SALES
Heather
Maree
EDITORS
Kari
PHOTOGRAPHER
ILLUSTRATOR
On the Cover
ARTISTIC TRAVELS
by BRIAN KNAPP
Art fascinates me. More specifically, the God-given talents of other people fascinate me. In his daily travels, Publisher Scott Tredeau stumbled upon the lion painting that serves as our cover for the Winter 2025 edition of The NEWTON Community Magazine. He encountered it while perusing the selection at Sky High Gypsies, a new antiques store that celebrated its grand opening on Pace Street in November. I have no way of knowing what motivated the artist to paint the picture, and I prefer to keep it that way.
Good art can take your thoughts in a million directions for a million reasons. The sight of the lion likely means something completely different to me than it does someone else. My thoughts immediately drifted to the Biblical story of Daniel in the lions’ den—a story believers can turn to in their inevitable moments of weakness and doubt.
In the Book of Daniel, King Darius unwittingly backs himself into a corner by listening to unsound counsel and issuing a decree that prayers were to be offered to no one but him for 30 days. Anyone who disobeyed was to be thrown into the lions’ den to be devoured. Daniel—who had found favor with the king and generated plenty of jealousy from others as a result—refused to abide by the order, even under the threat of
death, and Darius, after much consternation, had no choice but to follow through on the penalty that was promised Daniel trusted God to deliver him from the lions, and his unshakable faith had an obvious impact on Darius.
“Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and thrown into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, ‘Your God whom you continually serve will Himself rescue you (Daniel 6:16).’”
As we know, Daniel’s faith did save him. How? He lived to tell us. “‘My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, since I was found innocent before Him; and also toward you, O king, I have committed no crime.’ Then the king was very glad and gave orders for Daniel to be lifted up out of the den. So Daniel was lifted up out "of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, because he had trusted in his God (Daniel 6:22–23).”
As we enter the unknown of a New Year and the potential to be met with our own lions’ dens, let the story of Daniel serve as a constant reminder that God’s love never fails.
Thank you Janice Westfall for providing the art work for the 2025 winter cover. To see more of Janice's work, visit janice-westfall.pixels.com.
PUBLISHERS’ NOTE
It’s that time of year again. A new year. A fresh start. What area of your life do you need to restart? For me, it’s to remind myself that we all have way more in common than we do differences. One of the many things I’ve learned over the last six years of publishing The NEWTON Community Magazine is that I can pretty much get along with anyone if I choose to—not because I become someone that I’m not so they like me, but because I will choose to see our commonalities. This world will do anything to point out our differences and bring them into our central focus, but what if we paused for a second and thought to see the world from others’ points of view. When we do that, we quickly see our common ground. That’s the heart behind why we do what we do at The NEWTON Community Magazine. When you read the stories about our neighbors here in Newton County, you get to learn about what makes them tick. The same Creator that makes them tick makes you tick, and that’s enough. That’s all that matters. No one’s better than anyone else. We are all equal. Everyone’s story—past, present and future—is important and deserves to be told. That will remain our mission. When we’ve told everyone’s story, we’ll be done.
Have a great day today.
Scott Tredeau
Stories by Kari Apted
IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH
Nothing has been conventional about marriage for David Perkins and Dianne Jennings, from the unlikely location of their impromptu wedding two years ago to the most unwelcome third party in their union: cancer. However, the power couple has issued the disease its walking papers as they journey together with a stronger bond, redefined goals and even a new name.
by KARI APTED
They say opposites attract, which was true for David Perkins and Dianne Jennings.
David, an architect, is quiet, stoic and reserved. Muscular, with a youthful face belying the calendar’s claim to age, he adores the pastoral escape he created on 60 rural acres in Newton County. It welcomes him after his long daily commutes from Atlanta. He is entirely nonplussed when someone mentions his list of impressive clients, including Coca-Cola, HartsfieldJackson Atlanta International Airport and Centennial Olympic Park. Dianne Jennings—now called Kat Perkins—shares her husband’s youthful countenance. She is well known around Covington for her vibrant personality and active involvement in the Newton Chamber of Commerce and other local organizations. An “introverted extrovert,” she occasionally needs time alone to regroup but thrives on the human interactions gained in her roles as a financial advisor, mortgage broker and volunteer.
The Perkins’ similarities and differences were reflected in two birds that began to frequent their home. A bright red cardinal and his soft brown mate showed up so often that Kat sat out fresh fruit for them to nibble. She named them Ricky and Sunshine. “They were like our home’s guardian angels,” Kat said. “When I didn’t see them, I’d be sad.” Puzzled by the frequency of their visits, she asked friends what it meant if birds were drawn to your home. Some said it was a sign of angels;
“I believe the Spirit gives us the ability to overcome.”
David Perkins
others said it meant someone was about to die. The latter explanation felt ominous, as David had been diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2021. He underwent surgery and months of chemotherapy, only to be struck with colon cancer in 2022. On August 22, 2023, he finally rang the bell, signifying the transition from treatment to healing. The very next day, Kat became his bride.
The couple originally planned to have a reverend friend, Bernard Miller, marry them in a quiet lunchtime ceremony at home. However, Miller was delayed at his job as a chaplain at the Jackson Diagnostic Prison Center.
“He invited us to his friend’s house across from the prison, but when I got there, I wasn’t feeling it,” Kat said. “It just didn’t feel right.” Miller suggested performing the ceremony at a lovely park beside a lake on the prison grounds. The ceremony went beautifully, until David went to put the ring on Kat’s finger and realized he had left their wedding rings at home. David and Kat laughed over the memory. “It was OK,” she said. “We just put them on each other’s fingers when we got home.”
The couple enjoyed a calm season as cancer became a distant memory, vanishing along with their resident cardinals. However, one day the following year, Ricky and Sunshine reappeared.
“They actually hit the windows. We still have marks on these windows where the birds would hit the glass,” Kat said. “One evening, they were pecking on a window out front like they were trying to get inside. I said, ‘I don’t speak sign language. Tell me what’s going on, Lord. Am I sick? Am I dying?’” She felt an urgency in her spirit to schedule a mammogram. Kat made an appointment at a 3D mammogram center, feeling reassured that the in-depth imaging would pinpoint any issues. “I didn’t think I could be sick, but I needed to know,” she said. “Ten days later, I got a letter saying that my mammogram was abnormal.”
The mammogram revealed cancer, and Kat struggled to accept the news. Finding an oncologist and surgeon who felt
like a good fit was also challenging. “I was in this headspace where I couldn’t believe it was happening,” she said. Kat’s initial oncology team only exacerbated her anxiety. “I asked to use the restroom, and when I walked back, I passed this big open room with people in lounge chairs with scarves on their heads getting infusions, and I freaked out,” she said. “I didn’t even go to the restroom. All I could think was, ‘This is not where I’m supposed to be.’ The doctor asked me why I was so anxious. I said, ‘Why do you think? You just told me I have the C-word. I’m not supposed to be here.’” With that, she left.
Kat’s thoughts turned to her husband’s oncologist, Dr. Shanker Polsani. She called and asked if he could care for her. “He said, ‘I can. Don’t worry.’ I was shaken that whole time, but the moment I pulled into the Piedmont Newton parking lot, I exhaled and felt at home,” she said. “I knew I could do this.”
An unlikely encounter connected Kat with the perfect surgeon. While driving through Oxford one day, Kat, a huge fan of yard sales, saw a sign for an estate sale and turned into the neighborhood. “I saw a woman running and pulled over to make room for her to get up the hill,” she said. “I rolled down my window and told her she had kicked that hill’s butt. She told me her name was Alicia and she was training for a marathon. She mentioned she was a breast cancer oncology nurse.” Kat was surprised to learn Alicia worked for the same surgeon who had removed a friend’s breast cancer. Alicia gave her a backoffice number and told her to call, saying who had referred her.
“I never did find that estate sale,” Kat said with a laugh. Within a few days, she found herself sitting in Dr. Pettiford’s office with her husband and children. “Her biopsy confirmed the diagnosis, but she said we caught it early and I was going to be alright.” Kat had a lumpectomy in October 2023, followed in November by a port implant and chemotherapy. She was so focused on being brave and strong for her family that it took a drastic side effect for reality to hit. “It happened after my fifth
chemo treatment. I thought I’d gotten away without losing my hair, but I just hadn’t noticed yet that my locs were falling on the floor,” Kat said. “I sat down in the quiet living room and heard the oddest sound, like the soft sound of paper tearing. I reached up, saw my hair in my hand, and I freaked out. That’s when I finally had a breakdown. That moment just broke me.”
The Perkins’ five children and three grandchildren were instrumental in helping them through the difficult months that followed. Their support became ever more crucial when David shockingly faced his third cancer diagnosis. This time, bloodwork had revealed that cells were growing in his prostate bed—the area left after his earlier prostatectomy. Husband and wife found themselves fighting separate battles against the same enemy. Their treatments at the Knox Surgical Center often overlapped, each in their own pod with their own nurses.
“David never missed one day at work through his treatments,” Kat said. “He went through it like it was nothing. He’d leave the Knox Center and go to work, while I’d have to go home and lie down.” She was so impressed with her husband’s strength that she started calling him The Incredible Hulk. She even gave him a large Hulk statue for his desk. David felt a little emotional when he opened his wife’s gift but also believed he had been preparing for this battle his entire life. “I’ve always eaten healthy and been careful not to do anything detrimental to my body,” he said. Mental health and faith provided additional strength. “Mentally, you can have power over aches and pains. I was blessed not to lose my hair or have other bad side effects from treatment. Discomfort is a minor thing when you have a much higher goal. I believe the Spirit gives us the ability to overcome.”
Kat revealed she tried to mimic her husband’s example but reluctantly had to concede he was simply stronger. She has found her own way to use her battle for good. An ordained minister since 2006, she has decided to retire from the financial industry and pursue writing and public speaking full-time.
“My story needs to be told,” she said. “It’s a story about Jesus Christ and how He will cover and keep you if you’re faithful. It’s a story of hope, healing and inspiration.” Walking into a new chapter of life also inspired her name change. “My full name is Kathleen Dianne,” she said. “I’ve been called Dianne since I was a child, but I’ve always liked Kat as a nickname for Kathleen.”
She also decided it was time to take on her husband’s last name.
David and Kat have received good prognoses from Dr. Polsani but will need more frequent health screenings to ensure they remain in remission. The family’s health harbinger cardinals, Ricky and Sunshine, have not been seen again.
Her Own Yellow Brick Road
by KARI APTED
There was a time when Kat Perkins could not imagine the life she enjoys now. She was only 9 years old when her mother died, and she was sent to live with her aunt and uncle. “My aunt was physically and verbally abusive,” Perkins said. “On the surface, my uncle seemed kind, but he abused me in secret.” As a result of her traumatic childhood, she often felt lost and alone. Perkins’ favorite escape was the big screen, “The Wizard of Oz” in particular.
“I always identified with Dorothy because she lived with her aunt and uncle,” she said. “I would escape into the story, trying to find a place to call home, someone who would love me
and care for me. Glenda told Dorothy she had the power within herself to get back home. It reminds me that I have always had the power inside me to do—or be—what I needed. I didn’t have to allow my circumstances to dictate my life. I could escape from my past and I would be OK.”
Perkins has written poetry for years and also has a memoir in the works. Her first book will be published soon. “It’s a poetry chat book, a poetic story about me, but it’s not just about me,” she said. “It could also be about you or about someone you know who’s been through some things in life.” Perkins shared the following excerpt, “The Pearl” as she calls it:
In the realm, where Elegance and strength
Intertwine,
Girls with pearls have power, In grandeur they shine.
Assembling tiny sun kissed Moons divinely designed.
Once graced a mother’s neck. I am talking about mine.
Uniquely formed.
And beautifully aligned.
Girls with pearls have power.
Not just adornment, round and white, Holding illustrious iridescent
Streaks of color reflections of light.
One by one portraying hope, strength, Value and love
Echoing the path of life
Created from above.
Girls with pearls have power.
She wears them with grace, She wears them with pride, Abused as a child, no one by my side. Depicted as black, painted as ugly, Ridiculed unjustly, shown no mercy I was told to hide.
With no one to shield and protect
This little girl at nine.
Lost and confused
Because my mother had died. Girls with pearls have power.
Perkins’ book is also full of her original artwork. She began painting during the coronavirus pandemic lockdown and has not stopped since. Her favorite movie appears in many of her paintings. She hints at it with her signature glittery red dot embellishment—a nod to Dorothy’s magical ruby slippers. The self-determination she gained from Dorothy, coupled with her faith in Christ, has enabled Perkins to boldly share her works with a larger audience.
“A lot of people get messed up from life, turn to addictions [and] they lose it, but God allowed me to keep my sanity and my focus,” she said. “My faith is very strong. If I hold on and keep the faith and trust in Him and myself, all things are possible.”
Stories by Kari Apted
Young at Heart
Before Dr. Thomas Crews opened the county’s first cardiology practice in 1970, Covington residents who needed cardiac care had to travel to Atlanta for treatment. Now 92 years old, the good doctor ascribes his longevity to exercising the same principles he always taught his patients.
by KARI APTED
Unlike many young people who have difficulty choosing a career, Dr. Thomas Crews knew from childhood that he wanted to become a doctor. “Our family’s doctor, J.C. Anderson, was an inspiration to me. He was a big man, stately, tall,” Crews said. “He was highly respected in the community, so much that a running joke was that the ‘J.C.’ actually stood for ‘Jesus Christ.’” After high school, Crews attended Mercer University in Macon. There, he met the love of his life, JoAnn Hammond, who hailed from Enigma. The couple married in June 1954 and moved to Augusta to allow Crews to complete his medical degree. He has fond memories of those early years of marriage, living in a garage apartment where the rent was $75 per month.
“Believe it or not, back then, tuition at Mercer was $95 per quarter for freshman and sophomore year. It rose to $105 a quarter for junior and senior year,” Crews said. “I worked at the YMCA while I was in school, for $15 a week. JoAnn worked as a teacher and earned $212 per month.”
Crews revealed that one of the couple’s favorite dates started by spending a dime apiece on bus fare to the S&S Cafeteria in town. “The Friday night special was a meat, two sides and a glass of iced tea for 39 cents,” he said. A 12-cent slice of chocolate meringue pie rounded out the meal. To this day, it remains his favorite dessert.
Crews initially specialized in internal medicine, but the Korean War interrupted his plan to open a private practice. In 1958, he was drafted to serve as a field physician and spent 13 months in South Korea. “We were north of the Imjin River, near Freedom Bridge,” he said. “It was supposed to be terrible, but it really wasn’t.” In addition to serving the military population, Crews relayed that he and his driver would often visit a nearby village, covertly providing medical care to Korean children in need.
THOMAS AND JOANN CREWS
“I’ve just always practiced what I preached.”
Dr. Thomas Crews
The Crews family moved to Covington when he returned from Korea in 1960. He opened his first private practice in general medicine with an old college friend, Dr. Harry Faulkner, who, for unknown reasons, was affectionately known to everyone as “Suzie.” They made house calls during those early years. By then, the Crewses had two small children—Tommy Jr. and Jo Ellen—and being roused at all hours of the night for house calls and childbirths was wearing thin. While attending a physician’s conference in Hawaii in 1965, Crews met an English cardiologist named Dr. Aubrey Leatham. The men became good friends, and Crews began planning the switch to cardiology.
Leatham invited him to spend a year with him at St. George’s Hospital in London, but first, Crews had to complete additional studies in internal medicine and a fellowship in cardiology. The family returned to Mercer in Augusta to meet those requirements,
then moved to London. Crews fondly remembers that year at St. George’s cardiac clinic, living in an old cottage in the small village of Outwood and treating patients with Leatham.
In 1970, Crews returned to America and opened Covington’s first cardiology practice. He befriended several cardiologists at Emory, and his practice grew. “Thanks to the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Arnold, we were able to open Newton Hospital’s first cardiac unit,” he said. Arnold was a local businessman who largely funded the new treatment center.
For nearly 30 years, Crews helped countless patients experiencing heart attacks, strokes and other related conditions. One memorable interaction was with actor Carroll O’Connor while “In the Heat of the Night” was being filmed in Covington.
“He kept having pain in his legs due to ischemia, or insufficient blood flow, and wanted to wait until he was back in L.A. to be treated,” Crews said. “I called his doctor in California, a very famous cardiologist named Dr. [Jeremy] Swan, who said to send him to the experts at Emory. So O’Connor had surgery at Emory. They had to pause filming and find a fill-in.”
Crews retired in 1999. His retirement years have centered around family, especially spending time with his grandchildren and enjoying favorite hobbies. Sadly, his beloved JoAnn died in January 2019 after a long illness. “I miss her so much,” he said with a sigh. “We were married for 64 years, seven months and
12 days.” Now, his daughter Jo Ellen looks out for him, and his great-granddaughter Leah has become the apple of his eye. Crews is a fan of music from the 1940s and 1950s, “before Elvis ruined things,” he said. About a year ago, he started taking ukelele lessons from Scott Lansburg at McKibben Music. It was not the first time the men had met.
“I’ve known Dr. Crews all my life. It was such a surprise when I found out Mac booked him for lessons,” Lansburg said. “When he walked in, we talked for about 20 minutes. I thanked him over and over again for saving my life in 1996. He’d sent me to Emory Crawford Long after what we thought was a heart attack. I had to stay over the weekend and had triple bypass surgery the following Monday.”
Lansberg considers Crews a good student.
“We’ve been having a good time,” he said. “He’s picking it up pretty good. He loves to play a couple of songs from the 40s and 50s by Mitch Miller. He’s a joy to work with.”
Crews remains quite active, going for long walks every day except Sunday, when you can find him at First Presbyterian Church in Covington. His four-mile daily trek takes him around The Square and through the cemetery where JoAnn was laid to rest. When asked about the secret to making it to 92, Crews revealed there was no secret to it at all: “I’ve just always practiced what I preached.”
“The glory of the Gospel is that when the church is absolutely different from the world, she invariably attracts it.”
Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones
GRACE & TRUTH
On Becoming One in Christ
Churches would have far greater impact on their communities if they left discord and division behind to pursue unity under the headship of Christ.
by CHAD CALDWELL
I received an award for the highest grade in history class in fifth grade at Ficquett Elementary School. Little did I know it would be the apex of my academic career. Nonetheless, my love for history has stuck with me. Recently, that love has driven me to study history again, Christian history in particular. I have discovered that throughout history, when Christians have worked together under the headship of Jesus, things have changed for the better. Whether in the building of hospitals and schools or caring for the least of these, when Christians have banded together, cultures have been transformed.
As the West has continued down the road of secular humanism, staunch opponents and critics of Christianity—think Tom Holland, Douglas Murray and even Richard Dawkins— have, even if begrudgingly, acknowledged the positive effects Christianity has had on culture. There are many reasons for the decline of Christian influence in the West, but I think one stands out: a failure to work with one another under the headship of Christ.
In one of the most beautiful sections of Scripture, John 17, Jesus prays for three things as he prepares to have God’s wrath for the world’s sin poured out upon Him. He prays for Himself, His disciples and all those who would believe through hearing the disciples’ message. If you are a believer today, you fall into the last group. What was His prayer? That we would all be one, even as He and the Father are one. You don’t have to be a
theologian to know that it doesn’t get more “one” than the Triune Creator of all things. Yet, this is what He prayed: that believers would be one. If you are a believer, I urge you to stop and consider how we’re fulfilling this prayer. An honest assessment would lead us to one conclusion: not well.
Puritan preacher Thomas Brooks wrote: “Discord and division become no Christian. For wolves to worry the lambs is no wonder, but for one lamb to worry another, this is unnatural and monstrous.” What happens when we, as fellow believers under the headship of Christ, take the call of oneness seriously? The second part of verse 21 tells us, “so that the world would believe you sent Me.” That is ultimately what is at stake. When we put aside all secondary issues, our own pride and anything ungodly that would separate us as believers, the Gospel is shown to be what it truly is: the power of God unto salvation.
I believe that if Jesus prayed this prayer, then it’s possible to fulfill. Last time I counted, there were over 200 churches in our county. What if even a handful decided to seek oneness? Not for personal gain or church growth, but for God’s glory and kingdom growth. I believe people would take notice. I believe many would be added to God’s church. Fellow believers, let us do our part to see the prayer of Jesus answered.
Chad Caldwell is the lead pastor of Journey Church in Oxford. For information, visit journeychurchoxford.org.
Grace & Truth
ANCHORS IN THE STORM
Issues with chronic pain set Aisha Cobbs on a journey of physical healing and self-discovery. When medications failed to deliver the desired results, the married mother of three turned to the transformative practice of yoga.
by WENDY RODRIGUEZ
Aisha Cobbs lives in Social Circle with her husband and three children. By day, she works remotely as a medical writer, managing the demands of a busy professional life alongside her family’s active schedule. Like many juggling to find balance in their everyday lives, Cobbs found herself on a journey of physical healing and self-discovery. It started with her battle against chronic pain and led her to a transformative practice: yoga.
“It was a very sudden change,” she said. “One moment, I was walking an hour a day and feeling great, and the next, I couldn’t even take a few steps without intense pain in my feet and body.”
When medications left her feeling exhausted and disconnected, Cobbs knew she needed to address the problem in an alternative way that could help her regain her quality of life. The answer was staring her in the face, as she drove by Moxie, a yoga studio in Covington, on a regular basis. Cobbs’ introduction to yoga began early in her adult life, when she found solace in the practice amidst the stress of graduate school in physiology.
Stories by Wendy Rodreguez
“I’ve always gravitated towards movement. It’s how I manage my stress.”
Aisha Cobbs
“I’ve always gravitated towards movement,” she said. “It’s how I manage my stress. Back then, yoga checked all the boxes for me. It helped with my stress, my physical health and my overall well-being.” However, it was not until recently, after her diagnosis, that yoga would take on a significant role in her overall health and sense of community.
Looking for ways to manage her pain, she decided to give Moxie a try, encouraged by the studio’s offer of two weeks of unlimited classes. “I wasn’t sure what to expect,” Cobbs said, “but I knew I needed to move.” Moxie was different from other studios she had tried. The personalized support was influential for Cobbs, who describes the experience as a relief.
“It was amazing to be around people who cared about my progress, who made sure I felt comfortable and safe,” she said. For the first time in years, Cobbs was able to move freely without overwhelming pain. Even more strikingly, she found something she had not felt since childhood: mental stillness. “I just remember lying on the mat one day, feeling this incredible calm.” Cobbs said. “The anxiety, worry, stress—all of it seemed to dissolve.”
(L-R) STEPFANIE GRAY AND AISHA COBBS
It turns out Moxie was as a haven of sorts.
“The instructors were so caring and involved,” Cobbs said. “They didn’t just teach. They genuinely wanted to help each person feel better and understood what each of us was going through.”
Jen Smith, an active yoga instructor at Moxie, praised Cobbs for her profound impact on the studio, describing her as a gentle, loving, kind, driven and compassionate soul. She called Cobbs an “absolute ray of sunshine,” radiating positivity and warmth wherever she goes. Smith became a key figure in Cobbs’ journey.
Cobbs felt an instant connection with the instructor and admired the attentiveness and care with which she approached students. “Jen always knew what each person needed,” Cobbs said. “She’d suggest different modifications, took the time to teach the ‘why’ behind each movement and remind us how interconnected our physical and emotional selves are. It was more than just a workout; it was a holistic experience.” Encouraged by Smith’s mentorship, Cobbs began her 200-hour, self-paced yoga teacher training.
“I want to help people the way Jen and the other instructors helped me,” she said. “I want to offer others a place to feel safe, understood and supported.” The benefits Cobbs has gained from her consistent yoga practice have been multifaceted. “It’s incredible to feel that I can push myself again,” she said, “even if some days are still challenging.” Yoga, however, has gone beyond the physical. The mental clarity and calm it provides have been just as valuable. “Yoga gives me a space to quiet my mind,” Cobbs said. “After years of managing stress through work and family, I finally feel I’ve found a place to reset.” Plus, it provides Cobbs with yet another pathway to make a positive impact on those around her.
“As a medical writer, I’m always working behind the scenes to improve healthcare education,” she said, “but yoga gives me a hands-on way to help others, teaching them how to connect with their bodies and find their own relief.”
Through her story, Cobbs offers a reminder that even in the midst of chronic pain and life’s challenges, there are opportunities to improve the lives of others. Yoga has become an anchor, and she sounds determined to share its transformative power with anyone in need. As Cobbs looks ahead, her journey with yoga feels like a natural extension of her desire to help others.
“Yoga has given me so much, from physical relief to mental clarity,” she said. “Now, I’m excited to share that gift with others, guiding them on their own paths to healing and self-discovery.”
Staying Ahead of the H2O Curve
The Newton County Water and Sewerage Authority takes a proactive approach to safeguarding the lifeblood of the communities it serves.
by MICHELLE FLOYD
The next time you brush your teeth or take a shower, Mike Hopkins wants you to go back to the basics to remember the importance of not wasting water; and when you cook dinner, he wants you to realize how fats, oils and grease can cause problems in water systems.
“It’s the only water we’ve got,” said Hopkins, who has worked as the executive director of the Newton County Water and Sewerage Authority for the last 20 years. “When you push a button, waste goes away from you. Sometimes people forget that there is a live person on the other side at a wastewater plant working to clean that water and get it back out into the community.”
Hopkins adds that saving five gallons of water a day might not seem like much, but it adds up quickly if everyone participates. Since 1970, the NCWSA has delivered clean water to the
county, city and neighboring partners. The authority’s 70 employees take their responsibilities seriously to ensure quality.
“They love what they do, and they realize they are providing an essential service and protecting public health,” Hopkins said. The NCWSA, a quasi-government organization, does not receive tax dollars. Oversight comes through the interaction between its board of directors and the Newton County government and its cities.
Newton County delivers 5.5 million gallons of water and processes 3.2 million gallons of wastewater each day. Between the growing number of residents, the increasing number of visitors and the upswing in the number of businesses entering the county, those figures could continue to rise. Frontline workers at the NCWSA earn certifications and take assessments
“ We take clean, fresh water for granted when we turn on the tap.”
Sally Anne Short
during their tenure to ensure compliance with regulations. The Newton County Water and Sewerage Authority recently hired Sally Anne Short as its water conservation manager to help better inform the public about the importance of water conservation and protection.
“We take clean, fresh water for granted when we turn on the tap,” said Short, who worked as a teacher for 30 years. “I want the public to understand that it’s a precious resource.” She plans to continue to engage with school groups at all levels, community organizations and businesses by hosting tours at NCWSA facilities to demonstrate the water cleaning process. “I’ve been really impressed that everyone I’ve met really cares.”
Hopkins notes the importance of educating people at all ages about water conservation, particularly focusing on students who can help influence future generations.
“They’re actively learning, so they are in that mindset,” Hopkins said. “If we can reach them early, maybe they can also hold their parents accountable, too.”
Short adds that although we do not live in an area prone to a water crisis at this time, the NCWSA takes measures to ensure the longevity of its resources. The organization stays droughtready, maintaining an extended six to eight months of water supply at Lake Varner during such conditions. By October 2026, the NCWSA plans to offer reused water by treating water and delivering it back to Stanton Springs Industrial Park industries for use in cooling towers and other applications, aiding the conservation of the existing supply.
“I love how forward thinking they are,” Short said. “They are proactive instead of reactive.”
For information on Newton County Water and Sewerage Authority, visit ncwsa.us or call 770-787-1375.
(L-R) SALLY ANNE SHORT AND MIKE HOPKINS
“Everything I do in this role really is all about the kids.”
Carl Green
DREAM JOB
Carl Green’s breadth of experiences as a teacher, coach and administrator made him an ideal candidate for a groundbreaking position as Newton County’s first district athletic director.
by GABRIEL STOVALL
The Newton County School System has a full-time athletic director for the first time in the district’s history, and the honor belongs to Carl Green. He hit the ground running in September, his role encompassing oversight for high school and middle school athletics in the county. It gives Green a chance to check off the most prominent item on his bucket list of professional goals.
“Number one, it’s a dream of mine to become a district athletic director,” Green said. “I’ve been a school AD for the last 18 years. I’ve won accolades at the highest [Georgia High School Association] classifications and been named an athletic director of the year.”
Green moved in from Sandy Creek High School in Tyrone, where he served as assistant principal and athletic director. He brings close to 20 years of high school AD experience to his district role. A Miami native who graduated from Creekside High School in Fairburn, Green enjoyed his first stint as an athletic director in 2009, when he helped start Hapeville Charter Schools. He remained there through 2017 and oversaw an upstart athletic department that quickly became a major player in the state, particularly in high school football. Hapeville Charter football coach Winston Gordon won four consecutive region championships from 2016 through 2019, as well as a Class AA state title during the last year of Green’s watch in 2017. Green then filled the athletic director position at Westlake High School in Atlanta, overseeing several region and state championship teams over the course of his six-year tenure. His breadth of experiences—including piloting new athletic departments at start-up schools—made him an ideal candidate in a groundbreaking role for Newton County.
“I’ve been to places like Hapeville Charter that are brand new and I’m the first [athletic director] they’ve had, and I’ve been to places where things are already set in place and established,” Green said. “I teach legal duties classes with the Georgia Athletic Directors Association. I’ve been to the national conferences and built connections there, and it just led me to say it was time for me to be a district AD.” When the opportunity opened in Newton County, it stoked immediate enthusiasm inside him. “It gives me the chance to truly make an impact and give school ADs a rubric to follow that can help their schools be the best they can be athletically,” Green said, “and with me being the first here, I can really have a hand in shaping how things happen.”
(L-R) RIAN TROTTER, BRANDON GLOVER, KEN CARLISLE AND CARL GREEN
PHOTO CREDIT: PHIL ALBERT
Stories by Gabriel Stovall
ATHL DEPT
Among his first orders of business: start creating the scaffolding around his blueprint for building the kind of district he believes Newton County can become for student-athletes.
“It’s about putting systems and processes in place,” Green said. “I’m really excited to make a mark there. At the school level as an AD, things are pretty much already in place, and the impact you can make beyond that is not that great. Here, I can give our ADs a roadmap to follow—system processes, a one-pager, so to speak, on how to create solid athletics departments across the district.”
A major part of Green’s plan involves shoring up the branding of athletic departments at local high schools. He envisions a more uniform approach that does not take away from each school’s creativity but at the same time provides athletic departments with an identifiable marker.
“I see some of our schools have branded themselves, and I want to make sure we’re doing even more of that because I really want us to be pubbing our kids,” Green said. “People know about Newton, but I don’t think people know enough about Newton. I want us to create a brand with our schools that when you come off the bus or when schools come to us to play, they’ll know it’s a Newton County school—regardless of whether you’re Eastside, Alcovy or Newton.” Green mentioned establishing “consistent” branding that “creates a standard of what it should look like to see a Newton County School coming. There are also visions I have where we’re maybe striking a school branding deal with particular dealers that make us stand out.”
While the chance to fill a first-of-its-kind position got Green’s blood pumping, his affinity for the outdoors—specifically hunting and fishing—allowed him to arrive on the scene with a built-in familiarity with Newton County’s terrain. Talk of the area’s rapid growth and expansion accelerated his excitement; and the E-SPLOST measure passed by voters in May, which approves funding to construct football stadiums at all three of the county’s high schools—with a tentative project completion date of February 2026—only sweetens the pot.
“That definitely makes it more attractive,” Green said. “I can be in the plan-making and decision-making processes for layouts of those stadiums and how the expansions and things we build can benefit our schools. The growth in Newton County is just phenomenal, and as a school-level AD who’s competed against Newton County schools before, I know things are already pretty good. Now I’m excited because our athletes will really get the best things that can be provided for them. Having everything we need for our school and district, like state-of-the-art facilities, is important. When our neighbor [schools] have it, we should be able to have it.”
Green wants to have a direct impact on the lives and futures of students.
“Twenty years ago, I was a school assistant and I had plans on going to law school, but that got derailed,” he said. “From there, I got into education [and] started coaching and teaching. I’ve probably done everything in a school building besides being a principal or custodian. I had humble beginnings, and my perseverance has gotten me here. That’s something I want to be able to instill in these kids. I have a story to tell to them for anyone who’s willing to listen.
“That’s one thing I’m going to miss about being an AD at the school level—interacting with the kids, being around them one on one,” Green added. “In this role, I still want to interact with them, whether it’s while stopping by one of our buildings to talk to a school AD or stopping by a game on a Friday night. Everything I do in this role really is all about the kids.”
Stories by Brian Knapp
WHERE EAGLES SOAR
Newton High School alum Matt Easterday was inducted into the Georgia Southern Athletics Hall of Fame in October, forever immortalizing him as one of the most accomplished players in the long and storied history of the university’s baseball program.
by BRIAN KNAPP
Almost a quarter century has passed since his steel cleats cut through the infield dirt at J.I. Clements Stadium in Statesboro, where the blond-headed kid from Covington carved out a place as one of the all-time greats for the Georgia Southern University baseball team. Echoes of his exploits can still be heard for those willing to listen closely enough, and they have now been immortalized for past, present and future generations.
A 1997 graduate of Newton High School, Easterday was inducted in the Georgia Southern Athletics Hall of Fame in October, alongside GSU benefactors Leonard Bevill and Mike Sanders, record-setting swimmer Caroline Bevillard, ex-football players Jerick McKinnon and Darryl Hopkins, tennis star Andreas Koth and track standout Kellie Mitchell John. Their enshrinement as the Class of 2024 brought the hall’s total number of inductees to 176. Circles do not get much more exclusive south of the Gnat Line.
“I’m very humbled and honored to be a part of this elite group,” Easterday said. “If you would have asked me 25 years ago if I thought I would be inducted into the hall of fame, I never would have believed it. There are some pretty big names on that list.”
Easterday spent three years making a name for himself at Georgia Southern, where he ranks sixth on the university’s all-time list in career batting average (.371), seventh in on-base percentage (.454) and eighth in slugging percentage (.632).
However, his spectacular junior season in 2000 truly set him apart from many of his contemporaries. Easterday put together a remarkable 28-game hitting streak—a school record that still stands—while pushing the Eagles to a 28–23 record and their ninth appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Seven of their 23 losses were to teams ranked in the Top 10 nationally. By the time his campaign reached its conclusion, he led Georgia Southern in no fewer than seven major offensive categories: batting average (.440), runs scored (78), hits (107), triples (five), runs batted in (77), total bases (187), slugging percentage (.770) and on-base percentage (.514). No other GSU player has eclipsed the 100-hit mark in a single season since. Easterday was named Southern Conference Player of the Year.
“It seemed like I was just completely locked in on every single pitch and every single play all season long,” he said. “It’s almost like the game completely slowed down for me. When I stepped into the batter’s box that year, in my mind,
it didn’t matter who I was facing. The pitchers looked like they were throwing beachballs, and I was just having a field day. I’ve never felt anything like it in my life.”
Easterday decided to forego his senior season when he was drafted by the Florida Marlins in the 21st round of the 2000 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. He spent four years in the organization, climbing as high as the Triple-A level. Among the pitchers he faced on his way up the ladder: 1999 American League Championship Series Most Valuable Player Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez and 2012 National League Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey.
“The minor leagues are pretty tough, and you really have to love the sport to continue on,” Easterday said. “It was a challenge, mentally and physically, but I loved every minute of it. I had the opportunity to play with and against a lot of big-time players. I have a ton of great memories.”
A wrist injury suffered during the 2003 season—human bones were not designed to withstand direct contact with 95-mile-per-hour fastballs—left him at a crossroads. Ultimately, Easterday made the heart-wrenching decision to walk away from the game at the age of 24.
“It took a while to rehab, but I could never really get the extension on my swing anymore,” he said. “After the season, I was released by the Marlins. I found out soon after that I was going to be a father. I had calls from the Rockies and the Cubs for one-year minor league contracts, but I decided to hang my cleats up and start a new chapter of my life.” The days of long bus rides and low pay were over. He exited the stage without regret. “I wouldn’t change anything,” Easterday said. “I practiced and played every single day as if it were my last. In the back of my mind, I always knew the day would come when my career would be over. I never wanted to look back and wish that I had done something differently.”
Having settled into middle age, Easterday, 45, now resides in Kennesaw with his wife, Elizabeth. Together, they tend to a blended family of five children. Easterday works as a regional sales manager for the JF Petroleum Group. Headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, it ranks as the nation’s largest distributor of petroleum equipment, from piping and tanks to dispensers and canopies. The business suits his outgoing personality.
“The petroleum industry is a close-knit community of people,” Easterday said. “I enjoy meeting with site owners and helping them build the stations in a cost-effective way.”
Even though it has been over two decades since he played in a meaningful game, baseball still holds a prominent place in Easterday’s heart. The sport left him with a deep reservoir of memories upon which to draw, dating all the way back to his days under the Newton County Recreation Commission flag at Baker Field and City Pond Park. Easterday admits a part of him will always miss certain aspects of it, mostly “the competition, the team atmosphere, the fans and the smells of the ballpark.”
“I practiced and played every single day as if it were my last.”
Matt Easterday
Stories by Kari Apted
Bringing Down Barriers
When a tenderhearted student and a devoted teacher realized specific students were being excluded from agricultural extracurricular activities, they joined forces to create a new, inclusive program. Several years later, Unique Kids Showing Pigs has become a highlight of the school’s calendar.
by KARI APTED
It seems an unlikely place for magic to happen, but on one winter day each year, the Newton County Agricultural Center transforms into a space for special kids to shine. Unique Kids Showing Pigs is the brainchild of former Newton College and Career Academy student Meredith McCrorey. When mainstreaming added special education students to her agriculture class, McCrorey befriended a girl named Gabby who lamented the fact that she could not join the other students in showing a pig at an upcoming agricultural event.
McCrorey felt sad that her new friend would miss out on such a rewarding experience. “I started thinking about how we could include her and other students with special needs,” she said, explaining that the inherent nature of guiding and presenting livestock could make it difficult for certain kids to participate. For example, wheelchairs cannot easily navigate the dirt floors at livestock arenas, and many people with autism struggle to maintain eye contact with judges and answer their questions. McCrorey invited Gabby to join her at a local livestock show, and the two went through the entire showing process together. “When we got back to school,” McCrorey said, “Gabby couldn’t stop talking about it.” Gabby’s enthusiasm
made McCrorey realize there was a real need for this type of extracurricular activity for special education students. “I knew we needed to showcase that they’re just as able as any other human,” she said. McCrorey then committed to removing barriers that prevented her classmates from showing pigs.
MEREDITH MCCROREY
(L-R) ELLA JARRELL, HALEY JARRELL AND ADDISON HOWLETT
(L-R) JARENTEZ HORTON, WYATT CASH AND (PIG) MISS KATE
McCrorey turned to Dr. Cecily Gunter, the Newton County School System’s “Teacher of the Year” for 2023–24 and the animal veterinary science teacher at NCCA. Because regular livestock showing is an extended process that includes feeding, grooming and getting to know the animal, Gunter created a one-day project more suitable for the new participants. She worked closely with the county’s special education department to accommodate every child’s needs and recruited volunteer student “buddies” to pair with their special education friends.
“The Buddies are in the animal science class and know how to work with the animals,” Gunter said. “Then they teach the students with disabilities what they know to prepare them for the show. The Buddies also walk around the arena with them. Some kids are very confident and don’t need a lot of help, but others might be in a wheelchair or unable to walk on their own.” Buddies also learn safety precautions to help the show run as smoothly as possible for humans and pigs alike. Shows are typically held on an early release day in January. The students arrive at the Georgia FFA-FCCLA Center about two hours before the show, which starts at 6 p.m. and lasts for about an hour. “We have a lot of returning kids who look forward to it,” Gunter said. “Last year, we had a returning student who had the same buddy as the year before. Watching her get so excited made me happy. It’s so great for these kids to
be seen and feel important.” At the end of the event, each student receives a medal and T-shirt.
Gunter’s current agriculture students play a huge role in organizing the annual event.
“We reach out to every school in the county, including elementary, middle and high schools,” she said. “It’s really become its own thing. There are now other similar programs across the state.” Students also help solicit donations and volunteers from the community, as significant costs are associated with making it happen. All of the effort is worth it for Gunter. “The entire thing is such a memorable experience,” she said. “You can’t come and leave feeling bad about the world.” McCrorey agrees. “The first time I served as a buddy, I viewed it selfishly, like, ‘I’m going to go do this good deed for others,’” she said, “but after serving, it changes your perspective. And it creates a ripple effect throughout the school. Kids who might not usually talk to each other are like, ‘Hey, you were my buddy at the pig show.’ You realize there are a lot of good people out there.”
Now studying consumer economics at the University of Georgia, McCrorey remains heavily involved in ensuring each Unique Kids Showing Pigs event runs smoothly. She always attends the shows and has served as a judge. “I was able to bring my whole family,” she said. “It makes me happy that it’s still going five or six years later.” McCrorey’s initial excitement to
extend opportunities to her special needs peers has become her life’s focus. She is actively involved with the Extra Special People program that assists disabled people in the Athens area. She has also experienced a career shift.
“I just applied to law school,” McCrorey said with a smile. “I want to go into disability law. I think it’s something that’s so overlooked by people who don’t know someone with a disability. It’s become a passion. I cannot imagine a life that doesn’t let me help the community in some way.”
For information on Unique Kids Showing Pigs or to donate to the program, email Cecily Gunter at gunter. cecily@newton.k12.ga.us.
UNIQUE KIDS SHOWING PIGS PHOTO CREDIT: BRIAN DEAN PHOTOGRAPHY
“It’s so great for these kids to be seen and feel important.”
Dr. Cecily Gunter
KENLEA AND MAVERICK COCHRAN AND HIS FAMILY
CAYLEE WILLIAMSON, ASHLYN HOY AND KAYDEN WALDEN
BRI G HT MIND
A consummate student, Noah Carter seems to have the world at his fingertips as he pursues higher education at the University of Georgia.
by MICHELLE FLOYD
Eastside High School graduate Noah Carter wants to use his past experience and academic acumen to further his studies at the University of Georgia this year and beyond. The college freshman already has post-secondary credits and workplace exposure under his belt to help in his engineering pursuits and wherever else his interests take him.
“My parents have been working in engineering-related fields my entire life,” Carter said. “I grew up with my dad looking at blueprints, and I thought it was interesting.”
Carter was a part of the STEM Institute—which focuses on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math—at the Newton College and Career Academy for all four years of high school. While there, he followed the engineering and computer science pathway.
“They came to my school and held a presentation,” Carter said, “and it definitely felt like a higher level of learning and more rigor.”
Those enrolled in the STEM Institute can follow an engineering or biotechnology pathway. Students take classes like drafting and design, 3-D modeling and analytics and various sciences, as well as typical high school courses like English, mathematics, social studies and world languages. At the NCCA, kids also can participate in various student-led organizations. “It’s different from a club,” Carter said. He chose to join the Technology Student Association, or TSA, where he held a local office each year as second vice president, vice president, president and treasurer. Furthermore, he also was a state-level officer as treasurer for one year.
“We worked on projects throughout the year that culminated at five conferences,” Carter said. “I really enjoyed all of the personal interaction I received at the conferences.”
Students enter projects and make presentations to state and national conferences in areas like board game design, CAD architecture and leadership, just to name a few. They present them to state delegates and participate in various workshops to develop leadership and presentation skills, communication and technical readiness.
“Noah’s tenacity and dedication to the success of the Technology Student Association shows how passionate he is about the career and technical student organizations and the type of product students can become if you are willing to put in the work,” said Ryan Allred, engineering trainer at the NCCA. “Noah is exceptional, and his peers will look up to his legacy for years to come.”
While in high school, Carter also played soccer, joined the Future Business Leaders of America student organization and worked at City Pharmacy on The Square in downtown Covington.
“While participating in the Work-Based Learning program at NCCA, he demonstrated exceptional performance both in the classroom and at work. His dedication and outstanding contributions earned him the prestigious NCCA Associate of the Month award,” said Debra Lary, coordinator of Work-Based Learning for Newton County Schools. “Noah truly embodies the qualities of a well-rounded WBL student, constantly striving to improve himself through his inquisitive nature and relentless pursuit of excellence. He consistently sought out opportunities for growth, which fueled his continued success. In addition to
Stories by Michelle Floyd
“Noah is exceptional, and his peers will look up to his legacy for years to come.”
Ryan Allred
his individual achievements, Noah was also a committed mentor to his peers, always eager to lend a hand and support others whenever possible.”
One of Carter’s primary focuses was being part of an information technology co-op at Nisshinbo Automotive Manufacturing in Covington through a WBL program. There, he worked on coding, presentations and communication software.
“It really taught me a lot of what boots on the ground looks like, working with software and processes for the factory, keeping track of devices and auditing and keeping things updated,” Carter said. “Security was important because they are an international company and have trade secrets and protections.”
Nisshinbo IT technician Noah Coady participated in the same program while he was in high school from 2016 to 2020 and helped supervise Carter during his tenure.
“He was very easy to work with. He was intuitive, and he took a lot of things into his own hands,” Coady said. “He managed to figure out a lot on his own and come up with his own methods for things.” Coady recommends students participate in real on-the-job learning so they can acquire soft skills and get ahead in the workforce before graduating high school. “It’s kind of nice being able to jump straight into work environments since you’ve built a lot of knowledge,” Coady said. “It’s nice to be able to do it from an early age so it gets ingrained in your head.”
Carter now studies at the University of Georgia, where he majors in management information systems and minors in computer science, so he can focus on business administration, computer science and data analysis. He does not yet know what career he wants, but he currently holds interests in technology sales, data analysis and cyber security. The 18-year-old hopes to discover other fields of study along the way.
“It’s all new to me,” Carter said. He also participated in college dual enrollment in high school through Georgia State University’s Newton County satellite and through Point University, which offered a professor at the NCCA. He works part-time at UGA but has no plans to take on any professional employment this year. “Everyone keeps telling me to enjoy your freshman summer. Then look at getting a real internship your sophomore summer. Then look at job offers your junior year.”
Carter enjoys the walkable lifestyle and local concerts Athens provides. While he originally wanted to attend the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, he believes he found the right place for him.
“I came in with intent to transfer, but with new goals I’ve set for myself, I decided I want to stay,” he said. “Meeting new people has been really fun.”
MISSING IN ACTION NO MORE
The remains of Henry Allen Jr. were returned home to Covington and laid to rest more than eight decades after he enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces. He had been shot down over Germany during a mission in a B-24 Liberator on April 8, 1944.
by PHILLIP B. HUBBARD
Henry Hanes Allen Jr. had recently graduated from Newton County High School and was a student at North Georgia College when the United States of America entered World War II. He decided to enlist with the United States Army Air Forces while still in his late teens. The date was June 10, 1942.
Allen became a sergeant and was a top turret gunner assigned to the 732nd Bombardment Squadron, 453rd Bombardment Group, 2nd Combat Bomb Wing, 2nd Air Division and 8th Air Force in the European Theatre. On April 8, 1944, Allen and nine other crew members were aboard “Little Joe,” a B-24 Liberator, when they were shot down over Germany while on a mission. Allen was listed as missing in action, as days, months, years and then decades passed.
Then on June 20, 2024, Allen’s remains were found in a cornfield near Salzwedel, Germany. Eighty-two years and 10 days after he enlisted, he returned home to Covington.
Allen’s cousin, Ray Bouchillon, who lives in Eatonton, was contacted by way of public records for a DNA sample to confirm the identity of the remains. Though Bouchillon was just a year old at the time of Allen’s death, he commends his cousin for the sacrifice he made in service for America.
“I think he was very brave to do that at the age of 18,” Bouchillon said. “I sure wouldn’t have done it at 18.” Bouchillon also shared that the Army sent him a book detailing the process of discovering Allen’s remains. He found one tidbit to be most interesting. “The place where the plane went down was a cornfield in Germany, and there were 31 bombers on that mission that day. I think they were all shot down,” Bouchillon said. “What amazed me was that a German, who was a child at that time, remembered seeing the plane come down and
pointed it out to the exploration team where it had crashed. By this time, the plane had been covered in five to six feet of dirt. They had to dig down that much in order to find the plane.”
An 11Alive news article provided a timeline of movement on the search from the past decade. In the years immediately after World War II, all searches by the American Graves Registration Command were unsuccessful. Then, in 2015, fresh details came to light when the Missing Allied Air Crew Research Team (MAACRT) contacted historians in the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA). The independent research group located evidence that hinted at a potential crash site in the Wistedt, Germany, area. MAACRT discussions led to investigators being sent to two sites—one unrecovered by America after the war and the second where wreckage and possible human remains were discovered. Years later, from 2021–23, additional searches were completed. In November 2023, all “recoverable evidence” was sent to the DPAA laboratory for analysis. Evidence included
THE
potential osseous remains and life-support equipment. Starting the identification process, DPAA scientists utilized anthropological and dental analysis. Simultaneously, the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used the mitochondrial DNA analysis that ultimately led to Bouchillon being contacted. Allen was the son of Henry Allen Sr. and Maria Allen of Jackson. He was born on Aug. 30, 1923 and moved to Covington soon thereafter. Allen grew up in Covington and graduated from Covington Public Schools. He was not the first member of his family to join the armed forces, as his father served a four-year stint in the United States Navy. Interestingly, when Allen enlisted, he did so without his parents’ knowledge.
After his plane was shot down, Allen’s mother continued to wait for her son to walk through the door once again. Bouchillon wishes Allen’s remains had been found before his mother died in 2003.
“His mother shared with me [that] she thought he’d come home any day, because he was missing in action,” Bouchillon said. “They never said they were sure he was dead, but he was just missing in action. So, from 1944 until her death in 2003, she expected any time he might come home.”
Not being old enough to have memories of the fallen soldier, Bouchillon recalls the stories Allen’s mother relayed about him. Photos in Bouchillon’s possession suggest that Allen worked two jobs, with one possibly being in the newspaper business. He thinks Allen would have pursued something in the manufacturing sector had he returned home.
Despite the reality that he never made it back to Covington alive, Allen’s heroism lives on in various ways. The Walls of the Missing at the Netherlands Cemetery in Margraten, Netherlands, still bear his name, and according to the 11Alive article, a rosette has now been placed next to it to signify Allen has been found.
Once his remains were returned, services were held at the Chapel of J.C. Harwell & Son Funeral Home on Oct. 12, 2024, with full military honors. Officiating the service was Rev. Neeley Rentz Lane, pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Covington, where Allen’s mother attended. Several people thanked Allen for his service to the country on the funeral home’s tribute wall. “You are not forgotten,” one person wrote. Bouchillon’s niece named her firstborn son Haynes—similar to Allen’s middle name, which was used to differentiate him from his father.
Bouchillon encourages local community members to honor his cousin by placing a flower on his grave or remembering him in a church service. Much has transpired in the eight-plus decades since Allen’s enlistment. All these years removed from that day in 1942, Bouchillon continues to marvel at his cousin’s courage.
“It was really a brave thing he did as an 18-year-old to just go ahead and join the Air Force,” Bouchillon said. “Everybody here and everybody there in Covington missed him that knew him.”
“It was really a brave thing he did as an 18-year-old to just go ahead and join the Air Force.”
Ray Bouchillon
RAY BOUCHILLON
(L-R) TOMMY PHILLIPS, STEPHANIE PHILLIPS, TROY PHILLIPS, AUDREY RHODES, SCARLETT RHODES, LEVI RHODES, KAITLYNN PHILLIPS, DANIEL PHILLIPS AND CALI (DOG)
TIME TRAVELERS
Inspired to bring history to life for others, Tommy and Troy Phillips decided to recreate an accurate 19th century chuckwagon and display it as a living museum. The father-son duo travels to competitions and events, preparing and serving cowboy cuisine just as it was done in the olden days.
by D.J. DYCUS
Many people find history dull, dry and dismal—a subject gladly left behind in school. What if the past was not simply a bunch of dates, names and events published in a forgotten volume, chock-full of boring, irrelevant information? What if the past were tangible—and edible?
The Phillips family has pulled off that remarkable feat. Theirs is a multi-generational endeavor fronted by Tommy and Troy—a father-son duo—and their wives, Becky and Stephanie. Altogether, four generations are involved, not to mention the support they receive from friends.
It all started because Tommy and Troy were competing in Cowboy Action Shooting competitions in 2001. It was not long before Troy’s son, Daniel, was also involved, becoming a member of the Single Action Shooting Society at 5. While attending one of these events, Tommy and Troy were drawn to a chuckwagon someone had brought to enhance the Old West atmosphere. They soon determined they needed to have one of their own.
Even before they bought a wagon, they began acquiring period-appropriate accessories, including a chuck box, coffee pot, Arbuckle coffee beans, coffee grinder, cookware, dishes, utensils, fire hooks, dinner bell, water barrel, flour, sugar, beans, canned milk and other goods, hair clippers, medical supplies, possum belly (a piece of canvas or cowhide slung under the wagon to store firewood), harness, saddle and a toolbox. Once the Phillips family obtained a late-1880s farm wagon, they had to restore and convert it into a chuckwagon. Some parts needed replacing, which meant fashioning them from lumber. They added the chuck box, the pan boot and the toolbox. Altogether, the family devoted about 16 months and thousands of hours of work to the project. It was so involved that Daniel submitted it as a Future Farmers of America project at the Newton County STEAM Academy.
The cattle-drive era in the American West lasted from about 1865 through 1895. Before the expansion of railroads, cattle had to be driven to market across the landscape. This journey
“ True cowboys are the ones who aren’t afraid to get dirty.”
Lane Frost
Stories by D.J. Dycus
could last weeks or months, and there was not time to support a dozen people by hunting wildlife as they moved through the land, up to 10 miles a day.
The chuckwagon was outfitted, driven and operated by an older team member, whom the cowboys called “Cookie.” The first chuckwagon was built by Charles Goodnight in 1866. He converted an army surplus wagon into a mobile kitchen. It featured a chuck box at the rear with drawers and shelves to store food and tools, along with a hinged door that protected everything inside. When lowered to a horizontal position, it served as a work surface. Tommy calls it “the original tailgate event.” The chuckwagon was the closest thing to home for cowboys on a cattle drive. It sustained them after long, grueling days of work. The foods Cookie prepared remain staples of American cuisine: biscuits, potatoes, stew, campfire beans, cobbler and other one-pot meals.
“What does someone do with a historically accurate chuckwagon?” one might ask. First, you join the American Chuckwagon Association. Then you enter state, regional and national competitions where the quality of your food is judged along with the authenticity of the wagon and equipment. There are strict rules around adhering to period cooking with authentic recipes, ingredients and cooking tools. In 2016, the Phillips family became the Southeastern champions and received an invitation to the American Chuck Wagon Association’s Championship Cook-Off in Fredericksburg, Texas. Theirs was the only wagon to compete from east of the Mississippi River. Besides competitions, the Phillips family is frequently invited to places like the Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville, which holds an annual event called West Fest at the end of October. These opportunities require a lot of work, as well as transporting and setting up the wagon. Tommy and Troy make the effort for several reasons. They have a passion for the history and culture of the Old West and can talk for hours about the region in the late 19th century. The Phillips family also does it because of the joy that it brings other people and the opportunity to teach them about the history of our country. They enjoy talking about their chuckwagon and what it meant for the cowboys driving cattle across the plain. Tommy and Troy thrive on preserving a record of what it took for the United States to become the country we know today.
So when riding the range, keep a sharp eye out. If you spy a poster for an Old West event, you will likely find Tommy, Troy, and Daniel fixin’ some grub under the Rocking TP brand. Just sit down, visit a spell and learn about how life used to be.
CHUCK WAGON PHOTO CREDIT: W RODRIGUEZ PHOTOGRAPHY LLC.
WHAT’S COOKING
Granny’s Pecan Pie
by SANDY HOWARD
Any time I see a pecan pie, I think of my grandmother, Annie Mae Callaway. Granny was a great cook, and she loved to bake. She always made lots of pecan pies at Christmas, often baking 20 or more at a time. She created an annual tradition of giving two pies to her extended family members while also blessing many friends with the gift of a homemade pie. Even though Granny had two deep freezers full of pecans, I don’t think she ever had to buy any nuts. A lady down the street had a pecan grove and told my grandparents that if they would come and pick the pecans, they could have half of them. My uncle also
had a pecan tree to help fill in the gaps. When Granny moved into assisted living, she was upset when the holidays arrived and she didn’t have a freshly baked pecan pie to bring to our family Christmas party. My uncle surprised her with one of the pecan pies he had kept in his freezer, and it made her so happy that we could still enjoy it together. Granny passed away in 2020, and we’ve tried to keep the tradition going. She would be thrilled to know that more people will soon be able to enjoy a slice of her delicious pecan pie.
INGREDIENTS
• 5 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 6 tablespoons melted butter
• 1½ cups white Karo corn syrup
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups chopped pecans
• 2 unbaked pie shells (store bought)
DIRECTIONS
Beat eggs and sugar together until well blended. Add butter, Karo syrup, salt, vanilla extract and chopped pecans. Mix thoroughly. Divide mixture equally into two unbaked pie shells. Bake at 300 degrees for about 90 minutes. Allow pies to cool before slicing.
“Granny was a great cook, and she loved to bake. She always made lots of pecan pies at Christmas, often baking 20 or more at a time.”
Howard
Sandy
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