Area News

A revision to the city of Cairo’s utility deposit policy could result in local renters having to pony up at a higher rate than homeowners.Cairo City Manager Chris Addleton recently proposed to the city council a new deposit rate schedule that would impact local renters establishing a new utility account with the city.Under the proposal…

The Cairo Syrupmaker soccer team saw their 21 game win streak come to an end on Wednesday at West Thomas Stadium as Woodward Academy defeated the Makers 9-2.  Cairo’s Lee Ponder and Luke Kimmel scored Cairo’s two goals in the loss.Read more about the the semi-final playoff game in next week’s Messenger.

Cairo City Manager Chris Addleton unveiled his proposed 2011-2012 operating budget Monday night and the spending plan calls for a three percent pay raise for city workers, but no increase in property taxes or utility rates.The total proposed budget is $38,222,724, which is up from the current spending plan of $35,976,204, but down from the…

Besides serving as a medical facility, Grady General Hospital also has a substantive economic impact on this community, according to a newly released report. The Georgia Hospital Association reports in its recently released “2009 Economic Impact Report” that the Cairo hospital’s local economic impact was nearly $40 million. The report uses the U.S. Bureau of…

If the last two budgets for the public school system had not been tough enough, the Grady County superintendent of schools predicts this one will be even tougher and is describing it as a “crossroads budget.”Superintendent Dr. Tommy Pharis and school system Finance Officer Dan Broome were pretty optimistic last month going into budget preparations,…

Cairo First United Methodist Church will be open to the community on May 5, 2011, from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. for National Day of Prayer.Everyone is invited to participate in this national event. There will be a brief prayer service at 6:30 p.m. outside in front of the church.All children will receive a prayer…

In a special called meeting Friday the Roddenbery Memorial Library Board of Trustees met and voted unanimously to employ Pamela Stachoviak Grigg as the director of the public library.Ms. Grigg served from March, 2004 until December, 2009 as the library director for the Taylor County, Florida Public Library in Perry.“The decision was unanimous. I believe…

Grady County property owners looking for their assessment notices in the mail will have a little longer to wait, according to Chief Appraiser Susan Bennett of the Grady County Tax Assessors Office.Mrs. Bennett had hoped the notices would be mailed last Wednesday, but at the last moment an error was discovered in the printed notices.Because…

Grady County School Superintendent Dr. Tommy Pharis reminds parents and guardians of public school students that Friday, May 20, the last day of school, will be a half day only.“Instructional time on the afternoon of the last day of school is not an issue. We did the same thing last year, and it was well…

The Cairo High School Bands will present their 65th annual spring concert Sunday.The concert begins at 2:30 p.m. in the CHS auditorium and features the Syrupmaker Symphonic, and Symphony Bands. Several sections will be featured by each of the bands.  The program will begin with an “exciting” concert opener entitled “Fire” by Gary Gilroy, according…