CALENDAR

Manna House

Manna House Food Pantry and Thrift Store hours are Monday, noon-3 p.m., and Thursday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. It is closed all other days. The thrift store is open to the public. Donations are always appreciated and can be dropped off at any time. Manna House is located at 1210 Patriot Park Drive, across from the Effingham YMCA. For more information, call 826-2037 or 665-1985.

Camp Davis 2073

Camp Davis No. 2073 meets the second Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. in the former Boy Scout hut down the hill from the Effingham Historical Society, formerly the old county jail in Springfield. Call Gill Zeigler for more information at 655-8112.

County Commission

The Effingham County Board of Commissioners meets at 5 p.m. the first and third Tuesdays of the month in Commission Chambers at the Administrative Office Complex, 601 N. Laurel St., Springfield. For a complete agenda, go to effinghamcounty.org.

Bingo

The Rincon Recreation Department sponsors bingo for senior citizens at 8:30 a.m. every Monday at the Vernon C. Hinely Community Center at Ninth Street and Ga. 21. For information, call 826-0238.

Weight loss

Coastal Champions Weight Loss Surgery Support Group meets from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. the third Thursday of the month at Rincon Recovery Resources, 613 Towne Park Drive West, Suite 103, Rincon. For information, call Anisa Grantham at 507-8734.

Foster home volunteers

Foster home volunteers are needed for abandoned or neglected dachshunds. The housing is needed for two weeks to two months. Foster volunteers are to provide food and a safe and loving environment. Dachshund Rescue of North America will approve and pay for needed vetting. Call Ellen Hatcher at 912-398-1892 or email ellenwh@bellsouth.net to learn more about this experience. Dachshund Rescue of North America is a 501(c)(3) organization that has been rehabilitating and rehoming abandoned or neglected dachshunds for more than 13 years. Learn more at www.drna.org.

American Legion

American Legion post #209 meets the second Thursday of every month at 6:30 p.m. for dinner with a meeting following. The meetings are held at 941 S. Laurel St. in Springfield. For more information, call Tommy Pierce at 912-663-3562.

Alzheimer’s Association Support Group

The Effingham County Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Group meets at 10:30 a.m. on the second Tuesday of the month at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, located at 155 Goshen Road, Rincon. For more information, call 800-272-3900.

Auxiliary volunteers

The Effingham Hospital Auxiliary is in need of volunteers in the beauty shop from 8 a.m.-noon Wednesdays in the Extended Care Center. Call Jackie Dyches at 754-4251.

Medicare

The Coastal Georgia Regional Development Center is seeking volunteers to help counsel Medicare beneficiaries about their health coverage and options. Volunteers are also needed to assist with the GeorgiaCares SMP project to promote consumer awareness and prevent fraud. For more information, call 264-7363 ext. 239, or 800-669-8387.

Seniors

Rincon Senior Support Group meets 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays at Vernon C. Hinely Community Center, Ga. 21 and Ninth Street in Rincon. For senior citizens 55 or older. Call 826-4000.

Civil Air Patrol

The Civil Air Patrol squadron meets Mondays from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in building 200 at Ephesus Church/Effingham Christian School, 226 Goshen Road, Rincon. The organization is for youth, ages 12 to 18 and for adults. It has three programs: emergency services, aerospace education and the cadet leadership program. The Effingham Cadet Squadron is actively recruiting both cadets ages 12 to adult and has several staff positions available. For more information, go to www.ga453.org or call Richard Bush at 912-429-8050.

County planning board

The Effingham County Planning Board meets at 7 p.m. the fourth Monday of the month in Commission Chambers at the County Administrative Complex, 601 N. Laurel St., Springfield. Agendas and minutes can be found at effinghamcounty.org. For information, call 754-2105.

Elections board

The Effingham County Board of Elections and Registration meets at 8:30 a.m. the second Monday of the month in the conference room at the elections office, 284 Ga. 119 S., Springfield. Agendas and minutes of past meetings are not currently available online. For information, go to effinghamcounty.org or call 754-8030.

Hospital board

The Effingham Hospital Authority meets at 7:15 p.m. the first Tuesday of the month in the Community Room at Effingham Hospital, 459 Ga. 119 S., Springfield. Agendas and minutes of past meetings are not available online. For information, go to effinghamhealth.org or call administration at 754-0160.

Tax board

The Effingham County Board of Tax Assessors meets at 4:30 p.m. on the first Monday of the month in Commission Chambers at the County Administrative Complex, 601 N. Laurel St., Springfield. Agendas can be found at effinghamcounty.org.

IDA board

The Effingham County Industrial Development Authority board of directors meets at 6 p.m. the third Thursday of the month in the conference room at the Welcome Center, 520 W. Third St., Springfield. Agendas and minutes of past meetings are not currently available online. For information, go to effinghamindustry.com or call 754-3301.

Guyton council

The Guyton City Council meets at 7 p.m. the second Tuesday of the month and at 8 a.m. the fourth Tuesday of the month at City Hall, 310 Central Blvd., Guyton. Agendas and minutes of past meetings are not currently available online. For information, go to cityofguyton.com or call City Hall at 722-3353.

Springfield council

The Springfield City Council meets at 6 p.m. the second Tuesday of the month in Council Chambers at City Hall, 130 S. Laurel St., Springfield. Agendas and minutes of past meetings can be found at cityofspringfield.com. For information, call City Hall at 754-6666.

Rincon council

The Rincon City Council meets at 7 p.m. the second and fourth Mondays of the month in Council Chambers at the police department, 107 W. 17th St., Rincon. Agendas and minutes of past meetings are not currently available online. For information, go to cityofrincon.com or call City Hall at 826-5745.

Effingham Tennis League

People of all ages and abilities are invited to join the Effingham Tennis League. Adults and teens may join the singles and/or doubles ladder at www.globaltennisnetwork.com and it’s free. SATA kids clinic for grades kindergarten to eighth-grade is $50 per six-week session, playing Tuesdays 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Patriots Park behind the Rincon YMCA. Info: 912-656-4430.

Seniors
Rincon

Senior Support Group meets 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays at Vernon C. Hinely Community Center, Ga. 21 and Ninth Street in Rincon. For senior citizens 55 or older. Fellowship and activities. Call 826-4000.

Asperger’s syndrome

A support group for people with Asperger’s syndrome, their friends, family and caregivers, meets monthly at Effingham Baptist Church, 1007 N. Columbia Ave., Rincon. For information, call Patrick Bowers at 346-4912 or email pb4asp@yahoo.com.

The Rosebuds

An Effingham County daytime breast cancer support group meets the fourth Wednesday of every month at 11 a.m. at Effingham Hospital’s Community Room, 459 Ga. 119 South, Springfield. For information, call 754-9100.

High blood pressure

The Community Cardiovascular Council’s Blood Pressure Clinic offers help to people trying to control high blood pressure. If you need help controlling it and purchasing medications, make a free appointment to see if you qualify for services. Call the Rincon clinic, 826-2608, or the Savannah clinic, 232-6624.Effingham Hospital

Auxiliary

The Effingham Hospital Auxiliary offers an opportunity to serve the hospital and the community through volunteer service. The auxiliary provides support to patients, families and visitors. It also raises funds to support special projects that benefit the hospital and the community. Call Effingham Hospital Auxiliary President Brenda Rabon at 912-346-9536.

Hands On Savannah

A service of the United Way of the Coastal Empire, recruits and refers volunteers to area nonprofits. Hands On Savannah/Volunteer Center can match volunteer interests with community needs. To browse volunteer options, go to handsonsavannah.org, call 2-1-1 or 651-7726 between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, or email volunteer@uwce.org.

CASA

Court Appointed Special Advocates is looking for volunteers to advocate for the best interest of abused and neglected children in Bulloch, Effingham, Screven and Jenkins counties. For information, call Carolyn Fields at 912-764-4849.

Volunteers needed

The Faith Equestrian Therapeutic Center in Guyton provides equine-assisted riding and educational activity programs for children and adults with special challenges. The center has many volunteer opportunities for anyone committed to offering their time and talents to help others. Call 728-3728 or go to faithetc.org for information.

Meals on Wheels

The Effingham County Senior Citizens Center, 128 Stillwell Road, Springfield, needs volunteers to deliver meals to the homebound elderly in the county. Mileage is paid. Call Margaret Moore at 754-2138.

Medicare

The Coastal Georgia Regional Development Center is seeking volunteers to help counsel Medicare beneficiaries about their health coverage and options. Volunteers are also needed to assist with the GeorgiaCares SMP project to promote consumer awareness and prevent fraud. Volunteers will receive free in-depth training. Requires at least four hours per month. For more information, call 264-7363 ext. 239, or 800-669-8387.

Hunting-fishing club

The Georgia Hunting and Fishing Federation, Effingham Chapter, meets at 7 p.m. the second Thursday of every month in the Effingham County Recreation Department on Ga. 119 in Springfield. If you need information about the meeting or becoming a member, call 912-661-1111. Membership is $25 per year.

GED classes

Savannah Technical College offers day and evening GED classes in Rincon at Savannah Technical College Effingham Campus, 2890 Ga. 21 S. Call John Seaman or Alethia Bradshaw-Scott at 754-2876.

Effingham Rotary

The Rotary Club of Effingham meets at 12:30 p.m. every Thursday at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Ga. 21 and Seventh Street in Rincon. For information, call Talbert Edenfield at 772-5022 or go to myrotaryclub.com.

Sons of Confederate Veterans

Camp Davis No. 2073 meets the second Tuesday of every month in the former Boy Scouts hut down the hill from the Effingham Historical Society, formerly the old county jail in Springfield. Meeting and program at 7 p.m. Call Mitchell Ambrose at 429-3446.

UDC

United Daughters of the Confederacy Effingham County Hussars Chapter 2285 meets the last Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Community Room at Effingham Hospital. Call 772-3340.

Experimental Aircraft

Effingham County Chapter 330 of the Experimental Aircraft Association meets at 11 a.m. the third Saturday of every month at The Briar Patch Airfield in Springfield. Meetings open with a short business session, followed by lunch. Cost is $5. Members and visitors may drive or fly. Go to eaa.org for more information.

SUPPORT GROUPS

Special-needs support

Effingham County Navigator Team is a support group and recreational program for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Meetings are held every 2nd Tuesday of the month at The Learning Treehouse in Rincon at 250 Goshen Road at 6:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome. For more information please call Pauline Shaw at 912-659-9855, email us at effinghamcountynavigators@comcast.net and visit at effinghamcountynavigatorteam.com.

Special-needs children

A support group for parents and guardians of children with challenging behaviors meets at the United Way Effingham Service Center, 711 Zitterour Drive, Rincon. For information, call Katie McGrory at 441-1435 or email kateemac1@msn.com. Child care may be available.

Alzheimer’s support

The Alzheimer’s Association conducts a support group in Effingham County at 10:30 a.m. the second Tuesday of the month at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 155 Goshen Road, Rincon. For information, call Jenny House at 912-920-2231 or email jenny.house@alz.org.

Special-needs support

The Effingham County Navigator Team, a support group for parents and caregivers of special needs children, ages newborn to 26 years, meets at 6:30 p.m. the second Tuesday of the month in the Blandford Elementary School media center. For information, call Pauline Shaw at 912-295-5460 or email effingham@p2pga.org.

Bereavement counseling

Hospice Savannah’s Full Circle has opened an office in the United Way Effingham Service Center, 711 Zitterour Drive, Rincon. Bereavement counselor Barbara Moss holds office hours 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays to counsel children or adults, individually or in group sessions, and plans to offer workshops and presentations on coping with grief during the holidays. The counseling is offered free of charge as a community service. To schedule an appointment, call 629-1089.

NA of Effingham
Narcotics Anonymous groups meet at 7:30 p.m. Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Beulah House, 407 Church St., Guyton. Meetings are also at 7:30 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at Freedom Christian Center, 409 S. Laurel St., Springfield.

Seniors

Rincon Senior Support Group meets 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays at Vernon C. Hinely Community Center, Ga. 21 and Ninth Street in Rincon. For senior citizens 55 or older. Fellowship and activities. Call 826-4000.

Asperger’s syndrome

A support group for people with Asperger’s syndrome, their friends, family and caregivers, meets monthly at Effingham Baptist Church, 1007 N. Columbia Ave., Rincon. For information, call Patrick Bowers at 346-4912 or email pb4asp@yahoo.com.

It’s the time of year when we traditionally hear a lot about the passage of time.

Whenever the earth has completed yet another orbit around the sun, at whatever date a particular culture assigns to that milestone, it’s customary to ponder the passage of time, or at least to talk about it. Or in this case, to write about it — even though I haven’t actually spent any more or less time than usual pondering the issue.

What I have been pondering is the need to get more exercise. That sounds like a New Year’s Resolution, but it really isn’t. It’s more of an Old Year’s Resolution, since it occurred to me after a routine visit to the doctor’s office in December.

We were talking about various natural remedies that can be as effective as medicine, and exercise was near the top of the list.

Trouble is, there never seemed to be enough time to do it.

Even though there usually seemed to be time to see clients, and teach, and write newspaper columns, and spend time with family and friends, and pet cats, and occasionally even sleep.

So I started surfing the Internet for ideas on getting enough exercise, and made an exciting discovery.

Apparently, there are certain kinds of housework which, in addition to improving your home environment, also double as really good aerobic exercise.

I’m not sure, in retrospect, why that was so exciting, because there always seems to be as little time for housework as there is for exercise.

But somehow, the idea made the prospect of exercise and housework more appealing. Even though the math didn’t add up.

Even so, as I started sweeping the still-falling leaves off the porches, or sweeping the floor, or vacuuming almost every day instead of every few days, I noticed a real sense of accomplishment, as though I were saving time instead of taking up more of it.

That discovery reminded me of a similar surprise from years ago. When my favorite (and only) offspring was in kindergarten and elementary school, our neighborhood had a lake with a beautiful white sandy beach and a couple of pools. And there was nothing my little one loved better than to be in one of them.

Just as now, I had my fingers in lots of pots. Maintaining a household, raising my little girl, holding down a job, taking a full course load at UGA, and sleeping even less than now. And a couple hours at the beach or the pool seemed like a couple hours I didn’t have to spare.

But I made an interesting discovery after putting everything else on the back burner, grabbing the swimsuits and heading to the water for a couple hours. Somehow, the rest of the day seemed to go more smoothly than usual. The house got clean, supper got cooked, the work I’d brought home got finished, my papers got written, and I even got a little sleep.

Something about that recreational time actually seemed to give me more time to get everything done, rather than less. Kind of like how 30 minutes of two things I wasn’t doing very often seem to take less time than 30 minutes of one thing I wasn’t doing very often.

Go figure.

And if you figure it out, let me know. I’m still scratching my head.

Julia Cochran is a licensed professional counselor in Rincon and a psychology instructor at Armstrong State University. She can be reached at 912-772-3072 or by email at JCochranPhD@GileadCounseling.com. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Armstrong State University.

From all of the site visits I have made since I have been in Effingham County, I would conservatively say 50 percent of the people have muscadine vines. Muscadines are grapes native to America, and they are a staple of home gardens all over the Southeast. You can recognize a muscadine vine by the single-wire trellis and the seemingly thousands of entangled woody shoots!

Following a few simple steps will greatly increase the health of your vines and produce bigger, sweeter grapes. In our area, you can normally wait as late as February and still prune effectively. Muscadines are borne from new shoots from last year’s growth. Fruit is produced on canes from buds that developed the following growing season. If you severely prune your vines entirely back to the main vine, or prune your muscadines late in the growing season, you will not have good fruit production the following year.

When pruning your vines, look carefully for the ‘new’ wood. It is usually light brown and softer in appearance than tough-looking ‘old’ wood. Starting at the base of the new wood canes, identify 3 to 4 buds and make your pruning cut with hand-held garden snips just above these selected buds. A good rule of thumb for fast pruning is to leave 3 inches of ‘new’ wood, as this will usually keep three or four buds on the cane. New shoots will arise from these selected buds, and because you are limiting the number of buds, the muscadines from these shoots will be of superior quality.

After a few years of selective pruning, your vines will develop small masses of old wood called “fruiting spurs.” These should be spaced out every 6 inches or so along your vines. Don’t be alarmed if your muscadine vines start to ‘bleed’ sap from the pruning cuts.

While pruning, make sure to snip off any dying or diseased canes. If you have let your vines grow for several years without pruning, you will probably see tendrils, which are shoots the muscadine uses for attaching itself to structures, wrapped around other parts of the vine. Make sure to prune these out, as they can wrap around and ‘strangle’ other shoots.

Older muscadine vines that have been severely neglected for many years can often be rejuvenated. You can prune back all of the old wood to the main vines on the trellis, and start anew forming new fruiting spurs.

Stop by the Extension office and pick up a copy of our “Home Garden Muscadines” publication. This is a fantastic free resource that will guide you through trellis installation, variety selection, planting, vine training, fertilizing, and yearly maintenance.

For more information or questions, please contact Effingham Ag Agent Sam Ingram at 754-8040 or singram@uga.edu.

A Guyton man accused of shooting his dog to death while drunk has pled guilty.

Keith Daniel Hamilton was sentenced to 10 years of probation under the first offender act and directed to not own any animals during that period of time.

Neighbors on Heidt Landing Road in the Guyton area called the Sheriff’s Office on April 23, 2015 and said that Hamilton frequently became drunk and fired a gun on his property. They said the previous evening, Hamilton shot and killed his dog.

A deputy went to Hamilton’s house early in the morning and found fresh blood on the dog house and spent shotgun shells on the ground. An incident report said the deputy found multiple items that had been destroyed, including a bag of trash, a glass jar, a child’s booster seat and a container of washing detergent.

Hamilton said he had been drinking the night before but had not been shooting. He claimed the animal ran away.

The deputy asked Hamilton’s girlfriend, who said she heard gunshots the night before. She said Hamilton told her he shot the dog.

She led the deputy to a trash can, where he found the dog, a white male “bully breed,” wrapped in trash bags, with a 1-inch to 2-inch hole in its chest.

When confronted with the evidence, Hamilton said the dog tried to bite him.

He was arrested on charges of aggravated cruelty to animals, obstructing or hindering law enforcement officers, discharging a firearm while under the influence of alcohol, discharging a firearm near a public highway or street and improper disposal of a dead animal.

Hamilton could have received a 10 year sentence.

G.G. Rigsby contributed to this report.

A Savannah man arrested in 2014 on an Effingham County child molestation warrant has been sentenced to five years in jail and 10 years probation.

Jason Hilliard was arrested in Chatham County following an Effingham investigation that lasted several months.

Investigators said Hilliard molested a 6-year-old child.

Hilliard pled guilty to the child molestation charges in December of 2015. He was sentenced by Chief Judge William E. Woodrum Jr.

The Tuckasee King Boat Ramp on the Savannah River is closed until further notice because of high water that poses a safety threat to boaters.

Effingham County Sheriff Jimmy McDuffie, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the acting emergency management director made the decision to close the ramp this morning.

The water levels will be monitored until it is deemed safe enough to reopen the boat ramp.

A human skeleton found in Effingham County last weekend has been identified as belonging to a Savannah car salesman who was murdered in June 2011.

A man searching for firewood found the remains of Christopher Allen Mooney along Rahn Station Road late Saturday. The medical examiner’s office used dental records and help from the Savannah Metropolitan Police Department to identify the skeleton, Effingham Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Don White said Thursday.

Anthony Patrick Ingram pleaded guilty in December 2013 to voluntary manslaughter, theft by taking and financial transaction fraud in Mooney’s death.

He was sentenced to 20 years with 15 to serve and the remainder on probation.

Mooney, 52, was presumed dead after his blood was found on his bed and on sheets, pillows and blankets discovered in the trash outside his apartment.

Ingram never told authorities where the body was, White said.

The remains have been sent to a forensic anthropologist in Texas to determine more about the death. Those results will affect whether charges against Ingram will be filed in Effingham, White said.

The skeletal remains were found lying on the ground at the bottom of a dried-up creek bed. “It doesn’t look like he tried to bury it,” he said.

Family members reported Mooney missing to Savannah-Chatham police on June 6, 2011. In June 2012, Ingram, who was in jail on unrelated financial transaction fraud charges, was linked to several items missing from the victim’s residence.

Investigators found DNA matching both the victim and the suspect on a bent hammer handle that was considered a possible weapon.

Police linked Ingram to Mooney’s missing Pontiac Solstice car, Apple computer, a camera, high-end wristwatch and credit cards.

Savannah isn’t the only place to have all the fun. Following the success of our 100 Things to Do in Savannah list, we decided to take a look at all the fun to be had in Effingham County in 2016. 

View a slideshow here for events, places to visit, concerts to attend and much more for the entire family! 

What did we miss? We know there are many more things to do in Effingham than our list covers. Send your suggestions to online@savannahnow.com and tell us what you’d like to see added!

Thinking of starting the New Year in a new home? Then check out these open house showings scheduled this weekend in the Savannah area.

View a slideshow here to see home details, address and open house times. 

From incident reports at the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office:

Identity stolen

Oct. 20: A 21-year-old white female from Guyton got a letter from the state Department of Driver Services about her failure to appear in traffic court in Dekalb County for a citation for no license plate or decal. The citation was issued to a black female. She was told how to report misuse of her identity.

Dec. 16: A battery charger was stolen from a shed on John Glenn Drive in the Rincon area.

Drunken disorder

Dec. 17: Deputies responded to a call about a possible drunk driver in the area of Old River Road and Pecan Grove Boulevard in the Bloomingdale area. They found a pickup truck running, with its head lights on, and no one inside.

Twenty minutes later, a drunken man came out of the woods and said it was his truck, but he didn’t drive it there. He said three males attacked him and he ran into the woods to escape. He was arrested for pedestrian under the influence.

Dec. 21: A bicycle, valued at $100, was stolen from a residence on Beebe Road in the Springfield area.

Dec. 22: A resident of the Bloomingdale area said his former girlfriend’s new boyfriend was harassing him via phone call and text with vulgar and threatening statements.

Missing trailer

Dec. 22: A resident of Zeigler Road in the Bloomingdale area said she paid $4,000 for a cargo trailer and got the title but didn’t take possession because the seller still had some personal property in it.

When she went to get the trailer later, it was gone. The seller’s acquaintances said he traded the trailer for a motorcycle on craigslist. 

Dec. 23: A deputy responded to a single-vehicle accident on Stillwell Road in the Springfield area. The driver was arrested for drunken driving-refusal, too fast for conditions, failure to maintain lane and open container.

Dec. 23: A couple argued in the Tractor Supply parking lot in Rincon because he discovered that she closed their joint checking account. She said he threatened to kill her.

Dec. 23: A resident of the Rincon area reported getting threatening text messages, voice mails and phone calls from her brother’s boyfriend, after she said she no longer wanted the boyfriend at her house.

Dec. 24: An air conditioner compressor was stolen from Towne Pharmacy in Rincon, on Ga. 21.

Dec. 24: A handgun left overnight in an unlocked pickup truck was stolen. Silver Lake Drive in the Rincon area.

Worker bitten

Dec. 24: A dog bit a U.S. Postal Service worker on the hand as she was trying to deliver a package. Pleasant Acres Road in the Guyton area.

Dec. 24: A resident of High Bluff Road in the Rincon area reported his roommate missing. The man also had not reported to work. 

Dec. 24: The driver of a pickup truck was stopped because his vehicle was weaving on Blue Jay Road. He was arrested for drunken driving and failure to maintain lane.

Dec. 24: A deputy answered a call about the driver of a black Ford pickup truck driving recklessly on U.S. 80 and firing a gun out the passenger window. The driver was arrested for driving with a suspended license.

Dec. 25: A resident of Crystal Drive in the Rincon area said his car was keyed the night before. He suspects his girlfriend’s ex. The girlfriend got her ex to confess on audio.

Flipped out

Dec. 25: Deputies answered a call about an unfamiliar woman knocking on the back door of a house on Sand Hill Road in the Guyton area. The woman had been traveling in a vehicle with a man when she “flipped out,” told him to stop and fled on foot.

The woman was taken to the hospital to be checked. She and the man were arrested for possession of a controlled substance.

Dec. 25: A deputy stopped a driver for weaving on Ga. 21 in the Springfield area. He was arrested for driving with a suspended license, no insurance, suspended registration, failure to maintain lane and possession/use of a drug-related object.

Dec. 25: Someone kicked in the front door of a residence on Watts Road in the Guyton area. Nothing was missing.

Dec. 26: A drunken man was arrested and charged with family violence battery, cruelty to children, criminal trespass and obstructing or hindering law enforcement officers. A woman said he took a hammer to objects around the house and kicked her and threw her across a room.

Puppy attacked

Dec. 26: A resident of Clyo Shawnee Road in the Springfield area said four of her neighbors’ dogs were at large and attacked her puppy. Her father fired one round to break up the attack.

One of the dogs was shot in the shoulder. The owners of the attacking dogs sounded remorseful and said they were going to build a fence to corral them.

Dec. 27: A man moving into a house on Exley Loop in the Rincon area said two doors were damaged and someone did doughnuts in the yard. 

Dec. 27: The back door of a house on Hodgeville Road in the Rincon area was kicked in. A new rifle and compound bow were stolen.

The justice system became real for Effingham County Middle School sixth and seventh grade STEAM students last week.

STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math, and is an adapted STEM program that incorporated the arts into STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) programs.

Students acted as prosecutors, defense attorneys, witnesses and as defendants in four mock trials held over two days in the Treutlen Courtroom of the Effingham County Courthouse.

“The trial was our culminating project after reading the first two books in the Hunger Games series,” ECMS teacher Bilinda Sikes said. “Students prosecuted the antagonist in the novel, President Snow, with the Crimes Against Humanity of Murder and Inhumane Acts based on the legal statutes set forth by the International Criminal Court. Students took the roles of attorneys and characters (as witnesses) from the novel.” 

Students were divided by grade into morning and afternoon sessions.

Chief Magistrate Scott Hinson oversaw the trial as judge of the “International Criminal Court.” 

The trials also had a jury, made up of parent volunteers.

The proceedings took a lot of work by students, Sikes said.

“Our students spent approximately three weeks preparing for trial in their Language Arts and Social Studies classes and were responsible for everything, including selecting what charges to bring, collecting evidence (from the novels), selecting witnesses, drafting affidavits, developing questions, prepping witnesses, and costuming,” Sikes said. “They were amazing.”

The jury found the defendant guilty in the morning session and not guilty of the murder charge in the afternoon session on Jan. 7.

Sikes said there were a number of people to thank for making the students’ experience authentic.

“The Effingham County magistrates judges and the Effingham County Sheriff’s Department were invaluable resources in making this opportunity available to our students, Sikes said. 

“Chief Magistrate Judge Scott Hinson graciously volunteered his time to preside over four separate mock trials, magistrate judge Rhonda Sexton organized and facilitated the proceedings, Constable Jose Velasquez and Sgt. Jeanne Wynn guided students through the process and fielded any and all questions that arose, and Sheriff Jimmy McDuffie stopped by to visit during one of our proceedings. Also instrumental in making our experience at the courthouse both authentic and enjoyable were Deputy Bobby McCloud, Deputy Kevin Butler, Deputy Francis Thompson, and Chief Deputy Richard Bush.”

New property transfers in Bryan, Chatham and Effingham counties have been added to our database.

Search here by buyer, seller, address, city, zip or month of sale for the most recent property transfers. 

All data are public records and are obtained from each county or municipality, unless otherwise sourced. Information fields may vary. 

Zelda is a sweet shepherd mix that is scared by the whole shelter experience and wants to go home with someone who will be nice to her.

“You’ll have a wonderful lap dog,” said Effingham County animal shelter Director Lorna Shelton. “I can tell you the good ones and I’m telling you this is a good one.”

She is about 2 years old and has a certificate for a free spay from Helping Out Pets in Effingham (HOPE).

She trembles in fear but seems to love visitors who speak sweetly to her, pet her and hug her.

Also up for adoption this week are two male cats that have been at the shelter since September – Boo and Cricket.

They are about 7 months old. “They’ve grown up here,” Shelton said. “They need to be adopted.”

“They are go, go, go guys” who enjoy playing with each other, but once they get to know a person they calm down and are really sweet, Shelton said.

HOPE is still seeking cash donations to help buy panels for the shelter to separate dogs in the outdoor runs. The group is trying to raise $3,500, which will give the dogs the ability to go outside and will allow the shelter to house an additional seven dogs.

The group has a “donate” button on its Web page, at: https://helpingoutpetsineffingham.wordpress.com/

The fee to adopt animals from the Effingham shelter is $50 for dogs and $40 for cats, which includes shots.

People who adopt animals from the shelter must agree to have them spayed or neutered within 30 days, or be subject to a $200 fine. The shelter is following up to make sure that people abide by the law.

Animals must receive a rabies and a “DAPP” shot — for distemper, adenovirus, parainfluenza and parvovirus.

Someone who adopts can take the animal home but must agree to bring the animal back on a Monday or Thursday to get its shots.

The shelter’s phone number is 912-754-2109. It is open for adoptions Mondays and Thursdays from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The office hours, when the shelter accepts drop-offs, are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The address for the shelter’s adoption page is: http://www.effinghamcounty.org/DepartmentsAF/AnimalShelter/AdoptionPage.aspx

The National Weather Service is reporting that a flood warning for the Ogeechee River near Eden continues.

A 9 a.m. today the stage was 12.4 feet with minor flooding occurring. Flood stage is 11 feet.

The river is expected to drop below flood stage early Saturday morning.

At 12.0 feet, water encroaches on some homes along Dashers Landing Road and Yarbrough Landing Road. Davis Landing Road also becomes impassable.

The fifth annual Josh Reddick Foundation Homerun Derby will be held at the Sand Hill Recreation Complex in Guyton on Jan. 16.

There is a $20 registration fee. An Autograph session is available for a $1 donation. Limit one person.

Age groups for the derby are: 10 to 12, 13-15 and 16 to adult.

The derby starts at 10 a.m. Registration begins at 9 a.m.

For more information call Effingham County Recreation and Parks at 912-754-6339.

Parent Peggy Tuttle asked members of the Effingham County Board of Education to consider building a performing arts center for band, choir and drama students.

She said more than one-third of the students participate in one of those activities and they need a place to perform besides a “cafetorium.”

She suggested building one center for both high schools and enlisting the help of private businesses and county government to pay for a facility.

Tuttle also asked board members at their Jan. 6 meeting to consider an easier way for parents to speak at their meetings, instead of the current requirement that they be listed on the agenda in advance.

Board Chairman Lamar Allen said voters recently overwhelmingly approved another round of penny-per-dollar sales tax to help pay for school projects and that a performing arts center was not on that list.

Allen said they’d love to have a performing arts center but other needs are higher on the list of priorities.

He also said the board has always let parents speak at meetings even if they aren’t on the agenda and that the current system seems to work.

Softball and baseball sign-ups at Rincon Recreation begin

Registration for softball and baseball at Rincon Recreation will be held starting today, Jan. 13 until Feb. 2.

Cost for one child is $65. Two children is $120, three or more is $170. Head coaches receive a $25 discount.

Teams are: coed T-ball for ages 3 to 4; Mighty-Mini, baseball and softball, ages 5 and 6; Flea, baseball and softball, ages 7 and 8; Mite, baseball and softball, ages 9 and 10; Midget, baseball and softball, ages 11 and 12; Junior boys, baseball, ages 13 and 14; Junior girls, softball, ages 13 to 17.

Participants can register online at rinconrec.com or at Macomber Park.

Office hours are Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call the recreation office at 912-826-0238.

GIRLS

EFFINGHAM COUNTY 72, COFFEE COUNTY 61

Makala Robinson scored 29 points in the Jan. 9 win over Coffee County. Also scoring in double digits were Ta’Shauna Johnson with 20 points and Shaquira Johnson with 11 points.

Alayja Connelly 8

Jaylen Wallace 2

Ariana Bartley 2

EFFINGHAM COUNTY 56, CAMDEN COUNTY 41

Alayja Connelly had 13 points in the win against Camden County on Jan. 8. Scoring 12 points each were Makayla Robinson and Ta’Shauna Johnson.

Shaquira Johnson 7

Ariana Bartley 5

Sam Johnson 5

Jaylen Wallace 2

SOUTH EFFINGHAM 54,

COFFEE 19

Faith Harris 12

Shae Leverett 11

Mallori Jenkins 9

Cheyenne Boswell 7

Madison Trenary 4

Jillian Pelote 4

Jordan Bisard 3

Diera Newberry 2

Teonna Hayes 2

BOYS

SOUTH EFFINGHAM 48,

COFFEE COUNTY 52

Derrick Newberry 16

Ben Brennan 9

Travis Simmons 8

McKenley Newbill 5

Turner Davis 4

Glenn Steele 2

Collin Rish 2

Shamar Orr 2

Quarter Scores:

SEHS 13, 17, 30, 42

Coffee County 12, 17, 39, 52

SOUTH EFFINGHAM 48,

GLYNN ACADEMY 44

Travis Simmons 12

Ben Brennan 4

Derrick Newberry 5

Turner Davis 8

Glenn Steele 8

Collin Rish 7

Shamar Orr 2

McKenley Newbill 2

Quarter Scores:

SEHS 2, 13, 24, 48

Glynn Academy 5, 17, 28, 44

SEHS’ Free Throws 9 for 11

Region win

SOUTH EFFINGHAM 54,

BENEDICTINE 56

Travis Simmons 19

Ben Brennen 11

Derrick Newberry 9

Turner Davis 7

Glenn Steal 5

Amai Gaines 3

Quarter Scores:

SEHS 12, 26, 38, 54

Benedictine 11, 33, 47, 56

Effingham Recreation News

• Girls and boys baseball and softball signups have begun. You may sign your child up online at Effinghamrec.org, using a credit or debit card. Walk-in sign-ups will begin Tuesday, Jan. 19 at the Effingham County Recreation and Parks office located at 808 Highway 119 South in Springfield. You may pay with cash, check or a debit/credit card. Registration cost is $65 per child and a copy of a birth certificate is required.

• The 39th annual Jacan Brown Spring Run will be held on Saturday, Feb. 27, in Springfield. The day begins with an 8:05 a.m. start for a 1 mile run/walk and is followed by an 8:45 a.m. start for a 5K Run. There will be a special school challenge award for the school with the most participants. Call the recreation office at 754-6339 for more information.

LOOKING BACK

Jan. 15, 1990: Threats of violence never materialized during the Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade held on this day in Springfield. Sheriff Van Findley said one of his deputies heard that there might be violence at the morning parade, but that turned out not to be the case. However, Effingham County Commissioner Homer Wallace claimed the local NAACP chapter faced resistance when it tried to find a place to hold a King Day rally.

Jan. 16, 1734: Georgia’s first governor, John Adam Treutlen, was born on this date in Kürnback, Germany, a village between Karlsruhe and Heilbronn in Württemberg (southwest Germany). Treulen later attended school at Ebenezer under the tutelage of the Rev. John Martin Boltzius. Treutlen remained at Ebenezer, where he was first a schoolteacher, then a store owner and finally a planter. He built a large, productive plantation and soon was the wealthiest man in the area that became Effingham County. In the early 1770s, Treutlen became one of the leaders of the American independence movement. When Georgia adopted its first constitution in 1777, Treutlen was elected governor.

Jan. 26, 2001: Neel Ackerman has been chosen by the four remaining Springfield City Council members to fill the unexpired term of former Mayor Doris Flythe, who abruptly resigned along with two other council members and the director of the city’s Better Hometown Program at a Jan. 9 meeting. Flythe and the other city officials, including Councilmen Stephen Mobley and Derrell Banks, had accused the other four members of blocking them out of major decisions.