Local Band Performs to Raise Money for Food Bank

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A local band from Warner Robins is doing their part to raise money for a good cause. The Alex Tjoland Band will be playing two concerts to raise funds for the Middle Georgia Food Bank.It’s going on as part of the “Attorney General’s Legal Food Frenzy,” a statewide program for the legal community to donate money…

Bibb County District Attorney Opens Child Witness Room

MACON, Georgia (41 NBC/WMGT) – The office of the District Attorney for the Macon Judicial Circuit opened the Vernon R. Beinke Child Witness Room with a ribbon cutting on Thursday. According to a news release sent from the District Attorney’s Office, the room will “provide child witnesses with their very own space before court proceedings.” The child witness room was…

Forsyth Police, Local Pharmacy Working to Get Extra Pills Out of Homes

FORSYTH, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Pharmacist Jep Castleberry says there are a slew of side effects that could become reality when prescription drugs fall into the wrong hands. “There’s so many things that could go wrong by these people some of them taking advantage of other people’s medication that they can get their hands on,” said Castleberry. In September, Castleberry Drug…

Pedestrian Killed in Milledgeville

MILLEDGEVILLE, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A pedestrian has been killed early this morning near West Campus Drive, at U.S. Highway 441, according to a news release sent out by the Georgia State Patrol. The victim, 22-year-old Victor Chatfield of Milledgeville, was hit by a Hyundai Sonata at around 5:20am. The Sonata was being driven by 45-year-old Jeffery Ledbetter of Eatonton, Georgia,…

7 Bibb County Students Receive Al Lucas Memorial Scholarships

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Each year, a group of hard-working student athletes in Bibb Countyis rewarded scholarships in memory of a fallen Macon native. Al Lucas, son of Georgia State Senator David Lucas and Macon City Councilwoman Elaine Lucas, played football at Northeast High.  He went on to play in college at Troy University and then in the National Football…

Macon Wellness Center Receives Grant to Expand Program

MACON, Georgia (41 NBC/WMGT) – When people are diagnosed with cancer, they and their families do anything they can to get the mind off of the stress and worry it causes. 41 NBC spoke with a few people at the Wellness Center in Macon about the program they have in place that does just that and their recent good news. The…

Local Gamers Rev Up for ‘Need for Speed’ Filming

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Since film crews with “Need for Speed” announced they would make a pit stop in Macon, the video game that inspired the motion picture has been flying off shelves. The Hollywood buzz is creating big business at the Land of the Gods video game store. Gamer Neressa Miller picked up her copy today. After a few…

Candidate Qualifies for Mayor in Style

MACON, Georgia (41 NBC/WMGT) – Candidate David Cousino rode into Bibb County Board of Elections Office on a horse. Cousino walked into the office, saddle bag in tow, and filled out the paperwork he needed to qualify for Mayor.  He paid the majority of his $3000 qualifying fees, in gold coins. The rest with cash. Cousino explained why he came…

‘Need for Speed’ Starts Filming in Macon

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Traffic on the off-ramp at Hardeman Avenue transformed into a motion picture high-speed chase on Wednesday. “Need for Speed”, a DreamWorks studio production, started shooting scenes near the Fountain Car Wash early Wednesday morning. The movie is an adaption of the poplar racing video game with the same name. Cast members include Michael Keaton from “Batman”,…

Karats and Keepsakes Raising Autism Awareness With Cocktails and Cupcakes

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — In an effort to raise autism awareness, Karats and Keepsakes will host Cocktails and Cupcakes, a party and silent auction benefiting Central Georgia Autism. Karats and Keepsakes owner Julie Evans joined Daybreak with details Wednesday. The event is Thursday, April 25 from 5P.M. to 8P.M. Entry tickets are $10 and can be purchased by calling (478)…

Macon Plans to Enter Joint Lawsuit Against FAA

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Nearly 150 air traffic control towers across the country are set to close down on June 15, including the one at Middle Georgia Regional Airport.  In an effort to prevent that from happening, the City of Macon is planning to join a lawsuit against the Federal Aviation Administration. Tuesday, the Public Properties Committee unanimously approved the…

Macon Arts Alliance Partners with Mercer’s Center for Collaborative Journalism

MACON, Georgia (41 NBC/WMGT) – The Macon Arts Alliance has received a big grant to support an arts journalism partnership with Mercer’s Center for Collaborative Journalism.The program is called “Art Matters,” and the grant is $40,000. Students involved will create news articles, blogs, video reports and more. 41 NBC spoke with Director of Communications for the Macon Arts Alliance, Jonathan Dye,who stressed the importance…

Community Mourns Child Hit and Killed by Bus

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – On the corner of Bloomfield Road and Virginia Drive, a small scooter rests in the driveway and bears line the fence just feet away from the Watson home. The fence that was once used to keep 5-year-old Ta’Miya Watson away from harm now serves as her memorial. Classmates and the community are using the bears and…

Hollywood Comes to Macon…..Again!

MACON, Georgia (41 NBC/WMGT) – If you look outside of your window, you might see a celebrity or two walking down the street. It’s because Macon is becoming a new hub to film blockbusters for the big screen. 41 NBC got down to the bottom of what it is that’s making Tinsel Town fall in love with Macon. Some of Hollywood’s biggest…

Macon Woman Pleads Guilty to Stealing Plasma Donors’ Personal Information

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A Macon woman has pleaded guilty to charges of stealing hundreds of blood plasma donors’ personal information and filing false tax claims, then pocketing the money. 30-year-old Bridgette Williams of Nisbet Drive worked at the BioMat USA Plasma Center on First Street in Macon. U.S. Attorney Michael Moore is charging her with one count of conspiracy…

Two More Qualify for Mayor of Macon-Bibb County

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Today, two men who are no stranger to competing for one position qualified within minutes of each other to run for mayor of Macon-Bibb County. Former Bibb County Chairmen Charles Bishop, and current Chairman Sam Hart served on commission together before Hart beat out Bishop for the chairman’s seat in 2008. Bishop says the new government…

Jury Duty Phone Call Hoax Tricking Victims

IRWINTON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A phone call hoax is making its way around Middle Georgia and tricking victims into thinking they are facing serious punishments for missing jury duty. If you dial the number, you will hear this. “Hello, the following is an urgent message from the National Justice Center.” The message says the caller failed to show up for…

UPDATE: Charges Upgraded to Murder in Weekend Shooting

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Charges have been upgraded to murder against two men who were arrested in connection with the shooting of 18 year-old John Johnson, III. The Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested 24 year-old Bernard Bullard and 18 year-old Markel D. Parks, and Macon police spokeswoman Melanie Hoffman tells us the charges would be upgraded as soon as…

Commission Candidate Glover Pleads Not Guilty to Drug Charges

GRAY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Candidate for the Macon-Bibb Commission, Danny Glover, pleaded not guilty to marijuana possession in Jones County Probate Court Tuesday morning. Glover was arrested in January after a Jones County Deputy found him and a friend sleeping in Glover’s car. The incident report says inside the car the deputy found a marijuana grinder, a smoked blunt, and…

Have a Heart Save a Life Shares Pit-Boxer Mix

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — This week’s most adoptable pet is from Have a Heart, Save a Life in Milledgeville. Valerie Buckley stopped by Daybreak with “Brin,” a pit-boxer mix to share how easy it is to adopt. Brin is 6 months old and is named because of her coat. She is a ‘people dog’ and enjoys playing with other animals….