Barnesville.com

A Lamar County deputy wounded in a shotgun ambush Saturday night is recovering.

Dep. Justyn Weaver "should be good" sheriff Brad White reported Sunday morning Weaver was hit with birdshot. "He had a pellet under his right eye and his left arm is chewed up pretty good," the sheriff added.

The alleged shooter, Chandler Gordy, 38, of an Old Milner Road address was arrested overnight along I-20 in St. Clair County, Alabama near Birmingham, sheriff White said.

Previous coverage from overnight:

A Lamar County deputy was shot by a man wielding a shotgun Saturday night and has been life flighted to an Atlanta trauma center. "He was talking to me when he left so I hope he will be all right," sheriff Brad White said.

The deputy answered a call about a suspicious person on Moore Street in Milner. He saw no one in the area. "Then a guy popped up out of the woods and started shooting," the sheriff added.

A manhunt is underway for the shooter.

Lamar County was up to 280 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 12 deaths as of the Tuesday case count update from DPH. Lamar is recorded as having 29 hospitalizations.

Lamar deaths include: (latest) white female, 72; white male, 80; black male, 49; white female, 81; white female, 83; white male, 87; white female, 88; white male, 86; white female, 85; white female, 74; black female, 87; white male, 85;

Statewide there have been 222,588 confirmed cases with 21,031 hospitalizations and 4351 deaths.

Surrounding counties:

Pike: 224 cases, 21 hospitalizations and 5 deaths.
Upson: 567 cases, 60 hospitalizations and 46 deaths.
Monroe: 467 cases, 561hospitalizations and 27 deaths.
Butts: 494 cases, 44 hospitalizations and 38 deaths.
Spalding: 967 cases, 128 hospitalizations and 41 deaths.

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 in long-term healthcare facilities here and in surrounding counties from Dept. of Community Health as of Aug. 11: (The positive case count is cumulative and does not necessarily reflect the current number of cases in a particular facility.)

Heritage Inn (Lamar): 62 patients, 32 positive cases, 12 deaths, 18 patients recovered, 12 staff positive.
Sunny Grove (Lamar) 27 patients, 7 positive cases, 1 death, 11 patients recovered, 0 staff positive.
Renaissance Center (Spalding): 130 patients, 0 positive cases, 0 deaths, 2 staff positive.
Riverside Health (Upson): 49 patients, 48 positive cases, 7 deaths, 18 patients recovered, 13 staff positive.
PruittHealth - Forsyth (Monroe): 49 patients, 56 positive cases, 16 deaths, 42 patients recovered, 17 staff positive.
Pruitt-Health Griffin (Spalding): 55 patients, 0 positive cases, 0 deaths, 2 staff positive.
PruittHealth- Hwy. 42 (Monroe): 70 patients, 6 positive cases, 0 deaths, 3 staff positive.
Bolingreen Health and Rehab (Monroe): 69 patients, 37 positive cases, 10 deaths, 20 patients recovered, 16 staff positive.
Providence Healthcare (Upson): 79 patients, 65 positive cases, 15 deaths, 49 patients recovered, 29 staff positive.
Harborview Health (Upson): 96 patients, 52 positive cases, 21 deaths, 36 patients recovered, 28 staff positive.
Brightmoor Health Care (Spalding): 93 patients, 83 positive cases, 20 deaths, 63 patients recovered, 1 staff positive.
Brightmoor Senior Living (Spalding): 51 patients, 0 positive cases, 0 deaths, 1 staff positive.
Westbury Health Care & Rehab (Butts): 122 patients, 123 positive cases, 34 deaths, 84 patients recovered, 47 staff positive.

NOTE: Some nursing home residents' deaths are not listed in the county's overall numbers because their residence was in a different county.

SunSouth, the John Deere dealer in Barnesville, has been hit multiple times by thieves who would pull up to the building with a rental trailer, load up expensive zero-turn mowers and flee. They were in and out in minutes and did a good job avoiding video surveillance.

Investigators viewing the video from past heists had picked up enough of a trailer used in one theft to learn it had been rented in South Carolina. That, and a gamble by LCSO CID commander Capt. Jake Sutton, paid off with two arrests July 21. [Full Story »]

The LC school system is in the process of installing internet access points at four locations around the county for distance/remote learning. Location details, log-in instructions and other information will be forthcoming soon.

"Rather than use wi-fi buses, we plan to plug these devices in at public places around the county where there is safe parking for uploading and downloading of school materials," superintendent Dr. Jute Wilson said.

The GHSA has ruled Georgia high schools cannot hold preseason football scrimmage games due to COVID-19. The regular season is still slated to kick off Sept. 4.

LC was to scrimmage Manchester and Upson-Lee before the season opening Battle of Potato Creek with Pike County here.

GHSA also pushed back seasons for competition cheerleading and one-act play.

By Mike Ruffin

I’m sure you join me in appreciating those who are on the front lines of the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.

When we think about the front line warriors fighting the pandemic, medical professionals probably come to mind first. We are grateful for the doctors, nurses, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and lab technicians who deal directly with sick people. We appreciate the support staff who help with the process. We are grateful for Emergency Medical Technicians who treat and transport people in medical crisis.
[Full Story »]

Between Friday, July 31 and Thursday, August 6 the following were processed through the Lamar County jail: [Full Story »]