PDF Edition Get News Updates RSS RSS Feed
Real Estate
General
Automotive
Classifieds
Advertiser Index
Search Archives: 


The True Citizen
P.O.Box 948
Waynesboro, GA 30830
(706) 554-2111
More News ...

1/02/02
WPD Charges Teenager With Rash of Robberies
By Elizabeth Billips
 True Citizen Staff Writer

Investigators have finally thrown a stone in the spokes of a two-month crime spree. Their primary suspect, a 15-year-old Waynesboro boy, was arrested at McDonald's last Sunday, Dec. 23, after he got in line behind one of his victims. Waynesboro Police Chief Karl E. Allen identified the teen as Ronnie Lovan Woods of Savannah Avenue. He is currently being held at the Richmond County Youth Detention Center (RCYDC).

Police investigators and Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) agents had been working around the clock to crack open 15 unsolved criminal cases dating back to early November. Woods is believed to have been involved in 11 of them. "We're going to send everything to the DA's (district attorney's) office and recommend that he be tried as an adult," Allen said. "The armed robbery charges are in a category that can allow him to be removed from the juvenile justice system." Although Allen stressed that interviews with the suspect are still in the preliminary stages, Woods is currently considered a suspect in the following cases: The Nov. 10 armed robbery of Darlene Cobb at the First National Bank ATM on West 6th Street;

The Nov. 14 attempted car-jacking at the United States Post Office on East 6th Street. The victim, 71-year-old Sidney Sapp, was fired at three times when he refused to stop;

The Nov. 14 armed robberies of Cynthia Whitfield and Keysha Wade outside of their East 7th Street beauty salon;

The Nov. 17 kidnapping and armed robbery of Paul Ryan, 17, near Harveys Supermarkets. Ryan was carjacked at gunpoint and taken outside of the city limits. After being robbed, he was left on the side of the road; ú A Nov. 20 carjacking at the tax commissioner's office on North Liberty St. in which 66-year-old Sidney Hooks was held at gunpoint;

The attempted armed robbery of Precious Crumbley on Dec. 13 at Squeaky Clean Laundry, East 7th Street.

The Dec. 14 armed robbery of Paul Godbee on Tucker Ave.

The Dec. 14 armed robbery of Bobby Scott at Bill's Carwash, East 6th Street. ú The Dec. 14 armed robbery of Joseph Clarke Jr. at Bill's Carwash; and A Dec. 17 incident in which a subject firing shots on East 7th Street produced a handgun in the presence of Sgt. John Landrum and fled on foot. The latest armed robbery, in which Woods is believed to be connected, occurred on East 7th Street last Friday.

According to reports, Anny Irwin and Juan Chavez, both of Waynesboro, were standing behind their vehicle with a 6-year-old juvenile when a young, black male pointed a handgun at them and demanded their money. The suspect allegedly raised the gun to Chavez's face and pulled back the hammer. After pocketing the money, the gunman fled on foot. Chavez chased him until he turned around and fired a shot. Woods finally fell into police hands last Sunday when 17-year-old Bobby Scott, a Dec. 14 armed robbery victim, spotted him in line at McDonald's. Scott notified police while his friend went outside and got a tag number and description of Woods' car. When police ran the tag, they found that the car, along with a 9 mm handgun, had been stolen from Golden Pantry on Oct. 24. Keeping contact with Scott, via cell phone, police blocked in Woods and two friends at A&W One-stop. They were taken into custody without incident, and the two friends, also 15, were later released to their parents.

The handgun was not recovered. Sgt. Landrum later confirmed that Woods was the same person who fled from him six days earlier. "We hope we have broken up the string of criminal activity," Allen said on Wednesday, "but at least one accomplice is still at large." Allen said that Woods had been living with his elderly grandmother and that attempts to locate a parent or guardian were unsuccessful. "If we do locate his parents, we plan to charge them with failure to supervise a minor," Allen continued, adding that Woods was "not long out of YDC" and was "well-known to police." So far, Woods' only charges are those in connection with the armed robbery of Scott and the incident involving Sgt. Landrum. These include one count of armed robbery, aggravated assault on a police officer, carrying a concealed weapon and two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. A complete list of charges will be released as the investigation continues.

Despite Job Losses Unemployment In Burke, 8.3 Percent
By Jimmy Ezzell
 True Citizen Editor
In the fall of 1996, Burke County's unemployment rate was 16.1 percent . the highest in the state of Georgia. Times were dismal but the county, its existing industries and officials refused to give up. In November of this year while many counties across the state were reporting high unemployment, Burke County had a rate of 8.3 percent. This meant of the 8,542 people in the work force, 7,829 had jobs.

This after two major industries, Globe Business Manufacturing and Gary Safe Company closed its doors putting 215 persons out of jobs. This came in April and May and saw the county's unemployment rate jump to 10 percent. This was the highest jobless rate the county had seen since April of 2000 when it was 9.7 percent. In October the labor department reported Burke County with a jobless rate of 8.5 percent. Across the state the November unemployment rate was 4.1 percent The change in the November rate state officials said was due to the fact retailers were hiring for the holiday season which should put the December jobless figure at a lower rate. This probably will be the case in Burke County when the December report is made by the labor department in late January. Jerry Long, the executive director of the Development Authority of Burke County and the county's chief industrial hunter, credits the existing industries for keeping the jobless rate as low as it is. When Globe and Gary Safe closed, a large number of their employees were swept up by other industries either looking to expand or needing experienced workers. No one likes to lose an industry, especially during these times when the state of Georgia is reporting the highest number of Georgians filing for unemployment benefits.

The total number in November was 92,298 with Burke County's jobless accounting for 270 of them. In October, 326 Burke Countians filed claims. Burke County started 2001 with a good jobless rate of 5.6 percent. For varying reasons this crept up, and when Globe and Gary Safe closed, the rate jumped to 10 percent. Kwikset continues to be the biggest employer in the county with approximately 675 workers and is expected to reach more than 700 early in 2002. Samsons Manufacturing Corporation, the county's oldest industry, holds a steady 430-440 workers. The county's two newest industries, Helmac and FIAMM, report employment at 175 and 85, respectively, and anticipate of increasing these numbers in early 2002. Some of the other industries in Burke County and their current employment include Ritz Instruments Transformers, 160; Legion Industries, 60; Perfection-Schwank, 44; Mr. Golf Cart, 45; Specialty Timber, 45; Cowart Iron Works in Midville, 35; Ramstar Mills Inc. in Sardis, 95; and Chalker Publishing Company, 50.

Other companies employing less than 10 include Joiner & Associates in Midville, 8; Norris & Allen Tool Die in Midville, 6; McKinney Concrete Service Co., 10; and Helen Chemical Co., 7. Recently, analysts with the Selig Center for Economic Growth at the University of Georgia said the Augusta area, including Burke County, will fare better in the coming year than most of the state. They forecast the job loss in 2002 for Augusta at 0.1 percent. The state will lose 0.8 percent statewide. Long looks at this prediction as a good indication for Burke County. He also notes that while the lack of new industry is alarming in the state, Burke County continues to be on the site list for a number of major companies seeking to move to this area. "While things are slow right now, we still have some prospects come in and look at us, and I believe some of them will eventually locate here," said Long.
Legal Organ of Burke County, Waynesboro, Sardis, Midville, Keysville, and Girard