Macon Council Includes MTA in Balanced Budget

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Public transportation in Macon and Bibb County will continue to run as usual despite talk about a loss of funding. Macon City Councilman Tom Ellington says some members of the council’s appropriations committee were concerned about a MTA personnel issue that happened earlier this year. As a result, some members voted to change the way public…

Monroe County Celebrates Official Open of New Administrative Building

FORSYTH, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Monroe County officially celebrated the opening of its new county administrative building Thursday. The $3.2 million project was paid for in full with money from the 2008 SPLOST. Monroe County Commissioner Patsy Miller says it’s great to have a one-stop-shop for county business. “I was the tax commissioner for 13 years, I worked in the old…

The City of Fort Valley Unveils a New Playground

FORT VALLEY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A potentially dangerous plot of land gets a makeover and now kids in Fort Valley will be able to play after the city spent years getting it cleaned. For over 30 years, soil where the current park sits was contaminated with arsenic from a pesticide company. The city of Fort Valley has made sure the…

Four Charged with Aggravated Assault in Houston County

WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Four suspects have been arrested in connection with an aggravated assault that took place near the 24-7 Coin Laundry located at 3501 North Highway 41. According to a news release sent out by the WRPD, a 35-year-old woman from Warner Robins was at her car in the parking lot around 4:45 Thursday morning when she…

Local Food Bank Worried About Federal Budget Cuts

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Local middle Georgia agencies are worried, but hopeful about the decision to cut billions of dollars of funding in the Farm Bill. Each day volunteers pack, stack, and move boxes full of food at the middle Georgia community food Bank hoping every family who needs it gets fed. This week congress is in talks about the…

Meals on Wheels Saddling Up for Fundraiser

WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The Houston County Meals on Wheels is hoping to wrangle up some cash during a fundraiser this weekend to help support the program. It’s called “Saddle Up for Meals on Wheels.” The fundraiser is a poker ride on horseback where you can play the chips and help the community at the same time. Executive director…

Conyers Man Killed in Three-Vehicle Collision in Monroe County

FORSYTH, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A man from Conyers has been killed in a three-vehicle accident on I-75 around 11p.m. last night, according to a news release from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. 42-year-old Christopher Vesely was driving northbound on the interstate in a Lincoln Towncar, when he apparently lost control of the vehicle. The Towncar veered into another lane of…

Milledgeville Native Seeks Open Congressional Seat

MILLEDGEVILLE, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A Milledgeville native announced he is seeking the Republican nomination for the open 10th Congressional district seat. Stephen Simpson hopes to win the seat that is being vacated after Congressman Paul Broun announced in February he is running for the U.S. Senate in 2014. “America is on the wrong track. We face a national debt that…

Bibb Parents Against Bigger Class Sizes

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Discipline was a hot topic at a listening session Tuesday night for the Bibb County School District. More than 100 parents, teachers and business leaders showed up at Central High School to voice their opinions to interim superintendent Steve Smith.  The district’s proposed budget, which aims to erase an $18.7 million deficit, calls for cutting several…

Bibb-Monroe County Border War Not Over

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Bibb and Monroe Counties may be heading back to the courtroom for another round in the century old border dispute. Tuesday morning, Bibb County attorney Virgil Adams filed a brief in Georgia Supreme Court, in part, asking that the two counties and Secretary of State, Brian Kemp return to the courtroom. This response comes after a…

Bibb County Elections Still on Hold

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — There’s still no word on when Bibb County Elections will happen. On June 7th, Bibb County Attorney Virgil Adams sent a letter to the Department of Justice responding to all its questions regarding the request to move elections to July and switch to nonpartisan. In that letter he asked the DOJ to respond by June 17th,…

McDaniel Trial Postponed Until January

MACON, Georgia (41nbc/wmgt) – The trial for accused killer Stephen McDaniel has been postponed until January. That’s according to Macon district attorney David Cooke. McDaniel is charged with killing and dismembering mercer law graduate Lauren Giddings two years ago. Cooke says the trial was postponed because there were too many motions to get through before the september trial date. Now,…

Authorities Investigating Several Church Burglaries

MILLEDGEVILLE, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Authorities are trying to figure out who is behind a rash of church burglaries in several counties across Middle Georgia that could possibly be related. These crimes have been going on for months and investigators do not have many leads. The criminals are targeting churches in rural areas, breaking in, and stealing electronics. “Hard to believe…

Giddings Family Files Lawsuit, Hope To Find Daughter’s Remains

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — The parents of Mercer Law graduate Lauren Giddings filed a wrongful death lawsuit against their daughter’s accused killer, Stephen McDaniel on Monday. In a 23 page suit, William and Karen Giddings filed a complaint for damages for wrongful death, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and unlawful interference with right of burial. In the court filings, Giddings’…

Child Molestation Trial for Former Wilkinson County Teacher Postponed

IRWINTON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The trial of a Wilkinson County High School teacher accused of molesting a 15-year-old student has been postponed. Wilkinson County Assistant District Attorney Brent Cochran tells 41NBC 29-year-old Cornelius Dontae Jones and his attorney did not show up in court on Monday. Instead, his lawyer spoke to the judge earlier and filed for a continuance. The…

Sparse Crowd at Public Hearing on Bibb Schools’ Budget

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – There are more than 150,000 Bibb County citizens, but only a few of them showed up at Monday night’s public hearing on the school district’s budget. The district has to overcome an $18.7 million deficit.  Some school consolidations and mergers were considered, but those were pushed back until later on after public outcry. Still, the system…

Perry Fire Department Opens New Station

PERRY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The Perry Fire Department has two stations up and running in an effort to speed up response times. Davis Farm Station is in east Perry and will allow firefighters to respond to calls in half of the time. The $1.2 million facility sits on land donated by the Davis family. Another benefit residents will see in…

Warner Robins Police Conducting Commercial Gambling Operation

WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Warner Robins police served search warrants at two gas stations on Monday as part of a crackdown on illegal gambling. Crime scene tape and police cars blocked off the Sunoco and BiLow Mart on Green Street as officers searched the businesses. Police spokeswoman Tabitha Pugh couldn’t say how many stores they’re searching or what they’re…

International Taste of Soul Coming to Tubman Museum

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – For those of you who like to add a little bit of variety to your dinner diet, maybe you should check out the upcoming ‘International Taste of Soul’ at the Tubman Museum. The fundraiser for the museum is a chance for you to try cuisine from across the globe, and help support the mission of the…

Daybreak’s Pet of the Week from Macon Bibb Animal Welfare

MACON(41NBC/WMGT) – Macon-Bibb Animal Welfare is in need of some help with the amount of dogs it has available for adoption, and with getting more dogs spayed and neutered in our community. Sarah Tenon with Macon-Bibb Animal Shelter stopped in our Daybreak studio with this week’s Pet of the Week and to encourage people to be sure to get your…