2015 Community
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Agriculture
Agriculture: The backbone of Bulloch
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
2 – Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com
Living the farm life Jimmy Skrine, 73, has spent his life on the farm By HOLLI DEAL SAXON hbragg@statesboroherald.com
For some, farming isn’t just a way of life, it’s the only way of life. Over the decades, the traditions of tilling the land and managing livestock is handed down to generation after generation, and Portal’s Skrine family is a prime example of how the land, the responsibilities, and the love of farming mingle together to form a lucrative and enjoyable lifestyle. When the StatesboroBulloch Chamber of Commerce Agribusiness Committee selects the annual Farmer of the Year, committee members look for individuals whose family takes part in the daily operations of the family farm. In many cases, families chosen have long histories rich in agriculture. As one travels along the back roads of Portal, evidence of Jimmy Skrine’s love of the life are apparent. Sleek cattle graze contentedly in well-kept pastures. Dust
hiss family for decades, and the 73-year-old takes an active role in operating the farm that has been his life for over 60 years. “I have farmed since I was big enough to get on a tractor,” Skrine said recently at the Statesboro-Bulloch County Chamber of Commerce annual Farm City Luncheon at the Bulloch County Center for Agriculture, where he was surprised to learn the Chamber’s Agribusiness Committee chose him as the 2014 Farmer of the Year. “I’d hate to go ahead and make a change and do something else.” The honor reflects Skrine’s dedication to the farm life. He, his son Scott Skrine and grandson J.T. Skrine operate about 1,700 acres near Portal, where they tend land they lease and own. Skrine Farms raises hay, cotton, soybeans, peanuts, wheat and beef cattle. Skrine was just a 10thgrade student when he dropped out of school to work on the family farm,
SCOTT BRYANT/staff
Jimmy Skrine, 73, has been a Bulloch County farmer for over 60 years and was recently named Farmer of the Year by the Statesboro-Bulloch Chamber of Commerce Agribusiness Committee. land in other areas around Portal. His father was a sharecropper when he suffered a stroke, and Skrine jumped
SCOTT BRYANT/staff
Members of the Skrine family gather in one of their fields. The Skrines have built their lives around farming and agriculture.
rises in clouds as tractors till the fields, Grandchildren hunt, fish and ride horses on property that has been in
located just a short distance from the Portal city limits on Portal-Metter Highway. The Skrines also lease crop
in to take over for the family. He dropped out of school “and I just never went back,” he said.
A few years later, at age 19, “I went out on my own,” he said, continuing a life he had grown to love. “I’ve been blessed ever since.” His first wife, Linda, passed away in 1996. He was alone until 2006, when he got up the nerve to speak to a lady he had seen “walking around town.” Skrine laughed as he recalled how he finagled a way to meet the woman. “I noticed she didn’t have a ring on her finger,” he said, so he started asking questions and learned she was not attached. “I stopped by one day when she was in her yard an asked if she could help me,” he said with a chuckle. He pretended to have something in his eye, and the conversation led to his asking her out for dinner.
Eight years later, Gwen Skrine, a lifelong city girl, finds herself a happy farmer’s wife. “She loves it,” and spends time planting flower beds and enjoys helping with the cattle, he said. The spry senior citizen maintains two herds of cows, as does his son Scott. “We all work together,” he said. It’s not just a job to him. Farming brings a great deal of happiness to the man who loves the land as if it were a living creature. “I enjoy the outdoors,” he said, describing mornings when he puts on his shoes on the back porch, quietly watching the sun rise and observing the mockingbirds and quail that frequent the farm. “I just love being outside. I love the land, I love to see things
grow. It makes me feel relaxed and that I am accomplishing something.” Skrine and his family are well-established members of the Portal community. They are active in community events and, like many rural families in the South, know just about every neighbor in the area. “They’re good people,” said Portal business owner Larry Lanier. “Jimmy has always been a good farmer,” he said. “I have known him more than 60 years. He tends to his own business, expects you to tend to yours, and is a good neighbor. He will help you in any way he can.” The Skrines joined a long line of Bulloch County farm families honored over the years for their service and dedication to the farm life.
SCOTT BRYANT/staff
J.T. Skrine, 21, left, climbs a cotton picker to assist dad Scott while they and Calvin Hendrix, bottom, perform daily maintenance. Hendrix is the sole employee of the family-run farm.
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
statesboroherald.com | Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 – 3
Mainstreet Farmer’s Market growing strong Locals find fresh, home-grown produce and goods in downtown Statesboro By HOLLI DEAL SAXON hbragg@statesboroherald.com
With Bulloch County being an agricultural community, it is not uncommon to see vegetable gardens tucked away in the corner of many homesteads. However, not everyone is able to grow their own vegetables, and having a community farmer’s market where a variety of farm-fresh products are available is a major perk to living in the Statesboro area. For the past eight years, the downtown Mainstreet Statesboro Farmer’s Market has grown each year to offer a larger variety of locallygrown products, said Director Debra Chester. “Because of our rich history in the rural tradition of self-sufficiency and innovation, we have made good livelihoods on our ability to work our soil, feed our families and sell our bounty to people all of the country and the world,” she said. “Having an eight-year-old farmers market puts Statesboro at the leading edge of the farm to table movement. Major cities are just now catching up to where we've been” The Mainstreet Statesboro Farmer’s Market enables all citizens to have easy access to fresh fruits and vegetables, local honey, dairy products, meats and more. “Being a farming community, we understood the idea early.” Chester said. “We have always know the importance of healthy food grown in a safe way by people we trust”
A growing trend Such farmer’s markets are popular statewide and have seen significant growth, expanding from just nine markets in 2009 to over 150 in 2015, she said. “Markets are growing as a response to food safety and access to local products,” she said. “Many people remember eating the best foods at grandma’s right from her garden, want that experience again and can find it at the farmers market.” Buying produce at a local farmer’s market isn’t simply about taking care of the environment by supporting sustainable agriculture practices, but it is also about social, health and economic concerns, she said. Citizens can take advantage of the Mainstreet Statesboro Farmers’ Market on Saturdays from April through November at the on-site market downtown
adjacent to Sea Island Bank. Also, every Thursday all year long, shoppers can order online. “The market now offers shoppers alternative venues including the only on line, farmers market shopping in our region through our 4 year old Market 2 Go (statesboromarket2go.locallygrown. net) which is offered year round.” “The Main Street Farmers Market is connecting shoppers to the land, the farmers, the food and the community,” Chester said. ”The connection is helping to develop a local food economy.” Entrepreneurs such as Hunter Cattle, Freeman's Mill, Southern Swiss Dairy, B and G Honey, 7 Willows and Corks Kettle Corn and MAMA E Candies are some of many “highly successful agri-businesses that have been incubated at the Mainstreet Farmers Market. “Many of these food producers now sell not only locally but throughout the state and country.”
Helping downtown business Local restaurants promote connection with the Market and local food producers with great pride. We all benefit when we ask our local chefs to use these products,” she said. The Market has helped to attract new business to downtown because of the activity at the market. Bakeries, antique stores, consignment shops and other businesses report that they all have made downtown home and have cited the Market as being one reason to do so, Chester said. “Local realtors also note that more people are drawn to in town living when they have access to fresh and locally grown foods found in markets like
ours.” The Market outreach has also encouraged institutions such as Georgia Southern University, local industries and school and health care programs to consider partnerships with the Market and local food producers. “We are very optimistic as this is happening,” she said. “Farm to school programs are being established all over the country and our region is taking note by beginning to promote local foods in school cafeterias.” She said GSU, East Georgia College and Ogeechee Technical College, as well as public and private school, now offer resources including weekly exhibits on good nutrition, health care and agriculture in the region. “The market relies on the many student volunteers who help to run it each week,” she said. The Market connects the community with the region by being a “crossroads for farmers, food entrepreneurs, families, chefs, local officials and many others who come from over eight counties each week to shop and visit,” she said. “We are now averaging 1,400 shoppers, 40 vendors and an average of $8,000 in sales each week. The Market is making a difference in not only opportunities for farmers and food producers but in strengthening our community and our local economy.”
Chester said There are other reasons why the market is successful — quality. “The food at the market is known for its freshness, flavor and for the farmer who grows it. Relationships develop and there is a lot learned about where food comes from and about farming practices.” It’s not just food products that can be found at the Market. It offers “great fellowship, entertainment, educational exhibits such as the Friends of the Library, Humane Society, Regional Art Association, Averitt Arts Center,” and more, she said. Other attractions include information from wellness professionals including GSU and OTC nursing and nutrition students, cooking demonstrations by local chefs using seasonal foods, and demonstrations teaching “another generation the joy and benefits of saving the season by preserving foods,” Chester said. The demonstrations are made possible by a grant received from the Ball Canning Company. “The Market is one of 30 in the country to be awarded his grant for the fourth year.” The Mainstreet Statesboro Farmer’s Market was also chosen for the My
Market Club, a grant sponsored by Georgia Organics to introduce and educate new shoppers to the market. The market is still growing. Future goals include increasing EBT (food stamp) usage at the market. Currently the market is at a 21% for EBT enrollment so “we need to introduce more of these families to our market especially since we are an in-town market and are near to many neighbors who could benefit from nearness of the market,” Chester said “The Market was chosen for the third year to participate in the Georgia Wholesome Wave program to offer incentives to encourage EBT clients to shop for fresh and local foods where they receive $2 of food for $1 of their EBT monies. The Market is also targeting young families and encouraging cooking at home with programs such as the canning, chef demos, recipe giveaway and samples; children's cooking activities, GSU nutrition exhibits and themes. These incentives are “educational and enticing,” as is the annual “Market Around the World” to be held in July. Chester hopes to see the
Mainstreet Farmer’s Market continue to increase participation with health care, school system and GSU to provide fresh local foods in cafeterias. She also hopes to see continued effort to encourage local restaurants to purchase food produced locally and seasonally. Dreams for the Market include a facility to house the market that includes “a roof, bathroom and kitchen facility for demos and opportunities for vendor and consumers to shop several times a week,” she said. A cannery, “preferably as a partnership with the school system as part of the vocational program but available for community use” would be a great asset as well, she said. Twin City has such a program, Chester said she appreciates the community’s enthusiasm and support. “This is a great market and can only survive with your support and participation. We are a community of over 70,000 and a region of over 250,000 so our market has great potential for growth and our farmers are counting on that.” Holli Deal Saxon may be reached at (912) 489-9414.
A boost for the economy A recent University of Georgia study suggested if the 3.7 million households in the state devoted just $10 per week to buying local produce, it would pump $1.9 billion into Georgia's economy. “We think the Mainstreet Farmers Market is helping toward this goal,”
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COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
4 – Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com
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What can you make with a bale of cotton?
A bale of cotton weighs about 480 lbs. A bale of cotton can make: 215 Jeans 249 Bed Sheets 409 Men’s Sports Shirts 690 Terry Bath Towels 765 Men’s Dress Shirts 1,217 Men’s T-Shirts 1,256 Pillowcases 2,194 Boxer Shorts 2,419 Men’s Briefs 3,085 Cloth Diapers 4,321 Mid-Calf Socks 6,436 Women’s Knit Briefs 21,960 Women’s Handkerchiefs 313,600 $100 Bills
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statesboroherald.com | Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 – 5
Warehous eM
anager, Roy
Stills
Bulloch County Cotton Acreage 1988 – 4,200 1989 – 3,300 1990 – 4,400 1991 – 8,400 1992 – 8,400 1993 – 11,700 1994 – 20,100 1995 – 44,200 1996 – 35,900 1997 – 45,000 1998 – 42,000 1999 – 45,000 2000 – 42,000 2001 – 47,700
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
– – – – – – – – – – – – –
46,000 34,000 34,500 43,300 47,800 21,300 25,200 24,600 51,700 64,100 42,900 49,600 48,717
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
6 – Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com
A rich history of agriculture From staff reports
Bulloch County has a rich agricultural history, and the industry is still going strong, as can be seen during a drive along any of the county’s roads. Whether a farm is a hundred years old and still in operation or is simply a testament to times past, the stately wood frame homes and picturesque barns and outbuildings lend a flavor of tradition and values to the area. Some of Bulloch County’s historical farmsteads include the Sol Akins farm on Old Register Road; the Bill Olliff farm on New Hope Road in Register, and the Banks Dairy Farm on Banks Dairy Road. The Banks Dairy Farm is one of the areas’ most notable landmarks, and at its heyday, included 900 acres of cultivated land combined with dairying operations. Some older residents will remember the City Dairy, founded by David Callaway Banks, who also founded the dairy farm. He and his wife purchased the land for the farm in 1932. The dairy operation provided most of its milk to the
City Dairy Company and produced other livestock, as well as row crops. Other local farms honored by the state’s Centennial Farms program include the Renfroe Family Farm; Alderman Family Farm; the J. Edward Akins Farms; E. W. Horace Bird Farm; the Edward & Maryam N. Anderson Farm; the Holland Old Place; the Nessmith-Deal Farm; the DonaldsonNessmith Farm; the Wilson and Gay Farm; the J. Leahmon Akins Farm; and the Garfield Hall Farm. According to Internet website www.visitstatesboroga.com, Bulloch has been an agricultural hub for over 200 years. Statesboro and Bulloch County are a “regional center for the farm-to-table movement, organic agriculture and agri-tourism,” according to the site. Bulloch County is the SCOTT BRYANT/staff top row crop county in the state of Georgia, Frankie Johnson installs electricity to a newly constructed farm store at the Old Freeman Family Farm. Local farms involved in Bulloch’s agri-tourism Meinhardt Vineyard on largest and fastest growing include Al Clarke and Sons Kennedy Pond Road pro- wineries, according to the Organic Farms near Portal, duces muscadine grapes website. offering pick-your-own and makes about 40,000 Hunter Cattle Company strawberries and other gallons of wine per year. in Brooklet specializes in organic products. They are one of the state’s grass-fed beef, pastured pork, free-range chickens, and eggs. The farm also hosts birthday parties, corporate events, and field trips. Freeman’s Mill, between Statesboro and Register, is the only operating grits mill in southeast Georgia. They grind grits and corn meal using 100+ year old granite mills using locally grown SCOTT BRYANT/staff corn. They also mill wheat and other grains. Jimmy Skrine, 73, and wife Gwen, whose family was named Gerrald’s Farm on Clito Statesboro-Bulloch Chamber of Commerce Farm Family of Road produces Vidalia the Year in 2014, check in on one of their cattle herds. onions and is one of the largest carrot producers in Many farms offer road- working cattle farm, a proNorth America. side produce for sale. One duce-oriented operation or Healthy Hollow Farms grow organic peanuts, pro- such farms is Lane Farms row crops and other liveduce and small grains. Ours on Lakeview Road, offering stock. It is these farms that cantaloupes, help Bulloch County precan include an organic pic- tomatoes, serve its rich agricultural melon and more. nic, an eco-tour of the Bulloch County has a history and reputation as an Ogeechee River Basin area or viewing of the farm’s fos- fascinating farm on every agriculture-based commucorner, whether it be a nity. sil finds
SCOTT BRYANT/staff
Portal High School graduate Josie Barnes helps herd Cookie Dough the pig for a rinse down before being shown by her sister April, 7, during the Portal Future Farmers of America Annual Livestock Show in September 2014.
SCOTT BRYANT/staff
A barn stands on the Anderson farm. The Andersons were named as Statesboro-Bulloch Chamber of Commerce Farm Family of the Year in 2013.
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statesboroherald.com | Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 – 7
Bulloch Gin: Where cotton is still king By HOLLI DEAL SAXON hbragg@statesboroherald.com
Cotton has long been a “king crop” around Bulloch County, and when a group of area farmers realized a need in 1988, Bulloch Gin was formed to serve the needs of local cotton growers. Since then, Bulloch Gin has grown along with cotton production and offers a local option to farmers raising the crop. Before that, there was no cotton gin in Bulloch County, said Andy Hart, gin manager. Today, the company serves cotton producers within a 70-mile radius, he said. Back in 1988, there were only 3,500 bales of cotton yield from acres planted in the area. Today, there are over 50,000 bales serviced
each year, said Bulloch Gin president Lee Cromley. The founders of the grower-owned gin put some thought into the project, he said. With a low number of cotton producers, should they wait until cotton production grew, or should they build a gin and thus encourage local farmers to plant more? The decision was to build the gin in hopes that farmers would come to use the service, and that’s exactly what happened, he said. “I’d like to think the growers (who founded the gin) took the chance and helped cotton come back,” he said. Bulloch Gin is unique in that it is grower-owned and operated. It wasn’t until 1995 that two more gins were built in the area, he said. Bulloch Gin offers services including
picking up cotton bales from the fields, transporting them to the gin to remove seeds from the cotton bolls, storing the ginned cotton in warehouses and then selling the farmers’ cotton. The gin doesn’t purchase the cotton from farmers; the cotton belongs to the farmers who grew it, and they pay the gin for services rendered, Hart
said. The cotton seed is removed and set aside for sales to companies such as livestock feed manufacturers — the seed is 22 percent protein and a valuable ingredient in feed and other products, he said. The cotton fiber is cleaned, dried and compacted into 500-pound bales.
Almost all the cotton seed collected by Bulloch Gin is exported to South Korea, Saudi Arabia and Japan, Cromley said. The fiber was once sold mainly to United States textile industries, but today, about 80 percent of cotton produced in the Bulloch area is exported to other countries, Hart said. “We kind of lost the U.S. textile industries due to EPA (constrictions) and labor issues.” Both Cromley and Hart are proud of Bulloch Gin’s successful impact on the local cotton market. “We’re as technologically advanced as any gin around,” Hart said. Several million dollars in upgrades and improvements have been made since 2008 to keep up with the times and offer farmers the best services available, he said.
Hart credits much of the gin’s success to dependable, skilled employees. Three key employees who help operate the company are ginners George Vallin and Roberto Baldelamar, and warehouse manager Roy Stills, he said. Georgia is the second largest producer of cotton in the country, and Bulloch County ranks 6th in the state’s production. Hart said the cotton industry has a $1.2 billion impact on the state’s economy, second only to the production of poultry broilers. “Cotton is still king,” he said. • According to the 2013 Bulloch County Farm Gate values, farmers planted 2,993 acres of cotton in 2013 and saw a yield valued at $38,065,931. Holli Deal Saxon may be reached at (912) 489-9414.
Local farming brought to the table SCOTT BRYANT/staff
Left, Georgia Southern University's Executive Chef Kevin Chase, right, puts the finishing touches on a goat cheese panna cotta with fresh Georgia peaches and arugula as he and his staff prepare a meal from fresh local produce and food products for the Fifth Annual Farm to Table Dinner to benefit the Zach S. Henderson library at the Nessmith-Lane Conference Center in June. Eighty-six guests participated in the event sponsored by the Friends of Zach S. Henderson Library and Statesboro Mainstreet Farmers Market. The five-course meal featured local beef and pork from Hunter Cattle Company, produce from Walker Farms and fresh milled corn and flour from Freeman's Mill among others. Chef Case was excited to work with the products, using preparation and cooking technique that emphasized the freshness and flavor. Right, guests at the event are served the first of five courses — a smoked shrimp cantaloupe soup with yogurt, Balsamic and mint.
Brooklet farmer honored for conservation efforts By DeWAYNE GRICE dgrice@statesboroherald.com
A Brooklet farmer has been named Bulloch C o u n t y ’s 2014 Conservationist of the Year by the bankers and supervisors of the Ogeechee River Soil and Water Conservation District. Greg Sikes was honored during the 64th Annual Conservationist of the Year banquet earlier this month at Beaver Creek Plantation in Twin City. Sikes began his farming career at age 13. Wellknown Bulloch County farmers, such as Chuck Lee, Jackie Brannen and Phil Denmark, gave Sikes his start in row crop farming. During his career, he has worked for Blanchard Equipment as a salesman and, most recently, manager at JB Anderson and while building his own business. Sikes now owns and operates Greg Sikes LLC. This entity farms more than 6,100 acres between his row crop and share crop operations. He also has a substantial custom hire business for area farmers. Greg Sikes LLC operates a trucking company with module trucks for cotton and semis that haul fertilizer, chemicals and commodities for himself and other farmers. Along with his farming operation, he is the president and partner of Hagin and Olliff Oil Company. Sikes is the son of Penny T. Sikes and the late Joel Sikes of Brooklet. Early on, Greg Sikes’ parents instilled in him the value of protecting and caring for the land that he works and lives on. They encouraged his love for farming. He is married to Jennifer Sikes, and they have two children, Maddie, 11 and Landon, 10. Dedicated to the lifestyle of farming, Greg Sikes is constantly trying to better the industry. He is active on the Bulloch County FSA Committee and is the chairman of the board of Venture Cotton Cooperative and a shareholder in Bulloch Gin. Sikes is always there to offer
his services to improve research, including providing test plots for Deltapine and several test plots each year for the University of Georgia Extension service. Running an operation at this level takes a great deal of dedication, precision, efficiency and care for the land. Sikes has proven himself to be one of the best operators in the industry, as demonstrated by the conservationist award. Georgia’s 40 soil and water conservation districts are led by 370 elected and appointed district supervisors. Along with Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission state staff, these local community leaders work in voluntary cooperation with private landowners to encourage the conservation of the state’s natural resources, which are the basis of economic growth and prosperity. Aided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, this effort ensures productive lands and healthy ecosystems. In addition to Sikes representing Bulloch County, Conservation of the Year awards were also given to: Jimmy Sands (Evans County), Ralph Graham
SPECIAL
Pictured from left, are Fred Blitch Jr., chairman, Greg Sikes and Charles Finch, district supervisor.
Land Clearing (Effingham County), Harry Sheppard of W.W. Evans Farm (Screven County), William J. Holton (Tattnall County) and Matt McGowan (Candler County).
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COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
8 – Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com
Bulloch County Farm Gate Values 2013 Ornamental Horticulture
• Container nursery —36 acres valued at $1,242,000. • Field nursery — 32 acres valued at $248,000 • Turf grass — 1,400 acres valued at $5,488,000 • Greenhouses — 230,000 square feet valued at $2,875,000 TOTAL VALUE — $9,853,000
Fruit and nuts • Strawberries —2 acres, yield valued at $4,350 • Blackberries — one acre, yield valued at $10,540 • Grapes — 18 acres, yield valued at $94,392 • Grapes — 28.45 acres, yield valued at $71,820 • Peaches — 20 acres, yield valued at $64,000 • Pecans - yield valued at $2,889,266 TOTAL VALUE $3,268,908
Forestry-related products
• Timber — acreage unavailable; yield valued at $8,294,380 • Christmas trees — 8 acres, yield valued at
$6,000 • Pine straw — 25,450 acres, yield valued at $2,163,25 TOTAL VALUE — $10,513,630
Agritourism • School tours — valued at $49,925 • Equestrian trail rides — valued at $25,000 • Fishing — valued at $190,000 • Camping — valued at $688,800 • Hay rides — valued at $30,800 • Guide services — valued at $383,500 • Special events — valued at $6,250 • Special attractions — valued at $4,225 TOTAL VALUE — $1,377,500
Poultry & eggs • Broiler/integrator — yield valued at $16,102,195 • Broiler/grower — yield valued at $16,102,195 TOTAL VALUE — $32,204,390
Livestock and aquaculture • Horses/boarding, training, breeding —
yield valued at $5,775,000 • Horses raised — yield valued at $80,000 • Honeybees/honey production — yield valued at $103,230 • Honeybee /colony rental — yield valued at $25,840 • Honeybee/other — yield valued at $128,000 • Goats — yield valued at $245,000 • Sheep — yield valued at $5,625 • Quail — yield valued at $273,750 • Catfish — yield valued at $10,500 • Beef cattle/finished out of county — yield valued at $181,250 • Beef stockers — yield valued at $162,000 • Beef cows — yield valued at $6,967,100 TOTAL VALUE — $14,747,295
Row & forage crops • Barley — 14 acres, yield valued at $3,276 • Corn — 4,091 acres, yield valued at $3,844,517 • Oats — 176 acres, yield valued at $33,179 • Rye — 1,938 acres, yield valued at $1,225,785 • Sorghum — 83 acres, yield valued at
$26,020 • Soybeans — 8,242 acres, yield valued at $4,430,075 • Wheat — 6,254 acres, yield valued at $2,223,922 • Cotton — 2,993 acres, yield valued at $38,065,931 • Peanuts — 14,393 acres, yield valued at $11,420,845 • Tobacco — 13 acres, yield valued at $6,878 • Hay — 3,651 acres, yield valued at $439,033 • Other/peanut hay — 4,600 acres, yield valued at $1,368,500 • Straw — 2,650 acres, yield valued at $430,625 TOTAL VALUE — $53,569,149
Vegetables • Cabbage, fall harvest, bare ground, irrigated — 4.5 acres, yield valued at $19,125 • Cantaloupe, spring harvest, plastic cover — 95 acres, yield valued at $370,025 • Carrots, spring harvest, bare ground, irrigated — 645 acres, yield valued at 43,845,812 • Collards, spring harvest, bare ground, dry land — 24 acres, yield valued at $9,496
• Greenhouse vegetables — yield valued at $198,000 • Okra, fall harvest, bare ground, irrigated — 5.6 acres, yield valued at $13,167 • Okra, spring harvest, bare ground, irrigated — 4.85 acres, yield valued at $26,608 • Onions, spring harvest, bare ground, irrigated — 373 acres, yield valued at $8,521,500 • Organics — 13 acres, yield valued at $27,050 • Sweet corn, fall harvest, bare ground, dryland — 295 acres, yield valued at $831,531 • Tomatoes, fall harvest, bare ground, irrigated — 8.75 acres, yield valued at $72,187 • Turnip greens, fall harvest, bare ground, dryland — 9.30 acres, yield valued at $4,905 • Turnip greens, fall harvest, bare ground, irrigated - 4.65 acres, yield valued at $10,670 • Turnip greens, spring harvest, bare ground, dryland — 4.5 acres, yield valued at $3,980 • Turnip greens, spring harvest, bare ground, irrigated — 5.1 acres, yield valued at
$10,096 • Turnip roots, fall harvest, bare ground, dryland — 3 acres, yield valued at $5,148 • Watermelon, spring harvest, bare ground, irrigated — 115 acres, yield valued at $981,956 • Watermelon, spring harvest, plastic cover, other — 250 acres, yield valued at $1,7803,497 • Watermelon, spring harvest, plastic, drip — 65 acres, yield valued at $611,081 • Yellow squash, fall harvest, bare ground, irrigated — 4.75 acres, yield valued at $8,176 TOTAL VALUE — $17,412,915
Other income • Government payments - $9,714,454 • Deer hunting leases — $4,125,000 • Duck hunting leases — $10,500 • Turkey hunting leases — $283,250 • Crop insurance —$ 3,120,974 TOTAL VALUE $17,254,178
Total Farm Gate Value for 2013 Bulloch County: $170,200,963.71
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COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
2 – Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com
Education
2015 Spelling Bee Winner
Bulloch schools soar Students, teachers rack up a number of achievements Brooklet Elementary School ➤ Mascot: Yellow Jackets ➤ Principal: Marlin Baker ➤ Assistant Principal:
Christy Inman
➤ School Achievements: ▲ For the third year in a
row, BES was designated as a “Reward School” by the Georgia Department of SCOTT BRYANT/file Education. The school is one Mattie Lively Elementary School fifth-grader Worlanyo of the 78 “Highest Performing” Gato, 10, contemplates his next letter on his way to the 2015 Schools in the state. Bulloch County Schools Spelling Bee crown Feb. 2 at Portal ▲ Hosted 19th Annual Parade for the Middle High School. Gato won with the word "mellifluous." Pumpkin Brooklet community. ▲ Voted best public school in “Best of the Boro.” Raina ▲ Counselor Mallard was named 2016 BES Teacher of the Year. ▲ Hosted Family Learning Night, where students “cooked” fraction pizzas, played multiplication baseball, practiced measuring with trail mix and more. ▲ Rachel Middleton was the first-runner up in the 2014 Bulloch County Spelling Bee. ▲ Third-graders from Dr. Yvette Ledford’s class took part in the 2014 International Festival. The class created visual projects that represented the country of Japan. Their hard work earned them Overall First Place as well as awards for “Most Knowledgeable and “Most Engaging.” ▲ Third and fourth-grade SCOTT BRYANT/file students competed well in the Third Annual Reggie Statesboro High School senior Paul Scarpinato, 18, left, Dawson Math Tournament: explains the particulars of artificial intelligence design in his Ryan Zhang, 1st place quadrocoptor to judge Craig Liggett during the Regional Individual; Eric Lim, 2nd Student Technology Fair held at Julia P. Bryant Elementary place; both the Third-Grade Fourth-Grade Teams School Jan. 31. First-place winners qualified for the 2015 and won 1st place.
2015 Regional Student Technology Fair
Georgia Student Technology Fair, which will take place March 7 on the Macon campus of Middle Georgia State College. The Bulloch County-hosted regional fair is the only one of 16 across Georgia held south of Macon.
Julia P. Bryant Elementary School
➤ Mascot: Bears ➤ Principal: Julie Blackmar ➤ Assistant Principals:
Michelle Curtis and Justin Chester (half-time) ➤ School Achievements: ▲ Hosted Fourth Annual Regional Student Technology Fair. ▲ Named overall team champion at the 32nd Annual Penny Sikes Math Tournament. Swept the top three spots in the Fifth-Grade individual Competition and picked up a ninth place to give them four top-10 scorers. Team member David Lippincott had the highest score, earning him first place. The team also won first place in Fifth-Grade Ciphering. Fifth Grade Individual Winners: 1st, David Lippincott; 2nd, Ben Buckhoff; 3rd, Abby Welch; 9th, Joey Taylor. ▲ The Board of Education approved Julie Blackmar as the new principal. ▲ Fourth-grader Katelyn Varner won second place in the 2014 Firecracker Fest’s “Every Heart Beats True for the Red, White, and Blue” coloring contest. ▲ Hosted the community kickoff event for Georgia Southern University’s “Paint the Town Blue” event to celebrate the beginning of the Eagles' inaugural Sun Belt Conference season. ▲ Fourth- and fifth-grade students helped the school celebrate Veterans Day by presenting the musical revue, “Americans We.” ▲ Hosted the Third Annual Reggie Dawson Memorial Math Tournament. John Proctor, Patric Mock, and Johnny Wheaton placed 3rd through 5th in individual competition. The Third Grade Team placed 2nd and the Fourth Grade Team placed 2nd and 3rd.
YOUR PATH TO
▲ Second-grade teacher Annie Cody was named the JPBES 2016 Teacher of the Year. Hosted the ▲ Queensborough Bank Run for the Bears to raise funds for the school ▲ Hosted various family events to engage parents and students in learning.
Langston Chapel Elementary School ➤ Mascot: Langston the Lion ➤ Principal: Dr. Shawn Haralson ➤ Assistant Principals: John McAfee and Amanda Cain ➤ School Achievements: ▲ The Board of Education approved Shawn Haralson as the new principal. ▲ Special Education Teacher Jennifer Thigpen was named 2016 LCES Teacher of the Year. ▲ Hosted Camp Invention this summer for third- through fifth-graders. The program, similar to Odyssey of the Mind and funded by a 21st Century Community Grant, was for at-risk students in first through third and sixth through eighth grades.
Mattie Lively Elementary School ➤ Mascot: Eagles ➤ Principal: Todd Williford ➤ Assistant Principal:
Dr. Carolyn Vasilatos
➤ School Achievements: ▲ Michael Austin, a
10-year-old, fifth-grade student, won the 2014 Bulloch County Spelling Bee, and 10-year-old fifth-grader Worlanyo Gato won the 2015 Bulloch County Spelling Bee.
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Named by the US Department of Education as one of the Top 50 Most Affordable Colleges in the Country with “Lowest Tuition” and “Lowest Net Tuition”
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▲ Kindergarten teacher Shelly Driggers was named MLES Teacher of the Year. ▲ Principal Todd Williford was voted best principal by “Best of the Boro.” ▲ Organized a Family Math Night at Wal-Mart where students and family members were able to participate in a scavenger hunt by walking through WalMart solving real-world math problems. The event was a perfect way to bring math to life outside of the classroom. ▲ 32nd Annual Penny Sikes Math Tournament FifthGrade individual winners: 7th, Ryan Brannen. ▲ Special Education Teacher Rachel Pritchard built a life-sized igloo for her students. The 70-hour project helped the students learn about the Arctic. ▲ Principal Todd Williford is the 2015 Bulloch County Team Leader for the American Diabetes Association’s Bulloch County campaign. ▲ The Third-Grade Math Team placed 2nd in the Third Annual Reggie Dawson Math Tournament. ▲ Hosted representatives from NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center to learn about our country’s latest space initiatives and participate in a variety of STEM activities. ▲ Hosted “Camp Out With a Good Book” for more than 270 parents and students to help encourage families to read throughout the school year. ▲ Received a School Bell Award from the Georgia Association of Elementary School Teachers for the school’s Fifth-grade Living Wax Museum project. ▲ Hosted a community recycling project through CRKids.
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SWAINSBORO • STATESBORO • AUGUSTA
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
statesboroherald.com | Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 – 3
Education Mill Creek Elementary School
'What My Teacher Means to Me'
day for Breast Cancer Awareness Month and to support PES Teacher Edra Cowart. ▲ Second-graders spent the day representing different punctuation marks for National Punctuation Day in September. ▲ Third-graders continued the annual tradition of learning how turpentine is harvested and used. ▲ Students and teachers hosted a book character parade.
➤ Mascot: Mustangs ➤ Principal: Patrick Hill ➤ Assistant Principal:
Debra Minick ➤ School Achievements: ▲ Fifth-grade teacher Rachel Beasley was named MCES Teacher of the Year. ▲ 32nd Annual Penny Sikes Math Tournament FifthGrade individual winners: 6th, Avery Thompson; 10th, Zachary Newsome. ▲ Hosted annual talent show, “The Creek’s Got Talent,” which raised money to support the Muscular Dystrophy Association. ▲ Hosted a Mother/Son Game Night, a schoolwide bake sale, and a Father Daughter Dance to help raise money for Relay for Life. ▲ Fourth-grader Hanna Lee won 1st place in the 2014 Firecracker Fest’s “Every Heart Beats True for the Red, White, and Blue” coloring contest. ▲ Hosted a STEM Family Night to share science, technology, engineering, and math experiences for students and their families. ▲ Hosted a Day of Invention for the 100th Day of School that featured STEM learning activities for students, most with a "100" theme. ▲ Hosted the 10th Annual Mill Creek Elementary Veterans Day Parade. ▲ The Statesboro Fire Department helped lay to rest the community’s youngest firefighter, Aaron Gene Oliver, with full honors. Aaron was a first-grader at MCES and the first honorary Statesboro firefighter to participate in the Firefighter for a Day program.
Nevils Elementary School ➤ Mascot: Junior Jackets ➤ Principal: Nate
Pennington ➤ Assistant Principal: Rob Lindsey ➤ School Achievements: ▲ The Board of Education approved Nate Pennington as the new principal.
Sallie Zetterower Elementary School ➤ Mascot: Cardinal ➤ Principal: Julie Mizell ➤ Assistant Principal:
SCOTT BRYANT/file
Langston Chapel Middle School seventh-grader Nigel Washington, 13, center, won the Sea Island Bank "What My Teacher Means to Me" contest for his essay about sixth-grade math teacher Joni Chavers, left. During a ceremony in January, he received a new laptop and a scholarship for a creative writing workshop at the Averitt Center. Chavers received $250, which she said she would donate to an effort by the LMCS math department to buy tablets for students who don't have home Internet access to take home for additional math practice. ▲ Fifth-grade teacher Valerie L. Woodrum was named NES Teacher of the Year. ▲ Participated in the Battle of the Books with Stilson and Portal elementary students. ▲ Hosted Patriot Day Celebration for the community and to honor all public safety and military personnel for their service.
Sallie Z. Songfest
Portal Elementary School ➤ Mascot: Panther ➤ Principal: Paul Hudson ➤ Assistant Principal:
Laurie Mascolo (half-time) ➤ School Achievements: ▲ Named the 2015 Battle of the Books Champions. The event is a competition in which Stilson, Portal, and Nevils elementary students go head to head by reading specially selected books and answering questions. ▲ Second-grade teacher
SCOTT BRYANT/file
Double the Christmas spirit: Twins Emma and Ava King sport Santa hats while participating in Sallie Zetterower Elementary School's annual Holiday Songfest in December. Jessica Oglesby was named PES Teacher of the Year. ▲ Hosted “Thank You
Heroes,” a Veterans Day Program for the town of Portal. ▲ Hosted a "Pink Out"
Hope Sumner ➤ School Achievements: ▲ Hosted the Winter Olympic Games for prekindergarten and kindergarten students. ▲ Placed second overall and in Fifth-Grade Ciphering at the 32nd Annual Penny Sikes Math Tournament. Individual winners: 5th, Micah D’Arcangelo. ▲ SZES student Spencer Boyum presented a special solo performance at Georgia Southern University Choral’s musical performance of "Elijah" at First Baptist Church Statesboro. ▲ First-grade teacher Susie Frawley was named SZES Teacher of the Year. ▲ Fifth-grader Kayla Arnett won second place in the 2014 Firecracker Fest’s “Every Heart Beats True for the Red, White, and Blue” coloring contest. ▲ Hosted a Veterans Day luncheon for local veterans. Hosted a memorial tree planting ceremony to celebrate the life of Chloe Moon Dart. ▲ Congressman John Barrow visited third-grade students and read to them.
Stilson Elementary School ➤ Mascot: Stingers ➤ Principal: Pam Goodman ➤ Assistant Principal:
Stephen Hoyle (half-time)
➤ School Achievements: ▲ Won the Battle of the
Books at the Board of Education Office. Battle of the Books is a competition in which Stilson, Portal, and Nevils elementary students went head to head by reading specially selected books and answering questions. ▲ Intervention Specialist Leigh Baker was named SES Teacher of the year. ▲ Organized a Step-Up Day to help keep students motivated about learning. ▲ Third-grade students Chazz Shuman and Jayce Frutos each received firstplace ribbons and Laci White placed third in the Kindergarten–Third Grade Category in the 2014 Georgia Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest, organized by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and sponsored by Georgia Power Company. Students Abigail Morgan, Carlie Berman, Madison Yates and Elisabeth Evans were four of the 16 Kindergarten–Third Grade category participants who received honorable mentions for their artwork.
Langston Chapel Middle School
➤ Mascot: Blue Devils ➤ Principal: Dr. E. Bonnie
Gamble-Hilton ➤ Assistant Principal: Sandra Kirby ➤ School Achievements: ▲ Music/Choral teacher Lawanda Allen was named 2015 Bulloch County Teacher of the Year. ▲ Parent volunteer and LCMS School Council member Katie Olson was appointed to the State School Superintendent’s 2014-15 Parent Advisory Committee. ▲ Sixth-grade math teacher Joni Chavers was named LCMS Teacher of the Year. ▲ Hosted a Math and Science Night for students and their families to promote interest in math and science. The night also included a career fair featuring over twenty careers. ▲ Named overall SixthGrade Team Champion at the
“Challenging, Teaching & Nurturing Tomorrow’s Leaders Today” REGISTER NOW for 2015-16 School Year The Area’s Premier Educational Institution Dual Accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges & School & the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SACS/SAIS); Accredited “with quality” by Georgia Accrediting Commission. All faculty members are fully certified or in the process of certification through the Georgia Professional Standards Commission; 15 have advanced degrees; 27 have 10 or more years of teaching experience. College Preparatory Curriculum • Class of 2014 -Average SAT score-1537 (Bulloch County School System average was 1403, state average was 1445, national average was 1497) • Composite ACT score -22.7 (Bulloch County School System average was 19.6, state average was 20.8, national was 21.0) • Of the 46-student graduating glass of 2014, most were awarded funds to help pay for this post-secondary education. Some of the scholarships received by BA students were an appointment to the National Beta Club Scholarship, the Zell Miller Scholarship, the HOPE Scholarship, & academic scholarships to Georgia Southern University, Mercer University, DePaul University, Savannah College of Art & Design. Other colleges & universities that graduating seniors are attending are the University of Georgia, Purdue University, Rutgers University, Georgia College & State University, Middle Georgia State College & East Georgia State College. • Five Advanced Placement (AP) courses • Senior-to-Sophomore Program in Pre-Calculus & Calculus • Science Laboratories for Upper & Middle Schools • SMART boards in all classrooms • Three computer laboratories (Lower, Upper/Middle, Media Center) • Advanced Learning Support for Students • ACCEL program with GSU for juniors & seniors • CAMPS (Computer, Art, Music, Physical Education, Spanish) for all lower-school classes • AIM (Accelerating Inquisitive Minds) for all lower & middleschool classes • Strings program (Violin) for elementary music program • Strings program (Guitar) for high school music program • Robotics Team in high school • Primary & elementary-school playgrounds.
Low student-teacher ratio • Current enrollment of 513 in PreK4-12 • Small class size, which is more conducive to individualized instruction & attention • Two classes per grade level • Parapros in PreK, K & 1st grade
Exceptional athletic & co-curricular programs for girls & boys • 32 varsity & middle school teams; nine parent-sponsored elementary athletic teams. Bulloch Academy competes in the highest level (Class AAA) of the Georgia Independent School Association (GISA). Tennis courts • Multi-purpose building for wrestling, cheerleading & physical education classes • Weight-room expansion • Archery for middle, elementary & high school • Competitive Shooting (Skeet, Trap, Sporting Clays) Varsity: In the past five years, BA has had five state championships (competition cheerleading, wrestling, girls’ tennis, girls’ basketball, boys’ track) six state runners-up (wrestling, shooting sports, girls’ basketball, boys’ track, & competition cheerleading), eight ‘Final Four’ appearances, eight ‘Elite Eight’ appearances & won 11 region titles. Middle School: In the past five years, BA has had the ‘undefeated & unofficial’ state champions in girls’ track, the East Georgia Middle School champions (girls’ & boys’basketball) & regional archery champions. Competing with local & area public school teams in many team sports.
Small-school atmosphere • Students in lower, middle & upper school interact frequently, which fosters family atmosphere among all students & faculty members • International Student Program to promote global diversity • Partnership with Oe Dae Language School in Seoul, South Korea for English Language Infusion Program School-wide mentoring programs • School-wide assemblies & pep rallies • Parent volunteerism encouraged • Annual class trips & numerous field trips • Class musical programs • Students have the opportunity to participate, achieve & excel in multiple sports & co-curricular activities.
Scholarships Available Through the Georgia GOAL (Greater Opportunities for Access to Learning) Scholarship program, we can offer partial scholarships to Georgia residents currently enrolled in a Georgia public school (K-9) who wish to attend Bulloch Academy.
873 Westside Road • Statesboro, Georgia • (912) 764-6297 • www.bullochacademy.com
4 – Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com 4 - STATESBORO HERALD - Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
EAGL
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
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statesboroherald.com | Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 – 5 statesboroherald.com | STATESBORO HERALD - Sunday, February 22, 2015 - 5
FAVORITE RECENT HEADLINES UNIVERSITY RECEIVES ACCREDITATION FOR DOCTOR OF PSYCHOLOGY PROGRAM (December 3, 2014) EAGLE NATION CELEBRATES GEORGIA SOUTHERN’S FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP (November 30, 2014*) GEORGIA SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY GOLF COURSE NAMED ‘BEST NEW COURSE’ BY GOLF DIGEST (November 14, 2014) NELSON FAMILY AND ROTARY CORPORATION SUPPORT HALL OF FAME AND FIELD OF DREAMS AT PAULSON STADIUM (October 16, 2014) UNIVERSITY NAMED MILITARY FRIENDLY SCHOOL BY G.I. JOBS MAGAZINE (Sept 24, 2014) UNIVERSITY CELEBRATES NEW $8.65 MILLION COMMUNICATION ARTS BUILDING (August 22, 2014) UNIVERSITY GRANTED FIRST UNDERGRADUATE MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING PROGRAM IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA (August 20, 2014) UNIVERSITY TO SAVE $350,000 IN ENERGY EFFICIENCY (June 19, 2014) Headlines from GeorgiaSouthern.edu/news *Headline from Georgiasoutherneagles.com
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
6 – Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com
Education Bulloch County Teacher of the Year
32nd Annual Penny Sikes Math Tournament. The team won first place in the SixthGrade Ciphering. Sixth Grade Individual Winners: 4th, Jesse Tu. ▲ Band student Robert Lloyd was selected for the 2014 Georgia Music Educators Association AllState Band after extensive auditions. All-State is the highest honor a Georgia band student can receive. ▲ Sixth-graders Ethan Harrison, S’nya Brewton, and CJ Simmons, won first-place team in the middle school division at the Regional SECME competition and advanced to nationals. At nationals, the team placed fifth overall. ▲ Eighth-graders Destiny Hartwell, Nancy Martinez, and Alberto Rodriguez were named REACH scholars by Bulloch County Schools. ▲ Hosted a Veterans Day program that featured WTOC’s Dal Cannady as the master of ceremonies and guest speakers Capt. Robert Gracia, a United States Army battalion executive officer assigned to the Georgia AL HACKLE/file Southern University ROTC Southeast Bulloch High School English instructor Linda Fix and Cmdr. Dr. Enos Garvin, poses with Bulloch County Schools Superintendent Charles United States Army, of Wilson after being named the county's 2016 Teacher of the Disabled American Veterans. ▲ Seventh-grader Nigel Year at the William James Education Complex in October. Washington was the winner of the Sea Island Bank American Education Week Essay Contest, “What My Teacher Means to Me.” His essay was selected from more than 400 middle school entries. ▲ Hosted a Health and Drug Awareness Fair for students with assistance from Georgia Southern. ▲ The girls basketball team won the Coastal Empire Region title for the first time in school history. ▲ Dasean Burwell, an eighth-grader, was selected for the Georgia Music Educators Association AllState Middle School Mixed Chorus. His score of 100 on his second audition also earned him a gold seal, rankSCOTT BRYANT/file ing him among the state’s top McKenzie Bolineau, left, and Heather Bunch watch for their middle school vocalists. cues as the Southeast Bulloch Middle School band presents ▲ Robert Lloyd, an eighthwas accepted to the its Christmas Concert under the direction of Joey Mitchell in grader, 2015 GMEA All-State Band. December. He scored higher than any
Middle school band concert
for the 2015-2016 School Year
other percussionist in the state and earned the honor of first chair. As a percussionist, he had to go through the rigorous sight reading and audition process on three instruments: snare drum, xylophone and timpani. ▲ Hosted Camp Invention this summer for sixth–eighth graders. The program, similar to Odyssey of the Mind and funded by a 21st Century Community Grant, was for at-risk students in first through third and sixth through eighth grades.
Southeast Bulloch Middle School ➤ Mascot: Yellow Jackets ➤ Principal: Dr. Torian
White ➤ Assistant Principal: Roger Inman ➤ School Achievements: ▲ Claimed five of the top 10 scores in the Sixth Grade Individual Competition at the 32nd Annual Penny Sikes Math Tournament. The team also placed third in SixthGrade Ciphering and second overall. Sixth Grade Individual Winners: 2nd, Mitchell Waters; 3rd, Karen Zhang; 7th, Ben Proctor; 9th, Drew Davis; 10th, Jacob Buck. ▲ The Board of Education approved Torian White as the new principal. ▲ Sixth-grade teacher Jennifer Sherrod was named SEBMS Teacher of the Year. ▲ Sixth-grade student Ethan Peacock won the Georgia Municipal Association’s annual “If I Were Mayor” Essay Contest for District 12. ▲ In collaboration with Georgia Southern University’s Economics Department, eighth-grade students are learning about work readiness, financial literacy and entrepreneurship through the Junior Achievement Program. ▲ Hosted Family Math Night with more than 700 parents and students participating in hands-on math activities. ▲ More than 300 students and their families participated in Family Science Night. ▲ The Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office DARE Program recognized Lijah Williams for class excellence and Macie DeLoach for her essay on “What I Learned in DARE.” ▲ The Beta Club Canned Food Drive collected 1,109 items.
William James Middle School ➤ Mascot: Knights ➤ Principal: Mike Yawn ➤ Assistant Principal:
“Trinity has had a huge influence on me these past 13 years. Going to a Christian school like Trinity has provided an excellent academic education for me and my classmates. TCS has also taught me through its Christcentered philosophy a worldview that will be the foundation of my life after high school, both in college and beyond.” Will Lattner, Valedictorian Class of 2015
• K4 - 12th Grade • Accredited by the Georgia Accrediting Commission • Above State and National averages in SAT scores • Brand New Athletic Facility & Science Labs • 1st - 8th Grade scored 90% or better on ITBS the last 3 years
• Kindergarten consistently scores in the 99% on ITBS • Half-Day Pre-K from 8:30am - 12:00pm • College Preparatory with Dual Enrollment Options • Bible taught at all grade levels • AP classes in Calculus, English Literature, Chemistry, Physics, U.S. History, and Biology
Trinity Christian School • 571 East Main Street Statesboro, GA 30461 • 912.489.1375
Visit us on the web at www.tcsstatesboro.com
Tony Natson ➤ School Achievements: ▲ Logan Anderson, a seventh-grade student, was the winner of the Averitt Center for the Arts' Holiday Card Contest. ▲ Seventh-grader Davis Vasilatos won first place in Project Programming and Technology Literacy at the Regional Student Technology Fair. He also won second place in the Robotics category. ▲ Seventh-grader Matthew Redwine won first place in the Web 2.0 Applications category at the Regional Student Technology Fair. ▲ During the holiday season, Student Council sponsored a food drive that collected more than 520 cans for the Statesboro Food Bank. ▲ Placed second in SixthGrade Ciphering at the 32nd Annual Penny Sikes Math Tournament and third overall. Sixth Grade Individual Winners: 5th, Jake Peeples; 6th, Eletria Biswas; 8th, Aidan MacDonald. ▲ Girls track team was named region champion. ▲ The seventh- and eighthgrade math teams won the Georgia Southern Math Tournament. ▲ Science teacher Amy Smith was named WJMS Teacher of the Year. ▲ Eighth-graders Michael Vescio and Brian Phillips Jr. were named REACH scholars by Bulloch County Schools. ▲ Bryce Westerfield won first place, Thomas Bruner won second, and Jackson Popkin won third place in the Geography Bee. ▲ Chess team enjoyed a winning season. ▲ Sixth-grade students competed in the GSU International Festival. ▲ Students hosted a successful See You At the Pole event. Jamario Walker ▲ authored a book, “Stay Strong.” He donates half of
the proceeds to AMBUCS because they provided him with a specially adapted AmTryke earlier this year.
Portal Middle High School ➤ Mascot: Panther ➤ Principal: Dr. Karen Doty ➤ Assistant Principal:
Penny Oglesby ➤ School Achievements: ▲ Portal High boys and girls basketball teams made it to the Class A GHSA State Basketball Playoffs. ▲ Student Alyssa “Josie” Barnes was named a 20132014 Youth of the Month Honoree and was presented a $100 check from the Exchange Club of Statesboro. ▲ The Board of Education approved Dr. Karen Doty as the new principal. ▲ Science teacher Mary Coleman was named PMHS Teacher of the Year. ▲ Jon Willoughby was named head coach of the Portal Middle High School football team. ▲ Graduate Brantley Spence received a $1,000 scholarship from Bulloch County’s Georgia Association or Educators chapter. Cheyenne ▲ Student Fielder won silver at FCCLA Nationals for her project “Healthy Me” in the Nutrition and Wellness category. ▲ Named one of 156 “Highest Progress” schools for being among the top 10 percent of the state’s Title I schools showing improvement for all students over three years in statewide assessments. ▲ The FFA Chapter was awarded a Silver emblem in the National FFA Meats Evaluation and Technology Career Development Event (CDE) held during the 86th Annual National FFA Convention. The current Senior Meats Team placed first in Region and advanced to state. The Junior Meats Team finished second in state. AJ Barnes was the state high individual and Rhett Nichols was the second high individual in the junior event. ▲ Uniqua Mosley qualified for the GHSA State Track & Field Championships in four different events and won the 100-Meter Hurdles title. ▲ Girls Track and Field Team placed sixth in the team competition at the GHSA State Championships out of 29 teams. They advanced to state after winning the Region 3-A title. ▲ Students collected plastic bottle caps for a year for Art Teacher Deena Scarborough. The school’s art students then made a mosaic with the caps that depicted scenes of Portal. The completed 8-foot-by-12-foot mosaic is now installed next to the PMHS gym for the community to enjoy for years to come. ▲ The Portal Anchor Club and FCCLA collected 742 canned food items to feed 30 families during the Thanksgiving holidays. ▲ Drama Team competed in the Region One Act Play. Bailey Deal received one of six All-Star Cast medal awards. ▲ PMHS Track Team sponsored the annual Turpentine 5K Run/Walk for the community. ▲ Portal Pride Marching Band is thriving under the direction of John Gleissner. ▲ Beta Club hosted an American Red Cross Blood Drive and exceeded the goal by collecting 37 pints. ▲ The FFA hosted its annual livestock show with more than 20 hogs and sheep shown. ▲ The Statesboro Arts Council and Averitt Center for the Arts has received a $10,000 Challenge America fast-track grant from the National Endowment for the Arts for the Averitt Center’s gallery program. They have chosen to partner with PMHS and Portal Elementary Art Teacher Deena Scarborough to implement several components of the program. ▲ The girls golf team won the Area 2 Single A Public School Golf Championships.
Southeast Bulloch High School ➤ Mascot: Yellow Jackets ➤ Principal: Donna Clifton ➤ Assistant Principals:
Jack Webb and John Page ➤ School Achievements: ▲ The Yellow Jackets boys basketball team advanced to state playoffs for the first time since 2001. ▲ Named an Advanced Placement Challenge School.
▲ FFA member Knapp Boddiford was selected as a National Proficiency Award winner in Fiber and Oil Crop Production. ▲ Senior Morgan Alford was named Youth of the Year and was presented worth a $2,000 check from The Exchange Club of Statesboro. Alford also earned the Zell Miller Scholarship from the state of Georgia. Ana Olsen named a 2013-2014 Youth of the Month Honoree and was presented a $100 check from the Exchange Club of Statesboro. ▲ The Advanced Chorus accepted an invitation from Choirs of America to join a small number of top-performing choirs who will sing in a mass choir concert at Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium in New York City. The performance will take place April 23-25. ▲ Boys and girls track and field Region 1-AAA Champions. ▲ Jasmine Roberts won the state triple jump title at the GHSA state championships. ▲ Preston Smith won the state triple jump title at the GHSA state championships. ▲ Freshman Amy Cooper attended the National Young Leaders Conference in Washington, D.C. Cooper was one of 30 scholars from the eighth- and ninth-grade division and the only representative from Georgia to attend. ▲ The Advanced Chorus showcased their talents in the performance of "Elijah" at First Baptist Church Statesboro. The performance was conducted by Dr. Shannon Jefferies with the Department of Music at Georgia Southern. ▲ Junior Kayla Campbell won gold at the state STAR competition for her project “Eco Dress” in the Recycle and Redesign category. Seniors Kayla Lanier and Hannah Parrish won silver for their Community Service Display entry. All three students advanced to FCCLA nationals. At nationals, Campbell won silver for her project. ▲ Senior Philicia Batton signed a letter of intent to run track and field for Albany State. ▲ Student Crystal Nevius placed first in the state Trig Star competition. ▲ Eric Riggs placed first in the “Forestry: A Foundation for our Future” contest. ▲ Graduate Preston Smith received a $1,000 scholarship from Bulloch County’s Georgia Association of Educators chapter. ▲ Three student organizations, (FFA, FCCLA, and HOSA), joined together to host the Colors of Cancer Week Tailgate to raise funds for local cancer patients. ▲ Hosted the first ever “Band Blast” at which more than 500 band students from across Southeast Georgia performed. ▲ English teacher Linda Fix was named 2016 Bulloch County Teacher of the Year. ▲ Student Chyann Rose was nominated as the “Teen Artist of the Year” after she won the Georgia Country’s Talent Search Contest. ▲ SEBHS band, “The Swarm,” finished third overall at the 38th Annual East Georgia Marching Band Festival, with a score of 92.75. The band also took home the Best in Class AA Award and the awards for Best Dance, Best Drum Major, and Best Percussion in its class. Named Grand Champion at the Marching Mustang competition. ▲ “The Swarm” earned an invitation to compete in the Georgia Marching Band Series Championship. They were one of only 10 bands from southeast Georgia to qualify. ▲ The competition cheerleading squad won first place in Division 3A and went on to win the Grand Overall Championship in the Battle of the Best Competition. The team finished up the successful season by placing third in the Class AAA State C h e e r l e a d i n g Championships. ▲ Senior Jacob Proctor was selected as a delegate for Georgia FFA to the 86th Annual National FFA Organization Convention that was held in Louisville, Kentucky. ▲ FFA members Jacob Proctor and Ian Heidler were selected for the Governor’s Honors Program in Agriscience/Biotechnology, along with Hayden Farthing for Agriscience Environmental and Molly Cromley for Agriscience.
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
statesboroherald.com | Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 – 7
Education ▲ FFA members Kristian Reinhold won first place in Junior Floral Design; Shelbie McLaughlin won fifth in Junior Floral Design; Jacob Proctor won third in Interview; and Daniel Hammond won fourth in Tractor Driving at the Region FFA skills event. ▲ Students Mollie Cromley and Knapp Boddiford represented Georgia during the five-day Washington Leadership Conference this summer sponsored by the National FFA Organization. ▲ FFA hosted National FFA Week to honor teachers, share FFA opportunities with non-members and strengthen membership. ▲ FFA Farm Business Management Team placed third at the Georgia FFA state competition. ▲ FFA Junior Horse Judging Team placed second at the Georgia FFA state competition. ▲ Hayley Fritch and Robin Tanaka Blitch, HOSA members, were selected as finalists for the Technology Association of Georgia’s Health IT Student Innovation Award. They placed in the top three and received a $1,000.00 award. The pair developed a mobile app, for Android and iOS operating systems, to aid teens in tobacco cessation. This is the second time in three years that an SEBHS team has placed in the top three for the event. ▲ Beta Club conducted a drive to collect personal hygiene items for the district’s homeless students. ▲ Steven Bureell, Lauren Boddiford and Austin Weinkauf were named Advanced Placement Scholars. ▲ Mollie Cromley received a DAR Citizenship Award from the local DAR Chapter and Austin Weinkauf and Lauren Boddiford were finalists. ▲ Brazilian percussionist and composer Ney Rosauro and Georgia Southern University professor Matt Fallin demonstrated their skills for band students. Rosauro’s visit was made possible by the Averitt Center for the Arts. ▲ JROTC Raider Team won the State Raider Meet Championship. ▲ The new SEBHS Quiz Bowl Team, in its first Georgia Academic Team Association Winter Tournament in Valdosta, placed fourth out of 24 teams. Many of these teams were AAAAA and AAAAAA schools. The top four teams automatically qualify to go to Nationals in Chicago May 29-31. ▲ The Southeast Bulloch High Choral program had 11 students make the Georgia Music Educators Association’s All-State Chorus. Senior Women’s Chorus: Lauren Boddiford, Melodie Gapac, Crystal Nevius, and Grace Tolentino. Senior Men’s Chorus: Davis Alexander, Hunter Silva, and Robin Tanaka Blitch. Mixed Chorus: Will Harden, Lee Jordon, MaryBeth Neubauer, and Josiah Williams. ▲ Joseph Muldrew was selected as a Governor’s Honors Program finalist in Agriscience, and William Harden for Music – Vocal.
Statesboro High School ➤ Mascot: Blue Devils ➤ Principal: Dr. Ken LeCain ➤ Assistant Principals:
Tanita McDowell, Tracy Mills, and Chad Prosser ➤ School Achievements: ▲ Named an Advanced Placement STEM and Advanced Placement Access and Support School. ▲ Science Teacher Ashley Crosby was named SHS Teacher of the Year. ▲ Lee Bratton, an SHS science teacher and the school’s National Wild Turkey Federation chapter adviser, was named the NWTF National Educator of the Year. ▲ Senior Nidhi Aggarwal was named 2014 Bulloch County STAR student. Nidhi selected Mary Adamson, who taught her AP government class, as her STAR teacher. ▲ Statesboro senior Drew Funk signed a letter of intent and is currently playing goalkeeper for Savannah College of Art and Design. Kwanjai ▲ Students Wilson and Josh Wright were named 2013-2014 Youth of the Month Honorees and were both presented a $100 check from the Exchange Club of Statesboro. ▲ Band students Eric Kollars, Ben Lloyd and Ben Crawford were selected for the 2014 Georgia Music
Educators Association AllState Band after extensive auditions. All-State is the highest honor a Georgia band student can receive. ▲ Statesboro seniors Shanikwa Blue, Jaylan Rawls, and Khayasia Rollins signed letters of intent to play basketball at colleges throughout the state next season. Blue will play at Savannah State, Rawls at Albany Tech, and Rollins at Middle Georgia State College. ▲ Boys and girls track and field were Region 3-AAAA Champions. ▲ Zaquavian Smith won the state 400-meter title at the GHSA State Championships. ▲ Sophomore Maya Van Wagenen published the first book of her two-book deal with Penguin Dutton. The book, titled “Popular: Vintage Wisdom for the Modern Geek,” achieved rapid literary success. Van Wagenen since has appeared on NBC’s "Today" show and news of her book has been carried by Cosmopolitan, USA Today, and People Magazine. She has also signed a movie deal with DreamWorks to create a film based on her book. ▲ Hosted Bulloch County’s Spring Special Olympics. ▲ Juniors Moshami Patel and Rima Patel took home gold at the state STAR competition for their project “Childhood Cancer” in the Focus on Children category. Both students advanced to FCCLA nationals. At nationals, the two took home gold for their project “Dig into Cancer” in the Focus on Children category. ▲ Boys soccer was eegion 3-AAAA champion. ▲ JROTC won the Area 9 drill title/Region Championship. Both SHS Raider Teams won regionals. The girls Raider team placed third in the Tire Flip event and placed sixth overall in the state. ▲ Hosted the STEM Day career fair. ▲ Senior Sarah Jane Bowers was named individual state champion for girls golf in the GHSA Class AAAA championship. ▲ Seniors Asia Crawford, Destinee Lanier, Walker Paul Tedders and DeGamarri Matthews all signed college scholarships to play soccer. Crawford will play at South Georgia State College and Lanier at University of South Carolina Salkehatchie, while Tedders and Matthews will be teammates at Middle Georgia. ▲ Senior Andreas Ward signed a scholarship to run track at Georgia Tech. ▲ 2013 graduate Izell Scott was awarded the SECME ExxonMobil Scholarships’ Overall Academic Scholar award. The honor comes with a onetime $4,000 scholarship. ▲ Juniors Jordan McCombs and Michael Carter, along with senior Paul Scarpinato, placed first in the VEX Robotic team competition at the SECME Regional Competition. The team also placed second in both the Water Bottle Rocket and Mousetrap Car events. Other team members were Austin Lasota and SungJoon Won. The team advanced to nationals for the sixth consecutive year. At nationals, the team placed 2nd overall in the VEX Robotics competition. ▲ Seniors Jarett Cartee and Ke’Renza Nunes received Deen Day Smith Service to Mankind Awards for their years of service to various nonprofit organizations in Bulloch County. ▲ Senior Jarrett Cartee was selected by first lady Sandra Deal as the first statewide First Lady’s Servant’s Heart Award winner. ▲ Graduates Sydney Davis and Andreas Ward each received $1,000 scholarships from Bulloch County’s Georgia Association or Educators chapter. ▲ Senior Jarrett Cartee was named the 2014 Bulloch County Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen Award winner. ▲ Hosted “Broadway in the Boro,” which benefits Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. ▲ Hosted the 38th Annual Regional Marching Band Festival. ▲ Was awarded the 2013 Region 3-AAAA Cooperative Spirit Sportsmanship Award by the Georgia High School Association (GHSA). ▲ Senior Ducks Unlimited Team and Junior National Wild Turkey Federation Team, along with senior-division individual Jacob Deal and junior-division individual Isaac Deal, all claimed state
titles at the Georgia Youth Hunter Education Challenge. ▲ Statesboro High School teenagers raised $800 to help a much younger classmate, 4-year-old Irelynn Rose, who is a student at Statesboro High Preschool, a lab school for SHS’s Early Childhood Education program. Irelynn was diagnosed with Diamond Blackfan Anemia when she was 5 weeks old. Seniors Lindsey Chase, Nancy Durfee and Emmalyne Sisson organized a Halloween campaign that allowed the high school students to dress up in return for a donation to Team Irelynn. Fine Arts ▲ SHS’s Department performed student matinees, “The Jungle Book” and “Beauty and the Beast” for area elementary school students. ▲ Sarah Hall received the Exchange Club of Statesboro’s Accepting the Challenge of Excellence Award. ▲ Hosted annual College Fair for juniors and seniors. ▲ The U.S. Army Cadet Command’s 6th Brigade ROTC selected SHS to debut a new national JROTC program evaluation process. The Blue Devil Battalion met the challenge brought by 13 Army inspectors by being designated as a JROTC Program of Excellence with an overall score of 96.4. Cadet Maj. Erin Holloway received the Commander’s Award. ▲ Bennon Smith and Phillip Lewis were selected to the Senior Mixed Chorus of the Georgia Music Educators Association’s All-State Chorus. ▲ The following students were selected as finalists in the state’s Governor’s Honors Program: Samuel Groover, agricultural science; Colleen Hein and Ashley Wade, dance; Zachary Sloop, engineering/design; Ashlyn Lanier, Ria Mitra and Samantha Pollak, mathematics; and Sarah Rogers, theatre. ▲ The National Honor Society hosted a special fundraiser during a home football game and raised $600 to purchase a specially adapted AMBUCS AmTryke for a student in need. ▲ As part of the district’s developing Farm to School program, Statesboro High’s agriscience classes developed school gardens. Students harvested the gardens, and they were then served in the cafeteria and used in the school’s culinary arts program.
Districtwide ▲ Through a three-month community engagement process, more than 700 members of the community gave input into the district's Strategic Plan. ▲ Hosted Speak Up for Education to discuss early learning, college and career preparation, and Common Core information with parents. ▲ Board of Education voted to change the school’s governance structure to an Investing in Educational Excellence model, one of three options that school system in Georgia are required to choose from by July 2015. ▲ Bulloch County Schools is partnering with the Pathways to Prosperity Network to develop a community-based education and work-readiness system of grades nine through 14 that leverages our high school programs, technical college, business and industry, and other community resources to align our students' opportunities with regional and state (as part of the larger global picture) labor market needs. The Georgia Department of Education and the Pathways to Prosperity Network have selected Bulloch County as one of two counties in the state to build a statewide model for workforce development. ▲ Implemented districtwide training and implementation of professional learning communities for grade-level and subject-level faculty and administrators to better plan student instruction and interventions. ▲ A board committee made up of administrators and community volunteers successfully identified, reviewed, prioritized and presented to the board a list of proposed facilities projects. ▲ Signed an annual agreement for dual enrollment opportunities at Ogeechee Technical College for students. ▲ Began training and building the school system’s leadership capacity by sending administration and teacher-leader teams to the Georgia Leadership Institute for School
Improvement. This professional development opportunity helps schools analyze data, determine root causes, and develop solutions that can be incorporated in school improvement plans. ▲ Implemented the new Georgia Milestones Assessment System for testing third- through 12th-grade students. GMAS replaces CRCT and EOCT. ▲ Provided the first Georgia Student Growth Model Reports to parents to provide individualized information on their children’s academic progress. ▲ Implemented state initiatives: Student Learning Objectives and Teacher and Leader Key Effectiveness System. ▲ House Speaker David Ralston, R-Blue Ridge, announced the appointment of Bulloch County Schools Superintendent Charles Wilson to the Georgia House of Representatives' Study Committee on the Role of the Federal Government in Education. ▲ Dr. Bruce Rogers was named the 2014 School Psychologist of the Year by the Georgia Association of School Psychologists during the president’s reception at the annual fall conference in Savannah. ▲ 2014 Bulloch County Teacher of the Year Jemelleh Coes began her official duties as Georgia Teacher of the Year in May 2014. She served as a spokeswoman for public education across the state and represented Georgia at the National Teacher of the Year competition where she met with President Barak Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. ▲ Bulloch County Schools implemented Google Apps for Education across all schools as a learning, teaching and collaboration tool for teachers and students. ▲ Greg Parker, president of The Parker Companies, presented Bulloch County Schools with a check for $1,000. ▲ Expanded the Transitions Learning Center (alternative school) to a full-day program. ▲ Bulloch County Schools hosted its fourth annual Regional Student Technology Fair. The Statesboro accounting firm Dabbs, Hickman, Hill & Cannon LLP and the Kiwanis Club of Statesboro each contributed $1,000 to sponsor the event. ▲ The Bulloch County Foundation for Public Education hosted "You've Got Talent," its second annual talent show, which featured the elementary through high school level winners from the district's 15 schools. ▲ Bulloch County Schools’ speech-language pathologists hosted “Success with Stuttering,” a workshop for area parents, teachers and speech-language pathologists. Former NFL athlete and Georgia Southern Eagle Adrian Peterson was a featured guest speaker. ▲ Each of the district’s nine elementary schools participated in the Children’s Water Festival at Georgia Southern University. The event teaches conservation and how groundwater systems work. ▲ The Bulloch County Foundation for Public Education conveyed nearly $20,000 in grants to Bulloch County Schools teachers for innovative classroom projects. ▲ Participated in the annual
STEM Night
SCOTT BRYANT/file
Teacher Sandy Smith helps third-grader Asia Trippett, 9, learn about the application of force by shooting a tiny rocket with a sling shot during Mill Creek Elementary School's STEM Night in December.
'Thank You, Heroes'
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Portal Elementary School fifth-graders honor military veterans during the school's "Thank You, Heroes" program in November.
Brooklet Pumpkin Parade
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Brooklet Elementary School third-graders Jasmine Barnaby, 8, and Aleigha Lojado, 10, join classmates in bringing to life Melinda Long's and David Shannon's book "Pirates Don't Wear Diapers" during the annual Pumpkin Parade in October.
NASA Visit
SCOTT BRYANT/file
Kat Balch of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center introduces fifth-graders at Mattie Lively Elementary School to some of the latest NASA initiatives in September.
The Averitt Center for the Arts offers expert instruction in:
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For more information call Tony Phillips at
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COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
8 – Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com
Education FFA Livestock Show
Georgia STEM Day. Schools across the district planned activities to encourage interest in science, technology, engineering and math. ▲ Partnered with the Averitt Center for the Arts to provide transportation for students in city schools to attend Art After Hours. ▲ School system art teachers partnered with the Averitt Center for the Arts to showcase student artwork in the Averitt’s Youth Gallery. ▲ Partnered with area churches and organizations to help identify and distribute food to nearly 400 students in need through the Backpack Buddies program. Involvement ▲ Parent Coordinators hosted a variety SCOTT BRYANT/file of classes and neighborhood Brooklet Elementary School students Eason Mallard, 4, Parent Universities for parents center, and brother Zach, 7, prepare to show their sheep, to give them tools to help their Oreo and Carpet, during the Portal Future Farmers of America children learn. Livestock Show in September. The annual event featured 26 ▲ Partnered with the Bulloch and Drug Council to children from all over Bulloch County, 32 pigs, three sheep Alcohol host Teen Mazes for students at and a cow. Recent renovations to the Bill Brown Agriculture all three high schools. The Building were made possible by donations of materials and events teach students the consequences of risky behavior. labor by several community members. ▲ The Bulloch County Foundation for Public Education was given an Educational Patron Award by the Georgia Association of Elementary School Principals. The award is given to “an outstanding educational supporter.” Of the four recipients, the foundation was recognized as the overall best supporter. ▲ The system’s School Nutrition Department is continuing to develop a Farm-to-Table program to integrate locally grown food into our schools, improving taste by using more spices (not just salt and pepper) and establishing edible school gardens. We are currently buying local grain products such flour, corn meal and grits from Freeman's Mill. We are also looking to work with Lee Family SCOTT BRYANT/file Farms, Southern Swiss Dairy, Statesboro High School valedictorian Nidhi Aggarwal con- Hunter Cattle Company, Jacobs cludes her address with a selfie during the graduation cere- Produce, and Fish Heads Hydroponics to see how we mony at Hanner Fieldhouse in May. can incorporate other local food into lunchrooms and keep funds in our local economy.
And now, let me take a selfie
Breaking up Broccoli
Charter Conservatory for Liberal Arts & Technology ➤ Mascot: Cheetahs ➤ Principal: Corliss Reese ➤ Assistant Principal: J.
SCOTT BRYANT/file
Julia P. Bryant Elementary School first-grader Aubrey Smith, 7, disassembles a head of broccoli with help from Georgia Southern University student Lee Humphrey as Bulloch County youngsters wind up the 10-week After School Garden Program in April by eating the fruits (and vegetables) of their labor. The children made beet dip and yellow squash bread, and dipped their favorite veggies, all grown at their school. The program was a collaboration between Keep Bulloch Beautiful and several programs at Georgia Southern University.
First Day of School
Benji Lewis ➤ School Achievements: ▲ Mahaela Gomez and Matthew McGrath were nominated for the Governor’s Honors Program. ▲ Max Eshbaugh completed the National Young Leaders State Conference: Leadership Essentials, Skills for Personal Success program in Washington, D.C. ▲ CCAT’s enrollment increased for the third year in a row, this time by 2 percent, between May and October 2014. ▲ 92 percent of CCAT’s parents attended all four Student/Parent/Teacher conferences. ▲ CCAT won this year’s Kiwanis Fair Parade. ▲ CCAT had a 100 percent pass rate on the Georgia High School Writing Test. ▲ CCAT increased its graduation rate by 11 percentage points. ▲ CCAT graduation rate was higher than the Bulloch County school district and state averages. ▲ The school earned the Best Presentation Award, 2nd Place Best Village Overall, and Outstanding Global Village Teacher at the 2014 International Festival. ▲ CCAT’s assistant principal was this year’s winner of Dancing with the Statesboro Stars. ▲ CCAT partnered with the Bulloch County Drug and Alcohol Council to host a town hall meeting about the dangers of underage drinking and drug abuse.
Commission (GAC). ▲ All faculty members are fully certified or are in the process of certification through Georgia Professional Standards Commission; 15 have advanced degrees and 27 teachers have 10 or more years of teaching experience. Advanced Placement ▲ (AP) classes: biology, world history, government, literature and composition, language and composition, calculus, accelerated U.S. history Class of 2014 aver ▲ age SAT score:1537 (Bulloch County school system average was 1403, state average was 1445, national average was 1497). ▲ Composite ACT score 22.7 (Bulloch County school system average was 19.6, state average was 20.8, national average was 21.0). ▲ Of the 46-student graduating glass of 2014, most were awarded funds to help pay for postsecondary education. Some of the scholarships received by BA students were an appointment to the National Beta Club Scholarship, Zell Miller Scholarship, HOPE Scholarship and academic scholarships to Georgia Southern University, Mercer University, DePaul University and Savannah College of Art and Design. Other colleges and universities that graduates are attending are the University of Georgia, Purdue University, Rutgers University, Georgia College and State University, Middle Georgia State College and East Georgia State College. ▲ Nine Bulloch Academy students recently earned the designation of Advanced Placement (AP) Scholar and four others were named AP Scholars with Honor by the College Board in recognition of their exceptional achievements on the college-level Advanced Placement program exams during the 2013-2014 school year. ▲ International Student Program with students from (in 2014-2015) China, Taiwan, Germany and South Korea. This helps promote global diversity and understanding. Most students live in Statesboro with host families. ▲ Partnership with Oe Dae Language School in Seoul, South Korea, for English Language Infusion Program (Korean students live in Statesboro with host families and attend Bulloch Academy to help learn conversational English). These students have come over in July 2011, January 2012, August 2012, January 2013, January 2014 and January 2015. In August 2013, eight Chinese students and two chaperones from the Shiyan Foreign Language School in Shiyan, China came to Statesboro and Bulloch Academy. ▲ Partnership with Georgia GOAL Scholarship Program and supporting taxpayers and businesses who helped 72 students (the vast majority of whom are in the lower school) receive partial scholarships. These partial scholarships total more than $100,000. ▲ Full-time art and music teachers. ▲ Strings program (violin) for elementary music program. Strings program (guitar) for high school music program. ▲ Smartboards in all classrooms. Three computer labs ▲ (Lower, Upper/Middle and Media Center). ▲ CAMPS (Computer, Art, Music, Physical Education and Spanish) for all lower-school classes on a daily rotation for 40 minutes per class. (Accelerating ▲ AIM Inquisitive Minds) for all lower and middle-school classes. ▲ Major renovation project for primary and elementaryschool playgrounds, spearheaded by BA fourth-grade
CCAT's Dancing Star
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Benji Lewis, the assistant principal of the Charter Conservatory for Liberal Arts and Technology, pumps his fist after winning the Judges Choice award with partner Amy Taulbeee during Dancing with the Statesboro Stars in October to benefit Safe Haven of Statesboro. teachers Eileen Rice and Joie Roach, got underway in 2011 and was completed in December 2012. ▲ Multi-purpose building for wrestling, cheerleading and auxiliary physical education classes was completed in 2011. ▲ Weight room expansion, which almost doubled the size of the facility, was completed in 2011. ▲ BA physical education teachers Barbara Conner and Jessica Fletcher developed a middle school archery team in 2011 through the National Archery In Schools program. The team and several individual archers won regional and state competitions in 2012 and competed at a national competition in Louisville, Kentucky, in 2013. In 2014, the elementary and middle school teams won the regional competition and competed in the state and national competition. The 2015 season is currently underway. ▲ BA high school science teacher Karen Whitten began a robotics team in 2011. In February 2012, the team finished 8th out of 64 teams in the international regional competition in Orlando, Florida, and was the top-ranked rookie team. In 2014, the team finished 6th out of 62 teams and won the competition’s Creativity Award. The team is preparing for the 2015 competition in March. ▲ The One-Act Play team advanced to the 2014 Class AAA state competition for the first time ever. Zoe Li won two state runner-up titles (Piano and International Extemporaneous Speaking) at the 2014 Class AAA Literary Events. Logan Purvis won the Region 2-AAA title for Rhetorical Essay. ▲ Bulloch Academy students showed their charitable side in November 2014 with an overwhelmingly successful Canned Food Drive. Spearheaded by the school’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Club, the drive collected 3,300 items of food. ▲ Class AAA girls basketball champions (2014); Class AAA girls track and field state champions (2013), Class AAA state coaches’ duals wrestling champion (2014, 2012), Class AAA state competition cheerleading champions (2011), Class AAA state runners-up in wrestling (2013, 2011), shooting sports (2013) and girls’ track and field (2011); Region
State Champions!
Bulloch Academy ➤ Mascot: Gators ➤ Head of School: Leisa
Houghton
➤ School Achievements: ▲ Celebrating 43rd year as
an independent, college-preparatory school serving the students of Bulloch and neighboring counties ▲ Enrollment of 513 students in PK4-12. ▲ Member of Georgia Independent School Association (GISA) and dually accredited by the Southern Association of SCOTT BRYANT/file Colleges and Schools (SACS) Nevils Elementary School fourth-grade science and social and the Southern Association of studies teacher Kendra Sams plays a game with students to Independent Schools (SAIS); accredited “with quality” by the help everyone learn names during the first day of school in Georgia Accrediting
August.
SPECIAL
The Bulloch Academy Lady Gators pose for a team photo after winning the GISA Class AAA state basketball championship with a 46-29 win over Stratford Academy in March at Mercer University in Macon.
4-AAA softball champion (2012, 2011); Region 3-AAA wrestling champions (2014, 2013, 2012); Region 4-AAA girls’ basketball champions (2014, 2013, 2012), Region 4-AAA boys’ basketball champions (2013).
Trinity Christian School ➤ Mascot: Lions ➤ Headmaster:
David Lattner ➤ Assistant Headmaster: Missy Lee ➤ School Achievements: ▲ Record enrollment for fourth straight year (255 students). ▲ Senior Will Lattner was named a 2015 National Merit Commended Scholar based on his score on the PSAT as a junior. ▲ Class of 2014 (16 members) SAT average: 1641 (566 math, 535 critical reading, 539 writing); 200 points above Georgia state average. ▲ Senior Will Lattner has been named the school's STAR Student for 2015 and has chosen English teacher Mrs. Diane Welker as his STAR Teacher. ▲ In 2014-2015, the school fielded teams in boys and girls cross country, girls volleyball, boys and girls swimming, boys and girls basketball, girls softball, boys soccer and cheerleading. ▲ The varsity boys cross country team won the Georgia Independent Christian Athletic Association (GICAA) state championship for the second year in a row in fall 2014. ▲ The varsity girls swimming team came in second place in the GICAA state meet in 2014. ▲ The varsity girls volleyball team won the GICAA South Region championship in fall 2014 and advanced to the GICAA state final four. ▲ The varsity girls softball team won the GICAA East Region and advanced to the GICAA state final four in spring 2014. ▲ Middle schoolers Grace Hall and Nicole Crews and high schoolers Margaret Kochetta, Taylor Hall, Makayla Bacon participated in District Honors Choir. Margaret Kochetta was chosen for the Georgia Music Educators Association All-State Chorus. ▲ The high school choir qualified for the GICAA State choral competition. ▲ Jiwoo Lee won first place in women’s solo at the GICAA state literary competition in spring 2014. ▲ Both Trinity Techs Lego Robotics teams advanced to the super-regional competition of the First Lego League in 2015. Team 1 won the Robot Performance trophy, and Team 2 won the Research Presentation award. ▲ College acceptances for Class of 2014: University of Georgia, Clemson University, Covenant College, Georgia Southern University, Penn State University, Arizona State University, Hamline University, Truett-McConnell College, Kennesaw State University, Georgia State University, East Georgia State College and University of North Georgia. ▲ The Class of 2014 was awarded more than $450,000 in merit-based scholarships.
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
statesboroherald.com | Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 – 9
Education
Keel foreshadows GSU’s ‘next chapter’ By AL HACKLE ahackle@statesboroherald.com
Turning the page from the expansion of Paulson Stadium to seat more than 21,000 people, the Eagles’ move into the Sun Belt Conference and a $13.5 million marketing deal with Coca-Cola, Georgia Southern University President Dr. Brooks Keel outlined what the university wants to write in its next chapter. “Twenty-first century learning is going to have a very different flavor to it,” he said during his State of the University Address. “One of the things we’re going to be doing is trying to find areas in which the state needs folks trained and educated.” Keel gave the informal speech, complete with slideshow, in August during fall convocation, attended by more than 800 of the university’s 2,537 faculty and staff at the Performing Arts Center. “Writing Our Next Chapter” was the theme for the ceremony, which launches the academic year. Students are arriving in Statesboro now to begin classes Monday. Keel mentioned manufacturing engineering and digital media as two directions for future growth. Manufacturing, he said, is coming back to the United States and to the Southeast in particular. “We have just now submitted a proposal to the Board of Regents to allow us to offer a Bachelor of Science degree in manufacturing engineering,” Keel said. “To put things in perspective, there are only 25 programs in the country
that have even been accredited. There’s nothing in the whole Southeastern United States.” The nearest programs currently are in Virginia and Texas. Digital media, Keel said, “has broad implications. It goes well beyond computer science. It’s electrical engineering. … There’s writing and linguistics. When you start talking about video game developers, those folks have to have scripts. It’s all about art; it’s music; it’s theater.” He mentioned the recently built Pinewood Atlanta Studios, which have some of the largest sound stages in America. “Georgia is going to become the Hollywood of the 21st century,” Keel said.
Recent history Before launching into the future, Keel highlighted recent news. The tiers adding 6,300 seats to Paulson Stadium were in use for spring 2014 graduation, attended by about 25,000 people. The new Football Operations Center opened in August. Keel’s PowerPoint slide noted that $6 million of the $13.5 million from CocaCola will go to scholarships. It is the largest deal of its kind in the university’s history. The move up to the Sun Belt and the Football Bowl Subdivision became official July 1, and the team went undefeated and won the conference title in its inaugural season. He casually mentioned that the university is working on deals with a variety of other companies beyond Coca-Cola.
“Athletics is the front porch of this university,” Keel said. “It gets people up on the front porch. They look in the picture window and see all of the other wonderful things that we’re doing at the university. When we have a 30-second spot on ESPN in front of 75 million TV sets, we’re going to be talking about the wonderful academic things that this university does.”
Current projects One academics-driven building project he mentioned was the gutting and renovation of Sanford Hall, a former dorm, to become the new home of the Communication Arts Department. The revamped building opened in August. The Shooting Sports Center, now under construction, will accommodate both firearms competition and archery. Downtown, a $1.1 million U.S. Economic D e v e l o p m e n t Administration grant is being used to expand the university’s City Campus to include a “business incubator,” with classrooms and equipment for creating new products. The university also announced in August that its Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Information Technology has been fully accredited by the Accreditation Board of Eng ineer ing and Technology. After offering engineering technology courses for many years, Georgia Southern received University System of Georgia approval and launched its bachelor’s degrees in engineering in 2011.
“Our engineering program now has accreditation from ABET in civil, electrical and mechanical engineering,” Keel said. “This is a huge deal for Georgia Southern, for our students and for this community, especially south Georgia.” Other new developments for the 2014–15 academic year included a complete ban on tobacco use on campus, the first pay raise for most employees in six years and a self-study to maintain the university’s regional accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and SchoolsCommission on Colleges.
SCOTT BRYANT/file
Georgia Southern University President Brooks Keel delivers a presentation to faculty, staff, and students during the Fall 2014 Convocation Ceremony in August at the Performing Arts Center on campus.
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Beyond Measure
“How do you know when a teacher is no longer just a teacher, but somehow, in their time spent with you, has earned a place as someone who shapes the way you think, act and see the world around you.” - Nigel Washington Sea Island Bank asked students to write about their teachers, and they received more than 400 touching essays. Nigel Washington, a seventh-grader at Langston Chapel Middle School, wrote the winning essay about his sixth-grade math teacher, Joni Chavers. Nigel’s words remind us that teachers have a vital role. At Bulloch County Schools, they help fulfill our mission to prepare students to find success and enhance the community’s value. We measure that success in many ways, but none is more important than how we positively affect a child’s life. Thank you Ms. Chavers for what you and all of our teachers mean to students. Read more student testimonies on our website.
912.212.8500
www.bulloch.k12.ga.us
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
10 – Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com
Education
New options at Ogeechee Tech By AL HACKLE ahackle@statesboroherald.com
For Ogeechee Technical College’s students — and its most recent graduates — the college’s achievement of full regional accreditation will open more options for continuing their education at four-year colleges and universities. Lacy McLaurin, 20, from Rincon, was on track to complete courses for her associate degree in hotel, restaurant and tourism management in August 2014. Employability is not in doubt, since her internship has her working full-time as cultural concierge and membership relations director at Savannah Quarters Country Club in Pooler, a job she planned to keep after graduation. But she followed Ogeechee Tech’s progress toward regional accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, or SACSCOC, with interest. “I think it’s a great opportunity for all of the students at Ogeechee Tech,” McLaurin said. “Now you have a chance to better your education. You don’t have to settle for an associate’s degree. You can go for a four-year degree, you can go for your bachelor’s, or you could go for your master’s if you wanted to.” Since her OTC degree has landed McLaurin a job she likes, that is not something she plans to do right away. “But it’s good to know I have the option now,” she said. “I don’t have to completely start over. All my (courses) will transfer if I wanted to go and complete a bachelor’s degree.”
SCOTT BRYANT/file
Ogeechee Technical College instructor Nick DeBonis, right, teaches a class in services marketing to students in the Associate of Arts marketing program in this June 2014 file photo. Credits for classes such as this one can now be transferred to four-year universities.
Regional vs. national Ogeechee Tech has been accredited by the Council on Occupational Education, which accredits technical colleges nationwide, since 1992. But among colleges, regional accreditations generally carry more weight than national ones. SACSCOC accredits most academic colleges and universities in the Southeast, such as Georgia Southern University, East Georgia State College, Savannah State University and the University of Georgia. Most Technical College System of Georgia schools, such as Ogeechee Tech, are now SACSCOC accredited as well. Without the regional accreditation, Ogeechee Tech’s courses usually were
not accepted for credit at regionally accredited colleges and universities, even those in the University System of Georgia. Now, some OTC courses will transfer, provided that they closely match courses at the receiving college or university and are needed for the student’s program of study. Although Tom Elrod, 29, from Glennville, received his OTC associate degree as a computer networking specialist in May and the accreditation was not awarded until June, he, too, is now a graduate of a SACS-accredited college. The accreditation is retroactive to Jan. 1. “I’ve previously been enrolled at Georgia Southern, a while back, and coming here it made it a lot easier transferring classes down
from them, but now with being SACS accredited, I think it would be on the same level of programs,” he said. Elrod, married and the father of a 3-year-old, previously operated a painting business. He also earned a picture archiving and communication systems diploma, awarded by OTC in December 2013. Now employed part-time in the college’s information technology department, he is currently looking for fulltime work rather than more schooling, but like McLaurin, said he likes having the option.
Core courses Not all class credits will transfer. Acceptance remains
up to the receiving institution. The University System and the Technical College System have a standing agreement that allows the transfer of 27 courses between their schools. However, in the absence of SACSCOC accreditation, even these courses generally were not accepted, OTC President Dr. Dawn Cartee said. Now they should be. The list includes courses in American government, American literature, art appreciation, biology, calculus and precalculus, chemistry, college algebra, economics, English composition, U.S. and world history, introduction to humanities, physics, math modeling, sociology, statistics, principles of economics and public speaking. Most are core classes, needed in a certain number and variety to fill basic college requirements regardless of the student’s eventual major. Ogeechee Tech offers some of these courses now, but is adding more as electives and could offer all of them in the future, Cartee said. Offering up to two years of transferable core classes is seen as a path to a new phase of enrollment growth. “We would hope so,” she said. “There are students now that for whatever reason are not admitted into Georgia Southern on their first try, and we are an option to allowing them to continue that aspiration of receiving a four-year degree. They can come here and take two years of core classes. … We’re a viable, vital option to doing that and very cost-effective.” Beyond those 27 courses, Cartee is now pursuing articulation agreements with University System schools
that will allow entire associate degree programs at Ogeechee Tech to count toward bachelor’s degrees. These will apply to selected programs.
Improving quality
However, credit transfer was not the first thing Cartee mentioned when asked why the new accreditation is important. “The whole purpose for seeking regional accreditation for us was it’s a quality initiative,” she said. “In the world of accreditation it all revolves around institutional effectiveness, and it’s not something you can do overnight. It’s a process, and it involves all aspects of the college.” Achieving the accreditation was part of Cartee’s job assignment when she returned to Ogeechee Tech as its president seven years ago. To prepare for its application and the visits by SACSCOC representatives, the staff and faculty had to document many different aspects of the college and show that feedback was being applied to make improvements. In addition to a continuous improvement approach to teaching, the college had to demonstrate that its buildings and resources, such as those in the library, were more than adequate. Financial strength was gauged through three years of clean audits, and everything else had to be demonstrated for three years. “It was tough. It was not an easy process,” she said. “This faculty and staff, they’ve been in the trenches for the last seven years, and I’m proud of them.”
We are PROUD to serve the EDUCATIONAL needs of our area.
www.ogeecheetech.edu One Joseph E. Kennedy Blvd. Statesboro, Ga. | 912.681.5500 | 800.646.1316 Equal Opportunity Institution | A Unit of the Technical College System of Georgia
2015 Community
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Lifestyles
Deal's: More than a furniture store
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
2 – Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com
Family-owned Deal's is much more than a furniture store By DeWAYNE GRICE dgrice@statesboroherald.com
D
eal's Furniture and Mattress Outlet on Georgia Highway 67, near the Statesboro Kiwanis Fairgrounds, is more than a furniture store. It is a good place to go if you are in the market for furniture for any room in your home or one-of-akind antiques. Deal's was founded nearly four decades ago by the late John E. Deal as a small,
family-owned antique and used-furniture business. Deal's hobby filled his days with happiness after he gave up traveling sales with a local meat-packing business and owning a small, rural grocery store. "Dad would be stunned if he saw the store today," Gail Deal NeSmith said. "With over 25,000 square foot of showroom space and 45,000 square foot of additional warehouse space, his little furniture store has gone mainstream."
Today, the business carries on with the brothersister duo of Craig Deal and Gail Deal NeSmith along with Craig's son Matt, meaning three generations have continually operated the business. Craig Deal is the owner, and NeSmith serves as secretary-treasurer of the company and the gift-shop buyer. Matt Deal can tell you anything and everything about the furniture and mattress products that they carry.
For over a decade, Deal's has consistently won Best Mattress Store and Best Antique Store honors in the Statesboro Herald's Best of the Boro awards. In addition, in 2012, the business added Best Furniture Store recognition for the first time. More than 60 percent of annual sales now come from new furniture sales. Deal's also has a large share of the local market in mattress sales. Serta is the store's premier mattress
line, and it boasts one of the largest mattress displays in the region. Deal's also carries Corsicana along with other mattress lines from overstock purchases. Jackson/Catnapper and Vaughan-Basset are two of the store's new furniture lines that are made in the United States. It also carries Liberty Furniture, Home Elegance, Ashley, Klaussner and others. The gift shop is wellknown for a large selection of Tervis tumblers and siz-
able collections of Georgia Southern Eagles and University of Georgia Bulldogs items. It also carries fashion jewelry, handbags, "initial" items for home décor and many other unique items. The selection is backed up with employees who care about their customers. Deal's says customer service is what sets it apart. Furniture delivery and setup are always free. And the store is known for its "no pressure" sales.
Photos by SCOTT BRYANT/staff
Chase Wilson, 7, of Sallie Zetterower Elementary School, gets an escort and some encouragement from Georgia Southern football players Ryan George, far left, Devin Scott, center left, Antwione Williams, center right, and Kel Parham while participating in one of the running events during the Bulloch County Spring Special Olympics at Statesboro High School in April. The football players and head coach Willie Fritz were among the many volunteers from Georgia Southern University, the Kiwanis Club and the Statesboro Service League who helped more than 170 athletes from Bulloch County schools participate in the competitions and activities.
Special Olympics celebrate special kids
S
ome very special kids participated in Bulloch County's Spring Special Olympics in April at Statesboro High School. Opening ceremonies featured GSU football head coach Willie Fritz and
members of the Eagles football team. The annual games not only are fun and rewarding for the kids who participate, but they also provide a great opportunity for community members to get involved.
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A pooped-out Wilson, center, gets an escort and some encouragement from Georgia Southern football players Antwione Williams, left, and Kel Parham after completing one of the running events during the Special Olympics. Once Wilson caught his breath, he raised his arms and shouted, "I did it!" as he walked off the track.
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
statesboroherald.com | Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 – 3
Photos by SCOTT BRYANT/staff
Country music trio Lady Antebellum, featuring, from left, Dave Haywood, Hillary Scott and Charles Kelley, entertain during their headlining act for Georgia Southern University's Spring Concert in May at Paulson Stadium.
A 'Downtown' getdown Lady Antebellum rocks Paulson Stadium From staff reports
W
hile on its Take Me Downtown Tour 2014, the Grammy Awardwinning country music trio Lady Antebellum made a stop in the Boro on May 2 to headline Georgia Southern University's Spring
Concert at Allen E. Paulson Stadium. The band, featuring Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood, is known for hits including "I Run to You," "American Honey," "Just a Kiss" and "Need You Now," the single that claimed five of the group's seven career Grammy wins in 2011. Four-time Grammy nominee Joe
Statesboro Film Festival
Nichols, whose hits include "The Impossible," "Gimmie That Girl," "Brokenheartsville" and "Sunny and 75," served as one of the opening acts for Lady Antebellum. Kristian Bush, one-half of the platinum-selling country duo Sugarland, also performed an opening act. Since forming Sugarland in
Best in Breed
2014 Statesboro Film Festival winners Daryl Sullivan, Local South Paws Dog Resort owner Lynn Vogel and her front center, Courtney Escher, left center, Ore Obasanya, rear Kuvasz dog, "Cole," won Best in Breed at the worldcenter, and Mallory Taylor, right center, all co-produced the renowned 2014 Westminster Dog Show. 2014 Statesboro Film Festival People's Choice and Best Film winner, "Stabby Stabby Stab Stab." Also pictured are Brian Graves, left, who won Best Director and Best Editing for his film "The Packinghouse," left, and Kenneth Gamblin, right, who won Best Cinematography for his film "A Letter." SUNDAY: WEDNESDAY:
Humanitarian of the Year
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Chad Wiggins is named the Humanitarian of the Year during the 2014 Deen Day Smith Service to Mankind Awards in April at the Nessmith-Lane Conference Center.
Family Life Center FLC
2002, Bush and singer Jennifer Nettles have found success with hits including "Baby Girl" and "Stay." A Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist, Bush released his debut solo single, "Trailer Hitch," in July 2014, with plans to release his first solo album in April of this year.
Dancing with the Statesboro Stars
Amy Taulbee spins around the dance floor with partner Benji Lewis during the 2014 Dancing with the Statesboro Stars fundraiser in October to benefit Safe Haven of Statesboro.
5:00 pm Family Dinner Family Life Center (FLC)
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4 – Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com 4 - STATESBORO HERALD - Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
VOTED BEST IN THE BORO 12 YEARS IN A ROW!
Deal’s Furniture, Mattress Outlet & GiFts
HWY. 67 AT FAIRGROUND, STATESBORO (912) 681-3824 • 64 EAST MAIN STREET, STATESBORO (912) 243-9999
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
statesboroherald.com | Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 – 5
Deal’s
statesboroherald.com | STATESBORO HERALD - Sunday, February 22, 2015 - 5
Furniture, Mattress Outlet & GiFts
HWY. 67 AT FAIRGROUND, STATESBORO (912) 681-3824 • 64 EAST MAIN STREET, STATESBORO (912) 243-9999
COME SEE THE DEALMAKER BEFORE YOU BUY!
6 – Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
Our Statesboro
Mical Whitaker portrays Statesboro educator William James as the Bulloch County Historical Society presents "Tales from the Tomb," its annual living history presentation featuring prominent Statesboro and Bulloch County citizens at Eastside Cemetery, in October. James is not buried at the cemetery, but his importance to education in the local African-American community and his friendship with fellow educator Marvin Pittman, who is buried at the cemetery, cemented his inclusion in last year's program. Ralph Donaldson of Dublin creates a unique hearth broom with a handle fashioned from a deer antler during the annual ArtsFest at Sweetheart Circle last April. Donaldson and son Dan have been making handmade brooms for about eight years.
Color the Campus 5K participants celebrate the conclusion of the event with a paint toss at Georgia Southern University's Recreation Activity Center. The Delta Phi Epsilon sorority at GSU hosted the race in March. Runners started out in white clothing and were doused with powdered paint as they wound their way around campus to help raise awareness about and money for cystic fibrosis research. British Soccer Camp coach Tracy Jenkins of London, England, gets doused by campers during the traditional water fight to close out the weeklong program held last July. Jenkins has played for several semi-professional women's league teams in the U.K.
ABOVE, Julia Waller, 22, of Atlanta reacts after the name of the last of over 2,500 graduates is announced during the 2014 Georgia Southern University Spring Commencement at Paulson Stadium last May. BELOW, Dade McNeel, 3, sports his American flag during the 2014 Firecracker Festival last July at Mill Creek Regional Park.
As the sun sets over the fairgrounds, Tyler West of Burr Oak, Mich., opens up with a successful saddle bronc ride during the 2014 Statesboro Kiwanis Rodeo last April.
Photos by SCOTT BRYANT/staff
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
statesboroherald.com | Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 – 7
SCOTT BRYANT/staff
Leland Riggs, 98, has been an active member of the Statesboro Kiwanis Club for 35 years. He has served as both vice president and president of the club and has won many awards over the years, including attendance awards and the prestigious Hickson Award.
Riggs has just about seen it all 98-year-old Statesboro Kiwanis Club member has been active for 35 years By HOLLI DEAL SAXON hbragg@statesboroherald.com
A
t 98 years old, Leland Riggs isn't quite a charter member of the Statesboro Kiwanis Club, but he has been an active member for 35 years. He was around when the Kiwanis Ogeechee Fair was in its young stages and has seen the fair grow. He was around when it seemed every club member had a role in the annual fundraiser and now sees a club with more than 140 members, with only a fraction actively taking part in the fair. He has seen things change, but one thing that hasn't changed is his pride in the club and community. Riggs remembers when "the club was all male," he said. "Then they started letting the women in." Back then, everybody worked and played a role in the fair. Club members got out on work days and built the structures seen on the grounds today. The fair began "as a small carnival, and I've watched it grow," he said. The rides have become bigger, the attractions have evolved, the Heritage Village has captured local history and "the kiddie land section is a big asset," he said. One of his favorite parts of the fair, where he has spent many hours, is the antique agricultural implements section. He enjoys the old country store, the blacksmith shop, the Aldrich House that shows
how farm families lived in years past. "Heritage Village (where these displays are found) is great," he said. Riggs was elected vice president a few years after joining the club, then was named president in 1985-86, He has won many awards over the years, including attendance awards, the prestigious Hickson Award and other honors. As president, he made efforts to encourage all members to take part in the fair. "The fair is not a separate event. It is a Kiwanis event," he said. "The fair is part of the Kiwanis Club, and every member should take part in it. I enjoyed the challenges" of being president. The fair raises money that is filtered back into the community. "Lord have mercy, I couldn't name all the charities and organizations" that benefit from the fair's revenue, he said. Club members' dues go into a separate account, and fair money (after expenses) is funneled to charities, programs and other organizations that help children and the community. "We give to up to 100 organizations," Riggs said. People "come from all over and drive from as far as Savannah to eat pancakes and sausage" at the club's Pancake House, he said. Riggs remembers club member Marion Brantley starting the Pancake House, using Robbins' sausage from a local packing company.
One of his duties as a club member during the fair was selling tickets. He did that for years, he said, and enjoyed seeing people and taking in money he knew would be used to help others. At 98, health issues have slowed him down, but Riggs isn't ready to quit just PrideAd2015 Kiwanis Rodeo_adRodeo 2015 2/5/15 yet.
5th
Annual
He said he would be at the fair again in 2015, enjoying pancakes and sausage as usual, and said he hopes club members will continue to support the "great event" that the fair has become.
Holli Deal Saxon may be reached at (912)
10:17 AM Page 1 489-9414.
Statesboro
KIWANIS RODEO
APRIL 17-18, 2015
2014 Kiwanis Ogeechee Fair Parade
Gates Open: Fri. 5:00; Sat. 5:00 @ Kiwanis Fairgrounds
Ticket Sales March 28 @ Anderson’s General Store SCOTT BRYANT/staff
Georgia Southern University's Southern Pride Marching Band makes its way past the Bulloch County Courthouse during the 2014 Kiwanis Ogeechee Fair Parade last October to kick off "fair week" in Bulloch County. More than 2,800 people and 152 entries participated in the annual event, making it one of the largest and most successful in the Statesboro Kiwanis Club's history.
www.StatesboroRodeo.com
8 – Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
2015 Community
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Healthcare
Hospital gets new partial owner, partners with Emory
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
2 – Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com
2014 an eventful year for EGRMC From staff reports
T
he last year has been an eventful one for East Georgia Regional Medical Center. The top headline was that Statesboro's hospital became part of the largest forprofit chain of hospitals in the United States. That happened when Community Health Systems, based in Franklin, Tennessee, completed its acquisition of Health Management Associations, based in Naples, Florida, for $7.6 billion. HMA owned, leased or managed 71 hospitals in 15 states, with 11,000 licensed beds. After the purchase, which became final Jan. 27, 2014, CHS holds or manages 205 hospitals, with 31,000 beds, in 29 states. In the case of EGRMC, the ownership is partial. The hospital was owned in a joint venture between HMA and a group of physicians, and the doctors still own part, now in affiliation with CHS.
The change in corporate ownership had no effect on the 650 employees of 150-bed EGRMC, according to the hospital's marketing director, Jill Cairney, who provided information to the Statesboro Herald in March. "The transaction does not impact local operations. East Georgia Regional Medical Center will continue to operate under the same name," the hospital's CEO, Bob Bigley, said in a news release. The hospital, he added, continues to participate in the same managed-care contracts and government reimbursement programs. "Most importantly," Bigley said, "the community will continue to receive the high-quality care they have come to expect from the nurses, physicians and employees they already know and trust." However, the local hospital officials said they are excited about EGRMC being part of CHS and potentially benefitting from the chain's size.
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Partnership with Emory A new cooperative project started last year between East Georgia Regional Medical Center and Emory University links the Statesboro hospital's ICU by audio, video and continuous computer charting of patients' vital signs to Emory's 24/7 critical care medical staff. Nights and weekends, 7 p.m. until 7 a.m. Monday through Friday, and from 7 p.m. Friday until Monday morning, Emory's critical care physicians will make rounds electronically to check on some of the hospital's sickest patients, Bigley said. "Of course, there are always doctors here that are on call," he said. "We have exceptional physicians, two of whom are boardcertified in critical care medicine and pulmonary medicine. But they aren't, of course, here (at the hospital) 24 hours a day, seven days a week." So, East Georgia Regional, which treats an unusually high number of severely ill patients for a hospital its size, was seeking to reduce late-night calls to its doctors, which can leave them exhausted the next day. During the past decade, East Georgia Regional has added services in cardiology, gastroenterology and robotic-assisted surgery. These have increased the number of critical care patients, as have transfers from smaller hospitals in neighboring counties who previously would have gone to a city such as Savannah or Augusta. Meanwhile, Emory University's Center for Critical Care was awarded a $10.7 million grant by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS, for a project to rapidly train and deploy non-physician critical care providers. So, in an arrangement Bigley started working out more than a year ago, East Georgia Regional became part of that project. Each of the 12 rooms of East Georgia's regular ICU now has a precision digital camera that can zoom in on a patient to hair-counting resolution. The camera is mounted above a TV screen that makes the communication two-way. In addition, there's a literal big, red button that EGRMC staff press to summon the Emory nurses, and potentially doctors, to enter the room virtually. Besides making their virtual rounds, Emory's physicians are now accessible to EGRMC nurses on the night and weekend shifts. Even during the day, when East
2014 highlights East Georgia Regional Medical Center listed the following as accomplishments during the last year.
➤ Cardiology Program ▲ STEMI Program for around-the-clock
access to emergency cardiac care. ▲ Door-to-balloon time at 48 minutes compared to the national standard of 76 minutes. EGRMC’s best door-to-balloon time is 13 minutes. ▲ In 2014, EGRMC completed 251 PCIs compared to 180 in 2013, a 25 percent increase. ▲ Working to add additional cardiologists and interventional cardiologists in 2015. ▲ Added a step-down unit; 31 critical care beds available. ➤ Gastroenterology ▲ Coverage of three skilled GI physicians ▲ Esophageal Ultrasound (EUS) ▲ ERCP ▲ High-definition imaging equipment ➤ Radiology ▲ Added 3D mammography at Statesboro Imaging ➤ ED/ENDO Expansion Plans ▲ Beginning construction drawings to expand the ER and relocate ENDO.
Georgia's own doctors are on duty in-person, the Statesboro hospital's nurses are able to call on Emory critical care nurses when they need an extra pair of eyes or have a question. The tele-ICU equipment was installed at East Georgia Regional Medical and made fully operational in the summer.
Internet-based patient portal East Georgia Regional Medical Center is offering a free, secure online tool that provides patients 24/7 access to their inpatient health records. Known as "My Health Home," the Webbased tool allows patients to gain access to key elements of their inpatient medical records. "When you finally get to go home, all you are thinking about is getting to go home and not focused on what they are trying to tell you," Bigley said. "When you get home, you forget what you were instructed to do. This gives you the ability to log on to the patient portal to find your instructions."
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statesboroherald.com | Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 – 3
Bariatric surgery restores mobility through weight loss Thirteen months after his bariatric surgery, Don Aliffi, right, plays with his grandson Tripp Green, who is almost 7. Before the surgery performed by Dr. Oliver Whipple with Memorial Health’s bariatrics program, Aliffi weighed 120 pounds more than he does now, and knee and hip problems had reduced him to an inactive lifestyle.
Memorial Health offers surgeries in Savannah, clinic here By AL HACKLE ahackle@statesboroherald.com
B
esides the obvious benefits of being able to play with my grandson and walk without pain and do Disney and all the rights and privileges thereunto appertaining, the principle way my life has changed is that very small amounts of food go a really long way with me. — Don Aliffi Since his bariatric surgery at Memorial University Medical Center in Savannah in December 2013, Don Aliffi has lost 19 inches from his waistline. But his gift for pithy, summative sentences remains plus-sized. Minutes before uttering the one above, Aliffi, 65, had been tossing and dribbling a basketball with his grandson, who will soon be 7. When they’re not playing with a basketball or football, they go fishing almost daily. And indeed, Aliffi and his wife, Linda, had recently returned to their Claxton home from four days at Walt Disney World with both their grandchildren. But prior to the bariatric surgery and a knee replacement about six months later, Don Aliffi had been reduced to near immobility. For years, he had worked out five days a week, but degenerative knee and hip joint problems eventually led to intense, piercing pain whenever he so much as walked to the door in the morning. So he settled into a favorite chair after work each day and stopped exercising, until his increasing weight barred the knee surgery. Aliffi weighed a little over 360 pounds when he underwent the surgery that literal-
ly reduced the size of his stomach. He had lost 90 pounds by the time he had the knee replacement surgery in May. With increased activity assisting his muchaltered appetite and learned dietary changes, his weight loss now totals 120 pounds, and he hopes to lose about 25 more. “When I had my surgery, the pants I was wearing were size 58 in the waist, and while I’m sitting here talking to you today, I’m wearing 39s,” he said. “So, I mean, I don’t think I could do Parris Island right now and I’m not saying I’m ready to be a hip-hop star and take my shirt off, but I’m way, way better off than I was.”
3 kinds of surgery Bariatric surgery takes three basic forms, all available through Memorial Health’s bariatrics program. A lap-band procedure is the least surgically invasive but can require the most follow-up. The surgeon installs an adjustable cuff around the patient’s stomach to reduce its capacity. Sleeve gastrectomy, the procedure Aliffi had done, involves removing the largest part of the stomach, reducing it to a tube or "sleeve” shape. Gastric bypass involves both restricting capacity and reconnecting the stomach to a different section of the small intestine so that fewer calories are absorbed. Dr. Oliver Whipple and Dr. Robert Kelly do these as laparoscopic procedures, using a scope and small incisions, except when individual circumstances require an open procedure, said Physician Assistant Jody Hannah, who assists with the surgeries and
works with patients before and after. Kelly and Whipple are general surgeons with fellowship training in bariatrics and minimally invasive surgery. The operations are performed in Savannah, but Memorial Health has clinics in Statesboro, Vidalia and Brunswick where patients can go for information before surgery and for follow-up afterward. Aliffi had hoped to have the lap-band procedure because he liked the idea that it was adjustable. But decisions on the type of surgery are individualized, based on the patient’s weight and other health issues. He took Whipple’s advice and had a sleeve gastrectomy. “In retrospect, I’m glad we did what he did ...,” Aliffi said. “It’s completely changed my life.” Aliffi was being treated for sleep apnea prior to his surgery. With his weight loss, this problem has cleared up so that he is no longer using a CPAP machine. He also reports that his frequent back pain has largely vanished. Before the surgery, he attended an information session and received a preparatory checklist. Aliffi saw his cardiologist and the pulmonary specialist who had treated his sleep apnea and got their go-ahead. All patients are also required to see a licensed psychologist. Patients who, in consultation with their doctors, choose to go forward receive several hours of preoperative education. As part of this, a licensed counselor who had bariatric surgery more than a decade ago shares her story and offers tips for life after surgery. Dealing with
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food as a potential addiction is part of the counseling. After surgery, follow-up visits with the medical professionals occur every
month at first, then less often depending on the patient’s progress. “We recommend followup for life,” Hannah said.
Blood lab work to check for problems that can occur, such as vitamin deficiencies, are part of the checkups, Aliffi noted.
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4 – Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com 4 - STATESBORO HERALD - Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com
Headache?
Do you suffer from headaches, migraines, weakness or dizziness? Kashyap Patel, M.D., may be able to help. Dr. Patel treats a wide range of neurological issues and disorders, including chronic headaches, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, neuropathy and dementia. For your convenience, he sees patients in Statesboro and Claxton. Call 912-486-1140 to schedule an appointment.
1497 Fair Road, Suite 201, Statesboro 308 East Long Street, Claxton EastGeorgiaNeurology.com
Kashyap Patel, M.D.
Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Board Certified in Psychology and Neurology
Member of the Medical Staff at East Georgia Regional Medical Center
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Everything.
1/29/15 4:19 PM
Chest pain may mean nothing. But it may take everything. Getting help immediately gives you a better chance to survive a heart attack. So know the warning signs listed below. And if you ever experience any of them, call 911 and get to the nearest emergency room.
Heart Attack Warning Signs Include: Shortness of Breath, Nausea, Dizziness, Chest Pain, Arm Pain, Cold Sweat
1499 Fair Road, Statesboro • EastGeorgiaRegional.com
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
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statesboroherald.com | Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 – 5
statesboroherald.com | STATESBORO HERALD - Sunday, February 22, 2015 - 5
3D mammography.
Clearer images. Greater accuracy. Earlier detection. 3D mammography provides images so clear and precise that they can reduce stressful callbacks for repeat screenings up to 40 percent. Even more important, 3D mammography increased early invasive cancer detection by 40 percent over 2D imaging alone, which may mean an even greater chance of survival. For more information, call 912-764-5656 or visit StatesboroImaging.com.
A department of East Georgia Regional Medical Center
Appointments are on a first-come, first-served basis. An order from a physician or qualified healthcare provider is required. If the patient does not have a physician/provider, a list will be provided for the patient’s selection. All mammogram reports will be sent to the physician/provider and follow-ups are the responsibility of the patient. East Georgia Regional Medical Center is directly or indirectly owned by a partnership that proudly includes physician owners, including certain members of the hospital’s medical staff.
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Trusted.
1/28/15 1:05 PM
Diagnosing digestive issues and soothing stomachs. You can feel good knowing there’s a gastroenterologist right here in Statesboro for your stomach and digestive problems. Eli Penn, M.D., treats everything from heartburn and acid reflux to liver disorders and Crohn’s disease. He accepts Medicare, Medicaid and most insurance plans. Call 912-486-1600 to schedule an appointment.
1497 Fair Road, Suite 102 Statesboro, GA 30458 EastGeorgiaRegional.com
Eli Penn, M.D. Board Certified in Gastroenterology
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
6 – Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com
City's fitness drive gets national attention 'NBC Nightly News' follows employees' movements around the Boro From staff reports
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tatesboro city employees' relentless tracking of every step they take has garnered them some national attention. A crew from "NBC Nightly News" followed a couple of the employees as they walked around different places as part of a feature story, which aired in October. Sixty-three of the city's more than 300 employees signed up for the Fit By '15 Health and Wellness Challenge, which began July 1 and ran through December. Each was
assigned a Fitbit Zip, a watch-size wireless activity tracker worn at the waist. Monitoring steps, reporting the distance in miles and calculating calories burned, the Fitbit automatically uploads the data via Wi-Fi. A dashboard feature, viewable from any Internet device, lets viewers check their numbers and those of selected friends, as well as a city leader board with rankings. Coordinated by city Human Resources Director Jeff Grant, the Fit By '15 Challenge isn't the city's first effort to keep employees active. In 2013, the city
formed a team for local running and walking events. Last year, an incentive program was added for participation in a "Triple Crown" of 5K walk/runs. The 2014 series began with the Peanut Run during the Brooklet Peanut Festival in August, followed by the Turkey Trot in November and Run the Boro in December. The incentive is vacation time: four hours for each of the two races, five hours for the third, or a total of 16 hours for completing all three by "run, walk or crawl," Grant said. Improving employee health awareness and build-
ing community are the two main purposes of the program, Grant said. But another reason is reducing
the city's health insurance program costs. Grant restarted the project in January for another
six months, involving more employees. Then city officials will evaluate whether to continue.
Building foundations for great smiles...
SCOTT BRYANT/staff
Statesboro High School Resource Officer Steve Gravley checks his Fitbit device, which tracks footsteps, mileage and calories burned as part the city's Fit by '15 program. Gravley says he burns about 60 calories at work while walking the halls of the school.
Claxton hospital on life support
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RICHARD MAZO, M.D. Also Board Certified in Pediatric Urology
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• Unintentional weight loss • Multiple hospitalizations or ER visits • Decline in activities and self care • Increased shortness of breath or pain • Recurrent infections • Increased confusion
Services Include • Home visits by Registered Nurses • RNs on call 24 hours a day • Assistance with personal hygiene by nurse’s aides • Physical and speech therapy as needed • Support of social workers, volunteers and chaplains as desired
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COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
statesboroherald.com | Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 – 7
A decade of public health at GSU Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health turns 10 By AL HACKLE ahackle@statesboroherald.com
For Peace, the school's founding as Hsu's namesake remains one highlight of its history, "but even more so was the fact that she lived long enough to know of its existence," he said. The school was upgraded to a college, with Hardy as its first dean, Jan. 1, 2006.
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tudents are helping Georgia health departments apply to become nationally accredited. Graduates are researching whether flu shots reduce school absenteeism. Biostatisticians, who come from around the world to study here, are employed in the pharmaceutical industry, proving the effectiveness of new drugs. What they have in common is the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health. The college marked its official 10th anniversary as a division of Georgia Southern University last year. One way the college is working to improve public health services in Georgia is by helping the state's health districts apply for voluntary accreditation by the Public Health Accreditation Board, a new, national nonprofit. "Hospitals are accredited. Universities are accredited. Schools are accredited, and the leadership in public health saw that there was no way to regulate or to ensure that public health services were being delivered in a quality manner, and this board was formed," said Angie Peden, the director of the college's Office of Public Health Practice. So far, there are only 22 accredited health departments in the United States. None of Georgia's 18 public health districts is accredited yet. But, under an effort coordinated by the Georgia Public Health PracticeBased Research Network, GSU public health students and faculty have performed accreditation readiness assessments of nine of the districts, Peden reported. With funding from the Healthcare Georgia Foundation, the college is providing direct technical assistance to two districts as they apply. Peden received her Master of Public Health degree, or MPH, from the college in 2008. Sara Plaspohl graduated in May 2010 as the first recipient of the college's Doctor of Public Health degree. Now an Armstrong Atlantic State University assistant professor and coordinator of Armstrong's MPH program, Dr. Plaspohl is working with another Jiann-Ping Hsu doctoral grad, Coastal Health District clinical supervisor Dr. Betty Dixon, on a multi-year study relating flu shots to attendance in Effingham County's elementary schools. The Georgia Public Health Association's 2013 Barfield Award for communitybased research went to their research team.
Now, undergrads
Photos by SCOTT BRYANT/staff
Georgia Southern University students Jenna Pollak, 23, of Binghamton, N.Y., right, and Farrah Asgari-Majd, 29, of Miami, who are studying for master's degrees in public health, discuss the implementation of electronic medical records while interning at The Hearts & Hands Clinic in Statesboro. "What we've found so far is, there does seem to be a relationship between the two," Plaspohl said. "So if students are vaccinated, they seem to miss less days of school."
Biostatistical roots Meanwhile, graduates of the college's biostatistics program do statistical analysis for drug companies, both in basic research and in clinical trials to test the effectiveness of new medications. Dr. Karl Peace, GSU biostatistics professor, founder of its Center for Biostatistics and endower of the JiannPing Hsu College of Public Health, stays in contact with numerous biostatistics graduates. One is working at Allergan, the company that makes Botox and Restasis; another works for Biogen Idec, which has developed treatments for multiple sclerosis and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Two are with Abbott Laboratories, whose portfolio includes Humira for arthritis and Norvir, a treatment for HIV. Another works with the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, which is affiliated with Harvard Medical School. With about 18 students currently seeking masters' or doctoral degrees, biostatistics is a small department. But it is also the college's most diverse and international. "It's quite an interesting mix," Peace said. The group of alumni he described includes at least
three originally from India, one from the Philippines and two from China. Among them, there are about as many women as men. Peace's desire to see a biostatistics program at Georgia Southern was the impetus to create the college. His and his late wife's success as biostatisticians provided resources. After earning a bachelor's degree from Georgia Southern College and a master's from Clemson University, Peace first taught at Georgia Southern from 1964 to 1968. He taught at three other colleges and earned his Ph.D. in biostatistics from the Medical College of Virginia. In his second career, Peace did biostatistics research and management, holding senior positions at B u r r o u g h s - We l l c o m e , SmithKline and French Labs, G.D. Searle and Warner-Lambert/ParkeDavis. Dr. Jiann-Ping Hsu, originally from mainland China, received her education in Taiwan and the United States, earning a Ph.D. in biostatistics from the University of California at Berkeley. She and Peace worked together at two different companies before he founded Biopharmaceutical Research Consultants Inc. in the late 1980s. He hired Hsu as a vice president in 1993, the year they were married. She was company president from 1996. Invited to speak to a
GSU College of Science and Technology graduating class in 1998, Peace learned there was no biostatistics degree program, nor any school or college of public health, in the University System of Georgia. But Dr. Charles Hardy, then in the GSU College of Health and Professional Studies, was chairing efforts to establish public health master's degrees in community health education and health administration at Georgia Southern. After working with Hardy to add an MPH
program in biostatistics, Peace returned in fall 2000 to help grow the program and establish the Center for Biostatistics. In February 2001, Hsu was diagnosed with breast cancer. In 2003, after realizing that her condition was terminal, Peace inquired about endowing a school at GSU in her honor. The Board of Regents of the University System voted Jan. 14, 2004, to establish the Jiann-Ping Hsu School of Public Health. Hsu died three weeks later.
Georgia Southern's College of Public Health offers master's degree programs in epidemiology, biostatistics, behavioral science, environmental health and health administration. It awards doctorates in biostatistics, behavioral science and public health leadership. Long after awarding its first advanced degrees, the college received its first undergraduate students in August 2013. Now the college has about 230 graduate students and 200 undergrads, according to Dr. Greg Evans, its dean since April 2012. Peace, 72, continues to teach two courses each semester and is one of Georgia Southern's most published faculty members, author or co-author of 11 books and more than 150 articles. The 14 endowments he has established at GSU have provided financial support to more than 250 students. "I'm pleased with the growth of the college in terms of the number of faculty, in terms of the number of students, in terms of the performance of many of our graduates," Peace said. "I personally think that we always could do more and we certainly have a lot more to do." Al Hackle may be reached at (912) 489-9454.
Health Career CAMP 2015 For: Current 9th – 12th Grade Students When: June 15th – June 18th (Day Camp) Where: Georgia Southern University Cost: $25 Includes Meals, Snacks, and Camp Activities
Camp Activities Include: • Hear practicing health professionals discuss the challenges of providing health care today. • Talk with health professions students about their learning experiences. • Tour health care facilities and colleges. • Gain expert advice on schools which offer health professions programs. FREE T-Shirts! Door Prizes! & MUCH MORE! • Hands on activities. For details please contact Rachel Kirkland, Health Careers Camp Coordinator at (912) 478-1590 or rachelkirkland@georgiasouthern.edu. Visit our website www.magnoliacoastlandsahec.org.
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Georgia Southern University student Cherell Cottrell-Daniels, 27, of San Diego, right, who is studying for a master's degree in public health, works with quality compliance officer Kim Hacker to update the logos on more than 500 heath services and procedures documents at the Georgia Southern University Health Services clinic.
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8 – Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
The heart behind the hands GSU graduate has vision for free local clinic Hearts and Hands Clinic awarded grant The Hearts and Hands Clinic recently was awarded a $26,902 grant through the Georgia Access to Care, Treatment and Services Breast Cancer License Tag Grant Program. The grant will fund "Hearts and Hands for Mammograms" in Bulloch County. The Georgia Center for Oncology Research and Education, or CORE, administers the grant on behalf of the Georgia State Office of Rural Health within the Department of Community Health. The Hearts and Hands for Mammograms program serves uninsured and lowincome individuals who reside in Bulloch County.
"Women who live below the federal poverty level and who are without health insurance are less likely to have annual mammograms and therefore more likely to be diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer," said Urkovia Andrews, the clinic's executive director. In an effort to increase the number of women who receive breast health services, the Hearts and Hands for Mammograms program offers free mammograms to uninsured, low-income women who are residents of Bulloch County. Call The Hearts and Hands Clinic at (912) 681-9519 or visit the clinic at 127 N. College St. to fill out an application. — From staff reports
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912-764-3724 915 E. Inman St. Statesboro, GA
By JULIE LAVENDER Herald Writer
A
s director of The Hearts & Hands Clinic, Urkovia Andrews is the face of Statesboro's only free health care clinic for the medically uninsured. But the humble and compassionate leader is quick to credit the many faces of her loyal volunteers for the daily operations of the clinic. Raised in Aiken, South Carolina, Andrews found her way to Statesboro as a college student. Two degrees later and a third one in progress, she's still here. "As a child, there were two fields of interest to me," said Andrews. "Journalism — I enjoy watching the news — and health. I thought I would be a journalist but soon realized they work holidays, and I couldn't be a TV news reporter because I don't wear makeup. "My other passion was health," she continued. "Growing up, I would go with my mom to her physical therapy appointments for her knee. Once old enough, I became a candy striper, and, while in high school, I got to spend a year working with the athletic trainer. My aunt would always tell me as I was deciding on a career path that I should look into health because, in her words, 'People are always being born, and people are always dying.' " Andrews said she began her time at Georgia Southern thinking she would go into physical therapy but quickly realized that wasn't for her. After taking a course in public speaking, she changed her major to public relations. But another class, health communications, revealed her passion. "Since then, I have used my public relations skills with various health entities," Andrews said. Andrews has a bachelor's degree in public relations and a master's in public health with an emphasis in community, and she is in the dissertation phase of her doctorate in public health. Just prior to taking the helm as Hearts & Hands Clinic director, Andrews worked in the university's
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Urkovia Andrews began work as director of The Hearts & Hands Clinic in July. Communication Arts Department, teaching public relations and public speaking. Teaching college students is a popular subject in her home, as Andrews' husband, Da'Mon Andrews, is employed by East Georgia State College and teaches math. The couple has two children, a 5-year-old daughter and a 1-year-old son. "I've always been interested in health communications," Andrews said. She worked with Magnolia Coastlands Area Health Education Center, freelanced with Amerigroup and worked with a previous flu campaign before joining the staff of Georgia Southern. "I knew at some point I wanted to go back into a health organization," she said. "When this position became available a second time, I knew it was an ideal fit. This position allows me to use my background in public relations and public health to serve our community." Andrews came on board as director in July and has moved full-steam ahead ever since. The Hearts & Hands Clinic, whose mission is "to provide access to primary health care to uninsured Bulloch County adult residents who live at 200 percent or below the poverty guidelines," offers no-cost medical, vision, dental, women's and mammography
services to community residents who fall into the category above. Patients of The Hearts & Hands Clinic currently do not qualify for Medicare or Medicaid services. This is the clinic's fifth year of serving patients and attempting to fulfill its purpose, as stated on the website: "Our purpose is not to enable, but to serve the community by providing support for individuals as they seek ways to better themselves. Together, we take our hearts and use our hands to inspire by giving hope. "The people we serve come from all walks of life. Some are now uninsured due to job loss, divorce, a previous jail conviction making them ineligible for health services, a serious health issue and so on." Andrews sings the praises of the many volunteers who help in the clinic, from the medical personnel to community and student volunteers to those that provide help financially. The clinic is staffed by volunteer doctors, dentists, nurse practitioners and coordinators and offers appointments, not walk-in services. Andrews points out that as the director, she is the only paid individual on staff and only person consistently in the clinic five days a week. "Everyone else is a volunteer, but we couldn't do it without them," she said.
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
statesboroherald.com | Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 – 9
Ruling on ACA will affect many Georgians Supreme Court expected to issue its decision in June By ANDY MILLER Georgia Health News
G
eorgia would have the fourth-highest number of people affected if the U.S. Supreme Court rules against the current implementation of the Affordable Care Act, a study has found. The case, King v. Burwell, involves a legal challenge to the tax credits in states with federally run exchanges. Under the ACA, every state has an insurance exchange, with some being operated by the individual states but most by the federal government. Currently, eligible consumers with coverage purchased on an exchange can get federal tax credits, or subsidies, regardless of how their particular exchange is run. The plaintiffs in the case say the language of the ACA allows the tax subsidies only where there is a state-run exchange. The Obama administration challenges that interpretation. If the plaintiffs win, the subsidies would end in most states. And these tax credits make ACA health plans more affordable for lowand moderateincome Americans, so the impact would be great. A Kaiser Family Foundation study notes that 37 states have federally operated exchanges and finds that of these states, only Florida, Texas and North Carolina would have more people losing subsidies than the Georgia estimate of 784,000. A court decision is expected in June.
Potential fallout in Georgia A recent U.S. House committee minority report analyzed the impact of a ruling against the current system by looking at U.S. congressional districts. The districts most affected in Georgia would be District 4, where Democrat Hank Johnson is the congressman (91,000 people), and District 7, where Republican Rob Woodall just won re-election (84,000). The least affected district by numbers:
District 8, where Republican Austin Scott serves (28,000). The total Georgia subsidy amount jeopardized would be $3.8 billion. The legal challenge centers on a phrase in the ACA requiring that subsidies to help those with incomes below 400 percent of poverty are available only in "exchanges established by a state." ACA proponents argue that the rest of the statute makes it clear that subsidies are available not only in state-run exchanges, but in those, as in Georgia, where the federal government operates that marketplace. The plaintiffs argue that only state-based exchanges can offer subsidies — that the federal ones are illegal. The Kaiser Family Foundation study estimates that a ruling for the plaintiffs would mean 13 million people who get subsidies could be negatively affected. If the Supreme Court rules on the side of the plaintiffs, many states would probably scramble to establish minimal state-run exchanges, says Drew Altman of the Kaiser Family Foundation in a Wall Street Journal "Think Tank'' column. But in Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Georgia and Pennsylvania — the "big anti-ACA five," Altman calls them — only Pennsylvania, where a Democrat was just elected governor, would be likely to act to preserve subsidies for residents, he says. And Georgia is one of a handful of states that has enacted legislation forbidding the state to operate an ACA exchange. U.S. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who will become the chamber's majority leader in January, said recently at a Wall Street Journal event that while a repeal of Obamacare isn't likely, "who may ultimately take it down is the Supreme Court of the United States." "If that were to be the case," McConnell added, "I would assume that you could have a mulligan here, a major do-over of the whole ... [ACA] — that opportunity present-
ed to us by the Supreme Court, as opposed to actually getting the president to sign a full repeal, which is not likely to happen." Because most people eligible for tax credits have modest incomes, the vast majority would not be able to afford coverage without financial help.
'A lot of people shedding coverage' Most of those who lose subsidies would no longer be required to have insurance, because they would fall into an ACA exemption for those who have to pay more than 8 percent of family income for premiums, Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News reported recently. "Since a lot of people can't afford insurance without the tax credits, you're looking at a lot of people shedding coverage," Nicholas Bagley, a law professor at the
University of Michigan, told Rovner. Georgia and the rest of the nation are in the middle of the open enrollment period for Year 2 of the insurance exchange. Dante McKay, state director of Enroll America, says the high court's decision to review the case doesn't change anything for the current enrollment. "We know that financial assistance ... has made a huge difference for thousands of Georgians,'' McKay says. "In fact, 87 percent of the 316,000 Georgians who signed up for health insurance on HealthCare.gov received financial assistance to help pay for their plan. Further, the average monthly cost for Georgians who received financial help was $54." It's critical that the subsidies remain in place, McKay says. "While the judicial process plays out, it's important for consumers to know that this ruling will not affect the financial assistance they may have received to help pay for their health insurance plan," he said.
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COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
10 – Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com
Georgia Southern University now a tobacco-free campus Georgia Southern University is now a tobacco-free campus, in accordance with a new policy by the University System of Georgia's Board of Regents. The board's policy called for colleges and universities within the system to be tobacco free by Oct. 1. Georgia Southern elected to adopt the policy on Aug. 1, two months ahead of the regents' deadline. The ban extends to all locations affiliated with Georgia Southern, including Paulson Stadium and grounds, the golf course and any satellite locations, said Paige Fluker, then the university's assistant director of communication. According to a news release from university President Dr. Brooks Keel, the ban defines tobacco products as "cigars, cigarettes, pipes, hookahs, all forms of smokeless tobacco, clove cigarettes, and other smoking devices such as vapor and electronic cigarettes."
Posted signs, along with the removal of the smoking bins throughout campus, were part of the promotion of the ban on campus, said Kerry Greenstein, the associate dean of students. These steps were done in late July in preparation for the 2014 fall semester. The ban is enforced at locations such as the dorms through consequences the Dean of Students' office has created. Other locations are "hard" to monitor, Greenstein acknowledged. "I think our hope is that the community will speak up for itself," she said. "And so those who don't want to be around the smoke will say to others, 'Hey, this is a smoke-free campus or tobacco-free campus, would you mind following that policy?' Because there's no way the few of us can do it. So we are hoping that everyone pitches in to support the effort and encourages others to just not smoke while on campus." —from staff reports
Serve kids healthy food, even if they won't eat it They could learn to love it as adults By MARSHA MAXWELL Deseret News Service
S
erving a child fruits and vegetables isn't a waste of time, even if the child doesn't like or won't eat them, according to a new study from the University of Arizona. The study found that exposure to a food in childhood is related to liking that food in adulthood, regardless of whether the child liked the food at the time. Being exposed to a food increased liking both healthy and unhealthy foods, so there's some evidence that decreasing a child's exposure to unhealthy foods will make those foods less desirable in the long run. If parents force a child to eat a particular food, that strategy may backfire, the study showed. Young adults in the study were more likely to dislike foods they had been forced to eat as children. It's frustrating to keep
serving a child food he or she doesn't want to eat, but rather than giving up, parents can try strategies to make healthy foods more appealing, according to Dr. Dyan Hess, pediatrician and child obesity specialist. "Make it look attractive. Kids like things that are fun. You can put grapes on toothpicks or open a clementine and make little patterns with them. Or make a flower with a grape in the center. Put stuff on skewers for kids," Hess told Time Warner Cable News. Some of the kid-friendly, healthy foods Hess recommends are natural fruit crisps, graham crackers, cheese sticks and dried apricots. It's important for parents to know that their efforts to promote healthy eating, and to create a healthy home environment overall, aren't wasted. A recent study published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation found that
children brought up in homes that provided positive "psychosocial experiences" were more likely to have good cardiovascular health as adults. These experiences included a healthy diet, positive health behaviors, learning to control emotions and opportunities to socialize. Homes don't have to be perfect in every category to contribute to better cardiovascular health, the study found. "The choices parents make have a long-lasting effect on their children's future health, and improvement in any one thing can have measurable benefits," Dr. Laura Pulkki-Råback, one of the study's authors, told The Daily Mail. "'For instance, if an unemployed parent gets steady employment, the effect may be huge. If he or she also quits smoking, the benefit is even greater," she said. "All efforts to improve family well-being are beneficial."
Serving children fruits and vegetables could help them to develop a taste for the foods later in life, according to a new study from the University of Arizona.
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BUL LOCH DUI/ BUL LOCH REC OVER Y BUL LOCH DEFE NSIV E DRIV ING 18 S i m m o n S C e n t e r S tat e S b o r o , Ga 3045 8 ( p h o n e ) 912.4 89.84 01 | ( fa x ) 912.4 89.43 16 p r o G r a m # 2070 , 2050 (email) vernh@nCtv.Com | Cindybo hler@nCtv.Com | www.b ulloChdui.Com
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2015 Community
Pride Pride
Public Service
Protecting and serving Bulloch County
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
2 – Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com
BCSO: Growing with Bulloch Bulloch County Sheriff Lynn Anderson wants citizens to be involved and aware of what his department is doing and submitted the 2014 annual report earlier this year in order to share information with residents of Bulloch County. The year 2014 “saw the Bulloch County Sheriff ’s Office continue to utilizing forward planning and reorganization to maximize our capabilities in dealing with limited resources, growing crime trends and a growing service population,” he said. “We have entered into partnerships with other law enforcement agencies to combat crime regardless of jurisdiction and have also partnered with community organizations and reserve deputies to change the public’s perceptions of law enforcement in a positive way.” Bulloch County has grown a great deal over the past year, and with Georgia Southern University’s move to the Sunbelt Conference, has translated into “growth in demands for our services from patrol to jail to the courts,” he said. “We have used every imaginable method of adapting to this growth while living within our budgeted means and being responsible stewards of public funds.” The sheriff ’s office uses forfeiture money and other non-tax funder income to purchase needs when possible, saving tax payers money, he said. “We also house federal inmates in return for nearly $1 million in compensation directly to the county’s general fund each year.” Anderson said he is proud of his department’s success in spite of budget constraints. “I look forward to even more positive
developments in 2015.” The Bulloch County Sheriff ’s Office is a “full service law enforcement agency” with a jurisdiction of over 684 square miles, with a service population of over 73,000 residents, Anderson said. A “part-time population” of college and university students add 20,000 to that number. The BCSO provides patrol, investigative, and court-related services, with specialized work units responding to specific areas of concern, he said. As of Dec. 2014, the Bulloch County Sheriff ’s Department consisted of 118 full time employees. Fifty-eight of those are certified peace officers (armed deputies); 51 are certified jail officers; four are certified communications officers, and five are civilian administrative personnel. There are seven civilian bailiffs stationed at court facilities. The Bulloch County Sheriff ’s Office operates on a budget of about $10 million. Provided by the county’s general funds. The budget is supplemented by proceeds from the inmate commissary and phone accounts, as well as revenue collected from housing federal inmates, Anderson said.
BCSO Divisions Administration Headed by Sheryl Hagan, a 40-year veteran. ➤ Receptionists and data entry personnel support every other division of the sheriff ’s department. ➤ This department is responsible for the Child ID program and held 20 events, processing several hundred children in 2014. ➤ This department handles the agency’s financial ➤
reporting, provides assistance to citizens with reports, criminal history checks and binding paperwork.
Communications Division ➤ Headed by Lt. Chelsea Morgan. ➤ Dispatchers take emergency calls, dispatch deputies based on 911 calls, handle Georgia and Nat ion al Cr im e Information Center calls, and keep track of deputies handling calls. ➤ Successfully completed a GCIC audit, ensuring the system is not used for illegal purposes and keeps documentation. ➤ Supervises use and maintenance of computer systems and recertification of deputies using the GCIC system. ➤ Began in 2014 to transition to new records management systems purchase using about $250,000 from inmate account funds and drug forfeiture money (no expense to taxpayers). ➤ Began upgrades to dispatch equipment purchased with non-taxpayer funds. ➤ Handled 4,981 incident reports, dispatched 25,500 calls for service, 1,441 firearms licenses issued in 2014.
Patrol Division ➤ Headed by Capt. Howard Nesmith ➤ Most visible unit, most interaction with citizens. ➤ Composed of the captain, two lieutenants, four corporals and the rest deputies. ➤ Deputies work 12-hour shifts, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. ➤ A 3 p.m. to 3 a.m. shift
handles peak hours of call volume. ➤ Act as first responders, conduct business checks, preliminary investigations, engage in proactive policing and cover 1,500 miles of county roads as well as state and federal highways. ➤ In 2014, oversaw movement of U.S. Marshal’s contract prisoners. ➤ Continued walking patrols of schools during class hours. ➤ Used inmate phone account money to purchase equipment such as in-car cameras, license plate readers. Revenue from license plate readers generated $75,000 worth of citations and resulted in several felony arrests.
Criminal Investigations ➤ Headed by Capt. Todd Hutchens. ➤ Responsible for felony reports, self-generated and forwarded from patrol. ➤ Trained to handle felony cases from murder to felony thefts. ➤ In addition to Hutchens, comprised of four investigators and a full time crime scene technician. ➤ Oversees all sex offender cases. ➤ In 2014, revised procedures for assigning cases to more evenly distribute caseloads. ➤ Distributed sex offender case responsibilities to include more frequent checks due to the growing numbers of convicted, registered sex offenders in Bulloch County. ➤ Maintained extremely high clearance rates for violent crimes. ➤ Works cases along with the Statesboro-Bulloch
BULLOCH COUNTY PROBATE COURT Lee DeLoach, Judge
(Chief Clerk; Petitions, Guardianships, Conservatorships)
(Clerk; Firearms Licenses, Accounting)
➤ The jail division is the largest single division of the sheriff ’s department. ➤ Fifty-one deputies are assigned to the jail. ➤ The jail currently houses 350 state and federal inmates. ➤ Jail capacity is 50 inmates and management keeps the jail at capacity between state, federal and county inmates. ➤ Captain John Staten serves as jail administrator, supervising two lieutenants, four sergeants, four corporals and 30 other deputies. ➤ Inmates are provided with meals, laundry services, medical and other needs. ➤ The jail houses the Livescan electronic fingerprint system, connected to the FBI database, Intoxilyzer breath testing machine. ➤ The jail uses funds from inmate commissary and phone accounts to fund purchases and not use general funds money. This is allowed by law. ➤ Cpl. Sam Evans was named Jail Deputy of the Year in 2014. ➤ All new jail employees are trained in crisis intervention techniques to diffuse confrontations. ➤ Jail continues to certify employees as gun-carrying deputies, allowing flexibility in performing other duties. ➤ Expanded the sally port area to allow using larger vehicles. ➤ Expanded security upgrades.
Formed in 2013 by consolidating court security, warrants/civil cases, and transport. ➤ Responsible for security at superior, state, probate and magistrate courts. ➤ Handles all inmate transport between jail and court. ➤ Headed by Capt. Keith Stone. ➤ Transported 176 people to mental health facilities, driving 25,344 miles in 2014 and using 543 man hours at a cost of $7,607. ➤ Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) funds used to purchase the X-ray machines in the courthouses. ➤
www.bullochcounty.net/probate
Brenda Knight
Jail Division
Court Services
912-489-8749
Michelle Sawyer
County Crime Suppression Team.
Sally Anne Deal Jennakae Jenkins
(Clerk; Marriage Licenses, Petitions, Receptionist)
(Clerk; Petitions, Filing/Recording)
May We Help You...
• Administration of Estates of • Records Management • Probable Cause Hearings in Deceased Persons Certain Instances • Guardianships of Minors • Marriage Licenses and Incapacitated Adults • Firearm Licenses • Commitment Hearings • Hearings on Land Line Disputes
Training Division ➤ Headed by Capt. Todd Mashburn. ➤ Other deputies have completed the two-week state instructor course. ➤ Training exceeds state-mandated training hours. ➤ Deputies received 8,273 hours of training in 2014. ➤ Continues to hold civilian handgun training courses, which have met with a great response including residents of other counties. ➤ Continues teaching D.A.R.E. to Bulloch schools including Bulloch Academy
and the Charter School Conservatory for the Arts and Technology. ➤ Partnered with “Project Safe Kids” to provide parents with gunlocks. ➤ Formed “Safekids Bulloch” in conjunction with “Safekids Georgia” to prevent accidental injuries to children. ➤ Continued child ID programs, Project Lifesaver, Relay for Life, First Friday, National Night Out programs. ➤ Continues partnership with SafeHaven and the Domestic Violence Task Force. ➤ Founded the Bulloch Count y Sher iff ’s Foundation, a 502 © (3) nonprofit corporation to support community relations activities. ➤ Worked with Statesboro Food Bank to distribute food to the less fortunate, including Thanksgiving dinner.
Other programs
➤ Capt. Rick Rountree and Reserve Deputy Bubba Revel plan to organize a “Sheriff ’s Explorer," a program designed after Chatham County’s program to expose interested young adults to law enforcement as a career field, to improve law enforcement officers’ image. ➤ Bulloch County Sheriff ’s Office web page offers information at www. bullochsheriff.com ➤ The sheriff ’s office maintains a Facebook page that links ti the website for press releases, requests for public assistance in solving crimes, safety tips and other information. ➤ Nixle Alert system helps advise citizens of situations. ➤ Anonymous tips may be sent to tips@ bullochsheriff.com. ➤ Daily crime data d ow n l o a d e d to crimereports.com. ➤ Provides neighborhood crime watch signs and crime prevention seminars.
2014 crime data ➤ ➤
Murders — two Aggravated assault —
➤
Aggravated battery —
30 three
➤ Kidnapping — none ➤ Adult sex crimes — 19 ➤ Child sex crimes — 17 ➤ Robbery. armed rob-
bery — seven ➤ Burglary — 181 ➤ Arson — seven ➤ Felony cruelty to children — eight ➤ Entering auto — 98 ➤ Financial crimes — 149 ➤ Jail assaults — five ➤ Thefts (aside from guns and vehicles) — 370 ➤ Firearm thefts — 33 ➤ Vehicle thefts — two ➤ Terroristic threats — 18 ➤ Deaths — 57
Employee recognition ➤ Certified deputy of the year — Inv. Dusty Williams ➤ Jail Deputy of the Year — Cpl. Sam Evans
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
statesboroherald.com | Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 – 3
City sees crime drop in 2014 By HOLLI DEAL BRAGG hbragg@statesboroherald.com
The city of Statesboro saw a significant decrease in crime in 2014, and Statesboro Public Safety Director Wendell Turner attributes a major cause for that being the closing of two downtown clubs. While the club closings had a significant impact on crime reduction, Statesboro Public Safety Director Wendell Turner also attributes the decrease to the “focused efforts” by police. Platinum Lounge, which was located near the intersec-
tion of South Walnut and Proctor streets, was shut down after a series of police incidents including the stillunsolved fatal shooting of a female patron. Primetime Lounge, which was located on Northside Drive West near Miller Street Extension, was closed after false information was discovered regarding the club’s alcohol license. The discovery followed the shooting of two men during business hours. One died. The clubs’ closings were definitely a “contributing factor” to the notable drop in
crime calls last year, said Statesboro Police Cpl. Justin Samples. “Both clubs were a large draw on police resources,” he said. “Since the clubs’ closing the police department has realized a 15 percent decrease in call volume.” The Statesboro Police Department’s 2014 crime statistics show crimes such as theft, simple assault, burglary, aggravated assault, motor vehicle theft, robbery (armed and forcible), rape and homicide are at their lowest point in seven years. “In 2014, all robberies
were down by 35 percent from the previous year, burglaries decreased by 33 percent, sexual assaults — including rape — were down 18 percent, motor vehicle theft down 49 percent, and all theft down cumulatively by 17 percent,” he said. “The Statesboro Police Department uses the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting data to measure the progress of our crime prevention and program efforts,” he said. “In looking at these statistics, I hope that our community is very proud of the productive efforts of the Statesboro
Police Department and its law enforcement partners.” Several things contribute to the decrease, such as community policing, problemoriented policing, and intelligence-led policing, he said. “Additional police officers on the streets, newly developed partnerships, including the Statesboro-Bulloch County Crime Suppression Team, organizational improvements, and increased community programs and awareness have made a tremendous difference that is reflected in these statistics,” he said.
Statesboro crimes reported in 2014 ➤ Homicide — four ➤ Rape — nine ➤ Armed robbery/gun — 11 ➤ Armed robbery/knife —
two
➤ Strongarm and other rob-
bery — 19
➤ Aggravated assault/firearm
— 20 ➤ Aggravated assault/knife or cutting tools —12 ➤ Aggravated assault/other dangerous weapons — five ➤ Aggravated assault/hands, fists, feet — none ➤ Simple assault — 730 ➤ Burglary/forced entry — 94 ➤ Burglary/non-forced entry — 83 ➤ Theft/larceny — 643 ➤ Theft/shoplifting — 245 ➤ Theft/automobile — 19 ➤ Accidents — 551
Georgia Southern police keeping campus safe Special to the Herald
The Division of Public Safety is made up of three departments: University Police, Cr iminal Investigations and Environmental Safety. GSU joined the Statesboro-Bulloch Crime Suppression Team last year, along with the Statesboro Police and Bulloch County Sheriff ’s departments, as a measure to increase safety and decrease crime. The CST efforts have significantly lowered the number of armed robberies
that were growing alarmingly frequent along the Lanier Drive area. T h e division is a l s o responsible for the control of traffic on the campus. The Office of Public Safety is located on Forest Drive (at its intersection with Parrish Road) and is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in
order to provide the safest environment possible. The GSU police force is made up of about 40 sworn, state-certified police officers. The GSU police offer a variety of student services, one being a walking escort for any student who feels uncomfortable walking alone. GSU Police Chief Mike Russell
says “Our crime statistics indicate that it is extremely safe to walk around campus at night. Most conflicts among students involve persons they know including intimate friends” There are also “Safety Call Boxes” located throughout campus allowing students to be better connected to Public Safety. To report a crime, stop by the Public Safety Building on campus (across from the Wildlife Center on Forest Drive) or call 912478-5234. Copies of reports can be picked up three
business days after you report a crime and sometimes sooner. If it is an emergency, call 911. Police, fire, or EMS will be dispatched. Information about a crime can also be sent through the “Eagle Eye Witness” link on our webpage and can be done either anonymously or by providing your information. Alcohol violations and theft top the list of GSU’s most reported crimes. Unlocked doors and unattended articles provide opportunities for theft, and
most of our thefts are of this variety. In 2012, the GSU Police Department was awarded 2nd place in the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety Challenge (Campus Police Category). The department also: participated in a multiagency active shooter training on and off campus and continued to add cameras to the campus surveillance system. Telephone: 912-4785234. Web: http://welcome. georgiasouthern.edu/publicsafety/.
Brooklet welcomes new police chief in 2015 By HOLLI DEAL BRAGG hbragg@statesboroherald.com
The town of Brooklet welcomes its new police chief after former chief Mike Buchan’s resignation. With more than 30 years of experience in law enforcement, Chief Clifford “Max” Meyer recently took over the reins and said he looks forward to getting to know the community as the town’s new police chief. Meyer started the new position in late January. After years spent fighting crime in larger cities, he said he looks forward to being in a supervisory and management position as police chief of a small town. “I’ve been doing this for a long time,” he said. “I’ve had a career full of excitement.” Having spent a great deal of time in training for law enforcement supervision, he anticipates spending the “rest of my career” in law enforcement management. “I’m a protector by nature,” he said. “Small towns need it just like a big town.” Meyer entered the law enforcement field in 1981 and has “been at it ever since,” he said. He has worked with various law enforcement agencies in Texas and Tennessee, including the state drug task force in Tennessee. In 1999, he moved to Georgia after a law enforcement friend was murdered, and he took his friend’s place with the Villa Rica Police Department as a captain with the Interstate Crime unit. Then he began work with the Carroll County Sheriff ’s Office in a similar capacity, where he remained for 14 years while he continued furthering his education. He also worked with Homeland Security’s gang unit as a detached Carroll County sheriff ’s deputy and spent a year as an agent with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Because his son lives near Springfield, Meyers was seeking a position closer to his family. When he discovered that Brooklet was seeking a police chief, he took notice.
“Brooklet is a nice town in an area I wanted to be in,” he said. Me yer was chosen Meyer from a field of 17 candidates. Brooklet City Council members formed a search committee after Buchan retired in September. Brooklet police Sgt. Tracy Atkinson has served as interim chief during the selection process. “With the addition of Chief Meyer, we now have one of the best collective police staffs that the city has had in quite some time,” said Greg Schlierf, the city councilman who oversees the police department. “The staff ’s morale, dedication and genuine care for each other as people has made the team that Chief Meyer has inherited — a very strong group. “ Brooklet City Council takes pride in its police department, he said. “This is no coincidence,” Schlierf said. “The extremely hard work … Atkinson and the rest of the staff have done over the last four months has gotten our department into a really good place.” Originally from Florida, Meyer lived in Texas, North Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia, traveling with family as his father pursued a career with NASA. He has been married for 33 years to wife Sharon, who is a teacher. The couple have two adult children and six grandchildren. Meyer enjoys outdoor activities such as saltwater fishing, camping, and boating, as well as reading, doing research and studying topics of interest. “We are excited to have Chief Meyer join our staff,” Schlierf said. “His years of experience in police service, his training history, and his instructor capabilities will definitely help our officers progress in experience. This kind of training and experience will only enhance our department as well as their careers in law enforcement. It is our hope that before long, Brooklet will have one of best rural police departments in the state of
Georgia.” Meyer said he looks forward to getting to know the people of Brooklet, adding that he is impressed with the town’s dedication and interest in its law enforcement. Brooklet residents seem
to “have a very active interest compared to most towns that size,” he said. He anticipates a lengthy and positive relationship with the city, adding that for him, law enforcement is a lifetime commitment. “I never intend to get
out,” he said. The Brooklet Police Department consists of the chief, four part time and four full time officers, and an administrative assistant/ clerk. Another full time position, as well as possibly part time positions, are
expected to be filled by summer, Meyer said. The department also has a new office on Church Street adjacent to the Brooklet City Hall. It has more roonm, with a squad room, reception area, and a kitchen for officers.
BULLOCH COUNTY
Clerk of Superior, State, and Juvenile Courts 912.764.9009 | www.bullochcounty.net
Heather Banks McNeal Clerk of Court
First Row: Karen McNair & Sarah Oglesby Second Row: Terri Grimm & Angela Childers-Marshall Third Row: Jennifer Swint & Tiffany Goodman Fourth Row: Teresa Tyler, Lesia Hendrix, Heather Banks McNeal, & Teresa Robbins
• Recording of Civil, Criminal, and Real Estate Documents • Jury Management • Passports • Veteran’s Military Records • Notary Public • Hearings for the Board of Equalization If we may be of service to you in the above areas or answer any questions you may have regarding the operations of the clerk’s office, please contact us.
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
4 – Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com
Statesboro Fire Dept. protecting people, property Special to the Herald
The Statesboro Fire Department’s mission is to “protect the lives and property of the citizens of our community by providing a modern, highly trained and well equipped department while ensuring the most current practices and principles are used in an effort to provide the best in fire protection services.” Led by Chief Tim Grams, the department has two administrative assistants, three shifts with 22 leadership positions and about 30 other firefighters. Grams has been with the Statesboro Fire Department since 1997 and has moved through the ranks of firefighter, driver/engineer, lieutenant, training officer (captain) to his current position. With a degree in fire science from West Georgia Technical College, he was promoted to the chief position in 2010. The Fire Chief makes operational, staffing, budget and promotional recommendations to the city’s public safety director ensures that the chain of command is maintained within the organization. The chief also directly supervises the four divisions (administration, operations, training and prevention) within the department. In 2014, the Statesboro Fire Department handled the following calls: ➤ Fire alarms — 459 ➤ Structure fires — 80 ➤ Other fires — 145 ➤ Canceled en route
— 55. ➤ Public education — 44 ➤ Agency assists— 21 ➤ Haz Mat — 30 ➤ Rescue, extrication/ vehicle accident — 21 ➤ Wildland/outside — 82 ➤ Vehicle fires — 31
Equipment Engines are the basic response unit and the backbone of the department, responding to all incidents. They perform suppression functions, and extrication of victims involved in motor vehicle accidents. The engines carry up to 1,000 gallons of water and have the ability to pump more from nearby hydrants or other water sources. Each station has a main engine as well as a backup engine used for all calls. Station 1 on West Grady Street houses Engines “1” and “5” while Station 2 on Fair Road houses Engines “2,” 3” and “4.” Towers respond to structure fires and commercial fire alarms. These trucks have aerial elements that give firefighters better angles in emergencies. In 2013, the Statesboro Fire Department upgraded their previous ladder truck and acquired a new tower to the fleet. The tower truck holds 300 gallons of water and features an elevated platform that allows firefighter’s to extinguish fires faster and offer improved efficiency and safety during victim rescue in multi-story buildings.
Service apparatus The Statesboro Fire Department tanker truck
holds 3,000 gallons of water and helps the firefighters deliver water to places that do not have an ideal water supply for suppression operations. In addition to the tanker, the mobile air trailer refills the air tanks used by firefighters at all major fire scenes. In the event of a chemical incident, the Statesboro Fire Department HAZMAT trailer is utilized at all chemical related calls and carries all of the tools and equipment necessary to stabilize the scene. If the chemical incident is large scale, the department may also utilize the mass decontamination unit which allows more people to be processed, decontaminated and treated in a shorter amount of time.
CAFE unit The Community Assistance in Fire Emergency (CAFE) unit serves the community by giving community members affected by structure fires a place to wait while firefighters are on scene. In the CAFE unit, families are given information on what steps to take after a house fire. The CAFE unit also serves firefighters by providing them a place to rest. This allows Statesboro firefighters to perform at their highest level for the members of the community.
Fire safety facts ➤ Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in reported home fires in half. ➤ Two of every five home fires start in the kitchen. ➤ Half of home heating fire deaths resulted from
BULLOCH COUNTY MAGISTRATE COURT
Brenda J. Cross Clerk of Magistrate Court
Becky Hart Criminal Clerk
Linda Jones Civil Claims Clerk
June Bradley Braswell Chief Magistrate
Lynn Sapp Hearing Clerk
WE ARE HERE TO SERVE YOU.
Brittany Dyches Bookkeeper
fires caused by heating equipment too close to things that can burn, such as upholstered furniture, clothing, mattresses or bedding. ➤ On average, there are 32 home candle fires reported per day. ➤ One-third of Americans households who made a fire escape plan estimated that they would have at least 6 minutes before a fire in their home would become life threatening. The time available is often less. ➤ The leading factor contributing to heating equipment fires was failure to clean, principally creosote from solid fueled heating equipment, primarily chimneys. ➤ According to an NFPA survey, only one-third of Americans have both developed and practiced a home fire escape plan.
In case of fire: ➤ Leave the building immediately ➤ Feel door handles. If they are warm, do not open them. Find another way out of your room. If you can’t get out, signal for help. ➤ Close doors behind you. ➤ Stay low when there is smoke, where the air is cleaner and cooler. ➤ Always use closest exit or stairway; never use elevators. ➤ If the alarm is on your way out, pull it! ➤ Once outside, do not go back in! ➤ If your clothes are on fire, stop, drop and roll. ➤ Call 911 as soon as possible.
Community involvement ➤ Kiwanis Ogeechee Fair Every year the Statesboro Fire Department goes to the Kiwanis Ogeechee Fair to share fire safety tips and engage with the community. Firefighters have a great time making balloon animals and painting faces for the children in the area. This event is a great time to interact with the community in ways beyond the fire
service. Relay for Life The fire department’s involvement with Relay for Life ranges from raising money to participating in the Relay event. The three battalions compete to see who can raise the most money for Relay for Life throughout the year. At the end of the in-house competition all of the teams come together to support Bulloch County’s Relay for Life event by attending to the event. ➤
➤ Car seat installation Statesboro firefighters and administrative staff have the opportunity to be certified in child passenger safety seat installation. This is a valuable resource for families in the community, as it insures your child’s safety. For help with the installation of your child’s car seat, you can stop by the fire department any time Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and a certified technician will be happy to assist you. ➤ Smoke Detectors The firefighters take pride in their community and strive to make it a better place to live. The S t a te s b oro F i re Department’s smoke detector program involves firefighters installing a free smoke detector in your home. When a smoke detector is present, the likelihood of death by structure fire is cut in half.
➤ Up in Flames This event is hosted by Georgia Southern University and teaches students the importance of fire safety in the residence halls. All freshmen are required to attend this event to learn about the dangers of fire in the residence halls. The Statesboro Fire Department initiates a mock burn to demonstrates how quickly a dorm room can burn.
Firefighter for a Day The firefighter for a day program started as a way to make a young boy’s dream of becoming a firefighter come true. Aaron Oliver, 7-year-old Leukemia patient was the first Firefighter for a Day participant. The program was designed to give children with life-altering conditions a chance to focus on being a kid and having fun as a firefighter. Aaron was able to ride in the fire truck, put out a contained fire and even spray the hose. His experience has given so much to the department and the firefighters are eager to do this again. If you know a child who is living with a life-altering condition and may be interested in participating, please contact the Statesboro Fire Department. For more information on Statesboro Fire Department, access its website at publicsafety.statesboroga.gov or its Facebook page at www. f a c e b o o k . c o m / statesborofiredepartment. ➤
Volunteers head up Bulloch County Fire Department The Bulloch County Fire Department is operated by about 80 volunteer firefighters, with only two paid full time employees. Chief Christopher Ivey and Deputy Chief/training officer Ben Tapley supervise the department. In 2014, the Bulloch County Fire Department
handled the following calls: ➤ 233 fire calls ➤ 166 rescue/EMS calls ➤ Hazardous conditions (no fire) calls — 31 ➤ Service calls — 14 ➤ Good intent calls — 257 ➤ False alarms — 31 ➤ Severe weather calls —8
➤ Special
calls — 4 Bulloch County has 13 volunteer fire stations throughout the county. In 2013 the county purchased two new engines, continued mandated and further training of volunteers, updated equipment and made appearances at community events.
Maria Mock Garnishment Clerk
Georgia State Senate S enator J ack H ill
Linda Sammons & Briana Jones File Clerks
Kortney Messer Dispossessory Clerk
Georgia’s 4th District Chairman, Appropriations Committee
Karen Riggs Jones Magistrate
Guy Sharp Constable
Mon – Fri: 8 am – 5 pm 101 Oak Street P.O. Box 1004 Statesboro, GA 30459 912-764-6458 Fax: 912-489-6731
Ricky Stringer Constable
234 State Capitol Atlanta, Georgia 30334 (404)656-5038 Fax: (404)657-7094 Jack.Hill@senate.ga.gov
P.O. Box 486 Reidsville, Georgia 30453 (912)557-3811 Fax: (912)557-3522 1-800-367-3334
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
statesboroherald.com | Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 – 5
Agencies across the county contribute to local safety Bulloch County Emergency Medical Service EMS currently operates out two stations — one located on West Grady Street next to Statesboro Fire Department Station One and the second, added in 2014, at Bulloch County Fire station # 7, located on U.S. 80 in Brooklet. Adding the second station has proven beneficial to citizens in decreasing response time to certain areas, said Bulloch County Public Safety Director Ted Wynn. “This will allow for a quicker response to a large portion of the county. As funds are available we will look to substation EMS in other locations based on call data and population density.”
Bulloch County Central 911 In 2012, 911 received a CAD upgrade and began to use reverse 911 as tool to alert public in the event of a disaster or other emergency threatening public safety. This system is still in place, and dispatchers logged about 58,000 CAD calls in 2014 and logged at total of about 66,000 calls, serving three counties, he said. Bulloch 911 handles calls for Evans, Candler, and Bulloch Counties. The CAD system tracks and documents all information relative to every 911 call received and stores that information for retrieval is necessary. “With over 60,000 calls received on an annual basis, the CAD system is of great necessity,” Wynn said. “The reverse 911 sys-
tem allows us to alert the public based on proximity to an emergency of a disaster such as a chemical release or and escaped prisoner. The system alerts the public with land line phones, but cell phone users can opt in at the county’s website.” 911 also handled the deployment of new digital handheld radios for use by law enforcement, fire, and EMS. In 2007 a grant of 1.2 million was received to allow a 4 channel digital overlay to the existing 7 channel analog system. The county and city purchased 340 radios which will allow for digital communications between units and dispatchers. This digital communications is the highest quality audio and allows for clear voice communications in very noisy environments. The transition is still taking place, Wynn said.
Emergency Management Agency Bulloch County EMA gets busy when disaster strikes. When storms, floods or other emergency situations arise, Bulloch EMA personnel makes sure citizens are informed and safe. Wynn urges all citizens to “Get a kit and make a plan.” Disaster can strike at any moment. “Prepare your business and your home for disasters. Local, state, and federal response may be temporarily delayed if the gravity of a disaster in enormous. You need to be prepared to sustain yourself and family for up to 72 hours after a disaster strikes and the kits you prepare should
include food, medications, and other necessities your family may need,” he said.
Animal control Bulloch County Humane Enforcement and the Bulloch County Animal Shelter work hand in hand to ensure animals are treated humanely and citizens are protected against aggressive and nuisance animals. Citizens bring in unwanted dogs and cats. Humane officers enforce local ordinances and animal laws, ensure animals are treated humanely, and collect stray dogs and cats, including those sick or injured running at large.
Bulloch County Animal Shelter Shelter manager Wendy Ivey oversees day to day operations of the shelter located on Mill Creek Road. She handles complaint calls and dispatches humane officers as well as oversees duties of two full time shelter attendants who help care for the dogs and cats in the shelter. The Animal Shelter staff care for an average of 150 dogs and cats on a daily basis. The buildings contain 42 canine isolation/ holding kennels, 24 canine adoption holding kennels , 30 feline adoption kennels and 24 feline isolation/ holding kennels. The shelter primarily assists with canine and feline holding, but all types of animals in need of assistants or replacing are welcomed, none are turned away. “This also includes livestock and wildlife,” Ivey said. “We are equipped to handle different types of animals.”
The facility has rooms for food preparation, laundry and veterinary and other needs. The shelter staff handles adoptions, public intake of stray and personal animals, lost/ return to owner cases and any animal cases pending court action, as well as dispatching animal control complaints. The shelter is open to the public on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 10am-5pm and Tuesday and Friday noon-5pm. The number to the shelter is (912) 764-4529.
Humane Enforcement Humane Enforcement Supervisor Joey Sanders
oversees two other humane officers who answer calls ranging from stray cats leaving footprints on vehicles to vicious dogs threatening people in their own homes. They also respond to calls about snakes in homes, injured wildlife, and both pets and livestock that are being neglected, abandoned or abused. Humane officers make sure animals in the county are treated humanely while keeping nuisance animals from causing problems and putting citizens in danger. Humane Enforcement handles an average of over 200 calls/complaints
per month, enforcing the animal laws and county ordinances to help ensure the safety of the public and well being of the animals in our county. They handle all types of animal control complaints within our county, while assisting with the Georgia Department of Agriculture and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources when needed. Humane Enforcement is available Monday thru Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on call after 5 p.m. on week days and weekends for emergency calls only. Emergencies may be reported at (912) 4896911.
Town of BrookleT CiTy Hall would like to recognize it’s Public Service Representatives.
CiTy Hall PuBliC works PoliCe DeParTmenT mayor & CiTy CounCil rePresenTaTives Planning & Zoning Commission
JAMES W. DEAL
17257 HWY 301 NORTH STATESBORO, GA 30458 (912) 764-8888 FAX (912) 764-2917 www.bullochsheriff.com
SHERIFF
LYNN M. ANDERSON
BULLOCH COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE SHERIFF LYNN ANDERSON The Office of Sheriff began over nine centuries ago in England, was transplanted to America in 1634, and was established in Bulloch County in 1796 with the election of Sheriff Charles McCall Jr. Since that time 62 elected Sheriffs and their deputies have served the people of Bulloch County. Sheriffs in Georgia are constitutional officers of both the state and county. The Sheriff of Bulloch County is the chief law enforcement officer of the county and performs numerous functions mandated by state law including law enforcement, operation of the county jail, and acting as an officer of the court. Sheriff Anderson took office in 2001 and has been re-elected three times since. The Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office is a full-service law enforcement agency consisting of the following divisions: Patrol, Jail, Criminal Investigations, Court Services, Training, Communications, and Professional Standards. The Sheriff’s Office also supervises the activities of the Statesboro-Bulloch Crime Suppression Team, a multijurisdictional task force dedicated to the suppression of street crime and drug activity. Today’s Sheriff’s Office uses training and technology in combination with tried and true methods of policing to provide the highest level of service to the people of Bulloch County. Sheriff Anderson believes that the spirit of community policing, began in 1796, is as valid today as it was then and even more so when combined with modern techniques. The Constitution of the State of Georgia provides that “The Sheriff shall keep and preserve the peace of his county.” Sheriff Anderson and his staff stand ready at all times to do so.
Bulloch County Tax Commissioner 115 North Main Street P.O. Box 245 Statesboro GA 30459 Telephone: 912-764-6285 Fax: 912-489-4108 Office Hours: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday DEADLINE TO FILE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FOR 2015 IS APRIL 1, 2015. Contact the Bulloch County Tax Assessors office for more information. 912-764-2181 REAL and PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX – You can pay your real, personal property, and mobile home taxes online by going to www.bullochtaxcommissioner.com and clicking “pay taxes online”. A convenience fee of 2.50% is charged by the company (not Bulloch County) that processes online tax payments. All 2014 and prior taxes owed should be paid as soon as possible to avoid tax sale and the filing of a lien (FiFa) which will affect your credit for many years. After March 2, 2015, a one-time 10% penalty will be applied to all 2014 real and personal property tax bills not paid by the due date (12-01-2014). This penalty does not apply to property claiming homestead exemption where tax due is less than $500.00. Interest at the rate of 1% per month or fraction thereof began the day after the due date. EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2011 – Both Registration and Title for a newly purchased motor vehicle from a source other than a registered dealer must be applied for at the owner’s County Tag Office no later than seven business days after the Date of Purchase. (O. C. G. A. 40-2-29) This seven day requirement replaces the former thirty day rule. VEHICLES – REMEMBER your registration EXPIRES ON YOUR BIRTHDAY for individuals. INSURANCE on your vehicle must be submitted to the state insurance data base by your agent to enable the renewal of your tag/decal. Vehicles covered by a fleet policy are an exception to this rule and your fleet card must be provided. If there is a lapse in your insurance, lapse fees will be placed on the tag system by the state and must be paid within 30 days of lapse date with cash or certified funds to prevent further fees and possible suspension of your registration. Penalties on regular re-newals begin the day after your birthday and are by law added automatically by the computer. Businesses renew according to the first letter of the title for their vehicle (A & B in January, C & D in February, etc.) and are due by the last day of your month. Late registrations will by law require that penalties be added. ***Title ad valorem tax (TAVT) replaced sales tax on vehicles in Georgia beginning March 1, 2013 and applies to persons moving to Georgia from another state and also applies to sales between individuals. 7.00% TAVT (applies to transactions dated in 2015) times the value of the vehicle must be paid to our office at time of transfer or purchase. Certain rules apply to transfers between immediate family members, military persons, and BuyHere/PayHere dealers. MOBILE HOMES – Purchase your 2015 decal by May 1, 2015 to avoid interest and penalty. Failure to display a current decal can result in a citation and fines through the Magistrate Court.
“The Sheriff shall keep and preserve the peace of his county.”
Our goal is to assist the taxpayers and citizens of Bulloch County with services rendered by our office in an efficient and professional manner while being governed by many laws, rules, and regulations.
764-8888 • Fax 764-2917 www.bullochsheriff.com Chief Deputy Jared Akins
PLEASE CALL US WITH YOUR NEEDS AND QUESTIONS. Our website www.bullochtaxcommissioner.com provides information regarding taxes, exemptions, vehicle registrations, etc. Web site is currently being updated for new laws and regulations.
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
6 – Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com
2014 brings new crime-fighting partnership CST combines all aspects of law enforcement From staff reports
A newly-formed partnership between three local law enforcement agencies has made quite a significant impact on area crime. Formed in February 2014, the StatesboroBulloch County Crime Suppression Team is a partnership between the Statesboro Police Department, the Bulloch Count y Sheriff ’s Department and the Georgia Southern University Police Department.
Supervised by Bulloch County Sheriff Lynn Anderson, the unit consists of specially-assigned deputies and officers from all three agencies. The CST “represents a joining of forced between these agencies to address crime trends no matter where they occur,” Anderson said. The Crime Suppression Team is “the primary unit for investigating drug related crimes with a focus on gang activity and street crime,” he said. “The CST combines skilled investigators with
uniformed deputies and a K-9 officer, Max, to form a potent 14-man proactive force equally capable of saturating a high-crime area as it is of conducting long-term investigations.” Led by Capt. Jason Kearney, the CST has: ➤ Made almost 1,000 voluntary citizen contacts to generate community good w ill through n o n - l aw enforcement calls. ➤ Made 92 school walk-throughs to generate partnerships and provide better security.
➤ Made 653 business checks. ➤ Conducted 1,114 traffic stops. ➤ Served 54 search warrants. ➤ Arrested 816 (307 felonies, 509 misdemeanor) and served 202 arrest warrants. ➤ Saw a 35 percent reduction in armed robberies in areas around Lanier Drive. ➤ Seized $28,103 in money from drug dealers, used for purchases of equipment at no cost to taxpayers.
Small town policing, other local agencies serving public Georgia, Federal Bureaus of Investigation When crimes such as murders, kidnapping, or major drug cases occur, local law enforcement may call in for help from the state. The Statesboro office of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation covers the following counties — Bulloch, Tattnall, Evans, Candler, Jenkins, Screven, Effingham, Chatham, Bryan, and Liberty. This agency becomes involved in any crime a sheriff, police chief, district attorney or Superior Court judge deems necessary for GBI assistance. These can include internal affairs, murders, and drug cases. In cases such as bank robberies or when serious crimes cross state lines, local and state agencies may call for federal help.
The Statesboro office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation handles calls for nine counties including Bulloch. The FBI agents work closely with local law enforcement officers to investigate criminal involving local suspects as well as others from various states. FBI agents also help investigate bank robberies and some murder cases, relying on knowledge of local law enforcement officers to help with the investigations.
Clerk of Courts Every crime produces records, and when those crimes go to court, it is the Bulloch County Clerk of Courts office that maintains and keeps those records. Bulloch County Clerk of Courts Heather Banks McNeal is keeping up with changes in technology to
make sure records are being kept accurately. Citizens can access information such as real estate transactions throughout the state of Georgia from the comfort of their own homes. The Clerk's Office handles civil and criminal cases, adoptions, military discharges, traffic offenses and more. All traffic tickets, whether from Bulloch County Sheriff 's Department, Statesboro Police, Georgia State Patrol or Georgia Southern University, can be paid online using a credit card at www.payyourtix.com.
Register Police Department The Register Town Council hired Chief Tom Kile in 2012. Register police focus on traffic safety and
patrolling the small town to deter crime.
Georgia State Patrol Post 45
Portal Police Department
Georgia State Patrol Post 45 serves Bulloch, Candler, and Evans counties, covering approximately 2,111 miles of roadway spread over 1,124 square miles, said SFC Brad Mosher, post commander. Most of the citizens served live in Bulloch County. The combined population is 92,000 with 70,200 living in Bulloch. In addition to patrolling traffic, troopers offer assistance with large events. Post 45 troopers assisted Evans County Sheriff ’s Department with the Luke Bryan concert in past years which attracted crowds of over 18,000 attendants, Mosher said. “This is the largest event in our territory requiring the assistance of GBI, DNR, GSP, MCCD,
Portal Police Chief Jason Sapp is a full time officer with the city’s police department and is assisted on a part-time basis by Sgt. Bobby Ivey. Officers focus on traffic enforcement and keeping a strong presence in the small community to deter crime.
Brooklet Police Department Brooklet Police Chief Max Meyer oversees a force made up of full time and part time officers. The town enjoys a reputation as having low crime and a cooperation between law enforcement and citizens.
DOT, GEMA, local EMS and rural volunteer firefighters.” Troopers also assisted with security at the Savannah St. Patrick’s Day parade. Several smaller community events, such as the fireworks display at Mill Creek, the Brooklet Peanut Festival, and the Chicken Pickin’ Festival in Claxton, were held that required the assistance of Post 45 throughout the year. Many people confuse the Georgia State Patrol with the Georgia Department of Driver Services. Driver’s licenses are not issued at the State Patrol office, but all driver’s license issues can be handled at the refurbished Department of Driver Services office located in the old patrol post on US 301 North. Post 45 may be reached at (912) 688-6999.
03 18803 1
City of Statesboro The city of Statesboro’s mission is to provide the most responsive and progressive public services so that our residents, businesses, and visitors can enjoy the highest quality of life Statesboro has to offer.
STATESBORO-BULLOCH COUNTY AIRPORT Did you ever wonder how you can order something from California and have it waiting on your doorstep the next morning? How about that fire in your neighbor’s field - ever wonder how help arrived so quickly? What about the helicopter that appears out of the sky to render aid to accident victims? The answers lie right here at the StatesboroBulloch County Airport.
The airport serves not only local pilots, but also many of our major corporations find the airport invaluable when transporting people, equipment, and goods in and out of the region. Georgia Southern University’s athletic department, alumni, and guests routinely use the airport. Members of the medical community, schools, fire and emergency services, and law enforcement also benefit from the airport.
Jan Moore, Mayor
Phil Boyum
City Councilman - District 1
Residents of Bulloch County and the surrounding areas get their packages delivered quickly. Cargo planes haul everything from medical supplies to those last minute gifts.
Air Evac Lifeteam has a base at the Statesboro – Bulloch county Airport. Air Evac Lifeteam is the nation's largest independently owned and operated air ambulance service. Having the base here ensures residents in the region have access to better and faster care for the patients who need help immediately.
Gary Lewis
Will Britt
John Riggs
Travis Chance
City Councilman - District 2
Mayor Pro Tem - District 3
The Georgia Forestry Commission has an Aviation Unit based at the Statesboro-Bulloch County Airport. There are three full time pilots patrolling the skies to protect us from fires such as the ones we’ve seen recently in other states.
The airport also provides recreational activities. The Jumping Place Skydiving Center is located at the Statesboro-Bulloch County Airport. You can even learn to fly at MidCoast Aviation Services or with one of our local flight instructors. For more information visit us at www.statesboroairport.com, or give us a call at 912-764-9083.
City Councilman - District 4
City Councilman - District 5
2015 Community
Pride Pride
Industry
Viracon celebrates 15 years in Statesboro
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
2 – Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com
Viracon celebrates 15 years in the Boro Company expects stable production for next three years By DeWAYNE GRICE dgrice@statesboroherald.com
V
iracon, an architectural glass fabricator, celebrated its 15th year in Statesboro this past year. The 395,000-square-foot plant produces an estimated average of 6.5 million square feet of high-grade architectural glass annually. Currently, Viracon is at 90 percent capacity and, with the construction market outlook being bright, the company expects to see stable production for the next three years. That is a welcome change from previous years, which saw the plant output reduced as much as 35 percent during the construction downturn between 2008 and 2013. Understanding the potential of the Statesboro plant and its proximity to the ports and other growing domestic markets, Viracon's leadership used the down market to upgrade the Statesboro facility. In 2012, Viracon invested $6.2 million in equipment and facility upgrades for the next construction up-cycle. Renovations included 16 specific capital upgrades, and all major pieces of equipment received extensive maintenance. Most notably, the coating process was streamlined to improve its performance, capability and reliability. The building's roof was replaced, and the HVAC system was updated to yield a more controlled environment, resulting in a cleaner facility. Additionally, approximately 90 skylights were installed to enhance natural lighting in specific areas of the factory and to reduce energy usage during the day. The plant was idled for six months while the upgrades were completed and the workforce was furloughed. When operations started back again in August 2012, 80 percent of the original workforce returned. In May 2014, Gov. Nathan Deal came to Statesboro to announce $2 million of incentives if the plant added 125 additional full-time employees. It has already achieved
SCOTT BRYANT/staff
Viracon in Statesboro produces an estimated average of 6.5 million square feet of high-grade architectural glass every year. that objective and now operates with 450 full-time employees. The future looks bright for Viracon, with continued investment and growth being a critical part of its Statesboro strategy. The plant continues to produce and fabricate architectural glass for major construction projects across the United States. Ramping up production has allowed the company to meet the growth primarily in commercial construction activity along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Exporting
through the Port of Savannah has helped open international markets, such as Australia, Hong Kong, India and Japan. Viracon Statesboro Plant Manager Rick Farmer said being a good corporate citizen is important to the company. "In addition to a host of local charities we donate to directly, we are always looking for unique partnerships that allow us to make a difference," he said. "One of these that we are most proud of is the creation of 'Viracon Alley' downtown. Viracon will be donating
ENGINES MATTER ... EMPLOYEES DO TOO.
WE APPRECIATE OUR STATESBORO TEAM!
$35,000 in a partnership with Georgia Southern University to enhance and connect the City Campus with the new FabLab, art incubator and innovation incubator." Dr. Domonique Halaby and City Councilman Phil Boyum have worked closely with Farmer and Kelly Schuller, the president of Viracon, to help create this partnership. The goal is to enhance City Campus and lead the way to other corporate investments in this project and others worthwhile projects throughout the community.
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
statesboroherald.com | Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 – 3
Brodie: Stability in Statesboro; sales worldwide By AL HACKLE ahackle@statesboroherald.com
International and local
B
rodie International, making meters and valves sold to the petroleum industry around the world, maintains stable jobs for about 80 people in its hometown, Statesboro. It also has four employees at its international sales office in Beijing. But maintaining its Statesboro workforce and a manufacturing facility with a history almost 60 years deep are keys to the company's current identity. Although Brodie as such was founded 12 years ago, a number of employees, perhaps 15, have been with the factory more than 40 years, said Johnny Parrish, Brodie's vice president of engineering and operations. He's an almost 42-year veteran at the plant, but a few people have been there longer. "We've got a mature workforce, so what we're trying to do is bring some younger folks in and — you know, this is a job you don't learn overnight — so its gives them a chance to learn," Parrish said. So, besides hiring two replacement workers last year, Brodie International added five employees. Typical of the company's commitment to workers, Brodie isn't asking anyone to retire but will have trained people already building their experience when departures do occur. Many of Brodie's production jobs are for people with mechanical skills, but that is not the only type of job at the plant on U.S. Highway 301 North. "We have everything that makes a business go," Parrish said. "We've got accounting positions, sales positions, marketing positions, engineering, service, shipping, receiving, machinist."
2003 and 1956 Parrish and Brodie International President Thomas
AL HACKLE/staff
Tyler Price-Williams, a Brodie International machinist, shows a gear blank he just made with the computeraided lathe, a Doosan Puma 2600SY Turning Center, behind him. F. Clark were two of the four investors who signed a deal to buy the plant from Emerson Electric Co. in February 2003. For the first time in its history, the plant became independent of larger corporations, and its remaining production stayed in Statesboro. Built in 1956 by Rockwell Manufacturing Co., the factory in the 1960s employed more than 700 people. But that was before automation in machine tools reduced the amount of labor required to make meters and valves and before some product lines were moved to other facilities. Emerson Electric bought the
plant in 1970, making it a part of Brooks Instrument, then a division of Emerson. Further name changes followed, and Emerson Electric moved its magnetic flow meter line from Statesboro to Mexico in the late 1990s. The plant here was down to about 125 employees by the time Emerson Electric was ready to sell it or close it in the early 2000s. Then the Brodie International investors bought it, keeping it in operation with 56 employees at first. The company was named for the late Ralph N. Brodie, who developed the BiRotor flow meter
in California in the late 1940s. Brodie's family is not part of the ownership, but the name provided product recognition, Parrish noted. Engineers at the Statesboro plant have created new products over the years, including variations on Brodie's original design for diverse applications. The BiRotor Plus meter, designed here in the late 1990s as a separate product line, is "probably the most accurate meter in the world," Parrish said. The company currently is developing a BiRotor Plus meter in a new size, as well as a new size of valve.
About 40 to 45 percent of Brodie International's production is exported. The employees of the Beijing sales office are citizens of China. But managers and engineers from the Statesboro headquarters also make periodic visits to China, meeting with parts suppliers and quality approval organizations as well as customers. "There's a lot of new stuff going on in China," said Parrish, who has been to China a halfdozen times. "They're expanding their pipelines." Brodie exports products to other Asian nations, such as South Korea and Indonesia, to Russia, and to countries in the Middle East and Latin America. The company recently has hired the former owner of a German manufacturing company to market Brodie's products in other regions of the world. Over the years, most of the demand for Brodie's meters and valves has been on the fuel distribution end of the industry. But the boom in crude-oil pumping in recent years, including the opening of new U.S. fields enabled by hydraulic fracturing, has provided new customers. "We're seeing more business in the crude-oil side," Parrish said. "Before, we focused, or had more business, in the refined products. … And we've made some changes to our standard meter to accommodate the crude." The crude-oil versions have slightly different tolerances than those for handling refined fuels. The company hires locally whenever it can, Parrish said, predicting only that Brodie International "may add a few" jobs in 2015, "depending on how the business continues." Al Hackle may be reached at (912) 489-9458.
Textiles gain toehold for return to U.S. Indian firm breaks ground for yarn mill in Sylvania By AL HACKLE ahackle@statesboroherald.com
S
YLVANIA — The flag of India flew beside those of Georgia and the United States at the Screven County Industrial Park as Gov. Nathan Deal joined in breaking ground for ShriVallabh Pittie Group's $70 million yarn spinning plant, expected to create 250 jobs, in July. Deal hailed it as further evidence that Georgia has become very attractive to industry under his watch. SV Pittie Group's chairman, Vinod Pittie, suggested that his company's toehold in North America will start a resurgence of the textile industry in Georgia. Meanwhile, Sylvania and Screven County officials welcomed those jobs and the possibility of more. "Last fall, by about several weeks before Site Selection magazine named Georgia the No. 1 place in the nation to do business, SV Pittie had made the announcement that they were planning to come here to Georgia and into the Sylvania area," Deal said. "I think that probably that announcement was at least one of the ingredients that caused Site Selection magazine to make that designation." In the 2014 election year in which he faced a Democratic challenger, Deal, a Republican, frequently repeated the news of Site Selection's choice. This prompted critics to note that the magazine has a limited circulation, mainly among corporate real estate executives, site selection managers and development agencies. But in June, as Deal was able to note, the cable channel CNBC also named Georgia its 2014 "Top State for Doing Business." This was based on a point system in categories such as costs of doing business, infrastructure quality, education and technology. "That's good for Georgia," Deal said. "It allows us to recruit more jobs for our citizens, and, by the way, since I became governor, about 3 1/2 years ago now, according to Labor Department statis-
tics, we have had more than 250,000 new private-sector jobs created in Georgia, one of the fastest-growing job-producing states in the entire country." Deal credited the Department of Economic Development, whose commissioner, Chris Carr, also took part in the ceremony, for its work with local development agencies to land new industries.
GRAD site
Through a program called Georgia Ready for Accelerated Development, or GRAD, the Screven County Development Authority had a 95-acre tract in its industrial park designated "pad-ready" several years ago. Utility lines were put in place and hurdles such as wetlands delineation cleared. From this tract, the Development Authority provided about 70 acres to SV Pittie Group, which will eventually own the land through a bonds-for-title transaction. Another state program slated to assist the company is Quick Start, which provides free, customized employee training to new and expanding industries. The plant should be ready to run, creating those 250 jobs, in January 2016, Pittie said. Meanwhile, its construction should require about 100 workers employed through contractors, he said. Founded in India in 1898, ShriVallabh Pittie Group currently operates 12 plants in India. From there, it exports yarn — threads used in making fabrics — to Central and South America. But this will be the company's first factory anywhere outside India. As Pittie explained when he came to Sylvania in October 2013 to sign the site agreement with county officials, his company has calculated that it can pay higher U.S. wages and still have a net advantage in reduced shipping costs to Latin America. A lower power tariff here, higher quality infrastructure than in India and the site's location on Georgia
SCOTT BRYANT/staff
Gov. Nathan Deal, center, chats with ShriVallabh Pittie Group Chairman Vinod Pittie and grandson Shivom Rao, 2, after the groundbreaking ceremony for the SV Pittie Textiles manufacturing facility at Screven County Industrial Park in July. Highway 21, which leads directly to the port of Savannah, were other attractions he mentioned. Another factor, acknowledged by local officials, is that Screven County has a history in textiles and retains residents with relevant experience. Sylvania Yarn Systems Inc., which had operated a factory there for 40 years, closed at the end of 2009, leaving 150 people out of work. "I assure you that this groundbreaking ceremony is not a ceremony for one particular manu-
facturing facility," Pittie told those attending. "I can assure you that after this facility's work comes up, the whole textile world is looking at us, and once this unit is successful, there would be many entrepreneurs who are looking forward to join us and put their facilities in Georgia." Deal, Pittie and local officials also linked the prominence of cotton farming in the area to the fact that the mill will use cotton in spinning yarn. Will Boyd, the cotton farmer
who chairs the Screven County Board of Commissioners, wore a tie patterned with tiny cotton bolls as he welcomed the SV Pittie Group and thanked state officials. "I'm excited twofold, because it's good for the county, but it's also good for my industry," Boyd said in an interview. "I feel like this is the first step in maybe us bringing the textile industry back to the United States." Al Hackle may be reached at (912) 489-9454.
4 – Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
statesboroherald.com | Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 – 5
6 – Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
Local industries, federal grant to equip OTC lab Addresses demand for maintenance technicians By AL HACKLE ahackle@statesboroherald.com
O
geechee Technical College will work with area industries, two development authorities and a federal grant to equip a lab for industrial maintenance courses at a cost of almost $420,000, officials announced in October. "Industrial maintenance has been identified as an area of critical need for our local industries," said OTC President Dr. Dawn Cartee. "Having employees who can maintain the equipment used in the manufacturing process if vital to the continued success of our industries." The grant, from the Economic Development Administration, will supply about $210,000, matched by funds raised by the college. Four industries with plants in Bulloch or Screven counties — Briggs & Stratton, Brodie International, Koyo Bearings of North America and Viracon — are contributing, as are the Development Authority of Bulloch County, the Screven County Development Authority and the Ogeechee Technical College Foundation. The exact funding total, stated in a fact sheet from Ogeechee Tech, is $419,523. "Thank you to all who are investing in this program," Cartee said. "This is literally putting your money where your mouth is to make sure that the economic engine, and that is our local industry, doesn't fail because of a lack of commitment on the part of industries themselves." Representatives of the industries, the development authorities and the company that produces the training equipment, as well as state legislators, local education officials, OTC faculty and a staff member for former U.S. Rep. John Barrow, D-Ga., attended the announcement. "You hear a lot about publicprivate partnerships; it's almost
SCOTT BRYANT/staff
John Holt of Technical Training Aids, center, discusses some aspects of the new Ogeechee Technical College industrial maintenance program lab with Briggs & Stratton Human Resources Manager Amanda See after an announcement in October of a grant for a new training system so students can learn technical support and maintenance of manufacturing equipment in multiple industries. like a buzzword in economic development and higher education," said Lori Durden, the college's vice president for economic development. "But these partnerships are essential to us here at the college. … This is a great example." Some of the students are expected to be industries' new hires or people already on the job. The training system, purchased from Amatrol, an Indiana-based company, includes computerbased testing to determine which skills students need to learn or improve. Students typically will work through online lessons first before applying them at hands-on trainers. The trainers are work boards outfitted with tools, test equipment and parts that students
assemble, test and adjust as they apply their skills. Two examples of Amatrol trainers, one for vibration analysis and another for basic electrical systems, were displayed in Ogeechee Tech's main lobby during the announcement. Benjy Thompson, the CEO of the Development Authority of Bulloch County, said he felt he was also speaking for the development authorities in Screven and Evans counties and other development professionals in the area. "This program is critical to the Development Authority of Bulloch County and our colleagues because existing industry provides the foundation of our missions, that is to help businesses create jobs and bring capital investment to our communities,"
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Thompson said. Bobby Jones, a process line manager in Koyo's plant in Screven County, spoke as chairman of the Industry Group, made up of more than 15 industries in Bulloch, Screven and some other neighboring counties. Koyo, a Japanese-owned bearing manufacturer, employs more than 400 people at the Sylvania plant. While industries continue to enhance their equipment and technology to maintain growth, many skilled workers such as maintenance technicians have been with their companies a long time, Jones said. Often finding that young people are unaware of the quality of jobs available, the Industry Group also seeks to bring high school
students information on manufacturing careers, Jones said. Hourly wages in the $18 to $25 range are typical for industrial maintenance technicians in the area, he said in an interview. A shortage of these maintenance people has been a key concern of the group for several years. Kathleen Kosmoski, Ogeechee Tech's director for continuing education and industry training, said that in meetings she has attended, all of the industries have expressed the need for maintenance techs. The college is talking to other industries, beyond those now helping match the grant, for help in obtaining additional equipment, she said. "There are some more pieces that we want to get to help with our industries so that as they continue to grow, we're continuing to grow the program, so we're going to need additional funds to help with the growth process." Kosmoski said. Ultimately, the industrial maintenance lab will go into a space designed for that purpose in the new OTC Natural Resources Building, for which groundwork has now begun at the main campus south of Statesboro. After a groundbreaking ceremony in November 2013, construction was delayed for several months. The building is now expected to take a year or longer to complete. In the meantime, the industrial maintenance training system will be installed at Ogeechee Tech's Screven County Workforce Development Center in Sylvania. "We want it up and running," Cartee said after the announcement. With a six-month time frame for purchase and delivery of the equipment, officials hope to have the lab operating at the Sylvania site by April or May. The computer-based elements may be ready sooner in the new year, Kosmoski said. Al Hackle may be reached at (912) 489-9454.
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
statesboroherald.com | Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 – 7
Whitfield Signs and the Eagles By AL HACKLE ahackle@statesboroherald.com
W
hitfield Signs, which helps other businesses and organizations gain exposure and brand-recognition, is gaining an enviable level of exposure because of one major client, Georgia Southern University Athletics. GSU Athletics became a client more than a year ago, when planning was underway for the now completed expansion of Paulson Stadium and construction of the Football Operations Center. "They have been our largest customer, and it's nice to have them, because we're all Georgia Southern fans here, and most of us went there or have been there or were raised here," Josh Whitfield said. "So we're all True Blue, and it's nice to be part of it. The university has helped us and created jobs here." He launched the company in 2010, then brought his father, experienced business owner Michael Whitfield, aboard as a partner in 2012. Josh Whitfield grew up in Statesboro — attending Eagles games during the Erk Russell era — but then went to the University of Georgia for a degree in economics and worked five years for the Atlanta-based DeNyse Companies, which creates signs and does corporate branding work nationally. "Dad and I had a vision to bring that national experience back home to Statesboro and help companies here create brands, everything from logo creation to signs," Whitfield said. Whitfield Signs currently employs about 12 people, organized as a design team, a production team and an installation team. "We've got a great team of talented people who deserve a lot of credit for what we've been able to accomplish," Whitfield said.
GSU signs
For GSU Athletics, Whitfield Signs has created signs and graphics for the baseball facilities, the men's and women's basketball locker rooms and hallways and, of course, the football stadium. Still ahead, Whitfield will create new signs for the volleyball program. But the $10 million,
SPECIAL
These views from inside the Football Operations Center at Georgia Southern University's Paulson Stadium all show features created and installed by Whitfield Signs. 50,000-square-foot Football Operations Center, dedicated in August, became the largest showcase so far for the company's creations and the fact that these go well beyond what were traditionally thought of as signs. "Everything was just white walls when we walked in," Whitfield said. "Anything you see in the F.O.C. we did, from the central piece trophy case to display for the national championships to all the wall features that tell the history and moments of Georgia Southern, honoring that past." GSU Athletic Director Tom Kleinlein and another staff member brought Whitfield the university's objectives and goals for the facility. The Whitfield design
team then created the overall plan, pulling together a narrative history of the university and its football program from elements they were supplied from the archives. "It was fun. I thought I knew a lot about Georgia Southern football before I started that, but now I know a lot more," Whitfield said. Historic elements are concentrated in the upper story, where the six-sided display case of the national championship wins is the centerpiece. The company used graphic wall wrap to create a panel dedicated to Eagles championship coaches Erk Russell, Tim Stowers and Paul Johnson, with photos and brief bios of each. The "History and Moments"
display includes, among other things, a tribute to the "Dirty Dozen," local people credited with re-launching Georgia Southern football from discussions at Snooky's restaurant. As part of one display, Whitfield signs even installed an interactive TV surrounded by wall graphics. An 18-foot-tall image of a blue-clad player displaying the initialized "GATA" slogan towers over the main staircase.
Edgy look
Downstairs in the inner sanctum, there's "more of an edgy marketing look, to try get those recruits," Whitfield said. The design elements look toward the future, with one board
carrying a "Plan to win" prescription for players, with graphics reminding them, on behalf of coach Willie Fritz, to "Take care of the football" and that "The Eagles don't beat the Eagles." "Our goal with the building was to be able to show the history of our program and be able to excite 18-year-olds who are looking at us as their potential college to come play here," Kleinlein said. He indicated that he is pleased with Whitfield's work and was glad that a local company wanted the contract and could do this type of design. "They're basically rebranding all of our athletic facilities for us," Kleinlein said. "This is Statesboro's school, so it's important for us to kind of work with people here in Statesboro, and I felt like he could handle the work and had a really good vision for the project." However, local businesses did not wait for Georgia Southern Athletics to show them what Whitfield could do. To cite a few examples, Whitfield Signs is responsible for the signage at the 111 South student housing development, the LED board at RJ Pope and even the vehicle graphics applied to a van operated by child care provider Kidovations, which gives the illusion of children riding inside, even when empty. Their wall wraps appear inside the conference rooms of local professional offices. The sign attached to a monumental rock, as if emerging from the earth, outside Southeastern Endodontics office in Savannah is an example of Whitfield fulfilling a specific customer request.
The future
Now, Whitfield sees the company growing by two routes. Beyond Statesboro, the Pooler and Savannah areas offer growth opportunities for commercial signs. But with demonstrated ability in the branding of university athletics, Whitfield sees national possibilities. "It has given us a springboard for other larger jobs as well, and we're looking at doing this at other universities around the country as well," he said. "So, hopefully, it's the first of many." Al Hackle may be reached at (912) 489-9454.
SPECIAL
The airport ramp is shown in this photo, provided by the Statesboro-Bulloch County Airport. Both individuals and businesses benefit from services provided by the local airport.
Local airport one of Bulloch's best kept secrets From staff reports
T
he Statesboro-Bulloch County Airport offers a variety of services to the area that many residents may not know about. As one of Bulloch County's best kept secrets, it is the doorway that connects local residents and businesses to the state, the nation and the rest of the world. The airport is located 3 miles northeast of Statesboro's central business district and is owned by the city of Statesboro and Bulloch County. It sits on 834 acres and has two paved runways. The primary runway is 6,000 feet long, and the secondary is 4,382 feet long. The county operates the airport, providing fuel, tie-downs, hangar rentals, pilot supplies and a pilot lounge. Kathy Boykin, airport manager, said individuals as well as businesses benefit from services offered by the airport. It is a "conduit to the world" for major businesses and industries in the area but also offers flight and skydiving instructions, among
other services. The airport helps provide more and better jobs "because major corporations generally look for airport access when choosing a new location," Boykin said. It not only allows large businesses' CEOs to fly to Statesboro easily, but it also allows cargo flights to deliver goods directly to and from Statesboro. Residents of Bulloch County and the surrounding area receive packages in a more timely fashion. Martinaire, a subcontractor for UPS, brings packages to the airport daily. It is also a base for Air Evac, an emergency helicopter service that flies patients involved in emergency situations to other hospitals, Boykin said. "Having the Air Evac base here provides better and faster care for the patients who truly need it," she said. Also, "the Aviation Unit of the Georgia Forestry Commission is based here, providing aerial fire detection, fire suppression support and assisting Georgia Forestry
Commission foresters in the detection of insect damage to our pine forests," she said. Education opportunities are available with the Civil Air Patrol, or CAP, which has a squadron based at the airport. CAP is a volunteer organization and is the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force. In addition to providing aerospace education, emergency services and Air Force support, CAP also provides the opportunity for young people ages 12 through 21 to be introduced to aviation through CAP's cadet program, which allows young people to progress at their own pace through a 16-step program that includes aerospace education, leadership training, physical fitness and moral leadership. Additionally, the Georgia State Defense Force has a base at the airport. "The Georgia State Defense Force has served the citizens of Georgia alongside the Georgia National Guard in every mission given, from search and rescue to natural disaster relief," Boykin said. Recreational benefits include skydiving,
Discovery Flights, aircraft rentals and flight instruction. According to an economic impact statement prepared by C.D. Smith in 2011, the Statesboro-Bulloch County Airport plays a vital role in supporting the region, providing 53 jobs with an annual payroll of $1,463,100 and $5,969,600 in economic output for the local and regional economies. The airport is part of the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems, which identifies nearly 3,400 existing and proposed airports that are significant to national air transportation and thus eligible to receive federal grants under the Airport Improvement Program, or AIP. It also includes estimates of the amount of AIP money needed to fund infrastructure development projects that will bring these airports up to current design standards and add capacity to congested airports. For more information on the StatesboroBulloch County Airport, visit www.states boroairport.com.
8 – Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com
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2015 Community
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Farmers & Merchants Bank: Standing strong
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2A – Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com
In search of health professionals
Magnolia Coastlands AHEC works to address southeast Georgia's doctor shortage Special to the Herald
Georgia needs health professionals. Although Georgia is 10th in the nation in population, it ranks 39th in the number of physicians. And the physicians and health professionals that do practice in Georgia tend to cluster in the larger cities. The Magnolia Coastlands Area Health Education Center’s mission is to support the recruitment, training and retention of a diverse health professions workforce throughout the state of Georgia. One way to address these shortages is to promote the study of health profes-
sions among local youth. Students from southeast Georgia are more likely to practice in this area once they complete a medical, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, nursing or other health professions training program. Since August 2013, the Magnolia Coastlands AHEC in partnership with East Georgia Regional Medical Center has offered undergraduate students who are interested in a health profession the opportunity to jobshadow local physicians in rural areas. The Magnolia Coastlands AHEC Job Shadowing Program is designed to
encourage young adults to choose a career in the medical field and eventually choose to practice in primary care in a rural or underserved area. The program lasts approximately one semester and will give the students who are selected the opportunity to record a total of 30 hours of shadowing
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experience. Each student rotates through different sites, with each rotation lasting about 10 hours. Some of the rotation sites include family medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, and neurology. Amber Tinney, a premedical student at Georgia Southern University who is from Effingham County, is an alumna of the program. She reports that the experience was helpful. “The best part of the program is that it is already set up,” Timney said. “The doctors are already willing. They have firsthand experience of what it is like to be a student, and they are interested in sharing what they learned with the students in the program.” She said this solidified her desire to be a physician and taught her the importance of
giving back. She recognized that the physicians are extremely busy, yet they take the time to allow students to shadow them. So she hopes when it is her turn that she, too, will give back. To be part of the Magnolia Coastlands AHEC’s Job Shadowing Program, interested students must complete an application, submit two professional letters of recommendation and a current academic transcript, and maintain a 3.5 GPA. After acceptance, the program requires additional information such as documentation of immunizations, HIPAA orientation and a background check. The opportunities offered by the Magnolia Coastlands AHEC are not limited to college students. Every year, AHEC sponsors several programs designed to encourage high school students to think about majoring in healthrelated fields. These programs include health career camps offered during the summer and health career presentations that are presented to middle and high school students in the 39 counties that comprise the
More information ➤ For more information about
any programs run by the Magnolia Coastlands Area Health Education Center, call (912) 478-1050 or visit www.magnoliacoastlands ahec.org.
Magnolia Coastlands’ service area. Additionally, the AHEC is partnering with the JiannPing Hsu College of Public Health at Georgia Southern to offer the fifth annual Public Health Day for Young Adults. The day is aimed at high school students to raise awareness about public health issues in the fields of nursing, epidemiology and environmental health sciences. Students and teachers who participate have the chance to interact with graduate students and faculty from the College of Public Health in hands-on healthrelated activities. Magnolia Coastlands AHEC is a program in cooperation with the College of Health and Human Sciences at Georgia Southern. It is a member of the Statewide AHEC Network, which is a partnership coordinated by Georgia Regents University.
Online MBA program gets high ranking Special to the Herald
The Georgia WebMBA, the consortium of which the Georgia Southern Online MBA is a part, has been ranked No. 10 by CEO Magazine in its Online MBA Rankings. This comes on the heels of the Georgia Southern Online MBA program being ranked No. 18 by U.S. News & World Report’s online rankings.
CEO Magazine’s MBA rankings are based upon key indicators considered to be of interest and value to potential MBA students. Some of these indicators include international diversity, class size, student work experience, faculty-to-student ratio, and faculty qualifications (academic and professional). The Georgia WebMBA, in existence since 2001, is a consortium of six University
System of Georgia institutions, offering a fully online, AACSB-accredited MBA program for the working professional. This MBA program is asynchronous and team-based, consists of 30 credit hours, and takes five semesters to complete. It is a lock-step cohort program, only requiring students to attend an orientation weekend prior to starting the program.
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COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
statesboroherald.com | Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 – 3A
New Visitors Center makes grand entrance By DeWAYNE GRICE dgrice@statesboroherald.com
Hundreds of people joined community leaders on Sept. 16 for the official ribbon cutting of the Statesboro Convention and Visitors Bureau's Regional Visitors Center. The new Visitors Center is a few blocks north of the old location on South Main Street, in the building that used to house Shoney's restaurant. The eatery, which had been closed for years, has been renovated and looks nothing like it did when it served buffet lines. Dr. Darin Van Tassell, the president of the Convention and Visitors Bureau, told the crowd that this project moved from an idea to fruition in one year. "This is a wonderful reflection of the commitment of the SCVB board and the power of great partnerships with the communities we serve," he said. The new center has become a centerpiece project in the city's effort to revitalize the roughly onemile stretch of South Main Street that connects the Georgia Southern University campus with the center of downtown. "Now tourists have easier access to the center, with ample parking and a wide entrance drive that allows access to even larger vehicles like RVs," said Heidi Jeffers, the executive director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau. "Attractive and informative displays within the building will offer opportunities for visitors to learn about the available attractions in Bulloch County and the region." The bureau also created a
SCOTT BRYANT/file
The new Statesboro Regional Visitor Information Center, in the former Shoney's building on South Main Street, officially opened its doors to the public in September.
Proudly Serving the Proudly Serving theTaste World the Sweet of Sta Proudly Serving the World Since 1946 the Sweet Taste of Statesboro the Sweet Taste of Statesboro Since 1946 Since 1946 Museum on Main partnership inside the center with the Georgia Southern Museum and the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences' Public History Program. The museum highlights Statesboro history, showcasing several artifacts, including a 1920s turpentine wagon, originally purchased from W.C. Akins & Sons Hardware on East Main Street. "The historical exhibit provides a glimpse into Bulloch County's past and provides a great opportunity to attract visitors and give them a context of why this unique community and unique institutions are here," said Dr. Brent Tharp, the director of the Georgia Southern Museum. "In addition, it provides a fantastic opportunity for our students, giving them a working laboratory." According to Andy Bhula, past president of the Convention and Visitors Bureau, the bureau acquired the building for $240,000, and it has invested around $150,000 in renovations.
The bureau sold the former location for $140,000, and board member Peggy Chapman has raised more than $135,000 through a capital campaign. In 1988, the Convention and Visitors Bureau completed certification to become a regional visitors center and recently completed the recertification. This designation gives the center marketing support through the Georgia Department of Economic Development's tourism division. Beda Johnson, the director of the department's Tourism Division, presented Jeffers with a plaque recognizing this designation. "This is one of the top three visitor centers in the state, and I think it is definitely one of the best," Johnson said. "They certainly deserve extra credit for turning an eyesore in downtown into this gorgeous center." The Visitors Center is open to the public Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Proudly Serving the World the Sweet Taste of Statesboro Since 1946
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LDP-2638-15-FMB-PrideV2_Layout 1 2/11/15 2:55 PM 44A - STATESBORO HERALD - Sunday, February 22,Page 2015 | statesboroherald.com – Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22,1 2015 | statesboroherald.com
Roy Blackmon, founder of Digita Equipment in Statesboro, says, “If i we wouldn’t be here today.” When h he includes his son Brad, wife Debbie Courtney Mills, who suggested work back in 1998. Roy praises the bank fo solving, trustworthiness, and “puttin on an individual than a stack of fina They always look at you as a person a
David, Chap, Hal and Colby Crom fifth and sixth generations of a Broo family. The family’s original, 150-yea still stands on their place, Nellwood than 40 years, the family has worked Chap says, “There’s an extremely hig that we feel for the operators and d bank. We are a close-knit-communit on to say, “It’s important to us that t the business we’re in.”
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COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
statesboroherald.com | STATESBORO HERALD - Sunday, February 22, 2015 -5 statesboroherald.com | Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 – 5A
Jason Brannen is a fourth-generation farmer near Register. Getting married in April, he and his bride-tobe are “building a house on a hill.” He works with FMB because “I went in there with my hat-in-hand a few years ago, needing money to buy my greatuncle’s farm on two days’ notice. They loaned it to me, no problem.” He admires that FMB refused TARP money after the 2008 housing crash. “I told them then, I’m sticking with y’all,“ he says. “I have no intention of leaving.”
Ricky Nevil (center above) tried farming after high school on his father’s 300-acre farm. He didn’t take to it, so he took off for college. After a few years his father asked him to come back to the farm, which he did. He and his wife Susan purchased his father’s farm in 1996. FMB helped, Ricky says. He likes that the bank’s board includes farmers and that it places customers’ needs first. “It’s a rare thing,” Ricky says. “They have done a great job of picking out the right people.”
tal Office f it weren’t for FMB, n he says “we,” bie, and daughter rking with FMB for problem ing more value nancial papers. and not a number.”
mley represent the ooklet-area farm ear-old farmhouse d Farms. For more ed with FMB. igh level of trust directors of this ity.” David went t they understand
It matters to Ken Nesmith (above right), owner of Ken’s IGA stores in Brooklet, Blichton and Guyton, that FMB supports community activities like the Relay for Life and Special Olympics. “They’re everywhere,” he says. It also matters that FMB helped him and his family (also shown above) “begin our dream of starting our grocery business” back in 1978. The family, bank and business have worked together ever since. “Without FMB, we wouldn’t have been able to maintain our business or grow,” Ken says. “They have supported us through good years and bad.”
Brothers Alan and Stacy Spence (shown here with their families) own farmland just north of Hopeulikit that was once farmed by their father and grandfather. Now Alan’s eight-year-old son wants to be a farmer, too. “We’ve worked with FMB for last 15 years,” Stacy says. “They’re super folks to work with. Our loan officer, Lisa Hodges, is married to a farmer. She understands everything we go through.” They say they intend to continue working with FMB. Alan adds, “They are stuck with us.”
Local control, community commitment and personal attention you just can’t get from mega-banks. All that, and the fact that FMB survived and thrives on their own resources. Those are the reasons Bulloch and its neighbors bank at FMB, Bulloch’s Hometown Bank. To read more of these and other FMB customers’ stories, visit: www.fmbnk.com/customers_speak
Kerry Hodges’ family has farmed its Screven County land for six generations. Shown here with his son, Matt, he works with FMB because “It’s important to me that I work with people who understand what I do for a living. In farming, we need to plant and harvest at a specified time. FMB knows, a timely loan process is critical to a farm’s success.” He also values FMB’s ability to make local lending decisions. (It doesn’t hurt that his wife, Lisa, is an FMB Agriculture loan officer.)
tatesboro, GA 30458
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6A – Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com
THE HALL
by 40 EAST GRILL
The Hall
19 East Vine St • Statesboro, Georgia • (912)764-4040 www.thehallstatesboro.com
40 East Grill
40 E Main St • Statesboro, Georgia • (912)764-4040
Bigshow’s Burgers
200 Lanier Drive • (912)249-9339
Looking foward to serving you in 2015
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statesboroherald.com | Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 – 7A
It's Poker Time in Statesboro Georgia Southern University graduates turn game into a successful business By AL HACKLE ahackle@statesboroherald.com
Several Georgia Southern University students in recent years have become entrepreneurs while working their way through school. One started a bus service. Another took over a school supply store. Add organizing poker games to the list of student-run enterprises. Jordan Steen, 23, doublemajored in business administration and management and marketing. He already had a job, cooking and managing at the Bigshow's Burgers and Bar, which Steen provided an opportunity to start his own business on the side. Under the business name Poker Time, Steen and a friend, Tim Rubnitz, 22, have been conducting Texas hold 'em games each Wednesday night. They started at Bigshow's Burgers and Bar on Lanier Drive and have since brought their events to other Statesboro restaurants. "What we're essentially trying to do is boost sales for the restaurant," Steen said. It's not gambling, he emphasizes. Gambling on
cards is illegal in Georgia. Poker Time players don't bet money. They don't buy poker chips, either, but they do wager with chips during the game. "They are not putting in money to receive money," Steen said. Instead, each player receives free chips with a 400 value (not really dollars) just for joining the game. The purchase of $10 in food and drink earns the player a "chip up" with 200 in chips, and reaching the $20 mark brings another 300 in chips. However, the initial $10 chip-up level of spending is required to be eligible for prizes, typically restaurant gift cards, at the end of the night's play. Steen consulted an attorney in setting up his business, he said. It is modeled on thriving poker-as-entertainment businesses in other areas. For example, the unrelated Georgia Poker Nights operates tournaments at restaurants and bars across northern Georgia. GPN's rules, published online, include a mandatory chip-up for prize eligibility and otherwise appear very similar to what Steen is doing. Poker Time has made a modest investment in equipment, not limited to fresh decks of cards.
AL HACKLE/file
Tim Rubnitz, left, shuffles the deck as Tyrone Dixon, center, and Caleb Johnson look at their cards during a Texas hold 'em game hosted by Poker Time at Bigshow's Burgers and Bar in February 2014. Poker Time hosts tournaments at local restaurants. Preparing for a game, Steen opens foam-lined aluminum cases with sorted stacks of chips nestled inside. His little company also owns the portable green table tops with brightly outlined plac-
es for cards and recessed holders for each player's chips. Each table top, whether oblong or octagonal, accommodates eight players. The whole setup, includ-
ing seven table tops, cost roughly $1,000. "The best thing about the low overhead I have is it makes for a lot of room for profit," Steen said. Rubnitz, who majored in information systems, does not work for Bigshow's but helps conduct the Poker Time games. Having previously run a Texas hold 'em club tournament in Savannah, he brought some of the poker know-how. "People like Texas hold'em because simply it's easier to learn" than other forms of poker, Rubnitz said. The game gives players the thrill of wagering without putting money at risk, Steen added. They sell Poker Time membership cards to devoted players and had T-shirts made. They will reinvest the proceeds in customized poker gear, Rubnitz said. The game drew about 25 players in its busiest night early last year, Steen reported. Steen wants to set up games at more restaurants. The restaurant owners would pay Poker Time a fee to provide entertainment and increase sales. At Bigshow's Burgers & Bar, his goal is to generate $600 in purchases by Poker Time players each Wednesday
night with the idea that this would warrant a $125 fee. Early last year, he had topped $400 in sales but not $600, and had not received that large a fee. Instead, he and Heath Robinson, who owns Bigshow's, had an arrangement whereby Steen receives a smaller amount while using the venue as a test bed for Poker Time. "It's doing great for us. I'm very pleased with it," Robinson said. "You know, Jordan, he's a bright guy. I think he's doing something that's kind of unique to the area, and I'm glad that we're hosting it here at Bigshow's Burgers, for sure." As an employee and manager, Steen helped Robinson open all three of his restaurants: 40 East Grill downtown; the original, non-bar Bigshow's Burgers on Brampton Avenue; and Bigshow's Burgers & Bar. The original Bigshow's opened in January 2013 but closed recently; the Lanier Drive location opened in December 2013. Steen reports he has several current or prospective partners in Poker Time, including his brother and his father. His father recently launched a Texas hold 'em tournament in the Cocoa Beach, Florida, area.
Statesboro firm sells internationally By AL HACKLE ahackle@statesboroherald.com
Low Country Auction & Real Estate, founded by Jeff Raines in 2006 and affiliated with industry leader United Country Real Estate and Auction Services since 2011, exposes antiques, collectibles and other household and commercial items from southeastern Georgia and South Carolina to nationwide and international bidding. The Statesboro-based company, a very small, family business in terms of workforce, handles real estate auctions as well. It offers clients the option of live auctions and "simulcast auctions" that include both on-site and Internet bidders in competition. But Internet auctions for estates and transitional moves are where Low Country has been racking up some impressive statistics. "About 95 percent of our auctions are what are called timed, online auctions," Raines said in August. "We just finished one up that was very successful." That "multi-estate online auction," concluded
AL HACKLE/file
The auction business mixes the old with the new. Low Country Auction & Real Estate does much of its business online. But antiques like the 1905-patented Ediphone recorder shown by business owner Jeff Raines, above, are part of the trade. just before Raines spoke with a reporter, offered 250 items, brought to Raines' warehouse on Georgia Highway 24 East from several estates and transitional households with holdings too small for separate auctions. In the seven concluding days of the auction, more
than 14,000 people — by a count of unique visitors rather than duplicated hits — looked at those assets, as compared to perhaps 100 that Raines said might gather for a live auction. "A lot more people are getting involved with the online business," he said. "Number one, they can do
it from the convenience of their home or office. They don't have to stand in line all day to wait on one item, and in our case, from the local side, whereas I might not bid against a real close friend of mine if he's standing there, when I'm at home, I'm going to bid." Plus, there's the sheer reach of the Internet. United Country bills itself as "the largest integrated auction and real estate company in the country." In other words, there are bigger companies that handle real estate, and bigger platforms for auctions, but United Country is the biggest company that combines the two functions. Low Country Auction & Real Estate also uses the online auction platform Proxibid. Through United Country and Proxibid, the Statesboro-based firm reaches a pool of more than 300,000 registered bidders. In 2013, when Low Country mainly handled estate sales, it sold items to buyers in 48 states as well as Argentina, Belize and Mexico, Raines said. When he auctioned the contents of a hardware store, includ-
ing more than 1,200 lots, online, about 600 of those lots were shipped to Belize. Shipping costs, incidentally, are always the buyer's responsibility. In addition to actual sales following a death, the category loosely referred to as estate auctions includes transitional moves, such as
when senior citizens downsize their households to move in with adult children or to an assisted living home. Low Country's job is to make any sale as convenient to the seller as possible, and never more so than with estate sales and transitional moves, Raines said.
Salon Hair Cuts
Cut & Style ............. $20-17 Just a Trim.............. $12-19 Kid’s Kuts ................. $9-14 Bangs Only .....................$6 Men’s Standard ..... $12-14 Men’s Trends .......... $16-22 Beard/Eyebrows.............$3
Waxing Brows OR Lip ................$9 With other service..........$7 Brows AND Lip............$14 With other service........$12
Color
Shampoo & Style ... $17-22 Prom/Wedding ....... $27-32
Styling
One Process ............ $37-47 Two Process ............ $52-67 Frosting Cap........... $32-37 Foil Highlights........ $47-67 Foil Accents ............ $22-52 Caramelizing .......... $57-77
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It’s really an easy concept. By going local, you can make an empowering Bulloch County investment. The money deposited into Citizens Bank is reinvested in ways that have developed the Statesboro area since the opening of a loan production office in 2006. Your relationship with us continues to allow our bankers to assist home buyers, small business owners, residents, area students and philanthropies. So remember, Citizens Bank is here to help you and Bulloch County realize our goals and dreams. It’s just that simple.
425 Commerce Drive Statesboro, GA 30461
(912) 871-2971
www.cbofbc.com
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
8A – Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com
Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines The Clubhouse adds Coca-Cola 125 Raceway, a go-cart track By AL HACKLE ahackle@statesboroherald.com
When the Coca-Cola 125 Raceway opened in June, drivers of all ages — provided they were at least 7 years old and tall enough to reach both the steering wheel and brakes — were able to experience the thrill of stock car racing in miniature. It's a go-cart track, of course, the latest in The Clubhouse's offerings of family-oriented activities that already included bowling, highly interactive electronic games, laser tag, golf and batting practice, miniature golf and minibowling. "It will exceed everyone's expectations, and I hope there are a lot of good expectations," said Darin Van Tassell, who owns The Clubhouse with his wife, Netra Van Tassell, just before the go-cart track opened. "The buzz in the air about it all has been really fun to listen to, and people have been watching closely, so Friday will be a big day in the history of The Clubhouse." The 28 carts are digitally controlled. Their electric motors are reportedly capable of powering them to highway speeds, but they are governed down, for safety, to no more than 20 mph. Speakers behind the seats will bring drivers instructions on track rules and driving techniques, followed by engine sounds synchronized with acceleration, and even pit crew chatter. "It's very virtual," said Van Tassell. "It will be like they're in an arcade game
or video game, except the video game moves." About half the carts are two-seaters, enabling parents to drive with younger children. Electronic controls allow The Clubhouse staff to tailor speeds to age groups. But each driver will control a turbo-boost feature. This cart system is considered state-of-the-art in the industry, and is advertised as environmentally friendly, because it eliminates the use of gasoline and motor oil. A few laps around the hilly, twisting course add up to a 1.25-mile run, hence 125. Meanwhile, a real corporate sponsorship is another thing the cart track has in common with full-size professional auto racing. As the raceway's sponsor, Statesboro Coca-Cola Bottling Co. paints and maintains the carts, The Clubhouse announced in a news release. "Since our opening in 2010, Coca-Cola has been Photos by SCOTT BRYANT/file such a supportive vendor," said Netra Van Tassell. Brandi Bittner and son Noah, 3, take a spin around the Coca-Cola 125 Raceway go-cart track at The Clubhouse on its first "We're thankful for their day of operation, in June. Below, Dennis Wildman flies around one of the turns while taking on the track. continued interest and involvement with The Local construction firm range and mini golf, the 30-acre Clubhouse and our grow- Lavender and Associates Clubhouse's ing attractions. The Coca- served as general contrac- sports and entertainment features a Cola 125 Raceway is going tor for the 13-week proj- complex to be an exciting addition ect, including the pit 42,000-square foot indoor to the Statesboro commu- building where cars will be facility. nity, and we're glad Coca- recharged and drivers will The remodeled and Cola is such a big part of take the wheel. Amusement expanded Spikes Sports Products, based in Grill and Bar features a it." The Clubhouse staff Chattanooga, Tennessee, new menu, along with was expected to increase manufactured the carts, beer and wine for guests to accommodate guest and its affiliated company, 21 and older. On Old traffic, which was antici- Amusement Construction, Register Road just beyond Memorial pated to total 1,200 people designed and built the Veterans Parkway, the Clubhouse per day and 34,000 per concrete track. month during the summer In addition to the Coca- also has space for meetseason, said the company's Cola 125 Raceway and ings, parties and other outdoor golf practice special events. announcement.
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Georgia Southern University and its College of Business are partnering with Renew Merchandise, one of the world’s leaders in turning recyclables into clothes, to begin offering Georgia Southern licensed apparel made from GSU’s own recycled plastic bottles. “We are very excited that Georgia Southern, my alma mater, has decided to join our fast-growing list of partners,” said Renew president J.T. Marburger. “We want students involved in the project to gain real world experience while being eco-minded, and this is a great way to do both.” Renew Merchandise takes recyclable plastic bottles and turns them into various products, including T-shirts, polos and uniforms. Renew builds sustainability pro-
grams for universities, professional sports teams, and the Olympic Games. “ W h o would deliberately throw money into the trash can? A new partnership with Renew Merchandise will help the Georgia Southern community realize that this is exactly what we are doing when we trash plastic bottles and other recyclables,” said Lissa Leege, Ph.D., the director of the Center for Sustainability. “A clear example of the economic value of ‘trash,’ this program will help to educate and inspire our campus community to recycle so we can close the loop to transform our 'waste' into T-shirts, hats and
fleece to outfit the Eagle Nation.” College of Business classes started the branding phase of the project last summer. The branding phase continued into the fall, and will culminate into a marketing plan developed by the MBA Strategic Marketing Management class. Once the marketing plan is finalized, a retail point of sale will be determined and merchandise will be sold. With the help of oncampus student organiza-
tions, student ambassadors will spread the word on campus about the new sustainability program, getting their classmates and peers excited about the endless possibilities that our campus recycling program will offer. Named one of the top green universities in the country by The Princeton Review for the past four years, Georgia Southern will deepen its commitment to sustainability even further through this partnership with Renew Merchandise.
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Investment & Insurance Products: NOT FDIC Insured NO Bank Guarantee MAY Lose Value Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, Member SIPC, is a registered broker-dealer and a separate non-bank àliate of Wells Fargo & Company. ©2009 Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC. All rights reserved. 0409-3332 [74018-v1] A1287
Year long Fundraising effort sponsored by the African-American Business Owner’s Community Foundation, Inc. Goal 1000 donors @ $20 for 10 months (March-December 2015)
We support the following Community Causes: Health/Wellness • Education/Youth Development • Senior Citizens • Business/Community Development • Community Arts What’s raised in Bulloch County, Stays in Bulloch County! All donations are 100% tax deductible! Make checks payable to: AABOCF P.O. Box 2801- Statesboro, Ga. 30459 For further information visit: www.aabocfoundationinc.com or call (912) 823-3813
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
statesboroherald.com | Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 – 9A
Statesboro welcomes J.C. Lewis Ford By AL HACKLE ahackle@statesboroherald.com
Since the former Rozier Ford Lincoln became J.C. Lewis Ford's Statesboro dealership, customers are finding a much larger selection of cars, trucks and SUVs, but many of the same sales and service people they already know. J.C. Lewis Ford President Walter Lewis; his mother, Nancy Lewis and several other family members came to the Statesboro location on U.S. Highway 301 South to celebrate its grand opening in March. Selling Fords in Savannah for 102 years, J.C. Lewis Ford has often had opportunities to move into other markets. But none of them seemed right, Walter Lewis said, until Frank Rozier called to say he was planning to retire and looking for a buyer. "I've known Frank for many years and I understood how he did business," Lewis said. "His philosophy is very similar to ours and I understood it as an opportunity where we could walk in and basically kind of continue what he's been doing been doing, because Frank did things the right way. It wasn't a situation where we had to come in here and fix something that was broken." Statesboro's proximity and its appeal as a place to do business, Lewis said, also made the deal attractive. "I felt like it was an attractive area, that it was a growing area with good folks and it was an opportunity that we just haven't seen before," he said. J.C. Lewis Ford was able to keep all but two of Rozier Ford's nearly 50 employees, and those who left chose to do so, said company sources. J.C. Lewis Ford General Manager Michael Offer is
now general manager for both locations, spending about a day and a half each week in Statesboro. Jason Strickland, from Savannah, has joined the Statesboro location as a new-car sales manager. But other key people remain in place. For example, Rod Pye had been with Rozier Ford nine years, worked his way up to general sales manager, and continues in that role with J.C. Lewis Ford Lincoln in Statesboro. Unlike the Savannah dealership, the one here also carries Lincolns.
Expanding inventory The new ownership is bringing more new and used vehicles to the Statesboro location, growing its total inventory to about 300 vehicles, Offer said. As Pye, Offer and Lewis all pointed out, the new ownership also gives the Statesboro location access to the massive Savannah inventory. With J.C. Lewis' greater buying power, the Statesboro lot is getting more of certain highdemand vehicles, Pye said. "We do have more of the Explorers, more of the Fusions, the Escapes, the Explorers," he said. Those are some of Ford's most popular models, after the F-150 pickup, the perennial bestseller.
Carloads of history Walter Lewis' grandfather, Julius Curtis Lewis Sr., purchased the Ford dealership in Savannah in 1912. That was nine years after Henry Ford founded Ford Motor Co. and four years after he introduced the Model T, which soon outsold all other cars of the time. Back then, J.C. Lewis Sr. took horses as trade-ins for cars. These included police horses when he sold the Savannah Police Department its first patrol cars.
One historic employee, Sam Steinberg, was 15 years old when he went to work for J.C. Lewis Sr. After the senior Lewis' death, Steinberg managed the dealership during the week while J.C. Lewis Jr. attended the University of Georgia and would come home to attend to business on weekends. Steinberg stayed with the company for 80 years, until he was 95. His father, J.C. Lewis Jr., also owned Ford dealerships in Daytona Beach and Melbourne, Florida, and TV and radio stations in Savannah and other cities. He eventually sold these, but the
WJCL TV and radio stations retain his initials. Among other philanthropies, the Lewises endowed the Nancy N. and J.C. Lewis Cancer & Research Pavilion at St. Joseph's/Candler Health System in Savannah. "I couldn't have picked a better group of people to buy the dealership, a better corporate citizen for Statesboro and Bulloch County, and they're just great people," said Frank Rozier. "They're a class act. They'll do a great job here in Statesboro not AL HACKLE/file only for themselves but for Statesboro and for all their Tim Witt, center, regional sales manager for Ford Motor Co., customers." thanks Frank Rozier, left, for his family's years with Ford.
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COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
10A – Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com
Standing strong
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Farmers & Merchants is the last local bank in Bulloch Co.
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By DeWAYNE GRICE dgrice@statesboroherald.com
Farmers & Merchants Bank never set out to make history — or to become historic. When it opened in Brooklet in 1948, its goal was simply to help the community grow. Like many small towns in the postwar era, Statesboro was changing fast. Soldiers were returning home. The “baby boom” was beginning. Wartime rationing had ended. Optimism was escalating and, with it, new business start-ups — including banks. So FMB wasn’t alone in opening its doors then. Many business leaders-turnedbankers set up shop with similar goals. Amiably competitive, all of Bulloch County’s bankers set out to help the community grow. Of course, a lot has changed in the last 67 years. Interstate 16 cuts through old cotton fields, bringing with it much population growth — almost 500 percent since midcentury. Little Georgia Teachers College is now sprawling Georgia Southern University, with 20,000-plus students. Many Bulloch County banks have gotten bigger, too, and all but one have been bought by out-of-town banking corporations. That last local holdout is FMB. But don’t mistake FMB for a wallflower at the big bank prom. This bank prides itself in having products on par with bigger competitors.
SCOTT BRYANT/file
Trish Tootle, senior vice president of Farmers & Merchants Bank, was named the Humanitarian of the Year during the 2013 Deen Day Smith Service to Mankind Awards. It points out a full menu of consumer, commercial and agribusiness loans, mortgage options, real estate acquisition and construction loans, FDIC-insured savings and investments, and business and consumer checking — all with the requisite 21stcentury enhancements, including online banking with mobile apps. Most of all, it prides itself on staying true to its Bulloch County roots. “Lots of banks say they treat customers like family, but our customers say it to us,” says FMB Senior Vice President Trish Tootle. “One said the other day, ‘I can’t walk into one of your branches without five people saying hello and calling me by name.’” Some praise the bank for not using TARP funds after the 2008 economic crash. “It meant a lot to me that FMB didn’t take federal dollars,” says farmer Jason
Brannen. “You get in a mess, you get yourself out. That shows commitment.” But it’s more than friendliness or commitment that makes FMB mirror the community, Tootle emphasizes. “What’s most important, and unique, is that Bulloch people make bank decisions, from plans and policies down to individual loans,” she said. “We know the families here that own businesses and agribusinesses.” FMB’s board has local farmers and business leaders. “Our customers have stated how important it is to them, to know that they can rely on us. That’s why,” she said, “we get that our customers need attentive and timely decisions.” FMB has built a large, loyal customer base by knowing Bulloch County business and people, Tootle said. “It’s really thanks to them that we have survived and thrived,” she said.
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COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
2B – Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com
Two businesses, one roof Cool Beanz and Cake work together downtown, but separate bottom line By AL HACKLE ahackle@statesboroherald.com
The bakery named Cake and the coffee shop called Cool Beanz Espresso Bar are literally two shops in one, so much so that patrons often don't realize they've bought their cupcake or quiche from one business and their coffee from another. Both opened in late March in the storefront on East Main Street that previously housed Sweet Cheeks. It's close to City Hall in the building that also houses the headquarters of Georgia Southern University's City Campus.
"It's a really good spot. We get a lot of walk-through traffic," said Cake owner Shannon Ward. After giving up her previous job as an ultrasound and X-ray technician several years ago to spend time with her children, Ward started a home-based baking business. Then, when she learned that former Sweet Cheeks owner Jahala Akins was interested in selling her downtown bakery, Ward bought the business and leased the space from the city. Meanwhile, fresh-roasted, fresh-ground coffee enthusiast David Hoyle planned to return to Statesboro with the
intention of starting a coffee shop, as Ward learned from Akins. So, with Hoyle paying part of the rent, the two businesses opened simultaneously. They share both the front door and the seating area. Hoyle's relatively compact coffee bar occupies a front corner, while Cake has the main counter with display cases for baked goods. Back rooms, unseen by walk-in customers, include Cake's kitchen, a consultation area for brides ordering wedding cakes and a meeting room that has been used by the Downtown Statesboro
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Development Authority. Ward has two full-time and two part-time employees. The full-timers — Ruthie Harvey at the front counter and Kelly Lee, who has been training as a baker — both continued from Sweet Cheeks. The cakes Ward and Lee make to order also include birthday cakes and cakes for any other occasions. Cupcakes in rich variety, including red velvet, Key lime and the chocolate, pecan and caramel "Gold Digger," are sold over the counter all day. For breakfast, a busy time for both bakery and coffee shop, Ward cooks personalsize quiches. These include vegetarian quiche with varying combinations of ingredients such as tomato and basil, mushrooms, peppers and onions, or asparagus, as well as savory pies with bacon, ham or sausage. AL HACKLE/file Cinnamon rolls are another Cake boss Shannon Ward, right, and Cool Beanz coffee frequent breakfast item. "We kind of do something meister David Hoyle, left, operate separate businesses that different every day," Ward share a front entrance and seating area. said. "We don't really have a set menu." been a casual coffee drinker, beans sold in supermarkets loading his cups with cream are often several months old, Cool Beanz and sugar. But when the he observes. He seeks to Meanwhile, Hoyle oper- hotel in Caracas ran out of know when beans were ates solo, constantly grinding first milk and then sugar, he roasted and to keep them no beans, brewing coffee in was forced to try the native more than one month. small batches, talking to peo- coffee undiluted. At Cool Beanz Hoyle ple about how he does these "I could not believe how offers coffee from beans things and why. He sounds good it was, and that started roasted by Three Tree Coffee now like a longtime guru, me on my journey ...," Hoyle Roasters and Iron Wedge but his initiation in the coffee said. "I started learning about Coffee, both based in consciousness began only the beans, the roasting, the Stateboro. three years ago, when he was freshness." The décor is another living in Kansas City and He went back to Kansas locally interconnected aspect working as a project manag- City and visited coffee shops of this business duality. Ward er for a telecommunications where he talked to the own- keeps fresh flowers from The company. The company sent ers, managers and baristas. Flowergirl on the tables and him to Caracas, Venezuela, One mantra they recited was is covering the walls with art where he did some work at to obtain freshly roasted for sale by local artists. the U.S. embassy. beans and grind them just Currently they're Amelia Until then, Hoyle had before brewing. The coffee Schroeder's paintings.
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COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
statesboroherald.com | Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 – 3B
A 'Boiling Shrimp' of flavors Restaurant combines Cajun with a little bit of Asia By AL HACKLE ahackle@statesboroherald.com
Flavors of Louisiana with just a hint of Asia at The Boiling Shrimp, open since April 25, bring freshly prepared seafood back to the one-time Captain Joe's building on U.S. Highway 301 South. Mostly, though, the restaurant offers its own palette of flavor options as it lets patrons choose among seasoning blends and intensity levels. Restaurateurs Charles and Jean Hsu have owned the building since buying it from the former Captain Joe's owners not quite a decade ago. The Hsus leased it to other restaurant operators for incarnations such as Shogun and Crabby Joe's, but recently decided that they would try putting it to use for themselves, creating a restaurant with a different approach to seafood. "We took a couple of trips to Singapore, and they have some kinds of spicy things, and all those things mixed with the seafood, and then after they're boiled or steamed, and we thought about creating those kinds of very tasty seafood for our local people," said Charles Hsu. Hsu provided an adequate introduction to the variety of seafood and flavors available and emphasizing that, despite the abundance of grilled and fried options, the place is called The Boiling Shrimp for a reason. When a steaming bag of boiled shrimp seasoned with "the Whole 9 Yards" and accompanied by a few
potatoes, sausages and chopped earns of corn arrived at the table, the point was illustrated. Boiled shrimp may not be The Boiling Shrimp's signature dish, exactly, but boiling seafood fresh to order with the customer's choice of spices is this restaurant's signature technique. The menu shows nine different seafood choices that can be prepared this way. Apparently "The Boiling Shrimp, Blue Crab, Dungeness Crab, King Crab, Snow Crab, Lobster, Crawfish, Clams, Mussels, Plus Fried and Grilled Fish and Seafood," wouldn't fit on the sign. Corn, potatoes, sausages and steamed rice can be added to the boil for additional prices. Flavor choices are Cajun, lemon pepper, spicy chili, or combine them all and that's "the Whole 9 Yards." All are available in mild, medium or spicy. When the seafood and sides have been boiled, they are placed in a AL HACKLE/file clear, plastic bag and tied up for the trip from kitchen Here are a few of The Boiling Shrimp crew, from left: Eleanor Lee, Jean Hsu, Michael Grauvogl and Charles Hsu. to table. This traps the steam — and the aroma — comment about trips to position of all those flavors originated in Thailand but lived in Statesboro most of for release when the bag is Singapore — and acknowl- in the Whole 9 Yards that is now as American as hot those 30 years. They now opened. edgement that he went to creates an Asian under- wings, on that Whole 9 have extensive real estate "For those two or three cooking school for more tone. Or maybe it was the Yards shrimp. Other avail- holdings, as Realtor Sam minutes we allow the sea- than a year in his native presence of swai fish on the able sauces are hot chili DiPolito, who represents sonings to go inside the Taiwan — the emphasis at menu along with the salm- and Cajun. them with much of their shrimp on its way to your The Boiling Shrimp is on on, catfish, tilapia and Charles Hsu had just property, stated in Charles table," Hsu said. "Louisiana style." shrimp as the grilled been discharged from the Hsu's presence. For those wanting As Low Country boil options that gave the Taiwanese Army when he "This couple is living something else, the menu with a twist, the restau- impression. first worked in a restaurant the American dream," includes fried fish, shrimp, rant's mainstay could be as But mostly, it was learn- in Taiwan beginning in DiPolito said over lunch. chicken tenders, "Cajun" much coastal Georgia's ing that the Hsus are 1982. He and Jean Hsu They have owned other fries, and, as appetizers, and South Carolina's cui- Taiwanese-Americans who both immigrated to the restaurants in Statesboro, calamari, oysters and hush sine as Louisiana's. But he once owned a Chinese res- United States about 30 but nothing like The puppies. It also lists clam mentions that boiled sea- taurant and now have a years ago. Boiling Shrimp. chowder, gumbo, salads food places are popular on sort of Cajun place. It was He mentions working in "This is all American and po' boy sandwiches. the West Coast, too. knowing that, and enjoy- restaurants in Macon and food," Hsu said during a Despite Hsu's casual So maybe it is the juxta- ing sriracha, a sauce that Fort Valley. But they have follow-up visit.
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COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
4B – Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com
A successful season Nearly 70,000 attended events at the Averitt Center for the Arts in 2013-14 By DeWAYNE GRICE dgrice@statesboroherald.com
Football and the arts apparently have a lot in common. Over the years, many professional players have found the extra training they need not on the football field, but in the ballet studio. Herschel Walker, of the University of Georgia, the Dallas Cowboys and several other teams, has famously credited his speed and agility to an exercise routine that included ballet classes. Steve McLendon of the Pittsburgh Steelers has said that ballet is "harder than anything else I do." Dance builds the connection between the brain and the body, which an athlete needs to make those winning plays. Georgia Southern football players may not be at the Averitt Center for the Arts quite yet, but the arts did come to the stadium in June, as the Averitt held its annual meeting at the Gene Bishop Field House at Paulson Stadium. Like Paulson, the arts center is bursting at the seams with growth. Outgoing President Francys Johnson updated the guests and Averitt Center Board of Directors on the growth of the youth programs, including the
addition of a new youth strings program and community chamber orchestra. Members of the Statesboro Youth Chorale previewed a couple of songs at the meeting, just days before they sang at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Johnson reported on renovations happening now, as the center expands youth dance and theater programs to West Main Street and gets ready for a new visual arts center at the East Vine Street location. In the 2013-14 season, the Averitt sold more than 9,000 tickets to events generating more than $100,000 of its annual revenue from ticket sales alone. And 23 percent of the box office sales were from outside of Bulloch County. Nearly 70,000 people attended events at the Averitt. According to "The Americans for the Arts" economic impact calculator, the Averitt Center had an estimated economic impact of $2.2 million in Statesboro and Bulloch County. Johnson passed the gavel to incoming President Jenny Foss, who spoke of her excitement about this upcoming year of growth. The board thanked dedicated mem-
Photos by SCOTT BRYANT/file
"Professor" Harold Hill, portrayed by J.J. Crawford, center, leads the cast of "The Music Man" in the musical's signature number "Seventy-Six Trombones" during a rehearsal of the Averitt Center for the Arts production. Despite being longtime creative fixtures in Statesboro, director Mical Whitaker and musical director Michael Braz collaborated for the first time on this April production, which was part of a successful season of events at the downtown arts center. bers Frank D'Arcangelo and Dr. Theresa Beebe Novotny as they rotated off the board and welcomed new members Hayley Greene and Corliss Reese. The rest of the 2014-15 officers are Daphne Totten
as vice president, Erin Dalton as treasurer, Laura Wheaton as secretary, and Johnson as past president. The board also thanked Emily Kochetta as Volunteer of the Year, an important award for a center that relies so much
on many dedicated volunteers. If you haven't taken advantage of all the arts have to offer, now is definitely the time. And perhaps, sometime soon, an Eagle football player or two will enroll in
a ballet class, getting that extra edge to take on Sun Belt Conference opponents. For more information or to see the video shown at the annual meeting visit w w w. a v e r i t t c e n t e r f o r thearts.org.
Ken's IGA nearly doubles in size By AL HACKLE ahackle@statesboroherald.com
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BROOKLET — In business for 36 years and a landmark at its current location for 20, Ken's IGA recently completed its largest store expansion so far, growing from a corner grocery to more of a supermarket, with wider aisles and a new abundance of dairy products and frozen foods. It's not that owner Ken NeSmith and his family didn't add products and variety over the years. On the contrary, the store grew inside its walls, packing more goods around narrowing aisles. "We were bursting at the seams," said Jason NeSmith, who co-manages the store with his sister Jennie Bray. Then the renovation, begun in January 2014 and completed in May, increased the store's retail space from 7,500 square feet to about 13,500, he said. Now the aisles are wider, especially around the store's perimeter. To accomplish this, a new 2,000-square-foot back room — the part of a store that includes the office and employee areas — was built and the previous backroom space added to the sales floor. Additionally, three meat cases across the store's interior back wall were moved back five feet, and some behindthe-counter coolers and freezers moved outside the store. Sixteen feet of shelving along Aisle 1 was also removed, and eight feet of produce display added instead. But the biggest additions are in dairy products, with 54 feet of new product space, and frozen food, with 20 more doors of self-service freezers. Just to cite an example, there's now a freezer section devoted to Blue Bell ice cream. The expansion in prepared products such as frozen foods reflects the changing demand of customers, NeSmith said. "When people ask for new items, now we have the space, which is important," Bray said. "Keeping customers satis-
fied and shopping with us, and enjoying shopping with us, is our main goal," NeSmith summed up later. The siblings manage the day-to-day operations of the three-store, family-owned business founded by their father, Ken, who is still actively involved. Another part of the addition was paving and striping for about 15 more parking spaces on the west end of the building. The store draws customers not just from Brooklet and Statesboro, but from farther away towns such as Claxton, Metter and Millen. The new variety in dairy and frozen foods takes nothing away from the tradition of quality meats at attractive prices, reflected in weekly specials, which has been a calling card for Ken's as a destination store. Some space was also added in the meat counters, and in front of the meat section is a key area where the aisle was widened to promote browsing. "That's what Dad has grown his business on, having the freshest meat — always fresh, always the best that we can get," NeSmith said. Ken NeSmith started Ken's IGA in 1978 as a small grocery store in an existing storefront in downtown Brooklet — the building where Bradley's Attic is now located. He built his own store, at the current spot on U.S. Highway 80, in 1994. That was also the year that Jason, at age 13, started working with his father in the Brooklet store, and riding with him to the Blitchton store as well. Jennie NeSmith Bray earned an accounting degree at Georgia Southern University, and now handles the company's accounting. "But I went the IGA education route," quipped Jason NeSmith, who continued working in the stores from high school. IGA stands for Independent Grocers Alliance. Stores with this designation are independently owned, not part of a chain, except that Ken NeSmith's company owns three of them.
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
statesboroherald.com | Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 – 5B
Prison brings jobs, cash Millen and Jenkins County benefit from private correctional facility MILLEN — When Corrections Corporation of America built a private prison just outside Millen, officials hailed it as a boon to Jenkins County's economy, then suffering from unemployment hovering near 20 percent. Two years after the 1,250-bed, medium- and minimum-security Jenkins Correctional Center received its first inmates, Jenkins County's unemployment rate had improved to 14 percent. With virtually all boats rising post-recession, that May rate remained the second-highest among Georgia's 159 counties. But the prison, which became operational in March 2012, has created 205 jobs ranging from custodial staff and regular corrections officers to full-time slots for a doctor, dentist and in-house education principal. In addition, after spending $57 million to build the facility, CCA now pays more than $450,000 annually in property taxes, a potential point of envy to counties that host prisons owned by the state of Georgia and operated by its Department of Corrections, which are tax-exempt. But what Mandy Underwood, the executive director of the Jenkins County Development Authority, sees as most important is the effect the prisons' employees have when they spend their money. Millen's first McDonald's opened in May; a unique local restaurant, Honey's Café, debuted after the prison opened; and Underwood observes that Millen's other three or four restaurants are now packed at lunch. "The local merchants, the local mom-and-pop stores that struggled to survive during the recession, they are now on top of things," Underwood said. "They're now making money, and you're
seeing these people in there eating and you know they work at the prison because they've got on their uniforms." The prison is not the only development bringing new hope to Millen's stores, gas stations and eateries. Carbo Ceramics, which makes ceramic pellets used in petroleum extraction, has completed the first phase of a plant that was announced to create at least 75 permanent jobs. Meanwhile, Robins & Morton, the construction company building the Carbo plant, has about 200 workers on the job, Underwood said. South Carolina-based Geechee Energy announced in March that it planned to build a wood fuel pellet plant in Millen, expected to create another 50-70 jobs.
Major payroll But Jenkins Correctional Center is now Jenkins County's largest privately owned permanent employer. It has an annual payroll of about $6.5 million. "I guess staff probably spend as much or more locally than the facility does, in the restaurants, on gas, having work done on vehicles and such stuff as that in the course of the day," said Jenkins Correctional Center Warden Ralph Kemp. The prison does as much purchasing locally as it can, he said, acknowledging that CCA handles some purchasing on a national basis. But hiring is done locally, and the prison staff members participate regularly in job fairs in the region. The prison also participates in job fairs with Ogeechee Technical College and Georgia Southern University and at military bases. "We try to make all of them in about a 50-mile radius," Kemp said. More than half of those 205 jobs are held by cor-
AL HACKLE/file
When it began operations three years ago, Jenkins Correctional Center immediately became one of Jenkins County's largest employers. As private property of Corrections Corporation of America, it is also a big part of the county's tax base. rectional officers. But, in addition to the doctor and dentist, some other professionals on staff are nine nurses, nine caseworkers, addiction and rehabilitation counselors, and several academic and vocational teachers, including a plumbing instructor. There's a six-member maintenance team, and a safety and sanitation officer. CCA operates the prison on contract to the Georgia Department of Corrections, but just one Corrections Department employee, called an onsite contract monitor, works at the prison on a regular basis, said the prison's public information officer, Chris Hobbs. All other employees work for CCA. They are trained to the same standards as Department of Corrections workers and
sometimes receive additional training, Kemp said. The correctional officers, like those employed by the state, take basic training Peace Officer Standards and Training facilities.
Taxes and utilities In an email answering questions about the prison's economic impact, Corrections Corporation of America stated that last year, the Jenkins Correctional Center provided $995,000 in "utility use and fees," spent about $620,000 locally for goods and services and paid approximately $543,000 in property taxes. Interviewed separately, Jenkins County interim Tax Commissioner Tina Burke calculated that CCA paid $460,747 in 2013 property tax. This followed an appeal and adjustment of the valua-
tion on the main prison property from $65.9 million to slightly under $46.5 million, shown as the 2014 value in a searchable database for the Jenkins County Assessors' Office. By either total, the prison is a major revenue source for Jenkins County and its school system. "We pay property taxes whereas state facilities don't," said Kemp. "That's a big boon for the community." Although the county commissioners have not reduced the property tax millage with the infusion of revenue from the prison, they haven't had to raise the rate or trim services, Jenkins County Administrator Grady Saxon said. "It has had a major impact on the economy," he said. "It's created a good addition to the tax
base and provided some jobs for local citizens as well." Tattnall County, home to three state-owned prisons — Georgia State Prison, Smith State Prison and Rogers State Prison — receives no impact fees or other payments in lieu of taxes. The prisons' property amounts to about 10,000 acres with probably $100 million worth of buildings, observed Tattnall County Manager Frank Murphy. "We are proud of the jobs, and it's part of our infrastructure, but if it was private-owned, that would be almost half of our budget in taxes," Murphy said. Jenkins Correctional Center is one of four privately owned prisons operated under contract to the Georgia Department of Corrections.
'Gifted' shop reopens at East Georgia Regional Medical Center Small business had been closed 15 months, re-emerged in June as independently run By AL HACKLE ahackle@statesboroherald.com
Measuring about 500 square feet, Gifted is one of the smallest stores you're likely to read about here, but it has a highly visible location — inside East Georgia Regional Medical Center. The gift shop, which had been closed about 15 months, reopened June 23 as an independent business. Entrepreneur Jeanie Gay is renting the shop from the hospital and gave it the new name, "Gifted." "This is a really good opportunity that I just kind of stumbled on it and found out it was available for lease," said Gay, who also operates Rushing Insurance and is property manager of the Simmons Shopping Center downtown. Previously, going back to before the hospital was East Georgia Regional, when it was Bulloch Memorial Hospital on Grady Street, volunteers operated the gift shop. Most recently, the Auxiliary of East Georgia Regional ran it, with volunteers working under the supervision of a gift shop manager.
retail was previously limited to her first, part-time job in high school. Perhaps those six months in the jewelry department at the old Rose's Variety Store gave her the bug to one day run a gift shop and create part-time jobs for students. "I decided it was a good business opportunity and would be something kind of exciting and different to do," Gay said. While she is usually downtown at the insurance office, Rushing is employing three young women, all college students, to serve customers at Gifted. Ali Rushing is her niece, and Hailey Allgood and Wynne Phillips are friends' relatives. Photo courtesy of Jeanie Gay Gifted stocks jewelry, "Gifted" employees, back row, from left, Hailey Allgood, Ali Rushing and Wynne Phillips with purses, some baby items, shop owner Jeanie Gay, right, and Andrea Davis, left front, who helped at the opening in books, candy and cards. June, hold some of the merchandise. Working with a local florist, the shop also sells fresh flowers and bal This is the first time an 1982, specializing in crop life insurance company in loons. independent businessper- insurance, still a mainstay Atlanta before joining her "The hospital has son has run the shop, con- of the now full-service family's firm as an agent received an overwhelmfirmed Jill Cairney, then agency. Both Rushing 20 years ago, and so has ingly positive response to the hospital's director of Insurance and the about 30 years total expe- having the gift shop open marketing and volunteer Simmons Center are rience in insurance. again," Cairney said. "I services. owned by Gay, her broth- Although managing a received so many com The late Pete Rushing, ers and their mother. shopping center has given ments about how sad it Gay's father, founded Gay worked as a com- her years of indirect expo- was that it had closed, and Rushing Insurance in puter programmer for a sure, Gay's direct work in it is just fabulous to be
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able to walk past a stocked shop and see employees and visitors taking advantage of the great merchandise and prices at Gifted." The Gifted owner's observations suggest that hospital employees have a sweet tooth, or maybe they've just been discovering the place and giving candy as gifts. "We've got a candy counter you wouldn't believe, ..." Gay said. "We sell usually over 100 candy items a day. And those employees love it. They come and get candy every day." Sweets regularly available include Jelly Belly jellybeans, Russell Stover candies, and many loose, "vintage-type" candies, such as Squirrel Nut Zippers, Caramel Creams and Hershey's Kisses. Gifted is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., after an experiment with opening an hour earlier didn't pay off. Gay is operating the shop as a for-profit enterprise, paying a straight rent to the hospital, which is now an affiliate of Community Health Systems, America's largest for-profit hospital chain in number of locations.
Soundoff! (912) 489-3733
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
6B – Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com
Pride
Spotlight 9 Years! Len McCook, RPh Janie McCook, RPh Kristen Clark, RPh Ben Rountree, RPh Josh McCook, PharmD, RPh (912) 764-2223 23630 Hwy. 80 East
16 Years!
The Statesboro Herald would like to spotlight the following businesses, young and old, that have committed their services to the citizens of Bulloch County. We would like to thank them for their investment and loyal dedication to the community. Thanking you for
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40 Years! 69 Years! Stringer Tire Service
314 N. Zetterower Ave.
764-9918 A Proven Track Record Glenda Sheila
Professional Laundry and Dry Cleaning
764-6126
Rev. Craig R. Tremble & Yolanda A. Tremble - Owners
Craig R. Tremble Funeral Home Inc. “A Family Serving Families” 238 West Main St. • Statesboro, Ga 30458 • Phone (912) 764-2100 Fax (912) 764-2380 ~ 66 Leford St. • Pembroke, Ga 31321 Phone (912) 653-2600 Fax (912) 653-2677
36 Years! Coastal Countertop Distributor Featuring a large selection of
KITCHEN & BATH COUNTERTOPS
101 West Main St. 602 Brannen St. 425 Fair Road
813 Gentilly Road Statesboro, GA
Passenger, Truck & Tractor Tires 764-6774 408 S. Zetterower www.erastatesborohomes.com
912-764-6905 1683 Jones Mill Rd Statesboro, GA
31 Years!
14 Years!
73 Years! 78 Years!
MeMbership in GeorGia FarM is a Good investMent.
Hometown Store
SEARS HOMETOWN PREMIER STORE
108 Years!
Statesboro Herald www.statesboroherald.com
Home Appliances, Electronics, Exercise Equipment, Lawn & Garden, Tools, & Mattresses
Statesboro Mall (912)764-6791
764-3561
45 Hill Street
764-9031 P.O. Box 888
Be a part of our growing progressive organization.
1 Proctor Street Herald Square
764-6231 366 Northside Drive E. Statesboro
Statesboro, GA
II6 Years!
Randy C. Anderson, PC Attorney at Law •
JJE Anderson 1899-1940 Cohen Anderson 1938-1989
104 Raybon Anderson Blvd.
681-2653
912-764-5673 8 Siebald Street Statesboro, GA
Statesboro Herald
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
statesboroherald.com | Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 – 7B
www.LandandRivers.com
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
8B – Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com
H.W. Smith Jewelers bids farewell after 95 years
Statesboro Yamaha
22815 U.S. Hwy 80 Statesboro, GA 30461 912-764-7433
The year was 1919, President Woodrow Wilson would sign the Versailles Treaty officially ending World War I. Prohibition was in full swing and the city of Statesboro had just completed paving the Main Streets through downtown. 1919 also was the year Harry Smith opened his jewelry store (H.W. Smith Jewelers), which was destined to become a landmark of downtown Statesboro. Well, after nearly 95 years in operation under various owners, H.W. Smith closed its doors for good on July 2. Harry operated the store successfully for many years before turning over the reins to his son-in-law Dub Lovett, who apprenticed with him. Dub was a master jeweler and clocksmith. He could make or repair almost anything. He was as personable and passionate about the city and our downtown as Harry was and continued the traditions and the commitments Harry had set in place. Harry's two daughters are Statesboro matriarchs in their own right. Jean Mathews and Joyce Lovett's impact on our community is something that would take a short novel to explain. They are still neighbors who live just outside the city and continue to contribute in remarkable ways. When it came time for Dub to retire, it was important to his family to sell the business to someone who understood their values and traditions and would continue them in a way that would make their family proud. With this in mind, they selected Vicki Hill to continue the business. Vicki, a native of Atlanta, met her husband, Statesboro
Inside Bulloch Business DeWayne Grice native Randy Hill, while attending the University of Georgia. After college, Vicki moved back to Atlanta and worked for Tiffany's in its corporate gift division. She describes her time at Tiffany's as an opportunity to work with some of the top jewelers in the world, matched by the most prestigious clients in the world. That experience, more than any other, she said, prepared her for the future opportunity of owning H.W. Smith. Upon returning to Statesboro, her career took a little detour working as a merchandise buyer for T.J. Morris Co. for 15 years before purchasing H.W. Smith's in 1995. When I asked Vicki about the secrets that made H.W. Smith Statesboro's oldest continuously operating business, she said: "Incredibly unique selections of jewelry and china coupled with impeccable customer service. From the first day that Harry opened this store, until our last day in operation, this simple business principle is what set us apart." Longtime client and friend Carol Howard agrees. "The whole town will miss her," Howard said. "She is so kind and sweet, such a pretty lady inside and out. Vicki goes out of her way to make everything perfect for you. She was so caring and cares about every little detail. She has a unique ability to make you, the giver, equally
excited about the gift you are giving as the recipient. She is a wonderful Christian, a real cut above! Good mom, good wife and a great asset to our community who will certainly be missed." Vicki said: "One of the best parts about owning this business is that I had the opportunity to work with clients though life's highest points, from helping select their graduation gifts, to meeting a groom to pick out the perfect wedding ring, then helping select china patterns for their weddings to engraving the first cup for their child. Those are the life events I will miss sharing with my clients." As someone who was born and raised in Statesboro shopping at H.W. Smith was a tradition that was very important to me personally," said Jan Moore, the mayor of Statesboro. "It is truly an end of an era. Vicki has an extraordinary sense of taste and style, and her business certainly enhanced downtown in many ways. It makes me sad to learn of her closing, but I understand she has come to a season in her life where it is important to slow down and enjoy all the things she has worked so hard for." For the past decade, employee Angela Potter Lord has put her "Tiffany's" touch on the window displays. These highlighted each season and will be the one of the most notable things many of us will miss. Thank you, Vicki and Angela, for your commitment to downtown for so many years. As you both enter the next chapter of your lives, we will remember the impact you have made on so many of our lives.
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COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
statesboroherald.com | Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 – 9B
New school year, new stores at GSU By AL HACKLE ahackle@statesboroherald.com
Electronics brands are so interested in the Tech Corner, a new store operated by Georgia Southern University's Auxiliary Services Division, that more than 20 planned to send representatives on student move-in day in August. "We have 22 vendors coming on that day to display their products, talk to students, show all their great technology that's out there. They're all excited. Even Apple is sending two people," said Eddie Mills, GSU associate vice president for Auxiliary Services, earlier that week. The store also sells Dell, Lenovo and Samsung computers, plus a variety of digital devices that are not exactly computers, from some you wear to some that could help you deejay a
block party. It also is open to the general public, except for a restriction regarding its sale of Apple computers. In the ground floor of one of the four buildings of the Centennial Place residence hall at Chandler Road and Georgia Avenue, the Tech Corner occupies space formerly filled by Einstein Bros Bagels and Cold Stone Creamery ice cream shop. In a different sense, the Tech Corner takes the place of the even more generically named Computer Store, which was previously in the Information Technology Building, teeming with IT majors but remote to many other students, not to mention Statesboro residents. "This gives more students access to technology that they're looking for, whether it's cellphone chargers, cases for their phones, or any accessory that plugs into an Apple product," Mills said.
AL HACKLE/file
Georgia Southern University student employees Jackson Corbin and Amber Gordon install one of the many branded product displays in August inside the new Tech Corner at Centennial Place. "We're going to have some DJ equipment in there. We've got students who enjoy doing that, so we're going to give it a shot. We're going to have a whole sports, fitness-wear area."
He means an area devoted to wearable technology, such as fitness trackers by makers such as TomTom and Garmin. Swim.Bike. Run is a local partner in providing exercise equip-
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If just half the employed U.S. population spent $50 each month in independently owned businesses, their purchases would generate more than $42.6 billion in revenue.* Imagine the positive impact if 3/4 of the employed population did that.
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first day of classes, inside the Russell Union, Georgia Southern's main student center. There, it replaces the now vanished restaurant called Talons Grill. "We felt like we were underserving our students from a grab-and-go kind of concept, so they'll be able to go into the GUSmart and they can get things like readymade salads, ready-made sandwiches," Mills said. "They can have their own sandwich made to order. We're going to do some different things with doughnuts, coffee, fountain drinks." Again in a different sense, GUSmart replaces a smaller convenience store that has been eliminated at Centennial Place. The Auxiliary Services staff has made some strategic decisions about space usage and placement of its stores to reach the most students, Mills explained.
ment for use in trying out some of theseBouti items. The Tech Corner is set up on a "boutique by brand," format with separate display areas devoted to different uses for technology, and different brands, explained Bill Gargano, the director of the Computer Store and now of the Tech Corner. Sixty feet of wall space is devoted to headphones alone. Brands include Skullcandy and Beats by Dre. Some of the displays will include demonstration models with music for trying the headphones on for sound. In addition to the branded displays, the store contains a "brand mixing area" that will allow customers to see how different companies' products work together. Meanwhile, GUSmart, a combination deli and convenience store, opened the
Pick 3. Spend 50. Save your local economy. © ® Cinda Baxter 2010; all rights reserved. Proudly supporting RetailSpeaks and independent retailers everywhere. * Employment statistics courtesy U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2/6/2009; 68/43 courtesy Civic Economics study, 2008.
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* Employment statistics courtesy U.S. Bureau of Lab
COMMUNITY PRIDE 2015
10B – Statesboro herald — Sunday, February 22, 2015 | statesboroherald.com
Broker/Owner: 912-682-9045
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