Week in Review
April 28 to May 4, 2007
--Double murder suspect arrested.
--One of the fire calls is a suspected arson.
--The Thomas County Board of Commissioners voted to take the first steps of the process to take by eminent domain property for a new courthouse.
--The teacher of the year is named.
--Fires continue in Southeast Georgia.
--There is a legislative update.
--Federal aid for crops in Georgia impacted by the Easter freeze has fallen victim to the Iraq war debate.
DOUBLE MURDER SUSPECT ARRESTED
Timothy Lamar James, who police spent last week searching for as the prime suspect in a double-homicide that took place just east of Thomasville on April 23, was captured by Jacksonville, Florida, Police Saturday afternoon about 1:30PM. After a tip police went looking for him and chased him down. Meanwhile, four family members and two friends are being charged with helping the fugitive elude arrest.
--Timothy James, 35, is the suspect in the shooting death of his wife, Tammy James, 35, and her 16-year old son, Jamayas Wyche. They were found at their mobile home at 152 Glem Drive just off of US-84 East shortly after 5PM last Monday.
--Timothy James' mother, Johnnie Ethel James, 57, of Patterson Still Road, Thomasville, is charged with picking up Timothy James on the Reichertville Road farm where he worked after he abandoned the pickup that Monday night. Johnnie James is alleged to have driven James to Boston where he met a friend, Lewis Jackson, 32, of Cairo, who police say took him to Valdosta. Lewis Jackson's wife, Jackie Jackson, 27, is charged with knowing about the incident but lying to investigators about it. The Jacksons and Johnnie James were arrested Tuesday night. Allen Franklin James, 40, of Wright Street, Thomasville, the brother of Timothy James, was charged by the Sheriff's Office Monday night with destroying possible evidence in the case. James Mutry, 31, of Thomasville, the brother of Timothy Lamar James, was arrested early Friday morning at the Pelham residence of his girlfriend and charged with helping James to elude police.
FIRE CALL
An arson fire is being investigated that took place at J.C. Penny's Department Store in the Gateway Shopping Center Monday, April 30. Thomasville Fire-Rescue units were called to the store about 4:25PM when someone set fire to shirts in the women's department of the store. Store personnel quickly put the fire out before fire units arrived, but there was considerable smoke in the store. Fire personnel pulled the smoke from the building. No injuries were reported.
--Thomasville Fire-Rescue units went to 1216 Magnolia Street about 6:15PM Sunday, April 29. Heavy damage was caused in a kitchen there from a fire that burned a stove and cabinets above the stove. There was heavy smoke damage in the rest of the house. No injuries were reported.
--Thomasville Fire-Rescue units went to a brush fire Wednesday, May 2, about 11:50AM at 2075 Sanford Road. An electrical malfunction in a water well pump started a fire that burned the housing for the pump and a little less than an acre around the well. No injuries were reported.
THOMAS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TAKE FIRST STEP TO TAKE PROPERTY BY EMINENT DOMAIN
The Thomas County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted during a regular meeting Monday night, April 30, to take the first steps of the process to take by eminent domain the block of property along West Washington and Madison Streets for a new courthouse. The action came after a brief public hearing where citizens were given a chance o comment on the action. Except for three lawyers representing property owners affected, the only comment came from an unidentified spectator who said, "I think it's a poor law to take a person's property away from him." The next step is for the county to file a petition of condemnation in Superior Court in 30 days. The court will then have 10 days to appoint a special master in the case and the parties will make their case for just compensation for the property.
TEACHER OF THE YEAR NAMED IN THOMAS COUNTY
Carolyn Clifton, a third grade teacher at Cross Creek Elementary School was named Thomas County school system's Teacher of the Year Monday, April 30. Clifton has been teaching at Cross Creek for five years and has 22 total years of teaching experience. She grew up in Thomas County and is a 1980 graduate of Thomas County Central High School. She has also been a high school swim teach coach for 10 years. She is the daughter of James Clifton and the late Ruth Clifton. Her mom, Ruth, was a teacher for 34 years with the Thomasville City School System. Carolyn earned a Bachelor's degree in education from Georgia Southern University and later completed graduate work to earn her Master's and Education Specialist degrees from Valdosta State University.
WILDFIRE UPDATE
Arson investigators are looking into whether someone may have set several small fires that have broken out recently near the large fire that is burning in southeast Georgia. Georgia Forestry Commission officials say at least three of the smaller spot fires burning in Ware and Charlton counties show evidence of being set. The main fire started April 16 when a tree fell across live power lines. For several days winds have blown burning embers up to a half-mile or more and have been a threat to start smaller spot fires, but GFC officials say the fires that started near their command post on Saturday, April 28, do not show signs of starting that way.
--Firefighters also have been working to contain two smaller wildfires that broke out Sunday, April 29, in neighboring Charlton and Brantley counties east of Ware County. At least 9 families have been evacuated from Charlton County and about 1,300 acres have burned in Brantley County and that fire has been about 50% contained. Another fire broke out Saturday in an Atkinson County peat bog about 30 miles west of Waycross and had burned about 3,500 acres.
--The state is seeking help from forest services in neighboring states and from federal agencies in fighting the fires. More than 830 firefighters from Georgia and neighboring states had the main Ware County fire 64% contained Monday. The Thomasville Fire-Rescue Department has already sent 4 people to help fight the fire in Ware County. They left Sunday for an 8 day deployment. The Thomas County Fire Department has had one person in the fight last week.--Governor Sony Perdue on Wednesday, May 2, declared a state of emergency in 21 counties in southeast Georgia that have been burned in wildfires. In the executive order, Perdue said severe drought conditions have created an extreme threat for fires. The state of emergency covers the following counties: Atkinson, Bacon, Berrien, Brantley, Bryan, Camden, Charlton, Chatham, Clinch, Coffee, Echols, Effingham, Glynn, Lanier, Liberty, Long, Lowndes, McIntosh, Pierce, Ware and Wayne. The order means state resources are available to assist the Georgia Forestry Commission, the Georgia Emergency Management Agency and local governments in fighting the fires and recovery. The order also covers those areas that may still be hit by fires.
--Georgia officials predict it will cost about $18 million dollars to fight the fires which have so far burned more than 100,000 acres. The Governor also issued a second executive order that permits oversize trucks to remove burnt timber from the fires areas.
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
Governor Sonny Perdue asked House members Thursday, May 3, about their preference for a special session, suggesting three possible dates: May 7, May 14 or May 21 for possible start dates for a session to last a minimum of five days. Senate leaders are polling their own members on a preference for the session. Republican House leaders have told the Governor that before they can settle on the best start date for a session, they need to know if Governor Perdue would just call on the House to resolve the budget or whether other matters might be included as well.
NO FEDERAL AID FOR EASTER FREEZE
Federal aid for crops in Georgia impacted by the Easter freeze has fallen victim to the Iraq war debate. Like many of the other domestic spending parts of the Iraq War funding bill, the crop assistance was vetoed along with the rest of the bill by President Bush on Tuesday. The crop provisions in the spending bill covered losses in 2005, 2006 and early 2007. The version of the bill that Congress sent President Bush said damaged crops were eligible as long as they were planted before February 28. Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin says it will take a sizable amount of money to cover the losses in the Peach State. Final estimates are not in yet, but agriculture officials across the South expect hundreds of millions of dollars in losses from the freeze.--Meanwhile, Irvin says he is concerned about the effect of the drought on all of the state’s crops, especially those already damaged or held up by the recent freeze. "We’re in a critical situation with some of our crops in some areas, if those fields do not get some good soaking rain this week," Irvin said. "Without rain, cotton and peanut planting will be held up, and vegetables and tobacco that have been replanted will not produce. Where farmers are irrigating, the costs are rising and the farm ponds are starting to dry up. Some farmers are starting to cut their freeze- and drought-damaged wheat to feed their animals. It’s too late to replant corn in the southeast. And in the south and in the southeast farming regions, it may be too dry to try planting sorghum. Last year’s minimal hay crop all across the state was already causing problems with cattle and dairy farmers. This year hay and other feed stocks have suffered damage from the freeze and drought all across the state. Pecan trees that survived the freeze could start dropping nuts if they don’t get rain," Irvin said.