A former Sardis police officer was shot and killed after he broke into police headquarters. Winard “Dwayne” Burke, 34, died around 2 a.m. Monday when he charged at officers with an axe he’d used in the burglary. Minutes earlier a Sardis police officer went into the locked station, realized the evidence room door had been kicked in and called Burke […]
sons & fathers
Fathers make their mark with sound guidance and solid examplesAll Wes Lawson can remember is the silverware. There were so many utensils he wasn’t sure which to pick up. All around him, officers aboard the USS Saratoga were enjoying a Captain’s dinner. As a youngster, Wes found a seat there with his father, Lt. Commander Fred Lawson. Now, Rev. Lawson, pastor of Rosemont Heights Baptist Church, relishes the memory […]
Will your taxes go up?
Commercial property owners to see change in assessed valuesA new study will reveal whether commercial property values in Burke County have gone up or down and will affect the amount those property owners pay in taxes each year. A revaluation of approximately 600 commercial properties in the county is set to begin this summer and will determine the new assessed values, according to Chief Appraiser Phillip Wren of […]
DAD’S BEST ADVICE
Follow God’s lead When Rev. Lawson felt his call into the music ministry as a teen, his father wasn’t thrilled at first. He looked at the practicalities of his son’s choice, namely finances. “But when it came down to it, he was probably my biggest supporter,” Rev. Lawson says now. “He said he wasn’t sure about it, but you have […]
WHO, WHAT, WHEN?
The Burke County Tax Assessors Office plans to contract with GMASS, a mass appraisal service that has done similar work in nearly half of Georgia’s other counties. Wren said such a revaluation is more cost effective when done by independent contractors, which keep far more appraisers on staff and are able to do the work much quicker. GMASS turned in […]
Top nuclear official visits Burke County
The nation’s top nuclear official paid her first visit to Burke County. Dr. Allison Macfarlane, Chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, toured Plant Vogtle’s existing reactors and expansion site last Friday. She was hosted by a number of Southern Nuclear officials and U.S. Congressman John Barrow, whose 12th Congressional District includes Burke County. “This is a complex project with so […]
Frog races are Friday
Bring your own frog. This Friday, the Burke County Library will hold its annual frog jumping contest. The competition will get off the ground at 10:30 a.m. with brackets for kids ages 1-7 and 8-12. The winner of each division will receive $50. According to Librarian Elaine Sikes, any type of jumper is welcome, including toads, tree frogs and bull […]
Cotton school set for June 18 in Midville
Local cotton scouts won’t have far to travel to attend one of the Cooperative Extension Service’s scouting schools this summer. A cotton insect scouting school will be hosted in Midville on June 18 at the University of Georgia’s Southeast Research and Education Center from 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. The program offers basic information on cotton insects and scouting procedures and may […]
Burke County to be highlighted at Augusta Green Jackets Game
The Burke County Chamber of Commerce and the Burke County Recreation Department are teaming up to sponsor Burke County Night at the Augusta Green Jackets game on Thursday, June 20. The night will provide an opportunity to highlight the Burke County community and showcase local talent, according to Chamber Executive Director Ashley Roberts. The local lineup will include a pre-game […]
Abracadabra!
The Burke County Library filled up with youngsters eager to watch magician Chad Crews show off his latest tricks last Friday.Year after year, Crews returns to the library to kick off its schedule of summer events for children. Those who attended last week were fascinated, or petrified, by the creepy crawlers he used in his show, including an albino ball […]
