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your Hometown Source of Cocal flews
Hometown Newspaper of Kay and Lester Gibbs
Volume XXIV - Number 28
Leesburg, Georgia -- February 21,2002
Fifty Cents
The Lee County and Leesburg Junior Miss was held Saturday , February 9 at the Clay Auditorium at Lee
County High School. The 10 contestants competed for scholarship money and opportunities at Darton
College. Pictured are (left to right)Betsy Jones, Lee County Junior Miss 2001 (and 1 st runner up to Georgia's
Junior Miss); 2nd runner up Lauren Thomas; Lee County Junior Miss 2002 Emily Kitchens; Leesburg Junior
Miss 2002 Jessica Hernandez (also preliminary talent & fitness winner); first runner up Mary Clark (also
scholastic award winner); and Mallory Grebel, Leesburg Junior Miss 2001.
Smithville Citizens
Praised For Child
Rescue Efforts
Smithville Mayor Jack Smith praised the citizens of Smith
ville for their efforts in searching for a missing five year old
child last week. The child was found safe.
Over 40 people in the neighborhood assisted law enforce
ment, fire and rescue personnel in searching for the child.
Apparently the child entered the family car and opened the
glove compartment and pushed the trunk button. After opening
the trunk, the child got into the trunk and closed it.
Searchers had looked in the vehicle before the mother checked
it. She opened the trunk to find the child.
Chief Walt Causey said that it was very fortunate that the
incident did not occur during hot weather.
Part Time Lee
County Employee
Returns to Work
Michelle Williams (center), this year’s Poise winner
and winner of the Spirit of Junior Miss award, is
pictured with former recipients Amanda Salter (left),
2000 Leesburg Junior Miss, and 2001 Spirit winner
Elizabeth Walters (right).
Ronnie Brogdon, a part time
right of way agent for Lee County,
returned to work last week after
having resigned the previous
week. Lee County Commission
ers were in Atlanta and not avail
able for comment on Brogdon's
return.
According to Brogdon and pub
lic records, he claimed 40,107
miles in travel expenses during
2001 and was paid a total of
$57,690 for his work with the
county. His fee of 30 cents per
mile is more than other county
employees who are paid only 25
cents per mile. Brogdon stated
arrangements were made for his
pay and mileage to start when he
left his home in Alapaha, Geor
gia. Alapaha, in Berrien County,
is located east of Tifton some 72
miles from Leesburg. Brogdon
was paid for the 145 mile round
trip each time he worked for Lee
County.
New Lee County Administrator,
Langford Holbrook, on his first
day at work, stated, "Ronnie is a
highly qualified employee and has
years of experience with the De
partment of Transportation.” He
added “I haven't had a chance to
look into the details of his pay ar
rangements with the county, but
someone should not get a differ
ent mileage rate than others.
Whatever rate is decided on that
is equitable should be given to
all."
Brogdon has worked for Lee
County as a part time employee
for the past several years. While
there is no written contract be
tween the county and Brogdon, a
local state employee stated it is
not unreasonable for a person
with Brogdon's credentials to be
paid a higher rate than other em
ployees because self-employ
ment taxes could reduce the pay
by as much as a half. Some local
residents questioned if it is proper
to pay an employee for travel be
tween the office and his home.
Brogdon was provided office
space, the use of office equipment
and a telephone in the Lee
County Administration building.
Last week, Vice-Chairman
Jackie McCorkle said he would
look into the details of this par
ticular employee's arrangements
with Lee County.
Sheriff’s Department Files Arrest Report
possession of marijuana with
intent to distribute and speed
ing February 15. Ellis was
charged after officers pulled
him over on a traffic stop at the
intersection of Ledo Road and
Stillwell Circle. Ellis had in his
possession a quantity of
marijuana.
Jessica Lynn Canales. 17, of
811 Shelton Drive. Albany, was
charged with theft by shoplift
ing February 16. Canales was
charged after attempting to exit
retail store with unpaid items.
The Lee County/Leesburg Junior Miss preliminary
award winners were Jessica Hernandez (left), Talent
and Fitness award winner and Leesburg Junior Miss;
Mary Clark (center) Scholastic Acheivement Award
winner and first runner up; and Michelle Williams
(right), Poise winner and Spirit of Junior Miss award
winner.
Mock Trial Committee
Changes LCHS District
Doherty
Duggan
~sr 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
Preschool
Story Time
Tuesdays
10:30 AM
Leesburg
Library
Free & Open
Sponsored by
Lee County
Library
The Mock Trial Committee of
the Georgia Bar Association
moved the Lee County High
School Mock Trial Team from
its assigned Southwest Georgia
Region to compete in the
Coastal Region.
The LCHS Mock Trial Team
was to compete last weekend in
the Southwest Georgia Region
Competition in Albany at the
courthouse.
After being notified by the
Mock Trial Committee that
due to lack of competition
within this region, the LCHS
team was being transferred
from its assigned region to the
Coastal Region, the local team
was faced with team members
being involved in other school
related activities on the same
date as the competition set for
February 23.
Sheriff Harold Breeden
reported cases that officers with
the Lee County Sheriff’s
Department worked recently.
Candy Casey Epps. 32, of 655
McLendon Road, Dawson,
Georgia, was charged with
possession of cocaine on
February 11. Epps was charged
after officers obtained results
from the Georgia Crime Lab on
an incident that occurred on
December 6, 2001 at King
The attorneys who are
serving as advisors for the local
team stated that they are using
the mock trial experience to
educate the students about the
legal system and to develop
their analytical skills. The local
attorneys are taking issue with
the fact that the Mock Trial
Committee has rewritten its
rules such that there is no
appeal from the decisions of
the subcommittee on rules. The
local attomeys-coaches are
working with the Mock Trial
Committee in an attempt to
allow the Lee County team to
compete at the state competi
tion since the Southwest
Georgia Region was disbanded
by the state committee and the
local team has several members
that could not compete in the
Coastal Region.
Cotton Gin.
Moyas Gasper Hernandez, 40,
of 906 C US 19 North, Lees
burg, was charged with two
counts of forgery February 12.
Hernandez was arrested on the
forgery charges after being
found in possession of a forged
Resident Alien card.
Michael Brandon Young, 18,
of 301 Old Leslie Road,
Leesburg, was charged with
theft by shoplifting February
12. Young was charged on the
shoplifting charge after attempt
ing to exit an auto parts store
with unpaid items.
William Brannon Magby, 26.
of 612 Apt. 1 Mission, Albany,
was charged with theft by
taking and false report of a
crime on February 13. Magby
was charged after reporting a
vacuum cleaner being stolen.
Investigation revealed Magby
had pawned the vacuum
cleaner.
Clay Brooks Maddox, 26, of
129 B Crow Drive, Leesburg,
was charged with two counts of
theft by taking on February 13.
Maddox was charged after an
investigation resulted in the
recovery of two utility trailers
that was stolen in Lee County.
Joseph Glenn Ellis Jr., 17, of
730 Graves Springs Road,
Leesburg, was charged with
Leesburg Files
Weekly Report
Leesburg Police Chief
Charles Moore reports that
officers worked several cases
recently including larceny.
Officer David Bullington
responded to a theft by taking
at the high school February
14. The victim told Officer
Bullington that some un
known person(s) took $120.00
from his wallet that was left in
the locker room of the gym.
Officer David Bullington
worked a theft by taking and
entering an automobile case
February 9 on Canal Street. The
victim advised that an unknown
person(s) stole a cellular phone
valued at $300 from his vehicle.
Officer Dennis Griffin worked
a theft by taking February 6 at
the high school. The victim
advised Officer Griffin that an
unknown person! s) took his
calculator from his storage bag.
The calculator is the type
commonly used by many
students at the school.
BUFFALO ROCK
LCHS Trojan
Baseball
Don’t Cook On
Saturday
March 2, 2002
Order Your BBQ
Plates NOW!!
For more
information or
tickets call:
Amy McCool
229-883-2977