WISK / WDEC

“Local News’

Friday September 22nd, 2023

*UPDATE*

The monthly meeting of the Mayor and Americus City Council started off with a public hearing on the 2023 Millage Rate. No one spoke for or against during the public hearing. The lengthy consent agenda was approved. After the required public hearings, the 2023 millage rate of 11.12, the same as the previous year, was passed unanimously. Council suspended the rules and took action on a budget amendment. The budget amendment included the addition of a JetVac truck so state funding could be used. This too passed unanimously. The request to purchase the JetVac truck for $504,000 was then approved. This will be a savings to the citizens in the long run because of the functions this one truck can perform. A request to seek bids for lawn maintenance contracted labor was then passed. After announcements and comments the meeting moved to closed session for personnel. After some 20-minutes the meeting resumed in open session and was adjourned.

Seats for the City’s first-ever Government 101 Program is filling up. Only 20 seats will be available for this first class that begins Monday the 25th and that number is dwindling. This will be a 6-week program ending on October 30th that will offer a unique insight into the inner workings of the City and allows those taking the program to become informed and engaged citizens in our community. Register today by calling 229-924-4411 or go to www.americusga.org and register online. This program starts this Monday for register today!

On Tuesday September 26th a special called meeting will be held by the Sumter County Board of Commissioners. This called meeting at 6pm will be for personnel discussion. The meeting will be in the Commissioners Room at the Sumter County Courthouse. All meetings of the Board of Commissioners are always open for the public to attend. You can attend in person or call-in Tuesday at 1-646-558-8656. The meeting ID is 858 5226 7449 and the passcode is 605437.

Today is the last day of summer as fall arrives at 2:51 tomorrow morning and it will actually FEEL like fall weather. The overnight low by tomorrow morning will be as cool as the mid-to-upper 50s and again for Sunday morning. Sunny and breezy today for this last day of summer with highs in the low-to-mid 80s. It will be warmer this weekend and some areas on Sunday may reach 90-degrees. It will continue to be breezy today through Sunday with a rise in the humidity but not unbearable by any means. It will be warmer Sunday and Monday but a return to more seasonal weather will be with us most of next week. There is a chance of rain late Tuesday into Wednesday next week but only a 30% chance at best. October is traditionally one of the driest months of the year and the chance of rain is slight at best in the extended forecast.

Other than dealing with power outages and the flashing or no lights on traffic lights, it was a rather quiet Thursday for the Americus Police. The power outages were reportedly due to a limb on the power lines that left a good many without power for a while yesterday. Four Contempt of Court warrants were issued. A suspicious incident occurred in the Bessie Mays Circle area. Damage to property was reported at 1120 N. Jackson Street. Officers checked on a shots fired complaint last night in the area of 605 Eastview Circle. Officers responded to four domestic-related calls yesterday and two miscellaneous calls. A hit-n-run accident took place in the parking lot of 805 Adderton Street. APD worked four traffic crashes yesterday in the City that had no reported injuries.

Powerball has rolled over again. The estimated jackpot Saturday night is $725 MILLION with the cash payout at $345.7MILLION.  It seemed like yesterday that the Powerball jackpot was over a BILLION Dollars but it was actually at the first of summer. It’s just $2 to play and if you do play, please do so responsibly and GOOD LUCK!

*UPDATE*

Investigation into the fatal accident around 1601 N. MLK Boulevard Tuesday night is continuing. The Specialized Crash Reconstruction Team was on the scene yesterday taking measurements from the head-on collision. One driver, Ronald Barner was pronounced deceased Tuesday night while the other driver, Garrette Carter, was taken for treatment for his injuries. Post 10 confirmed this morning that the second driver has now passed away from the injuries he sustained. Americus Police were initially on the scene but turned the investigation over to Trooper Danny Nguyen. As of this morning his report is still incomplete.

It was a quiet Thursday for the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. Two prisoner transports were made. A simple battery complaint was filed with a Deputy at 63 Valley Drive. Deputies gave assistance to a motorist. A loud music complaint was made at 354 Shiloh Road. Deputies worked two accidents yesterday that included one deer-related crash.

In the Sumter County Jail today: Alex Deandre Harvey for felony identity theft fraud; and Ricky Johnson for failure to appear.