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BREAKING NEWS:
From Dodge County School Superintendent Dr. Melinda Dennis: Due to forecasted bad weather for Dodge County on Wednesday, February 12, 2014, students in schools in the county will be released at the following times on Wednesday:

South and North Dodge Elementary students will be released at 12:00 noon. Dodge County Middle School and Dodge County High School students will be dismissed at 12:15 p.m. All staff members will be dismissed at 1:00 p.m. [Full Story »] 

The Eastman Police Department made the following arrest the week of January 28, 2014 through February 4, 2014.

Kasabian McDuffie, age 41, Eastman Street Eastman, cruelty to animals (one count).

Jonathan Snellgrove, age 20, 1147 MLK Drive Eastman, aggravated assault on police officers (one count), obstruction of officers (one count), leaving a scene of an accident (one count) and driving on suspended license (one count). [Full Story »] 

The Dodge County Hospital OB Department welcomed Madisyn Ruth Kirkland as the first baby of 2014.

Her mother is Danielle Kirkland. Madisyn weighed four pounds and 15 ounces and was 17 and three-quarter inches long.

She was delivered by Dr. Lou Barker and was cared for by Dr. Johnny Peeples.
[Full Story »] 

Anthony “Tony” Yawn, who was found guilty of enticing a child for indecent purposes in Dodge Superior Court, lost his appeal to the Court of Appeals of Georgia in Atlanta on January 22, 2014 and reported to prison on Monday, February 3, 2014 to begin serving his sentence.

Yawn was arrested in 2011 and was tried in Dodge Superior Court in October 2012. At trial, Yawn was found guilty of one felony count of enticing a child for indecent purposes and was sentenced to 15 years with 10 to serve in prison and five to serve on probation.
[Full Story »] 

Many cases were heard and disposed of in Dodge Superior court recently. The following are the results of those cases.

Erich Raybon was charged with one count felony burglary and under the First Offenders Act (FOA) was sentenced to eight years probation and ordered to pay a $1,250.00 fine.

David Cole was charged with one count felony theft by taking, which was reduced to misdemeanor theft by taking and was sentenced to 12 months probation and ordered to pay a $750.00 fine.

Casey Yawn was charged with one count felony theft by taking and under the FOA was sentenced to seven years probation and ordered to pay a $1,000.00 fine.

Robert Albert Jackson was charged with one count felony possession/manufacture/distribution/etc of marijuana and under FOA was sentenced to eight years probation and ordered to pay a $1,000.00 fine.
[Full Story »] 

Georgia Governor Nathan Deal recently signed into law the elections bill, moving primary elections for state offices from July to May 20. House Bill 310 aligns state office primaries with the date of the primary for federal offices, which was set by a federal judge.
[Full Story »] 

With inclement weather headed toward Georgia, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal, in coordination with Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black, signed an executive order prohibiting price gouging for propane.

Georgia’s continued period of cold weather has increased the demand for propane, causing a substantial price increase in recent days.
[Full Story »] 

The following arrests were reported by the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office for the dates December 30, 2013 thru January 20, 2014.
Darrell Simpson – 12/30/13 – theft by taking (one count).

Giovonni Lucas – 1/2/14 – disorderly conduct (one count).
Nathaniel Collins – 1/6/14 – simple battery (one count).

Tyler Johnson – 1/7/14 – burglary (one count).
Hope Landmesser – 1/7/14 – simple battery (one count) and possession of a drug related object (one count).
[Full Story »] 

The annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade was held in Eastman on Monday, January 20 at 1:00 p.m.
The parade was sponsored by United Concerned Citizens for Unity and the local chapter of the NAACP.

The theme of the 2014 parade was “We shall not be moved.”
This year’s grand marshal was Jimmy D. Wilcox of Rhine.
Minister Victor C. Cooper was the guest speaker for the parade. [Full Story »] 

Georgia State Transportation Board Chairman Jay Shaw led the official groundbreaking ceremony for the Northwest Eastman Bypass project on Thursday, January 16.

The Georgia Department of Transportation’s (GDOT) Office of Transportation Investment Act (TIA) awarded the $6 million project on State Route 87 Connector in Dodge County to Everett Dykes Grassing Company, Inc. based in Cochran.
[Full Story »]