The Spring Creek Watershed Partnership held its first meeting of the new year at the Miller County Family Resource Center, formerly the Miller County Collaborative Building, on Wednesday, January 11.
Chairman Walter Hays welcomed the partnership members present.
He then introduced the new coordinator who was recently hired by the Spring Creek Watershed Partnership, Rebecca C. Thomas.
Chairman Hays told the group that there had been a number of very good applicants for the program manager position, but Mrs. Thomas had the qualifications and educational background that would make her the best choice for this new position that will be funded by a EPD grant to the project that will be handled by Golden Triangle coordinator, Jerome Brown.
Mrs. Thomas, who grew up in Summerville, SC, participated in the 2005 Spring Creek freshwater mussel survey by the Jones Center. She stated that she fell in love with Spring Creek, calling it a gorgeous jewel in need of protection and restoration.
She graduated in May of 2003, magna cum laude from Clemson University with a degree in aquacultrue, fisheries and wildlife biology. She was employed in her field to work at Ichauway Plantation as a conservation management apprentice until accepting this position.
Mrs. Thomas met her husband, Josh, who is a GIS technician with the GA Soil and Water Conservation Commission, while she was serving as a Natural Resource technician in the SC Army National Guard. They were married in October of 2005 and now live in Baker County.
Rebecca told the group that she felt honored and blessed to have been chosen to this position.
“It is a huge job, trying to restore and conserve Spring Creek, but I won’t be alone. There are so many amazing and intelligent people in our partnership, who all have something to help make this project a success,” Mrs. Thomas stated.
After the minutes were approved for the November 9, 2005 meeting held in Edison, the committee reports were given on natural resources, pollution and cleanup.
A group of members/landowners and officials from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, led by Charlie Frear of the Natural Resource Conservation Service, then met to set goals for 2006 and the future of Spring Creek.
The Spring Creek Watershed Partnership is comprised of the six South Georgia counties of Calhoun, Clay, Decatur, Early, Miller and Seminole. The new office will be in the Miller County Resource Center next to the new jail.
The objective is to develop a Watershed Management Plan for the Spring Creek Watershed.
It is also hoped that this organization can show to landowners and citizens using Spring Creek that it is not only individual property that this stream runs through, but that it runs through six counties that all will greatly benefit from it if everyone works together to protect this natural resource and restore it to what it has been.
Chairman Hays thanked Sheriff H.E. “Buddy” Glass for providing the delicious luncheon for those present.
The next meeting of the Spring Creek Watershed Partnership will be in April in Early County.

Eric Anthony Beard, 48, of Auburn, WA, died instantly in the crash of his twin-engine Piper aircraft.
The accident occurred Friday January 6, 2006, near Skagit Regional Airport about 60 miles north of Seattle, Washington, sheriff’s officials said.
Eric Beard was a 1975 graduate of Miller County High School in Colquitt. He and his brother, Roy J., lived with his father, the late Roy Beard Jr. and his grandparents, the late Roy and Hattie Beard of Colquitt, until his graduation.
Eric learned to fly at 14 by taking lessons at a crop-dusting strip in his native Georgia.
Beard was a former NASA engineer who worked on the space shuttle and Titan rocket programs. He was a lifelong aviation enthusiast who thrilled crowds around the country as a top stunt pilot.
Beard began aerobatic flying in the early 1980s, his Web site said. He wowed air-show crowds around the country in his red-white-and-blue Yak-54, a single-engine, two-seat plane he called Russian Thunder. With a 360-horsepower engine, the Russian-made aerobatic plane made in Russia was one of only seven Yak-54s flying in the world.
Fred Rosenfelder, air boss for the Freedom Fair, Seafair and McChord Air Force Base air shows, described Beard as “one of the top three or four performers” in the business.
“He always knew his routine. He was meticulous with the safety of his routine, and if it wasn’t right, it wouldn’t happen,” Rosenfelder said.
Beard had been flying for 34 years and was known throughout the world for his aerobatic stunt flying. He was known regionally for his participation in the annual Tacoma Freedom Fair and Air Show, said Doug Miller, executive director of the Tacoma Events Commission.
During the past few years, Beard thrilled Fourth of July fans with a night time pyrotechnics flight, in which he fired rocket-type devices in front and behind his plane as a preview to the fireworks show.
“They were like streaming comets or meteors,” Miller said. “It would be about 10 o’clock. The sun had just gone down. It was just getting dark, and the sky was just right for showcasing his performance.”
He most recently flew in four shows in Florida.
His uncle, Dr. Charles Beard of Athens, stated, “It was ironic that Eric was killed in a crash during a routine flight when he was such a great pilot.”
Beard was flying for Airpac Airlines, a cargo carrier based in Seattle when his plane crashed.
The wreckage of a twin-engine Piper aircraft, with the pilot’s body inside, was found Saturday near Skagit Regional Airport, the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office said. The pilot, Eric Anthony Beard, 48, of Auburn was alone in the plane. His name was released Saturday by Bob Clark, Skagit County’s deputy coroner.
The plane, flying for Seattle-based Airpack Airlines, left Bellingham Friday evening bound for Skagit County, said Mike Fergus with the Federal Aviation Administration.
About 7:50 p.m., Whidbey Naval Air Station cleared the plane for landing at Skagit - there is no tower at the airport - but there was no communication after that, Fergus said.
A state Aviation Division search plane and a Coast Guard helicopter mounted a brief search Friday night but made little headway in the darkness and fog according to reports. The plane was found in a wooded area near the airport early Saturday, the dispatcher said. The pilot’s body was in the wreckage.
The Federal Aviation Administration was investigating the accident.
Memorial services for Eric Beard were held Friday, January 13, at the Boeing Aircraft Museum at 2 p.m. in Seattle, WA.
Mr. Beard is survived by his wife, Diane, and four children, Sheena Allison, Tiffany Johnson, Lacey Johnson and Trent Beard.

If you are a senior 60+ and are not attending the Miller County Hospital Senior Breakfast, you are missing one of the best bargains in town. The Senior Breakfast is held each Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. in the Miller Nursing Home staff dining room.
CEO Harley Smith and Dot Wainright, public relations, have done an excellent job of offering seniors a good, healthy breakfast, great fellowship and excellent health information of every aspect by very qualified and knowledgeable doctors, technicians, department heads and experts in their fields. You get all of this for $1.50. I forgot to mention that there are drawings each week for goods and services.
The first Senior Breakfast of the year was held on January 5, with one of the largest crowds ever. Ann Tabb, director of Respiratory Care at Miller County Hospital, gave a very informative program on pulmonary rehabilitation and what is available to patients if their doctors recommend the therapy. Several demonstrations of what can be done was given by Mrs. Tabb. She told how she came to the Miller County Hospital, and how she has enjoyed her work with the hospital and the doctors.
On January 12, Becky Hurst, PT and Tabathia Kelley, PTA, gave tips on cardiac rehabilitation and what you can do about problems for yourself, like quit smoking, control high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood glucose (diabetes), obesity and sedentary lifestyle. They told the crowd that there is little that can be done about family history of disease, but there was an answer. The answer for all these problems that can help solve them is exercise.
This coming Thursday, January 19, Sherri Shaw, executive director of New Beginnings, will tell about her work with seniors and the resources available for our community.
Dot Wainright and the Miller County Hospital invite seniors to come and join them for good food and fellowship next Thursday, January 19. The information at the breakfast will help you live well and longer.

This is the third in a series of mini-articles found in the Liberal in 2005. The last looks at 2005 will be in three month segments.
JULY
On Friday, July 1st, at 11:00 a.m., many family and friends were on hand for the ribbon cutting and grand opening of “The Old Bus Station” at Twelve Oaks. Owners Chuck Cutchen and Bubba Tully, along with store manager, Terri Cunningham, thanked their guests and lifelong friends for the support and encouragement they have shown while preparing the Old Bus Station for business once again. The “Old Bus Station” at Twelve Oaks will have antiques, gifts, Rawleigh products, homemade jellies, quilts, and afghans. “Make a point to come by and check us out as new items are arriving weekly,” said owners Cutchen and Tully.

‘How can anyone be so lucky?’ was the question being asked when news spread that a $25,000 scratch-off ticket had been bought at Red’s Liquor Store in Colquitt. Diane Shaw, who says she plays the lottery quite frequently, bought the $2.00 scratch-off Diamonds ticket on Saturday, July 2. A winning ticket with that much money had never crossed her mind. She didn’t scratch it off until the next day, Sunday, July 2. That’s when she found out she had a $25,000 winning ticket. Diane commented, “I could not believe it. This is the most I have ever won. I’ve won a few dollars here and there, but never thought this would happen to me. I hear about people winning big on television and in the newspapers, but never dreamed it would happen to me.” Diane said she plans to buy her a home and help her daughter, Erica, get a car.

Colquitt-Miller County has been designated as an “entrepreneur-friendly” community by the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s (GDEcD) Entrepreneur and Small Business Office. It is the ninth Georgia community taking the first step toward becoming an ideal environment for developing small business and entrepreneurs. It all started back in February of 2005, when Cory Thomas, Veryl Garland, Debra Atkinson, and Joy Jinks attended “Energizing Entrepreneurs” at workshops sponsored by Georgia Tech and Georgia Economic Development Department. It was then that the decision to become Region 10’s first “Entrepreneurs Friendly Community” was decided. Programs were given at the Chamber’s Friday Breakfast and about 15 entrepreneurs were interviewed. By the time for the review, the Chamber of Commerce had put together a booklet “Starting a Business” which contained information relative to starting a business in Colquitt–with websites for state resources.

The 10 and Under All-Star Boys’ Baseball Team traveled to Madison on Thursday to participate in the State Championship Tournament. Four districts in Georgia sent their district champions and the second place teams. In the first round of games, each district champion team was slotted to play a second place team from a different district. The championship game began at 1:15. This was the fourth game of the day for Miller County. Even though the temperature was hot and the boys were tired, they were ready to fight for first. Miller jumped out and scored 2 runs in the first. Miller County scored 7 runs in the second led by Jacolby Jones’ 2 run homer. At the end of four innings, Miller was leading 10-4. Miller County exploded with 8 runs at the top of the fifth. The game was ended at the bottom of 5th with Miller County, winning 18-4. The Miller County All-Stars were presented the State Championship trophies. Team members began their celebration by shaving the head of Vince Widner, Spring Creek Park recreation director. The team celebrated with a victory dinner at the Chop House in Madison. The team was honored by approximately 200 or more citizens as they rode into town escorted by the local police and fire departments with all the lights and sirens going. The players were greeted on the square by over 200 citizens who supported the team. Vince Widner introduced all the players and coaches individually. The players and coaches represented Colquitt and Miller County in such a wonderful way for all of the folks in the county.

Birth Announcements: Marcus Anthony Burden Jr.
Deaths: Milton Harris Newberry, Hugh Chandler, Morrell Bevers, James Roland Josey, Royce Hall, Vadra Hornack, Stephen Philip Newberry, Marie Phillips, James Eldridge O’Neal, Robert T. “Bobby” Willis, Walter W. Mock, Leonard Widener Sr., Vera Hicks, Delora Adams Jester, George Lenton Glover, Eddie Mitchell Bell, Ruth Cornelia Bronson

AUGUST
A large crowd gathered Thursday, July 29, for the re-grand opening of Grow Drug Company. The Rev. Carl Marshall, pastor of First Baptist Church of Colquitt, gave the invocation before the ribbon was cut before a large crowd of business people, family members and supporters. In February of this year, owners Sonny and Hilda Grow, decided they wanted to sell the business that had been in the family since 1935. Janna Cobb, a Colquitt native, purchased the business from them. She is no stranger to Colquitt and says the same service will continue to be offered to the people as when the Grows were owners. Grow Drug was first started in 1935 when Charles Grow Sr. owned the business. Charles “Sonny” Grow then took over in 1965 and continued to run the business until February of 2005. On March 1, 2005, Janna Cobb became the new owner of Grow Drug Company. For right now, the name will remain the same.

With the threat of terrorism in every part of our world, members of the Colquitt/Miller County Volunteer Fire Department are doing their best to learn what to do in the case of a bomb threat, which we have had in the past few years. One of the bomb threats that this writer remembers, cleared all of the students and faculty out of the building, and firemen, law officers and other volunteers went into the school buildings to make the search. It was a false alarm, as most threats are, thank God, but we did everything wrong except getting the people out, according to the instructions by Chris Dorsey, Special Agent Bomb Technologist from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Special Agent Dorsey was in Colquitt at the fire station Tuesday, August 2, to help train some of the first responders on what to do in case of a bomb treat or in some cases an actual bombing incident. The volunteers went through a lengthy and very explicit bomb training course.

One of Colquitt’s most established businesses opened in it new location at 530 East Crawford Street with an official ribbon cutting Thursday, August 11, at 11:00 A.M. By the time the ceremonies began, the parking lot was completely filled with customers and friends inside the 12,000 square foot store. They were there to congratulate the Carpenter family for having enough confidence in this area to build such a beautiful building and stock it so full of quality furniture, appliances and accessories. The highest officials in the Badcock Corporation were there to help Ricky and Jan celebrate the opening of the 181st Badcock & more store.

Birth Announcements: Vince Steven Andrews, Devin Ryan, Richard Monroe Cook III
Deaths: Jimmy E. Enfinger, Earl Alday, Arden Scherer Rice, Mildred Creola Johnson, Michael C. Williams, Norman Carl Kirby, Betty Joe McMillian Johnson, Sheila Ann Hanks, Raymond Earl Enfinger, Marie Paulette Childree, Wendell Harris Thompson, Hilda Lorena Craft Mitchell, Lore Phillips, Lula H. Woodall, Douglas Edward Worsley, Molden Keyser Dukes, Charles McDonald, Anita Tillman, Thomas Carlton Moore, James William Kimbrel, Mary Ruth Lanton, Wallace Jefferson “Jeff” Billings, Clarence William “Bill” Howard, Ruby Marlene Nix Alday, Audrey Mae Pollock Cliett, Dorothy Dixie Horn Norris, David Wade, Otis Rupert Glisson, Willie Carlton Griffin, Leo Whittington

SEPTEMBER
It’s the local firemen’s efforts in trying to help bust Muscular Dystrophy and help Jerry’s Kids. The Colquitt/Miller County Volunteer Firemen don’t only volunteer to put out fires, help in all emergencies and help save lives and property, they help raise money for worthy causes such as the current fund drive for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). Volunteer members of the local fire department started on August 21, setting up their collection equipment at local businesses and around the square in Colquitt to “Fill the Boot for Jerry’s Kids.” Each year MDA holds a telethon that raises millions of dollars to help children with muscular dystrophy and for research to hopefully find better treatment and ultimately a cure for the dreaded disease. The telethon is held on Labor Day each year, with MDA national chairperson, Jerry Lewis, helping to collect funds for the treatment and research. Sunday evening, firemen were counting the donations that they had collected for the past month, and although the goal was $1,000.00 for the firemen to collect, they had collected $5,800.00 to present on the MDA Telethon on WCTV Channel 6, on Monday, September 5. A group of local firemen took the donations to the MDA Telethon at 1:15 p.m. Monday, and after the presentation, the firemen helped work the telephone for the MDA donations.

Brandon Miller is a sophomore linebacker on the University of Georgia Bulldog football team. Miller was named Most Improved Linebacker following spring drills and was poised to make an impact on defense this season, which he is doing. Brandon Miller is one of the best football players to come out of the Miller County School System. He not only was named as one of the best locally but on a state and national level, too. As all the coaches stated, he is big, strong, smart and a great kid. He will be an asset on any team because he is good; he gets to be better, and he is a team player who wants the team to win.

These were some of the Hurricane Katrina victims who came to Colquitt while the giant killer storm ravaged their area. They are relatives of Mrs. Welthie Cleveland of Colquitt. When they arrived in Colquitt, they had no idea if they would ever be able to return to their homes or if their homes would still be standing after the hurricane passed through. The evacuees, all from the state of Louisiana, are Louis Guidroz, who is brother-in-law to Mrs. Cleveland and his daughter, Linda Guidroz; Linda’s son, Leslie Gaudet III, his wife, Jamie and their daughter, Cheyenne, and a friend of the family, Violet Bourgeois. After visiting here a week or so, some of the evacuees headed back home to assess the damage and found some good and bad news. When they returned, they had no electricity, no water and no stores that were opened. The nearest open stores were approximately 30 miles away. Linda stated, “There is one Domino Pizza, and it took hours to be served due to the long lines waiting for the only warm meal in that area.”

Birth Announcements: Noah Michael Hayman, Lily Kate Holt, Kip Austin Walker, Gwendolyn Reese Houston
Deaths: Michael Eugene “Mike” Gordon, Rocky Eslont Heard, Freddie K. Rentz, Emmett Harper Young Sr., Robert “Bob” Riddley Houston, Wallace O’Hearn, Annette Gibson Haire, Ruth Zula Moulton, Stephen Richard Walker, Joseph James Love, Dr. Thomas Irving (T.I.) Brooks, James Richard McNease, Flora Virginia McCormick, Hermine M. Martin, Mayrene Compton Duckworth, Annie Golden Williams, Roger L. Scott, Annie Golden Renfroe Williams, Lorene Phillips James, Nell Faircloth Brown, Peggy Middleton Godwin Allen

Week of January 15, 2006