Local residents urged to respond to Census
The 2020 Census is underway, and less than half of the households in Grady County have responded so far, a worry for many local leaders. According to information from the U.S. Census Bureau, 46.9 percent of Grady County residents have self-responded. That’s lower than the statewide response rate, which is 56.2 percent, the Census Bureau…
Read MoreVoters can cast ballots this Saturday
Grady County voters are voting in greater numbers by absentee ballot as the number of voters taking advantage of the advance in-person voting continues to drag. Since early vote opened on May 18, only 352 votes have been cast. Of those, 40 were democrat ballots and 312 were republican. No early in-person voters have cast…
Read MoreAuthority plans to use drone in fight against invasive grasses
The Grady County Lake Authority sought and received the Grady County Commission’s backing Tuesday to purchase a drone, which can be used for multiple purposes, but one primary use would be in the battle to control invasive grasses at Tired Creek Lake. Lake Authority Chairman Steven Childs made a presentation to the authority and commissioners…
Read MoreSingletary Road boxed culvert repair approved
The Grady County Commission accepted the low bid of $47,050 for the repair of a box culvert on Singletary Road, but Grady County’s road superintendent, Stanley Elkins, says the cost could increase once the work begins. Elkins said that water has been coming up under the box culvert and there could be a cavity underneath…
Read MoreGraduation special section to be featured in May 27 edition
Friday night May 22 had long been planned as graduation night for the Cairo High School Class of 2020. That also meant that today, Wednesday, May 20, was the date planned long ago for the debut of the 2020 edition of The Cairo Messenger’s Red & Black graduation special section. However, a global pandemic was…
Read MoreCourts employ technology to navigate judicial emergency
With Georgia courts operating under judicial emergency guidelines, the South Georgia Judicial Circuit is turning to an online resource to help move at least some cases along. District Attorney Joe Mulholland says he worked with Superior Court Judges J. Kevin Chason and Heather Lanier to find what he calls a secure video conferencing tool that…
Read MoreCounty looks to privatize part of its solid waste operation
With the county’s fourth manned solid waste dumpster site on Ridge Road now being open and operational, the Grady County Commission this week authorized the issuance of a request for proposals to privatize the garbage collection from these four locations. According to county officials, until all of the unmanned sites are closed, the county will…
Read MoreFederal authorities nab Grady County man
Federal authorities arrested a Grady County man in Alabama Monday. Tommy Griffin is a convicted sex offender who law enforcement officers say moved out of state without properly notifying them first, as required by law for sex offenders in Georgia. Captain Daniel Singletary with the Grady County Sheriff’s Office says he learned on March 27…
Read MoreIn-person graduation planned on June 13
Cairo High School seniors and their families are likely pleased with news they learned this week that the Class of 2020 will have a somewhat traditional graduation ceremony after all. The graduation is now scheduled for the morning of Saturday, June 13, in West Thomas Stadium, and each senior will be able to invite a…
Read MoreBoard approves hiring of two new band directors
The Grady County School System’s band program will have some new faces following action by the board of education last week to hire two new assistant band directors. The move comes after the recent resignation of Cairo High School’s assistant band director, Adam Swan, who has been named the director of bands for Thomasville High…
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