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VOL. 117 NO. 21 Millen, Ga. 30442 LEGAL ORGAN OF JENKINS COUNTY SINCE 1903 Wednesday, November 22, 2023 • 750
Commissioners get an update on landfill
DEBORAH BENNETT
Millen News Editor
Ben Wall, owner of Atlantic Waste
Services, gave the Jenkins County
Commissioners an update during
their Nov. 14th meeting on issues at
the county landfill that his company
manages.
Mr. Wall said the recent odor issues
that have resulted in complaints from
local citizens were created by a few
employees not doing their jobs cor
rectly. He indicated he has dismissed
the employees, hired new ones, and
now has a new manager at the landfill,
Mr. Bonner Jones.
He reported that the state’s Envi
ronmental Protection Division had
visited the landfill to investigate the
odor issue, and he is hopeful that it
will soon be brought under control.
“We want to be good neighbors
We want to have an open dialogue
with the community and citizens,
and we’re sorry this happened,” Mr.
Wall said.
Tina Burke, Jenkins County Tax
Commissioner, presented plans for
renovations to her office for review.
The costs of the project are estimated
to be around $13,000. SEE
She also indicated that LANDFILL
she needs an additional ^
employee in her office
Family Turkey Projeci
Jenkins County Elementary School students have
been preparing for the Thanksgiving holiday with their
creative artwork. Levi Harrell, a first grade student, is
shown with his Thanksgiving turkey.
Absentee ballots available now
for Dec 5th Runoff election
DEBORAH BENNETT
Millen News Editor
Absentee ballots are going out this
week in the City of Millen’s Dec. 5th
General Runoff Election to name a
Mayor. Candidates are incumbent
A. King Rocker and former City
Councilman Giovanni R. Shumake.
The last day registrars may accept
an application for an absentee ballot
by mail is November 27th. The
last day registrars may accept a
voted absentee ballot is 7 p.m. on
December 5th. The last day registrars
may mail an absentee ballot is
November 27 th.
Early processing of these ballots
will be conducted in the Jenkins
County Probate Court and Jenkins
County Registrar’s Office at the
Jenkins County Courthouse from 8
a.m. until 5 p.m. on Nov. 27th and
Dec. 4th.
A drop box for Absentee Mail-Out
ballots will be established at the
Superintendent responds to
football game harassment
Paul Hearn issued the following
statement on Monday.
“This past Friday night our Jenkins
County War Eagles traveled to Dooly
County for the second round of the
GHS A football playoffs. Our football
team and fans were subjected to
treatment that no person should ever
have to experience anywhere.
As the superintendent, I want
to assure you that we as a school
system have been in communication
with GHSA and the State Board of
Education to address our multiple
serious concerns. I received a response
from GHSA this morning and their
compliance officer is actively working
on this incident.
My ultimate goal SEE
is to make certain HARASSMENT,
that no other school y
is ever subjected to
DEBORAH BENNETT
Millen News Editor
Tensions were high at last Friday
night’s football game in Dooly
County on and off the held.
The Jenkins County High School
varsity football team and fans
traveled to Dooly County for the
second round of the Georgia High
School Association (GHSA) state
playoffs.
Eagles fans and football players
were subjected to very harassing
behavior from Dooly County fans.
Once incident turned violent when
a Dooly County security guard
physically accosted an Eagles’ fan
seated in the stands on the Eagles’
side of the held.
In response to the incidents, Jenkins
County School Superintendent John
Information about obtaining an
ABSENTEE
BALLOT
★ ★★ ★★ ★
1 " 1
office at the Jenkins County Board
of Registrars in Jenkins County
Courthouse, 611E. Winthrope Avenue.
The drop box will be available from
9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday-Friday,
Nov. 27- Dec. 1. The drop box will
be closed when advance voting is not
being conducted at this location.
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.
Emory Lewis — thankful and prayerful
DEBORAH BENNETT
Millen News Editor
As Thanksgiving approaches
Emory Lewis, 50, is counting his
blessings and praying for one more.
Emory is thankful for the blessings
of family, friends, the kindness of
strangers, and most of all for the
“gospel of Jesus Christ that saved
me”. The blessing he is humbly
praying for is that of the return of his
eye sight.
Emory has lost sight in both of his
eyes due to very thick cataracts that
may have caused damage to his eyes
beneath. He is scheduled to have
surgery to remove the cataract on
his left eye on Nov. 27th. His doctor
will decide when the eye has healed
if anything more can be done. He
will have surgery on his right at a
later date.
“It’s like trying to look through a
glass of milk,” Emory said. “All I can
see is white.”
Emory compares his life’s situation
to that of the Apostle Paul who was
stricken blind on the road to Damascus
and became totally dependent upon
others to help him. He says that like
Paul, he has been running from the
Lord’s calling on his life. The Lord
stopped Paul in his tracks and Emory
said He has done the same for him.
“I have not been a good person, but
I have felt the Lord’s calling since I
was a child. I would follow Him for
awhile, and, then I would run back
into the wilderness like the Israelites.
But, now that I am blind, all I can do
is sit and listen to the Lord,” he said.
“He has me where He wants me.”
Emory lost the sight in his right
eye two years ago and in his left eye
completely two months ago. Prior
to his blindness he earned a living
working as a forklift service mechanic
at various companies in Florida,
Savannah, and Statesboro. He moved
to Millen in 2022 after being laid-off
from his job in Statesboro. For awhile
he was able to find mechanic jobs
around town, but that came to an end
when he suddenly lost the sight in his
right eye.
Emory has also suffered other great
losses, the death of his mother, sister,
and grandmother within a two week
span in 2020.
But, just as the Lord
sent Ananias to help LEWIS,
Paul, He also sent others 7
From left, Buford Williams and Emory Lewis
