Inside today’s edition Saturday, March 28, 2015 $1 YOURThe NEWSPAPER [email protected] Courier • www.courier-herald.com Drawer B, Court Square Station, Dublin, Georgia 31040 Herald • 272-5522 Volume 101, No. 74, Pub. No 161860 Youth Rally shows teens importance of fun with education By PAYTON TOWNS III Youth from seven different high schools were dancing and having fun while learning about what was waiting for them after they graduate from high school. Communities in Schools of Laurens County, along with the CSB of Middle Georgia, Suicide Prevention Coalition Dublin-Laurens and Sources of Strength were partners for the annual Living Loud conference held in the DuBose Porter Center at Oconee Fall Line Technical Center Thursday. Denise Forbes, CEO of the Community Mental Health Center of Middle Georgia, said they had a record number 411 students from Dublin High School, East Laurens High School, West Laurens High School, Moore Street School, Johnson County High School, Twig- gs County UNVEILING High School and Mont- gomery Coun- THE HORRORS ty High School. "That's the most we have ever had here," Forbes said. OF: Jackie Pittman Curtis, executive director of Com- munities in Schools, said they have been doing this event for eight years. Users share theirMETH stories tied to this terrible substance When it comes to getting the students energized, there is no one better than Keith L. Brown, Curtis said. Brown, with the use of music and chants, gets the students excited about education. Editors Note: The names of the men "We plan this (event) around his schedule," she in this story have been changed. said. "He can keep 400 children energized from 9 a.m. Sheriff: Meth has progressed to 2 p.m. He's been with us since the beginning." By PAYTON TOWNS III Brown has a big heart for this area. "This is where it started over 20 years ago," he in Laurens County said. "It's always a pleasure to come back and work ob looked with Communities in Schools and other agencies that impact the lives of young people and families. across the By PAYTON TOWNS III This is a highlight." A recovering Methamphetamine user called it something from the devil He hopes those he talked to eight years ago are in while another former user called it a disease. college or are out making a difference in the commu- table near A man in jail said meth is a big problem all across the world, and especially, nity. here in Laurens County. "Hopefully they are leaders and are doing a great B the side of Sheriff Bill Harrell knows all about that. job now," Brown said. "It has progressed," Harrell said. "The drug of choice at one time was cocaine He said it's important to have fun with the stu- the room. Every and then it went to prescription pills. We had always heard about meth and dents and watch them get excited. what it does to the body." "It's a blessing," Brown said. "This is a release for once in a while he Harrell never wanted to see meth in Laurens County. me. When you can live and love your purpose, it does- "We knew it was going to be bad," he said. "We have been dreading this for n't feel like work." reached up to years. I know within the last 16 months, we've seen a big peak in it. We try to Curtis said they had speakers tell the students make arrests. You just can't believe stuff like this is going on in our communi- about financial aid and their first year of college ex- scratch his face. ty. … It's a travesty. I just don't know why people would do this." perience. Methamphetamine, commonly known as "meth" or "crystal meth" is a high- "Two former students came back and told them He admitted to not knowing what he ly addictive man-made stimulant drug that is extraordinarily dangerous. It is about their freshmen years and what they can ex- was going to say. As the rain hit heavily pect," Curtis said. against the top of the building, Bob, who See SHERIFF page 3a Just before lunch, a former student gave a testi- was wearing an orange jump suit, began mony about something that had happened to her. to talk about how he ended up in jail. "Sometimes things happen that we can learn from According to Bob, there is a big meth later," the young woman said. "We are all human and problem in Dublin and Laurens County. institution or the grave. In seven years, mistakes happen." "There are a lot of folks in Dublin and Adrian he was arrested 15 times for meth. A few years ago, the woman went to the Laurens all over the world who need help from "That drug will make you do things," County Jail for drinking and driving. She recalled not it," Bob said. Adrian is 27-year-old and has been us- Adrian said. "It will ruin your life...I've wanting to look at her mother when they got to the At the age of 15, he started using ing meth for 12 years since age 15. got a kid. She doesn't have a daddy be- scene just before she was taken to jail. meth. What he doesn't know is this is "I started using meth because I was cause of meth." "Jail is never a place you want to be," the woman the exact age when former addict Adri- trying different experiences," Adrian said. Missing his family is why Adrian de- said. "I had to stand before a judge. … I stepped up an started using the same drug. Adrian, "Nothing good comes out of it. One day it cided to seek help. and took responsibility for my actions." unlike Bob, isn't in jail. He's been ar- will control your life...This has destroyed "I had been away from my family so long," he said. "I came to realize that a life rested but is on the path to recovery. people - families." of drugs is not what I wanted. I'm choos- See FUN page 5a Taking that same path is Patrick. It took Adrian eight years to realize what meth was doing to him. ing a different life. (Meth) took me away Unlike these other men, he started us- from my family and my God." ing meth when he was 29. "I thought I had control over it," he Bob, Adrian and Patrick tell different said. "At first, I was what they would call stories about how they got started. a control user. Then it was never an op- Some have different experiences. What tion. Drugs would come before my chil- Patrick dren. The drugs came first. It came before they all share are stories about the pain Patrick is 33-years-old and had been and hurt they put their families through anything else. It's a disease that you have. When you get into it, you would go on meth for four years. as they used this horrible drug. He turned to meth after originally All of them have come to realize this: to any means necessary to get it." Adrian said there's only three places meth will ruin a person's life. where people on meth will end up: jail, an See METH page 3a Local Garden Club donates Accent Containers to museum Members of the Emerald Pecan Grove Garden Club presented two Ac- cent container gardens to the Dublin- Laurens Museum Heritage and Cultur- al Center, located at 702 Bellevue Ave., Photo by Payton Towns III at noon Friday. From left: Pam Wheel- Kids laugh during the rally. (Above): er, Cheryl Banks, Diana Barkley, Tyler Brown talks with a student. Cooper, Susie O'Neal (Garden Club President) and Scott Thompson (Director of the Dublin-Laurens Index Museum, Heritage and Cultural Obituaries . 2a Center). "We look forward to 85 Years Ago. 4a Weather. 5a working with not only your or- Hometown. 6a ganization but others," Thomp- Sports. 1b,2b son said. O'Neal added that this Fun Page . 1c-3c is the first project in 2015 for the Classifieds . 4c-8c club. (Photo by Payton Towns III) Saturday, March 28, 2015/Dublin, Ga/Page 2a The Courier Herald www.stanleyfuneralhome.com by her husband, Daniel “Joey” sister, Etta Mae (James) Deaths or call the 24 Hour Stanley Joe Amerson of Rentz, her fa- Dixon, of Dublin; brother, Car- Funeral Home and Crematory ther, Jimmy (Jo) Russell of ris (Aline) White, of Glenwood; Obituary Line at (478)272- East Dublin, her mother, Bob- several nieces and nephews. Carole Lynn 0106 to hear the latest funeral bie Kay Register Bracewell of Leon Brooks, James Lamb, Devers updates. Rentz, 2 daughters, Kayleigh Chad Bright, Anthony White, The Courier Herald Carole Lynn Devers died Rachel Amerson of Rentz, and Gene White, Jr. and Stevie GRIFFIN LOVETT, Publisher Wednesday, March 25, 2015. Bailey Regan Amerson of White will serve as pallbear- DUBOSE PORTER, Executive Editor Stanley Funeral Home and Rentz, a sister, Kathy Marie ers. Crematory/Dublin Chapel has JASON HALCOMBE, Managing Editor Bracewell Misner of Cadwell, Please visit PAM BURNEY, Advertising Director charge of the arrangements. If ——— a step sister, Dee Anna Hast- www.townsendfuneralhome.co CHERYL GAY, Circulation Manager you would like to sign the on- Phyllis Rose ings of Lake Charles, m to sign the online memorial line register book please visit Blizzard Louisiana, a step brother, register. http://www.stanleyfuneralhom Mrs. Phyllis Rose Blizzard, Dean (Lynn) Hastings of East ——— Published by Courier Herald Publishing Company 115 S.