Newspaper Page Text
Vol. 140, No. 4 - Waynesboro, Ga. 30830
Established in 1882
Wednesday, March 11,2020 - $1.00
Dentist, hygienist fired following accusations
DIANA ROYAL
jdianaroyal@gmail.com
After undergoing public scrutiny
across social media, a dentist and
dental hygienist at Waynesboro
Family Dentistry have been relieved
of their duties at the practice.
According to Dr. Zack Bentley,
owner of the local practice, both
the dentist and hygienist will no
longer be working at the practice as
of Friday following a viral post on
Facebook in which a Waynesboro
mother recounted an experience that
left her feeling hustled. The woman
wrote that she’d been told she had
periodontal disease and several
cavities but that a second opinion
from another dentist revealed she had
only one cavity and no signs of bone
loss. “My treatment plan was going
to consist of a total of three visits and
over $800 out of pocket expenses,”
she wrote. “Thank goodness I was
told by a friend that she had the same
exact thing happen to her.”
While some complaints about
the practice have circulated since
it opened in September 2018, the
Facebook post last week garnered
more than 200 shares and dozens
of comments from others claiming
to have had the same diagnosis
and resulting concerns. Still others
were quick to say they had pleasant
experiences with the practice,
especially the services rendered to
their children.
Amidst allegations of insurance
fraud and unethical practice, Bentley
says he appreciates the feedback
from the community and is listening
to the citizens of Waynesboro. “I
have taken the necessary action to
make sure patient care is our highest
priority and that every member of our
team delivers the highest standard of
clinical service to our patients. We
hear the community loud and clear
and remain dedicated to serving
Burke County and its citizens,” he
said, adding he is making the two-
hour drive to and from the practice
each day to ensure quality patient
care and that a veteran dentist will
join the staff on gcc
March 30. “We
have put together
a more seasoned ^A
Three-month road closure
Georgia DOT to replace
Quaker Road bridge
DIANA ROYAL
jdianaroyal@gmail.com
Motorists traveling along Quaker
Road will be detoured for the next
three months beginning Monday
as the Georgia Department of
Transportation begins replacement
of the road’s bridge.
According to GDOT spokesperson
Kyle Collins, this is the final
bridge project in a seven bridge
replacement contract awarded to
United Infrastructure Group on July
21, 2017 for $7,897 million.
The portion of Quaker Road
between Cohen and Story Mill
roads will be closed to thru traffic
for a period of 90 days beginning
on March 16. Adam Flakes, assistant
county manager, says the detour will
route around the construction area
utilizing Cohen Road, Highway 25,
Spread Oak Road and Story Mill
Road. Construction consists of a full
replacement with a new bridge deck
and barrier wall.
Collins says the state-funded
work showcases a special GDOT
program that focuses on supporting
local city and county infrastructure
needs, allowing them to replace
and update local bridges that are
deemed structurally deficient. The
Design-Build Bridge Replacement
Program, managed by the Office of
Innovative Delivery, is funded by the
Transportation Funding Act (TFA)
of 2015, and utilizes bridge bundles
to maximize efficiency and speed in
the replacement of locally-owned
infrastructure.
The DOT website defines bridge
bundles as the geographic grouping
of similar bridges with a design-
build delivery method that allows the
contractor to streamline delivery by
combining design and construction
activities for the bridges in their
bundled contract, a concept that “is
especially suitable in rural areas due
to lower impacts to the traveling
public.” Through this program,
structurally deficient bridges have
been replaced across the state in at
least 24 Georgia counties.
Some of the noted benefits
include reduced construction times,
which mean less travel impacts and
minimized public inconvenience,
enhanced safety and quality of life
for residents and economically
enriched communities. Many of the
old bridges that are being replaced
were either closed or had weight
restrictions, and the replacements
now accommodate school buses and
emergency response vehicles.
Schools planning for possible virus outbreak
ROY F. CHALKER JR.
rchalker@bellsouth.net
The Burke County Board of
Education has a panel exploring
possible steps the schools could take
if the coronavirus becomes a serious
issue here.
As of Tuesday, the Burke County
Health Department said there were
no confirmed cases in the county
nor the other 12 counties within the
health district.
BOE spokesperson Amy Nunnally
said Tuesday that several ideas are
being floated but that nothing has
been finalized.
“The superintendent’s Cabinet
met Monday morning and discussed
plans should there be an outbreak,”
she said. “The group will meet with
principals Thursday to receive their
input before anything is put into
place.”
She added that there is coronavirus
information available on the board’s
website atburke.kl2.ga.us.
Contests set for local
and state offices
DIANA ROYAL
jdianaroyal@gmail.com
Several county offices have
contested races in this election cycle,
and a pair of those will be determined
in the May general primary.
Qualifying ended Friday, and
a total of 20 Burke residents put
their names in to serve the county
in various positions. The primary
on May 19 will determine who will
serve as the county’s sheriff as well as
the District 5 county commissioner.
Incumbent Sheriff Alfonzo Williams
is joined on the democratic ballot by
challengers Wayne Scott and Xavier
Wimberly. Since voters participating
in the May primary must choose
either a Democratic or Republican
ballot, Republicans living in District
5 will have to decide if they want to
vote for the sheriff’s race or the one
for their commissioner, since the two
in that race are on the Republican
ticket. Those seeking the seat include
incumbent George DeLoach and
political newcomer Art Lively.
Two other commission seats
are up for re-election: District 1
incumbent Lucious Abrams and
Ronald Reed will duke it out for the
Democratic nod, and the winner will
face Republican Rodney Braswell in
November.
Republican Evans Martin, the
District 3 incumbent, will face
Democrat George Wimberly in the
fall.
Two other offices will have
competition come November. Newly
appointed Judge of Probate Court
Rex Myers, a Republican, and
Democrat Ashley Moore Jr. will
face off in the General Election, and
incumbent Clerk of Superior Court
Radeta Smith, a Democrat, is being
challenged by Republican Karen
Ellison.
There are several offices on the
ballot in which the
incumbents have SEE
qualified for re- CONTESTS,
election without any 3A
Wimberly to run for sheriff
Xavier Wimberly has put his name
in the hat of candidates seeking to
be elected sheriff of Burke County.
Wimberly, 47, a Burke County
native, is running for the office
as a Democrat against incumbent
Alfonzo Williams.
He attended Burke County schools
most of his life, until transferring and
graduating from Redan High School
in Stone Mountain in 1990. He holds
an associate’s degree in criminal
justice technology from Augusta
Technical College, a Bachelor of
Science in criminal justice with a
concentration in administration and a
Master of Science in criminal justice
with a concentration in emergency
management and homeland security,
both from Excelsior College in
Albany, New York, and an Education
Specialist in leadership from Liberty
University in Lynchburg, Va.
Currently, he manages Wimco
Management and serves as a reserve
officer at Paine College in Augusta.
During his military career,
Wimberly served in the United
States Marine Corps for 12 years and
the United States Army for seven.
He was a military police officer
and also worked for the Richmond
Sheriff’s Office as a road deputy
and the Richmond County Board
of Education as a school resource
officer. Military honors include
the Army Achievement Medal,
Meritorious Unit Commendation,
Xavier Wimberly
Navy Unit Commendation, National
Defense Service Medal, Global
War on Terrorism Service Medal,
Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Non
commissioned Officer Professional
Development Ribbon, Army Service
Ribbon and Expert Marksmanship
Badge. He is a Gulf War veteran
and served tours in Dessert Storm,
Dessert Shield and the Enduring
Freedom War.
Wimberly and his wife, Glenda,
have been married for 19 years and
have four children, Donnesha, 30,
Xavier Jr., 25, Jamaree, 24, and
Xavion, 18; and two grandchildren,
Zuri, 4, and Jamaree Jr., 2. They are
members of Noah’s Ark Missionary
Baptist Church in Keysville, where
Wimberly is a deacon. He is also a
Mason and a Shriner.
Featuring international, critically acclaimed vocalist
6 West end/Broadway performer Helen Welch
Friday, March 13 at 7 PM
Concert
330 US HWY. 25 NORTH, WA
a
Burke County
High School Auditorium
/06-554-2114 ■ www.mizellford.com