Presley Douglas enjoys a day splishing and splashing at his PaPa and NaNa Charles and Geneva Douglas’ pool on Monday. With temperatures soaring into the 100s this past weekend and early this week, many locals were hitting pools and beaches to beat the summer heat. Presley is the one-year-old son of Alicia and Jason Douglas of Metter.
Tuesday, July 15, was a day of confusion for some voters. They arrived at the polls to find that they had to declare a political party in order to get a ballot. Then they sometimes found one of their candidates of choice had qualified with the other party and was not on their ballot.
This is the way elections are held in Georgia, but it has been more than a decade since it impacted local races as it did this year, particularly with the opposition in the Tax Commissioners Race and with voters wanting to cast ballots in the sheriff’s race.
Both Democratic and Republican voters will return to the polls for run-off elections on Tuesday, Aug. 5.
On the Republican ballot will be the top two vote-getters in the local Tax Commissioner race, Tamra S. Hadden (214 votes) and Randy Lanier (150 votes). (Read More)
Is the city’s downtown park area the correct forum for political rallies – or simple politicking?
That’s the question now facing City Council. During the heated Tax Commissioner race in the July 15 General Primary, in particular, several candidates made formal requests to City Hall to campaign in the downtown park area.
“Our current policy just allows people to have weddings and receptions, as well as sales for non-profit organizations,” explained City Manager Joseph Mosley at the July 14 meeting of Metter City Council. “It does not allow for any political campaign in the downtown area.”
But not campaigning in the downtown park area goes against traditions of yesteryear, Councilman Ed Boyd replied. “It almost seems un-American not to allow a political rally on public property,” he said.
“I can remember when there were great political rallies downtown and the back of warehouses and things of that nature,” added Mayor Billy Trapnell. At the same time, Trapnell said, Council needs to consider all the ramifications before opening up the park for politicking. “If we open it up, we will need guidelines,” he said. (Read More)
Funeral services will be held on Thursday morning for Metter businessman and former City Councilman Joe Pittman, who died on Monday, July 21.
Pittman, a lifelong resident of Candler County, served on Metter City Council for one term in 1989-1990. He was described by friend and fellow Councilman Ronald Cardell as a “good guy.”
“The only thing about Joe Pittman is that he was Joe Pittman. He was a very dependable person. There are a lot of special memories of my friendship with Joe,” Cardell said. “This is a great loss for all of us.”
Pittman purchased Eason’s Drug Store in Metter in 1966 and changed the name to Pittman’s Pharmacy. He operated the pharmacy for 18 years and in 1976 he and co-owner Robert Hall opened Medical Pharmacy across from Candler County Hospital. (Read More)
