The Miller County Sheriff’s Office would like to make the following announcement. Sheriff Glass stated that there had been an abundance of fraud cases going on locally, and this notice is just to make you aware of the situation going on around you.
There are several types currently happening by phone internet and by mail. They are asking people to send checks, money orders, and quick collect monies to an overseas account as well as to Canadian accounts both to personal names and company accounts.
Remember: If it sounds too good to be true, it is! Don’t give anyone your personal information over the phone or internet. It makes it very easy for these people to use your social security number, checking accounts as well as other information for their personal gain.
If you suspect you may be a victim of fraud or scamming, there are some things you need to know. (1) Don’t send any more money. (2) Keep as much information as possible as to where and who you were sending money to. (3) Call us at the Miller County Sheriff’s office and make a report. (4) Call social security file fraud alert on your social security number.
Sheriff Glass urges anyone who may think they have been a victim of some type of fraud or scam to call the Miller County Sheriff’s Office at 229-758-3421.

Other than everyone didn’t win, the eighth annual Miller County Hospital Golf Tournament was nearly perfect at Crooked Oak Golf Club in Colquitt.
As a number of the golfers said, “The greens and fairways are in great condition. It couldn’t have been any better.”
On Friday, March 10, a record number golfers were seated in their golf carts ready for the scramble start Friday around noon. Everyone got off to a good start, and the day was near perfect golf weather. With chances of rain, there were a few doubters who thought the rain would come and spoil the day. The rains didn’t come, and the clouds helped to make it a day with pleasant temperatures and low humidity.
As the 19 teams and 75 golfers came in between 4:00-5:00 p.m., the scores were close, and the outcomes were not final until the last teams came in with their cards.
Jeff Adkinson was kept busy as the scores were placed on the score sheets for the three flights.
In flight one, the team of Mark Cleveland, Brandon Smith, Don Calhoun and Jerry Harrison took first place with a score on the first nine of 27 and a score on the last nine of 31 for a total of 58. Williams, Pate, Kimbrel and Shepard came in with a score of 59 for second place. Everson, Newberry, Wingate and Lewis came in third with a total score of 61.
In flight two, Jack Bunting, Eddie Maxwell, Donnie Dyson, and Lawson Murkerson took first place with a 58. The Clenneys, Lavon, Randy, Ben and Rudy, took second place with a 62. The three Middletons, Carroll, Keith, Brock, and L. Boswick took third place with a 63.
In flight three, Harley Smith, Edwin Wilkin, Kevin McCowan and Cliff Shirah took first place with a 65. T. Meader, K. McBride, S. Shaw and Sherri Shaw place second with a 66. Third place was taken by J. Clifton, S. Willis. M. McComb and D. Morris with a 67.
There were some great scores and close scores in this tournament.
Other winners were Lewis Carter on longest drive on #8. Tony Everson also won closest to the pin on #8. Brandon Smith got the prize for the longest drive on #18. No one won the Pat Sammon new Chevrolet truck with a hole in one on #3.
There were many winners as the Miller County Hospital hosts drew tickets for gifts that had been donated by area businesses.
Pepi of Bainbridge was thanked for furnishing a delicious dinner for the hungry participants of this tournament.
CEO Harley Smith thanked all of the golfers for coming out and participating in this annual tournament and especially thanked the volunteers who helped make the event such a success.
Everyone seemed to have a great time and most said they are looking forward to being in the tournament next year at beautiful Crooked Oak Golf Club.

For the past few weeks the Miller County Hospital has had to do what most businesses do when funds are short for one reason or the other. They cut back.
There have been rumors flying since the cutbacks started that the hospital was closing.
In an interview with CEO Harley Smith, he says nothing is further from the truth.
Mr. Smith stated that Miller County Hospital has been waiting since December 2005, for a substantial amount of funds owed from the state. The funds were held up due to some federal interpretations of guidelines on distribution of the annual Upper Payment Limit Funds and the Indigent Care Trust Funds. The history of these funds paid to the hospital amounts to more than $1 million dollars. He said that due to the lack of distribution of these funds the hospital had to lay off a few employees, cut back on the hours of many employees and cut back on our supply expense.
Smith stated that by taking these steps, hopefully this will fulfill the need to reduce expenses until the funds are distributed to our hospital and other hospitals in the state of Georgia sometime in late March and early July of this year.
He stated that these are just a few of the improvements in progress or completed recently at Miller County Hospital and Miller Nursing Home:
•Hyperbaric/Wound Care Center
The Wound Care Center will include a state of the art hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber offering 100% oxygen therapy to those patients who need it.
•Addition of Sixteen ADA rooms to front of hospital
Added to the front of the hospital will be a 16 ADA fully equipped private rooms each with a private bathroom. The construction will start this week.
•Sixteen slice CT Scanner
GE light speed 16 slice CT scanner that can scan the full body in under 30 seconds. For emergency situations, the radiologist in Atlanta will read the film and send the results back to our ER department in 30 minutes or less. This will help the local physician complete the diagnosis and treatment in a timely manner. In non-emergency cases, the scan will be read and sent back to physician with in 12 hours
•Building to house CT Scanner
Attached to hospital, no longer housed in a modular building on outside, patients are able to stay within the hospital.
•New doctors, one general surgeon, one family practice
Kevin G. McCowan, M.D. is our new general surgeon Dr. McCowan’s office is currently at Infomedix, P.C. 210 W. Main Street
•Andrea Andrews, M.D. is our new family practice physician. Dr. Andrews’ office is at the Miller County Medical Center, 208 N. Cuthbert Street
•Refurbish nursing home rooms
Completely refurbished five rooms in the nursing home
New Sprinkler system installed in Nursing Home
New Ramp at the Nursing Home entrance to aid in patient safety
New patient wandering system installed in Nursing Home to ensure patient safety
•PAC’s
Digital x-ray system that allows health care providers to develop and share images electronically. Radiologists can transmit the images to doctors across the world.
•Telemedicine
Specialist at another location can assist our doctors with diagnosis while both are viewing the same information at the same time (real time)
•New Computer System
State of the art computer system that will move the hospital to the 21st century technology
•Orthopedic Doctor twice a month to Colquitt
Dr. Pilcher and Dr. Swaringen of Albany Arthritis and Orthopedic Center are in Colquitt twice a month at the Miller County Medical Center.
CEO Smith stated, “With the improvements and additions, anyone can see that we are not planning to close, but we are improving in every area as we can as we can afford to. Being one of the largest employers in this county, we will continue to adjust our payroll. We are attempting to make Miller County Hospital and Nursing Home the best place for quality health care for this community and this area. This has not been done without local help, much volunteerism and private participation and help.”

On February 18, 2006, the Miller County Sheriff's Office was advised of a burglary that had taken place at 185 Hornsby Rd. in Miller County.
Deputy Robert Grier responded and reported that someone forced entry in the residence, and there were several items that had been taken from the home. The items that were taken were found by Captain Scott Lawson and Investigator Ben Nix in a vehicle that was parked in the 12th District of Baker County. K-9 Deputy B.J. Josey and Investigator Nix recovered some of the items. Captain Lawson and Investigator Nix interviewed the owner of the car and found that there were three parties involved in the burglary. There has been one party arrested and charged with burglary in this case, and there will be more warrants taken.
On February 20, 2006, a report was made by Deputy Shane Rathel of the Miller County Sheriff's Office that someone had stolen a well pump from 1238 Highway 45 South. Deputy Rathel and Captain Lawson recovered evidence and took statements that gave Captain Lawson a lead in the theft. Captain Lawson and Deputy Rathel proceeded to Iron City where they found the well pump as it was being put onto another well by the suspect. The well pump was recovered, and the suspect was arrested and charged with felony theft by taking and felony damage to property.
On February 22, 2006, a report was made to Captain Scott Lawson that someone had forced entry into a residence on Red Oaks Drive in Miller County and taken approximately $7,000.00 in household items. Captain Lawson and Investigator Ben Nix on the next day were following up on a lead and found where most of the items were stored that had been stolen. Investigator Nix and Captain Lawson interviewed two suspects in the burglary and found where the other property had been taken. Later the same day, Sergeant Dale Glover and Captain Lawson, along with Sheriff Buddy Glass and Investigator Nix, recovered the property.
On February 26, 2006, Investigator Nix and K-9 Deputy B.J. Josey recovered other items that were also stolen from the home. There were two subjects arrested and charged with burglary and one more to follow.

The Miller County Pirates' baseball team hosted their first regular season game against the Early County Bobcats here at Everett Field on Tuesday, March 7. What a game it turned out to be!
On the mound for the Pirates was freshman, Tyler Cox and for Early County, Brandon Temple. In the first inning, the Bobcats were quick to score with Will Giannars and Justin Brooks. The Pirates answered with Russell Hart, scoring off of a Bobcat error.
In the second inning, Miller County held the Bobcats from scoring with catcher, Marc Tabb shot gunning the baseball down to second baseman, Dane Philyaw to rob Bobcat, Tracey Anthony from a steal. Miller County's Cody Houston hit a single; with Houston on and one out, pitcher, Tyler Cox's power hit scored Houston, and the game was tied 2-2 going into the third inning.
In the third inning, Early County's catcher, Will Giannars took a walk. Tyler Cox struck out Brooks. EC # 18, Sean Williams hit a single and scored Giannars, putting the Bobcats up by one, but in the bottom of the third, Miller County answered back when Chris Bailey took a walk. Lance Carpenter hit a single, and Cody Houston's powerhouse hit scored Bailey. Again the game was tied 3-3.
In the top of the fourth, Josh Posey took over the mound for the Pirates. Brandon Temples would be the only Cat to get on base. EC's Michael Bush bunted, and MC's catcher Marc Tabb was quick to retrieve and throw down to first baseman Bailey. EC's Tracey Anthony was caught not looking and ended with a strikeout. Last up to bat was Giannars; he hit a grounder to Posey on the mound, Posey then shot it to Bailey for the third out.
In the bottom of the fourth, EC's Mitch Johnson took over the mound. Miller County's Josh Posey hit a single; Tabb popped out, and Russell Hart took a walk. Ben Chambers hit a single, scoring Posey before the inning came to an end. The Pirates were up by one, 4-3.
In the fifth inning, both pitchers, along with their teams, held the score at 4-3. Also in the top of the sixth, Posey faced only three Bobcats, and in the bottom of the sixth, the Miller County bats came to life. Posey hit a single; Marc Tabb got a double and scored Posey. With two outs, Chris Bailey came to the plate. Apparently Bailey looked a little intimidating; therefore, Early County intentionally walked him. Alan Love came to the plate, hit a single, scoring Tabb and Bailey before being thrown out at third. The Pirates had widened the score, 7-3.
In the top of the seventh, Early County attempted to come from behind but was unsuccessful only in scoring only one more run. Josh Posey got the win for the Pirates, and the score stood 7-4. Early County struck out four Pirates ,and Miller County struck out seven Bobcats. It was a good game and a great win for our Pirates. The next home ball game will be Tuesday, March 14, against the Pelham Hornets. Diamond time is at 5:00 p.m. so come out and show your support to our baseball players and coaches.

ATLANTA - Following a long debate, the Senate passed the toughest, most comprehensive illegal immigration law in the nation, the Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act. Senate Bill 529, authored by Sen. Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock), passed the Senate in a bi-partisan manner 40-13, in a step to bring the state into compliance with federal law.
“This legislation proves that Georgia is serious about addressing the issue of illegal immigration,” Sen. Rogers said, following the vote. “Legal immigration is the foundation of America – but it is important that anyone coming to this country do so through the proper channels. There are millions of people all over the world standing in line waiting to come to this nation. We must make sure those honest people are rewarded first.”
Senate Bill 529, which Rogers has been working on for more than a year, addresses four major components: public safety, public contracts, private employers and public benefits. Specifically, the legislation outlaws human smuggling, which has become a problem in Georgia over the past decade, and requires those arrested on a criminal charge to prove that they are in the country legally.
The measure also cracks down on businesses which have hired illegal immigrants. Sen. Rogers says he is concerned that employers are receiving tax breaks when they are knowingly hiring illegal labor.
“It isn’t right,” Sen. Rogers said. “Taxpayer dollars should not be used to pay contractors who knowingly violate federal immigration hiring laws. Tax benefits should be reserved for those who legally qualify – surely, no one wants our limited benefits to go to those not legally qualified to receive them.”
Since the early 1990s, Georgia has seen an influx of illegal immigrants moving to Georgia to take jobs in the agriculture arena, construction business and in the carpet mills of north Georgia. Sen. Rogers says that many of these laborers are paid in cash and don’t pay taxes. He says that both the businesses and the laborers are cheating the system.
“Every employer and employee should follow the same rules. No business should be rewarded in the marketplace for breaking the law and likewise, no business should be punished in the marketplace for following the law.”
Senate Bill 529 now moves to the House of Representatives for approval.

Week of March 12, 2006