THOMAS HIGHTOWER UL STAR STUDENT

THOMASTON KIWANIS CLUB HAS ANNOUNCED THE 2016 STAR STUDENT AND STAR TEACHER AT UPSON-LEE HIGH SCHOOL.

THOMAS HIGHTOWER HAS BEEN NAMED STAR STUDENT AND HE SELECTED THE LATE JAMES ARGROVES AS HIS STAR TEACHER

TO OBTAIN THE STAR NOMINATION, HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS MUST HAVE THE HIGHEST SCORE ON A SINGLE TEST DATE ON THE THREE-PART S.A.T. AND BE IN THE TOP 10 PERCENT OR TOP 10 STUDENTS OF THEIR CLASS BASED ON GRADE POINT AVERAGE.

THOMAS HIGHTOWER WILL REPRESENT UPSON-LEE AT THE DISTRICT STAR STUDENT LUNCHEON.

IT IS THE SIXTH TIME THE LATE JIM ARGROVES WAS SELECTED STAR TEACHER.

ARMED ROBBERY IN UPSON CO.

News Release From Upson County Sheriff Dan Kilgore

On January 26, 2016 at approximately 8:40 a.m. an armed robbery was committed at Kelley’s Corner convenience store on Yatesville Highway in Upson County. Two males, one white and one black, entered the store and robbed the clerk at knifepoint of an undetermined amount of cash. Deputies responded and identified the suspects from the store’s surveillance system. The suspects were determined to be 15 year old juvenile students from Upson Lee High School.  It appears the suspects reported to school this morning, left school without permission, took a relative’s vehicle without permission, drove to the store,  committed the Armed Robbery and returned to the school to check in as “tardy”. Deputies responded to the school and located the vehicle used in the robbery as well as the suspects. Both juveniles were arrested and remain in custody. Each suspect will be charged with Armed Robbery.

A WRECK AND METH LAB BUST MONDAY FOR PIKE CO SO

A BUSY MONDAY FOR THE PIKE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE---TWO PERSONS WERE INJURED IN A WRECK MONDAY AFTERNOON ON HIGHWAY 18—A MALE JUVENILE AIR-FLIGHTED TO EGLESTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL AND ANOTHER PERSON TRANSPORTED BY EMS TO SPALDING REGIONAL HOSPITAL.

AN SUV OCCUPIED BY AN ADULT AND TWO JUVENILES LEFT THE ROADWAY—HIT A CULVERT AND FLIPPED—OVER.

PIKE DEPUTIES BUSTED A MOTORIST FOR A MOBILE METH LAB ON U.S. 19 MONDAY MORNING. 43—YEAR OLD EVERETTE PIERSON THE THIRD WAS BOOKED INTO THE PIKE COUNTY JAIL . A DEPUTY OBSERVED A STRONG CHEMICAL ODOR COMING FROM THE CAR AFTER A ROUTINE TRAFFIC STOP AND FOUND COMPONENTS OF THE LAB AND DISPATCHED A HAZ-MAT TEAM TO CLEAN-UP.

WEST POINT MAYOR ANNOUNCES FOR CONGRESS

  WEST POINT, GA – West Point Mayor Drew Ferguson announced today that he will be a candidate for the United States Congress representing Georgia’s 3rd Congressional District. “Washington is broken and as a small businessman I know that what our communities need from Congress is that they get out of the way and let us create jobs and economic opportunity for our citizens,” Ferguson said. “We are a conservative place, and I want to put conservative principles to work for the whole district like we have in West Point where we have cut taxes and utility rates while creating an economic development boom.” Biography of Mayor Drew Ferguson A. Drew Ferguson IV, DMD 1985&1988 Attended!University!of!Georgia 1988-1992 MCG,!Degree!in!Dental!Medicine 1992&Present General!Practice!in!West!Point,!GA Member!of!Western!District!Dental!Society Member!of!Georgia!Dental!Association Member!American!Dental!Association 1998&Present Adjunct!and!Faculty!member!of!Medical!College,!Georgia! School!of!Dentistry 1999 Secretary/Treasurer!Western!District!Dental!Society 2000 President!elect!Western!District!Dental!Society 2001-2002 President!Western!District!Dental!Society 1997-1999 City!of!West!Point!Board!of!Alderman 2003&2008 Capital!City!Bank!Community!Board!of!Directors 2004&2007 Lanier!Memorial!Hospital!Board!of!Directors 2004&Present Pierre!Fauchard!Academy!(An!International!Honor!Dental! Org.) 2005&Present International!College!of!Dentist 2006 Elected!into!Honorable!Fellowship!by!the!Georgia!Dental! Association 2008&Present Elected!into!Fellowship!of!American!College!of!Dentist

TWO TRAFFIC FATALITIES IN UPSON CO.

News Release

On January 22, 2016 at 4:00 am Deputies responded to a single vehicle automobile accident on Waymanville Road near Lanier Road in Upson County. Upson arrival they discovered a Black Toyota Rav4 SUV  with four occupants involved in the crash. The driver, Chasen  Alexander Nicholson, 22, of Thomaston and front seat passenger, Brianna Leyne King, 20, of Griffin/Blairsville were deceased. Two rear seat passenger  sustained injuries and were transported by ambulance for medical treatment.

The Georgia State Patrol was requested to investigate this accident and the investigation was turned over to Trooper Don Stewart of Post 26 in Thomaston

Dan Kilgore, Sheriff

January 22, 2016

SEN. MIKE CRANE NEWNAN RUNNING FOR WESTMORELAND'S SEAT

STATE SENATOR MIKE CRANE OF NEWNAN HAS JUMPED INTO THE LEAD FOR THE 3RD DISTRICT SEAT IN CONGRESS BEING VACATED BY LYNN WESTMORELAND.

CRANE ANNOUNCED HIS CANDIDACY WEDNESDAY ON THE SENATOR FLOOR AND HAD THREE LAWMAKERS FROM THE 3RD DISTRICT STAND WITH HIM WITH ENDORSEMENTS, SEN. JOSH MCKOON OF COLUMBUS, SEN. MARTY HARBIN OF TYRONE, AND REP. DAVID STOVER OF NEWNAN.

THE AJC REPORTED FORMER CONGRESSMAN MAC COLLINS OF JACKSON IS CONSIDERING THE RACE ALONG WITH FORMER STATE LEGISLATOR JEFF BROWN OF LAGRANGE.

ACCIDENT U.S. 19 AT SILVERTOWN TRAFFIC LIGHT

THOMASTON POLICE AND EMS RESPONDED TO A TWO VEHICLE ACCIDENT U.S. 19 AT THE SILVERTOWN TRAFFIC LIGHT JUST BEFORE 3PM THURSDAY. THE WRECK IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION.

THOMASTON #68 OF GEORGIA'S SAFEST CITIES

A WEBSITE IS OUT WITH THE 2016 SAFEST CITIES IN GEORGIA BASED ON FBI CRIME REPORT STATISTICS FROM 2014 . SAFEWISE .  COM SAYS PEACHTREE CITY IS RANKED #6 JACKSON IS #16, FAYETTEVILLE #29, NEWNAN #39, MCDONOUGH #44, MANCHESTER #50, THOMASTON #68, FORSYTH #80, LAGRANGE #82, LOCUS GROVE #88.

#1 IS SUMMERVILLE FOLLOWED BY JOHNS CREEK. ONLY CITIES WITH MORE THAN 4000 POPULATION WERE INCLUDED ON THE LIST. 

NEW ASSIGNMENT THOMASTON-UPSON SCHOOLS

At a called meeting today, the Thomaston-Upson Board of Education approved Mr. Erik Rechtorovic as the new 7th grade Assistant Principal at Upson-Lee Middle School. Mr. Rechtorovic will leave his current position as physical education teacher at Upson-Lee South and begin his new job at ULMS on Wednesday, January 20. 

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

Karen F. Truesdale

Director of School & Community Relations and Fine Arts

Thomaston-Upson School System

205 Civic Center Drive

Thomaston, GA 30286

706.646.9325

FIRE DAMAGE TO A RENTAL UNIT

UPSON S.O. REPORTS PARTIAL LOSS IN A RENTAL HOUSE FIRE AT 132 MAPLEWOOD DRIVE. NORTHSIDE FIRE DEPARTMENT PUT IT OUT AND SAID IT STARTED UNDER THE HOUSE NEAR A CORNER OF THE MASTER BEDROOM.

OCCUPANT PAM UHR SAID SHE OPENED A MEDICINE CABINET AND NOTICED SMOKE AND CALLED 911.

A 2008 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX STOLEN AT 103 DENHAM STREET IN THOMASTON-- WAS INVOLVED IN A WRECK ON 1-85 IN ATLANTA.

THE GSP SAID WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT SAID THE WHITE MALE DRIVER HIT TWO OTHER CARS AND ABANDONED THE VEHICLE.  

GA. DOT OPEN HOUSE FOR HENRY CO. PROJECT

Come See and Comment on the Proposed Project for the Walnut Creek Bridge Replacement in Henry County

Thomaston, Ga. – The Georgia DOT announces a Public Information Open House to discuss the proposed Walnut Creek bridge replacement on County Road 131 in Henry County.

The public is encouraged to come out to view the details of the proposed project and discuss the options available with Georgia DOT staff and give comments. The public meeting is scheduled for Thursday, January 21 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at East Lake Elementary School located at 199 East Lake Road, McDonough, GA 30252. There will be no formal presentation, so interested participants may stop by at any point during the meeting.

This project proposes to replace the existing 2-lane bridge on County Road 131 over Walnut Creek. Located approximately ½ mile northeast of the City of McDonough, the proposed replacement would be constructed at the same location and tie into roadway improvements made at the road approaches.

Anyone unable to attend the public open house may send comments on the project to Hiral Patel, State Environmental Administrator – Georgia DOT, 600 West Peachtree Street-NW, 16th Floor, Atlanta, Georgia 30308.  All comments will be considered in the development of the final project design and must be received by Monday, February 1.

After the open house meeting, plans and handouts will be available for viewing for 10 days at the Georgia DOT District 3, Area 1 office located at 101 Transportation Blvd, Thomaston, GA 31286. The plans will also be available on the DOT website after the open house meetings at www.dot.ga.gov.  On the home page, click on PartnerSmart, then Public/Media Center and then Public Outreach. Click for a drop down menu in order to select the County and finally click on “go”. A list of active DOT projects in that county will appear. Select the project to view.

The Georgia Department of Transportation is committed to providing a safe, seamless and sustainable transportation system that supports Georgia’s economy and is sensitive to both its citizens and its environment.  For more information on Georgia DOT, please visit http://www.dot.ga.gov. You also may follow us onFacebook Georgia Department of Transportation, Georgia DOT - Projects andGeorgia DOT - Services.

###

Kimberly Larson

MAURICE RAINES TO RUN AGAIN

FORMER UPSON COUNTY COMMISSION CHAIRMAN MAURICE RAINES CONFIRMED TO ZOOM NEWS MONDAY HE WILL SEEK THE CHAIRMAN'S POST IN THE MAY 2016 PRIMARY. QUALIFYING WILL BE IN MARCH.

SGT. RAINES -- COMMANDER OF THE GSP LAGRANGE POST—SAID HE HAS NOT DECIDED IF HE WILL RUN AS A REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT.

SEVERAL NAMES HAVE BEEN MENTIONED FOR THE U.S. CONGRESS 3RD DISTRICT SEAT OF REPUBLICAN LYNN WESTMORELAND—WHO HAS ANNOUNCED HE WILL NOT RUN AGAIN.

FORMER STATE REPRESENTATIVE JEFF BROWN OF LAGRANGE SAYS HE IS FORMING AN EXPLORATORY COMMITTEE TO DECIDE IF HE SHOULD RUN FOR THE 3RD DISTRICT SEAT.

A RECENT POLL OF POSSIBLE CANDIDATES WAS LEAD BY STATE SENATOR JOSH MCKOON OF COLUMBUS FOLLOWED BY PEACHTREE CITY STATE LEGISLATOR MATT RAMSEY AND THEN WESTMORELAND'S CHIEF OF STAFF MATT BRASS.

MIKE CAVAN HAS A NEW TITLE AT UGA

THOMASTON NATIVE MIKE CAVAN HAS A NEW TITLE AT UGA—SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE BULLDOGS NEW HEAD FOOTBALL COACH KIRBY SMART.

ATHLETICS DIRECTOR GREG MCGARITY ANNOUNCED MONDAY, CAVAN WILL REPORT DIRECTLY TO COACH SMART.

CAVAN HAS BEEN IN THE ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT AT UGA SINCE 2002 AS A FUNDRAISER—BUT THIS PAST SEASON SERVED AS ASSOCIATE ATHLETICS DIRECTOR.

CAVAN PLAYED QUARTERBACK FOR COACH VINCE DOOLEY , THEN WORKED AS AN ASSISTANT COACH , THEN HELD HEAD COACHING JOBS AT VALDOSTA STATE, EAST TENNESEE AND SMU.

LAW SUIT AGAINST UPSON CO. COMMISSIONERS SETTLED OUT OF COURT

A LAW SUIT FILED AGAINST THE UPSON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS BY CHIEF MAGISTRATE JUDGE DANNY BENTLEY OVER A PAY DISPUTE WAS SETTLED WITHOUT ANY TESTIMONY, FRIDAY, IN UPSON SUPERIOR COURT.

COUNTY ATTORNEYS PASCAL ENGLISH AND HEATH ENGLISH AND JUDGE BENTLEY'S ATTORNEY RUDYARD HAYS MET IN CHAMBERS WITH SENIOR JUDGE ALLAN KEEBLE AND AGREED THE COUNTY WILL PAY JUDGE BENTLEY $20,000. HE REPORTEDLY HAD BEEN SEEKING $75,000.

CONGRESSMAN LYNN WESTMORELAND NOT SEEKING REELECTION

THIRD DISTRICT CONGRESSMAN LYNN WESTMORELAND HAS CHANGED HIS MIND AND SAID THURSDAY HE WILL NOT SEEK RELECTION THIS YEAR.

THE REPUBLICAN FROM COWETA COUNTY HAS BEEN IN THE U.S. HOUSE FOR 11 YEARS AND SAID ITS BEEN AN HONOR TO SERVE THE 3RD DISTRICT , BUT AFTER QUIET REFLECTON OVER THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS , WESTMORELAND SAYS ITS TIME TO PASS THE TORCH AND SPEND MORE TIME WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS. .

WESTMORELAND, AGE 65 , WAS MENTIONED AS A CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR WHEN GOVERNOR NATHAN DEAL RAN THE FIRST TIME AND DEAL'S 2ND TERM WILL BE UP IN TWO YEARS.

LAST MONTH WESTMORELAND ISSUED A STATEMENT ABOUT  RUNNING  AGAIN , BUT HAS HAD A CHANGE   OF  HEART.

FIRST ELECTED IN 2004, WESTMORELAND CONGRESSMAN TOM PRICE ARE THE LONGEST SERVING REPUBLICANS IN THE GA. DELEGATION.

STRUCTURE FIRE IN UPSON CO. A TOTAL LOSS

A HOUSE FIRE TUESDAY AT 147 ROSE CREEK ROAD DESTROYED THE RESIDENCE OF MICHAEL AND AMY CAMPBELL AND THEIR THREE CHILDREN.

UPSON S.O. SAID IT APPARENTLY STARTED FROM TRASH ON A BACK DECK WHERE THEIR THREE CHILDREN AGES, 11, 5, AND 4 HAD BEEN PLAYING PRIOR TO THE FIRE.

ROCK HILL, THURSTON, NORTHSIDE, AND YATESVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENTS RESPONDED, BUT IT WAS TOTALLY INVOLVED WHEN THEY ARRIVED. THE REAR DECK WAS DESTROYED AND THERE WAS SMOKE AND WATER DAMAGE TO THE REST OF THE STRUCTURE.

THE DWELLING WAS OWNED BY FLOYD POLLARD BUT WAS NOT INSURED.

HELP NEEDED FOR WENDY AND TERRY PIPPIN FAMILY

WENDY AND TERRY PIPPIN LOST THEIR HOME AND BELONGINGS TO A FIRE NEW YEAR'S EVE AT 271-C GORDON SCHOOL ROAD IN UPSON COUNTY. WENDY IS A DEPUTY WITH THE PIKE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

PIKE COUNTY S.O. IS ACCEPTING DONATIONS FOR THE PIPPINS AND PIKE COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICES FACEBOOK PAGE HAS A LIST OF ITEMS NEEDED BY THE COUPLE

THOMASTON POLICE MADE THREE ARRESTS FOR CRIMES IN 2016

THE THOMASTON POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS HAD A BUSY NEW YEAR WITH A SHOOTING, A HOME INVASION, A ROADSIDE ROBBERY, AN ATTEMPTED VEHICLE THEFT AND A DECEASED MAN FOUND IN A MOTEL ROOM. IN ALL , THREE SUSPECTS HAVE BEEN ARRESTED.

ACCORDING TO LT. ANDREW PIPPIN, THE P.D. RESPONDED TO URMC JAN. 2ND AFTER TWO BLACK MALES SAID THEY WERE VICTIMS OF A DRIVE BY SHOOTING ON THIRD STREET. ONE HAD A HAND WOUND, THE OTHER SHOT IN THE THIGH AREA. BOTH LATER TREATED AND RELEASED. THEY TOLD POLICE THEY WERE STANDING IN THE FRONT YARD AND A VEHICLE DROVE BY AND SEVERAL SHOTS WERE FIRED AT THEM.

POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR A TALL SLENDER BLACK MALE IN A BLACK HOODIE DRIVING A GREEN MUSTANG, MODEL 95 TO 1998 FOR A ROADSIDE ROBBERY ON A. STREET. AT 6 AM JAN. IST, A FEMALE MOTORIST SAID SHE HAD CAR TROUBLE AND PULLED OVER. A FORD MUSTANG STOPPED AND THE DRIVER OFFERED HELP . HE THEN SEEMED TO HAVE A GUN UNDER HIS SHIRT, DEMANDED MONEY , TOOK HER CASH AND DROVE OFF IN THE MUSTANG WITH TINTED WINDOWS. POLICE NEED THE PUBLIC'S HELP WITH THIS CASE.

A HOME INVASION, JAN IST ON THIRD STREET. POLICE ARRESTED TRAVIS SINCLAIR THOMAS ON CHARGES OF KIDNAPPING, BURGLARY, SEXUAL BATTERY AND OTHER CHARGES. LT. PIPPIN SAID HE ENTERED THE BACK DOOR, FOUND A JUVENILE IN THE KITCHEN, FORCED THE JUVENILE INTO ANOTHER ROOM AND STARTED TOUCHING THE VICTIM. HE FLED ON FOOT AND WAS CAUGHT , ARRESTED AND JAILED BY POLICE.

JAN. 2ND AN ATTEMPTED CAR THEFT ON WEST GOODRICH AVE. THE VICTIM HEARD HIS TRUCK BEING CRANKED AND SAW TWO WHITE MALES INSIDE. HE YELLED AT THEM AND THEY JUMPED OUT AND THE TRUCK ROLLED INTO A NEIGHBORS FENCE. TWO ARRESTS, TOMMY NEAL ALEXANDER, AGE 26 AND WILLIAM J. SMITH, AGE 17, BOTH OF THOMASTON CHARGED WITH MOTOR VECHILE THEFT.

JAN. IST UNITS RESPONDED TO THE HOLIDAY MOTEL AT 5295 INDIAN TRAIL AND FOUND A MALE UNRESPONSIVLE ON THE FLOOR IN A ROOM. THE MAN, SAVAIEN HAWKINS, AGE 53 WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT UPSON REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER AT 5AM. NO SIGNS OF FOUL PLAY, BUT ALCOHOL AND DRUGS WERE INSIDE THE ROOM. HAWKINS HAD AN EXTENSIVE MEDICAL HISTORY AND BASED ON THE EVIDENCE THE STATE CRIME LAB DETERMINED NO AUTOPSY WAS NEEDED. 

GRIFFIN HIGH SCHOOL SEEKING A NEW HEAD FOOTBALL COACH

Griffin High School is seeking candidates for head football coach for the 2016-17 season. 

Minimum qualifications include health/PE certification for grades P-12, three years experience as a head football coach and five years of successful teaching and coaching high school athletics.  A Masters degree is preferred.

Details of the position and a link to the online application can be found athttp://www.applitrack.com/griffin/onlineapp/jobpostings/view.asp?internaltransferform.Url=

Applications will be accepted for a two-week period and will close on January 15, 2016.  Interviews will be conducted by a committee of school, district and community leaders and finalists will be interviewed by the Superintendent.  

UL KNIGHTS ARE ALL-STARS

Upson-Lee Knights Clark Daniel and Lazavier Moore were chosen to play in the most prestigious all-star games for juniors and sophomores in the state of Georgia. Clark Daniel played in the Rising Seniors Bowl on December 31 in Macon, GA., at the Mercer University Five Star Stadium. Lazavier Moore played in the Elite Sophomore Classic on December 29 at McEachern High School. ULHS Coach Tommy Parks was the defensive line coach for the National Team at the Elite Sophomore Classic.

MEETING PLANNED TO VITALIZE DOWNTOWN THOMASTON, THURSDAY AT THE RITZ

A MEETING TO MAP PLANS TO BOOST DOWNTOWN THOMASTON IS SCHEDULED 7;30PM , THURSDAY, JAN. 7TH AT THE RITZ THEATRE. ACCORDING TO SYLVIA WINTERS CHAPMAN BUSINESS OWNERS AND CITIZENS ARE INVITED TO OFFER INPUT TO MAKE DOWNTOWN THOMASTON VITAL AND VIBRANT.

ACCORDING TO THE UPSON COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE A HOUSE W AS DESTROYED BY FIRE NEW YEAR'S EVE NIGHT AT 271-C GORDON SCHOOL ROAD—THE HOME OF WENDY AND TERRY PIPPIN. WENDY IS A LT. WITH THE PIKE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

THE REPORT SAID NO ONE WAS AT HOME AT THE TIME OF THE FIRE AROUND 10;30PM AND FIRE TRUCKS COULD NOT TRAVEL ALL THE WAY TO THE HOUSE BECAUSE HEAVY RAIN HAD DESTROYED THE UNPAVED DRIVEWAY.

TERRY PIPPIN TOLD A DEPUTY EVERYTHING WAS TURNED OFF AT THE HOUSE AND HE WAS THERE AROUND 5PM. HIS WIFE WENDY RETURNED A SHORT TIME LATER, THEN LEFT.

NATHAN CARPENTER SAID HIS FATHER, GUY CARPENTER WAS ON HIS BACK PORCH WHEN HE SAW A LIGHT IN THE WOODS AND THE TWO WENT TO THE HOUSE, DISCOVERED THE FIRE AND CALLED 911.