On June 5, 2006, Dr. Lori Addison of Colquitt graduated from the New York College of Podiatric Medicine with honors. She was recognized as a member of the Pi Delta National Podiatry Honor Society and the Pi Mu Delta National Podiatry Service Society.
Following graduation, Dr. Addison began a three-year surgical residency with the Florida Hospital System in Orlando. She is specializing in foot and ankle trauma and surgery. When she completes residency requirements, she plans to return to Southwest Georgia to practice, hopefully in her hometown hospital.
Dr. Addison is the daughter of Toby and Ann Addison, the granddaughter of Ruby Rathel, the late Rev. James Rathel, and Shy and Wilma Addison.
Lori has one brother, Benji; sister-in-law, Jill; and a nephew, Luke. She is a member of New Hope Worship Assembly in Donalsonville.
Congratulations, Dr. Addison!

For four days in June, Colquitt residents, Buddy and Cheryl Grimes of Cuthbert Street, welcomed a special visitor from across the seas. Their granddaughter, 15-year-old Meghan Grimes of Suwanee, brought her visitor to Colquitt, an exchange student from France. A relationship is set up through a private organization called Junior Diplomat.
Meghan volunteered to host her visitor when she discovered the opportunity in her French class at South Forsyth High School.
Junior Diplomat matched Meghan to Alexandra Delabarre, also 15 and from a small city on the Belgian border, Lille, France.
This was Alexandra's first visit to the United States, and as the focus of the exchange program is on learning English, she was able to practice the language with a teen who is also studying to learn the French.
Around each girl's practice of a new language, the Grimes family tried to show Alexandra a sample of various pieces of American culture.
With Meghan’s home being in the busy suburbs of Atlanta, Alexandra was happy to discover another aspect of American culture in the pace of Colquitt.
Alexandra lives with her mother and father in Lille, France, along with her three brothers, ages 20, 17, and 10.
Meghan is the daughter of Joe and Lee Grimes and resides in Suwanee with her parents and her 13-year-old brother, Tyler.
Junior Diplomat seeks to match French and American students who host one another for three week stays in the summer, and Meghan plans to visit France in the summer of 2007 for three weeks as well.
Of her stay in the states and in Colquitt, Alexandra was quoted as saying, "The American people are very nice. I like Colquitt, and it is very hot."
Meghan, Alexandra and Tyler were visiting around Colquitt. They came by the Miller County Liberal to see how we publish our newspaper and then on to see the newest mural on the firehouse wall.
Alexandra was very impressed with the people, but didn’t seem to understand too much of our Southern English language. She is learning.

If you want to have a good time, it is just a few days off. The biggest fireworks display that will be in this area will take place Saturday, July 1.
It's time for the Fabulous Fourth Celebration on July 1.
Make your plans to come to Spring Creek Recreation Park for a great evening of fun for all.
The festivities will start at 5:00 p.m. and last until the crowd wants to go home.
Children's entertainment will be great for the young ones. The party time inflatables will be in the park with chamber volunteers on the job at each popular inflatable to try and keep everything safe and fun. Parents and guardians are requested to accompany your children.
Everyone will enjoy the program that will start with a patriotic event led by members of the local American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. There will be lots of music and entertainment with the Rev. Earl Hollman and his Mt. Zion Choir and East Wind Blue Grass featured on the program.
When dark comes, get ready for one grand fireworks display. You will be able to see this display for several miles, but there is nothing like being in the park and watching it up close.
The Colquitt/Miller County Chamber of Commerce is the sponsoring agency for this event, but don't forget to thank the many sponsors for helping furnish the funds to make this annual event possible.
That's right, everything will be free to the public except the food and drinks that can be purchased in the park.
Bring your lawn chairs and blankets since the seating in the park is limited.

The city and county voters will have the opportunity to vote for themselves another sales tax. The old one is running out and must be renewed or it dies. The exact date of the referendum has not been decided at this time. The regular meeting is scheduled for July 4, which will be set for another time. This issue will possibly be settled then.
In a recent meeting of the Miller County Commission, there was a question of what percentage the county would agree to divide the SPLOST tax between the city government, that is if the citizens of Miller County approve renewing the extra, special purpose tax set to go out this year.
According to the words of Chairman Howard Small, there seemed to be a bone of contention between the division. He told the commissioners in the June 6 meeting that he had gone his last time before the city council on this issue.
When the first local option sales tax was enacted in 1996, the county and the city divided the Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) down the middle, 50-50. That is not the wishes of the county this time.
As told by a county official, by Georgia Law, the new, or renewed SPLOST will be divided according to population, or 68% for the county and 32% for the city for a five year span with a cap of approximately $2.5 million.
According to county officials, the first LOST now is divided 62.5% county to 37.5% city.
The county and city have agreed on a 65% 35% division. All of the capital spending for the fire department comes out of the city’s 35% of the SPLOST.
Some city officials have questioned this since the fire department is owned by the city, the equipment is owned by the city, but almost three-fourths of the calls go outside the city limits.
When checking to see why the sudden agreement, if there is an intergovernmental agreement between the city and county the tax will be voted on for six years instead of five years and there is no cap on how much can be collected.
At this time, there is a $2.5 million cap. If the voters decide this is a good deal, the new tax is expected to bring in $3.6 to $4 million.
According to officials of the city, they will use their 35 % portion of the SPLOST for the fire department, the police department and public works.
According to county officials, they will use their 65% portion for roads, sheriff department and EMS department.
The percentages are to be worked out in future meetings.
It is expected that the referendum is to be offered to the voters at a special election in September, or in the November General Election. If the county waits until November, there will be a gap in the collections because the time for the old tax will have expired.
Many of the city and county officials were not available to give their thoughts on the needs that will be used if the voters decide to give the two governments six more years to collect a sales tax.
Miller County consumers are now paying seven (7) percent on the dollar in sales taxes. Of that, four percent goes to the State of Georgia, one percent sales tax LOST goes to the city and county, one percent SPLOST sales tax goes to the city and county and one percent sales tax goes to Miller County to build the new school buildings.
There will be more on these taxes in the coming editions. Comments from those who pay are welcomed.

Late Monday evening, the call came from Adel that the Miller County 14 and under All Star Girl’s Softball team won their first game against the powerful Berrien County All Stars, 13-2.
The game was won in four innings, since the game can be called if the opposing team is ahead by 10 runs by the fourth inning. The winning pitcher was Brooke Widner. There were lots of good hitters and the girls played like the all stars that they were choosen to be.
The Miller County All Stars will face the Adel All Stars on Tuesday at 6:00 p.m, in Adel. These girls will play at least two more games in double elimination.
More Miller County All Stars are playing from different age groups over Southwest Georgia, but no other reports were made by press time.

Nothing affects the money we spend like the price of the fuel we use to get where we are going and get what we buy to where it is going.
In an effort to give our readers information on what to expect when they get on the road, we have found a website that will give the prices of gas in the area you are traveling. The web site is if you know the ZIP. Every night this website receives pricing data from over 90,000 gas stations across the nation. Please note that gas prices in your area may change more frequently than they can obtain them.
The prices are changed each day and are current. We try to get the area prices nearest to publication date each week.
These are the area ZIPs that we check each week. If you are traveling to almost anywhere, get the ZIP and find the price and station locations for the best prices.
Albany 31707
Arlington 39813
Bainbridge 39817
Blakely 39823
Camilla 31730
Colquitt 39837
Donalsonville 39845
Dothan, AL 36301
Tallahassee 32308
Tifton 31793
The best listed price Tuesday moring in this area is at 857 Colquitt Highway, in Decatur County. It was $2.599 per gallon. The lowest listed gas price in Colquitt was $2649 per gallon. The lowest diesel in Colquitt was $2399. The lowest regular gas in the nation was in Malvarn, Arizona at $2.159 per gallon. The national average is $2.619 per gallon, and the highest was $4.049 in Kailu Kona, HI.
As one station owner was asked, "Why the difference in price on gas bought from the same distributor?"
The station owner explained, "I make more on mine than the other station."
It get down to the same pricing structure as most products, supply and demand.
Americans seem to have an unfillable desire to purchase gas at whatever price that is asked.
So as you can see, the price of regular gasoline can vary as much as 10¢ to 13¢ per gallon in the same city or in less than 20 miles apart, and the same distributor will be selling the same gas in different towns within a 20 mile radius as much as 12¢ per gallon difference.
The price of fuel affects almost everything that is purchased from food, clothing, auto and trucks, computers to building material or medical costs because all are dependent on moving products with fuel.
The more everything costs the higher the taxes, so don't think our/your governments are going to do anything about the price. The more gasoline costs the consumer, the more governments make with taxes.

Week of June 25, 2006