Bainbridge - A suspect who told sheriff’s deputies he had marijuana in his house was later arrested on drug charges after investigators uncovered a methamphetamine lab in his home, according to the Decatur County Sheriff’s Office.

Twenty-seven-year-old John William Chinappi of 2145 Bethel Road Bainbridge was arrested Thursday afternoon and charged with possession of meth with intent to distribute and manufacturing meth, according to the Decatur County Jail.

Deputies became suspicious of Chinappi after he told them he had marijuana inside his home when they pulled his vehicle over earlier in the day.

Chinappi tried to recant his statement, but investigators applied to get a search warrant for his home, Donalson said.

Although Chinappi was not at the home, Capt. Chip Nix opened the door to the resience and immediately smelled the toxic fumes associated with a meth lab inside.

Chinappi was arrested at a home located at 175 Blackjack Road at about 2:30 p.m. Thursday.

Blakely - The local community was shaken last week when Marvin Singletary, 68, was found dead at the Singletary home on North Main Street Wednesday.

Singletary’s body was discovered around 8 a.m. near the home’s carport. He died from a single gunshot wound from a shotgun which was found at the scene.

A GBI crime scene investigation unit was called to the scene, and the body was taken to Atlanta for an autopsy.

GBI Special Agent-in- Charge Mike Lewis said Wednesday investigators did not believe foul play was involved, but added that they have not determined if Singletary’s death was an accident.

The Singletary family and the community suffered another blow Monday with the passing of Betty Singletary, Marvin’s aunt and Steve Singletary’s mother. Mrs. SIngletary had been hospitalized in a Dothan hospital with complications from pneumonia.

Blountstown - A body recovered in the Apalachicola River just below Trammell Bridge in Liberty County Sunday night has been positively identified as John Mark Slappey.

Missing since December 20, Slappey, 34, of Albany was duck hunting on Lake Seminole from a float tube when he drifted toward the Jim Woodruff Dam and was swept through a lock.

Authorities discovered the body while searching for a missing Calhoun County boater, Pee Wee Prevatt.

Cairo - After more than a year of extensive auditing, a probe into possible theft from within the City of Cairo utilities department is being conducted by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

According to Cairo City Attorney Thomas L. Lehman, GBI Special Agent Bahan Rich is in the process of conducting interviews and probing into the possible misappropriation of funds within the city utilities operation.

“Significant discrepancies have been found between what would have been expected to be received from work orders and what was actually deposited,” Lehman said.

According to city officials, a “significant” amount of money, the total amount of which was not made public, appears missing. The money in question is from deposits paid when work orders were written to establish utility services during 2005 through 2008.

Donalsonville - It is with great pride that Seminole County Middle/High School announces their STAR Student and Teacher for 2010. This year’s STAR Student is Dylan Broome. Dylan has selected as his STAR Teacher, Mrs. Mary Lou Ponder.

Dylan has participated in various organizations and activities throughout his high school. He has also received numerous academic awards and honors such as principal’s honors, governor’s honors for math, the Georgia Certificate of Merit, ranking him in the top five percent of his class, a perfect score of 370 on the science portion of the graduation test, the highest overall average in his sophomore class, highest average awards in English III, chemistry, advanced algebra, and trigonometry, regional winner of the Governor’s Cup Challenge for SAT scores as well as enrolling in several AP courses.