WISK  /  WDEC

Local News

Thursday January 17^th, 2019

*UPDATE*

The Mayor and City Council held a called meeting in closed session yesterday to hear discussion on litigation and to interview at least 2 candidates for the position of City Manager. There will be more interviews this afternoon at 4 when possibly 3 more candidates will be interviewed, again in closed session. At 6 this evening, the agenda-setting meeting of the Mayor and City Council will be held in Council Chambers of the Public Safety Building. This meeting is open for the community to attend.

Senator Greg Kirk was recently appointed to serve as Chairman of the Senate Committee on State and Local Government Operations. In addition, Sen. Kirk will serve as Secretary of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee and as a member of the Senate Appropriations and Insurance and Labor Committees. These appointments were announced by the Senate Committee on Assignments earlier this week. The first session of the 155^th Georgia General Assembly convened on January 14^th at the Georgia State Capitol.

This Monday, January 21^st will be the MLK Holiday, a state and national holiday. Locally, a program will be held on Monday morning at 10am in front of the Sumter County Courthouse. Darrell Sabbs Jr. will be the keynote speaker on Monday. Following the program on Monday morning, those attending are invited to march to Friendship Missionary Baptist Church on Cotton Avenue for a service that begins at 11. At the 11am service, Dwight Harris will be the featured speaker and there will be special music. These events are open for the public to attend.

Tonight at 6 in the auditorium of the Sumter County Ag Center, UGA Specialists will present a Sumter County Cotton Production meeting for Sumter County farmers and agri-businesses. With your attendance, you will earn 1-hour credit towards your private and/or Commercial Category 24 pesticide license. Registration was a requirement since a sponsored meal will be served and a number was needed to prepare an adequate number of meals for attendees.

Sumter County Fire & Rescue responded to a residence on Highway 30W yesterday. Upon arrival, fireworks and some explosive-like devices were going off from the fire. The situation was quickly brought under control but a person in the fire and fireworks explosion was burned severely and was taken to Phoebe Sumter but later airlifted to another facility for treatment. Later in the afternoon, ATF (Alcohol-Tobacco and Firearms) was on the scene for further investigation.

Wednesday was another fairly quiet 24-hours for the Americus Police Officers. 2 autos were entered around town. These locations were at 301 Hosanna Circle and 115 W. Lester.

Lost/mislaid property was reported at 125 W. Lamar Street.

A peeping tom complaint was made in the S. Jackson Street area.

A civil complaint for damaged property occurred at 711 Barlow Street.

Officers answered 3 miscellaneous and 2 domestic-related calls yesterday.

There was 1 accident worked by APD with no reported injuries.

*UPDATE*

Wednesday, just like Tuesday, was another quiet 24-hour shift for the Sumter County Sheriff’s Deputies. Several prisoner transports were made. A motorist was assisted with a mechanical problem yesterday. Only 1 traffic stop was conducted with a warning issued. A deer-related accident was worked by a Deputy yesterday.

In the Sumter County Jail today: James Lynn Baker for criminal damage to property; Dustin Michael Bissett for felony 2^nd degree burglary and felony theft by taking; Essence Occasha Durham for City probation; Kasie Lawarren Monson for probation violation/ violations of conditions on limited driving permit/ failure to maintain insurance/ and brake light-turn signal violation; Damian Dontel Pollard for battery (DVA); Woodrow Alfred Terry for felony probation violation; and Eric Ruben Vincente-Pelico for battery and 1^st degree cruelty to children.