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your Hometown Source of Cocal flews
Hometown Newspaper of Mr. and Mrs. Edd Spurlock
Volume XXIV - Number 24
Leesburg, Georgia -- January 24,2002
Fifty Cents
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The Lee County Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting for The Door & Window Company Friday,
January 18. The Door & Window Company is operated by Rick Walsh and Buddy Haynes and is located at
179 - B Cedric Street, Leesburg. Business hours are Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and the phone
number is 420-4203. The Door and Window Company specializes in garage doors, replacement windows,
and maintenance contracts.
Smithville Police Files Weekly Report
Sentences Issued
In Leesburg
Municipal Court
Smithville Police Chief Walt
Causey reports that Smithville
officers worked several cases
during the past week.
Lt. D.H. Smith charged
Tiffany Koch Newell. 27, of
311 Sportsman Club Road,
Leesburg. January 18 with
driving under the influence and
speeding. On Friday, January
19, Smith was running radar on
US 19 North and checked a
vehicle approaching at 64 miles
per hour in a 45 M.P.H. zone.
Lt. Smith conducted a traffic
stop and made contact with the
driver who identified herself as
Tiffany Koch Newell. While
talking to the driver, the officer
noticed an odor of an alcoholic
beverage. Newell stated that she
had been drinking alcoholic
beverage. A check of GCIC
revealed that her license had
been suspended for insurance
cancellation second offense on
September 28. but she had not
been served. She was given an
alco-sensor test which indicated
an alcohol concentration of
.124%. Ms. Newell was placed
under arrest and transported to
the Lee County Jail. She was
charged with driving under the
influence and speeding 64/45.
Sheila Denise Clay Brown,
33, of 132 Wells Street Apart
ment A1. Smithville, was
charged with probation viola
tion (felony ) by Lt. D.H. Smith
on January 15. A check through
GCIC revealed that she had an
active felony warrant from
Doherty
Duggan
ar~Rouse
Insurors
Home • Auto • Business • Life/Health
P.O.Box 71628 (229)888-2040
Albany, GA 31708-1628 800-628-2040
2301 Dawson Road (31707) Fax (229) 435-3036
www.ddrins.com
Lee County
Board of
Commissioners
Will Meet
Monday,
Feburary 4 at
6:00 p.m.
Dougherty County for probation
violation. Contact was made
with her and she was placed
under arrest for probation
violation and transported to the
Lee County Jail for processing.
She was also served with a
driver's license suspension
notification since her license
was suspended for insurance
cancellation. She surrendered
her license to Lt. Smith.
Troyrenthin Jabbar Coleman.
21. of 900 Southwest Avenue,
Rellglade, Florida, was charged
with driving while license
suspended and no proof of
insurance by Lt. D.H. Smith.
While running radar on January
13, Lt. Smith observed a vehicle
running 49 in a 35 M.P.H. zone.
When the vehicle failed to slow
down. Lt. Smith conducted a
traffic stop. A check through
GCIC revealed that he did not
have a valid drivers license for
failure to appear for driving
violations. Coleman was placed
under arrest and transported to
the Lee County Jail and charged
with driving while license
suspended and no proof of
insurance. He was issued a
written warning for the speed
ing violation.
Francis Lee Fowler, 19, of
1333 Pleasant Grove Church
Road, Albany, was charged with
driving while license suspended
(second violation) by Lt. D.H.
Smith on January 13. Lt. Smith,
while sitting in the patrol car at
the Sumter County line,
observed Fowler who was
driving a vehicle, stop in the
highway and get into the back
seat. Lt. Smith approached the
vehicle and was told by Fowler
that he was changing his clothes
for work. A check through
GCIC revealed that his license
was suspended for numerous
failures to appear. He was
placed under arrest for driving
with suspended license. While
walking Fowler to Officer
Straine’s deputy car, Fowler
became very vulgar and was
uncooperative. When he
attempted to pull away, he was
sprayed with O.C. spray to
avoid further problems. He was
transported to the jail for
processing.
Officer James E. Smith
worked a case involving a
mentally ill person January 21.
Officer Smith was flagged
down by a motorist who stated
that a car was stopped in the
roadway on Highway 19 South
and 118 West. When Officer
Smith arrived at the scene, the
driver told him that someone
told her to stop there and she
was waiting for them to tell her
she could go. When the police
department from that person's
location was contacted, Officer
Smith was advised that she was
mentally ill. Smith requested
that she go the police depart
ment and wait for her sister.
She stated that her sister
wanted to kill her dog which
was in the car. She started to
drive through town. Officer
Smith got her to stop and
obtained assistance in getting
her out of the vehicle. She was
transported to the Lee County
Jail to wait for her sister and
her dog was turned over to
animal control.
Chief Walt Causey worked a
theft and burglary case January
21. The victim informed Chief
Causey that he found his
pickup truck sitting flat on the
ground. The tires and wheels
had been removed. Also a weed
eater, air tank and speaker box
The County Board of Commis
sioners voted Tuesday night to
grant the $500.00 Christmas bo
nuses to the five Constitutional
Officers. The five Constitutional
Officers are the Sheriff, the Clerk
of Superior Court, Tax Commis
sioner. Probate Court Judge and
Magistrate Court Judge.
The county commissioners met
December 19 in a special called
session. At that meeting, Vice-
Chairman Jackie McCorkle made
a motion to increase the Christ
mas bonus from $100.00 to
$500.00 for full-time employees
and from $50.00 to $250.00 for
part-time employees.
All county employees including
those recently employed except
the Constitutional Officers re
ceived the bonuses. To clarify the
previous motion to grant the bo
nuses, the commissioners voted
Tuesday. January 22 to grant the
bonus to the five constitutional
officers.
Before voting. Chairman Billy
Mathis noted that the five Con
stitutional Officers had 98 years
of experience serving the citizens
of Lee County. Mathis said that
he had the opinion that all county
employees were included. Com
missioner James Mays inquired
if the commissioners were also
included. Mathis said that the
commissioners could not grant
were removed.
Officer Standup Strain worked
a theft case where the victim
reported $158 was removed
from her pocketbook. The
pocketbook was in her locker at
her job site.
Walter Mae Brown, of North
Boulevard Street, Smithville,
was charged with criminal
trespass. A business owner told
Lt. D.H. Smith on January 19
that Brown was at his business
and was causing problems with
some of his employees and
customers. Brown was reported
using vulgar language. Brown
had been told earlier by the
business owner and the police
officer to stay away from that
business. Lt. Smith charged
Brown with criminal trespass
and issued her a summons to
appear in court February 1,
2002. Ms. Brown left the area
without further incident.
The Smithville Police Depart
ment worked five juvenile cases
last week involving runaways.
themselves a raise.
Commissioner Eddie Hinman
questioned if granting bonuses to
the Constitutional Officers was
legal. Chairman Mathis assured
Mr. Hinman that it was legal to
grant the bonus to the Constitu
tional officers. Commissioner
Hinman also said that if the Con
stitutional Officers were given a
supplement then they would have
to continue receiving the bonuses
every year. Chairman Mathis said
that the bonus could be just for
one year.
Probate Judge John Wheaton
asked Commissioner Hinman
why he begrudged granting the
bonuses to people who served the
citizens of Lee County. All
commisioners voted to grant the
bonuses, including Hinman.
Leesburg Police Chief Charles
Moore reports that officers
worked several cases during the
past week including cases for
burglary and wanted person.
Travis Cantrell Price, 19, of
395 Philema Road North, was
arrested for probation violation
on January 16. He was trans
ported to the Lee County Jail.
The following people had
traffic citations/city cases heard
January 15 before Judge Cathy
Spillers.
Enrique Acosta pled not guilty
to speeding 57 in a 35 miles per
hour speed zone. He was found
guilty and paid a fine of $90.00.
Ben Barlow pled not guilty to
disorderly conduct. He was
found guilty and sentenced to
60 days probation and a fine of
$70.00.
Jamie Centred pled not guilty
to cruelty to animals. She was
found guilty and sentenced to
30 days probation and a fine of
$70.00.
Selwyn Dockery pled guilty to
following too close. She was
fined $70.00.
Mary Hall pled nolo to
obstruction of a police officer.
She was fined $125.00.
Kimberly Hershberger pled
nolo to failure to stop for a
school bus. She was fined
$250.00.
Eric Ingram pled guilty to
disorderly conduct. He was
fined $70.00 and sentenced to
60 days probation.
Hartley Kates pled nolo to
speeding 56 in a 35 miles per
hour zone. He was fined
$90.00.
Matthew Killough pled nolo
to an expired license and no
Year-end figures from the
Georgia Department of Labor
show that 89,000 jobs were lost
in Georgia during 2001, ending
a ten-year run of continued
growth. And, in December
Georgia's unemployment rate
rose to 4.2 percent, up from 4.1
percent in November. The
state's jobless rate was 3.0
percent in December 2000.
"The latest jobs report is
another indicator that our
economy has not yet turned the
corner." said State Labor
Commissioner Michael Thur
mond. "This news is hard
evidence that an economic
stimulus package is badly
needed. Congress should act
expeditiously to provide the
assistance necessary to rejuve
nate our economy. The stimulus
package should include an
extension of unemployment
insurance benefits, assistance
for health insurance, and
targeted tax cuts that will spur
capital spending and create
jobs. In Georgia, more than
72.000 unemployed workers
have exhausted their benefits
and may be eligible for addi
tional assistance."
Preliminary figures for
December show that Georgia
had 3,968,300 jobs at the end of
the year, down by 89,000, or 2.2
percent, from 4.057.300 at the
end of 2000. A total of 53,000
jobs were lost in trade and
services, 26.000 in manufactur-
On January 21, Officer
Gregory Barrett was dispatched
to the high school in reference
to a burglary. One of the
coaches indicated that a window
had been broken in the door to
the weightlifting room. Some
audio equipment was reported
missing.
insurance. He was fined a total
of $95.00.
Tarron Layfield pled nolo to
speeding 56 in a 25 miles per
hour school zone. He was fined
$200.00.
Carl Walker pled nolo to
breaking the leash law. He was
fined $110.00.
The following people did not
show for court or make arrange
ments to pay their fine. A
$25.00 fee has been added. If
payment is not made in 20 days
a Department of Public Safety
(DPS) 912 will be issued which
will result in suspension of their
driver's license.
Lionel Brown - failure to dim
headlights - $95.00.
Karla Jolly- speeding 74/55 -
$85.00.
Janet Judy- speeding 50/35 -
$75.00.
Charles Hardy - no tag on
trailer - $150.00.
Kelvin Leroy- no insurance -
$275.00.
Keenlan Pope - speeding 72/
55 - $85.00.
Vernon Powell-speeding 68/
45-$115.00.
James Twinney- speeding 41/
25 - $145.00.
January Underwood - speed
ing 64/45 - $85.00.
Tasha Whitsett - failure to
stop at a stop sign - $95.00.
ing, and 10,000 in construction.
Year-end job changes in the
metro areas from December
2000 to December 2001 are as
follows:
Albany, jobs up by 400, or
seven-tenths percent, from
59,600 to 60,000.
Athens, jobs down by 1,300,
or 1.7 percent, from 75.100 to
73,800.
Atlanta, jobs down by 60,400,
or 2.7 percent, from 2,239,200
to 2,178,800.
Augusta, jobs down by 2,800,
or 1.4 percent, from 206,100 to
203,300.
Columbus, jobs down by
1,900, or 1.5 percent, from
123,000 to 121,100.
Macon, jobs down by 700, or
five-tenths percent, from
152.400 to 151,700.
Savannah, jobs down by
4,100, or 2.9 percent, from
140.400 to 136,300.
These numbers do not include
the approximately 45,000 jobs
in agriculture and related
services.
BUFFALO ROCK
Leesburg
City
Council
Will Meet
Tuesday,
February 5
at 7:00 p.m.
Bonuses For Constitutional
Officers Approved
Leesburg Police Files
Weekly Report
89,000 Jobs Lost In
Georgia During 2001
