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100TH TEAM
In 1909, Fitzgerald High School fielded its first varsity football team. Last Friday
night, in a scrimmage against Coffee High School, the 100th team took the field at Jaycee Stadium. The team sports retro “old gold” pants and purple jerseys with “old gold” helmets to match. The regular season opens on August 29 against Irwin County at Jaycee Stadium.
BOE GRAPPLES WITH CUTS
The state Board of Education notified Ben Hill County School officials last week
that Quality Basic Education (QBE) funding for the current year is cut by two percent or $400,000. The funding cut for next year is three percent or approximately $600,000. QBE funding is determined by the number of students enrolled as full-time students.
Finance Director Thomas Rachels, who broke the news to the Board of Education last Tuesday night, said, “In my opinion, they did it after we set our millage so we couldn’t raise taxes.”
MARSHALL WANTS A PLAN
“I favor drilling in ANWR (Arctic National Wildfire Refuge in northern Alaska) and
offshore, but not if there is no strategic plan,” Congressman Jim Marshall said here last Tuesday. Marshall was in town to speak to a group of local officials and businessmen at the Carnegie Center. Above, Marshall (back to camera) talks to John Flythe, economic development director.
SPECIAL ELECTION
With the untimely death of Probate Judge Tommy Ash last week, the Probate
Judge’s office was thrown into a bit of legal limbo. By law, an Interim Probate Judge can be appointed, but is allowed to serve only until a special election can be called. The next date eligible for a special election is November 4 — the date of the General Election. The appointed interim judge can only serve until those election results are qualified, which means that the person who wins the special election will serve from the date of election certification in early November through December 31.
'60s, 70s CANES TO BE HONORED
Former Fitzgerald High School football players and cheerleaders will be recognized
before home football games this season. Players and cheerleaders from the 1960s and 1970s will be honored at next Friday’s home game against Irwin County.
CENTURY OF FOOTBALL
The 2008 football season kicks off the 100th season for the Fitzgerald High School
Purple Hurricane football team. The team won’t be wearing leather helmets, but the boys will be wearing special commemorative uniforms and “old gold” colored helmets, and lots of plans are being made to honor the team and its history. Click the football above to see lots of photos and stories about previous Hurricanes.
COLONY CITY HISTORY
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OFF THE BEATEN PATH
Wade Rogers stands on the balcony of his hotel, the Parthenon on top of the Acropolis silhouetted against the sky behind him. A yen to see "Dracula's Castle" took Wade on a trip few travelers take, with stops in Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary. Read all about it on this week's Feature Front.
SENATE RUN-OFF
Next Tuesday is the date for the run-off for the District 13 State Senate race.
On the ballot will be John Dickey Crosby of Tifton and Wally Roberts of Leesburg. Both men are Republicans. All county polling places will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Eligible voters who voted in the Republican General Primary on July 15 or the Republican Primary Run-off on August 5 or have not voted this Primary session at all may cast ballots.
FISH FRY
A fish fry for senior citizens will be held at 5 p.m. tomorrow at the Ben Hill
County Senior Citizens Center. The center is located at 253 Appomattox Rd.
For more information call 426-5085.
RIBBON CUTTING
The community is invited to attend a ribbon cutting and open house tomorrow,
from 4-6 p.m., at Kids Health, the office of Dr. Clarence J. Hunter, pediatrician. The physician’s practice is located at 119 Norman Dorminy Dr., Suite A.
YOU TELL US
POLL RESULTS
We have Democratic and Republican candidates for President now. Who is your pick for the November election? If you have more to say on the subject, send us an e-mail. Most of the respondents to our last poll — 126 of 192, or 66 percent — desccribed themselves as deeply concerned about the U.S. economy. Another 23 went beyond that, to the "sky is falling" reaction. Thirty, or 16 percent, said they were moderately worried, while 12 said they were not worried and one lone soul didn't see a problem at all.
OBITUARIES
Harris Clark, 81
Rochelle
Retired Farmer
Died August 15
Herman Farr, Jr., 70
Rochelle
Wilcox Native
Died August 12
Joann Jones, 47
Rochelle
Missionary
Died August 12
Shagg Luke, 67
Fitzgerald
Pharmacist
Died August 14
Evelyn Parker, 91
Waterford, Mich.
Former Rochelle Resident
Died August 12
Ethel Seiley, 65
Ocilla
Nurse
Died August 16
David Smith, 64
Fitzgerald
Austell Native
Died August 13
Eddie Walton, Sr., 61
New York
Transit Worker
Died August 8
Valarie Wilcox, 32
Douglas
Irwin Native
Died August 10
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