The Arc Macon hosts Santa drive-thru for special needs people

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Santa and Mrs. Claus stopped in Macon Friday to greet people with special needs. The Arc Macon turned its yearly Christmas party into a Santa drive-thru. Cars and vans drove through the organization’s parking lot. The vehicle stopped near the front of the building where The Arc Macon staff and Santa greeted them. Organizers handed out…

Macon honors Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church pastor with park

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Macon-Bibb County has a new park for people to enjoy. Reverend Jacob Parker Memorial Park sits across from Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church on the corners of Elm and Telfair Streets.   Named after Reverend Jacob Parker, the park honors the man who pastored Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church for nearly 50 years.    Reverend Jacob Parker Memorial Park features…

Holiday crime in Bibb County trending down

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Crime typically increases during the holiday season, but the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office says it’s noticing a different trend. “It usually just accelerates during the holiday season, because everybody’s in a rush to get gifts for their families,” Captain George Meadows said. According to daily crime reports from the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, holiday burglaries and…

2 people rob Pio Nono title loan store at gunpoint in Macon

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — The Bibb County Sheriff’s investigators are looking into an armed robbery that happened at Title Bucks on Pio Nono Avenue.  Authorities say the incident happened at around 12:50 p.m. Thursday. Investigators say the two people entered the business posing as customers. Later, they demanded money from an employee at gunpoint. Deputies say the robbers received an…

GBI arrests suspect in connection with fatal shooting in Telfair County

MCRAE-HELENA, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) –  Georgia Bureau of Investigation agents arrested a Milan man in connection with the shooting death of John Corey Godsey in Telfair County. GBI agents made the arrest on December 3. Authorities identified the suspect as 27-year-old Westly Jacob Moore, of Vidalia.  GBI agents arrested Moore in Albany. He faces charges for felony murder and aggravated assault….

Middle Georgia State University offers first ever Doctoral Degree

MACON, Georgia(41NBC/WMGT) — Middle Georgia State University is now preparing to offer its first Doctoral Degree program. Now a Level V Institute, the university will now offer a Doctor of Science Degree in Information Technology. MGA will house the program in its School of Computing. This will help prepare students to take on leadership roles and manage IT. “This program…

Bibb County grand jurors indict 16 defendants in racketeering case

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Bibb County grand jurors charged 16 defendants in a multi-jurisdiction racketeering case on charges including bribery, money laundering, tax evasion, and illegal gambling. District Attorney David Cooke announced the charges in a virtual news conference Wednesday. He said the charges are allegations and that each defendant is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law….

Dublin City Schools plans virtual learning day for students, cleaning day for staff

DUBLIN, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – December 16th will be a virtual learning day for students who attend Dublin City Schools. This will be the last day of school before Christmas break. Superintendent Dr. Fred Williams says that this will give teachers and staff time to organize and sanitize before the break begins. “This will allow us to ensure that we leave…

Pace Center for Girls expands services to Middle Georgia

Pace Center for Girls expands its services to Middle Georgia with grant funding. MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT)— Pace Center for Girls will expand their services to Macon-Bibb and Peach counties. The Florida nonprofit helps vulnerable girls find pathways to success. A $425,000 grant from the US Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention is making the expansion possible….

A-Ok Portables hosts crappy selfie contest

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — 2020 has been crazy, to say the least. Some may call 2020 has been a “crappy” year. A-OK Portables in Macon created an outhouse selfie booth to commemorate how crappy the year it has been. The company invites the community to have some fun by taking their crappiest selfie with the portable. They are even having…

Georgia Democratic Party hosts Ballot Box Tour ahead of January runoff

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — The Georgia Democratic Party kicked off its Ballot Box Tour to raise early-voting awareness in Macon Tuesday. The group plans to visit cities throughout the state. Macon-Bibb County commissioner-elect Seth Clark and Georgia State Representative James Beverly spoke at the news conference. They reminded voters to get their absentee ballots in early. Important dates Mail-in absentee…

Fifth suspect wanted in connection to Sherry Drive shooting turns himself in

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Bibb County Sheriff’s investigators say 18-year-old Ricky Tyron Brown III turned himself in connection with a September 24th shooting incident that happened on Sherry Drive in Macon. Investigators say that Brown was the fifth suspect arrested in connection to the incident. On Thursday, December 3 at around 8:30 p.m., Brown turned himself over to the Bibb…

Man arrested for early Tuesday morning shooting in Macon

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – One man is in the hospital and another is behind bars after an early morning shooting. According to the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, deputies found 26 year old Tavern Downing Jr., who was shot several times, at Inside Town Homes at 2140 Ingleside Avenue just after 2 a.m. Downing is critical, but stable condition at Medical…

Perry church holds week-long prayer event at local city halls

PERRY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The recent violence in Middle Georgia has a local church covering communities in prayer. Pastors at the In His Glory Praise and Worship Center in Perry took part in a week-long City to City Prayer event. Pastors James and Alma Parker say orders from the Lord directed them to hold morning prayers December 1-7th. Prayers started…

Health District offers self-administered COVID tests at all locations

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Starting December 7, North Central Health District plans to offer self-administered COVID tests at their 13 testing sites. Public information officer Michael Hokanson says the tests are more cost-effective. They also help reduce the risk of infection for the healthcare providers who perform the tests. The health district previously offered nasopharyngeal swab testing administered by healthcare…

Better Business Bureau warns against pet scams

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — The Better Business Bureau of Central Georgia wants to make sure you don’t get scammed if you plan to buy a furry friend this holiday season. Kelvin Collins — president and CEO of the BBB Central Georgia — says consumers reported fewer than 1,000 scams in 2017. At the end of November 2020, nearly 4,000 scams…