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County manager terminated

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Wednesday, April 10. 2013

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Commissioners fired county manager Mike Phillips at a special called meeting Thursday, April 11 after nearly an hour in closed session. Commissioner Carol Bass made the motion and it passed unanimously. Commissioner Tamra Jarret made a motion to pay Phillips three weeks severance pay and that passed unanimously as well.

"As a result of the executive session, I'm going to make a motion to terminate county manager Mike Phillips effective immediately," said Bass. [Full story »]

UGA Griffin lands innovative, $5.5 million R&D center

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Walter Geiger

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Wednesday, April 10. 2013

Georgia’s food industry will soon benefit from an expanded capacity with the announcement today by the University System of Georgia to build and develop a new $5.5 million facility for the Food Product Innovation and Commercialization (FoodPIC) Center scientists in Griffin, Ga. to work with industry to create and develop new products and processes.

The 10,500 square foot research and development facility was funded by a combination of state funds ($3.5 million), UGA ($1 million) and the Griffin-Spalding County Development Authority ($1 million). The FoodPIC Center is part of the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, with its long-standing focus on agricultural research and product development. [Full story »]

Nature Photographer Speaking to GNPA

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Rachel McDaniel

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Monday, April 8. 2013

Underwater and nature photographer Marvin Price will speak at the Central Region Chapter of Georgia Nature Photographer’s Association (GNPA) meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 16 at the Edwards Public Library in Zebulon, 7077 Hwy 19 South. His topic will be “How to Photograph in Aquariums and Underwater.” Photographers of all skill levels are invited to attend.
[Full story »]

Fatal shooting probed; victim identified

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Walter Geiger

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Sunday, April 7. 2013

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Griffin police are investigating a fatal shooting that occurred there Saturday night. The victim has been identified as Harry Burkett, 63, of Hall County, Georgia.

Unconfirmed reports indicate the shooting took place during a home invasion where the shooter went looking for proceeds of a yard sale there earlier in the day. There are also reports a female in the home escaped injury because the assailant's gun misfired. [Full story »]

All cases dismissed

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Rachel McDaniel

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Wednesday, April 3. 2013

Cases against Department of Family and Children Services employees were heard in magistrate court April 3 by Lamar County Magistrate Judge William Thomas. He dismissed charges filed by Pike County resident Randall Moss against guardian ad litem Charles O'Neill Jr., former DFCS employee Michelle Madewell, Liz Fordham, Joan Oxley and DFCS director LaResa Price. Madewell also filed for a criminal warrant against Moss for harassment and false allegations but those charges were dismissed by Thomas as well.
[Full story »]

Good Friday, Easter events across county

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Rachel McDaniel

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Friday, March 29. 2013

By Sherri Ellington

Easter holiday activities continue this weekend with several community egg hunts and many church activities.

Christ Chapel will hold the Easter Egg Drop and Hunt Saturday, March 30 at 1 p.m. at the corner of Highway 19 and Old Zebulon Road across from Pike County schools. The annual egg hunt will start with thousands of candy-filled eggs being dropped from a helicopter. The event is free and everyone is welcome. [Full story »]

SGES coach charged with child molestation

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Walter Geiger

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Wednesday, March 27. 2013

Spalding County authorities were out in force Wednesday morning searching the Griffin home of Dan Keeley who has been charged with child molestation. Keeley coached at St. George's Episcopal School in Milner until earlier this month. He had been at the school for 12 years.

UPDATE: Spalding sheriff Wendell Beam has released additional details on this case. [Full story »]

Ghost Out at PCHS Wednesday morning

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, March 26. 2013

Every two years before prom season begins, local high school students get a lesson about what can happen to drunk drivers via a staged wreck on the school campus. This year's Ghost Out event will start at 9:30 a.m. at the high school and will involve real emergency response vehicles such as fire trucks, ambulances and possibly even a medical helicopter. [Full story »]

Georgia's First Lady visits Pike school

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Rachel McDaniel

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Friday, March 22. 2013

Georgia’s First Lady visited Pike County Primary School students, teachers and parents March 14 to share with them the importance of reading as part of the Read Across Georgia initiative. [Full story »]

Insurance commissioner offers tips

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Rachel McDaniel

in Top Stories

Wednesday, March 20. 2013

For Pike County residents who sustained damage from Monday night's tornado and straight-line winds, there are several steps to take in the coming days. Cleaning up may seem like the best steps to take (and preventing further water damage is encouraged), but Georgia Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens says not to dispose of damaged property until it is examined by the insurance adjuster. [Full story »]

Pike storm confirmed as EF-2 tornado

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Walter Geiger

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Tuesday, March 19. 2013

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The storm that roared through Pike County has been confirmed as an EF-2 tornado by the National Weather Service.

SRE EVENING UPDATE:

Crews are still working, with additional help to restore power to the remaining 1835 members without power this afternoon.

5:15 p.m.., Tuesday, March 19: SRE crews have been working non-stop throughout the night and additional crews from Harper's Tree Service, Snapping Shoals EMC, Sumter EMC and Walton EMC joined our restoration efforts and have been working hard all day.

We are making progress and the number of outages has been reduced from around 8000 at the peak of the outage to over 1800. Everyone is working diligently to get power restored as quickly and safely as possible. The phone lines are open but due to the volume of calls coming in, members may still experience some busy signals. [Full story »]

"Hollywood" Henderson to speak here

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Rachel McDaniel

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Sunday, March 17. 2013

Former Georgia inmate James “Hollywood” Henderson – who is now a five-time World and National Champion powerlifter and Guinness World Record holder – will speak at the West Central Integrated Treatment Center Tuesday, March 19 at 2 p.m. [Full story »]

Boil water in Zebulon March 15

Posted by

Rachel McDaniel

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Thursday, March 14. 2013

The Zebulon water department will conduct a water main upgrade after midnight on March 15. The pipe to be replaced is a six-inch main that crosses a creek near Mr. Bs and has become exposed, causing it to deteriorate. [Full story »]