Albany officials, volunteers begin blight fight

By Carlton Fletcher

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August 13, 2016

Dougherty School Board member Melissa Strother pitches in during Saturday’s Fight Albany Blight kickoff event. (Staff Photo: Carlton Fletcher)

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Around 100 city staffers and volunteers gathered Saturday to kick off the Fight Albany Blight initiative.

Area Waffle House Vice President Lisa Perry, right, wanted to do her part to help with the Fight Albany Blight campaign, so she invited volunteers to come in Saturday for a free lunch. (Special Photo: Melissa Strother)

Albany-Dougherty Planning Services Director Paul Forgey helps weed a community garden Saturday as part of the Fight Albany Blight kickoff event. (Staff Photo: Carlton Fletcher)

Londyn Knight, left, and Harmony Snead enjoy the bouncy house Saturday while their moms helped out with the Fight Albany Blight initiative. (Staff Photo: Carlton Fletcher)

From left, volunteers Melissa Strother, Kenny Florence, Krystal Picket and Albany City Commissioner B.J. Fletcher go through a mound of trash at a home on Tift Avenue Saturday. The house at 425 Tift is scheduled for demolition. (Staff Photo: Carlton Fletcher)

From left, Zachary Davis, 9, Harmony Snead, 3, and Londyn Knight, 4, enjoy a superhero bouncy house while their parents help clean up during Saturday’s Fight Albany Blight initiative. (Staff Photo: Carlton Fletcher)

From left, Keep Albany-Dougherty Beautiful Director Judy Bowles talks with Albany City Commissioner B.J. Fletcher and city of Albany attorney’s office paralegal investigator Makeba Wright during Saturday’s Fight Albany Blight kickoff event. (Staff Photo: Carlton Fletcher)

Between 75 and 100 city officials and volunteers came to Engram Park Saturday for the kickoff event of the multi-agency city of Albany Fight Albany Blight campaign. (Staff Photo: Carlton Fletcher)

Albany Utility Board Director of Utility Operations Jimmy Norman wipes away sweat on a hot Saturday morning while helping out with the Fight Albany Blight kickoff event. (Staff Photo: Carlton Fletcher)

Author

Carlton Fletcher

Except for a brief period, Albany Herald Editor Carlton Fletcher has been a newspaperman, working as Sports Writer/Columnist for the weekly Ocilla Star, as Sports Writer/Sports Editor with The Tifton Gazette, and as Sports Writer/Copy Editor/News Reporter/Features Editor and Editor of the paper. He has won numerous awards for sports, news, business and column writing, including a first-place Business Writing award in last year’s Georgia Press Association awards competition.

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Phone: 229-888-9300