Something good seems to come out of everything. Even with the tornado watch Tuesday evening and bad weather the much needed rains were welcomed to this dry land.
One twister type storm struck Miller County at approximately 2:00 P.M., Tuesday, August 8.
Kenn and Barbara Blankenship called in to tell that a twister had struck around their A-frame home at the intersection of Hwy. 91 and the Enterprise Road, approximately seven miles south of Colquitt.
"There were high winds, lightning, large hail and lots of rain in a very shot time," Mrs. Blankenship stated.
The home of Kenn and Barbara Blankenship was damaged by falling limbs, high winds, hail and heavy rains. Also damaged was the roof of a store building and a barn. The water from the rain storm almost covered the highway for a few minutes at the intersection. This was before the storm hit in Colquitt and the rest of Miller County.
At approximately 7:15 P.M. a rain, lightning and thunder struck the Colquitt area. It turned from good daylight to black dark in a matter of minutes. The warning devices were used by the city to tell the storm had gone from a tornado watch, which means that all conditions were favorable for a tornado, to a tornado warning, which means that a twister had been seen in the area.
Other than limbs and trees being downed by the high winds, no serious damage was reported. The bad part of the storm seemed to have hit north of Miller County and caused some serious damage in Baker County in the Patmos Community. The storm also was reported causing serious damage in Sumter County.
The storm in Miller County caused much water on the roads and highways, and power was lost in several areas of the county for several hours.
A single vehicle accident occurred Tuesday, August 8, at 8:50 P.M. on SR 91 north of Colquitt just past Henry Miller Road. Stephen Daniel Newberry of 54 Houston Road was traveling south in his 1993 Ford Explorer when he hit water in the road, and the vehicle hydroplaned. The SUV rotated clockwise and exited the highway on the southbound lane. The vehicle crossed the ditch, making contact with an embankment. The auto rolled approximately three times coming to rest on the roof in a field.
It was noted by law enforcement officers, EMS technicians and fire and rescue officers that water on the highway in that location of SR 91 north had been the cause for a number of accidents in recent months due to water over the highway.
The driver and a passenger, Jessie Tindell, 28, exited the vehicle. They were both checked by EMS, and the passenger was taken to the hospital by ambulance for treatment. The driver refused treatment.
Deputy Ken Kirkland was the investigating officer. No citations were issued.

The Southwest Georgia Film Commission Office and HennyPenny Video/Television Production Company, Inc. will make history this Labor Day Weekend (September 1-3, 2006) as the first annual JOKARA Family Film/Video Festival is staged to take place right here in Colquitt, Georgia. Even though celebrities, show business industry professionals, and politicians will be in attendance, this festival has something for everyone.
There will be movies screened or shown at the Cotton Hall Theater. Imagine that, and if you are age 15 and under, there is no charge for you. There will be a $4 donation cost for all ages 16 and above. There will be a number of films shown, and each attendee is privileged to view as many of the film projects as he or she likes on that scheduled date.
They have been submitted by the experienced and the inexperienced. You may have an opportunity to view or screen a project that may one day become the next blockbuster film of the year.
At the same time of the screenings, a Gospel Extravaganza will be taking place one block away at the First Baptist Church of Colquitt, Georgia. In addition to many of our local greats such as Reverend Earl Hallmon, the Willing Servants, and Karen Washington, there will be additional greats: Elder Troy Jackson with Brothers and sisters of Willacoochee, Georgia; the Gospel Incredibles of Atlanta, Georgia; the Gospel Imperials of Huntsville, Alabama; and Ms. Kitra Williams, of Phoenix, Arizona, who has performed in such stage productions as T.D. Jakes’ “Woman, Thou Art Loosed.” All will be present to bless your hearts. There are more!
A tour bus will leave the First Baptist Church Friday morning, September 1, loaded with directors, writers, producers, and you if you call the Southwest Georgia Film Commission Office to reserve your seat at a cost of $20; this price includes lunch. The bus will make its way through various cities in Southwest Georgia to share various movie locations with the industry professionals, many of whom may want to return to Southwest Georgia to shoot their projects. Location sites in Donalsonville, Blakely, Arlington (Calhoun County), Albany, Lumpkin, Bainbridge, Ft. Gaines, Parrot, Dawson, and more are listed as part of the tour.
Friday, September 1, 2006, will culminate with a “Meet and Greet the Celebrities” at the Crooked Oak Golf Course. This event is opened to sponsors’ only. If you are not already a sponsor, become one now. There will be plenty of fun, food, and entertainment under the starlit sky.
On Saturday, September 2, in addition to more movie screenings and gospel music, many workshops or symposiums will be conducted all along Main Street, which means business for the merchants and restaurants. There is no fee to attend the workshops or the Gospel Extravaganza. No festival would be complete without Burnell Grant and his barbecue. Burnell will be there!
The highlight of the festival will be the ribbon cutting of the brand new movie sound studio, which is located in the Industrial Park, and the Saturday, September 2, 2006, Dinner Gala. A full course meal will be served, live performances by renowned talents such as Ms. Faye Raye, a recording artist from Atlanta; Harold Wheeler, the music composer for “Dancing with the Stars,” Ms. Hattie Winston, who plays “Margaret” on the T.V. Show Becker, and more. Also participating will be Dr. Ted Baehr, the president/CEO/ of MOVIEGUIDE and the Christian Film and Television Commission. Dennis Steinmetz, an Emmy Award Winning Executive Producer, along with Joel Smith of Marvista Entertainment will be playing a part in the program. This is only a glimpse; more guests are posted on line.
To find out more about the festival or how you can attend the Saturday Night Gala Dinner Event, call the Southwest Georgia Film Commission Office at (229) 758-8188.
See the itinerary of events below, or log on to www.swgafilms.com/festival to view the full itinerary for times, the sponsor page, and the celebrity guests’ lists.

This is very possibly an historic run-off election for Miller County and the State of Georgia for the poorest turnout ever.
In Miller County of a possible 3,501 voters who have gone to the polls in the past three election, only 124 votes were cast, or 3.54 percent of the voters cared enough to go to the polls or vote absentee. This is the poorest turnout for any election in our history of the county as far as could be researched. The state turnout wasn’t too much better with 10 to 13 percent going to the polls.
In the Democratic Primary run-off, the following votes were cast:
Lt. Governor-D
Greg K. Hecht 51
Jim Martin 55
Secretary of State-D
Gail Buckner 66
Darryl Hicks 36
In the Republican Primary, the following votes were cast:
Secretary of State-R
Karen Handel 13
Bill Stephens 3
Agriculture Commissioner-R
Gary Black 13
Brian Kemp 4
These numbers are unofficial, but according to election officials, these votes will be what will be for Miller County.
Hopefully, the November elections will be much better attended. This is the one where you can vote for the man/woman regardless of their political affiliation.

Who would have thought that $2.659 per gallon gas would be cheap? A year ago we thought we were really messed up when it went to $2.00 per gallon.
On Saturday, gas was bought on US 84 for $2.659 per gallon. We were told it got down to $2.639.
The prices above were taken this week, and they were in a 14 mile distance of Colquitt, most of them on US Hwy 27 in Colquitt.
The lowest in the nation was $2.289 the highest was $4.049, with the average $2.999

The Lady Pirate Varsity Softball team opened their season with a victory against the Westover Patriots in Albany, Monday, August 14. They conquered the opposing team with a score of 4-2.
On the mound for the Pirates was Heather McDonald. She pitched the whole game giving up only two hits. She had four strike outs and one walk. The losing pitcher for the Patriots was Becky Brown.
Erika Rigsby and Stephanie Hart each had two singles. Mindi Merritt, Rigsby, Ja'Lissa Williams and Amber Haff running for McDonald each scored a run. Brooke Widner and Hart each had a RBI with Rigsby having two RBI's.
The Lady Pirates will travel to Blakely Thursday, August 17th at 4:30 p.m. to play the Early County Bobcats. Please come and support the Lady Pirates.
The girls will have a 50th inning game Friday, August 18. Last year this was a night of fun and fellowship. This is also a project to raise money to help support the Lady Pirates. The girls played each other, parents and many of the male baseball players. Come support your home team Friday starting around 4 p.m.
See girls softball schedules for the season on page 9.

When summer heat pushes into the 90s and 100s, it’s time to take action to protect yourself and your loved ones. But how smart are you about the heat? Take the following quiz to test your heat IQ.
1) Those at greatest risk for heat illness include:
a) Young children, the elderly, the obese and the sick
b) All ages and conditions
c) Young children and the elderly
While all ages can be at risk for heat illness, those at greatest risk are those in category “a.”
2) It is dangerously hot when:
a) The heat index reaches at least 85 degrees.
b) The heat index reaches at least 90 degrees.
c) The heat index reaches at least 100 degrees.
The correct answer is “b.” The heat index is how hot it feels when both temperature and humidity are taken into consideration. Even if the outside temperature is only in the mid-80s, the humidity can make it feel like it’s over 90 degrees outside. That can become a dangerous situation if the heat overcomes your body’s ability to regulate its internal temperature.
3) You can help prevent heat illness and keep cool by:
a) Staying in a cool, air-conditioned place and staying hydrated
b) Wearing lightweight clothing, a hat and sunscreen
c) All of the above
The correct answer is “c.” Cooling centers and other public places offer relief for those without air conditioning. Note that an electric fan is not enough to keep you cool and safe if the heat index is 100 or more.
4) What should you drink to cool off?
a) Water, diluted fruit juice and sports drinks
b) Any type of cool liquid is appropriate
c) Milk, soda or iced tea
The correct answer is “a.” While alcohol, sodas and other drinks containing caffeine are popular choices, particularly at outdoor events or when people are enjoying leisure activities outdoors, they actually make you lose water faster.
5) The first sign that you are becoming dehydrated is:
a) Flushed face and excessive sweating
b) Thirst
c) Headache and dizziness
The correct answer is “b.” Ward off thirst and dehydration by drinking plenty of fluid before, during and after activity, and throughout the day.
Remember that heat illness happens in stages. Inadequate fluid intake or persistent thirst can be followed by more extreme symptoms such as headache and flushed skin, progressing to dizziness and weakness, and finally to rapid heartbeat, lack of sweating, loss of consciousness, even death. If you notice early signs that you are becoming dehydrated, stop activity, go to a cool place and drink cool liquids. By acting early, you can help protect yourself and your loved ones from the dangers of hot weather.

Week of August 13, 2006