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Dodge County Schools will close on Wednesday, October 10 at 1:00 p.m. and will remain closed Thursday, October 11 due to Hurricane Michael’s path that should bring it into middle Georgia as a tropical storm with high winds and heavy rainfall, according to Dodge County School Superintendent Michael H. Ward.

Ward stated that the school system will ‘play it by ear’ as to whether the schools will be closed on Friday, October 12.

All after school activities and field trips are cancelled for Wednesday and Thursday. Ward stated, “With the approaching weather we want to err on the side of caution to take care of our students and staff and that is why we are releasing early.”

A drug seizure still under investigation in the Chester community that happened earlier this year has law enforcement agencies in Eastman and Dodge County urging parents to take extra caution this Halloween when their children come home with bags of candies.

Law enforcement stated that a large amount of the drugs seized tested positive for methamphetamine and MDMA (ecstasy).

According to court officials in Dodge County, three individuals, Jermaine Hughes, Jerod Hughes and Erica Miller were arrested in April 2018 and indicted in June 2018 in conjunction with the drug seizure. The indictments are public record, and the following info was discovered.

Erica Miller was indicted on one count of possession of a Schedule III controlled substance, one county of possession of a Schedule IV controlled substance, one count of possession/manufacturing/distribution of marijuana, two counts of traffic in cocaine/marijuana/illegal drugs, one county of trafficking in ecstasy, one county of possession of a firearm/knife during crime/attempt crime and one count of receipt, possession or transfer of firearm by convict.

Jermaine Hughes was indicted on one count of possession of a Schedule III controlled substance, one count of possession of a Schedule IV controlled substance, one count of possession/manufacturing/distribution or marijuana, two counts of traffic in cocaine/marijuana/illegal drugs, one count of trafficking in ecstasy, one count of possession of a firearm/knife during crime/attempt crime and one count of receipt, possession or transfer of firearm by convict.
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Former gynecologist George “Mack” Bird III, age 59, was sentenced to more than eight years in prison and fined $20,000.00 on Tuesday, September 18, for dispensing and prescribing addictive opioids and other drugs to people who received little or no medical services from clinics in Dublin and Eastman. Bird also agreed to forfeit $2.7 million of seized assets and real estate that he admitted were traceable to proceeds of his crimes. 

Bird, who pled guilty in March before Senior U. S. District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen Jr. to charges of Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering, was indicted in 2017 on multiple felonies. The negotiated plea with a sentence of 100 months in prison does not include the possibility of parole, and Bird will be subject to 36 months of supervised release following his incarceration.

Starting in 1992, Bird owned and operated a gynecology practice in Eastman, Ga., about an hour southeast of Macon, and later opened a weight loss clinic in Dublin. He admitted the offices sold and prescribed drugs including the opiate hydrocodone, along with alprazolam (Xanax), carisoprodol (Soma), phentermine (Adipex), and phendimetrazine (Plegime) to customers who typically paid in cash and received no legitimate medical services. In the years leading to his arrest in 2015, Bird increasingly delegated his patient care responsibilities to unqualified employees who used pre-signed prescription forms and preprinted medical notes to give the appearance that Bird was performing examinations. 
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Even though a letter stating his (Bobby Peacock’s) desire to resign from his position of interim county manager was given to two county commissioners last week, the Dodge County Board of Commissioners have not, as a body, been given a copy of the letter nor have they approved the resignation.

In the September 12, 2018 issue of The Dodge County News, Dodge County Board of Commissioners Vice Chairman W.T. ‘Junior’ Howell stated that Peacock had not officially presented the letter during a meeting with the commissioners.

Yet, after a 10 minute executive session on Monday, September 17 during the board’s monthly meeting, chairman Dan McCranie asked for a motion to approve a job advertisement for the role of county manager for two weeks in the newspaper.

When asked Tuesday, September 18, 2018, if the board as a whole had officially accepted Peacock’s resignation, McCranie said, “Well, I don’t know… I don’t think so.”

He was then asked how could an advertisement for the job be allowed? “But then, as you all (The Dodge County News) have stated, he has been the interim county manager, so I believe under the charter of Dodge County, an interim’s status is really at the discretion of the board. I am not sure why they did it that way. He said he would stay until we got someone and he could help train them.”

The advertisement, which can be found on page 4B of this edition, states that the Dodge County Board of Commissioners is accepting resumes for the position of county manager. Resumes will be accepted until noon on Friday, September 28, 2018.

During Monday’s meeting, Charles Williams, representing the Eastman-Dodge County Area Chamber of Commerce and Development Authority, spoke about the October 20, 2018 event to be held in downtown Eastman, called ‘ Music on Main Street.’

According to Williams, “this is a community event which we are partnering with the Dodge County Farmers’ Market and downtown merchants. It will feature food and craft vendors, and entertainment throughout the day.”
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Dodge County Interim County Manager Bobby Peacock has unofficially resigned and decided to retire after seven years of serving as the interim county manager.

After the Tuesday, September 4 meeting of the county commissioners was adjourned, Peacock handed letters to commissioners Terry Niblett and Brian Watkins that stated: “This is to advise that I have been here almost seven years and I think it is time for me to go. I have enjoyed my time here and appreciate the fact that I have enjoyed the strong support and I do not think our working relationships with the board of commissioners, the county employees, elected officials and the citizens of Dodge County could have been better.”

Peacock told The Dodge County News on the phone before lunch Tuesday, September 11, that he felt his letter stated exactly how he felt about his role and years of service. “I have no complaints. I have enjoyed working with all of the commissioners and the county employees and the elected officials, and of course, the citizens.” Prior to his role as interim county manager, Peacock had served two terms himself on the board of commissioners and, during one of which, he had been the commission chairman.

As per his last date of employment before beginning his retirement, Peacock said, “I didn’t put a date on there because I wanted to give them enough time to find someone to do the job.” He didn’t say what he planned to do when he retired.

Dodge County Board of Commissioners Vice Chairman W.T. ‘Junior’ Howell stated Tuesday that Peacock had not officially presented the letter during a meeting with the commissioners as of yet. “He told me he would stay at least until the end of the year. I am very sad to see him go, but also very happy for him. He has been very positive for us and has been able through his conservative spending and management to get us out of debt, and back into the black. He is really easy to get along with.”
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Charles Bradley Howell, age 29, of a Helena address is now being held in the Dodge County jail after the Georgia State Patrol charged him as being the driver of the fatal accident that took the lives of three adults, Jonathan Long, age 37, and Alicia Cherry, age 35, both of Milan, and Casey Kroesser, age 30, of Eastman and Kroesser’s unborn child on Wednesday, August 22, 2018.

Howell was air lifted from the scene and transported to Navicent Health in Macon because of injuries sustained from the accident.

In the August 29 edition of The Dodge County News, it was reported that Howell had warrants against him for three counts of vehicular homicide and one warrant for feticide.

Howell was released from Navicent Health in Macon on Sunday, August 26, 2018. He was picked up by Dodge County deputies on Wednesday, August 29 and taken to the Dodge County Law Enforcement Center to be booked.

Howell has 13 charges against him because of the accident. Those include: three counts of homicide by vehicle in first degree, a felony; one count of feticide by vehicle – first degree, a felony; fleeing and eluding an officer, a felony; one count of expired or no driver’s license; one count of failure to maintain lane; one count of speeding in excess of maximum limits (state speed and zone limits); one count of passing in no passing zone; one count of seat belt violation; one count of passing within 200 feet of oncoming traffic; driving under the influence and reckless driving.

As of September 4, 2018, Howell is still incarcerated in the Dodge County Law Enforcement Center and no bond had been set.

One man, two women and an unborn infant were killed after the car in which they were passengers left the roadway and hit several trees.

According to the Georgia State Patrol, Charles Bradley Howell, age 29, of Helena, was driving a 2008 Honda Civic EXL east on Georgia 46 (Soperton Road) near Lester Saunders Road. Howell was attempting to elude a Dodge County Sheriff’s Deputy and was traveling at a high rate of speed.

Howell failed to maintain his lane, traveling across the centerline into oncoming traffic. He then overcorrected and ran off the roadway into the right hand ditch. The vehicle then struck a large oak tree on the front driver’s side. The vehicle then rotated and overturned striking several more trees before coming to rest in the ditch. Howell, Jonathan Long, age 37, of Milan and Casey Kroesser, age 30, of Eastman, were thrown from the vehicle after impact. Alicia Cherry, age 35, of Milan was not thrown from the vehicle.

Long, Cherry, Kroesser, and her unborn infant, all died from the accident.

The accident occurred at approximately 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 22. Georgia 46 was shut down to traffic for several hours due to the crash.

An Air Evac helicopter flew Howell from the scene to Navicent Health hospital in Macon.

The Georgia State Patrol has since sworn our warrants for three counts of vehicular homicide and one warrant for feticide for Howell. The warrants are expected to be served as soon as Howell is released from the hospital.

A fight that occurred in Dodge County on Wednesday, July 25, 2018 has resulted in the death of one and the arrest of another, Special Agent in Charge of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Scott Whitley told The Dodge County News on Monday.

Whitley said during a phone interview that an arrest warrant was served on Thomas Stuart Joiner III, age 17, after he turned himself in Monday around lunch time at the Dodge County Law Enforcement Center.

Joiner was charged with voluntary manslaughter after Dakota Rowland, age 18, died as a result of injuries sustained during a fight with Joiner.

Joiner and Rowland met in a rural location in Dodge County for the fight. Whitley stated, “During the encounter Joiner pushed Rowland and Rowland hit the ground.” Rowland sustained traumatic brain injuries. He died Friday, August 17, 2018.

According to an incident report obtained from the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a call on July 25, 2018, from the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office that there was a white male, identified as Dakota Rowland of Chester, in the emergency room at Taylor Regional Hospital in Hawkinsville who had sustained blunt force trauma to the head and was bleeding from the brain.

The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office deputy explained that he was unsure of how it happened, but gave the Dodge County deputy a phone number of a relative of Rowland’s who had further information regarding the incident. [Full Story »] 

By Becky Holland
Should a t-shirt, intended as a fundraiser for a school-affiliated group, with religious and political implications, be allowed to be sold as a representation of a whole school or team or for all supporters of said school or team?
A group of community members in Dodge County don’t think so. A t-shirt with the images of a flag, the Dodge County High School Indians mascot, a cross and the words, ‘In Dodge County, we stand for the flag, kneel for the cross … That’s Indian pride,’ was set to be sold as a fundraiser for the competition and football cheerleading squads at Dodge County High School.
Lisa Hartley, of Heart of Georgia Signs and Tee’s, designed the shirt. Hartley told The Dodge County News on Monday in a phone interview, “I have been designing the cheerleaders’ t-shirts for several years now. They use the money for competition.”
Hartley said she normally presents the cheerleading sponsors with three t-shirt designs, and then “they pick what they want and approve it, and we make them.”
With the controversial t-shirt, Hartley said that she did it. “It was not meant to offend anyone or be racial. There was no hidden agenda in it.”
“For years, our football players have stood when the National Anthem is played, and they pray before the game. When a player gets hurt, they kneel. I considered that to mean that our Dodge County parents have raised their children right, and felt like it was respectful,” she added.
According to Hartley, she sent the design to Tammie Lewis. Lewis is one of the three cheerleading sponsors at the high school. “She showed it to Sheena Orange and Becky Colson. They are the other two sponsors, and they showed it to the girls. The girls started selling the shirts at the scrimmage game on Friday.”
And Hartley said, “That is when all the controversy began.”
As of Monday afternoon, the selling of the t-shirts by the Dodge County cheerleaders had stopped.
The controversy then escalated when images of the shirt were posted on the social media application Facebook.
Dodge Countians were divided on the appropriateness for the shirt to be sold by high school cheerleaders to represent the school and community.
Taelor Rye said, “As a Dodge County High (DCHS) graduate who was highly active in school affairs as a student, I’m disappointed in the lack of consideration that went into the design and distribution of the shirt. What may have been intended simply as a show of pride has greater implications beyond the surface level.”
He continued, “Surely, there was no ill intent behind the shirt, but the truth remains that it sends a message to students that not all are welcome – and that’s a message that I know DCHS doesn’t actually stand for. When I was a student at DCHS, I had many positive relationships with the school’s faculty and staff, many of which still hold strong today. Now, as a high school teacher myself, I have so much personal and professional respect for the faculty and staff at DCHS. Still, the shirt sends a message of exclusion, not inclusion, and someone should have been able to recognize that.”
Rye added, “People should keep in mind that purpose of the political protest that the shirt references (kneeling during the National Anthem) is to shed light on the injustices of police brutality, particularly toward Black people and other people of color – not to disrespect soldiers or veterans.”
Zane Gregory Taylor said, “A lot of people out there are just looking for a reason to complain…if the flag offends then stop reaping rewards that flag has provided you.”
Rye concluded, “I hope that everyone who does not see the problems with the design and distribution of the shirt can recognize that other perspectives exist and that they are valid. We should all work to be more empathetic, more compassionate, and more accepting.”
James Holland said, “Comparing patriotism or ‘standing for the flag’ to ‘kneeling at the cross’ is like comparing apples to oranges. Kneeling at the cross is a deeply personal issue where standing/kneeling at the flag has become a First Amendment issue.” Holland wondered, “How many of the people who have repeated the trending catch-phrase have actually knelt at the cross in the last 24 hours?”
Dodge County Board of Education member, Shirley Ikedionwu made a post on her Facebook page.
“It has come to my attention from several concerned citizens that a controversial shirt design was being sold through a school-affiliated organization, which gives the impression that such a message is endorsed and condoned by a school system,” Ikedionwu’s post read. “My heart is deeply saddened to learn that such a politically divisive shirt has been allowed in the Dodge County schools. This shirt is not only one-side, but offensive. I can’t imagine how our children would feel entering a place that is supposed to be welcoming and accepting of students from all walks of life, beliefs and perspectives, but instead they are faced with this type of exclusionary message.”
Ikedionwu continued, “I have contacted administrators in the school system, and at this point the shirt will no longer be sold.”
Of the shirt design, Crystal Velasquez, said, “I am a Dodge County grad. I don’t believe that any fundraiser with religious affiliation should be allowed in public schools. Cheerleading and football are not religions in public schools despite popular belief.”
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The Dodge County Board of Commissioners had two meetings in the last two weeks– the first was a work session and on Monday, August 6, the board held its regular meeting.

Commissioner W.T. “Junior” Howell called the work session to order by stating, “This is the work session, and is only for information purposes, and no action will be taken.”

During the work session, Dale Jones, chief appraiser with the Dodge County Tax Assessor’s Office, stood before the commissioners and gave a presentation in regards to the consolidations and tax digest.

Jones delivered some news that baffled not only Jones, but also the commissioners. According to Jones, the “consolidations were down.”

According to Jones, the amount collected from vehicles was down $3,000,000.00 from 2017 and timber was down $4,000,000.00 from 2017 as well. She couldn’t explain exactly why that was or exactly how amounts were figured out, as per a question from Dodge County Interim Manager Bobby Peacock.

She said that she received those figures from Kay Graham, Dodge County Tax Commissioner. 
“So, someone sends those figures to her, and she sends to you,” Peacock asked. 
 Jones said Graham had a system in place. (Editor’s Note: Graham told The Dodge County News on the phone Tuesday that the county only receives a percentage of what is collected. The monies are divided between the state, the county and school system. Graham said, “It changes every year as per the state part.”)

In discussing the decrease in the timber collections, questions centered on why there was that much of a decline there. “I was told that it was not collected and that it was not turned in, so it was not collected,” Jones said.

Howell added, “It is on the honor system.”

Peacock stated, “So, if it is not reported, there is nothing we can do?”

Jones added, “There is really not a very good check and balance system as of right now. The same goes for when a mobile home is brought into the county...if they don’t get a permit, we don’t know about it. When we do see it, by then they have gotten by with several years not paying for it. We are spending a lot of time cleaning up the mobile home digest.”

As per the consolidations, Jones said, “We are ready to do the reconciliations...we sent out our assessments and the proper days have passed, and if you are ready to set the millage rate, then we can do this.”

Jones said she had talked with her vendor who told her to ahead and send it in, and they would figure out the errors after they did it.

The vendor that Jones uses for the digest assistance had found a very “big error” and it could be because of the data conversion from one system to the other. The errors could be either in conservation figures or in the homestead exemptions.

Peacock asked Jones, “We didn’t have any growth did we?”

She asked, “Inflationary growth?”

Peacock said yes. Jones felt like there was some. “If there was a mistake, I can’t find it.”

She said, “I am going to transfer the file, and if there is too much off or two much difference, then we will have to go back and restructure.”
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A dead body was found under a bridge in Dodge County and an arson arrest was made.

Agents with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Office in Eastman arrested Doug Sheriff, age 48, of Eastman on Saturday, July 28, for one count of arson in connection with a burned white BMW vehicle that was discovered on Saturday, July 28, 2018 under the Gum Swamp Creek
Bridge off of Georgia117 (Dublin Highway) north of Eastman.

According to Eastman GBI Special Agent in Charge Scott Whitley, “Saturday morning, deputies with the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call concerning a burning car under the bridge.”

Whitley explained that a motorist traveling over the bridge was alarmed over a burning smell and stopped to investigate and called 911. The Eastman Fire Department and Dodge County deputies were dispatched to the scene. Upon arrival, firemen found the BMW under the bridge in flames. [Full Story »] 

During its regular monthly meeting last Thursday, the Dodge County Board of Education decided to table the discussion, and possible approval, of making special seating for students in a ‘spirit section’ at the high school football stadium.

The proposal was presented, as reported in a previous issue of The Dodge County News, by Dodge County High School Principal Susan Long to the board at its called meeting last Monday. In her presentation, Dr. Long detailed that the section would be the stands where the band had been previously, and it would be open to students from Dodge County Middle School and Dodge County High School. There would be certain provisions that would be followed for students to be allowed to sit there, and staff members would man the gate to allow students to sit in the section.

At Monday’s meeting, school board vice chairman Jessie Mincey voiced his concerns about such a section and wanted more staff members available during the game to monitor the section.

The board decided to table it and take no action on Monday.
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In a surprisingly unanimous decision last week, the Dodge County Board of Education approved the selection of Michael H. Ward as superintendent of schools for Dodge County.

According to a representative of the Dodge County School System district officers, Ward was named last week, and the vote was tallied at a unanimous approval of six to zero after all board members voted.

Ward retired in June 2018 after serving for 13 years as the assistant superintendent for operations and business services with the Harris County School System in Hamilton, Georgia.

Some of his duties there included negotiating all insurance and other contracts, being responsible for all operations’ planning, programs, policy analysis and fiscal management, being responsible for all student discipline tribunals and acted as a liaison for the school superintendent.

Ward also served as the director of transportation for the Douglas County School System for four years, and as the director of transportation for the Monroe County School System for four years.
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Eastman Police Chief Becky Sheffield reported the following arrests by officers with her department during the week of July 3, 2018-July 10, 2018.

Mitchell Payne, age 32, of Eastman, was arrested for failure to appear.

Tabitha Spikes, age 40, of Eastman, was arrested with forgery in the first degree-other object.

Patrick Williams, age 42, of Eastman, was arrested with possession of drug-related object, possession of an ounce or less of marijuana and for an FTP bench warrant.

James Hughes, age 47, of Eastman, was arrested for an FTP bench warrant.

Bernard Butler, age 24, of Eastman, was arrested for probation violation.

Herschel White, age 33, of Eastman, was arrested for probation violation.

Jason Marshall, age 36, of Eastman, was arrested for probation violation.

Christopher Fordham, age 49, of Eastman, was arrested for probation violation.

Rickie Blackshear, age 37, of Eastman, was arrested for firearms, possession by convicted felon, littering, consuming alcohol in public, pedestrian under the influence and failure to appear.

Robin Dorsey, age 53, of Lumber City, was arrested for following too closely and leaving the scene of an accident with injury/damage.

Jasmine Harrow, age 25, o f Eastman, was arrested with forgery in the third degree.

Stewart Giddens, age 36, of Eastman, was arrested with possession drug-related object and possession of drugs-methamphetamine.

Brandon Lampkin, age 30, of Eastman, was arrested with possession of a drug-related object, possession of drugs-methamphetamines and theft by receiving stolen property $500 value or more.

Brandon Dykes, age 35, of Eastman, was arrested for driving while license suspended/revoked.

Miracles Ellis, age 19, of McRae, was arrested for speeding and driving while license suspended/revoked.

Tina Watts, age 45, of Eastman, was arrested on a bench warrant.
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