News

Shown left is Jamie Gardner presenting a check for $500.00 to Karen P. Griffin (and her husband Cecil Griffin). The Griffins won The News-Banner’s annual Christmas drawing for $500.00 for annual subscribers. [Full Story »] 

The Baxley News-Banner will close for Christmas on Thursday, Dec. 22 at 12:00 p.m. and Friday, Dec. 23. The office will reopen Monday, Dec. 26 at 8:30 a.m. for normal business hours. The deadline for the Dec. 28 issue will be Monday, Dec. 26 at 12:00 p.m. [Full Story »] 

By Jamie Gardner

The Appling County Board of Education approved Lentile Construction as the Construction Management firm that will oversee upcoming construction and renovations at Altamaha Elementary and Fourth District Elementary schools. The action was approved during a board meeting held on Dec. 12. Superintendent Scarlett Copeland reported that a committee reviewed three proposals and Lentile’s scored the highest out of the proposals. [Full Story »] 

By Matt Gardner

The Appling County Board of Commissioners held a called meeting on Wednesday, December 14, beginning at 9:00 a.m. During the meeting the commissioners approved the purchase of a fire truck for the Fourth District Fire Department at a cost of $25,000.00. The commissioners also approved the purchase of new playground equipment to replace the current equipment at the Appling Recreation Complex for $34,810.68. Both purchases were approved unanimously. [Full Story »] 

By Renee O’Quinn

The Baxley City Council held its regularly scheduled meeting Dec. 13. City Manager Jeff Baxley reported that the collection agency the city discussed for the collection of utility bad debts, has experienced some personnel changes, which have caused some concern. Mayor Pro Tem Dr. Esco Hall, Jr. made a motion authorizing the manager and city attorney to review this and proceed with negotiating a contract. Councilwoman Betty Livingston seconded the motion and this item was approved unanimously. [Full Story »] 

Judge E. M. Wilkes, III opened indictments on twenty-three subjects in Appling County Superior Court on Dec. 9. The following subjects and their indictments are given.

-Johnny Mack Bryant - Cruelty to children, second degree, battery, family violence-two counts and cruelty to children, third degree. [Full Story »] 

Marine Corps Pvt. Jeremy L. Dyal, son of Marcia L. and Elbert L. Dyal of Baxley, recently completed 12-weeks of basic training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, S.C., designed to challenge new Marine recruits both physically and mentally. Dyal and fellow recruits began their training at 5:00 a. m., by running three miles and performing calisthenics. [Full Story »] 

By Matt Gardner

The Appling County Board of Commissioners held their regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, December 6 at the Appling County Courthouse Annex beginning at 5:30 p.m. During the meeting Alex Johnson and Sydney Wildes shared information about the need of a change to the current Solid Waste Plan in order to be able to install another waste management plant in Appling County. The current plan only allows for one such plant. The new plant is to be built between Highway 121 and Highway 15 outside of Surrency. The plant is projected to bring 20 jobs to the community when opened and around 150 to 200 jobs by the third to fifth year. The plant would have a small landfill and would recycle 60 to 70 percent of waste collected. No action was taken due to all members of the commission not being present at the meeting. [Full Story »] 

The following are highlights of incidents that were handled by officers of the Baxley Police Department over the past few weeks.

Nov. 12 at approx. 2:11 p.m., answered a call to Wal-Mart in reference to a theft. On arrival officers met with the LPC officer who told them that they had discovered several cameras and GPS-Garmins missing from a counter in the electronics department of the store. Upon checking the surveillance footage it showed two black males removing the items from their cartons and placing the items inside their clothes and walking out without paying for them. [Full Story »]