A neighbor witnessed 44 year old Cornelius Burnley shoot and kill another male and then drag the body into his home in Jonesboro, Georgia. Burnley has been arrested and charged with murder and aggravated assault.
The investigation of the murder Tara Grinstead that occurred in 2005 has taken another turn and one more suspect identified as Bo Dukes is now facing charges along with his former classmate and suspected murderer Ryan Duke; a former student where Grinstead taught school. Bo Dukes is facing multiple charges for his part in destroying evidence and hindering the apprehension of a criminal. According to the latest report the body of Tara Grinstead was hidden at Fitzgerald Farms on Highway 129 in Ben Hill County.
Tourism spending is up in Tifton and Tift County by over two million dollars from three years ago. The influx of additional dollars generated almost 98 million dollars in 2016 with over 2.8 million dollars in local tax revenue.
Some parents of students at Turner County Elementary School are voicing concerns over incidents of bullying. A six year old female was attacked by several other students and the mother of the victim filed a report with the Sheriff’s Office. Other parents with students support the claims of the victim’s mother.
28 year old Dextinn Hill-a former member of the Adel City Council and former educator has been convicted and sentenced on charges that involved child molestation, statutory rape and enticing a child for indecent purposes. He will serve the initial 12 years of his 25 year sentence in prison followed by sex-offender probation upon release. The encounters took place between 2012 and 2015.
The male and female thieves who had plagued small Walmart stores in South Georgia were arrested in Alabama. The couple is identified as Henry and Shannon Dunlap. Sylvester officials had notified regional law enforcement of the Dunlap’s activity and gave them a description of their truck. Though they had removed the tags Alabama officers were still able to identify them and make the arrests. The will be brought back to Georgia to face additional charges in Albany and Sylvester.
The Lowndes County Board of Education will meet at 6 pm at Westside Elementary on James Road. The meeting is open to the public. On the agenda is a review of technology purchases, awards presentations and other board business items.
The Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce handed out awards at its annual business and professional recognition ceremony held at the Rainwater Conference center. Congratulations go out to Nicholas Harden of Big Nicks Restaurant taking honors as the Small Business of the Year; Janie McGhin and Partners in Health Management won the business plan competition taking home $10,000 startup funds and in kind services provided by members of the local chamber; The Big Thinker Award went to Ronald Cowart of Cowart Electric and the A.L. Girardin award for an outstanding chamber member’s contributions to the business community and the chamber went to Michael Lee-President of Ameris Bank and outgoing board chair at the chamber. Other award winners included Jeremy Chick, Laura Love, Jerry Kozuch and Angie Crawford.
Thanks to the efforts of the local section of the NCNW and their annual community-wide family reunion fund raiser a donation has been made in support of the city school systems homeless education services initiative. The annual community wide family reunion event has become one of the major events in the area.
No charges were filed in connection with a Colquitt County accident in which a vehicle driven by Danny Atmore struck the motorized wheelchair of Whitley Kirk who officials say rolled his wheelchair into the path of the oncoming traffic. Kirk managed to navigate across two lanes of five lane traffic but was struck attempting to make his way into a business driveway. Kirk was ejected from his wheelchair by the impact and later died.
Dave Williams writing for the Atlanta Business Chronicle reports that ride-sharing services would be required to collect sales taxes from passengers under legislation that cleared the Georgia House of Representatives Friday night. The bill now moves to the state Senate.
Sergeant First Class Tracy Tabb, Post #31 Valdosta reports Trooper activity during the month of February; troopers investigated 97 crashes, resulting in 57 injuries and 4 fatalities. They issued 573 citations, made 30 D.U.I. arrests, 43 Distracted Driving citations were handed out along with 201 speeding citations. 14 drug arrests were made including 5 felony drug arrests and 1 wanted suspect was apprehended.
