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Gresston Firefighters were called to the residence of Hazel Barton on Warehouse Drive in Gresston at approximately 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 27.

When firefighters arrived, the house had already burned to the ground (top photo). The cause of the fire has yet to be determined.

The home of Anthony Evans was destroyed by fire on Sunday, May 25. Eastman and Crossroads firefighters were called to the residence at 82 Bedsole Road outside Eastman at approximately 4:51 a.m.
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Graduation for Dodge County High School will be held on Friday, May 30 at 8:00 p.m. at Memorial Stadium (weather permitting) at the Dodge County Middle School (old high school). If weather does not permit, graduation will be moved to the gymnasium at the new high school.

For everyone planning to attend graduation, please make sure you arrive early. The gates/doors to the stadium or gymnasium will be locked at 8:00 p.m. and no one else will be allowed to enter.

This year, approximately 186 seniors will be graduating with 29 honor graduates. Valedictorian for the 2013/2014 senior class is Crystal White and salutatorian for the class is Sara Grace Peacock.
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The Dodge County Sheriff’s Department and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) were called to Jay Bird Springs Road at some time after noon on Tuesday May 27 where the body of a woman had been found.

The body was back in a wooded area past Jay Bird Springs Resort at a place formerly known as “The Hill” or “Budweiser Hill”.

The GBI was on the scene collecting information and trying to find the identity the woman. The body will be sent to the Georgia State Crime lab for analysis.

Because the body was found so late on Tuesday, information was sketchy as to information about the incident.

Investigators were still on the scene at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday at presstime.

American Legion Post 126 of Eastman will hold a memorial service on Monday, May 26, in observance of Memorial Day. The service will begin at 11:00 a.m. at the courthouse in Eastman and is conducted in memory of the former comrades in arms who gave their lives in service to their country.

The Dodge County High School JROTC Cadets along with the local Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts will conduct the program.

Other guests scheduled are American Legion Post 126 Commander Danny R. Mullis; Macy Pruitt; Andrea McCranie, and MSG (R) Johnny L. Blacke.

A rare tornado touched down south of Eastman just before midnight on Wednesday, May 14 at 10:50 p.m.

The tornado traveled north for approximately 1.75 miles through downtown Eastman, uprooting trees, breaking off tree limbs and damaging roofs, homes and businesses.

The tornado is rare because it was an anti-cyclonic tornado. That means it rotates clockwise rather than a typical tornado, which rotates counter-clockwise. According to the National Weather Service, only one out of every 100 tornados rotates clockwise.

Maximum winds for the tornado were estimated at 80 miles per hour, making it an EF0 tornado. The tornado was measured to be as wide as a football field. A team from the National Weather Service was sent to Eastman to survey the damage from the tornado. [Full Story »] 

Political newcomer Robert E. Peacock defeated incumbent Darla J. "Dee" Yearty for the Dodge County School Board District 3 seat in the General Primary and Nonpartisan General Election on May 20, 2014.
With 565 voting, Peacock claimed 381 votes and Yearty received 184.
For the Georgia State House of Representative Seat 149, incumbent Jimmy Pruett, Jr. won over challenger John D. Clements, 1250 votes to 421 votes.
These numbers are unofficial. Final totals will be printed in next week's edition of The Dodge County News.

By Cindy Eckles
According to current law, the Dodge County Board of Education will be forced to increase the millage rate from 12 mills to at least 12.5 before July 1, 2015, or equalization funds of more than 2.2 million dollars will be lost by the school system.
Rep. Jimmy Pruett was at the meeting and was asked if the possibility of upcoming legislation in January 2015 could change the current law. Rep. Pruett stated that he fought against the current law and praised the superintendents and board members in our area for presenting their case to the education committee to eliminate the mandate.
Rep. Pruett told board members that the only fair tax was raising the sales tax across the board. Forty percent or less of Dodge County’s citizens pay property taxes and the percent of sales tax that can be charged is limited by law, he added. Rep. Pruett stated that he was researching whether a sales tax could be added, that it would only be used to decrease property taxes.
According to Dodge County School Superintendent Dr. Melinda Dennis, the current law requires the school systems throughout the state to set a millage rate of at least 14.0 by 2017.
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By Cindy Eckles
After over two months of discussion, the Dodge County Board of Commissioners appointed three people to the Dodge County Hospital Board. The board positions of Mitchell Coffee, Dr. Dan Harrell and Dr. Todd Peacock were under consideration by the commissioners.

Dodge County Attorney John Harrington read a letter to the commissioners at their regular meeting on Monday, May 5, 2014, from the hospital board, requesting that Mitchell Coffee be reappointed for his current position; Mimi Dennis to replace Dr. Dan Harrell and Dr. James Tison to replace Dr. Todd Peacock.

Commissioner Terry Niblett made the motion to make the appointments, which was seconded by commissioner Jr. Howell. The motion passed unanimously with Niblett, Howell, Dan McCranie and Brian Watkins voting. Commissioner Karen Cheek was absent from the meeting.
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