Area News

With just a week to go, 42 percent of active voters in Grady County have already cast ballots, according to state election officials. This is a significant surge from past years and is part of the record early turnout that Georgia has seen, so far, ahead of the November elections. “The record turnout is a…

Due to COVID-19, there cannot be a big, community-wide celebration of Cairo’s sesquicentennial, but on Monday night the historic event was marked by a special presentation. U.S. Congressman Sanford Bishop attended the Monday night meeting of the Cairo Mayor and Council and shared with the audience remarks he had prepared that will be entered into…

One family with local roots found a way to have their annual reunion while still maintaining social distance last weekend. Relatives who normally attend the Ott-Rackley reunion in person each fall were able to do so from their cars while paying tribute to family matriarch, Linda Rackley Hall, 97, of Whigham. Hall, who was the…

Several members of the Cairo High School Syrupmaker Marching Band took a knee rather than stand as the band performed the National Anthem during Friday night’s pre-game performance at West Thomas Stadium. The form of protest by the seven students incited emotional reactions on multiple fronts that were spelled out, mainly on social media, over…

The family of the late Benny Prince, a former Grady County commissioner, were the guests of honor at a tree planting ceremony conducted at Barber Park Friday morning. Former commissioner Prince was an avid booster of the county’s recreation department, both during his tenure on the county commission and as a parent and grandparent of…

It’s now official. The Grady County Joint Development Authority has $500,000 to invest in a new 20,000 square foot industrial speculative building to be constructed on Alton Hall Road, near Performance Food Group’s local distribution center. The Georgia Department of Community Affairs (D.C.A.) awarded $2.5M in OneGeorgia Equity funds to fuel economic development in the…

The traditional Veterans Day ceremony in Cairo is moving to a new location this year due to COVID-19 regulations. Pastor Johnny Moore, program organizer for many years, says he will host the ceremony at his church, Family Worship Center, on Veterans Day, Wednesday, Nov. 11. However, instead of the customary time of 11 a.m., the…

Local grocery shoppers now have expanded opportunities to save on their weekly grocery bill with the opening of the new  Save A Lot grocery store. The new store is opening its doors to the public today, its first day of operations in the city of Cairo. The discount grocer opened with a ribbon cutting this…

With general election day coming on Tuesday, veteran Congressman Sanford Bishop will be making a final campaign stop here Sunday in advance of November 3. A Grady County Caravan event has been planned by Bishop’s campaign and local Democratic Party officials. The event kicks off at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at Azalea Park in northwest Cairo.…

Concern that elementary aged students signed up for online learning are falling behind has forced Grady County school leaders to ask parents to send their children back to “face-to-face” school. At the beginning of the school year, more than 300 kindergarten through fifth grade students were working online, but over time some have returned to…