The Baxley News-Banner

Follow the star to a place unexpected
Would you believe after all we’ve projected
A child in a manger
Lowly and small the weakest of all
Unlikeliest hero wrapped in His mother’s shawl
Just a child
Is this who we’ve waited for ‘cause [Full Story »] 

Christmas is coming. Before this newspaper arrives in your mailbox again, Christmas with all the trees, presents, lights, and mistletoe will have come and gone. The ham will have been eaten, along with Grandma’s macaroni and cheese, pumpkin and pecan pies, and the $30 fruitcake. Most family members will have departed to return to their regular lives. Only the memories will linger. [Full Story »] 

As I stated in a recent article, raising our two children has been a blast for my wife and I. We each worked but held to our promise for one of us to be with them whenever they were not in school and still in the ‘child’ mode. This was a huge promise but we did manage it somehow. [Full Story »] 

In January 2010, the luxury liner Holland America Westerdam sailed from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale and set her course for the Blue Caribbean. B. J. and I were aboard. It was our Golden Anniversary cruise that we had promised ourselves. Our ports of call would be Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas, Grand Turk in the Caicos Islands, through the Windward Passage to Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands and Cozumel, Mexico. We were elated!

The captain had promised us smooth sailing but it was a little choppy and would get worse for a while. I feared that B. J. would be seasick and my fears would be realized along the way. In fact, I would get a little green around the gills myself—something I almost never do on a cruise. [Full Story »] 

Patricia Dianne Ansley, 64, died Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2011 at Appling Healthcare System. Patricia Dianne was a native of Lowndes County and had lived most of her life in Appling County. She was a member of Woodlawn Baptist Church and the Naomi Sunday-School Class. Mrs. Ansley was preceded in death by a son, Mark Allen Ansley, her father, Bill Dell and sister, Carolyn Sharpe. [Full Story »] 

W. L. “Dub” Beecher, 81, died Sunday, Dec. 11, 2011 at his residence. Mr. Beecher was born July 24, 1930 in Appling County to the late Alfred Algerine Beecher and the late Dinah Carter Beecher. He was a member of Midway Baptist Church where he served as a deacon. Dub was a retired wood producer. He was preceded in death by three brothers, Kessler, Hubert and Cappy Beecher and a step-mother, Laura Mae Beecher. [Full Story »] 

Wade Googe, 80, died Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2011 at his residence in Rock Hill, S.C. He was born on Feb. 2, 1931 in Appling County and had resided in South Carolina since 1988. Mr. Googe was a self-employed construction worker before retirement. He was a veteran of the United States Air Force where he served in the Korean War. Wade was the son of the late John W. Googe and the late Lucille Overstreet Googe. He was preceded in death by two brothers, James and Donald Googe. [Full Story »] 

Christine Miles Mock, 75, of Brunswick, died Friday, Dec. 9, 2011 in Brunswick Memorial Hospital. Christine was born in Appling County on Sept. 23, 1936 and had resided in Baxley until moving to Brunswick. She was a homemaker and had taught school. She was the daughter of the late Lee Miles and the late Mammie Perdue Miles. Ms. Mock was preceded in death by her husband, Earlon Mock and a son, Harry Mock. [Full Story »] 

Shown left is Jamie Gardner presenting a check for $500.00 to Karen P. Griffin (and her husband Cecil Griffin). The Griffins won The News-Banner’s annual Christmas drawing for $500.00 for annual subscribers. [Full Story »] 

The Baxley News-Banner will close for Christmas on Thursday, Dec. 22 at 12:00 p.m. and Friday, Dec. 23. The office will reopen Monday, Dec. 26 at 8:30 a.m. for normal business hours. The deadline for the Dec. 28 issue will be Monday, Dec. 26 at 12:00 p.m. [Full Story »] 

By Jamie Gardner

The Appling County Board of Education approved Lentile Construction as the Construction Management firm that will oversee upcoming construction and renovations at Altamaha Elementary and Fourth District Elementary schools. The action was approved during a board meeting held on Dec. 12. Superintendent Scarlett Copeland reported that a committee reviewed three proposals and Lentile’s scored the highest out of the proposals. [Full Story »] 

By Matt Gardner

The Appling County Board of Commissioners held a called meeting on Wednesday, December 14, beginning at 9:00 a.m. During the meeting the commissioners approved the purchase of a fire truck for the Fourth District Fire Department at a cost of $25,000.00. The commissioners also approved the purchase of new playground equipment to replace the current equipment at the Appling Recreation Complex for $34,810.68. Both purchases were approved unanimously. [Full Story »] 

By Renee O’Quinn

The Baxley City Council held its regularly scheduled meeting Dec. 13. City Manager Jeff Baxley reported that the collection agency the city discussed for the collection of utility bad debts, has experienced some personnel changes, which have caused some concern. Mayor Pro Tem Dr. Esco Hall, Jr. made a motion authorizing the manager and city attorney to review this and proceed with negotiating a contract. Councilwoman Betty Livingston seconded the motion and this item was approved unanimously. [Full Story »] 

Dear Editor,

In the afternoon of December 14, I went to pick my son (Austin Wilson) up after school was released. The ride home was quiet and I could obviously tell he had a bad day, so I ask how his day went. He told me he was upset because “tomorrow is fun day and I have to stay in a classroom and do work all day while all my friends get to have fun”. I asked why he had to miss fun day and he explained to me he missed more than four days of school. These days were completely excused absents due to a death in the family and doctors appointments, however this did not seem to matter. [Full Story »]