King Communications Group and Main Street Madison Ga. will kick off the summer with the first Peach State Blues Festival in Madison, Ga., on Saturday, June 2, from noon to 10 p.m. The celebrated, legendary Blues singer Bobby Rush will be the festival's headliner. Blues singers Claudette King (daughter of legendary B.B. King), Willie Hill, Bobbye (Doll) Johnson, Cantwise and Freedom, Cruisers, and Lady D and the Set it Off Band will also perform. » Read More

Around 800 personnel are participating in the Georgia Emergency Management Agency's statewide, biannual full scale hurricane exercise this week which simulates three plans for hurricane evacuation and re-entry. » Read More

U.S. Representative Paul Broun, R-Athens, will be in Newton County May 23 as part of a five-day, re-election bus tour to visit all 25 counties in the newly drawn 10th Congressional District. Broun will visit Newton County at 4:30 p.m. at the Newton County GOP Headquarters, located at 1107 Church St. on the square next to Square Perk Café. » Read More

Covington City Councilwoman Hawnethia Williams was one of four city officials to serve as a judge of the Georgia Municipal Association's "If I Were Mayor, I Would" essay contest this year. The "If I Were Mayor, I Would" essay contest gives students the opportunity to share their visions of what their community would be like under their guidance. » Read More

Those looking for their first job, advancing or switching careers, or re-entering the workforce can attend Georgia Piedmont Technical College newest expo Tuesday. » Read More

The Newton County Sheriff's Office is holding a free Citizen's Firearms Safety Course. The eight-hour course will be conducted on Saturday, June 2, from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the Newton County Law Enforcement Training Center located at 15151 Alcovy Road. » Read More

The Georgia Piedmont Technical College Foundation will host a community gathering of free health screenings, family fun and food as well as safety and security demonstrations on June 2 at the Newton Campus of the college at 8100 Bob Williams Parkway. » Read More

Newton County has been featured by the Orton Family Foundation in a report for its strong stewardship program, the 2050 Plan. The 2050 Plan aims to house 88 percent of the county's future population on just 30 percent of the county's land by 2050. » Read More

In just a week, school will be out for summer. The last day for students is May 23; report cards will be issued that day as well. » Read More

Porterdale swore in its newest municipal court judge last week, replacing former Judge Robert Mumford. Kimberly Degonia, who has served as a magistrate judge for Newton County since 2009, was appointed municipal judge after Mumford served for eight months. » Read More

New Hires » Read More

Two empty principal seats were filled when the Newton County Board of Education voted unanimously to approve principal hires at Heard-Mixon Elementary and Liberty Middle schools. » Read More

Christopher Lamont Davis, 31, 5120 Lynxs Circle, May 2. Possession of marijuana less than one ounce. » Read More

The local Boy Scouts Troop 222 had a bumper crop of Eagle Scouts this past year, as nine young men completed the capstone projects necessary to gain the Boy Scouts' top honor. "For the most part, all of them undertook very heavy duty projects, not some lightweight stuff," Scoutmaster Jerry Aldridge said. "Some people do just what they have to do to get awards, but when you take the projects Kevin Thompson, Sam Hay IV, ... » Read More

A very long time ago, my older daughter called me in distress. She was just recently out of college and trying to expand her cooking skills. Today she is a wonderful cook if you want a pie or cake or cookies or something made in a slow cooker. My grandchildren always request her carrot cake for Christmas. However, her husband sometimes wonders why she spends her time making pastries and not meals. Anyway, she had ... » Read More

When the officer asked Rico Garrett for his driver's license, he said that he didn't have one. He told the officer that it was suspended because he hadn't paid child support. » Read More

Skeeter Skates, owner of Skeeter's Tree Stump Removal and Plow Repair in Metropolitan Pooler, called me this week. That was a historic occasion. Maybe not man-landing on-the-moon historic, but pretty close to it. Skeeter rarely ever calls. I think it is because he thinks he knows everything. Being an industry leader in the tree stump removal and plow repair game can do that to a person. » Read More

As the longest running principal in Newton County, G.W. Davis has decided to step down after 19 years at the oft-acclaimed Mansfield Elementary School. A school he first entered as a bright young student, he now leaves behind as a seasoned educator. This year will be his final year at the school he entered as a first-grader and attended through the eighth-grade, during a time when middle school didn't exist. » Read More

The two men charged in the shooting deaths of 56-year-old Donald Eugene McCullough and his 66-year-old aunt and caretaker Peggy Molden are scheduled for arraignment next week. Brawny Jarvis McCullough, the 31-year-old son of victim Donald McCullough, and Jonathan Michael Henderson, 28, both Villa Rica residents, were arrested in February by Newton County Sheriff's Investigators, Georgia Bureau of Investigation agents, U.S. Marshals and the Villa Rica police. » Read More

Mayor Ronnie Johnston cooked burgers and Police Chief Stacey Cotton handled the fries, while council members Chris Smith and Hawnethia Williams took orders and police Lt. Wendell Wagstaff took care of the drive-thru. Covington council members and police officers worked at the newly reopened Covington McDonald's Monday evening, as part of the store's groundbreaking ceremony. » Read More

The Board of the Georgia Academy for Economic Development announces Newton County graduates from the 2012 Region 5 Multi-Day Training Program. Class participants represented a number of professional and non-professional economic development fields, including elected officials, public servants, business leaders, educators, and social service providers from twelve counties in Northeast Georgia. The academy provided each of the graduates an opportunity to gain a unique understanding of the complexities of economic and community development on the ... » Read More

For the sixth year out of the past eight, financial-services firm Edward Jones ranks highest in investor satisfaction with full service brokerage firms, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Full Service Investor Satisfaction Study. The study measures overall investor satisfaction with full service Investment firms based on seven factors: investment advisor, investment performance, account information, account offerings, commissions and fees, website and problem resolution. » Read More

Newton County Commissioner Lanier Sims received a certificate for the Commissioners Training Program at the 2012 Association County Commissioners of Georgia Annual Conference, along with more than 100 county officials. The annual conference was recently held at the Savannah Civic Center in Chatham County. » Read More

The square is being spruced up this week just in time for 11 Alive's Friday morning broadcast live from Covington, which will feature the downtown. City workers were out in force Tuesday, replacing the main light fixtures with brighter lights that are purer white, sanding and repainting benches, installing new bike racks and weeding the sidewalks and planters. » Read More