Howard Sills

Lake Oconee News/File Photo

Putnam woman arrested for stealing from Milledgeville Housing Authority

Lynn Hobbs

Friday, August 26, 2022

A Putnam County woman is facing federal charges after she was arrested last week for allegedly stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Milledgeville Housing Authority, according to authorities. Jennifer Kay Smith was arrested Thursday, Aug.

Lindsay Jo White

Stolen truck box buried; three arrested; one sought

Lynn Hobbs

Thursday, August 4, 2022

Putnam County Sheriff’s Office literally dug up some evidence last week when they used a county backhoe to excavate a stolen box truck. Three Putnam County people have been arrested and a third Baldwin County man is being sought by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office in connection with the theft.

Babysitter shoots at thief; suspect nabbed

Lynn Hobbs

Thursday, July 28, 2022

An Eatonton man with an extensive criminal history is once again in jail after he tried to bust into the home of a woman who was babysitting young children and then stole her vehicle.

Discussing the entrances and exits of school rooms as they examine the high school’s floor plan are, from left, Eatonton Police Chief Howell Cardwell, Eatonton police Sgt. Harold “Buddy” Bowman and officer/certified instructor Nathan Mason, Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills and Putnam County Sheriff’s Lt. Harry Luke. LYNN HOBBS/Staff

Law enforcement preparing for active shooter situations

Lynn Hobbs

Wednesday, July 20, 2022

With Putnam County students returning to school in about two weeks, local law enforcement officers underwent training Monday to learn more about school shootings, the type of person who might be a school shooter and to tour each of the county’s public schools and discuss their operational response.

Osprey feeds young over Lake Oconee. VIRGINIA LINCH/Contributed

Osprey nest fire causes temporary power outage

Lynn Hobbs

Wednesday, July 13, 2022

Residents in northeastern Putnam County were briefly without power Saturday morning when an osprey nest caught fire atop a Tri-County EMC utility pole. Putnam County Fire Chief Tommy McClain said the call came in around 6:15 a.m. July 9, and two firefighters responded.

The World of Doc Holliday: a book review for the Georgia Writers Museum

News Staff

Wednesday, July 6, 2022

A month or so ago, I returned to my office one afternoon to find a book about Doc Holliday on my desk with a note from Chip Bell requesting I read the text and write a short review of it for the Georgia Writers Museum.

File Photo/Eatonton Messenger

Supreme Court overturns McIver’s murder conviction

Lynn Hobbs

Wednesday, July 6, 2022

A light has appeared at the end of the tunnel for Claude “Tex” McIver, who was convicted in April 2018 in the shooting death of his wife, Diane, and sentenced to life in prison. Last week, the Supreme Court of Georgia overturned the murder conviction.

File Photo/Eatonton Messenger

Dubose hangs himself in prison; GBI investigates

Lynn Hobbs

Thursday, June 30, 2022

Ricky Dubose, who was sentenced to death in Putnam County Superior Court on June 16, ended up spending only 10 days on death row. Dubose apparently hanged himself to death in his cell on Sunday, June 26, according to authorities.

No longer wearing a dress shirt and tie as he did throughout the trial, Ricky Dubose, far right, is shackled and in prison garb as he is escorted out of Putnam County Courthouse to be taken to the Georgia Department of Corrections’ Special Management Unit in Jackson. He is led by Putnam County Sheriff Howard R. Sills as well as Sgt. Bob Rogers and Deputy Chris Donovan. COURT POOL COVERAGE

Ricky Dubose youngest person on death row

Lynn Hobbs

Thursday, June 23, 2022

Now convicted of double murder and given the death penalty, Ricky Allen “Juvie” Dubose seems to have become the youngest person currently on death row in Georgia. Dubose was awarded the capital punishment on Thursday, June 16, in Putnam County Superior Court.

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