41 Rewind: Top Local Stories of 2015
A Telfair County man was accused of murdering a Cobb County couple after attempting to sell them a car through Craigslist. Family members reported 69-year-old Elrey Runion and his 66-year-old wife, June, missing in January. Telfair deputies found their bodies and car in a lake.
A grand jury indicted Ronnie Towns on charges of felony murder and armed robbery in March. The district attorney’s office filed a motion to seek the death penalty in June.
Macon-Bibb lost 46-year-old Lieutenant Randy Parker in a house fire on Fairview Drive in February. Parker and several others fell into the basement when the floor collapsed.
“Time is helping. This is certainly not an easy thing we’re having to endure,” said Macon-Bibb Fire Chief Marvin Riggins.
Preliminary investigation showed the fire started outside. The homeowner was burning debris in a barrel. Parker was laid to rest on February 16th. He served Macon-Bibb for more than 20 years.
That same month, the Bibb County School District named its first permanent superintendent in two years. Dr. Curtis Jones previously served as the superintendent for the Griffin-Spalding County Board of Education.
Three people were shot at while fishing on Lake Tobesofkee in March. The fishermen were angry with the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office because they felt more could be done. Sheriff David Davis agreed.
24-year-old Basil Ghali was arrested for the shooting in April. Sheriff Davis moved the two deputies who responded to the call to corrections and reprimanded their supervisors and command staff.
Governor Nathan Deal signed Georgia’s Medical Marijuana Bill into law in April. People who suffer from eight different medical conditions can legally use cannabis oil in the state.
The Cox Family moved from Forsyth to Colorado so their 5-year-old daughter could use medical marijuana to treat her seizures. The family moved back home in September.
Also in April, Fort Valley formed a sexual assault task force to find a serial rapist.
“I woke up to a dude standing beside my bed. He pulled out a gun and he was like, if I said anything he was going to shoot me,” recalled victim Teela Woodson.
25-year-old Darrell Ross was arrested in May. He’s facing almost 20 charges including rape and aggravated assault for at least six separate crimes.
About 50 teens vandalized a Macon Walmart in June. Several people were arrested after video showed them running through the store aisle’s damaging displays. 18-year-old Vashaun Rozier’s charges were dropped in November because he joined the military.
The Milledgeville Police Department started investigating a string of drive-by shootings in July. 15 shootings were reported by September. State Representative Rusty Kidd and local business owners have a reward offered for any arrest made in these cases.
Macon Charter Academy opened in August. The school was put on probation in September after a visit from the Bibb County School Board found multiple violations. MCA is still working with the State Department of Education and county board of education to get off probation.
A Warner Robins native was named Miss America in September. Betty Cantrell graduated from Mercer University. She visited her hometown in November before heading off to New York for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
In October, the Georgia National Fair broke its attendance record. More than 500,000 people came out to get on the rides, eat and play games.
“The free concerts also attributed to our success. They’ve grown in popularity over the years,” explained Stacy Campbell, a spokeswoman for the Georgia National Fair.
The Georgia National Fair also welcomed its 20,000,000 guest this year.
Milledgeville-Baldwin County voters rejected consolidation in November. More than 5,000 people voted against unification. About 2,300 voted for it.
“Consolidation is not for us in Milledgeville-Baldwin County. It really united and galvanized our community,” said Gregory Barnes from the Committee Opposing Consolidation.
That same month, Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump visited Macon. Thousands of people packed the Centreplex for his campaign stop. He talked about Syrian refugees, his lead in the polls and his meeting with African American pastors.
“We’re going to make this country not only great again. We’re going to make our country greater than its ever been before. We can do it,” said Trump.
A Macon man was killed in the mass San Bernardino shooting this month. Shannon Johnson went to Windsor Academy. Students and staff celebrated the alumni with a memorial service December 8th.
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