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A two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Ga. Hwy. 7 and the Hwy. 36 Bypass sent one woman to an area hospital Thursday morning.

According to witnesses, an Acura SUV driven by a female pulled out of the bypass and into the path of a Lamar Tire & Auto service truck which hit the Acura in the driver's side door. The woman, who was unconscious at the scene for a time, was cut from the SUV by firefighters and transported to a Griffin hospital. Her injuries were not thought to be life-threatening. The male driver of the work truck was uninjured.

The crash happened just before 11:15 a.m.

Earlier this year, First United Methodist Church began its Ramps of Love Ministry through which it installs temporary ramps at the homes of illl or injured persons in the community. The ministry sprung up at the perfect time for Trinity Fuller and her family.
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The Georgia DOT is advising motorists in Lamar County that maintenance crews will start a project to rehabilitate the High Falls Road Bridge over I-75 on weekends, starting Friday evening, Apr. 5, 2019 at 5:00 p.m. [Full Story »] 

Traffic on Veterans Parkway in Barnesville was snarled Thursday afternoon when a truck hauling heavy equipment left the Hot Shot parking lot and snagged a power line. The incident shattered one power pole, left lines hanging over the roadway and trapped the big rig driver in the cab of his truck.

Law enforcement was waiting for Georgia Power crews to arrive to rectify the situation at 4:45 p.m.

Current finance director Sean Townsend has been named the lone finalist for the position of county administrator and will take the post if no problems come up during the 14-day public notice period.

Townsend will succeed current administrator Bob Zellner who is retiring.

The Lamar County commission spent much of the day March 11 interviewing seven candidates for the job of county administrator. Current administrator Bob Zellner is retiring but has agreed to stay on until his successor is named. [Full Story »] 

A Lamar County couple face multiple charges after a raid on an alleged puppy mill last week at their home at 900 Johnstonville Road turned up dozens of dogs living in deplorable conditions in a feces-filled kennel without food and water.

John David Matthews, 63, and Latitia Adelle Matthews, 39, were arrested March 13 when state agriculture department personnel and LCSO investigators went to the 75-acre tract following up on complaints from purchasers who bought sick puppies from the operation known as Sweet Basil Kennels.

WARNING: THE IMAGE INSIDE THIS SUBSCRIBER ONLY POST MAY BE CONSIDERED GRAPHIC BY SOME.

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This story and photo(s) are under copyright. They may not be republished or disseminated in any form or format - including social media - without explicit permission.
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Lamar County voters will go to the polls today to give the thumbs up or thumbs down on Sunday sales of package beer and wine in unincorporated areas of the county and the issuance of $15.5 million in bonds for the construction of a new jail.

Polling places throughout the county will be open today from 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. [Full Story »] 

Alleged puppy mill operators John David Matthews and Latitia Adele Matthews were in Lamar County magistrate court Friday where bonds were set on 106 counts including aggravated cruelty to animals, cruelty to animals and improper disposal of dead swine.

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NOTICE:
This story and photo(s) are under copyright. They may not be republished or disseminated in any form or format - including social media - without explicit permission.
********************* [Full Story »] 

Officials at Aldora Mills hosted a delegation of local officials and business leaders last week to show off new equipment Continental Tire has invested about $9 million over the past year or so.

The company is phasing out a plant in Porterdale and moving production of single end yarns used in reinforcing conveyor belts and rubber hoses to Aldora. [Full Story »] 

The annual Peaches to the Beaches event gets underway Friday and runs through Saturday night. This unique event was founded in 2005. It begins in Barnesville and runs some 200 miles down Hwy. 341 to the Georgia coast with yard sales and other events set up in towns and at homes all along the route.

It has become immensely popular with sellers and bargain hunters.

The chamber of commerce is setting up Barnesville’s official vending areas. Call 770-358-5884 for more information.

Accustomed to fires, vehicle accidents, violent crimes and other mayhem, first responders often deal with situations that have happy endings. Such was the case last week when a female motorist on the MLK bypass spotted a small puppy on the side of the road and stopped to check on it. Frightened by her approach, the puppy fled into a culvert where it cowered.

She called for help and sheriff’s deputies, firefighters and animal control responded. Eventually, firefighters used a small firehose to force water down the culvert from the other end and fire chief Douglas Matthews eventually contained the puppy with a catch loop device (top). The motorist and her boyfriend (bottom) decided to keep the puppy, which emerged cold and wet but unharmed, after learning Lamar did not have a no-kill shelter.

A Jonesboro man, charged along with his girlfriend with the murder of Roderick Crawford of Barnesville, hatched an elaborate plan to escape as he was being transported from the Clayton County jail to the Upson County courthouse for a preliminary hearing Feb. 4. [Full Story »] 

Former UGA running backs Nick Chubb and Sony Michel were in Barnesville Sunday afternoon for a football camp that was moved here from Stratford Academy in Macon due to sloppy field conditions there. The camp was a sellout at 250 kids whose parents paid $190-$250 each for the experience. The money funded a four-year scholarship for a needy student. A throng of parents and grandparents was also in attendance. “This is great exposure for us and our facilities,” LC head coach Jeff Sloan said.

Chubb and Michel played in a national title game as UGA seniors. Chubb had 996 yards rushing as a rookie for the Cleveland Browns this past season. Michel had 931 yards for the New England Patriots and won the 2019 Super Bowl in which he scored the only touchdown.