NOT GUILTY: Dr. Jason Nolan Cox was found not guilty of the charges he faced, as reported by the Valdosta Daily Times Feb. 28, 2008. 

VALDOSTA — Initiated by the American Red Cross, more than three dozen men and women gathered at the City Hall Annex Wednesday to discuss ways to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Walter Hobgood, chairman of the Valdosta chapter of the American Red Cross, described the meeting as an opportunity for leaders of area governments, school systems and nonprofits to share information on what steps they had taken to address the needs of evacuees in the area. It was also an opportunity for them to brainstorm and develop ways to help those displaced by the storm in the future.

Hobgood said the Valdosta community’s commitment to helping Hurricane Katrina’s victims was strong. He said he has been overwhelmed by the generosity of people of all ages, from all walks of life.

Penelope White, executive director of the Valdosta chapter of the American Red Cross, was the first to deliver her Hurricane Katrina report. She talked about the shelter for evacuees at Central Avenue Church of Christ and asked residents to consider opening their homes to these displaced families.

White said the American Red Cross has been able to get much-needed cash into the hands of evacuees who came to the area with little more than the shirts on their backs. She said the Federal Emergency Management Agency has started the same.

Unless Valdosta has a facility capable of housing 100 or more evacuees in family groups, White said buses will not bring them to this area. She asked people to consider their surroundings and come up with such a location, assuming one is available.



211 of South Central Georgia

Jane Osborn, interim executive director of 211 of South Central Georgia, offered to maintain a list of private home owners willing to offer a place of refuge to Hurricane Katrina evacuees. Interested parties can call (229) 247-8485 or (877) 211-2230.



The Salvation Army

Shelby Rinkle updated the group on The Salvation Army’s ongoing efforts to provide Hurricane Katrina evacuees with clothing items. She said the organization has collected more than $10,000, which will be dispersed to victims throughout Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Interested parties can call (229) 242-6440.



America’s Second Harvest of South Georgia

Frank Richards, president and chief executive officer of America’s Second Harvest of South Georgia, said his staff of employees and volunteers have been working to prepare items for delivery to areas of need. With the food bank serving as a staging center for the Southeast, he said volunteers are needed to help unload trucks, sort items, and pack them onto pallets. Individuals interested in volunteering are encouraged to call (229) 244-2678



Blood Services



Robbin Miller with American Red Cross Blood Services encouraged some interested blood donors to delay giving for a couple of weeks in an effort to maintain a steady blood supply. She said the organization is working to meet the demands of hospitals in its service region and those beyond. Individuals interested in scheduling an appointment should call (229) 241-1141.



Division of Family and Children Services



Ginny Boswell said the Lowndes County Division of Family and Children Services has been taking applications for food stamps, Medicaid and temporary assistance for needy families. She said the division has electronic benefits transfer cards on hand, allowing applications to be processed and benefits activated in the same day in most cases.



City of Valdosta



City Manager Larry Hanson said the Valdosta Fire Department has been collecting nonperishable food items at its various stations. He said four firefighters will be sent to the areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina in the coming days to assist as needed.



Valdosta City School System



Social Worker Donald Williams said a total of eight students from Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama have registered to attend the Valdosta City School System. With assistance from school nurses and counselors, he said system officials are working to make the transition as smooth as possible and address the individual needs of each student. Families interested in learning more about registering their children for school should call (229) 333-8505.



Valwood School



Rhonda Hamman said Valwood School registered two students Wednesday. She said all students at the school are working to develop projects to benefit the victims of Hurricane Katrina.



Humane Society of Valdosta/Lowndes County



Executive Director Teresa Collins said the Humane Society of Valdosta/Lowndes County remains available to assist the four-legged victims of Hurricane Katrina. She said this includes providing emergency veterinary care and food. Interested parties should call (229) 249-9316.



To contact reporter Jessica Pope, please call (229) 244-3400, ext. 255.

ADEL — Dr. Jason Cox is expected to go to trial in February 2006 on charges of cruelty to children stemming from a grand jury indictment.

Cox pleaded not guilty after he was indicted in Cook County on July 12.

On Dec. 8, 2004, Adel police charged Cox with cruelty to children in a felony warrant.

“The charge resulted from a call made to the Adel Police Department from South Georgia Medical Center where Dr. Jason Cox’s 2-year-old daughter was being examined,” according to an Adel Police Department report.

“The examination revealed severe bruising from just above the kidney area to knee area on the front and back of the legs.

“Witness interview revealed that Dr. Cox had inflicted the injuries on his daughter. The interview also revealed the beating occurred from 9:30 p.m. on Dec. 7, 2004, to 12:30 a.m. on Dec. 8, 2004. The witness stated the child was beaten because she would not say ‘yes, sir’ to her father.”

The indictment states Cox “maliciously” caused his daughter “cruel and excessive” physical and mental pain by beating her buttocks, legs and areas over her kidneys with a leather strap.

The beating was said to have caused “extreme bruising and hematoma over the areas,” the indictment reads.

Last month, a Lowndes County grand jury returned a separate indictment that formally charged Cox with aggravated battery and family violence battery in connection with an incident that the Sheriff’s Office investigators said happened June 20, 2004, at what was Cox’s residence at 737 Lake Laurie Road, Valdosta.

Cox caused bodily harm to his former wife, rendering her eardrum useless, by “striking said victim about her head and face with his fist,” according to the indictments.

Sheriff’s Office investigators arrested Cox on Dec. 10, 2004, on a warrant for allegedly assaulting his former wife. He was arraigned Dec. 13 in Magistrate Court of Lowndes County and released on a $100,000 bond.

The victim came forward because of what happened to her daughter, investigators said at the time.

Cox’s current practice is in Adel.

He is scheduled to be arraigned for the Lowndes County indictment on Sept. 16.



To contact Brianne Sweetland, call (229) 244-3400, ext. 245.