Kaylie Baker elected as homecoming queen
Zaylie Baker was crowned as Edmund Burke Academy's 2023 homecoming queen at the school’s football game Friday night. Zaylie is the 17 year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Baker of Keysville. She attends Oasis Church of Hephzibah. Zaylie has played softball basketball and tennis since her freshman year...
No 2023 elections raises red flag for Keysville
SHELLIE SMITLEY
[email protected]
Some Keysville residents are wondering why their city isn’t holding elections this year. Recently, a couple of people contacted the Burke County Elections office expressing confusion about when Keysville city council positions are up for reelection. However, the Board of Elections doesn’t handle Keysville elections and doesn’t maintain records on...
MPD hits a wall in armed robbery investigation
SHELLIE SMITLEY
[email protected]
The Midville Police Department has no leads into who robbed a resident of hundreds of dollars while he checked his mail. Sureshkumar Patel, 41, was standing at his mailbox on Alice Street September 16 around 9: 45 p.m. when a man wearing black clothes and a ski mask came up...
Laurie Dickey-Billings is BCPS Teacher of the Year
Laurie Dickey-Billings, a dedicated Kindergarten teacher at Waynesboro Primary School, proudly holds the title of Burke County Public Schools 2023 District Teacher of the Year. Billings’ journey in education is marked by a commitment to continuous improvement and a genuine passion for teaching. Her educational background is impressive. She earned...
DABC land to add watermelons to crops
SHELLIE SMITLEY
[email protected] | October 3, 2023
Brad Edenfield’s family has leased acreage on the Raymond Tract for farming for years, in fact, as long as Brad can remember. The family has leased the land through four different owners, including the current owner, the Development Authority of Burke County (DABC). Brad’s dad and uncle were farming the...
Stranger than fiction: Books blamed for melancholy
SHELLIE SMITLEY
[email protected] | October 3, 2023
Editor’s note: This is the first of a series of eerie and/ or peculiar true stories that will be published throughout the month of October. An 18-year-old Burke County woman was driven to insanity in 1894 after reading romance novels. According to a March 1894 news article in The True...
Peach Pit Cantina hosts hiring event
SHELLIE SMITLEY
[email protected] | October 3, 2023
Peach Pit Cantina is hosting a hiring event in anticipation of the Tex-Mex restaurant’s grand opening in Waynesboro next month. Owner Ana Segura is excited about bringing the new Tex- Mex restaurant to the Bird Dog Capital. She is also the owner of Chilitos Mexican Grill in Sylvania. It is...
Sugar and spice makes the holidays nice
SHELLIE SMITLEY
[email protected] | October 3, 2023
Taylor Bros. X-Press offers the perfect ingredients for a great family holiday. Back in the day, when children were expected to work, owner Eddie Taylor learned how to cook, he said. He was peeling potatoes at Taylors Barbeque before he reached high school. Years later, Eddie can often be found...
Curbside trash service begins
October 3, 2023
Ryland Environmental officially implemented county-wide curbside trash service Monday, October 2 with the first residential pickup occurring at 7:15 a.m. on Tarver Road.
Burke County Bears take down big region opponent
BRANNON BRADDOCK
[email protected] | October 3, 2023
Friday night, the Burke County Bears faced the Wayne County Yellow Jackets in the Bear Den. This was a big game because a win secured a home playoff berth as long as the Bears don’t lose more than one game the rest of the season. Though the fans in the...
Lady Bears softball secure a spot in the state playoff
BRANNON BRADDOCK
[email protected] | October 3, 2023
The Lady Bears lost a heartbreaker on Monday to Washington County. The Lady Hawks would not go down without a fight and ultimately took the lead in the fifth inning. In what would become a 6-7 loss, many Lady Bears shined bright. Paige Sullivan went 4-4 on the night and...
Lady Bears volleyball goes 3-0 on the week
Brannon Braddock
[email protected] | October 3, 2023
The Burke County Lady Bears volleyball team played Butler and Glenn Hills on Tuesday, September 26 in a tri-match at Glenn Hills. Head Coach David Skinner said, “This tri-match afforded me an opportunity to try some different rotations with players.” Overall, he was pleased with his team's execution offensively and...
EBA wins big during Homecoming game
October 3, 2023
The Edmund Burke Academy Spartan Varsity Football Team improved to 5-0 on Homecoming with a big 43-7 win over the Memorial Day School Matadors. The Spartans struck first on the scoreboard with a 51-yard touchdown catch by Braydon Tindell from quarterback Grant Mobley. The next Spartan score came on a...
The Burke County Bears improve to 5-0
BRANNON BRADDOCK
[email protected] | September 26, 2023
This past Friday, the Bears played their first game in the Bear Den since week one against Thomson. Just like the age-old rivalry game, this was another big one, as the Bears welcomed the Statesboro Blue Devils during homecoming week. The game was ultimately lopsided as the Bears showed out...
LOOKING BACK
October 3, 2023
20 YEARS AGO – OCTOBER 8, 2003 Veteran Burke County Commissioner and civil rights champion announced that he would resign from the District 2 post he had held for 22 years. Lodge said he was resigning on the advice of his doctors due to declining health. A liquor by the...
Don Lively
October 3, 2023
I'm a walking stick. Some folks would refer to me as a hiking staff but since my owner moseys more often than he hikes, he calls me his moseying stick. I'm not a cane. Canes are for old folks. My owner's not exactly young but he's not exactly old either....
Ronda Rich
October 3, 2023
Sentiment is not something I was taught. It was born in me. Both my parents were hardscrabble Appalachian folks where sentimentality was a luxury that could be afforded no more than new, wool coats for the entire family or a simple, gold wedding band for my grandmother. But me? I...

Gerald “Ray” Saxon
October 3, 2023
Gerald “Ray” Saxon, 83, of Waynesboro went to be with his Heavenly Father on Friday, September 29, 2023, surrounded by his loving family. Ray was a devoted husband and father who prioritized his family above all else. He was an active member of Piney Grove Baptist Church, where he served...
Onzlee Williams
October 3, 2023
Mrs. Onzlee Williams passed away at Saturday, September 30, 2023 at Windermere Nursing Home. Funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date.
Jesse Allen Loren
October 3, 2023
Jesse Allen Loren, 82, entered into rest Monday, August 28, 2023. Jesse, known as Skip, was born July 21, 1941 in Augusta to the late Jesse and Ruth Loren. As a young child, his parents relocated to Wilmington, NC. Skip attended school and Junior college at Cape Fear and at...
Curtis Hollins
October 3, 2023
Mr. Curtis Hollins, 65, of Augusta, Georgia, was born December 26, 1957. He entered into rest on Wednesday, September 27, 2023 at The Place at Martinez Nursing Home. Family visitation will be held Friday, October 6, 2023, from 5:00-6:00 p.m. and public visitation will be held from 6:00-7:00 p.m. at...
Wayne Flournoy
October 3, 2023
Mr. Wayne Flournoy passed away Saturday, September 23, 2023 at Medical Health Hospital in Savannah, GA. Funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date.
Man leads deputies in pursuit to mother’s house
SHELLIE SMITLEY
[email protected] | October 3, 2023
As deputies pursued him, Jimmy Roberson, 44, jumped out of a running vehicle, leaving it to crash into his mother’s chain link fence. The Burke County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched September 22 after Roberson left the scene of a domestic dispute at Windy Hill Apartments. Deputies spotted Roberson’s Jeep Cherokee...
BURKE EMA REPORT
October 3, 2023
The Burke County Emergency Management Agency answered 98 patients’ calls during the week ending Oct. 1. Of those, 72 resulted in transports, including 42 to Augusta hospitals and one to another out-of-county hospital. Thirty six of the transports were determined to be emergencies and 36 were non-emergent, The agency also...
Courtroom upgrades ease inmate transport needs
SHELLIE SMITLEY | October 3, 2023
The Burke County Judicial Center is in the process of technological courtroom upgrades that will assist in eliminating the transport of inmates for court appearances. The money for the upgrades is provided through American Rescue Plan Act Funding and will allow bonds, arraignments and sentences to be conducted via Webex....
WHAT’S NEXT? {in Burke County}
October 3, 2023
Thursday, Oct. 5 Burke County Retired Educators Association will meet at 3 p.m. at the Burke County Senior Center. Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Terri Lodge Kelly will be the guest speaker. Gough Community Movie Night The Gough Improvement Association will host the showing of Avatar (PG-13) at Movie Night 7...
Camp Meeting
October 3, 2023
Mr. Tabor A.M.E. Church, 101 Mt. Tabor St., Keysville, will hold its Campmeeting Oct. 8. Morning service will begin at 11:45 a.m. The Rev. Laverne Comer will deliver the message. The Rev. Willie Crew, Ward, Chapel A.M.E. Church of Augusta, will deliver the afternoon service at 2 p.m. The Rev....
Celebrating International Dot Day
October 3, 2023
Waynesboro Primary kindergarten through second-grade students celebrated International Dot Day in art class. Dot Day is celebrated "September 15" annually in more than 40 countries worldwide. The book “The Dot” by Peter H. Reynolds inspires this celebration. Student artists listened to the book and learned that they, too, could be...
Utley inducted to Den of Distinction
October 3, 2023
Burke Countian Wayland Z. Utley, ICU Nurse at MCGWellStar Health System, has been inducted into Augusta Technical College’s Den of Distinction. The Den of Distinction celebrates a select group of alumni within Cougar Nation who have fulfilled the promise of technical education. Each inductee has an innovative spirit and embodies...
Special Sections
July 25, 2023
June 14, 2023
May 16, 2023
March 7, 2023
February 14, 2023