News

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 »] 

By Jamie Gardner

The Appling Hospital Authority met for a called meeting on Thursday, December 8. Following a closed-door session, for the purpose of discussing personnel, authority members voted to layoff approximately 35 employees. The motion to make staffing adjustments was made by Jesse Alderman, and seconded by James Twiggs. Chairperson Peggy Miles called for a vote and authority members Alderman, Twiggs, Jeffrey Simmons, Lisa Courson and Donnie Head voted unanimously in favor of the motion. [Full Story »] 

Thousands visited First Baptist Church and its Walk Through Bethlehem this past weekend. The church sponsors the event annually and converts an entire city block, in downtown Baxley, into a replica of the town of Bethlehem to share the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. [Full Story »] 

Former Appling County Sheriff’s Deputy Richard W. Crosby, 36, was sentenced yesterday in United States District Court for the offense of being an accessory after the fact to a drug crime.  Appearing before Chief Judge Lisa Godbey Wood in Brunswick, Crosby was sentenced to two months in prison, to be followed by a one-year term of supervised release.  He was also fined $1,500.  [Full Story »] 

Sheriff Benny Deloach would like to report the following incidents handled by deputies with the Appling County Sheriff’s Department.

Nov. 26, answered a call to Gardenia Circle in reference to a juvenile complaint. A grandmother has custody of a fourteen-year-old grandchild who is visiting from a facility. The grandchild ran away taking a cell phone. A juvenile complaint form was filed and BOLO was issued for the child. The juvenile was found and returned to the facility. [Full Story »] 

If you missed the annual Chamber of Commerce’s Christmas Parade and the City of Baxley’s Winter Wonderland Saturday evening in downtown Baxley, you missed some wonderful events. The events were well attended this year and citizens seemed to enjoy both events. At 8:00 p.m. the night sky lit up with a fantastic fireworks display sponsored by the Appling County Commissioners. [Full Story »]