Baccalaureate services were held for high school gradu ates at two (that I know about) Washington-Wilkes churches Sunday. First Baptist began the day with a breakfast for the students and their families. The breakfast was prepared and served by the Men's Brotherhood of the church. During the morning worship service, the graduates processed into the sanctuary wearing their caps and gowns and were recognized and presented a gift by Minister to Students Chris Townsend. The youth choir sang "There Will Be a Candle in the Window" and "May the Road Rise to Meet You" and a trio consisting of graduates Elizabeth Duggan, Molly Newsome, and Bonnie Roth sang "I Will Sing My Song." The honorees are Bonnie Bounds, Elizabeth Duggan, Ali Dyson, Elizabeth Grant, Brooke Hardigree, Angela Kirkland, Molly Newsome, Bonnie Roth, Brantley Stevens, and Jessica Watson. Peyson Moss, a graduate of Lincoln County High School and pianist for the church, was also recognized.

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Phillips Mill Baptist Church recognized five students during the baccalaureate service held at 11 a.m. The all-male group included Tracy Moore, Jonathan Nicholson, Les Robb, Mark Tench, and Dusty Turner. A covered dish dinner honored them following the service.

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I don't like telephone solicitation. I especially don't like telephone solicitation by a member of our city government. Regardless of the cause, we are bombarded every day with calls by somebody wanting or promoting something, and I don't think city government should be adding to the problem. And how did the caller get the unlisted numbers?

.. In addition to the two weddings in Washington-Wilkes Saturday, there was an elopement! A couple from North Carolina arrived in town Friday, obtained a license, and arranged for Probate Judge Jim Burton to perform the ceremony. The marriage took place on the porch at Washington Plantation on Lexington Avenue. Barbara and Tom Chase (owners) provided all the niceties that go along with weddings.

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The Relay For Life held most of Friday night at the Washington- Wilkes Parks and Recreation Department Track was very successful, raising more than $45,000 for the American Cancer Society. The 70-or-so participants still left at the track at 3:30 a.m. Saturday had to run for cover when the storm came. The rain was not too bad, but the lightning was, so they had to close down and go home. First place for the best decorated campsite at the Relay went to the Regions Bank team; second place to the Washington Police Department; and third place to the Washington Dance Academy.

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What's with this weather, anyway? Thursday the temperature was in the 90s and by Friday night it had dropped 40 degrees and the wind was howling. . . . Norris Ware's gauge registered .85 of an inch and that's all we've had for the month, coming off a big deficit for April.

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If you haven't been Downtown to The Square this week, you need to make a special trip to see "Talk of the Town" on the southeast corner. Deanne and Tim Crook and Wayne and Irene Bonertz have done a great job of restoring the old building and Robert Geiger and Ed Franklin have done an equally great job of decorating the inside for their business. They will have a coffee bar in the right rear corner. Robert and Ed moved from their location

in the Fitzpatrick building across The Square. The building is especially pretty at night.

I have a few more plans of graduates to report, but you need to call and tell me about your son or daughter. Bonnie Bounds will be a student at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. Angela Kirkland and Ali Dyson will be going to the University of Georgia; and Brantley Stevens plans to attend Augusta Technical School. Liz Grant will be a student at Wesleyan College in Macon; and Olivia Lyons will be attending the University of Alabama. Joseph Batrous will be attending the University of Georgia.

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Lafayette Manor Inn owned by Sokun and Guillaume Slama on East Robert Toombs Avenue has received a three-diamond rating by AAA for their fine dining; and a three-diamond rating for their bed and breakfast. One of the evaluator's comments was "The ingredients, presentation, and the food are worth four diamonds!"

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Don't forget to head for The Square about six o'clock Saturday evening to see all the pretty and interesting cars and other vehicles. The annual Spring Cruise-In sponsored by Memory Lane Cruisers will get underway about that time. You can get supper while you're there and all profits go back into the community for the club's many projects.

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The sign in the window at the former Mayflower Coffee Shop (between Scarborough's and The Christmas Shop) says "Sandwich Shop, opening mid-May." The new proprietors are Paula and Bruce Fitzgerald. Paula is an experienced restaurant manager and says she wants to please her customers. She will have a large variety of sandwiches; two soups a day; salads; and Washington-Wilkes homemade desserts. Target date for opening is Friday, May 18.

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Washington-Wilkes Band Director

Ryan Dukes will be leaving us soon. He will be band director at Habersham Central High School in Habersham County and will have 160 students in the band. Nora Dukes will be associated with the drama department at the school. Both have meant a lot to Wilkes County during the six years they have been here; Ryan with the band and Nora with her many activities with the Washington Little Theater Company and piano students. We wish them well. They will be leaving during the summer.

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A front-page article in the April 28 issue of the Atlanta Journal- Constitution about Dolly Hearn reminded me of something that I knew, but had not thought about lately. The weekend before her death in the summer of 1990, Dolly stopped by the home of her grandmother,

Dorothy Hearn on South Alexander Avenue. "Nana," she said, "next year at this time, you can call me Dr. Dolly." Under the portrait of Dolly which was displayed at the recent posthumous awarding of her Doctor of Dental Medicine degree, a plaque reads, Dorothy Carlisle Hearn, DMD, "Dr. Dolly."

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Anthony Forest Products has received its sixth Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program award (SHARP) which recognizes small business employers who operate an exemplary safety and health management.

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Washington-Wilkes Elementary School received the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education Annual Bus Trip and is one of only 14 schools in the State of Georgia receiving the award.

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The News-Reporter will be closed on May 28 in observance of Memorial Day. Deadlines for submitting news and advertising will be moved back. See an advertisement listing these deadlines.