Augusts past, 25 years ago.

From the LaGrange Daily News, 1991.

Front Page News

State, Callaway Foundation Fund Mediation Pilot Program — A state commission seeking ways to streamline the court system has chosen LaGrange/Troup County as the site of a pilot program to resolve legal disputes through mediation.

The Joint Commission on Alternative Dispute Resolution, appointed by Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Harold Clarke, voted to award up to $30,000 to assist in the creation of a LaGrange/Troup County Mediation Center.

The mediation concept was endorsed by city and county officials here last April after a study committee chaired by LaGrange Councilwoman Kay Durand presented a detailed program outlining the needs and advantages of such a program.

Subsequently the committee prepared a budget of $63,269, with the city and county agreeing to fund $7,900 each. Today the Callaway Foundation announced that it has awarded a grant for the remaining $47,469 to be used to establish the program.

Training for volunteers has been planned for Oct. 4–6 and will be provided by the Atlanta Justice Center, which has a 15-year history of success in this field.

The local committee is seeking citizens who can represent a cross-section of the community. Those interested should contact the Mediation Center in LaGrange.

Youth Leadership Teamwork — Participants in Troup County’s first Youth Leadership Program learn that teamwork is an essential element when working toward a goal.

Participants in the first leadership training session, a two-day retreat last week, were 10–12th grade area students who were recommended by their high schools as leaders or those with leadership potential.

The educational program is patterned after the Leadership Troup and Leadership Georgia programs for adults and is sponsored by Troup 2000, the Chamber of Commerce and the University of Georgia Extension Service. It will offer monthly training sessions on various aspects of leadership, including communications, goal-setting and group dynamics.

Firefighters Of The Year — The LaGrange Optimist Club has named Capt. Gene Nelson and Firefighter Jeb Howington as Firefighters of the Year for the City of LaGrange and Troup County, respectively.

Optimist Club member Tom Strickland presented the awards. Nelson was cited for creating and organizing Citizens Day at the Fire Department, an annual event which attracted about 2,500 people in 1990 and about 1,300 this year.

Howington was recognized for teaching fire safety, first aid and CPR in schools, nursing homes and other organizations.

LaGrange Cotillion Club Names 19 Debutantes — The LaGrange Cotillion Club will present nineteen members to Society on Dec. 28 at the Cotillion Ball at Highland Country Club.

The Summer Cotillion Party, held at the Shrine Club on Aug. 3, opened a season of parties for the debutantes.

New members are Suzie Ahn, Amanda Elizabeth Barbee, Mary Catherine Cleaveland, Alecia Davidson, Whitney Rebecca Drinkard, Darby Durand, Ann Duttera, Julianne Holliday, Cynthia Lynn Knight, Trever Lever, Cathy Lock, Katie Morgan, Rachel Allison Ma’luf, Nell Marie Ma’luf, Beth McDonald, Ida Solomon, Jana Stewart, Cindy Willimon and LeAnn Woodson.

Callaway Grant Funds Granger Track ‘Facelift’ — The Troup County Parks and Recreation Commission has been awarded a $149,000 Callaway Foundation grant to upgrade facilities at Granger Park.

Recreation Director Jim Herbert said the funds will be used to resurface the track with a resilient latex material. The project also calls for the installation of concrete and aluminum bleachers on the hillside overlooking the track area plus construction of a press box complete with public address system.

Bids will be taken within the next several weeks.

Billy Mitchell Award — Cadet Flight Officer Gamorro Cameron has received the Civil Air Patrol’s Billy Mitchell Award.

The honor was presented by County Commission Chairman Ben Thompson Jr. and Maj. Jack Bagley, squadron commander.

Cadet Cameron is a junior at Troup High School.

Troup Firemen Go Out On A Limb To Rescue A Tree-Climbing Terrier — Cats climb trees to get away from dogs. But why would a dog climb a tree?

On Thursday, J.R., an 18-month-old Jack Russell terrier, climbed 30 feet up a cedar tree to try to catch a squirrel, and was unable to climb back down.

Troup County firefighters were called to the rescue and at first thought the dog’s owner, Mrs. Margaret Richardson, was joking. Fire Capt. St. Clair told the firemen to wait until he could get his camera to prove they had rescued a dog from a tree.

The Richardsons have now chopped off the bottom limbs of the huge cedar tree in hopes of grounding J.R. in the future.