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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