ZEBULON - Pike County Times has begun compiling information for voters to help readers get to know their candidates so they can make an educated decision before voting in the May and November elections. Candidates are encouraged to send a 500 WORD OR LESS press release that tells who they are, why they are running, contact or website information, and any other pertinent information to editor@pikecountytimes.com. Click here for more. Updated 4.18.14 with more candidate press releases. This article is going to stay at the top of the page for the foreseeable future.

ZEBULON - Greg Waits, a high school science teacher at Pike County High School in Zebulon, Georgia has been selected to join an elite group of just 40 middle and high school teachers from across the country to participate in the prestigious Siemens Teachers as Researchers (STARs) fellowship program. Click here for more.

ZEBULON - If you had the opportunity--and you do!--what questions would you ask to County Commission District 1 candidates Timothy Daniel, Mark Lennon, and Roosevelt Willis? What questions would you ask County Commission District 2 candidates Peter Potter and Timothy Guy? What questions would you ask Board of Education Incumbent Charles "Charlie" Garrard and Challenger Robert E. Adams, Jr.? What questions would you ask Board of Education District 6 Incumbent Rev. Fred Blackmon and Challenger Edd Sanders? What questions would you ask State Senate 16 candidates Attorney David J. Studdard from Fayetteville, Attorney James Clifton from Fayette County, Attorney W. G. "Bill" Johnston from Griffin, Insurance Agent M.H. "Marty" Harbin from Tyrone, Builder D.R. "Bob" Barnard from Fayetteville, Project Manager Erik A. Manning from Peachtree City, and Pilot Gil B. Williams from Tyrone?

Email your questions to Rebecca Haynes Rolling at Farm Bureau at rarolling@gfb.org. I am composing my questions now. You should too. And then come to the Pike Chamber of Commerce/Pike County Farm Bureau Political Forum on Tuesday, May 6, 2014 from 7 to 9 p.m. This event will be held at the Christ Chapel Teen Building located at 6127 Highway 19 South, Zebulon. Click here to read more about our candidates for office.

CONCORD - Voters are invited to a Meet & Greet with R.H. "Peter" Potter, Candidate for 2nd District Commission, on Saturday, April 26, 2014 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the Concord Cafe located at 92 Main Street in Concord. Voters are invited to meet Peter Potter and discuss his reasons for running for the Pike County Commission. There will be free Coffee. Click here to read more about R.H. "Peter" Potter under the section for County Commission District 2.

Pike Community Resource Network presents Darkness to Light: Stewards of Children training. This training is: The only evidence-based child sexual abuse prevention training proven effective in educating adults to prevent, recognize, and react responsibly to child sexual abuse. A two hour video based training with segments from both survivors and professionals working in the field. Each participant will receive an interactive workbook and will participate in a facilitated group discussion. CEU’s provided: LPC, LCSW, LMFT, POST, CLE.

This training will be held on April 24, 2014 from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM at the Pike County Memorial Annex, 7450 US HWY 19 South, Zebulon, GA 30295. (The old school building next to Ruth's Restaurant) Cost is $10.00. For more information, please contact Michael Powell at 770.567.2930.

GRIFFIN - On Friday, April 25, 2014, the University of Georgia Griffin Campus will present a day of sessions devoted to the field of psychology. Psych Day at UGA features morning sessions on Future Trends Today that are open to the public and an afternoon continuing education psychopharmacology workshop for mental healthcare professionals. All sessions will be held on the Griffin Campus in the Student Learning Center (SLC), Room 104. Click here for more.

FAYETTEVILLE - There will be a debate between Georgia's 16th State Senate District candidates on Tuesday, April 22nd from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Voters can come out to the Meet and Greet for the candidates from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm. Both events are free of charge and will be held at The Event Center located at 174N Glynn Street in Fayetteville, Georgia. The Moderator of the debate is Aaron Wright.

Questions will be submitted by Republican County Chairperson in Pike, Spalding, Lamar and Fayette County. The candidates and those in attendance will also submit questions. There will be a committee set up to screen questions for redundancy and decorum. Incumbent Ronnie Chance (R) is not running for re-election. Candidates who will be on the ballot in the May 20 GOP primary are D.R. "Bob" Barnard, David J. Studdard, Erik A. Manning, Gil B. Williams, James W. Clifton, M.H. "Marty" Harbin, and W.G. "Bill" Johnston.

ZEBULON - The Pike County Chamber of Commerce and Farm Bureau of Pike will be hosting a Political Forum on Tuesday, May 6, 2014 from 7 to 9 p.m. This event will be held at the Christ Chapel Teen Building located at 6127 Highway 19 South, Zebulon beside the watertower. This event is free to the public and the public is invited to attend in order to meet the candidates and listen to their responses on a variety of topics.

If you have a policy/question that you would like to have asked at the forum, please submit your questions to the Pike County Chamber of Commerce by calling 770-567-2029 or by faxing it to 770-567-7290. You can also email it to them by clicking on the link that leads to their web page. Click here for more.

Prayer Power of Georgia on Thursday May 1, 2014 will sponsor the Pike County celebration of the annual National Day of Prayer. Please join us for the service at noon on the Pike County Courthouse Square. The Pike County High School Chorus will provide the music. The National Day of Prayer is a patriotic and spiritual celebration of our great nation; a time to join together to honor those who have served in many different capacities and to ask blessings for those who are serving our community and nation as they are called. We will offer prayers for our community, state, nation, and all that need salvation.

For further information please contact, Chaplain Ben Maxedon, Prayer Power of Georgia, PO Box 1263, Zebulon, GA 30295. 770-689-7549. prayerpower4u@bellsouth.net or prayerpower4u.net. Click here to see pictures from last year.

ZEBULON - Wanna become a part of our storm? Tryouts are May 9th and 10th! Kids 8 and under will try out from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on the 9th. On May 10th, ages 9-13 will try out from 9 to 10:30 a.m. and ages 14-18 will try out from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Try out fee is $25. Click here for more about Mid GA Hurricanes.

ZEBULON - Four roads are being resurfaced with 2013-2014 LMIG funds from the state of Georgia and a 30% match from Pike County. Sullivan, Twin Oaks, Dripping Rock, and Ethridge Mill Roads are a much easier drive today thanks to the work of Pike Public Works and ER Snell which won the bid to perform this work for the county. Click here for more.

ZEBULON - Pick Up Pike, a grassroots citizens' organization is calling on all individuals and groups to join with them in picking up trash on the sides of the public roads all over the county from 10 am to Noon on May 10.

The group is developing a Facebook page and already has an active GoFund site Click here to donate. "One very talented friend of ours is making a PUP logo that the group hopes will be used by all volunteers whenever and wherever they pick up trash or even discuss the subject," volunteer Walker Chandler said. "What we want on the 10th is for everyone to serve where they are by cleaning up along their own frontages and the roadsides leading up to them. There will be a meeting place for a larger group to join to work on Highway 19. It will be announced soon." Click here for an article from their first pick up.

MEANSVILLE - According to Sheriff Jimmy Thomas, a call was made to E911 in Pike County at approximately 5:47 a.m. on Wednesday, April 9, 2014 about shots fired at 54 Ray Drive. Update 4.17.14: Another arrest has been made in this case. Click on the link and scroll to the bottom of the page for updates in blue. Click here for more.

Mr. Ernest (Ernie) Harold Ford, age 82, of Thomaston, formerly of Panama City, FL, passed away April 15, 2014 in Thomaston. He attended First Baptist Church of Panama City and resided at Thomaston Manor in Thomaston, GA. He was a veteran of the United States Army, serving in the Korean War. He retired from Bimini House in Los Angeles, CA. Mr. Ford was preceded in death by his parents, R. Harold Ford and Willa Mae Ford of Panama City, FL, sister, Barbara Ford Anderson of Myrtle Beach, SC, cousins, Melvin Corley, Albert Edmonson, Buck Harrison, James Bryant, Clarence Rutherford, and Benny Rutherford all of Thomaston. He is survived by local cousins: Sharron Corley and daughter Katrina Corley, Gloria and Gene Salter and daughter Leigh Devore and family, Mildred Edmonson, Betty Harrison, Clayra Bryant, Priscilla Rutherford, and Yvonne Rutherford and their families all of Thomaston; brothers and sisters-in-law: Ralph E. and Jan Ford of Mt. Plymouth, FL, and Victor and Sam Ford of Mt. Hermon, LA; several nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews

For more information about visitation and the service or sign the guestbook go to Moody-Daniel Funeral Home.

Mrs. Ruby Callahan Watson, age 89, of Griffin, passed away April 17, 2014, at Brightmoor Nursing Center in Griffin. She was born in Meriwether County, daughter of the late J. L. Callahan and Maud Hubbard Callahan. She received her nursing certificate from Crawford-Long Nursing School in Atlanta. She worked as a nurse at Spalding Hospital and Brightmoor where she retired. In her early years, she enjoyed crocheting and quilting. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two brothers and two sisters. She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law: Tommy and Linda Hale of Zebulon; grandsons: David Hale and Kevin Hale both of Pike County; great-grandchildren: Brittney Hale, Daylan Fisher and Everett Hale; special nephews and a niece: Ray Dunn and wife Sylvia, Lanier Dunn, and Sophia Swindle all of Griffin; several other nieces, nephews and cousins also survived.

For more information about visitation and the service or sign the guestbook go to Moody-Daniel Funeral Home.

ATLANTA – U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., today announced his annual statewide Military Academy Day will take place on Saturday, May 17, 2014, in coordination with the Georgia congressional delegation. Isakson’s annual event, which is the largest of its kind in the country, is designed to familiarize students with the application and nomination process for the nation’s five service academies. Representatives from all five academies, including the Admissions Director for the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, the Southeast Region Admissions Director for the U.S. Military Academy, the Assistant Director of Candidate Guidance for the U.S. Naval Academy and the Deputy Director of Admissions for the U.S. Air Force Academy will give presentations regarding their requirements and expectations for admittance. The event is open to students in grades eight through 12. Click here for more information including how to register.

FORSYTH - Anchor of Hope Foundation is hosting its 5th annual Autism Awareness Festival on Saturday, April 26, 2014 from 8:00am-2:00pm to raise not only awareness, but $15,000 to help fund our free monthly Parents Night Out program for parent's/caregivers of children with disabilities and siblings, family scholarships for beneficial therapies and equipment not covered by insurance, community education and training, and help us open a store front in the community. This event includes a 5K trail race, fun run, motorcycle ride, and festival with a resource fair, live entertainment, free inflatables and kids' activities, food vendors, and a dunking booth. Dayspring Presbyterian Church is located at 1045 Hwy 41 South in Forsyth, GA 31029. For more information, or to register as a runner, motorcyclist, vendor, or sponsor, please visit www.anchorofhopefoundation.com or call Juli at 478-955-5324.

LOVEJOY - Royal Family Kid’s Camp is a camp for children in the social service system. We are part of a nationwide system of camps, each working with the local social service system to provide a week of summer camp to foster children. We work with Clayton County DFCS to provide a week of love and positive memories. Last summer, 69 foster children attended our camp. Our next summer camp is scheduled for June 29-July 4, 2014. We are holding an auction on April 26, 2014 at 12 Noon at the Lovejoy Family Church of the Nazarene at 1683 McDonough Road (next to Lovejoy High School) to raise money for the 2014 camp. Many Atlanta area merchants have donated gift certificates for the auction as well as gift certificates from attractions and motels nationwide. We are also holding the auction online at the website "Bidding for Good" and this will be open until April 23. Click here to see the auction. For any questions, please call the camp director, Alice Harper at 770-461-2017

ZEBULON - The Allie Bankston Edwards Center for Seniors will host a FREE LIVING WELL WORKSHOP entitled - Chronic Disease Self Management Program. The program is open to Pike County residents aged 60 and over who has any chronic disease such as COPD, arthritis, heart disease, asthma, fibromyalgia, and diabetes. Classes will be facilitated by representatives from the Southern Crescent Area Agency on Aging. The focus of the meetings is to help people understand how they can live with their diseases. The program takes an educational, interactive approach to teaching people how to change their behaviors, in order to live healthy lives. The goal is to teach people how to set personal goals, how to talk to their doctors, how to better manage their medication, and how to deal with some of the chronic disease side effects they have to deal with every day. Space is limited to 16 and advance registration is required by April 30th. The meeting times will be from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on May 2nd, 9th, 23rd, 30th, June 6th, and 13th. Each participant will receive a free book and CD. For additional information, please contact Rhonda at 770-567-3857.

GRIFFIN — The Griffin Choral Arts community chorus, under the direction of Dr. Stephen J. Mulder, will present a concert entitled “To Thee, My Country” on Thursday, May 1, at 7:30 PM at the Griffin First Baptist Church (106 W. Taylor St). Click here for more.

ZEBULON - The Pike County Board of Commissioners held their regular monthly meeting on Wednesday, April 9, 2014 at 9:00 a.m. in the Courthouse Annex, 79 Jackson Street, Zebulon, Georgia. This meeting was attended by all 5 commissioners, County Clerk Jo Ann Wrye, County Manager (CM) John Hanson, and County Attorney Rob Morton. There was a lot of discussion that will be of interest to the public in this meeting. The budget was presented with a suggestion for a 2% raise for regular employees and discussion of our roads in general as well as one road in particular that was just resurfaced 2 years ago and is falling apart. Click here for more.

ATLANTA - Secretary of State Brian Kemp wants to remind Georgians they must be registered to vote by April 21st in order to participate in the May 20th Primary Election. “Every Georgian should have the opportunity to vote in the May 20th Primary Election,” said Kemp. “The good news is that it is easier than ever to get registered to vote or to change your registration information.” Click here for more.

WASHINGTON DC - As the April 15th tax deadline arrives, we are reminded once again of our broken system and the need for a simplified tax code.

Our current tax code is over 73,000 pages long and equally as complex. By constantly segmenting taxpayers with brackets and exemptions, the tax code is becoming more complicated. We all have an equal stake in the success of our nation and for the services our tax dollars provide. However, manipulation and abuse are more prevalent in a complicated tax system, because of its difficulty for even experts to navigate. The recent abuse from the IRS is another shining example of why the Fair Tax is needed. With a simplified tax code, there isn’t a need for the large agency. Click here for more.

Jackie's 2 Minute Entertainment Rundown for this week includes Reviews of (1) Rob the Mob (2) Captain America: The Winter Soldier (3) The Grand Budapest Hotel (4) Bad Words. It can be found by clicking here. Jackie also has many movie reviews on his website at www.jackiekcooper.com along with reviews of the latest books, DVDs, television shows and columns on life and living in the South.

ZEBULON - Auto Masterz is located on 265 Thomaston Street in Zebulon, Georgia 30295. (On the left past United Bank on Highway 19.) "Women of a Certain Age" (that is, women over age 50!) can shop on Mondays in at Auto Masterz and get a 15% discount on services and merchandise at Auto Masterz.

Auto Masterz LLC is a full service shop ranging from brakes to complete engine overhaul. Auto Masterz offers FREE diagnosis of any and all car problems and provides regular maintainence, oil changes, transmission service, brakes, cv axles, and intakes. They also sell tires, wheels, and aftermarket accessories that you can have installed right here in Zebulon. Call Eric at Auto Masterz at (770) 567-8049 to set up an appointment to take care of your automobile. Click here for more about services that Auto Masterz provides right here in Pike County.

ZEBULON - Pike County Sheriff's Investigators have arrested two men in connection with several cars that were broken into early Monday morning. Jacob Carter, 22 years of age from Woodland, Alabama and Keith Underwood, 22 years of age from Griffin, are both facing four counts of entering auto in Pike County.

Numerous suspected stolen items were found in the duo's vehicle. Investigators are working to track down where these items came from by coordinating with surrounding counties. Both suspects are currently in the Pike County jail.

ZEBULON - The Mid GA Hurricanes finished up their all-star season on March 29 at Georgia Tech’s McCamish Pavilion. The Senior Level 3 squad, the Renegades, brought home a first place win and the title of Grand Champions. The Senior Level 2 squad, the Surge, finished their season with third place. Click here for more.

ZEBULON - Old Zebulon Road between Eppinger Bridge Road and Union School Road will be closed until further notice due to culvert failure.