LOCAL Section

Blue Willow Village open for business
Under a bright blue sky in Social Circle Thursday afternoon, assorted local officials and business men and women gathered to celebrate the official ribbon-cutting of one of the largest tourism projects to come to the East Atlanta Metro area – the Blue Willow Village.

Newton emergency radios now connected

Newton emergency radios now connected
After years of labor, an idea for a better way of communicating between different agencies that began after the public safety disaster that was 9/11, was officially completed and welcomed into the county.
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Shots fired at home
A home on Gum Creek Trail was shot several times Nov. 13, and investigators are looking for help from the community to find those responsible.




Porterdale manager to return
Porterdale City Manager Tom Fox rescinded his resignation at Wednesday night’s called meeting, according to Mayor Bobby Hamby.

Buy local...Rhoades Printing

Buy local...Rhoades Printing
Since 1970, Rhoades Printing has been a fixture in downtown Covington business.
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Social Circle receives annexation petition
Social Circle’s city council completed another step towards formalizing the annexation of about 200 acres of land — the majority of which was formerly Newton County land — by officially receiving a petition from private land owners.




Newton County Jail Log 11/21
o Randy Steve Bassett, W, 45, McDonough, Nov. 17. Court sentenced to work release. o Adam James Bliss, W, 29, Newnan, Nov. 17. Deposit account fraud. o Gerald Jefferson Burns Jr., W, 30, 1569 Airport Road, Oxford, Nov. 15. Probation violation. o Clint Wesley Crawford, W, 21, Conyers, Nov. 14. Probation violation. o Jasper Wayman Crooms, W, 37, 5162 Linwood Dr., Covington, Nov. 18. Sentenced to work release. o William Henry Crutchfield, B, 20, 6116 ...




Newton Board of Education named one of nation’s top 10 digitally advanced school boards
The Center for Digital Education, the National School Boards Association and "Converge Online" magazine recently announced that the Newton County Board of Education is one of the top 10 digitally?advanced school boards in the United States.




New juvenile court judge appointed
The judges of the Superior Court of Newton County announce the appointment of Sheri Capes Roberts as the Judge of the Juvenile Court of Newton County to succeed Judge Billy J. Waters, beginning Jan. 1.




Man poses as teenage girl online
 A 65-year-old Mansfield man was arrested Friday and charged with sexual exploitation of children and computer pornography after posing as a 17-year-old girl on several Web sites.




Downtown civic center/hotel project postponed again
 The already much prolonged hotel/civic center has once again been postponed as the result of the Wall Street financial meltdown, which has made acquiring financing for the $37 million project all but impossible.




Engineer running for Porterdale council
Lowell Chambers has officially announced his intention to run for the vacated seat on the Porterdale City Council left by Kay Piper.




City, Charter partner for PEG channels
After many months of work the city of Covington has finalized its polices and procedures for the operation of three Public Education and Government cable channels provided by Charter Communications.

Tis the season

Tis the season
Church Street Antique Market vendor Holly Frank places a butterfly ornament on one of the many Christmas trees on display at the local store Tuesday. Frank was hard at work placing the finishing touches on the store's Christmas display to prepare for Santa's arrival to Covington and the Lighting of the Courthouse on Thursday evening. The wide variety of collegiate themed ornaments and nutcrackers carried at the local store seem to be the most popular ...
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Roll into the holidays with Bunco
With a toss of the pink dice and a cry of "Bunco," holiday stress rolls away and another child goes to school ready to read and succeed. The Learning Center is hosting an evening of Ladies’ Big Bunco at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 20, at The Center on Washington Street. Players don’t need experience or skill to play: roll three dice, add your points to your partner’s, and move to the next table. ...




YMCA Volunteer of the year named
Sam B. Hay III was named the Covington YMCA's 2008 Volunteer of the Year. For nearly two decades, Hay has volunteered at the Covington Family YMCA. He became involved 17 years ago when his wife, Loucy, a past Covington YMCA volunteer of the year, dragged him to fundraising events. Currently, he is the task force chairman for the Covington YMCA Outdoor Center. "There is nothing we do at the Y that Sam isn't a part ...




Newton County Jail Log - 11/8/08 - 11/8/08
o Jeremy Stephen Bryant, 20, W, 4105 Ga. Highway 142, Newborn, Nov. 8. Furnishing to, purchase, or possession of alcohol by minor.

Teacher Profile - Shannon Buff

Teacher Profile - Shannon Buff
 It's been an exciting semester for Shannon Buff's students at Newton High School.
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Whitaker Builders Supply

Whitaker Builders Supply
Since opening its doors for business in 1988, Whitaker Builders Supply, located on Stark Road in Jackson, has strived to provide its customers with superior service and competitive prices. The Whitaker family has been building homes since 1959. The business is now run by Allen Whitaker and his siblings David Whitaker, Lanae Martin and Lisa Whitaker.
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Newton County School System teachers awarded over $17,000 in grants from Snapping Shoals EMC
The Newton County School System is pleased to announce that 12 teachers have earned $17,494.96 in Bright Ideas Grants from Snapping Shoals EMC to provide innovating educational activities and opportunities in the classroom. According to Terry Clark, Vice?President of Energy Services for Snapping Shoals, the funds were "left over from capital credits that went unclaimed for the last five years."




Guns, drugs netted during arrests
 Deputies from the Newton County Sheriff's Department were able to get several guns off the streets after two arrests on two different dates this month.




Engineer throws hat in Porterdale Post 5 council race
The Committee to Elect Lowell Chambers has announced that Lowell Chambers will run for the Porterdale City Council Post 5 seat vacated by Kay Piper. Chambers and his family have lived in Porterdale since 2000 and have owned property in the city since 1993. Chambers has a Master of City Planning from Georgia Tech, a Bachelor of Agricultural Engineering from the University of Georgia, a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Georgia, and ...




Citigroup to cut another 53,000 jobs
NEW YORK -- Citigroup Inc. is cutting approximately 53,000 more jobs in the coming quarters as the banking giant struggles to steady itself after suffering massive losses from deteriorating debt. The plans, posted on the company's Web site, are being discussed by CEO Vikram Pandit at the company's town hall meeting in New York Monday with employees.

Queens for a day

Queens for a day
Ageless beauty: The 2008 Ms. Senior Newton County Pageant was held on Saturday, Oct. 11, at the Olive Swan Porter Auditorium of Newton High School. The audience was entertained and amazed by the talents of the contestants. Participants from left to right: Ms. Agnes Frederick, Mrs. Rockie Butts (Second Runner Up), Ms. Mary Ellen Horne (2008 Ms. Senior Newton County), Mrs. Doris Campbell (Third Runner Up) and ...
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Laid off: unemployment on the rise in Newton
Unemployment in Newton County continued its steady rise in September to 7.8 percent, according to statistics from the Georgia Department of Labor.




Town hall sees utility, housing concerns
The ongoing need for more aid for residents hurting financially and efforts to improve sub-standard housing were reoccurring themes at the city of Covington’s second town hall meeting on Thursday.

Regional barbecue in a bottle

Regional barbecue in a bottle
Dustin Vanderbunt knows his barbecue. As the co-owner and chef at Ed Boudreaux’s Bayou Bar-B-Que restaurant in Ashville, N.C., which bills itself the home of the "Voodoo Reuben," Vanderbunt, along with his business partner Erik Feichter of Waynesville, N.C., has developed a line of 14 sauces.
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Hard to keep a big man down
Officers from the Covington Police Department were called to investigate a reckless driver who was reportedly driving erratically and failing to stop at stop signs on Old Atlanta Highway.

The Potting Shed

The Potting Shed
The Potting Shed – a unique local nursery that sells custom-designed mixed planters – has changed locations, moving to the heart of historic Covington on Floyd Street.
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Lunsford receives legislative service award
On Wednesday, Ga. Rep. John Lunsford was presented with a 2008 Legislative Service Award by the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia at the organization’s fourth district meeting. Lunsford’s district includes Newton, Butts and Henry counties.




Parking lot expansion talks on hold
The Newborn City Council discussed the possibility of expanding the parking lot next to the Newborn Town Hall at the town’s monthly meeting on Nov. 10.




GDOT seeks input on road project
An open house to discuss a Georgia Department of Transportation proposed project on Ga. Highway 212 in Newton County will be held on Nov. 20 at Oak Hill Elementary School. The public is encouraged to drop by anytime between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. No formal presentation will be given.

Courthouse lighting scheduled for Thursday evening

Courthouse lighting scheduled for Thursday evening
In a time-honored holiday tradition, a special honoree will lead the countdown and flip the switch Thursday in the annual lighting of the Newton County Historic Courthouse.
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Newton County Jail Log 10/2 - 11/7
o  Anthony Daniel Reed, 53, 95 Wynfield Trace, Covington, Oct. 2. Possession of arms by convicted felon.

Visions of the past

Visions of the past
 In an effort to preserve the county’s historical heritage, the Newton County Board of Commissioners passed a Historic Preservation Ordinance which calls for the formation of a new commission.
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Shots fired at homes, car aimed at deputy
 A call for deputy assistance in a local subdivision has yet to lead to arrests but has netted several marijuana plants found growing inside a home.




Newton County Jail Log 10/31-11/01
o Lisa Zondelle Alford, 37, 20 Ivy Circle, Covington, Oct. 31. Contempt of court. o Kathlyn Sapla Amancio, 21, 188 Fieldstone Lane, Covington, Nov. 2. Theft by shoplifting. o Johnny Harrison Averette, 42, 340 Bear Creek Point, Mansfield, Nov. 4. Court sentenced. o Curtis Bernard Bagby, 40, 276 Oak Hill Road, Covington, Oct. 29. Court sentenced. o Billy Gene Anthony Bell, 24, 1162 Hightower Trail, Oxford, Oct. 30. Theft by deception. o Darren Marquise Borden, ...

PC AfterDark

PC AfterDark
When Newton County residents need help with their computers, there is one place that comes to mind and that's PC Afterdark. Located in the Covington Crossing shopping center, PC Afterdark offers a variety of services and products. The store repairs computers, laptops, printers, some fax machines, software, virus and spyware and networking.
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Cotton vs. cotton candy

Cotton vs. cotton candy
 “When I was a little girl, we walked out to the cotton field early in the morning with the sun shining pretty on the land.”  From “Oh Lord, I Wish I Was a Buzzard” by Polly Greenberg  My grandmother grew up sharecropping just south of Tupelo, Miss., picking cotton with her siblings and parents.  Her older sister married and moved to Porterdale for the promise of work at a cotton mill, and one-by-one the family ...
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PC Afterdark

PC Afterdark
When Newton County residents need help with their computers there is one place that comes to mind and that’s PC Afterdark.
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