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VOL. 117 NO. 20 Millen, Ga. 30442 LEGAL ORGAN OF JENKINS COUNTY SINCE 1903 Wednesday, November 15, 2023 » 750
Brunswick woman charged in death of Timothy Johnson
DEBORAH BENNETT
Millen News Editor
Valerie Marie Ramirez of Bruns
wick is charged with vehicular
homicide in the second degree in
connection with the May 17th, 2023
death of Timothy Lewis Johnson
of Millen. She is also charged with
following too closely and speeding
(19-23 miles over) in a 65 mph zone.
Jenkins County Sheriff Robert
Oglesby said the charges were issued
by the Georgia State Patrol (GSP)
which investigated the 2-vehicle ac
cident that occurred on U.S. Highway
25 North.
According to the GSP accident
report, Johnson, driving a 1998 Ford
Ranger, and Ramirez, driving a 2017
Chrysler 300 Limited, were both
traveling south on Hwy. 25 North
in the right-hand lane. Ramirez was
traveling behind Johnson when the
front of her vehicle struck Johnson’s
vehicle in the rear.
According to the report, Ramirez
stated that she was tired and went out
for a second. When she looked up,
there was a vehicle in front of her and
she could not stop.
' * £-VS. _ ’ v/V *
The Jenkins County High School Eagles defeated the Charlton County Indians
20-6 in the first round of the state play-offs on the Eagles’ field Nov. 10th. The
Eagles will travel to Dooly County Nov. 17th for the second game of the play-offs.
The Eagles are 10-1 overall and 3-1 in Region play. Dooly County is 7-4 overall
and 5-0 in Region play. In the Nov. 10th game, the Eagles’ Player of the Game was
ZZ Wilson. The top three defensive players were ZZ Wilson, TyTy Williams, and
Tyler Williams.The top three offensive players were Tyrone Martin, ZZ Wilson, and
Tyler Williams. (Photo courtesy of Danielle McBride Davis)
CITY OF MILLEN
General Runoff
Election on Dec. 5 th
DEBORAH BENNETT
Millen News Editor
The City of Millen General Runoff
Election for the office of Mayor will
be held Dec. 5th. Incumbent Mayor
A. King Rocker and former City
Councilman Giovanni Shumake are
the two candidates who received
the highest number of votes in the
General Election held Nov. 7th.
However, neither candidate received
the required 50% plus one of the
votes cast which makes the runoff
election necessary.
All voting on Election Day will
take place from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
at the Millen City Hall.
In-Person Advance voting begins
Monday, Nov. 27th, at 9 a.m. and will
continue until 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1st.
All advance voting will take place at
the Jenkins County Courthouse.
The computation and canvassing of
ballots in the General Runoff Election
will take place in the office of Election
Superintendent Wanda Burke located
in the Jenkins County Probate Court
at the Jenkins County Courthouse
on Dec. 6th beginning at 9 a.m. until
completed.
The schedule for voting Absentee
Mail-Out ballots will be announced
once the ballots are printed. Early
processing of these
ballots will be conducted SEE
in the Jenkins County ELECTION
Probate Court and g
City receives successful
bid on Kirkland building
DEBORAH BENNETT
Millen News Editor
The third time’s the charm!
The City of Millen has received a
successful bid to restore the Kirkland
Building located at the intersection
of Cotton Avenue and Gray Street.
City Manager Jeff Brantley reported
on the project during the monthly
meeting of Millen City Council held
Nov. 7th.
Brantley reported that several
contractors came to the walk
through of the building but only
one submitted a bid. That bidder
was MMI Construction, and the
bid amount of $662,000. Brantley
explained that windows for the
building were left out to bring the bid
in line with the grant award.
“The Downtown Development
Authority will most likely look for
another grant to cover the costs of the
windows,” Brantley said.
In other business, Brantley reported
on two grants that are available
from Norfolk Southern Railway. He
said that an application for a Public
Safety Grant has been submitted
to the railroad in the amount of
$53,000. If awarded, the funds will
be used to help purchase public safety
equipment.
“I feel good about getting some
money from this grant,” Brantley said.
He explained that the second
grant available was a Thriving
Communities Grant through which
rural communities apply
for up to $100,000. If SEE
awarded, the funds COUNCIL
could be used for the g
purchase of playground
BOE approves increased benefits for staff
DEBORAH BENNETT
Millen News Editor
Jenkins County School System
employees will see an increase in
their benefits package. The proposal
from School Superintendent Dr. John
Paul Hearn was approved by the
Jenkins County Board of Education
(BOE) during the Nov. 13th meeting.
Currently, employees receive a
$10,000 life insurance policy at no
cost to them. They pay full premiums
for vision and dental insurance. Dr.
Hearn’s proposal increases the life
insurance benefit to $50,000, at no
cost to staff, and the school system
will pay the entire premium for staff’s
vision and dental insurance.
“These increases will only cost the
school system around $50 per month,
per employee. That’s $115,000
annually,” he said. The reduction in
the number of positions at the Central
Office have saved the school system
approximately $300,000 annually, Dr.
Hearn explained.
He explained that the proposal only
includes school staff. Employees will
continue to be responsible for the
premiums if they want to add family
members to their plans.
In other business, the BOE
approved a proposal to renew the
contract with All Clean for annual
janitorial services at the schools in the
amount of $278,820 for the schools
and $5,100 for the Central Office.
Dr. Hearn explained that the only
other bid received was for $343,347
and did not include cleaning supplies
and equipment.
Also approved was a contract
with Central Fence for installing
commercial grade fencing at various
locations at the schools in the amount
of $36,882.
Shane Neasbitt, School Maintenance
Director, explained the commercial
grade fencing is needed to take care of
any future needs for heavier fencing
that may arise in the future.
“If we go with residential grade,
we may have to do it again later,” Mr.
Neasbitt said.
Funding for the project will come
from a safety grant received by the
school system.
Dr. Hearn reported on construction
at the schools, noting that the additions
are in their final stages with only
touch-up work taking place.
“We should be finished within the
next few months,” he said.
Jenkins County Elementary School
Principal Randy Dailey reported on
instruction and testing at the school.
He also stated that Dr. Jamon Flowers,
clinical assistant professor in the
Educational Administration Policy
program at the University of Georgia,
was working with staff members on
creating a more culturally receptive
environment.
Dr. Hearn expressed a desire to
have Dr. Flowers meet with a group
of parents and community members
sometime in the near future.