WISK/WDEC

LOCAL NEWS

Tuesday January 18^th, 2022

*UPDATE*

A quick weather update to start your Tuesday. Many woke up having to scrape windshields for the first time this year. The winds died down overnight which allowed the ice to get a firm hold on those windshields. Today will be cool but those winds have finally died down which have been rather blustery since Saturday night. Highs today will reach the mid-50s and lows tonight around freezing so you may have to scrape again tomorrow morning. Forecasters have been calling for first a chance of snow for this coming weekend and then a wintry mix yesterday and today our weekend forecast says frozen precipitation. It will be cold and there will be some type of frozen precipitation not only in SW Georgia but across the state. This next weather system arrives with rain on Thursday and a cold rain on Friday. It’s Friday night when the frozen “stuff” is forecast. Be weather aware and pay attention to this changing forecast as we get nearer to Friday.

We have reached the time of the month where regular monthly meetings are held. The Sumter County Board of Commissioners regular monthly meeting will be held virtually due to the current surge in COVID cases in Sumter County. The meeting will be held via ZOOM at 6. To participate, call 1-646-558-8656 and use 897 3624 9622 as the meeting ID. The passcode is 059684. All meetings of the Board of Commissioners are open to the public.

The Governing Board of Furlow Charter School meets at 6 this evening. This meeting will be held in the Media Center on campus.

There will be a called meeting of the Sumter County BOE at 6 this evening in the boardroom of the SCS Administration Building. The purpose of this called meeting is to discuss the proposed redistricting maps. This meeting is open for the community to attend.

The monthly meeting of the Mayor and City Council will be held via ZOOM at 6 this Thursday evening.

School resumes today for students in the Sumter County Schools. With COVID cases rising within the schools, the BOE canceled school on Thursday and Friday last week and because of the MLK Holiday yesterday, students were out of class. The off time was used to deep clean all schools and facilities. Just last week, Superintendent Knighton proposed extending the use of face masks on busses and in school until the end of the third 9-weeks or March 15^th. This passed unanimously. Students and visitors will need face coverings in any SCS building.

The City and County offices resume normal business hours today after being closed for the MLK Jr. Holiday. All trash pickup is still on track for your usual trash day.

It was a pretty busy holiday for the Americus Police. Several entering auto cases occurred around town. These locations included H3 Southland Heights Apartments; 107-A Magnolia Court; and at 902 Davenport Street.

Criminal trespass complaints were made at 105 Falcon Drive and at 105 Glory Court.

Following a traffic stop on E. Lamar at Rees, Arnold L. Perez was arrested for driving without a valid license and operating an unregistered vehicle.

After a traffic stop on E. Forsyth at Rees, the driver, Diane S. Ross was arrested for an outstanding warrant.

George A. Davis was arrested for shoplifting at Wal-Mart.

A financial transaction card fraud and cruelty to persons 65 and older is under further investigation.

Responding to a domestic call to 207 Poplar Street, Catherine Hawkins was arrested for simple battery (FVA). This was 1 of 4 domestic-related calls answered by officers yesterday.

Officers answered 1 miscellaneous call yesterday.

There were 2 accidents worked by APD on Monday that did have 1 reported injury.

*UPDATE*

Sumter County Sheriff’s Deputies had an active holiday weekend. 8 traffic stops were conducted with warnings issued to the drivers. A theft took place from 3189 Lee Street Road. A suspicious person was spotted in the Orchid Drive area. Investigation is underway into a theft by receiving stolen property case. Deputies answered 4 domestic-related weekend calls. A case of identity theft is being investigated. 3 activated alarms were checked out. A bad child complaint was made at apartment 603 900 Southwestern Circle. A civil complaint was made at 116 Highway 30W. Deputies worked 1 deer-related accident over the holiday weekend.

In the Sumter County Jail today: Destiny Hope Allen for unlawful use of 9-1-1 and the false report of a crime; Dominique Antonio Banks for DUI/ open container/ driving with a suspended license/ failure to obey a stop sign/ and probation violation; Larry Donnell Barner for disorderly conduct; Catherine Hawkins for simple battery (FVA); Martin Andrew Liles for felony probation violation; Brandon Emanuel Pope for Drug Court follow-up; Adam Tyler Preston—housing for Webster County; Roderick Benard Strickland for criminal attempt to commit a felony; and Stephen Kyle Studdard for felony probation violation. 2 were released from jail after posting bond. 2 were back in jail for sentencing.