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The Paper | Thursday, August 7, 2014
Murder charge in stabbing filed
Drug arrests made by Sheriff ’s Office The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office arrested Richard Keith Williamson, 50, and Veanita Jewellene Shumake, 42, both of Jefferson, on drug-related charges on July 29. During the course of an investigation, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office investigators were led to Williamson’s Brockton Loop residence, located off of Highway 335/Brockton Road, where a quantity of methamphetamine and a gun were discovered. Williamson has been charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime and possession of firearm by a convicted felon. Shumake is charged with possession of methamphetamine and possession of firearm during the commission of a crime. Both Williamson and Shumake were transported to the Jackson County Jail.
JCCI
Continued from 1A Commissioner Bruce Yates, a retired educator, looked to the audience filled with local high school graduates and said he saw many of his former students among the JCCI employees. “And they are on the right side of the bars, too,” joked Crow. At the state awards event, several Georgia key officials were on hand for the ceremony, which was attended by more than 300 guests. Making the award presentation with Commissioner Brian Owens were Board of Corrections Chairman John Mayes; Public & Intergovernmental Affairs Director Joan Heath; Assistant Commissioner Timothy C. Ward and special guest speaker Bob Hoffman, men’s basketball head coach for Mercer University. “In 2013 the Department of Corrections embarked on several projects to accomplish the Governor’s mission of advancement in criminal justice reform. The successful stride made this past year providing opportunities for positive change is the driving factor to continuously measure and improve our process,” said DOC Commissioner Brian Owens, who then commented what an outstanding job Warden Weaver has done. Also noted was the outstanding job JCCI has done in using a more academic approach to the reentry process of Georgia’s lowest-level offenders. There are 23 county work camps in Georgia with a total of 5,000 inmates. Jackson County Correctional Institution, located in Jefferson, operates with a staff of 28, and is contracted to house 150 state inmates. These offenders provide a labor force which supports the communities of Jackson County. The JCCI provides more than 30 work details on a daily basis to numerous Jackson County departments as well as several cities throughout Jackson County. Additionally, the JCCI has one of the three inmate firefighting teams that have been established in a county correctional institute throughout the State of Georgia. The inmate firefighting team provides critical support to the various fire departments operating within Jackson County. “We are so proud of the JCCI for being named Facility of the Year by the Georgia Department of Corrections,” said Jackson County Manager Kevin
5A
Williamson
Shumake
Smith
Woodrum
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office arrested two persons Aug. 1 on drugrelated charges. During the course of an ongoing investigation relating to drug activity in the South Jackson County area, Sheriff’s deputies caught Michael Oneal Smith, 32, of Winder, and Darien Nichole Woodrum, 21, of Athens, delivering a quantity of methamphetamine to a known location. Investigators were able to apprehend Smith and Woodrum and consequently located a large quantity of methamphetamine, marijuana and
cash in their vehicle. Smith was arrested and charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, criminal attempt to sell methamphetamine, use of a communication device to facilitate a drug deal and possession of marijuana. Woodrum was also arrested and is facing charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, criminal attempt to sell methamphetamine and possession of marijuana.
Poe earlier. “Warden Weaver and his staff have done a great job meeting and exceeding the standards set forth by the DOC regarding operations of a Correctional Institute. The Board of Commissioners and I appreciate the fine work all the JCCI employees provide to keep the correctional institute operating at the high standards set forth by the State DOC.” This is the first recognition of this magnitude for Jackson County Correctional Institution since the utilization of prisoner labor began in 1874. Weaver has been warden of Jackson County Correctional Institution since 2007 and has been affiliated with Georgia’s Department of Corrections for more than 26 years, with career positions at Lee State Prison and Sumter County Prison as well. At Monday’s meeting, Weaver said he was “pleased to bring home the recognition for our facility and for Jackson County.” He pointed to the staff whose dedication, dependability and professionalism secured JCCI’s first statewide recognition which Weaver said he hopes to repeat next year. Also at Monday’s meeting in the commissioners’ work session segment, Weaver and Stan Cooper, re-entry coordinator for the Georgia Department of Corrections, spoke of the partnerships being developed to establish Jackson County Correctional Institute as the fourth of the state’s pilot county transitional center programs. Cooper said 97 percent of the prison population will be coming back home and having a transitional center would allow selected participants to get additional educational and skills training and hold down a job to earn money to help them get started in rebuilding their lives. In March, Hall County kicked off the first pilot transitional center with Floyd County and Coweta County coming onboard in April. “These have gone extremely well,” said Cooper. The transitional program includes six month of a work release program, requires participants to pay their pay and be vested in the program and in their community. Among those in the partnership with JCCI and the Georgia Department of Corrections would be Lanier Technical College, the Piedmont Judicial Circuit, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Project ADAM, Georgia Pardons and Paroles, the Georgia Probation Department and the Jackson County Area
Chamber of Commerce. If the program does well, Barrow and Banks counties, also in the Piedmont Judicial Circuit, could join in. Gov. Nathan Deal, in announcing the 2014 academic education paradigm shift to better prepare offenders to enter society upon their release, said, “While individuals are in our system, we must do a better job of raising their education and skills to an adequate level so that when they are released they will be better prepared to meet our workforce needs, rather than re-enter the revolving door of the past.” Cooper said, “Sheriff, you’ll have a safer community because a better offender will be coming back.” He said approximately 100 inmates released from the state prison system returned to Jackson County last year. Being able to bring qualifying minimum to medium security inmates to JCCI from other facilities where they have served all but the last 12-18 months of their sentence would give sufficient time to better prepare the men for re-entry to the community. Cooper said the warden would review each case with emphasis being placed on men who could pursue the job skills needed by the community. For example, area industries are seeking welders and Chairman Crow also mentioned the possibility for training up CDL licensed drivers, auto tooling and aircraft tooling workers in conjunction with Lanier Tech, which is already coordinating with the Hall County transitional center. “Jackson County Correctional Institution’s County Transitional Center Program will focus on giving participants a hand up, not a hand out as our residents work to re-enter society,” said Weaver. “We focus the offenders by creating opportunities for men to be transformed into better citizens by promoting personal responsibility, fostering behavior modifications, encouraging healthy relationships, and making positive contributions to the community.” Commissioner Jim Hix asked about the start time for the program if it gets the commissioners’ approval. Cooper said six potential candidates have already been identified. “We’d be ready as soon as we get the go-ahead,” said Cooper. “I think we all support this program,” said Chairman Crow. The commission’s next meeting agenda will likely include the Jackson County Correctional Institute county transitional center program.
An arrest has been made in connection with the Monday evening stabbing death of a 40-year-old Jefferson man. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has been assisting the Jefferson Police Department in the investigation of a Monday evening homicide, according to Police Chief Joe Wirthman. Jefferson Police responded to a stabbing call at 9:54 p.m. on Monday at 627 Gordon Street and found an unresponsive black male with a stab wound to the chest. The victim who lived at the address was identified as 40-year-old Philip Cowan. He was transported by EMS to Athens Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. Police and GBI crime scene technicians and investigators were at the scene into the early morning hours. Charged with murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a felony is 51-year-old James Harrison Sr., identified by police as a neighboring resident of a 646 Gordon St., address.
Molestation case pursued in Banks Banks County businessman Will Doc “Buddy” Fowlkes, Jr., 67, of Commerce, was charged Friday afternoon with child molestation by the Banks County Sheriff’s Office. A sexual battery charge was also levied on Monday in connection with another allegation. Fowlkes, president of Sports Tech Training Center in Banks Crossing, was taken into custody by Banks County investigators. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has been assisting with the ongoing investigation and additional charges are pending. Anyone with information related to the case is asked to call the Banks County Sheriff’s Office at 706- 677-2248.
Reason for South Hall road closure being investigated BY CARLY SHAREC
Regional staff
No threat was found from a suspicious device responsible for the closure of a South Hall County road in the early morning hours of Aug. 1. According to Flowery Branch Police Chief David Spillers, the suspicious object was a “commercially available anti-theft device,” often found attached to clothing and other items in retail stores. “Once that loop is broken or disconnected, the device begins emitting an audible tone and has a small red, flashing light,” he said. Spillers said the device was wrapped in aluminum foil and either placed or thrown onto Spout Springs Road. It was spotted at the intersection of Spout Springs Road and Holland Dam Road, near the Publix and Target shopping centers in Flowery Branch. All lanes of Spout Springs between Hog Mountain Road and Interstate 985 were closed for the investigation; the Georgia Bureau of Investigation arrived on the scene around 6:30 a.m. and determined there was no danger. All lanes were open by 7:30 a.m. that same day. The investigation remains ongoing.
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CHURCH NEWS Continued from 4A
sss Jackson County Baptist Church is now offering a new addictions program. Reformers Unanimous will be meeting at 7 p.m. each Friday at Jackson County Baptist Church, located at 79 Memorial Drive. Call 706-367-1838. The goal at Reformers Unanimous is to reject the glamour of addictive behavior and reveal its true destructive nature to those who are bound. Family members and others who are attempting to help others are invited. Those completing the program have an
80 percent success rate, according to Pastor Jack Lawson. The addiction helpline is 866-733-6768 (866-REFORMU) or visit reformu.com sss The Catholics Returning Home Ministry at Prince of Peace Catholic Church welcomes adult Catholics to an 11-week series of
informative programs beginning Monday, Sept. 22. The programs will be Mondays from 7:30-9 p.m. If you have been away from the Church, we want to welcome you home. Programs provide an opportunity to discuss questions and concerns in a caring and sensitive way. Call Robin Johnson at 770 330-4105 or email raj_rdms@yahoo.com
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Saturday, September 13 • 8 a.m. -Noon
Jackson County Landfill/Transfer Station, 12 Hendrix Drive E-WASTE
Computers, Monitors or Mice, Printers, Copiers, CD Players, Stereos, Microwaves, Scanners, Disk and Floppy Drives, Fax Machines & More. We are taking TVs - $10 each.
to safeguard your documents and give you peace of mind. Businesses and government agencies may be charged a small fee for the shredding service. ( LIMIT two copy paper sized boxes only)
household - More? We’ll take them, $2 per gallon), auto oil, and auto batteries, aluminum, small metals, news, books & CDs and office paper. Auto & truck tires, $2 and $5 every day.
AND HELP OTHERS DOCUMENT SHREDDING Fluorescent light bulbs (more Donate your good used
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We would like to thank Atlanta Recycling Solutions, American Security and Legacy Landscape Management for helping with this event!