Area News

It’s going to cost more to be able to sell beer and wine in Grady County beginning Jan. 1, 2012.Grady County commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to increase the fees charged for beer and wine licenses on the recommendation of County Administrator Rusty Moye.County Clerk Carrie Kines surveyed Georgia counties to establish an average license fee,…

The Georgia Public Service Commission on Tuesday approved in a 5-0 vote a consent agreement between the PSC and the city of Cairo that includes specific demands of the city, as well as civil penalties.The consent agreement is the result of the Sept. 28, 2010, natural gas fire that claimed the life of city gas…

Cairo city officials are anxious to close on the purchase of the former Bank of America building so that the facility can be remodeled to accommodate the Cairo office of the Georgia Department of Labor.City Manager Chris Addleton updated the city council on the project Monday night and presented a lease agreement for council approval.“The…

Grady County Extension Agent Don Clark reports 20-25 percent of the crops in Grady County are “in pretty good shape” because of recent rains. But the remaining crops, (primarily cotton, peanuts and soybeans) he says, are struggling to make significant yields.“Our dry land corn is gone. Just about all of the dry land corn is…

Cairo city officials met behind closed doors Monday with an Albany attorney to discuss legal issues in connection with the Sept. 28, 2010, natural gas accident that claimed the life of a city gas crew member.Albany attorney Robert J. (Bob) Middleton met with city officials Monday night to brief them on the ongoing negotiations with…

With approximately 13 million gallons of water going unaccounted for by the city of Cairo each month, Public Works Director Raymond Stokes briefed the city council this week on his department’s efforts to close the gap between the water being pumped out of the ground and that which is being paid for by utilities customers.Stokes…

Grady County commissioners continued to tweak the county’s 2012 operating budget during a special called meeting Monday.For just over two hours, the board convened to make adjustments to the spending plan and, before adjourning for the day, commissioners unanimously adopted a tentative ad valorem tax rate of 11.77 mills, which is the highest rate the…

Dam engineers with Schnabel Engineering gave Grady County commissioners an update on the progress being made on the dam design for the 960-acre Tired Creek lake Tuesday night.Joe Monroe, Chuck Wilson and Bradley Boyer, all of Schnabel, along with Laura Benz of Wm. Thomas Craig’s office, the Tired Creek consultant, appeared before the commission this…

For over two hours Tuesday night the Grady Board of Education wrestled with upping the ad valorem tax rate, cutting expenses, and possibly budgeting an appropriation for Roddenbery Memorial Library.In the end the board voted unanimously to adopt the $35,235,919 operating budget for 2011-2012, but the board was split on increasing the millage rate from…

A very special Tour of Homes is being planned for Saturday, Sept, 10, 2011, by the Grady County Historical Society.Tour Chairman Yvonne Childs announced this week that the upcoming tour will feature many lovely homes, including Susina Plantation, as well as Bethel Methodist Church and the Grady County Museum and History Center.“It has been many,…