CITY OF THOMASTON KIDS FISHING DERBY

 2024 Fishing Derby Winners

First Fish Caught

Connor Roberts

LARGEST FISH CAUGHT (1 fish only)

Ages 3-6

1St Place: Liam Tindle

2nd Place: Liam Tindle

Ages 7-10

1St Place: Hunter Lloyd

2nd Place: Maycie Tindle

Ages 11-15

1St Place: Beppe Rude

2nd Place: Brandon Tomlinson

LARGEST TOTAL WEIGHT CAUGHT (5 fish only)

Ages 3-6

1St Place: Liam Tindle

2nd Place: Liam Tindle

Ages 7-10

1St Place: Hunter Lloyd

2nd Place: Bentley Ross

Ages 11-15

1St Place: Beppe Rude

2nd Place: Brandon Tomlinson

Casting Contest

Ages 3-6

1St Place: Heath Lloyd Jr.

2nd Place: Maddie Casteel

Ages 7-10

1St Place: Tyson Roberts

2nd Place: Hunter Lloyd

Ages 11-15

1St Place: Beppe Rude

2nd Place: Warren Matthews

Community Enterprise Inc Donates $15,000 Through Kiwanis Of Thomaston

Community Enterprise Inc donated $15,000 through Kiwanis of Thomaston for one of Kiwanis signature projects received by Pastor Ed and Janice Searcy of JOY CDP (Justifying Our Youth Community Development Program).

MUNICIPAL CLERK OASIS NICHOLS TO BE RECOGNIZED BY THOMASTON CITY COUNCIL

 
Municipal Clerks throughout the United States, Canada and 15 other countries will celebrate the 55th Annual Professional Municipal Clerks Week on May 5 through 11, 2024.

In 19-84 and in 19-94, Presidents Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, respectively, signed a Proclamation officially declaring Professional Municipal Clerks Week the first full week of May and recognizing the essential role Municipal Clerks play in local government.

               Although it is one of the oldest positions in local government, few people realize the vital services Municipal and Deputy Clerks perform for their community. Primarily, they act as the cornerstone of their council. They also prepare the council agendas, record and index minutes and maintain the council’s ordinance and resolutions files. Other responsibilities include keeping the official records of the city, conducting the local qualifying process for elections and handling all city zoning requests. Many serve as operational officers of the city, in some municipalities, may act as chief administrative officers.

               The International Institute of Municipal Clerks (I-I-M-C) sponsors Professional Municipal Clerks Week! Founded in 19-47, I-I-M-C is the professional association of 16,000 City, Town, Township, Village, Borough, Deputy and County Clerks. I-I-M-C is dedicated to improving the professionalism of the Clerk and increasing the productivity of local government.

C.J. ALLEN TOPS ON D SAT. IN ATHENS

 NOT  MUCH  WAS  IMPRESSIVE  IN  THE  GA.  BULLDOGS  G-DAY  GAME  SATURDAY   IN  ATHENS,  BUT  LAMAR  COUNTY'S  C.J. ALLEN  WAS  THE  MAN  ON  DEFENSE.  C.J.  HAD  5  SOLO  TACKLES  AND  INTERCEPTED  A  PASS  FROM  QB  CARSON  BECK  LATE  IN  THE  FIRST HALF.  BECK  APPARENTLY  DID  NOT  SEE  ALLEN  IN  THE  MIDDLE  AROUND  THE   50.

FUN 101  SPORTS  SPOKE  WITH  DAWG  NATION'S  MIKE  GRIFFITH  AFTER  THE  GAME  ABOUT  C.J.  ALLEN'S PERFOMANCE.

URMC Awards Chelsea Casteel, RN with the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses

Upson Regional Medical Center recognized Chelsea Casteel, RN with the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses.  Chelsea is a nurse in Upson Regional Medical Center’s Emergency Department.  

The DAISY Foundation was established in 1999 by members of the family of Patrick Barnes, a 33-year-old who died of complications related to the auto-immune disease ITP.  Patrick’s family came up with the idea for the DAISY Award, as a way to recognize the extraordinary care he and the family received from his nurses throughout his illness.  The acronym DAISY stands for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.  What began as a thank you from Patrick’s family to nurses has grown into a meaningful recognition program embraced by healthcare organizations around the world.

A common theme of Chelsea’s genuine care and kindness emerged in the numerous nominations received from patients. 

One nomination expressed, “I was impressed by how well she took care of me.  She spoke kindly to me as if we were friends, as opposed to just another patient.  My concerns were handled with respect, quickly and sweetly.  Her personality and professionalism gave me a sense of security.  My entire experience with Upson was pleasant, however, I was even more impressed by her excellence!”

Upson Regional Medical Center CNO Brandie Kilcrease shared, “Chelsea is a great example of the positive attitude and expert level of care that Upson Regional Medical Center’s nurses provide to our patients.  We are grateful to Chelsea, and all of our wonderful nurses for the dedication that they put into caring for the patients in our community”

Nominations for the DAISY Award can be submitted online at urmc.org, or in person at Upson Regional Medical Center.

Columbus Police Apprehend Talbot County Fugitive

Columbus Police announced through a press release that a man was arrested on Thursday for multiple warrants charging him with offenses against minor(s).

CPD says around 6 a.m., the police department’s fugitive unit was contacted by the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO) about Dakota Hattaway having several warrants in Talbot County.

In response, the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office, CPD Fugitive Unit, and Sergeant Ada Johnson’s patrol squad mobilized to the location where Hattaway was believed to be hiding. Without any resistance, Hattaway was apprehended and taken into custody.

The warrants against Hattaway included charges of rape, aggravated child molestation, and cruelty to children 1st degree.

Gordon State College To Show Partial Solar Eclipse

Dr. Schmude, professor of chemistry at Gordon State College, will hold a special gathering for curious spectators to witness the partial solar eclipse on Monday, April 8. Attendees will be able to view the eclipsed sun through a special sun spotter in front of the Barnesville campus Instructional Complex building.

The sun spotter, an instrument utilizing lenses and mirrors, projects a 3.5-inch image of the sun, enabling safe observation. It eliminates the necessity for purchasing eclipse glasses. However, Schmude emphasizes the importance of never looking directly at the sun without certified eclipse glasses.

Across Middle Georgia, a partial solar eclipse is expected to be visible from approximately 1:45 p.m. to around 4:22 p.m., with over 70% of the sun blocked by the moon at around 3 p.m. Schmude will have the sun spotter set up and ready at 1:40 p.m., and it will remain available, weather permitting, until 3:30 p.m.

Gordon State College Welcomes New Chief of Police

Gordon State College officially welcomed Benjamin Scott as its new Chief of Police who was sworn in during a special ceremony on Wednesday, April 3.

Guests from across the state filled the Collaborative Learning Center in the Nursing, Health, and Natural Sciences (NAHS) building on the Barnesville campus. Attendees included current and former law enforcement officers, local community leaders, and representatives from the University System of Georgia (USG).

 

“Law enforcement members uphold and communicate the rule of law, crucial for campus order. Chief Scott's extensive experience, impressive pedigree, and resume make Gordon fortunate to have him,” said Dr. Donald J. Green, GSC president.

 

Scott’s career in law enforcement spans over 27 years, encompassing leadership, organizational management, agency accreditation, and community relations roles. Before joining GSC, Scott worked as a police inspector for the Georgia Board of Regents Police Department. In this role, he oversaw executive protection for the Chancellor and Board of Regents and provided internal affairs support within the USG. Additionally, he served as a police lieutenant at the Columbus State University Police Department.

 

“I love working in higher education and believe it’s the foundation for a better society,” Scott said. “Gordon State College operates in a world-class university system. It is my goal to take my lifetime of education, training, and experience and provide servant leadership along with good stewardship to Gordon State College.”

 

Having held positions as an administrator, manager, and supervisor in both municipal and university police organizations, Scott has acquired a comprehensive understanding of the community-oriented policing philosophy.

 

“Better relationships lead to a better environment which will make the community an even more desirable place to live, learn, and work,” Scott said.

 

A native of Prattville, Alabama, Scott earned his Bachelor of Arts in history at Auburn University in Montgomery, Alabama and his Master of Public Safety Administration from Columbus State University in Columbus, Georgia. Scott is currently enrolled in a doctoral program in public administration at Valdosta State University in Valdosta, Georgia. He also holds various law enforcement certifications and professional memberships in the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Georgia Police Accreditation Coalition, and Georgia Association of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors.

 

Scott's law enforcement career has been marked by several prestigious awards, including 2004 Officer of the Year for the Columbus Police Department and 2015 Medal of Valor from the Columbus State University Police Department.

T-U SCHOOLS WATER TESTS

The Thomaston-Upson School System has received the results from “Clean Water for Georgia Kids” testing at Upson-Lee Primary, Upson-Lee Elementary, Upson-Lee Middle School, and Upson-Lee High School. During this voluntary testing, all drinking and cooking taps in the schools were sampled and tested for levels of lead, and all results showed no lead levels over 1 part per billion (ppb), the limit recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Many results at Thomaston-Upson Schools revealed levels less than 0.1 ppb (the lowest amount detectable at RTI International’s testing facility) and equal to less than a drop in an Olympic-sized swimming pool. 

 

Superintendent Dr. Larry Derico stated, “The safety and security of our students and staff is a top priority at Thomaston-Upson Schools. Using federal COVID-relief funds, our school system had already prioritized safe drinking water for students and staff by removing water fountains at all Thomaston-Upson schools and replacing them with filtered water bottle filling stations. These stations have waterways that are lead-free in materials and construction with filters for taste, odor, lead, and chlorine reduction. Each water filling station has a built-in micron strainer that stops particles before they enter the waterway.” 

 

Upson-Lee Pre-K and Upson-Lee Alternative were not included in the original free-testing authorization received by the school district from the Georgia Department of Education, but T-U Director of Operations Mr. Marc Ellington stated that he is currently looking into testing for both of these schools. Results for ULPK and ULAS will be released once tests atr completed and results are received. According to Ellington, both ULPK and ULAS contain water filling stations for all drinking water and neither of the schools use water for cooking, as meals are delivered to the schools from Upson-Lee Primary (ULPK) and Upson-Lee High School (ULAS). “We’re very happy with these test results, but we still plan to ensure water safety at all Thomaston-Upson schools,” Ellington commented.

 

The Clean Water for Georgia Kids™ Program is a partnership between the Georgia Department of Education and RTI International. Its goal is to identify and get the lead out of drinking and cooking water where children learn and play across Georgia. Voluntary testing is available at no cost to public schools and childcare centers across Georgia courtesy of a federal Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) grant.

 

Full results can be viewed online at:

ULPS: https://5il.co/2hoe4
ULES: https://5il.co/2hodz
ULMS: https://5il.co/2hoe2
ULHS: https://5il.co/2hoe1

In addition, water safety test results for schools throughout the state of Georgia may be viewed on the Clean Water for Georgia Kids Public Map at: https://www.cleanwaterforuskids.org/georgia/data

STABLE HOUSING INITIATIVE GRIFFIN/SPALDING

 n the Griffin-Spalding county area, we have over 400 veterans and their families who are in need stable housing. The vision of the 

Stable Housing Initiative is to educate, inform, and connect displaced veterans with the skills and resources needed to secure stable 

housing and to achieve future prosperity.  The Stable Housing Initiative will host a free  event, open to the public, on Monday April 8th 

from 6 till 9pm at the Technology building at the Southern Crescent Tech campus in Griffin, 501 Varsity Drive. You'll find government 

agencies,  non-profits, and aid groups, so that displaced veterans can meet with the resource providers. For more information, call 

Michelle Drugaz at 678-468-2629. If you would like to make a donation or to sponsor a family, go on line to  

advancingGriffin@gmail.com or call 678-468-2629.  Leading Griffin Forward is a 501-C3 organization.

NEW HOTEL FOR THOMASTON

 AT  TUESDAY'S  MEETING--THE  THOMASTON  CITY  COUNCIL  ANNOUNCED  PLANS  TO  BUILD  A   $20  MILLION  BUSINESS  HOTEL  ON  AN  ACRE OF PROPERTY  DONATED  BY  THE  BLACKSTOCK  FAMILY  FOUNDATION   ON  EAST  MAIN  ACROSS  FROM  DOLLAR  GENERAL.   A  BOND  ISSUE  THROUGH  THE  IDA  WILL  FUND  THE  PROJECT--AND  CITY  HALL  WILL  ACCEPT  PROPOSALS  FROM  MAJOR  HOTEL  CHAINS  TO  OPERATE  THE  LODGE.

U-L Teacher of the Year announcements

Superintendent Dr. Larry Derico and Deputy Superintendent Dr. Amy Miller visited schools on Thursday, March 28, to assist principals with their 2024-25 Teacher of the Year announcements. Congratulations to the 2024-25 Teachers of the Year: Mrs. Amanda Gunnels, Upson-Lee Primary School; Ms. Donna Gravitt, Upson-Lee Elementary School; Mrs. Kristi Bosworth, Upson-Lee Middle School; and Mr. Charles Canady, Upson-Lee High School. Teachers of the Year are selected for this honor by their peers. School Teachers of the Year advance to the System contest where one teacher will be named Thomaston-Upson School System's 2024-25 Teacher of the Year.