After naming Tony Anderson as the lone finalist in the search for someone to fill the role of Dodge County school superintendent last week, the Dodge County Board of Education recanted its decision.
During a phone interview with The Dodge County News on Monday, June 25, 2018, Dodge County School Board Vice-Chairman Jessie Mincey said, “The Dodge County Board of Education and Mr. Anderson couldn’t come to terms on a contract.”
A meeting of the board is set for Wednesday, June 27. Mincey said during the phone interview, “This will be to discuss and do follow up interviews with the other candidates…and we have several as of right now.”
He said they would also need to consider naming an interim school superintendent on Wednesday. When asked if there were any interim candidates in mind, Mincey didn’t comment. He did say that the board could decide on someone within the system or someone “who has been here before.” Later on Monday, The Dodge County News confirmed that a list of candidates for interim superintendent was being compiled so that the board could make a decision vote on an interim on Wednesday.
The need for a superintendent came after current Dodge County School Superintendent Mike Hilliard made the surprise announcement in May that he would be retiring and that June 30, 2018 would be his last day. Hilliard made this announcement approximately seven days after the board presented him with an increase in his salary and a new contract.
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Top Stories - Topics from June, 2018

Tony Anderson is finalist for superintendent position
The Dodge County Board of Education, at its meeting on Thursday, June 14 selected a lone finalist in its search for a new school superintendent.
Upon coming out of a second closed session, the board voted on a recommendation from Robert Peacock to consider William Anthony ‘Tony’ Anderson the finalist.
Robert Peacock, David Yawn, Mark Driggers, chairman Ricky Hargrove and vice-chairman Jessie Mincey voted to approve the recommendation after Peacock seconded the motion. Roscoe Bennett abstained from the vote, and Shirley Ikedionwu voted no.
Ikedionwu said, “I just feel like this is too fast a decision to make for such an important decision.”
“The board interviewed five good candidates for the superintendent position,” Hargrove stated. “After deliberating on the candidates, the majority of the board thought it was best because of the short time we had before Mr. Hilliard’s retirement that we go ahead and name one finalist for the position.”
Current school superintendent Mike Hilliard presented his request for retirement to be effective at the end of this month to the board during the month of May. His retirement came just a few short days after Hilliard’s new contract had been renewed, which included a raise a pay.
Hargrove continued, “Mr. Anderson was voted as the finalist. I look forward to working with Mr. Anderson as a leadership team to forward the Dodge County school system.”
Anderson currently serves as the director of Human Resources and Personnel, the Title II Coordinator and the Teacher Keys Effective System (TKES) and Leader Keys Effective System (LKES) Coordinator for the Brooks County School System.
Many in Dodge County will remember Anderson during his seven-year term as a coach, teacher and driver education instructor at the Dodge County High School.
As of presstime Tuesday, no contract offer had been made to Anderson.
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Upon coming out of a second closed session, the board voted on a recommendation from Robert Peacock to consider William Anthony ‘Tony’ Anderson the finalist.
Robert Peacock, David Yawn, Mark Driggers, chairman Ricky Hargrove and vice-chairman Jessie Mincey voted to approve the recommendation after Peacock seconded the motion. Roscoe Bennett abstained from the vote, and Shirley Ikedionwu voted no.
Ikedionwu said, “I just feel like this is too fast a decision to make for such an important decision.”
“The board interviewed five good candidates for the superintendent position,” Hargrove stated. “After deliberating on the candidates, the majority of the board thought it was best because of the short time we had before Mr. Hilliard’s retirement that we go ahead and name one finalist for the position.”
Current school superintendent Mike Hilliard presented his request for retirement to be effective at the end of this month to the board during the month of May. His retirement came just a few short days after Hilliard’s new contract had been renewed, which included a raise a pay.
Hargrove continued, “Mr. Anderson was voted as the finalist. I look forward to working with Mr. Anderson as a leadership team to forward the Dodge County school system.”
Anderson currently serves as the director of Human Resources and Personnel, the Title II Coordinator and the Teacher Keys Effective System (TKES) and Leader Keys Effective System (LKES) Coordinator for the Brooks County School System.
Many in Dodge County will remember Anderson during his seven-year term as a coach, teacher and driver education instructor at the Dodge County High School.
As of presstime Tuesday, no contract offer had been made to Anderson.
[Full Story »]

Drs. Glenn, Griffis guilty of conspiracy
Two Eastman doctors, Dr. Mark Griffis and Dr. John A. Glenn, Jr., have been found guilty in a federal court of conspiracy to falsify United States Department of Transportation Department mandated medical examinations of holders of commercial driver’s license with the intent to impede the proper administration of matters within the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Transportation.
Earlier this year, in separate court rulings, the United States District Court, Southern District of Georgia, indicted both men on one count of conspiracy. Griffis also had one count of falsification of records, where Glenn had two counts of falsification against him.
Griffis appeared in U.S. court June 4-6, 2018. He was found guilty on both counts against him. According to R. Brian Tanner, chief of the appellate division with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia, Griffis was “adjudicated guilty of the second count against after the jury returned a guilty verdict on that one.”
Tanner explained, “That means only that he is officially found guilty. It does not involve any sentence. The sentencing only happens at a later scheduled date, after the preparation of a Pre-Sentence Investigation Report.”
According to the indictments given to Griffis from the U.S. Grand Jury, from a date at least as early as February 27, 2012 and continuing thereafter until September 13, 2013, in Dodge and Telfair counties, and elsewhere within the Southern District of Georgia, Griffis did knowingly falsify medical examination reports and certifications by signing his name indicating that he had examined various commercial driver’s license holders, and certified them as medically sound (qualified) to continued to hold such license.
It was stated in the indictment that Griffis provided J.C.W. with blank, pre-signed medical examination reports (MERs) and examination certificates (MECs) that could be used by J.C.W. when she conducted purported medical examinations of CDL holders.
Between January 10, 2013 and September 24, 2013, the indictment stated that Griffis received payments of at least $5,200.00 from J.C.W. in exchange for falsifying the documents.
Around September 13, 2013, Griffis, the court document stated, did knowingly falsify documents, to wit, a MER and MEC, pertaining to a DOT mandated medical examination of a person known to the grand jury, and having the initials D.D., the holder of a commercial driver’s license, to allow D.D. to renew his commercial driver’s license without a proper medical examination.
After the guilty verdicts were passed, Griffis was remanded into the custody of U.S. Marshals. Tanner stated that Griffis will be “detained” in prison until a sentencing hearing will take place. During this time period, which could be anywhere from six to eight weeks, Griffis’ attorney will have the opportunity to challenge the convictions by providing documentation for appeals for the conviction.
[Full Story »]
Earlier this year, in separate court rulings, the United States District Court, Southern District of Georgia, indicted both men on one count of conspiracy. Griffis also had one count of falsification of records, where Glenn had two counts of falsification against him.
Griffis appeared in U.S. court June 4-6, 2018. He was found guilty on both counts against him. According to R. Brian Tanner, chief of the appellate division with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia, Griffis was “adjudicated guilty of the second count against after the jury returned a guilty verdict on that one.”
Tanner explained, “That means only that he is officially found guilty. It does not involve any sentence. The sentencing only happens at a later scheduled date, after the preparation of a Pre-Sentence Investigation Report.”
According to the indictments given to Griffis from the U.S. Grand Jury, from a date at least as early as February 27, 2012 and continuing thereafter until September 13, 2013, in Dodge and Telfair counties, and elsewhere within the Southern District of Georgia, Griffis did knowingly falsify medical examination reports and certifications by signing his name indicating that he had examined various commercial driver’s license holders, and certified them as medically sound (qualified) to continued to hold such license.
It was stated in the indictment that Griffis provided J.C.W. with blank, pre-signed medical examination reports (MERs) and examination certificates (MECs) that could be used by J.C.W. when she conducted purported medical examinations of CDL holders.
Between January 10, 2013 and September 24, 2013, the indictment stated that Griffis received payments of at least $5,200.00 from J.C.W. in exchange for falsifying the documents.
Around September 13, 2013, Griffis, the court document stated, did knowingly falsify documents, to wit, a MER and MEC, pertaining to a DOT mandated medical examination of a person known to the grand jury, and having the initials D.D., the holder of a commercial driver’s license, to allow D.D. to renew his commercial driver’s license without a proper medical examination.
After the guilty verdicts were passed, Griffis was remanded into the custody of U.S. Marshals. Tanner stated that Griffis will be “detained” in prison until a sentencing hearing will take place. During this time period, which could be anywhere from six to eight weeks, Griffis’ attorney will have the opportunity to challenge the convictions by providing documentation for appeals for the conviction.
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Four are arrested for entering autos, theft
The Eastman Police Department responded to the Evergreen Circle Subdivision on Wednesday, May 30, 2018. They were called to a residence in Evergreen Circle where a vehicle was entered and a rifle and a 9 mm pistol were missing. After a short while, others in the neighborhood reported their vehicles had also been entered.
During the investigation, the Eastman Police Department, along with the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office, recovered three handguns and a rifle that had been stolen from the vehicles.
Arrested and charged with entering the autos was Bernoski Shawnquarious White, age 20, of Eastman. White was charged with 16 counts of entering an auto, participation in gang activity, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm during a crime and theft by taking.
Three juveniles, all age 15, were also arrested and charged with 16 counts of entering an auto, participation in gang activity, possession of a firearm during a crime and theft by taking.
Eastman police also reported the following arrest for June 1, 2018 – June 5, 2018.
Resheena Nicely, age 32, of Eastman was arrested for have no insurance and pedestrian under the influence.
Johnathan Murray, age 24, of Eastman was arrested for probation violation.
Warren Seegars, age 31, of Eastman was arrested for obstructing law enforcement officers, terroristic threats and acts, disorderly conduct, aggravated assault - other weapon and criminal trespass - business.
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During the investigation, the Eastman Police Department, along with the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office, recovered three handguns and a rifle that had been stolen from the vehicles.
Arrested and charged with entering the autos was Bernoski Shawnquarious White, age 20, of Eastman. White was charged with 16 counts of entering an auto, participation in gang activity, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm during a crime and theft by taking.
Three juveniles, all age 15, were also arrested and charged with 16 counts of entering an auto, participation in gang activity, possession of a firearm during a crime and theft by taking.
Eastman police also reported the following arrest for June 1, 2018 – June 5, 2018.
Resheena Nicely, age 32, of Eastman was arrested for have no insurance and pedestrian under the influence.
Johnathan Murray, age 24, of Eastman was arrested for probation violation.
Warren Seegars, age 31, of Eastman was arrested for obstructing law enforcement officers, terroristic threats and acts, disorderly conduct, aggravated assault - other weapon and criminal trespass - business.
[Full Story »]
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