Picture Perfect
Burke County High School Beta Club members continue their efforts to honor the late Mayor Pauline Jenkins by placing an oil portrait in City Hall. Jenkins was not only Waynesboro’s first female mayor but also the city’s first African American mayor. She is fondly remembered for her kindness to all...
Sheriff explains request for $13 million budget
Sheriff Alfonzo Williams has requested a $13 million budget for 2024. The proposed budget includes $4,970,000 for the detention center, an increase of $1,696,190 over the 2023 revised budget. The requested increase includes approximately $400,000 more to be allocated to salaries. A notation states that new hires will start out...
Freaknik Bash canceled this year
A Scramblerz CoffeeBar Facebook post read early last week: “Good Afternoon. As much as we fought to bring FreakNik to Burke County this year, we are sorry to inform everyone this late of notice, but our event will be canceled until further notice. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and...
Bird Dog Training Clinic
The Burke County Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a Bird Dog Training Clinic by local Hall of Fame Field Trial Handler Harold Ray. Executive Director Ashley Roberts said the clinic will be held on Saturday, June 10th & Sunday, June 11th at his farm. “While the 15 spots for dogs...
Billboard marks early Sheriff’s race activities
June 6, 2023
Bill Hargrove is not running for sheriff in the 2024 election but purchased a billboard in the hopes it will draw out candidates for next year’s Sheriff’s race. “The whole purpose of putting it up was to remind voters that this man has violated the public trust,” said Hargrove. “I...
Finding a new Boss Hog that suits the annual event
June 6, 2023
Don Lively is Boss Hog no more. Lively announced his retirement from the Boss Hog Cookoff role with mixed emotions prior to this year’s event. “Fifteen years he has been the boss,” said Lindsey Keller, co-chair of the annual event. However due to the pandemic, Boss Hog didn’t make an...
New business offers a host of discounted items
June 6, 2023
Joe & Kay's One Stop Shop will open Saturday, June 10 at 605 N. Liberty Street. The variety discount store carries everything from candy to tools. The shelves include books, hardware, clothes, camping equipment and toys. Additionally, the couple offers embroidery, customized ironons and sublimation services. Sublimation transfers are color...
Burke Therapy and Burke Imaging join forces
LACEY HILLIS ZORN
[email protected] | June 6, 2023
Burke Therapy & Burke Imaging announced the opening of their new lobby addition. This expansion not only provides a modern and welcoming entrance for patients but also brings a wide range of new services to meet the diverse healthcare needs of the community. Located at the rear of the building,...
Georgia Senate to revisit certificate of need law
DAVE WILLIAMS
Bureau Chief Capitol Beat News Service | June 6, 2023
The state Senate was where the action was in the General Assembly this year either to reform or repeal Georgia’s decades-old certificate of need law (CON) governing hospitals and health-care services. Heading into the summer, there’s every indication Republican senators will continue aggressively pursuing their push to overhaul CON or...
Mayor hopes basketball program improves relations
June 6, 2023
Mayor Bill Tinley hopes an evening basketball program will assist in reducing gun violence. Eric Mobley got the Public Safety Committee’s approval to begin a summer basketball program at the Sixth Street Park during the June 5 meeting. However, Councilwoman Vickey Bates asked Mobley to change the name of his...
Burke County senior gets a full ride to play collegiate volleyball
Brannon Braddock
[email protected] | May 30, 2023
Burke County 2023 graduate Madison Martin plans to continue her education at Denmark Technical College. She received a full ride scholarship to play volleyball at the South Carolina school where she plans to major in elementary education. Madison said she is excited for the new opportunity and had a lot...
EBA sports banquet
May 23, 2023
Tennis: Andrew Cates, Zaley Baker, Lillie Brown, Dailey Sylvester and Charlie Gentry
4-H Shotgun Team competes at District and State contest
MERIDITH F. MECKEL
[email protected] | May 23, 2023
The Burke County 4-H Shotgun Team competed at the district qualifying match on April 22, 2023 at Bay Gall Shooting Range. This year’s team members include: Brooke Allen, Jiles Coble, Sydney Coble, Chase Cook, Leland Flakes, Charlotte Huddleston, Audrey Kyzer, Sam Kyzer, Colton Miller, Wylie Morgan, Asa Murray, Aiden Olver,...
Five from BCHS place at state track meet
Brannon Braddock
[email protected] | May 16, 2023
The GHSA state track meet was held this past Thursday and Friday, and five BCHS athletes ran and placed. BCHS junior Markell Kelly brought home the bronze in the 110-meter hurdles while Jakeidra " Keke" Jones, Tre'Yonna Jones, Dy'Mon Webb. and Jasmin Jones placed seventh in the 4x100 relay. With...
LOOKING BACK
June 6, 2023
10 YEARS AGO – JUNE 12, 2013 Chief Appraiser Phillip Wren of the Burke County Tax Assessors Office said that a revaluation of approximately 600 commercial properties was set to take place during the summer. The project would be carried out by GMASS, a mass appraisal service that had worked...
Don Lively
June 6, 2023
It was just a laid back little farming community. I very nearly referred to it as a “sleepy” little farming community, meaning quiet and peaceful, but Google told me that sleepy can also mean dull or inactive. Our little corner of the world was far from dull or inactive. It...
Michael N. Searles
June 6, 2023
Some of us are familiar with the Gospel song, “No Not One.” The song speaks to the friendship and power of Jesus. The phrase, “No Not One” also suggests the loneliness, isolation, and the sadness of being alone. Unlike the song, we can sometimes find ourselves without a friend or...
Summer Feeding Program Begins
June 6, 2023
Burke County Public School buses will be traveling all over Burke County to deliver one weekly meal box per child, from birth to 18 years old. The meal boxes contain seven days of breakfasts, seven lunches and two half gallons of milk. Beginning June 6, buses will run every Tuesday...

Jody Prescott
June 6, 2023
Waynesboro, GA – Sidney Joseph Prescott “Jody”, 62, husband of Melinda Blanchard Prescott, entered into rest on Wednesday, May 31, 2023. Funeral services were held from the First Baptist Church of Waynesboro on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, at 2:00 o’clock, with Dr. Al Wright, Pastor Jerry Price, and David Boggs...

Margaret Hill Elliott
June 6, 2023
Margaret Hill Elliott, 91, of Waynesboro passed away on June 3, 2023 at her residence. She was born April 17, 1932, in Burke County, to the late Marion L. Hill, Sr. and Alice Wiggins Hill. Margaret retired from the Bank of Waynesboro after 45 years of service. She was a...
Gary Anthony Skinner
June 6, 2023
Mr. Gary Anthony Skinner, 73, passed away at his residence in Sylvania, GA on June 5, 2023. Gary was born in Millen, GA on March 13, 1950 to the late Simmie and Virginia Skinner. He was employed for many years and retired from Torrington where he worked as a press...
INDICTMENTS
June 6, 2023
The April 2023 term Grand Jury returned the following True Bills of indictment during the June 1, 2023 session. Kadarion Devonte Ellison: sexual exploitation of children (5 counts). Jaylen Derrell Jones: kidnapping; false imprisonment; robbery by force. Randy Ray Mock, Jr.: aggravated stalking. Gary Webster Dunn: terroristic threats. Jaylen Kaderell...
BURKE EMA REPORT
June 6, 2023
The Burke County Emergency Management Agency responded to 89 patients’ calls during the week ending June 4. Of those, 66 resulted in transports, including 39 to Augusta hospitals and one to another out-of-county hospital. Thirty four of the transports were determined to be emergencies and 32 were non-emergent. The agency...
Burke deputies complete DUI detection training
June 6, 2023
Two Burke County deputies have completed training in D.U.I. detection and field sobriety testing. Lt. Paul Kervin and Sgt. Marcus Miller of the BCSO took the course which is taught by the Georgia Police Academy in Forsyth. The training program includes the observation techniques involved in recognizing when a driver...
WHAT”S NEXT? {in Burke County}
June 6, 2023
NOTICE The Burke County Board of Education will destroy all student records relating to Special Education Services for individuals who will attain the age of 22 on or before June 30, 2023. These records will be destroyed immediately after Friday, August 25, 2023. Anyone wishing to recover his/her personal records...
Vacation Bible School
June 6, 2023
Phillip Grove Baptist Church will hold its Vacation Bible School for all ages 6 p.m.-8 p.m. nightly Monday, June 19- Friday, June 23. The VBS theme will be “Twists and Turns, Following Jesus Changes the Game. Psalm 25:4. The public is invited.
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