For the past few weeks, there have been talks, reports and rumors, along with drawings, circulating around the county about one or more companies coming into Colquitt to purchase and develop property to build homes, condos and possible resort areas and a mini-theme parks. Several areas have been named in the talks and discussions. Reports of options have been placed and agreed on in several areas of Colquitt.
On September 13, at the regular session of the Miller County Commissioners’ meeting, John Martin, chairman of the Miller County Recreation Authority Board, stated that there is a contract pending on the sale of Crooked Oak Golf Club and land at the Colquitt-Miller County Industrial Park. Chairman Martin requested approval from the county commissioners regarding Miller County’s one-third interest in these properties in order to move forward with the transaction. The commissioners went into executive session to discuss the real estate transactions.
When the commissioners came out of executive session, a motion was made by Commissioner Worsley to approve the proposed contract between the Miller County Recreation Authority and Deal Maker Developments, LLC, subject to the approval by the Miller County Recreation Authority and the City of Colquitt. All commissioners voted in favor. A motion was then passed to authorize conveyance from Miller County Development Authority the county’s interest in lot #’s 6, 8, 13, and 14 to the Industrial Park Subdivision for sale by the Development Authority to Jerry Wallace Development, LLLP.
On September 18, the mayor and council of the City of Colquitt met in a special session with the mayor and two city council persons present. On the sales contract of the golf course, a motion was passed to unanimously approve the sales contract for the golf course. In another motion, the mayor and two council persons voted to convey one-third interest in Industrial Park lots, 6, 8, 13, and 14 to the Development Authority.
More information was requested concerning the prices and terms of the contracts, but Miller County attorney, Danny Shepard, stated that a news release would be forthcoming for the next edition of the Miller County Liberal concerning the transactions and possible developments by real estate deal-maker, Jerry L. Wallace and his company.

The price of gas continues to go up and down. If you think that $2.369 is a good price, according to MSN Gas Prices, that is the national average. The lowest price in the nation today was $1.759 in Virginia Beach, VA. The highest was imported gas into Hawaii at $3.739.
In the local area, the lowest price of regular gas was on U.S. Hwy. 85 south of Colquitt at $2.059.
The lowest reported price in Colquitt was $2.149 and the highest at $2.369.
You can tell the stations with the best prices by the number of vehicles being filled up.
One station operator was heard to tell a customer that differences in prices was caused by the profit the gas distributor and/or station owner wanted to make on what they sell. Supply and demand is the main factor.

Ivey Elizabeth Pope, the reigning 2006 Little Miss Colquitt, will be competing for the title of Little Miss National Peanut Festival on Saturday, October 7, 2006. She will be competing with 48 more contestants from the Wiregrass area. The pageant will be held at the Dothan Civic Center at 6:00 p.m. The theme for this year’s pageant is “Magic.”
Ivey is the seven-year-old daughter of Jamie and Vicky West. She is a second grade student at Miller County Elementary School. She is the sister of Katlyn, Charlie and Kate. Her grandparents are Sam and Mary Phillips and Gary and Sharon West.
Since being crowned Little Miss Colquitt, Ivey has participated in several parades and attended parties hosted by other contestants in the peanut pageant.
Good luck wishes may be sent to Ivey by in care of the Quality Inn Hotel, 3053 Ross Clark Circle, Dothan, AL 36301. No gifts can be received at the Civic Center, and there will be no Saturday deliveries.
Ivey is being sponsored in the pageant by Epsilon Alpha Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority.
Best wishes and good luck are extended to Ivey as she competes for the title of Little Miss Peanut.

Miller County High School Principal Ginger Webster announced the homecoming court for the 2006-2007 school year last week.
The following girls have been chosen to represent MCHS on the 2006-2007 homecoming court.
The representatives will be presented at half time of the Miller County/ Atkinson County football game on Friday, October 6. At that time, one of the senior girls will be crowned homecoming queen.
The girls will also be escorted in at the homecoming dance on Saturday, October 7, which will be held in the high school cafeteria.
Representing the ninth grade are Kena Diamond and Breche Roberts. Kena is the daughter of Melanie Diamond and Sunnie Diamond. Breche is the daughter of Rhonda and Allen Leonard.
Tenth grade representatives are Taniela Douglas and Brooke Widner. Taniela is the daughter of Joyce and Gene Douglas. Brooke is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Vince Widner.
Janna Cox and Mindi Merritt will be representing the 11th grade class. Janna is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Julius Cox, and Mindi is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mark Merritt.
Representing the 12th grade are Paige Godfrey, Jontavius Hopkins, and Jessica Henry. Paige is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ty Godfrey. Jontavius is the daughter of Jonita Hopkins and Steve Williams. Jessica is the daughter of Terry Johnson and Brent Henry.
These girls will also be presented at the bonfire on Thursday night, September 28, at the old football field, as we burn the Indians of Seminole County.

Rain had fallen pretty hard last Friday afternoon, and the Miller County Pirates had to travel up to Cougar Country. It was on several of the Pirate fans’ minds, if the Pirates could pull out a win after having three straight losses behind them. Team captains for the Pirates were McQuel Sims and Craig Huntley, and representing the Cougars were Lavon Brown, Kavaris Mitchell, and Keyvus McKenzie. The Cougars won the coin toss and deferred to the second half as the game began. Shannon Hill was the kicker for the Cougars, and he kicked a high flying pigskin to #32 Jake Hayman. Hayman was able to pick up good yardage before being brought down by a squalling Cougar. Miller County picked up two first downs before a costly fumble and a quick leaping Cougar's recovery. The Pigskin was tossed back and forth a few more times before Calhoun scored a touchdown. Their two-point conversion was broken up by a wall of Pirates, but those Cougars led 6-0. The Pirates pushed through several times to get into scoring position, but those hungry Cougars would not allow them to score all through the second quarter, so the score stood in favor of the Cougars 6-0 going into half-time.
The Miller County Pirate Pride Marching Band performed superbly during half-time to the sounds of the 60s and 70s under the field direction of Drum Major-Heather Butler and Band Captain-Josh Rathel.
Meanwhile the football team had its half-time break. Whatever was said during those few minutes no one knows, but the football players and the coaches, but whatever it was, it motivated the Pirates in an awesome way. Our Pirates came on a mission to stop those Cougars and stop them they did!
In the third quarter, the Black Death Defense led by Craig Huntley, Chris Bailey, Cosby Salter, Jeryn Collier, Philip Mackey, Cedric Clark, McQuel Sims, Trez Morgan, Justin Coon, Jeremy Grant, and Tony Grier put pressure on the Cougars, causing them to kick away the pigskin to the Pirates.
First and ten for the Pirates, Preston Golden opened up a hole for Shawndre Sheffield big enough to drive a Peterbilt through, and Sheffield picked up good yardage. A couple of plays later, Jeremy Grant's short pass to Tony Grier picked up another first down for the Pirates. First and ten from the Cougars’ 27 yard line, Shawndre Sheffield and Grant rotated the ball with the strength of the offensive line to get in scoring position. Fourth and goal, every Pirate fan was standing and waiting to see if the Pirates were going to kick away the ball or go for it. The Pirates were going for it with Grant's pass to Tony Grier in the end zone. It was touchdown, Pirates! Miller’s kicker-Chris Williams' point attempt was blocked, but the Pirates were tied with the Cougars, 6-6.
On the Cougars' next possession, the Black Death Defense would not allow any yardage for Calhoun County, causing the Cougars to kick away. It only took the Pirates picking up three first downs to score again with Grant's quarterback keeper. A wall of Pirates pushed through for Jeryn Collier to score a two-point conversion, putting the Pirates up 14-6.
Miller County's #22 Chris Williams booted the pigskin to the Cougars, and on the Cougars' first and ten, Black Death Defender Cedric Clark's shoestring tackle stopped Calhoun County's QB Jimmy Glover solid. On Calhoun's second down, Glover's pass fell into the hands of Jeryn Collier. First and ten for the Pirates from the Cougars' 20 yard line; Grant again went to the air to Tony Grier for another touchdown. The Pirates two-point conversion was broken up, but the Pirates had widened their lead to 20-6. During the Cougars’ next possession, Miller County's Craig Huntley sacked Calhoun County's QB Jimmy Glover as the third quarter came to an end.
In the fourth quarter, Miller County's Black Death trapped the Cougars every which way they could and would not allow any yardage or points. Justin Coon intercepted a Cougar pass, and with the pigskin back in Pirate hands, Grant went long to Cosby Salter to score. Chris Williams' point attempt fell between the poles, and the Pirates were up 27-6. Calhoun County had possession twice but was unable to move the ball or score. The Pirates scored on a pass from Grant to Coon and again Williams' P.A.T. was on target. The final score was Miller County 34 and Calhoun County 6.
This Friday night's game will be the hardest game yet, and all of the Pirate fans will be there to “ROOTHAWG” with the Pirates as they host the Seminole County Indians from Donalsonville. Game time is definitely at 8:00 p.m. Everyone is invited to come out and show your support to our Pirates, coaches, cheerleaders and to our Pirate Pride Marching Band. If you haven't seen the Petro Sign down at the bridge, you need to see it. Thank you for supporting our team.

A very small percentage of the possible voters in Miller County went to the polls on Tuesday, September 19, 2006, to vote for or against a one cent sales and use tax to be levied for the next six years.
It was a very low turnout for this special election. Of a possible 3548 voters, only 475 voters went to the polls. This means that less than 14 percent of those who could vote determined if 100 percent would pay millions in sales taxes for the next six years. Those 475 who voted gave the question of an additional sales tax a 417 or 87.79 percent voting for the tax and 58 or 12.21 percent voting against it.
This tax shall not exceed six years and shall hopefully bring in $3,600,000.00 to Colquitt and Miller County.
The new sales tax will be distributed at a different rate for the city and county and will be spent for different purposes. This new tax will last for six years and will not have a cap, so it can collect the estimated $3,600,000.00, or if the economy of this county and city grows, it can collect an unlimited amount of sales tax with no cap.
According to one commissioner, if the new tax had not passed, he stated that we could look for our ad valorem taxes to be raised by 5 1/2 mills.
The old sales tax will end December 2006. The newly approved sales and use tax will start collection January 2007.

Week of September 24, 2006