At least two gunmen opened fire during a big fight at the Social Club in Sardis. According to Sardis Police Chief John Finley, a Sardis man and teenager got caught in the gunfire, which apparently followed a fight between two feuding groups from Sardis and Waynesboro. Burke County deputies were called to Burke Medical Center’s emergency room just before 2 […]
Jones murderer sentenced to life
The man who murdered Edmund Burke Academy’s former headmaster will probably die behind bars. After a five-day trial in Richmond County Superior Court, Paul F. Blevins was found guilty last week of the 2007 murder of educator Danny L. Jones. Blevins was sentenced by Judge Michael N. Annis to two life terms plus 23 years for the bludgeoning death of […]
Sweet Talk
Local preschoolers gave us an earful when asked for their thoughts on the “mushy” stuff. The little lovebirds told us when to get married and what special gifts to give on Valentine’s Day. Third- and sixth-grade students across the county also spilled on what makes their sweeties so sweet and offered advice on how to keep your spouse happy. See […]
Evictions, civil cases skyrocket
Hard times have hit the housing market here. Since Jan. 2, Burke County deputies have delivered 59 eviction notices to renters who have fallen behind on their payments. “The numbers are astronomical,” Major Larry Lewis said on his way to oversee an eviction at Briarwood Apartments. “Our work has tripled in the last year.” In 2007, it took more than […]
Webster appointed to Georgia’s water council
Burke County Coroner and farmer Lee Webster will have a big role in the state’s water planning. Yesterday, Governor Sonny Perdue, Lt. Governor Casey Cagle and Speaker of the House Glenn Richardson announced their selection of Webster to serve on their regional water planning council. The council is made up of 250 representatives from 10 regions: Savannah-Upper Ogeechee, Altamaha, Coastal Georgia, Coosa-North Georgia, Lower Flint, Middle […]
Commissioners hire new attorney
An Augusta attorney has been hired to serve as the county’s legal aide. Commissioners unanimously chose Barry Fleming of the Fulcher Hagler law firm to fill the spot which was left vacant upon the resignation of longtime county attorney Preston B. Lewis Jr. Fleming, a Harlem resident, was up against three others for the position and had already assisted the […]
Grading practices better aligned than surrounding systems
Burke stacks up well:Burke County may be doing a better job than most area school systems when it comes to grading fairly. The Governor’s Office of Student Achievement (GOSA) released data last week that compared students’ course grades to how well they performed on standardized exams given at the end of the course. GOSA executive director Kathleen Mathers called the study on grade […]
Rep. Jon Burns
The 2009 General Assembly session has slowed down due to the current economic crisis and the looming $2 billion revenue to the state. This critical shortage has forced the entire membership to first stop and understand that there is not any money for special projects, and, most current programs will face reductions in funding or outright elimination. There is a […]
Amateur field trials begin Friday
Ga-LinaFriday the 13th will turn out lucky for Burke County. It will bring 80 bird dogs, hundreds of horses and 200 field trial enthusiasts from all over the nation. The Ga-Lina Amateur Field Trials will kick off bright and early Friday with 20 pups competing in the Derby Classic. They’ll run in pairs for 45- minute braces, and the competition […]
House bill proposes DHR makeover
A state agency that affects many Burke County residents on a regular basis could see a major overhaul come July. House Bill 228, designed by the Governor and recently introduced in the legislature, would restructure the massive Department of Human Resources (DHR) and create three smaller agencies in its wake. Created 35 years ago, DHR is now the state’s largest […]
