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The ADVANCE, December 27, 2023/Page 5A
Indictments
continued from page 1A
an incident from January 1,
2022, where the pair broke
into an apartment in Vida-
lia and set the home ablaze.
Richards also received an
additional battery charge in
the case for causing bodily
harm to another person
during the situation by
punching them in the face.
Other individuals
charged in the grand jury
indictments included:
• Clifford Lee Tolbert
- Criminal Attempt to
Commit Incest, Criminal
Attempt to Commit Child
Molestation, Obstruction
of an Officer
• Robert Anthony, Jr.
- 2 counts of Entering an
Automobile
• William Michael Ry-
als - Possession of Meth-
amphetamine
• Jeffery Wayne
Rhymes - Executing Fic-
tious Checks
• William Eugene
Crowe - Burglary in the
Second Degree, Possession
of Methamphetamine
• Jermaine Maurice
Brown - Possession of
Methamphetamine with
Intent to Distribute, Sale of
Methamphetamine
• Timothy Edward
Durling, Jr., and Charlie
Edward Glisson, Jr. - Pos
session of Methamphet
amine (Both)
• Timothy Michael
Childs and Mary Ann
Guiterrez - Possession of
Methamphetamine With
Intent to Distribute (Both)
• Roderick Ravon
Harvey - Possession of
Methamphetamine
• Jackson Cody Gra
ham - Terroristic Threats,
Criminal Trespass (Family
Violence), Aggravated As
sault, Possession of a Fire
arm During the Commis
sion of a Crime
• Jeremy Dean But
ler and Lara Ann Moxley
- Trafficking in Metham
phetamine (Both)
• James Washington
Thompson - Obstruction
of an Officer
• Shermonta Levon
Cooper - Aggravated As
sault (Family Violence)
• Ely Jordan Faircloth
- Rape, Aggravated Sod
omy
• Malik Ramon Daniel
- Aggravated Assault, False
Imprisonment
• Jesse James Trujillo
- Possession of Metham
phetamine, Possession of a
Firearm During the Com
mission of a Felony
• Sheree Ann Sikes - 2
counts of Financial Trans
action Card Fraud
• Charles Earl Cole
man - Terroristic Threats
• Charles Earl Cole
man - Burglary in the First
Degree, Aggravated Stalk
ing
• Willie Jeffery Rob
inson III - Aggravated As
sault
• Brian Marquell Mc
Cray and Julius McNeal
Simmons - Aggravated As
sault, Possession of a Fire
arm by a Convicted Felon
(McCray), Possession of
a Firearm by a Convicted
Felon (Simmons)
• Robert Truman
Moody - Theft by Shoplift
ing
• Cassandra Leora
Stewart - Aggravated As
sault, 2 counts of Obstruc
tion of an Officer
• Ira Jerome Moore -
Theft by Taking, Criminal
Damage to Property in the
Second Degree
• Roderick Ravon
Harvey - Possession of
Methamphetamine
• Antonio Devan
Knowles - Aggravated As
sault (Family Violence),
Terroristic Threats
• Quintarius Jaquan
Collins - Theft by Receiv
ing Stolen Property, Pos
session of a Firearm by a
First Offender Probationer
• Christopher Maurice
McKinney - Trafficking in
Cocaine
During the session, the
Grand Jurors also appoint
ed Carolyn Robinson to
the Toombs County Board
of Equalization. The group
will convene again at the
beginning of the upcoming
year to determine more in
dictments for recent cases.
Georgia PSC approves agreement
on Plant Vogtle costs
By Dave Williams
Bureau Chief
Capitol Beat News Service
Georgia energy regula
tors unanimously approved
a plan Tuesday to let Geor
gia Power pass on to cus
tomers almost $7.6 billion
of its costs in building two
additional nuclear reactors
at Plant Vogtle.
The Atlanta-based
utility agreed in August to
reduce the costs it was ask
ing the state Public Service
Commission (PSC) to de
clare "reasonable and pru
dent" by about $2.6 billion
after years of delays and
cost overruns that more
than doubled the price tag
from the $14 billion the
commission authorized
back in 2009.
The first of the new
reactor units at the plant
south of Augusta went into
service at the end of July.
The second is due to fol
low by the end of March.
The project will increase
the average residential cus
tomer's bill by $8.95 per
month.
Commissioner Lauren
"Bubba" McDonald, the
only member of the PSC
who was on the board in
2009, acknowledged the
difficulties the project has
faced during the last 14
years.
"It has been a journey,"
McDonald said before
Tuesday's vote. "(But) for
the first time in 34 years in
America, a nuclear plant
has been built. ... We suf
fered the pain, but we're
also going to enjoy the ben
efit."
"The Vogtle ... nuclear
expansion project repre
sents a long-term invest
ment for our 2.7 million
customers and Georgia,
providing clean, safe, reli
able, and emission-free en
ergy for decades to come,"
Georgia Power added in a
statement.
"We believe this deci
sion by the Georgia PSC
acknowledges the perspec
tives of all parties involved
and takes a balanced ap
proach the recognizes the
value of this long-term en
ergy asset for the state of
Georgia and affordability
needs for customers."
Representatives of en
vironmental and consum
er advocacy groups that
signed onto the agreement
with Georgia Power point
ed to the company's com
mitment to significantly
expand its energy efficien
cy programs and increase
the number of seniors who
will qualify for its bill-relief
program.
"We are pleased the
commission included pro
grams that will provide the
most vulnerable customers
with some bill relief," said
Codi Norred, executive di
rector of Georgia Interfaith
Power and Light. "That
being said, Georgia Power
customers have and will
continue to pay heavily for
Vogtle's budget overruns.
"After Vogtle, we hope
the commission will dou
ble down on their support
of cost-saving renewable
options like solar and bat
tery storage."
Bryan Jacob, represent
ing the Southern Alliance
for Clean Energy, com
plained during a hearing
last week that the August
agreement fails to set forth
how the costs of the Vogtle
nuclear expansion will be
allocated between residen
tial and small-business cus
tomers and large industrial
customers.
"Georgia Power has
the obligation to prove its
rate allocation is just and
reasonable," he said.
Jacob also suggested
the commission should
have required Georgia
Power to credit residential
and small-business cus
tomers for what they've al
ready paid up front for the
project.
Nuclear Watch South,
one of the environmental
organizations opposed to
the agreement, said the rate
increase for Plant Vogtle
is one of several Georgia
Power has received during
the past year.
"The smart money
knows nuclear energy is
a bad investment," said
Stephen Wing, a member
of Nuclear Watch South's
Board of Directors. "Yet the
profit on that investments
goes to Georgia Power
shareholders ... while we
get stuck with a 26% rate
hike to cover the project's
construction mistakes, on
top of three other rate hikes
in the past year alone."
Georgia Power is a
45% partner in the Vogtle
expansion, working with
Oglethorpe Power, the
Municipal Electric Author
ity of Georgia (MEAG)
and Dalton Utilities.
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Alamo City Council Holds
Last Meeting of 2023
By Deborah Clark
Regional Editor
dclarkadvance@gmail.com
Purchases for new City
Hall, the adoptions of the
2023 tax millage rate and a
burn ordinance, approval of
a waste collection contract,
and a request by a CAMP
Grow representative were
among agenda items tack
led by the Alamo City
Council at its last meeting
of 2023 on December 18.
Commissioners de
cided to budget $12,000 to
purchase computers, print
ers, a scanner, and docking
stations for new City Hall
and the adjoining police
headquarters. Funds will be
taken from SPLOST allo
cations. Both buildings are
being readied for occupan
cy in the near future. At its
next session on January 8,
the Council will schedule
a date for an open house to
introduce the new facilities
to the community.
The Council also ad
opted the 2023 tax mill-
age rate of 8.177, rolling it
back from the rate of 8.491
for the previous year. The
City’s budget for 2024 is
$1.6 million, $55,000 be
low 2023’s budget.
A burn ordinance was
adopted following the ad
vertising of amendments
to the law regarding fines.
At its November session,
the Council clarified that
the first violation of the
ordinance would result in
a warning, and thereafter
fines would be imposed
that would increase by $25
with each successive infrac
tion.
The Council approved
a three-year contract with
Rylan Environmental of
Dublin to haul sludge and
household waste for dis
posal. The current contract
with Republic Services of
Higgston is due to expire
on January 31, 2024.
A request from City
Manager Jeff Floyd to ad
dress needs with the City’s
Water and Sewer System
was resolved with the ap
proval of a bid from South
east Environmental of
Blackshear. The agreement
will provide maintenance
upgrades to meet Environ
mental Protection Divi
sion guidelines and cost
$19,271.88.
In response to the need
to provide approximately
$9,000 for preliminary en
vironmental survey work
at Eastside Park, the Coun
cil opted to transfer funds
from general fund savings
to cover future expenses.
These expenses are reim
bursable from a $2.2 mil
lion grant being adminis
tered by Heart of Georgia
Altamaha Regional Com
mission for park improve
ments. The park is being
upgraded to provide addi
tional resources and activi
ties for citizens.
Santina Fryer, co
founder and executive
director of the Gents and
Glam Community, Family,
and Youth Services, from
Baxley, addressed the City
Council regarding future
use of old City Hall, which
will be abandoned once
the City moves into its new
building in the near future.
Fryer asked the Coun
cil to entertain the idea
of allowing her program,
which operates Camp
Grow in Wheeler County
at a neighborhood church
where space is an issue, to
utilize old City Hall for its
program. The Council de
ferred making a decision on
the request pending further
consideration.
The Council approved
the 2024 Calendar and hol
idays schedules, but tabled
making a decision on the
approval of 2024 commit
tees until further discus
sions can take place. Regu
lar sessions will take place
at 6 p.m. at City Hall on
the third Monday of each
month except for the first
meeting of the year, which
will be held on Monday,
January 8.
Artifact
continued from page 1A
Joseph Brown knew that
Sherman was on his way to
bum everything - Atlanta
had already been burned
down, and what was left of
the Confederates was mov
ing south.”
He said those fleeing
Sherman’s terror advised of
ficials in Milledgeville to re
move their valuables - such
as silverware, gold, and any
other treasures - from the
Governor’s Mansion or
they would be destroyed.
These protected items
would be moved to Macon,
where it was believed Sher
man would never venture.
“They were right -
Sherman never took Ma
con,” Andrew continued.
“He did get on the other
side of the Ocmulgee River
and shot a bunch of can
nons over the river to shake
up things, but he never
physically marched to Ma
con.”
The mirror, along with
several other valuables,
were transported to Macon
prior to Sherman’s arrival.
“Lord knows how they got
it there - probably by mule
train,” he remarked. “It had
to be a whole bunch of
stuff...and this mirror was
part of that stuff.”
When trying to decide
where to store the pro
tected items, confederates
struggled - they knew not
to place the valuables in
any government structure
in case Sherman did ar
rive in Macon, and needed
somewhere that everything
would remain together. “A
new college had opened up
years before - the Wesleyan
College, which was a Meth
odist college for girls. Some
of the furnishings were
placed in the college to be
used by the women,” An
drew shared. “That college
was the old Wesleyan Col
lege - not where the school
sits today. The old Wesleyan
College was in downtown
Macon, where the post of
fice sat for years.”
Several decades later,
when the college had grown
too large for the downtown
campus and was moving to
its present campus in North
Macon, several women
graduating from the college
took relics from the facility
as souvenirs. “My great aunt
Rose Andrew McClendon,
who lived next door to my
family in Perry, had been a
student at Wesleyan Col
lege and wanted a memento
to preserve her memories
of the college,” he recalled.
“They were having an es
tate sale because they were
moving everything and get
ting rid of a lot to modern
ize the college. She bought
two mementos at that sale -
this mirror, which was well-
known through the Wesley
an community that it came
from the Governor’s Man
sion, and also a 7-ft divan.”
When this beloved
aunt died around 36 years
ago, Andrew’s father in
herited the mirror and its
matching settee, which sits
beneath it. “In discussions
with Aunt Ruth for many
years, [my father] would
say, ‘We just don’t have a
place to put this thing.’ They
had mansions themselves,
but they didn’t have 14-foot
ceilings like we have here,”
Andrew said. “So, she kept
it in a bam well-preserved
and well-protected for 60
years until she died. When
she died, my dad inherited
it, and he didn’t know what
to do with it, so he kept it
in a barn himself, well pre
served and well protected,
until Reid [Ihrelkeld] and
I bought this historic house,
which is known as the Pe-
terson-Jenkins House and is
on the National Register of
Historic Places.”
Upon the purchase of
the grand historic structure,
Andrew’s father gave him
the mirror to display in the
office, as no one else in the
family had a structure large
enough for the piece. Thus,
the mirror has hung on the
walls of the office ever since
- until now.
“I have felt guilty ever
since I got it from Dad be
cause I realized that though
we legitimately came to
ownership of the thing, I
knew it was a piece of his
tory. I don’t care how legiti
mately we got it - it belongs
to the citizens of the State
of Georgia and needs to go
back to Milledgeville,” he
commented.
Around 20 years ago,
Andrew contacted the pres
ident of Georgia College
& State University, whose
campus now oversees the
historic Governor’s Man
sion. He informed him that
he had a mirror that be
longed to the structure, and
he intended to donate it
later in life. Therefore, when
the sale of Andrew’s law of
fice was finalized, he knew it
was time to contact the col
lege for the donation again.
“The young gal manag
ing the desk was awestruck
by the call - she told me she
would have the president
of the college or someone
call me shortly... and short
ly, I did receive the call,”
Andrew remarked with a
laugh. “His name is Matt
Davis, and he is the cura
tor of all sorts of museums,
including this museum. He
told me that they would
come get the mirror. They
said they would get their
fine arts movers to come get
it as soon as they received a
bill of sale.”
When asked what of
the story was family lore
- because Andrew shared
that all of the information
above is factual - he shared
that the family often said
that the mirror was brought
to the United States from a
castle in England prior to
being placed in the Gover
nor’s mansion.
So, as Andrew and
Threlkeld’s belongings re
turn home from their con
joined law office, the his
toric mirror will now travel
to a separate home for all to
enjoy. Yet, regardless of the
mirror’s location, Andrew
and his family will always
have a personal connection
with the piece, as they ulti
mately restored history to
its proper place.