Headlines

Memphis-based Fred’s announced last week that it will close 159 stores, including the retail outlets on Veteran’s Parkway in Barnesville and Hwy. 19 North in Zebulon. The local stores are among 25 Georgia stores involved in the plan to save the business. [Full Story »] 

The Monroe County Sheriff's Office has issued a lookout for 15-year-old Ashley Gibson who was last seen about April 11. If you have information regarding her whereabouts, contact investigator Daniel Ruiz at 478.994.7010.

UPDATE: The teen was located in Butts County after a tip from the public.

The Fred's stores in Barnesville and Zebulon are among 159 stores the company is closing in an effort to save the business.

The stores will close by the end of May.

For more on this story, see the 4.16.19 edition of The Herald Gazette.

First Methodist Church and First Baptist Church are teaming up to present a huge community Easter Egg Hunt at Summers Field Park. Children of all age are invited.

This gift to the community will take place this Sunday, Palm Sunday, from 2-3:30 p.m. at the park, the former football stadium, which is located adjacent to the Gordon State College campus near downtown Barnesville.

Prior to the egg hunt, First Methodist will host Palm Sunday services at 10 a.m. with a palm processional and performances by its vocal and bell choirs. For more information, call the church at 770-358-1994.

Reports by investigators from the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) have been released which detail the conditions at Sweet Basil Kennels on Johnstonville Road which was raided by authorities March 13.

GDA inspectors Tommy Sheffield and Robin Flory and LCSO investigators Chad Payne and Tim Clift went to the kennel at 11 a.m. after reports owners John David Matthews and Latitia Matthews were selling sick puppies after being ordered to stop in September 2018. [Full Story »] 

By Walter Geiger

An Upson County grand jury returned multiple indictments against Cameron Jones and Kiera Williams in the Roderick Crawford murder case March 20. Crawford vanished Dec. 28, 2018. His body was found Jan. 3 in Thomaston. [Full Story »] 

High speed internet service is often impossible to acquire in rural - and some municipal - areas and the Georgia legislature is considering bills to allow the state’s EMCs to provide such services.

This would require granting cooperatives statutory authority to provide broadband services and both the state house and senate are pushing through bills to address the need but the language in the house and senate versions are vastly different. [Full Story »] 

In what is thought to be a first in local court filings, a business owner and real estate agent have filed a lawsuit in Lamar superior court against five people for defamatory remarks made on a local Facebook page and other social media.

Alan Atha, Staci Donaldson and Upscale Homes, Inc. filed litigation March 1 against Jami Lori Conklin, Ruthie Conklin, David Crawley, Roger Shuman and Penny Marie Hutson. [Full Story »] 

Final results:

NEW JAIL:

Yes: 442
No: 636

SUNDAY SALES:
Yes: 554
No: 523

SUNDAY PACKAGE SALES:
Yes: 568
No: 512

Turnout was an abysmal 9.34%.

The 16th annual BBQ & Blues festival will rock Barnesville tonight with live music, a steak cook-off, food and lots of fun for the kids on tap.

Live music begins at 5 p.m. at the stage near the United Bank drive-thru windows. Blues legend Robert Lee Coleman and his band will open the show followed by Crossroads. The headline act is Barry Darnell & The Mobile Slim Band. Coleman won the Georgia Music Legend award in 2014. Darnell won it in 2017. This event is free and music lovers are invited to bring chairs, blankets and coolers.

Coleman has played here previously and Crossroads, is a fixture at the event but this will be Darnell’s first appearance in Barnesville. Long known as ‘Mobile Slim’, Darnell was born on the Gulf Coast and later moved to Georgia where he played for spare change on the streets of Underground Atlanta back in the day.

Now living in Macon, Darnell usually brings a five-piece band, including tenor sax and trumpet, and three backup singers.

BBQ and festival food will be available all evening and local civic groups will provide treats along Taster’s Alley for a cost of $3. The Kids Park will be open and heated competition is expected in the cornhole tournament.

New this year is the steak cook-off. For a $20 entry fee, backyard chefs can set up their grills and prepare a steak provided by the chamber for judging. The winner will take home $250 and a trophy. Steaks must be cooked on site.

WEATHER: Rain is expected to move out in time for tonight's events. The temperature is expected to be about 60 at 5 p.m. and down to 52 by the end of show. so, come prepared.

For more information, contact the chamber at 770.358.5884.

Voters have not been beating down the doors to cast early ballots in the March 19 referendums on a new jail and Sunday alcohol sales. As of noon Monday, only 271 voters had cast advance ballots. Officials have mailed out 66 absentee ballots, of which only 15 have been returned.

Early voting ends Friday. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. election day.

Upson County clerk of court Teresa Harper reported last week the cases of two defendants charged with the murder of Roderick Crawford of Barnesville will be presented to a grand jury in Thomaston March 20.
[Full Story »]