Entries by Walter Geiger

The Fred's stores in Zebulon and Barnesville are among 159 stores the company is closing in an effort to save the business.

The stores will close by the end of May.

For more on this story, see the 4.17.19 edition of The Journal Reporter.

By DeNeen L. Brown
Retropolis

Martin Luther King Jr. was born 90 years ago, on Jan. 15, 1929.

But the name on his original birth certificate — filed April 12, 1934, five years after King was born — was not Martin. Nor was it Luther. In fact, for the first years of his life, he was Michael King. And it wasn’t until he was 28 that, on July 23, 1957, his birth certificate was revised.

The name Michael was crossed out, next to which someone printed carefully in black ink: “Martin Luther, Jr.”

The story of how Michael became Martin began in 1934 when King’s father, who then was known as the Rev. Michael King or M.L. King, was senior pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church and a prominent minister in Atlanta. In the summer of 1934, King’s church sent him on a whirlwind trip. He traveled to Rome, Tunisia, Egypt, Jerusalem and Bethlehem before setting sail to Berlin, where he would attend a Baptist World Alliance meeting, according to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute at Stanford University [Full story »] 

With Judge Arch McGarity of Henry County presiding, a Pike County grand jury indicted Judge Mack Crawfrord on two criminal counts Wednesday. Evidence was presented to the grand jury by an assistant Georgia attorney general.

Crawford was indicted on one count each of theft by taking and violation of oath of office. He is to surrender himself at the Pike County jail today for processing and will be released on his own recognizance.

“I feel confident Mack didn’t steal any money or have any criminal intent, and I believe I can prove that in court,” Crawford's attorney Virgil Brown said.

As a private attorney, Crawford represented two clients who placed $15,675 into the Pike County court’s registry in 2002 while their foreclosure case was pending. In 2009, a judge dismissed the case and ordered the funds be returned to Crawford’s clients.

The funds stayed in the registry until last December when clerk Carolyn Williams told Crawford she planned to send the money to the state as unclaimed property. But Crawford directed her to give him the funds, which she did. The grand jury determined that comprised a theft.

A Pike County timber company is under investigation for racketeering and elder abuse is alleged fraud that spanned 16 counties including Pike.

Bibb circuit district attorney David Cooke said the allegations involved Cox Land & Timber Inc. of Pike County and six co-conspirators. [Full story »] 

Georgia’s Judicial Qualifications Commission accused Judge Mack Crawford of ‘egregious conduct’ following a hearing July 24 on charges involving the alleged theft of funds from the Pike County superior court registry. [Full story »] 

Two allegedly armed bank robbers were arrested Thursday, June 28 while the getaway driver is still on the loose. According to Woodbury Police, the men robbed the United Bank on Woodbury's Main Street around noon. Just minutes before the robbery, an arson fire was reported and officials believe the call was a decoy.

While the suspects were leaving the bank, an officer saw one of them carrying an AR-15, so the officer fired at and missed the suspect, police confirmed.

The two ran away, but one was found in a nearby wood line and the other broke into a nearby residence, police said. The homeowner called police after arriving home and noticing something was suspicious. The two arrested were identified as Derrick Scott, 26, of Augusta, and Antavious Bray, 29, of Greenville.

The getaway driver is believed to be in a 2008-2011 black Chevy Impala, police said.

[Full story »] 

The Griffin Bulldog Club will hold its annual gathering July 17 at 6 p.m. at the Stuckey Auditorium on the UGA Griffin campus. Legendary Bulldog quarterback Buck Belue will be the guest speaker. Belue led the Dogs to the nation title in 1980 and is now a broadcaster.

Tickets are $30 which includes a social hour and dinner catered by The Varsity.

For more information, call Hal Peeler at 770-468-3776.

Mr. Kelly Wade Wilson, age 79, of Barnesville, Georgia, passed away on Friday, June 1, 2018 at Brightmoor Hospice.

Kelly was born in Bonaire, Georgia on November 11, 1938 to the late Cornel Lane Wilson and the late Bessie Louis Matthews Wilson. He was preceded in death by his siblings; Margaret Denny, Jean Evans, Frances Ruffin, Jimmie Wilson, and a daughter Kelly Gearman. Wade served in the Navy, owned Wade Wilson Pulpwood Services, and was a member of Antioch Baptist Church. He was an avid golfer, loved gardening, and working. [Full story »] 

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation, at the request of the state attorney general's office, has opened an investigation into Griffin circuit superior court Judge Mack Crawford, The Journal Reporter has confirmed.
[Full story »] 

A 70-year-old man who fired a shotgun at deputies at 3131 block of Roberts Quarters Road Wednesday has died and the GBI investigation of the event has shown the deputies acted in accordance with all policies, procedures and state law.

On Wednesday, April 4 around 2:30 p.m., Pike County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a 911 call at 3131 Roberts Quarters Road in reference to a man with a gun threatening the caller. The suspect was reported to be pointing a shotgun at the complainant.

The first arriving deputy found the suspect, 70-year-old Grady Parks, to be armed with a shotgun and a handgun. The deputy gave numerous verbal commands for him to put the weapons down to which Mr. Parks refused to comply. A second deputy arrived on scene and attempted to subdue him by deploying a taser which proved to be ineffective.

A struggle ensued between Mr. Parks and a deputy. It was during this time that Parks fired his weapon at deputies. One deputy returned fire, striking Parks twice. EMS was requested and Parks was transported to Spalding Regional Hospital where he subsequently died from his injuries. The deputies were not injured.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the District Attorney’s Office were contacted to complete a thorough and independent investigation of this incident. The initial investigation has shown that deputies acted in accordance with all policies, procedures and state law. Once completed the case will be submitted for review by the District Attorney’s Office. [Full story »] 

The GBI is en route to investigate an officer-involved shooting in the Concord area where a Pike deputy has apparently shot a suspect. Initial reports indicate the man who was shot was threatening a third person with a gun.

Traffic has been cordoned off and portions of Roberts Quarters Road, Powder Creek Road and Motes Road have been closed to traffic. The probe is centered in the 3100 block of Roberts Quarters Rd.

UPDATE FROM GBI: Bahan Rich of GBI public affairs: GBI has been requested to investigate an officer involved shooting in Pike County. Our agents are gathering information at this time. No further details available.

UPDATE FROM PCSO: Pike County Sheriff's Deputies are currently on the scene of a Deputy involved shooting in the 3100 address block of Roberts Quarters Road. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and District Attorneys Office have also arrived at the scene. No Pike County Personnel we're injured during this incident. One suspect has been transported to a local hospital.

More to follow....

A Zebulon teen was killed early Thursday when the pickup truck he was driving collided with a garbage truck.

According to PCSO, Matthew Williams, 18, died in the crash which occurred at 5:58 a.m. on Caldwell Road near Flat Rock Church Road.

The accident remains under investigation.

to you and yours from all of us here at The Journal Reporter and pikecountygeorgia.com.

A group of big-hearted, kind-hearted folks have put together one heck of a prize package for a benefit for Stepping Stones in Griffin. A $50 raffle ticket could win you:

• Eight tickets to the Rose Bowl.
• Luxury Suite at the Ritz Carlton Marina del Ray
• Private charter jet service to and from Pasadena
• Dinner gift certificates in the amount of $3000
• $2500 shopping experience on Rodeo Drive
• 8 black alligator belts

The runner-up and second runner-up also get Rose Bowl tickets among other prizes.

The link to enter is inside this all access post.... [Full story »]