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Christopher Deraney has been hired as director of the Barnsville-Lamar County Chamber of Commerce.

He is the grandson of Joe and Mable Deraney who ran the department store bearing their family name in downtown Barnesville for generations. Christopher has restored the Deraney home on Stafford Avenue in Barnesville.

For more, see the 4.11.17 print edition of The Herald Gazette.

Laqarrius Quintae World was sentenced to three years in prison followed by seven years on probation last week after pleading guilty to multiple charges stemming from a string of bomb threats called in to Lamar businesses May 15, 2016. [Full Story »] 

Barnesville-Lamar County could experience severe weather today. We will use this open thread to advise you of circumstance and assets and encourage local updating from readers in the comments section or on The Herald Gazette Facebook page....

TORNADO WATCH: At 12:55 p.m., the NWS issued a tornado watch for Lamar and surrounding counties that extends through 8 p.m. [Full Story »] 

Fast-moving storms raced through Lamar Monday, knocking down trees and powerlines and blocking roadways - primarily in Redbone.

Heavier damage was done in Monroe, Spalding and Upson counties.

About 2,000 homes were without power in the SRE service area. Of those, 823 were in Monroe County, 184 in Pike and 68 in Lamar. Crews were working to restore power, according to Erin Cook of SRE.

John Flath was introduced Thursday evening as the new head coach of the Lamar County Trojan football team.

Flath, a three-year letterman at FSU as an offensive tackle, comes to LC from Southeastern University in Lakeland, Fla. where he served as offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator.

[Full Story »] 

A local woman turned herself in to authorities March 16 and faces charges related to an assault that allegedly took place on a Lamar County school bus.

According to a report by Dep. Jonathan Hamrick, school resource officer, the sequence of events began Friday, March 10 with an altercation between two juvenile females on a school bus and then simmered over the
weekend. [Full Story »] 

Gregory R. Bell, 61, died Tuesday at Grady Memorial Hospital from injuries he received in a horrific fire at his home on Bowen Road in Milner on the Lamar-Pike County line March 6.

Mr. Bell was born September 6, 1955 in Rome, Ga. to the late Charles L. Bell and Emmie Tucker Bell of Centre, Al.

Mr. Bell was an Army veteran. He was preceded in death by his parents Charles L. and Emmie Tucker Bell, and by his brother Judson Phillip Bell of Trenton, Ga.

Mr. Bell is survived by his children: Charles (Sandra) Bell and Karina (Phillip) Bell; Grandson: Mailo Bell; siblings: Bernice Orell Estes of Cedar Bluff, Al., Gerald “Bo” (Judy) Bell of Milner, Charlene (David) Maddox of Centre, Al., and Pam (Billy Joe) Shelton of Ball Play, Al.; sister-in-law: Blanche Bell and several nieces and nephews.

Services for Mr. Bell will be held at 1:00 p.m. (Central Time) Saturday, March 25, 2017 at Perry Funeral Home which is located at 1611 East Bypass, Centre, Al. 35960 with Interment to be held at Cherokee Memory Gardens, Centre, Al.

Registered Lamar County voters will go to the polls today, March 21, to decide whether or not to extend the special local options sales tax that is collected here for a period not to exceed six years.

Voters are reminded to go to their precinct to vote from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. instead of the registrar’s office.

Advance voting ended Friday afternoon. Elections supervisor Anita Reid and her staff served 190 advance voters. They mailed out 113 absentee ballots of which 57 had been returned by noon Monday.

The SPLOST is expected raise nearly $9.4 million to be split between Lamar County and its municipalities. [Full Story »] 

Noah Barnes, 10, is a type 1 diabetic who is raising funds for diabetes by walking across the United States, from Key West to Washington state. He started his journey Jan. 1 with his dad who has been by his side for every step. The left Macon Thursday, March 16 and traveled through Barnesville on Friday, March 17. To find out more about the inspirational walk or to donate, go to noahsmarch.com. [Full Story »] 

Bobbie Jo Sumner evaded justice again Monday when she rejected a plea offer and then demanded to have a jury trial, leaving Judge Bill Fears with no other choice but to delay proceedings until April.

Sumner has already been free for almost four years since she allegedly ran down Gordon State College student Alexandra Noelle Desir, 20, on Rose Avenue in Barnesville June 29, 2013, leaving her to die. [Full Story »] 

UPDATE: Wilkerson has turned herself in.

Authorities are on the lookout for a fugitive identified as Tabotha Wilkerson for an assault that allegedly occurred Monday, March 13. [Full Story »] 

By Walter Geiger

After nearly four years of inexplicable delays, the bench trial of Bobbie Jo Sumner is set to begin today for the June 29, 2013 hit and run death of Gordon State College nursing student Alexandra Noelle Desir.

Desir, 20, was hit by a vehicle on Rose Avenue and left to die as she was walking from her campus dorm room to work at Huddle House.

Proceedings are to begin this morning after the March term grand jury is empaneled and insructed. A long list of potential witnesses are on call to appear.

UPDATE: Already nearly four years old, the Sumner case was delayed again when Sumner rejected a plea deal, withdrew her request for a bench trial and demanded a jury trial Monday. The move perturbed many in the courthouse including Judge Bill Fears who set the trial for April 25. [Full Story »] 

The second serious structure fire of the week for local firefighters destroyed a home at 507 Cannafax Rd. Thursday evening.

According to tax records, the home is owned by Kristin Kilchriss.

The Gordon State Highlanders will face S. Georgia Tech Tuesday in the quarter finals of the 2017 GCAA men’s basketball tournament.

The home game begins at 7:30 in the SARC Arena.

Tickets are available at the door and are $10 for adults.

“This has been a great year for the team,” said Gary Sharpe, GSC Athletic Director. “Coach (Bruce) Capers and the team have made great progress and it seems like we are peaking at a good time.”

If the Highlanders win Tuesday, they will proceed to Rome for the semifinals on March 10.
[Full Story »]