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Vol. 140, No. 47 - Waynesboro, Ga. 30830
Established in 1882
Wednesday, January 13, 2021 - $1.00
Mayor’s brother found murdered
DIANA ROYAL
jdianaroyal@gmail.com
Law enforcement continues
to investigate the details
surrounding the murder of a
local man while his family
prepares for his funeral.
On the morning of Jan. 6, at
approximately 5:39, deputies
from the Burke County
Sheriff’s Office responded
to a call concerning a person
that had possibly been hit by
a vehicle on Spread Oak Road
near Hannah Lane.
When deputies arrived,
they found the body of
33-year-old Brian Carswell,
brother of Waynesboro Mayor
Greg Carswell. Initially,
law enforcement said they
were investigating the case
as a suspicious death, but
by Wednesday afternoon,
the incident was confirmed
as a homicide. Authorities
reported that Carswell’s death
was an apparent gunshot
wound, though the location
and number of wounds was
not released.
The victim’s car, a burgundy
2016 Chrysler 200, had also
been reported as stolen, but
investigators said on Jan. 8
it had been found abandoned
in Augusta and is now in their
custody.
As the investigation is
ongoing, no other information
can be provided at this time.
Funeral services for
Carswell, who was well known
throughout the community,
will be held Saturday.
Layer pens scholarship with UGA
Austin Layer, daughter of Brad and Terri Layer, recently put pen to paper with the University of Georgia, signing a
scholarship deal to be on the college’s equestrian team. Adual enrollment student with Georgia Connections Academy
and Augusta Technical College, Austin will enter UGA in Fall 2021. She is a two-time AQHA Champion, Superior in
Horsemanship & Halter, Top 30 L3 Horsemanship at the World Show and finished twice in the Top 15 at the Congress.
She will be riding on the horsemanship team, a class of Western Riders which is judged on their ability to complete
complex patterns and their equitation skills which is based on their riding position and finesse.
Ossoff, Warnock win bids for senate
Vaccine distribution
begins in Burke
DIANA ROYAL
jdianaroyal@gmail.com
As with the presidential
election, Burke County voters
did not align with the state
of Georgia for last week’s
runoff as locals preferred the
Republican incumbents in all
three races.
However, Georgians
voted in both Jon Ossoff and
Raphael Warnock to the U.S.
Senate, thus giving control to
the Democrats, who already
have the House.
Nearly 4.5 million citizens
voted in the statewide
election, with 50.61 percent
(2,268,612 votes) going to
Ossoff over incumbent Sen.
David Perdue, who had 49.39
percent with 2,213,604 votes.
Warnock edged out
incumbent Sen. Kelly
Loeffler by about 2 percent;
he had 2,287,787 votes (51.04
percent) to her 2,194,480
(48.96 percent).
On the local level, numbers
were close as well. Perdue
garnered a total of 4,806 votes
(50.63 percent) from Burke
Countians, including 2,057
early votes and 431 mail-in.
Ossoff had 4,686 votes (49.37
percent) with 1,813 early and
1,321 by mail.
Loeffler’s local support was
50.57 percent of the vote: she
had 4,804 votes compared
to Warnock, who had 4,695
(49.43). Of those numbers,
Loeffler’s count included
2,055 early votes and 435
by mail; Warnock had 1,820
early votes and 1,316 mail-in.
Incumbent Public Service
Commissioner Lauren Bubba
McDonald Jr., a Republican,
held on to his District 4 seat,
with 50.38 percent of the
state vote (2,233,311). His
opponent, Democrat Daniel
Blackman, had 2,199,752
votes (49.62 percent).
Locally, McDonald carried
51.30 percent of the vote
(4,784), including 2,059
early votes and 426 mail-in.
Blackman had 4,542 votes
(48.70 percent); of those,
1,752 were early, in-person
votes and 1,275 were received
by mail.
A total of 9,525 Burke
Countians (56.72 percent of
registered voters) participated
in the election, which had
the largest turnout election
officials say they have seen
for a runoff.
DIANA ROYAL
jdianaroyal@gmail.com
Mass distribution of
the Moderna COVID-19
vaccination began today
(Wednesday) in Burke
County.
According to Gina
Richardson, County Nurse
Manager at the B. Lamar
Murray Public Health Center,
public health staff will be
administering the vaccine
every other Wednesday at
the Burke County Office
Park from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. by
appointment only.
“We are now in phase 2 of
the COVID-19 pandemic,
and though mitigation efforts
remain important, those are
now being case managed at the
district level. All public health
efforts across our thirteen
county region are ‘vaccine
driven,”’ Richardson said.
“I know that most are eager
to receive the COVID-19
vaccine, and we are eager to
give it to you. Vaccines will
only be given to those with
an appointment and to those
who meet current criteria.
The Georgia Department of
Public Health is following
the recommendations of
the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention and
the Advisory Committee on
Immunization Practices.”
She further explained that
in addition to healthcare
workers, first responders and
residents in long-term-care
facilities, the current priority
group, or Phase 1A, was
recently expanded to include
adults 65 and older.
Burke County public health
workers have been busy not
only planning their own
distribution of the vaccine but
traveling across the CSRA to
help rollout and administer it
in other communities. Limited
services will be available
in the clinic as vaccination
efforts are advancing.
Appointments are being
made and waiting lists are
getting longer as the public
awaits their turn. In Augusta
alone, Richardson says some
20,000 calls and emails come
through each day. Even then,
not all appointments are kept.
“It is vital that you come
when scheduled or please
call to cancel,” she said,
explaining that coordination
of administration is critical
due to the limited viability
once the vaccine is prepared
to administer. “The vaccine
is shipped to us in multi
dose vials and is stable for
six hours once opened. This
process is very important,
and we will not be wasting
vaccine. It is in fact our best
defense at this time of getting
somewhat of a control on this
disease. Our case numbers are
steadily rising.”
Currently, Burke County
has 500 doses of the vaccine.
To be placed on the waiting
list for vaccine, call the health
department at 706.554.3456.
“If you do not receive a call
back in a timely manner,”
Richardson said, “please be
patient as we have run out
of vaccine and are awaiting
additional shipments.”
The number of local COVID
cases over the last two weeks
surged to 170 giving the
county a cumulative total of
1,318 confirmed
cases. In the last SEE
two weeks, over VACCINE,
30 percent of all 7
PEACE
PARADE
The Peace and Unity Parade, honoring the late Rev.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., will be held Saturday,
Jan. 16, through downtown Waynesboro beginning
at noon. According to Sgt. Anthony Bennerman of
the Burke County Sheriff’s Office, who is hosting the
event, participants should line up at the Exchange Club
fairgrounds on Manau Lane at 11:15 a.m. The procession
will end at the intersection of Liberty and West Ninth
streets. Surrounding law enforcement agencies will also
be in attendance. For questions or to sign up to participate,
contact Bennerman or Lexie Johnson at the BCSO at
706.554.2133.
330 US HWY. 25 NORTH, WAYNESBORO ■ 706-554-2114 - www.mizellford.com