Bulldogs Punt on ‘21 Season
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75¢ Friday/ Saturday August 6-7, 2021 www.perrynewspapers.com TCHS opts out of FHSAA Football State Championship due to small roster Bulldogs punt on ‘21 season The Taylor County High TCHS officials made consideration and Thursday. young student-athletes into School (TCHS) Bulldogs the decision to completely discussion regarding “We are still a FHSAA a true varsity program,” will not compete for a state revamp the schedule this the classificationmember of school ourand will McCoy stated. championship in football week after it became clear varsity football team, it be eligible to opt-in to According to TCHS this season, opting instead the Bulldogs’ roster had was decided that we should state series play in the Head Coach Eddie Metcalf, to play as an “independent” been seriously depleted to petition FHSAA to change 2022 season, but declaring the Bulldog roster has been member of the Florida High the point that 2021 would to independent for the 2021 as independent this year decimated by transfers, School Athletic Association need to be a rebuilding year. season,” TCHS Principal allows us to play a schedule ➟ Please see page 2 (FHSAA) in 2021. “After much Heather McCoy said that will help us grow our Schools will County keeps now restrict millage same, but expects parent visits $688,000 in due to spike extra revenue The Taylor County in COVID-19 Commission unanimously The Taylor County agreed to keep the county’s School District, following proposed property tax the recommendation Prayers for healing millage rates the same for of local public health the 2021-22 fiscal year, department officials, will a move that is expected not allow parents to walk to generate an additional their children into school $688,000 due to rising when the new year starts & strength property values. Wednesday, Aug. 11. The commission held “We had hoped to a special meeting on allow parents to walk Thursday, July 29, to their (young) children to approve the proposed their classrooms, but the rates, but the final budget health department said that and millage rates will not with the rise in COVID be set until after the board cases, we need to limit the holds two public hearings number of visitors to our in September. schools. If we open up and At the special meeting, everybody comes in, then which only lasted several we are running the risk of minutes, the board voted exposing our students and to keep the general fund staff. Worst case scenario, millage rate at 7.2426 mills Community members came together Wednesday and the MSTU millage rate if people become sick, we morning for a Prayer Walk at Doctors’ Memorial would have to shut schools at 1.2250 mills. Hospital (DMH), asking for God’s grace for those The MSTU property down,” Superintendent of battling COVID and those entrusted with their care. Schools Dr. Danny Glover tax is levied on properties “We need your prayers and support as we walk through outside the City of Perry Jr. said. this battle. It’s been a long one, and there is no end in “We will also be limits and is used for sight. We don’t see anything ending soon, but it is services duplicated by the making changes on how going to get better. It will get better,” DMH’s Sara Sue city, such as fire protection. orientations will be held at Grambling said. “Our COVID unit is full, and we have the middle school – seventh The commission will two patients upstairs. We pray for our patients and return to the budget during and eighth graders – and at the strength and stamina of our staff,” she said. For ➟ Please see page 3 information on COVID testing, please see A-6. ➟ Please see page 3 To pursue stage, federal funds Hampton suggests city hire grant writer City Councilwoman grants awarded to cities and awards for paving, flooding/$750,000, and the City of occupied households in apply through the county’s Shirlie Hampton is counties around the state stormwater drainage, parks, Perry got nothing.” Madison County. offices. suggesting the City of announced by Governor recreation and playground Hampton was referring Taylor County received “I am just wondering Perry consider employing Ron DeSantis during equipment. to the City of Madison $750,000 to rehabilitate, why we did not put in for the services of a grant a recent visit to Taylor “Yesterday after doing receiving a $700,000 demolish and/or replacesomething? Do we have writer, stating she feels County. some research at home, Community Development a minimum of 11 low- a grant writer? I just want the city is missing out on While the majority of I just feel we missed an Block Grant (CDBG) to and moderate-income to know why, that is all, opportunities to receive the grants were designated opportunity when I looked replace sewer lines and substandard households, and I know we are going state and federal grants. to improve infrastructure, at all of the other cities water lines serving more remove unhealthy and to do better in the future,” “I just want to make sure low income housing and and counties getting grants than 50 low- and moderate- hazardous conditions Hampton said. we are taking advantage job creation in small and and they got them for all income households, as and provide temporary City Manager Taylor of everything we can,” rural Florida communities different kinds of reasons,” well as Madison County relocation assistance. Brown stated that after Hampton said at the city’s through several different Hampton said. “The City being granted $750,000 The grant funds are open researching the issue, he July 13 meeting, pointing grant programs, Hampton of Madison got $700,000, to rehabilitate 11 low- and to residents within the ➟ Please see page 2 to more than $60 million in pointed to other grant Madison County got moderate-income, owner- city and county, who can County moving ahead with grant for softball field During a public hearing held this week, the Taylor County Commission solidified its commitment to seek a $200,000 state grant to help fund the construction of a third softball field at the Taylor County Sports Complex. The hearing, which was held during the commission’s Monday, Aug. 2, meeting, was the first of two required hearings. The second is set for the commission’s next regular meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 17, at 9 a.m. During Monday’s hearing, County Grants Writer Melody Cox asked commissioners if they still wanted to No serious injuries Local authorities rushed to the scene of a single-vehicle crash on Roberts Aman Road Wednesday move forward with the application for the softball field, at approximately 3:30 p.m. after the driver of an F-150 reportedly lost control of the truck, which and all five responded that they did. Cox said she had worked up a proposed budget for struck a tree before coming to a halt in a ditch. Taylor County Fire Rescue firefighters, as well as the project, including “low cost” extras that will help the Taylor County Road Department, worked to remove a small tree that was left dangling from the branches of roadside foliage, while Florida Highway Patrol took a statement from the driver. No ➟ Please see page 6 one was injured in the accident. The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office assisted in securing the scene. Index One section 132nd Year, No. 33 Weather Religion .................. A-4 Looking Back ........ A-8 Friday 84˚ Saturday 86˚ Sunday 89˚ Sports .................... A-5 Entertainment ....... A-9 74˚ 73˚ 73˚ Community ........... A-7 Classifieds .......... A-10 80% 60% 40% A-2 Perry News-Herald August 6-7, 2021 Only 15 players will suit up for Bulldogs’ first game BULLDOGS practice. The rest quit,” Metcalf said. was not safe for us to place those suspensions lasting staff have worked hard this Metcalf said. “It is more about safety our 9th and 10th graders in a for multiple weeks, we felt summer to prepare our team Continued from page 1 “We had four than anything else,” Metcalf position to have to compete compelled to change our for the upcoming season, defections and a large underclassmen that either said Thursday, pointing out week in and week out with classification for the safetydespite the distractions that number of early-season transferred out to other that the Bulldogs will have the best teams in North of our players,” McCoy have been placed in front of suspensions stemming schools or decided not to just 15 players suited up for Florida, which is what I had agreed. “This decision them. We look forward to the from a brawl with Madison play this year. Due to the the first game – with 12 of originally scheduled. was not an easy one, but a start of the season and the County in the spring suspensions handed down those 15 getting their first “We agreed that the best necessary one if we want to rebuilding of our program,” jamboree game. from the FHSAA following varsity start as 9th or 10th thing we could do for our build a successful program.” McCoy added. “After the first two days the altercation with Madison graders. players and our program “I would rather start over According to Metcalf, the of practice, I reviewed the County in the spring game, “When we get everyone was to go independent this and do it the right way,” 2021 schedule will include number of players we had we will have two seniors, back from suspension for year, schedule opponents Metcalf said. “We have a mixture of six varsity and who were physically at one junior, three sophomores game six, we will have we could compete against, a core group of players three junior varsity games, as practice.