It was another deadly weekend on Georgia roadways. The Georgia State Patrol reports that two people were killed in a single vehicle accident in Turner County. The driver lost control of the SUV on Interstate 75, flipped it several times. Three people were ejected, two more were taken to hospitals and one passenger was airlifted to a facility in Macon.
Gun violence erupted in Mitchell County causing two people to be hospitalized and the shooter Stephen McClendon to be jailed. He faces multiple violations including aggravated stalking. The victims were identified as Scarlet Harrell and Clenwood Taylor, Jr. At last report Harrell remained in the hospital and Taylor was treated and released.
New details on the kidnapping and killing that took place in Camilla. The Georgia State Patrol SWAT team responded to the hostage situation where 49 year old Fredrick Murray shot and killed his wife-Willie Mae Wallace. Murray has a criminal record involving arson charges and aggravated assault. He was released from prison in 2012. Family members now report incidents of domestic violence and encourage persons involved in family violence to seek help before it is too late. The standoff between law enforcement and Murray who finally surrendered lasted for six and a half hours.
A special event will be held at Valdosta State University on April 23rd at 6 p.m. it’s the 40th Annual International Dinner sponsored by The Society for International Students. The dinner will be held in the Student Union Ballroom. For ticket information college-high school elementary and middle school students contact the VSU Center for International Programs, 204 Georgia Ave.
A new Williams Investment Corporation project will bring a new hotel to Valdosta. A groundbreaking ceremony has already taken place for the new Comfort Inn and Suites on U.S. 84. The facility will feature 95 rooms and as many as 31 of them will be suites. The hotel will also feature a conference room capable of accommodating 18 people.
The Georgia Department of Transportation projects to replace bridges over Five Mile and Ten Mile creeks will result in a traffic detour. The existing Five Mile Creek Bridge is closing and the nearby Ten Mile Creek Bridge will be accessible to local traffic only. The construction cost of each bridge is $3.7 and the replacement work will begin April 18 at Five Mile and Ten Mile creeks on SR 64 near Lakeland.
Traffic will shift to newly-constructed lanes on state Route 133 so the contractor can begin reconstructing the existing lanes. Nine sections of SR 133 between Valdosta and Albany will be widened and reconstructed. The SR 133 corridor will connect 95 percent of Georgia cities with populations of 2,500 or more to the Interstate Highway System. It will also place 98 percent of Georgia’s population within 20 miles of a four-lane road.
When: Tuesday, April 12
Where: SR 133 between Fellowship Home Lane and Pauline Church Road, Brooks County.
The Valdosta Fire Department has partnered with the Georgia Department of Labor to host a Public Safety Career Expo, on Tuesday, April 12, from 12-3 p.m., at Valdosta Fire Station No. 1. The event prepares citizens who are interested in learning more about careers in the Public Safety field. Dozens of local and state public safety agencies will be featured at the Expo including local and state fire and police departments, EMS, the 9-1-1 Emergency Call Center, the Georgia Department of Labor, as well as from local colleges and universities who have educational programs that provide training in these fields. Expo attendees should bring copies of their resumes, as several participating agencies will be accepting job applications. This event is open to the public and is free of charge. To learn more information, contact Administrative Battalion Chief Johnny Henry at 229-333-1837.
