(Dec 30)-- Toombs County Commissioners are asking the District Attorney of the Middle Judicial Circuit to review an audit of the County Commissioners' office for possible criminal activity. Commissioners held their last meeting of the year Friday afternoon and went into executive session to decide what to do with a special audit conducted after office manager Roy Stewart was suspended for loaning county funds to an employee without authorization. Stewart has since made restitution of the $2,850 plus interest and resigned.

Outgoing Toombs Commission Chairman James Thompson says, "Take my word for it, no county funds are missing." According to Thompson, Stewart exceeded his authority and violated county procedures by taking salary advances, but Thompson says there was no crime. However, Commissioner Smitty Snell says commissioners "really don't know" what went on, and that's why they want the District Attorney to review the audit to see if there's evidence of crime which should be presented to a grand jury.

Thompson says the special audit by MClain-Calhoun Certified Public Accountants cost taxpayers $15,000, however, he says copies will not be released to the press or public until its reviewed by the District Attorney. If an indictment is sought, Thompson claims the audit's release might prejudice a grand jury.

In other actions Friday, Commissioners balanced the county's 2001 budget by voting to transfer almost $421,000 from the county landfill fund to the general operating fund. Commissioners have been trying for weeks to find revenue to makeup the deficit. Earlier they froze the salaries of all employees, with the exception of constitutional officers, and increased the share of health insurance which employees must pay. Thompson says the addition of new county employees, particularly in the Sheriff's Office, have led to the budget crunch.

Commissioner Mell Taylor missed Friday's meeting. He's hospitalized following an appendectomy.

(Dec 29)-- The first woman to be elected in the Middle Judicial Circuit of Georgia has been sworn in as Superior Court judge. Cathy Palmer of Swainsboro was sworn in Thursday afternoon in ceremonies at Swainsboro Tech. Georgia Court of Appeals Judge John Ellington of Soperton administered the oath of office. Judge Palmer succeeds Judge Marvin Hartley of Lyons who is retiring after 24 years on the bench. The Middle Judicial Circuit includes Toombs, Emanuel, Candler, Jefferson and Washington Counties.

(Dec 22)-- One person was killed in a one-vehicle accident in Toombs County. Sheriff Junior Kight says 28-year-old Adrian Rhett Wallingford of Mansfield, GA was apparently killed when his truck overturned on the New Normantown Road. The accident happened just after 2 o'clock Friday morning.

(Dec 19)-- Vidalia police report two arrests in connection with last week's shooting incident on the campus of Vidalia High School following a basketball game. Captain Roger Callaway says the incident resulted from some type of domestic dispute. There were no injuries when the woman in the case pulled a gun from her car and fired it in the air. The male then took the gun away from her and fired the remaining ammunition in the air. Police say the two 20-year-olds are Sheneka Nicole Gardner of Vidalia and Devinson Wadley of Soperton. Both are being charged with discharging a gun in the city limits and Gardner is also accused of having a weapon in a school safety zone. Police say additional charges may be placed because the gun had been stolen from a Vidalia business.

(Dec 13)-- A second person has died as a result of a Monday wreck in Montgomery County. Officials say 56-year-old Myra Freeman Thompson of Ailey died Tuesday at Memorial Medical Center in Savannah. The driver of the other vehicle in the two-car collision Monday afternoon in Ailey, 36-year-old Curtiss Wayne Phillips of Vidalia, died in the accident.

(Dec 13)-- Officials of the Toombs-Montgomery-Wheeler County United Way got good news at their board meeting Tuesday. A final report of funds raised by Plant Hatch employees pushed the annual fund drive over the $400,000 mark. Campaign chairperson Ann Todd says the new figure is $402,702, nearly $80,000 more than the goal for this year.

(Dec 8)-- The Toombs County Sheriff's department says six social security checks have been stolen from rural mailboxes in the last two weeks. They say such activity usually increases during the holiday period and urge residents to take precautions and report any suspicious activitiy to the sheriff's office in Lyons.

(Dec 7)-- Some Lyons citizens are criticizing city councilman Ivy Toole Jr. for forcing city employee Daryl Corley to quit one of his two jobs with the city. Corley was wearing two hats, one as public works director and one as fire chief, but Toole says he couldn't properly supervise both departments. Mayor John Moore claims Corley was doing a good job for less money that it will take the city to hire a fulltime public works director. Toole was criticized at Tuesday night's meeting of the Lyons City Council.

The council is still trying to balance the city budget for the coming year and is considering raising city water/sewer rates and trash pickup fees. Mayor John Moore presented the Toombs County Boys and Girls Club with a check for $5,000 in support of the new club branch which has opened in the housing area operated by the Lyons Housing Authority. The council approved appointment to the city recreation board of Marshall Mosley, Carrie Williams, Bill Benton and Ellen Akins.

(Dec 1)-- A police drug search Friday morning at Vidalia High School results in the arrest of three students. Vidalia Police Captain Bobby Young says 17-year-old Steven Simons, 17-year-old Kelly Howell, and a 15-year-old female juvenile are charged with possession of marijuana. Officers found the drug in cars parked in the school parking lot, according to Young. He says agents from the East Central Georgia Drug Task Force, the Toombs County Sheriff's Department, and the Treutlen County K-9 unit took part in the three-and-a-half hour search of the school. School Superintendent Dr. Tim Smith says both Simons and Howell are being re-assigned to Alternative School.