50 years ago: January 21, 1975

Dublin Courier Herald

Dublin City Council backed up the Mayor in his opposition to a proposal by the Laurens County Commissioners for operating a county-wide sanitary landfill, and opposition among other Laurens County cities to the offer is mounting. Dublin’s Mayor Robert E. Cochran went on record against the proposal earlier this week, and City Council acted swiftly. Tuesday afternoon they voted unanimously to reject the county’s plan.

City officials in Dublin protested the solid waste management plan on the ground that city residents would have to pay more for the service than their counterparts in rural areas.

Under the plan cities would share in the expense of operating the landfill in accordance with their per cent of the total county population above what cities presently pay in county taxes.

For different reasons, East Dublin’s full time Mayor, Hugh Wood, said his town will probably not go along with the county’s offer.

“I don’t think we are gong to participate in it because we are going to have our own landfill,” he stated and emphasized, “if the landfill was on the west side of the river, we would participate.” 

Saying East Dublin sanitation crews would be “killing a day of each week in transporting time” if East Dublin garbage was carried across Dublin to the U.S. 80 West landfill site. Wood reported that state approval of East Dublin’s new landfill should come within a month.

The new East Dublin landfill is located off Nathaniel Drive near the city’s oxidation pond. The county site is off U.S. 80 near Bethsaida Church.

Dexter’s Mayor pro-tem Benny Mullis said he would not say what his city council’s reaction to the county proposal would be because the Council has not discussed the matter, but he added that his opinion is based on conversation with Dexter Mayor Roy Holland, “We are going to stay just like we are.”

Asked what Dexter will do if the City Council refused to take part in financing the Bethsaida Church landfill site, Mullis replied, “That would be a good $64 question.”

If Dexter accepts the county’s plan, their cost of using the landfill will jump from $590 annually to over $800, Mullis said.

The Bethsaida Church landfill is too far to carry Dexter garbage, Mullis observed. The county should operate three landfills,” he suggested. 

County Commissioner Tal Fuqua was surprised by the opposition. Fuqua’s road district includes Dublin, Dexter, Dudley, and Montrose.

 “It is my understanding that everyone has to agree to the proposal the county made,” he said. Furthermore, the 1st Road District Commissioner said that he was informed that the county had written commitments from all of the cities in Laurens County to accept the proposal. “The only thing I can say about it is that the state is going to force everybody to dispose of trash properly,”

He pointed out that the Dublin budget for this year appropriated $20,000 for a contract serve agreement with the county for operating the landfill. He suggested that the city’s garbage rate hike was motivated by the inevitable landfill cost.They voted and approved a budget, and now they are rejecting the budget,” the commissioner said. “The county is not looking to the cities to pay any more than their fair share.”

He disagreed that county cities are being double taxed by the county. Garbage collection and the landfill operation are services.  He cited the services supported by the county and enjoyed by city residents, such as the hospital, library, sheriff department, and ambulance service.

 “We are trying to act in good spirit in bringing the city and county together,” he said after admitting that the city and county governments have had differences in the past.

As for the county’s position – If most area towns reject the offer, we would have to take a look to see if a readjustment could be made. If we can’t readjust, we will just leave it like it is.

“But to tell the truth, I think we are being real skimpy on it now,” he continued.

Prospects may be slim for an immediate solution of the county landfill woes which were brought on by stringent new requirements from environmental agencies. 

TAX COLLECTOR LIST FOR PRIMARY

Laurens County citizens who have not qualified to vote in the February 7 Democratic Primary have until the day of the election to get straightened out with Tax Collector Trammel C. Keen in order to cast ballots in the primary.

This announcement was issued by the Democratic Executive Committee whereby “any person otherwise qualified may register – if not already registered – and pay his or her poll taxes through 1939 at anytime up to and including the date of the county primary on February 7 and shall likewise be qualified and allowed to vote in said County Primary; Provided that such person shall present to the Executive Committee or Election Managers of his or her district a certificate from the Tax Collector of Laurens County certifying that such person is thus qualified to vote.”

This provision was made public as the Board of Registrars of the county decided it had no authority to meet at this time and certify a qualified voters list and thus gave the job up to the county tax collector. The Board of Registrars meets soon after May 6 – six months prior to the general election – to purge the voters list for the state primary and general election.

Already qualified to vote in the upcoming primary are approximately 6,244 Laurens County citizens who registered and otherwise qualified with Tax Collector Keen prior to the January 20 deadline for voters to get on the official voters list to be used in the coming primary.

The qualified list for the coming primary is believed to be one of the largest in the history of Laurens County. Only 4,300 persons were qualified to ballot in the 1938 elections while 5,500 were qualified to vote in the 1936 election when all state officers were elected.

Growing interest is being shown in the coming primary and the forthcoming state primary, and a record voters list is expected.

C-H WORKSHOP & TOUR

A full weekend is ahead for the Courier-Herald, starting with conducted tours of the newspaper’s plant on Friday evening, followed by a two-day mechanical workshop sponsored by the Georgia Press Association in the Dublin newspaper plant.

People in the area are invited to look over the renovated quarters of the Courier-Herald on Friday night from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Conducted tours will be held starting at 7, 7:30, and 8 p.m. The tour will be designed to give a complete picture of the newspaper’s operations from getting the news and advertising through all the procedures that provide the daily issues.

Be sure to be at the plant at 7, 7:30, or 8 p.m. so that you will be at the start of the tour and not miss any of the procedures.

In the newly redecorated quarters of the newspaper, computers have been installed over the past five years to make possible the production of the newspapers. These computers made possible the elimination of the old line casting machines commonly known as linotypes. 

Rather than the dirty, dusty, ink-covered atmosphere that once characterized a newspaper, the Courier-Herald today is as clean as a home with carpets through the editorial and composing room areas. Only the press room where heavy rolls of newspaper have to be moved about is not carpeted.

As you progress on the tour, each step will be explained, culminating in the running of the 24-page Goss offset press with a full color picture on the front page. This will be your opportunity to see first hand the  most modern means of producing a newspaper today.

We are looking for you.

Saturday approximately 100 people from Georgia weekly and daily newspapers will be inDublin for the annual Georgia Press Association mechanical workshop. Some of the most knowledgeable people in the various aspects of the making of a newspaper will be in Dublin to teach the various divisions that will be offered the attendees.

On Sunday morning a demonstration press run will be held for the attendees of the workshop.

EAST DUBLIN’S DECEMBER FINANCES

With two members of the Council ill, the remainder of the East Dublin City Council and the Mayor held a routine meeting Monday night, okaying the bills for the month of December.

The financial report for December given the Mayor and Council showed that during the month the town had receipts of $26,050.63. Expenditures for the month totaled $14,919.06.

The major source of income for East Dublin in December, $19,061.1 was from taxes and interest. Beer tax added $3,486.76, fines, $1,756.00, liquor, $1,679.50, the report showed. 

Expenditures included $2,571.75 for administrative;  the Police Department; $158. 15; for  buildings.; $3,026.90 for the Sanitary Department; $1,398.12; for the Fire Department and $1,278.68 for the Street Department.

Income for the Water Department in December was given at $6,212.68. Expenses were listed at $3, 503.17.

With Mayor Hugh Wood presiding, Councilmen attending included Jimmy Davis, Jimmy Robinson, and John Shepherd.

DUDLEY OFFICERS SWORN IN

The Mayor and Council in Dudley were  recently sworn into office by Judge W.H. White.

They are Mayor, Delano Butler; Councilmen, Jerold Miller, Cliff Crews, and Howell Hudson.

Butler has served in the Dudley city government since 1962; Miller first came to the Council in 1961; Hudson has served for 6 years; Crews is in his second term.

ENGAGEMENT

Mr. and Mrs. Malcolm C. Thigpen, Route 1, Rockledge, announce the engagement of their daughter, Carol, to Joseph Lee Peek of 3300 Goode Street, Montgomery, Alabama. His parents are Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Peek of Montgomery.

Miss Thigpen is a 1973 graduate of East Laurens High School and has attended Crandall College. Presently she is employed by NEMCO-Macon.

The groom elect is a 1970 graduate of Lanier High School  in Montgomery and is presently employed by Associated Mechanical Contractors, Co. in Montgomery.

The wedding will be held on Saturday, February 8, in the Union Baptist Church and all friends and relatives are invited.

OCMULGEE SWEEPS TWO FROM JOSEY

Ocmulgee Academy from Lumber City took on the Josey Academy Warriors in a doubleheader at Josey last night and came off with both victories.

The visitors used a big quarter in each game to blow the frays wide open, finally stopping the Josey girls 43-25 and the boys, 66-53. The Warrior girls of Coach Larry Daniels were behind by only two points after the first quarter, but were out-scored 20-3 in the second period and never recovered. Harriett Yates with 11 points and Carol Graham with eight were the biggest scorers for the Warriors.

Ocmlgee hit the boys of Coach Barney Hester with a 22-7 third quarter performance that obliterated the 28-25 halftime Josey lead and finished with a 13 point victory. 

Jeff Aaron paced the Warriors with 16 points and 10 rebounds; Allen Williams sacked 13 points.

Line-ups:

Girls:

Yates,11; Graham, 8; Watson, 2; Williams, 1; Brown, 3; Sawyer, Kight , Mobley, Senn

Boys:

A. Williams, 13: Murphy, 8; Yates, 4; J. Aaron, 16; Brown, 6; Clark, 6; J. Graham, T. Graham

IRISH DROP CLIFFHANGER

Dublin’s Irish lost a thriller to the Telfair County Trojans, 73-72, last night at the Dublin Gym, thus contributing two losses to the string of 11 victories posted this year by the McRae quintet.

The Irishettes were also beaten, 47-26, by the Trojanettes who scored their eighth victory against four defeats.

Coach Fontaine Brewton’s Trojanettes took a 16-point fourth quarter lead which shut off any hopes Coach Joyce Brown’s Irishettes had for an upset. 

Tammie Ellington, Cheryl Pritchard, and Brenda Davis got three, four, and four points respectively in third quarter to narrow Telfair County’s lead to 25-20 after three periods, but the 16-point outburst in the final canto cemented the Telfair win.

Ellington ended with with 10 points and Pritchard with six. Dublin shot 2-5 from the free throw line to 7-13 for the visitors.

The Irish had a lead over the Trojans in the first half. Then with 1:41 to play, Don Edwards made the first of three free throws. With 1:17 to play, the Irish got a defensive rebound and went into a freeze only to have Telfair County foul Curtis Smith at the 53 second mark. Smith sank his first free throw but was ruled on the line by the officials and thus nullified the point and gave the ball to the Trojans.

Then the Trojan Jeff Sims sank a two-pointer that put his team ahead with 20 seconds remaining.

The Irish couldn’t get the ball to go in although they got off several shots with three seconds left, but Trojan Tommy Mancey sank two free throws for the 73-70 margin. Don Edwards got an uncontested bucket with one second left for the final one-point loss.

The Irish shot a tremendous near 60 percent from the field, hitting 32 of 54 field goal attempts. However, they were only  8-20 at the free throw line. 

Sims and Trojan Austin led their teammates in scoring with 20 points each. Don Edwards had 15 points and seven rebounds while Curtis Smith hit 14. Steve Edwards, 12 and Gary Howard, nine. Sims also led Dublin steals with four.

Line-ups:

Girls:

Pritchard, 6; Ellington, 10; Cauley, 4; Carruth, Thompson, Harmon, Davis, 4; Dudley, 2

Boys:

D. Edwards 15; Howard, 9: Sims, 20; S. Edwards, 12; Smith, 14; Trollinger, 2; Cochran, Helton

EBONY SOCIETY REPORTS

The Ebony Society has just completed another good year – engaging in many activities.

In March club members and guests celebrated their 8th annual Founder’s Day with a banquet at Brown’s Restaurant, where Mrs. N.L. Williams, the featured speaker, presented a most inspiring address.

In April the club participated in the “Bike-Hike” for the Retarded.

May found the club sponsoring two of its members in the State Bowling Tournament in Savannah.

During August the members and children enjoyed a trip to Callaway Gardens. We also entertained the children of the community with a Back to School Hop at the Washington Street Building.

The club congratulated the Modernistic Society at their Founders Day Luncheon in October.

During December the club, along with many others, were the guests of the Emerald Business and Professional Women Club Christmas Party at Mr. Pipps.

To close the old year and open the new, on December 31 the club hosted 426 guests from New York, Springfield, Massachusetts. Macon, Atlanta, Augusta, Soperton, Wrightsville, and Dublin with a Dinner and Dance at the National Guard Armory. The toastmaster for the event was Mr. Raymond (Satellite Poppa) Brown of Macon. Music was furnished by “Big T” and Peacemakers of Baxley.

The club looks forward to a busy 1975. Beginning in January, a Junior Ebony Society will be organized in Dublin, and

girls -age 8 thru 15 – who wish to become members are asked to please meet at the Laurens County Library on January 17 at 6:00 pm.

In March the club will celebrate its annual Founders Day. The Program will be highlighted by an address by Mrs.

Sharon Tucker, who is Dublin’s first and only black female to pursue the field of law. This will be followed by a Charity Ball.                                                                                    

INDUSTRIAL ARTS CLUB OFFICERS

The Industrial Arts Club at West Laurens Junior High School recently elected officers for the year. They are Mary Sabine, Parliamentarian; Tish Clark, Secretary; Tim Stuckey, President; Brian Green, Historian; Robin Jones, Treasurer; and Tim Franks, Vice President.                                                                                            

The advisor for the club is Mr. Tim Herrington.

WALKER NAMED DIRECTOR

At a recent meeting of the stockholders of the Morris State Bank, Robert J. Walker was elected a director, according to an announcement by S. Barron Smith, President, on behalf of the Board of Directors.

The new director, a resident of Dublin since 1954, was graduated from Georgia Tech in 1958 with a degree in industrial management. He was on active duty with the Marine Corps for three years and presently holds the rank of Major in the corps. He was the Operations Officer for Marine Air Control Squadron 15 in Marietta, Georgia.

Mr. Walker is President of Dublin Tractor and Equipment Company and owner of Walker Grain Company and Self-Storage Warehouse.  He is a former member of the Dublin City Council and served as chairman of the Board of Aldermen, a Director of the Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Building Committee of the First Baptist Church, member of Dublin Rotary Club, member of the Dublin Country Club, and is District Advancement Chairman of the Boy Scouts of America.

Mr. Walker whose parents Mr. and Mrs. Walter Waldrep, have long been prominent in Dublin and Laurens County. He lives with his wife Jackie and their three children, Allison, Sandra, and Jack, at 1107 Victoria Drive.

Other Directors of the bank are Dr. John A. Bell Jr., Carl Cochran, Richard Z. Graves, Paul J. Jones, Jr., Louie Livingston, W. Newton Morris, and S. Barron Smith.