Fort Valley State University Gearing Up for Homecoming Week

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The City of Fort Valley will soon be bleeding blue and gold as Fort Valley State University’s homecoming week kicks off this weekend. Wallace Keese with FVSU stopped by 41 Today to tell us more about the festivities. To learn more about all the fun homecoming events going on next week at Fort Valley State University,…

Middle Georgia Woman Seeks Opportunity at ‘Paychecks for Patriots’

WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Central Georgia Tech opens its doors to veterans across middle Georgia. The ‘Paychecks for Patriots’ job fair was an opportunity for hundreds to get help with their job hunt, and resumes. The Georgia Department of Labor hosted the event in five locations across Georgia: Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Savannah and Warner Robins. Commissioner of Labor for…

Dogs Killed and Beaten by Vandals at Animal Shelter

MACON,Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Volunteers of a local dog shelter are working to restore some of the animals after the facility was broken into Wednesday. Vandals made their way inside a fence surrounding All About Animals dog shelter, located at 101 Riverside Drive in Macon. One of the volunteers arrived at the shelter around 8:30 a.m., and found several dogs out…

Byron Increases Hotel/Motel Tax With Plans of Boosting Tourism

BYRON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The city of Byron is planning on improving tourism in the area, and residents won’t have to pay a dime for it. City council along with Byron’s Convention and Visitors Bureau agreed on passing an ordinance, hiking the hotel-motel tax in the city up one percent, that’ll raise it from five to six percent. That’ll go…

Ocmulgee National Monument Re-Opens; Employees Ready to Get Back to Work

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Middle Georgia federal employees joined thousands across the country going back to work Thursday, after the 16 day partial government shutdown ended. Employees at the Ocmulgee National Monument began their day in meetings. For Tom Sebastian…it was right back to business. He’s a park guide at the Ocmulgee National Monument and was stuck at home, furloughed,…

Loft Living Trend: New Development Coming to Poplar Street in Macon

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The push to have more people living downtown continues in Macon. On Wednesday, loft developers from Atlanta announced they’re moving in on Poplar Street. Geheber Lewis Associates are planning on opening a “trendy loft style living space” called the Lofts at Poplar. The building is strategically placed near Taste and See Coffee Shop and not far…

Missing Acworth Teen Found in Bibb County Hotel

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — A 14-year-old girl who was reported missing from Acworth, Georgia early Tuesday morning was found safe in a hotel in Macon, according to Bibb County Lieutenant Sean DeFoe. According investigators with the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office, Amber Harrison took her parents’ Range Rover without their permission. She picked up 20-year-old Jason Cooley in Dallas, Georgia. The…

Domestic Abuse Survivor Speaks Out

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Studies show most people know someone who’s a victim of domestic violence. October is domestic violence awareness month. One former victim, Felecia Randall, is telling her story. Randall says she wants to encourage women who are living with an abuser, to leave. These days Randall and her son, Jacovian Maxwell share laughs and hugs. Now, they…

Macon-Bibb Winners Say They’re Ready to Get to Work

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Winners in the runoff elections for the new Macon-Bibb consolidated government are already hard at work. They’re laying down the foundation and planning how they’re going to tackle big issues heading into January 1st. A new government with new faces and new ideas…. Macon-Bibb’s elections have come to a close, and the newest commissioners want to…

New Treatment Program to Help Families with Recovering Addicts

MILLEDGEVILLE, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit partnered with River Edge Behavioral Health Center to jumpstart Family Dependency Treatment Court (FDTC). According to the Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit Judge Philip Spivey, the court aims to keep kids with parents recovering from addiction, instead of putting them back into foster care. The state of Georgia granted the court $66,430 dollars to start…

Good Life Organizing for Your Pet

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Every month Daybreak invites Good Life Organizer, Andi Willis to the studio for some of the best practices in decluttering. The professional organizer shared tips for organizing your pet Wednesday. She suggested baskets or plastic containers for your pet toys, file folders to keep track of your pet’s medical records, and setting aside a separate bag…

Results Are In: Reichert to Serve as First Mayor of Macon-Bibb Consolidated Government

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – After months of campaigning and two elections, results are in for the final positions in the new Macon-Bibb consolidated government. Current Macon Mayor Robert Reichert will serve as the first mayor of the brand new government. He told 41NBC his goal for the entire campaign has been to bring the community together in order to progress…

Daughter Gets Surprise Reunion, Air Force Mother Returns Home

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – One second grader at Vineville Academy got the surprise of a lifetime today. Her mother and Air Force Tech Sergeant Jocelyn Foster planned to surprise her daughter Kambria Foster during school hours after six months of being oversees in Southeast Asia. It was a day filled with many emotions as Foster describes. The sergeant flew in…

Panel Address Overcoming Challenges at Teen Summit

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Community leaders told more than 100 teenagers they were speaking from their hearts as they encouraged them to become successful in life. A panel made up of government, civic and church leaders, shared their mistakes they made growing up. Word of Salvation Ministries held its first, “Let’s Talk About It Teen Summit,” Saturday. The organizer of…

Mayoral Candidates Reichert, Ellis Cast Votes in Runoff Election

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Mayoral candidates for the new Macon-Bibb consolidated government spent election day morning casting their own ballots for the runoff. Macon Mayor Robert Reichert voted at the Northminster Presbyterian Church. He wouldn’t tell 41NBC who he voted for, but he did say he voted for a sense of community. He adds it is important for everyone to…

Voters Cast Ballots in Historic Macon-Bibb Runoff Election

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Tuesday marks an historic day in Macon-Bibb county as voters elect the new leaders to run the consolidated government. Each vote is a piece of history in the making as the community elects the new leaders to run the consolidated government. “You need to have the right person so they’ll be able to do the right…

Members of PETA Dress as Contraceptives to Bring Awareness to Pet Overpopulation

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Representatives of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, were in Macon to help bring awareness to pet overpopulation. Dressed as colorful mascots in the shape of large condoms, the members of PETA handed out informational flyers urging citizens to spay and neuter their pets to control unwanted births. Katie Arth, PETA’s campaigns…

Jones County ‘Holding The Rope’ in Hunt for Playoffs

GRAY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Before Jones County’s playoff appearance last season, the last time the Greyhounds played into the postseason was 2004. “When we made it, it was a big difference walking in the lunch room and out the front,” says senior tailback/defensive back JoJo Gibbons.  “Everybody came out and we went all the way down the road and they…

Forsyth Firemen to Make Homes Safer Through ‘Smoke Detector Drive’

FORSYTH, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Firemen in middle Georgia teamed with their city government in order to make homes safer, and keep the number of fires down to a minimum. “Working smoke detectors save lives, and everybody needs a working smoke detector in their house,” says Fire Chief David Herndon. The Forsyth Fire Department was granted almost $5,000 for the Assistance…