First Responses

By Carol A. Gasser Moore |   LAKELAND, Lanier County, Georgia – The Lakeland Fire and Rescue Department’s August activity report, released Thursday, includes a call from Aug. 3 to an alarm at the Bank Shares building on West Main Street. Fire crews responding to the alarm discovered no smoke or flames inside. They were…

By Carol A. Gasser Moore |   DOUGLAS, Coffee County, Georgia – A Roses store employee in Coffee County is facing charges after police say she repeatedly issued fraudulent refunds and kept the cash, totaling more than $1,400. According to the Douglas Police Department, Jakayla Johnson, 21, of Nicholls, is accused of carrying out the…

By Carol A. Gasser Moore | LAKELAND, Lanier County, Georgia – Fire crews responded Aug. 3 to a commercial alarm at the Bank Shares building on West Main Street, but found no signs of fire inside the structure, according to the Lakeland Fire and Rescue Department. The call came in shortly after a power outage…

By Carol A. Gasser Moore | ST. MARYS, Camden County, Georgia – The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is conducting an independent probe into a fatal officer-involved shooting that occurred at the Cumberland Oaks Apartments on the evening of August 3, 2025. The subject, 27-year-old Gregory Paige of Jacksonville, FL, was shot by two officers…

CAIRO, Grady County, Georgia – A string of high-profile drug arrests in this small southwest Georgia town has renewed community concern over the growing presence of methamphetamine and the broader opioid crisis in rural America. In recent months, law enforcement agencies have dismantled several suspected drug operations in Grady County, including two major cases that…

By Airman 1st Class Rachel Howell MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Lowndes County, Georgia – U.S. Air Force Airmen 23rd Civil Engineer Squadron teamed up with the 823rd Base Defense Squadron for their monthly Prime Base Engineering Emergency Force training day at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, June 26, 2025. This month’s BEEF training focused on Tactical…

  By Carol  A. Gasser Moore | VALDOSTA, Lowndes County, Georgia – A 19-year-old Valdosta man has been arrested and charged in connection with two armed robberies that occurred during Facebook Marketplace transactions, prompting local law enforcement to issue safety warnings to the community. According to the Valdosta Police Department, officers responded to Spanish Mission…

By Carol A. Gasser Moore | LAKELAND, Lanier County, Georgia –  The Lanier County Sheriff’s Office released its weekly jail media report ending July 28, detailing multiple arrests ranging from animal cruelty to driving violations and failure to appear in court. Forgery and Felony Theft Charges On July 22 at 8:29 a.m., deputies arrested Makenzi…