Entries by Walter Geiger

Voters have not been beating down the doors to cast early ballots in the March 19 referendums on a new jail and Sunday alcohol sales. As of noon Monday, only 271 voters had cast advance ballots. Officials have mailed out 66 absentee ballots, of which only 15 have been returned.

Early voting ends Friday. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. election day.

Upson County clerk of court Teresa Harper reported last week the cases of two defendants charged with the murder of Roderick Crawford of Barnesville will be presented to a grand jury in Thomaston March 20.
[Full Story »] 

Dear Isabella,

Welcome to the world! We are so glad you are here and that you are part of our family!

You are a gift we don’t deserve, but we gratefully receive you as the sign of grace you are. Every time we look at you or think of you, we are reminded of how good God is.

We love you. We don’t love you because of who you are or because of what you are. We love you just because you are.

As you grow, you’ll discover who and what you are, and we look forward to encouraging and supporting you in your journey of self-discovery. It matters who and what you become, because only as you do so will you be able to realize your full potential. [Full Story »] 

By Walter Geiger

A 911 call alleging the kidnapping of a four-year-old girl sparked a massive law enforcement responses and two arrests Feb. 26.

Clifford Joe Giles reported his daughter had been taken at gunpoint by Patricia Giles, April Smith, 33, and Christopher Long, 44, from his trailer at Bedsole’s mobile home park on Trice Road in Milner about 10:30 a.m. [Full Story »] 

Reba Mangham, Lamar County’s oldest living World War II veteran, died early Monday. She celebrated her 100th birthday Sept. 2, 2018.

Mangham served in the Womens’ Air Corps during WWII. She was a cousin to the Mangham siblings of Pike County who last year set a Guinness World Record as the worlds oldest living set of brothers and sisters.

Reba Mangham was born Monday, September 2, 1918, and passed away Monday, March 4, 2019, at the age of 100.

She received her bachelors and master’s degrees from GSCW (now Georgia College and University) and the University of North Carolina.

She was a social worker and spent most of her career teaching social work at Florida State University and the University of Texas at Arlington.

During World War II she was in the WACS (Women's Army Corps). She was believed to be the oldest living veteran in Lamar County.

Reba enjoyed painting, sculpting, gardening, playing golf, and traveling internationally.

She was predeceased by her parents Lorie Mangham, Sr. and Rebecca Bush Mangham. Also predeceasing her were a sister and brother-in-law, Jane Mangham Meixel and George (Mike) Meixel.

Reba is survived by her brother and sister-in-law, Lorie and Josephine Mangham, Jr.

Other survivors include nephews George (Debbie) Meixel and Hugh Mangham. Surviving nieces are Rebecca Meixel Carter and Jolynn (Bob) Mangham Cichocki. Several great nieces and great nephews survive along with great-great nieces and great-great nephews.

A funeral service for Reba Mangham will be held at 3:00 P.M. on Saturday, March 9, 2019 at Breedlove Memorial Chapel with Reverend Franklin Gibson officiating. Interment will follow in Greenwood Cemetery. The family will receive friends at Williams-Westbury Funeral Home on Friday, February 8, 2019 from 6:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M.

To sign the online registry or to send a condolence online, please do so at www.williams-westburyfuneralhome.com

Williams-Westbury Funeral Home, 526 College Drive, Barnesville, is serving the Mangham family.

Accustomed to fires, vehicle accidents, violent crimes and other mayhem, first responders often deal with situations that have happy endings. Such was the case last week when a female motorist on the MLK bypass spotted a small puppy on the side of the road and stopped to check on it. Frightened by her approach, the puppy fled into a culvert where it cowered.

She called for help and sheriff’s deputies, firefighters and animal control responded. Eventually, firefighters used a small firehose to force water down the culvert from the other end and fire chief Douglas Matthews eventually contained the puppy with a catch loop device (top). The motorist and her boyfriend (bottom) decided to keep the puppy, which emerged cold and wet but unharmed, after learning Lamar did not have a no-kill shelter.

A Jonesboro man, charged along with his girlfriend with the murder of Roderick Crawford of Barnesville, hatched an elaborate plan to escape as he was being transported from the Clayton County jail to the Upson County courthouse for a preliminary hearing Feb. 4. [Full Story »]