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WAYCROSS JOURNAL-HERALD
South Georgia’s Greatest Newspaper
THE EMPTY
STOCKING
$7,000 Barrier Falls!
Effort For 2014 Fund
Presses Onward
Toward $8,000!
Now within a week of Christmas Day, the Journal-Herald
Empty Stocking Fund continues
to rake in cash ... thanks to the
generosity of the public.
The total today stands just a few
coins shy of $7,200. The latest
donations:
In Memory of My Friend,
Dean Brown, “Rest in Peace”
from Skipper . . . . . . . . .$50
Love Change . . . . . . .$107.48
Faith Temple Church . . .$200
Waycross, Ga.
Friday, Dec. 19, 2014
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistani warplanes and ground forces killed at least
77 militants in a northwestern tribal region near the Afghan border, officials
said Friday, days after Taliban fighters
killed 148 people — most of them children — in a school massacre.
Meanwhile, a Pakistani prosecutor
said the government will try to cancel
the bail granted to the main suspect in
the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks — a decision that outraged neighboring India
and called into question Pakistan’s commitment to fighting militancy.
The violence at a school in Pakistan’s
northwest earlier this week stunned the
country and brought cries for retribution.
In the wake of the mass killing the military has struck targets in the Khyber
tribal region and approved the death
penalty for six convicted terrorists.
The military said its ground forces late
Thursday killed 10 militants while
airstrikes killed another 17, including an
Uzbek commander. Another 32 alleged
terrorists were killed by security forces
in an ambush in Tirah valley in Khyber
on Friday as they headed toward the
Afghan border, the military said.
On Friday morning, troops killed 18
more militants during a “cordon and
search operation” in Khyber, the military
said.
The military said the army chief, Gen.
Raheel Sharif, was traveling to Khyber
Friday to meet with troops taking part in
the ground operation.
Khyber agency is one of two main
areas in the northwest where the military
has been trying to root out militants in recent months. Khyber borders Peshawar,
where the school massacre happened, and
militants have traditionally attacked the
city before withdrawing to the tribal region where police can’t chase them.
Waycross Brass Entertains At Banquet
Empty Stocking donations
are tax deductible and
may be delivered to the
Journal-Herald office at
400 Isabella St. or mailed
to:
BAXLEY — Appling County
Sheriff Benny Deloach announced Thursday the arrest of a
Baxley woman on charges she
stabbed a former boyfriend to
death Tuesday.
The body was found at a house
here late Tuesday, just before
midnight, Deloach said.
Rhonda Jo Crosby, 47, has
been charged with felony murder
and aggravated assault following
an investigation into the murder
of Robert Crapps, 46, who was
found dead at his residence on
Sara Baker Lane, said Deloach.
Deputies were summoned to
the house about 11 p.m. Tuesday
where they found the body, Deloach said. Chief Deputy Lee J.
Sweat Jr. said evidence showed
that Crapps had been stabbed.
An investigation by Appling
County and the Georgia Bureau
of Investigation resulted in the arrest of Crosby on Wednesday.
She was also wanted on a bench
warrant in connection with her
probation regarding a separate
stabbing case, also involving
Crapps.
(see MURDER, page 15)
Partly
Cloudy
66/45Lo
Rain Likely Sunday Night
Hi
—page 3—
The other area is North Waziristan,
where the military launched a massive
operation in June.
In the southern province of Baluchistan, Pakistani security forces killed a
senior Pakistani Taliban leader along
with seven of his associates in three separate pre-dawn raids, said a tribal police
officer, Ali Ahmed.
The Pakistani army chief late Thursday signed the death warrants of six
“hard core terrorists” convicted and sentenced to death by military courts, the
army said.
McKelvin, Gibson,
Three Others Are
Scheduled To Enter
Sports Hall Of Fame
(see PAKISTAN, page 16)
Local Community Hall Will Hold 30th
Annual Induction Banquet Ceremony
March 6 At Waycross Exchange Club
Empty Stocking Fund
Journal-Herald
P.O. Box 219
Waycross, Ga. 31502
Baxley Woman
Fatally Stabbed
Her Boyfriend,
Sheriff Says
75¢
77 Killed As Pakistan Avenges Massacred Kids
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . $7,197.48
The late Jack Williamses (Sr.
and Jr.), former Journal-Herald
publishers, were glad to raise
money for people in need through
the Empty Stocking Fund. Today,
about 76 years after its inception,
the fund is still here, raising
money each Christmas season.
Publisher Roger Williams and
Editor Jack Williams III now
order the fund’s direction.
The Empty Stocking money is
divided equally between the Department of Family and Children
Services and the Salvation Army.
Funds are not given out at the
Journal-Herald office.
Donations to the Empty Stocking Fund are listed on page 1 by
name (unless anonymity is requested).
wjhnews.com
Christmas carols performed
by the Waycross Brass
(above) put a large Waycross Exchange Club banquet crowd in a festive
mood Thursday night. Club
members and guests were
entertained with musical
selections from reverie to
reverence, and they were
inspired by a message from
the Rev. Doug Walker (center in lower photo), pastor
of Trinity United Methodist
Church at the clubʼs annual
Christmas banquet. Reading from Luke, Chapter 2,
Walker called attention to
the fact that everyone is enthralled with babies, that
even a person who is dealing with trials will have his
entire demeanor changed in
the presence of a pleasing
baby. He pointed to the
most amazing baby ever
born, a baby who would
grow up to be the savior of
mankind, when Jesus
Christ arrived in a stable in
Bethlehem. Heavenʼs angels shared the good news
of his birth and shepherds
hurriedly made their way to
see him. “A baby can make
even Scrooge become caring and compassionate,”
Walker said. “Godʼs gift to
us was practical, personal
and positive. Jesus came to
save us from our sins. Are
we ready to open the gift
God sent?” Program chairman Ken Bennett (right)
and club president Tony
Tanner (left) thanked Walker
for his presentation and applauded the performance of
the Waycross Brass. Several door prizes were
awarded at the end of the
evening. Club member
Eldon Lewis was called on
Photos By MYRA THRIFT
for the devotional. He read
Galatians 4:4 and told how
he came to know Jesus
after meeting the woman
who would be his life mate
and who recently went
home to be with the Lord. “I
am thankful for our journey
and I look forward to taking
the next journey to be with
her.” Everyone was wished
a Merry Christmas and a
happy new year as the club
will not have meetings the
next two Thursdays. The
next regular lunch meeting
will be Jan. 8.
Sony Hack Attack Gins Up New Cries
For Sanctions Against North Koreans
WASHINGTON (AP) — Suspicions that North
Korea was behind a destructive hacking attack
against Sony Pictures and a threat against movie
theaters are intensifying calls for tougher U.S. steps
to cut that country’s access to hard currency and
declare it once more as a state sponsor of terrorism.
At first glance, U.S. options for responding to
the hacking attack are limited. Bringing the shadowy hackers to justice appears a distant prospect.
A U.S. cyber-retaliation against North Korea
would risk a dangerous escalation. And North
Korea is already targeted by a raft of sanctions
over its nuclear weapons program.
Christmas Schedule
The Journal-Herald will
close early (10:30 a.m.) on
Christmas Eve and will reopen on Friday, Dec. 26 ...
so be sure to deliver your
Empty Stocking donation to
the Isabella Street office
(todayʼs masthead photo)
before then! Thereʼs still time
to mail in a contribution (see
instructions above).
“We don’t sell them anything, we don’t buy
anything from them and we don’t have diplomatic
relations,” said William Reinsch, a former senior
Commerce Department official who was responsible for enforcing international sanctions against
North Korea and other countries.
But the U.S. isn’t powerless if it concludes Pyongyang was behind the hack that has prompted
Sony to cancel its Christmas Day release of the
movie “The Interview.”
While U.S. officials are saying privately that
they believe North Korea was connected to the
(see NORTH, page 9)
Former Ware County High
School football stars Leodis
McKelvin and Fred Gibson have
been chosen for induction into
the local community sports hall
of fame in March.
Also entering the WaycrossWare County Sports Hall of
Fame at the 30th annual banquet
ceremony on Friday, March 6,
will be Jimmy Carter, a 1950s
Wacona football standout, and a
pair of 1970s Waycross High
girls basketball sharp-shooters,
Vicki Cason Bollinger and Barbara Stanley Pender.
The induction class is announced by Ricky Brantley,
Waycross-Ware County Sports
Hall of Fame president.
McKelvin, a Buffalo Bills cornerback and kick returner, and
Gibson, who had a two-year flirtation with the NFL after a
highly successful career as a
wide receiver at the University of
Georgia, both stood out at Ware
during the Coach Dan Ragle era.
McKelvin, who played collegiately at Troy State, was enjoying an All-Pro caliber season, his
seventh in the league, when he
broke his leg in a Thursday night
game a month ago.
When he went down in the
loss to the Dolphins, McKelvin
had four interceptions and 45
solo tackles to his credit.
Cason Bollinger and Stanley
Pender were stars on the basketball court at Waycross High, the
former in the late 1960s and
early ’70s and Pender in the late
1970s. Both performed on state
caliber squads. Pender still lives
in Waycross. Bollinger is a
Tampa resident.
Carter, the old Wacona football
hero, resides in Jamestown. He
recently came out of retirement
for a return stint as chief of the
Brunswick Police Department.
The former chief is currently the
interim chief of police there.
The Waycross-Ware County
Sports Hall of Fame annually inducts five people each spring.
Friday, March 6, 7 p.m., will
mark the hall’s 30th annual banquet ceremony.
Tickets to the banquet to be
held at the Waycross Exchange
Club Center (at the fairgrounds
on Knight Avenue) will go on
sale in February. Tickets are $10.
ʻOh Come, All Ye Faithfulʼ
(see HALL, page 15)
Blood Drive Monday Needs Big Turnout
To Replenish Supply Of Emergency Blood;
Drive Is At Fairgrounds, 9:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.
likely prospect during this era of
public apathy about the crisis —
That is the plea that the Waya catastrophic occurrence could
cross Area Blood Drive Volunsee many people die simply beteers are directing to their blood
cause of a lack of blood.
donors ... past and present. The
The Red Cross is constantly
need to restock the emergency
urging the public to give the
blood supply is great at the pres- “Gift of Life” as concerns run
ent time.
high that a massive emergency
“We are hoping that Monday’s might deplete the slim emerblood drive sees a great turnout,” gency supply very quickly, Grifsaid Gary Griffin, secretary of
fin said.
the Waycross Area Blood Drive
The community of Waycross
Volunteers. “We sure need one!” has become noted for its blood
The drive is from 9:30 a.m.
donation participation, especially
through 7:30 p.m. at the Wayduring the month of December.
cross Exchange Club Center on
“Waycross still leads all GeorKnight Avenue at the fairgia cities in giving blood, but we
grounds.
have slipped a lot lately,” Griffin
Griffin warned that unless hos- said. “We used to have 200-plus
pital shelves are well-stocked
people showing up nearly every
with emergency blood — an un(see BLOOD, page 2)
“Oh come, all ye faithful ...”
W h a t’s I n s i d e
Vol. 96, No. 299
DON’T MISS IT!!
COME AND SEE!!
www.okeswamp.com
Billy Graham ____________ 4
Church News ________ 12-13
Classified Ads ________ 15
Comics ________________ 14
Dear Abby ______________ 4
Editorials ______________ 5
Extended Forecast ______ 3
Family News ________ 10-11
Obituaries ______________ 3
Sports ________________ 6-7