Sharpsburg Resident is State Truck Driving Champion

/PRNewswire/ -- John Dillon, of Sharpsburg, was named the best professional truck driver in Georgia after winning the flatbed competition and receiving the highest overall score in the eight competing categories at the 2010 Georgia Truck Driving Championships. The annual event is sponsored by Georgia Motor Trucking Association.

Dillon, who drives for Con-way Freight, now qualifies to compete in the American Trucking Associations' National Truck Driving Championships August 3-7, 2010 in Columbus, Ohio -- also known as the "Super Bowl of Safety." The winners from each of the seven other categories are also eligible to compete in the national championship.

Nearly 400 drivers from all 50 states will compete in Columbus for four days, challenging their driving skills, and knowledge of safety, equipment and the industry. From 18-wheeler five axle sleepers to tank trucks to twin trailers--they will drive a course that recreates situations truck drivers face daily. These maneuvers may include: an alley dock, a rear line stop, a side park, a scale stop, a right turn, a front line stop, and straight line driving through a diminishing clearance.

On Saturday night, August 7, one contestant will drive away as the 2010 National Grand Champion Truck Driver.

"The Truck Driving Championships represent the culmination of the industry's dedication to safety," said Georgia Motor Trucking Association President & CEO Edward Crowell. "I congratulate all the contestants and I hope Georgia cheers for our drivers as they move on to Nationals in Columbus."

Georgia participants at National for each category include:
Kevin Dean, YRC, Rockmart, Ga. (Straight Truck)
Roger Nicholson, UPS Freight, Kingsland, Ga. (Three-Axle)
Pete Steerman, AAA Cooper Transportation, Locust Grove, Ga. (Four-Axle)
Adolfo DeGracia, Atlas Logistics, Riverdale, Ga. (Five-Axle)
Dennis Day, Con-way Freight, Lawrenceville, Ga. (Five-Axle Sleeper)
Michael Gaskins, Holland, Barnesville, Ga. (Tankers)
John Dillon, Con-way Freight, Sharpsburg, Ga.(Flatbed)
Jerry Roberts, YRC, Winder, Ga. (Twins)


ATA's Truck Driving Championships include top professional truck drivers from around the nation competing at state and regional levels to make it to the national competition Aug. 3-7 in Columbus, Ohio. The NTDC annually attracts over 2,000 cheering friends, family, colleagues and spectators. For more information, visit the 2010 National Truck Driving Championships website: www.truckline.com/Federation/Councils/slpmc/NTDC/Pages/Default.aspx

The American Trucking Associations is the largest national trade association for the trucking industry. Through a federation of other trucking groups, industry-related conferences, and its 50 affiliated state trucking associations, ATA represents more than 37,000 members covering every type of motor carrier in the United States.

The American Trucking Associations, including Georgia Motor Trucking Association, leads the effort for safer highways, focusing on greater education, enforcement and enhancement of traffic safety laws for all drivers. ATA also supports slowing down traffic through a reinstatement of a national maximum speed limit of 65 mph for all vehicles and limiting truck speeds at the time of manufacture. www.truckline.com

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Sharpsburg Resident is State Truck Driving Champion

/PRNewswire/ -- John Dillon, of Sharpsburg, was named the best professional truck driver in Georgia after winning the flatbed competition and receiving the highest overall score in the eight competing categories at the 2009 Georgia Truck Driving Championships. The annual event is sponsored by the Georgia Motor Trucking Association.

Dillon, who drives for Con-way Freight, now qualifies to compete in the American Trucking Associations' National Truck Driving Championships August 18-22, 2009 in Pittsburgh, Penn. -- also known as the "Super Bowl of Safety." The winners from each of the seven other categories are also eligible to compete in the national championship.

Nearly 400 drivers from all 50 states will compete in Pittsburgh for four days, challenging their driving skills, and knowledge of safety, equipment and the industry. From 18-wheeler five axle sleepers to tank trucks to twin trailers--they will drive a course that recreates situations truck drivers face daily. These maneuvers may include: an alley dock, a rear line stop, a side park, a scale stop, a right turn, a front line stop, and straight line driving through a diminishing clearance.

On Saturday night, August 22, one contestant will drive away as the 2009 National Grand Champion Truck Driver.

"The Truck Driving Championships represent the culmination of the industry's dedication to safety," said Georgia Motor Trucking Association President & CEO Edward Crowell. "I congratulate all the contestants and I hope Georgia roots for our drivers as they move on to Nationals in Pittsburgh."

Georgia participants at National for each category include:
Kevin Dean, YRC, Rockmart, Ga. (Straight Truck)
Michael Britt, UPS Freight, Dallas, Ga. (Three-Axle)
Thomas LaSalata, UPS Freight, Buford, Ga. (Four-Axle)
Thomas Turner, Martin-Brower, Carrollton, Ga. (Five-Axle)
Dennis Day, Con-way Freight, Lawrenceville, Ga. (Five-Axle Sleeper)
Clarence (AL) Churchwell Jr, UPS Freight, Stone Mountain, Ga. (Tankers)
John Dillon, Con-way Freight, Sharpsburg, Ga. (Flatbed)
Joseph Obregon, ABF Freight System, Ellijay, Ga. (Twins)


ATA's Truck Driving Championships include top professional truck drivers from around the nation competing at state and regional levels to make it to the national competition Aug. 18-22 in Pittsburgh, Penn. The NTDC annually attracts over 2,000 cheering friends, family, colleagues and spectators. For more information, visit the 2009 National Truck Driving Championships website: www.truckline.com/Federation/Councils/slpmc/NTDC/Pages/Default.aspx .

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Four Coweta Dancers in GA Youth Ballet's Performance of Nutcracker

Shows run from December 12-14 at Sandy Creek High School in Tyrone.

According to Mary Caroline Moore of the Georgia Youth Ballet, there will be four Coweta County dancers in this year's four performances of the famed Nutcracker. Her daugher, Emily Moore, who has performed in many of the GYB's productions during the past several years, has graduated and is now dancing in college! But her sister, Ann Moore, is still here and she will be one of the Nutcracker performers, dancing as a sheep in the Court of the Sugar Plum Fairy in all four of the shows. Ann lives in Newnan.

Emily Ward of Senoia will be dancing as the Dream Fairy in two of the shows, and as the lead Russian in the other two shows. Olivia Jenkins from Sharpsburg will be the shepherdess in two shows, and the Arabian in two shows. The fourth Cowetan, Raegan Barnhill of Sharpsburg, who is a former GYB student and now is one of the teachers, will be a dancer in the Snow and Flowers scene. According to Moore, this is the first time a teacher has ever been one of the performers in the Ballet corps.

All four of the shows will be held at Patriot Hall in Sandy Creek High School. The first show will be Family Night on Friday, December 12 at 7:30 PM. Tickets for this show are $8. The other three shows will be on Saturday December 13 at 2:30 PM and 8:00 PM, and on Sunday, December 14 at 2:30 PM. The ticket prices for these shows will be $15 for adults and $12 for students (and also senior citizens).

Information on the Georgia Youth Ballet is available on their website http://www.gyb.us

Sandy Creek High School is located at 360 Jenkins Road in Tyrone in Fayette County.

By Forrest Schultz

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Atlanta Home Show Chooses Georgia Heartland Humane Society as Sponsored Charity

Come by to see Jack and Jill and the other GHHS animals before you go to see the Ultimate Airdogs. Stop by the Stage, also near the GHHS booth, to see celebrity guests from HGTV. Visit the Living Green Tour where you can test environmentally friendly products and learn how to conserve energy, live healthier and save money.

After seeing an article on the Georgia Heartland Humane Society, Ashlei Whitfield, a marketing representative for Marketplace Events, suggested that GHHS be their sponsored charity at the upcoming Home Show, held on October 17-19 at the Georgia International Convention Center near Hartsfield Airport.

As their charity partner, GHHS volunteers will be selling tickets, provided by Marketplace Events, for the Gas for a Decade raffle. Net proceeds will be going to GHHS.

GHHS will also receive the proceeds from another fun event, a silent auction for birdhouses painted by famous Georgians and Atlantans.

In addition Marketplace Events has provided GHHS an exhibit booth, evaluated at $5000, to communicate our mission to the public. Our booth is in a prime location near the main stage and the Ultimate Air Dogs presentation. GHHS will be bringing some of their current foster animals, such as Jack and Jill, two kittens who have Manx syndrome, a disorder which causes incontinence. In spite of their diapers and onesies to hold the diapers on, Jack and Jill are otherwise normal kittens who love to play and cuddle.

The Ultimate Airdog competition will be near the GHHS booth. Ultimate Air Dogs is one of the premier dock jumping organizations in the country. The President, Milt Wilcox, who pitched for the Detroit Tigers in the 1984 World Series, hosts professional events that draw in thousands of spectators, while maintain a family-friendly atmosphere. The public can register their dogs for the competition at The Home Show. For more information about Ultimate Air Dogs, go to http://www.ultimateairdogs.net/.

Come support Georgia Heartland Humane Society, an all volunteer, non-profit agency which rescues abandoned, abused and unwanted animals in Coweta and Fayette counties. (www.gaheartland.com) GHHS is looking for volunteers to help cover this 3 day event. If you are interested, please call Annette at 770 253-5083.

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State's Best 4-H'ers Compete at Georgia 4-H Congress

CC Note: Special kudos to Coweta County for being the home of Allison Gordy, 16, daughter of Donna and Randall Gordy of Sharpsburg, who won in forest resources and wood science, sponsored by Bill Lott, Kirby Thompson and the Georgia 4-H Foundation.

Emilee Brinton won in veterinary science, sponsored by Janice Hayes and the Georgia Veterinary Medical Association.

Two hundred forty-five Georgia 4-H’ers gathered July 22-25 at the Crowne Plaza Ravinia in Atlanta to compete in the 66th annual Georgia 4-H Congress. At the end of the week, 48 returned home with first place honors.

“These students represent the best of the best of Georgia 4-H,” said Roger “Bo” Ryles, director of the Georgia 4-H program. “Only those students who are the most prepared and dedicated to hard work advance from district competition to state competition.”

In order to compete on the state level, a 4-H’er must first exceed at district competition.

At state congress, the 4-H members gave 12-minute demonstrations and prepared portfolios of their research and service in 49 project areas such as public speaking, history, wildlife and human development. Expert judges evaluated their work and interviewed them on their presentations and portfolios.

Those who earned first place honors will go on to compete against 4-H’ers from across the nation this November in Atlanta.

By Sharon Omahen
University of Georgia

Sharon Omahen is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

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Sharpsburg Baptist Church Awards Dr. Watson E. Mills Pastor Emeritus Status

Sharpsburg Baptist Church recently celebrated the legacy of their beloved pastor, Dr. Watson E. Mills, who retired June 22. At the time of his retirement banquet, former Mercer University “professor emeritus” had served SBC for 27 years, 5 months, 4 days, 6 ½ hours, but who’s counting? Several friends and colleagues “roasted” Dr. Mills at the banquet, among whom include Terry Daviston of McKoon Funeral Home and Dr. Rollin S. Armour, a former colleague from Mercer University’s Department of Religion.

The congregation surprised Dr. Mills on his last Sunday by granting “Pastor Emeritus” status. Deacons Bill Tinsley and Beth Clough presented the award during the invitation hymn and read the decree. According to Webster’s Dictionary, the definition of “Emeritus” is: a veteran who has honorably completed his service. Also, “the giving of the honor celebrates the lifetime of ministry this person has performed, recognizes the conviction that ordination continues until life ends, and also brings honor to the congregation bestowing the title.”

Dr. Mills began pastoring SBC in 1981 while serving as Vice President of Research and Publication, as well as Professor of New Testament Language and Literature at Mercer University in Macon. He commuted for 14+ years and ultimately moved to Coweta County in 1995. With Dr. Mills’ leadership, in 2000 SBC was able to build a worship, education and fellowship facility (11,200 square feet). Since that time the church has seen a growth of 150+ members. In 2003, SBC was recognized by the Georgia Baptist Convention as one of the fastest growing small Baptist churches in the state.

Mills has performed 200+ weddings, christenings and funerals, and provided pastoral care for members in all stages of life. He has delivered more than 1,075 sermons in Sharpsburg, as well as countries including the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Hungary and Switzerland. In 2004 he published The Vocabulary of the Faith, a collection of sermons delivered from the Sharpsburg pulpit. Additionally, he has published 130+ books and hundreds of articles during his career.

Among his many achievements, Dr. Mills also gave birth to the journal, Perspectives in Religious Studies. According to The National Association of Baptist Professors of Religion, the first issue of Perspectives in Religious Studies appeared in 1974. “That year two issues were published, largely by the efforts and vision of Watson Mills, founder of the journal. The journal began as a ‘shoe box operation’ out of Mills' office at Averett College (and his garage). Later, graphics arts students at Chowan College, in Murfreesboro, North Carolina, honed their skills by publishing the fledgling journal as part of their course work.

In 1979 Watson Mills moved to Mercer University, in Macon, Georgia, to establish and build Mercer University Press. Naturally PRS moved with him. In the exciting atmosphere of a new venture, the journal matured rapidly. As the circulation of the journal in creased, the number of issues also increased. In 1976 three issues were published. Later, in 1984, the journal became a quarterly publication. By 1993 PRS could boast a circulation of over 700, including libraries in colleges, universities, and seminaries in North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. From humble beginnings the journal has gained an international readership in two decades. An index of the first fifteen years of PRS, edited by Watson E. Mills, was published in 1989.”

According to www.mosttraveledpeople.com, Dr. Mills is ranked 52nd in the world, having traveled to 329 countries; and that number is about to increase, as he hit the “retirement trail” flying to Kyrgyzstan, China and India. SBC is proud to have had this amazing man as their spiritual leader for 27+ years. When people ask, “Where in the world is Dr. Watson Mills,” our response will be, “We hope back in Sharpsburg, Georgia near us and our hearts.,

BURN BAN HAS BEEN LIFTED WITHIN THE CITY OF NEWNAN

The City of Newnan has lifted the burn ban within the city limits effective immediately. Burn permits may be attained through the City of Newnan Fire Marshall office. There must be proper inspection of the burn site by Fire Marshall Ricky Ayers before a burn permit may be attained.

Fire Chief Whitley would like to remind everyone the City of Newnan is still under drought conditions at this time. I urge all citizens to use extreme caution when burning. Also, the burn ban may be put into effect at anytime if weather conditions change.

Please contact the City of Newnan Fire Marshall office for more information at (770)253-1851.

MARKET DAYS RETURNS TO DOWNTOWN NEWNAN

Main Street Newnan’s popular Market Day on the Square will be held the the first Saturday of each month from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. from April to December. The first 2008 event is planned for Saturday, April 5th. Vendors showcase homemade, homegrown, and handmade items.

According to Main Street Coordinator Alise Cartledge, the Market Day events are expected to bring about 50 vendors to the square. Vendors feature items such as fresh produce, homemade baked goods, wood crafts, fresh Kettle Korn, jewelry, children’s clothing and accessories, honey, artwork, soy candles, and even homemade pet items.

There will be musical entertainment from Jerry Rogers and the 2008 Market Day media sponsors 92.5 The Bear and Magic 98.1.

Cartledge encourages residents to come spend the day in downtown Newnan. In conjunction with visiting the Market Day booths, people can shop at many of the unique boutiques on the square and have lunch at one of the local restaurants.

“Downtown Newnan is a great place to be! Day or night, there is always something happening here. Downtown offers great shopping, great food and great service. I invite everyone to come visit Market Days on the Square and be a part of this event around the historic courthouse square,” said Cartledge.

Applications are currently being accepted for 2008 Market Day vendors. Please visit www.mainstreetnewnan.com for an application.

For more information, please call the Main Street Newnan office at 770-253-8283.

Sen. Seabaugh welcomes America National Youth of the Year to the Capitol

Photo: Sen. Mitch Seabaugh and President Pro Tempore Eric Johnson with Youth of the Year Demetrice Tuttle and members of the Boys and Girls Club of America.

State Sen. Mitch Seabaugh (R-Sharpsburg) recently welcomed the 2007-08 National Youth of the Year, Demetrice Tuttle, to the Capitol.

The Boys and Girls Clubs of America National Youth of the Year program, sponsored by the Reader’s Digest Foundation since 1947, recognizes outstanding contributions to a member’s family, school, community and academic excellence.

As part of the award, Tuttle will receive a $15,000 scholarship from the Reader’s Digest Foundation and he also had the opportunity to meet President George W. Bush.

NEWNAN FIRE DEPARTMENT PARTICIPATES IN BURN AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

February 3-9, 2008 is Burn Awareness Week, and the Newnan Fire Department has joined in the efforts with Shriners Hospitals for Children in using this week to kick-off a year-long campaign designed to help prevent gasoline burn injuries. Kids ages 13 and older are in the highest at risk group for gasoline and other flammable substances.

This year’s theme to the campaign is “Gasoline has only one use: to fuel an engine. Any other use is misuse.”

“We want to let the public know about the misuses of gasoline; especially our youth. The result could end up being fatal or a 3rd degree burn to the face and or body. This is a public awareness campaign and when someone in the community approached me about joining I did not hesitate. This is what the Newnan Fire Department is here for,” said Newnan Fire Chief Whitley.

Here are a few tips of what not to do with gasoline. Do not use near a barbecue grill or to start a fire. Do not siphon gasoline. Do not store in an unapproved container or in a house or vehicle. Do not store gasoline near a source of heat or sparks, such as a hot water heater, furnace, clothes dryer or any other appliance that uses a pilot light.

Most gasoline injuries are avoidable through proper use and storage of gasoline. The Newnan Fire Department will have coloring books, stickers and other educational material pertaining to Burn Awareness. For more information please contact the Newnan Fire Department at 770-253-1851 or log onto www.shrinershq.org.

The Shriners Hospitals for Children specializing in burns have treated more than 800 children since 2002 for acute burn injuries resulting from ignition of highly flammable materials such as gasoline. For more info please or log onto www.shrinershq.org.