Editor’s note: This was sent as a letter to the editor, but it needed a better spot since those involved are our best friends, and it is such a great human interest story of love.
How often do we say, "If I can do anything…anything at all?" In our case, someone really meant it. On December 15, 2004, after having experienced kidney failure in November and finding that none of our immediate family were the correct blood type for a transplant, Niki Bevis Mortonson called to say she had been tested and found she had "O" blood type and wanted to try to give "Uncle Spud" a kidney. We gave her the number to call, and she took it from there. She and her husband, Larry, had prayed about it and felt this was what the Lord would have her to do.
She never wavered in her commitment to follow through. She and Larry took days off from work, were out on one of the coldest days of the year in the early morning traffic, going to Emory for appointments… she saw numerous doctors, underwent extensive testing, spent time in the hospital and never became discouraged, even when problems arose. She never lost faith that this was supposed to happen.
We were told that one in seven non-related persons tested for transplants are a match. Niki was the only one ever tested, and, after three months was approved as a donor. The date for the surgery was set for April 25. God's hand seemed to be guiding this process in a mighty way. Two weeks before the scheduled surgery, Emory called to say they needed to postpone it for an indefinite time. We insisted that it proceed as scheduled. In the early morning hours of Monday, April 25, the Bevis and Bush families and a host of friends gathered to be there with us. Niki, who dislikes to have her picture taken, even agreed to pose for a photo or two to commemorate the occasion.
As we sat there, waiting for the nurses to call us and looked around the room, we thought about what a history we have with this family; about how we became friends with Patsie and Charles Bevis when they came back to Colquitt as young marrieds, about how we had our three children so close together; how we have shared so much over the years, vacationed together, raised our children together and laughed and cried together, never dreaming that we would share "the gift of life."
Two days after the transplant, a heart attack occurred, and the doctors informed us that a heart cauterization was necessary, but the new kidney would most likely not survive the dye that had to be injected. Niki was the one who never wavered in her faith that it would most surely survive the procedure. A few days later, after coming out of CCU, and back on the floor ... it was again Niki who never lost faith when another heart attack threatened Spud.
Now, three months after the surgery, the new kidney is making its home in a new body; the heart is getting stronger every day, and Niki was right. It has been the most humbling experience of a lifetime to have someone love so much and be so generous. We will be eternally grateful to the people of our community for their love and prayers and for every church that has kept us on their prayer list.
Thanks to Larry, for the sacrifices he has made, to Niki for her incomparable gift, and to Patsie and Charles for raising a daughter such as she.

Pat & Spud Bush

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 at headquarters, with agent Dorsey instructing in the history of the bomb squad, current programs statewide, effects of bomb threats and reactions from safety officials, effects of response to bomb incidents and post blast investigations.
The special agent and the firemen went to Spring Creek Park for a demonstration in what could be expected in a bombing incident and what to do, who to contact and when to call the GBI Bomb Squad for assistance.
Special Agent Dorsey demonstrated an actual bomb and how the experts in the bombing technology could help save lives with the equipment and expertise that they could provide.
The training officer was most impressive with his knowledge and demonstration of the equipment from the state agency available to help in times of possible bombings.
Even more impressive were the volunteer firemen giving their time to learn some of the life-saving tactics that were being taught. These people not only give their time and knowledge to help save property and lives, they put themselves in harm’s way to provide this service to the people in this area.

Six suspects were arrested at the end of July and in the first week of August on a variety of drug-related charges dating back into last year.
In an undercover operation that has been going on for several months, six Colquitt suspects were arrested and charged as follows:
Dorothy Pearl Bullard, 55, of 214 N. Second Street was arrested and charged on July 29, with two counts of sale of cocaine. The offenses were made at her home on May 20, 2005. The suspect posted $10,000.00 bond.
Delunta Tequan Huntley, 24, of 407 South 3rd Street, was arrested and charged with two counts of possession and manufacture of marijuana on August 1. The offenses were made on January 19, 2005. An undisclosed bond was posted for her release.
Ronald Jackson Mancil, 44, of 310 South Third Street was arrested and charged with sale of marijuana.
Michael Tyrone Roberts, 23, of 260 Washington Street, was arrested and charged on August 2, with manufacture/sell/distribution I/II drugs and sale of marijuana on November 22, 2004. The suspect was released by posting $11,000.00 bond.
Orando Mantrel Thornton, 27, of 48 Griffin Sheffield Road, was arrested and charged on August 4, with one count of possession/manufacture and sell of marijuana. He is being held in Miller County Jail.
Corey Dewayne Sims, 34 of 704 Harmony Church Road, was arrested and charged on August 3, 2005, with three counts of possession/manufacture/ sell/ of cocaine on December 22, 2004. The suspect is being held in Miller County Jail.
The Colquitt Police Department, Miller County Sheriff Department and the Pataula Drug Task Force officers assisted in developing a case against the listed suspects. More arrests are expected as the evidence is being processed by the law enforcement agencies on other suspects.

To the citizens of Colquitt and Miller County, please be on the lookout for letters in the mail containing checks made out to the victims for a few thousand dollars or more. The letters tell the victims to cash the checks and send the money, minus a couple of hundred dollars for themselves, back to the company. The checks are counterfeit, or the accounts are closed. The letter will most likely be postmarked outside the United States.
If anyone receives something like this via mail, please contact Jason Wells, Assistant Chief of Police, Colquitt. Call (229) 758-1010.

It rained again in Colquitt last Sunday, and although it rained less than two inches, our ditches and roadways didn’t know it wasn’t flooding.
The police officers were callingin roads underwater all over Colquitt. Granted, the ground is full of water, along with most of the streams and ditches that drain the water out of Colquitt, especially our main reliever of too much water, Spring Creek. Now that is fuller than normal, and it isn’t carrying off the water like it usually does.
Several of the roads held water long after the thundershower was gone like the one above on SR 310, just off of South First Street. The water covered the highway as well as the funeral home lot and much of the Colquitt Freewill Baptist Church yard.
Just as U.S. Hwy. 27 (Crawford Street) going through Colquitt goes under water every time a thunder storm or shower occurs, so does SR 310 going to U.S. Highway 27.
South Third Street went under water again, but now it is paved, and the residents don’t get stuck in the middle of the street when they try to get in or out of their homes at times like this.
The ditch going under South Third Street drains much of Colquitt’s excess water into Spring Creek. When this ditch fills with excess growth or fills in from silt and mud, areas of Colquitt go under water. It may be time to do a cleaning of the main drain ditch.
We are very lucky to be on a hill in Colquitt. It normally doesn’t take too long for the rising waters to start receding from off the roadways. It’s that time that the roadways are covered with water that makes it so dangerous, especially on U.S. Highway 27/Georgia 1.
The city and county could do wonders by blading off the edges that hold the water on the highways and roadways. On some of the roads, there is no drain, and the roadway is the only place for the water to go, like South Cuthbert Street, East Pine Street and Fourth Street.
We had over eight inches of rain just a week ago. Then we had a thunderstorm that put two fast inches on the ground and across the roadways.
Something good comes from everything. The summer rains are making the farmers one more cheap crop, if there is any such thing. In most parts of the county, irrigation has not been used due to the frequent showers. The ponds and streams are full as well as the aquifer.
If you are in a low area, be warned that these streets were under water during the Sunday evening rain. The weather report calls for more of the same this week.
These roads were reported under water during the Sunday rain: always Crawford at Cuthbert on U.S. Hwy. 27; Crawford and West Main Street; First and SR310; Ruth and Perry streets; West Main and Cuthbert streets; Pine and North Fourth streets; Pine and Phillips streets; North Second and West Dancer streets; North Second and Reed streets; Taylor and Milford streets; Washington and Milford streets and South Cuthbert Street.

Week of August 7, 2005