The Cairo City Council is being urged to contest what appears to be the Grady County Commission’s desire to not build a competitive swimming pool at Barber Park and divert the funds to other projects or possibly declare the aquatic center project infeasible. Aquatic center proponent John Brannon appeared before the mayor and council Monday…

The Grady County Commission received an estimate of the cost for the condemnation procedures that were approved by the board on Feb. 20 as part of the county’s proposed paving of two private drives and one county road in south Grady County. The board authorized attorney Charles Ferenchick last month to proceed with condemnation proceedings…

Grady County State Court Judge Joshua C. Bell announced late last week that he plans to qualify for reelection this week, but as The Messenger went to press Wednesday morning Bell had not inked qualifying papers. “I believe we have made significant improvements in the efficiency of the court and its day-to-day operations. I know…

It will be perfectly acceptable to eat Philly cheese steak lasagna, peanut brittle, and turkey jambalaya for dinner during the annual Taste of the Town Saturday night. The benefit for Grady General Support League highlights local eateries and home cooks while raising money. Volunteer members of the league’s board of directors say they are hoping…

As of Tuesday, Rep. Darlene Taylor has drawn at least one competitor in her reelection bid to represent District 173 in the Georgia House of Representatives. Taylor, a Republican from Thomasville, qualified on Monday to seek reelection, and on Tuesday, Margaret “Twitty” Titus, also of Thomasville, qualified to run for the seat as a Democrat.…

A public notice published in this edition of The Messenger reveals Rep. Darlene Taylor’s intention to introduce a resolution in the General Assembly to dedicate the portion of Georgia Highway 112 within Grady County as the Representative “Doc” Gene Maddox Highway. The legal notice says the designation is “in honor of his achievements, accomplishments, and…

For the first time, candidates running for seats on the Grady County Board of Education will not have to declare party affiliation. During the 2016 legislative session, the Grady County Board of Education petitioned the county’s legislative delegation to change school board elections from partisan to nonpartisan races. Rep. Darlene Taylor introduced the legislation in…

With the recent school shooting in Parkland, Fla. the anxiety of parents across the nation remains high and that was evidenced here last week following an incident at Cairo High School. According to school officials, last Tuesday afternoon a CHS student made a “verbal threatening statement” to some classmates and the news of the incident…

Grady County taxpayers could be on the hook for more than $60,000 in penalties payable to the Internal Revenue Service unless the Grady County Commission is successful in convincing the federal government to waive the charges. The penalties stem from the Grady County Board of Commissioners’ office failure to timely and accurately file 1099’s for…

Local residents continue to voice complaints about the condition of Open Pond Road and Old 179 North to members of the Grady County Commission. County commissioners heard from Karis Mills, a resident of Old 179 North, and Heather Brinkley, a resident of Spring Hill Road, Tuesday night. Mills said that Old 179 North, in its…