Rick Kelley picks up key endorsement, has big lead in fundraising
News May 11, 2020
WHITE COUNTY, Ga. – Rick Kelley picked up a major endorsement last week when retiring Sheriff Neal Walden threw his support behind his former captain to become the next Sheriff of White County.
In making the announcement, Walden said, “Rick has devoted his entire 17 year law enforcement career to serving the citizens of White County. He has worked his way up the ranks from jailer in the detention center, civil division, patrol division and criminal investigation division. As a division commander, he has been involved in the budget process for the operations of the Office of Sheriff.”
Kelly said he is proud to have Walden’s support. “That’s a big endorsement. I’ve had the privilege of working with him for 17 years. He did a good job and he laid the groundwork for whoever follows him.”
Kelley is in a race with Aaron Autry, Jeffery Ramey, John Murphy and Will Garrett for the right to succeed Walden who, after 28 years as sheriff, announced he will retire at the end of the year.
There is more good news for the Kelley campaign. The latest campaign contribution disclosure report (CCDR) shows that he has a substantial lead in fundraising. Kelly, has received $31,850 in contributions and has spent $22,277.
Second in fundraising is Alan Autry, who has raised $7,100 and spent $6,743.28. John Murphy has a negative balance on hand, having collected $6,500 and spent $6,684.51. Jeff Ramey’s contributions total $3,729.23 and expenditures $3,479.23. Will Garrett has received $2,130 and spent $1,942.28
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
White County has a strong field of candidates competing for Sheriff
Business, News April 29, 2020
WHITE COUNTY, Ga – Five candidates presented their best arguments as to why they should be elected White County Sheriff during a debate presented by the Young Republicans of Northeast Georgia and Fetch Your News Tuesday (Apr. 29).
Each candidate was given two minutes for an opening statement and one minute to answer questions from moderator Caleb Huiet.
AARON AUTRY
Autry has worked in public safety since 1994 in Hall, White, Habersham and Forsyth counties as well as the City of Cleveland. He is currently a Senior Motor Officer with the MARTA Police Department who ran against Sheriff Neal Walden in 2016. He was the first K-9 handler and first school resource officer in White County. Like all candidates, he is opposed to red flag laws or any form of gun control that violates a citizen’s Second Amendment rights. During closing remarks, he said his experience in enforcing the law in the metro Atlanta area below I-285 is unmatched by any opponent. “It’s unbelievable what I’ve seen out there. Sometimes it’s hard to forget.”
WILLIAM GARRETT
Garrett began working with White County Sheriff’s Office in 2005 in the detention center where he worked sRieveral years before being assigned to the civil division before going on patrol. Later, he went to the Towns County Sheriff and now works for Wilcorp, a trucking company Clarkesville. He said if elected, he will have an open-door policy, will be fair but firm and will show no favoritism.
RICK KELLEY
Kelley had 17 years of continuous service to the White County Sheriff’s Office before retiring in January to run for Sheriff. He graduated from then North Georgia College and State University with a degree in Criminal Justice. His platform includes opening up the lines of communication between the sheriff’s office and the public, creating a citizens’ police academy, implementation of a crime suppression unit, adding a K-9 Unit and school resource officers. He noted the county has only two SRO’s to cover four schools. “I’ve got a clear plan to bring the sheriff’s office and the community together, a clear plan to combat the crime problem and to work on school safety,” he said in closing. “What sets me apart is that I have 17 years’ of continuous service here in White County.”
JOHN MURPHY
Murphy has 36 years of law enforcement experience. He worked in Hall County 25 years before taking an early retirement then worked for Sheriff Neal Walden in the White County Sheriff’s Office for 11 years. He is experienced in every phase of law enforcement. Most of his career was spent in investigations. While in White County, he was promoted to captain and became division commander over court services. He is an expert in SWAT team operations and fingerprint analysis. After a lifetime in law enforcement, Murphy said, “I know what will work and what doesn’t work. I’m here to make a difference. I’m here to meet the challenge and to do what is best for White County.”
JEFFERY “JB” RAMEY
Ramey is the only candidate in the race with no law enforcement experience. He has run a towing business in Habersham County for 40 years and has been a volunteer fireman. “I’m not a career law enforcement officer but I’ve been around it all my life in the business we do. I’ve seen changes that should be made that’s not being made. I feel with these people who are running, I don’t know whether we will get those changes or not. That’s the reason I decided to step in and run for sheriff. It’s time for a change for the citizens of the county.”
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com