On August 7, 1967, Floyd "Fuzzy" Hoard, the Solicitor General in rural Jackson County Ga., got into his car, turned the ignition switch and was assassinated with 10 sticks of dynamite that had been planted under the car's hood the night before. For over two years, Hoard had been prosecuting local bootleg and car theft gangs and had gained a reputation as a crusading lawman. But there is more to the story than just Hoard's murder. The widespread lawlessness in the community had compromised its voice, leading to inaction by its citizens. The result was widespread public corruption and incompetence. As a local attorney, Hoard found himself in the middle of the Jackson County political system long before he was murdered. From that vantage point, he had warned numerous times about how the community was turning a blind eye to the corruption. He wrote newspaper articles and editorials calling on citizens to take the lawlessness seriously and to take action. But Hoard's warnings were ignored. The result was his own murder. In the end, five men were convicted of the assassination, but the community's conspiracy of silence after decades of corruption was also to blame. This is that story.
About the Author: Mike Buffington is co-owner and co-publisher of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. a family-run firm that publishes five weekly newspapers and a commercial printing plant in Northeast Georgia. He also serves as editor of the group's flagship newspaper, The Jackson Herald in Jefferson, GA. He a graduate of the University of Georgia's Henry Grady College of Journalism. Today, Mike and his brother Scott, own and publish the family's group of weekly newspapers. Scott oversees advertising and printing operations while Mike oversees news/editorial functions and general business operations. The brothers' succeeded their parents, Helen Buffington and the late Herman Buffington, in the business. Over the last 50 years, the family's five newspapers have won over 1,000 state, regional and national awards. Among his 40+ personal state and national honors for opinion writing, Mike has won first place nine times for editorial and serious column writing and has also been among the International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors "Golden Dozen" award winners nine times since 1991. In 2016, he won the Gold Quill editorial writing contest sponsored by ISWNE. In 2015, he was honored with the Eugene Cervi Award by the ISWNE for a career of aggressive editorial writing and news coverage. In 2007, he was honored with the SPJ's "Green Eyeshade Award's Best of Show" from among all media in the Southeast - newspapers, magazines, radio and television - for an investigative series that led to the downfall and conviction of a corrupt district attorney. In 2010, he was presented both the Georgia "Freedom of Information Award" for editorials about corruption in a small town; and the state press association's "David Hudson Open Government Award" for 30 years of fighting against government secrecy. Among professional organizations, he is a past-president of both the Georgia Press Association and the National Newspaper Association. He currently serves on the ISWNE board of directors.