If refinancing the county’s debt on Tired Creek Lake could extend the bond payments and reduce the need for a large tax increase this fall, some Grady County commissioners would like to learn more about their options. Last year, Clifford C. (Bucky) Kimsey III, of Raymond James & Associates told county leaders the county’s debt…

Questions about Grady County’s purchase of hay from a farm with connections to Grady County Commission Chairman Ray Prince were raised during Tuesday morning’s county commission meeting. Calling the discovery “troubling,” former commissioner Charles Renaud questioned what he described as approximately $5,000 in purchases from C&R Farms during 2017. Public records indicate that Grady County…

Issues regarding the alleged encroachment on Grady County mitigation sites in south Grady County and the growing legal bills associated with them were not discussed publicly during Tuesday’s Grady County Commission meeting. However, following the meeting Grady County Commission Chairman Ray Prince did answer some of The Messenger’s questions regarding the issue. “Actually there are…

Grady County commissioners have been questioning bills for legal services of one of its lawyers for the last three months and until only recently has it become public just what the attorney is working on. At the May 15 commission meeting, the board voted to approve payment of a $9,850.95 invoice from attorney Laura Benz.…

As Subtropical Storm Alberto was making landfall on the Florida Panhandle Monday, electric crews in Cairo were working to remedy a pair of unusual circumstances that left about two-thirds of the city without power, some for nearly six hours. Every utility lineman, apprentice and groundman for the city was called to duty, according to Rod…

The Grady County Board of Education got its first look at the proposed 2018-2019 operating budget Tuesday night. The total budget stands at $37,283,704. Increased state funding is growing the school system’s budget by $2,081,428 compared to the current budget. State funding for Quality Basic Education is increasing $1.2 million; austerity cuts of $472,425 have…

City of Cairo employees are preparing to take part in a clean-up day and the public is also being invited to participate. Cairo Main Street Director and Keep Grady County Beautiful Director Celeste Tyler briefed the Cairo City Council on the clean-up event scheduled for Wednesday, June 13. Tyler is planning for two groups of…

Last Thursday afternoon, Cairo Mayor Booker Gainor took his campaign for an office in City Hall to social media and posted a video that attracted a lot of attention. Cairo City Manager Chris Addleton has told the mayor he is welcome to use any of the vacant offices at City Hall, but he has not…

Memorial Day will be observed Monday, May 28 at Davis Park in Cairo beginning at 10 a.m. The ceremony is being hosted by American Legion Posts 122 and 544 along with Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8433. Jesse L. Hobby, major, United States Army (retired), will be the keynote speaker. Masters of Ceremonies will be…