Newspaper Page Text
Challenge is
unsuccessful
BY KATELYN JENNINGS
The Byron Buzz
It’s an election year and it
brings out the worst and best
in people and sometimes
they will do whatever they
can to get some- ,
one unseated or
elected. Peach
County Board
of Elections and
Registration were
recently present
ed with a chal
lenge regarding
the residency of
Commissioner
Wade Yoder.
Commissioner
Yoder lives on the
same property
that his business
is located and and the chal
lenge was he was not eligible
to seek election. Yoder has
lived at this location in an
apartment type space in back
of his gym.
O.C.G.A. 21-2-217 {a}{i}
states in the residence of any
person shall be held to be
in that place in which such
person’s habitation is fixed,
without any present inten
tion of removing therefrom.
Yoder submitted documen
tation proving his residence
which negated the challenge.
Information from the
Geographic Informational
System Office does not show
his business as
Wade Yoder
his residence but
confirms knowledge
that he does reside
on the property.
They also consulted
with County Attor
ney, Jeff Liipfert. He
advised an Elector
can reside on his
property and be a
resident of Peach
County.
The Board made a
final decision on the
matter stating that
Wade Yoder has been at the
same residence for the last 12
years, and has been a Com
missioner for Peach County
for the past four years. The
research concluded that Yo
der is a qualified Candidate
for the Peach County Board
of Commissioners Post 5.
He is being challenge for the
Commission at large post by
Laronda Eason.
Navicent updates
visitation policy
As the state of Georgia
continues its limited, phased
reopening process, Navi
cent Health has returned to
pre-COVID patient volumes
across its health system.
After careful review of its
policies and local novel coro-
navirus (COVTD-19) data,
Navicent Health has chosen
to modify certain portions of
its essential visitation policy.
The essential visitation
policy was put into place on
March 12, 2020 to pro
tect patients, visitors and
caregivers from the threat
of COVID-19. While most of
the policy remains in effect,
modifications have been
made to accommodate those
being treated as inpatients.
The changes are effective
Wednesday, July 1, 2020.
What Has Changed:
o Each inpatient will be
allowed one visitor per day.
Visitation hours are 10:00
a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
o Only one visitor will be
permitted for the patient per
day, but a different visitor
may visit the patient each
subsequent day.
o Patients at end of life will
be allowed two visitors per
day.
For a complete summary of
Navicent Health’s essential
visitation policy, please click
here.
Masking Information
o To prevent the spread of
COVID-19, visitors will be
required to wear a mask at
all times, in accordance with
Navicent Health’s universal
masking policy,
o Navicent Health asks
that visitors arrive wearing
a mask. Visitors who arrive
without a mask will not
be permitted to enter the
facility.
o Visitors may visit hos
pital cafeterias and cafes to
pick up take-out food. Food
should be consumed in the
patient’s room. Visitors must
continue to wear their masks
in hallways, cafeterias and
cafes.
For up-to-date informa
tion on Navicent Health’s
COVTD-19 response, please
visit www.navicenthealth.org.
UPDATE: autopsy released
An autopsy has been con
ducted by the GBI crime lab
and it confirmed that Dom
inique Towns, who went
missing and then discovered
in an automobile accident,
died of blunt force trauma to
his head and abdomen in a
single-vehicle accident. The
accident occurred Thursday
June 25,2020 according to
Peach County Coroner Kerry
Rooks who confirmed that
determination after an anal
ysis of the autopsy.
During the recovery of
the body and the vehicle a
cellphone was recovered.
This cell phone will be
analyzed to see if it was the
most recent cell phone the
victim owned. FVPD is still
waiting for the completed re
port from the Georgia State
Patrol to determine exactly
how the accident happened.
FVPD Chief Lawrence
Spurgeon stated,’’The fam
ily stated that they used a
locate phone app to locate
the cellphone that was
recovered in Bibb County.
It is quite possible that the
victim owned that phone at
one time. The phone that
was recovered at the crash
scene matches the descrip
tion given by witnesses as
the phone he most recently
owned. Our thoughts and
prayers are with the family
at this time. “
If anyone has any informa
tion about this incident they
are asked to call 478-825
-3383-
Gov. signs hate crime hill
Governor Brian Kemp signed into law the hate crime legis
lation on the 40th Day of the 2020 Georgia General Session,
which was June 26,2020. HB 426 revises § 17-10-17. The bill
provides that a defendant is subject to enhanced criminal
penalties if the defendant chose their victim based on the
victim’s race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orien
tation, gender, mental disability, or physical disability. This
applies if the victim is actually a member of one or more of
these groups or the defendant perceived the victim to be a
member of one or more of these groups. The minimum sen
tence for a misdemeanor conviction of a hate crime would be
3-12 months and a fine not to exceed $5,000. The sentence
for a misdemeanor hate crime of a high and aggravated
nature would become 6-12 months and a fine not to exceed
$5,000. If the defendant is convicted of a felonious hate
crime, the court must impose a sentence of imprisonment
for a period of not less than two years. Georgia is among
the other 46 states to now have laws covering crimes of
hate. Governor Kemp stated, “Georgia is too great for hate”.
Pictured from left: Governor Brian Kemp, Rep. Patty Bentley,
and Georgia’s First Lady Marty Kemp.
Chamber Business of Month
Peach County business and team of Peach Regional Cham
ber’ of Commerce presented the June business of the month
award to Gottwal’s Books in Byron. Being in the distribu
tion warehouse and seeing all the moving parts of Gottwals
Books is amazing, especially knowing it started from concept
scratch and some book shelving in a room. They are wished
much success.
Fort Valley man murdered
at hotel in Perry, 3 charged
A Fort Valley man was
killed at a Perry motel on
Thursday, July 2, 2020.
Three have been arrested in
connection with the murder
of 20-year-old D-undrea
Monta Jolly of Fort Valley.
According to the Perry
Police Department, the
shooting happened around
12:45 a.m. Thursday at the
Great Inn on St. Patrick’s
Drive. They found Jolly with
gunshot wounds. Both Perry
Fire Department and EMS
rendered aid, but Jolly died
on the scene.
An intense investigation
was initiated by the Perry
Police Department’s Crimi
nal Investigation Division. It
was discovered four suspects
appeared to have been in the
room at the time the victim
was shot.
Detectives were led to a
neighboring county and to
both Alabama and Indiana.
On July 5, two subjects were
arrested without incident
and a vehicle used in the
crime was recovered. That
same day they traveled to
Clarksville, TN in search of
two additional subjects and
recovered the second vehicle
involved in the crime. Three
suspects have been arrested,
Samuel Clayton Miller, 22 of
Anniston, Alabama and Ty-
covian Kemon Whitlow, 22,
of Alexandria, Alabama and
Tara Mechelle Redding, 20,
of Reynolds, Georgia. Red
ding turned herself in after
returning from Indiana. All
three are being held on the
charge of Felony Murder.
Samuel Clayton Miller
Detectives are still in
Indiana trying to locate the
fourth suspect, Quintaqvi-
ous Deon Dobbins, 23, of
Anniston, Alabama. Perry
PD is being assisted by the
Clarksville, Indiana PD, the
Indiana State Police and
the FBI. Anyone with any
knowledge of Dobbins’ loca
tion is encouraged to contact
either Perry PD or the local
Indiana authorities.
Tycovian Kemon Whitlow
Tara Mechelle Redding
Quintavious Deon Dobbins is
still on the loose and sought
in this murder.
Holsey in change of command
ceremony in San Diego
Rear Adm. Timothy J. Kott
relieved Rear Adm. Alvin
Holsey as Commander, CSG
I during a ceremony in the
office of Vice Adm. Scott
Conn, Commander, U.S.
Third Fleet, who served as
presiding officer.
Holsey is a native of Fort
Valley and graduate of
Morehouse College. Conn
stated, “Rear Adm. Hol
sey guided CSG i through
multiple challenging events
and milestones. Each was a
success and a testament to
his leadership.”
Holsey led his strike group
to successful participation
in Rim of the Pacific 2018,
Sustainment Exercise 2018
and Fleet Battle Probem 29,
ensuring the force statyed
ready for any contingency
prior to entering the mainte
nance phases. He developed
an aggressive plan for USS
Carl Vinson (CVN 70), USS
Lake Champlain (CG 57) and
seven destroyers to to exe
cute complex Chief of Navan
Operations availabilities
totaling $1.4 billion.
Additionally, under Hol-
sey’s guidance, Carrier air
Wing (CFW) 2 began to
transition to become the
“Air Wing of the Future”
which will include F-35C
lightning II, E-2D Advanced
Hawkeye and the CMB-22B
Osprey. During his tour,
Holsey served as inaugural
commander of the Inter
national Maritime Security
Construct/Coalition Task
Force Sentinel in support of
Commander U.S. Fifth Fleet,
where he led a seven-nation
coalition headquarters to
full operational capability
in a matter of months while
enhancing international
partnerships and improving
stability in the region.
Holsey thanked the skilled
and hard working men and
women of CSG i for the
team’s continued success.
“It has been an absolute
honor to lead you,” Holsey
told them. “When I took
command, I only asked for
one thing - your personal
best, and you delivered at
every turn. You executed
with professionalism, pur
pose and precision. Know
that you delivered a ‘Ready
Force for 2020’ and I cannot
be more proud of your
efforts.”