City sets tax rate; chief seeks pay raise for officers

Gray City Council members had two public hearings about their 2025 budget and 2024 tax rate last week with no questions from the public about either.The public hearings were held at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Sept. 16. No one from the public attended the morning meeting, and the few citizens at the 6 p.m.

Driver who caused accident pleads guilty

A Jones County defendant stated his regret for an accident that resulted in the serious injury of the other driver as he entered a guilty plea to the resulting charge.David Bradford Gillespie was in Jones County Superior Court Sept. 19 to enter the plea, which had been negotiated with the state.

Crime Watch

The following information is gleaned from incident reports, which are public record, from the Jones County Sheriff’s Department and Gray Police Department Sept. 19-23, 2024.Sept. 19Rough economyCorp.

Superior Court Motions

SEPT. 19, 2024PLEASState vs. Dan Thomas Cleveland Jr. – 10 years ct. 1: possession marijuana with intent to distribute, five years each ct. 3: dog fighting, ct. 10: possession of firearm by convicted felon.

Real Estate Transactions

SEPT. 20-26, 2024SEPT. 20Prime Source Development, LLC to Buyside Capital Advisors, LLC; parcel J44B00120, J44B00121, etc.; $775,000.00 Franklin Y. Tan to David P. Walsh, Sr.; parcel J29/028; $60,000.00 Azan Boland to Charles J. Brewer; 260 Hallie Lane; parcel J59A00524; $224,900.

Vehicle Tags

SEPT. 20-26, 2024Jones County ($5,046.27) City of Gray ($758.02) River North ($245.67) Total tags ($6,049.96)

Traffic Citations

Traffic citations filed with the Jones County Probate Court for Sept.

Touch-a-Truck

The Pilot Club would like to thank everyone who came to their seventhAnnual Touch-A-Truck event. Pilot Club member Fay Mathews said it was a wonderful day with over 2,000 attendees.

Early voting begins Oct. 15, including two Saturdays

The Nov. 5 Presidential Election Day is a month away, and Jones County voters have several important decisions to make locally.Jones County has one contested local race, and that is in County Commission District 4. All the other races were either unopposed or determined in the May 21 Primary.

Veterans Committee finalizes plans for celebration

The Jones County Veterans Committee has been working on plans for this year’s Veterans Appreciation Day to continue a tradition that started in 2001 of thanking veterans for their service.This year’s event will take place Nov. 9, beginning with the Col. Allen Carr Memorial Day 5K that starts at 9 a.