Newspaper Page Text
VOL. 106, NO. 24, DECEMBER 30, 2009 LEGAL ORGAN OF JENKINS COUNTY MILLEN, GEORGIA • 75 CENTS
Jenkins ranks third
in unemployment
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News Editor
Jenkins County’s unemploy
ment rate has declined slightly
over the past three months, ac
cording to statistics recently re
leased by the Georgia Depart
ment of Labor.
The county was ranked third
in the state for the month of
October with an unemployment
rate of 17.4 percent. Approxi
mately 451 of the county’s total
workforce of 2,574 were unem
ployed in October.
The unemployment rate for
the county was 19.4 percent in
September and 19.8 in August.
Despite the recent decline in
the unemployment rate. The At
lanta Journal Constitution re
ported last week that wages and
benefits for Jenkins County fell
by 23 percent in 2008, more
than any other county in the
nation, according to a study re
leased recently by the U.S. Bu
reau of Economic Analysis.
The county has lost all of its
manufacturing jobs over the
past few years, beginning with
the closure of the Jockey Inter
national plant in 2005, MI Win
dows and Doors in 2007 and
Cavalier Home Builders in Sep
tember this year. There may be,
however, a silver lining not eas
ily discerned by the grim statis
tics.
Many of the county’s unem
ployed have elected to continue
their education or to get their
General Education Diplomas,
which translates into a better
trained workforce.
Jenkins County has also
earned the distinction of becom
ing one of the first 12 certified
Georgia Work Ready communi
ties in the state. The program is
an initiative comprised of a
skills assessment and certifica
tion for job seekers and a job
profiling system for businesses.
The certificate awarded partici
pants indicates that job appli
cants have the necessary skills
to serve as a foundation for
training and that they are will
ing and able to work and learn.
In addition, the county has
earned the "Entrepreneur
Friendly” designation by the
Georgia Department of Eco
nomic Development.
Other counties hit hard by
unemployment for the month of
October were Hancock County,
which held the number one spot
for the month, with a ranking
of 20.2 percent, and Warren
County, which captured second
with a 19.0 ranking.
Unemployment rose slightly
on the state level from 10.1 per
cent in September to 10.2 per
cent in October.
The nation’s unemployment
rate remained unchanged from
September to October at 9.5
percent.
From left, Debra Perryman accepts the North Jenkins 2009 Firefighter of the Year
award from Mike Lane. (Photo contributed)
North Jenkins County
Debra Perryman named
Firefighter of the Year
The North Jenkins County
volunteer firefighters have
awarded the 2009 Firefighter of
the Year to firefighter Debra
Perryman. She is assigned to the
North Jenkins Station #3 located
in the Oak Hill district.
This award is presented to the
firefighter maintaining the high
est average in training hours and
alarms responded to. The
firefighter must also have been
nominated by fellow
firefighters.
Perryman has responded to
more county-wide alarms than
any other firefighter in the
county in 2009. She serves as
the Georgia Fire Incident Re
porting Liaison for the depart
ment.
She has completed the GFIRS
training course at the Georgia
State Fire Academy and the
NIMS Incident Command
Courses through the National
Fire Academy and Homeland
Security.
Perryman received the award
at the North Jenkins Christmas
dinner Dec. 8. She is the wife
of North Jenkins firefighter
Louis Perryman.
‘Super Speeder Law’
goes into effect Jan 1
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News Editor
Mark the date and slow down.
Jan. 1,2010 is the day Georgia’s
new ‘Super Speeder Law’ goes
into effect.
The new law, HB 160, ap
proved by the Georgia Legisla
ture adds another $200 state fee
for any driver convicted of
speeding at 75 or more on any
two lane roads or 85 and over
anywhere in Georgia. The new
state fees will be in addition to
any local fines imposed in the
jurisdiction where the speeding
offense occurs.
Formal notice of the ‘Super
Speeder” fine will come from
the Department of Driver Ser
vices after local officials have
sent the department notice of the
speeding conviction. Failure to
pay the ‘Super Speeder’ fee will
result in an additional $50 fine
and the suspension of the
offender’s driving privileges.
Fees derived from the ‘Super
Speeder Law’ will be used to
help fund the state’s trauma hos
pital network.
BOE hears JCFEC annual report
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News Editor
Jenkins County Family Enrichment Cen
ter (JCFEC) is busy and working diligently
to improve the lives of the citizens of
Jenkins County.
Mandy Underwood, JCFEC executive
director, updated Jenkins County Board of
Education (BOE) members on activities of
the organization during the BOE’s Tuesday,
Dec. 14, meeting.
Underwood reported that the organization
will be applying for four different grants
over the next few months to fund various
programs and services offered by JCFEC.
She noted that participation in the after
school program at Jenkins County High
School was at its highest level ever with 17
students enrolled.
Robin Scott of JCFEC reported on the
Certified Work Ready program, noting that
many colleges now require students to ob
tain Work Ready certificates prior to enroll
ment. He noted that 670 individuals have
been assessed locally. Eighty-eight JCHS
seniors took the Work Ready tests last year
with 71 passing. Of those five received the
“gold” level certification, he said.
In a related matter, the BOE approved a
motion requesting that the BOE become the
fiscal agent for a Department of Human
Services’ grant for which the JCFEC is ap
plying. The $178,000 matching-fund grant
will be used to fund after school programs.
The matching funds required by the grant
may be in-kind services, said Jenkins County
School Superintendent Melissa Williams.
Superintendent Williams reported that
BOE Chairman Carroll Gay had been rec
ognized by the Georgia School Board Asso
ciation for 15 years of service to the organi
zation. She also noted that Jenkins County
School Food Services had been recognized
for high participation in its lunch and break
fast programs for the 2007-2008 school year.
Several groups of students were recog
nized by the BOE for their accomplishments:
Education Essay winners. One Act Play re
gion winners and competition cheerleaders.
Talmadge Fries, transportation coordinator,
reported that the system’s school buses had
recently been inspected by the Department
of Transportation and that discovered defects
were down 30 percent from the previous
year. He credited Eunice Toby, mechanic,
with the accomplishment and noted that all
defects had been corrected and all buses
were approved for service.
In other business, several fundraising ac
tivities were approved by the BOE; Wendell
Clark was approved as Junior Varsity base
ball coach; Angela Carr was approved as a
substitute teacher; and the salary schedule
for Jenkins County School Food Services
personnel was approved.
(Editor’s note - Photos of students receiv
ing recognition by the BOE will appear in a
later edition.)
Grand Jury convenes
The Jenkins County Grand Jury convened in
Jenkins County Superior Court earlier this
month and handed down the following indict
ments.
Luis Alberto Mateos-Aragon, two counts
of child molestation.
Craig Lawrence Myers, theft by conversion.
Rickey Bernard Daniel, burglary and theft
by taking (firearm).
Randall Bryan Sherrod, burglary, theft by
taking-felony and possession or transfer of fire
arm by first offender.
Eugene Brady, possession of cocaine with
intent to distribute and possession with intent
to distribute marijuana.
Arlow Arki Durham, burglary.
Charles Edward Dobbs, child molestation.
William Keith Evans, 16 counts forgery-first
degree.
Alfred Allen Ferguson, burglary, theft by
taking (firearm) and possession of firearm by
convicted felon.
Steve Lawrance Malick, theft by taking.
Jesenia Mariah Martin, going inside
guardline with weapon, liquor, drugs.
Richard Ira Roberts, possession of cocaine,
transactions in drug related objects, driving
under the influence of alcohol and drugs, driv
ing while license suspended or revoked, weav
ing over roadway, no proof of insurance-driv
ing without insurance and safety belt violations.
Eddie Durell Powell, armed robbery, kid
napping, burglary, four counts of aggravated
assault and possession of firearm by convicted
felon.
Arnold Keith Sowell, criminal damage to
property in the second degree.
Gerald Keith Walker, aggravated assault,
carrying a concealed weapon and carrying a
pistol without a license-misdemeanor.
Serlearreayia Scott, two counts of finan
cial identity fraud.
James Henry Williams, aggravated battery.
The District Attorney’s office presented the
following accusations.
Jeremy Gunn, theft by receiving stolen
property-felony.
Richard Lee Bolton, possession of a con
trolled substance/Xanax, acquisition of con
trolled substance by fraud, drugs to be kept in
original container and marijuana-less than an
ounce.
William Craig Burke, possession of am
phetamine, marijuana-less than an ounce and
possession of drug related objects.
Steven Jay Teem, possession of cocaine and
marijuana-less than an ounce.
Michael Robert Bragg, theft by taking-
motor vehicle.
Walter Bradley Rabitsch, six counts of theft
by taking-motor vehicle.
Charlene Hendley Clark, forgery-first de
gree.
Charles Michael Claxton, theft by taking.
Carol Ann Wimbush, possession of cocaine,
theft by shoplifting and obstruction of offic-
ers-misdemeanor.
Carol Ann Wimbush, possession of cocaine,
theft by shoplifting, obstruction of officers-
misdemeanor and possession and use of drug
related objects.
Rashad Amir Glover, possession with in
tent to distribute marijuana, possession of drug
related objects, driving with license suspended
or revoked and safety belt violations.
Judd Allen Bramblett, violation of the Geor
gia Controlled Substances Act.
Ronald Muckerson, violation of the Geor
gia Controlled Substances Act.
2 arrested on drug charges
Christmas Eve in Millen
Two Millen men are facing drug charges as
the result of a joint investigation of the Millen
Police Department and Jenkins County Sheriff’s
Office.
Richard Ernest Swan, 27, of 4451 Highway
121, and Roger Lee Reddick, 22, of 801 Bynes
Sunshine Road, have both been charged with pos
session of cocaine with intent to distribute and
possession of marijuana (misdemeanor).
The arrests were made Dec. 24 at the Sunset
Inn on U.S. Highway 25 North. A quantity of
cocaine and marijuana was seized during the ar
rests. Both men are being held in the Jenkins
County Jail, pending bond for Superior Court.
RICHARD ERNEST
SWAN
ROGER LEE
REDDICK