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By Taelor Rye
The Dodge County Board of Education selected Thomas Michael Hilliard to succeed Dr. Melinda Dennis as the Dodge County Superintendent of Schools.

The search for a new superintendent had come down to Hilliard and Dr. Elvis B. Davis, the principal of South Dodge Elementary School.

Hilliard, currently the principal of Dodge County Middle School (DCMS), will take on the role of superintendent, effective July 1. Further personnel actions to accommodate Hilliard’s move from DCMS will be taken in the near future.

Hilliard’s early work experience includes stints in business construction. However, his curriculum vitae states, “Following college graduation, I discovered that my value system was more compatible with the educational system than the business ethos.”

Hilliard, who holds an Educational Specialist in educational leadership in addition to two master’s degrees and a bachelor’s degree – began teaching at Eastman Middle School in 1982, working with students with mild intellectual disabilities in a self-contained classroom. He took on a similar role the following year at Dublin High School in addition to coaching basketball, football and golf.

After a couple of years as a nursing home administrator at Golden Age Properties in Hawkinsville, Hilliard returned to the classroom, teaching vocational classes and coaching at Dodge County High School from 1986 to 1994. Soon after, Hilliard adopted a more administrative position within the system of education.

Before Hilliard became the principal at DCMS, a position that he has held for nearly two years, he served as a central office administrator for the Dodge County Board of Education. His specific positions under this umbrella included the district testing coordinator, the district evaluations coordinator and the pre-k director, among others.

Hilliard was also the assistant principal at North Dodge Elementary School (NDES) from 1996 to 2003 and the principal of NDES from 2003 to 2014.

Regarding his impending promotion, Hilliard stated, “I’m very humbled, very excited and very thankful, and I look forward to serving the Dodge County School System in this new role.”

By Wayne Ragan
On Monday, May 30, 2016, at 11:00 a.m., Eastman American Legion Post 126 held a Memorial Day service at the Dodge County Courthouse. The Dodge County High School (DCHS) Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) assisted the American Legion.

Prior to the service beginning, stirring patriotic music was played by fellow legionnaire Jim Wells, who is also a professional disc jockey. Commander Danny Mullis opened with a welcome to the large crowd. He then called for the colors, the American flag and the Georgia state flag, to be posted by the DCHS JROTC.

After colors were posted, a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem was sung a cappella, by Macy Pruitt, DCHS student. JROTC cadet Alisha Coleman said the opening prayer. “Taps”, a bugle call played at dusk, during flag ceremonies, and at military funerals by the United States armed forces was played and the American flag was raised. Commander Mullis then recognized special guests Representative Jimmy Pruett and his family. The JROTC cadets then placed four wreaths around the monument to the fallen, representing the four directions they come from in our community.

Andrea McCranie and MSG (Ret.) Johnny Blacke then honored Dodge County’s Gold Star Mothers, mothers whose sons were killed in action. MSG Blacke then presented three plaques to Dodge’s living World War II (WWII) veterans, Fred Bracewell, Delma Veal and Jim Spradley, honoring their WWII service 70 plus years ago.

Following these awards, commander Mullis introduced the guest speaker Command Sergeant Major (Ret.) Steven J. Greer, head of the JROTC program at DCHS. CSM (Ret.) Greer spoke not of his valor or deeds, but of honor, duty and respect for those who died fighting for our freedoms that we enjoy today. His speech was short and uplifting.

There was a prayer and final remarks from commander Mullis, ended the ceremony.

On Friday, June 3, more than 183 members of Dodge County High School’s (DCHS) Class of 2016 will celebrate personal and academic achievements by walking across the stage at Memorial Stadium and receiving diplomas.

The graduating class of DCHS includes 183 students, 31 earning the title of Honor Graduate and being awarded a gold stole. These students, over the course of their four years in high school, have taken two units of the same foreign language, a half unit of computer applications, a half unit of speech and have earned a cumulative academic average of 94 or higher. Additionally, students who do not have a 94 average but have maintained a 90 average and have scored 1185 or higher on the verbal and math sections on the SAT or 26 or better on the ACT, will also have the distinction of graduating with honors.

Receiving additional academic honors with distinction will be the class’s top four students. Jayde Mullis will receive the first honor of valedictorian and Peyton Clements will receive the second honor as the class salutatorian. Third honor will be awarded to Anna Kate Hickman and fourth honor will be awarded to Jaycie Rollins.

“We at Dodge County High School are very proud of the graduating class of 2016,” says Principal Dr. Susan Long. “We have seen them grow from ninth graders into young men and women and we are assured that they will make a positive impact in the world wherever their futures lead them.”

Juniors who serve as marshals and ushers at the DCHS graduation ceremony represent the top five percent of their graduating class and are awarded the University of Georgia Certificate of Merit. [Full Story »] 

The search for the new Dodge County school superintendent has now been narrowed to two candidates. The two applications that are being considered for the position are Thomas Michael Hilliard and Dr. Elvis B. Davis.

Hilliard is currently the Dodge County Middle School (DCMS) principal. Prior to DCMS, he was the North Dodge Elementary School principal.

Dr. Davis is currently the South Dodge Elementary School (SDES) principal and a U.S. Army veteran.

Approximately 16 applications were received by the board for the superintendent position. After reviewing the applications, the board interviewed three candidates Thursday, May 19th. Following the interviews, the board met for over two and a half hours and narrowed the decision to two applicants. Of the 16 applicants, 13 were received from outside of Dodge County.

Mark Driggers, chairman of the Dodge County Board of Education, said, “There were three great candidates with so much to offer, and it was tough to narrow it down.”

The next scheduled meetings for the Dodge County school board are Monday, June 6th and Tuesday, June 7th. The date was moved up from the regularly scheduled meeting date of Thursday, June 9th because of a school board conference in Savannah.

A final decision for Dodge County school superintendent position will be made on either Monday, June 6th or Tuesday, June 7th, according to chairman Driggers.

It was a night for the incumbents in local Dodge County races. All of the incumbents that had opposition won reelection to their seats.

With all precincts reporting, including the absentee ballots, in the Dodge County Tax Commissioner’s race, incumbent Kay Graham won over newcomer Tonya Sheffield 1168 to 415.

In the Dodge County Coroner’s race, incumbent Joe Smith beat newcomer Dell Atkins 2729 to 666.

In the Dodge County Magistrate’s race, incumbent Lonnie Parkerson fended off two challengers to take his race without a runoff. Parkerson got 1967 votes to 888 for Jody Batts and 633 for Donny Stokes.

In the District 4 Dodge County School Board race, incumbent Ricky Hargrove defeated Rodney King in the closest race of the night 293 to 287. That race will automatically require a recount.

In Dodge County only, the Georgia State Representative race in District 149 was taken by incumbent Jimmy Pruett over newcomer Mitsy Peterson 1268 to 643.

The educational 1% Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) passed in Dodge County 2257 to 1022. These totals (for the SPLOST only) do not include the absentees.

Early voting and a request to have an absentee ballot mailed for the upcoming May 24, 2016 General Primary Election, Non-Partisan General Election and Special Election (E-SPLOST) will end at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 20, 2016.

According to Dodge County Chief Registrar Selma Grimes, as of Tuesday, May 17, a total of 115 absentee ballots have been mailed out. Of those 115 absentee ballots requested, 87 voters requested a democratic ballot and 28 requested a republican ballot.

Grimes also stated that 587 registered voters have voted in Dodge County since May 2 when early voting began. Three hundred thirty (330) voters requested a democratic ballot and 257 requested a republican ballot.

There approximately 11,000 active voters in Dodge County.

On Friday, May 13, 2016, Dodge County Sheriff’s Deputy William Gordon called for assistance at the Dodge County High School. Dodge County Sheriff’s Deputy Clint English arrived to find deputy Gordon on the floor of one of the school’s hallways.

Across the hall from deputy Gordon was the student he had been attempting to subdue.

The 16 year old male student had allegedly assaulted deputy Gordon, during which deputy Gordon sustained a broken leg. Deputy English, Dodge County Sheriff’s Deputy Jermayne Hamilton and Dodge County Criminal Investigations Department Officer (CID) Glen Conley placed the student into custody with him allegedly resisting arrest and shouting threats to all officers with extremely strong language.

To gain control of the student, deputy Hamilton and officer Conley took him to the ground, and in doing so, both deputies sustained minor injuries to their arms.

Deputy Gordon was taken to Fairview Park Hospital in Dublin and was later released, but is pending surgery. Deputy Hamilton and officer Conley did not sustain debilitating injuries and remain on duty.
The case has been turned over to the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice.

By Charles Williams
Georgia Military College is opening in Eastman this FRIDAY. Did you read that correctly? Did you let it sink in?

A community college right here in Eastman Georgia and it starts this week with an official ribbon cutting ceremony this Friday. You might want to attend. It starts at 10:00 Friday morning. Macy Pruett will be singing the National Anthem. You really should be there to experience history in the making.

Now, what is GMC? Will there be marching and military training and parades? No, not on the Eastman Campus.Yes, it is happening in Milledgeville at their main campus and students from here might decide to go there and take advantage of that opportunity and everything that comes with it.

However, the Eastman Campus, like Dublin and Warner Robins, and their other ten branch locations is a community college. It’s co-ed! It is not a Military school but instead a place where you, whatever age you are, may earn your associates degree. You can be accepted without an SAT or other standardized testing. It’s a place of learning that is affordable, well managed, and recognized as a center for education.

We are so fortunate to have Georgia Military College locate it’s 13th community college in Eastman Georgia.

Make plans to come and celebrate Friday morning, 10:00! The new facility is next to the Murrell Memorial Library on Legion Drive in Eastman.

By Taelor Rye
The council moved to approve a resolution and quit-claim of the deed between Eastman and Dodge County regarding the Eastman-Dodge Recreation Commission (EDRC), therefore relinquishing its stake in the Eastman-Dodge County Recreation Department on the Dublin Highway. Additionally, the city’s three seats on the commission are given up as well.
The county requested such action some time ago, city attorney Rita Llop stated. This action relates to the specific city ordinance that formed the EDRC.
Jonathan Guyton, Jr., requested further information on how this action would impact his desired work on Sunset Park in Eastman, and city council member Milton Johnson clarified that, because the ordinance only refers to property jointly owned by both the city and Dodge County, Sunset Park and other city-only-owned parks are unaffected.
City council member Prince Dawson reiterated this fact, adding that the official liaison between the city and Sunset Park is the Dodge County Christian Ministerial Alliance and that further requests, suggestions and questions should go through that organization, per chain of command.
Specifically, the ministerial alliance will meet at the Progressive Association Building by North Street and 14th Avenue on Tuesday, May 17, at 6:00 p.m. to discuss concerns from community members.
Charles Williams, director of the chamber of commerce, reminded councilors of Georgia Military College’s (GMC) grand opening of its upcoming Eastman branch on this Friday, May 13, at 10:00 a.m.
Williams also noted that, while GMC in Milledgeville has a military junior college program, the school as a whole is a liberal arts junior college. As such, its Eastman branch will function as a community college with the same purpose, not by necessity a military organization.
Williams also spoke on behalf of Sharon Cobb Flanagan of the Dodge County Farmer’s Market, relaying news concerning the most recent farmer’s market, which was attended by over 300 people.
The farmer’s market on Saturday, May 14, will feature the return of musical guest Morning Train as well as the well-received cooking demonstration, both of which were highlights of the inaugural farmer’s market.
Additionally, EBT has been approved for the farmer’s market, with some vendors already prepared to accept EBT; soon, all vendors will be capable.
The city council approved a motion to bid out a project concerning the relocation of water lines for Local Maintenance Improvement Grant (LMIG) streets. The project is a continuation of 2015’s projects, coinciding with those LMIG and Transportation Special-Purpose Local-Option Sales Tax (TSPLOST) projects.
[Full Story »] 

The Fourth Annual Bible Reading Marathon Week began on Friday April 29 at 6:00 a.m. at the Dodge County Courthouse with opening ceremonies provided by Rev. Dr. Rick Mitchell as the keynote speaker and Jamboree Graham, a fourth grade student at North Dodge Elementary as the first reader. The marathon consisted of reading the entire Bible from Genesis through Revelation by many volunteers throughout the week. Coordinator of the events was Dr. Lydia Daniels. The marathon concluded at midnight on the night of Wednesday May 4. (Photo by Cameron Hardin)

By Taelor Rye
Lee Kirkland of the Rural Fire Department (RFD) approached the Dodge County Board of Commissioners at its May 2nd meeting to request the use of Special-Purpose Local-Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) funds to purchase new equipment for its radio system.
Kirkland stated that the Dodge County Sheriff’s Department (SD), the Eastman Police Department (EPD), and Eastman Fire Department (EFD), Dodge County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and the RFD have all been in talks to consider changing companies, having been unsatisfied with the now-defunct provider of radio control equipment.
Based on the findings of a contracted company, Kirkland reported that its analysis reveals a need for an upgrade on the RFD’s paging system.
Specifically, the RFD requests funds for new antennas to replace the current functioning antennas, which are over 20 years old. However, according to Kirkland, the lifespan of antennas ranges from 12 to 14 years on average.
While most of the communication equipment is stationed on the Ocmulgee EMC tower, the paging system is situated on the water tower in the Industrial Park – “not the best in the world,” Kirkland remarked.
The RFD’s proposed plan is to place the new equipment on the water tower on Legion Drive, where EPD’s equipment is already stationed. Together with EPD, EFD and EMS, the RFD could relocate the existing structure in the Industrial Park to house the equipment, provided that EMS also decides to relocate its own equipment. Otherwise, RFD would need to pay for new housing of the equipment.
Therefore, RFD requested up to $15,000.00 to pay for the new communication equipment and the possibility of the new housing structure; the bid for the new equipment is roughly $12,000.00, and the approximate price of a potential new structure would be $3,000.00.
County attorney John Harrington asked about the need for new antennas, pointing out that all calls stem from E911 anyway. Kirkland responded that different governmental bodies communicate on different frequencies and that different departments within each body (for example, the different branches of the Dodge County Fire Department) communicate on different tones as well.
[Full Story »] 

The Central Georgia Soil and Water Conservation District held its 54th Annual Conservationist-of-the-Year program on Thursday, April 14, 2016, at the First Baptist Church in Cochran, Georgia. This annual program is sponsored by the local banks of the Central GA District, which is comprised of Bleckley, Dodge, Laurens, Twiggs, Johnson, Washington and Wilkinson counties.

Seaborn “Clint” Williams, of C Williams Family Investments, LLC, was selected as the 2016 conservationist of the year for Dodge County.

Clint developed a deep appreciation and love for land, agriculture and forestry. C Williams Tree Farm consists of 1,500 acres of timberland currently, which is owned by Clint Williams and his brother Chip Williams. Their operation started out in 2005 with 600 acres of land inherited from their grandfather, S.C. Cadwell. Since 2006, they have added 900 acres to their land base. Clint and Chip have done it all from selling the timber, spraying the cutover sites and burning the tracts, to replanting the seedlings with all their own equipment. The land consists of Loblolly pines, Long Leaf pines, and Slash pines.

Clint has participated in many different programs through NRCS and the Georgia Forestry Commission. He is also in the process of enrolling in the Tree Farm Program. He has specifically been a part of the CSP program for the last seven years, which has allowed him to do many activities on his property. [Full Story »] 

By Dr. Melinda Dennis
Dodge County school superintendent
The Eastman Rotary Club, in conjunction with the Dodge County School System, announced the 2016-2017 Teacher of the Year at their meeting on Friday, April 15, 2016.

The nominees were introduced and their many accomplishments read by the principals of the respective schools. Teacher of the Year plaques were presented to each nominee. The nominees included: Wendi Camp, Dodge County High School Teacher of the Year. She graduated from the University of West Georgia in 2006 with a B.A. in French and obtained her M.Ed. in 2009 from Georgia College and State University. Mrs. Camp has been teaching at Dodge County High School since 2006 and is currently teaching French. She believes her greatest accomplishments in teaching include bringing cultural awareness to her students and instilling the importance of a positive and optimistic attitude. Mrs. Camp quoted French novelist Marcel Proust, “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new lands but in seeing with new eyes.” Mrs. Camp stated in her philosophy of teaching that she believes in holding high expectations for each of her students, as well as giving them the knowledge on how to achieve the expectations she sets for them. She also believes that in order to hold high expectations for her students, she must also hold high expectations for herself as a teacher and be willing to go the extra mile to help students who are struggling.

Dr. Melinda Dennis named Camp Dodge County System Teacher of the Year. She is a model of optimism and positive attitude, hard work and determination and has created a classroom culture that is safe-haven, inviting students to take risks in their acquisition of knowledge. She wants students to realize their true potential and sets high expectations for both herself and her students. She is a continuous learner and has taken it upon herself to visit students who are homebound or hospitalized so they don’t fall behind. She utilizes email to keep her parents informed of student progress and to provide study tips.

Camp also realizes that a student’s home life influences school behavior and achievement. She quotes Nicholas Ferroni: “Students who are loved at home, come to school to learn, and students who aren’t, come to school to be loved.” She reminds herself of this as she attempts to truly know and understand her individual students.

In a letter of reference, a former student stated: This teacher “uses all of her experiences to help teach her students greater life lessons. She taught me that it is okay to get knocked down as long as I put everything I have into getting back up. She taught me that success isn’t always getting the right answer, or being the best, but rather, that success is learning from mistakes and improving from there.” Aren’t these the real life lesson we want all our children to learn?

Not only is this teacher dedicated to her professional life, she is also very involved with church activities and even volunteers in a neighboring school district when our school days don’t align.

Rachel Godfrey Spires, Dodge Pre-K Teacher of the Year. Spires graduated from Georgia Southwestern State University in 2011 with her B.S. in Early Childhood Education. She worked as a kindergarten paraprofessional at North Dodge Elementary for a year and a half before joining the faculty of Dodge Pre-K as a teacher. Spires says that watching her students get excited about something they have learned is what she enjoys most about teaching. Her philosophy of teaching is that her students should feel that it is “my” classroom and not Mrs. Spires’ classroom. Her personal goal is to make every child want to come to school every day.
[Full Story »] 

It was a beautiful day on Saturday as a huge crowd enjoyed all the festivities that were available at the annual Pondtown Festival in Rhine this past weekend. (Photos by Cindy Eckles)