Commissioner King: Practice Safety While Using Home Heating Equipment
Announcements, Community November 15, 2022ATLANTA – With the recent cold weather across the majority of Georgia, Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John F. King is encouraging Georgians to remain vigilant while using home heating equipment. Heating equipment like space heaters and fireplaces can become fire hazards when used improperly.
Heating equipment is a leading cause of home fires in the United States. Data from the National Fire Prevention Association shows that local fire departments responded to an annual average of 48,530 fires resulting from negligent heater use between 2014 and 2018. These fires resulted in 500 deaths, 1,350 injuries, and $1.1 billion in property damage.
In recognition of the risk of heating equipment, Commissioner King encourages Georgians to follow the below tips for keeping your family and home safe this winter:
- Have your fireplace or wood stove chimney and chimney connectors inspected and cleaned at the start of the heating season. Failure to clean equipment is the leading factor contributing to home fires.
- Avoid plugging heating equipment into extension cords. This can lead to overheating of the cord, damage to the appliance, and increased risk of fire or electric shock
- Move anything that can burn (i.e., furniture, bedding, clothing) at least three feet (one meter) away from your heater, fireplace, or wood stove. 54% of home heating fire deaths were caused by having heating equipment too close to flammable objects.
- Keep your children and pets safely away from your portable or space heater.
- Turn off your portable or space heater before exiting the room or going to bed.
- Never use your oven to heat your home.
Two charged with Heroin Trafficking in multi-agency investigation
News April 1, 2022GILMER COUNTY, Ga. – Continued operations throughout the Appalachian area are seeing Gilmer’s Sheriff’s Office stepping up its work both in solo operations, and in joint operations alongside groups like the Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement, Police, and Sheriff’s Offices in other counties and leading to drug seizures like heroin and meth.
On Wednesday, March 30, 2022, one of those operations involved Gilmer County Deputies, Fannin County Investigators, the Cherokee County North Carolina Sheriff’s Office, and the GBI Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office.
This coalition of law enforcement offices arrested two individuals allegedly involved in heroin trafficking. According to Gilmer’s Sheriff’s Office, an investigation into the trafficking saw the arrest of Jamie Willis Whitener, 44, of Murphy, North Carolina, and Natalie Lynn Scogin, 47, of Murphy, North Carolina.
The two have been charged with Trafficking Heroin after being stopped on Highway 515 in Gilmer County, Georgia. Headed north on the highway, Whitener and Scogin are suspected of being involved in trafficking heroin between Gilmer County, Georgia and Murphy, North Carolina. The Sheriff’s Office states that the two were known to the agencies involved in the investigation.
Gilmer Sheriff’s Office stated, “Approximately 10.9 grams of heroin was seized in this investigation, its value being approximately $1,600.”
Working along other agencies, numerous arrests have been made over the years after joint operations such as a four month long investigation in 2017 with the Zell Miller Mountain Parkway Drug Task Force. Additionally, Gilmer’s own deputies continue solo operations resulting in drug seizures like the record-setting arrest for 1.69 pounds of methamphetamines made in 2021.
The Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office is a multi-agency unit that consists of the following Sheriff’s Offices: White County, Lumpkin County, Banks County, Jackson County, Habersham County, Stephens County, Rabun County, Franklin County, Gilmer County, Fannin County, the Cleveland Police Department and the Toccoa Police Department, along with the Georgia National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, the Department of Public Safety, Department of Community Supervision and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Human remains found in Gilmer County
News February 18, 2022UPDATE: Gilmer County Sheriff Stacy Nicholson confirmed with FYN today that the remains found in the Hudson-Martin Road area of the county were skeletal. He said that they were complete and not missing any major parts.
Nicholson also confirmed that the remains were found above ground, not buried.
Nicholson said that it could possibly take up to a week or more for preliminary findings but is confident in the GBI’s lab in determining details sooner than that. He also specifically stated that he was confident in the lab and investigators to identify the remains before the investigation ends, providing closure to either a missing person or a crime if investigations find something pointing to that.
Nicholson also confirmed that while they did call in a tech and support from the GBI, the Gilmer Sheriff’s Office is still leading the investigation into these remains.
ORIGINAL STORY GILMER COUNTY, Ga. – Authorities have taken custody of what the Gilmer Sheriff’s Office said is suspected human remains on Friday, February 18, 2022.
According to a statement from the Sheriff’s Office, the remains were located by a utility company lineman crew at approximately 4:00 a.m. this morning. The locations was said to be “in a wooded area just off of Hudson-Martin Road.”
Hudson-Martin Road leaves off of Highway 52 East at Hillcrest Apple Orchard and connects back to Highway 52 East near the Oakland Clubhouse after crossing Rackley Road.
The Sheriff’s Office went on to say, “Sheriff’s Deputies and Detectives responded to the scene, and a GBI crime scene tech was requested to assist in recovering the remains.”
As of now, the Sheriff’s Office has not determined a cause of death. The remains are will be in the custody of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and their Crime Lab as they determine more information.
FYN has reached out to Sheriff Nicholson for comment and questions on the remains found and is currently awaiting his response. This article will be update with additional information as he provides it. Stay with FYN for new articles as well as new developments are reported.
Trump endorses Burt Jones for Lieutenant Governor of Georgia
Election, Politics, Press Release September 2, 2021JACKSON – Today, September 2, 2021, President Donald J. Trump endorsed conservative candidate Burt Jones for Lieutenant Governor of Georgia.
Both Trump and Jones have shared and forwarded the endorsement to numerous media outlets. Jones’ campaign also attached a statement saying, “In 2016 and 2020, Burt served as President Trump’s campaign co-chair in Georgia, and he was the first elected official in Georgia to endorse the President. As President Trump’s endorsement proves, Burt is the only candidate in the race for Lieutenant Governor who will safeguard and advance the America First agenda, fight for election integrity, and deliver results for hardworking Georgians.”
Trump’s endorsement stated: “State Senator Burt Jones is a Conservative warrior running for Lieutenant Governor of Georgia. No on has fought harder for Election Integrity than Burt, and no state needs it more. A businessman and Patriot, Burt will always stand for America First, and will help bring back Energy Independence, a Stronger Border, Low Taxes, Great Education, and Safe Cities. He will also get to the bottom of the Nov. 3 Presidential Election Scam. Burt Jones has my Complete and Total Endorsement. He will not let the great people of Georgia down!”
In an email statement today, Burt Jones responded by saying, “I am honored and humbled to receive the endorsement of President Donald J. Trump in my campaign for Lieutenant Governor of Georgia. I am the only person in my race who has had the President’s back from day one, and it’s an honor to have his full support. As Lieutenant Governor, I will work to advance the President’s America First agenda and continue to grow our economy, improve our schools, secure our elections, and keep Georgia safe. I look forward to traveling the state and meeting with the good people of Georgia as we work toward a big win in November 2022.”