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Vol. 143, No. 26 - Waynesboro, Ga. 30830 Established in 1882 Wednesday, August 16, 2023 - $1.00
Williams blames woes on “Group of 12”
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
Editor’s note: The True Citizen’s
primary reporter, Shellie Smitley, has
been employed with the newspaper
since March 2021. She has never
interviewed former Sheriff Greg
Coursey and has only met him. once
briefly. She has never met former
Chief Deputy Lewis Blanchard and
only spoke to him recently to ask
him about his intentions to run for
sheriff at which time he declined to
comment. In no way is her coverage
of the sheriff, the Board of Commis
sioners or the Burke County Sheriff’s
Office a product of any collusion
with either Coursey or Blanchard.
During the Austin Rhodes radio
program August 11, Sheriff Alfonzo
Williams blamed FBI, GBI and
WRDW investigations along with ar
ticles in The True Citizen on former
Chief Deputy Lewis Blanchard and
former Sheriff Greg Coursey.
“The truth is that the person who
now wants my job was a part of my
administration,” Williams said of
Blanchard who is rumored, but not
confirmed, to be running against
him in the next election. “The for
mer sheriff that is behind a lot of
this (who) is very evil and mean
spirited...”
Rhodes accused The True Citizen
of not “going after” Coursey despite
what Rhodes says was an administra
tion riddled with problems.
“I can tell you they are in collusion
with them now,” Williams said of
The True Citizen and Coursey.
Williams claimed Coursey is jeal
ous that there is more funding avail
able to the Burke County Sheriff’s
Office now than when Coursey was
in office. He speculated that Coursey
feels if he’d had more money that he
could have done a better job while
holding the office.
“He had a lot of great employees,”
Williams said. “The employees just
didn’t have the right leadership. He
is coming after us.”
Williams said he is experiencing
the influx of investigations into his
management of the sheriff’s depart
ment in part because of Blanchard.
“It’s a conspiracy between a num
ber of persons; Lewis Blanchard,
Gregory Coursey, the assistant chief
over at the (Waynesboro Police De
partment) ,” Williams said. “Lewis is
out telling people that (I) sold all of
my rental properties three days be
fore I deposited (more than $50,000
handed over from Coursey’s admin
istration) into the bank. That is a lie.”
Rhodes pointed out that Williams
was making “serious accusations.”
However, Williams went on to ac
cuse others of conspiring against
him, and went as far as attribut
ing ongoing GBI investigations to
Blanchard, Coursey, County Man
ager Merv Waldrop and others.
“There is a group,” Williams said.
“I call them the group of 12.”
Williams said he is not concerned
about the outcome of ongoing in
vestigations but is concerned more
about how the public might perceive
them.
“People are hearing that and begin
to think, ‘where there is smoke, there
is fire,” Williams
said. “I will tell
you there is no fire GROUP OF 12,
here.” 6
Regarding on-
(I to r) Burke County Board of Elections Board Member Carol Jones, Elections Supervisor Angie Parrish,
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and Vice-chair Ed Burke pose for a photo during the Lunch & Learn
event sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce August 10.
Secretary of State speaks at Chamber luncheon
BOC responds to
Sheriff controversy
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
Secretary of State Brad
Raffensperger spoke during the
Chamber of Commerce’s Lunch
& Learn event at the Waynesboro
Ice Plant August 10.
Raffensperger’s discussion
centered around the function of
his office, including the issuing
of approximately 140 business-
related licenses. He said reforms
now allow business owners to
renew their corporations for up
to three years at a time.
Raffensperger also touched
on the purpose of SB 84, aimed
at preventing financial exploita
tion of senior citizens. Governor
Brian Kemp signed the bill into
law in May.
As far as voting, Raffensperger
pointed out that many don’t real
ize that people can register to
vote at the age of 17 Vi years and
they can vote if they turn 18 by
election day.
Raffensperger said he is
spreading awareness of state
programs emphasizing financial
literacy and civics to high school
students. After the luncheon,
he declined to comment on the
lawsuit that challenges the con
stitutionality of SB 92, hied in
part by District Attorney Jared
Williams.
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
In an August 10 press release,
Chairwoman Terri Lodge Kelly said
the BOC is “obviously aware” of
several controversies surrounding
the Sheriff’s Office.
Kelly said the BOC’s goal is to
deal with each situation by acting
within the law.
“We strive to handle each situation
in such a way that allows the people
of Burke County to know we are
taking this seriously and at the same
time allowing the legal system to
play out,” she said.
In the press release, Kelly said
the county’s insurance company
has assigned an attorney to repre
sent Sheriff Williams in the sexual
harassment allegations made by a
former employee. She also said the
board was awaiting a response from
District Attorney Jared Williams’
office regarding the GBI’s investiga
tion into training classes provided
by the Sheriff for law enforcement
accreditation requirements. Addi
tionally, she acknowledged recent
concerns about whether arrestees by
the Waynesboro Police Department
were properly booked into the jail.
She said the board would allow the
two agencies to reach a resolution.
Kelly reiterated that the board feels
they adequately fund the sheriff’s
department and pointed out that
despite nearly doubling his budget
since 2017, Williams has gone over
budget nearly every year.
“We must also not forget that
Sheriff Williams unsuccessfully sued
the County Commission for “more”
control over his budget,” Kelly
wrote. “Even though the Judge ruled
against him, the Sheriff continues
to reject cost-control measures the
County Commission utilizes for
other departments.”
The letter did not mention the
second investigation the GBI has
turned over to the District Attorney’s
office pertaining to potential misuse
of county and grant funds, nor the
Columbia County investigation of
the tasing death of Freddie Walker
that has been forwarded to the Dis
trict Attorney’s office as well.
Heat Exhaustion
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Becomes
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• Move person to
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• Loosen clothing and
remove extra layers
• Cool with water or Ice
Heat stroke con couse death or permanent
disability if emergency treatment is not given.
£33 Tzosm stay Cool, Stay Hydrated, Stay Informed!
Burke Health offers tips for navigating the resurgence of COVID -19
LACEY HILLIS-ZORN
lacey@alisonsouthmarketing.com
The world is facing yet another
phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite significant progress in vac
cination efforts and public health
measures, the virus continues to
prove its resilience by resurging in
various parts of the world.
The resurgence serves as a stark
reminder that the virus remains
a formidable adversary. Several
factors contribute to this uptick in
cases, including the emergence of
new variants, the waning immunity
of some vaccinated individuals, and
lapses in preventive measures due to
pandemic fatigue.
Essential Protocols
Vaccination: Prioritize and
Continue
Vaccination remains the corner
stone of our defense against COV-
ID-19. Governments and healthcare
agencies must continue to prioritize
vaccination campaigns, ensuring that
as many eligible individuals as pos
sible receive their full vaccine regi
men. Emerging variants highlight the
importance of achieving high levels
of population immunity to reduce
the virus's potential to spread and
mutate.
Masking in High-Risk Areas
As the virus resurges, wearing
masks in high-risk areas or situa
tions can greatly reduce the risk of
transmission. This is particularly im
portant indoors, in crowded spaces,
and in places where social distancing
is challenging. Both vaccinated and
unvaccinated individuals should
consider masking to protect them
selves and others.
Maintaining Hygiene Practices
Basic hygiene practices like fre
quent handwashing with soap and
water, avoiding touching one's face,
and covering coughs and sneezes
with a tissue or the inside of the el
bow remain crucial in preventing the
spread of the vims. Hand sanitizers
with at least 60% alcohol content
can also be used when hand washing
facilities are not available.
Adhering to Travel Advisories
Travel has been a significant con
tributor to the global spread of the
vims. As cases surge, it's essential to
stay informed about travel advisories
and follow any recommended guide
lines or restrictions. Quarantine and
testing protocols may be necessary to
prevent the vims from being carried
across regions.
Flexible Work Arrangements
Businesses and employers should
consider maintaining flexible work
arrangements where possible, in
cluding remote work options. This
not only reduces the potential for
vims transmission in workplaces
but also helps alleviate pressure on
public transportation systems.
Prioritizing Ventilation and Air
Quality
Adequate ventilation and air ex
change in indoor spaces can help
reduce the concentration of viral
particles in the air. Where feasible,
increase the flow of outdoor air into
indoor spaces and use air filtration
systems to improve indoor air qual
ity.
Monitoring Symptoms and
Testing
Individuals should SEE
continue to monitor their COVID-19,
health and be vigilant for g