Local news
Cordele, Vienna awarded hefty OneGeorgia grants
From STAFF REPORTS
THOMASVILLE –Governor Sonny Perdue and members of the OneGeorgia Authority Board met this past week at Southwest Georgia Technical College and approved grants and loans from the OneGeorgia Authority’s portfolio of financing programs.
Among the recipients are City of Cordele which will use the money for road improvements and City of Vienna who will be making sewer improvements.
In Cordele, equity loan funds totaling $500,000 will be used to assist with road widening improvements along Frontage Road and Kelly Road to State Route 300 in order to open up the area to commercial development opportunities and encourage tourism to the area by accommodating the heavy traffic from I-75 and SR 300.
Proposed road improvements are expected to increase the number of customers willing and/or able to access businesses along Frontage Road. Businesses to benefit from the road widening improvements are McDonald’s, Flash Foods, Papa’s Southern Meats and Eats, Back Woods Outdoors and Shelby’s Market Place.
These companies and the developer have provided a firm letter of commitment that assures the creation of 68 jobs and the provision of $7,960,648 in private investment.
In Vienna, the $500,000 in grant funds will be used for sewer infrastructure improvements to benefit the Tyson Poultry Plant.
Tyson Foods, the city’s largest employer, processes chickens and has the contract for the Wendy’s food chain in the Southeast. Due to the large amount of waste material associated with chicken processing, the wastewater conveyance system often gets backed up and spills into the environment which has resulted in a Consent Order from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division.
If the backups last more than a day, plant production ceases. This could jeopardize Tyson’s contract with Wendy’s which could mean the direct loss of 600 jobs for the region.
In addition, closure of the plant would affect hatchery employees, poultry farmers, poultry wranglers, feed processors, truck drivers and employees of other related industries in the area.
The OneGeorgia Authority was created utilizing 1/3 of the state’s tobacco settlement to assist the state’s most economically challenged areas.
The OneGeorgia Authority is expected to receive about $1.6 billion over the 25-year term of the settlement. From the Authority’s inception to-date, OneGeorgia has made 458 awards totaling $251 million leveraged against a total project investment of $5 billion, a return on investment of 20:1.
These grants have impacted 132 economically-depressed counties, and either created or retained more than 45,000 jobs.
- Local news
-
-
J.S. Pate students study vipers
J.S. Pate students in Mrs. Beth Rucker's homeroom made vipers after reading the story, "A Walk In the Desert."
-
Former resident recognized
Daryl Clements, a former deputy sheriff and paramedic in Crisp County has been recognized for achieving 20 consecutive years as a Nationally Registered Paramedic.
-
LOCAL DEATH: Eddie C. Clayton
VIENNA — Eddie C. Clayton of Vienna died Wednesday, September 1, 2010 at his residence. -
Road closure planned
CSX railroad will have Drayton Rd. between Drayton Lane and Macedonia closed from 8 a.m. today, Sept. 1 until further notice for crossing maintenance.
Travelers may detour on Drayton Lane, Macedonia Rd. and Fenn Rd.
-
Police probe pair of burglaries
CORDELE — Items valued in excess of $700 were reported stolen in a burglary city police officers were called to investigate Monday morning.
-
Habitat store sponsors jeans bonanza
CORDELE — Do you need some jeans for back-to-school? Do you love jeans that are already broken in and soft? Do you like a bargain? -
Search on for missing guardsman
A missing person alert has been issued for a Georgia National Guardsman last seen three days earlier.
-
Troopers prepare for holiday
The Georgia State Patrol is reminding drivers not to get behind the wheel impaired during the upcoming Labor Day holiday travel period. Troopers and officers with the Motor Carrier Compliance Division will be working alongside sheriff’s deputies and police officers in an effort to keep the holiday weekend as safe as possible.
-
Vienna businesses sited for underage sales
Complaints that a local business was selling minors to alcohol prompted police here to take action.
-
Fundraiser benefits Gillespie-Selden
CORDELE — St. Paul Gillespie-Selden Rural Life Board of Directors (RLCC) along with the Gillespie-Selden Alumni (GSI) hosted a fundraiser recently for the improvements to the Gillespie-Selden Administration Building located at 601 W. 15th Avenue here.
- More Local news Headlines
-
