Newspaper Page Text
VOL. 105, NO. 29, FEBRUARY 4, 2009 LEGAL ORGAN OF JENKINS COUNTY MILLEN, GEORGIA • 75 CENTS
Screven man charged in local shooting
A domestic disturbance on
Aaron Road in southern Jenkins
County Tuesday. Jan. 27, re
sulted in a 21-year-old man be
ing shot and a Screven County
man charged in the incident.
James Cecil Lee Jr. of Screven
County has been charged with
two counts of terroristic threats
and acts and a probation viola
tion in connection with the inci
dent.
The Jenkins County Sheriff’s
Office responded to the call for
assistance and upon investiga
tion, deputies found that an em
ployee/tenant of the property
owner, Walter Williams, had
been involved in a long-running
feud with James Cecil Lee Jr.
who was the ex-boyfriend of the
employee’s current girlfriend.
The employee and Lee ex
changed telephone calls and
voice mails on Tuesday evening,
culminating in Lee’s traveling
from Screven to Jenkins County
around 10 p.m. with his brother,
Ray Lee, and Paula Daughtry,
Ray Lee’s girlfriend.
When the vehicle parked in
Williams’ driveway, a verbal al
tercation took place. During the
altercation, Williams reported
hearing gunshots coming from
the direction of the vehicle, and
he returned fire. His son, who
had come from his home to
check on his father, was caught
in the cross fire. He was wounded
in the chest, neck and head by
numerous shotgun pellets that
penetrated the windshield of his
vehicle.
The Screven County vehicle
fled the scene, and 911 was
called. A lookout was broadcast
for the vehicle, and all three oc
cupants were apprehended near
Sylvania within a matter of min
utes.
The victim was transported by
Jenkins County Emergency
Medical Services personnel to
the Jenkins County Hospital
were he was treated and released.
James Cecil Lee Jr. is being
held in the Jenkins County Jail,
without bond. His case will be
heal'd in Jenkins County Supe
rior Court later this month. Ray
Lee and Paula Daughtry were
released without charges at this
time, and Williams was not
charged.
The sheriff’s department was
assisted with the investigation by
Dwayne Herrington, City of
Millen Director of Public Safety,
Millen Police Department and
the Georgia Bureau of Investi
gation.
DONATION
The former Edenfield Feed and Seed building on South Gray Street is currently being demolished for salvage after
the present owners donated it to the Millen Fire Department. The building was erected in 1946 by Gordon Edenfield
with David and Jean Rountree assuming ownership in 1954. They operated the business for 41’A years before
selling it. The building may soon be gone, but the business will continue to operate under the present ownership of
Bob and Donna Gest at its new location on U.S. Highway 25 North. (Staff photo by Deborah Bennett)
House passes homestead exemption funding
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News Editor
The Georgia House of Repre
sentatives passed HB 143, the
Homeowners Tax Relief Grant
legislation (HTRG), last Friday,
and it has been sent to the Sen
ate for consideration. Approval
of the bill by the Senate would
mean that local property own
ers would receive the HTRG
credits for the 2008 tax year,
eliminating the possibility of re
ceiving an additional tax bill.
“The legislature promised this
money last year and the House
plans on fulfilling the promise
they made to property
owners. The members of the
House are struggling with the
idea of how to fund the grant this
year and on Friday we passed
HB 143 by a 117-55
margin. This HTRG legislation
commits us to pay for the grant
covering the 2009 budget and
sets the rules for how the grant
program will be administered in
the future. This program is in
tended to be a mechanism to
send back surplus funds to
homeowners, and the legislation
we passed outlines how and
when these grants will be dis
tributed and will also make it
easier for local governments to
plan their budgets,’’ said State
Rep. Jon Bums.
The Jenkins County Commis
sioners approved the HTRG ex
emption for property owners in
September 2008 even though
Governor Sonny Perdue had fro
zen state funding for the pro
gram. They did so hoping that
the Georgia Legislature would
restore funding when it con
vened in 2009.
“If this funding is not restored,
we will be facing drastic budget
cuts or issuing another tax bill,”
Jenkins County Commission
Chairman James Henry said.
The HTRG amounts appropri
ated by the state are used as a
credit to reduce property taxes
for which a homestead taxpayer
is otherwise liable. It is normally
shown as a “credit” on property
tax bills. Locally, that credit
amounted to $189.60 in 2008.
At the time of the commis
sioners’ decision, it was noted
that the loss of the homestead
exemption grants could cost the
governing bodies of the county
approximately $311,321 in rev
enue that they would have got
ten from the state. The loss of
the funds would affect the
county, school system and City
of Millen.
In 2007, the county received
HTRG funding in the amount of
$125,487; the school system re
ceived $110,754; and the City of
Millen received $32,713.
It is not known at this time
when the Senate will consider
the bill.
‘It’s That Time In 2009’
Senior blood drive preparations begin
Marsha Madray’s senior
anatomy class at Jenkins County
High School (JCHS) is busy
making preparations for their
annual blood drive which is to
be held 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. Thurs
day, Feb. 12, at the JCHS old
gymnasium. Shepeard Commu
nity Blood Center will set up 12
stations in the gym and will also
send the mobile unit which will
be located in the parking lot
area. Every year there has been
a waiting line and some commu
nity members have wanted to
donate but time played such a
factor until they were not able
to stay. Hopefully, this year, the
blood drive will be ready for any
number of donors. The goal for
this drive is 150 good units of
blood.
“Each year the seniors try to
beat last year’s record, and this
will be very difficult for this
year’s class, but they are a de
termined group of seniors. If
they work hard they can reach
this goal, “comments Madray.
The students have to plan, co
ordinate and carry out this ac
tivity as part of their class re
quirement. They have designed
T- shirts, made flyers for the
community, made announce
ments in churches and will be
contacting individuals by phone
as a reminder about the drive.
All of Jenkins County is asked
to come out and support this
drive as students strive to give
back what Shepeard Community
Blood Center has given to the
community.
“We are very fortunate to have
this agency to supply our needs,
and so many individuals in our
community have already been
blessed by the work of the blood
center. The senior class of 2009
has set high goals for this drive,
one of which is to dedicate the
donated blood to any person or
persons living in Jenkins County
that is in need of such service.
Donating a pint of blood seems
like such a small task to do, and
yet it helps so many because one
pint of blood can actually save
three lives,” said Madray.
Please mark your calendars
and make the extra effort to sup
port the youth in this very worth
while project.
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Members of Marsha Madray’s senior anatomy class at Jenkins County High School
shown preparing a bulletin board for the local blood drive are, from left, Kyleigh Spidle,
Melissa White and Hayley Newton. (Photo contributed)
Missing child
found unharmed
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News Editor
Strolling down Rabitsch Road was a familiar outing for Trace
Williams, 6, son of Danielle Williams. He and his grandmother,
Gail Boyd, often walk the dirt road in warm weather. But Trace
was accompanied only by the family bulldog, Noel, when he
slipped out of his home and away from his babysitter Wednes
day, Jan. 28.
A child’s sudden disappearance is always traumatic for fam
ily members, but when that child has special needs, as Trace
does, the ordeal is even more frightening.
Trace and his brother, Byron, 12, were both home from school
sick. Their mother, a home health care nurse who works out-
of-town, had left them in the care of a babysitter. “The babysitter
just forgot to lock the door when she came in that morning,
and he will open the door and slip out if you don’t,” said Mrs.
Boyd. "It could have happened to anyone. She has kept him
many times without an incident.”
Trace’s absence from the home was quickly noticed by his
brother who stopped the mail carrier to inquire if his little brother
had been seen. The mail carrier alerted a nearby neighbor, and
by the time Mrs. Boyd arrived at the home, after receiving a
call from Byron, the neighbor was already searching for the
boy.
Mrs. Williams was near Soperton when Byron telephoned
her.
“It scared me half to death,” she recalls. "It was a long drive
back home.”
After looking for her grandson on her own for a few min
utes, Mrs. Boyd realized the futility of her efforts and called
the Jenkins County Sheriff’s Department for assistance.
“Within a matter of minutes, people began arriving from ev
erywhere. Bob Fields was the first on the scene,” she said. Fields
is the local Emergency Management Agency Director. On foot
and with 4-wheelers and vehicles, local first-responders and
numerous individuals who also responded swiftly initiated a
full scale search of the area for any sign of the little boy and
the family pet.
About two hours later, Trace was discovered in a heavily
wooded area about A-mile from his home, unharmed with the
exception of a few cuts and scratches on his legs.
“When I saw him, they had him in the back of the fire truck,
tending to his cuts and scratches. He was wearing a fireman’s
hat and having a good time,” said Mrs. Boyd.
“I have not been so happy to see him since the day he was
born,” she added.
By the time Trace’s mother arrived home, he had been lo
cated, and the nightmarish incident had a fairytale happy end
ing.
“Thank God he was okay, none the worse for the wear,” Mrs.
Williams said. “We are so grateful to everyone who helped
find Trace and bring him back home safely.”
As for Trace, it was just another adventure down the dirt
road in front of his home.
“Exciting day, exciting day,” he told his mother later that
night as he lay on the floor playing with Noel.
Trace Williams and Noel are shown playing in the
backyard of his home. (Staff photo by Deborah Bennett)