The holiday season is in full swing at the Mill with Hanukkah starting this past Sunday and the Christmas season going on since Black Friday. Signs of the holidays are all over the school from a big Christmas tree in the rotunda to ugly Christmas sweaters on various students throughout the school. And the best Christmas present of all is about to be given to you — more KICs. With a Social Security age raise, a hit and run, and a stolen car, The Prowler has the stories.

Social Security retirement age rises (12/3)

In 2019, the Social Security age will rise up to 66 and a half which will delay one’s claim to social security by four months. The rate will go up two months every year until it reaches 67. Although you may start claiming your own social security retirement at age 62, the payments each month will be at smaller increments.

This age could reduce the amount of Social Security one receives if he or she claims it later in life. Instead of having 48 months to claim it, one only has 42 months to claim, which decreases the amount one receives by four percent. Delaying one’s claim for Social Security is more of a disadvantage.

The Medicare eligibility will remain the same.

Car found involved in hit and run (12/4)

66-year-old Marvin Burnes was struck by a car near his Statham home. Burnes was walking his dog when an unknown vehicle struck and killed this elderly man as well as his dog. The car was later discovered on Monday afternoon less than a mile away from his house.

The man was walking his dog in his own yard when the car came out of nowhere and hit him. This was an active hit and run case and the police are investigating who had done it as well as a witness who ran away after watching this.

The owner of the car was not found, but the car was parked behind an abandoned house whose owner fully cooperated with the police and a search warrant was made for this house. The police say they have several leads on who had committed the crime.

Fayetteville man steals car (12/5)

A Fayetteville man, Demarte Demonn Rayford, was arrested and charged on counts of grand theft auto. A Fayette County sheriff was called to a scene when someone called the police for a man in dark clothing and a backpack walking in their yard.

The police arrived at the scene and followed a car with black clothing hanging out of the trunk. The car was going extremely slow and it was obvious the driver was under the influence.

Rayford has a possession charge, multiple break-ins, grand theft auto, and stealing a firearm from one of the vehicles. Both Rayford and a passenger in the car when it was pulled over are also facing charges on the accounts that there was a small amount of marijuana in the car.

Democrats loses runoff (12/6)

Key runoff elections around Georgia had less-than-surprising results this week. Multiple counties that showed strong left-sided support completely flipped back in the runoff.

Republicans have long dominated runoffs placed in the fall due to Democrats being less likely to revote. Most were hoping that the Democratic turnout would be much greater due to the scandal that took place this November but expectations were severely disappointed.

The Republican party now prominently dominates the Georgia government and Democrats can focus their attention to the election in 2020. David Perdue is up for second term and all attention should be focused on his reelection.

Five hostages die in attempted bank robbery (12/7)

Multiple armed robbers in the heist of a Northern Brazilian bank has resulted in the death of five hostages. At least eight robbers were involved as well as three cars used to rob two different bank branches.

As police began to close in on the robbers they killed all five hostages which included a child, and four of those hostages were related to each other. The police were involved in a shootout which resulted in the death of 12 people, including six police officers.

Two of the robbers have been arrested, the rest are presumed dead in the shootout that took place early this morning. The police found guns and explosives on sight of the crime scene and have seized them.