Bainbridge - There have been three break-ins of local businesses in the recent week.

At 8 a.m. on May 6, Martha King, owner of Carter's Fried Chicken at 1134 E. Shotwell Street, arrived at work and found the drive-through window of the restaurant lying on the ground.

After a check of the building, she found that $120 in change was missing along with $25 in gold dollar coins. Nothing else from the restaurant was stolen.

Bainbridge Machine Shop located at 614 W. College St. reported a theft of four metal strips valued at $288 on May 5. Two suspects were seen on video.

At 2:07 a.m. on Tuesday, police responded to an activated alarm at Wireless Geeks at 1509 Shotwell St. No suspects were found, but the locks on the rear door were broken to gain entry to the business, and power boxes were damaged in an attempt to silence the alarm.

Blakely - Two local men have been arrested and are facing multiple charges in connection with two separate sexual assaults within the past two weeks.

On April 26, a 16-year-old Early County High student was walking home from Saturday school classes when she saw a group of men smoking and drinking in front of the Royal Inn on Columbia Street.

In an effort to avoid the men, she turned and was walking behind the inn when she was jumped from behind. Her attacker pushed her down to the ground and told her, "If you fight me, I'll hurt you," and "If you tell, I'll kill you!" After the assault, the attacker fledthe scene down a path leading to South Main Street.

When the girl arrived home, authorities were called, and she was taken to the Early Memorial emergency room.

Later that day, authorities spotted a suspect fitting the description of the attacker given by the victim -- a black male, approximately 5'10" weighing approximately 130, wearing a black cap and black military clothing.

Jeremy Hanks, 21, was arrested in front of the Royal Inn and charged with felony rape and felony kidnapping of a minor. He is being held in the Early County Jail.

Another man, Matthew Antonio Sparrow, 24, was charged with statutory rape, child molestation and aggravated sodomy. He allegedly attacked a 14-year-old girl at his home. He has been released on a $9,000 bond.

Dawson - Terrell County authorities are investigating two thefts that occurred in the county and were reported to the sheriff's department during the past week, Terrell Sheriff John Bowens reported this week.

Sheriff Bowens reported that thefts at both locations involved items that possibly could be recycled or sold. Similar items, such as farm implements and parts, scrap iron and wire, have been recent targets by a thief or thieves in the county over the past several weeks, Sheriff Bowens added.

The thefts occurred at the farm of Ernie Kennedy which is located off the Bronwood Highway and the other at J & J Mechanical Company.

In the J & J Mechanical theft, over 1,000 feet of wire, a cable crimp tool kit and aluminum track tool bar were taken. In the other burglary, several farm items were stolen along with a 1974 Volkswagon convertible, a pile of scrap iron, tools and parts.

Donalsonville - The regular monthly meeting of the Seminole County Board of Education was held Monday evening, May 12.

The meeting place had to be moved, so the 200 concerned citizens that showed up could be seated. Most of the crowd was teachers and parents, there to speak out about the recent firing of Principal Renea Moody and Superintendent Walt Pierce.

Five individuals requested that they be allowed to address the board and had themselves included in the night's agenda. Of those fivespeaking, they were either teachers that teach under Principal Moody or parents that have kids in the school system. Both of them gave only praise for the way the administrators carry on the school.

Still no action was taken to re-hire either Moody or Pierce.