It was good to see a friend last week who was home on leave for a few days. It was no one other than Sgt. Terry Williams and his wife, Pam, of Rock Road, Colquitt.
Terry was a member of the National Guard while working as chief deputy sheriff at the Miller County Sheriff's Department. He had just two more weeks to serve before he would have been out of the National Guard when his unit was called up on March 9, 2005. Williams had special training for one month and was sent to Iraq to help put down the insurgents.
He stated that the average temperature of 120-130 degrees in Iraq took a bit of getting used to, but being from deep Southwest Georgia, he only had to get used to an additional 20 or 30 degrees hotter.
"It was the sand and no trees that is so hard to get used to, not to mention the people over there just aren't like the folks I've been used to all my life," Sgt. Williams stated.
When asked if he thinks we should be over there, Williams was quick to answer, "Yes," and explained that it will be better fighting terrorists over there now than sending our children and grandchildren over there later, or fighting them over here.
Terry and Pam dropped by the Liberal Tuesday, September 20, to tell us goodbye again and share some of the photos he made while in Iraq.
Terry asked that we relay from him just how much the support and prayers mean to him and all those in service.
Terry stated that he was sorry he didn't get to see everyone he wanted to see, but he plans to be returning sometime next year if everything goes as planned.
It is our hopes that Terry and all of the American troops will get the job done and be coming home in the very near future.
Sgt. Terry asked us to tell all of you to take care of each other, and he hoped to see you in the near future.
Terry was flown into Atlanta on September 9, and left going back to Iraq on Friday, September 23.
Some of the photos Sgt. Williams shared with us can be viewed on our website

Known as the “Father of Center-Pivot Irrigation” in Georgia, Alvin Newton installed Georgia’s first center-pivot system in 1967. He led the way for the adoption of center-pivot irrigation throughout Georgia as part of his tractor and farm equipment business, Newton-Hamrick Company.
Newton’s accomplishments were recognized as he was inducted into the Georgia Agricultural Hall of Fame Friday, September 16. The Hall of Fame is a program of the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences in Athens.
Hal Haddock of Damascus presented the coveted award to the family with Al Newton, of Albany, receiving the award for his father.
Although the honoree, Alvin Newton, was unable to attend the Hall of Fame Awards program, he was well represented by his wife, Joy Newton, and their five children including Al Newton, Debra Whatley, Richard Houston, Cathy Dillon and Sherry Slocumb, along with their spouses and children. A host of other family members and friends of the honoree attended the presentation ceremony.
A native of Colquitt, Newton became interested in center- pivot irrigation in 1965. When he installed his first system in ‘67, he photographed the effects of irrigated cropland versus non irrigated. He developed a slide presentation and showed area farmers the advantages of irrigation. Many had said irrigation wasn’t feasible.
He installed 12 systems in 1969, and doubled the number each year for several years after that. Georgia now has more than 11,000 center-pivot systems.
Newton became a trusted information source between manufacturers and farmers. He developed the first four-row cultivator in south Georgia, helping growers cultivate crops more efficiently. His innovative approach to irrigation led John Deere to design and market the irrigation engine in Georgia.
“In 1970, Alvin Newton started growing southern peas and butterbeans for processing, a significant pioneering step, and became Georgia’s largest vegetable producer,” said Frank McGill, UGA professor emeritus in agronomy. “Thanks to this pioneer of extraordinary foresight, in 1990, vegetables in Georgia passed cotton and peanuts in farm-gate receipts.”
Besides his work with irrigation, Newton owned Green Circles Farms, Inc. There, in the mid-70’s, he began planting sweet corn and built southwest Georgia’s first hydro cooler to extend the shelf life of sweet corn. This breakthrough allowed sweet corn to be shipped throughout North America and Canada and opened up the vegetable industry to Georgia.
Newton is recognized by UGA researchers and Extension vegetable specialists as the forerunner of Georgia’s modern vegetable industry. He shared his knowledge with them, hosting many tours of his farm, packing shed and hydro-cooler. He became Georgia’s largest vegetable grower and was honored by the American Vegetable Grower Magazine with its “Top 100 Grower Award” in 1988 through 1991.
Newton received many awards. Among them were Georgia’s Money Maker Peanut Club award for the state’s highest peanut yields in 1984, ‘86 and ‘89. He was awarded the Bainbridge-Decatur Chamber of Commerce Cotton Production Award (1985-87) for the highest average yield in Decatur County in 1985, ‘86 and ‘87.
For his extraordinary achievements, Newton was awarded the T. Hayden Rodgers Distinguished Agronomic Service Award by the UGA Agronomy Department and the American Society of Agronomy. He is the founding director and stockholder in the Peoples Community Bank of Colquitt and is a member of the Miller County HERO (Historic Economic Revitalization Organization). Eddie McGriff, former county extension agent from Decatur County, submitted the nomination for the Hall of Fame award.
Friends congratulate this exceptional Miller County man for his work to help agriculture and Georgia’s economy by his contributions. He is now in good company with past Hall of Famers such as Phil Campbell Sr., Judge Harley Langdale, Thomas T. Irvin, Herman E. Talmadge, J. Frank McGill, Brooks M. Pennington, Jr. and Fred C. Davison just to name a few.

According to an incident report, a burglary was reported at Family Dollar Store at 401 E. Crawford Street at 6:30 a.m. Thursday, September 22. Colquitt Police officers, Kenneth Kirkland and Lonnie Wade were dispatched to the store. Upon arrival, the officers noticed the front door on the exit side was broken out.
Investigator Rick Morgan was called to the scene of the break-in, and the crime scene was turned over to him to process. During the investigation, several items were logged, photographed and processed for evidence.
Chief Worsley and Deputy Chief Wells were called into the case.
After the investigation was completed, a warrant of burglary was issued for Derrick Rashawn Miller, 17, of 512 East Bush Street in Colquitt. The suspect has been arrested and jailed at the Miller County Jail in connection with the burglary.

Ame Carol Davis was crowned Southwest Georgia Academy’s 2005 Homecoming Queen, on September 16, following the game against Randolph Southern School. All of the senior football players participated in the crowning ceremony. Eli Bundrick of Blakely and Coty Middleton of Colquitt crowned the queen while Jason Arnold of Edison and Evan Balkcom of Blakely placed the banner. Jeremy Burch of Newton and Eric Odom of Arlington presented the queen with a bouquet of white roses, and Tyler Askew of Arlington and Clay Haire of Colquitt saluted Ame Carol with a kiss.
Paige Brackin of Colquitt and Cory Brown of Donalsonville served as senior members of the homecoming court. Junior attendants were Abby Brown of Blakely and Caitlin Cooper of Blakely. Lindsay Buckhalter of Jakin represented the sophomore class with Emily Davis of Blakely being the freshman attendant.
At halftime, the attendants paraded in convertibles around the track and were then seated in a special area in the stands, which had been decorated by their mothers. White potted mums, assorted ferns and palms were used. Following the game, the girls were escorted to the track by their fathers and were introduced by Mr. Rick LaGuardia.
The homecoming dance was Saturday, September 17, in the school cafeteria.
The queen and her court were presented again. Each attendant chose a football player from her class as her escort. Clay Haire of Colquitt escorted Queen Ame Carol Davis. Paige Brackin chose Tyler Askew of Arlington as her escort, and Coty Middleton of Colquitt escorted Cory Brown. Escorting Abby Brown was Russ Williams of Arlington, and Caitlin Cooper’s escort was Jay Smith of Leary. Lindsay Buckhalter chose Drew Bridges of Brinson, and escorting Emily Davis was Miles Lee of Leary.
The homecoming court, along with their escorts, led the first dance after the presentation.
Queen Ame Carol Davis is the daughter of Al and Nancy Davis of Colquitt.

It’s unofficial, but we think that the sales tax in Colquitt and Miller County will increase from the 6 percent to 7 percent beginning Saturday, October 1, 2005.
On June 21 of this year the majority of the voters of Miller County approved a special sales tax to be used to build a new school complex in the county. The voters also voted to approve a bond issue to fund the building until the sales tax brought in revenue to pay for the building. The vote for approval was almost 95 percent affirmative.
To date, there has been no official notice that there will be an educational sales tax added, or when it will begin.
Checking with merchants who collect the tax, we have found no one who has been advised that the new sales tax will start at a specific date.
We checked with the Miller County Tax Commissioner, and she faxed us a copy that had been written to the Miller County Board of Education as follows:
On June 21, 2005, a referendum was held on the question of a 1% Educational Local Option Sales Tax (ELOST) being imposed in Miller County and was approved by the voters.
This is to advise that the tax is projected to begin October 1, 2005, with an expiration date of September 30, 2010 or at the end of the quarter where the raising $3,600,000.00 is reached, whichever occurs first.
All dealers making sales within the county will be notified of the tax effective date. These dealers have until the twentieth of the following month in which to file their sales tax reports; for example, January sales collections should reach the Department by February 20th. We require another 30 or more days to process these report forms and post all monies to the proper accounts. The distribution check would be sent from the Department approximately the end of March.
If your county imposes any other local option sales taxes, you may notice a difference in the amount of your local option sales tax checks and these other distributions due on field audits, delivery of goods outside the county, fifa collection, and contracts let on construction projects prior to the referendum date. There may also be a "start-up" period of approximately four to six months where your local option sales tax will be lower than expected.
Phillip M. Embry
State of Georgia, Department of Revenue
***
As you see in the letter, this was a “projected” date of October 1, 2005 when the collections will start.
The merchants and businesses who collect these taxes need to know as well as the people who pay them. One percent increase won’t mean to much for a $1.00 purchase for a cup of coffee or a drink, but if you are buying a car, truck or home, the difference in buying today and Saturday is significant.
Maybe we can get something next week, official.

Week of September 25, 2005