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By Cindy Eckles

Raising the millage rate by 1.5 mills increased the proposed 2015 county budget by $339,500 to $8,779,500. Commissioners Brian Watkins, Terry Niblett and commissioner chairman Dan McCranie voted unanimously to accept the proposed budget at a special called meeting on Wednesday, December 31, 2014.

The proposed 2015 budget was printed in the December 24, 2014 edition of The Dodge County News.

At the first meeting of 2015, commissioners voted to re-appoint Jr. Howell as vice-chairman, John Harrington as county attorney and Gail Rogers as the county clerk.

Commissioners discussed the 2015 holiday schedule of county employees. The following were the 11 paid holidays approved unanimously by commissioners: New Year’s Day, M.L. King’s Birthday, Good Friday, National Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, Friday after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Commissioner Watkins informed commissioners he had spoken with Representative Jimmy Pruett requesting assistance in funding the re-roofing of the Department of Labor building, which is owned by the Library board. According to Watkins, Rep. Pruett was going to see if he could find state funds to assist in re-roofing the building. Watkins then made a motion, seconded by commissioner Niblett to take bids for a pitch metal roof for the building. The advertisement can be found on page 2B in this edition of The Dodge County News.
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AT&T Representative Terry Smith (r) is pictured above presenting the Dodge County Board of Education, Dodge County School Superintendent Dr. Melinda Dennis (c) and Dodge County High School Principal Dr. Susan Long (l) with $44,000.00 to benefit at-risk students at Dodge County High School in the areas of art, drama, music and college and career exploration.

Two vehicles collided in the Sunset Park area on Lee Street around 10:00 p.m. on Monday, December 29, 2014. The vehicles were traveling in opposite directions when they met at the curve and the accident occurred. Four persons were taken to Dodge County Hospital by Dodge County EMS. The Eastman Police Department and Georgia State Patrol were still investigating the accident at press time. (Photo by Cindy Eckles)

Two people died in separate shootings in Dodge County on Christmas morning, one in Eastman and one in Gresston.

At approximately 3:00 a.m. on Christmas morning, Eastman police were called to 5714 Anson Avenue where they found Rachel Pittman, age 21, suffering from a gunshot wound. Pittman was taken to Dodge County Hospital and was then flown to a hospital in Macon where she died at approximately 9:30 p.m. Christmas night.

The shooting may have been the result of four friends playing with a handgun. Pittman apparently died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after the four friends apparently were passing the gun around and pulling the trigger. They apparently believed the gun was not loaded.
Investigators are still looking into the incident.


The three others involved in the incident have been arrested and charged. They are: Timothy Harrell, age 26, is charged with illegal possession of a firearm and tampering with evidence.

Matthew Rowland, age 17, is charged with leaving the scene of the shooting and tampering.
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The Dodge County Hospital Auxiliary held their annual Love Lite tree lighting on Friday, December 5 in the parking lot of the Same Day Surgery Center of the Dodge County Hospital. The program was dedicated in loving memory of Maggie Sue Sheffield. Reverend Cecil Barden opened the program with a prayer and Shirley Cason welcomed everyone to the ceremony. Reverend Ernest Dixon and members of this congregation provided several selections of beautiful Christmas music during the program. Doris Knowles did the honor of lighting the Christmas tree. The names of the families, family members and loved ones there were recognized during the Love Lite campaign was read by Maureen Rouse and Joann Bray. Kevin Bierschenk, chief executive officer (CEO), provided the closing remarks. He thanked the auxiliary members for their dedication and hard work. He stated that with the funds donated to the hospital by the auxiliary from their Love Lite program and other fundraising events the hospital decided to purchase and electrocardiogram EKG machine for the emergency room this year. He thanked everyone involved in the planning of this event and invited everyone to enjoy the refreshments that were being served in the Same Day Surgery lobby. Above, Maureen Rouse (l) and Joann Bray (r) read the names of the Love Lite tree honorees.

The Dodge County School System is proud to announce the achievement and status of the Georgia School Boards Association’s (GSBA) 2014 Quality School Board recognition. 

The recognition program was designed to showcase best practices in school governance and leadership. GSBA recognizes good school board governance to foster educational community cultures in order to advance student learning and achievement.

The Dodge County Board of Education met and or exceeded the criteria set forth by GSBA to earn this honor of a 2014 Quality Board. The GSBA Governance Team Recognition Program was developed by Georgia superintendents and board members based on the state board of education’s standards for effective governance to recognize exemplary leadership.

In 1998, the Georgia School Boards Association was one of the first school board associations in the nation to develop a program of standards for local boards of education. The GSBA Board recognition program is a three-tiered program beginning with the Quality Board status. This is the second consecutive year that the Dodge County Board of Education has been recognized as a Quality Board.

School Superintendent Dr. Melinda Dennis congratulates the board on this achievement. She says, “Quality Board status recognizes the commitment on behalf of every board member to meet or exceed their training requirements and their desire to see the Dodge County Schools make continuous improvements. The citizens of Dodge County have done an excellent job in selecting their representatives to the Board of Education.”

By Cindy Eckles
Dodge County Probate Judge Al McCranie went before the Dodge County Board of Commissioners requesting funding for a solicitor.

Judge McCranie told commissioners that since taking office, he had been approached by superior court judges requesting that he hear misdemeanor cases involving small offenses in order to speed up the legal process of individuals charged with committing crimes. He told commissioners that he was willing to help in any way he could. Judge McCranie told commissioners that he has spoken with assistant district attorney Chris Gordon, who works in the Oconee Judicial District, and that Gordon had agreed to take the position of solicitor for $300.00 per month to handle cases under code that Judge McCranie could hear to help the county and reduce the number of cases on the docket.

Judge McCranie went on to state, “There is an average of 10 criminal jury trials each calendar year. Of these, an average of three weeks are reserved for misdemeanor trials. The vast majority of misdemeanor cases actually tried are DUI cases. An average of three DUI cases could be heard each week, resulting in a total of nine possible DUI trials during this time frame”. He explained that when an individual is charged with a crime, it takes from 12 to 18 months to go through the superior court system. By having a solicitor, the process would be completed in a timelier manner and he would be hearing and ruling on the cases.

Judge McCranie provided commissioners with information showing the savings for the county if a solicitor was hired and he heard the cases.
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Santa Claus dropped by The Dodge County News on Friday, December 19 to pick up the letters to Santa sent in by all the good boys and girls that sent them into the newspaper to be printed. Santa took the letters on to the North Pole to get all the toys ready for the children of Dodge County to be delivered tonight. (Photo by Tracey Graham)

Santa Claus arrived in Rhine on Saturday night, December 13 during the annual Christmas parade. Kids and adults all enjoyed the festive event. (Photo by Cindy Pope)

Dodge County Probate Judge Al McCranie (r) swore in Robert Peacock (c) as the Dodge County Board of Education District 3 school board member on Monday, December 15, 2014 in the Dodge County Probate office. Pictured with McCranie and Peacock is Peacock’s wife, Dr. Brandy Wynne (l). Dodge County School Superintendent Dr. Melinda Dennis and Dodge County Sheriff Lynn Sheffield attended the swearing-in. (Photo by Cindy Eckles)

The first ever Dodge County High School Mr. Chieftain pageant was held on Saturday, December 13. The Dodge County High School soccer team booster club as a fundraiser sponsored the pageant. There were 11 male contestants and female escorts that participated from the high school.

Tad Honeycutt, a senior, was crowned the first Mr. Chieftain. Faith Manning escorted him. Honeycutt performed a comedy routine for his talent portion of the contest and his outfit of choice was Batman.

First runner-up and people’s choice award went to Austin Barrows. He performed an exercise/dance routine and his outfit of choice was Michael Jackson. His escort was Anna Kate Hickman.

Second runner-up and talent award was Brice Blocker. He performed a basketball routine to the Harlem Globetrotters music. His routine consisted of spinning the basketball on all five fingers and his nose. Blocker’s outfit of choice was from the movie Grease. Hailey Wilson was his escort.

The third runner-up, Mr. Congeniality and interview award went to Derrien Carr. He performed a gospel solo “Let go and let God.” Carr was escorted by Alona Bray and their outfits of choice for the night was On The Town.
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By Cindy Eckles

Using funds from the 2003 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, the Dodge County Board of Commissioners purchased two new ambulances approximately six months ago.

Emergency Management Service (EMS) Manager Rickie Coleman, brought one of the ambulances to the regular meeting of the commissioners on Monday, December 15, 2014 for them to see. Coleman commented, “They are going to be beneficial in serving the citizens of Dodge County and the surrounding area.”

Coleman added, “Due to mechanical breakdowns of the current fleet of ambulances, we as a department got in a bind and had to resource, and call for mutual aid. Laurens County came to Dodge’s rescue by loaning the Dodge County EMS an ambulance.”
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The Pondtown Christmas Parade, sponsored by the Rhine Volunteer Fire Department, will be held on Saturday, December 13. The parade will begin at 7:00 p.m.
Any reigning queens, local churches, businesses and citizens of Pondtown and Dodge County are invited to enter and attend.
The entry fee for the parade is a new, unopened toy in a box for a boy or girl.
Anyone can bring toys to help with this effort.

Children enjoyed milk and cookies, listening to Christmas stories and visiting with Santa at the Eastman-Dodge County Chamber of Commerce Hall on Friday, December 5. The successful event benefited the Eastman Firefighters’ Club Toy Drive. (Photo by Araina Reaves)