About The Millen news. (Millen, Jenkins County, Ga.) 1903-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 31, 2025)
year and on behalf of our families, We want to wish you a ve .., new year. May this year bring you a lot of happiness and great times. Look for our inserts inside The Millen News lift 2/Y YLYY NO a918.e (1tp fPT APftrE 60009 CITE 2111111 105 VOL. 119 NO. 27 Millen, Ga. 30442 LEGAL ORGAN OF JENKINS COUNTY SINCE 1903 Wednesday, December 31, 2025 • 75c New laws effective Jan. 1st DEBORAH BENNETT Millen News Editor While most new laws from the 2025 Georgia legislative session went into effect in July, several bills became law on Jan. 1,2026. Senate Bill 199, has the most local affect. The legislation requires that local elected officials file mandatory financial disclosures with the State Ethics Commission (SEC) rather than locally. The legislation also prohibits the SEC from initiating investiga tions of candidates within 60 days of their election. It requires that political action committees maintain bank ac counts with detailed reporting when they contribute to candidates in the state, and establishes uniform report ing dates for cam ¬ paigns for all levels SEE of office. It requires LAWS, the redaction of home 7 NEW What is a Grand Jury and how does it operate In Georgia, a grand jury is com posed of at least 16 and no more than 23 members from an random, eli gible pool who have been residents of the county for at least six months. In addition to being a resident of the county, grand jury members must be: 18 years or older, a U.S. citizen, have no felony record, and speak English sufficiently. Jenkins County Clerk of Court Tracy Herrington said, “In Jenkins County, two grand juries convene, one in March and another in Sep tember. The March grand jury meets again in June and the September grand jury meets again in Decem ber.” During the grand jury process, a brief summarization of the evidence gathered is presented. During pre ¬ sentation of the evidence, jurors may ask questions for clarification. Some evidence is presented only in court under “discovery”. A true bill returned by the grand jury results in an indictment, but it is not evidence of guilt. It just means reasonable evidence was presented that a crime may have occurred. It allows prosecutors to move forward with formal charges. Jurors and pros ecutors cannot reveal what occurred during deliberations. The grand jury system in Georgia can trace its origin to English com mon law, which was adopted by the colonies and later by the state. Legal reforms, changes in public policy, and judicial interpretation have shaped the modern grand jury system. The year in review - headlines of 2025 DEBORAH BENNETT Millen News Editor As the year 2025 comes to an end, a look back reveals the following headlines of the year. Changes in Election Laws Changes in election laws by the Georgia Legislature necessitated the formation of the local Board of Elec tions and Registration and an Election Supervisor. Board members appointed by the Jenkins County Commission ers were: Bobby Taylor Jr., Myrtis Reese, Kathy Clifton, Julia Lassiter, and Claudette Sasser. Wanda Burke appointed Magis trate Judge. Due to changes in election laws, Jenkins County Probate Judge Wanda Burke can no longer serve as Election Superintendent. However, she just changed one hat for another and was named Jenkins County Magistrate Judge as a dual role in county admin istration. Election Supervisor named Patricia Rich is named Jenkins County Election Supervisor by the Jenkins County Board of Elections and Registration. She has assisted with elections since 2018. Distilled Spirits Referendum The Millen City Council announces its intention to place a Restaurant Distilled Spirits Referendum on the November ballot for city residents to vote upon. Hospital Foundation established The Jenkins County Hospital Au thority approves the establishment of a Hospital Foundation to benefit the Jenkins County Medical Center. New Principal at Jenkins County High School The Jenkins County Board of Education approves personnel for the 2025-2026 school term that does not include current Jenkins County High School principal Rob Gray. David Miller has been announced as the new JCHS principal. Commissioners opt in for HB 581 The Jenkins County Board of Com missioners approves opting in for HB 581, which provides relief for property owners. Chamber of Commerce announc es Citizen of the Year and Business of the Year Evelyn Young is named Citizen of the Year, and Core Civic/Jenkins Cor rectional Center is named Business of the Year. Body found in Jenkins County identified as missing Florida woman The Georgia Bureau of Investiga tion identified a body found in Jen kins County in May of 2024 as that of missing Florida woman, Colleen Paullissen Pool. Her body was found in an abandoned house on Big Pine Road. Shanelle Carr named CASA worker Shanelle Carr took the oath of of fice and became the only Court Ap pointed Special Advocate (CASA) in the county. As a CASA volunteer, she advocates for children during court proceedings. Neighbor’s Express changes ownership Neighbor’s Express on Hwy. 25 South changed ownership, becoming the 19th Friend Gus store owned by J.B. Clark Oil Company. Thompson’s Corner changes ownership. Thompson’s Corner on Hwy. 25 North was purchased by the SID #105 company. The store had been owned by the Thompson family since 1977. Jenkins County Airport receives federal funding. U.S. Senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff announced that the Jenkins County Airport would receive $221,000 in federal funding for im provements. More than $13 million was allocated for airports across the state. Man charged in confrontation with individuals on 4-wheelers The Georgia Bureau of Investiga tion filed charges against a Jenkins County man resulting from an alter cation with several individuals on 4-wheelers. Family Enrichment receives a CDC grant. Jenkins County Family Enrichment (JCFEC) received a significant Teens Link to Care grant from the Centers for Disease Control. The funds are to be used to cover the gaps in the health care needs of JCFEC and Jenkins County High School. Two women come together amid heartbreak. Angeline Budget and Kimberly Thompson each lost children to gun violence, prompting them to come together on a journey of heartbreak, forgiveness, and love. Jenkins County Medical Center receives $500,000 donation Ben Wall, President and CEO of Atlantic Waste, presents a $500,000 donation through the Georgia HEART hospital program. The program allows individuals and businesses to donate their state income taxes to an eligible rural hospital. Atlantic Waste manages the county landfill. Skeletal remains found in the City of Millen A crew working on re- SEE moving debris from Little REVIEW, Buckhead Creek discov- 7
