Top Stories

Lantern tours at Greenwood Cemetery return Nov. 3

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Thursday, September 5. 2019

The second offering of Lantern Tours of Greenwood Cemetery is scheduled for Nov. 3 with costumed characters portraying prominent citizens. The tours, first offered in 2017, are sponsored by the Greenwood Cemetery Preservation Association and the Azalea Garden Club.

Tours are set for 3 p.m., 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. Advance tickets are $25 and will go on sale at the chamber of commerce office in October. On the day of the tour, tickets will be $30.

Participants will meet at the Depot for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres before being transported via golf carts to the cemetery. [Full Story »]

Millage finalized; bill preparation underway

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Walter Geiger

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Wednesday, September 4. 2019

The Lamar County commission met Friday morning to officially approve 2019 millage rates. The county rate is 13.157 mills with the school system rate at 17.077 mills. Each represents a one mill increase. [Full Story »]

Molena man charged after high-speed chase that hit 117 mph.

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Walter Geiger

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Thursday, August 29. 2019

A 26-year-old Molena man was arrested on multiple charges after a high speed chase down Thomaston Street and Hwy. 36 West Aug. 16.

Barnesville police units attempted to stop a 2011 Kia Forte just before midnight but the driver fled, sideswiping a vehicle in the process. [Full Story »]

Open records request filed on Milner Library funds

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Walter Geiger

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Wednesday, August 28. 2019

The Herald Gazette has filed a Freedom of Information Act request for multiple financial records connected with the construction and ongoing operation of the Milner Library. Notice was hand-delivered to Milner city hall Monday with copies addressed to mayor Joe Bostwick, city administrator Wayne Patterson and library board chairman and city council member George Weldon.
[Full Story »]

Trojans notch upset win in season opener

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Walter Geiger

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Friday, August 23. 2019

The Lamar County Trojans opened the Jeff Sloan era Friday night with a 27-6 win over the Mt. Zion Eagles at Trojan Field in a game that was delayed 90 minutes by lightning in the area.

The Eagles were ranked #7 in Class A coming into the game in which LC was a 22-point underdog. Instead they won by 21, holding the Eagles scoreless until there were just 12 seconds left in the contest.

Realtime scoring from the sideline...

2:57 1st qtr.: LC 7 MZ 0: Joey Stratton 7-yd. TD run. Josh Moore PAT. LC converted a 3rd and 40 to go on the drive.

1:28 2nd qtr.: LC 15 MZ 0: Devin Bateman 21-yd. TD run. PAT pass KT Brownlee to Drew Stout.

HALFTIME: 15-0

8:013rd qtr.: LC 21 MZ 0: Keilyn Tyus 16-yd. punt return for TD. two-point PAT failed.

7:36 4th qtr.: LC 27 MZ 0: Bateman 68-yd. TD pass to Tyus. PAT failed.

0:12.50 4th qtr.: LC 27 MZ 6: MZ two-yard TD run. PAT failed.

FINAL: LC 27 MZ 6

Esco hopes to return Buggy Days to its roots

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Walter Geiger

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Thursday, August 22. 2019

Dick Esco has come out of retirement to serve as chairman of Buggy Days in hopes of getting the festival back on the right track. Esco headed up the festival for 30 years. “We’re going to do it the way I know how to do it,” Esco said.

Last year’s event was plagued by the premature halting of its signature event, the Buggy Days parade. The chamber of commerce has also taken considerable heat over canceling the highly-popular pig chase. Esco agrees with that move due to liability concerns.

Esco has worked to weed out the ‘Walmart’ vendors and get back to attracting true crafters. There will also be no outside food vendors at this year’s festival. Those booths, limited to local civic, church and other groups, have sold out. “Buggy Days was always the event that made their budgets. We are going back to that,” he said. [Full Story »]

Municipal elections: Crowded field in Milner; incumbents only in Barnesville

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Walter Geiger

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Wednesday, August 21. 2019

Perhaps the largest field of candidates in the history of Milner will battle for four city council seats that are up for grabs in the November general election.

Skip Seda, David Haire and Wayne Inglett will face off in a special election to fill the unexpired term of Roger Samples who is moving out of the city.

Three other seats will be filled by plurality voting. The top three of six qualified candidates will get those slots. They are incumbent Fred Stephens, incumbent Betty Wilson and challengers Regina Stephens, Helen Palacias Jordan, Vickie Smith and Jerry Smith.

Fred Stephens and Regina Stephens are not related. Neither are Vickie Smith and Jerry Smith.

In Barnesville, incumbent mayor Peter Banks and incumbent council members Anne Claxton and Sammie Shropshire qualified but drew no opposition so they will serve another term.

Martin gets variance in narrow Milner vote

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Walter Geiger

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Tuesday, August 20. 2019

By Kay S. Pedrotti

Changes in the printed agenda brought to the top three items a second consideration of a variance for Tina Martin to secure a manufactured home to replace her Tom Bell Road dwelling. Councilman George Weldon directed the mayor to change the agenda “to follow the code book, which we have not done.”

According to Weldon, the meeting order should be approval of agenda and minutes, “unfinished business,” reports from city departments and staff, and new business. The variance was listed as the unfinished business because the council did not vote on the matter at a called meeting Aug. 12, when a motion to approve died for lack of a second.

The vote on the variance Monday was 2-1; Betty Wilson and Fred Stephens voted yes, Weldon voted no. The three and mayor Joe Bostick attended; Tracey Alford has resigned and Roger Samples' seat will be filled in the next election in November.
[Full Story »]

BBQ sauce bandit off to prison after robbing three banks

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Walter Geiger

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Friday, August 16. 2019

Barnesville’s BBQ sauce bandit, 44-year-old Clifford Terrell, was sentenced to four years in federal prison Aug. 7 for robbing three middle Georgia banks in September 2017. The banks were located in Forsyth, Macon and Columbus. Tellers were threatened with demand notes.
[Full Story »]

Barnesville switching to LED street lighting

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Walter Geiger

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Wednesday, August 14. 2019

The City of Barnesville electrical department has begun phase one of a initiative to replace old high-pressure sodium streetlights with high efficiency LED lighting. Initial change outs will occur along Mill, Thomaston, Atlanta and Forsyth streets; College Dr.; downtown and in city parks. [Full Story »]

Dates for school millage hearings changed

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Walter Geiger

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Wednesday, August 7. 2019

The public hearing dates on the school board's proposed millage rate increase have changed.

The new dates are Tuesday, Aug. 20 at noon and 6 p.m. and Tuesday, Aug. 27 at 6 p.m.

All three hearings will be held at the school system office at 100 Victory Lane in Barnesville.

For more information, call the system office at 770.358.5891.

Do you recognize this van?

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Walter Geiger

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Monday, August 5. 2019

The Hispanic male driver of this 2004 Chevy Express Work van fled the scene of a high impact crash in Lamar County July 31 that left one victim badly injured. The van driver was turning left from Rock Springs Rd. onto High Falls Rd. when he pulled into the path of a eastbound 2002 Mercedes driven by Carson O’Connor, 20, of Canton, Ga. at about 5 p.m. The van driver got out, looked at the severely injured O’Connor and fled on foot up Rock Springs Rd. and remains at large.

O’Connor was lifeflighted to Grady trauma center. The owner of the van, which bore a Pike County tag, reported it had been stolen. Investigators are skeptical about that report since it was not filed until the morning after the crash. If you recognize the van, which had a roof rack similar to those used for siding or gutter work, or know who might have been driving it call the Lamar County sheriff’s office at 770-358-5159.

Prayer Walk for schools is Sunday

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Walter Geiger

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Friday, August 2. 2019

The annual prayer walk for Lamar County schools is set for 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 4. The event is sponsored by First Baptist Church.

The public and area churches are invited to join in. Participants will gather in front of the Fine Arts Center for music, lemonade and refreshments. They will be given a general prayer list and be asked to pick a school to prayer walk around. The event runs through 7:30 p.m.

For more information, call the church at 770-358-2353.

Aldora officials prepare to deal with debris, vandals from apartments

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Walter Geiger

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Thursday, August 1. 2019

The last remaining home in the Aldora Mill village was hauled off last week and plans are moving forward to improve the area. The first thing on the agenda is removing debris and old, unclaimed storage buildings. [Full Story »]

School starts Thursday; open houses are today

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Walter Geiger

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Tuesday, July 30. 2019

Floors are polished, buses are tuned and purring and lunchrooms are stocked as Lamar County schools prepare to open Thursday morning. Open houses on all four campuses are today from 2-6 p.m.

The Family Connections Collaborative will host it backpack event during the same period at the Fine Arts Center. This school supply distribution effort is for Lamar County students only and enrollment will be confirmed at the door.

Enrollment as the first day approaches is right at 2700. “These are typical figures. Our largest group is eighth grade with 220 students. Many kids will register or withdraw over the next two weeks due to summer relocations,” superintendent Jute Wilson reported.

Wilson again stressed the new high school will be ready. Teachers began moving into classrooms and learning new computer systems July 25.

“The open house is always very busy. I expect it will be very well attended as always, especially at the high school. We are counting on everything being ready for students other than the gym. They are installing bleachers now. It should be complete in two to three weeks,” Wilson concluded.