Two meetings for parentsof Fitzgerald High School stu-dents are coming up thismonth.

TOMORROW, at 6 p.m., inthe FHS cafeteria, parents areinvited to a presentation onthe Move On When Readyprogram, which enables stu-dents to earn college credit

while in high school. More than 200 FHS stu-

dents are participating in thisprogram now and will earncredits from WiregrassTechnical College, AbrahamBaldwin Agricultural Collegeand South Georgia StateCollege.

Students who are interest-ed in classes for next yearshould begin now to completethe admission process, whichrequires the ACCUPLACER,SAT or ACT exam. Move OnWhen Ready is for students inall grades. In order to takeclasses next year, studentsmust have completed all col-lege admission requirementsbefore the end of this schoolyear.

STUDENTS should talk totheir counselor about partici-pating. Parents and studentsin ninth through 11th gradesshould plan to attend regis-tration, which will be heldMarch 20 and 21, in the Mike

Meeting set tomorrow at 6 for FHS parents

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Sometimes you need more than a coat of paint. Front Page

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Pages 6- & 7-B

– Serving The Area Since 1895 –2 Sections, 18 Pages • Vol. 121, No. 10

www.herald-leader.net February 8, 2017

Herald-Leader Herald-Leader Herald-Leader75¢Fittzgerald

Sales Papers Harveys

CVSRite Aid

SearsPizza Hut

Editorials2-3B

Obituaries4A

Police Report8A

In this Issue:

RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE

Monday, 1-6 p.m.

First Baptist Church Gym

402 S. Merrimac Dr. Sponsored by

American Legion, Post 99. Pizza will be served,

plus a donor drawing for a $100 prize.

Must be at least 17 years of age and weigh at least 110 lbs.

Remember: The life you save may be your own!

✚

BY TIM ANDERSON

Both the Ben Hill CountyCommission and theFitzgerald City Councilpassed resolutions last weekcalling for a March 21 refer-endum to renew the SpecialPurpose Local Option SalesTax (SPLOST).

SPLOST IS THE “SIXTH”penny of sales tax that thecommunity votes to levy onitself for the benefit of thecommunity. It funds commu-nity capital projects. The firstSPLOST, passed in 1996, wasused to fund the constructionof the Ben Hill County PublicSafety Center, which houses

the jail, Sheriff’s Office,Magistrate’s Office, E911 andthe Fitzgerald PoliceDepartment.

Since the first round ofSPLOST, numerous City andCounty projects have beenfunded in the community.Department of LeisureServices has been a big bene-ficiary of SPLOST, as has thelibrary, Grand Theatre,Carnegie Center, JayceeStadium and the airport. Thecurrent ongoing depot reno-vation is being funded withSPLOST revenue. The Cityand County have both beenable to leverage SPLOSTfunds with funds from state

and federal sources to main-tain our community’s roads.

The proposed SPLOST isset up somewhat differentlythan past ones. In the past,the City and County haveagreed on joint services proj-ects and then fairly evenlydivided the rest. This propos-al gives a 55% (County) and45% (City) split on all rev-enues. However, a number ofprojects are funded equallyby each government. Forinstance, the Humane Societywill receive $50,000 fromeach body to expand the ani-mal shelter, upgrade cagesand add LED lighting and alivestock corral.

THE SPLOST IS A six-yeartax with the estimated $15million being split $8,250,000(55%), County and$6,750,000 (45%), City. Inthe current SPLOST, about85% of anticipated revenue iscollected.

Projects are as follows froman intergovernmental agree-ment between City andCounty:

Ben Hill CountyEconomic development —

Fitzgerald-Ben HillDevelopment Authority —$465,000 (same amount fromCity) — to fund construction

SPLOST referendum vote is setfor March 21; projects revealed

Five Fitzgerald High School Purple Hurricane football players signedwith colleges on signing day last week. Seated at the table are (fromleft) Lecitus Smith, who has signed with Virginia Tech, Josh Reliford,Anthony Ransey and Jason Poe, who have all signed with

Hutchinson Community College, and JD King, who has signed withOklahoma State. Behind them are coaches (from left) Neal Burkhart,Randall Shoultz, Jesse Lynch, Jason Strickland, Jim Avera, JasonWicker, Chris Hubert and FHS athletic director Paul Stokes.

5 Canes sign up for college football

(Turn to SPLOST, 9-A)

The Fitzgerald-Ben HillCounty Chamber ofCommerce will host a com-munity-wide yard saleSaturday, Feb. 18, from 9a.m.-2 p.m. in the 100-blockof East Pine St. The block willbe closed to vehicles duringthe sale.

Large spaces will be $15for non Chamber membersand $10 for members.

All downtown retailers areasked to be open during the

Communityyard sale to be Sat., February 18

The Swingin’ Medallionswill perform Friday night atthe Grand Theatre for theFitzgerald-Ben Hill CountyChamber of Commerce’sfund raiser, Rhapsody inRed.

The performance willbegin at 8 p.m., ending atmidnight. Tickets are $30each. Call the Chamber at423-9357 for more informa-tion.

Swingin’Medallions atGrand Friday

A crowd of dignitaries and well-wishers turned out for the Sunday afternoon ribbon cut-ting and open house at the newly renovated Ben Hill Preschool. Pictured at the ribbonare (from left) Ben Hill County Sheriff Lee Cone, Ansleigh Smith, Matthew Hightowerof Parrish Construction, Ben Hill County School Supt. Dr. Shawn Haralson, NayokiiRoyal, Travis Miller of Parrish Construction (behind Nayokii), Michelle Joiner, Mayia

Acree, Preschool Director Jaquetta Brown, former Director Brenda Womack, BradPope of Parrish Construction (behind Womack), Zierra Brown, Eric Griffin, ParkerGriffin, Austin Griffin, Rhonda Donahue, Grable Coleman, Brenda Rawls and CoreyGrantham of Parrish Construction.

Ribbon cut for fully renovated Ben Hill Preschool

Kate Serrano (left) and Evan Newell experience the thrill of uncratingpaintings by the Florida Highwaymen, ready to hang them at theCarnegie Center. They are administrative assistants and assistant cura-tors in training for Brandy Elrod, executive director of the Fitzgerald-BenHill County Arts Council. The exhibit, “Against All Odds: The Art of theFlorida Highwaymen,” will be displayed at the Carnegie all month as partof the community’s Black History Month celebration. Exhibit hours areMonday-Friday, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. or by appointment. (To make anappointment, call 426-5035.) The largely self-taught African-Americanartists known as the Florida Highwaymen sold their paintings in SouthFlorida during the segregated 1950s and 1960s. In bright, vivid colors,they captured their region’s beautiful scenery in quick strokes then soldfinished pieces to tourists by the side of the road and to hotels, business-es, restaurants and offices. These paintings are on loan from the OrangeCounty Regional History Center. A reception for the exhibit will be heldat 6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 16, as part of the Third Thursday program,which will feature the Ensemblettes (Rosa Henderson, Vanessa Meltonand Annie Pearl Stepherson Boney, below, from left, singing at 7 p.m.The three women began singing together in 1978, and for almost 12years traveled and sang across Georgia and northern and centralFlorida. When Melton’s work took her to another community, the groupwent on hiatus. Now the Ensemblettes continue to sing for special occa-sions. The Black History Month celebration is a collaboration of theFitzgerald-Ben Hill County Library, Fitzgerald-Ben Hill Arts Council, ScottDowning, the Blue and Gray Museum, Grand Theatre, FitzgeraldTourism and the Development Authority of Ben Hill County.

Florida Highwaymen exhibit, music ofEnsemblettes set for Third Thursday

(Turn to Community, 9-A)

(Turn to Meeting, 9-A)

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