team.  This outstanding team, coached by Sergeant Robert Brese, won the Third Army Area Championship.  They were then notified that they had won the National ROTC Interscholastic Indoor Smallbore Rifle Championship.  This was the 5th National Championship for a Brese-coached Lee rifle team.

The Thomaston-Upson Sports Hall of Fame Merit Award for 2016 goes to Russell Oglesbee.  In the mid-1950s Oglesbee began to work with Recreation Director James Dawkins to form a football league for boys from the ages of 8 thru 11.  Once this Pee Wee League got on its feet, Oglesbee started a Grasscutter League for boys ages 7 and 8.  He then served as coordinator and coach of the Grasscutter League for 25 years. He taught the fundamentals and discipline of football to hundreds of youngsters throughout his career and made a positive and immeasurable impact on their lives through football.

This will be 12th induction class of the Thomaston-Upson Sports Hall of Fame.  Induction banquet will be on Saturday, March 5, 2016, at 6:00 at Upson-Lee High School cafeteria.  Tickets are $20 each on sale from any HOF board member.  


Monday, November 23, 2015

GRANT FOR UPSON WOMEN'S SERVICES

IMPROVING OUTCOMES FOR BABIES

Dr. Joy Baker, OB/GYN with Upson Women’s Services, has received a $30,000 grant from the March of Dimes to implement an evidence-based program to improve the health of moms and babies.

The grant is for CenteringPregnancy® - a  model of care that integrates three major components: health assessment, education, and support, into a unified program within a group setting. Eight to ten women with similar due dates meet together for 1-2 hours, participate in facilitated discussions and activities,  and develop a support network with other group members. Each group meets for 8-12 sessions throughout pregnancy and early postpartum. The CenteringPregnancy®  meetings are in addition to visits for ultrasound and the final 4-6 weeks of assessment. High risk patients or those experiencing complications may also have additional appointments.

“Prenatal care is vital to the health of our community,” said Dr. Baker. “Looking at the number of premature babies born in Upson County  alone, it is clear that providing education and assessment services is one way to help more women carry their babies to full-term.”

According to the March of Dimes in an average week in Georgia, 314 babies are born preterm. In Upson County, 12.5% of babies born are born too soon, which is higher than the state average of 9.3%.  Data shows that CenteringPregnancy® can improve these statistics.

A research study in the Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology shows that women who received CenteringPregnancy® care were 33 percent less likely to have preterm births than women who received standard prenatal care. Understandably, CenteringPregnancy®  has also shown promise in  reducing  anxiety and postpartum depression by building long-lasting connections among women.

CenteringPregnancy®  groups provide an atmosphere for learning and sharing that is impossible to create in a one-to-one encounter. Hearing other women share concerns which mirror their own helps the woman to normalize the whole experience of pregnancy.

Groups are empowering and provide support to the members as they learn, grow,  and change. Dr. Baker’s grant proposal was successful in part because her programs extend far beyond birth and through the postpartum period to support breastfeeding, family economic development, and parenting skills.

“CenteringPregnancy®  is a great start to improving maternal-child health in our region,” says Baker.  “We actually began to implement aspects of CenteringPregnancy®  at Upson in October and are already seeing positive results!  The award from the March of Dimes will help us provide support moms and babies in our community need to have a healthy start. Our full program will start January 2016.” For more information, contact Dr. Baker and the Upson Women’s Services team at 706-647-9627.

UPSON COUNTY TAXES DUE TUES NOV. 24

TUESDAY AT 4;45PM IS THE DEADLINE TO PAY 2015 UPSON COUNTY PROPERTY TAXES AT THE TAX COMMISSIONERS OFFICE IN THE COURTHOUSE ANNEX. YOU CAN ALSO PAY BY MAIL WITH A NOVEMBER 24 POSTMARK. LINES HAVE BEEN FORMING AT THE TAX COMMISSIONERS OFFICE.

UPSON COUNTY COMMISSION CHAIRMAN RUSTY BLACKSTON SAYS TAX COMMISSIONER BERRY COOK HAS FOWARDED A LETTER OF RESIGNATION TO GOVERNOR NATHAN DEAL—EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 31ST.


TAX COMMISSIONER COOK PLANS TO RETIRE AND DEPUTY TAX COMMISSIONER ANGELA RAINES WILL BECOME ACTING TAX COMMISSIONER UNTIL THE NEXT ELECTION, AT THE BASE SALARY OF THE TAX COMMISSIONER. CHAIRMAN BLACKSTON SAYS THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PLAN TO MEET WITH MR. COOK TO FIND OUT MORE DETAILS OF HOW IT COULD IMPACT THE 2016 BUDGET.

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

TORNADO WATCH 11/18/15 TILL 9PM

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WATCH TILL 9PM TONIGHT FOR THIS PART OF GEORGIA.

UPSON-LAMAR-PIKE-MERIWETHER-AND TROUP COUNTIES.


A POTENTIAL STORM FRONT IS APPROACHING FROM THE WEST.

PRESS RELEASE THOMASTON-UPSON CO. SCHOOLS

GA Milestones Scores Released
Scores from the 2014-15 administration of the Georgia Milestones Assessment System (Georgia Milestones in grades 3-8 and Georgia Milestones End of Course, or EOC, in grades 9-12) were released Monday, November 16. These scores reflect the first administration of Georgia’s new comprehensive testing system, which has significantly increased the rigor and the level of expectation placed upon Georgia’s students.

Superintendent Dr. Maggie V. Shook stated, “As was expected, our students along with students throughout the state struggled with the Georgia Milestones assessments. This is a new test that, in addition to multiple choice questions, includes constructed response and extended response items, requiring students to generate their own responses rather than select from a list of possible answers. It also assesses the students’ writing across each grade and course.”

Georgia Milestones assessments are aligned with Georgia’s content standards and have set the bar much higher for student learning. Consequently, these test results cannot be compared to previous CRCT results. The Georgia Milestones Assessment System categorizes student performance into four levels - Beginning Learners: do not yet demonstrate proficiency at grade/course level; Developing Learners: demonstrate partial proficiency at grade/course level; Proficient Learners: demonstrate proficiency at grade/course level; Distinguished Learners: demonstrate advanced proficiency at grade/course level.

Thomaston-Upson Schools’ students in grades 3-8 posted some of their highest scores in Science. TU elementary and middle students outperformed both state and Griffin RESA averages for percentage of students achieving proficient and distinguished learner status in 3rd grade Science (34.8%); 4th grade Science (36.1%) 4th grade Mathematics (43.5%); 4th grade Social Studies (38.4%); 5th grade Science (39.6%); 6th grade Science (42.1%); 8th grade Science (32.6%); and 8th grade Social Studies (35.5%). As a group, ULNE 4th graders posted the best scores, outperforming state and Griffin RESA averages in Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. In all, T-U students in grades 3-8 exceeded state averages in 8 of 24 assessments and exceeded Griffin RESA averages in 10 of 24 assessments.

On the Milestones End of Course Assessments, Upson-Lee High School students outperformed state and Griffin RESA averages for the percentage of students scoring proficient and above in U.S. History (39.9%). They fell slightly short of the state average in Physical Science, but surpassed the Griffin RESA average. ULHS students fell below state and Griffin RESA averages in American Literature & Composition with a low score of 15.9% proficient learner and above. In all, ULHS students exceeded the state average in only 1 of 8 Milestones End of Course assessments and exceeded the Griffin RESA average in 3 of 8 EOCs.

Literacy has been an area of concern and focus for the Thomaston-Upson School System. In March of 2014, the system secured a $2.3 million Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy Grant to advance literacy skills for children and students birth – grade 12. This school year, the system implemented a new reading program and has a sustained system-wide focus on literacy teaching and learning. “These scores validate our concerns and our efforts to improve reading and reading comprehension in our schools,” Dr. Shook stated. “Some of the lowest scores posted by T-U students were in English/Language Arts (E/LA) and Literature and Composition. Literacy was and will continue to be a major area of focus for T-U Schools.”

Superintendent Shook continued, “Our goal is proficient or better for all students in all grade levels and courses; and, while these scores are disappointing, we will use them to inform our decisions about instruction, professional development, and curricular alignment.”

A complete listing of schools and districts Milestones data may be accessed at the link below:
http://www.gadoe.org/External-Affairs-and-Policy/communications/Pages/PressReleaseDetails.aspx?PressView=default&pid=398

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

JURY TRIAL ENDS TUESDAY IN UPSON SUPERIOR COURT

IN UPSON SUPERIOR COURT TUESDAY—THE JURY TRIAL OF JOSHUA TALBOT FOR CHILD MOLESTATION—ENDED AFTER LUNCH WHEN TALBOT ENTERED A GUILTY PLEA TO A LESSER CHARGE OF INFLUENCING A WITNESS.

PRESIDING JUDGE TOMMY HANKINSON SENTENCED TALBOT TO 3 YEARS PROBATION, A FINE OF $1000, 80 HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE AND GRANTED FIRST OFFENDER STATUS.

LT. RONNIE COCHRAN OF THE UPSON COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE WAS THE ONLY WITNESS CALLED—AND TESTIFIED THAT THE 4 YEAR MALE VICTIM TOLD HIS PARENTS—TALBOT PUT HIS HANDS DOWN HIS PANTS WHILE THEY WERE JUMPING ON A TRAMPOLINE.


THE CHILD WAS REPORTEDLY SCHEDULED TO TESTIFY IN THE TRIAL.

Monday, November 16, 2015

T-U SCHOOLS TEACHER OF THE YEAR

Stephanie Brodnax, a seventh grade science teacher at Upson-Lee Middle School, is the 2016-2017 Thomaston-Upson School System Teacher of the Year. The announcement was made Monday morning at ULMS. Mrs. Brodnax was chosen by her peers as the 2016-17 Upson-Lee Middle School Teacher of the Year and was selected for the system honor by a panel of school and community judges. Areas of judging included a written application, classroom observation, and a personal interview. Mrs. Brodnaxwill represent T-U Schools in the 2017 Georgia Teacher of the Year competition. 

..............................................................

Thursday, November 5, 2015

THOMASTON-UPSON CHAMBER

THE THOMASTON-UPSON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HELD ITS 69TH ANNUAL BANQUET THURSDAY NIGHT AT THE CIVIC CENTER.

THE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD—DR. SAM BREWTON JR.
BUSINESS OF THE YEAR—WEST CENTRAL GA. BANK
EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR—NEAL TRICE, UPSON EMC
OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY SERVICE—THE VIETNAM VETERANS PARADE AND MEMORIAL WALL
NEW BUSINESS OF THE YEAR—CARROLL'S SAUSAGE AND MEATS
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS—SLICES PIZZA
CHAMBER VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR—BRAD ADAMS-THE ADAMS AGENCY

GAVEL EXCHANGE - DAVID CASTLEBERRY, 2015 CHAIRMAN, JEFF STRIBLING, 2016 CHAIRMAN.

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

THOMASTON-UPSON ELECTION RETURNS

ELECTION RESULTS TUESDAY IN THE CITY OF THOMASTON AND UPSON COUNTY.

MAYOR—J.D. STALLINGS 707
COLEMAN DUMAS 111—495

CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE—LAKEITHA REEVES 213
GARY ATWATER—70

CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO—JEFF MIDDLEBROOKS 171
PATSY PERDUE- 53

SPLOST—1578 YES

567-NO

PRESS RELEASE FROM SHERIFF DAN KILGORE