Cochran Dairy Queen Doubles Donation for Treat Day

COCHRAN, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Blizzard machines across the country were hard at work Thursday for Dairy Queen’s annual “Miracle Treat Day.” Stores were asked to donate at least $1 from each Blizzard sold to the Children’s Miracle Network.  The Cochran store decided to double that donation.  Its proceeds will go to the Children’s Hospital in Macon, which store owner Ali…

Al Tillman’s Candidacy for Macon-Bibb Commission Challenged

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Macon City Council Member Henry Gibson is asking the Bibb County Board of Elections supervisor to disqualify Al Tillman from the race for County Commission District 9. According to complaint, Gibson says that Tillman claimed a homestead exemption for a residence located within District 8, which would prohibit him from representing District 9.  It reads, “he…

Perry Police Investigating Rash of Convenience Store Burglaries

PERRY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The Perry Police Department is investigating a string of burglaries at convenience stores in the city. Thieves aren’t going after cash, but other items behind the counter, leaving some store owners confused. Thieves covered in masks, arm sleeves, and t-shirts have broken into two convenience stores twice in the month of August. After police made arrests…

Man Arrested for Macon and Warner Robins Construction Equipment Robberies

MILLEDGEVILLE, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A Macon man is in jail after Baldwin County sheriff deputies caught him pawning off construction tools that were stolen from Macon and Warner Robins, that’s according to the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office. Captain Brad King tells 41NBC deputies arrested 46-year-old James Earl MaGee on Friday. He says MaGee broke into construction vehicles that were parked…

Family Seeking Community’s Help For Son’s Funeral

WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — A family with ties to middle Georgia is seeking help from the community. Holly Graff is from Warner Robins. She and her husband Jonathan are currently stationed at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa. Tuesday night, the family lost their 7-year-old son Jonny. Jonny was born with a major heart defect and complications from an…

Virtual School Programs Popping Up Across the Midstate

ROCHELLE, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Virtual schools are expanding their reach into Middle Georgia, teaming up with school systems to offer families additional online options. Wilcox County is just one of the local systems partnering with the national online provider K12. Under the new curriculum, students will have combined enrollment at the county and online. This means families will have the…

Downtown Restaurant Manager ‘Cautiously Optimistic’ About Mercer Football Open Container Ordinance

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Downtown businesses are reacting to Macon City Council’s decision to allow open containers in sections of the city when the Mercer Bears play at home. Fans who want to drink outside before home games this fall–better known as tailgating–now have the green light.  From 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on those eight Saturdays, fans can have…

Macon Bar Association, Alpha Phi Alpha Pair Up For School Supply Giveaway

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) –  It might have been raining hard Wednesday afternoon, but it didn’t stop hundreds from showing up at the Bibb County School District’s Welcome Center for another school supply giveaway. Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity teamed up with the Macon Bar Association to donate more than $2,500 for the supplies.  Some of the money also covered the cost…

Warner Robins Reacts to Furlough Reductions

WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The city of Warner Robins is making one thing clear, they’re ready to step up and help out if times get tough. After U.S. Defense officials announced the reduction of mandatory, unpaid, furlough days on Monday, civilian employees are breathing a sigh of relief. Warner Robins residents who live near the base say the news…

Connect2Compete Adds Quality Computer Systems to Bibb Schools Campaign

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Bibb County Schools is once again focusing on technology to enhance kids’ education, so they’re teaming up with a local business to make computers and internet access affordable for low-income families. It’s part of the Connect2Compete campaign, which just completed its pilot program. Karen Deaton finds it hard to keep up with the technology at Rutland…

Forest Hill Road Project Delayed for Now

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Wednesday marked a small victory for the Forest Hill community. A group of regional leaders voted to temporarily delay the road expansion project which has been in the works for 20 years. It’s six-tenths of a mile between Vineville Avenue and Wimbish Road. Tha’ts just a small stretch of Forest Hill Road, but it was a…

Man Arrested, Charged with Robbing North Macon Publix

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A man was arrested Wednesday and charged with robbery after a north Macon Publix was robbed Tuesday. According to a release from the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, the Middle Georgia Regional Fugitive Task Force located and arrested 40-year-old Daniel Bryan Koon of Macon around noon Wednesday.  Koon was staying at the Villager Lodge, located at 5009…

MPD Arrests Man in Shooting Death of Lizella Man

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A Macon man is in jail and charged in the shooting death of a Lizella man that happened last weekend. According to Bibb County jail records, Quinton Jones was booked into the LEC around 1 a.m. Wednesday. He is charged with malice murder and aggravated assault. Macon police say 35-year-old Steve Johnson was found lying in…

Female Wrestler from Macon Heading to Pan-American Championships in Colombia

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – 17-year-old Rutland High School student Emily Pinson is getting ready to head south for the weekend, but it won’t be for vacation. We first told you about Emily in January.  Back then, she was getting ready to represent USA Wrestling in Sweden. In July, she competed in the national tournament in Fargo, North Dakota.  She finished…

Scammers Target Furloughed Gov’t Employees

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Furlough days aren’t the only obstacle standing in some government employees way, scammers are going after them too. The Better Business Bureau of Central Georgia is getting calls from worried employees after scammers contacted them saying their entitled to tax free grants, almost nine thousand dollars worth. The scammers are really after account numbers of furloughed…

Standoff in Irwinton Ends Peacefully After 24 Hours

IRWINTON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A Wilkinson county man is in custody after he barricaded himself inside his apartment and threatened to commit suicide. Officers spent 24 hours trying to convince an armed Austin Hendry to come out of his apartment after he threatened to take his own life if anyone tried to stop him. Irwinton Police, along with the Wilkinson…

Milledgeville Theater Group Performing “Kiss Me Kate” Thursday for Local Boy Battling Cancer

MILLEDGEVILLE, Georgia — If you’re in the mood for scandal, action, love, and gangsters all packed into two hours, you won’t want to miss the Milledgeville Players rendition of ‘Kiss Me Kate.’ The show is running from Thursday through Sunday, but on opening night there’s an added bonus. “We’re doing kisses for Josh on opening night,” said Sarah Stone, Director…

Mercer Football Kickoff Just 25 Days Away

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) –  Mercer football is almost back!   The school hosted its media day Tuesday, and 41NBC was there to get a look at the school’s upcoming season. The Bears have actually been practicing since last year, but now, there’s an actual reason for all those long days of preparation. “We have a game,” says Corey Lockett, a redshirt…

National Night Out Across Middle Georgia

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Communities across the midstate gathered Tuesday night in celebration of “National Night Out”. The 30th annual event is dedicated to drug prevention, police-community partnerships and anti-crime programs. In Macon, Sergeant Wanda Ammons with the Macon Police Department partied and patrolled at the block party on Kitchens Road. “I’m just enjoying the kids and being in their…

Defense Furloughs Cut from 11 Days to 6

WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. defense officials say they will be able to ease the pain of mandatory, unpaid furloughs that civilian employees have had to bear for a month because of budgetary pressures. The Associated Press learned that civilians facing 11 unpaid days off will have those cut to six days. Officials say the Pentagon found sufficient savings in the…