1. Drowning Incident at Lake Hartwell
A tragic incident occurred at Lake Hartwell Sunday evening where a 22-year-old man from
Greer, SC, drowned while swimming at the Big Oaks Recreation Area. He was not wearing a life
jacket and got separated from his group.
The man has been identified, by Hart County Coroner Mike Adams, Armando Estaban Sanchez
Martinez. DNR Law Enforcement officer, Craig Fulghum said Martinez drowned while
swimming at the Big Oaks Recreation area Sunday around 6 p.m.
“At approximately 5:50 p.m., our game wardens received a call that there was a subject who
went down at the Big Oaks Recreation Area next to the Hartwell Dam in Hartwell,” he said.
“The subject had already been recovered prior to game wardens arriving. EMS personnel tried to
resuscitate the individual. The coroner was on the scene and the subject was pronounced dead.”
Martinez was with others at Big Oaks but Adams said he could not swim and was not wearing a
life jacket when he went into the water and got separated from the group.
Meantime, Fulghum said this has been the busiest July 4th holiday on Lake Hartwell he’s ever
seen. Fulghum said they are seeing more inexperienced boaters and PWC operators on the lake
this year than in years past.
“People that are not familiar with boating and the laws, they just come out, get in the boat and go
to it. Those are typically the ones who are going to have a violation. They just have not done the
education and know the inherent dangers. And if you don’t do your homework and you’re not
familiar with boating, you’re going to make mistakes,” he said.
As of Sunday evening, Fulghum said about 100 citations had been issued on Lake Hartwell this
weekend, primarily for safety violations.
2. King and Spanish Mackerel port meetings continue in South Carolina and Georgia Grice Connect
Join GA DNR at upcoming port meetings throughout July and August, hosted by the South
Atlantic Fishery Management Council and partners along the Atlantic coast. The meetings will
offer fishermen and stakeholders a platform to discuss the future of King Mackerel and Spanish
Mackerel fisheries amidst climate impacts and management challenges.
A series of port meetings continues in July and August, providing a unique opportunity for
fishermen and others interested in the King Mackerel and Spanish Mackerel fisheries to share
their perspectives and vision for the future. The port meetings are being hosted by the South
Atlantic Fishery Management Council, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, and
state partners along the Atlantic coast in 2024. Meetings were held in North Carolina in April,
New England in May, and New York in June.
“These are not public hearings,” explained Council Chair Dr. Carolyn Belcher. “These port
meetings are more than public comment opportunities. They are designed to gain a better
understanding of the impacts of things like climate change and shift in fisheries on communities,
consider inter-jurisdictional management, and discuss ways to maintain long-term sustainability
of stocks.”
Attendees at the port meetings will have the chance to actively discuss their perspectives with
other fishery participants and local Council members. The informal meetings allow stakeholders
to share their insights and help determine the future of these fisheries. A complete list of the
Council’s goals and objectives for the meetings is available from the Council’s website.
Upcoming Port Meetings
Note: All meetings will be held from 6-8pm
Tuesday, July 30
National Museum of the Mighty 8 th Air Force
175 Bourne Avenue
Pooler, GA
Thursday, August 1
Sapelo Saltwater Fishing Club
3576 Old Shellman Road
Townsend, GA
3. Local law enforcement cracks down on speeding in ‘Operation Southern Slow Down’
By Michelle Jennings
COLUMBUS, GA (WRBL) — From July 15 to July 21, Georgia and Alabama join Florida,
South Carolina, and Tennessee for the eighth annual “Operation Southern Slow Down”
The campaign aims to change the driving behaviors of residents in the region by prioritizing the
safety of all citizens by focusing on drivers who are traveling at excessive speeds.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, speeding was a factor in one-
third of traffic fatalities in the United States in 2022. At a press conference held Monday
morning, Lieutenant Jeter with the Georgia State Patrol says the choice to speed is deadly.
According to the National Highway Traffic Administration, 11,423 passenger vehicle occupants
were killed in speeding- related crashes in the United States in 2022, which is a 25% increase
from 2018. However, Alabama is down 23 car related fatalities compared to last year. Sergeant
Jeremy Burkett with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency says it is important to drive the
speed limit as speed contributes to the severity of a car crash.
Burkett believes this week’s efforts will cause the number of car related fatalities to continue to
decrease. Local law enforcement agencies want to ensure that citizens are prepared to stop,
switch lanes, and abide by the hands-free laws set in Georgia and Alabama to prevent motor
vehicle fatalities and injuries.
4. Alumnus leaves $1.5M estate gift to UGA
By Kate Regan, WUGA Radio, Athens, GA
The University of Georgia has announced a gift of $1.5 million from the estate of the late Joshua
W. Jones, Grady College alumni and distinguished professional in the field of political
communications.
$1 million of the endowment will benefit the School of Public and International Affairs, with the
remaining $500,000 directed toward Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication.
Between the two schools, six new funds will be created in Jones’ honor.
Jones, who passed away in July 2023, earned multiple degrees from UGA in SPIA, Grady and
the Terry College of Business. He expressed commitment to advancing the programmatic
offering of the Public Affairs Certificate Program, and was a dedicated member of the SPIA
Board of Visitors since 2016. Jones was the principal of Halifax Strategies Inc. where he
provided counsel to an array of clients in the public and commercial sector.
“Josh Jones had a knack for spotting opportunities for students and bringing resources to the
table to make those ideas come true,” said Matt Auer, dean of the School of Public and
International Affairs. “Josh was a key part of the SPIA brain trust. I miss his original thinking
and his can-do spirit. And I am deeply grateful for his enduring investment in SPIA.”
5. Suspect arrested after Athens man found dead near northeast Georgia church
Body discovered by passerby near Antioch Church Road and Gus Barnett Road
GBI Crime Scene Specialists assessing the scene near Antioch Church United Methodist
Church in Jackson County where Antowne Lay's body was found on July 12, 2024. (GBI photo)
The GBI has arrested and charged a man with murder after an Athens man was found dead near a
church in Jackson County on Friday, July 12.
William Austin, 31, of Jefferson, was booked into the Jackson County Jail.
The body of 29-year-old Antowne Shalmar Lay was found near the intersection of Antioch
Church Road and Gus Barnett Road in Nicholson.
The GBI says it was requested by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office to investigate Lay’s death.
Agents charged Austin with felony murder, armed robbery, aggravated assault, and tampering
with evidence in connection to the homicide.
Law enforcement vehicles parked on the side of the road where Lay’s body was found. (GBI photo)
Anyone with information about this crime is asked to call the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office at
706-367-8718 or the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Athens at 706-552-2309.
Anonymous tips may also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), through the GBI’s
online tipline, or See Something, Send Something mobile app.
The GBI says its investigation is ongoing. When it is complete, agents will turn over the case file
to the Piedmont Judicial Circuit for prosecution.