Newspaper Page Text
VOL. 105, NO. 46, JUNE 3, 2009
LEGAL ORGAN OF JENKINS COUNTY
MILLEN, GEORGIA • 75 CENTS
County is ready!
Jenkins
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News Editor
They came prepared to stay
72 hours if necessary. Jenkins
Countians, however, had them
packing up and heading home
after only one and a half hours!
“Jenkins County is ready!”
That was the message health of
ficials issued after Saturday’s
Anthrax Exercise, sponsored by
the Jenkins County Health De
partment and East Central
Health District.
The exercise was held to test
the ability of the county to re
spond to a bio-terriost’s distri
bution of Anthrax spores in the
community with preparations by
local emergency response agen
cies occurring for several
weeks.
On Saturday, Jenkins
Countians showed up in record
numbers at the Jenkins County
High School dispensing site to
blast the goal of 180 drive-
through participants receiving
“mock” medicine over a 72-
hour period. Within the first 15
minutes of the exercise, 161 par
ticipants had been serviced. At
the end of the first hour, 776 had
driven through the line and vol
unteers began packing up, de
lighted with the turnout.
“We printed 500 forms, and
we ran out,” commented one
volunteer.
Health officials expressed
their immense appreciation for
the public’s participation, noting
that without that support, the
exercise would not have been
successful.
“The people came out in
record numbers, and we ex
ceeded the goal,” said Emmitt
Walker, Public Relations Infor
mation coordinator, East Central
Health District.
Volunteers are shown preparing to pack up after 776 Jenkins Countians participated
in Saturday’s Anthrax Exercise, sponsored by the Jenkins County Health Department
and East Central Health District. (Staff photo by Deborah Bennett)
RIBBON CUTTING
Members of the Jenkins County Hospital Authority are shown during a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the newly upgraded
Radiology Department at the hospital. From left, are John Roy Clifton, Bobbye Cobb, Ed Wilson, JCH Chief Executive
Officer Pete Mills, Cong. John Barrow, Bobby Dailey, Howard Elmore and Dr. Kyle Gay. (Staff photo by Deborah Bennett)
Hospital upgrades Radiology Department
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News Editor
The Radiology Department at
Jenkins County Hospital (JCH)
has been upgraded, thanks to a
$266,000 HRSA federal grant.
During a ribbon-cutting cer
emony held Wednesday, May
27, JCH Chief Executive Of
ficer/Administrator Pete Mills
Jr. expressed appreciation to
Congressman John Barrow for
his assistance in securing the
grant for the hospital, stating
that he was "instrumental” in
the process.
Mr. Mills explained that the
new equipment made the Radi
ology Department “completely
filmless” and allowed the hos
pital to electronically transmit
x-rays to Chatham Radiology to
be read by a radiologist.
“We no longer have to wait
for someone to come here to
read them,” said Mr. Mills.
The new equipment consists
of a Shimadzu mobile art por
table x-ray machine as well as
a digital and dicom General
Electric radiology and fluoros
copy room. In addition to mak
ing the Radiology Department
“filmless”, the new equipment
allows all images to be sent to
the PACS server system to be
stored.
JCH also expects to receive
an additional $188,000 HRSA
grant to be used for refurbish
ing of some of the patients’
rooms and the purchase of IV
pumps and other needed equip
ment.
Mr. Mills noted that these
items were things that the hos
pital would not be able to afford
without grant assistance, and,
again, expressed appreciation to
Cong. Barrow for his interest in
JCH.
Following the ribbon-cutting
ceremony, invited guests en
joyed a luncheon in the JCH
cafeteria, prepared by hospital
dietary staff.
Memorial Day service draws large crowd
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News editor
A large crowd gathered Me
morial Day on the lawn of the
Jenkins County Courthouse to
pay tribute to those who made
the ultimate sacrifice for their
country. The event was hosted
by the Veterans of Foreign Wars
Post (VFW) #2776 as a dedica
tion service for the Memorial
War Monument recently erected
by the organization on the court
house lawn.
In opening remarks, VFW
Post Commander Byron
Scogins said, “We are all
present to honor those brave
men listed on this Jenkins
County War Memorial Monu
ment. These heroes found some
thing to believe in greater than
themselves. They were faithful
to their proud heritage, upheld
the tradition of honor, and left a
legacy of valor.”
Gen. Carlton W. Fulford Jr.,
U.S. Marine Corps, (Ret), a
Millen native, was the guest
speaker for the occasion.
Gen. Fulford served as Direc
tor of the African Center for
Strategic Studies, a Department
of Defense regional center, from
2003-2006. He retired form the
Marines in 2003 after serving as
Deputy Commander of the U.S.
European Command, a position
that included extensive work on
U.S.-Africa relations. He pres
ently consults with U.S. govern
ment and other private organi
zations on security matters.
Gen. Fulford spoke admirably
of those who lost their lives de
fending their country and of all
who are now serving in the U.S.
military.
Other dignitaries making re
marks included Mayor King
Rocker, State Senator J.B.
Powell, State Representative
Jon Burns, Nancy Bobbitt of
U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson’s of
fice and Cong. John Barrow.
VFW members and other local
program participants included
Dr. Maurice Crowder, Leroy
and Ann Clayton, Ray Garvin,
Bennie Hall, Lewis Williams,
Infiniti Jones, Elbert Burke, Ed
Arita, William Gunn, Don
Leonard, Pam Dwight and Joe
Sasser.
The names of those honored
were read as follows: World War
I - Frank Burke, Daniel W.
Hendley, Grover McGlohorn
and Albert Parker; World War II
- Charles E. Anderson, Robert
M. Anderson, James Bargeron,
Charles E. Becton, Oliver R.
Chance, Ralph Chance, G. O.
Cowart, Jessee Godbee, Frank
H. Goodwin, Willis B. Hall,
George H. Hendricks, G.D.
Jackson Jr., Ben F. Johnson,
Billy K. Jones, Harry Joyner,
John F. Lane, Earnest B. Lanier,
W.W. Lanier, H. L. Mitchell,
Dennis R. Neal, Clarance
Rosser Jr., Willie J. Williams
and Obie D. Willis; Korea -
Robert Adams and Thomas
Lane Jr.; and Vietnam - Willie
L. Love, Robert L. Mosley,
Clyde E. Saxon, Michael R.
Waters and Jack Weaver.
The Millen Woman’s Club
provided refreshments follow
ing the event.
From left, Benny Hall, representing the families of those
listed on the Memorial War Monument, is escorted by
VFW member Ray Garvin as he places a wreath in honor
of his father, Willis B. Hall, who was killed in World War
II. (Photo contributed)
MPD arrests
two on drug
charges
A fight at Edenfield Apartments on Toole Court Friday,
May 22, led to the arrests of two local men on drug
charges. Arrested were Jeffery Vaughn, 24, of Hart Av
enue, and Jerome Swan, 28, of 3686 West Old Savannah
Road.
Both suspects have been charged with possession of
marijuana with intent to sell, loitering and obstructing law
enforcement officers. Swan is also under investigation of
stolen credit cards that were in his possession at the time
of arrest.
At approximately 10:30 p.m. May 22, officers with the
Millen Police Department were called to the apartment
complex for a fight in progress. Upon arrival two black
males fled on foot.
Officers gave chase and apprehended Vaughn. Swan was
apprehended on Winthrope Avenue in the parking lot of
the Jenkins County Hospital.
JEFFERY JEROME
VAUGHN SWAN
Kidnapping
suspect caught in
Jenkins County
CALVIN
COOLIDGE
TAYLOR
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News Editor
A Screven County man wanted by Burke County law
enforcement for kidnapping and a variety of other charges
was apprehended in Jenkins County Tues-
i i day. May 26.
Calvin Coolidge Taylor, 26, of Waters
Station Road, Sylvania, was charged by
the Jenkins County Sheriff’s Department
with theft by taking of a firearm and en
tering an auto after the department re
ceived a report that a firearm had been
stolen from a vehicle on Highway 17
North.
Lt. Matthew Williams of the Jenkins
County Sheriff’s Department, while en
route to the scene, spotted a man riding a
bicycle on the roadway and attempted to approach him.
The suspect threw the bicycle down and ran into a wooded
area.
Assistance was sought from the K-9 unit of the Geor
gia State Prison, the Georgia State Patrol Aviation Divi
sion in Thomson and Georgia State Patrol Post 21 in
Sylvania which responded with ground troopers and a
helicopter. Other assisting agencies were Millen Police
and Fire Departments, Department of Natural Resources,
Jenkins County Emergency Management and citizen vol
unteers.
At approximately 3:30 p.m., a citizen spotted the sus
pect and called the sheriff’s office. Deputies responded
and took the suspect into custody without incident. The
stolen weapon was also recovered.
After arresting Taylor, it was discovered that he was
wanted by the Burke County Sheriff’s Office for charges
stemming from a May 25 incident and an earlier May 26
incident involving his ex-wife who resides in Midville.
Taylor faces Burke County charges of kidnapping, ag
gravated assault, possession of a knife during the com
mission of a crime, burglary and obstruction of an of
ficer.
He is being held in the Jenkins County Jail pending bond
on local charges and transport to Burke County to answer
charges there.