News

By Jamie Gardner

On January 17 a federal indictment charged 12 defendants for their roles in an alleged sex trafficking and prostitution ring stretching from Georgia to Florida to North and South Carolina.  The federal charges follow a lengthy investigation dubbed “Operation Dark Night,” which was led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).  In addition to a number of arrests and searches, federal authorities rescued 11 women alleged to have been forced into prostitution.  [Full Story »] 

By Jamie Gardner

At its first regular monthly meeting of 2013, held on January 22, Appling County Board of Education members elected Randy Crawford, District 4 representative, to serve as chairman for the board. Randy Sellers, District 1 representatives, was elected to serve as vice-chairman of the board. This was also the first regular board meeting for newly sworn members Cindy Tomberlin, District 5, and Jeffrey Miller, District 2.
Board members and Superintendent Scarlett Copeland expressed their appreciation to Scottie Ammons, District 3 representative, for serving as chairman of the board during 2012. [Full Story »] 

On Friday, January 18, at approximately 3:00 p.m. a homeowner in the Surrency area received a call that his home alarm had been activated. Upon arrival, the homeowner saw an unknown person in his yard. The suspect fired a gun at the homeowner and fled. The homeowner called 911 and the lookout was given to Appling and Wayne County Deputies. The homeowner followed the suspect. Wayne County Deputies on Hwy 169 just north of Jesup apprehended the suspect. The suspect, Ramon Johnson, 56, of Waycross, has been charged with possession of a firearm by convicted felon, two counts of aggravated assault, burglary, possession of firearm for the commission of a crime and possession of tools for the commission of a crime. This arrest will clear some past burglaries that have occurred in this area of the county. [Full Story »] 

By Jamie Gardner

For years surgeons and operating room (OR) staff at Appling HealthCare have maneuvered patients throughout various parts of the facility in order to perform surgeries. Patient holding and prep was in one area, patient recovery in another and the actual operating rooms in another area. This has now changed. All of the operating/surgical services at Appling HealthCare are now located within an entire wing, or suite as the employees call it, of the hospital and many staff members reported this has greatly improved flow and patient care within the department. The area where surgery is housed currently is located where the old emergency room was located, or on the north side of the campus. [Full Story »] 

Superior Court Judge E. M. Wilkes III releases the names for Grand Jury for February 11. The names are as follows:

Steven Nicholas Brannen, Jimmy Lester Dyal, Gerald Roderick Gruber, Cynthia Wilder Hatchett, Lori Lynne Lee, Jeffrey Glenn Williams, Pearl Maude Turner, Velma Jean Griffin, Patricia Cason Owens, William Peter Wright IV, David James Maxwell, Maria J. Delamora, Patricia Ann Newton, Robert Levester Paulk Jr., Elizabeth Jennifer Johnson, Holly Ann Harper, Ruthell Mann Lightsey, Cheryl R. Collins, Harley Kristina Kamalakis, Shane Marquese Williams, Christopher M. Aldridge, Donna Wilson Carter, Wayne Taylor, Clete Maclay Granade, Teresa Ann Fennell, Katrina Nicole Beasley, Cathy P. Graham, Paul R. Hall, Mary G. Cameron, Stephen M. Booher, Jason Ryan Bennett, William T. Butler Jr., Dorothy A. McNamara, Mary E. Leggett, Terry C. Edenfield Jr., Barbara A. Dean, Diana Alicia Callahan, Gary Dennis Patterson and Carolyn McCall Davis. [Full Story »] 

Superior Court Judge E. M. Wilkes III releases the names for Traverse Jury for February 11. The names are as follows:

Elvis Batten, Josephine T. Lightsey, Cynthia Lynn Winge, Krashonda Denise Stone, Lennie T. Crayton, Karen L. Rucks, Noreen B. Leggett, John Stephen Statum, George Felton Lightsey, Betty Jean Jackson, Terry James Moody, Velma M. McIntyre, Ronald J. Staines, Constance Lowe Gelatka, Jason Bernard Allen, Tina Zacher, Kelli Ruth Rickey, Bobby Lee Gay, Larry Craig Stone, Damian Z. Futch, Beverly Rae Digiacomo, Harrell Parkerson Hudson, Jeremy Gene Thompson, Roy Baucom Jr., Mary Alice Landom, Delton H. Altman, Henry C. Morris, Donna E. Wright, Richard T. Nix Sr., William Nathaniel Carter, Edgar Lee Rasnick Jr., Melinda K. Harvey, Mamie Leo Lett, Karen Suzanne Bowen, Shardaben S. Patel, Ginger E. Milton, Sylvia Y. Harris, Thomas Dewayne Griffin, Comer Anthony Hesters, Leticia Que Poblete, Richard Eugene Walizer and Marklyn Jane Harper. [Full Story »] 

National Wear Red Day is Friday, Feb. 1. On this day, Americans nationwide will wear red to show their support for women’s heart disease awareness. The Southeast Health District and Appling County Health Department are asking residents to wear red in the form of clothing, buttons, hats, pins, etc. to show their support on this day. [Full Story »] 

Would you like to tour the new addition of Altamaha Elementary School? How would you like to know more about how to help your child perform better on tests? [Full Story »] 

Appling County Primary School will host a Scholastic Book Fair on Friday, February 1, and Monday – Friday, February 4-8. The Book Fair will be open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and will be located in the school’s media center. Funds raised will benefit the school and help purchase books for the media center. [Full Story »] 

It’s that time again. Time to treat your sweetheart, your friend, or yourself to a steak dinner and an evening of great entertainment. [Full Story »] 

In the Superior Court of Appling County on January 18, in the case The State of Georgia vs. Jonathan Kyle Courson, an Appling County Grand Jury indicted Jonathan Courson on eight separate counts including malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, making a false statement, tampering with evidence, reckless conduct, insurance fraud and criminal attempt to commit theft by deception. [Full Story »] 

On January 18 an Appling County Grand Jury received a special presentment in the matter of Georgia State Trooper Harvey Williford involving the February 19, 2012 shooting death of James M. Dixon, III. [Full Story »] 

Rayonier (NYSE:RYN) announced early Tuesday that it has reached agreement to sell all of the assets of its Wood Products business to International Forest Products Limited (Interfor) for $80 million. The sale, expected to close in the first quarter, will result in an after-tax gain of approximately $40 million. [Full Story »]