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Vol. 129, No. 32 - Waynesboro, Ga. 30830 Wednesday, November 18, 2009 - $1.00 FINAL FOUR and hungry for more After an impressive 21-12 win over Sherwood Christian, the Edmund Burke Academy Spartans have found themselves one game shy of making it to the state title game. This Friday, the Spartans will have a rematch with Memorial Day School at Rogers Field in the semi-finals. The two teams met earlier in the season and the Spartans took the 21 -7 victory. But, Memorial's star player was injured midway through the game and did not play the entire second half. He has made a full recovery and is expected to play during this Friday’s game. The Spartans are up for the challenge. They’ve been the underdog several times this season and some how found a way to come out on top. Everything is on the line this time as Edmund Burke hopes history will repeat itself. They’ll try to advance to the state championship game for just the second time in nearly 30 years. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. Above, Alex Sturkie and Boyd Lively celebrate after Friday night's big win. - See story page 11 Drug dog joins local police force By Elizabeth Billips lizbillips@yahoo.com There’s a new member on the police force, and he an swers to Po-Po. The 2-year-old drug sniff ing German shepherd reported to work at the Waynesboro Police Department Tuesday morning, following a unani mous nod from city council. “I just think this is going to be a big plus,” councilman Dick Byne said, predicting the benefits would outweigh the estimated $2,500 the canine will cost taxpayers annually. The dog will be handled by trainer and owner. Officer Bruce Petitt, who has been on the force since early summer. Officials said having an in- house owner will save the city tens of thousands in start-up costs and training. "I already have the dog and the training ... and the city has a need,” Officer Petitt told city council Monday night, adding that his dog is already nation ally certified in officer pro tection, building clearance, tracking and narcotic detec tion. That means Po-Po won’t only help sniff out drugs, but can track burglary suspects or missing persons and assist with crowd control. The nearby Wadley Police Department has been working with canines like Po-Po for a number of years, and officers there say the addition will be a good one for Waynesboro, as well as the nearby agen cies. "Having a drug dog in ser vice is a tremendous deterrent to the drug world,” said Wadley Police Sgt. Patrick Paquette. “We wouldn’t have it any other way.” He says that cash seizures and fines resulting from Wadley’s canines have paid for four new patrol cars, as well as equipment including cameras for all of their cars and body cameras worn by all officers. Their newest dog, Probable Cause, also trained by Officer Petitt, came onto the force in April and has already had sev eral big narcotic finds. f Officer Bruce Petitt with Po-Po. Two run over Local woman arrested for Myrtle Beach hit and run By Elizabeth Billips lizbillips@yahoo.com A Burke County woman has been jailed by Myrtle Beach authorities for stealing a purse from an elderly woman, then running over two people during her getaway. Katherine Michelle Johnson, 31, was arrested Wednes day while working at Bankers Insurance and Casualty in Augusta. Johnson had been on the lam since last Monday morn ing when she allegedly snatched a purse from a 73-year- old woman in a K-Mart check-out line. The victim began screaming for help and followed Johnson to her car. Brenda Williams, 50, of Conway and another man in side the store both came to the victim’s aid and tried to stop Johnson, who was attempting to drive off. Accord ing to reports, Johnson backed into the 73-year-old and then ran over Williams, who was dragged approximately 100 feet before she went under the back tires. Burke County authorities helped crack the case after they were alerted by a caller who had become suspicious when Johnson returned from her trip early with damage to the trunk and door of the car she’d borrowed. While the 73-year-old is expected to make a full re covery, Williams’ family members told Myrtle Beach media last week that she is paralyzed and in critical con dition. At Boggs Charter school appeals to state By Anne Marie Kyzer annemariek@thetruecitizen.com A local charter school organization that was denied ap proval by the Burke County Board of Education has ap pealed at the state level. The Boggs Community Development Corporation, Inc. (BCDC) argued its petition Friday before the Georgia Charter Schools Commission. Members of the BCDC, which seeks to establish Boggs Charter Academy for local at-risk middle school students, spoke to the independent panel in Atlanta at an hour- long hearing. Retired Richmond County principal and Burke County native Dr. Vivian Pennamon and Burke County Even Start director Allene Reed spoke on behalf of the BCDC at the proceeding. The commission has the power to approve or deny pe titions for charter schools that local boards of education have previously denied. “The hearing seemingly went well,” BCDC president and former Burke County BOE member Lela Stone said. The Burke County BOE, which was represented by at torney James Hyder and administrative liaison Chris Henry, was given 10 minutes to explain why the petition was denied locally. They argued that the school’s plan lacked specifics for goals and objectives, and at-risk middle school students were being helped through initiatives already adminis tered by the public schools. The state commission is expected to issue a decision in mid-December, according to Stone. If the charter petition is approved, organizers plan to locate the school at the historic Boggs Academy campus on Quaker Road near Keysville. Organizers had planned to open for sixth and seventh grade students next fall. r