Just when I think nothing can surprise me, I am once again proven wrong.

I received a report last week that 100 gallons of gasoline were stolen from two fire trucks at the North Jenkins Volunteer Fire Department #2. The trucks would not start and upon checking them out, it was discovered that the fuel had been drained from both trucks, which hold 50 gallons of gas each.

Our fire departments provide a valuable service to this community, and the person(s) responsible for the theft should stop and realize that they may be the one(s) who need them one day. This could have had disastrous consequences had the theft not been discovered.

If you have any information on this incident, contact the Jenkins County Sheriff’s Department.

******

A dedication ceremony for the improvements made to Cotton Avenue is set for this Friday beginning a 7 p.m. The festivities will include a street dance featuring the Hushpuppies band and “Taste of Jenkins” plates for sale by local restaurants.

Come out and celebrate the improved appearance of our downtown street!

******

Happy birthday this week to: Sarah Jenkins, Trevor Weathersby, Susan D. Godbee, Gayla Landing, Byran Weatherford, Brian Richards, Rew Herrmann, Chuck Richardson, Ray Boynton and Bryce Cranshaw.

****** Celebrating wedding anniversaries are: Mr. and Mrs. David Gay.

******

Military Active Duty List: PFC E3 Jeremy Johnson, U.S. Army, 59th Quartermaster Company, Ft. Carson, Colorado; Lance Cpl. Adam Lanier, U.S. Marines, 8th & I Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C.; E-4 Sr. Airman Roy Davis, U.S. Air Force, RAF Molesworth, United Kingdom; Cpl. Patrick Barnette, U.S. Marines, 29 Palms, California; Sgt. Adam Demshar, 44th Signal Battalion, Baghdad, Iraq; Cpl. Lee Ogden, U.S. Marines, Camp Pendleton, CA; E5 Petty Officer 2nd Class Eric B. Kelsey, U.S. Navy, NSA Naples, Italy; Senior Airman Charles F. Woods, Moody Air Force Base, Valdosta, GA; Stuart Burrus, U.S. Air Force, Osan AFB, Korea; SPC 4 Travis D. Motes, 1st Calvary Division, T. Hood, Texas; Capt. Donald Slade Burke, 735th Air Mobility Squadron Detachment 1 Commander, Richmond Royal Australian AFB, Richmond, Australia; Staff Sgt. Gilbert C. Sheppard III, 48th Brigade, 118th Field Artillery, Iraq; Petty Officer 3rd Class Jamie A. Yager, U.S. Navy, Marine Corps Base Hawaii; Chief Petty Officer Andy D. Crosby, U.S. Navy, Elroy Destroyer, Norfolk, Va.; Stephanie Crosby, R.N., U.S. Navy, Lafayette Destroyer; Jimmy Cooper, U.S. Army National Guard, 878th Engineering Battalion-Augusta, Persian Gulf ; 1st Lt. J.R. Taylor, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Iraq; SPC. Daniel Stuart, 18th MEDCOM, 121 General Hospital, Seoul, Korea; Jeffrey Sweat, U.S. Navy, USS Kauffman, MM3 59/E-Division, A-Gang, Norfolk, Va.; Cpl. Larry Lamont Clark, U.S. Marine Corp, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. Baghdad, Iraq; Khan Young, U.S. Navy, U.S.S. Kitty Hawk, Persian Gulf; Robert Milton Jr., E-3, U.S. Army, Ft. Stewart, Hinesville, Ga., Mission Kuwait; Arnold R. Mosley, 2nd Lt., U.S. Air Force, Randolph AFB, Texas; and Debra A. Mosley, Tech. Sgt., U.S. Air Force, Randolph AFB, Texas; and SPC Charles “C.J.” Amerson, U.S. Army, Louisiana.