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Rhine Police Chief Kip Herman Cravey (age 36) was arrested on drug charges and booked into the Dodge County jail on Thursday evening, January 5.

Cravey was arrested by agents of the Oconee Drug Task Force as the result of an ongoing narcotics investigation by the Dodge County Sheriff's Department, Eastman Police Department and the Oconee Drug Task Force.

Cravey, of Eastman, is facing at least two charges and may face additional charges. Cravey has been charged with one count of unlawfully distributing schedule II narcotics after he allegedly furnished more than two dozen "Soma" pills to another person during the investigation.

Cravey has been charged with one count of criminal attempt to purchase schedule II narcotics after Cravey allegedly attempted to buy Roxicodone pills from another person during the investigation. Cravey may face additional charges according to law enforcement officials.

Due to safety concerns, Cravey has been transferred to an undisclosed jail. The Superior Court of Dodge County has set a $20,000.00 bond for Cravey.

See the January 11, 2012 edition of The Dodge County News for further updates on this story.

The Rhine city council voted unanimously to have the missing water funds investigated by the local authorities at their regularly scheduled city council meeting held this past Thursday, December 29, 2011.

City attorney Joey Marchant addressed the issue of the missing water funds and told the city council that he felt the city had been more than fair in giving an opportunity to settle this matter in the best interest of the city and June Sheffield, a former city employee. Marchant advised the council that the next step would be to file a police report and allow the authorities to begin an investigation. City councilman Wayne Hilliard made a motion to have Marchant contact the Dodge County Sheriff’s Department to begin an investigation. Councilperson Kay Spires seconded the motion with all city council members in favor. [Full Story »] 

The Dodge County Board of Commissioners approved an $8,080,471.00 budget at their regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, December 20, 2011. The 2012 budget is printed in this edition of The Dodge County News on page 7A. The 2012 budget reflects an estimated $530,000.00 reduction from the prior 2011 approved budget. The reduction was taken from all departments with the exception of the district attorney, public defender, elections and general government departments. These four departmental budgets saw an increase in funding for 2012. [Full Story »] 

Dodge County High School (DCHS) students will experience a schedule change in the upcoming 2012-2013 school year. At their December 8, 2011 regularly scheduled school board meeting, the Dodge County Board of Education governing board voted unanimously to accept the schedule change recommended by high school principal Dr. Susan Long. [Full Story »] 

In a special called meeting on Monday, December 12, 2011, the Dodge County commissioners voted to pay holiday pay for the year 2011 to the employees of the 24-hour departments including the sheriff’s department, the E911 department and the emergency medical services department. [Full Story »] 

The Dodge County School District and the Dodge County Board of Education filed a notice of intent on December 8, 2011 to introduce local legislation at the 2012 Georgia General Assembly. This bill will amend its voting districts in order to provide for reapportionment in accordance with the 2010 Census and in accordance with law and for other purposes. [Full Story »]