Area News

City of Cairo officials learned Friday that the city has been awarded a $500,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. City Manager Chris Addleton says the second time was the charm for the grant application for the Teresa Edwards St. S.W. stormwater drainage project. “We were real close last…

The Rev. Dr. Ron McCaskill, popular former pastor of the First Baptist Church here and more recently pastor of the First Baptist Church of Donalsonville, Ga., has been meeting with a group of friends and is planning more meetings in the future. During the past few weeks, Dr. McCaskill has led several evening sessions in…

Grady County libertarians issued a statement Tuesday in opposition to proposed zoning in unincorporated Grady County. According to the statement, the Libertarian Party of Grady County is wholeheartedly opposed to zoning being implemented in Grady County. “Zoning is clearly a usurpation of the individual rights of private property owners,” says John Monds, chairman of the…

The Cairo Syrupmakers opened the 2011 season with a win in a hard fought battle with Drew High School Friday night at West Thomas Stadium 7-6. The Drew squad featured players that had played together for three years and was much approved over last season. See a complete wrap up Wednesday in the The Cairo…

Four local high school students, one a 16-year-old girl, are accused of using force to rob a man walking along GA Highway 188 Sunday. According to the Grady County Sheriff’s Office, it was at 2:45 p.m., when an SUV driven by the girl stopped near Long Branch Road and all four suspects got out of…

Chiquita Williams, owner of the dilapidated property at 1100 M.L. King Jr. Ave. S.W., presented city building officials with final and complete plans for her project to develop the property into a combination banquet hall and museum. According to city officials, Ms. Williams presented her plans last Wednesday, Aug. 17, and Building Official Brian Hayes…

A jury in Houston, Texas, convicted a man of murder Friday, two years after he was caught in Grady County by alert deputies. Grady County Sheriff’s Chief Investigator Steve Clark and Cpl. Jeff Riggins traveled to Texas earlier this month to testify on behalf of the prosecution in the case of defendant Lee Carl Banks…

City of Cairo officials may decide to team up with Grady County commissioners in the fight against those who wear their pants below the natural waist. Grady County commissioners had a discussion last week at the urging of Vice Chairman Elwyn Childs to consider adopting an ordinance prohibiting saggy or baggy britches that fall below…

Mayor Richard VanLandingham is afraid if Cairo is known as the home of higher gas prices then the city will lose out on valuable sales tax dollars. The mayor told city councilmen Monday night he had received a number of complaints recently about the cost of gasoline in Cairo compared to neighboring communities. He also…

The Grady County Joint Development Authority is getting tough in its marketing of vacant industrial properties and is prepared to invest $10,000 in an advertising campaign. JDA member Chuck Thomas lamented Tuesday the authority’s laissez-faire position on marketing empty industrial space such as that inside the Heritage Industrial Complex, the former Roddenbery pickle plant. “I’ve…