Firefighters Hold 9/11 Remembrance

CENTRAL GEORGIA HEATING COOLING Please share your thoughts and memories with us at thomastontimes.comlagrangenews.com COMMERCIAL • RESIDENTIAL thomastontimes.comThank you THOMASTON, GA. 448878448871 706-646-2665GA. REG. CN208493 AL REG No. 05056 446663 Your Hometown Newspaper for 143 Years! www.thomastontimes.com 143RD YEAR NO. 69 TUESDAY,SEPTEMBER 13, 2011 2 SECTIONS , 14 PAGES, 50 CENTS Firefighters hold 9/11 remembrance By Ashley Biles Associate Editor The crowd may have been on the smaller side, but the ceremony was reverent Sunday morning at the Greatest Generation Park as local citizens, offi- cials, law enforcement, emergency service personnel and firefighters stood together to remember those who lost their lives 10 years ago in the Sep- tember 11, 2001 attacks. During the half hour long observance, a timeline of the tragic day’s events was read and a salute was given to those who risk t heir lives every day to pro- tect ours. “Close to 3,000 lost their lives that day for a cause that most of us will probably never understand,” said Firefighter Yancey Bell. “This is a job that you can’t do for the money. You’ve got to have heart and soul to do this job. It takes a very special person and I salute all my brother and sister firefighters, law enforcement and EMS personnel.” City of Thomaston Fire Chief Eddie Lifsey closed out the program by reading the Fireman’s Prayer, but first he offered his thoughts on what we can do to make sure that those who did not make it are never forgotten. “Our memories are precious to us. Our memories allow us to do our job. They allow us to do everything on a day to day basis. We can remember the good times and we can remember the bad. In the past 10 years we have all lost loved ones, part- With the American flag as a backdrop and a firefighter’s turnout gear as a solemn reminder of the lives ners in our workplace and dear friends. They can lost on September 11, 2001, Thomaston Fire Chief Eddie Lifsey talks of always remembering those who never be replaced, but they can always be remem- have been lost. Photo by Ashley Biles bered.” BOC approves applying Business Expo a success! for water line grant/loan Ashley Biles causing a lot of problems water department stood Associate Editor with unaccounted for financially, and Commis- Commission Chairman water. We can also repair sioner Hudson stated they Maurice Raines broke a leaks,” said Lott. were in the black by tie vote in favor of approv- He continued that cut- about $400,000. ing a contract with Rindt- ting down on the leaks Spraggins told the McDuff for the Drinking will help with operational board his main issues was Water-State Revolving costs for the water depart- that he didn’t want the Loan Fund (DW-SRF) at a ment and that the project customers to see an called BOC meeting last should help to increase increase on their water week. revenue and would basi- rates due to this. Commissioners Steve cally pay for itself. He The meeting came to a Hudson and Sandra Trice noted that in dealing with standstill to see if one of voted to approve moving the EPD, this project will the commissioners would forward with the applica- show up as a positive ben- make a motion to commit tion for the grant/loan that efit for what the county is to the project or not. Hud- would be used to replace doing for the future. son noted that in his opin- the antiquated water lines Water Superintendent ion, 80 percent of the in the Northside system, Danny Johnson told the project was in Commis- while Commissioners board that he knew how sioner Blackston’s district, Frank Spraggins and much water is produced however Blackston stated Rusty Blackston voted a month and how much is that at this time he did not against the motion. sold, which is a big differ- feel comfortable moving The county is applying ence. According to his cal- forward with a motion for a $1.8 million DW- culations, the county is and he would not make SRF of which 30 percent losing roughly $160,000 a one. He felt there needed The Thomaston-Upson Chamber of Commerce’s 2011 Business Expo last or $500,000 would be a year due to leaks and old to be more public input Thursday afternoon proved to be a huge success, with more than 45 busi- forgivable grant. The un-calibrated meters. before the board made a nesses participating and hundreds of local residents turning out to see remaining $1.3 million Commissioner Sprag- decision. would be a 2 percent loan gins asked how the north- County manager Kyle what was offered. In the photo above, Mia Mackey (left) of MackeyMouse paid back over the next side area was chosen over Hood stated that there Travel talks to a potential customer. For more photos of the Business Expo, 20 years. another area of the coun- were still public hearings see Page 8A. Photo by Ashley Biles Mike Lott, an engineer ty, to which Johnson stat- to be had in dealing with with Rindt-McDuff, spoke ed that it has more leaks the project later on, but to the board during the and service calls that any for the time, the board meeting to explain the other portion of Upson needed to decide if this ‘Suspicious package’ turns benefits of this project. County. It is also critical was something they “This will allow the for the old lines to be wanted to continue with. county to replace the old replaced not only for bet- Commissioner Hudson out to be motorcycle bag meters that are not read- ter flow of water, but also made a motion to move ing properly and get rid of to improve the quality of forward, which was sec- Sheila A. Marshall es to the tank by interior magnets. the bad lines that are drinking water. onded by Commissioner Reporter “It was a simple mistake,” Peacock Commissioner Black- Trice. The motion passed said. “A man – I believe he works at ston asked where the with a 3-2 vote. Personnel from the Upson County Quad – got gas this morning and forgot Inside Sheriff’s Office, the Georgia Bureau of his bag. We took precautionary meas- Investigation and the Upson County ures because we didn’t know. It’s so Today Solo Cup celebrates Fire Department on Wednesday close to 9/11 that we can’t take any responded to a report of a suspicious chances.” package at the Flash Foods located at Peacock said the motorcyclist left Page 2A.......Day by Day 75th anniversary the intersection of Highway 19 and Jeff Flash Foods, rode home and went to Page 4A............Editorial Davis Road. bed. It was upon awakening that he Page 5A.........Obituaries Ashley Biles anniversary, the The call was initially reported to 911 heard reports of the suspicious package Associate Editor Page1-2B.............Sports Thomaston Solo Cup as a backpack taped to a gas pump. The located at the station and realized it was facility will be hosting a initial responding deputies felt it was of his tank bag. He then contacted author- Pages 3-4B...Classifieds Anyone who has ever barbeque for employees sufficiently suspicious origin to call in ities and reported what happened. attended a cookout, on Tuesday, September the GBI to assist in its investigation. “The man isn’t going to be charged Printed on party or church picnic in 13 and Thursday, Sep- “I had a good response from every- with anything. It was just a simple mis- 100% the last 40 years has tember 15, where in one,” Sheriff Don Peacock said, adding take. In fact he was at the station early recycled paper probably used the red addition to lunch they that the GBI investigated the bag, this morning. The bag was there for plastic cups that always will be recognizing local deputies blocked off and re-routed traf- about four and a half hours before a seem to accompany any employee Rodney fic in an approximate one-mile radius, customer noticed it and reported it to a festive occasion. This Ellington as the grand and personnel from the Northside Fire store employee, who called 911,” Pea- year the Solo Cup Com- prize winner in ‘The Department were on hand in the event cock said. “He was brave enough to pany, the maker of the Solo All-American BBQ on an explosion. claim it. He will have to buy a new bag, iconic drink-ware, is cel- Recipe Contest’ that was According to Peacock the GBI utilized though. The robot destroyed the zipper ebrating its’ 75th held between more than a robot to evaluate the bag and deter- on the one he forgot at the station.” anniversary of bringing 6,000 North American mine it was not a bomb and did not pose All roads surrounding the incident single-use foodservice Solo employees. any other risk to the public. Instead, it scene were reopened, as were area busi- products to Americans. was found be a tank bag – a type of lug- nesses, after approximately an hour and In honor of the SEE SOLO, PAGE 5A gage used by motorcyclists – that affix- a half. Page 2A THE THOMASTON TIMES – Tuesday, September 13, 2011 Day by Day This Week’s Local Forecast • Meetings • Fundraisers • Classes • Programs • Announcements The Happenings Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday You Want To Know About Sunny Sunny Isolated T-storms Isolated T-storms Partly Cloudy Sunny Mostly Sunny To list an event, fax it to 706-647-2833 89/60 90/66 88/61 78/56 80/55 80/59 83/61 Precip Chance: 0% Precip Chance: 0% Precip Chance: 30% Precip Chance: 30% Precip Chance: 20% Precip Chance: 0% Precip Chance: 5% Upcoming Weather Trivia Weather History Moon Phases Sept.

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