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2007: The year in review
July Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and Sen. John Bulloch highlighted the first annual Friends Scouting Breakfast. Approximately 100 people attended. Early County Elementary and Early County Middle schools both achieved the coveted AYP status for the 2007 testing period. The Early County Commission approved final adjustments to their 2007-08 budget and discussed ways to fund the $7,132,905 needed to operate the county for the coming year. Blakely utility customers can now pay their monthly utility bills with credit cards. The city is also working towards setting up a system for bills to be paid online. The Early County Board of Education approved a $18.6 million budget. This year's budget represents a substantial increase over last year's $17.5 million budget.
August An outdoor siren will soon be part of a warning system to alert local citizens of approaching weather hazards and other dangers. Georgia Sec. of State Karen Handel announced the photo identification requirement will be effective for in-person voting beginning with the Sept. 18 special elections. Billy Ray Cyrus released a new album entitled "Home at Last" including the song "Flying By," written by local singer/songwriter turned Nashville girl, Joanna Smith. One Blakely man is dead and another is in an Albany hospital recovering from gunshot wounds following an execution-style shooting. Killed in the shooting was Jeremy Lofton of Blakely. The hospitalized victim is reported to be Terrance Benton, also of Blakely. Authorities arrested Denetrius Baker, 21, of Baker County and charged him with murder and aggravated assault.
Early County has been designated a StormReady community by the National Weather Service, one of 61 certified in Georgia. EMA director Ray Jarrett noted that plans for the local emergency warning system include weather alert radios in addition to outdoor sirens being installed by the city. Spirits were high at Tailgating on the the Square as fans and parents turned out to recognize the community's student-athletes and kick-off the 2007 football season. The first release of gopher frog tadpoles was made in an artificial pond located adjacent to a natural frog pond on the Williams Bluff Preserve in the southern part of the county. The Early County tax digest reflects an increase of $198,464,316, a 61.8 percent increase, as result of the mandatory property revaluation recently completed by the Board of Tax Appraisers. The gross digest grew from $321.6 million to over $520 million. September
An estimated 3,500 people made their way to Court Square Saturday to take in the Block Party activities. Ronnie Robinson and the Legends kicked things off and the afternoon ended with a big show by Sawyer Brown. Incumbent Mayor Ric Hall and councilmen Torre Mills and Andy Smith qualified for reelection. Ben Cooper qualified to challenge Andy Smith. The 21st annual Georgia Peanut Tour visited Mike Newberry's Hillside Farms, the shelling plant at Birdsong Peanuts, J. Leek Associates peanut quality lab and Universal Blanchers. A federal judge in Rome, Ga., upheld Georgia's voter ID law. The Early County Board of Education received a grant to increase driver education classes at Early County High School and Lucy Hilton Maddox Memorial Library. The Early County Board of Commissioners adopted an amendment to the county's mobile home ordinance which will prevent mobile homes 15 years and older from being moved within the county.
Joseph Clifton Bush Jr. of Blakely died this past weekend in an auto accident near Statesboro. The Early County Board of Commissioners set their millage at 9.050 mills, a decrease of 4.95 mills, in the unincorporated area of the county. The 9.050 mills will produce a projected $2,882,158, an increase of $170,297 over last year. In the incorporated areas the county levied 9.460 mills, a decrease of 5.23 mills, which will produce $1,098,898, a decrease of $136,026 from last year. The school board set the 2007 tax millage at 13.5 mills, a reduction of four mills from last year. However, those 13.5 mills are projected to produce $5,837,300, an increase of $1,011,456 over the taxes generated by last year's 17.5 mills. The school board has adopted an $18.6 million FY 2007-08 budget. A new organization in the community - Friends of Kolomoki - is focused on promoting and preserving Kolomoki Mounds State Historic Park.
October The Georgia Department of Community Affairs announced $16.2 million in federal housing tax credits has been awarded to 30 affordable rental housing developments across the state, including two in Blakely.Blakely native Jay Barbree was back in his hometown for a book signing. Barbree has been present at every manned launch. In fact, he is the only correspondent who has covered every manned launch out of Cape Canaveral - all 150. Walt Lightsey overcomes Myotonia Congentia, a condition that causes muscles to tighten when the body has to react, to play football. "I just wanted to play football for the Bobcats like my Dad did." Despite a searing summer drought, peanut yields are OK. Even better news is that prices are the highest in years. Visitors to Saturday's 37th Kolomoki Festival, sponsored by Kolomoki Mounds State Park and supported by Friends of Kolomoki and Georgia-Pacific, found perfect weather for a day at Kolomoki Mounds. Crowds came throughout the day from at least four states. Vendors reported excellent sales.
Georgia filed a court order in the Middle District of Florida Federal Court requiring the Army Corps of Engineers to restrict water flows from Lake Lanier and Georgia's federal reservoirs. The filming of scenes for the movie, "Forgiving Injustice: The Lena Baker Story," was underway at several locations in Early County. Several scenes were shot on Cotton Patch and Jenkins roads. November The Telegram - As they had done thousands of times during World War II, the War Department sent a painful telegram to the Davis family in Rowena, Ga., informing them their son had been killed in combat. At least one of them should never have been sent.Stephanie Anderson and Treiwan Williams were crowned ECHS Homecoming Queen and King during homecoming ac tivities at Standifer Field.
Incumbent Andy Smith won re-election to Blakely city council in the city's only contested race in last week's election. The $3 gallon of gas, once a buzz word, came and went with no end in sight. The Blakely City Council held a public hearing to discuss upgrades to the city's sewage treatment. Engineer Paul Simonton gave an overview of the project which is expected to cost $6 million. The city council approved an amendment to the city's mobile home ordinance which prevents a mobile home 15 years or older from being located or relocated within the city. The council also approved an increase in water and sewer tap fees. A ribbon cutting and open house was held for the Early County Museum at 226 North Main. The museum includes vignettes of past life in Early County created with items donated by local citizens.
December The Early County airport is the home of a new tenant, Aerostar World, Inc., a successful company with over 25 years experience in providing factory level maintenance for Piper Aerostars. Aerostar World is also the parent company for Flightline of Dothan. The City of Blakely received a $500,000 grant for a Gateway Project to create an aesthetically pleasing entrance into the city at the intersection of US 27 and Magnolia Street at the bypass. Kolomoki State Park, which has been designated as a "Model Park," received a $300,000 DOT grant for improvements. The City of Arlington also received a $80,128 grant to continue renovation of Arlington Depot for use as a museum, social service locale and to house the police department. Santa was one of the featured attractions at Holidays on the Square along with homegrown country artist Joanna Smith who entertained and was grand marshal of the Christmas parade.
The Blakely City Council approved a $14,555,001 2008 budget. The budget reflects a $434,000 increase. Three homes were damaged by a tornado as a cold front passed through the Southeast bringing a storm system that soaked most of the drought-stricken area with heavy rainfall. Rainfall across Early County ranged between three and six inches. Former Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives Tom Murphy, 83, passed away Dec. 17. Six Bobcats were recognized with 1-AA All-Region honors. Named to the 1-AA All Region first team were wide receivers Dionis Bryant and Vintavius Stovall, linebackers Demetrius Cody and Kodell Collier and defensive linemen Robert Worlds and Nick Holmes. Judge Stephanie Howells filed an order Dec. 20 extending the deadline for her decision in the appeal of the Longleaf power plant permits to Jan. 11. A Blakely woman, Kandice Nichole Collins, was arrested and jailed after trying to kill her two children by forcing them to drink bleach. Steven and Samantha Bradley were arrested and charged with violating the Georgia Controlled Substance Act after the discovery of a meth lab in their mobile home on Wilkie Moseley Road.
Bainbridge College Early County Site received SACS approval to offer complete two-year transfer degrees.
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