50 years ago – January 6, 1976: Readers, editors’ top stories of 1975

Dublin Courier-Herald

By Doug Hall

“On June 16, 1975, a lonely stretch of U.S. 289 in Wheeler County…”

Ronnie Horne is headed home to Rentz. But he ends up dead.

Since that time the story of his death and the plight of the two female hitchikers charged with murder has attracted nationwide attention.

The events of that day were the biggest local story of 1975, according to Courier-Herald readers.

Courier-Herald editors agree, but the remaining top stories chosen by readers and editors differ.

Readers Say: 

1. Horne’s death and the arrest of Cheryl S. Todd and Dessie X Woods were mentioned by 65.4 per cent of Courier-Herald readers responding to a questionnaire of the top ten stories of the year.

Since July, the incident has been frequently mentioned in the national press. Repeated parallels have been made between the case and that of Joan Little, the black North Carolina inmate acquitted in the death of a white jailer.

As a matter of fact, so much has been written and said about the case that the State has entered a motion with Superior Court Judge James B. O’Connor for a “gag rule” in the trial.

The case has not only figured prominently in the news of 1975, but also will probably be a big 1976 newsmaker. 

Motions in the trial are to heard on January 12 with the trial set to begin on January 26.

2. On a brighter note, “Something 75” closely rivaled the Horne killing for the number one news event in 1975.

Readers in numbers – 61.5 percent of them – chose the Possum Hollow Country Fair as the number two news event of the year. That should please the people around Dexter who sweated through long hours to organize one of the finest events of its type in the South.

Possum Hollow lasted but one day, yet it raised $18,390 for construction of a Buckhorn Methodist Church parsonage. 

3. News turned sweet and sour for the number three big event. A robbery of Dublin’s Morris State Bank came within half a percentage point of equalling Possum Hollow. The scary ordeal in which bank manager Darrell Stephens was taken hostage momentarily was softened when the bandit left behind $19 of his own money.

Courier-Herald Editors Say:

2. In November, Dublin voters chose a slate of councilmen and gave Mayor Robert E. Cochran an endorsement term in office, AND for the first time, a woman and a black were elected to city council.

Lena H. Opie is known in many corners as the most knowledgeable person in city government ever to come to Council.

Emery C. Thomas – three times defeated in earlier bids for Council – won his much sought-after seat in his fourth time around.

Too, the election itself was held in a new manner, and the a results of that election were widely seen as a rebuttal to the policies of the city administration and marked the beginning of what Alderman Ed Martin later called a “storm looming on the horizon.” For that reason,  Courier-Herald selected the election story as the second most important news event of 1975.

Full consequences of the election have yet to be felt. Numerous changes are expected.

3. The election story captured 17 of 40 possible points to nudge the Saxon Heights School Valentine Day’s fire for the next spot.

MAYOR AND COUNCILMEN TAKE OATHS

Mayor Robert E. Cochran and four new councilmen were sworn into office on Monday night by Judge W.H. White.

The swearing in ceremony took place during the first 1976 meeting of Dublin City Council and was sandwiched between a long list of first-of-the-Year business.

The night marked the end of two years of service for former Aldermen John Reed Deamer, Roy Banks, and Louis Alexander. 

Taking the oath of Council were James “Buddy” Adams, Glen Harden, Lena Opie.

Thomas, the first black on Council was named Chairman of the Board of Aldermen.

Albert Franks was chosen for his third year as mayor pro tem.

James V. Hilburn was appointed City Attorney; Dot Eddis, City Treasurer; and Patsy Hall, City Clerk.

The appointment of a City Court Judge was delayed until a decision is made by the State Attorney General on the City Charter’s nepotism provision

since Ernest Stinson, one of the candidates for the job, is an uncle of Alderman Buddy Adams.

Until the decision is reached, Jim Nelson the present judge, will remain in the job.

Persons appointed to the city boards were

Board of Education: Mrs. Joe Uliano, Leon May, J.B. Burch, Henry Walden

Library Board: Thomas Kellam and Edward Sellars

Parks & Recreation Board: C.W. Anderson, Marvin Tarpley, Charles W. Manning, Mrs. Joe “Libbo” Wilson

Dublin-Laurens Planning Commission: W.C. Brown, Jr.

Dublin-Laurens County Board of Zoning Appeals: A.H (Buck) Tarpley, Rev. H.B. Johnson

Housing Authority: S. Barron Smith

Sinking Fund Bond  Commission: Ed Hall, Henry L. Cox, Richard Z. Graves

Gas Filters’ Examining Board: H.E. Cochran, Emery Thomas, L.S. “Red”Creel, O.K.Tanner

Insurance Advisory Committee: T.A. Curry, Chairman; Earl Thomas, N.L. Yates, Gilbert Turner

Plumbers’ Examining Board: Eddie Mackey, Chairman; William Burton, D.E. McEachern

Electrical Examining Board: Paul Hudson,Jr, Chairman; D.E. McEachern, Mrs. Lena Opie, J.B. Allen

Codes Revision Committee: Ed Martin, Charles Durden, L.B.Roberts, Ben Mercer, Gene Hadden

Board of Appraisers: H.L.Cordell, Sr.

In other business, Council approved all licenses for beer, wine, and liquor sales in the city except at the Zippy Mart on U.S. 441 N. The store operator was charged on December 22 with selling beer to a minor and plead nolo contendere to the charges, Hilburn said. For that reason, council denied the 1976 license.

GET TAGGED – NOT TICKETED

The Georgia Department of Revenue and the Georgia State Patrol are looking for tag law violators.

In one month, state troopers ticketed more than 500 Georgia drivers who were operating vehicles with expired or otherwise illegal, license plates or renewal decals. 

And those were citations made in the course of purely routine license checks.

Usually motorists who drive with illegal license plates aren’t really aware that they’re breaking the law. So, of course, they’re the first ones to get caught.

Look at your license plates. Make sure they’re up-to-date. If they’re not, see your county tag agent. It could save you a lot of trouble.

BUCKHEAD THRASHES JOSEY

Josey Academy’s Warriors hope their trip to West Telfair and then home to face Gordon Ivey will be better than their trip to Buckhead ACademy near Millen.

Neither Josey Academy team could get an offense going strong against the Buckhead squads.

The girls tallied but one point in the first quarter were held to just four points in the initial eight minutes. Final score was 56-19.

Malehia Beacham with six points and Brown with 11 were Josey’s top scorers. Bobby Clark added 10 for the Warriors to give Josey 39 points against 58 for Buckhead.

Lime-ups: 

Girls: Graham, 3; Yates, 3; Watson, 2; Beacham, 6; Coleman, 2; Mobley, 3; Senn and Pullen

Boys: Yates, 3, Williams, 2; Brown, 11, Clark, 10; K. Aaron, 4; Allen, 1,  D. Wilkes, Owens, T Graham, Shepherd, S. Wilkes, R. Shepherd

GARRETT SELECTED STAR STUDENT

David Garrett, son of Mr. and Mrs. James A.  Garrett of East Dublin has been named STAR Student at East Laurens High School for the 1975-76 school year.

The honor is achieved each year by the senior scoring highest in his class on the Scholastic Aptitude Test. The  Star Student Awards in Georgia are sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce.

David is active in academic and extracurricular activities. He is Co-President of the Falcon Chapter of the National Honor Society and editor of the school newspaper, The Falcon Herald.

He was elected most outstanding student in the tenth grade and held membership in the Math and Science Club. He is a member of the baseball and football teams. He has been voted a Senior Superlative, Most Likely to Succeed, and Most Intellectual by his teachers and classmates.

 He is an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, of which he is a priest.

He is presently part-time employed by Piggly Wiggly Southern and plans to attend Middle Georgia College in the fall.

David selected Mr. Larry Lake as his Star Teacher for the year because he feels that Mr. lake is a friend as well as an educator.

JAYCEE ACTIVITIES

Note Burning

The officers and members of the Board of Directors of the Dublin-Laurens Jaycees burned a note for $8,500 which was applied to their Jaycee House,” which is located at 811 Academy Avenue, at the corner of Academy and Euclid Avenue.

According to J.C. Warren, Jr., President, fund raising events have been planned to raise money to restore the facility, which is known to many in this area as the “Old Carroll Homeplace.”

Warren stated that this Bicentennial Project will benefit many as the facility will be open to civic clubs and other groups as a meeting place, upon restoration.

Attending the ceremony were Wayne Harrison, Director; Chris Rowe, Vice President; J.C. Warren, Jr., President; Roy Saline, Second Vice President; Glen Anderson, Secretary; Leon Pittman, Johnny Haley, Director, John Curry, Stanley Register, and Jay Beard.

Quarterly Awards

At Brown’s Restaurant at their regular meeting on Tuesday night, the Dublin-Laurens Jaycees presented their top awards to the following:

Roy Saline – September Jaycee-of-the-Month

Chris Rowe – October Jaycee-of-the-Month

Glenn Anderson – November Jaycee-of-the-Month

These awards were presented by Chris Rowe, President.

OUR MEN IN SERVICE

Ft. Sill, Oklahoma – Army Private William  D. Crabb, 19, son of John F. Crabb, Route 5, Dublin, Georgia, recently completed the seven-week basic field artillery (cannoneer)course at the U.S. Army Field Artillery Training Center, Ft. Sill, Oklahoma. 

Private Crabb entered the Army in September 1975 and completed basic training at Ft. Jackson, South Carolina.

Jimmy Bidgood is presently stationed at Randolph Field, Texas. An Air Force officer, he has been appointed as an instructor and will be stationed at Enid Air Force Base, Oklahoma.

Bidgood is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Karlan Bidgood of Dublin, Georgia. He is a graduate of Dublin High School and of Georgia Tech.

Airman Katie I. Skinner, daughter of retired Air Force Senior Master Sergeant George A. Skinner of 1811 Knox Street, Dublin, Georgia, has been selected for technical training in the U.S. Air Force supply field at Lowry Air Force Base, Colorado.

The Airman recently completed basic training at Lackland AFB, Texas, where she studied the Air  Force mission, organization, and customs, and received special instruction in human relations.

Airman Skinner is a 1975 graduate of Dublin High School.

DUBLIN 7th, 8th GRADERS SWEEP TWO

Dublin’s 7th and 8th Grade basketball teams turned the tables on Wilkinson County this week, stopping the Young Warriors in both ends of a doubleheader played here, 23-22 and 41-35.

The double defeat was in contrast to the two victories gained by Wilkinson County when the teams had played at Irwinton.

Both Dublin squads now have 3-2 records.

Coach Travis Davis’ girls scored 12 points in the third quarter to erase a 10-8 deficit and take a 20-14 lead, but had to hold on til the buzzer as Wilkinson County came within one point.

Julie Stanley with eight points and Ellen Hobbs with five paced the Dublin lassies.

Line-up

Stanley, 8; Ladson, 4; Durant 4; Miller; Hobbs, 5; Riley; Willis, 2; Stevens

Coach Doug Metts’ boys assumed a 15-0 lead in the second quarter, but Wilkinson County fought back, using a half-court trap, and from that point on, outscored Dublin, 35-26.

Todd Ford scored 12 points for Dublin with Anthony Edwards and Albert Clayton getting 10 each.

SCOUTS REACH EAGLE RANK

Eight members of Troop 68 will become Eagle Scouts at an Eagle Scout Court of Honor ceremony at Pine Forest United Methodist Church at 7:30 p.m. next Monday.

Joe Wilson is Scoutmaster of Troop 68, which is sponsored by J.P. Stevens Co.

Scouts receiving this high honor are

Joey Wilson

Edwin Porter

Jon Taylor

Kelly Canady

John Kisalus

Kimsey Fowler

Billy Thomas

Jack Head

Eagle Scout rank takes seven years to achieve and is the highest rank in scouting. Less than one percent of all scouts reach this high honor.

The public is invited to attend this program.

HISTORICAL SOCIETY DIRECTORS

Three new directors have been elected for the Laurens County Historical Society to join the six other members of the Board of Directors.

New Directors are Mrs. E.B. Claxton, jr., Mrs. J.B. Burch, and Larry Lake.

Presently serving on the Board are Brantley New, Gerald C. Adams, Brinson Hughes, Thomas Kellam, John Ross, and Albert Geeslin.

The Membership Committee, under Chairman Brantley New, is conducting a drive for 1976 membership with the goal of 500 members.

The next quarterly meeting of the group will be on Tuesday, January 27, at the Laurens County Library. The program will be arranged by Allen Thomas, and refreshments will be served.

Jacob New is President of the Historical Society. Allen Thomas is Vice President; Martha Hooks is treasurer with J. Abner Fordham as secretary.

The public is invited to attend and to join.

ENGAGEMENTS

Burney-Edmond

Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Burney announce the engagement and forthcoming marriage of their daughter, Linda, to A.J. Edmond of Dublin.

The bride-elect is a 1974 graduate of West Laurens High School and is presently employed at J.P. Stevens of Dublin.

The groom-elect is a 1973 graduate of Dublin High School and is presently employed at J.P. Stevens of Dublin.

The wedding is to be held on Saturday, February 28, 1976, at 4:00 P.M. at Faith Temple Church of God in Christ.

No invitations will be sent, but all friends                                                                                                   and relatives are invited to attend.

New – Thrasher

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Brantley New announce the engagement of their daughter, Mary Catherine New,  to Kenneth Lee Thrasher, son of Mrs. Evelyn S. Thrasher of Atlanta and Mr. Hugh Lee Thrasher of Sweetwater, Tennessee.

Miss New graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Pharmacy. She was a member of Phi Kappa Phi, National Honorary Society; Rho Chi, Honorary Pharmacy Society; and Delta Delta Delta, Social Sorority.

She is employed as a Staff Pharmacist at Northside Hospital in Atlanta.

Mr. Thrasher received his Bachelor of Business Administration Degree and Master of Accounting Degree from the University of Georgia, where he was a member of Beta Alpha Psi, Honor Fraternity, and Kappa Sigma, Social Fraternity. He is employed with Price-Waterhouse and Company in Atlanta.

The wedding will be on March 27, 1976, at Henry Memorial Presbyterian Church, Dublin.

JOINER STREET CHURCH

The guest speaker at Joiner Street Baptist Church on Sunday will be Rev. Max Alderman of Garfield, Georgia.

He will be speaking from Acts, chapters 1 and 2, “The Personality of the Church “for both morning and evening services. The morning service will be “The Miracle of a Godly Witness,” and the evening service will be “Let the Church Be the Church.”

Everyone is cordially invited to attend.