Teen just out of jail accused of stealing woman’s wallet

MOULTRIE, Ga. — A teen-ager chased down Thursday morning by police faces robbery charges in the snatching of a Doerun woman’s wallet at a Moultrie convenience store. Police were dispatched at 11 a.m. to Murphy Oil USA, 505 Veterans Parkway South, where Lorena Sheffield told police a boy had approached her and asked for a dollar. As she was removing a dollar bill from the wallet he grabbed it and ran north. An officer saw the suspect, dressed in all black with a black hat, but lost sight of him near the KFC. When two officers entered the restaurant employees pointed at a boy standing at the front register. There, a woman who identified herself as the aunt of the teen, whom she identified as Dye-Quin Ja-Shamie Day-Shawn La-Derico Jordan, said that he had just been released from jail two days earlier. Police took Jordan, 17, into custody and charged him with robbery. Sheffield’s wallet was returned.

 

Heitzman named Tiftarea upper school principal

CHULA, Ga. — Michael Heitzman joins the faculty and staff of Tiftarea Academy for the 2017-2018 school year as the upper school principal. Heitzman spent eight years in the classroom teaching at Sandalwood High School in Jacksonville, Fla., Atlantic Coast High School in Jacksonville, Fla. and most recently Fitzgerald High School. Heitzman was the 2016-2017 teacher of the year at Fitzgerald High School.  Throughout his career, Heitzman has taught a variety of mathematics and social studies courses including Algebra 1, Geometry, AP US History, AP Human Geography, US History, Geography and Civics. Michael has coached softball, tennis and soccer. Heitzman earned his bachelor’s degree from the Illinois State University in Social Science Education. He earned his master’s degree from the University of New England in Educational Leadership. He has an extensive background in differentiation, technology based instruction, lesson design, curriculum mapping and gifted instruction. Heitzman has been married to his best friend Hillary for almost 10 years. They reside in Irwin County and have four children. In their spare time, the family enjoys traveling, geocaching, hiking, swimming and soccer. 

 

Financial Peace workshop slated

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — A financial workshop for families is slated to begin next month at New City Church Milledgeville. More than 4.5 million people have positively changed their financial future through Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University (FPU). The nine-week course provides families and individuals with practical tools to gain control of their finances and set themselves up for long-term financial success. The course meets once a week where a different lesson is taught by Dave on DVD followed by a small-group discussion. Lessons include budgeting, relationships and money, getting out of debt, saving for emergencies and investing. FPU lessons also include guest speakers Rachel Cruze, speaker and daughter of Dave Ramsey and Chris Hogan, counselor and speaker for the Dave Ramsey organization. Classes begin at 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 14 at New City Church

Milledgeville, 210 W. Lakeview Drive in Milledgeville.

 

Creative Arts Guild presents two new exhibits

DALTON, Ga. — The public is invited to the Creative Arts Guild’s Gallery Opening on Friday, Aug. 4, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. featuring two new exhibits. Mary Hamby of Twenty-Two West presents “His Beard Wasn’t That Blue,” an exhibit of paintings and fiber art in Gallery ONE11. In Jonas Hall, Keith McFarland presents a display of large format photography, and his exhibit of prints and vinyl wall wraps “Larger than Life.” Also, continuing in Gallery FIVE20 is Russell Cook’s exhibit “Disarrangement of Form.” The Gallery Opening and Artists’ Reception includes light refreshments plus music by singer-songwriter (and Guild music instructor) Charlsey Etheridge. For questions about the exhibits or the reception, contact gallery director Savannah Thomas at savannaht@creativeartsguild.org or (706) 279-3129. For questions about Festival 2017 and volunteer opportunities, contact Leanne Martin at (706) 217-6677 or at leanne@creativeartsguild.org.

 

South Georgia getting temperature break 

VALDOSTA, Ga. — So long, mid 90s. At least for a while. After a wet weekend, Valdosta and the rest of South Georgia can look forward to a week of below-average temperatures, according to forecasters. “Mercifully, a cold front moved through the region (Sunday) morning,” said Randy Atkins, a meteorologist with the private forecasting firm AccuWeather.  “We’re not looking at the mid-90s, at least not in the next couple of days,” said Blair Scholl, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Tallahassee, Fla., office. Atkins said the front pulled drier, cooler air into South Georgia as it headed south. The weather service’s forecast calls for high temperatures in the mid-to-upper 80s all week, with mostly sunny skies through Tuesday. Overnight lows range from the upper 60s early in the week to the lower 70s later on. The normal average high for Valdosta in early August is 92, Atkins said. Both forecasters said the southbound cold front is expected to reverse course and head north, back toward South Georgia, around midweek, causing increased chances of thunderstorms by the weekend. Scholl said the chances of severe weather later in the week were minimal, while Atkins said it was too early to tell. “The end of the week will be quite active,” he said.

 

Branford Back to School Bash set for Saturday

BRANFORD, Fla. — Branford students can receive a free backpack and school supplies Saturday. The Branford Back to School Bash, sponsored by the Lafayette State Bank in Branford and the entire Branford community, is set for 9-11 a.m. at the Branford High School lunch room. Backpacks and school supplies, which were purchased with donations from around the community, will be available for Branford Elementary and Branford High students. In addition to the backpacks and school supplies, there will be booths set up in the lunch room as well highlighting groups and businesses at the third Back to School event. Peggy Terry, one of the event’s organizers, said there wasn’t a complete count on the number of backpacks available but did say they had a lot.