Last week we looked back on the top stories from July through August Here is a look at the months from September until December 2020. The stories selected were the ones with the most pageviews or comments by our readers.
September
An attorney for Long County Probate Judge Bobby Harrison Smith was seeking to throw out the results of the June 9 election against opponent Teresa Odum, saying he had found examples of voter fraud in Long County. Atlanta attorney Jake Evans, of the law firm Holland & Knight, appeared on several TV news stations, early September week claiming some people were able to vote twice during the election and others who were eligible to vote were turned away. Odum’s attorney, Luke Moses of Jones, Osteen and Jones filed a response to the petition saying the allegations are untrue.
On Sept. 21, the Courier learned that a complaint was filed on Aug. 21, alleging that Walthourville City Mayor Larry Baker sent inappropriate text messages and made inappropriate calls to a city employee. The Courier received a copy of the complaint through an Open Records request on Sept. 21, where the woman said Baker called her to say that he was, “sweet on her,” since January. The complainant said that Baker asked her to send nude photos of her, “with the head cut off,” to his cellphone. The employee said Baker requested her lunch schedule so they could meet up somewhere. The woman alleges that Baker said he could stop by the Walthourville Police Department where they could use the bathroom since there are no security cameras in that room.
October
A man that had climbed to the top of the WGML radio tower off Rolland Street on Oct. 5, was brought down safely shortly before 2 p.m. According to Hinesville Police Chief, Bill Kirkendall, officers responded to a call of a man shouting for help around 6 a.m. and found a man perched on top of the WGML radio tower screaming for help.
On Oct. 6, Chick-fil-A Hinesville operations Director Christopher Lewis was awarded his own Chick-fil-A franchise in California. Chick-fil-A Hinesville owner Nick Westbrook said, Lewis is the first employee from the Hinesville eatery selected.
According to an incident report filed by Hinesville Police Officer, Kiontaye Miller, two men were shot following a disturbance at a Hinesville nightclub Oct. 29, Miller said the shootings took place Friday morning. Miller said he was patrolling the area and was in the parking lot of the Big Apple located in the 700 block of East Oglethorpe Highway.
November
One person was killed following an early morning accident on Leroy Coffer Highway early on Nov. 1.
Liberty County Fire Services Chief Brian Darby is crediting the Dental Staff at Midway Family Dental for saving a man’s life on Nov. 4.
During the Nov. 5, Hinesville City Council meeting Hinesville Police Chief Bill Kirkendall recommended to Mayor Allen Brown and Council that the city consider bringing the owners of Big Apple Nightclub before council and Mayor for a show cause hearing.
December
Long County Probate Judge Bobby Harrison Smith lost his election challenge against opponent Teresa Odum, according to court documents obtained by the Courier.
The year ended with a series of accidents and incidents. A pedestrian was killed crossing a roadway. Two people were killed in a bad wreck on Highway 84. A pilot was found dead after his plane crashed in the Liberty County marsh. A car plowed into the Handyland store and a Christmas day high-speed chase ended with a fatality.