Toombs County, Georgia

Toombs County, GA July 2002 News Radio Stories

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Toombs County, Georgia - News Radio

Archives News Radio Stories: June 2002 - July 2002 - August 2002 - September 2002 - October 2002 - November 2002

Tax Digest Decrease in Toombs County

July 31-- The tax digest in Toombs County is less than last year according
to local tax assessors. And that will mean slightly less property tax revenue
to work with as the county starts preparation of its annual budget. Toombs
tax assessor Ed Gartman says loss of industry and retail operations reduced
this year's tax digest by more than $3 million. He estimates the loss in property
tax revenue to the county is about $33,000, not a big number considering
only about half of the county budget is financed by property taxes.

Gartman reports that loss of industries like Ithaca and Thomas and Betts and
some retail outlets reduced the tax digest by $17 million, but those losses were
offset somewhat by new growth of nearly $14 million in the county. He says
Vidalia's tax digest is down about $5 million from last year, but city clerk Kim
Barnes says its too early to say what impact that will have on city property
tax revenue in the coming year.

Area Unemployment UP in June

July 31-- Over 4,000 people were out of work in June in the nine-county
Vidalia trade area. Toombs County led the way with over 1,100 unemployed,
followed by Appling with 858 and Jeff Davis with 576 unemployed people. After
dropping to about 7.5% percent unemployed in May, Toombs County went
back up to 9.1 percent in June. The statewide unemployment rate is 5.2%,
about four percent better than the Toombs County rate. State Labor
Commissioner Michael Thurmond says the state has had job growth for
five straight months, and he's urging unemployed people to go back to school
to qualify for available jobs.

Millen Dog Fighter Sentenced

July 31-- A 40-year-old Millen man is going back to federal prison after authorities
discovered he violated his supervised release by staging dog fights. U.S. Attorney
Rick Thompson reports Eugene Michael Gross was sentenced to four years
after state officials searched his residence in Jenkins County and found evidence
of a large scale pit-bull fighting operation. Gross had 41 dogs chained up, a
bloodied dog fighting arena, and treadmills used to build up the dogs' stamina.
Gross had previously been convicted of federal cocaine conspiracy charges and
now faces state felony charges of cruelty to animals.

Fugitive Switches Tags in Wheeler County

July 30-- A fugitive wanted in connection with a double murder in Walker
County apparently switched car tags at a residence in Wheeler County over
the weekend. Deputy Sheriff Ron Bivins says authorities believe 21-year-old
Donnie Allen Hulett took tags from his maroon-colored F150 Ford pickup truck
and switched them with tags from a white Ford pickup parked at a residence
in rural Wheeler County near the Telfair County line. Bivins says the owner
of the white pickup was unaware of the switch until he was stopped by police
looking for Hulett. Hulett has family in the Jacksonville area of Telfair County
and was spotted at a convenience store there a day after allegedly shooting two
men to death in north Georgia on July 22. Rumors that he had been seen in
Vidalia are not true, according to Vidalia Police Chief Daryl Collins. The stolen
tag number is 1105ANB.

BPC Receives Gift

July 30-- Officials at Brewton Parker College in Mount Vernon expect construction
on the college's new $5 million student activities center to be completed in August,
and they hope to open the new facility in October. College President David Smith
says the latest gift to help pay for the center is $150,000 from the Montgomery
County Bank, which is being added to nearly $9 million in donations collected during
the college's capital fund campaign. The center includes a 2,000-seat gymnasium for
Baron basketball and will seat 2,600 people for concerts and other gatherings.

Local Judge Grants Stay Against DHR

July 29-- A south Georgia superior court judge has issued a stay against the
Georgia Department of Human Resources in its efforts to close the Mel
Blount Youth Home in Vidalia. Judge Cathy Palmer approved the stay
pending appeals by attorney Frances Stubbs of Reidsville who is representing
the youth home in its two-year effort to keep its operating license. The
Department of Juvenile Justice removed its occupants from the home in the
Fall of 1999 after alleging abuse of residents. Director Clint Blount denied
the charges and the home has been fighting the state ever since. Now the case
is in the courts and will be heard in Toombs County. The home remains open
and currently houses 27 residents, most of whom were referred from Florida.
Stubbs' request for a stay lists a half-dozen reasons why the state's recommendation
to close the home should be overruled in court. No court date has been set.

Montgomery County School Tax "Pending"

July 29-- The school board in Montgomery County has approvcd a tentative
budget of nearly $1.4 million in local dollars, but knows the budget will need
amending once the county's recent tax revaluation is finalized. School superintendent
Dale Clark says the school tax is currently at 13.9 mils, the same as last year, but
it could come down to 12 mils once the county's tax digest is decided. The unknown
at this time is how much farmland will be placed in a "conservation" shelter and
thus reduce the value of the digest. County tax assessor Lawrence McCall says
the board of assessors approved 55 parcels of land for the conservation program
in their meeting Monday. Clark says the school system hasn't had a tax increase
in 12 years and currently has pressing needs ranging from water damage in the
high school to replacement of bleachers in the football stadium.

Treutlen School Tax "Up"

July 29-- In Treutlen County, the school board has voted to increase its school
property tax by one mil after approving the tentative budget for the coming year.
The Soperton News says the overall budget was trimmed by three percent, but
requires more tax money to help fund increased personnel benefits, new textbooks
and more special education teachers. Officials say the tax increase will cost the
average property owner in Treutlen County about 40 dollars a year.

Perdue Proposes Tax Relief for Seniors

July 27-- Republican gubernatorial candidate Sonny Perdue paid his third
campaign visit to Toombs County Friday night at a fundraiser hosted by
Senator Tommie Williams of Lyons. If elected governor, Perdue says he
wants to eliminate state income taxes for citizens over 62. He admits there'd
be a loss to state revenue in the first few years, but then he predicts the state
would more than make up for the loss by attracting more retirees to live in
Georgia. Perdue says his goal is to make it through the August 20th primary
election without a runoff. The former democrat turned republican believes
Georgians in both rural and metro areas are ready for a change in state
government.

New Adult Ed Center Opens

July 25-- The new Montgomery County Adult Literacy Center in Mount
Vernon is open for business. Dr. Debby Thompson, head of Southeastern
Tech's three-county adult literacy program, credits the vision of the Montgomery
County Commissioners who applied for the $500,000 grant which paid for the
building. Open house for the new facility was held Wednesday evening.
Mark McDaniel runs the adult literacy program in Montgomery County and
so far has helped 58 citizens earn their GED.

Police Search for Accused Killer

July 24-- Law enforcement officials in southeast Georgia are on the lookout
for an ex-con wanted in connection with a double killing Monday in Walker
County in northwest Georgia. Police say Donnie Allen Hulett was last seen
Tuesday afternoon at a convenience store in the Jacksonville area of Telfair
County. He was driving a 2000 model red Ford F-150 pickup truck stolen
from the Mountain Top Boys Home where the murders were committed.
Hulett is a native of Telfair County and is armed and dangerous. He is a
white male, medium height and build, and has tattoes. The Georgia wildlife
license plate on the truck is number 395FF. Anyone with information about
Hulett's whereabouts should call the Walker County Sheriff's office at
706-638-1909.

MRMC 2003 Budget

July 24-- The holding board at Meadows Regional Medical Center has
approved the center's operating budget for the 2003 fiscal year. The budget
projects nearly $83 million in gross revenues compared to about $71 million
in 2002. Net income for the year is estimated at nearly $3.5 million. The
board also approved capital expenditures of $5 million in the new fiscal year
which started July 1st.

Woman Dies in Fire

July 23--  An elderly woman died early Tuesday in a Wheeler County fire.
Wheeler County Sheriff James Peacock reports 77-year-old Jeanette Burgamy
died when fire consumed her mobile home on the Old Glenwood Road about
2:30 a.m. Tuesday.  Volunteer fire departments from Spring Hill, Stuckey and
Glenwood responded, but Sheriff Peacock said the trailer was engulfed in flames
when they arrived.  The state fire marshall is investigating the cause of the fire.
The woman lived alone in the trailer, according to Sheriff Peacock.

Contractor Defaults, Projects Slowed

July 23--  Two construction projects in Vidalia are behind schedule because the
contractor has defaulted.  Aztec Construction of Marietta had contracts to build
both the new Vidalia Airport Terminal and the medical technology building at
Southeastern Technical College.  The problems with Aztec at STC first came to light when
subcontractors weren't getting paid, according to Dennis Epps at Southeastern
Tech.  The state notified the contractor's bonding company which has now assumed
oversight of the project.  Epps estimates about 20 percent of the $7 million dollar
building project has been completed, and the default means completion will be delayed
from January to at least this Spring.

Meanwhile, Vidalia city manager Bill Torrance says the city has formally notified
Aztec's bonding company that Aztec is in default on the airport project and that
the project will be rebid to find a new prime contractor.  He says work is about
36 percent complete on the airport terminal and that completion will be delayed at
least another six months.  The $550,000 project had been scheduled for completion
this past April.

Deadly Weekend on County Roads

July 22--  Three people were killed in three seperate accidents Saturday
in Toombs County.

A Montgomery County man was killed about three-thirty Saturday morning
in one-truck wreck.  Robert Fortner, Jr., former owner of Rabbit's
Quick Stop in Vidalia, and currently running for judge of the Montgomery
County Magistrate's Court, was killed when his truck left the road and
hit some pine trees.  Toombs County Sheriff Junior Kight says the accident
happened on a curve on Thompson Pond Road near the Lint Stevens Road.
Fortner suffered fatal head injuries.

Saturday night about nine o'clock, a van ran headon into a farm truck about
a half mile south of the intersection of U.S. One and Highway 56 near
Toombs Central School.  The van driver, Julio Velesquez of Lyons, was killed
and the truck driver, James McRae of Lyons, had head injuries and was taken
to Memorial Medical Center in Savannah.

About a hour and a half later Saturday night, a 49-year-old Lyons man was
killed when his pickup truck hit an unoccupied van parked on the side of Highway
292 east of Lyons.  The state patrol says Barry Wayne Johnson died when he
was pinned under his truck.

Names in the News

July 20--  The Vidalia Area Convention and Visitors Bureau has hired it's
first director.  The new regional tourism board has selected Chari Lothridge
of Toombs County to head marketing and promotion of Toombs and
Montgomery counties and their municipalities. Lothridge is a former director
of the Downtown Vidalia Association and most recently has been with
Northland Cable.  Tourism board chairperson Lisa Adams says Lothridge
will start in the new position in early August.

Seventeen people have been selected for the next Leadership Toombs-
Montgomery County class.  The program is sponsored by the Toombs-
Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce to develop new leaders for
the area.  The Class of 2002-2003 includes Brian Bishop of Murray,
Bishop and Stevens Insurance;  Susan Braddy of McLain-Calhoun Accounting;
Goodman Craig of Harton Automotive;  Patricia Dixon of the United Way;
Stacy Griner of Pineland Mental Health;  Howard Hill of the Trane Company;
Joseph King of Kingro Grounds Care;  Ginny Anne Lipscomb;  Dennis Madison;
Jana O'Connor of Vidalia High School;  Attorney Tom Peterson, IV;  Janet Stanely
of AAA Office Products;  Terry Thompson of Meadows Regional Medical
Center;  Vidalia city councilman Cecil Thompson;  Homer Waller of the Georgia
Power Company;  Tony Wardlaw of Southeastern Tech;  and Lori Wingate of
J.D. Dickerson Primary School.
 

Local Company Seeking Army Contract

July 18--  Savannah Luggage in Vidalia is reinventing itself after its
number one client, Tumi Luggage, opted for overseas manufacture of its
luggage.  Company president Alan Rice says the company's transition to
production of bulletproof vests saved about 150 jobs at plants in Vidalia
and Swainsboro.  Now Savannah Luggage is bidding on a $150 million
Army contract to supply modular backpacks which could add more than
a hundred jobs to the local economy.

Rice and members of the Toombs County Development Authority had a
two-hour meeting Wednesday in Atlanta with the state's commissioner
of Industry, Trade and Tourism.  Savannah Luggage will need up to $1.5
million in capital if it gets the Army contract, and is exploring state incentives
for job creation in rural Georgia.  The contract award is expected within
the next six weeks.

Eric Wilson is the Industry and Trade representative in this part of
Georgia and he says it's important that state developers see what
communities are doing to create jobs.  And Wilson complimented local
leaders for regional efforts on tourism and for encouraging entreprenuers.

Vintage Dealership Changing Owners

July 17--  One of the oldest Ford dealerships in south Georgia is being sold.
Threlkeld Motor Company in Vidalia is being bought by Ford Motor Company
under a dealer development program which allows new owners to buy the
company from Ford over a period of years.  Larry and Hughes Threlkeld are
the third generation in their family to own and operate the company which
was founded by their grandfather in 1935.  Larry says their successor, Reuben
Hill, currently works at a Ford-Lincoln dealership in Cocoa Beach.  The new
owner will retain the named Threlkeld, and Larry and Hughes plan to assist
with the transition for the next several months.

State Issues Funeral Publications

July 16--  In the wake of the Walker County creamatorium scandal and the federal
indictment of a Blackshear funeral home director for misappropriation of funds, the
state of Georgia is issuing two publications to educate you on what you need to know
about funeral homes, crematories and cemeteries.  Howell Dixon of Murchison's
Funeral Home in Vidalia has been in the funeral business for 46 years and says
your funeral home selection should be based on demonstrated performance and
a history of satisfactory service.  One of the new state booklets talks about things
you should think about in making advance arrangements for your funeral, something
Dixon says more and more people are doing.

To get a free copy of the new publications, contact the Division of Aging Services
at the Department of Human Resources in Atlanta, call 404-657-5319.

DHR Commissioner Upholds Youth Home Decision

July 15--  The state of Georgia is a step closer to closing the Mel Blount
Youth Home in Toombs County.  Department of Human Resources
Commissioner Jim Martin has upheld the decision of an administrative law
judge who ruled in favor of the state's allegations of abuse and inappropriate
discipline by staff at the home.  The charges were first made in the Fall of
1999 and have been progressing through hearings and appeals for over two
years.  The state terminated its contract and removed all state residents from
the home in September, 1999.  The home is represented by attorney Frances
Stubbs of Reidsville, and a staff member says they intend to file an appeal
in Toombs County Superior Court by the July 25th deadline.  Home director
Clint Blount denies the state charges and has consistently stated that the home
will prevail at the end of the long appeals process.

VPD Arrests Two Suspected Burglars

July 15--  Two Vidalia men are being charged with burglary and investigated
in connection with the stabbing of an elderly city resident.  Investigator Mitch
Bellflower says the residence of 72-year-old Johnny McIntosh on Roosevelt
Street was burglarized July 9th with thieves taking a chain saw and other tools.
Bellflower says Keith McKinney of Patrick Street and Michael Smith of North
Circle Drive later pawned the items are being charged with burglary and theft
by deception.  The night of the burglary, Bellflower says two men
entered McIntosh's house and demanded money, cut his throat and stabbed
him multiple times.  The state crime lab is examining evidence in the case and
further charges may be placed against McKinney and Smith, according to
police.

Crib Death Case Under Investigation

July 15--  Toombs County Sheriff Junior Kight and the GBI are investigating
the death of a two-and-a-half-year-old baby in the Petross community.  The
sheriff says the state's Child Fatality Unit routinely investigates all deaths
involving infants, and that no foul play is suspected pending outcome of an
autopsy.

Chase Catches Wanted Felon

July 15--  The Toombs County Sheriff's Department had to call out the
dogs Friday night to catch a man wanted on felony warrants in Tattnall
and Liberty counties.  Sheriff Junior Kight reports 30-year-old Terence
Jones of East 7th Street in Vidalia was apprehended in the Ohoopee area
after fleeing on foot when officers tried to serve arrest warrants.  The
Georgia State Patrol dog unit helped track Jones down.  He's also being
charged with parole violation and is wanted for questioning in connection
with a murder investigation, according to the sheriff.

National Honors For Toombs Students

July 13--  Seven students from Toombs Middle School will have some good
stories to share about what they did this summer.  Representing the school's
Technology Student Association, they travelled by school bus to Denver
to pick up national awards for achievement.  Teacher Ken Mitchell says the
team of Joseph O'Neal and Brandy Williams took fifth place in marine design
while Brandy and her sister, Amber, won ninth in the nation for their manufacturing
project.  Four of the students, Amber and Joseph, plus Jessica Jones and Crystal
King, received the highest national individual "Gold" awards for leadership and
achievement.  Other TSA students who qualified for the trip by winning state
honors included Heidi Williams, state treasurer Steve Burton and state VP
Mary Catherine Farrell.  Mitchell says young people like his award-winning
students are exactly what our community needs for future economic development.
He believes their skills are what companies are looking for when they consider
locating in a community.

The national competition in Colorado included 3,400 students from 45 states
and three foreign countries.

DOJ Approves Toombs BOE Redistricting

July 11--  The Department of Justice has approved the redistricting plan for
new school board districts in Toombs County.  School Superintendent Dr.
Kendall Brantley says the new districts will be in effect for the November 5th
general election.  Four school board seats are up for election, and two people
have already announced their intent to run.  Daniel Caraway of Lyons plans
to seek the at-large seat now held by board chairman Danny Bowen, and
Lyons fire chief Daryl Corley says he's running for the district 3 seat now
held by Harold Milligan.  Voters will also vote on the district 1 seat of Needham
Rogers, and the district 5 seat of Eddie Toole.  Qualifying for the school board
seats opens July 29 and closes August 2.

After an executive session during its July meeting, the Toombs school board
voted to hire Vidalia High school teacher Melanie Campione to teach language
arts at Toombs County High.  Kay Martin will coach Bulldog tennis teams and
Tom Broadnax will coach girls volleyball.

Vidalia Schools Tuition

July 11--  The Vidalia school board is holding the line on tuition again for students
who live outside the city.  Tuition for the coming school year will remain at $200 with
a $100 refund for students who maintain a "B" avcrage and have no disciplinary
problems.

Montgomery County School Board Chairman Defended

July 11--  The newspaper in Montgomery County is asking its readers to
consider the motives of a citizen who has filed a criminal complaint against
Montgomery County school board chairman Randall Morris.  Dale James
of Alston accused Morris of violating a state law prohibiting school board
members from doing business with the school district.  Morris is an onion
farmer and has admitted giving some onion gift baskets to members of a
visiting accreditation team and later taking payment at the insistence of school
officials.  The paper says James is upset with a school board decision on an
undisclosed "personnel issue" and infers he's "mud-slinging" to help defeat
Morris' bid for re-election.  At the same time, the paper reports school board
member Wayne Goff has also come out against Morris.  Morris says it's all
"politics" and that he's more concerned with getting an approved county school
budget.

Montgomery County Tax Resolution

July 10--  Montgomery County commissioners want voters to approve a
new five-year term for the county's local option sales tax.  Wednesday they
approved a resolution calling for a sales tax referendum September 17 which
they estimate will raise $3 million over five years starting January 1st.  The
lions share of the sales tax money, $2.3 million, would be used for roads and
bridges in Montgomery County.  Four hundred thousand dollars would be
used to retire debt related to the county's trash collection program, and $250,000
would finance capital improvements for the county recreation department.

Lyons Awards Industrial Park Contracts

July 10--  Work is expected to start next month on the infrastructure of
the new Toombs Industrial Park on U.S. One north of Lyons.  Mayor
John Moore told his city council Tuesday night contracts have been awarded
for $697,000 to Thrift Construction of Waycross to extend city water and
sewer lines to the park, Caldwell Tanks of Louisville, KY will erect a park
water tank for $384,000 and Sam Martin Wells of Wrens has a $262,000
contract to drop a deep well.  Mayor Moore estimates overall costs will
approach $1.5 million, most of it paid for by state and federal grants.  The
balance will be paid for by the city of Lyons with a loan guarantee from the
People's Bank.

Lyons Employee Seriously Injured

July 10--  Officials and co-workers in the city of Lyons are praying for the
recovery of a longtime city employee who was seriously injured last week
while commuting to work from his home in Darien.  Mayor Moore says
Charley Carter, a public works employee for 22 years, suffered massive
injuries in a head-on collision and is in intensive care at Memorial Medical
Center in Savannah.

Toombs School Tax Remains Same

July 10--  If you pay school tax in Toombs County, your millage rate will
remain the same in the coming year.  The Toombs County school board
Tuesday night approved a 13 mil school tax levy to finance nearly $2.5
million dollars in local support for the school budget.  The overall budget
is almost $16 million with the lions share from state sources.

Vidalia Street Sinking

July 9--  The city of Vidalia is repaving the west end of Meadows Street after
city officials discovered the recently rennovated street had sunk six to eight
inches.  City manager Bill Torrance informed city council members at Monday
night's meeting that the work is being done under warranty by the contractor
who did last year's downtown rennovation.  Torrance blamed compacted soil
under the street for the problem.

In other Vidalia city council news, the mother of a young man arrested in May
after a high speed chase is blaming Vidalia police for injuries to his face.  Pamela
Hudson says officers pulled Timothy Forrest through a broken car glass which
caused serious cuts to his face.  She also claimed officers fired at and hit the
speeding car, and objected to how some members of the Vidalia police department
treat black people.  Police deny firing shots and Mayor Ronnie Dixon said racial
remarks would not be tolerated by city officials.  Forrest is being charged with
aggravated assault by automobile after he allegedly tried to run over officers who
were trying to serve him with a warrant.

The city council also heard complaints from Jeff Luke of Scott Drive who wants
the city to do something about barking dogs owned by his neighbor Richard Hallman.
Luke got no satisfaction in a city court case against Hallman, and he's asking the
city to look at its nuisance ordinance to see if he can get some help.

In other actions, council voted to proceed with annexing a neighborhood bordering
Rocky Creek Golf Course.  Over 70 percent of the residents want the annexation,
only five object, according to a city survey.  And with city sales tax collections
running ahead of last year, the council voted to fund this year's city budget at a
full 100%.

Toombs Commissioners Meet

July 9--  Names in the news.  Toombs county commissioners Tuesday appointed
two new members to the county development authority.  Charles Clements is
succeeding Dan Murray and Wendell Dixon will replace John Ladson whose term
ends this year.  The commission also reappointed Greg Johnson to the Southeast
Coastal Regional Mental Health Board.

Toombs commissioners say they will try to step up law enforcement around the
Green Oak Mobile Home Park.  They received a 35-signature petition from residents
complaining of loud noise, litter and graffitti.  And Toombs County sheriff Junior
Kight says a $64,000 grant from the Department of Natural Resources will be used
to hire and equip a deputy to enforce county litter laws.

New Jobs for Area

July 5--  The Correctional Corporation of America is adding hundreds of new
jobs to southeast Georgia.  The company, which already employs nearly 350
people at the Wheeler Correctional Facility in Alamo, has plans to hire up to
440 employees for the new McRae Correctional Facility in Telfair County.
The new warden has just moved to McRae from Grants, New Mexico where
he was assistant warden at a similar facility.  Mike Bell says he plans to hire
up to 230 workers by early December and will be at full strength by the time
the prison receives its full population of 1,500 federal detainees next year.
Bell believes private prisons are receiving contracts from the Federal Bureau
of Prisons to cut costs and to relieve overcrowding of federal prisons.

Lightning Death

July 5--  A 47-year-old Vidalia man died Wednesday afternoon after being
hit by lightning.  Lyons police chief Jack Caves says Ray McDonald of Taylor
Springs Road was killed while pouring a foundation at the new Toombs Middle
School on the Lyons-Center Road.  He was an employee of Lake McDonald
Construction Company which is building the new school.

Taking Aim on Diabetes

July 4--  Diabetes is one of the top killers in Georgia and the Toombs
County Health Department is out to educate the public about the disease
and treatment.  Susan McLendon is organizing an eight week series of
classes.  Attendees will learn how to spot the disease, how it can be
controlled, and how to survive.  The classes start July 16 and complete
information is available at 526-8108.

Montgomery County Sales Tax Vote

July 2--  Voters in Montgomery County will make at least three trips to the
polls in the next five months.  In addition to the primary and general elections,
a special election is expected September 17th where voters will be asked to
extend the county's special purpose local option sales tax.  Montgomery County
commissioners have scheduled a called meeting July 10th to approve a resolution
detailing how the money will be spent.  Commission chairman Arnie Calhoun
says the money is vital to keeping the county afloat.  Meanwhile, county administrator
Keith Hamilton told commissioners at their July meeting Tuesday that property
tax collections are "slow" this year and need to pick up to cover projected cash
outflow in the last half of the year.

At the same time, Montgomery County tax appraiser Lawrence McCall briefed
commissioners on the just completed county-wide tax revaluation which he said
increased the county's tax digest by about 49 percent.  State law requirees the
commissioners to adjust tax millage to preclude a windfall tax increase, or to hold
public hearings before any increase is authorized.  Those decisions will be made
after citizens are given 45-days to appeal any of the new property values and
the county tax digest is finalized.

East Georgia College Growth Assured

July 2--  The future of East Georgia College in Swainsboro is bright according
to University System of Georgia Chancellor Thomas Meredith.  He was in
Swainsboro last week to farewell departing East Georgia president Dr. Jerry
Ashcroft and to announce the appointment of interiem president Dr. J. Foster
Watkins who comes in from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Chancellor Meredith says shrinking state budgets and increased student
enrollment are a challenge for the university system which this year increased
student tuition six percent at research universities and four percent at its
other institutions.

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