Ruskin Elementary School has received the 2024 Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence Lighthouse Award, the highest award given by the organization.

Recovery efforts continue across southeast Georgia after Hurricane Helene went storming through the area.

Ware County was among the worst hit in Southeast Georgia by Hurricane Helene. Residents were still digging out from the devastation on Monday as schools, libraries, government offices and more remained closed.

Thousands of people are still without power in Waycross as trees and power lines lie across roadways.

Officials announced that all Ware County Schools and the Central Office will remain closed at least through Tuesday, Oct. 1 due to Hurricane Helene.

Due to sustained winds reaching 45 mph and higher, first responders for Glynn County and the City of Brunswick – Police, Fire and Public Works – are unable to safely respond to emergency calls.

Hurricane Helene intensifies to a Category 2 storm, affecting Jacksonville and North Florida with increasing rain and winds.

Officials in Ware County are preparing for impacts from Helene.

The Waycross community came together to celebrate the birthday of Sgt. Kennedy Sanders and honored her service.

Dozens of people attended a basketball tournament Saturday morning at Ware County High School to honor a fallen hero.

Strong to isolated severe storms possible tonight

Voters in 18 south Georgia counties face a question this May about whether or not to extend a one-cent sales tax to pay for transportation projects across the region.

Army Sargeant Kennedy Sanders was laid to rest in Waycross on Saturday morning.

The community gathered in Waycross Friday to honor Army Sergeant Kennedy Sanders, the 24-year-old who was among the three soldiers killed in a drone attack in Jordan in late January.

Army Sergeant Kennedy Sanders, 24, will be laid to rest Saturday after a public viewing Friday in her hometown of Waycross. Sanders was one of three soldiers killed during a drone strike in Jordan two weeks ago.

A local soldier who was killed in the line of duty overseas will be remembered Saturday during a funeral service in her native Waycross, Georgia.

Family and friends are gathering in Georgia this week as funerals begin for three Army Reserve soldiers killed in a recent drone attack in Jordan.

A grieving Waycross community is remembering the life of Army Seargent Kennedy Sanders, who was one of three soldiers killed in a drone strike in Jordan on Sunday.

A Jacksonville artist is creating a special piece for the family of a soldier killed in Jordan earlier this week.

The parents of Spc. Kennedy Sanders shared precious memories of her with News4JAX and President Joe Biden called to offer his condolences after she was one of three United States soldiers killed in a drone strike in Jordan.

The U.S. Defense Department says three Army Reserve soldiers from Georgia were killed in a weekend drone strike in Syria.

A nice week ahead, changes coming this weekend

Three US Army soldiers were killed and more than 30 service members were injured in a drone attack in Jordan. The attack happened at Tower 22 in Jordan near the border with Syria. Specialist Kennedy Sanders of Waycross was one of the three killed.

The AC is set to cool now, next week it's back to heat

Elections were held for 11 local offices across northeast Florida and southeast Georgia.

A Georgia school sustained major damage on Wednesday as strong winds from Hurricane Idalia blew through the area.

It’s another mild start to the day, and more near-record warmth is on the way for the afternoon.

The leader of a deadly fentanyl trafficking operation in Southeast Georgia will spend the next 22 years in federal prison.

A Waycross man was killed after colliding with a utility pole on Sunday night, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Ware County is ready for its shot at history against a team that has already made plenty of it.

A teenager was found dead after the Waycross Police Department responded to reports of gunfire on Columbus Street near Elizabeth Street at approximately 4:45 p.m. Thursday, the department said.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday announced the arrest of a Waycross juvenile correctional officer on a charge of second-degree murder and other charges.

Two days after a man and woman were found dead in their home in the Waycross area, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced Wednesday that the son of the woman and the son’s wife were arrested and each charged with two counts of felony murder.

A man and woman were found dead Monday in their home in the Waycross area, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said Tuesday.

CSX and local first responders are working to clear the area.

Tornado Watches and Warnings issued Wednesday by the National Weather Service have expired for counties in Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia.

Happy Monday! We’ll continue with mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies with warmer temperatures expected this week.

A Waycross, Georgia, football star will be on football’s biggest stage this weekend, and the Waycross community is cheering him on in a unique way.

The first round of rain is moving between Tifton and Pearson, GA. This places the initial rain in Waycross around 11:30 to noonish. Overall the line has weakened as it continues to move east. Based on the current speed and models this brings the wet stuff to Jacksonville after the drive home.  Counties between I-75 and highway 301 will not be so lucky.  Be safe.

The Tornado Watch has been extended across southeast Georgia and portions on northeast Florida through 3 am.  A wind Advisory remains in place for coastal Georgia and across northeast Florida through 4 pm Monday.  A Weather Authority Alert for overnight storms from 12 am through 3 am.

Yep, our weather is not looking too bad weather going into the Thanksgiving weekend. Wednesday morning will be chilly. The freeze warning and frost advisories are only for a few hours just before sunrise. These are typically the coldest hours. Being the first freeze, it is not particularly impacting. The coldest temperatures (near Waycross - Alma, Georgia) and up and down US301 may see morning temperatures dip to 28-30°.

A single-engine Marquart 5 flew into power lines south of Waycross-Ware County Airport in Waycross, Ga., on Thursday.

Dry air will limit shower and storm activity across northeast Florida with limited coverage over inland SE GA, most will be from Waycross north.  Only a few pop-up showers may form as the east coast sea breeze pushes inland over coastal NE FL in the early afternoon and then interacts with the St Johns river breeze, 10%.  Mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies will allow high temperatures to climb with Feels Like temperatures in the upper 90s to low 100s.  Tonight, mostly clear with light patchy fog.

Happy Saturday! We’re in for another warm day in the upper 80s low 90s with feel-like temperatures in the high 90s.

A controlled burn in Ware County on Tuesday got out of control late in the day, consuming over 600 acres, according to the Georgia Forestry Commission.

GBI agents raided two apartment complexes Friday after tips about gang activity they received from the public and other law enforcement agencies, according to a release from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

WAYCROSS, Ga. – In an effort to encourage Georgians outside the metro Atlanta area to get vaccines, Gov. Brian Kemp traveled to Waycross on Friday afternoon to tour the mass vaccination site at the Waycross Mall and then receive his COVID-19 vaccine. The largest vaccination site in Southeast Georgia opened just over a week ago. LINKS: myvaccinegeorgia.com | Georgia county vaccination appointments | vaccinefinder.orgGeorgia had previously limited eligibility to people 55 and older, people with serious health conditions and those who are overweight and obese. Kemp said earlier this week the state was ready to expand eligibility to the broadest possible population, saying supplies of the vaccine continued to rise and he was confident that enough older adults had been vaccinated.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Thursday will start off much milder in the morning hours, you maybe surprised by the breezy, warm, with decreasing clouds during the day. But don’t be fooled by Mother Nature, as before midnight storms, maybe a severe one or two, will be from Valdosta to Waycross to Brunswick. Back in Jacksonville, Thursday evening temperatures will be in the 70s, even at night! AdSunday’s a tad better, waking up around 40° and breaking into the low 60s under partly cloudy skies. Next week looks MUCH more agreeable, with sunshine and mild temperatures in the upper 60s and low 70s on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Today was warm, topping out in the lovely upper 70s. Wednesday starts out with fog clearing as we warm up into the upper 70s. A more thin, less intense round of showers will push through later, during the evening hours. Expect clearing skies and dropping temperatures behind the rain, as the cold front pushes through our area. Sunday we will see a few clouds with increasing winds, but temperatures will make in into the mild mid 70s.

WAYCROSS, Ga. – All eighth grade students of Waycross Middle School “that are not in the self-contained setting” are to remain home through Jan. 29, according to a message from the school’s principal. The message from David Hitt reads in part: “This closure of (eighth) grade is due to the quarantining of several (eighth) grade teachers. All eighth grade students will have work posted in Google Classroom every day and they are expected to complete it on a daily bases, the principal said. He urged parents to contact him if anyone experiences issues in the digital platform. Hitt said parents could reach him by calling 912-287-2333.

Tonight will be cloudy and cool, with overnight lows sinking into the upper 50s. Areas in between the state line and counties that I-10 runs through, will see a few rounds of passing showers through out the day. A cold front pushes through behind the showers and turns our weekend cool, cloudy, and breezy. Sunday will be mostly cloudy and cool, topping out in the upper 60s. Monday kicks off warmer weather- hitting the upper 70s on Monday and Tuesday afternoon and the low 70s on Wednesday with isolated chances for showers each day.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Tuesday will be cloudy with a milder start, yet temperatures will not reach 70° as they did on Monday. Under partly cloudy skies we will only make it up to 63° at our warmest point. Thursday will see more sunshine, but a tad chillier, waking up around 41° and warming up to around 62° under partly cloudy skies. Friday we get a taste of more mild weather, with temperatures climbing from the low 40s into the upper 60s under partly cloudy skies. The weekend turns chilly, only topping out in the upper 50s Saturday and low 60s Sunday with mostly sunny skies.

Ware County Schools said its return-to-school plans are designed to be flexible so it can quickly adjust as needed. WAYCROSS, Ga. – As Ware County students prepare to return to school on Monday, the school board held a short meeting Wednesday morning to discuss some of the challenges that could follow. Ware County closed its schools three days before winter break was scheduled to begin due to a rise in COVID-19 cases among staff members, bus drivers and students. “We are trying to do all we can to help employees with the leave,” Smith said. School officials said Waycross hospital Memorial Satilla Health was diverting possible ER and ICU patients due to capacity issues.

The slow moving cold front that we started tracking Saturday morning is finally sinking south through the Jacksonville area this morning. This leaves us with grey skies and a few showers to start off with. Once the front clears out our skies will open up around lunch time and it will be sunny, breezy, and cooler for the afternoon. Monday starts off in the chilly low 40s and only warms into the cool low 60s under mostly sunny skies. Tuesday and Wednesday will also be cooler and sunny, starting out around 40° and warming into the mid 60s.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – We were warm today, hitting the low 80s in most cases with breezy southerly winds and building clouds. Tonight will be very slow to cool down, meandering down into the mid 60s overnight. Sunday starts out cloudy and damp, but the skis clear out around lunch time and it will be sunny, breezy, and cooler for the afternoon. Monday starts off in the chilly low 40s and only warms into the cool low 60s under mostly sunny skies. Tuesday and Wednesday will also be cooler and sunny, starting out around 40° and warming into the mid 60s.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Today was lovely and warm, topping out at 80° at the airport, making it one of the top 10 warmest days on New Year’s Eve. Expect mild temperatures at midnight, with mid 60s expected. For perspective, our typical afternoon high this time of the year is in the mid 60s, so we are certainly warmer than normal. Expect Friday to be warm and breezy with partly cloudy skies and afternoon highs around 80°. Monday kicks off a chilly and sunny few days, waking up in the low 40s and warming into the mid to low 60s.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A line of strong storms that moved quickly across Northeast Florida on Christmas Eve left power outages and downed trees in its wake. Another home had a large tree fall in the backyard. STORM DAMAGE: This surveillance video shows patio furniture being tossed around by wind and rain. Also in Mandarin, a power outage didn’t stop the Mandarin Presbyterian Church from holding its Christmas Eve Service. Take a look:In Lake City, Jerry Norenberg said he was getting ready to eat food with his roommates when a tree came crashing through their home.

From twinkling lights to gingerbread, Waycross, Georgia is sure to bring a little sparkle to you and yours this holiday season. Win a festiveescape to quaint downtown Waycross, and where you will enjoy an amazing celebration this holiday season. From the lighting of the tree, to ice skatingin Phoenix Park, and a wonderland of festive Christmas lights, you are sure to feel the Magic of Christmas. Take a holiday tour of the beautiful Okefenokee Swamp Park, or a historic home. Prize details : $500.00 VALUEGeorgia State Park Gift Certificate $25.00Hog N Bones Gift Certificate $25.00Southern Forest World Pass $10.00Sweetest Thing Cupcakery $25.00 (2)Plant Café Gift Certificate $40.00Okefenokee Swamp Park Gift Certificate $40.00Quality Inn 2 Night Stay+ the basket and an assortment of items.

As we head into the evening hours our chances increase for a southern, coastal shower to wander onshore, with peak rain chances around 8 p.m.Tonight we will sink down into the low 70s by sunrise. Tuesday warms up into the low 80s under mostly cloudy skies. Expect 60% chances to see coastal showers push onshore and make their way inland. Wednesday looks similar, waking up in the low 70s, warming up into the low 80s, mostly cloudy and breezy, with showers making their way onshore. Expect mostly sunny skies and only a 20% chance for showers.

WAYCROSS, Ga. – Lt. Scott Rowell, who Waycross police identified as the officer who fired multiple shots at a car containing two teenagers one week ago, has resigned, the department confirmed Saturday. Waycross community leaders say a resignation from the officer who shot at a car with two teens inside is not enough. “Trying to come up behind him.”The supervisor recommended the officer try to run the car’s tag and then to attempt a traffic stop safely. Officer Shook and Lt. Scott Rowell were wearing body-worn cameras but, according to a GBI spokesperson, the two officers did not turn them on. Officer Shook remains on administrative leave pending the results of the GBI’s investigation.

WAYCROSS, Ga. – Police officers did not turn on their body cameras during a traffic stop that ended in an officer shooting at two teenagers in South Georgia, investigators say. RELATED: Man threatens action if Georgia officer isn’t arrested | Georgia pastor wants officer firedIn the calls, Officer Jesse Shook can be heard saying he was following a silver Acura he saw speeding near the local Walmart. “Trying to come up behind him.”The supervisor recommended the officer try to run the car’s tag and then to attempt a traffic stop safely. Officer Shook and Lt. Scott Rowell were wearing body-worn cameras, but according to a GBI spokesperson, the two officers did not turn them on. Officer Shook and Lt. Rowell remain on administrative leave pending the results of the GBI’s investigation.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has launched an investigation of the incident Saturday morning in Waycross. We need at least 50,000 signatures from anybody in the state of Georgia to say justice must take place, Malone told the group of people. They got 10 days to make this arrest or all hell is going to break lose in Waycross Georgia. Five thousand Black militia is coming, and they will make this arrest, or we will make it for them, the unidentified man said. He said the people who are upset need to let the GBI finish its investigation into the officers actions.

Ferrell Malone organized a community meeting at his Georgia church Tuesday to discuss an incident involving a Waycross officer, who police said fired multiple gunshots at a car while attempting a traffic stop. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has launched an investigation of the incident Saturday morning in Waycross near the Georgia-Florida state line. The agency said the officer who opened fire had come to assist another Waycross officer who began following the car after witnessing the driver commit a traffic violation. There was a gun in the car, but they didnt know the gun was in the car. What we want, number one, is for justice to be immediately served so that he is terminated and stripped of all credentialing of a police officer, Malone said.

WAYCROSS, Ga. Two teenage brothers have been arrested on gun charges and other counts after a Waycross police officer attempting a traffic stop fired multiple gunshots at their car, according to investigators. According to the GBI, the 16-year-old stopped the car at the intersection of Walters Greenwood streets, yards away from their front door. The teens younger siblings, all younger than 14, ran out of the car in the direction of their home. He already had the gun out before we even had a chance to stop the car, said Boyd. According to the GBI, the second officer -- Lt. Scott Rowell -- approached the vehicle from the front, when the teens vehicle drove toward him.

WAYCROSS, Ga. – The president of the Waycross chapter of the NAACP is demanding the release of body camera footage of an attempted traffic stop, during which investigators said a Waycross police officer fired multiple shots at a car with two teenage boys inside. Larry Lockey, president of the Waycross chapter of the NAACP, said he’s worried if the incident goes unnoticed, there won’t be any justice. The agency said the officer who opened fire had come to assist another Waycross officer who began following the car after witnessing the driver commit a traffic violation. Waycross police also said both teenagers inside the car were arrested on charges of illegal possession of a firearm by a minor. “It’s hard to read that in the situation if the officer felt his life was in danger and started engaging in shots,” Reeves said.

In the meantime, the children involved and their father shared their side of what happened with News4Jax. The 9-year-old said at least seven shots were fired and one bullet whizzed by his head. The teens were both taken from the scene in handcuffs and were held at the police station for hours, the family said. They look like children, Goodman said. They know theyre not bad kids, Goodman said.

The first corrections officer said they watched as the chaos broke out at about 10:45 p.m. Saturday. “They were destroying a lot of property, setting things on fire,” the corrections officer said. “I was worried for my safety and just trying to get out and get back to my family,” the corrections officer said. Another corrections officer, who wasn’t there Saturday night, has resigned following the disturbance. “I planned on making it a career, but after all this its not an option,” the second corrections officer said.

WAYCROSS, Ga. A Maryland-based energy firm says it has completed its acquisition of a pellet plant in southeast Georgia. Enviva Partners of Bethesda, Maryland, previously announced that it would buy the Georgia Biomass plant in Waycross, as well as export terminal capacity that Georgia Biomass leases at the Port of Savannah. Enviva on Monday announced the completion of the deal. The Waycross plant began operating in 2011 and has a capacity of 800,000 metric tons per year. Envivas operations across the Southeast now include nine wood pellet production plants and five deep-water export terminals in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida, the company said.

WAYCROSS, Ga. – Three inmates and two staff members were injured during unrest at a state prison in Southeast Georgia that began Saturday night, according to the Georgia Department of Corrections. Eason said he believes if Ware State Prison had more guards, the disturbance “absolutely would not have happened.”“The fear of that was what if you get taken, hostage or beat up. A Ware State inmate was killed two weeks ago in what authorities said was an altercation with another inmate. Department of Corrections data shows 22 inmates and 32 staff members at Ware State Prison have tested positive for the coronavirus. Ware State Prison houses adult male felons and has a total capacity for 1,546, according to information about the facility on the department’s website.

WAYCROSS, Ga. A large producer of wood pellets that are burned for electricity is buying a pellet plant in southeast Georgia for $175 million. Enviva Partners of Bethesda, Maryland, announced last week that it would buy the Georgia Biomass plant in Waycross, as well as export terminal capacity that Georgia Biomass leases at the Port of Savannah. The Waycross plant began operating in 2011 and has a capacity of 800,000 metric tons per year. The Greenwood plant began operating in 2016 and exports its pellets through Wilmington, North Carolina. The utilities typically get credit for reducing carbon emissions by burning wood pellets, although some dispute the environmental benefits.

WAYCROSS, Ga. Food Lion announced Wednesday its acquiring 62 BI-LO/Harveys Supermarket stores across Georgia and the Carolinas, including the Harveys location in Waycross. Food Lion says it plans to hire 4,650 associates as part of these acquisition plans. Other stores that will be acquired in southeast Georgia include the Harveys on South 1st Street in Jesup and South Pierce Street in Alma. We are so excited to add these new locations to our more than 630 stores across Georgia and the Carolinas, said Food Lion President Meg Ham. Were thrilled to add these locations and serve even more towns and cities across these three states with fresh, quality products at affordable prices every day with the caring, friendly service customers expect from their local Food Lion.Food Lion says the stores will continue to operate as BI-LO and Harveys Supermarket until the transaction is complete, then it will change to food Lion.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The heat fueled some significant rains/storms around Waycross, Georgia Friday night. Watch for rip currents and keep safe during this Memorial Day weekend. Memorial Day will be breezier and not as hot, hitting the upper 80s during the afternoon. We have a 30% chance for an afternoon showers and a few more clouds in the sky. Tuesday through Friday will be not AS hot, topping out in the mid 80s with breezy conditions expected.

The Robeson County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Marshals Service arrested Cody Rienks, 27, and Kelly Hill, 36, both of Waycross, on Tuesday at a home in Pembroke, North Carolina. According to the Sheriff’s Office, the arrests were in connection with a homicide on April 22 in Waycross. The Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday that Rienks, a former resident of Lumberton, North Carolina, and Hill will be extradited to Georgia. The homicide is being investigated by Ware County Sheriff’s Office.

Georgia woman talks to mother through windowPublished: March 20, 2020, 4:21 pmVIDEO: As families face the reality of the restrictions set in place for visiting their loved ones at senior living facilities, one woman in Waycross, Georgia, is trying to make the best of it even in the hardest of times.

WAYCROSS, Ga. – A gunman walked into a Waycross Walmart about 1 a.m. Saturday and fired several shots before turning the gun on himself, Waycross police said. A police department spokesperson told News4Jax the gunman, later identified as 19-year-old John Jaylen Kinnitt, died, but no one else was hurt. According to the report, Kinnitt said, “What if I shoot myself and get back up? What are you gonna do?” Then, “What if I kill you?”A manager told News4Jax the employee Kinnitt focused on remained calm. Waycross Police Chief Tommy Cox said Kinnitt's statements as he walked through the store were nonsensical.

The Blackshear Police Department launched an internal investigation Oct. 9 in response to a tip about Smoak's behavior. Chief Wright followed up with the teen, who showed him the Facebook Messenger conversation that she said "made her very uncomfortable." Transcripts of the messages show that Smoak contacted the teen Oct. 7 and Oct. 8. The officer messaged the teen again the next day, this time suggesting she might have feelings for him. Smoak's case is under investigation by the Peace Officer Standards and Training Council, the agency that oversees police certifications in Georgia.

WAYCROSS, Ga. - For more than 100 years, the Waycross Journal-Herald, which covered Ware County, was owned and operated by the Williams family. On Wednesday, Roger Williams, the former publisher of the paper, was found dead inside his office at the papers headquarters. It was him," Rick Head, Waycross Journal-Herald publisher and owner told News4Jax on Thursday. We shook hands, and I left.On Sept. 30, the printing press printed its last edition of the Waycross Journal-Herald. Under its new weekly edition, the Waycross Journal-Herald has published three papers to date.

Michael Rivera via Wikimedia CommonsWAYCROSS, Ga. - A family-owned newspaper in south Georgia is closing after more than a century in publication. Waycross Journal-Herald Publisher Roger Williams said the newspaper was printing its final edition Monday. The Waycross newspaper has been in Williams' family since his grandfather, Jack Williams Sr., bought it in 1916. Roger Williams has served as publisher for 27 years. His brother, Jack Williams III, is the paper's longtime editor.

WAYCROSS, Ga. - Two drug traffickers, a Douglas, Georgia, man and an illegal alien with ties to a Mexican drug cartel, will spend more than a decade in federal prison after sentencing in a South Georgia methamphetamine conspiracy. Ricardo Santana-Hernandez, 32, of Cdaltimairano, Guerroro, Mexico, was sentenced to 135 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lisa Godbey Wood. Santana-Herndandez, Bland and nine other conspirators -- five of them South Georgia residents -- pleaded guilty after their indictment by a federal grand jury in October 2018 for drug trafficking and firearms-related offenses. Ryon Bland, 32, of Douglas, Georgia, was sentenced to 110 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lisa Godbey Wood. Prosecutors said that Santana-Hernandez was a source of supply for the drug trafficking organization that operated in Telfair County and elsewhere.

BRANTLEY COUNTY, Ga. – The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is investigating the heat-related death of a 2-year-old girl. The toddler died Sunday in western Brantley County, near Waycross. According to the GBI, the medical examiner said the toddler died of hyperthermia. A close family friend told News4Jax that the toddler was found in a dryer. "It was just crazy," neighbor David Williams told News4Jax on Tuesday.

WAYCROSS, Ga. – Police are investigating after the only synagogue in the Waycross area was broken into and vandalized. According to the Waycross Police Department, police were dispatched Wednesday afternoon to the Waycross Hebrew Center on Screven Avenue. They just took crackers and drinks and threw them around," said Al Jacobson, who has worshipped at the Waycross Hebrew Center for all of his life. "Over and over and over, this carpet was just white," Jacobson said. Jacobson said his family has been in the area since the 1920s and the Waycross Hebrew Center was built in 1953.

WAYCROSS, Ga. – Two men pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute large amounts of methamphetamine from Atlanta and throughout the Southern District of Georgia, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the district. The U.S. Attorney's Office said the investigation began when agents received information Camacho-Pineda was connected to a Mexican cartel and was supplying other members of the conspiracy operating in Waycross, Georgia and elsewhere. The U.S. Attorney's Office said he fled in his vehicle for about 10 miles and traveled in excess of 130 mph, ultimately wrecking the vehicle. Agents arrested Santana-Hernandez after he traveled from Atlanta to Dublin, Georgia to collect drug proceeds for a previous drug deal involving two kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. The charge carries a sentence of 10 years to life in prison and potential fines of up to $10 million each, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

BRANTLEY COUNTY, Ga. – A couple were sentenced to prison in the February 2017 death of the woman's 16-month-old daughter, according to the Brantley County District Attorney's Office. The District Attorney's Office said the child's mother, Marley Rena Wilson, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 30 years in prison, to serve 20 years. The girl, who had visible bruising on her stomach, was barely breathing and was taken to an emergency room in Waycross, where she died, according to the Brantley County Sheriff's Office. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was called to help investigate the toddler's death, and Wilson and Cutshall were arrested. According to the District Attorney's Office, the couple initially blamed each other before pleading guilty.

BRANTLEY COUNTY, Fla. – Deputies are asking for the public's help locating a 15-year-old boy who's been missing for nearly three weeks, the Brantley County Sheriff's Office announced Thursday. Zachary Seth Fullard was last seen about 1:45 a.m. on March 19 on Central Avenue, just east of Waycross, deputies said. He's described as being 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighing 115 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information about Fullard's whereabouts is asked to call 911 or contact the Sheriff's Office at 912-452-6141 or 912-285-7821.

WAYCROSS, Ga. – Two women were taken into custody Friday after a police chase led to a SWAT standoff, the Waycross Police Department said. Five minutes later, police said, an officer spotted a vehicle near Hicks Street and Lee Avenue that matched the description provided by the caller. The officer attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver kept going, which led to a pursuit, according to the Police Department. One passenger in the car, who was later identified by police as Rachelle Monroe, got out and starting running down Samuel Street. Police said the driver, Veneta Bailey, continued traveling before stopping in a nearby business parking lot on Memorial Drive, where she was taken into custody.

WAYCROSS, Ga. – Police are asking for help to identify a woman suspected in the theft of a Salvation Army kettle from a Waycross Walmart. The Waycross Police Department released images of a vehicle and a woman walking by the kettle. Anyone with information on the woman's identity is asked to notify Detective Sgt. Teresa Grant at 912-287-2929 or 2933. Tipsters can also call the police department at 912-287-2921 or the tip line at 912-287-2924.

WAYCROSS, Ga.. – Waycross police are looking for help identifying and contacting a trucker involved in a hit-and-run crash, and he probably doesn't even know it. The empty log truck with a white cab was traveling on Plant Avenue at about 9:45 a.m. Wednesday when a bicyclist leaving the parking lot of George's Liquors rode into the rear wheels of the semi. He was flown to UF Health in Jacksonville with serious injuries. The semi driver continued west on Plant Avenue from Blackshear toward Waycross. Anyone with information is asked to call Waycross police at 912-287-2921

Taylor's prison term will be followed by a 15-year term of supervised release and he will also be required to register as a sex offender. Evidence developed during the investigation revealed that Taylor communicated on Facebook with a 12-year-old girl. These communications led to the production of child pornography and the eventual coercion and enticement of the victim to engage in sex acts with him on two occasions. This prosecution was the result of a joint investigation by the Ware County Sheriff's Office and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). "I am proud of our investigator who began the initial investigation, which led to Mr. Taylor's arrest," Ware County Sheriff Randy Royal said.

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Two Waycross men were indicted this week by a federal grand jury in Savannah this week on numerous counts of enticing two minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography. The indictment of Jacques Taylor, and Donnel Shavers, both 22, resulted by Homeland Security Investigations and the Ware County Sheriff's Office, with additional assistance from the Liberty County Sheriff's Office. "These defendants have been charged with committing heinous acts against young children," said U.S. Attorney Edward J. Tarver said. Ware County Sheriff Randy F. Royal added: "I am proud of our investigator, Detective Hope Salinas, who began the initial investigation, which led to Mr. Taylor and Mr. Shavers' arrests and their being charged with child molestation and other state-level felonies. The defendants are entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the Government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.