Headlines

A Griffin man was killed early Saturday when he attempted to cross the new six-lane portion of North Expressway and was struck by two vehicles. [Full Story »] 

The Buggy Days celebration has begun. [Full Story »] 

By Walter Geiger

The girlfriend of a 33-year-old man killed in a motorcycle crash here Sept. 7 has accused an off duty Barnesville police officer with escalating the incident, panicking her boyfriend and causing his death.

City police counter that the off duty officer, Terry Belvin, did only what any other driver would have done under the circumstances. Belvin has been on administrative leave since May 16 when his police cruiser hit and killed two pedestrians on Veterans Parkway.

Ashley Smith claims Belvin followed Dennis Turner Jr. to their Towns Edge apartment claiming he had passed two cars on a yellow line. [Full Story »] 

A story in the 9.16.2014 print edition entitled 'Hit pedestrians were sober' contains incorrect information regarding the blood alcohol levels of Justen Sullivan and Quenton Byrd. The two were struck and killed by a BPD police cruiser driven by officer Terry Belvin May 16, 2014.

Due to an error in communication between the state crime lab, coroner Jim Smith and, ultimately, The Herald Gazette incorrect data was published.

Sullivan, in fact, was highly intoxicated with a blood/alcohol content of .240. A reading of .08 is considered drunk in Georgia. Byrd's level was .04 which indicates impairment but not intoxication. Coroner Jim Smith noted data he received indicated no drug use but law enforcement sources indicated one or both men tested positive for marijuana.

The Herald Gazette takes responsibility for and regrets this error.

The days leading up to Lamar County's Friday matchup with Mary Persons were filled with gang threats from MP players and the game ended controversially as Lamar threatened to tie the game.

The Trojans had come back from a 29-13 deficit, pounding away at an MP defense that was done for the night. Three Dogs defenders were knocked out of the game. LC cut it to 29-27 with 1:53 left in the third period and lined up to kick a PAT when MP was called for offsides. Trojan coach Jamie Abrams elected to go for two but MP coaches rushed on to the field with a lightning detector and called the game before the PAT try from the one yard line.

After multiple delays the game was ended just after 11 p.m. with MP up by two.

There had been lightning in the area all night but nothing was done until the Dogs began getting stuffed on offense and outrun badly on defense.

Lamar officials believe the PAT try has to be allowed and are checking with the Georgia High School Association. Lamar fans felt MP hid behind its lightning detector.

Realtime scoring from the game was provided by Walter Geiger from the sidelines. [Full Story »] 

The body of a 43-year-old Barnesville man is at the state crime lab for autopsy after he died in bed following his return home seemingly uninjured after a traffic accident, according to coroner Jim Smith. [Full Story »] 

The LC Trojans JV game against the Spalding JV originally scheduled for Saturday has been rescheduled for today (Wednesday, 9-10). Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. at Trojan Field.

By Walter Geiger

A local woman charged with beating her three-month-old daughter against a headboard when she would not go to sleep will continue her quest to be released from jail on bond. [Full Story »] 

Longtime postal service veteran Benny Horne has been named Barnesville Postmaster

"I am honored to finally be named Postmaster of Barnesville. Thank you to all that have prayed for me, your prayers were answered. It's not about me, it's all about Him." Horne said.

Barnesville native Edd Sanders, former warden of the West Central Georgia Integrated Treatment Facility in Zebulon, died Friday of a heart attack. Funeral arrangements are pending.

The September term Lamar County grand jury will deliberate multiple high profile cases when it convenes on Sept. 8. Those include a long delayed hit and run case and several cases involving child molestation and computer pornography.

Also on the docket are the cases of a woman who beat her baby against a headboard when she would not go to sleep and another female who bit a Lamar deputy who shot her in the arm. [Full Story »] 

An extremely fortunate driver found himself suffering only a broken leg after hitting a bridge abutment on Old Zebulon Rd. at Potato Creek Friday afternoon. [Full Story »] 

By Walter Geiger

The Lamar County Trojans open the 2014 football season here Friday night when they play host to the Howard Huskies. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Trojan Field.

The Trojans were ranked #10 in the preseason Class AA poll published by the Atlanta Journal Constitution Monday. MaxPreps has installed the Trojans as a whopping 41-point favorite in the game. [Full Story »] 

By Walter Geiger

A Dogwood Circle man was found safe following a 3.5 hour search after he disappeared from the area near his home on High Falls Lake. [Full Story »]