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Appreciation cookout draws statewide firefighters
MR ChiefCook
Hinesville Fire Chief Lamar Cook speaks at the cookout. - photo by Photo by Mike Riddle
Firefighters throughout the state attended a Firefighter Appreciation Cookout on Oct. 11, organized by the Ware County Commissioners and hosted by Wayne Dasher.
The event was given to show appreciation for all firefighters, first responders, Red Cross volunteers, Department of Natural Resources personnel and law enforcement that worked on the Ware County fires.
It also was to show appreciation to all who currently are working in the public safety sector.
Sonny Dixon was master of ceremonies, and the special guest speaker was Georgia Insurance Commissioner/Fire Commissioner John Oxendine.  
Oxendine spoke to the crowd of about 600, and described how proud he was to be the fire commissioner. He also noted his appreciation for all the people who worked to extinguish the fires in Georgia in April and May.  
Additionally, Oxendine spoke about the people nationwide who came to Georgia to work in the effort.
“I saw trucks from as far as Minnesota down here, and everyone was working together for a common cause, to save communities,” he said.
When asked about the rumors he may pursue a senate run next year or the gubernatorial office once Sonny Perdue’s term is up, he said, “I’ve heard those rumors too ... what I can say is that, I want to do what is in the best interest of Georgia.”  
He noted, “I believe that the most experienced candidate ought to serve, and I will serve the people of Georgia in whatever aspect I can best serve them.”
Local fire chiefs Darrell Ballance of Long/Ludowici Fire Department and Lamar Cook of the Hinesville Fire Department were in attendance with some of their firefighters.
“Most firefighters don’t get the recognition they deserve for what they do. They don’t do it for the money, but to serve their community ... Events like this let them know they are appreciated,” Ballance said.
Cook said, “A cookout like this draws all of us together. Most of the time when we get together it’s for a fire or a disaster. With this, we can enjoy being together; and it allows us to network and make contacts should we ever need to help one another.”
Twelfth Congressional District Rep. John Barrow also spoke during the cookout and praised those present as well as the people who work in the public safety sector.
“It’s a miracle that no one was killed in the fires we had. But I know that miracle is directly attributed to the training and hard work, which all of you do,” Barrow said.
He noted, “There were over a half million acres burned. That’s half the size of Delaware, but people from 44 states, Canada and Puerto Rico all came down to help. But when they got here they saw you, on the front lines, fighting the fires, and a day like today is a tribute to you.”
Long County Commissioner Charles Reddish had a special note of gratitude to those present,
“When the fires in Long County hit, they got as close as 600 yards from my house. I wish I could thank every person, personally, for what they did,” he said. “These guys do a great job. Our department (L/LCFD), with the few we have, I would put up against anyone. All of the public needs to recognize what a tough job firefighters do.”
Two firefighters who attended were from the Macon / Bibb County Fire Department. Their experience level ranged from Pvt. Bernard Freeman who had only been a firefighter for 10 months, to Lt. Ellery Dunn who had bee with the department for 24 years.
“This is a great thing. People in the fire service always come together and work well with each other. I really appreciate what was done today,” Dunn said.
Host Wayne Dasher was asked about this becoming an annual event and he said, “What I hope to do is have a combined law enforcement and firefighter cookout next year. They all work together, and all of them are appreciated.”
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HPD Reports
crime scene

From Hinesville Police Department reports. Editor’s note: Due to computer issues at the city, reports have been unavailable in recent weeks. They are back. Our thanks to the HPD clerks who provide them. We’re catching up as quickly as possible.

Burglary, etc: A man called 911 on Feb. 27 because he was watching his White Circle home getting burglarized. The man said his alarm system had an app that showed live video on his phone, and he was “viewing three males inside his residence,” as he talked to 911.
Police responded, caught two of them inside the house and found the third guy “hiding behind a tree,” the report said.
Detectives are investigating.

Public indecency: An officer was sent to Lowes around 4:30 p.m. March 12 in reference to a disturbance involving a man and a woman.
The woman, a Lowe’s employee, said she had just got back from her lunch break when she saw the man “looking around at items on a shelf.”
The woman said she asked him if he needed help finding anything and he held up something, then said “I have found everything I need,” the report said. “(he) then placed his arms around (the employee) to hug her and then kissed (her) neck. (She) then moved away from (him) and told him to have a nice day and attempted to walk away from (the man). (He) then began to follow (her), stating ‘I would lick you up and down’ and ‘you better hide in an office.’ (She) then spoke with manager and called 911.’”
The man told police he thought he recognized the woman “and stated to me that he had previously had a relationship with her approximately two years ago. (He) was unable to recall (her) name while on scene.”
The woman told police “she has never seen, nor spoken to (the man) before today.”
The woman was given a case number and told what to do. The man was allowed to leave.

Indecent exposure: A Berkshire Terrace man reported he went outside his house around 6:40 a.m. and “observed a man who appeared to be intoxicated, peeing on his truck and trailer.”
The complainant said the man “fully exposed his penis while he was peeing. When (complainant) asked him to stop the man told him to ‘shut the (bleep) up.’ (Complainant) advised the man he would call police. (Complainant) advised his young son was standing outside during the incident. He said the man got into a 1996 black Buick and drove away, almost hitting cars that were parked in the driveway.”
The complainant said he did not want to press charges, “he said he wanted to report the incident because the man did not stop peeing when he asked him too.”
The complainant said he’d seen the man before “come and go” from a nearby apartment. The officer met with the resident of that apartment, who said the man was a cousin and did not pee on the complainant’s trailer.

Identity theft: A man went to HPD on March 21 to report that when he went to get a driver’s history for a commercial driver’s license, he found several citations on the history that weren’t his. “(He) stated he noticed someone was issued four citations in Arkansas and one citation in Jacksonville, Florida,” and during the time the Arkansas tickets were written he was in locked up in Georgia.
“(He) advised that he was not incarcerated when the citation in Jacksonville, Florida was issued but he was not in Florida at the time. (He) was unable to leave the state of Georgia due to being on felony probation.”
It gets worse.
“(He) told me that he attempted to file his income taxes for the first time ever and he was rejected due to owing the IRS money, $20,000. (He) stated he spoke to a representative for the IRS and he was informed that taxes were filed in his name in 2014 and the return was $1,3000. (He) advised he did not file taxes in 2013 and he was still incarcerated at the time.”
The man then told the officer he thinks his brother “got the citations and filed income taxes using his information. (He) believed his brother obtained his Social Security number and other demographics when he was incarcerated.”
The man said he talked to his brother, who said he paid all the tickets. “(His) brother also told him on a different occasion that he knew his date of birth and (SSN). (He) advised he told his brother that it was not OK to use his name due to him getting his life together and attempting to drive commercial vehicles.”
The guy said he didn’t have his brother’s address. He chose to fill out an identity theft packet.

Simple battery, theft by taking: An officer was sent around 2 a.m. March 20 to the Baymont Inn regarding a disturbance. There, a woman said she was being “grabbed and pulled” by a man when she told him to leave her motel room. She said they began arguing when he accused her of stealing $100.
The man claimed he met the woman on a dating website and when they “started having sex she informed him that it would cost $100.” He told her he wasn’t going to pay her, “got dressed and realized the five $20s in his pants pocket were missing. He accused (her) of stealing his money.”
The officer asked the woman if she stole the man’s money and she replied, “No, I work hard for my money.”
Both were given a case number and told how to get a warrant.

Robbery: A woman called HPD March 15 to report she was home when her estranged husband came to her apartment “and asked her to come outside to talk to him,” a report said.
“She stated that she stepped outside thinking that he was going to be civil, though she recently filed for divorce from him. As she stepped outside, he grabbed her necklace off her neck and then ran down the stairwell and out to the parking lot.”
The woman said he stood by his vehicle a minute, then drove off as police arrived. Officers checked the area but had no luck finding the man.

Burglary: Police were sent to a Malibu Drive address on March 13 regarding missing firearms and ransacked rooms. The homeowners were at work and got home to find handguns and rifles missing, as well as video games.
It appeared the home may have been broken into through the attic. Police found footprints and other evidence, and the case is under investigation.

Recovered stolen trailer: A U-Haul employee was inventorying equipment on March 14 when she discovered a trailer that had been reported stolen in Florida on Dec. 26. “She stated someone had backed the trailer into a parking stall along with the other trailers sometime during the night.”

Theft: In February, the maintenance man at Cypress Bend Mobile Home Park reported that “22 air conditioning unit disconnect boxes were stolen from various lots… He stated he began receiving calls from people that their air conditioning units were not working.”
The boxes contain small pieces of copper. He didn’t know who swiped them, but valued the total at about $341.

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