Zumba Fundraiser to Raise Autism Awareness

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Chances are you are affected by autism in some way, whether it is you, your child, or you know someone who with autism. It can be a difficult disorder, both for the child and family. One Middle Georgia mother’s experience with autism inspired her to help other families by teaching Zumba. Zumba is Traci William’s passion….

The ‘Diner’ Debate: Waffle House Becomes a Hot Topic at Fort Valley Political Forum

FORT VALLEY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Waffle House woes were on the table at Fort Valley’s first political forum Tuesday night. An audience member asked Fort Valley mayoral candidates John Stumbo and Barbara Williams why the franchise hasn’t moved to town. While the comment stirred a couple of chuckles, the conversation quickly turned to the need for more business in Peach…

Rutland High No Longer a ‘Priority’ School

Rutland High School Principal Dr. Jerri Hall says her school is making academic progress. A news conference at Rutland High was held to announce the Georgia Department of Education released the school off its “priority” list, which means the school is no longer considered a low achievement school. The big announcement came after the state sent an email to Hall….

Macon City Councilman Suing Over Election Results

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Elections for the new Macon Bibb consolidated government may be over, but one former commission candidate is taking the results to court. Macon city councilman Henry Ficklin is suing District 2 Commissioner-Elect Larry Schlesinger, and Macon-Bibb Board of Elections Supervisor Jeanetta Watson. Ficklin claims his name was not included on absentee ballots prior to the runoff…

Warner Robins Post 3 Council Seat Up for Grabs

WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Election Day in Warner Robins is right around the corner, and the Post 3 council position is up for grabs. City council in Warner Robins is getting ready for a big shakeup… 4 seats are open and in Post 3, two men want the job. One of incumbent Paul Shealy’s goals is to work to…

Judge Orders Mental Evaluation of Springdale Attempted Kidnapping Suspect

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Christian Ogol, the man accused of attempting to kidnap at least one child outside of Springdale Elementary, will soon be headed to the state mental health hospital for an evaluation of his sanity. Bibb County Judge Howard Simms denied Ogol’s request for bond for now, ordering the suspect undergo a mental health evaluation on Tuesday. “Bizarre”…

Police Train to Crackdown on Metal Thefts

SMARR, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – More than 75 law enforcement officers met in Monroe County, to talk about reducing the number of metal thefts across the state. Police from around the state filled the room, Tuesday, at the Georgia Electrical Cooperatives Training Center. One of the organizers of the event, Chip Koplin, of Schnitzer Steel Industries says the purpose of the…

Zebulon Road Rezoning: Residents Oppose Shopping Center, Vote Postponed

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – It was standing room only in Macon City Hall’s Council Chambers Monday night during the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. Hundreds of residents near Zebulon Road met face-to-face with developers to try and stop a proposed retail center from setting up shop. While, the commission postponed the vote, opinions on both sides remain strong. Blackwater Resources,…

Public Safety in Perry Stepping Up to Keep Up with Growing Population

PERRY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Public safety in Perry is seeing a big boost with two new recently dedicated facilities, a fire station and a public safety training center. Officials say they want to protect and serve their community efficiently,and they say these new efforts will help them do that. If any residents have concerns about public safety, officials in Perry…

Two Monroe County Students win Fire Safety Essay Awards

FORSYTH, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Two Monroe County students used three hundred fifty words to win accolades, writing about preventing kitchen fires. Michael Brown and Landon Bryant won awards for their essays during Georgia’s 21st Life, Fire and Safety Awards Luncheon. The award luncheon was held Monday at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center, in Forsyth. Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire…

First Hearing for Accused Murderer of Jmaal Keyes

HAWKINSVILLE, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Robert Rolison stood in front of a judge for the first time today after he was arrested for the murder of Jmaal Keyes. Earlier this year 19-year-old Keyes went missing, and his remains were found inside a burned down cabin near Rolison’s home in Hawkinsville. Rolison pleaded not guilty for malice murder and concealing the death…

Fort Hawkins Gears Up For Third Annual Ghost Watch

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — With Halloween just a few days away, Fort Hawkins is inviting Georgians to it’s Third Annual Ghost Watch. Fort Hawkins’ Marty Willett stopped by 41 Today with details on the haunted site and a preview of the Legend of the Jack-O-Lantern. Categories: 41 Today

Monster Truck Show Headed to Byron

BYRON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The monster truck all stars are coming to Byron, at the Middle Georgia Raceway on Saturday. There will be a Halloween costume contest and special ghost appearances. Fans will be able to see some of their favorite trucks and drivers perform tricks and get huge air, and it’ll all be for a great cause. “We’re partnering…

Dublin Bicentennial Plaza Almost Complete

DUBLIN, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The city of Dublin is almost done with its big plan to get the public downtown. Workers are almost finished with a new plaza project that’s been years in the making. Construction crews are in the final phase of the project that broke ground in May 2013. They’re finishing up a park plaza in the heart…

Macon Pops Performs Saturday, Hope to Change How You Look at Orchestral Concerts

Expensive tuxedos, silent audiences…. you might think of these things when you think of an orchestral concert, but the Macon Pops prides itself with delivering a far different experience.  Hollering after a piece of music? Sure, if you want to.  Dancing? That is not only allowed, but encouraged.  The Artistic Director and founder of the Macon Pops, Matt Catingub, spoke with…

Former Macon Policeman Sentenced to Months in Jail

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A former Macon police officer pleaded guilty today to stealing guns, and was sentenced to six months in jail, and ordered to pay a thousand dollar fine. Jonathan Graves was arrested in February of this year, and charged with two counts of fiduciary theft and violation of oath of office. After he stole two guns recovered from…

Man Works at Robins Air Force Base for 59 Years

WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Jewel Golphin has outlasted most of the 120 laborers who started out working with him at Robins Air Force Base in 1955. Golphin is an army and air force veteran, who served in the Vietnam War. He says, because of his military background it was easy for him to secure a job at the air…

Monroe County Hospital Expanding with 10,000 Square Feet Medical Service Building

FORSYTH, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Monroe County Hospital is getting some major upgrades including a building that’ll expand their medical services. Patients at the hospital consider it to be a lifeline. It’s the only one in the entire county. Kay Floyd is the hospital’s CEO. She says it serves as a critical access hospital for a lot of communities. Floyd says…

PETA and Humane Society Offer 10K for Animal Shelter Break -In Information

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The reward money for who is responsible, for breaking into “All About Animals” shelter has almost doubled. Macon Police are on the look out for vandals who broke into the animal shelter, leaving three dogs dead, and several other dogs severely injured continues to climb. The reward has increased from eight thousand dollars, to close to…

We Survived the Haunted Manor of Davisboro

After hearing the tales of the Haunted Manor of Davisboro, I had to verify all of them myself.  Is it really as scary as the advertising and word-of-mouth suggest? The short-answer is yes, but the long-answer is in the video above.  After talking to several people about their reactions after traversing the manor, I entered with a group of brave,…

Annual Green Tomato Festival Celebrates Juliette

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — The Annual Green Tomato Festival is this weekend in Juliette. It celebrates the city’s fame and the well-known Whistle Stop Cafe! Owner of Purple Hayes in Juliette, Delores Hayes shared what the festival is all about. She compared it to a country fair with outdoor vendors selling arts and crafts, live music, and fun for all…

CoCo’s Sunset Grille Preps for Oyster Roast on the Coast

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Oyster season is in full swing in Georgia! Owner of CoCo’s Sunset Grille on Tybee Island, Tracy McMahon traveled west on I-16 to share oysters with Daybreak’s crew Thursday. She talked about the variety of items on Coco’s menu, preparing an oyster roast, and enjoying a weekend on the coast. CoCo’s Sunset Grille is located on…