Newspaper Page Text
Vol. 140, No. 46 - Waynesboro, Ga. 30830
Established in 1882
Wednesday, January 6, 2021 - $1.00
Five
DIANA ROYAL
jdianaroyal@gmail.com
Instead of ringing in a
new year on Thursday, some
folks were busy breaking into
homes and automobiles in
both Girard and Waynesboro.
On New Year’s Eve
morning around 6 a.m.,Burke
County deputies responded
arrested in holiday break-ins
to the 200 block of Brigham
Landing Road in reference
to a burglary. According to a
report, deputies determined
several other residences
had also been burglarized
in the area and called in the
BCSO Criminal Investigation
Division (CID).
The report stated multiple
burglaries occurred between
3-6 a.m. with stolen items
including guns, ammunition,
money and electronics.
Evidence led BCSO
personnel to the Main Street
home of 28-year-old Jason
Brigham Jr. who was arrested
on numerous
weapons SEE
and burglary BREAK-INS,
charges 7
Jason Brigham Jr.
Marquel Bynes
Keon Flemming
Swearing in
On Thursday, Art Lively, pictured at left, joined other local leaders who took their oaths of office last week. Lively has officially
begun his first term as an elected representative after winning the seat for County Commission District 5 over incumbent
George DeLoach during the state primary in June. He was sworn in by former probate judge Rex Myers, at right.
A COMMUNITY TRADITION
Annual field trials underway in Burke County
Field trialers gathered on Saturday with a blessing of the dogs prior to the start of the
competition.
DIANA ROYAL
jdianaroyal@gmail.com
A hundred-plus years long
tradition kicked off Saturday
at Di-Lane Plantation as
competitors gathered for the
2021 Georgia Field Trials.
According to Nell Mobley,
who serves as secretary
for the Georgia Field Trial
Association, the competition
has been held annually in
Burke County with the
exception of 1945, when the
United States of America
was engaged in World War
II. “It was not feasible to
hold them due to adverse
economic conditions,” she
said, adding that in all other
years, the sport has brought
many people to the county and
with them, a “big economic
boost to Waynesboro.”
The first of the four
stakes, the Georgia Derby
Championship, began
Saturday with 35 entries. This
prestigious stake is one of only
five in the country that affords
younger dogs the opportunity
to qualify for the national
championship in February.
The derby was completed on
Monday evening, and results
will be printed in next week’s
True Citizen.
The Georgia Quail
Championship, open to all
ages, drew 53 dogs that
qualify by either winning
another recognized derby or
an all-age championship.
Judges for both stakes
are Ray Joye and Johnny
Atkinson of Marion, S.C.
Barring any unforeseen
circumstances, Mobley
said, the all-age event will
conclude on Jan. 9 and the
Georgia Derby Classic will
begin the next day. Following
immediately with the
conclusion of that stake will
be the Georgia Open Shooting
Dog Championship.
The derby classic features
younger dogs who have won
either an open or amateur
stake, and the shooting dog
championship is typically the
largest in the nation.
Mobley offered a bit of
historical trivia about the
trials, recalling how Life
Magazine covered the
Continental Championship
in Waynesboro in 1946.
“The price of Life was ten
cents then,” she said. “It has
been said following that visit
that Waynesboro should be
called the ‘Bird Dog Capitol
of the World.’”
Computer problems
impede early voting
DIANA ROYAL
jdianaroyal@gmail.com
Computer issues created
some confusion when Burke
County citizens tried to early
vote last Thursday.
According to a Waynesboro
couple, when they entered the
historic courthouse around
4:30 that afternoon, a man
who was there to vote walked
out after being turned away,
stating, “We can’t vote right
now because they’re having
computer issues.” The wife
said they walked in anyway
and were told by security
they could not vote and
should come back Tuesday.
“I asked why we weren’t
able to vote since it was
only 4:30, and she genuinely
apologized stating they were
having computer issues,” she
continued, adding that some
friends then approached, also
there to vote, “and wouldn’t
take no for an answer. “They
bypassed the lady at the
front desk, filled out their
paperwork and voted.”
The couple says that
someone, though they’re
unsure of whom, locked the
door after the group finished
voting, and then about a
minute later, Laverne Sello,
executive director of the
board of elections, unlocked
it and directed them where to
go to vote.
“The ladies helping with
paperwork were all shocked
when I stated we had been
waiting in the parking lot and
that the door was locked at
one point,”
the wife ggg
said, adding COMPUTERS,
that Sello
Schools announce delay
in return to classroom
ROY F. CHALKER JR.
rchalker@bellsouth.net
With new cases of COVID
19 averaging over 50 per
week here, the Burke County
Public Schools announced
that students will learn from
home for the first two weeks
of the new semester.
Second semester began
Tuesday, January 5 as
scheduled, but face to face
learning will not resume until
Tuesday, January 19.
“The safety of students
and staff remains a top
priority,” said Amy Nunnally,
spokesperson for the school
system. “The two-week
adjustment in time is an
attempt to ensure students
and staff do not return having
had unknown exposure to
COVID-19 at or near the end
of the Christmas/New Year’s
break due to gatherings and
provides the additional time
necessary for individuals
to better determine their
exposure.”
She emphasized that the
additional time is not intended
to be an extension of the
holiday break. “Attendance
during these two weeks
is mandatory and will be
determined by participation
in sessions and completion
of assignments as they have
been for all distance/learn
from home students. Teachers
will continue to provide
instruction and assignments
via Google Classroom and
Google Meets.”
Students at Edmund Burke
Academy and Faith Christian
School returned for regular
in-house classes Tuesday after
teachers returned on Monday.
All local banks have
closed their lobbies to public
access and are offering drive
through services only, with
in-person meetings only by
appointment.
Burke Medical Center is
open, but some restrictions
are in place regarding patient
visitation. The dining room
is open with take-out service
only.
The number of local
COVID cases over the last
two weeks totals 103 giving
the county a cumulative total
of 1,217 confirmed cases.
There have been 111 Burke
Countians hospitalized, 16
confirmed deaths and six
probable COVID deaths
here, according to the GDPH
website. The agency reported
Tuesday that there were
597,208 confirmed cases in
the state, with 9,966 deaths.
Borgia
330 US HWY. 25 NORTH, WAYNESBORO - 706-554-2114 - www.mizellford.com