Entries by Rachel McDaniel

Pike County public schools announced Friday that they will remain closed until Tuesday, April 14 - after spring break which was scheduled for April 6-10. Teachers will return to the classroom for a scheduled work day on Monday, April 13.

The J. Joel Edwards Public Library has closed until further notice. Library materials are no longer incurring any late fees and the library manager is asking that they be held until it is announced that they may be returned. The drop box has been locked to prevent entrance of any suspected virus exposures.

County manager Ron Alexander announced Thursday afternoon that county offices will be closed to the public starting Friday, March 20. The upcoming board of commission meeting was also cancelled.

"In office operations and services will proceed, and the office will remain fully staffed. However, all county business will need to be conducted by phone, email, or text type correspondences, as the doors will be secured to prevent physical public access into county buildings. Any and all document exchange needs will be done through the use of local mail carrier, or a drop box, Most of the county office currently have drop boxes in use, other office drop boxes will be placed in appropriate locations with respect to that county office," said Alexander. "All offices will post notices at public entrances advising of the County's decision and direction to please conduct county business accordingly. External operations such as Public Works and Building and Grounds, are not subject to excessive public contact, and will continue to function as normal. Those external operations personnel are advised to limit public interaction. Public Works will also have a drop box placed near the entrance in which to receive work orders requests, and permit requests. Board of Commission meetings (BOC); Additionally, the Pike County Board of Commissioners has canceled the upcoming Tuesday, March 31, 2020 BOC 6:30 pm meeting as well. Please note the County Clerk will be advising all of further BOC schedules. Pike County Courthouse functions and departments: The Pike County Courthouse, and all of the operations held in the courthouse offices, are governed and operated by the respective Constitutional Officers of those offices. As such those individual offices set their own operational guidelines. As such please contact the respective constitutional offices as to all courthouse related needs. Please know the Pike County Government understands these precautionary measures will be an inconvenience to the normal flow of county services. As such, normal access will be restored as soon as it is safe to do so. On behalf of the Board of Commissioners and Pike County Staff, I would like to thank all of the great citizens of this county for their understanding and cooperation during these troubling times. Be safe." [Full story »] 

Mrs. Donna Jean Howard Worshum, age 59, of Concord, passed away March 18, 2020, at her home. She was born in Thomaston, daughter of the late Donald Eugene Howard and Jeanette Bransford Howard. Donna graduated from R.E. Lee High School, attended Gordon College and then earned her bachelor’s degree in business from Tift College in Forsyth. Early in her career, Donna worked for Delta Airlines. In more recent years, she was a graduation coach for Pike County High School and worked for Fayette County Board of Education as a benefits specialist in the human resources department. [Full story »] 

Between March 2 and March 15, local law enforcement agencies made the following arrests: [Full story »] 

Mrs. Mary Virginia Coventry Cochran, age 92, of Meansville, passed away March 15, 2020, at Riverside Nursing Center in Thomaston. Mrs. Cochran was born in Meansville, daughter of the late Forman Coventry and Laura Gibson Coventry. She was a homemaker who enjoyed gardening, crocheting, and sewing. She was a fabulous cook and loved flowers. She had been a faithful member of Pine Mt. Church of the Nazarene since 1962, where she taught Sunday School until two years ago.

[Full story »] 

The Pike school system and Georgia Military College Zebulon campus recently released information about maintaining a safe environment for students and staff as fears about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) spread. Several cases have been confirmed in Georgia and 34 who could have been exposed to the virus were transferred from the Grand Princess cruise ship off the California coast to Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta to be tested and quarantined. [Full story »]