Preparation work for the paving of Cotton Avenue began last week, and the street is difficult to travel as a result of the old pavement being removed. The temporary inconvenience, however, will be well worth the finished results.

The addition of green space and new sidewalks made available through TE-grants received by the City of Millen and the installation of new streetlights have already made a remarkable difference in the appearance of the downtown area.

When everything is complete, I am sure our main street will look great. Until then, be careful when traveling Cotton Avenue.

******

Work is also progressing well on U.S. Highway 25 as part of the Savannah River Parkway project. This road is also rough to travel right now, but will be a great improvement when it is finished. Lanes of travel are also apt to change daily.

I have to admit that crossing the new overpass over the railroads tracks gives me a fright if I happen to meet an 18-wheeler or some other big vehicle. It is so narrow – no wiggle room!

******

Happy birthday this week to: Matt Thomson, Charles Burke, Richard Odom, Abbi Ridings, Becky Thomas, Mathew Thompson, Adam Oglesby, Linda Jackson, Fran Boynton, Lynn Pierce, Megan Odom, Jeff Joyner, Amber Davis, Jennifer B. Rich, Ollie Moore Jr., Chad Holton, Travis Brown, Jasper Marion, Austin Kent, V. Keith Lattimore, Anna Troisi, Reann Black, Elizabeth Mosley, Lauren Garvin, Evelyn Richardson and Garfield Hendrix.

******

Celebrating wedding anniversaries this week are: Mr. and Mrs. Charles Burke and Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Wiggins.

******

Military Active Duty List: PV2 Jeremy Johnson, U.S. Army, 59th Quartermaster Company, Ft. Carson, Colorado; Ronnie Perryman, Charlie Troop, 108th Calvary Division, 4th Platoon, Afghanistan; Lance Cpl. Adam Lanier, U.S. Marines, 8th & I Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C.; E-4 Sr. Airman Roy Davis, U.S. Air Force, RAF Molesworth, United Kingdom; Lance Cpl. Patrick Barnette, U.S. Marines, Baharia, Iraq; Sgt. Adam Demshar, 44th Signal Battalion, Baghdad, Iraq; Cpl. Lee Ogden, U.S. Marines, Camp Pendleton, CA; E5 Petty Officer 2nd Class Eric B. Kelsey, U.S. Navy, NSA Naples, Italy; Senior Airman Charles F. Woods, Moody Air Force Base, Valdosta, GA; Stuart Burrus, U.S. Air Force, Osan AFB, Korea; SPC 4 Travis D. Motes, 1st Calvary Division, T. Hood, Texas; Capt. Donald Slade Burke, 735th Air Mobility Squadron Detachment 1 Commander, Richmond Royal Australian AFB, Richmond, Australia; Staff Sgt. Gilbert C. Sheppard III, 48th Brigade, 118th Field Artillery, Iraq; Petty Officer 3rd Class Jamie A. Yager, U.S. Navy, Marine Corps Base Hawaii; Petty Chief Officer Andy D. Crosby, U.S. Navy, Elroy Destroyer, Norfolk, Va.; Stephanie Crosby, R.N., U.S. Navy, Lafayette Destroyer; Jimmy Cooper, U.S. Army National Guard, 878th Engineering Battalion-Augusta, Persian Gulf ; 1st Lt. J.R. Taylor, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Iraq; SPC. Daniel Stuart, 18th MEDCOM, 121 General Hospital, Seoul, Korea; Jeffrey Sweat, U.S. Navy, USS Kauffman, MM3 59/E-Division, A-Gang, Norfolk, Va.; Cpl. Larry Lamont Clark, U.S. Marine Corp, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. Bagdad, Iraq; Khan Young, U.S. Navy, U.S.S. Kitty Hawk, Persian Gulf; Robert Milton Jr., E-3, U.S. Army, Ft. Stewart, Hinesville, Ga., Mission Kuwait; Arnold R. Mosley, 2nd Lt., U.S. Air Force, Randolph AFB, Texas; and Debra A. Mosley, Tech. Sgt., U.S. Air Force, Randolph AFB, Texas; and SPC Charles “C.J.” Amerson, U.S. Army, Camp Adder, Iraq.