Entries by Mike Buffington

A quorum of the Pendergrass City Council met in an unannounced meeting Tuesday night at the real estate office of Mayor Monk Tolbert in an illegal city council meeting. The mayor and council members Judy Stowe and John Pethel were gathered at Tolbert’s business office around 5:30 p.m. Working from a tip, Herald editor Mike Buffington went to ... [Full Story »] 

Three Hispanic teens are in custody following an armed robbery at the Jefferson I-85 RaceTrac late Friday night.

Jefferson Police Chief Joe Wirthman said Saturday that the three robbed the service station around 1:20 a.m. a Braselton officer spotted the men traveling down I-85 and gave chase, along with Gwinnett officers.

The suspects exited at Exit 111 an went toward Forsyth County. They wrecked about 7 miles north of I-85. Two were captured at the scene and the third was arrested Saturday morning.

The suspects threw their guns out during the chase and officers are still trying to recover those. Most of the money was recovered, Wirthman said.

The GBI said Wednesday morning that its probe into allegations of public corruption in the Pendergrass city government had not yet begun. That contrasts sharply with what Pendergrass Mayor Monk Tolbert told a standing room only crowd at the town’s Tuesday night council meeting when he indicated the GBI investigation into the city was over. ... [Full Story »] 

Embattled Pendergrass Police Chief Rob Russell is being replaced, but will continue to serve as the town’s administrator. "The mayor has decided to replace me in that (chief’s) position,” Russell said this week. “I will stay on as city administrator." He said his salary will be changed, but he doesn't know how much yet. The town began ... [Full Story »] 

District Attorney Brad Smith said Monday that he has not reviewed all of the evidence from a group of whistleblowers alleging corruption by Pendergrass officials. Smith said he had made no decision on whether or not he will take any action to investigate the matter. Nancy Val Preda, attorney for the three whistleblowers, said she took some of ... [Full Story »] 

THREE City of Pendergrass employees allege that the town is rife with corruption, ticket-fixing and favoritism, but that Mayor Monk Tolbert ignored evidence they gave him in June of the wrongdoing and instead, fired two of them under the guise of “budget cutting.” On June 28, city clerk Katherine Rintoul, policeman Scott Rogers and ... [Full Story »] 

A 25-year-old Winder man was shot Thursday during an argument over money, according to the Barrow County Sheriff's Office. The victim, whose wounds were not life-threatening, was taken to an area hospital. His identity has not been disclosed. Arrested and being held without bond at the Barrow County Detention Center is 19-year-old Keyon Neal of ... [Full Story »] 

Braselton Mayor Pat Graham won’t run for re-election this fall and instead seek the Georgia State Senate seat currently held by Sen. Ralph Hudgens. Hudgens will be running for Georgia Insurance Commissioner, thus opening up the Senate District 47 seat. Graham, a Republican, said her campaign would be based on “conservative principles.” ... [Full Story »] 

First Piedmont Bank, Winder, was taken over Friday night by the FDIC and Georgia Department of Banking. First American Bank and Trust Company of Athens assumed all deposits of the bank. The bank is the second area community bank to be closed this year by the FDIC. Freedom Bank based in Commerce with a branch in Winder was taken over by the FDIC ... [Full Story »]