Mercer Student Suffers Five Heart Attacks By Age 21, Help Raise Awareness

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Heart attacks aren’t supposed to affect people before their 21st birthday, especially when you like to workout and exercise. Tell that to Mercer student Andrew Werkheiser. He’s already been through five of them. Werkheiser has what’s known as Myocarditis, which is a virus that attacks his heart and causes heart attacks. No one really knows how…

Segregated Proms in Wilcox County Gain National Attention

ABBEVILLE, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – From NBC’s Rock Center with Brian Williams to radio stations around the world, Wilcox County continues to gain attention for the segregated proms controversy. “In this area, people just don’t talk about things like that,” said Shonda Reaves, a Wilcox County native, “so it kind of shocked me when I heard about it.” When the county’s…

Family of Drowning Victim Remembers Aaron Cross

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The family of the man who drowned in the Ocmulgee River last week says now that he’s been found, they finally have closure. “I thought when we found his body it was going to be easier but really it was harder. It made it more real,” Tessa Townsend, Aaron Cross’ step-mother, said. A reality that came…

New Way to Bank in Middle Georgia

MACON, Georgia (41 NBC/WMGT) – American Pride Bank in Macon is teaming up with nearly 150 community banks and credit unions around the country to take on the megabanks. The bank is doing it with a new program called Kasasa. Kasasa is a brand of free checking and savings accounts that uses high interest rates and more cash back. According…

Perry Mayor Taking On New Role

WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (41 NBC/WMGT) – The city of Perry’s Mayor is taking on a new role. Mayor Jimmy Faircloth is the new Special Projects Manager at Middle Georgia Technical College. He began on Monday, April 8. Faircloth will be helping to expand the educational opportunities not only for students in Middle Georgia, but also veterans and retirees to make…

Studio41 Presents Stephen Rickard

MACON, Georgia(41NBC/WMGT) – Happy Wednesday morning with the smooth vocals of Macon singer Stephen Rickard! Rickard sat down with Macon jazz musician Joey Stuckey, not only to talk about his own music, but also to mention what he is doing across the state to help keep music thriving.   Categories: Joey Stuckey Presents

Perry Rotary Club to Host 11th Annual Fishing Tournament

PERRY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — The 11th Annual Perry Rotary Club Fishing Tournament is quickly approaching! It’s the first time it’s being held in conjunction with the Dogwood Festival, which means there’s a ton of outdoor festivities beginning Saturday, April 13. President of the Perry Rotary Club Rob Tuggle joined Daybreak to share all the details. The fishing tournament begins Saturday,…

NAACP Leaders Urge Wilcox County to Sponsor Prom

ABBEVILLE, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – NAACP leaders addressed Wilcox County School Board members at this week’s work session urging them to put an end to the prejudice and sponsor a prom. “They may say, well we’re not endorsing it, we’re not holding it,” said Edward DuBose, President of the Georgia NAACP, “your silence means that you’re endorsing it, your silence means…

Mayor Reichert Recognizes Mayors Day of Recognition for National Servce

MACON, Georgia (41 NBC/WMGT) – Volunteer organizations around Macon and Bibb county were recognized today for their service efforts.  Today was Mayors Day of Recognition for National Service, honoring citizen service around the area, and supporting nonprofit and national service groups.  Mayor Robert Reichert gave the proclomation Tuesday morning in City Hall. He also spoke to 41 NBC about what…

Community Still Learning About Proposed Bibb Charter School

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – About 50 interested citizens filled the sanctuary at Northway Church Tuesday night to learn more about a proposed charter school that plans to place its focus on reading. “What works well is a well-structured, well-run school that has discipline in place where kids want to be,” says one of the school’s founders, Laura Perkins, who also…

Pollen Count Not Rising, Still Concerns in Middle Georgia

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Middle Georgia seems to be under a blanket of yellow powder. And with all that pollen comes sneezing, wheezing, and a whole slew of annoying allergies. According to the Allergy & Asthma Clinic of Macon, the pollen count in Middle Georgia hasn’t gone up, but there is still a concern. Dr. David Plaxico says the community…

Former Bibb Educators Looking for Community Input for New Charter School, Talk About Plans

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Two former Bibb County educators say that’s what they want their proposed charter school to be all about discipline, structure, and academic rigor. Laura Perkins and Esterine Stokes don’t have a one-size fits all plan for education, but what the former Westside High School educators do have is a common vision. “We both have a passion…

Authorities Find Body of Ocmulgee Drowning Victim

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – After nine long days of dragging the Ocmulgee River, the search for the body of 24-year-old Aaron Cross is over. “It’s been an extensive and exhaustive search,” Captain Bob Lynn with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources said. But the search came to an end around 11 a.m. Tuesday. After more than a week of combing…

Macon Crimestoppers Presents Most Wanted List

MACON, Georgia(41NBC/WMGT) – Macon Area Regional Crimestoppers stopped in our Daybreak studio to present its list of the area’s most wanted suspects. Crimestoppers offers citizens an opportunity to call in tips, remain anonymous, and possibly earn some reward money if your tip leads to an arrest. If you have a tip for investigators, call Crimestoppers at 1-877-68CRIME.   Categories: Daybreak

Audit Says From 2011 to 2012, Complaints Against MPD Rose 52%

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – From 2011 to 2012, complaints against the Macon Police Department rose 52%. That’s according to an audit by the city’s internal audit office. Its findings showed that in 2012, there were 381 allegations against officers, up from 251 in 2011. One in every five of those allegations over the two-year span were described as “Abuse of…

Budget Cuts Looming for Bibb School District, Jobs Could Be in Jeopardy

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The acting superintendent of the Bibb County School District expects millions of dollars will have to be cut from the upcoming budget, and jobs could be on the line. Susanne Griffin-Ziebart made that announcement Monday night at a called board meeting. The board voted to meet every Thursday through mid-June to work together on exactly where…

First-Ever Farm-to-Table Dinner Held at Armory Ballroom Promoting Clean Eating

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT)- A group in Middle Georgia is working to get fresh food to more people in the area, and Monday they raised money for that mission. Community Health Works held the first “Farm to Table” dinner at the Armory Ballroom in downtown Macon.On the menu: nothing but farm-grown, fresh food, including beef and pork options, fresh vegetables–all grown…

Byron Family Attacked by Dog Not Once, But Twice

BYRON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A stray Pit bull attacked a Byron woman’s family not once, but twice. Brittany Wilson’s life will never be the same, after her cat, Khloe, was killed by a stray pitbull in her neighborhood last Friday afternoon. Wilson and her two sons were at home when the stray dog, no stranger to their neighborhood, barged into…

Macon Man Seeks Damages After Deadly Drunk Driving Crash

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A local man is seeking damages after he says Macon police handed his car over to a drunk person. For months now, Carlos Sledge has been working to get his 1996 Chevy Impala back. In December, his car was totaled after a deadly accident at Mercer University Drive and Columbus Road. 39-year-old David Coley died in…

Bibb Schools Prep for CRCTs, Procedures in Place to Prevent Cheating

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Students are gearing up to take the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCTs) on Tuesday. The recent cheating scandal in Atlanta public schools has the Bibb County school district working to make sure nothing like that happens here in Middle Georgia. Students and staff at Heritage Elementary are in testing mode for this year’s CRCTs. It is five…

Local Dog Trainer Preps for National Dog Competition

WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Perry’s Dogwood Festival is living up to its name by including four-legged friends with a dog competition; one local trainer is preparing dogs to compete. Mike Ferguson and his wife have spent their lives turning family pets into fierce competitors. This year, the Warner Robins couple has several ‘students’ competing in the events leading up…