Colquitt County officials are trying to determine a cause of death after a Valdosta man died last week. 23-year-old William Dane Gilliland was at a Moultrie worksite when he collapsed and later died. An autopsy did not reveal an apparent cause of death, and officials are waiting for a toxicology report.
Lowndes County law enforcement arrested eight drivers for driving under the influence of alcohol and other drugs over the Memorial Day weekend. Those arrested were all men ranging in age from 22 to 55 years old.
A man accused of killing his five best friends and then setting the house they were in on fire says he’s innocent. Jeffrey Peacock appeared in court Tuesday, exactly one year after the incident, and pleaded not guilty to five counts of malice murder, five counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, one count of arson, and three counts of aggravated cruelty to an animal.
The Coffee County Department of Natural Resources is asking the public’s help in identifying those responsible for duct taping a dead dear to a Willacoochee Highway street sign dressed in a shirt and sunglasses. Anyone with information can call (912) 381-6977.
Despite recent rain, the fire that has burned more than 150,000 acres of Okefenokee Swamp land is picking back up. Fire officials say crews have contained 65 percent of the fire which was started in April by lightning.
Dry weather is continuing to plague North Florida and South Georgia. The latest drought monitor has much of South Georgia under a moderate drought. Parts of Brooks, Lowndes, Cook, Berrien, and Clinch counties are under extreme drought conditions. Valdosta has a 3.39-inch rain deficit for the year.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced Tuesday that the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine has confirmed the state’s first cases of H3N2 canine influenza virus, also know as “dog flu.” “Dog flu” has been circulating throughout the U.S. since 2015, but this is the first time it has been confirmed in Florida
South Georgia’s unemployment rate fell to 4.8 percent in April. There were 492 more Southern Georgia area residents employed in April than in March.
An “edutainment business” has broken ground in Valdosta. Cre8ive Zone is a learning facility offering education and entertainment simultaneously and plans to provide hands-on exhibits aimed at furthering the education of K-12 and home-schooled students.
Splash Island Nights returns this weekend to Wild Adventures. Splash Island will remain open until 10 PM each Friday in June and July, and guests can party under the stars on their favorite water rides with a DJ, dance contests, games, a special buffet and prizes.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has issued a warning regarding dangerous synthetic opioids found in counterfeit pills. “Graveyard dead” was the phrase GBI Director Vernon Keenan used to describe the danger.
The Valdosta-Lowndes Parks and Recreation Authority has extended registration for its Youth Summer Soccer League. Parents can register their children online at VLPRA.com before the June 4th deadline.
