A Dodge County High School student is in the hands of local law enforcement after sending a message to another student referencing taking a gun to school on Monday, March 11. (Editor’s note: Because the student is 16 years old and a juvenile, the name can not be printed in the newspaper)
According to Dodge County School Superintendent Michael H. Ward, a law enforcement officer was notified after the message became known by another student on Monday night. Local law enforcement went to the home of the student and were informed by the parents that there was no gun available to the student.
The student was allowed to ride the bus and go to school on Tuesday but was taken into custody by Dodge County Sheriff’s deputies after additional information was discovered.
Superintendent Ward stated that because of the misinformation on social media, local law enforcement personnel returned to the high school again on Thursday, March 14 to talk with students about the incident.
[Full Story »]
Top Stories - Topics from March, 2019
Two arrested in triple murder
Two men have been arrested and charged in the deaths of three Chauncey residents.
According to law enforcement reports, Ronnie Wayne Hackle, Jr., age 27, Mercedes Maelyn Hackle, age 17 and Bobbie Lynn Moore, age 22, had been missing from their Chauncey residence since Tuesday, March 12, after Moore’s car was found burned off of Highway 135 at the Alapaha River near the Atkinson County line in Berrien County.
None of the three had responded to attempts to make contact with them. The three lived off a dirt road in Chauncey.
By Thursday, March 14, all three deceased bodies had been found. All three bodies were found just miles from where the car was discovered. The bodies were sent to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation crime lab to be identified and later were identified as the three persons that were missing. Wayne Hackle and Bobbie Lynn Moore’s bodies were found in Atkinson County on Wednesday, March 13 and Mercedes Hackle’s body was found in Berrien County on Thursday, March 14.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) said Jonathan Douglas Vann, age 20, of Nashville, has been charged in Atkinson County with two counts of malice murder in the deaths of Wayne Hackle, Jr. and Bobbie Lynn Moore. Vann is also being charged with malice murder in Berrien County in the death of Mercedes Hackle and arson in regards to the burned vehicle, according to the GBI.
A second person has been arrested in the case and is charged with concealing the death of another in Berrien County and was also charged with two counts of concealing the deaths of another person in Atkinson County. He is Keyante Greene, age 25.
According to law enforcement reports, Ronnie Wayne Hackle, Jr., age 27, Mercedes Maelyn Hackle, age 17 and Bobbie Lynn Moore, age 22, had been missing from their Chauncey residence since Tuesday, March 12, after Moore’s car was found burned off of Highway 135 at the Alapaha River near the Atkinson County line in Berrien County.
None of the three had responded to attempts to make contact with them. The three lived off a dirt road in Chauncey.
By Thursday, March 14, all three deceased bodies had been found. All three bodies were found just miles from where the car was discovered. The bodies were sent to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation crime lab to be identified and later were identified as the three persons that were missing. Wayne Hackle and Bobbie Lynn Moore’s bodies were found in Atkinson County on Wednesday, March 13 and Mercedes Hackle’s body was found in Berrien County on Thursday, March 14.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) said Jonathan Douglas Vann, age 20, of Nashville, has been charged in Atkinson County with two counts of malice murder in the deaths of Wayne Hackle, Jr. and Bobbie Lynn Moore. Vann is also being charged with malice murder in Berrien County in the death of Mercedes Hackle and arson in regards to the burned vehicle, according to the GBI.
A second person has been arrested in the case and is charged with concealing the death of another in Berrien County and was also charged with two counts of concealing the deaths of another person in Atkinson County. He is Keyante Greene, age 25.
Barron gives update on courthouse
By Cindy M. Eckles
In a prepared statement, Dodge County Manager Spence Barron told a group of approximately 30 citizens an update on the situation and proposed solutions for the issues involving the Dodge County Courthouse closing. He stated that the meeting was two fold, being (1) to make sure the public was informed of what has occurred up to this meeting and (2) for the board of commissioners to make a decision to either bid the repairs to the temporary courthouse for a period of four weeks or more or to declare an emergency situation exists and waive the formal bidding process and begin work on the AT&T building.
Barron stated, “Our goal is to make the process as transparent as possible, to be good stewards of the taxpayers’ money and to consider the will of the citizens of Dodge County”.
Barron went on to explain to citizens about the electrical and noxious smells in the courthouse along with the water flowing in the basement that had visible mold growing on the walls. He reminded citizens that the front attic space of the courthouse had most recently been remodeled in the late 1990s or early 2000s and that visibly there was termite damage, some leftover debris and even burned timber and scorch marks on some of the bricks in the attic from when the courthouse had burned.
With no visible pigeon debris or odor, he went on to explain how hard it was to gain access to the back attic, which was heavily infested with pigeon debris, live pigeons, dead pigeons and active nests. Barron added that there were still other attic spaces that they did not find a way to get in without removing interior drop ceilings in the offices.
Following the discovery of the pigeon problem, several abatement companies and certified industrial hygienist were consulted and all recommended that the courthouse be tested and inspected to determine the extent of possible contamination from the pigeon droppings. None of the abatement teams would commit to a firm price but speculated between $600,000.00 and $1.5 million to just clean and abate the pigeon infested areas. These costs did not include repairs to what was removed, repair and sealing of the basement, rewiring the building or replacing the contaminated air conditioning system.
After receiving this information, a joint decision between the county commissioners and court officials was made to close the courthouse until the risk could be accurately assessed.
County manager Barron was given authority by the board of commissioners to spend $25,000.00 to relocate the county offices and for testing at the February 6, 2019 meeting and a Judicial Emergency Order was issued and signed by Oconee Superior Court Chief Judge Sarah F. Wall and judges C. Michael Johnson and Howard C. Kaufold, Jr. that suspended deadlines and continued court terms immediately following the meeting.
Most of the offices were relocated to the back room of the Eastman-Dodge County Chamber of Commerce. When the testing results came back, contamination was found on both the first and second floors of the courthouse.
With county services and court functions having to continue, Barron and county commissioners met with the Eastman-Dodge Development Authority to find the most cost effective and functional solution for the county offices. They determined that the old AT&T building on Pearl Bates Avenue near the Dodge County High School would work and the county purchased the building for $5.00. It was determined that it was large enough to hold all the court officials, county officials and include functioning courtrooms.
Barron made it clear to citizens that no decisions regarding the future of the current courthouse had been made because accurate estimates of the cost of repairs to bring it back into operation had not determined. He added that he is preparing a detailed request for proposals to obtain accurate and time estimates to repair and upgrade the courthouse. Once those estimates are available, Barron stated that they (the estimates) would be made available to the public for input and discussion.
[Full Story »]
In a prepared statement, Dodge County Manager Spence Barron told a group of approximately 30 citizens an update on the situation and proposed solutions for the issues involving the Dodge County Courthouse closing. He stated that the meeting was two fold, being (1) to make sure the public was informed of what has occurred up to this meeting and (2) for the board of commissioners to make a decision to either bid the repairs to the temporary courthouse for a period of four weeks or more or to declare an emergency situation exists and waive the formal bidding process and begin work on the AT&T building.
Barron stated, “Our goal is to make the process as transparent as possible, to be good stewards of the taxpayers’ money and to consider the will of the citizens of Dodge County”.
Barron went on to explain to citizens about the electrical and noxious smells in the courthouse along with the water flowing in the basement that had visible mold growing on the walls. He reminded citizens that the front attic space of the courthouse had most recently been remodeled in the late 1990s or early 2000s and that visibly there was termite damage, some leftover debris and even burned timber and scorch marks on some of the bricks in the attic from when the courthouse had burned.
With no visible pigeon debris or odor, he went on to explain how hard it was to gain access to the back attic, which was heavily infested with pigeon debris, live pigeons, dead pigeons and active nests. Barron added that there were still other attic spaces that they did not find a way to get in without removing interior drop ceilings in the offices.
Following the discovery of the pigeon problem, several abatement companies and certified industrial hygienist were consulted and all recommended that the courthouse be tested and inspected to determine the extent of possible contamination from the pigeon droppings. None of the abatement teams would commit to a firm price but speculated between $600,000.00 and $1.5 million to just clean and abate the pigeon infested areas. These costs did not include repairs to what was removed, repair and sealing of the basement, rewiring the building or replacing the contaminated air conditioning system.
After receiving this information, a joint decision between the county commissioners and court officials was made to close the courthouse until the risk could be accurately assessed.
County manager Barron was given authority by the board of commissioners to spend $25,000.00 to relocate the county offices and for testing at the February 6, 2019 meeting and a Judicial Emergency Order was issued and signed by Oconee Superior Court Chief Judge Sarah F. Wall and judges C. Michael Johnson and Howard C. Kaufold, Jr. that suspended deadlines and continued court terms immediately following the meeting.
Most of the offices were relocated to the back room of the Eastman-Dodge County Chamber of Commerce. When the testing results came back, contamination was found on both the first and second floors of the courthouse.
With county services and court functions having to continue, Barron and county commissioners met with the Eastman-Dodge Development Authority to find the most cost effective and functional solution for the county offices. They determined that the old AT&T building on Pearl Bates Avenue near the Dodge County High School would work and the county purchased the building for $5.00. It was determined that it was large enough to hold all the court officials, county officials and include functioning courtrooms.
Barron made it clear to citizens that no decisions regarding the future of the current courthouse had been made because accurate estimates of the cost of repairs to bring it back into operation had not determined. He added that he is preparing a detailed request for proposals to obtain accurate and time estimates to repair and upgrade the courthouse. Once those estimates are available, Barron stated that they (the estimates) would be made available to the public for input and discussion.
[Full Story »]
Tax commissioner moves to courthouse annex
Dodge County Manager Spence Barron announced that beginning Tuesday, March 5, 2019 the Dodge County Tax Commissioner’s Office would be selling vehicle tags out of the annex building across from the Dodge County Courthouse.
According to Interim Dodge County Tax Commissioner Jackie Smith, they hope to be able to process tax payments before the end of the week.
In their Monday, March 4 meeting, Dodge County commissioners voted unanimously, after coming out of executive session, to hold a public meeting on Wednesday, March 6, 2019 at 5:30 p.m. at the courthouse annex to discuss the renovations to the building (old AT&T building) located at 643 Pearl Bates Road for use as an additional courthouse annex building. [Full Story »]
According to Interim Dodge County Tax Commissioner Jackie Smith, they hope to be able to process tax payments before the end of the week.
In their Monday, March 4 meeting, Dodge County commissioners voted unanimously, after coming out of executive session, to hold a public meeting on Wednesday, March 6, 2019 at 5:30 p.m. at the courthouse annex to discuss the renovations to the building (old AT&T building) located at 643 Pearl Bates Road for use as an additional courthouse annex building. [Full Story »]
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