VALDOSTA — Photographer Paul Leavy has decided to move on in his career and is leaving The Times to take a position at VSU — which will be only the second job he’s ever had. He’s been at The Times since graduating from the University of Florida 26 years ago. No one lasts that long in a job anymore it seems, and it’s very rare in the news industry as the wear and tear on body and mind, especially for photographers, is intense.

News photographers shoot breaking news stories, in addition to all the rest, and Paul has certainly shot his share of triumphs and tragedies over the years. He’s on a first-name basis with pretty much anybody in uniform in the community, having worked crime scenes for many years, and he’s a walking repository of historical information on people, places and events. He’s not from here, most of us news folks aren’t, but we find ourselves at home pretty quickly and Paul knows everybody, their mamas and daddies, their kids, what sport they played in school and all the times he has “shot” them. He rattles off names and connections like the events happened yesterday and is full of great stories about the community, nearly all of them true!

And along the way while collecting all these great memories, he has suffered a broken nose at a football game when a player ran into his long camera lens while he was shooting on the sidelines. He could see him coming, he could have gotten out of the way, but he stood his ground to get the shot. He’s been bitten by a wild animal, been threatened, been lunged at by a person under arrest, seen horrific accident scenes and been moved to tears by some of the events he’s witnessed.

But that ability to stand his ground sums up Paul Leavy. It’s what has earned him accolades and beaucoups of awards through the years. And it’s one of the many things we will miss the most about him. I wish him good luck but not entirely farewell as he will still shoot the occasional football game or event, but it won’t be the same around here.



Business Roundup

Mama June’s will officially open this week on Wednesday, Aug. 1. The restaurant is the second that the O’Neal restaurant empire has put into a renovated former Ryan’s (the other one is in Brunswick). Not wanting to compete with the family’s Ole Times Buffet or O’Neals Buffet, Pat named this buffet restaurant after his mother. Family photos are found throughout the building, which has been remodeled inside and out. Mama June’s will be open for lunch and dinner Monday through Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and on Saturday and Sunday, they’re starting a breakfast buffet at 6:30 a.m. If it goes well enough, they may be convinced to do it every day!

Kirkland’s opened a week or so ago, and the home-decor store is celebrating its grand opening this weekend, on Aug. 4 and 5. They will have drawings for prizes, etc. and the event will last from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m Saturday and 12 to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

The ribbon cutting for the new parking deck at South Georgia Medical Center is Tuesday at 11 a.m. The structure will offer parking for SGMC employees and patients as well as for students at VSU’s soon-to-be-built Health Sciences Center across the street.

It looks like Lowe’s is planning a big remodeling project at its store on St. Augustine. They have a building permit in today’s Homefront section for over $100,000.

Bubba Jax Crab Shack opened last week on Hill Avenue where the Old South BBQ restaurant was.

If you haven’t driven down Norman Drive lately, it’s amazing how much work has been done already on the Academy Sports site and for Gander Mountain. The two new national retailers are planning to be open in the late fall.

Shorty’s restaurant on North Valdosta Road closed last week with a packed house every night of loyal customers wishing the owners a happy retirement.

I know this isn’t really a business issue, but since I’ve had several questions about it, it looks like Westminster Presbyterian Church has a new name, Grace Community Church.

On North Ashley Street in the former Rite Aid building, it appears that workers have been inside in the last week, but there’s no sign to indicate what might be going in there. Anyone know?

That’s it for this week, but if there’s something I missed, please let me know!

 

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