Area News

Unemployment ticked up in Grady County and southwest Georgia in June, according to the Georgia Department of Labor. Although the jobless rate in Grady County increased from 7.3 percent in May to 8.0 percent in June, the local unemployment rate remains among the lowest in the region and the state. For the southwest Georgia region,…

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the accreditation division of AdvanceED, has put the Grady County Board of Education on notice that the board is being monitored for alleged misconduct by two board members. At the heart of the matter is the alleged desire of Grady County Board of Education Vice Chairman Scott Higginbotham…

Members of the Grady County Board of Education are under additional scrutiny by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) for alleged misconduct of two school board members. Through an examination of public records under Georgia’s Open Records Act and from interviews with parties involved, The Messenger has determined the identities of the board…

Cairo Building Official Brian Hayes and his staff are aggressively working to reduce blight within the corporate limits and already the building department has cited as many blight cases as it did in all of 2012. On Monday night, Hayes updated the council on his department’s efforts to reduce blight, as well as other operations…

District Attorney Joe Mulholland will not be in the race for Georgia Attorney General next year. Mulholland admits he was contacted by Democratic Party leaders and encouraged to run, but he said he gave them three good reasons why he will not seek the statewide office next year. “I’ve got three good reasons why I…

A Grady County man was killed in a single car accident over the weekend while allegedly fleeing from a sheriff’s deputy here. James Dustin Trawick was driving a 1991 Toyota Corolla when the accident happened at the intersection of Lewis Road and Midway Road around 3:55 a.m., Sunday, according to the Georgia State Patrol. The…

The Grady County Board of Education remained split over the 2013 tax rate, but with a full board present Monday night the majority bucked the superintendent and left the millage rate at 14.2 mills. Vice Chairman Scott Higginbotham and board members Jeff Worsham and Allen Jenkins voted to maintain the millage rate at 14.2 mills…

A Magistrate Judge threw out one of the misdemeanor charges against Grady County Jail Administrator Tim Gainous shortly after a pretrial hearing Tuesday. A second misdemeanor charge of criminal trespass was approved to be tried in the State Court of Grady County at a later date. Gainous’ attorney, Jami Lewis of Camilla, told The Messenger…

On July 23 from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Grady County Health Department will make it quick and convenient to take advantage of Georgia WIC, the state special supplemental nutrition program for Woman, Infants and Children. “If you are pregnant, breastfeeding or have children up to 5 years old, come get your WIC,” said Grady…

City officials fed up with the inmate labor Cairo receives from Autry State Prison of Pelham decided this week to go a new route. The Cairo City Council voted unanimously Monday night to enter into a new agreement with the Decatur County Prison. The Grady County commission already utilizes inmate labor from the Decatur County…