Entries by Walter Geiger

Ryan Jarred Lovick, age 19 of Milner, Georgia passed away on Wednesday, January 16, 2013.

Ryan was born in Riverdale, Georgia on August 23, 1993. He is preceded in death by his grandmother, Cornelia English. Ryan played baseball for his high school team, a travel team for Forsyth County, Lamar Trojan’s, Lamar Recreation Department, was an avid hunter and a member of Rock Springs Church.

Survivors include his mother, Susan English Lovick; father, Wiley Eugene “Jabo” Lovick; sisters, Tara Lovick, Sydney Lovick; step sister, Emily Chester; grandfather, Milton English; grandparents, Wiley and Carol Lovick; grandmother, Jean Howard; several aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Visitation for Ryan Lovick will be on Saturday, January 19, 2013 from 6:00pm until 9:00pm at Conner-Westbury Funeral Home. Funeral services will be conducted on Sunday, January 20, 2013 at 2:00pm at Rock Springs. Dr. Benny Tate will officiate. Interment will follow in Rock Springs Church Cemetery.

By Sherri Ellington

Sheriff Brad White plans some changes to make the Lamar County sheriff’s office more prominent in the community – and make the community safer. [Full Story »] 

A woman arriving at a home located at 2719 Hwy. 36 East called 911 after finding a 19-year-old male who was cold to the touch and unresponsive at about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. Emergency personnel were dispatched. The address is east of the highway's intersection with Jones Road.

Multiple social media postings have identified the victim as a 20-year-old former baseball player at LCCHS.

Coroner Jim Smith has now confirmed the dead teen is Ryan Lovick and reports his birthdate would make him 19 as originally reported. [Full Story »] 

By April Smith

Monday, Jan. 21, 2013 is the day on which we celebrate the birth and life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Although this is a day “off,” think of it as a day “on.” [Full Story »] 

By Walter Geiger

When authorities finally identifi ed Travis Leroy Ball as the man arrested in connection with a string of area arsons, many people who had dealings with him - particularly local women were not surprised.

Ball had issues, they alleged, particularly with women who had borne children. [Full Story »] 

Former longtime Pike commission chairman Doug Mangham died last night at Upson Regional Medical Center. [Full Story »] 

Bombardier Aerospace of Montreal has chosen D-Check Development's Omni Arm to install the nose landing gear on its new C Series aircraft. [Full Story »] 

Nabbed:
Jailed man thought to be area's serial arsonist.

Travis Ball:
Alleged arsonist's Facebook page a gallery of pent up anger.

On the move:
Tax commissioner moving to make room for drug court.

He's first:
Little boy is Lamar's first born child for 2013.

Veteran:
Bill Boggs shares his remarkable story.

The family of Phillip Eugene Chigges, 69, who has been missing since before Christmas, is hoping he is found soon. He lived on Highway 19 north and would often walk down the road, but his disappearance before the holidays is a mystery.

UPDATE: Volunteers, including the Georgia Mounted Search and Rescue team, mounted a search Saturday morning to no avail.

"There is nothing new that arose from the search. We are following up on all information both old and new," sheriff Jimmy Thomas reported Saturday night. [Full Story »]